• Jordan completed their Bachelor of Education in December 2024 and has spent over a decade working in education as an educational assistant and private music instructor. They are now the Student Support Room Teacher at École Mountview School in Red Deer. Jordan is also a graduate of Red Deer College’s Theatre Performance and Creation Program, Motion Picture Arts Program, and holds an Applied Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. They have loved the development process this festival provided and are excited to share this story with you.

  • ​Lori began her theatre journey in 1982 and, since then, has been involved in virtually every aspect of the craft.  The director’s chair is where she loves to be, with directorial pursuits that run the gamut including sketch comedy, dinner theatre, drama and main stage musical.

    Lori’s more recent projects include directing At the Legion for the 2025 Theatre Trail, Prime Stock Theatre’s 2025 production of The Thin Grey Line and the 2024 comedy/musical revue, More Mixed Nuts – A Return to Song, Schtick & All That Jazz(2024) – a show she both compiled and directed. Other work with SLT: co-facilitator for the Script Lab series (2024-2025), and guest director for their Audition Workshop.

  • Tom holds an MFA (Acting) degree and Postgraduate (Voice & Speech Education) from York University, Toronto and studied at the ProActors Lab. He has taught at York University, Red Deer Polytechnic and the Canadian National Voice Intensive. Today Tom holds the position of Culture Coordinator for the Town of Sylvan Lake and hosts the Workcookie Podcast for SEBOC, USA. For Sylvan Lake Theatre Tom played Ebenezer Scrooge in the musical A Christmas Carol and will be performing Victor (Bottom’s Up) and Dale (Meat & Greet)

  • Cheryl and her partner Ritch moved to Sylvan Lake less than three years ago.  In the past she was part of the theatre scene in Yellowknife, N.W.T. Besides acting in too many productions to count, Cheryl also sang with Harmony Niagara Barbershop Chorus. Entertaining people by making them smile or laugh brings her great joy. Her first performance with Sylvan Lake Theatre was in Change by Derryn Yeomans, presented for Theatre Trail 2024. She also enjoys writing and is currently working on a series of adventure stories for her grandchildren, who are the light of her life.

  • Layne is an actor based in central Alberta. He has been working across Alberta on stage and film for years and alongside that has also been writing prose, poetry, and most recently, plays. As an emerging writer himself, Layne has found a great sense of satisfaction in helping new works have their day in the sun. For this festival he is stepping into two roles, Myles, in Derek Olinek’s Bottoms Up and Viggo, in Jordan Galloway’s Meat & Greet. Layne would like to thank you for joining us in what promises to be a rip-roaring good time.

  • Derryn Yeomans is a versatile writer who has published poetry, short stories and non-fiction for many years.  In 2023, she undertook a new challenge - scriptwriting for live theatre.  That year, Derryn’s script was produced as one of the plays for Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail.  Its success encouraged her to continue, and two more of her scripts were accepted for the 2024 and 2025 Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail.   Derryn says “writing has always been a passion - being a playwright and part of Central Alberta’s vibrant theatre community is a joy.”  Watch for more entertaining and provocative plays by Derryn in upcoming theatre seasons.

  • Katherine is an award-winning playwright, director, and performer, who grew up in Sylvan Lake, studied theatre in Red Deer and Toronto, and now practices throughout the Central Alberta region. Their education focused on the creation of new theatre “from scratch, with ingredients you probably have around the house”. Their favorite projects are plays that are written locally, cast locally, and performed locally. 

  • Elisa is a 22-year-old actress who was born and raised in Stettler, Alberta. During her childhood, Elisa was passionate about expression through dance and musical theatre, which led her to perform in many high school and community plays. Today, Elisa has a diploma in acting from Toronto Film School and is pursuing film and TV work. She has also been seen in Central Alberta Theatre’s production of Dracula: Mina’s Quest, as Mina. Elisa is thrilled to be in this play reading, and excited to bring a great story to life!

  • Jordan is new to Sylvan Lake Theatre and Alberta as of last year, but has been involved in the arts since she was in kindergarten. She graduated from the Toronto Film School program: Acting for Film, Television and the Theatre, and moved to Alberta soon after to pursue her career in film. She has performed in many shows and with many companies in Ontario before joining Sylvan this season; one of her favourite roles being Creature in Frankenstein. Jordan is thrilled to show Sandy and her journey through Passion.

  • ​In 2022, Ella took Sylvan Lake Theatre’s Act Up course and soon became involved with the annual Theatre Trail.  She served as a Stage Manager for Cooking with Tobias (Trail 2023), a Storyteller (Trail 2024) and the principal photographer (Trail 2025). Her interest in writing led her to the Write It! Program, specifically: The Writer’s Gym and recent Script Circle where she reignited her love for writing and collaborating with other creatives.  In the daytime, Ella works for the US Division of Sunlife. (She’s been working from home before it was cool). In her spare time, Ella is often watching the Oilers with her 94-year-old mother, on a photography gig, editing, adventuring, painting something in her house and now writing, thanks to Sylvan Lake Theatre. Usually, her 24-hour assistant Luna (a Labradoodle) is close by her side keeping Ella in line.

  • Tanya has spent a lifetime as a theatre industry worker first as a professional actor /writer then as a director and acting coach. She has performed on stages from Vancouver to New York City; dabbled in film, television and radio while occasionally moonlighting as a casting director. For three decades Tanya was an instructor and director for the Performance & Creation Program at Red Deer Polytechnic. More recently her day job as Sylvan Lake Theatre’s founding Artistic Director keeps her busy and happy.

  • Cheryl and her partner Ritch moved to Sylvan Lake less than three years ago.  In the past she was part of the theatre scene in Yellowknife, N.W.T. Besides acting in too many productions to count, Cheryl also sang with Harmony Niagara Barbershop Chorus. Entertaining people by making them smile or laugh brings her great joy. Her first performance with Sylvan Lake Theatre was in Change by Derryn Yeomans, presented for Theatre Trail 2024. She also enjoys writing and is currently working on a series of adventure stories for her grandchildren, who are the light of her life.

  • Trish moved to Sylvan Lake five years ago and has been growing her roots as a mother, nurse, and fitness instructor. She rediscovered her love for acting in fall 2024 through Sylvan Lake Theatre’s Act Up workshop and has been hooked ever since. This is her second adult role, and she’s honoured and excited to be part of such a talented, supportive, and welcoming community. In her spare time, Trisha enjoys moving her body, playing with her family, and connecting with nature, herself, and her friends.

  • ​Fran is an award-winning writer who moves happily between short stories, plays (for both stage and radio), and novels. Her books include Cattail Lane, No Good Asking, and The Shore Girl. A proud playwright alum of Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail and the Red Deer Players Breaking Cover series, Fran was born and raised in Calgary and now calls Lacombe home. There, she leads Brave New Writing-a friendly, encouraging space for emerging writers to experiment, take risks, and find their voice.

  • Katherine is an award-winning playwright, director, and performer, who grew up in Sylvan Lake, studied theatre in Red Deer and Toronto, and now practices throughout the Central Alberta region. Their education focused on the creation of new theatre “from scratch, with ingredients you probably have around the house”. Their favorite projects are plays that are written locally, cast locally, and performed locally. 

  • Jeremy migrated from the East in search of Western prosperity a little over a decade ago. After spending five years living a nomadic lifestyle “working on the railroad all the live long day” he planted roots in Central Alberta and discovered performing. Jeremy began by doing improv with Bullskit Comedy, moved on to a staged reading, Eden by Fran Kimmel for Red Deer Players and performances with Central Alberta Theatre, Memory of Water and Sylvan Lake Theatre, Last Call by Gillian Corsiatto. For the SLT festival of new plays Jeremy is excited to be working on a new Fran Kimmel play Spiralling where he plays the role of Al.

  • Emily is a multidisciplinary artist working across performance, sculpture, and photography. She approaches theatre as a practice shaped by collaboration and careful attention to composition, gesture, and atmosphere. Born in Red Deer, she trained in theatre at Red Deer Polytechnic, studied at the Glasgow School of Art, and earned a BFA in Sculpture from the Alberta University of the Arts. Her work has been presented across Canada and Europe, most recently in the Arctic Circle.

  • ​Derek has appeared in over 40 plays. He has also dipped his toes into directing, lights & sound, stage managing as well as set design and construction. He recently decided it was time to take a stab at playwriting. Derek is thrilled that Sylvan Lake Theatre has seen fit to accept and stage his script and he thanks Katherine Orsten and Tanya Ryga for their discernment and encouragement. Also, a huge thank you to Tom Bradshaw and Layne Zazalak for sharing their immense talents to bring Bottom’s Up to life.

  • Tanya has spent a lifetime as a theatre industry worker first as a professional actor /writer then as a director and acting coach. She has performed on stages from Vancouver to New York City; dabbled in film, television and radio while occasionally moonlighting as a casting director. For three decades Tanya was an instructor and director for the Performance & Creation Program at Red Deer Polytechnic. More recently her day job as Sylvan Lake Theatre’s founding Artistic Director keeps her busy and happy.

  • Tom holds an MFA (Acting) degree and Postgraduate (Voice & Speech Education) from York University, Toronto and studied at the ProActors Lab. He has taught at York University, Red Deer Polytechnic and the Canadian National Voice Intensive. Today Tom holds the position of Culture Coordinator for the Town of Sylvan Lake and hosts the Workcookie Podcast for SEBOC, USA. For Sylvan Lake Theatre Tom played Ebenezer Scrooge in the musical A Christmas Carol and will be performing Victor (Bottom’s Up) and Dale (Meat & Greet) in the Ten-Minute New Play Festival.

  • Layne is an actor based in central Alberta. He has been working across Alberta on stage and film for years and alongside that has also been writing prose, poetry, and most recently, plays. As an emerging writer himself, Layne has found a great sense of satisfaction in helping new works have their day in the sun. For this festival he is stepping into two roles, Myles, in Derek Olinek’s Bottoms Up and Viggo, in Jordan Galloway’s Meat & Greet. Layne would like to thank you for joining us in what promises to be a rip-roaring good time.