Meet the CREATIVE TEAM behind
Witches in the Woods
The CREATIVE TEAM behind
Witches in the Woods
Peyton White
as Gretel
Peyton White is a 15 year-old who is not short of creative talent. She is well immersed in all the arts, including visual arts, writing and poetry but her true passion is on stage. Her stage debut was in 2016 when she joined jazz with the Pat Picard School of Dance (PPSD). In 2022, Peyton joined musical theatre with PPSD, participated in her school’s drama club, sang with the choir and most recently, joined the improv club. She has continued to shine on stage through roles in numerous plays, choreographed numbers and songs for the Porcupine Music Festival. Her most recent public work was with Take Two Theatre’s rendition of Cinderella where she played the role of Shopkeeper and was a member of the Ensemble.
Elizabeth Rapczynska
as Yara
Elizabeth Rapczynska was born in Lodz, Poland, and has performed both on stage and on screen. Associated with Crieff Drama Group in Scotland, Elizabeth captivated audiences in Yesterday by Colin Campbell, Wife after death by Eric Chappell and Last panto in little Grimley by David Tristan. Elizabeth also appeared as an extra in GetMeLovedUp.com, a film by George Carson which was presented at a film festival in Glasgow, Scotland. She delivered the Christmas Show as a narrator in The Squabble Sisters and participated in The Vagina Monologues in Timmins in 2019. Elizabeth has lots of interests, including dancing, singing, designing , foreign languages and cultures. She loves to travel around the world. She enjoys acting and performing and finds it a great opportunity to develop her skills and release emotions.
Murray Tilson
as Mr. Hidebound
As a veteran thespian, it is refreshing to have a Director challenge me as an Actor to "read between the lines of the script," which Jessie has done. It's really made me see Mr. Hidebound in more than the 2 dimensional aspect that I first envisioned him.
Thanks to Jessie (and of course, the Playwright) for turning this classical story into a production that makes the Actors take the fable to a level beyond the children's story we all are familiar with.
And to my fellow cast members, "Break a Leg".
Amy Neufeld
Playwright
Amy Neufeld is a perfectly fine person who lives, works, knits, and writes in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. She has one husband, one calico cat, and two kids. She writes plays, novels, humour pieces, and short stories.
As a child, Amy used to read under the covers in the dark after her flashlight had been taken away. She wants to write stories that inspire that level of disobedience in others.
Amy has written for CBC’s The Irrelevant Show, SEE Magazine, Shameless Magazine, The Daily Drunk, and Bear Creek Gazette among others.
Emma Seim
as Hansel
Emma Seim is 13 years old and starting 9th grade this fall. She graduated from Ecole Catholique Sacre-Coeur and is a very good student. She is bilingual in French and English. Emma lives in South Porcupine. Her path into musical theatre started when she was nine. She joined a summer camp with Lock and Keynote Productions and participated in the musical Bye Bye Birdie. Afterwards, she did a lot of online shows during the pandemic. When Emma was eleven, she was in an episode through LOPII Productions called Couleur du Nord, a French Television series. Two years later, when she was 13, she was cast in the play Cinderella with Take Two Theatre. In between those opportunities, she has done various recitals with piano, singing and dancing. She has been participating in the Porcupine Music Festival since 2017.
Crystal Lacoursière as Nerezza
Crystal Lacoursière is a nurse from Matheson, Ontario. She enjoys creating projects using a range of materials (new and recycled) and bringing out the beauty in desolate things. She loves to garden, tend to animals, play sports and play games. She appreciates the drama and passion of performative arts and saw the casting call of the Tamarack Arts Association as an opportunity to challenge her performative skills.
Joanna Maxwell
Stage Manager
Joanna Maxwell is an accomplished stage manager with a rich background in theatre and a proven track record of professional excellence. With over 30 years of theatre experience, from performing and backstage work, she has honed her skills in various capacities across the landscape of performing arts. Joanna’s expertise encompasses all facets of stage management, from coordinating complex technical cues to managing cast and crew logistics, ensuring that each performance runs flawlessly.
In addition to her theatrical achievements, Joanna has made contributions to the cultural sector through her work with Pride Toronto. As a stage manager for one of the world’s largest Pride festivals (Toronto Pride), she successfully navigated the challenges of large-scale event management. Her role involved overseeing stage setups, coordinating with various performance groups, and ensuring that every event upheld the highest standards of inclusivity and celebration.
Lisa O'Connell
Dramaturge
A fierce advocate for regional theatre artists, Lisa O’Connell (she/her) is the founding Artistic Director of Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, a catalyst for new works of theatre and PlaySmelter, Northern ON’s New Work Theatre Festival.
O’Connell has sat on many national theatre committees and is the recipient of numerous arts awards.
She divides her time between her artistic homes in Waterloo, ON and Sudbury, ON with her partner Mark Walton.
Faye Naveau
as Sybil
Faye Naveau is a Mattagami First Nation grandmother born and raised in Timmins. She is very dedicated to her position as a regional mental health worker for First Nation communities. Faye is a hand drummer and singer who also dabbles in writing. She has taken part in numerous Take Two Theatre productions such as Sociability, I Remember Mama, and Laugh out Loud (cry quietly). She also participated in The Vagina Monologues. Faye’s connection to the land, water, plants and animals is strong, and being in the bush or on the water is where she finds true peace. She loves harvesting medicines, kayaking and her dog Jack.
Jason Boissonneault
as Cowell
Jason Boissonneault is excited to take part in his second theatrical play. This past year Jason took part in Take Two Theatre’s production of Cinderella (his first ever foray into the creative arts) as King Fancypants Quakenbush. Jason is a Business Professor at Northern college, who has recently taken on new creative endeavors in a personal healing journey. Jason spends his free time learning and growing with his young child Mario, as well as playing Hockey and Tennis in the local recreational leagues. Jason has always been passionate in supporting the local arts scene as one of the members who rejuvenated the Timmins Film Society after it was dormant for some time, before moving onto hosting a local podcast for several years "The Beer and BS Podcast".
Emely Roy
Associate Producer
Emely has been an avid lover of the theatre arts since she was young. Born in Kapuskasing, hailing from Moonbeam, and raised in Timmins, Emely is a true Northerner. She joined Take Two Theatre upon returning from her studies down south, and had the pleasure of acting in their production of Murder by Indecision as Victoria Greedly. She also joined their Improv group, and has now starred in three of their Improv shows. Lately, Emely has enjoyed delving into the behind-the-scenes aspects of theatre productions; she thoroughly enjoyed her time as the Assistant Stage Manager for Take Two Theatre’s recent production of Cinderella. Emely is delighted for the opportunity to be the Associate Producer of the Tamarack Festival’s production of Witches in the Woods, as she resonates strongly with the play's messages and themes.
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Jessie Bergeron
Director
Jessie Bergeron is a multidisciplinary theatre artist from Timmins, Ontario. After graduating from the University of Ottawa with a BA in Theatre Studies, she trained in acting at George Brown College. She has since branched out into playwriting, directing and producing.
She is a proud mama of two and a teacher-mom to many more. As a mother-artist, a feminist, a queer woman, and a person who lives with mental illness, she works to create space for these communities and explore these lived experiences through her art.
- Sun, Sep 15Timmins MuseumSep 15, 2024, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Timmins Museum, 325 2nd Ave, Timmins, ON P4N 8A4, Canada
- Sat, Sep 14Timmins MuseumSep 14, 2024, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Timmins Museum, 325 2nd Ave, Timmins, ON P4N 8A4, Canada
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