Production Bios & Headshots

Brian Dougherty

STEPHEN STEPANOVITCH TSCHUBUKOV

Brian Dougherty has made nine prior appearances with Merlyn Productions, most recently reprising his 2011 role as the Engine-Driver in “Through The Looking Glass”! Other appearances include Tschubukov in “A Marriage Proposal” for ChekhovFest 2014, The King in “Wind of a Thousand Tales”, and multiple roles in “Ming Lee and The Magic Tree” at the 2013 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

After once venturing briefly onto the stage with a self-written solo comedy routine for the local “Free Laughs Comedy Series”, Brian decided to pursue theatre in earnest. He enrolled in the Spring 2011 session of “STAGE ONE: Adult Theatre” at the theatre school, and performed with the class in Dramatic Showcase 2011.

Brian's first major community theatre production was with Chase & Hamill, creating multiple characters in “HEY ABBOTT! - Another Classic Comedy Tribute Show” at the 2011 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

Behind the scenes, Brian has actively contributed his carpentry talents to the scenic departments of many productions. He was a key member of the crew that brought Castle Wrath into being for “The Wraith of Wrath”, and also served as the Rehearsal Stage Manager for the company's ShawFest2012 production of “Augustus Does His Bit”.

Hope Figueroa

NATALIA STEPANOVNA

Hope Figueroa is making her third appearance with Merlyn Productions, joining the cast of “A Marriage Proposal” as Natalia Stepanovna. She previously appeared in “Wind of a Thousand Tales” in 2012, and “Ming Lee and The Magic Tree” at the 2013 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

This Summer marks her second show in Gimli, where she also played Saadia (Hermia) in a re-conceptualisation of “A Midsummer Night's Dream” with R-G Productions.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Hope has always had a taste for local theatre. Her love for performance started when she was just a young girl telling stories, and since then she has not stopped!

In 2012, Hope appeared in the thirty-minute film “Abducted”, which had its official screening at the University of Winnipeg Student Film Festival. She is a main cast member at Six Pines Haunted Attractions – where she is known as the mad scientist Igor in an all-ages comedy show – and also performs with the UW Improv Troupe.

At the University of Winnipeg, she is currently in the Integrated Education program, with a major in Theatre.

Hope thanks the special people in her life (they know who they are) for their continuous inspiration and support.

Mitch Krohn

IVAN VASSILIYITCH LOMOV

Mitch Krohn has made four prior appearances with Merlyn Productions – three in the Master Playwright Festival! He was excited to play the more serious Christian Faber 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 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, 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 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.

John Chase

DIRECTOR / STAGE MANAGER

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 classic children's titles for the past six years – including 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 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 Kevin Hamill (Lou Costello).

John's introduction to Anton Chekhov was playing Lomov in “A Marriage Proposal” while studying theatre in the 1990s. He is delighted to revive this hit of the 2014 Master Playright Festival for the Summer Theatre Season in Gimli!

Jenn Taplin

COSTUME DESIGNER

Jenn (Harder) Taplin held the position of Wardrobe Mistress on the Merlyn Productions Company Staff for three seasons (2012 - 2014), and returns as Costume Designer for “A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL” in Gimli!

She initially joined the company during the 2011 Season: first serving as Costume Crew on “MORALITY PLAYS: An Evening of Drama”, and then as Costume Designer for “THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (And What Alice Found There)”.

As a Costume Designer, Jenn brings with her a certification in costume cutting and construction. Her past experience includes working for the Banff Centre for the Arts building dancer costumes, making four wedding gowns with numerous bridesmaid dresses, and a foray into television, doing costume design and continuity for a pilot entitled “Pizney's Occupation”.

Loving the limelight just as much as working behind the scenes, Jenn has performed in five community theatre productions since moving to Manitoba: “Anne of Green Gables”, “Seussical the Musical”, “Clue”, “The 3 Musketeers”, and “The Birdcage”.

In her so-called “spare time”, Jenn fosters dogs for two local rescues.

Heather Forgie

PROPERTY MISTRESS

Heather Forgie became the Property Mistress at Merlyn Productions in 2014. Onstage she has been moving from queen to queen: most recently reprising her role as the Queen in “Snow White” in May, and appearing as Red Queen in “Through the Looking Glass (And What Alice Found There)” in December!

Heather stage managed for the first time while working on “The Anniversary” for ChekhovFest 2014, and made three appearances with the company during the prior two seasons in “Ming Lee and the Magic Tree”, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, and “Wind of a Thousand Tales”.

In addition to being an actress, Heather is a playwright, and occasional director. Recently, she became the artistic director of fellow local theatre company R-G Productions, and is staging English family drama “Skirmishes” in this drama & comedy double-feature with Merlyn Productions for the Gimli Summer Theatre Season.

Heather is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg's theatre and dramatic arts program, and is currently employed as a high school Drama and English teacher.

Having once upon a time taken a few years off from the acting scene to have children and establish herself as a teacher, Heather is now back full-force. She looks forward to many further creative endeavours with the company!