Notes on Fringe, from our Artistic Director

2024 marks the tenth anniversary of Theatre; Just Because, and in those ten years, we've achieved so much! With our first-ever Fort McMurray Fringe Festival now wrapped up, I can't imagine a better event that reflects our mission and goals. This festival has been years in the making and took a village to bring to life. So, let’s take a moment to celebrate the artists, volunteers, and supporters who made it all possible.

The Artists
This year’s Fringe Festival proudly showcased 18 performing artists, including some making their stage debuts. We were thrilled to present three mainstage performances making their worldwide debuts, as well as five talented buskers and nine amazing artisans in our market. A heartfelt thank you to Birchwood Creative, Pebble Art by Joan, The Momma Island, The Crafted Writer Studio, Expressive.Artiste, Sparklefilth Studios, Tobacco and Tulips Beadwork, Petals and Metals, and Gift Hut for highlighting the creativity and passion in our community. Thank you also to Cousin’s Original, for serving up some truly delicious burgers, poutines, grilled cheeses, and more. Behind the scenes, many talented individuals ensured everything ran smoothly, proving just how essential backstage support is to any production.

The Performances
We were honored to debut three original productions written by artists who live and create in the Wood Buffalo region. Let me share a few highlights:

• Senior @ 60 by Divine Group of India
  Led by Shweta Suthar, this joyful, intergenerational celebration combined comedy, culture, dance, and music. The ensemble, made up of seniors, many performing on stage—and in English—for the first time, delighted audiences with lighthearted scenes and dances about everyday life. It was a joy to watch these performers embrace the stage and share their passion with our community.

• The Elephant and the American by Samson Nand
  Written by local playwright and Theatre; Just Because’s own Company Manager, Samson Nand, this whimsical story explores the unexpected friendship between Babar the Elephant and Yogi the Bear. Samson, Emma Carter, and Chase Gargus brought this funny, twist-filled tale of plotting and pic-a-nic basket stealing to life. It was a true belly-laugh performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one return to a stage near you soon!

• Born a Baby at 95 by Toddy
  Written and performed by Vancouver-based artist Toddy, Born a Baby at 95 is an outrageous and heartfelt exploration of death, art, opera, drag, and dairy products. Toddy’s ethereal opera mixed with humor and vulnerability created an unforgettable performance. If you ever have the chance to see her live, take it—you won’t regret it.

The Buskers
Our Busker’s Stage was alive with energy, featuring incredible performances from local musicians like Delaney Dalheim, Roman McEvoy, Millennial Radio, and Kg Banjoko. They filled the festival grounds with music and spirit, embodying the heart of Fringe.

The Sponsors
A special thank you to Fadden Family Artworks for their generous support as our Artist Hospitality Sponsor. Their contribution ensured that our performers were well taken care of throughout the festival by providing water and snacks all day long. This kind of support allowed the artists to focus on their craft and keep their energy high for each performance. We are so grateful for their commitment to nurturing the arts in our community!

The Team Behind the Scenes
A festival like this doesn’t happen without a dedicated team. My deepest thanks to the Theatre; Just Because Team and Board for their tireless work in planning, organizing, and executing this event. Emma Carter, Samson Nand, Chase Gargus, and TJ Carabeo were instrumental in making this festival a reality. Special thanks to Hilary Talbot and Ceilidh Langlois for their technical expertise, and to our many volunteers—your efforts made everything run seamlessly. Additionally, a heartfelt thank you to Jamal-e-fatima Rafat, Jayme Barter, Josh Brophy, Tegan Yarkie, and Katlyn Dykens for their incredible contributions.

Closing Thoughts
As I enter my fourth year as Artistic Director, it’s been a true privilege to work with so many talented artists across this region. This is the fourth theatre festival we’ve hosted since 2021, and the Fort McMurray Fringe Festival feels like the culmination of all that hard work. Watching our community share their unique, weird, and wonderful work has been magical. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Thank you all for joining us—we’ll see you next year!

Reflections from a TJB Graduate: Jenny Bowie

Theatre; Just Because is honoured to have had Jenny Bowie included in every year of our Youth Players program since the program’s inception. In her years in the program, Jenny has proven herself to be a brilliant actor, director, and improviser. This year, we celebrated her graduation. We asked Jenny if she would share some of her reflections on her years with the company.

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Theatre has been a huge part of my life since 2016 when I was 11. The first Youth Players production of Fantastic Mr. Fox was in the 2016-2017 season and was the first play I had ever acted in. It was scary to jump into something I had never done before, but after the production ended, I realized I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. I met many amazing life-long friends and experienced things I would never have experienced elsewhere. Throughout the first production, I knew I wanted to continue doing this program, as there was something about the program that was unlike any other thing in town. Now finishing my final year and aging out of the program lets me reflect on what I’ve learned and done and how excited I am to watch the program continue from the outside. 

The Youth Players Program is wonderful for youth wanting to get into the theatre scene and looking for more experience. The program administrators have taught me something new every year, and I am glad I rejoined. Because of them, I have become a better actor, socializer, and person. Every year I have met new people from all different kinds of life that I will never forget, that I can’t forget. This program has taught me much about myself as an actor and a human being, and without it, I know I would be a much different person. I will always cherish the memories I have made throughout the years, being in all the shows they have produced. 

Finishing my final year has been a weird experience for me. I have been doing this program for seven years, and now I feel unsure how to let go. It has been a constant routine in my life since 2016. At every job I worked, I told them I was unavailable every Tuesday and Sunday between November and April. It was my second home for years, and now, knowing I’m going off into the world, I am forever grateful for what Theatre; Just Because has taught me. I want to thank all the program administrators I have worked with over the years, especially Emma and Bailey. Since I started working with them, they have made my second home feel special. They have taught me so much, and I know they will continue to give youth the same amazing experience I had been a youth player for seven years. 

If you are a youth or a parent looking for a program to put your child/yourself into to learn social skills, theatre, and other talents, I would strongly suggest the Youth Players Program. Even after so many years of joining and rejoining, I never was tired of it, and I am forever grateful. If you are considering putting yourself or your child into this program, I would advise being yourself. Though the first few days may be scary, once everyone comes out of their shell the experience is life-changing. You will meet amazing people, learn spectacular life lessons, and will have so much fun along the way! 

- Jenny Bowie

Jenny Bowie

Pictured here in 2022/23 Youth Players production of Dolcevita or the Clown Chorus of the Carnival del Dolcevita Proudly Presents the Sad Tale of the Turbinado Triplets by Briandaniel Oglesby.

Jenny not only appeared onstage as the Widow Rosetta, but she also provided improvised intermezzi with the audience in the style of carnival games and was a student director of the production. She also did her own clown makeup!

Brittany's Letter

On December 1, 2020, the Mayor and Council of Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo debated and voted on several budget items, including the 2021 Community Impact Sustaining Grants. In support of the Keyano College funding request to cover operational costs for Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre, local actor and arts champion Brittany Sutherland wrote a letter to Council, telling her story and expressing her support for the theatre in Wood Buffalo.

It moved us to tears. Brittany’s letter beautifully expresses what theatre and the arts mean to many of us, and the incredible impact it can have on a person’s journey, and we wanted to share it with you as well (with her approval, of course).

Thank you, Brittany, for your support of theatre in our region!

Brittany’s Letter

My name is Brittany Sutherland and I have been a resident of Fort McMurray for almost 20 years. I am a proud Métis woman who is a dedicated performer in the arts. I am writing this letter because I want to express how important Keyano Theatre is to myself and the community.

When I was younger, full of insecurities, anxiety, and unknown mental health issues, I would volunteer at Keyano Theatre and watch the amazing shows in awe; it gave me a place of comfort and safety to escape to. In those earlier years, I performed several times on the main stage and recital stage for high school and community performances with multiple concert bands, jazz bands, and choirs.

Performing gave me purpose and helped calm the stresses of everyday life and even inspired me to go to University for music performance. In the last four years, from watching others' performances and from being majorly inspired by amazing people in this community, I have fought through many mental health and chronic pain battles and was finally able to make my dream come true and participate myself as an actress on the main Keyano Theatre stage; acting, dancing, and singing in the productions of Spoon River Anthology, Mamma Mia!, and Flashdance The Musical. I was even part of a local singing group called Phoenix Rising and we performed in the lobby for the opening of an out of town theatre production, practiced weekly in the rehearsal rooms, and even pulled off a spectacular Christmas concert last year with many other community members involved while also raising funds for our local SPCA.

The rush of amazing feelings I get when performing at Keyano Theatre is not measurable and cannot be solely defined in words. It is a place where I can work hard and be noticed for something other than the struggles I have been through. Being involved with the theatre has helped me push my own boundaries, grow as a person, develop many new connections, and has helped me become a more valuable community member.

Keyano Theatre helps many others in our community including much of our youth. There are theatre, dance, and music programs for students and the thrill of performing on that Keyano theatre stage in front of hundreds of people get the kids to work very hard through intense rehearsals which teaches them good discipline and structure. Kids performing for their parents and peers can be some of the most uplifting and encouraging experiences for them and one that they can cherish for the rest of their lives. It helps kids to reach beyond their anxiety and fears and push themselves out of their comfort zone which is needed in everyday life to thrive and succeed.

Keyano Theatre is a place where people of all ages can practice and perform while being in a safe place, learning others' perspectives, and performing in so many ways while truly being themselves without harsh judgment and yet in a professional environment.

Many of my friends and I participate in the theatre as audience members. Having the option to go to the theatre for shows of all sorts allows all of us to have something to do locally and to go on special outings together; for some of them, Keyano Theatre is their only source of date nights together and it would be tragic to take that away from them, and for some of them Keyano Theatre presents an opportunity to take their kids out and expose them to different cultures and sources of entertainment.

If Keyano Theatre closed, Fort McMurray would not be the same for so many people including myself; the sheer thought of it makes me ill and takes away so much joy. The brilliant arts community in this town thrives from the theater and creates so many opportunities for people to bond, make friends, volunteer, explore new hobbies or employment, and see amazing entertainment on all levels. Losing the theatre would mean people losing their jobs and livelihood, this is not just about the volunteers and unpaid performers. The arts must stay alive and thrive in this community as it is an important part of life for so many people.

Of course, many businesses are struggling because of the Covid pandemic but I strongly believe that as soon as we are all able to be involved with Keyano Theater again, many opportunities will present themselves. Teachers will be able to teach their students in the rehearsal rooms, dance students and community members will be able to rehearse in the rehearsal spaces, local musicians will be able to rent rooms to have somewhere to practice, schools will be able to have their students perform plays and Christmas concerts on the stages, local arts festivals and community members will be able to perform on the stages, community members will be able to act, dance, and sing on the stages in the large and small scale theatrical productions, not to mention all the employees of Keyano Theatre that will be able to return to work. These are just a few of the examples that go on at the Keyano Theatre and if it were to be closed down due to lack of funding, it would lower the overall morale of our community and break many hearts.

Please consider taking a look at your municipal budget to find room to keep the Keyano Theater alive through this difficult time, it keeps mine and many others' souls alive and we all together must strive to protect what is important to us.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my letter.

Sincerely,

Brittany Sutherland

Community Director: Ashley Freimark

Ashley Freimark, Community Director

Community Director Ashley Freimark might be new to Theatre; Just Because, but she’s definitely not new to either theatre or Fort McMurray! With over ten years of theatre experience, Ashley caught the bug after taking vocal lessons leading to musical theatre classes at Keyano Theatre. “I had to be a part of theatre everywhere I could! All my options courses in school were theatre and performance based; this included extracurriculars as part of my high-school's Theatre Appreciation Group, where we would go to workshops at the Citadel theatre in Edmonton and then follow up with one of their season's performances (first of every Tuesday this happened). All the way through college as I took Drama and English focus studies in Red Deer College before taking a different direction with Professional Communications at Grant MacEwan University. After I moved away from Fort McMurray with my family in 2008, I had gotten involved in community theatre where I had decided to expand my horizons further with not only acting in various performances and talent shows, but also give producing, stage managing and directing a shot. For 9 years I volunteered on the Sheeptown Players Drama Society board of executives, starting as Membership Director and working my way through Communications, Secretary and finally President of the board in my last year.”

Having returned to Fort McMurray in 2018, Ashley is back in the swing of the theatre things! She’s one of the Community Director’s for the Theatre; Just Because productions entered into the ADFA Acting Out! One Act Theatre Festival, celebrating our fifth anniversary. She chose to take on the classic David Ives piece Mere Mortals.

“Mere Mortals by David Ives is a 20 - 30 minute one act that listens in on a lunch time conversation of three construction workers. As the play progresses, the stories of each worker become more incredible. To me, this play somewhat covers the idea that even though we are seemingly ordinary people on the outside, it's what we think of ourselves and the ideas that we impose on ourselves that make us grander in our own eyes.

I decided to apply to the Community Directors programming after having been away from the Fort McMurray community for 10 years before I moved back, I found that it was hard to get myself out there on my own to meet new people. If it weren't for work, school or volunteer opportunities I would have a very hard time meeting new people on my own.

When this opportunity arose, it couldn't have come at a more perfect time! I had been back living in town for about 4 months by that point, and had been looking everywhere for opportunities to get back into theatre, my first love. By that point I was getting a bit stir crazy just having the routine of going to work, coming home, cleaning or reading a book and then sleep. I needed friends! And the friends that have stuck around with me the longest I met because of our shared passion of theatre (or karaoke!). So this was the perfect opportunity to meet new people with similar interests as well as get my fill of theatre and get out of the house!

So far, this process has been incredible! A very fun experience! Finding solutions to problems like sound and set design, to just working with the cast and figuring out what works best both for them and the play itself has been very rewarding. This experience has brought me more out of my... well... somewhat of my "newcomer" shell in the community (as new as I can be, having grown up here and then being away for so long before coming back). It's opened up new doors, new connections and, most importantly, new friends. I'm finally getting the social life that I'm used to again.”

Experience Mere Mortals directed by Ashley Freimark at the Acting Out! One Act Theatre Festival on April 13 at the Keyano Recital Theatre.

Community Director: Mike Jones

Mike Jones, Community Director (Headshot by Life & Portraits)

Radio personality and community supporter Mike Jones is a well-known face around Fort McMurray; he’s been is several Theatre; Just Because dinner theatre productions and Keyano Theatre plays, he’s emceed and organized events all across the region, and is a champion of the local music scene. This year, he’s taking on a new role, as one of the Community Directors for Theatre; Just Because’s productions in the Acting Out! ADFA One Act Theatre Festival in celebration of our 5th anniversary!

This is Mike’s first time directing, and he’s tackling a play he wrote himself: What Time Does the 3 O’Clock Parade Start? - an hilariously fast-paced farce set in the colorful office at the amusement park Happyland.

“This farce was born a few years ago at a script-writing workshop. I had stumbled across the title while reading a blog about Disneyland and instantly thought it was a great title of something I wanted to see. Some of my favorite farces are the kind where you’re just overwhelmed (and a little confused) by the whole process so I started by writing a synopsis and I threw everything but the kitchen sink at the main character. Then, I started writing.

Initially I decided to apply to the Community Directors program because I wanted to see this script come to life, but I didn’t think I had the chops to pull it off. It took a lot of convincing and persuasion from some close friends of mine to just go for it.

The process has been amazing. There were some tough moments early on where I felt really stressed out with the planning/paperwork side of things. But once we get in the rehearsal space and I can get ten people in a room together - I can’t describe it any other way than ‘magic happens’!”

Experience Mike’s directorial debut on April 13, 2019 at the Acting Out! One Act Theatre Festival, held at the Keyano Recital Theatre in Fort McMurray.