Member Profile – Walterdale Theatre

Meet the Cast of STAG AND DOE! Stephanie Swensrude plays Mandy!

Who are you? Stephanie Swensrude

What is your role in the show? I play the role of Mandy, so I have been attending rehearsals since January to learn my lines, practice blocking, and explore the emotional life of the character. I am also the Co-Director of Publicity, so I promote the show.

Have you been involved with Walterdale Theatre before? I’ve been involved with Walterdale for about eleven years. The first few shows, I was an Assistant Stage Manager, and I’ve acted in a few shows, operated lights, and I also joined the Board of Directors about a year and a half ago as Co-Director of Publicity.

What do you think is the best season for a wedding? Early summer, so you avoid super high prices, and so you can enjoy summer as newlyweds!

Got a funny story about something going wrong at a wedding? When I was attending a family member’s wedding at about three years old, my parents lost me for a while, and after searching frantically, they found me sleeping on a pile of bubble wrap in a closet.

Why should audiences come to see Stag and Doe? I think the show is really funny, but has a lot of heart. It is also a very Canadian play!

Meet the Team of STAG AND DOE! Louise Mallory is the Director!

Who are you? Louise Mallory

What is your role in the show? What does that involve? I’m the Director. After proposing that Walterdale Theatre should include this play in our 2024-2025 season, I gathered the team, selected the cast by auditions, and lead the rehearsal process.

Have you been involved with Walterdale Theatre before? Yes! After starting as an Assistant Stage Manager on A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 2014, I’ve been on a show team in every season since. I directed 5@50 in 2020-2021, and I served on the Board for six years.

What do you think is the best season for a wedding? I have so many relatives and friends who are teachers that I always go to their weddings in the summer!

Got any funny stories about something going wrong at a wedding? My hockey teammate got married in a church. During a solemn prayer, some man ran up to the front and started slapping one of the bridesmaids on her legs. It turned out that her skirt had caught on one of the candles decorating the steps, and he was putting out the sparks.

Why should audiences come to see Stag and Doe? Stag and Doe is a funny play about wanting the perfect wedding, and what might go wrong with those plans. The actors are delightful, and Mark Crawford’s clever script is Canadian!

Meet the Team of STAG AND DOE! Alodie Larochelle is Costume Designer!

Who are you? Alodie Larochelle

What is your role in the show? I’m the Costume Designer. After making mood boards and sketches to get ideas out, I pull costumes from the costume bank, as well as from our actors’ wardrobes in some cases. I thrift some costumes, and head a team of stitchers to modify costumes to fit, and make a couple of unique pieces from scratch. My role also involves choosing hairstyles, makeup, jewelry, and nails. During the run, I wash costumes every three nights or so. Maybe I’ll meet Walter this time?

Have you been involved with Walterdale Theatre before? I’ve designed costumes for The Penelopiad before!

What do you think is the best season for a wedding? Early fall. The weather is more stable by then, and the natural light is nice and flattering for photos.

Tell us a funny short story about something going wrong at a wedding. My youngest cousin, Matthieu, then a child, didn’t know what a jello shot was at a family wedding, and ate one with a spoon…

Why should audiences come to see Stag and Doe? It’s a show that simultaneously gives a good, hard, critical look at the Wedding Industrial Complex, and still very much believes in love!

Meet the Team of STAG AND DOE! Brooke Emberly is Co-Master Painter!

Who are you? Brooke Emberly

What is your role in the show? What does that involve? Co-Master Painter. I report to and assist the Master Painter directly, helping to lead the team. I am also acting as a Mentor to the Master Painter on this show.

Have you been involved with Walterdale Theatre before? How? Yes, I am the Head of the Paint Department for the Walterdale Theatre, and have been a Master Painter for 16 shows over the past several years, while assisting on many more.

What do you think is the best season for a wedding? Late May/early June, when the weather is warm, but not scorching hot.

Tell us a funny short story about something going wrong at a wedding. At my wedding, we couldn’t hear the music used for walking down the isle from where we were standing, so even though I had it all planned out, we just stood back there for a long while, waiting for the music to begin, and then had to rush in, last second!

Why should audiences come to see Stag and Doe? Not only are you supporting Community theatre in Edmonton, but you get to reap the benefits of so many volunteers that do arts for the sake of loving the arts!

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES – Ruth Wong-Miller is Lauren Yee!

Who are you and who do you play in King of the Yees? I’m Ruth Wong-Miller and I play Lauren Yee in the show. If her name sounds familiar – she is also the playwright of King of the Yees (the show is semi-autobiographical, she says!)

Lauren is an American Born Chinese woman who is not in touch with her Chinese side. She’s a Yale educated playwright and doesn’t understand why her dad wants to involve what seems like EVERYONE (Lion Dancers, Erhu Players, Lum Elders, Face Changers…everyone) in her new play. She happens to be workshopping her play at the Yee Fung Toy (her dad helped her get the space for free…but he wasn’t invited to the reading!)

Through the course of the play, she adventures through San Francisco’s Chinatown, learning about her Chinese community, culture and history. Most importantly, she explores her relationship with her father and why Chinatown is so important to him.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? This show is comedic and poignant while pulling out all the stops to show you (and teach you) about Chinese culture in San Francisco’s Chinatown! The cast is high energy, funny, and simply awesome. Don’t miss our show!

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? It is such a treat to work with this all-Asian cast on the stage of the fabulous Walterdale Theatre! It has been a true honour to lead this cast in a piece of theatre that is so close to our own experiences. – we are all so proud to be representative of the Chinese Culture in this show and are having a blast working on it!

Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? It’s been extra special to explore a character who has experienced cultural identity challenges similar to my own. Growing up (and even now) folks are wanting to belong, and sometimes this comes at the cost of our own sense of self or pride in our own culture. Especially over the past few years, I have definitely come to appreciate even more the opportunities that were afforded to me because of my parents’ hard work as immigrants – and our journey together to learn to live between two cultures!

What was the best birthday party you attended? McDonalds – the Styrofoam box stacking challenge is an epic memory. My mom made me an awesome Grimace Cake (Still love that purple character to this day!)

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES! Andrew Kwan is Chiropractor, Newscaster & Ensemble member!

What is your name? Andrew Kwan

What is your role in the show? Chiropractor/Newscaster/Ensemble. The Chiropractor is an important character in Chinatown that Lauren must visit to start her journey of discovery. Don’t want to give too much away but he’s pretty well known in these parts.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? This is a charming, fun, and insightful dramatic comedy about institutions and culture that many people aren’t aware of. Its a story about family and the bonds that hold us together.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? Being a part of an all-Asian cast (with an Asian director and SM) has been such a delight. Most of us are like Lauren in many ways, continuing to learn and discover more about our roots. As a Canadian-born Asian person we are between two worlds and navigating life isn’t always straightforward. To be able to go on this journey with people with similar backgrounds, and then to be able to perform and display this on stage, will be a true joy.

Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? I think growing up there is an immense pressure to fit in and to be ‘less Asian’. I went to a school that did not have a lot of diversity and so I did what I could to be a part of that crowd. As I grew older and met more people, its been more important in my life to embrace my cultural background and to learn more about others as well. Our diversity is what makes us stronger and better people because of it.

What was the best birthday party you attended? My son’s first birthday party! Cake smash, name that tune, outdoor BBQ… and in bed at a reasonable time!

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES – Grace Li (李冰冰 lǐ bīng bīng) is The Whiskey Seller and Ensemble!

What is your name? Grace Li (If you want the Chinese name, its 李冰冰 lǐ bīng bīng)

What is your role in the show? I am a cast member, and one of the notable characters I play is the Whiskey Seller. My character is a wonderful shop keeper–always has the best deals for high quality items. Do I know anything about alcohol? Irrelevant to giving a good sales pitch.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? It is a fun story with heart. I think because of the title and premise, certain expectations may come up on what the play should be about, but I believe the story plays on that, and subverts those ideas. Come to the show with an open mind, and let yourself be carried away for an evening!

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? A highlight would definitely be getting to work with other Asian people in the theatre community. Theatre is a predominantly White field, so honestly, getting to see other people of color is such a joy in my book. Another highlight is learning Lion Dancing–definitely fulfilling a childhood dream, though with a lot more leg pain.

Grace Li as the Whiskey Seller in King of the Yees; Photo Credit: Scott Henderson, Henderson Images

Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? I think one thing that I started to get comfortable with was incorporating my cultural and lived experiences into my writing. I never felt comfortable exploring that part of my identity, as I felt like I didn’t have the authority to. Previously, I thought that my experiences were not “valid enough to write as a Chinese person.” But that’s not true, and I’m getting better at wrapping my head around those feelings. I am allowed to express aspects of experience in my writing, because they are a part of my life. I am a child of immigrants, a part of the Chinese diaspora within North America, and I am ethnically and culturally Chinese. There is no “right way” to express my experience, nor am I barred from writing about them.

What was the best birthday party you attended? Not to be a downer, but I wasn’t really allowed to go to birthdays growing up. And my own birthday is just chill occasion.

Meet the Team of KING OF THE YEES – Barbara Mah is the Director!

Who are you, and what is your role on the show? I’m Barbara Mah and I am the Director of King of the Yees. I have the privilege of working with this insanely talented group of people to bring this story to life.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? The show is very funny and audiences will relate to the father/daughter communication gap. They will also get to see authentic Lion Dancing!

Barbara Mah (Right) and her grandfather (Henry W.H. Mah) in downtown Chinatown, Edmonton when she was around 3 or 4.

Barb in rehearsal at Walterdale.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? The story is a deeply personal one for me. Although the themes of parent/child communication gap are universal, the setting, an office space in a Family Association (which the main character has no understanding about) is very parallel to my own journey. Some background: my grandfather, Henry W. H. Mah was one of the founders of the Mah Society in Edmonton. I did not know or understand what the society was about. It had served a use during the days of the Chinese Immigration Act (in the US the Chinese Exclusion Act) but seemed to be a relic of the past. In 2022, younger members of the Mah society tried to put together an archival history and were interviewing any surviving community elders. They interviewed my father and my aunt. I was at the interview and heard stories of the history of my family that I never knew. The stories from all elders were gathered and the result was the Exhibit “Journey of the Horse” (Mah means horse in Chinese). Not only had they managed to put together a timeline, they placed this timeline against the context of the socio-political events in Canada at the time, including the hardships and racism faced by the community. This exhibit opened in 2024. My father did not live to see it. That said, for the people still reading, the show is a comedy!!!

What was the best birthday party you attended? One for my friend Dorothy, who was in her 80s at the time. All that she asked for was for each guest to bring a story. The evening was a celebration of her — while she was still alive!

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES – Hymns Chu is a Lion Dancer and part of the Ensemble!

What is your name? Hymns (Tsz Him) Chu

What is your role in the show? I’m part of the ensemble and also play the role of the Lion Dancer. Sometimes, I’m fully immersed in the vibrant, dynamic movement of the Lion Dance, which requires a lot of physical energy and coordination. Other times, I take on the role of an FBI agent, bringing a completely different energy to the stage.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? King of the Yees is not just a heartfelt and engaging exploration of identity & family experience, and what it means to be part of the Chinese-Canadian community. The play delves into the unique challenges and joys of maintaining cultural traditions in a modern, North American setting, something many in the Chinese diaspora can relate to.

As my first theatre performance in this vibrant city, I’m especially excited to bring this story to life for the Edmonton audience. With its rich cultural elements like the Lion Dance and its humor and emotion, King of the Yees offers a fresh perspective on the connections between past and present, tradition and innovation. It’s a celebration of family and community that will resonate with everyone, whether you share this cultural heritage or simply love a great story.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? A highlight of working on King of the Yees so far has definitely been the Lion Dance. It’s such a dynamic and visually stunning part of the play, but it also requires an incredible amount of practice and physical coordination. For someone like me, who doesn’t naturally have great body coordination, it was a real challenge to adapt to the movements and perform them convincingly on stage. It took time, patience, and a lot of repetition, but seeing it come together as part of the performance was truly rewarding. It’s been an amazing experience to immerse myself in this traditional art form and bring it to life for the audience.

Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate the creative growth within myself, much like Lauren in King of the Yees. Her courage to chase her dreams, craft a story, and share it with the world is incredibly inspiring. It reminds me to value my own journey of expression and to embrace the creative sparks that shape who I am.

Lauren’s effort to preserve her cultural heritage, even as she prepares to marry into a different culture in Germany, also resonates with me. It highlights the importance of honoring traditions while forging a path of your own into different countries. This balance between staying rooted in one’s culture and evolving with new experiences is something I deeply relate to as I continue to discover who I am.

What was the best birthday party you attended? My 30th birthday was the best birthday party I’ve ever attended! It was my first Canadian birthday, which made it extra special. The Pastors at a local Chinese church invited me out for yum cha, a traditional Chinese meal that I love. Sharing this milestone with such warm and welcoming people made me feel at home, even though I was in a new country. The mix of delicious food and heartfelt company was the perfect way to celebrate this big day.

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES – Rupert Gomez is Danny Ma, Lion Dancer and an Ensemble member!

Who are you and what is your role in the show? I am Rupert Gomez, and I play a number of characters in the show.

One of the characters I am playing is Danny Ma. He is this charismatic and playful young man that gets sucked into the play and is met with a riveting experience. For me, he represents the young and naive counterpart to the older characters providing the audience humour in his awkward enthusiasm.

I also play one of the Lion Dancers. Lion Dancers are a very important symbolic figure in Chinese culture representing tradition. In Act 2, when Lauren encounters the Lion dancers, this figure becomes an obstacle for Lauren, ultimately helping her understand her heritage better.

Lastly, I am also one of the Lum Elders. In contrast to the role of young Danny, the Lum elders serve as the symbol for the older generation and gatekeepers of tradition. They also became an obstacle for Lauren in preserving the culture of Chinatown.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? King of the Yees is a one of a kind play that explores cultural identity and generational experience and is told with comical humour that everyone can relate to.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? The highlight for me is definitely learning how to do the lion dance from actual professional dancers! I found a new appreciation for the art just by seeing the amount of effort and training the dancers go through, many of them starting from a very young age.