Creative Team

Ann Hodges: Director

 

Ann Hodges is a Winnipeg-based theatre and opera director. A graduate of the National Theatre School, Ann's credits include Prairie Theatre Exchange, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Neptune Theatre, Shaw Festival, Persephone Theatre, Vancouver Opera, Manitoba Opera, Opera Lyra, and Pacific Opera Victoria. Ann also writes opera libretti, including Vancouver Opera's acclaimed Naomi's Road. Career highlights include directing 1,000 performers as Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremonies of the North American Indigenous Games, and participating in a directing workshop with Peter Brook at England's National Theatre. Ann has been affiliated with Strike! since its first draft, through two workshops and numerous productions in Winnipeg and Saskatoon.

Arne MacPherson:  Director

 

Born in Saskatchewan and raised in Edmonton, Arne received his BFA (Acting) from the U. of A. in 1985, moving to Winnipeg in 1991. Since then, he has made his living as a theatre artist almost exclusively in Winnipeg, as an actor, director, and teacher. Directing credits include:The Threepenny Opera (Manitoba Theatre Centre/Shakespeare in the Ruins),Stretching Hide, Noble Savage Savage Noble, Cruel and Unusual Punishment (Theatre Projects Manitoba), Head, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest (Shakespeare In the Ruins), and nine adaptations of Robert Munsch stories (Prairie Theatre Exchange). MTC roles: the title role in Shakespeare’s Dog (also at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa), Mrs. Warren’s Profession, August: Osage County, King Lear, The Crucible. Shakespeare In the Ruins roles: Hamlet, Richard III, Mercutio, and Malvolio, among many others. He has acted at Prairie Theatre Exchange, Theatre Projects Manitoba, and the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. Recently he was co-creator and performer in a devised dance/theatre piece with Canadian and Icelandic artists, in Reykjavik and Winnipeg. Arne appeared in Edmonton earlier this season in A Few Good Men at the Citadel, and at the Fringe in 2005 in Candy From A Baby by his partner Deb Patterson, performed with his children Gislina and Solmund.

Deborah Buck:  Music Director

 

Deborah Buck has directed music and performed at many theatres throughout her home province of Saskatchewan, including Persephone Theatre, the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival, and Globe Theatre. She is recipient of Saskatoon and Area Theatre Awards acknowledging her work in Persephone’s Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Beauty and the Beast, Little Women, and other productions. Deborah was the first Artist-in-Residence at Rosebud Theatre and School of the Arts in Rosebud, Alberta, and is proud of her long association with Strike!. She is also a collaborative pianist and teacher, and sings in the Canadian Chamber Choir.

David Hewlett:  Designer

 

David has been actively designing for the stage in Winnipeg and across the country for many years. Currently, he is a Professor in the Theatre/Film Department at the University of Winnipeg with additional teaching and professional career vocations for costuming, lighting and makeup. David earned degrees in Arts, Architecture (Manitoba) and an MFA in design from the University of Alberta. His most recent design credits include Othello for SIR, Strike!  (Edmonton & Winnipeg), Dr. Faustus for the U of W Theatre Department, and set design and mentoring of Anne Frank for the U of W. When not designing theatre or architecture projects, David and his wife Susan fill the rest of the time parenting their sons Dylan, Sean and Michael.

Brenda Gorlick: Choreographer

 

Brenda Gorlick has been a performer, choreographer, and director for over 35 years. Highlights include: West Side Story (Banff Centre), Guys & Dolls (Stratford), A Year with Frog and Toad (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), The Producers (Manitoba Theatre Centre), Urinetown (Persephone Theatre), Die Fledermaus (Manitoba Opera), Funny Girl (Wpg. Jewish Theatre), Altar Boyz (Winnipeg StudioTheatre/PTE), Hersteria (WST/Winnipeg Fringe), Opening and Closing Ceremonies (Pan Am Games). Brenda is a five-time Strike! veteran (Winnipeg, Saskatoon & Edmonton) and the Associate Artistic Director of Winnipeg Studio Theatre.  Brenda is also "mom" to two boys - Jordie and Taj.

Scott Henderson:  Lighting Designer

 

Scott is excited to be once again involved with Strike!, having lit the Winnipeg annual productions and the world première in 2005. Based in Winnipeg, Scott has lit more than 130 dance, opera, theatre and musical theatre productions from Ottawa to Victoria. Recent work includes Rent for Rainbow Stage, The Light in the Piazza for Dry Cold Productions and Steel Magnolias for Manitoba Theatre Centre. Scott is a member of The Associated Designers of Canada and a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School. Special thanks to Karen, Sean and Alex for their love and support.

Daniela Masellis:  Lighting Designer


Daniela is an Edmonton based artist and theatre designer. Her training includes a ’07 B.F.A. in Theatre Design from the University of Alberta and a design apprenticeship abroad at the ‘Teatro alla Scala’ in Milan, Italy. Daniela has designed sets, lights and costumes for such companies as Alberta Opera, Workshop West, The Green Fools, Shadow Theatre, RibittRepublic, Teatro LaQuindicina, Mile Zero Dance, Red Deer College, Grant MacEwan and The Maggie Tree. She has also worked as design associate, to Bretta Gerecke, for Catalyst Theatre’s productions of Nevermore and Hunchback. She was recently nominated for an Elizabeth Sterling award for artistic achievement in the ‘Theatre for Young Audiences’ category for her work with Alberta Opera’s Pinocchio.


Praise

"One wonders if Evita will impress as much..."

- Saskatoon Star Phoenix

"An improbably compelling piece of musical theatre"

- The Globe & Mail

"There's nothing small in mind, body or heart about Strike!"

- Edmonton Journal

"Strike! Has Important Message for Humanity"

- Winnipeg Free Press

"Strike! makes haters of musicals and history see the error of their ways"

- University of Saskatchewan Sheaf

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