Northern Light Theatre Presents WE HAD A GIRL BEFORE YOU

A candle-lit recounting of a Gothic tale of suspense and spine-tingling terror...

1880's Victorian London. Orphan spinster Edwina "Weenie" Trout accepts a position as a lady's companion on the remote island that houses Whisham Manor - known by the locals as 'Desolation'. She finds herself to be the latest in a long line of 'girls' who have mysteriously disappeared while in service to the mysterious Whisham family.

Will she discover the family's secrets?

Or will she simply vanish - like all the girls before her?

We Had A Girl Before You is a locally written play by Northern Light Theatre (NLT) Artistic Director Trevor Schmidt, receiving its live in-person world premiere during the NLT 2021-2022 season. Trevor has been awarded the Sterling Award (Edmonton) for his plays The Watermelon Girls, Change Room, and Flora & Fawna's Field Trip! His plays have been produced across Canada and in Australia. We Had A Girl Before You was a critical and box-office success during its live presentation last season. "Trevor Schmidt's script is taut, as befits a thriller..." -Liane Faulder, The Edmonton Journal

"And the striking Kristin Johnston, who tread so fearlessly in Northern Light's Origin of the Species and Baroness Bianka's Bloodsongs, is remarkably skillful at identifying a whole cast of colourful characters by voice, verbal inflection, accent, facial expression, as well as recording for us Weenie's declension into terror and possibly beyond. She is a commanding presence."
-Liz Nicholls, 12thNight

"Actress Kristin Johnston, known for gravitating toward quirky roles, is a theatre chameleon. Unlike some actresses, she never duplicates a character role and her performance as Edwina is completely mesmerizing." -Anna Borowiecki, St. Albert Gazette.

With Direction, Set & Costume Designs by Trevor Schmidt, the creative team includes Original Composition & Sound Design by Dave Clarke; Lighting Design by Roy Jackson; Stage Management by Elizabeth Allison.