Production Bios & Headshots
The Astonished Heart
See Also: Playbill & Credits
Jump To: Mitch Krohn, Nancy Slater, Kalyn Bomback, Nicholas Curry, Reba Terlson, Tim Beaudry, Helmut Friedrich, John Chase, Erica Wilson
Mitch Krohn
CHRISTIAN FABER
Mitch Krohn is back for his third Master Playwright Festival appearance (and fourth overall) with Merlyn Productions. He is excited to play a more serious role in “The Astonished Heart”, after the comical Lomov in “A Marriage Proposal” and the bumbling Lord Augustus in “Augustus Does His Bit”.
Mitch, who works at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), is currently a member of the Crosseyed Rascals Improv Troupe, the Artistic Director of the BS Comedy Players (Musical Political Satire), and one of the Artistic Directors of Crosswalk Productions.
He has been performing since the ripe age of 9, and grew up entertaining relatives at family gatherings year after year. He proceeded to get his dramatic training through the University of Winnipeg's theatre program, and has more recently taught his own Theatre Ensemble class at CMU.
Mitch has worked with many local theatre companies, including North Kildonan Community Players, Phoenix Productions, Theatre & Play, and White Rabbit Productions. Since 2002, he has been seen performing in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, where he has several times donned the director's hat to such hits as “Cabaret” and “This is a Play”. He also spent a few years travelling with performance troupes.
Mitch believes strongly in local community theatre, and is happy and thankful for the opportunity to be performing as a returning member of Merlyn Productions.
Nancy Slater
BARBARA FABER
Nancy Slater is pleased to be making her first appearance with Merlyn Productions.
“The Astonished Heart” marks Nancy's Winnipeg stage début and one-year anniversary since arriving in the city. Originally, Nancy is from Ontario, where she earned the majority of her experience in community theatre.
Favourite past roles include Doris in “Same Time Next Year”, Maggie in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, Rizzo in “Grease” and the extremely challenging and complicated role of Lady Macbeth.
When not taking part in theatre she also sings in a cover band, plays guitar “somewhat badly”, and is an on-air personality at 92 CITI-FM.
Kalyn Bomback
LEONORA VAIL
Kalyn Bomback is making her first appearance with Merlyn Productions.
Once a quiet little girl, Kalyn was thrown into the world of theatre at the age of 11 when her mother surprised her by dropping her off at a Manitoba Theatre for Young People class one warm summer morning, and she has never looked back since.
To date, Kalyn has performed on screen in over 20 films, television series, and commercials, and has embraced nearly 10 fascinating characters onstage. As a Winnipeg lawyer and actor, Kalyn thrives daily on the values of communication, interpretation, and strength that she has derived from the stage.
Kalyn feels excited and tremendously thankful to have the opportunity to work with such a wonderful cast on “The Astonished Heart”.
Nicholas Curry
TIM VERNEY
Nicholas Curry is making his sixth appearance with Merlyn Productions.
He made his community theatre début with the company at the 2012 Winnipeg Fringe Festival, and has since appeared as Stephen Wade in “The Wraith of Wrath”, multiple characters in “Ming Lee and The Magic Tree” at the 2013 Fringe, Murashkin in “A Tragedian in Spite of Himself” for ChekhovFest 2014, and Guy the Miller's Son in “Puss in Boots” at the 2014 Fringe.
Nicholas has been involved in the performing arts since the age of 10, when he began taking classes at Manitoba Theatre for Young People. He later progressed to film-making courses at Prairie Theatre Exchange in 2007, and is excited to be returning to the PTE School this year, as part of the PTE @ PTE training ensemble.
While in high school, Nicholas was part of the College Beliveau Improv Team for 2 years, and also played lead roles in two original College Beliveau musicals: “Choix Multiples” and “Au Canada”.
Reba Terlson
SUSAN BIRCH
Reba Terlson is making her first appearance with Merlyn Productions.
Reba is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre. She has studied voice with Donna Fletcher and Kayla Gordon at the U of W, and furthered her stage training at Prairie Theatre Exchange (PTE), working with Erin McGrath in musical theatre.
Reba's past roles include Valerie in “The Weir” and Shelly in “Buried Child” with PTE’s Adult Company. She made her first appearance at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in 2014, and will be working with the Professional Training Ensemble at PTE this Spring.
“Enjoy the show!”
Tim Beaudry
SIR REGINALD FRENCH
Tim Beaudry is making his fifteenth appearance with Merlyn Productions in “The Astonished Heart”. He was seen as The Clerk in “Augustus Does His Bit” for the ShawFest2012 Master Playwright Festival, and most recently appeared as Khirin in “The Anniversary” for ChekhovFest 2014.
Since his theatrical début as Warden Holt in the 2009 Winnipeg Fringe Festival production of “THE VALIANT”, Tim has performed regularly with the company. Other 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. Both shows received critical acclaim on The Uniter's “Top Ten Theatre Productions of the 2010/2011 Season”.
Tim appeared with Chase & Hamill in “HEY ABBOTT! - Another Classic Comedy Tribute Show” at the 2011 Winnipeg Fringe Festival, and also with the BS Comedy Players at the PTE Mainstage in May 2012.
Offstage, Tim is an accomplished photographer. He enjoys paddling competitively (aka splashing in the river) with his dragon boat team, “Boogie’s Draggin Butt”, and has helped them win two Championship trophies, among others.
Helmut Friedrich
ERNEST
Helmut Friedrich is making his third appearance with Merlyn Productions, and most recently served as Assistant Stage Manager for the December 2014 production of “Through the Looking Glass (And What Alice Found There)”.
Helmut first became involved with the company in the supernumerary role of a Director of the Bank in “The Anniversary” for ChekhovFest 2014, and returned to the stage as a member of the Townsfolk and the voice of the Executor in “Puss in Boots” at the 2014 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.
John Chase
DIRECTOR
John Chase is the Artistic Director of Merlyn Productions Theatre Company, and an acting instructor at the Winnipeg Theatre School. As a Winnipeg actor, director, producer and stage manager, he marked his 100th local production with “Wind of a Thousand Tales” in 2012.
John is a veteran of theatre for young audiences, having produced multiple Kids Fringe best-sellers, and 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.
John founded Merlyn Productions after his Co-Artistic Director at C.G. Productions departed Winnipeg in 2000, and has produced full seasons of plays at local venues and festivals each year since 2009. As one half of the critically-acclaimed Chase & Hamill act, John is also known for portraying quintessential straight man Bud Abbott of Abbott & Costello fame, alongside performing partner Kevin Hamill (Lou Costello).
John is pleased to be staging Merlyn's fourth production (and first tragedy) in the RMTC's Master Playwright Festival!
Erica Wilson
STAGE MANAGER
Erica Wilson is working on her second show with Merlyn Productions, and previously stage managed “Puss in Boots” at the 2014 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.
Erica's life has been overflowing with the performing arts, starting with classes at MTYP and its former Aboriginal Arts Training and Mentorship Program.
Her first role in a big production was Bossy Mouse in “Jumping Mouse”, written and directed by Columpa Bobb. At the 2011 Winnipeg Fringe Festival, she performed in “Little Red Riding Hood” with the Urban Indigenous Theatre Company, which won the Kids Venue “Best of the Fest”.
Thus far, Erica's favourite role has been Mercutio in “Romeo and Juliet”, directed by Anne Beranger in 2012. She most recently appeared as multiple characters in the “Giving Voice” tour with Sarasvati Productions.
Erica is currently working at Turtle Island Theatre, bringing her experiences and training to the younger generation of aboriginal students.
See Also: Playbill & Credits