Welcome to the twenty-third annual Lawyer Play – a partnership between the County of Carleton Law Association and GCTC. Since the first Lawyer Play was launched, this team has raised over $2 million. In addition to the funds that it raises for our beloved theatre, the CCLA and GCTC partnership will generate $10,000 for our 2023 charity partner: Belong Ottawa, an organization that helps people who are precariously housed or homeless. Their programs offer a safe space for people to have a meal, do laundry, take a shower, and gather together so they are not alone. 

When the pandemic descended and gathering became impossible, community organizations St. Luke’s Table, the Well, and Centre 454 quickly banded together to respond to the community they serve. Staff and volunteers made meals to deliver to residents in isolation, along with distributing prepaid cell phones throughout the community. The staff of these three community organizations asked themselves why they couldn’t continue to work together as one organization rather than as three separate programs, and so Belong Ottawa was born. 

Their mission to provide safe spaces that connect people and create community continued against all pandemic odds. Belong Ottawa continues to offer programs that address basic needs and foster dignity, wellness and hope for all.

Each year, the Lawyer Play Committee works cooperatively with GCTC’s artistic team to select a suitable project. This year they were brave enough to accept my oddball pitch of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit - written in the wake of WWII it is a bizarre tragicomedy; part folktale, part love story, part revenge drama, and a scathing indictment of capitalism. It has an eccentric ensemble of characters played to perfection by the cast, and features Janice Payne and Ted Mann in the leads, which feels appropriate given their many years of peerless contribution to this project. I am so grateful that they said yes.

All of the actors onstage are volunteers, giving of their time and energy to make this happen. Our sincere thanks to them for channeling their generosity through their love of theatre. And to you, the audience, for doing the same.

Enjoy the show!

Sarah Kitz

My first professional job after graduating theatre school was working on a Lawyer Play, serving as Assistant Stage Manager on 2003’s The Government Inspector. I joined the crew just before tech week to help wrangle 20+ lawyers, paralegals, law students, and justices.

In the 20 (!!) years since, I’ve had the good fortune to be invited back to work on nine additional Lawyer Plays, most recently as director of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2014. So when GCTC called to ask if I’d be available to come back this year again to direct, it seemed like a no-brainer, right? When you’re given the opportunity to work with Ottawa’s best lawyer-actors you don’t say no.

Of course it helps when the script is as insightful, prescient, and funny as The Visit. Despite being close to 70 years old, playwright Frederich Dürrenmatt’s themes of justice, vengeance, morality, and the dangers of capitalism could have been ripped from today’s headlines.

And like Claire’s return to Güllen, directing The Visit was a return to my roots (I’m certainly greyer and softer than I was before), reuniting with the village that it takes to bring the project together: a fantastic (and, also much like Güllen, quirky) group of lawyers, designers, stage managers, and technicians – without whose passion, dedication, and countless billable hours this production would not have been possible.

I don’t have much in common with Claire Zachanassian, but I do know what it’s liked to be welcomed back (at least temporarily) with open arms. I hope it’s not another nine years before I see you all again!

Allison Russell

Frau Schill / Boom Mic Operator

This is Allison's sixth time participating in the Lawyer Play and she is thrilled to be back as a member of cast for The Visit! When she is not rehearsing, Allison practices civil litigation with the law firm Kelly Santini LLP. She would like to thank her family, friends and colleagues who have come out to the show – enjoy!

Amanda Montague-Reinholdt

Lobby

Amanda is thrilled to return for another Lawyer Play! Favourite past roles include Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Gloriana in The Mouse That Roared. She takes the stage this year in the role of Lobby, which can't be easily summarized in a bio so you will just have to watch and see! When she’s not skipping around onstage, Amanda works as a labour, employment, and human rights lawyer at RavenLaw LLP. She is grateful to her family, friends, and colleagues for their support of this great charitable event and, of course, of her.

Andréa Baldy

Fourth Man, First Woman

“Incredibly happy and honoured to be back on stage among such a fantastic cast. My DIY projects can wait, the Lawyer Play is back! Thank you to the GCTC team for their dedication and creativity, to Caza Saikaley LLP for their ongoing support since I first joined the Lawyer Play in 2018, and to all of you for supporting such a great cause year after year."

Bob Beaudoin

The Butler (Bobby)

The Hon. Robert (Bob) Beaudoin is a retired Superior Court judge who plays the role of the retired Chief Magistrate Bobby. He returns to the Lawyer play after a nine year absence and he is grateful for being included in a group of young talented members of the legal community. He’s very happy to see old friends and to have Patrick Gauthier at the helm of this year’s production.

Brett Hodgins

Burgomaster

The Visit is the eighth of Brett's Lawyer Play appearances - accumulated over the years like so many husbands! This year, Brett feels excited to deliver a few, brief, words as Güllen's morally-fungible Burgomaster (German for "Master of the Burg"). Prior (and subsequent) to venturing into German municipal politics, Brett acts as commercial litigation lawyer with Mann Lawyers LLP. Brett thanks all attendees for supporting the GCTC and Belong Ottawa, as well as his loved ones, supporters, and kids for their patience and help over the weeks of rehearsals. Please keep your arms and legs away from the panther at all times, and enjoy the show.

Charlie Feldman

The Painter, Second Townsman

Charlie Feldman is delighted to be in his second lawyer play after War of Two Worlds in 2019. Outside of the Lawyer Play, he performs “to the standard of a competent lawyer” from time to time and holds a certificate in misapplying and misinterpreting statutes. He is a self-described “parliament nerd” whose academic ramblings on legislative matters are alleged to cure insomnia in some people. He is VERY single.

Dahlia Shuhaibar

Second Woman, Frau Burgomaster, Photographer

Dahlia is excited to be taking part in the 2023 lawyer play. This is her first time participating in the lawyer play, and her first time acting! Dahlia is proud to be supporting the GCTC and Belong Ottawa, and she is very impressed with the GCTC team and the talent of her colleagues in the Ottawa bar. Offstage, Dahlia practices public law and civil litigation at Olthuis van Ert in Ottawa and Vancouver.

Dan Hohnstein

Pedro

Dan is thrilled to be part of GCTC’s Lawyer Play again this year, having previously participated in the productions of The Crucible (2011), His Girl Friday (2012), The Best Man (2013), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2014), Parfumerie (2015), The Mouse that Roared (2016), Macbeth (2017), The Rule of Three (2018), and The War of Two Worlds (2019). As in years past, Dan is awed by the brilliant production team, the excellent crew, and the talented cast of the show. He is very grateful for the chance to work with everyone on this fun (and important) fundraising project. When he is not fishing for pike near the town of Güllen, Dan is a Partner at Tereposky & DeRose LLP, where he specializes in international trade law.

Dan Moore

The Son / The Conductor

Dan works as legal counsel with the Human Rights Law Section at the Department of Justice Canada. This is his seventh lawyer play, and he’s very grateful for another opportunity to work with the great staff at GCTC and the cast of the play. He would like to thank all of his colleagues and friends who have come out to see the show. And special thanks to lovely Chris, for all of his support.

Genevieve Therrien

The Doctor

Geneviève is thrilled to be back on the stage with such a talented group of lawyers/actors for her second Lawyer Play. As a busy third-year litigation lawyer, she feels so lucky to have the opportunity to continue to pursue her passion for the performing arts and theatre. Geneviève completed her bachelor’s degree in Theatre at the University of Ottawa and continued to act during law school in the yearly musicals organized by the University of Ottawa’s law students’ musical theatre club, FTX Productions. She would like to thank her family and friends, and her colleagues from Caza Saikaley s.r.l./LLP for their continued support.

Elliott Buckland

Max

Elliott is a long-time audience member, first time participant in the Lawyer Play. He spends his days making coffee, eating granola, and as Deputy Director for Bilateral Relations with Europe at Natural Resources Canada. And no, he is not a lawyer, just fell down the right rabbit hole and they brought him on board. They didn't even make him take the Bar Exam, just assigned him to re-watch 'My Cousin Vinny'.

Hana Ahmad-Yousuf

The Teacher

Hana practices primarily in Family Law including as a panel lawyer for the Office of the Children's Lawyer. She also represents clients before the Consent and Capacity Board. She enjoys singing and has been a member of various local choirs including the Canterbury Alumni Trebles and Harmonia choirs. Hana has also regularly performed at the Expressions of Muslim Women show and at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa as both a vocal soloist and in vocal duets with her daughter Nuha. This will be her first time participating in the Lawyer's Play.

Indrani Laroche

First Man

Indrani’s 5th Lawyer Play? This is getting to be a habit. With a background in garage band rock and film, she works in law managing legislative counsel at the Department of Justice (not Charlie, thank goodness).

Janice Payne

Claire Zachanassian

Janice is delighted to be cast in the twenty-third Lawyer Play and to be working again with her professional colleagues and the excellent staff and crew of the GCTC in this important and creative fundraiser for GCTC and for our charity partner this year, Belong Ottawa.  Her past (and favourite) roles include Rebecca Nurse in The Crucible, Peter Quince in Midsummer Night’s Dream and Queen Duncan in the Scottish Play.  Her role this year in The Visit as Claire Zachanassian, opposite Ted Mann as Anton Schill, is an exciting new challenge that she is enjoying immensely. The Lawyer Play remains a welcome distraction from Janice’s busy day (and night) job advising and advocating for her employment law clients.  This is her eleventh Lawyer Play, in addition to three cameos in earlier productions.  A warm and heat-felt thank you to her family, friends and colleagues for their generous support of The Visit, the GCTC and our charity partner, and for helping us all to make a positive difference in our community. She dedicates her performance this year in loving memory of her husband, Russell Lyon, who from the beginning, and always, encouraged and supported her commitment to the Lawyer Play. 

Jonathan Constable

The Policeman

Jonathan Constable is an Associate Lawyer practicing civil litigation at Nelligan Law. Before becoming a lawyer, Jon completed an MSc in Neuroscience at Carleton University where he was actively involved in the outreach community. He has participated in theatre productions since childhood and is happy to have the chance to continue in adulthood. In his spare time, Jon enjoys hanging out at home on the back deck with his partner and 3 cats.

Maggie MacDonald

Third Man / The Delivery Man

Maggie is thrilled to be participating in her first ever Ottawa Lawyer Play. A lifelong lover of musical theatre, Maggie has sung and danced her way through Anne of Green Gables, Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde and Mamma Mia, and is excited to participate in her first ever play! Thankfully as a member of the talented Güllen choir, she won’t miss the music too much. In real life, Maggie is a litigator at Cavanagh LLP and spends a large portion of her free time cheering for her beloved Hamilton Tiger Cats football team.

Matt Shogilev

Mike

Matthew is a lawyer at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. This is his first appearance in the Lawyer Play. His last theatrical performance was in grade three. 

Natasha Chettiar

The Pastor

Natasha is thrilled to be taking to the stage for her fourth Lawyer Play in this year's production of The Visit. She is excited to play the holiest of characters: the town Pastor. In addition to all the enjoyment of putting on the play, Natasha is proud to be fundraising with her castmates for the GCTC and this year’s charity partner, Belong Ottawa. She is so grateful to her family, friends, and firm for generously supporting and sponsoring the event. When not providing spiritual guidance to the townspeople of Güllen, Natasha is a family lawyer with Robins Naik LLP and serves as the chair of the Board of Directors of the GCTC. She sincerely wishes to thank the talented production team, director, and cast for their commitment to the Lawyer Play and the theatre, and thanks all in attendance for supporting the show. Praise be!

Paige Miltenburg

Second Man

Paige Miltenburg maintains a broad civil litigation practice at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Ottawa. She practices primarily in the areas of health law, professional negligence, and estates litigation. Paige has always loved the theatre. She grew up in rural southwestern Ontario and starred in many community theatre productions in her home community. At age 12, Paige had a short stint as a playwright when the play she wrote for a school project was produced and performed in her home community of Lucknow, Ontario. While Paige was in law school at the University of Ottawa, she starred in three musical productions, including Mamma Mia and Grease, which were produced and performed by the law students. She is super excited for her debut in the Lawyer Play this year and has enjoyed working with the incredible cast and crew to create this show.

Russel Molot

The Station Master / First Townsman

Russ returned to the stage in last year’s Lawyer Play, after a 15-year hiatus, in the roles of Granger, Digger, and an FBI agent.  He started acting in grade school and has played roles such as Cpl. Max Klinger in M*A*S*H, and for earlier Lawyer Plays he was Archie in Walking on Water (2002) and Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace (2006).  Russ thanks his wife and kids for their great support and is thrilled to be helping both the GCTC and Belong Ottawa.

Talia Deslauriers

The Daughter

Talia Deslauriers is an Articling Student with Services Juridiques Orbis Legal Services. An avid thespian in high school, she participated in the Sears Ontario Drama Festival and the Festival Théâtre Action. Missing the stage (and the drama) during her university years, she was eager to participate in the GCTC's Lawyer Play, and ecstatic to learn that lawyers do indeed know how to have fun outside of work hours. She is thankful to the whole crew for taking her in.

Tara Berish

First Blind Man (Kobby) / Radio Reporter

Tara Berish is delighted to return to the Lawyer Play after a “brief” break.  She took part in many productions in the before times, playing everyone from witches to mathematicians to French maids. She is pleased to add the part of Kobby to her list.

Ted Mann

Anton Schill

I’m thrilled to be back again on stage to support GCTC and the charity partner this year,  Belong Ottawa.  I have lost count of the number of lawyers’ plays I’ve been in- all I know is I have a great time when I do the play and always want to come back for more.  This year, to play opposite Janice Payne could not be more fun!!!  As for my day job, I am retired from the practice of law and therefore have more time to learn my lines!

Alana Malanga

Assistant Stage Manager

Alana Malanga (Assistant stage manager) is very excited to be part of her first Lawyer Play with the GCTC! She is in her final semester at uOttawa majoring in Theatre and Psychology. While in school she has had the opportunity to work as an SM on past projects such as Why Worry About Their Futures at Undercurrents, Forbidden Love Cabaret with LBMT, @TheMayor at Fringe, and uOttawa productions such as Mother Medea and the BFA’s production of Les Belles Sœurs. When she isn’t stage managing, Alana enjoys acting and singing around the Ottawa area! Alana would like to thank director Patrick Gauthier and the GCTC for allowing her to be part of this amazing production!

Anna Wood

Stage Manager

Anna holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Technical Theatre with a specialization in Stage Management from the University of Alberta. Career highlights include working with Firefly Theatre (Edmonton), Theatre Network (Edmonton), Foote Theatre School, Citadel Theatre (Edmonton), Calgary Arts Academy (Calgary), Pilobolus (Connecticut, USA), Yiddish Summer Weimar (Weimar, Germany), 10 Gates Dancing (Ottawa), KlezKanada (Montreal), Propeller Dance (Ottawa), Festival of Small Halls Ontario, and Ottawa Bluesfest.

She’s thrilled to be bringing her stage management skills to GCTC for The Lawyer Play.

Billie Nell

Costume Designer

Billie (they/them) is an arts organizer, actor, and spoken word artist who has performed on national and international stages including: Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (2022), Scottish Poetry Slam Championships (2021), Scotland’s International Poetry Festival StAnza Slam (2020, winner), Canadian Festival of Spoken Word (2015, 2016, 2018). Billie is director of Urban Legends Poetry Collective. Recently, Billie acted in the role of Joshua in Forever Young: A Ghetto Story by Darrah Teitel at GCTC, and they worked as a production design assistant under the mentorship of Vanessa Imeson on GCTC’s production of The Unplugging by Yvette Nolan. They are so grateful to be working with Vanessa at GCTC again on the 2023 Lawyer Play, The Visit, their first costume design project.

Florence Letarte

Lighting Designer

Queer artist and Theatre and Feminist studies major, Florence Letarte flourishes at the intersection between both. The pandemic brought their serendipitous start as a technician at La Nouvelle Scène, where they feel most at home. They are interested in stage design, directing, and lately lighting design… anything that titillates creativity in them and keeps them backstage!

In 2022, Florence was a recipient of Ottawa’s Rich Little Award for their directing of Two Separate Goodbyes at the Youth Infringement Festival. Their past work in lighting design includes Laitue matinal.e with the Théâtre Catapulte, and Tortues, orgasme et fin du monde and L’Ombre de soi with the Projet 3eoeil, and soon Durant des années with the Théâtre du Trillium and the Théâtre Catapulte.

Outside of the tech booth, Florence can be found leash training their adorable cat and playing Animal Crossing.

Nick Di Gaetano

Sound Designer

Nick is a comedian and musician whose career includes clown shows, puppet shows, improv shows, shows for children, bands, voice overs, musical direction, sound design and tons of original music for stage, screen and stereos. He holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Ottawa where he currently teaches Sound/Son.

Selected Sound Design/Music credits include: Elsie Piddock Skips in her Sleep (U of O BFA), @TheMayor (Gruppo Rubato), The Persistent Stain (Parry/Riposte), Solstice d’hiver (Théâtre Prospéro/TfT), Les Z’inspiré.e.s 8 + 9 (Théâtre Français de Toronto), Princesse de Personne (Théâtre la Catapulte), Unbridled Futurism (Makesndoes), Toronto, I Love You (Bad Dog Comedy Theatre) and Countries Shaped Like Stars (Play Where You Live).

He lives in Smiths Falls, ON with his beautiful wife Teddy, their two sons, and a cat named Poopoo.

Patrick Gauthier

Director

Patrick Gauthier is an Ottawa based playwright and director, returning to direct his fifth Lawyer Play. Previous Lawyer Play credits include directing The Crucible (2011), His Girl Friday (2012), The Best Man (2013), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2014). He received the 2022 Prix Rideau Award for Outstanding Direction for his most recent play, @TheMayor (which he wrote and directed), after its premiere at the 2022 Ottawa Fringe where it received the “Outstanding Ensemble Performance” award. Patrick is a member of CAEA, the Playwrights Guild of Canada, and holds an MFA in Directing for the Theatre from the University of British Columbia. He teaches scriptwriting and dramaturgy at the University of Ottawa.

Will Somers

Set Designer

Will is often considered to be among Ottawa’s taller theatre artists.  As a set designer, Will has worked with companies like Bear & Co, F&F and the university of Ottawa.  Will is also a performer, and has recently appeared in @TheMayor (gruppo rubato), Strata Inc ( Megan Piercey Monafu), and Constellations (University of Ottawa).