Hiromoto Ida (Old man / Director)

Hiromoto is a graduate of drama & performance from Tama Art University in Tokyo, and has been a professional dancer, actor and producer in Canada for over 36 years. From 1987-1993, he was a member of the Karen Jamieson Dance Company and worked with Kokoro Dance (Vancouver) as well as numerous other choreographers and companies.

Hiromoto made his film debut as the lead in Tokyo Cowboy (1994, VIFF People’s Choice Award). Over the next 6 years, he continued to work in film, theatre and dance; receiving a Jessie award nomination for best supporting actor in Serpent Kills (1997 Ruby Slippers Theatre).

In 2000, Hiromoto moved to Nelson BC where he established his own company, Ichigo-Ichieh New Theatre (2006). Over the following 16 years, he created pieces exploring the edge between theatre and dance (the written word and simple yet evocative physical movement).

Hiromoto’s newest solo piece, Homecoming 2020 was performed in Nelson and, in 2022, at the Powell Street Festival in Vancouver.  Recently he played “Kiyama Ukon Sadanaga” in the Disney+/Hulu series, Shogun.

In 2020, Birthday Present For Myself was scheduled to tour BC after a run in Nelson but, well, the pandemic…Hiromoto’s revenge tour has just started!

Lindsay Clague (Wife, Stage Hand, Assistant Director)

Originally from Vancouver, Lindsay grew up performing on local stages before moving to New York to receive training at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, The Martha Graham School and the Limon Institute.  In Canada, she has performed locally, provincially and nationally as a dancer, actor and singer.  Since moving to Nelson BC with her family, she has expanded her skills working as a director and choreographer, while continuing to perform regularly.  Memorable roles include: Jan Sanderson (I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Black Productions), Jessie (‘night, Mother, Lorne Pardy dir.), Tanya (Mamma Mia, Black Prod.), Emma DeBruin (Liberation Days, Capitol Theatre) and Grungella (Jorinda, AFI). As a director/choreographer: The Addams Family (Black Prod.), Jack & the Beanstalk (Capitol Theatre), The Gin Game (Living Room Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Black Prod.) and assistant direction of Birthday Present For Myself (Ichigo-Ichieh). She also works regularly as a voice-over artist for podcasts (Headwaters, KMC) and the CBC (I’m Worried About Jean), and is currently part of the NCTS 2023+ Residency Cohort, in which she is working on a very personal new dance/theatre piece. Lindsay is so happy to see the BPFM tour finally come to fruition and is excited to begin developing a new project with Hiromota Ida this fall.

Nicola Everton (Clarinet)

Nicola has made the Kootenays home after a career spanning over twenty years as a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Her post secondary music studies began with a full scholarship to Arizona State University followed by a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. As an avid chamber musician and concert presenter, Nicola has been involved with the Kootenay Gallery concert series, is a founding member of Selkirk Pro-Musica in Nelson and is the coordinator for the Kootenay Chapter of the Health Arts Society, a professional concert series for seniors in care. Currently, Nicola holds the title of Principal Clarinet in the Okanagan Symphony and is a member of the Klezmeridian Ensemble and the Trio Con Brio. She has served on the faculty of the Vancouver Academy of Music and has performed and taught at summer festivals in Sun Valley Idaho, at the University of British Columbia, in the Slocan Valley, at the Valhalla School of Fine Arts and in Smithers, at Orchestra North. Highlights for Nicola during her tenure with the orchestra include participating in the 2008 Grammy and Juno award winning recording with James Ehnes and performing at the Beijing International Music Festival.

SUSAN GOULD (Piano)

Originates in Calgary, Alberta and has been performing as a pianist for over 30 years.  She debuted her first piano concerto with the Mount Royal College orchestra at the age of eleven and has received achieved many provincial and national awards for her performances.

Susan has studied with teachers in both classical and jazz disciplines including Robin Wood, Peter Turner, Georgy Sebok, Derek Stoll and Karel Roessingh. She holds a Bachelor of Music with Distinction in Piano Performance from the University of Victoria and attended 2 years at the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts with full scholarship. She has travelled throughout BC and Alberta performing in communities large and small. Performances include solo piano, concertos, chamber music, jazz combos and 2-piano concerts.

She has been a faculty member at the Banff Centre in the music theatre program as a vocal coach and conductor. She is the artistic director of the Young Voices Children’s choir and provides “artist-in-resident” workshops to elementary schools for either children or teachers.

Susan can be frequently found playing with her piano trio Music Mosaic, or vocal jazz combo “Fearing Gould” as well as other groups. She is active as a musician not only in Golden but also in the Bow Valley and Calgary.

Jeff Faragher (Cello)

Known for his enrapturing performance style, Jeff Faragher is a natural entertainer. With extensive training and experience as a classical cellist he is the Kootenay’s only professional cellist and one of the region’s most active performers. Having studied music at the University of Alberta and McGill University in addition to many prestigious summer festivals, he has had the opportunity to study with some of the finest cellists in the world. Jeff now plays regularly as a soloist with Symphony orchestras throughout western Canada in addition to playing in several chamber ensembles.  Jeff Faragher is also the Music and Artistic Director of the Symphony of the Kootenays and is a highly sought after clinician and instructor.

Martine denbok (Violin/ Viola)

Martine denBok is a classically trained, versatile multi-instrumentalist with an eclectic and busy performance career. She can be seen performing with various Canadian orchestras and holds the positions of Principal Second Violin with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and Principal Viola with the Symphony of the Kootenays. As a chamber musician, Martine enjoys creating collaborative programs with many of her colleagues. She and her partner Noel Fudge, also a musician and composer, form the duo “Freya”, the alt-folk/rock band “Vanir”, and are proud to be musicians, composers and arrangers of Nelson’s “Klezmeridian” ensemble. Aside from performing, Ms. denBok pursues her love for teaching with a busy studio in Nelson and the Slocan Valley and as a resident of New Denver, she plays an instrumental role in keeping music, art and culture alive as President of the Board of the Slocan Lake Arts Council. Martine treasures time spent with her family of 6, and walks on the shores of Slocan Lake with her Goldendoodle, Maple.

Allison Girvan   (Recorded singing voice)

Allison Girvan’s music career has seen experience as a professional singer, arranger, director, clinician and adjudicator. She has been a featured soloist on recordings and in performance with ensembles including musica intima, Elektra Women’s Choir,

The Vancouver Chamber Choir, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and as a vocalist for studio sessions for radio, T.V. and feature film. Allison has worked extensively with Canadian Celtic Tenor, John McDermott, on recordings, international tours, and the PBS specials, A Time to Remember and Sharing Christmas. Her debut solo cd, Resonance, combining her love of world music and her love of languages, was released in 2007 and the follow up cd, Fishing By the Light of the Ancestors was released in 2014. She now lives in Nelson, B.C. where she continues to record for television and feature film scores, though her greatest passion is working with youth.

SHARON HUIZINGA (Lighting Designer)

Sharon has been a Lighting Designer and Programmer for over 15 years, working around the world and in many genres, from theatre and live music to corporate events and television.

US credits include:   Lighting Design for “Macbeth”, “Merry Wives of Windsor”, and “Sweet Love Adieu” for the Oberon Theatre Ensemble in New York.  Lighting Programmer for “Shrek, the Musical” (Broadway and national tour), “Nerds, a Musical Software Satire” (Philadelphia), and Lighting Director for the Home States Ball at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration (Washington DC).

In Canada (selected):  Lighting Designer for the world premiere of “Khaos, the Opera”, Lighting Director for the Cultural Olympiad of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, multiple lighting designs for The Globe Theatre in Regina, Studio 58, Intermuses Productions, Bard on the Beach, and The Richmond Gateway Theatre (all in Vancouver), the Belfry Theatre, Victoria, and for “Ali and Ali and the Axes of Evil” (Neworld/Cahoots Theatre, Vancouver/Toronto).

Touring Credits include:  Lighting Designer for Diana Krall’s “From This Moment On” tour, Asst. Production Manager for Diana Krall’s “Girl In The Other Room” tour (Asia, Australia and NZ), Asst. Head of Lighting for Cirque Du Soleil’s “Dralion”, Lighting Designer for Deva Premal and Miten’s “Password” tour, Production Manager and Lighting Designer for Jesse Cook’s “Frontiers” tour, Production Manager and Technical Director for “Fire, Where There’s Smoke” Canadian Tour (Dance Arts Vancouver), Lighting Director for Ballet British Columbia’s Mexico Tour of “The Faery Queen”, and promoter’s representative for Pearl Jam’s 2005 Canadian tour.

 

John Tucker (Sound Designer)

John Tucker has worked professionally as a music composer and producer for over 30 years.  His scores for television and film have been broadcast across North America and throughout the world.  Other activities include songwriting, album production and CD mastering.  He has received Canada Council grants for Art Performance and has composed extensively for theatre and dance, including several commissions for Ballet Jorgen.  He also teaches in the Music and Digital Media Programs at Selkirk College.  “Birthday Present For Myself” is his fifth long-format collaboration with Nelson choreographer Hiromoto Ida.

Thomas Loh   (Set Designer)

Thomas studied architecture & design in Toronto before moving to Nelson in 1995.  He has been working in the field since the mid 1980’s and have been running his own practice in Nelson since his arrival.  Thomas has also been actively involved in the Nelson artistic community through collaborative projects in dance, theatre, film, and visual arts.  Rooted in his architectural training and spiritual quest, Loh’s work focuses on the impermanence of human experience and explores the edges of creative process, freedom of expression while approaching each project with a balance of dare, restrain and most importantly, a humble beginners’ mind.

Olivia Bogaard ( Technical director / Stage manager)

Born and raised in Nelson BC’s vibrant arts community, theatre has always been a  major part of Olivia’s life. She started out acting in the Capitol’s Theatre’s summer youth program and quickly discovered that she much preferred being behind the scenes. Since she developed backstage interests, she has stage managed many local productions such as “ Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, “Rock of Ages” and “Grease”. She currently resides in Nelson as the assistant technical director at the Capitol theatre. Olivia not only helps to put on the same program that got her started in theatre but she assists with a variety of other local performers and productions.

Lachlan Tocher ( Sound operator)

Lachlan Tocher is a composer, sound engineer, and multi-instrumentalist from Nelson, BC, and a graduate of Selkirk College’s Contemporary Music program. In 2017, he moved to Vancouver to look for audio work and has lived there since, currently working in two recording studios and playing with multiple acts. He is the founder and primary songwriter of progressive rock band Pareidolon, who are currently recording their second album featuring performances from legendary musicians Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater) and Baard Kolstad (Leprous). He also plays bass for Charlie PS and The Outseer, two other Nelson-local bands residing in Vancouver. Over the last 6 years, Lachlan has acted as recording/mixing engineer on dozens of singles/EPs/albums by artists like Said The Whale, Carlos Joe Costa, Chaya Harvey, and “Cantopop” band Yellow!, as well as live sound technician for multiple theatre productions, TV series, live performances, and corporate events. He joined the production team of Birthday Present For Myself during its first tour, and is happy to return to it over seven years later!

Hannah Stevens (Stage hand)

Hannah Stevens is an aspiring designer and theatre tech from Toronto.  She moved out west to follow a passion for trees and mountains after graduating from York University’s Theatre Production/ Design program in 2020.  Her selected credits include Set Designer for Elizabeth Rex (Theatre@York) dir. ted witzel, Scenic Art for Besbouss, Autopsy of a Revolt (Pleiades Theatre), Lighting Designer for the 2018 CNY Spring Gala (Metro Toronto Convention Centre), Head LX for Betrayal (Real Time Theatre).  Hannah is extremely grateful and excited to get the chance to work in theatre again. She would like to thank the cast and crew for letting her be a part of it, and her family for their endless love and support of her career as a starving artist.

Pavel Karmanov (Composer)

Pavel Karmanov was born in 1970 in the city of Bratsk, Irkutsk into a family of musicians. He began writingmusic in Novosibirsk at the age of 5. In 1988 he graduated from the Central Music School and in 1995 from MoscowConservatory in 1995. At various times, he studied with Yu.Kholopov , A.Leman , A.Bykanov , G. Dmitriev and A. Nikolayev. During his secondary school and college years actively participated in Moscow concert, compising in various styles.

Karmanov has made music in various styles ranging from serialism and sonorism to pseudobaroque. In the early 90s, he took a special interest in post-avant-garde aesthetics and minimalism. Developed from worldwide post-avant-garde practices, Karmanov’s music is now laconic in shape, impressionist in color. It is mostly tonal, though many modern styles and techniques blend in his music, and many audio-visual additions are used during concert performances.

Since 2000, Pavel Karmanov is also a member of the Moscow rock group “VezhliviiOtkaz”(“Polite refusal”) led by Roman Suslov. With it, he performs regularly as a pianist and flutist.

Karmanov visited England as a member of a musical delegation invited by the Cambridge University Russian Society. As part of the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the University of Cambridge, this tour highlighted the worldpremiere of Karmanov’sCambridge Music for Quartet, created as a presentation to the internationally and historically renowned Temple of Science.

Currently Pavel Karmanov lives and works in Moscow.