Mary Vingoe

Director

Raised in: Halifax, NS/Based in: Halifax, NS

For the NAC: The Ark on Fogo Island (2011).

Theatre: Mary is the founding Artistic Director of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival at Canada’s National Arts Centre. She is a co-founder and past Artistic Director of Toronto’s Nightwood Theatre and founding Artistic Director of The Eastern Front Theatre in Halifax, as well as co-founder and past Co-Artistic Director of The Ship’s Company Theatre in Parrsboro, NS.  She has directed for major theatres across the country, including the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Prairie Theatre Exchange, the Centaur Theatre, Neptune Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects and Tarragon Theatre. Recent directing credits include the world premiere of Bev Brett’s Out the Meadow (Ship’s Company Theatre); Alden (NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival in Fredericton); Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People (Mount Allison University); Colleen Wagner’s Home (Bus Stop Theatre in Halifax); and Twelfth Night (University of Alberta).  Mary has written extensively for stage and radio and has worked as dramaturge, actor and teacher across Canada. Her play, Living Curiosities, was published recently by Playwrights Canada Press.  She has taught at the  Universities of Dalhousie, St. Mary’s, York, Guelph, Alberta, and Mount Allison and the National Theatre School of Canada.

Other: Mary is the recipient of the Portia White Award; as well as the Mayor’s Award in Theatre (Halifax); The Robert E. Merritt Award for Achievement in Theatre (Nova Scotia); and in 2011, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.  

Sue LePage

Set and Costume Designer

Raised in: Toronto, ON/Based in: Toronto, ON

For the NAC: Sue has designed many productions over the years for the NAC, including: An Enemy of the People (co-production with Citadel Theatre), Candida (Shaw Festival production), Walsh, Journey's End, Jennie's Story, When that I Was.

Theatre: Recent productions include: The Lonely Diner (Blyth Festival); Ragtime, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Age of Arousal, Born Yesterday, Saint Joan (Chicago Shakespeare tour), Candida, You Can't Take it with You, and many others. (Shaw Festival); Death of a Salesman, August Osage County, Doubt (Citadel Theatre); Loot, Black Comedy/The Real Inspector Hound, The Chairs (Soulpepper Theatre);The Seafarer (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); and many productions for Canadian Stage, Tarragon Theatre, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Factory Theatre, Young Peoples Theatre, Charlottetown Festival, Ballet Jorgen.

Other: (Opera) Lillian Alling (Vancouver Opera), Frobisher (Calgary Opera/Banff Centre), Filumena (Calgary/ Banff and NAC tour). Upcoming: Shelter (Tapestry New Opera/ Edmonton Opera).

Sue is delighted to be back at the NAC, and working with such a wonderful company!

Leigh Ann Vardy

Lighting Designer

Raised in: Halifax, NS/Based in: Halifax, NS

For the NAC: Communion (KAZAN Co-op production), Lauchie, Liza, and Rory (Mulgrave Road Theatre production in association with Frankie Productions), The Way of The World (co-production with Soulpepper Theatre), The Real Thing (co-production with Soulpepper Theatre), and Copenhagen (co-production with Neptune Theatre).

Theatre: Leigh Ann is a lighting designer for theatre and dance and has worked in theatres across Canada including the Globe Theatre, Neptune Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Soulpepper Theatre, Factory Theatre, The Segal Centre, Centaur Theatre, The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, and the Charlottetown Festival, among many others. Leigh Ann has won fiveRobert Merritt Awards for design and has been nominated for the Siminovitch Prize. She is an instructor and coach at the National Theatre School of Canada.

Paul Cram

Sound Designer

Raised in: Vancouver, BC/Based in: Halifax, NS

For the NAC: NAC debut.

Theatre: Inspired by all of the arts, he developed a passion for juxtaposing music and sound effects for theatre and film before moving east with his new family in 1989. In Nova Scotia, he worked extensively with Ship’s Company, Eastern Front Theatre and Neptune Theatre.

Other: Born and raised on the West Coast, Paul spent his formative years in Vancouver honking the sax in R&B bands and studying composition at UBC’s School of Music before moving to Toronto in the early 80s. There he worked as an avant-jazz bandleader and was nominated twice for Juno Awards. Paul was awarded Europe’s Fipa D’Or Award for his work on the movie One Heart Broken into Song.  In addition to sound design, he currently works as a recording/performing musician and Artistic Director of the Upstream Music Association, an organization that presents contemporary new and improvised long-form music in concerts that feature the best ensembles from across the Atlantic region.

Laurie Champagne

Stage Manager (Salt-Water Moon / Creation / Glace Bay Miners’ Museum )

Raised in: Ottawa, ON/Based in: Ottawa, ON

For the NAC: Laurie began her stage management career as an apprentice with Jean Roberts’ company at the National Arts Centre. Since then she has, between stints across the country, been a member of John Wood’s company and worked with Andis Celms, Marti Maraden, Peter Hinton and now Jillian Keiley. In her years with the NAC, Laurie has stage managed amongst others nativity, Mrs. Dexter and Her Daily (co-production with Arts Club Theatre), The Ark (2009, 2008, 2006), The Way of the World (co-production with Soulpepper Theatre), Macbeth (co-production with Citadel Theatre), Falstaff (co-production with Old Castle Group), The Wrong Son, The Unanswered Question, After the Orchard, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Trying (co-production with Canadian Stage), Hamlet, and The Winter’s Tale.

Theatre: Laurie has also been Production Stage Manager for the Shaw Festival (1988–2002); Artistic Coordinator, English Galas for Just for Laughs, Montreal (2005); Production Stage Manager for Theatre Calgary, and Stage Manager for Mirvish Productions, and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the Great Canadian Theatre Company, and The Grand Theatre (London).

Loreen Gibson

Apprentice Stage Manager (Salt-Water Moon / Creation)
Assistant Stage Manager (Glace Bay Miners’ Museum)

Raised in: Ottawa, ON/Based in: Ottawa, ON

For the NAC: Creation, Salt-Water Moon.

Theatre: Most recently, Loreen finished her apprenticeship with Circle Mirror Transformation (Great Canadian Theatre Company). Loreen was the Green Room Manager for the 2012 Juno Awards Gala and Production Assistant at the Festival Theatre for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Other apprentice credits include: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 2011); Civil Elegies (Soulpepper Theatre); Dog Sees God (M. Rubinoff Productions); The December Man (L’homme de décembre) (Canadian Stage); and Rose (Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company). Stage Manager: Canadian premiere of The Grapes of Wrath (Theatre@York); Assistant Stage Manager: He Sang, She Sang (Markham Theatre); Vacancy (York University, Creative Ensemble).

Other: BFA Honours in Theatre Production and Design from York University. Loreen wishes to thank her family and friends for the all the love, support and encouragement.