VITAL SPARK THEATRE COMPANY

The Ensemble
Lindsay Church Lindsay began her involvement in the performing arts when she started her first dance class at the age of three. As she grew up she realized that being on stage and performing was what she wanted to do, so she trained more in theatre and dance, and developed a love for film as well. Lindsay has performed in various dance, theatre and musical theatre productions including *The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Cinderella, Bye Bye Birdie, The Balcony* and *H.M.S Pinafore*. She is currently attending Vancouver Acting School at Shoreline and is loving every opportunity she gets to perform.
Jesse Clinock Jesse has been interested in the world of theatre since a young age, and has been heavily involved in high school theatre productions, musicals and improv since age 13. He plans on attending theatre school in Vancouver while pursuing his other passions (song and fiction writing). *Spring Forward* marks his first production outside of secondary school; He has enjoyed every step and hopes you will too!
John Cole John has credits running from *Lysistrata* to *The Rocky Horror Show, and from Last Tango At Little Grimley to My Fair Lady. His most recent roles: Dr Sparling in Home At Seven* and Rogers in *And Then There Were None* both at Metro Theatre. His career highlight: playing Fagin in Repertory Philippines' *Oliver!* John has also written children's stories, directed plays, produced pop concerts, narrated corporate videos, and compiled and presented many quizzes.
James Gill James returns to the Jericho stage in Vital Sparks' *Spring Forward!* Credits include: *Jane Austen’s Holiday Fayre* and *Looking for Mr. Darcy* (Vital Spark), the Canadian première of *The Power of Yes, The Misanthrope, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Countess, Democracy, The Ladies of the Camelias, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Jane Eyre, The Invention of Love, The Soldier’s Fortune* and directed *The Hollow Crown* (United Players).
Frances Herzer (Assistant Director, Actor) Frances is delighted to be working with Joan and Vital Spark theatre again. Past Vital Spark productions (as actor or production team) include *Theatrics at Mansfield Park, Socrates on Trial, Birthright, Two Years in Nicola, and By Some Divine Mistake. It has been a pleasure working with the cast and crew of Spring Forward!* - a bunch of fun people!
Yasmin Tayob Yasmin Tayob has worked with Theatre in the Raw in *The Private Life of Jesus Christ* and in the radio play *The Bonzai Tree. Yasmin was also in the site specific Only Animal production of The Other Freds* as "the pregnant lady". She is very happy to be working with this amazing cast, crew and director in *Spring Forward!*
Katrisha Villarante This is Katrisha's first show in Vancouver since being away at University in Anchorage, Alaska. While away, she performed in the muscial production of *Godspell* at the University of Alaska, which sparked her passion for performing all over again. The following year, she joined Opera Ensemble's Eclectic Broadway, where she performed excerpts from *Little Women, West Side Story, Secret Garden* and *Avenue Q*. She is thankful for this opportunity to peform right here in her own home and hopes to continue to sing, dance and act wherever life takes her. In tradition, Katrisha does this show for her friends and family who helped get her here.
David Wallace David is happy to be back at the Jericho Arts Center and working with Joan again (he was part of the first of her “Austen evenings” *Looking for Mr. Darcy). He has just finished playing Farrant in the recent United Players production of Waste. Previous United Players’ shows: Coram Boy, Aristocrats, Dog in the Manger, Arcadia, Heartbreak House, and The Rover. Other favourite roles include: Don Quixote in Man of la Mancha* (Presentation House), Master Ford in *The Merry Wives of Windsor* (Salt Spring Island), Scottie in *Tribute* (NVCP), Gerry in *Time of My Life* (Deep Cove), Leo in *Design for Living* (Bernie Legge), and Andrew in *Night of the Stuffed Iguana* (Vancouver Fringe).
The Production Team
Joan Bryans - Director/Producer What a delight to be able to bring you such rich material, gleaned from the storage locker of the centuries and presented by such fine actors. Really a director's delight! Add to that, working with Pat Unruh whose enthusiasm and talent bubbles forth in all the music and singing that we present. And to top it all off, a wonderful production team. Thank you all for making this show shine and bubble with springtime hope. May you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating for you.
Pat Unruh - Musical Director Pat's first essay in live music for theatre was in London, England, writing the "Loose Woman Blues" for Mary Magdalene in a folk-music Passion-Play. In Vancouver, her work in live theatre has included arranging and composing incidental music for *The Taming of the Shrew, The Cherry Orchard,The Feign'd Courtesans, several Shakespeare plays set in modern times, and most recently, music for Theatrics at Mansfield Park* with Vital Spark Theatre. On her principal instruments, the viola da gamba and medieval vielle, she performs with Anima Medieval Music Duo, Ensemble Laude Women's Medieval Choir of Victoria and Duo Laude, and Ensemble Light o' Love. She is music director for the period dance- and theatre-group Historical Performance Ensemble, and has performed in Canada, the USA and Europe.
Brit Schottelius - Co-Stage Manager Brit was stage manager for *Mrs. Klein* and is excited to be back. She got a M.A. in Theatre, TV and Movie Studies at the University of Cologne and a Diploma in Make-up Artistry in L.A. Besides designing make-up for many shows, she has always enjoyed getting involved in community theatre. Among her favourite experiences were back in Germany co-directing and creating the make-up for Kafka's *Report for an Academy* and Weiss' Marat/Sade and a wonderful year in music and theatre at a college in Minnesota. Her dream is to have a puppet theatre for children, some day...
Tanya Hill - Co-Stage Manager Tanya was ASM for *Mrs. Klein* and *The Power of Yes* two recent United Players' productions. She has been a dancer for most of her life and is involved with film and radio production, and loves all aspects of theatre. Tanya is delighted to be working with Vital Spark.
Catherine E. Carr - Costume Design Catherine has worked in costume design and construction on many Vital Spark productions, including *Theatrics at Mansfield Park, By Some Divine Mistake, Socrates on Trial* and *Two Years in Nicola. Other credits include: The Breath of Life, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Democracy, Jane Eyre, You Never Can Tell* (with Sandi McDonald) and *There Came a Gypsy Riding* (United Players), *The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui* (Mentors Co-op); *Lucky Stiff* (Triptych Theatricals) and *A School for Scandal* (Presentation House). Catherine is a graduate of UBC (Italian and English) and VCC’s Fashion Arts Certificate Program.
Randy Poulis - Lighting Design Spring cleaning is not something Randy takes lightly. It's something he'd rather not take at all, so he fills his calendar up with designing lights to avoid the accursed chores. This spring he's managed to add Vital Spark's *Spring Forward, United Players' Rosmersholm* and NorthVan Community Players' *If We Are Women*, to his April shower of openings. Randy graduated with his MFA in Theatre Design from UVic in the spring of 2004. www.lightworkz.ca
Darren W. Hales - Sound Design Recent projects include lighting design for *The Story of My Life* (Best Friends Co-Op at the Revue Stage), lighting for *Becky’s New Car* (Arts Club on Tour), lighting for *What About Luv?, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Evil Dead – The Musical* (DSR Productions), lighting and technical direction for *Flower Drum Song* (VACT), lighting for *Opening Night* and *Dial M for Murder* (Metro Theatre), lighting and sound for *Departures & Arrivals, Urinetown, Much Ado About Nothing, Cabaret* and *The Laramie Project* (Lord Byng Secondary), lighting for Coram Boy and *There Came A Gypsy Riding* (United Players), *Company* (Arts Club), *The Nutcracker* (SoSuite Productions at Jericho), sound for *Socrates on Trial* (Vital Spark at the Chan), *Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad* and *The Dishwashers* (Arts Club 2005 Jessie Nominee). Darren is the Head Electrician for the Arts Club Theatre’s Granville Island Stage.
Deidra Casumpang - Assistant Stage Manager Deidra is delighted to be working with such a talented group of people on the production of *Spring Forward!. She recently worked backstage as an assistant on sound for the local production of Mrs. Klein* (United Players), which she enjoyed immensely. An avid theater goer, Deidra graduated with a B.A. in English Literature from the University of British Columbia and is happy to be volunteering her time behind the scenes.
Janice Raaby - Properties Janice’s love for the theatre commenced in her teens when she was taken to see many London West End productions. However her first and only part on stage was as Maria in Twelfth Night while at school. Since then she has played many “real life” parts as a parent to two rambunctious teenagers and working in the legal profession with some pretty wild and interesting characters. Working with Props for Spring Forward has been a real eye-opener and Joan and Co are wonderful mentors.
Sandi McDonald - Graphics/Programme/Webste A graduate of the Royal Melbourne School of Applied Art (Australia), Sandi has designed posters, programmes, brochures and websites for theatre and film industry in the Lower Mainland. She is also an award-winning costume designer for community and semi-professional theatre, in both Australia and Vancouver.