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!

Meet Macbeth: Brieanna McCutcheon

Playing First Witch in the upcoming Theatre; Just Because production of Macbeth is Brieanna McCutheon! Brieanna was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and grew up loving soccer and track. She always enjoyed competitive sports but never did anything with it for a career or post-secondary. For college, she went to school at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) and received her Diploma in TV Broadcasting. It was near the end of getting this diploma that she thought that she would like to pursue acting.

What's your experience with community theatre in Fort McMurray?

“Time flies, so while answering this it makes me both surprised and happy with how much I have done in two years! My first taste of theatre here in Fort McMurray was this ‘one-act’ type play that Justin Shaw wrote and Directed about grief and losing someone. It was very powerful and forced you to reach into those dark places one has hidden. We haven’t done anything more with that piece, but I would love to revisit it. As for Keyano Theatre, I was one of the Assistant Stage Manager’s for A Christmas Carol, and performed in The Drowsy Chaperone, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii, and most recently Mamma Mia!.”

Why did you audition for Macbeth?

“I am a firm believer in challenging myself and always seek to learn from my experiences. I knew nothing of Macbeth or Shakespeare going into this, and knew our Director Justin would be able to hold my hand through this process which is what I needed. So basically, I did this to challenge myself and to keep my acting muscle flexed. If you don’t use it, you lose it” she says with a laugh.

“I am really excited I have been cast… why wouldn’t I be! After leaving the audition, I felt charged up and knew something good happened. When I get that feeling, I am always 95% sure I got the part I went for. You must understand, sometimes you might want a certain part but it’s just not for you. With this play, I didn’t have that bad feeling, so I knew something great was on the horizon. This opportunity is another chance to hang out with like-minded people and to make something entertaining for the Fort McMurray community.”

You play the First Witch, what inspires you in this role?

“Prior to the auditions I was leaning towards wanting to play Lady Macbeth since she is this twisted, dark, and complex villain-like character. I liked the challenge of her. But after I read the play in more detail, First Witch really stood out to me. It was while I was reading the First Witch words, I found the voice for the character and had a big connection to them. My mom would always joke that she was a witch when I was younger. I knew she wasn’t, but I guess that inspired me, along with Meryl Streep (Into The Woods), Mitchelle Pfeiffer (Stardust), and Anjelica Huston (The Witches).

What are you looking forward to the most with this production?

“I am looking forward to personal growth and taking on a challenge. There’s something refreshing and freeing about being something that doesn’t care about appearances. If you have never read Macbeth maybe read the SparkNotes of it before coming to see it or read a quick Synopsis of the characters so you’re more invested in the story.”

We are thrilled to work with Brieanna on our upcoming production of Macbeth! Playing at the Keyano Recital Theatre May 23-25, 2019. For more information, click HERE.

Meet Macbeth: Jenny Price

Jenny Price - Macbeth

Theatre; Just Because is proud to introduce our Macbeth, a well-known face to Fort McMurray theatre goers, and an incredibly talented performer: Jenny Price! Born and raised in Fort McMurray, she chos to stay here to raise a family of her own. She has two children Alex, who is 16, and Kat, 12. Jenny even met her husband here at the much beloved InterPlay, and they have now been married for 17 years! Performing is a passion of Jenny’s, but she is also a dedicated mother and teacher: “working with youth at home and at school is so rewarding”, Jenny explains “because you can see the growth and change in them from day to day.”

The performing arts are a family affair in the Price' household. Brandon loves attending live theatre and expresses his creative side as Dungeon Master of his D&D group. Alex is an avid trumpet player and jumps at every chance he gets to perform with the Father Mercredi bands. Kat has followed in her mother’s footsteps and discovered a love for the stage: “We are both so happy to be involved in Macbeth together as Kat, at the tender age of 12, has been cast as Fleance (proud mama moment!)”, Jenny says. “I have been involved with community theatre in Fort McMurray in one capacity or another since I was in grade 5. My very first show was “Remoka Rink” with the Keyano Theatre Company in 1992. Since then I have been in 7 more KTC productions and numerous other one-acts, small ensemble shows, cabarets, and even an opera with other groups and programs!”

“The performing arts have always been central to my life. Even though I have experience, auditioning for Macbeth seemed a daunting task. I decided to audition because of a promise I made to myself to push my limits this year and do things that make me uncomfortable. I worked really hard to prepare for my audition but never did I imagine that I would be cast in the title role!”

“I am so excited to take on this challenge. Playing Macbeth is allowing me to open up and find a vulnerability that I don’t usually like to show. There is a lot of inspiration out there that I could draw from for this character. However, I am trying to come at it first through the text itself and I have been very careful to avoid watching other performances. I am hoping this will allow me to find my own genuine connection to the character, rather than just trying to copy someone else’s interpretation. Macbeth is a complex and fascinating character and I feel humbled and privileged to be granted this opportunity.”

“I have had a wonderful rehearsal experience so far. The cast and artistic team is an amazingly talented and generous group of people. One of the new skills I am looking forward to acquiring is stage combat. It sounds like Macbeth will have some pretty awesome fight scenes! Rehearsals have quickly become the highlight of my week. No matter what else has happened that day, I leave rehearsal feeling recharged and excited about what we accomplished.”

“I truly believe that experiences like this are presented when we need them most in our lives. The last few years have been personally challenging for many reasons and I have been feeling somewhat disconnected from myself and others lately. The process of preparing to perform as Macbeth is leading me on an inward journey to find the character, but also to rediscover myself. As I dive deeper into this work I look forward to discovering more and more about Shakespeare’s great story, the characters of the world he created, and, consequently, who I am at my very core.”

At Theatre; Just Because, we couldn’t be happier to be working with Jenny, and her daughter Kat! Come see their performances in the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth directed by Justin Shaw, playing May 23-25, 2019 at the Keyano Recital Theatre. For more information, click HERE.