Cast & Production Team

Cast & Production Team 2023

Cast of 2023 Season

Selina Asgar
Gonzolo in The Tempest/ Verandah in The Flying Doctor

Selina was born in Gander, Newfoundland. This is her second season with Perchance.
By day she works as a mild-mannered developer for the IT department of a local company in St.John's. She believes everyone has a super power, that timing is everything, and the dream never dies when you believe.
Selected previous credits include Judith Bliss (Hayfever), Agnes (Agnes of God), Jessica (Jitters), Desdemona (Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet), Barbara/Zubaida/Catherine/Sherry (The Laramie Project) and Carol (Black Comedy).

Christa Borden
Mary Mag/Ella/Mame in High Steel

Christa Borden is a singer/songwriter, musician, actress, voice over artist and substitute Music and elementary teacher with the Avalon school district. She holds a Music degree from Memorial University in Vocal Performance, as well as an Elementary Education degree from UNB. Last July she returned to the stage, set and studio after many years of pursuing her passion for Indigenous education in Canada’s Arctic territory of Nunavut. This year she has performed in musicals with The Spirit of Newfoundland production company, been on the award winning TV show Hudson and Rex, and narrated the audiobook “A Roll of the Bones” by Trudy Cole Morgan. Christa is the proud mother of an Indigenous daughter, Brooking and is thrilled to be re-joining the cast of High Steel this summer. She is beyond grateful for this opportunity to once again work with Mary Walsh and Danielle Irvine. “If music be the food of love, play on”- W. Shakespeare.

Owen Carter
Phonse in The Flying Doctor / Ferdinand in The Tempest

Owen Carter is a theatre artist who is extremely excited to be returning to Perchance for their third season! Past shows with Perchance include Hay Fever, As You Like It, and The Tempest. As an actor, Owen has had the privilege to work with companies like Untellable Movement Theatre, Terra Bruce Productions, Breathing Cloud Productions, and Atlantic Light Theatre. In the fall they will be attending the Acting program at the National Theatre School.

Sarah Conway
Amanda-Lynn in The Flying Doctor / Sebastian, Iris in The Tempest

Sarah Conway an actor, writer, and comedian living between so-called Vancouver and Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland). She is grateful to find home and community on the lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ(Tsleil-Waututh), Beothuk, and Mi’kmaw Nations. She is delighted to be returning for a second season with Perchance. Select credits include Jackie Coryton (Hay Fever, Perchance), Reporter & Local Reporter (Son of a Critch), writer/performer (GoFundYourself, Ottawa Fringe), Elizabeth Welsh (Blue Stockings, Studio 58), Narrator (The Rocky Horror Show, Studio 58). Her play Budding premiered as part of the Six of One: New Play Festival at Studio 58. Sarah is a member of the Shit Hot Shit Show and Black Box Comedy sketch troupes. She has performed at the Ottawa, Montreal, and Baltimore improv festivals. Catch her performing around town as burlesque clown Cleo the Taurus. Sarah is a graduate of Studio 58. Sarahconway.ca

Claire Donnan
Lucille in The Flying Doctor / Miranda in The Tempest

Originally from St. John’s, Claire Donnan is a Digital Journalism major at the University of Ottawa who has just finished her second year. When she isn’t studying or acting, she enjoys singing, dancing, reading and writing, and boxing. Select credits include: Mollie (Aftershocks, 2023), Beth (Four Years, 2023), Clara (Hay Fever, 2022), Miranda (Tempest, 2022), and Dame Ellen Terry (An Actor’s Nightmare, 2021). Claire is thrilled to be back with Perchance for another season, and hopes you all enjoy the show!

Patrick Foran*
The Count (Pantalone) in The Flying Doctor

Patrick Foran is an actor, producer and director from St John’s. This is is fourth season with Perchance having previously appeared in Richard III, Julius Caesar, A Servant of Two Masters and Hamlet. Other theatre highlights include Her Closely, Proud, Village Wooing, and Nail Biter (Double Sure), Brazil Square (girl power inc.), Pirates of Penzance, No Man’s Land, Nobleman’s Wedding (Rising Tide), The Baker’s Wife, The Relapse, Laius (George Brown), God of Carnage, Island in the Sky (Stephenville Theatre Festival), Twelfth Night (Driftwood Theatre), The Impressario (Milton Arts). Film/TV: Hudson & Rex (Pope) Being Erica, Republic of Doyle (CBC), Infanticide, Incredible Violence (Hunting Party), The Care Package (Salient), Stolen (Ian Vardy). Producing credits: Oil & Water, Under Wraps, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, Between Breaths, transVersing, I Forgive You, The Other Side of This, The Imaginary Real (Artistic Fraud). Patrick is a founding member of the St John’s Short Play Festival, Chair of the CAPE Fund and the Association of Professional Theatre of NL. This Hallowe’en Patrick will return to the O’Brien Farm to direct After Dark. He is graduate of Memorial University (BBA) and George Brown Theatre School. Love to Marie. @patridesabike

Colin Furlong
Roly/George/Dr. McPherson in High Steel; Antonio in The Tempest

Colin Furlong is an Actor from Mount Pearl, NL and is thrilled to be spending his first season in Beautiful Conception Harbour with Perchance! No stranger to Newfoundland Theatre, Colin has spent his career performing and touring with companies across the Island and abroad. Favourite roles of his include The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, AfterImage (Artistic Fraud); The Only Living Father, Tempting Providence, and the UK tour of Our Frances, (Theatre Newfoundland Labrador). Colin also appears on the SYFY Television series’ Astrid and Lilly Save the World, and SurrealEstate, as well as local favourites, Son of a Critch (CBC), and Hudson & Rex (CityTV). Thank you so much for coming to see us, and please enjoy the show!

Nicole Hand
Musician in The Flying Doctor

Nicole Hand (B. Mus) is a woodwind instrumentalist from CBS, Newfoundland. You might spy her in the back row of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, at a wedding with special event band 709 or downtown with ECMA-award winning saxophone group Ouroboros. A big believer in school music programs, Nicole also works as Executive Director of the Rotary Music Festival, the largest non-competitive band, choir and strings festival of its kind in Atlantic Canada. Nicole is thrilled to be returning for her second season with Perchance, cooking up arrangements and performing live with their exceptional artistic (dream) team.

Una Hill-McMullin
Mom Durham/Mama Goddammita/Alice/Dora in High Steel; Sebastian/Master of The Ship in The Tempest

Una (she/her) was born and raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, but now calls St. John’s home. She came to Newfoundland in 2012 to earn her BFA in Theatre from the Grenfell Campus of Memorial University and upon graduating in 2016, decided to make NL her permanent home. While at Grenfell, she sharpened her acting chops with Beyond the Overpass Theatre Company in Gander and was honoured to earn the Andre Noble award in her third year of studies. Since graduating, Una has worked with many theatre companies across the island. Her select credits include: Boeing Boeing and The 39 Steps (BTO), Fly Me To The Moon, Our Frances (UK Tour), and Tempting Providence (Gros Morne Theatre Festival), Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Hard Ticket Theatre), and Hay Fever and The Tempest (Perchance Theatre). Una is thrilled to be back for her second summer with Perchance and you can catch her as Mariner/Adrian/Ceres in The Tempest, and as various characters in High Steel. She hopes that you enjoy the shows, and that you fall in love with the beauty of this outdoor theatre as much as she has.

Evan Mercer
Yaffle in The Flying Doctor

Evan Mercer is an actor, writer, and musician from Shearstown, Newfoundland. He has been working with Perchance since 2017, and is thrilled to be here at the new location. Highlights at Perchance include Truffuldino in The Servant of Two Masters, Hank in Our Eliza, and Matthew in Bernice Morgan's Area of Uncertainty. Evan has worked for theatre companies around the province, such as Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, Rising Tide, and Poverty Cove. Television credits include Spam in CBC's Little Dog, and appearances on Son of a Critch and Frontier. He is a recent graduate of the Acting Program at the National Theatre School of Canada.

Michael Nolan
Mudder/Lawyer/Priest/Haggard Man in The Flying Doctor; Trinculo in The Tempest

Michael Nolan has more years in theatre than you’ve had cups of tea, beginning at the age of twelve as Paris in an adapted Romeo and Juliet. He was a central part of the original MUN Drama, helping to
inaugurate its Shakespeare productions. He was regularly in its summer shows and in many university plays. He has performed with The St. John’s Players, Nothing on Productions, Shakespeare by the Sea, and School Zone Productions., among others. He is pleased to be returning for his sixth year with Perchance.

Sean Panting
Father Corrigan, Red Trahey, Pat, Mike, Jim, Bartender in High Steel

Sean Panting is a veteran musician and actor from St. John’s. Over the course of a career spanning 30+ years, he has worked with nearly every theatre company in the province as an actor and/or sound designer, appeared on television and in film as various and sundry lawyers, drinking buddies, spies, fast food employees, and scumbags, released six full length albums under his own name and played on a score of others, and written songs on topics ranging from love and despair to vampires, municipal politics, poisonous sandwiches and car trouble. Astonishingly, this is his first show with Perchance.

Blake Pyne
Valere in The Flying Doctor / Caliban in The Tempest

Blake Pyne is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on acting, singing, and musical theatre performance from Swehl-tcha (Cultus Lake, B.C.). He holds a certificate in musical theatre from the Randolph College for the Performing Arts and is a recent graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada's acting program. This is Blake's second season with Perchance and he's so excited to be back! Selected theatre credits include “Paris” in Romeo & Juliet (Sunbeam Theatre), “Caliban” in The Tempest and “Sandy Tyrell” in Hay Fever (Perchance Theatre 2022), “Lysander” in A Midsummer Night's Dream (NTS) “The Baron Docteur” in Venus (NTS), and “Hart” in Unity 1918 (C.S.O.P.A). TV: Surrealestate (SyFy).

Jodee Richardson*
Musician/Ray/Calvin in High Steel; Prospero in The Tempest

Jodee Richardson is one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most diverse and dynamic performers. A renowned singer/songwriter/actor as well as playwright and sound designer, Jodee enjoys traveling the province writing about the people he meets (or wishes he had). He is thrilled this summer to be reprising his performance as Prospero in Perchance Theatre's production of The Tempest with some brand new cast (and crew!) members and all the returning hooligans! High Steel and The Flying Doctor round out his season with Perchance so no rest for the deadly wicked. Mostly though, he is honoured to be treading the boards of their interim stage as Perchance lays down roots in beautiful Conception Harbour for the company's flourishing future. Here's to it!

Paul Rowe*
Alonso in The Tempest

Antonio in The Tempest. First Season. Other Theatre: Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming in Fleming (solo performance w Upstart Crowe); James O’Brien in No Change in The Weather (Terra Bruce Productions); Andrews in The Colony of Unrequited Dreams (Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland) Alfred in She Stoops to Conquer (Stratford Festival) Chorus in Oedipus Rex (Stratford Festival); William Cantwell in The Silent Time (Rising Tide Theatre) Film/Television: Hudson and Rex, Republic of Doyle, Pays, Diverted, Behind The Wall. Directing: Cymbeline, All’s Well That Ends Well, The Tempest, As You Like It, Comedy of Errors, Pericles (Shakespeare by the Sea NL)

Erika Squires
Bridge/Christine/Josephine/Tish in High Steel / Ariel, Juno, Mariner in The Tempest

Erika Squires is a theatre artist from St. John's, Newfoundland. Erika is an acting student at the National Theatre School of Canada. Erika also has an English degree, with a specialization in Theatre and Drama, and a diploma in Stage and Screen Technique from MUNL. Recent acting credits include Sorel Bliss in Hay Fever (Perchance Theatre), Cliff in Sun in an Empty Room (GroupHug Productions), Horatio in Hamlet (Perchance Theatre), Brooke Lohst in Be More Chill (Best Kind Productions), Disciple in Godspell (Etcetera Productions) and Constance in Goodnight Desdemona/Good Morning Juliet (MUNL Drama)

*The participation of these Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance-Opera-Theatre Policy (DOT).

Production Team 2023

Laura Bruijns
General Manager

Laura Bruijns is a professional Event Logistics and Arts Administrator who spent a number of years working concerts and sporting events at the province’s largest sports and entertainment complex, Mile One Centre (Now Mary Brown’s Centre). Her first job upon arriving in the province from Ontario was with the local organising committee for the JUNOs. This amazing opportunity gave her the good fortune to connect and work with some of the unbelievable talent from all disciplines in Newfoundland and Labrador. While working as an administrator for Rising Tide Theatre, she was initiated into the daily trials of live theatre and was hooked. There is no other energy like it. Her true passion lies with the arts and she is involved with a number of theatre and arts organizations across the province - when not out bobbing on the ocean in her kayak or exploring the trails.

Sheldon Downey
Stage Manager: The Flying Doctor and The Tempest

Sheldon Downeyreturns for a 3rd year in the woods with Perchance Theatre, having worked as a Stage Manager and Carpenter/What Needs To Be Done on their productions of Julius Caesar, Servant of Two Masters, Crippled, The Tempest, and Hay Fever. Sheldon is a technical artist with a BFA (Technical Theatre Production) from Memorial University. Since September 2022, Sheldon has been with the Arts and Culture Centre crew working on such productions as Tell Tale Harbour, Our Divas do Christmas, Scrooge, Kinky Boots, Spirit Song Festival, and Flip Fabrique Circus, alongside a plethora of work with the Barbara Barrett Theatre. Outside the Centre, Sheldon has worked with Artistic Fraud of NL (Everybody Just Calm the F*ck Down, Between Breaths), Double Sure Theatre (Her Closely), Under the Bridge Productions (Brass Button Man, The Kraken, Selkies), Opera on the Avalon (As One, Dead Man Walking, Tosca), TODOS Productions (Urn), and others. He is thrilled to welcome you to this special moment in Newfoundland theatre history, and hopes you enjoy the show.

Brandon Hillier
Stage Manager: High Steel / Stage Manager: Open Sky series

Brandon Hillier (He/Him) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist based in St. John’s, NL. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and has recently been accepted to return to his alma mater to complete a Master's of Applied Literary Arts. Brandon is drawn to many aspects of theatre making and can be found in a wide variety of roles both on stage and behind the scenes. He is known as an actor, director, producer, fight choreographer, a sound/lighting operator, a stage manager, and generally – “a handy fella to have about”. He is currently the Artistic Associate of RCA Theatre Company, the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Shakespeare by The Sea Festival, and the Festival Producer for the St. John's Shorts 2023. Brandon is thrilled to be back with Perchance for this very special season as we start a new chapter at our new home here in Conception Harbour!

Christian House
Assistant Stage Manager

Christian House is a theatre creator from Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. His introduction to theatre was with Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s youth theatre program and went on to study it through the Fine Arts program at Grenfell Campus. This is Christian’s first year with the company and is excited to be the Assistant Stage Manager for High Steel, Flying Doctor, and The Tempest.

Leo Mackey
Stage Manager, The Tempest and The Flying Doctor

Leo Mackey (BA, BEd MEd). Since graduating from Memorial University in 1993, Leo has been teaching junior and senior highschool in Newfoundland. Leo is looking forward to his first experience in professional theatre with Perchance Theatre this summer as assistant stage manager for The Tempest and Evan Mercer’s adaptation of The Flying Doctor.

Brittany King
Administrative Assistant

Brittany King (she/her) is a mother of one cat named Sophie King. Brittany is a fangirl first, and a person second. She has been a part of the local community theatre scene in St. John’s for a decade. She worked in casting for the first four seasons of Hudson & Rex. This is her second year with Perchance Theatre and she is thrilled and grateful to be back with such a talented and collaborative group of artists.

Heather Elliott
Economic Development and Community Engagement Specialist

Heather Armstrong Elliott’s professional career includes 25+ years as a Marketing and Communications professional with experience in the public, private and not for profit business sectors. Heather’s career started at Bell Aliant in Nova Scotia as a Product Development Manager, after several years working in senior management positions at Bell, Heather moved from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland where she took a position as Senior Communications Officer and shortly thereafter as Regional Communications Manager for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC NL). After 14 years with CBC NL Heather shifted her focus from Communications and Public Relations to Corporate Social Responsivity (CSR) when she was hired by the Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) as a key CSR Advisor. Today Heather works primarily in the not-for-profit sector in Community Engagement, Public Relations, and Market Development. She is thrilled to be working with Perchance as the Theatre gets settled in its new home in Conception Harbour and builds for its exciting future as Conception Bay Centre’s first regional theatre.

Diana Daly
Production Manager

Diana Daly is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, performer, designer, storyteller and songwriter. Originally from St.John's, Newfoundland she has lived and worked in British Columbia, Montréal and Nunavik. A lover of story through song, image, dance and spectacle, Diana has a keen interest in Printmaking and Ethnomusicology. Favorite projects that she has created include: The Fogo Island Song Share, the Lhasa de Sela Youth Stage for the Montréal Folk Festival, her EP "When Women Kill", being the "Femme d'Orchestre" for the puppet show "Kate Crackerberry", all of the musical experiences with her students in Puvirnituq and Kangirsuk and being the Managing Producer of the St. John’s International CircusFest for its initial five editions. Diana is one third of the Daly Family Collective where she gets to tell stories about her extraordinary family with her dear friends, Louise Moyes and Anne Troake in the stage show "If A Place Could Be Made". She is also the author of the book based on this show, “A Wonderful Bigness”, illustrated by Bruce Alcock and published by Running the Goat, Books and Broadsides. Diana lives quite happily on Signal Hill.

B.C. Batty
Technical Director

2023: Debuting with Perchance Theatre as Technical Director Elsewhere: Grand Magic, Richard II, and The Wedding Band (Assistand Lighting Designer / Stratford Festival); The Royale (The Citadel Theatre); Martyr (ARC); In Studio, Brantwood (Sheridan College); Fixer: A New Musical (Imagination Works); Ralph and Lina (Ahuri Theatre); This Is How We Got Here, Ipperwash, Inner Elder, I Call Myself Princess, HUFF (Native Earth); AMAAL, IMPACT 21 (MT Space); SPAWN (Wild Woman Theatre); Other Side of The Game (Obsidian Theatre); Good Morning Viet Mom (Cahoots Theatre); Boblo, Sea Sick (Theatre Centre). Training: Technical Production (Humber College, 2008). Awards: Dora Audience Choice Award Outstanding Production (Brantwood, 2016). Online: @bcbIV. Et cetera: For Boni and Pat. May your love for each other continue to be an example.

Heather Rumancick
Technical Director

Heather is from Manitoba and has moved to St. John’s twice. These days, you can find Heather teaching grip & lighting at CNA’s Television and Film Technical Production program, working from the booth at the LSPU Hall, or spinning on an aerial hoop.

Montgomery Hall
Facilities Manager and Lead Carpenter

Montgomery Hall is from St. John's NL ,lives in Holyrood. he Is a registered carpenter. Has a diploma in computer programming and It specialist. Monty has been studying interdisciplinary arts over the years with a background in the board of directors for eastern edge gallery. Worked for the LSPU hall, Choices for youth the brother ti murphy centre, newfoundland arts council, canadian council for the arts and UNSCO
Worked on all kinds of productions. Over the years monty has been doing youth arts and alternative arts and education.spent time in aboriginal arts travelled from coast to coast. He enjoys painting and telling stories
He's a leader in what he does, he’s not afraid of anything. His background is in visual arts, multidisciplinary and theatre and film.Montgomery is a builder and always will be one.

Artistic Team

Schedule