2026 THEATRE TRAIL PROGRAMME

The Plays and Teams

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Jill and her mother are working on their communication; the problem is that one of them is a ghost. Can Jill's bestie bridge that gap? 

  • Tracy Duckett has always loved writing, but postponed getting serious about it while raising children, building a career, crashing through relationships, and letting ADHD direct her attention toward everything except what she really wanted to be doing. Now retired, with the help and support of brilliant local theatre and literary folks, she is deeply immersed in writing creative non-fiction, poetry, and more recently, plays. Drawing on her perspectives from living what she describes as an odd life, her writing focuses on neurodiversity, mental health, queer culture, and relationship dynamics…yes, even with ghosts.

  • ​Lori Lane began her theatre journey in 1982 as an actor and has been directing all genres of theatre since 1988. The director’s chair is where she loves to be! Most recently, Lori directed “Louie’s Daughter” for Forever Young Theatre at the Alberta Drama Festival Association’s regional and provincial festivals, where she received recognition for Outstanding Direction and an Honorable Mention in Directing at each of those events, respectively. A big fan of the work SLT is bringing to the community, Lori has enjoyed being involved as a co-facilitator for their Script Lab series, as a guest director for their Audition Workshop, and is excited to be returning for her second season as a director for the award-winning Theatre Trail.

  • Joanne has spent all her summers in Sylvan Lake, making it a special part of her life. This year, she is excited to take on a new role as the stage manager for Epiphany with The Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail. As a retired social worker, Joanne brings extensive experience in leadership, organizational tasks, and working with others. She sees this as a wonderful opportunity to try something new, get involved in the community, and contribute her skills behind the scenes.

  • Cathy is elated to be making her Sylvan Lake Theatre debut! Returning to the stage after performing in Fool For Love at Central Alberta Theatre this past March, she is no stranger to the stage or screen. Performing in both Vancouver and Toronto, Cathy holds a BAA in Film Acting and Theatre Performance (RDC). She spent the last decade in Toronto focusing on her film career, training with some of the top acting coaches in the industry, and strengthening her skills in comedy, parodies and accents. This show is for you Mama! Training: ProActors Lab, AWAW (Toronto), Technical Audition Room for TV and Film (VAS), Film/TV: Sherlock@Home, Code 5. IG: @CathyActs

  • Debby is very pleased to be a part of Theatre Trail this year. She loves the play, Epiphany, and can relate to her character … other than the fact her character is dead… She has been involved in theatre in central Alberta for almost 30 years with roles in as many if not more plays. Favourites include Sylvia (Central Alberta Theatre) Death Trap and It’s a Wonderful Life (Ignition Theatre) and Calendar Girls (Riverbend Theatre). She loves the premise of the Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail and is happy for the support of all the theatre groups.

  • Naomi Gaertner resides in Sylvan Lake with her three wild wonderful boys. Naomi has a wide variety of expertise in theatre, dance, signing, art and clown. Naomi enjoys teaching Hip Hop at Drop It Studios in Sylvan Lake for her third year. Also, this is Naomi's third season with the Theatre Trail. What joy Naomi finds performing to share authentic theatre with audiences. Naomi has enjoyed her journey as Andi, Jill’s spunky sportive friend in Epiphany.  She hopes you too will dive into the healing and joyous journey of live theatre. Naomi always says, "When given the Chance, Always Dance." :)

Sometimes you just gotta say - I TOLD YOU SO!

  • Since 2022, Ella de Craig has participated in Sylvan Lake Theatre’s workshops including Act Up, Storytelling and Playwriting. Since her love for writing was reignited it resulted in her play “Time is a Thief” being produced in Sylvan Lake Theatre’s 10-Minute New Play Festival. For Theatre Trail credits include Stage Manager, Storyteller, Photographer and Playwright. By day she works from home for Sunlife, otherwise her time is spent with her 94-year-old mother, on a photography gig, editing, plotting her next adventure, at the gym or outside, painting something in her house and now…writing, thanks to Sylvan Lake Theatre. Usually, her 24-hour assistant Luna (a Labradoodle) is close by keeping her in line.

  • Robyn has focused on storytelling all her life. A graduate of RDP’s Theatre Performance & Creation and Motion Picture Arts programs, she has a passion and expertise in working with kids, whether it be teaching or performing. After winning Outstanding Direction at last season’s Heartland One Act Festival, she directed Book Club for Central Alberta Theatre in February. This is her second year directing for Theatre Trail and she hopes you enjoy the show!

  • Dannah is new to theatre but eager to learn, grow, and help wherever she can! She has loved everything about theatre from a young age and has recently begun actively pursuing that passion. Her work with Sylvan Lake Theatre includes assistant stage-managing Bottom’s Up for the New 10-Minute Play Festival and serving as a teaching assistant for the 8–10-year-old summer drama camp.  Whether she is learning, performing, or helping behind the scenes, Dannah is excited to continue exploring the world of theatre, gaining new experiences, and becoming more involved in the local arts community.

  • Jordyn is ecstatic to be playing Dani in Don’t Talk to Strangers with Sylvan Lake Theatre. Jordyn’s love for acting sprouted throughout high school theatre, specifically in her performance as Frank in Daniel MacIvor’s “Never Swim Alone” at the Alberta Highschool Drama Festival 4W Zones festival. She received an Outstanding Acting Award for this performance. Her recent credits include, Bad Auditions By Bad Actors (Rodger) and Into the Woods (Narrator) through Hunting Hills Highschool. Off stage, Jordyn enjoys volunteering with Red Deer’s BGC Youth HQ participating in their summer camps and the Zed99 Haunted House. Jordyn hopes you enjoy the show!


  • Perle is grateful that Sylvan Lake Theatre is so close to home. She has enjoyed the many classes that have been offered over the years and will be showcasing her performance skills this season in the Theatre Trail after serving as a Storyteller last season and the stage manager for Bachelor Party and 52 Pick-Up.  Perle has been seen in the odd commercial, music video and a short film. A definite switch from her banking career and being a business owner. She fits all this in amongst community involvement, sailing, farming, gardening, horse hugs and enjoying all her fur babies.


  • 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 Polytech 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. He was last seen on stage as Scrooge in Sylvan Lake Theatre’s A Christmas Carol.

A grandmother's second act stirs up more than beer — family history's finally on tap.

  • Still Waters is Derek Olinek’s second venture into playwriting, following his debut, Bottom's Up, which premiered earlier this year at the Sylvan Lake Theatre 10-Minute New Play Festival. He's thrilled — and a little stunned — that this new piece has found a home in this season's Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail. Huge thanks go to Katherine Orsten, whose sharp eye and generous guidance once again helped shape the script into its best self. Derek hopes you enjoy the show, and that it stirs up more than its title suggests.

  • Barbara Jean Askin has taught drama, musical theatre and theatre tech in Red Deer for over 30 years, directed and designed 8 musicals, over 50 One Acts, and over 200 collective creations, and designed and decorated sets for a variety of shows. Acting credits are long and varied from community to professional theatre over more than 45 years. This is her 3rd year directing for Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail. She is absolutely thrilled to be a new board member. Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail is an absolute joy to be involved in.

  • Orlo Davis Orlo is 18 years old and was raised in Sylvan Lake. He recently graduated from H.J. Cody High School (H.J.C), where he played his very first role as Finnegan in The Baker Street Irregulars and quickly fell in love with the stage. Outside of theatre, Orlo was the woodwind section leader for the H.J.C. Concert Band and the piano player for the H.J.C. Black Jazz Band, with aspirations of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music. This is Orlo’s first time taking on the responsibility of Stage Manager, and he is determined to do the best he can!

  • Emily is a young actor who has been exploring theatre for the past three years—Theatre Trail being her first non-high school performance. In the past year, she has been consistently filling her schedule with acting, improving her range and widening her experience. Recently, she has performed as Quinn in Baker Street Irregulars, wrote and acted in Hidden Messages at H.J. Cody’s Art Gala, and was Anxiety in Me, My Monsters and I at the Zone 4W One Acts Festival. 


  • Jackie is thrilled to be returning to the stage. A lifelong creative, Jackie has explored acting, improv, and theatre alongside her work as an artist, educator, and animal professional. When she’s not performing, she enjoys travelling, scuba diving, kayaking, mountain biking and creating content. Jackie is especially passionate about bringing characters to life, finding the humour in everyday moments, and connecting with audiences. She is delighted to be part of this production and hopes you enjoy the show!

  • Richard is excited to be a part of the Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail for his second time. A graduate of the Red Deer College theatre and film programs, he is committed to helping support the creative arts in Alberta. Aside from the Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail, you can also catch Richard performing in Conversation With Cows with Riverbend Theatre, remounting A Christmas Carol with Sylvan Lake Theatre, and performing improv with Bullskit Comedy and Smash Improv throughout Alberta. Thank you all for attending the Theatre Trail and for supporting the local arts.

When grown up brothers go on a camping trip, will they see eye to eye or is one too big for his britches?

  • Norene can’t believe that this is her 5th year of Theatre Trail! Sylvan Lake Theatre keeps her very busy marketing, creating graphics and fundraising. She still finds time to write, work on a play or plant flowers but best of all, spend time with her family, grandkids, and fur kid Murphy. In her first year of Theatre Trail, Norene joined as a storyteller, bringing her experience as a researcher with the Sylvan Lake Archives. Norene continues to learn and grow through Sylvan Lake Theatre and loves her community of wonderful like-minded creatives. She hopes you enjoy the show.

  • Jenna Goldade is a director, producer, and theatre leader with over 18 years of experience creating scripted and improvised theatre. She recently directed The Raven and the Gull, Bachelor Party, and Wardrobe Malfunction for Sylvan Lake Theatre, and I Ain’t So Tough for Red Deer Players’ Breaking Cover series. As the founder of Bull Skit Comedy, she has directed family entertainment, developed training and mentorship programs, and produced more than 453 shows. She also served for 16 years as Executive and Artistic Director of Against the Wall Theatre and has performed with acclaimed improv companies across Canada, the U.S., and Switzerland.

  • Aly is back in action! Rolling into the scene as stage manager, she is excited to welcome you all to the 2026 Theatre Trail! This is her third year participating in this magical event and she is just as delighted by all the excitement surrounding the reputation this trail holds. Living In Sylvan Lake since 2009, she found her love for the art very early on and now being two years out of high school, she continues to pursue the arts In a multitude of different ways, and she hope this year will be the greatest year of them all! 

  • Layne has called Sylvan Lake his home for the majority of his life and is so excited and proud of the work Sylvan Lake Theatre has done to bring more culture to this lovely beach town. Having been part of the inaugural Theatre Trail here in Sylvan lake as well as a number of other projects with Sylvan Lake Theatre, he is thrilled to be able to return to the trail as an actor once again this season.

  • Jerry is a dynamic storyteller and performer, known for his novel Iron Blood—Book 1 of the Subisolation series, which explores divine hubris and industrial oppression. He holds a film certification in Film Acting from Red Deer Polytechnic. He brings passion to every creative pursuit.

    On stage at Central Alberta Theatre (CAT), he appeared in Book Club where his wild expressions and quirky enthusiasm shined. His directorial debut will occur this fall with And Then There Were None (CAT). For Sylvan Lake Theatre Jerry will recreate his performance as Marley and other roles in the remount of A Christmas Carol, the musical. 2026 is the third time he has appeared in SLT’s award-winning Theatre Trail.

The Storytellers

  • Emily brings decades of dramatic experience to her role as a Theatre Trail Storyteller. Since earning a BFA in Theatre at the University of Victoria, she has acted and directed in Canada and abroad, starring in leading roles like Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! and Mame Dennis in Mame. After using storytelling throughout her international teaching career, Emily recently relocated to Sylvan Lake, and now brings her love of spoken stories to more varied audiences. 

  • Carol was born in 1960, in a prairie town, the second of four children. Raised on a farm, her first school was in a rural hamlet, eventually leading to high school in Roblin, Manitoba. Carol worked and raised her family in Red Deer before retiring to her dream town, Sylvan Lake. Public speaking and a love of music were integral to her life until she was struck by stage fright. For years, her love of performing still tugged at her heart until storytelling with Sylvan Lake Theatre helped her find her voice again.

  • Cheryl fell in love with performing in the 8th grade when she auditioned for the role of The Captain in a production of HMS Pinafore. Afterward, classmates told her that their parents couldn’t believe the Captain was a girl. Cheryl won an award for that performance, and her love of theatre continued. While working and raising a family, Cheryl remained involved in community theatre. Now, in retirement, she has more time to pursue other artistic outlets. She is especially grateful to her heavenly Mom for finding Tanya Ryga’s contact information and insisting that Cheryl reach out to her.

  • Trisha is a local storyteller and actor who has been involved in community theatre since 2024. This is her second season with the Sylvan Lake Theatre Trail. She believes storytelling is a universal magic, inviting us to play, connect, and remember what makes us human. She is grateful to share this experience with audiences and fellow artists.

Theatre Trail Director

  • Tanya is Sylvan Lake Theatre’s founding Artistic Director and Head of the Theatre School. Over the past four seasons, she has directed Fully Committed, The Birds and the Bees, The Three, 52 Pick-Up, and A Christmas Carol for SLT’s main-stage season. Her directing work includes musical theatre, dinner theatre, and theatre for young audiences. She has also produced 26 original one-act plays for the annual Theatre Trail, as well as the two new-play festivals, and has directed seven of those plays. Tanya lives in Half Moon Bay, Alberta, with her husband, artist Larry Reese, who created the poster artwork for the 2026 Theatre Trail.

Front of House

  • Kathy Bradshaw joined the Sylvan Lake Theatre as Stage Manager and was soon invited to serve on the theatre board. A passionate advocate for arts and culture in Sylvan Lake, she has dedicated much of her time to supporting and growing the local arts community. Kathy also served as Festival Manager for Jazz at the Lake for 19 of the festival’s 20 years, helping make it a much-loved annual celebration. Through her volunteer work, leadership and enthusiasm, Kathy continues to champion the arts and the people who bring them to life.  

  • Nikki has lived in the Sylvan area for almost 30 years and moved into town 3 ½ years ago. She works in a Family Law Office in town, and coaches figure skating with the Sylvan Lake Skating Club. Over the years, she has served on many boards volunteering as the secretary/treasurer for the Benalto Agricultural Society and for the 1290 Cadet corps in Red Deer. For several years, she was a director at Padnoma Support Services, which is an agency that provides support for people with developmental disabilities. She has volunteered at a crisis pregnancy centre and spent many hours helping with the Shadow Riders 4-H club. Volunteering on boards has provided her with the opportunity to meet many great people with interesting stories and has been very fulfilling. Hopefully, it has also allowed others to continue to enjoy activities and access experiences that would not be possible, but for the many volunteers who contribute their time.

  • Delaine has worked with marginalized people for most of her career, Currently, she is an addictions counsellor in a concurrent disorders’ treatment program in Ponoka. She is also working on her Master of Counselling degree. Delaine enjoys volunteering and has sat on library boards, a chamber of commerce, and has volunteered at animal shelters, libraries, breast exam clinics, food banks, and at her son’s schools. Having moved to Sylvan Lake in 2020, she was unable to volunteer to meet new people. The activities offered by Sylvan Lake Theatre have allow her to do just that.

Thank you for your support!