About Guelph Little Theatre
Guelph Little Theatre has presented outstanding amateur theatrical productions to Guelph and surrounding communities for nearly 90 years. Starting with a simple play reading group that met monthly, GLT’s first production, Yellow Sands, was staged in November 1935 by an enthusiastic 300-member group who loved live theatre.
Almost 90 years later and GLT is still going strong thanks to its incredibly passionate and dedicated volunteers. To get involved please visit guelphlittletheatre.com.
Great people make big things happen at Guelph Little Theatre.
Land Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge that the land on which Guelph Little Theatre resides is the ancestral land of the Attawandaron and Haudenosaunee people. This territory also includes the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We recognize and declare our collective responsibility to this place and to the histories, rights, and presence of its indigenous peoples.
Today, Ward One is also home to other First Nations, Mètis, and Inuit peoples. By acknowledging them, we are reminded of the important connection we have to this land where we are privileged to tell stories.
Guelph Little Theatre 2024/2025 Board of Directors
President: Diane Montgomery Vice-President: Karen Allen
Secretary: Julie van Duzen Treasurer: Tyler Livingstone
Past President: Shona Sneddon
Director of Communications: Dorothy Guerra
Director of Facilities: Robin Jackson
Director of Productions: Candice Barrett
Director of Membership & Volunteers: Marion Reidel
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Director's Message
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but something weird has been going on down below. In the States, I mean. I don’t mean their love of cat memes and angry television chefs - I mean politically. See, there used to be rules, the number one being, “Don’t tell a lie that can be easily disproved with, you know, facts”. These days, facts seem to be, oxymoronically, subjective. That can’t be good, right? So let’s be clear - this play is a work of fiction. I know that, because I made it all up. Well, ok, there are actually numerous quotes taken directly from the lips of political figures sprinkled throughout - see if you can catch them - but the essence is summed up by our hapless President Towers: “Just because you hear something, doesn’t make it true.”
Steve Robinson
Writer & Director
Board Message
Welcome to the 90th season of Guelph Little Theatre! We are thrilled to present a lineup filled with comedy, mystery, and pageantry that we believe will captivate and entertain our audiences.
Our productions and the day-to-day operations of the theatre would not be possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers. To those who devote countless hours of their time and energy out of a love for GLT, we extend our deepest gratitude.
We hope you thoroughly enjoy tonight's performance. Now, let's raise the curtain and begin the show.
Diane Montgomery
President, Guelph Little Theatre
Scenes
ACT 1, Scene 1: The White House Rose Garden, Summer
ACT 1, Scene 2: The Oval Office, later that day
ACT 1, Scene 3: The Rose Garden, a week or two later
ACT 1, Scene 4: The Oval Office, later that day
There will be a 20 minute intermission between acts
ACT 2, Scene 1: The Rose Garden, autumn
ACT 2, Scene 2: The Oval Office, one week later
ACT 2, Scene 3: The Rose Garden, the next day
Cast
Production Team
Steve Robinson
Thom Smith
Robert Free
Jim Hoare
Judith Eden
Will Deeves
Eve Arnold
Emma Galak
Oliwia Kasina
Aaron Ofner
Adam Ofner
Crew
Set Construction Assistants: Steve Robinson, Steve Sherry, Roy Huddy, Fred Forester, Tom Reidel
Set Painters: JoAnne Ford, Johanna van Duren, Katie Elliott-Stoyles, Judith Eden, Robin Baird Lewis
Presidential Seal Artist: Kevin Burnett
Props: Judith Eden, Steve Sherry
Curtain Seamstress: Sheila Douglas
Sound Technical Director: Dennis Gray
Sound Design: Alex Kanarek
Sound Operator: Will Deeves
Lighting Design: JoAnne Ford, Thom Smith
Script Prompter: Mabel Harmatuk
Front of House: Uma Sordini
Our thanks to...
Paul Briggs
Will Deeves
Jeremy Marr
Uma Sordini
Zoey & Veronika Witt
Buddy Brennan
Habitat for Humanity Guelph ReStore
St. Luke's Anglican Church, Cambridge
Meet the Company
Hadley Carpenter
Hadley has performed in a number of shows including "The Mousetrap", "Our Town", "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", "Woody Allen’s God", "Norm Foster’s Dear Santa", and originals including The Pretenders and An Evening with the Saskatoon Improv Troupe.
Dean Curtis
Dean Curtis, a Platoon Chief at the Guelph Fire Department and local real estate agent, is thrilled to make his stage debut in this production. With retirement on the horizon, Dean is excited to pursue a lifelong interest in acting and theatre. He enjoys meeting new people and embracing new challenges, making this experience a perfect next step.
Louise Frost
Louise Frost is fairly new to theatre. She burst on to the stage in her first role at GLT as Jasmine, in the 2023 production of "Splitsville", then as Nancy Jane Harlan in "Radium Girls" for Elora Community Theatre in early 2024. "Thank you to the amazing cast and crew for their hard work in making this production come alive!"
Bill Ashwell
Bill has enjoyed working with Guelph Little Theatre on "The President's Under Where?" This is his first time performing on stage since high school. When he isn't on stage, or enjoying retirement, Bill is busy writing his first novel and tending to his lemon plant, Jack. He wants to thank his family and friends for all their love and support.
Shannon MacKinnon
Shannon thanks Steve Robinson for this wonderful play & role (her first with GLT). Live credits include Toronto International Autoshow, "Dear Jason" at Mind Play Theatre Festival and Host of RunwayTO (2023 & 24). T.V. credits include "How to Die Alone" (Disney Plus). "Cursed Histories", "Secret Nazi Bases", "Homicide Hours to Kill", "Haunted Hospital" and more. She also thanks acting coach Buddy Brennan.
Brad Skinner
Brad is surprised to make his GLT debut. Past work at Cambridge Community Players include the "75th Revue", which he co-wrote with Steve Robinson and Tracy Biggar. Two Belleville productions had mixed
reviews (“wanders the stage like a plane crash survivor”). An appearance in another Robinson play “Hey Stan” was cancelled in April 2020 due to a non-fictional virus.
Aaron Gorlick
Aaron is an actor and musician in the Southern Ontario area, having moved from Toronto to Woodstock in 2018. After “The President’s Under Where?” you’ll be able to catch him in the upcoming “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Haunted Chateau” radio play by Playful Fox, and then on stage in Theatre Woodstock’s “A Snow White Christmas”.
Christena Jackson
Christena in an actor, director and painter. Her roles have included the murderous wife Dora in comedy-thriller “When the Reaper Calls”, Celia in "Calendar Girls" at CCP, the pregnant ex-nun Jeri Neal in "The Dixie Swim Club" at ECT. She performed ‘A Game of Inches’ at the Guelph Fringe Festival, directed "Romeo & Rosaline" at GLT, and "Jam" and "The Theory of Accelerated Hotness" for the Ward One Acts. Her next adventure will be Bella in GLT’s upcoming stage thriller "A Rehearsal for Murder" coming this January.
Steve Robinson
Born in Cambridge, Ontario, to a long line of professional musicians, Steve returned to theatre in 1998 after 17 years as a professional rock band frontman. After appearing in/directing, more than 70 shows over a 20 year career, he retired from the stage in 2017 to focus on writing. His plays include "Dark Sanctuary", "Hey Stan!", and "A Life in the Day". He is a past Chair of the Cambridge Cultural Awards Committee and the Cambridge Community Players. Steve has been a finalist for both a KW Arts award and a Cambridge Cultural Award, winning the latter in 2012 in the Performing Arts category. In 2012, he received a Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal for his involvement with the arts in Waterloo Region.
Thom Smith
Thom has been involved with theatre in the Elmira, Cambridge, and Guelph areas for over 15 years. Over that time he has acted, done props, sound, lighting, stage managing, and now producing. It has been a pleasure coming back to GLT and helping Steve realize his vision with his new play. Break a leg to the cast and crew!
Robert Free
Robert is pleased to be calling another comedy show. He has been on both sides of the stage for over 20 years and loves every minute of it. Credits include playing Beast in 2 different panto plays. The best part of acting is when he and his granddaughter Alec get to perform together. "Have have fun and enjoy the show!"
Jim Hoare
Jim is a long time member of Guelph Little Theatre and has been invaluable over the years designing and building sets. This is the first time he has had to create an oval office.
Judith Eden
Judith has been an integral part of Guelph Little Theatre for many years. She has taken on many roles that keep the theatre running smoothly.
Will Deeves
Will is a coop student this season at GLT here to learn about all aspects of theatre. He kindly stepped into the role of sound operator for some hands on experience in this production.
Eve Arnold
This is Eve's first time at Guelph Little Theatre. She currently attends high school where she took a role as the nurse in their musical production of Tommy. She takes piano, guitar and vocal classes and looks forward to spending more time at Guelph Little Theatre in the future.
Emma Galak
Emma is a student at University of Guelph in Theatre Arts. She has acted in high school performances and was an extra in a number of films and shows. This is her first time working back stage at Guelph Little Theatre. She's happy to be here and having a lot of fun.
Oliwia Kasina
Liv is currently taking studio arts at the University of Guelph. Her acting coach called her and asked if she was interested in being an ASM at Guelph Little Theatre and she said "YES". She did theatre a long time ago in middle school but has worked most recently in horror films.
Aaron Ofner
Aaron is taking a gap year to get experience in theatre. After that he is considering attending a theatre or film program. In high school Aaron played Squidward in Sponge Bob which gave him a taste of being on stage. This is his first time working back stage at Guelph Little Theatre.
Adam Ofner
Believe it or not Adam also played Squidward in SpongeBob in high school alternating as the front and back legs with his brother. On his gap year currently Adam is chilling and considering his options for the future.