WORLD PREMIERE
by KATHERINE ALBERS
Directed by JEROME BLACK
Firehall Theatre is run entirely by volunteers. From box office to sound booth, from stage manager to actor, every aspect of theatre operations is run by people like you -- members of the community -- who love theatre and get involved. Whether you are a first-time audience member or a long-standing part of the Firehall family, we are grateful for your support. With ticket sales being our main source of income, we continue striving to keep costs to you, our patrons, low, and you can be assured that all revenue goes straight into the productions we mount and to maintaining the historic building in which we operate.
Beginning as the Niagara Falls Music Theatre Society, we have been bringing theatre to life in Niagara for over 60 years. Originally using this 1917 firehall for storage, the Society began performing in the building in 1975. The City of Niagara Falls still owns the structure, leasing it to the Society.
Attend shows! Spread the word! Volunteer! Find out more about our upcoming shows and how you can get involved by visiting firehalltheatre.com.
Niagara based artist, Melissa Proudlock created her first wine painting back in the Fall of
2013. She was a full-time graphic designer for 15 years with a local winery. During that time
the idea of using wine as paint was born. Her artwork has been showcased around the
Niagara Region and she has been recognized around the world. One of her latest paintings
was showcased on the George Takei Presents Facebook Page where the video has received
over one million views. CBC Arts Exhibitionist has also featured her work on their Halloween
and Holiday Episodes.
It starts with just a dinner …
Life and love don’t have to stop at middle age.
We don’t need to be widowed, divorced, or entering the dating world (and feeling past your
prime while doing so) to relate to Candace and Oliver, to recognize a bit of ourselves in their
hopes, anxieties, and insecurities. Of course, as they fumble, tumble, and even stumble
through the roller coaster ride of new love, we the audience have the luxury of sitting back
and feigning for a moment that we have it all together.
It has been a great pleasure to work closely with Katherine to bring her newest play to life on
stage at Firehall. What a treat to have the playwright on call, so to speak! I’m so grateful that
she has entrusted all of us — cast and crew alike — to explore these characters and their story
for the first time anywhere.
Thank you for being among the first to meet Oliver, Candace, Dustin, and Sara. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we have.
Katherine's first full-length play was produced in 2003. Following this, she wrote venue-specific historical plays for the Lincoln Rotary Lamplighter Tour for fourteen years, where she was also involved as an actor and director. Four of her ten-minute plays were selected for production by the jury of the now defunct HamilTEN Festival. After more than ten years involvement at Firehall in acting, stage management, learning the lighting board, doing props, and ushering, Katherine is thrilled that Just a Dinner has its world premiere at her theatre home. Many, many kudos to the cast, director, and team for the incredible amount of hard work they have dedicated to this production.
Jerome is honoured to be directing the world premiere of Just a Dinner. Directing credits at Firehall include The Drowning Girls, Blithe Spirit, RENT, Ruthless!, and Urinetown. Select theatre credits: Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone, The Invention of Romance, Freida in The Last Resort, Mendel in Falsettos, The Cat in the Hat in Seussical, George in Jitters, and Paul in Company (Firehall); The Emcee in Cabaret, Tobias in Sweeney Todd, Jesus in Godspell, and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (GCP).
Caroline is excited to be back at Firehall and working with her friend, Jerome, whom she spent many years with at the Buttery as Lady Jane in the Henry VIII dinner show. This role has probably been the most challenging since she played Shirley Valentine at Port Mansion theatre. She has had a blast with this cast and it has been wonderful to work on
a brand new play and to have the playwright be at rehearsals. Caroline would like to thank her husband, Doug, and daughter, Eden, for their support in this project.
Adam is beyond thrilled after making his Firehall debut earlier this year as George in The Drowsy Chaperone, to join this talented cast and bring this amazing play, Just a Dinner, to life. Adam thanks his friends and family for their continuous love and support. Please enjoy the World Premiere of this wonderful show!
Jasmine is thrilled to make her mark in this world premiere production! Jasmine has been involved with many local stage and film productions. Recent credits include Anything Goes (ASM-PCOS), The Woman in Black (ASM-Firehall), Something Rotten (ASM-PCOS), Arsenic and Old Lace (Officer Klein-Firehall), Knickers (Ensemble/AD- Canalside Players), Mamma Mia! (Ensemble-PCOS). She is looking forward to this production and wishes the cast and crew to “break legs.”
It's always exciting being cast in a role. Even more so when it's the premiere of that role. We're all excited to bring this new work to the stage. Past credits for Firehall: The Drowsy Chaperone, Pippin, The Dining Room. On other stages: A Chorus Line, Chicago, Annie, The Fantasticks, Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, The Boyfriend, Crazy For You, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Pal Joey, Funny Girl, Carousel, The King & I, etc., etc. A huge thank you to Katherine and Jerome, the wonderful cast and crew, for this amazing journey.
Producers
Ed Anderson
Jerome Black
Director
Jerome Black
Stage Manager
Caitlin Trottier
Assistant Stage Manager
Tom Gonschior
Set Designer
Jerome Black
Lighting Designer
Mike Toovey
Costumes
Mary Jane Cruise
Lisa Allegra
Victoria Kyoko
Sound
Ed Anderson
Cliff Sayliss
Wesley Detlor (Voice-overs)
Props / Set Dressing
Michele Longhurst
Master Builder
Cliff Sayliss
Set Construction
Jarrod Dunlop
William G. Hobbs
Katie Muirhead
Michele Longhurst
Tom Gonschior
Set Painters
Nicki Inch
Jarrod Dunlop
William G. Hobbs
Chistopher Haynes- Remy
Photography
Eric Jeddry
Social Media
Jerome Black
Briana Claus
Front of House
Katie Muirhead
Ann Griswold-Hamm
Box Office
Laurel Candler
The City of Niagara Falls
Garden City Productions
John Law, Niagara Falls Review
88.5 FM The Lake
YourTV Niagara
Michelle Kleniewski
Adrian Petry
John McHenry
and
to all our volunteers!