Current Show

The Hypochondriac

By Molière, in a new version by Richard Bean

May 24 - June 9, 2012

Molière's classic farce pokes fun at Argan, a man so obsessed by his own imaginary ailments that he can no longer control his haphazard household or the mercenary medics he employs. This hilarious and modern adaptation of The Hypochondriac premiered in 2005 at the Almeida Theatre, London. A Canadian Premier!

Cast

Chris Coculuzzi as Beralde/Bonnefoi
Chris has been performing and participating in independent, community and education-related theatre for over twenty years. Recent credits include Tom in East Side Players’ production of Joanna Murray-Smith's Rapture and Chris Keller in Amicus Productions’ revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons. Chris has also been a high school teacher with the TDSB for the last ten years. When not teaching or performing he enjoys spending time at home with his family.

Valerie Abels as Beline
This is the 11th show Val has performed in for East Side Players. Last year she appeared as Jean Highwood in Rough Justice and Monica Reed in Present Laughter. Other audience favourites include Natasha in Rough Crossing and Zelda Fenwick in Waiting in the Wings. Val produced this season's opening show, Lettice & Lovage.

Alex Bortoluzzi as Fleurant
Alex is very happy to be participating in this production. After having made his stage debut with East Side Players as the Surly Man in Lettice and Lovage last Fall and most recently seen as Man in Everything Blows Away at Alumnae's New Ideas Festival, being cast as a character with an actual name is satisfying. Alex is also an active member of ACT II Studio.

Howard Davis as Purgon
Howard is pleased to be performing once again with East Side Players after a long hiatus. He has appeared in several plays with East Side including Broadway Bound (Ben), The Sisters Rosensweig (Nick Pim), The Night of January 16th (the Judge) and Painting Churches (Gardner Church).

Daryn Dewalt as Argan
Daryn is a multi-award winning actor who has appeared in many productions with East Side over the past 10 years. Favourite roles include Arthur Kipps in The Woman in Black , Talbot in Mary Stuart, Ira in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Dvnornichek in Rough Crossing and Yvan in Art. This production has been a real treat working with such a talented cast and crew. Enjoy!

Adelina Fabiano as Louison/Choreographer
Adelina's passion for theatre at an early age led her to pursue a degree in Drama and Education from the University of Calgary. Having taught for almost 8 years, Adelina loves putting on musical theatre productions with her students and believes in the transformative power drama and dance have on young people. Since moving to Toronto she has performed shows with The Glenvale Players, Nags Players and the Scarborough Players. Adelina is happy to make her debut with East Side Players in The Hypocondriac and is excited to work with such a warm and welcoming group.

Jane Hunter as Toinette
Jane has been on various community theatre stages in Toronto for the last forty years. However it is only recently that she has been required to make animal noises part of her resumé. As Charlotte Wallace, a mad psychiatrist in East Side's Beyond Therapy she was required to bark and whimper. As Toinette in The Hypochondriac she is required to grunt like a chimp. Although good parts are admittedly scarce for women of a "certain age", this trend is making her nervous.

Nicole Marie McCafferty as Angelique
Originally from Nova Scotia, Nicole is a recent graduate of Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. Past credits include Oliver!, Into the Woods, Our Town, Grease (Frenchy), Footloose (Rusty), Pride & Prejudice (Lydia), The Rocky Horror Show (u/s Magenta) and Spring Awakening (Ilse). Most recently, she originated the role of Anna in the new Canadian play Kilt Pins, appeared as Rachel in Teatron's A Tiny Piece of Land and played Lauren in The F Word. She is thrilled to question the integrity of doctors in her first production with East Side's talented players!

Stephen McLarty as Thomas
Stephen is thrilled to be a part of this fun and exciting show. Other theatre credits include The Cherry Orchard (Guild Festival Theatre), Present Laughter (East Side Players), Laura (Village Players) and Rhesus (The American Thymele Theatre). Stephen holds an acting degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC and a BA in Theatre from Brock University.

Mathew Kovacs as Cleante
Mathew has taught English as a second language for several years. He found the stage while working in Luxembourg where he performed in David Mamet's Jolly for FEATS 2010. Locally, he performed in NAGs Players' 2011 production of Cruisin' Through the 60's. The Hypocondriac is Mathew's first play with East Side Players.

Chris Irving as Diafoirerhoea
Christopher Irving - A plaisir once again to work with director Harvey Levkoe. Last season, Chris played the actor in the award-winning The Woman in Black as well as the butler Fred in Present Laughter. Other East Side shows include: Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Nuts, and Art (all with Monsieur Levkoe), as well as favourites Mary Stuart, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Importance of Being Earnest. Next, Chris will appear as Ary Scheffer in cast-mate Chris Coculuzzi's original play Piecing Together Pauline at the Toronto Fringe Festival.

Artistic/Production crew

Director: Harvey Levkoe
Harvey has had the good fortune of directing for East Side Players for many years. In 2008 he had the opportunity to direct ESP member David Nicholson’s much acclaimed translation of Molière’s Tartuffe. Working with this enthusiastic and talented cast, crew and designers has been a very rich and rewarding experience for the Director.

Co-Producer: John McQueen
John has been with East Side Players for over 35 years. He has worked as a designer, actor, photographer, set builder, producer, Board member and promoter of audience relations and development. In 2008 John won a THEA award for his sound design for ESP's The Importance of Being Earnest. John is gratified to continue working with this fine company.

Co-Producer: Susan McQueen
Joining East Side Players in 1977, Susan has been involved with the club on-stage, off-stage, and as a member of the Board of Directors for many years. Past Producer credits include Art, Defiled, Nuts, Tartuffe, Laughter on the 23rd Floor and last year’s spine-tingling thriller, The Woman in Black.

Stage Manager: Karen Farnocchi
Karen has been Stage Managing for a number of years and is once again delighted to be working with East Side Players, Harvey and a wonderful cast and crew. An outstanding production in every sense of the word and may you all enjoy the levity as much as I have!

Assistant Stage Manager: Kristin Myers
Kristin is very excited to be working on her first show with East Side Players. She has been involved in the world of theatre for as long as she can remember- from community theatre, near her home in eastern Ontario, to the University of Ottawa’s Theatre department, and eventually to South Korea, where she founded the Daegu Theatre Troupe for English expats living abroad. Kristin now calls Toronto home and is very grateful that East Side has welcomed her with open arms with The Hypochondriac.

Assistant Stage Manager: Maureen Wright
Maureen has been a proud member of East Side Players since 2003. Backstage or onstage (Tartuffe, Waiting in the Wings, The Woman in Black), she is always happy to be part of the team. It’s been great fun working with this talented (and hilarious) cast and crew. Thanks Harvey, Susan, John and Karen!

Vocal Arrangement - Dave Borwick
“The actors sing and dance.” This delightfully vague stage direction had David playing matchmaker in a shotgun wedding between Offenbach’s Gaîté Parisienne and Molière’s Dog Latin as his introduction to East Side Players. Favourite roles include Adam Canning in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Curtain Club) and Will Van Horne in Outlaw (Markham Little Theatre).

Sound Operation: Paul Steinsland
A graduate of the Music Industry Arts Program at London's Fanshawe College, Paul has traveled the world as a sound and light technician in the cruise industry and mixed sound for such artists as Petula Clark, Ertha Kitt, the Platters, and the 5th Dimension. Paul is currently the Technical Director of the Papermill Theatre at Todmorden Mills and is delighted to have been the sound operator for all of East Side Players' shows since 2007.

Script Assistant - Joan Jan
Joan's first venture into the magical world of theatre has been way more exciting than sorting out her closet. She sends "Thanks" to all for making it so.

Music Director - Catherine Russell
Catherine is a classically trained pianist who was drawn to the theatre from a young age. Providing music for several Young People's Theatre productions, she went on to co-write with various songwriters and to pursue her own projects. Under her singer/songwriter name “Sidney” she recently released her second CD, Sending Out A Signal. She is thrilled to be part of the team for The Hypochondriac.

Co-Sound Designer - David Glover
David is delighted to be associated with the East Side team once again. "Mille grazie" (he's trying to learn Italian for this summer's home exchange) to Harvey and Karen for their rude noise sound effects suggestions. It's always a great pleasure to work with persons of such cultured refinement.

Lighting Designer : Mary Jane Boon
Mary Jane has been working as a theatre designer for over 20 years. Some favourite designs include Albertine in Five Times and Proof (Scenic Design - The Curtain Club) and December Man (Lighting Design - The Curtain Club). Last season Mary Jane received the 2011 ACT-CO Thea award for Best Lighting Design for her work on The Woman in Black here at East Side.

Lighting Operator - Anwen Leung
Coming from an Astronomy and Audio Engineering background, Anwen became heavily involved with theatre only recently. Her latest work includes Lend Me A Tenor (The Village Players) as Sound Designer and My Fair Lady (Scarborough Music Theatre) as Sound Operator. She would like to thank the lucky stars that have led her on this wonderfully addictive path.

Lighting Operator - Carrie Crerar
Carrie has enjoyed various experiences with ESP for the past couple of seasons, front of house, lighting and on stage. Most of the fun has been getting to know the other participants and the whole process of how a play is put together for the public.

Set Design: Wayne Cardinalli
Wayne has been a full time potter and part time ceramics teacher since the late 70's. He became interested in theatre, first as an actor and later as a set designer. Wayne has designed over 40 productions in numerous venues. Ceramics and theatre provide a balanced outlet for Wayne's creative expression.

Costume Design: Alex Amini & Carmen Amini
Alex designs over 70 shows each year, costuming many theatre groups across the GTA, as well as at the Rose Theatre Brampton, the Capitol Theatre Port Hope, Port Stanley Festival Theatre, and Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg. Recent shows include: Caroline or Change; Acting Upstage, Hairspray; Capitol Theatre Port Hope, and A Chorus Line; The Rose Theatre. As always, thanks to Carmen, for saving my life.