The Company

Peter Duschenes | Danielle Desormeaux | Shainna Laviolette | Janet Irwin | Walter Kubanek | Alain Trudel | Patrick Cardy | Trevor P. Wagler | Bob Bergner | D'Arcy Philip Gray | Brian Smith

“Since 1989 Canada’s Platypus Theatre has been a trailblazer in creating programs for children that bring classical music to life in an intelligent, entertaining and interactive way. Critics, educators, musicians, parents and children have lauded the company’s performances for their creativity, originality and high standards of execution. Platypus’ seven original programs have been seen by over half a million spectators in Canada, the United States and on six tours to Southeast Asia. After nearly 400 concerts with more than 50 orchestras worldwide Platypus Theatre has gained an unparalleled reputation for excellence in music education. In 2006, in collaboration with TV Ontario and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Platypus Theatre created a television adaptation of their ever-popular, “How the Gimquat Found Her Song”, which was broadcast three times on TVO and is now available on DVD from www.platypustheatre.com. Platypus Theatre was also the subject of a nationally broadcast documentary made by CTV (CKCO Kitchener) in 1991 and of a PBS television full-performance broadcast on UNC-TV in North Carolina in 2000. In Addition to “Gimquat” the company’s programs include: “Emily Saves the Orchestra”, “Rhythm in Your Rubbish”, “Bach to the Future”, “Song of the Forest”, “ Charlotte and the Music-Maker” and “A Flicker of Light on a Christmas Night”.

Peter Duschenes, Artistic Director, Writer and Actor

Co-founder and Artistic Director of Platypus Theatre, Peter Duschenes has been widely praised for his innovation in presenting symphonic music to young audiences. His ability to bring the concert stage to life by combining theatre and music has led to numerous commissions with orchestras from coast to coast. An award winning playwright, Peter’s writing credits include all seven of Platypus’ symphony plays as well as the one-act play, Lost River, which was the 1991 winner of the Theatre BC’s Canadian National Playwriting competition. As an actor Peter has performed with companies across Canada and the United States appearing most recently as Richard in Shakespeare’s Richard II at Quantum Theatre in Pittsburgh and as Louis Ironson in Angels In America at the Centaur Theatre in Montreal. Peter received his MFA in theatre from the California Institute of the Arts in 1988 and now lives in Ottawa with his wife, Sarah and their two children; Magda and Theo.

Danielle Desormeaux, Actor

Danielle is a bilingual Montreal actor who's most recent appearances on stage include:  Harry Standjofski's “Two/Three” for Le Nouveau théâtre anglais , her bilingual adaptation of “The Anger In Ernest and Ernestine” for Hudson Village Theatre and as "Madame" at the famous “Kiss My Cabaret”.  Other favourite theatre credits include: “Housekeeping and Homewrecking” for the Montreal Fringe Festival,  “God's Troubadour: A Sermon to the birds” and “Radio Gals” for Theatre Lac Brome, “Here On the Flight Path” for Hudson Village Theatre and “Möcshplat” and “Ümlout” for Clowns Gone Bad.  The rest of her time is usually devoted to some voice work (“Bell Flower Bunnies”, “Kids from Room 402”), some film work (“René Lévesque”, “Big Sugar”), shooting and editing short films, and playing the ukulele.  Danielle is tickled to be back for another season with Platypus Theatre.

Shainna Laviolette, Stage Manager

Shainna is a graduate of the University of Ottawa's Theatre and Arts Administration programs. After graduation, Shainna worked for 3 years as the Executive Assistant at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC). Shainna has stage managed numerous productions at GCTC and also worked for The Banff Centre, Centaur Theatre Company, Platypus Theatre, the National Capital Commission, Canada Dance Festival, Collective (gulp) dance projects and Opera Lyra Ottawa. Shainna is currently the production coordinator for Dramamuse, the Canadian Museum of Civilization's resident theatre company.

Janet Irwin, Director “Charlotte and the Music-Maker”

Janet Irwin has over thirty years experience in the theatre, working as director, playwright/librettist, producer, dramaturge, consultant and teacher. She has great affection for the classics, political theatre, large casts, plays for family audiences, spectacle, outdoor theatre, stories about Ottawa, new work, opera and other theatre forms wherein music is integral. Her work has been described variously as “an audacious triumph” (Blue Window), “advocacy theatre of intelligence, imagination, precision and stunning effectiveness” (Side Effects), “le courage et la grace” (Dialogues des Carmélites), “many parts great theatre” and “a production that soars” (Medea). She has directed for Great Canadian Theatre Company, National Arts Centre’s English Theatre and Orchestra, Upper Canada Playhouse, Easy Street Productions, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Deluxe Hot Sauce, and Third Wall Theatre. She is thrilled to be a part of Platypus Theatre.

Walter Kubanek - Dancer

Walter Kubanek is a versatile performer whose main focus is contemporary dance.  He began his training in music, and later began studying theatre and movement.  He spent a year in acting school at the Red Deer College theatre department in Alberta then worked in Victoria with the future founders of the CCPA, Janis Dunning and Jaques Lemay.  Walter is a graduate of the GMCC dance program in Edmonton and holds a BFA in Dance from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.  His professional experience includes four years as an interpreter at Le Groupe dance Lab in Ottawa, where he performed in over thirty original works by choreographers from all over Canada and the World. He has also had experience as an independent dancer, developing, performing, and touring work with a number of different companies including Le Groupe Dance Lab, Kinesis Dance, Dance Arts Vancouver, and The Brian Webb Dance Company.

Alain Trudel - Composer "Charlotte and the Music-Maker"

Montreal native Alain Trudel has distinguished himself as a conductor and soloist, but has also used his creative genius as a composer and arranger. Many of his works have been performed by orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the Americas and in Europe and Japan, In 1997, the CBC commissioned the work “Passage”, a small ensemble piece written for trombone, trumpet, accordion and piano. This piece has been played more than fifty times, including at the Winnipeg New Music Festival and in the United States, and rebroadcast nationally on Radio Canada and the CBC. In 1992 he composed “Vision” which was broadcast on the radio and performed more than fifteen times across Canada. Alain has also written many times for his instrument, the trombone, including “Grand Louis”, which was premiered at the International Trombone Congress of 1991 and two pieces for trombone and tape: “Yo” and “Vital” which premiered at the Festival de Strasbourg in 1993 and 1995 respectively. “Charlotte and the Music-Maker” is not Alain’s first collaboration with a theatre company. He recently composed the music for a musical puppet play created by Productions Felix Mirbt. As an arranger, Alain Trudel has adapted an almost incalculable number of works for both choir and orchestra. Of special interest is his fifteen year engagement with the CBC radio and television sing-in for which he arranged Christmas pieces from all genres and eras. Alain Trudel is recipient of the Virginia Parker Prize, The Prix du Président de la République of the Académie du disque Charles Cros (France), an Opus Prize and a Juno Award.

Patrick Cardy - Composer “Rhythm in Your Rubbish”(1953-2005)

Born in Toronto in 1953, and raised in Kitchener, Patrick Cardy earned three music degrees: a Bachelor degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Masters degree and Doctorate from McGill University. He was a Full Professor at Carleton University in Ottawa where he had been teaching since 1977. Patrick received over 40 commissions from numerous performers and institutions, including the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the Newfoundland Symphony and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. His works have been performed and broadcast frequently in Canada, in the United States, in Europe and in the Middle East. "Rhythm in Your Rubbish" was not the first time Patrick had written music for a dramatic story. He composed music for performances of "The Little Mermaid" and "The Snow Queen" both done with a narrator and string instruments. His music is characterized by colorful, evocative sounds, a strong dramatic sense, an elegant lyricism and an accessible directness of expression, traits that have captivated both listeners and performers. Patrick died suddenly in 2005. He is sorely missed.

Trevor P. Wagler - Arranger

Canadian composer & arranger Trevor P. Wagler first discovered he had an affinity for arranging music when he was a teenager, and was asked to transcribe Top 40 songs for his high school band. Having played piano since the age of eight, and French horn since his grade seven music class, music seemed to be a natural career choice. After high school, Trevor received a Bachelor’s degree in music composition and a Master’s degree in French horn performance. Since then, Trevor has donned many hats in the musical community, meeting an increasing demand for new compositions and arrangements, as well as performing regularly with several Canadian orchestras as a freelance French horn player, all while running a successful arts academy (Renaissance School of the Arts) and a music publishing company (Flamingo Soup Music Publishing). He currently teaches orchestration at Wilfrid Laurier University, and is the conductor of several local ensembles. On Sundays, he’s also the organist at his church. Trevor studied composition with Canadian composers Peter Hatch, Glenn Buhr and Melissa Hui. A self-taught arranger, the consistently high quality and creative flair of his orchestral arrangements have earned him a reputation as “Canada’s next Howard Cable.” His work has been performed throughout Canada and the world by many world-class orchestras, largely due to the wide-reaching appeal of Platypus Theatre’s productions. Trevor has also written arrangements for the Canadian Chamber Ensemble, Licorice Allsorts clarinet quartet, the UWO Convocation Brass and Canadian trumpet sensation Guy Few. His arrangements can periodically be heard nation-wide on CBC radio. Trevor resides in scenic Waterloo, Ontario with his wife, flutist Wendy Wagler, and their new daughter Nina.

Bob Bergner - Choreographer

A member of Platypus Theatre since 1995 Bob Bergner's choreographic and musical works have been presented throughout North America. Well-loved (and hated!) as the evil monster Cacopholous in Emily Saves The Orchestra Bob has also choreographed and performed the roles of "Melody" and "Timpi" in  EMILY. In addition to his work with Platypus Bob is bass soloist and composer in residence at St. Matthew's Church in Montreal and the modern dance accompanist for the dance programs at Concordia University and Studio 303. As a dancer he has worked with many well-known choreographers including Andrew Harwood, Jose Navas and Pierre-Paul Savoie. Bob received a Bachelor of Arts in dance and theatre from Middlebury College in Vermont and holds a diploma in music from the McGill conservatory.

D'Arcy Philip Gray

After touring Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick as percussionist in the chamber version of How The Gimquat Found Her Song in 1996 and 1998 D'Arcy Philip Gray returns to Platypus as the percussion consultant and "instrument creator" for Rhythm In Your Rubbish.

D'Arcy works with a variety of styles of music. His professional interests range from classical performance to electronic composition and circuit design. He performs regular solo and chamber music concerts in various parts of Canada and has been teaching percussion since 1991 at McGill University. From 1993 to 1995 D'Arcy performed regularly with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in New York. Currently, he is a member of Montréal's Bradyworks, Fredericton's Motion, and New York's Composers Inside Electronics. He is also part of a team that is documenting the music of David Tudor, including recent performances in New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto.

D'Arcy Philip Gray's is a graduate of the Juilliard School ('92) and McGill University ('91). He has received study and travel grants from the Canada Council, the Conseil des Arts du Quebec and the Nova Scotia Talent Trust Fund. In 1995 he studied electronic music and performance practice with David Tudor in New York. Excerpts from Gray's electronic composition "the Reason" can be found on a recently released CD: The Frog Peak Collaborations Project.

Brian Smith - Designer

As well as having designed set and costumes for Platypus Theatre's Rhythm in Your Rubbish, Brian’s designs have been mounted across Canada and internationally for both English and French theatre. His credits include: set and costume design for The Fall and A Number at the Great Canadian Theatre Company; set design for La Baronne et la truie and 15 secondes for Le Théâtre du Trillium; Major Barbara for the Saidye Bronfman Centre; L'Inconception for Théâtre de la Vieille 17; Farce for Theatre Omnibus and Infinitheatre; and Des mondes possibles for Théâtre la Catapulte and Théâtre la Seizième. He has also designed set and costumes for  Music For Contortionist for Tarragon Theatre. Brian is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.