Stage Frights
A haunting, immersive theatrical experience.
Just over one century ago famed actor Mabel Hackney waved farewell to her adoring fans in Winnipeg and boarded the Empress of Ireland back home to England. Manitobans begged her to return soon, as the curtain fell on her final performance at the Burton Cummings Theatre. When the Empress went down in the St. Laurent Mabel’s body was never found, only a scrap of her nightdress remained- in the hands of her drowned lover. But Mabel did return- to haunt the theatre she once loved, and all of her terrors still lurk beneath the surface of the building, deep, deep in the buildings bowels.
Co-created by One Trunk Theatre and Fête Jockey Events, led by Gwendolyn Collins, Jennie O’Keefe and Andraea Sartison, this immersive haunted house was commissioned by True North Sports and Entertainment for Winnipeg’s only downtown Halloween spectacle. Over 3000 audiences members attended this oversold production during which there were two reported cases of peed pants and over two dozen patrons who used the safe word “Ernie” to exit the experience- that is they “ernied out”.
Co-created by Gwendolyn Collins, Jennie O’Keefe and Andraea Sartison
Production Management by Brooklyne Alexander
Set Design by Ksenia Broda-Millian and Sean McMullen
Costume Design by Daina Leitold
Prop Design + by Joseph Abetria
Sound Design by jaymez
Lighting Design by Hugh Conacher
Stage Managed by Ntara Curry and Stephanie Porrior
Make up by Theresa Thompson
Performed by David Arial, Emily Barker, Ian Bastin, Grant Burr, Dora Carroll, Paul Duncan, Anastasia Evsigneeva, Kevin Gabel, Delf Gravert, William Jordan, Kristian Jordan, Anna-Laure Koop, Evan Martin, Spencer Payne, Anna Protsiou, Josh Ranville, Chris Sousa, Logan Stefansen, Brittany Thiessen, and Elizabeth Whitbread
With Johanna Burdon, Rayna Masterton, Jen McDonald, Wes Rambo, Chris Reid, and Reba Terlson
“It might not be the first place you think of hanging out this Halloween. But the Burton Cummings Theatre has a haunted experience that may freak you out.”
“Combine the ghost stories with the building’s dark, turn-of-the-last-century basement, and the Burt is a natural for the supernatural, said Andraea Sartison, the artistic producer for One Trunk Theatre.”
More press…
A haunting experience at The Burt -CBC Manitoba
Theatre to host spirited production - Winnipeg Free Press
Executions and the phantom piano: Tours peek into chilling Winnipeg stories, places - CBC Manitoba
Check out these videos here and here!
photos by Talia Potash