Where Are They Now?

This is the sixth of ten exhibits to be displayed during the 100th Anniversary Season. It will be on display in the Besserer Street lobby from March 19 – April 6 during the run of “Deathtrap”

fter 100 years, hundreds of ac- tors, playwrights, directors, stage A managers and others have worked their magic on this stage, behind the scenes, or in the booth. Some have kept their talents local, and others have found their fame nationally and around the world. Join us for a brief look at some of the Little Theatre’s alumni, and see who got their start right here. k ACTORS

Rich Little Saul Rubinek

ich Little was a teenager when he son of Jewish refugees, Saul he fi rst trod the stage at OLT Rubinek participated in OLT’s chil- as R an actor. He appeared in plays dren’sT theatre, encouraged to do so by during this period like Father of the his father – who also had a theatrical Bride before moving on. Known background. Among the roles he played for his countless impersonations of was Ptolemy in Caesar & Cleopatra. A golden age actors and politicians, he veteran of stage, television and fi lm on also narrated Canadian programs like both sides of the border, Saul can cur- . Rich’s current show, rently be seen in . He is Jimmy Stewart & Friends, is being also a playwright; Terrible Advice, his shown in where he takes fi rst play was produced in London’s on dozens of voices – including his own. West End in 2011. ACTORS

Ann-Marie MacDonald

nn-Marie MacDonald began her efore joining ’s National acting career at OLT for one Theatre School, Luba Goy was season A in 1976/77. While playing activeB in the theatre scene in Ottawa. Princess Alais in The Lion in Winter, Among her performances at OLT was her cast mates coached her for her au- Alice in Wonderland during the 1964/65 dition at the National Theatre School. season. Now famous for her part in the In 1988, Ann-Marie received the on radio and Governor General’s Literary Award for television, and her thousands of impres- her play Good Night Desdemona, Good sions, Luba premiered her one-woman Morning Juliet, and more recently, her show Luba, Simply Luba, in May 2012. novel The Way the Crow Flies, was recog- nized by the Libris Awards. She cur- You can see her at OLT’s 100th Birthday rently lives in and works as a Gala on May 9, 2013. broadcast journalist for CBC as the host of their documentary program Doc Zone. ACTORS

Holly Larocque Teri Loretto-Valentik

erforming at OLT in the 1970s eri Loretto-Valentik was cast in gave a young Holly Larocque Separate Tables at OLT in Pthe opportunity to play Dulcinea T2000. While already active in the in Man of La Mancha. It was, she Ottawa theatre community, it was says, “a chance to reach outside my- during this performance that she met self and perform a role that no-one the woman who would become her would have expected of me.” Her mentor, Carol MacKay; the two would many experiences at OLT, including collaborate on many projects. In the Theatre for Children program, pre- February 2013, Teri directed Billy Bishop pared her for a career on stage and on Goes to War at the Gladstone Theatre television. Known for her role in CBC’s and she is perhaps more familiar to Under the Umbrella Tree, she now tours Ottawa residents as the weekend internationally with a swing orchestra. weather specialist on CBC TV. ACTOR / WRITER

Raoul Bhaneja Erika Ritter

backstage visit at OLT to see laywright and novelist Erika Ritter’s a favoured teacher introduced early career received a boost when ARaoul Bhaneja to the magic of the- sheP won OLT’s One-Act Play Writing atre: “From that moment on I thought competition in 1975. For her, “to have it would be really cool to work there.” my play – a comedy, with female Raoul was cast in The Day They characters – singled out for that hon- Kidnapped the Pope in 1988/89, and a our was helpful and signifi cant.” Her few years later saw his future wife list of plays includes Automatic perform in Steel Magnolias. He lives in and A Visitor from Charleston. Her re- Los Angeles now and has appeared on cent book, The Dog by the Cradle, The television programs in both Canada Serpent Beneath, has been nominated and the United States. He can be seen for awards, and she looks forward to internationally performing in his band, having her next play produced in Raoul and the Big Time, or in his one- Toronto sometime in the coming year. man show Hamlet (solo). STAGE MANAGER/MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Wendy Rockburn Bert Carriere

nspired by actor Karl Malden to usical since he was a child, volunteer in the theatre, OLT be- Bert Carriere returned to his Icame Wendy Rockburn’s second home home M town when he became OLT’s between 1978 and 1988. She worked musical director in 1974. He worked primarily backstage, making props, at other theatre companies in , prompting actors, and assisting dir- though his work as music director with ectors. She moved on as apprentice the Stratford Festival proved to be the stage manager at the Great Canadian most prolifi c (1976-83 and 1985-2007); Theatre Company, a position she won he composed and arranged music for only because of her work at OLT. In over 80 shows for Stratford before he addition to her current work as light- retired in 2007. He was named to ing designer and stage manager with the Order of Canada (in 2001) for “his Ottawa’s Platypus Theatre, she is a expertise as a teacher at numerous travel photographer, and is in the pro- arts education institutions and with cess of organizing an Ottawa film theatre companies throughout Canada festival featuring Hindi fi lms. and abroad.” WRITER / DIRECTOR

John Murrell Tim Bond

anadian playwright John Murrell’s he acting bug bit Tim Bond after entry into OLT’s One-Act Play his parents enrolled him in OLT’s CWriting competition, Metamorphosis, programmingT to help overcome his came in fourth in 1971. He has since shyness. “It was a real home for me,” written a body of plays that have been he says of his nightly attendance dur- translated into fi fteen different lan- ing high school. A love of directing guages; he has also translated Chekov, and the support of mentor and OLT Ibsen, Sophocles and other playwrights alum Bill Glenn helped Tim move onto into English. His most well-known play a directorial career in Hollywood. With is arguably Waiting for the Parade. In many television and movie credits to 2008, he received the Governor-General his name, Tim also directed his friend of Canada’s Performing Arts Award Saul Rubinek in an episode of Star Trek: for lifetime artistic achievement for a The Next Generation. Tim now divides career that has taken him from Alberta his time between Toronto and France, to Stratford. and actively freelances as a director. Did You Know?

t the beginning of his acting career, Saulteaux actor Adam Beach performed in plays such as WitnessA for the Prosecution in OLT’s 1995/96 season. You can see him now on CBC’s Arctic Air as well as several Hollywood blockbusters such as Windtalkers, Flags of Our Fathers and Cowboys and Aliens. Although now more likely to interview stars on and to fi nd him on , Ben Mulroney took drama classes at OLT. Since his fi rst play was produced in 1983, Norm Foster is considered to be Canada’s most produced playwright. OLT has produced twelve of his plays since 2003. According to the Globe and Mail, Michael Healey’s The Drawer Boy (which will be produced here at OLT between August 6 and 25) is the fourth most produced play in the United States during the last decade.

Conclusion

his is only a small sampling of the individuals whose careers have been touched in some way by Tthe Ottawa Little Theatre. When you watch tonight’s performance, remember the names and faces of the men and women who created this show; one day, you might fi nd yourself saying… “Where do I know them from?” The answer: OLT