Jack and the Beanstalk
When Jack, a daydreamer with a thirst for adventure, trades his only cow for a bag of magic beans, he is whisked away on a magical journey above the clouds!
Each performance comes with all of the treasured elements of an AMTC production:
- 3 professional theatre performers and a live musician
- A fully-staged musical featuring an unforgettable score and magnificent choreography
- A study guide complete with pre-show and post-show activities, as well as a learning song the students can sing along with the cast!
- Beautiful sets, costumes, and a spectacular giant!
CAST & CREW
Farren Timoteo
Artistic Director/Playwright/Lyricist/Director
Farren is an Edmonton-based actor, writer, and director. He is the artistic director of Alberta Musical Theatre Company, for which he has written and directed many productions, including Little Red Riding Hood, Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Rumpelstiltskin, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and Hansel and Gretel. Other directing credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for the Mayfield Dinner Theatre; Everybody Goes to Mitzi's and The Infinite Shiver for Teatro La Quindicina; Pippin for the Young Companies at the Citadel Theatre; The Light in the Piazza for Grant MacEwan University; and Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale for the C'Mon Ensemble at the 2018 Edmonton Fringe Festival. His acting credits include The Fiancée, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Monty Python's Spamalot (Citadel Theatre); As You Like It, Shakespeare in Love (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); The Light in the Piazza (Theatre Calgary); Coriolanus (Freewill Shakespeare Festival); Marvellous Pilgrims (Teatro La Quindicina); Forever Plaid (Mayfield Dinner Theatre); and, Made in Italy (Western Canada Theatre), which he is currently touring across Canada. Timoteo has received a Jessie Richardson Award for his performance in Made in Italy, four Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards: for his performances in Monty Python’s Spamalot and Made in Italy, for his direction of Pinocchio, and for Outstanding Original Score for Everyone Goes to Mitzi's, which he shares with composer Ryan Sigurdson. In 2018, he was the recipient of a Broadwayworld.com Award for his performance in Forever Plaid. In 2015, he was included in Avenue Magazine’s prestigious list of Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40, in recognition of his artistic contributions to the city. In addition to his work at AMTC, Farren can next be seen in Jersey Boys at the Citadel Theatre.
Jeff Unger
Composer/Lyricist
During his time with Alberta Opera, Jeff Unger established himself as an important creative voice in Alberta, entertained millions of students and adults across Western Canada, and watched the company grow into a major force in school touring. He co-authored and composed music for sixteen original fairy tale adaptations including Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin. The Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards recognized Jeff’s musicals and his work as a Musical Director on several occasions, and in 2012 he received the award for Outstanding Score for his work on Pinocchio. In 2010, after more than a decade touring his works, Jeff became an Artistic Director of Alberta Opera, a position he held until his passing in 2015.
Garner Butler
Playwright/Lyricist
Garner was with Alberta Opera for 20 years, and he is delighted another generation of young people are able to enjoy this adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk and Jeff Unger's wonderful music.
Mackenzie Tennessen
General Manager/Musical Director
Mackenzie made her AMTC debut in 2012 as a performer in Sleeping Beauty. She has worked as an administrator for the company since 2015. Mackenzie is a graduate of MacEwan University's Theatre Arts Program, and holds certificates from the Royal Conservatory of Music in both voice and piano. Select Theatre Credits include: Triassic Parq for Uniform Theatre; Klondykes for Guys in Disguise and Theatre Network; Little Women, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot for Scona Alumni Theatre; The National Elevator Project for Theatre Yes; Marvelous Pilgrims for Teatro la Quindicina; Calvin Berger, Dogfight, Songs for a New World for Three Form Theatre, Merrily We Roll Along, Xanadu for MacEwan University. Musical Directing credits include: Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Baba Yaga, Pinocchio for Alberta Musical Theatre Company; LIZZIE, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for Uniform Theatre; Spring Awakening for SatCo.; Ride the Cyclone, Head Over Heels, Big Fish, Footloose, Rent, The Addams Family for Scona Theatre Co., Zanna, Don't!, Ordinary Days, Songs for a New World, I Love You Because for Three Form Theatre. She is the founder of local theatre company, Uniform Theatre. When not working in theatre, she is one of the owners and Lead Planner for Primrose Event Planning and Design.
Shrina Patel
Choreographer
Born and raised in Amiskwacîwâskahikan Edmonton, Alberta, Shrina Patel is a multidisciplinary artist and the Artistic Director of Shaktiflow on Treaty 6 land. Her/their work is based on story-telling with a focus on socio-cultural and gender inequality. Her unique eastern fusion choreography is designed to provoke conversations that challenge the traditional social norms people face based on their gender, race, and ethnicity. For over 15 years, they have collaborated with many local artists and organizations within and surrounding Edmonton, to bring South Asian dance styles to the mainstream and establish her signature choreography. In 2019, she produced and directed her first show Sacred Spaces, in which diverse forms of dance and music illustrated the importance of safe spaces within society. Weaving both personal experience and their degree in Sociology, Shrina’s artistic work, at its core, hold conversations of injustice and healing, which they lovingly refer to as Artivism. Her vision is to create mindfulness through movement and at the root, seed inclusivity, and build community. These days Shrina can be found exploring resilience and the human spirit through storytelling.
Hunter Luth*
Stage Manager
Hunter Luth is excited to be returning to Alberta Musical Theatre Company as Stage Manager of Jack and the Beanstalk. Hunter is a freelance technician and Equity Stage Manager based in Edmonton, and is a graduate of MacEwan University’s Theatre Production program. Selected previous credits include work as an Apprentice Stage Manager on La Bohème, Candide, Rigoletto, Count Ory (Edmonton Opera), Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike (Shadow Theatre), stage manager of One Person Hansel and Gretel and Hansel and Gretel Virtual Tour (Alberta Musical Theatre Company), and Hold These Truths (University of Alberta & Edmonton Japanese Cultural Association).
*appearing with the permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association
Deanna Finnman
Costume Designer
Roy Jackson
Lighting Designer
David Anderson
Cast
David Anderson (He/Him) hails from Regina, Saskatchewan and is so excited to be back back back back back again in Edmonton making his AMTC debut. In 2019 David graduated with a Diploma in Theatre Arts from MacEwan University. Since then David has performed in Vancouver, all over Saskatchewan, and is pumped to be touring all over Alberta as well! Favourite credits include: All I Want for Christmas is You (SaskExpress) Altar Boyz (Walterdale Theatre), Disney’s Newsies (Theatre Under the Stars), Sister Act (MacEwan University). “I can’t wait for you all to take this adventure above the clouds with us!”
Maya Baker
Cast
Maya Baker (She/Her) is a locally based theatre artist here in Edmonton, Alberta who graduated from MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts program in 2020. This is Maya’s debut at AMTC and is so thrilled to share this beautiful tale with you all! Select credits include: Clue (The Citadel Theatre); CTRL-ALT-DEL (Concrete Theatre); Sprouts Festival 2022 (Concrete Theatre) ; until the next breath (Catalyst Theatre); Songs to No One (Dammitammy Productions); The Crucible (MacEwan University). She couldn’t have been here without the support of her family, friends and coaches. Maya is ecstatic to be a part of such a magical show with such an extraordinary team.
Alanna McPherson
Cast
Alanna McPherson (she/they) is an up-and-coming theatre artist born and raised in Treaty No. 1 Win-nipi/Winnipeg, MB. You may have seen Alanna this past summer making her Edmonton Fringe debut in The Dreamers’ Cantata with Plain Jane Theatre! They are a recent graduate of MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts Program (2021): Into The Woods as Baker’s Wife, Urinetown as Senator Fipp/Ensemble. Alanna enrolled in The Village Conservatory (ViC) where their original work was featured in ViC’s online production, Inhibition Exhibition: Embracing Shadows. Alanna is thrilled to be hittin’ the road with Alberta Musical Theatre Company’s province-wide school tour of Jack And The Beanstalk! She would not be where she is today if it weren’t for early introductions to professional live theatre, and she couldn’t be more excited to return the favour to future artists across Alberta. Hope you enjoy our magical adventure! alannamcpherson.com @ala.mcp
Caitlin Grant
Accompanist
A graduate of the University of Calgary's music program, Caitlin Grant (she/her) is a pianist-clarinetist and music educator. Her love of performing and arranging music began at a young age, where she would boot up her favourite video games and learn their music by ear with her friends. While at the U of C, Caitlin was a five-year member of the internationally-recognised Wind Ensemble, where she played a variety of instruments on top of her role as clarinetist to help fill out the ensemble. She has worked as a clinician, accompanist, soloist, music director, high school choir teacher, and is a co-founder of the Open World Ensemble, an Edmonton-based quintet that plays video game music. Caitlin is excited to continue working in the Edmonton music and theatre communities.