The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful
About the Play
This definitive spoof of Gothic melodramas, recently revived Off-Broadway to raves, is a quick change marathon in which two actors play all the roles. A sympathetic werewolf, a vampire and an Egyptian princess brought to life when her tomb is opened make this a comedy that has everything.
The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful is produced by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals (Samuel French)
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
You know it really does take a village. Tonight’s show is the culmination of a very talented group of designers, production people, and incredible volunteers (plus two fearless actors!). As a director, I have a vision of how I’d like the show to go. Everything from the set to the lighting to costumes to the pace of the production. And I put a lot of trust in the people we work with to help bring it all to fruition. I couldn’t have asked for a more creative and fearless group to work with. The Mystery of Irma Vep is funny (hopefully), intelligent (just ask the cast) and presents great challenges to all involved. So if it works, please let the designers, cast and crew know. If it doesn’t work … yeah, you can blame me. Enjoy the show! – Miles Lavkulich
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Welcome to North Vancouver Community Players’ production of The Mystery of Irma Vep. This is our second production of the new season. Please be sure to pick up a brochure for our upcoming 2016-2017 season. We know that you will love the choices. This year you can purchase tickets for a friend or family as a gift for one (or more) of our plays. Call our ticket line at 604-983-2633. We hope that you will leave Hendry Hall tonight having enjoyed a wonderful evening of live entertainment. If you would like to join into the fun on and off stage, please check out our website North Van Community Players under the section Volunteer. We would love to have you aboard! – Fran Heaney
| Character | Played by |
| Various | John Cousins |
| Various | Michael Morabito |
| Director | Miles Lavkulich |
| Author | Charles Ludlam |
| Production Manager | Anne Marsh |
| Stage Manager | Rebecca Oben |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Jennifer Morabito |
| Set Designer | Linda Sharp |
| Set Construction Lead | Glynnis Brassil |
| Set Construction | Bob Martin, Andy Jones-Cox, and Joe Vanbelois |
| Set Decorator Lead | Glynnis Brassil |
| Set Decorator Assistants | Robin Hilliard, Linda Sharp |
| Properties Lead | Val Mason |
| Properties Assistant | Jan Forrest |
| Lighting Designer | Hannah Lohnes |
| Lighting Assistant | Miles Lavkulich |
| Sound Designer | Hillary Brewer |
| Lighting and Sound Operator | Bill Howorth |
| Costume Designer | Maureen Power |
| Dressers | Roseanne van Renesse, and Shirley Helgason |
| Make-Up and Wigs Assistants | Attila Kallai, Eve Oben-Fikus, Kyra Buch, and Karen Cresswell |
| Graphic Artist | Linda Sharp |
| Publicity and Program | Anne Marsh |
| Administrative Assistant | Karen Cresswell |
| Front-of-House Coordinator | Sandy Branning |
| Opening Night Catering/Decoration | Camille Johnson, Meghan McGuinness-Gill, and Kathleen Denkewalter |
| Box Office | Fran Heaney |
| Photographer | Damon Calderwood |
| Videographer | Paul Paterson |
| Original Performance Dates | October 21 to November 5, 2016 |
| Venue | The Theatre at Hendry Hall, North Vancouver, BC |
| Production Length | 1 hour and 40 minutes |
| Production Style | Comedy |
| Special Thanks To | Yong Xu Yu, Jeremy Boyd, Arnold Ostevik, Duncan Sharp, Meghan McGuinness-Gill, Kosmo Ng, Rayna Li, Sean Brassil, Film Program – Bosa Centre at Capilano University, Obsession Bikes, Lynn Valley Bikes, Deneys van den Dool, Ray Boucher, Kathleen Denkewalter, Jennifer Ng, Amy Wang, Val Gowing, Mitchell Mackay, Students – Sentinel Secondary School |
| Miles Lavkulich | Director – Miles is thrilled to have the opportunity to direct with NVCP and their production of The Mystery of Irma Vep. NVCP has a reputation as being one of the warmest places with the best volunteers, and they do live up to it. His first chance to work with them was on last season’s show Two Rooms, for which he won a Best Sound Award at the Theatre BC Zone Festival. Some of his previous directing credits include Lend Me A Tenor and The Cat and The Canary at Vagabond Players, The Wiz at Genesis Theatre, and Nun Crackers for Raving Theatre. Special shout out to his Sweet Babu for all her support! |
| John Cousins | Actor – John comes to Hendry Hall with many years of experience in the theatre and film industry. Audiences may remember John from the production of Dancing At Lughnasa. Locally he has performed at the Deep Cove Shaw Theatre in A Dark & Stormy Night, Making A Killing, Good Life and Murder By Misadventure. Recently John played John Barrymore in the one-man play Barrymore’s Ghost with The Page Theatre. John is honoured to be sharing the stage with his co-star, Michael Morabito, and a wonderful and hard working crew. He thanks Miles for this great opportunity and challenge of playing a variety of characters, all in the same play and sometimes at the same time. John sends out a special thanks to his lovely lady, Colleen, for all her love and support. |
| Anne Marsh | Production Manager and Publicist – A chance spying of a plea for actors in the North Shore News over forty years ago brought Anne to the North Vancouver Community Players and her life changed. Acting was her first joy, but age and the inability to remember lines has relegated her to the sidelines. Her last appearance on the Hendry Hall stage was actually with Michael Morabito in Moon Over Buffalo. However, she takes pleasure in providing administrative duties for the various clubs on the North Shore, as well as the creative role of sound design. Irma Vep has brought many new members to Hendry Hall and Anne is thrilled to be the “mother hen” to all these talented people bringing you this entertaining production. |
| Michael Morabito | Actor – A member of NVCP for many years, Michael most recently appeared in NVCP’s productions of: Moon Over Buffalo, The Murder Room, Kitchen Witches, and Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii. It has been an amazing experience working with director Miles Lavkulich, the legendary John Cousins, and with such a creative, generous and hard-working backstage crew who have made this production of Irma Vep possible. A big thank you to his wife, Jennifer, for all her backstage support. And, lastly, thank you for supporting community theatre—enjoy the show! |
| Rebecca Oben | Stage Manager – Becky has acted, stage managed, directed and sang in many shows over the years—the most memorable have been: Lend Me A Tenor with Vagabond Players, The Three Clever Pigs with the North Shore Theatre for Children, as well as Take Me Out, A Fine Romance and My Big Gay Italian Wedding with Raving Theatre, Knight Fever with SMP Dramatic Society, Fawlty Towers with Theatre West Van and The Pink Flamingo with The Red Herring Comedy Troupe. Becky is pleased and proud to have her daughter Eve working alongside her for the first time on a production. She has been enriched by this show and the wonderful cast and crew who have made it what it is—a roaring good time! |
| Maureen Power | Costume Designer – Hailing from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Maureen has many strings to her bow, but stumbled upon community theatre later in her career path. After a spell living in New York and then South Africa, she came to the North Shore and immersed herself in quilting and owned a store specializing in this endeavour. A chance encounter with a hiking group outside her premises resulted in being led into designing and making costumes for the entire cast of Rumpelstiltskin, Deep Cove Stage’s annual pantomime. After a suitable hiatus, Maureen has now joined the Hendry Hall family and is showing off her amazing ability to produce period costumes, complete with steam punk. |
| Linda Sharp | Set Designer and Decorator – Linda Sharp draws on a varied background in the arts. She is a cartoonist, illustrator, painter, textile artist, glass bead maker, and jewellery craftsman. She has also bought the supplies to try wood carving, and is looking forward to injuring herself in exciting new ways. Linda has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a diploma in Classical Animation, and a secret decoder ring from a cereal box. Working at Hendry Hall has been a great exercise for Linda – artists don’t often have the chance to work at this scale, and to work with such an inspiring, supportive creative team. Also the cookies were good. |