The Open House
Featured Artists
Jeff Madden, our director of The Open House, loves an intelligent comedy, something that’s witty with an
edge to it. According to him, this play has both. “I find that my cast matches my vision of the characters to a
great degree, so it pleases me to see it slowly unfolding.”
He says that this particular play has some challenges as well. “One of these challenges is to keep the humour
and the tension balanced in the first half and then drawing out the foreshadowed themes to balance with the
humour in the second half. It is fairly easy to make the play lean to one side or the other, to make it darkly or
lightly humorous whenever drawn in those directions, but there is love, hope, joy and deep frustration embedded
in all the relationships and those are the places where the real challenges lie.”
For Jeff, his love of theatre began in junior high school. “I wrote and directed my first play in grade 8, a comedy
about Santa Claus being kidnapped at Christmas time. We performed it for the student body and parents at a
school pageant. I stood peeking through the curtains from the side, watching the audience just as much as my
players. The thrill and nervousness I felt at that time cemented it for me and, from then on, all the rest of the
years of my schooling and through University I had to be in as many plays as I could.”
Although Madden considers himself predominantly an actor more than a director, he believes that there is a sense of anonymity to the role of director which suits him more, even though directing is much harder. “It gives me great satisfaction to learn that my performance or my directing has pleased the audience, but I don’t like to hear it directly because, strangely, I find it embarrassing to receive compliments. That characteristic in an actor is, probably, more common than you might think.”
Jeff highlights one of his past experiences in the world of theatre. “I loved doing a show called The House of Blue Leaves by John Guare at The Black Hole Theatre. I was a leading character and I had to learn to play passable piano for the role, something that’s difficult to do when you only have two months or so to put it all together while going to school full time. It was great fun working with everyone on that show and especially with the director, George Toles.”
His connection to WMT has offered him many great opportunities. “I don’t know why actors don’t flock to our theatre company for a chance to perform. I especially enjoyed acting as “Eddie” in A View from the Bridge directed by Alfred Wiebe. The character allowed for anger, jealousy, frustration, drunkenness, love and sadness in one performance. What an opportunity that was!”
After several decades, Jeff continues to be part of the local community theatre scene for good reason. “I could not make a living as an actor or director; other loves took precedence. But theatre fulfills that dream I had long ago and it still remains a passion. Theatre gives me an outlet for creativity. Yes, it is so much work! But to volunteer for the WMT and to do this work willingly and to help others find an opportunity to live a bit of their dream is satisfying. How many of us can contribute to the community in such a wonderful way? Community theatre is just as important as sports, in my opinion.”
While Winnipeg is vibrant with many local professional and community theatre organizations thriving in our city, Jeff has chosen Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre to fulfill his passion. “This theatre group has been doing plays for over 50 years! It was started by Mennonites and continues to involve many Mennonites who are lovers of theatre. But, it attracts everyone from everywhere. I encourage anyone who loves theatre to go see community theatre
productions. If your idea of going to the theatre is MTC, then you are missing out on so much! So, please come out to our production
of The Open House.”
Monica Reis is the set designer for our upcoming production. Her role is to find furniture and static items to
dress the set so that it helps to fulfill the director’s intended vision of the play.
“It’s a lot of fun to shop around and create a room according to guidelines like time period, status of the
characters, a particular decorative motif or to prepare the set as a metaphor. I feel that the entire set can be
another character in the play.”
Like other veteran members of our company, Monica has been involved in theatre for many years. In 1982, she
was in grade 11 when she was cast as “Anne” in Cheaper by the Dozen, the oldest of 12 children and the rebel
of the family.
“Rehearsals were so much fun! I met people I may not have met otherwise and some are still friends to this day.
It was such a great community to be involved in. I remember one rehearsal when I finally nailed a line. The
director yelled, ‘That’s It!’ And I felt so good. I still remember the line: ‘I wish your job was selling shoes and you
only had 2 children, and neither of them was me!’ I thought at the time, ‘What a hurtful thing to say to a parent.’
But, at that moment, it was true to that character. It really felt good to find that truth as an actor.”
How did our set designer become involved with WMT? “In 1989, Helen Pankratz (an original member of our community theatre group) asked me if I would join WMT. I’ve never looked back. It’s been a wonderful part of my life and so fulfilling to volunteer doing something you love. The community is an extension of my family.”
As a regular actress on our stage, Monica was asked about some fond memories she has had with WMT. “I’ve had great moments on stage – too many to mention. But I think the highlight came just 2 years ago when I finally wrote a play (instead of just teaching them). Recently retired as a high school English and Drama teacher, I figured I’d try to do what I had taught for 35 years – write! Producing that play and, in particular, seeing the response from the audience was surreal to me. I was proud, touched and really surprised!”
“On a lighter note, when I was acting in Improbable Fiction directed by Jeff Madden and playing three characters, at one point in the play, I came on the stage as the wrong character. Thank goodness for the other actors on stage. Lots of improv happened until I came back on as the correct character.”
What does the future hold for this veteran of WMT? “After The Open House, I will be directing my [award-winning] play, Wherever You May Be, in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in July. I’m quite excited to have almost all the original cast back. It’ll be a lot of fun, I think!”
Manuel Ortega
New to our WMT stage is Manuel Ortega, who plays the role of “Father” in The Open House. “Not
only am I excited to collaborate on this project, but I am also enthusiastic to play this particular
character who is not the greatest role model but is, however, memorable (for better or for worse).”
Manuel gives credit to his high school teacher, Mr. Sandy White, for inspiring him to see the beauty
of theatre. “He was one of those teachers who steered away from treating his students as kids to
more as adults, which led to holding higher expectations of them. His classes involved a lot of
discussions involving the content of plays, various styles of theatre and life in general. He was
great and I'm fortunate to have had him as my teacher.”
After high school, Manuel was able to learn more about his craft from some great professors and
directors at the University of Manitoba’s Black Hole Theatre Company such as Drs. Chris Johnson and Bill Kerr. “Yes, their plays were a part of school, but the stakes were much higher, and they helped students understand what a professional theatre really felt like—especially when you made mistakes. Not only did everyone handle many responsibilities, but we always learned much more than just the lines.”
Ortega feels very fortunate to be working with his fellow cast members on WMT’s current production. “Everyone seems to come from all walks of life. But one thing they have in common—they're all great people…and I'm sorry for insulting all of you in the play so much!”
Marijus Timmerman
Veteran actor, Marijus Timmerman, returns to our WMT stage to play the role of Uncle. “As I have been away
from the stage since performing in WMT’s production of The Bald Soprano, I find this experience both a joy and
a challenge as it has revived the excitement of preparing for a live performance with a team of energetic
performers and it also brings with it the work and focus required to bring a role and story to life.”
Timmerman explains his connection to live performances at an early age. “In my life, opportunities to be on stage
always seemed to find me out. In the early years, I was encouraged to recite poems or sing songs as part of the
Lithuanian Community. In time, teachers encouraged participation in school theatre. Then, Rock and Roll
beckoned for a time. In subsequent years, the stage continued to call—be it the Winnipeg Fringe Festival or
Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre. These theatrical organizations provided me with the opportunity to perform and
share ideas.”
Marijus explains the joy he gets from being a creative contributor—both as an actor as well as a writer. “Part of
the pleasure of doing theatre is the process of creating – the writing, the building of the character, the rehearsal
process, etc. This is why a production titled Alias My Foot, a play performed at the Fringe Festival, stands out as a
highlight in my theatre experience. I had the privilege of being involved with that production as Mark Twain from its inception to the final curtain.”
Another highlight is Mr. Timmerman’s work with the Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg. “I had the honour of writing the theme song for the 25th anniversary of Folklorama and to perform it with a packed Rainbow Stage audience singing along.”
Although he has no theatre projects on the horizon following The Open House, Timmerman will be preparing to perform as part of the House Band at the St. Mark’s Coffee House in June.
But before that engagement, Marijus is excited to be experiencing and seeing the continued work and creativity put into excellent local community theatre and encourages everyone to see this latest WMT production directed by Jeff Madden.
Connor Hopper
Connor Hopper plays the role of "Son" in this “happy little family.” According to our veteran WMT actor, “There’s a
lot under the surface, but the character struggles to speak up.” He describes some of the challenges in playing this
role in The Open House. “A challenge for me is how to be meek and defeated by the family's more toxic traits
without completely tuning out and becoming invisible. It's a fun challenge to be small, yet seen, especially as a
bigger guy. That all may change as the story develops but you'll have to come see for yourself!”
Hopper discusses his entry into the world of theatre. “It was always fun doing little plays at my elementary school
in rural Manitoba. When my high school teacher, Monica Reis, suggested I audition for the drama club I didn't
believe I'd be a good fit at first; but, when I gave it a try, I was instantly hooked—particularly with the
community/family feel of making a production happen as a team.”
He has fond memories of acting with one of his current co-actors in an earlier WMT play. “I am acting with a
certain person in The Open House who years ago made a fun little game of whispering things in my ear backstage
right before we entered to see if we could get one another to smile at the wrong time. For as much fun as acting
can be, the extra thrill of being just a little mischievous (never too much!) backstage is a perk. The extra adrenaline
of stifling a giggle as you walk on stage as a serious character will never get old.”
“In the same vein, I also make it a fun personal challenge to eat as much as possible on stage, while never disrupting or upstaging the scripted action. I'll never forget Dan Gilmour's authentically incredulous -yet in-character- gestures when he attempted to eat some on-stage snacks only to discover they'd all been polished off a couple of scenes prior with no one else the wiser. The heart of the fun is performing in a way that only the attentive audience members may see some unique nuances and subtextual subplots of the show.”
Like many of our actors and production crew, Connor’s connection to WMT is through his high school.
It was that very same high school drama teacher, Monica, who let me know of an audition opportunity after I had graduated. By that time she had been involved with WMT for around 20 years. This time, for me, there was no reluctance; I was hungry for any opportunity to continue acting! That collaborative, community feeling was and is alive and well at WMT. No matter who is cast and crew, going to a WMT show feels like an ever-growing family reunion.”
After this current production, Hopper will be involved in the show Cactus by Dan Gilmour. “It will be my first major role in a Fringe show and I'm very excited to see how it feels to be properly involved in the festival atmosphere.”
Connor has a message he would like share with all theatre-goers. “Community theatre is the pinnacle of art and culture. There is no fame and no pay. The thankless struggle to do one's best is an authentic form of love for the craft itself. The selflessness of a community theatre production is something I hope more people can appreciate and be drawn to. The wider world needs more collaboration and I continue to see a perfect little microcosm of who we need to be at every rehearsal. Long live the arts!”
Erin Essery
Erin returns to our WMT stage playing the Mother in The Open House. “I love our cast; they’re so much fun to play
with. We seemed to find something new and funny in every rehearsal. And Will Eno’s script is so layered; it leaves
a lot of room for actors to interpret and mold with the characters. I could read it another hundred times and stll
unpack more out of it.”
She says that she was an actor from the very beginning. “I was the kid forcing the other kids to perform plays in
front of camcorders. (Remember those?) But since they were obviously far less interested in it than I was, my
mom got me enrolled in actng classes when I was 8. And then I just never stopped.”
Ms. Essery explains the first role that really made her feel like an actor. It was the role of Elizabeth
Proctor in The Crucible directed by Ellen Peterson. “I was very young, and we took the characters and relationships
in a different directon than is usually taken. It allowed me to develop a character that was uniquely mine,
and that felt true.”
“There’s something that I especially love in every character I’ve played. Charlotte in Beyond Therapy was out of control and hilarious; Nora in Escape from Happiness was strong; Dr. Begriffenfeldt in Peer Gynt was wild and completely insane. But the scripts I love best are the ones that I can really sink my teeth into, with complex characters and deep relationships. One of my favourite roles was Sister Aloysius in Doubt with WMT. It’s an
incredible play with so much going on between and within each character. And how often does someone get a chance to play the same role as Meryl Streep?”
Erin appreciates her connection to WMT. “The first show I did with WMT was Improbable Fiction, which also had Connor and Liz in it, and was directed by Jeff! Full circle! Community theatre is so great because you really do end up creating a community.” What’s next for this versatile actor? “I’m performing in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in a remount of Wherever You May Be, which WMT originally produced in 2023. It’s a beautiful show that explores the refugee experience. It’s funny and poignant, and sadly particularly timely with the war in Ukraine.”
Erin is very appreciative of our WMT audience. “Thank you to everyone who comes out to see us perform! There’s magic in live theatre that comes from the audience. We feel every laugh, every gasp, every moment of connection. It’s a truly special experience, and I’m so grateful to be part of it.
Elizabeth Madden
In Will Eno's The Open House, Elizabeth plays the role of Daughter. Her character often acts as peacekeeper; however,
she quickly loses patience from her family's seeming lack of empathy and support. Yet Daughter, like many of us
facing hardships, continues to trudge forward.
Elizabeth has enjoyed a love of performing her whole life and knew from a very young age that theatre and the
Arts would be a big part of her life. Elizabeth has performed in past productions with the WMT, including Wine and
Little Breads by Armin Wiebe (2014), Nude with Violin by Noel Coward (2015), and Improbable Ficton by Alan
Ayckbourn (2016). This is her first play after a long hiatus from the theatre.
Elizabeth is excited to be a part of this wonderful producton, and she hopes that you enjoy the show, and contnue
to support WMT as well as other local artists, and community theatres.
Cindy Madden
Cindy is our Stage Manager for The Open House. “This is my second me in this role, and each has been within this
2024/25 season. So, it’s been quite a new exciting learning curve for me.”
Although challenging at times, the WMT community has proven the Open House, is such a fun play. Working together
with this cast and crew and watching them bringing it to stage- ready has been a real joy to be part of.”
“I have loved theatre before I even knew what it was. Since I was a kid playing make believe, school drama
classes, and musicals. I even took the intro theatre class at the University of Winnipeg. But being on stage was not for
me. My husband’s involvement has kept me actively interested. So, the old saying, ‘If you can’t beat them, join
them’, has become my moto.”
Cindy has a few memorable plays that she has worked on with WMT. They were Improbable Fiction by Alan
Ayckbourn and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Being a part of a theatre company as seasoned as WMT is, she has also participated
in organizing its 40th and 50th year anniversary celebrations.
“I became a board member when I realized that my husband’s growing involvement was becoming mine as well. We all have our strengths and interests to share, and working with the WMT has been a great way to volunteer and be involved with the community of people in Manitoba.”
Cindy is grateful to be part of this theatre company. “A lot of work goes into each production we mount. Thank you to all our cast and crew and all the supporters who come out to enjoy our plays. It wouldn’t be worth it without an audience to perform for.”
