Production Bios & Headshots

Mitch Krohn

LORD AUGUSTUS HIGHCASTLE

Mitch Krohn is making his début appearance on the Merlyn Productions mainstage in “Augustus Does His Bit”! Mitch feels that he may have been type cast for this particular role, but nevertheless, he has been devoted enough to grow a moustache to fill the bumbling boots of Lord Augustus.

Mitch is currently a member of the Crosseyed Rascals Improv Troupe, the Artistic Director of the BS Comedy Players, and a theatre instructor at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU).

He has been performing since the ripe age of 9, and grew up entertaining relatives at family gatherings year after year. However, a Thanksgiving Day celebration is not enough to hone one's skills, and so he proceeded to get his dramatic training through the University of Winnipeg's theatre program.

Mitch has worked with many local theatre companies, including North Kildonan Community Players, Phoenix Productions, Crosswalk Players, and White Rabbit Productions. He has been seen performing in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival since 2002, and also spent a few years travelling with performance troupes to B.C., across to Ontario, and as far south as Mexico – with a quick jaunt to Kenya for good measure!

He is very excited and thankful for the opportunity to be performing as a new member of Merlyn Productions.

Tim Beaudry

THE CLERK

Tim Beaudry is making his eighth appearance with Merlyn Productions.

Since his theatrical début as Warden Holt in the 2009 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “THE VALIANT”, Tim has performed regularly with the company. Recent roles include Uncle James in both the Ellice Theatre and Thaw Festival runs of “The Boy Comes Home”, and Robert Baldwin in “Confessional”, when the company presented its Morality Plays triple-feature in October. Both shows received critical acclaim on The Uniter's “Top Ten Theatre Productions of the 2010/2011 Season”.

Last Summer, Tim appeared with Chase & Hamill in “HEY ABBOTT! - Another Classic Comedy Tribute Show” at the 2011 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

Offstage, Tim is an accomplished photographer, and has been part of the Winnipeg Folk Festival Photo Crew for 12 years. He enjoys paddling competitively with his dragon boat team, “Boogie’s Draggin Butt”, and has helped them win two Championship trophies, among others.

Elizabeth Whitbread

THE LADY

Elizabeth Whitbread is making her second appearance with Merlyn Productions, although she has been a part of Winnipeg's theatre community for years.

Previously, she played The Girl in “The Game”, when the company presented its Morality Plays triple-feature in October, and received critical acclaim on The Uniter's “Top Ten Theatre Productions of the 2010/2011 Season”.

Last year, Elizabeth was brainwashed by aliens in “The Brain From Planet X” with the Crosswalk Players at the 2011 Winnipeg Fringe Festival. She has also performed with the Winnipeg Gilbert and Sullivan Society, North Kildonan Community Players, and the Junior Musical Theatre Company.

Elizabeth is currently in her second year of a Theatre degree at the University of Winnipeg, and studies Voice with Donna Fletcher.

“Enjoy the show!”

John Chase

DIRECTOR

John Chase is the Artistic Director of Merlyn Productions Theatre Company, and also the Adult Theatre Instructor at its theatre school. As a Winnipeg actor and director, he has produced, directed, stage managed or performed in more than ninety productions on stage and radio.

John worked extensively in children's theatre with Fantasy Theatre for Children, both on and behind the FTC mainstage for twenty seasons (1991 - 2011). He directed multiple shows for G.D. Productions (FTC's adult arm), and is an alumnus of The Theatre School, where he obtained five years of formal training under Tony Frost in the early-to-mid 1990s.

As one half of Chase & Hamill on the local comedy scene, John can be found portraying quintessential straight man Bud Abbott of Abbott & Costello fame, alongside performing partner Kevin Hamill (Lou Costello).

John regards George Bernard Shaw as one of his most respected playwrights next to Shakespeare. He was introduced to the works of Shaw through “Pygmalion” (which he still regards as his favourite amongst them), and is elated to have finally had the opportunity to bring one such work to the stage.