Past Productions

2019

ALMOST, MAINE by John Cariani
at the 2020 Greater Edmonton Teachers Convention (Stollery Hall @ Alberta College)

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Vanguard Collective’s Remounted Production from the 2019 Edmonton Fringe! An innovation organization of artists; artists were divided into trios that would direct each other in a rotation of pieces. The three trios came together a month before the conference to coordinate their pieces individually. They came together as a group once before the main performance at the convention. We learned about how our students may feel when we call them to remember work we completed 6 months prior and the work it takes to reassemble that muscle memory. Audience members stayed behind to discuss collaborative professional development, how they might get involved, and the future of the Vanguard Collective.

THE STORY
For some teacher wellness, come to “ALMOST, MAINE”, the result of a summer of collective professional development. Almost, Maine is a play by John Cariani, comprising nine short plays that explore love and loss in a remote, mythical almost-town called Almost. This is a place where things almost happen; people almost fall in and out of love & they almost get into fights. The figurative becomes real and the characters literally fall in love. Please join The Vanguard Collective after the play for a panel discussion about our process and the benefits of collaborative professional development.

THE TEAM
Trio #1 – Prologue/Interlogue/Epilogue, Sad & Glad, They Fell
Matthew Blackwell – Pete, Director, Randy
Kristen Forsyth – Ginette, Sandrine, Director
Neil Kuefler – Director, Jimmy, Chad, Producer

Trio #2 Story of Hope, This Hurts, Getting it Back
Paula Humby – Director, Marilyn, Gayle
Kandice Laurie – Hope, Director, Lendall, (waitress in Sad & Glad)
Mark Vetsch – Daniel, Steve, Director

Trio #3 Her Heart, Where it Went, Seeing the Thing
Kendra Lamothe-Chang – East, Marci, Director
Scott Shpeley – Director, Phil, Dave, Sound Design
Linette Smith – Glory, Director, Rhonda

Julie Sucie – Stage Management
Andrea Trueman – Set and Costume designer

THE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL SHOWCASE – in partnership with The Grindstone Theatre
monthly at the Grindstone Theatre & Bistro

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Teachers from different schools all over the Edmonton Area came together to collaborate in the art of Improvisation. Not only did the students get an opportunity to learn from one another, but the teachers were able to facilitate theatre in roles they may not otherwise have the opportunity to have. Technical improvisation, coaching, hosting, and providing feedback on the work of all students.

THE STORY
Come to watch local highschool improv teams gather to showcase their skill! Come out for a hot dog and sodapop and see the up and comers of our improv community at their best! A partnership between The Vanguard Theatre Collectie and Grindstone Theatre.

Vanguard Improv League Schedule

OCTOBER 16 – Scona, Vic, McNally, Archibishop MacDonald (Students warm up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)
NOVEMBER 13 – St. Joe’s, Wagner (Students warm-up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)
DECEMBER 18 – Archbishop MacDonald, Scona, Lillian Osborne (Students warm-up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)
JANUARY 15 – Ross Shep, McNally (Students warm-up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)
FEBRUARY 19 – Vernon Barford, Victoria (Students warm-up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)
~~MARCH 18 – McNally, Victoria – CANCELLED (Students warm-up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)~~
~~APRIL 15 – Lillian Osborne, Victoria – CANCELLED (Students warm-up at 6 pm // Public Performance at 7 pm)~~
~~MAY 20 – GRAND FINALE FEATURED @ Nextfest!!! – CANCELLED (Dates & Times TBD)~~

THE TEAM
Ashley Balisky & the Wagner Improv Ensemble
Matthew Blackwell, Kieran Fitzgerald & the Lillian Osborne Improv Ensemble
Kristen Forsyth & the Shep Improv Ensemble
Neil Kuefler & the Vic School Improv Ensemble
Ryan Kuefler & the VB Improv Ensemble
Kendra Lamothe-Change & the McNally Improv Ensemble
Linette Smith, Mark Vetsch & the Scona Improv Ensemble
Ashley Kirk & the St. Joe’s Improv Ensemble
Fiona Williams & the Mac Improv Ensemble

ALMOST, MAINE by John Cariani
at the 2019 Edmonton International Fringe Festival (Strathcona School Theatre)

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Vanguard Collective’s Premiere Production at the Edmonton Fringe! An innovation organization of artists; artists were divided into trios that would direct each other in a rotation of pieces. The three trios came together a week before the festival to coordinate the piece as a whole under the guidance of Neil Kuefler and Jake Tkacyzk.

THE STORY
Welcome to Almost, Maine, a town that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States — it’s almost in
Canada. And it almost doesn’t exist. Because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it’s just…
Almost.
One cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter, while the northern lights hover in the sky above, Almost’s
residents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken.
Love is lost, found, and confounded. And life for the people of Almost, Maine will never be the same.
Almost, Maine: It’s love. But not quite.

THE TEAM
Trio #1 – Prologue/Interlogue/Epilogue, Sad & Glad, They Fell
Matthew Blackwell – Pete, Director, Randy, Marketing
Kristen Forsyth – Ginette, Sandrine, Director, Marketing
Neil Kuefler – Director, Jimmy, Chad, Producer

Trio #3 Her Heart, Where it Went, Seeing the Thing
Kendra Lamothe-Chang – East, Marci, Director
Scott Shpeley – Director, Phil, Dave, Sound Design
Linette Smith – Glory, Director, Rhonda, Venue Manager

Sheena Wilbur – Stage Management
Julie Sucie – Assistant Stage Management
Andrea Trueman – Set and Costume designer
Jake Tkaczyk – Producer, Outside-Eye

Review – Edmonton Journal

Company Preview Article – twelfthnight.ca

Photo Feature – St. Albert Gazette