Natasha MacLellan
Director
Natasha MacLellan's love of new scripts was fostered through Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre where she mentored with Jenny Munday. From there she started Forerunner Playwrights Theatre, which produced new works in Halifax for a decade followed by six seasons as the Artistic Producer of Ship's Company Theatre. Before she became a full time producer, Natasha worked as an actor, director, teacher and dramaturge. And, she still does those things, when she can.
Kirsten Alter
Kirsten (she/her) was born and raised in Quispamsis, New Brunswick. Past shows for TNB include, It’s a Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play, and last season’s Bluebirds. Kirsten is super excited to be back, in this wacky, witty and poignant holiday show.
Other select theatre: Intimate Apparel (Thousand Islands Playhouse) Wit (Vancouver Playhouse, Canadian Stage), Scent of the Roses (ACT), John Ware Reimagined (Ellipsis Tree Collective, Workshop West), Heaven (Lunchbox Theatre), Halfway There, Come Down From Up River, The Ladies Foursome, Wildly Romantic (The Foster Festival).
As a Voice Over actor, Kirsten’s very first job was doing the voice of Storm in X-Men: Evolution. More recently, she’s been cast as the voice of Gee Raffe on the PBS Kids series, Elinor Wonders Why, and she can be heard on numerous radio and tv commercials for such companies as Easy Financial, Milk Bones, Noom and Cadillac.
Stevey Hunter
Stevey Hunter (they/them) is a queer trans non-binary actor, comedian, writer, and filmmaker. They are a versatile performer known for their work improvising with the award winning improv group: Hello City, and have taught and performed improv across Canada. Stevey graduated from Dalhousie's Fountain School of Performing Arts Acting Program and went on to work with numerous theatre companies in Nova Scotia including: Neptune Theatre, Ship’s Theatre, LunaSea, Zuppa, and more. In Fall 2021, Eastern Front Theatre and Shakespeare by the Sea produced the premiere production of their play FAT JULIET, which had a sold out run and was nominated for 12 Theatre Nova Scotia Robert Merritt Awards. Stevey is delighted to be making their Theatre New Brunswick debut working on this hilarious show with such a great team.
Instagram: @steveyhunter
Sarah O’Brecht
Sarah O’Brecht is an artist from Saint John, New Brunswick. On screen, she has appeared in Mother of Invention, Lady Darb, Adulting, Good Witch, and Warehouse 13. Sarah wrote, produced, and acted in Good With Her, directed by Sheila McCarthy. Her writer/director debut she her him premiered at the Reelworld Festival with YEAA Shorts. Her theatre credits include 1979 (TNB), Noises Off, Mamma Mia (Neptune), No Man is an Island (Atlantic Rep), Anne of Green Gables, Mamma Mia, Alice Through the Looking Glass (Charlottetown), Jersey Boys, Chicago (Stage West), Guys and Dolls (Segal Centre), Johnny Belinda (Smile). Sarah assistant directed Beauty and the Beast (Globe) and Lucy Maud & Anne (Smile), and was the dramaturge for the 2023 Banks Cabaret. She is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Making Movement, which featured inaugural keynote speaker Susan Stroman. Sarah has been a guest artist at the Watershed Festival at Queens University, Sheridan College, and The Musical Stage Company, and recently completed the Innovators Program at Nightwood Theatre. Sarah is currently the Apprentice Artistic Director of The Musical Stage Company.
Instagram: @sarahobrecht
Website: www.sarahobrecht.com
Sabrina Miller
Set Designer
Sabrina is a set, costume and puppet designer originally from the west coast of Canada. Production designs include From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days (Geordie Theatre), Birthmark (Teesri Duniya), Bluenose (Black Theatre Workshop) and Animal Farm (Kaleidoscope Theatre). Set designs include The Times They are A Changin’ (Segal Centre), Much Ado About Nothing and Cymbeline (Repercussion Theatre), Ayibobo III: Little Dollhouse on the Prairie (Danse-Cité), The Oresteia (Dawson College), and Little Shop of Horrors and Cabaret (Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society).
Sabrina has been nominated for both set and costume design awards, and won the META for Outstanding Costume Design (From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea, 2022) and Best Costume Design at the YES! Film Festival (WRAITH, 2023).
This is Sabrina’s first show with Theatre New Brunswick, and it has been a joy making Christmas magic for this production.
Jodee Richardson
Sound Designer
Jodee Richardson is one of Newfoundland & Labrador's most diverse and dynamic performers/creators. A renowned singer/songwriter, actor and playwright, Jodee enjoys traveling Atlantic Canada, writing about the people he meets and the places he visits. As a sound designer and composer he has contributed to countless projects throughout AC and he is overjoyed to be working with Theatre New Brunswick on this groovy show...let alone to be out of the house! Onwards into the light, good people!
Leigh Ann Vardy
Light Designer
Leigh Ann has designed lights for theatres across Canada. Recently she designed The Neverending Story (Stratford, NAC), The Third Colour (Prairie Theatre Exchange), Secret Life of a Mother (Theatre Centre, Crows Theatre), and The Colour Purple (Neptune Theatre), The God That Comes (2b), Between Breaths (Artistic Fraud). Her work has been seen throughout Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the US.
Leigh Ann* is a teacher and coach at National Theatre School of Canada.
*Indicated designers on this production are represented by the Associated Designers of Canada, IATSE Local ADC659.
Andrea Ritchie
Costume Designer
Andrea was born and lives in K’jipuktuk (Halifax). Her foundation in theatre is costume design and producing. She was a long-time member/designer with The Irondale Ensemble Project. For over a decade, she designed and built costumes for all of the ensemble’s work.
In theatre, dance and performance art she has worked with a wide range companies and productions, including Ship’s Company Theatre, One Light Theatre, Zuppa Theatre, Hear Here Productions/Mocean Dance, San Family Productions, Forerunner Playwrights Co-op, Theatre New Brunswick, Neptune Theatre, Keep Good Company Theatre, among others. Her focus is in the Maritimes, in sharing stories for this time and place.
Karen Bassett
Fight Director/Choreographer
Karen is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist as a fight director, performer, playwright, and teacher. She is a passionate advocate, creator, and innovator in the discipline of stage violence. She is the only fight director to have been nominated in the Nova Scotia Merritt awards choreography category for her work on Neptune’s Shakespeare in Love. She holds numerous fight direction credits with Neptune Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick, Ship’s Company Theatre, Festival Antigonish, Two Planks and Passion Theatre, Villain’s Theatre, Shakespeare by the Sea, 2B Theatre, Mulgrave Road Theatre, and Halifax Theatre For Young People. Her theatre work has taken her across Canada, to the United States, Iran, Fiji, and Vanuatu.
Most recent credits include: The Play That Goes Wrong (Neptune Theatre 2023) Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre 2023)
Upcoming work: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Neptune 2024)
Karen thanks Artistic Executive Director Natasha MacLellan for her support to her as an actor, playwright, and fight director. A wonderful adventure.
Rachel Dawn Woods
Stage Manager
Rachel is excited to be returning to Fredericton and TNB after 10 years. She has previously worked at TNB for The Gift of the Magi and A Christmas Carol. She is also a proud Theatre St. Thomas alumnus.
Other Selected Theatre includes: The Real McCoy, Dear Johnny Deere (Blyth Festival), Billy Elliot, Elf, Beneath Springhill, Alice in Pantoland (Neptune); Tell Tale Harbour, Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown), Cost of Living, The Candidate, Sweat, A Christmas Carol (Citadel); Heisenberg, The Comedy Company, Fly Me to the Moon, Annapurna (Shadow); Million Dollar Quartet, The Ladies Foursome (Mayfield); A Winter's Tale, Two Gentlemen of Verona (Freewill Shakespeare); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Travesties, The Graduate, Guys and Dolls (Segal Centre).
