Rapunzel: A Merry (Hairy) NAUGHTY Panto at Capitol Theatre Port Hope

NAOMI COSTAIN

For the Capitol: General Cartwright in Guys and Dolls, Fruma-Sarah in Fiddler on The Roof, Mrs. Hopkins in My Fair Lady, Tess in Crazy for You, Mamma Mia. Selected Credits: Jack’s Mom/ Cinderella’s Stepmother in Into the Woods (Grove), Darlene in Hurry Hard, Maggie in Naked Radio (Chemainus), Ethel in The Music Man (Thousand Islands Playhouse), Mrs. Warrack in The Louder We Get (TC), Myra in Deathtrap (Classic Theatre Festival), Paige in For Life (Norm Foster Premier- STC), Brooke in Legally Blonde, Roxie in Chicago (Neptune), Sally in Cabaret (Segal Centre), Janet in Drowsy Chaperon (TC + MTC), Cinderella (Ross Petty Panto), 7 seasons at the Stratford Festival- Anytime Annie in 42nd Street, Edith in Pirates of Penzance, Evita, Kiss Me Kate, Cabaret, Trojan Women, Oklahoma, Threepenny Opera, My Fair Lady, etc. Other: Music Supervisor for Murdoch Mysteries musical episode “Why is everybody Singing” Insta handle @costainnaomi Thank you for supporting live theatre!

JEREMY LAPALME

For the Capitol: (as performer) Fiddler on the Roof, The Little Mermaid; (as director) Gabs Sings Babs Selected Credits: A Christmas Story (Theatre Orangeville); The 39 Steps (Grove Theatre); Discovering Allan Sherman (HGJT); We Will Rock You, Man of La Mancha (Magnus Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors, A Christmas Carol, You’re a good man, Charlie Brown, The Vaudevillians (Rose Theatre); Spamalot, Young Frankenstein, Drinking Habits, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, and many, many others (Stage West); Rock of Ages (More Entertainment/Elgin Theatre) Other: Homer Simpson. Al Bundy. Papa Smurf. Jeremy is standing on the shoulders of these giants of fictional fatherhood. They slumped so that he could lie down. Jeremy got his start performing in Pickering Players’ annual Panto, a time when the whole community would gather together for a night of fun and silliness. Since then he graduated from Wexford School of the Arts and Sheridan College and performed in plays and musicals across the country, but there’s still nothing quite like a Panto. His heartfelt thanks go out to the cast, crew, and creative team of Rapunzel, the staff and incredible volunteers here at Capitol Theatre, and indeed to the entire community of Port Hope for gathering together for a night of fun and silliness.

LIA LUZ

For the Capitol: Debut. Selected Credits: Peter Pan in Peter Pan: the Panto, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz: the Panto (Drayton Entertainment); Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (Stirling Festival Theatre); Puring in Prairie Nurse (Lighthouse Festival Theatre); Little Sally in Urinetown (Toronto Musical Concerts). Voiceover: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (Ubisoft); Reverse: 1999 (Bluepoch). Other: Lia is a proud Filipino-Canadian performer from Toronto, ON and a graduate of the Music Theatre program at Sheridan College. Love to DCT, my friends and family, NLM, and everyone else who makes me think I’m funny.

STEWART ADAM McKENSY

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Credits: The Full Monty (Neptune); Choir Boy (Arts Club); Brigadoon, The Horse and His Boy, Me and My Girl, Ragtime, Trouble in Tahiti (Shaw Festival); Kinky Boots (New Zealand Premiere, U.S National Tour, Mirvish, Arts Club); The Wizard Oz, Hairspray, The Producers (Mirvish); Starwalker (Urban Ink); Controlled Damage (Grand Theatre); Caroline or Change (Musical Stage/Obsidian); To Kill a Mockingbird, My One and Only (Stratford Festival). Upcoming: Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe & Anything Goes (Shaw Festival) FILM & TV Mayday, Miracle In Motor City, Spin, Umbrella Academy, My Boss’ Wedding, Amelia, Talk to Me. Other: Dora nominated and Ovation award winner Stewart is thrilled to make his debut here at the Capitol. Much love to his Boys, family, friends, Newton Landry and Phoenix his Great Dane.

CAULIN MOORE

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Credits: Prince Eric in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Persephone Theatre), Tenor in Music of the Night (Andrew Lloyd Webber Concert Tour), Galileo Standby in We Will Rock You (North American Tour), Schroeder in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Featured Soloist in Step By Step: Evolution of the Greatest Boy Bands (Stage West), Clyde in Giants in the Sky Festival (Talk Is Free Theatre), JukeBox Hero (Ed Mirvish Theatre/ Canadian Premiere), Jack in Jack and the BeansTalk Panto (Torrent Productions), Pepper in Mamma Mia!, Sound of Music (Drayton Entertainment), Romeo in This Way Madness Lies, Frederic in Pirates of Penzance (Korda Artistic Productions). Other: Thank you to the wonderful team at The Talent House for their support. Much love to mum, dad, Fal and Jason, always.@caulinmoore

CHRISTOPHER SHERWOOD

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Credits: Joseph and the... Dreamcoat (Tweed & Co.), Something Rotten, (Shakespeare co. X StoryBook Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show (Gayety Theatre), The Very Hungry Caterpillar (PuppetCo.), The Golden Ax (Smile Theatre). Other: Chris is so thankful to be telling this story of luscious locks, as he celebrates and cherishes his own curls this holiday season. Many thanks to his Mom and family back home in Vancouver who gave him the courage to pursue theatre, and even more love to his chosen family in Toronto that help him balance it.

YUNIKE SOEDARMASTO

For the Capitol: A Year With Frog and Toad, Prairie Nurse Selected Credits: Guildwood (Next Stage), Bright Star (Garner Theatre Productions), One Woman Show (Doors Open London) Other: Yunike (you•NEE•ka) is an NYC-born, Canadian-raised multidisciplinary artist. She is a trained dancer and proud to be part of La Compagnie de Danse’s 2025 ensemble. Yunike is thrilled to be returning to the Capitol for the holidays! Big squishes to Harry, Yunesta, and Mochi. Love you forever xo

JENNIFER VILLAVERDE

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Credits: Get That Hope, Les Belles-Soeurs, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing(Stratford Festival); POTUS (Segal Centre); Wedding at Aulis, Animal Farm, Alligator Pie, Blink, As You Like It, The Time of Your Life, Threepenny Opera, Three Sisters, Our Town (Soulpepper); Hana’s Suitcase, Seussical, A Year With Frog and Toad, Blue Planet (YPT); Vietgone, Top Girls, My Fair Lady (RMTC). Other: Book Writer for Destination: Wedding! (First Drafts); co-writer/performer for Stillwater School for Mosquitoes (The Mulligans & Bad Hats Theatre), a musical podcast series for families available on Apple & Spotify. Jennifer is also a proud hockey mom - GO, ACES!

CARLY HEFFERNAN

For The Capitol: Debut Select Writing Credits: George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight (CBC), The Irrelevant Show (CBC), Second Jen (OMNI) and the CSA nominated web special, Mass Hysterical, hosted by Colin Mochrie. Other: Carly Heffernan is an award winning director, writer, actor, show runner and Capricorn. She is currently the Artistic & Executive Director of CB PRO Comedy School and Comedy Bar Danforth Productions. Prior to joining the Comedy Bar team she was Head of Creative for The Second City and Artistic Director of The Second City Toronto. Carly is currently directing Season 4 of the sketch comedy TV series, ABROAD (OMNI) and was Show Runner and Director for the third season of the CSA nominated comedy series, Second Jen (OMNI). She was director and Head Writer of the award winning, smash-hit, all-female sketch revue, SHE THE PEOPLE which played for three years in Chicago’s UP Theatre, as well as extended runs across North America.

CHERISSA RICHARDS

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Directing Credits: Deadline (National Theatre School); Sleuth (Vertigo Theatre); Middletown (Dalhousie U.); Julius Caeser (Bard on the Beach); Fall on Your Knees (Canadian Stage/Neptune/Grand-Assoc. Dir.); Trouble in Mind (Royal MTC/Citadel); Red Velvet (Crow's Theatre); Harlem Duet (Bard on the Beach); Meet me at Dawn (Theatre By the River); Voice (Prairie Theatre Exchange). Other: Cherissa Richards is a Winnipeg based director, actor, playwright and arts educator. Her production of the Canadian Premier of Red Velvet at Crow's Theatre received 6 Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominations, winning Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Production in the General Theatre category 2023. Next Up: Cherissa will be directing a Co-Production of Controlled Damage with Neptune Theatre and the NAC and the Canadian premiere Co-Production of Shedding a Skin with Nightwood and Buddies in Bad Times. More info at cherissarichards.com

CHRIS BARILLARO

For The Capitol: 9 to 5, Jack: A Beanstalk Panto Selected Credits: Once, Anne of Green Gables (Thousand Islands Playhouse); La Géante, La Corriveau — La soif des corbeaux, Belmont (Théâtre de l’Oeil Ouvert); The World Goes ’Round (Opera McGill); In Real Life, Dixon Road (Musical Stage Company); L’homme de la Mancha (Théâtre du Rideau Vert); Beauty and the Beast (Globe Theatre); Kiss of the Spider Woman (Eclipse Theatre Company); Belles Soeurs: The Musical, Funny Girl, Forever Plaid, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Play’s the Thing (Segal Centre); Demain matin Montréal m’attend (Théâtre du Nouveau Monde & Quebec Tour); Belles-Soeurs: Théâtre Musical (Place des Arts & Quebec Tour); Last Night at the Gayety, Schwartz’s: The Musical (Centaur Theatre) Other: Much love to Jonathan, Talent House, my family and friends, and thank you to Rob and the amazing team at the Capitol for bringing me along for the ride!

JEFF NEWBERRY

For The Capitol: Resident Music Director; Rez Gas (Music Supervisor, Arrangements and Orchestrations); Little Shop of Horrors, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, A Year with Frog and Toad (Music Director); Prairie Nurse, Christmastown (Composer and Sound Designer); Billboard in Concert Series (Music Supervisor) Selected Credits: Disney’s The Lion King (Mirvish Productions); Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Stratford Festival); Blood Ties (Edinburgh Festival) Other: Jeff’s choral music is performed across Canada and the US. @jeffnewberrymusic

HOLLYWOOD JADE

For The Capitol: Jack: A Beanstalk Panto, Sleeping Beauty: A Panto Awakening Selected Credits: Series Choreographer - Cross S2, Associate Choreographer - Fubar S2, Tristan/Yonge Man 6 - The Inheritance (Canadian Stage), Choreographer - The Soul Of Motown (Stage West), Choreographer/Guest judge - Canada's Drag Race (Crave/World Of Wonder), Assistant Choreographer - The United States vs Billie Holiday (Hulu), Choreographer - Queen Tut (Fae), Choreographer - Accused (Fox)

HANNAH MACMILLAN

For The Capitol: Assistant Stage Manager: Little Shop of Horrors and 9-5 The Musical Selected Credits: Assistant Stage Manager: Rosmersholm (Crows Theatre), Assistant Stage Manager: A Wrinkle In Time (Stratford Festival), Assistant Stage Manager: Rockabye, Gloria and Martyr (ARC), Stage Manager: Carnival of Munsch and New World (George Brown Theatre School), Stage Manager: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Howland Company/Crows Theatre), Stage Manager: Storybook Search Workshop (Bad Hats Theatre), Stage Manager: The Antipodes (Coal Mine Theatre), Production Stage Manager: Matilda (Mainstage Theatre Company), Apprentice Stage Manager: Reprint (Musical Stage Company), Other: When Hannah is not stage managing she loves board games, ultimate frisbee and eating great food!

JESS GORDON

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Credits: Wendy and Peter Pan, Avon Theatre Production Assistant (Stratford Festival), Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (The Grand Theatre), Jonas and Barry in the Home, Made In Italy (Theatre Aquarius), A Christmas Carol, Come Down From Up River, Doris and Ivy in the Home (Upper Canada Playhouse), Wishful Seeing (4th Line Theatre), Red Tide: A Macabre Maritime Misadventure, Kensington: The Musical, Destination: Wedding! (Theatre Sheridan) Other: Graduate of Sheridan College’s Technical Production program

THOMAS RYDER PAYNE

For The Capital: Debut Selected Credits: Designs for Stratford, Shaw, Mirvish, Soulpepper, CanStage, Tarragon, Factory, TPM, YPT, Crows, Modern Times, Aluna, BIBT, Theatre Gargantua, Nightwood, Toronto Dance Theatre, NAC, Centaur, Theatre Calgary, GCTC, RMTC and many others.

JOE PAGNAN

For the Capitol: Mamma Mia! (Lighting Designer), My Fair Lady (Lighting Designer), The Little Mermaid (Lighting Designer), Beauty and the Best (Lighting Designer) Selected Credits: We Will Rock You, Jacob Marley’s A Christmas Carol, Tell me on A Sunday (Magnus Theatre); Once, Mary’s Wedding (Thousand Islands Playhouse), She’s Not Special (Tarragon Theatre/Nightswimming), Beauty and the Beast, Shrek (The Globe Theatre), #Kander&Ebb (Stratford Festival), Hedwig & The Angry Inch, What she Burned (Talk is Free Theatre). Upcoming: (Saint) Joan (Living Edge), A Very Magical Pantomime (Torrent Productions) Other: This winter, Joe is launching an ecological theatre company in the Frontenac Arch Biosphere (www.livingedge.ca); a professor of Scenography and StageCraft at the DAN School of Drama and Music, a graduate of Toronto Metroplitan University, an Associated Designer of Canada, Pauline McGibbon Award nominee, inducted into the Harold Awards House of Deanne Taylor, and international theatre maker living with their adopted coydog and husband in South Eastern Ontario.

REBECCA CHAIKIN

For the Capitol: Costume design – Rapunzel a very (hairy) Holiday Panto Selected Credits: Set and costume design – Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome (Here for Now Theatre), Associate costume design – Something Rotten! (Stratford Festival), Costume and set design - Cymbeline, Costume design - Shakespeare’s N**** (Langham Directors' Workshop, Stratford Festival, 2023), Costume and set design - ECHO (A FRONT COMPANY), Costume design - exercise your demons, Much Ado About Nothing, What If If Only (Langham Directors' Workshop, Stratford Festival, 2022). Other: Rebecca is a costume/set designer and maker from Tkaronto. Training: BFA with distinction in Performance Production and Design (Toronto Metropolitan University); Diploma in Fashion Techniques and Design (George Brown College). Website: rebeccachaikin.com Instagram: @rebeccachaikin

MICHELLE RAMSAY

For the Capitol: Bed & Breakfast, 9 to 5: The Musical, Little Shop of Horrors. Selected Credits: Snow in Midsummer and The Doctors Dilemma (Shaw Festival); Come Home: The Legend of Daddy Hall (Tarragon Theatre); Million Dollar Quartet (Grand Theatre - London); Women of the Fur Trade (Stratford Festival); Prison Dancer (Citadel Theatre/National Arts Centre); Beautiful (Arts Club); Redbone Coonhound (Tarragon Theatre/Imago Theatre); Martyr (ARC); The First Stone (New Harlem); The Tempest (Theatre Rusticle). OTHER: Michelle has received eight Dora Awards, a SATAward, the 2008 Pauline McGibbon Award, and was a finalist for the 2021 Siminovitch Prize. She is the Chair of the Board for the Associated Designers of Canada.

EMRY TUPPER

For the Capitol: Debut Selected Credits: Jesus Christ Superstar (TIP), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Drayton), Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats Theatre/Theatre Sheridan), Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Theatre Sheridan) Other: Emry is a Metis Actor/Musician based in Toronto. He is very excited and grateful to be spending his Christmas season in Port Hope. Check out his solo music under Emry Harland wherever you stream your music!