Cast

Geoffrey is absolutely chuffed to be returning to the Blyth Festival Theatre in this landmark production of James Reaney’s Donnelly Trilogy. He grew up in Goderich and was a part of the Blyth Festival Young Company for six summers in his youth, worked as a house manager for two seasons and later went on to direct the Young Company’s original creation ‘Hatchlings and Hayseeds’ in 2015. This will be his tenth summer in Blyth. Coming back home to act before his family, friends and the fine people of Huron County and beyond has always been his dream. See you all at the theatre. It’s going to be spectacular.

Masae Day is delighted to be performing with the Blyth Festival for the first time. Based in Vancouver BC, she has worked with theatre companies such as Axis Theatre (The Troll Grandfather), Western Canada Theatre/Thousand Islands Playhouse (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story), Chemainus Theatre Festival (Once, Dracula, A Shayna Maidel/A Pretty Girl), and Carousel Theatre for Young People (The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe). This past year, she produced and starred in the world premier of Mozart and Her Brother (developed over the pandemic with Mark Weatherley and Geniusettes Theatre Society). Masae trained at in theatre at Studio 58 and in music at the University of Victoria (BMus in violin performance), and has appeared on TV in Supernatural, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, and the Hallmark movie Ms. Matched. She plays fiddle with the band LittleFox.

Paul is very happy to return to the Blyth Festival, after a memorable experience of performing in Mark Crawford’s Bed and Breakfast here in 2019. He recently appeared in Wildfire at Factory Theatre in Toronto (Dora Award – Outstanding Production). Previous to that he toured Bed and Breakfast, with stops at Vancouver’s Arts Club, Regina’s Globe, Victoria’s Belfry, Ottawa’s GCTC, Montreal’s Centaur and the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque (where it premiered). Over the past three decades, he has performed in theatres large and small across the country. Some highlights include The Gay Heritage Project (Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times and national tour), Tartuffe (National Arts Centre Newfoundland tour), Vigil (Theatre New Brunswick), East of Berlin (Tarragon) and TomorrowLove (Outside the March) in Toronto, HAIR (Grand Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Driftwood) and seven seasons at the Stratford Festival (including Peter Pan, Glenn, Elizabeth Rex, Merchant of Venice, Caesar and Cleopatra). Other credits include Murdoch Mysteries (season 3) and the recent radio recordings of Bed and Breakfast and Wildfire for CBC/PlayMe. He first encountered The Donnellys trilogy 26 years ago, and he’s thrilled to be a part of this adaptation. He lives in Stratford.

Blyth Credits: Angus (The Drawer Boy), Scrooge (A Huron County Christmas Carol), Stompin’ Tom (Stompin Tom). Many roles over seven season including directing Power and Gloria and Heat Wave.

13 seasons at the Stratford Festival. Randy has played leading roles across Canada. He has performed in Mexico and the United states including many shows at the Tarragon, Canadian Stage, Factory theatre, Soulpepper, Theatre Passe Muraille, Necessary Angel and Crows theatre in Toronto. He has been nominated for eight Dora awards, three Vancouver Jessie Awards, three Edmonton Sterling awards, one Calgary Betty Mitchell award, one Gemini and two Broadway World awards and was awarded one of each.

For Blyth: Joanna Donnelly, various in The Donnelly Trilogy; In the Wake of Wettlaufer; Cake-Walk. Elsewhere (selected): Hamlet and Death and the King’s Horseman (Stratford Festival); Admissions (Theatre Calgary); La Bête (Soulpepper); All’s Well that Ends Well and Hamlet (Canadian Stage); Antony and Cleopatra (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival), Cinderella (Globe Theatre), Christmas Carol (Grand Theatre). Film/TV: Late Night; Let’s Go Luna!; Glowbies; The Boneyard Man. Love and thanks always to Aidan and Bruce.

Cameron is thrilled to return home to Blyth for another season. His past Blyth credits include last season’s The Drawer Boy and 2016’s Our Beautiful Sons. Cameron is also a Founder and Artistic Leader of The Howland Company, where he has performed in a number of shows including Prodigal, Three Sisters, Punk Rock and Casimir & Caroline, for which he won a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Ensemble. Cameron wants to thank Gil and Rachael and the whole Blyth team.

Steven McCarthy is an award-winning actor, director, and musician. He was awarded a Canadian Screen Award (CSA) for Best Guest Performance in a dramatic series for his portrayal of a dying rock singer in Mary Kills People. Acting credits include recurring roles in The Expanse (Amazon), the Stephen King adaptation Chapelwaite (Epix), V/H/S 94 and the FX limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. McCarthy holds diplomas for acting and directing from the National Theatre School of Canada. He is the lead singer and manager of the 10 piece funk band The ElastoCitizens.

James has Six Nations Mohawk (Turtle Clan) & Scottish heritage. Raised in Port Elgin, he’s ecstatic to be returning to Blyth to be part of the Donnelly Trilogy.

Selected credits: Where the Blood Mixes, Almighty Voice & His Wife (Dora Nomination for Outstanding Performance) (Soulpepper), The Secret to Good Tea (MTC), This is How We Got Here (NEPA), Cottagers & Indians, The Berlin Blues, Ipperwash (Blyth), The Drawer Boy, Proof (Centaur), MacBeth (GSSC).