APRIL 28 - MAY 24, 2026
NEPTUNETHEATRE.COM
To advertise in Neptune Theatre house programs, contact: Nichole Wilson ntwilson@neptunetheatre.com
@NEPTUNETHEATRE
Neptune Theatre is located on sacred land that has been the site of human activity since time immemorial. We are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, and we acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land.
As artists, we are grateful to work and build community here. As stewards of culture, we commit to continuing to improve our relations with Indigenous people and upholding values of collaboration and inclusivity in all that we do.
Any videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. The use of cameras, cellular phones, paging devices and all other recording devices is strictly prohibited in the theatre. Please ensure all cellular phones and watch alarms are turned off. Neptune Theatre is a scent-free environment.
Neptune Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional Artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. Neptune Theatre engages professional technicians represented by IATSE Local 680.
Neptune Theatre acknowledges the support of our government partners:
CAST
KATERINA BAKOLIAS PLAYWRIGHT / ROSE
GENEVIÈVE STEELE DELILAH
NATHAN D. SIMMONS EDWARD
JAMES ARTHUR MACLEAN VIC
JEFF SCHWAGER BAXTER
CREATIVE TEAM
KAT McCORMACK DIRECTOR
BRENDA DURAN SCENIC DESIGNER
DIEGO CAVEDON DIAS COSTUME DESIGNER
EMILY BUCKLAND COSTUME ASSISTANT
JESS LEWIS LIGHTING DESIGNER
JACKSON FAIRFAX-PERRY COMPOSER / SOUND DESIGNER
DON BROWNRIGG STAGE MANAGER
ALEXA KIRSTE APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER
ZACH FAYE PRODUCTION MANAGER
ELLA HAEFELE PRODUCTION APPRENTICE
EVE ROWLETT APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER
KULAY CRUZ
STUDENT PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
NEVAEH MARCHAND STUDENT PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
I’ve always been intrigued by the supernatural. As a child, my imaginary friend was a vampire named Shadow, one of my favourite cartoons (Cardcaptor Sakura) was basically a gateway into tarot cards, and my grandfather often told me ghost stories about haunted houses and visits from relatives long passed that still give me chills. So, to answer your question: Yes. Yes, I do believe in ghosts. And fairies. And magic. And the healing power of comedy.
I love to make people laugh and it is my absolute honour to create something entertaining and silly for you to enjoy. It’s hard to exist in the world right now and I hope a short break from reality, one filled with humour, connection, and heart, will refill your cup.
Things I think you should know for context:
• Laudanum was commonly prescribed in the Victorian era for things like headaches and pain. It was considered a wonder drug and was made from a mixture of alcohol and opium and was thus highly addictive and deadly in large quantities.
• Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare’s most violent play. It features every kind of abuse imaginable, including but not limited to; mutilation, murder, and cannibalism. Why is this relevant you ask? For one singular joke that I want everybody to be in on! I make a lot of Shakespeare references in this show but the only thing you really need to know is; Titus Andronicus = Sad and Violent.
• The Victorian era’s fascination with death stemmed from many factors: high mortality rates (especially among children), the rapid spread of disease, and industrialization creating unsafe working conditions while swelling city populations beyond what infrastructure could support - just to name a few. Death was a constant presence in daily life, and practices like séances were not uncommon, as people sought closure and connection with loved ones who had passed on.
• I am aware that same-sex marriage would not have been permitted in this era; that non- binary people would not necessarily have used this language or been so open about their identities; and that patriarchal systems and laws (many of which still exist today) would have prevented women and people of colour from holding positions of power. But historical accuracy is not my priority here. This is the world I’ve created for this play - a world that reflects the existence and inherent belonging of people who have always been here. So, historians, don’t come at me.
Lastly, I want to say thank you thank you thank you to my mother and father, John and Melody Bakolias for their endless support and love. Thank you to my sweet partner, Benjamin Hayes, who sat with me as I plotted out this show from start to finish one afternoon and encouraged even my silliest ideas. Thank you to my best friend and creative partner Amy Trefry for making me believe that I can do anything.
Thank you to Samantha Wilson for dramaturging the heck out of this show and running the workshop of the script in September 2024 (with Faly Mevamanana, Genevieve Steele, Michael Kamras, Allister MacDonald, Christian Murray, and June Znick). Thank you to the Canada Council for
the Arts for their financial support of the show’s development. Thank you to Jeremy Webb and Kat McCormack for saying yes to this silly show and making my dream a reality!
Finally, to Eastern Front Theatre, Neptune Theatre, and our extraordinary cast and crew: you have elevated this production beyond anything I ever dared to imagine. Your talent and care continue to amaze me.
Katerina Bakolias Playwright
tktktkt
Kat McCormack Director
One of the great privileges of my job as Neptune’s Artistic Director is to nurture and support the creation and presentation of new work. One of the challenges is encouraging new work to be created that will also appeal to a very decisive audience. Neptune’s patrons know what they like and, in some cases, like what they know. Imagine my delight when, a couple of years ago, playwright Katerina Bakolias mentioned that she was writing a brand new farcical comedy. I was able to express my interest immediately! We love a comedy; we love ghosts and we love to bring new plays into the world.
Neptune is so happy to partner again with Eastern Front Theatre; to join forces to present The Ghost of Violet Shaw for the first time. It’s always a treat to be in cahoots with Kat & Elsa, EFT’s super-duo. We are so grateful to them and the entire team working on this production.
If you enjoy the play tonight, please spread the word. The Ghost of Violet Shaw is playing at the same time as the mega-musical juggernaut that is Come From Away and I, for one, would like to see patrons (that’s you!) see both shows on offer this month.
Next season is already in prep, with creative teams gathering and designing shows, actors getting hired and tickets on sale. RENT The Musical is up first, but then there are so many shows to choose from through the rest of the year.
See you at the theatre!
Jeremy Webb Artistic Director, Neptune Theatre
KATERINA BAKOLIAS
ROLE: Playwright / Rose
Katerina Bakolias (she/her) is a Greek-Canadian actor, writer, and producer whose work spans television, film, theatre, and publishing. Her first play, ’Til Death Do Us Part (a farce about a wedding gone wrong) premiered on the Neptune Theatre Studio Stage in 2022 and was produced by Kick at the Dark Theatre. The show was funded by Arts Nova Scotia and The Canada Council for the arts and went on to be staged at The Ships Company Theatre in 2023. Katerina can be seen recurring in MGM+’s critically acclaimed series FROM as Clara, while also co-starring in Good Grief (OUTtv) opposite Mary-Colin Chisholm & Lyndie Greenwood. Her debut YA novel Luscious Love (James Lorimer & Company, 2024) established her as a queer literary voice, with new manuscripts (The Bluebird and the Witch and On Hollow Ground) in development. When she’s not acting or writing, Katerina can be found enjoying a vanilla latte, trying to befriend a local murder of crows, or reading smut and adding to her ever-growing book collection.
GENEVIÈVE STEELE
ROLE: Delilah
Geneviève is tickled Violet to be a part of this team and this play. Past shows on the Scotiabank stage include How the Other Half Loves, Snake in the Grass (Neptune), Half Cracked (EFT / Neptune), Hamlet (Below the Salt), Leaving Wonderland (LunaSea). Geneviève has also worked with Villain’s Theatre, Ship’s Company, Theatre Baddeck, Two Planks, SBTS, Festival Antigonish, Watermark and Victoria by the Sea. Special shout out to g’s partner, Ian Sherwood playing on Neptune’s MainStage in Come from Away. Heartfelt thanks to our kids and our village for all the support. Enjoy the show!
NATHAN D. SIMMONS
ROLE: Edward
Coming out of Nova Scotia, now based in Toronto, Nathan D. Simmons was raised in the communities of East and North Preston NS. Graduate of the Fountain School of the Arts. He has played on stages all across Canada, and is very excited to take part in telling this Incredible story, with some of the most talented and creative artists Toronto has to offer! THEATRE CREDITS: Fat Juliet (Eastren Front Theatre), Serving Elizabeth (Belfry Theatre), Mischief/Colonial Park (Neptune TYP) TV: 0-60 Driving Academy (Bell Fibe TV), FROM (MGM / Paramount +), Washington Black (Disney/HULU), Moonshine (CBC).
JAMES ARTHUR MACLEAN
ROLE: Vic
James MacLean (well-wishers and heart-eaters call them Jimmy) is a queer multi-disciplinary artist who spends his days up to his legendary butt in sequins, make-up, costumes, and swagger. And that’s just his photography practice. As a stage actor, James has graced the grassy knolls of Shakespeare By The Sea and Festival Antigonish and trod the boards at Neptune Theatre. Their screen roles to date are all nuanced, three-dimensional interpretations of Total Assholes, from a cop on Diggstown to a vampire on Chapelwaite to seven different abusive men in Compulsus. With a crew of clowns called Tea Time Creation Co. they create site-specific new works that subvert, entertain, and delight. James is based in Kjipuktuk/Halifax.
JEFF SCHWAGER
ROLE: Baxter
Jeff is delighted to be a part of this fully local “Made in Nova Scotia” production. His last appearance with Eastern Front Theatre was in Wendy Lill’s Messenger, directed by the late, great Mary Vingoe, Jeff is a regular on the Neptune Stage with recent appearances in Mamma Mia, Little Shop of Horrors, Disney’s Frozen, The Play That Goes Wrong, Billy Eliot the Musical OTHER CREDITS: 12 seasons with Two Planks and a Passion Theatre; The Villians Theatre, Keep Good Theatre Co., Festival Antigonish, SBTS, Theatre Baddeck, Mermaid Theatre TV/FILM: Clara and Vanessa, Dancing on the Elephant, King & Pawn, Roll With It, Sugar Highs, FROM, Diggstown, Chapelwaite, 22 Minutes. Jeff and his partner Emma live with their three amazing children (Tim, Annika, and Ella) and their two dogs in their Ram-Sham-Bamble of a home in Dartmouth North.
OCT 20NOV 1, 2026
KAT M c CORMACK
ROLE: Director
KAT McCORMACK (she/they) is a theatre artist from Dartmouth/Punamu’kwati’jk with a passion for playful, devised work and collective creations. As the Artistic Director of Eastern Front Theatre, Kat aims to create a supportive and accessible environment for artists to push the boundaries of Atlantic Canadian storytelling, as well as their own artistic practice. As an artist, Kat has helped to create new works with companies such as ZUPPA, Shakespeare by the Sea, Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, The Villains Theatre, Eastern Front Theatre and others. Kat has been named Best Theatre Actor in The Coast’s Best of Halifax issue five times, and is a four-time nominee for the Theatre Nova Scotia Merritt Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Direction, and a two-time nominee for the Screen Nova Scotia Award for Outstanding Performance. In 2025, Kat was awarded the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal for service to arts and accessibility, and was recognized in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for exceptional contribution to theatre in Nova Scotia.
BRENDA DURAN
ROLE: Scenic Designer
Brenda Duran is a multidisciplinary artist whose work draws inspiration from her Salvadorian roots and her upbringing in Ontario. She discovered a passion for theatre early in life and has since dedicated herself to cultivating her creative voice through design and storytelling. After completing a BFA in Theatre Production and Design at York University, she began her professional career in Toronto before relocating to Nova Scotia in 2017, which she now proudly calls home. Her recent theatre credits: Billy Goats Gruff (Mermaid Theatre) Chase the Ace (Ships Company) Fat Juliet (EFT /SBTS) 76 Centimeters ( Todos Productions/ RCAT) Newfoundlanded (Todos Productions) Goodnight Moon (Mermaid Theatre), Heathers: The Musical (Neptune YPCo), Dance Nation (Heist/ Keep Good Theatre) Alice in Wonderland/Twelfth Night (Shakespeare By The Sea), Downed Hearts (Ships Company Theatre / EFT), Miracle on 31st Street (Saint John Theatre Company), Glass Menagerie (ARC), #iamthecheese (HTFYP/EFT).
DIEGO CAVEDON DIAS
ROLE: Costume Designer
Diego is a Brazilian costume, puppet, and graphic designer based in Dartmouth/Punamu’kwati’jk, NS. With over a decade of experience of blending imagination with craft, they’ve brought characters to life for companies like Neptune Theatre, Two Planks and a Passion, Festival Antigonish, Ships Company Theatre, Halifax Theatre for Young People, Eastern Front Theatre, Dalhousie - Fountain School of Arts and HEIST. Diego loves projects that challenge them creatively and technically, exploring how textiles and designs bring stories to life. In 2024, they received the Robert Merritt Award for Outstanding Costume Design.
JESS LEWIS
ROLE: Lighting Designer
Jess (she/her) is a Lighting Designer and Production Manager based in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia). She has toured with productions across Canada, throughout the Southern States, Asia and the UK. Selected works include: Eastern Front Theatre (Stages Theatre Festival, Early Stages Theatre Festival, Fat Juliet), Zuppa Works (The Final Recordings of an Almost Extinct Bird, The Movements, The Archive of Missing Things, Tiny), Neptune Theatre (Little Shop of Horrors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Addicted, The Play That Goes Wrong, Billy Elliot, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol), Votive Dance (Take 5, Don’t Wake The Lions, Strike Tone, WHODUNIT?), Live Art Dance (Coastal Currents). Jess is also an accomplished musician playing in Surprise Pink, Overnight, Dark for Dark, Ghoul Lewis and the Boos and Cactus Flower.
JACKSON FAIRFAX-PERRY
ROLE: Composer / Sound Designer
Jackson Fairfax-Perry is an award-winning African Nova Scotian composer, sound designer, musician, and musical director based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A graduate of Dalhousie University (Bachelor of Music in Composition, 2014), Jackson has built a multidisciplinary career that bridges contemporary composition, popular music, improvisation, and theatrical sound design. For the decade following his graduation, he recorded and toured nationally and internationally with Hillsburn, an award-winning indie-pop band. Since 2023, Jackson has collaborated closely with Lance Sampson, AKA Aquakultre. As musical director for Sampson’s live performances, he has co-written, arranged, and performed on several of Aquakultre’s recordings, most notably on the critically acclaimed album 1783. As a saxophonist and keyboardist, Jackson is an active member of Halifax’s jazz and creative music scene performing regularly with several ensembles including Many Worlds, as well as his own group TYNES plus III. Jackson also collaborates frequently with theatre and dance artists, having contributed music and sound design to numerous local and national productions. Jackson is the most recent recipient of the Paul Cram Creation Award, and is in the process of writing his first composition for orchestra, to be premiered by Symphony Nova Scotia at Open Waters Festival in January, 2027.
DON BROWNRIGG
ROLE: Stage Manager
Don Brownrigg (he/him) moves between music, theatre, and arts production, guided by curiosity and a poet’s eye for detail. As a songwriter, he has released three critically acclaimed albums and numerous collaborations. In theatre, he has worked with Eastern Front Theatre, 2b Theatre, QueerActs, and as a puppeteer and stage manager with Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. As an arts producer, he has contributed to the National Arts Centre, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Canada Pride. Hailing from Katalisk, Ktaqmkuk/Codroy Valley, Newfoundland, he now lives in Taboolsimkek, Mi’kma’ki/ Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia.
ALEXA KIRSTE
ROLE: Apprentice Stage Manager
Alexa (They/He/She) is a working multi-disciplinary theatre technician, professional subordinate, and artist living in Punamu’kwati’jk/Dartmouth. Alexa enjoys every part of the theatre process, and especially likes working backstage on a show. When he isn’t working you can find him watching horror B-movies with friends, napping with three cats, and at the lake!
ZACH FAYE
ROLE: Production Manager
Zach Faye (he/him) is a performer, designer, videographer, and stage production manager. Based in Punamu’kwati’jk/ Dartmouth, NS, Zach’s recent performance credits include Coal Bowl Queen by Richie Wilcox (HEIST, EFT 2025), Downed Hearts by Catherine Banks (Ship’s Co./ EFT/ Matchstick 2023). Zach has managed productions for several NS theatre companies and constantly inspired by the artists working here at home. Love to Meg & Oli.
ELLA HAEFELE
ROLE: Production Apprentice
Ella Haefele (she/her) is an emerging artist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Ella is part of the 2026 graduating class from Dalhousie University’s Acting Program. She has been part of multiple shows with DalTheatre, including Mese Mariano, a devised production titled Learning Curve and Everybody. Ella is also the President of the Dalhousie Theatre Society. She has performed in and produced many DTS shows while striving to make the theatre opportunities the DTS creates more accessible to students.
