MEET THE ARTISTS OF FEST 2025

WORKSHOP FACILITATORS

INTRODUCTION TO ORAL PERSONAL STORYTELLING
With a background in theatre and education, Bethany Ellis has been telling stories for longer than she hasn’t. As a school artist-in-residence she has given workshops in storytelling and Story Theatre, and she has led storytelling workshops for adults for The City of Edmonton, EPL, and for Storytelling Alberta. In 2008 and in 2025 she was honoured by SC/CC (Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada) and The Canadian Children’s Book Centre to participate in the Canadian Children’s Book Week tour. Her storytelling has taken her to England, Asia, Africa, and across Canada in classrooms, libraries, Fringe theatre festivals, and twice in a graveyard full of wild strawberries.

 

A white woman with long brown hair wearing a red shirt and smiling at the camera.

INTRODUCTION TO CLOWNING
Christine Lesiak (she/her) is an Edmonton amiskwacîwâskahikan-based theatre artist, and director of her independent theatre company, Small Matters Productions (www.smallmatters.ca). She specializes in collaborative writing and devising, audience experience design, interactive comedy, and physical storytelling. She is creator/co-creator/performer of all nine of Small Matters’ shows, most recently; The Spinsters (2023-24, Burnaby Centre for the Arts and Edmonton Fringe Theatre Season), and the interactive comedy hit, For Science! (touring, 2018-24). She is the recipient of an Alberta Playwright’s Network Prize for her play, The Space Between Stars, which premièred at the 2023 SkirtsAfire Festival. Christine holds a BSc in Physics, and Masters of Fine Arts in Drama from the University of Alberta, and has trained extensively in the Canadian/Pochinko style of clown with Jan Henderson (Fool Moon Productions), Michael Kennard (Mump and Smoot), and with comedy and physical theatre specialists from around the world. She was festival director of Play the Fool, Edmonton’s festival of clown theatre and physical comedy from 2017-24, in charge of programming and mentorship. She has taught within the Drama Department at the University of Alberta, Edmonton Digital Arts College, Toy Guns Dance Theatre, in public schools, and privately. Christine has dramaturged and directed dozens of clown-theatre and physical storytelling works. www.christinelesiak.com

PERFORMERS

RHEA MARCH
Rhea March has been active in the music scene for over 30 years as a performer, songwriter, artist mentor, industry consultant, educator, open mic host and radio personality. Always pleasant, upbeat and entertaining, Rhea’s style of music is folk laced with tinges of country and she enjoys performing a variety of music that includes plenty of cover songs along with original material. One of Rhea’s favorite things to do is share the magic of the music with senior citizens. Rhea performs each Sunday afternoon at Rooster Kitchen and regularly entertains at seniors residences in Edmonton. For this performance she will be joined by renowned fiddle player and teacher, Bonnie Gregory.

 

FABJAMMERS
The FabJammers: Rapid Fire Theatre’s Improv for the Fabulously Mature is now in its 3rd season. Players work with experienced improvisers to rediscover play, get the synapses firing, and perform for eager audiences! The troupe welcomes everyone, no experience is required, and no expectations to perform. The gang is hoot! Come and find out for yourself.
Bill Fradgley
After retirement, Bill moved from Alberta to Comox, BC where in 2013 he attended a seniors improv drop in session. He later joined the Self-improvment Club where he performed Theatre Sports and Quick Fiction Academy where he performed Long Form improv. He then started to teach seniors impro v at Elder College in Courtenay. Returning to Sherwood Park in 2021, Bill continued taking improv courses and started a weekly seniors improv drop in. He also joined GeriActors for one season. He learned a lot and enjoyed acting but wanted to follow his passion for improv. He attends Rapid Fires “Fabulously Mature” drop in improv to continue his skill development. He also formed the ImprovABLEs, a troupe that performs improv for seniors.

Gayle Pederson
Gayle is a retired estate planner who swapped spreadsheets and wills for scenes and laughs two years ago—and hasn’t looked back since (except to double-check the exits). She’s been joyuly sharpening her improv chops with the fabulously mature crowd at Rapid Fire Theatre in Edmonton and bringing the funny with The Improvables at We Seniors in Sherwood Park.When she’s not yes-and-ing her way through life, Gayle can be found line dancing with gusto, strumming her guitar (sometimes in tune), and knitting cozy creations for charity—because nothing says “punchline” like a warm pair of socks. She tries her best to keep her improv PG, but hey, sometimes the heat of the moment makes even the most polite prairie gal drop a zinger. Consider yourself warned (and entertained).

 

BETHANY ELLIS
With a background in theatre and education, Bethany Ellis has been telling stories for longer than she hasn’t. As a school artist-in-residence she has given workshops in storytelling and Story Theatre, and she has led storytelling workshops for adults for The City of Edmonton, EPL, and for Storytelling Alberta. In 2008 and in 2025 she was honoured by SC/CC (Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada) and The Canadian Children’s Book Centre to participate in the Canadian Children’s Book Week tour. Her storytelling has taken her to England, Asia, Africa, and across Canada in classrooms, libraries, Fringe theatre festivals, and twice in a graveyard full of wild strawberries.

 

CRIPSiE Headshot & Bio to come.