Hare and Tortoise
Touring April 7 – May 18, 2025
Grades K – 5
Hare & Tortoise is a whimsical retelling of Aesop’s Fable about two friends who have opposite approaches to absolutely everything. As the seasons change from winter to spring, Hare impatiently waits for Tortoise to wake up so they can hurry up and have their race. But Tortoise has other things to do first: a little spring cleaning, taking care of the garden, and enjoying a holiday. Finally the race day arrives – but things don’t turn out the way Hare expected at all!
Will Parry, Hare
Will Parry (they/he) is an actor-singer based in Toronto who is jumping for joy to be making their Carousel Players debut. Recent theatre credits include Milky White/Steward/etc. in Into the Woods (Koerner Hall), Seán/Donald The Leprechaun in The Wild Rovers (Smile Theatre), Toto in Wizard of Oz: The Panto (Drayton Entertainment), Magician/Demonstrator in Illusionarium (Starvox Entertainment), and Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (SLC Stage). They have also created and performed in solo cabarets with Theatre Gargantua, Icarus Theatre, and a self-produced virtual cabaret during isolation, Here I Am: A Cabaret. He is a graduate of the St. Lawrence College Music Theatre Performance Program. Will sends utmost gratitude and big hugs to the Carousel team, his parents, his closest pals, David, and Cat. Follow along with Will’s shenanigans at @willxparry and check out their website www.will-parry.com.
Reena Goze, Tortoise
Reena Goze (she/they) is a Filipino-Canadian theatre artist, arts educator, Dora-nominated actor, and Associate Producer of First Born Theatre. She is also a graduate of the Theatre and Drama Studies program with the University of Toronto-Mississauga and Sheridan College. Select performance credits: FAST. FASHION. (Paprika Festival, Rhubarb Festival); Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes (World Premiere, 4th Line Theatre); Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls (Roseneath Theatre); Everybody; The Wolves (Theatre Erindale). Reena is delighted and thankful to join Carousel Players for their 2024/25 season! @reenagoze
Monica Dufault, Director
A director, playwright and actor, Monica has performed with The Shaw Festival, The National Arts Centre, Theatre Aquarius, and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, among others. She has a special love of theatre for young audiences, and was nominated for a Dora Award for her performance in Where the Wild Things Are. As a playwright, Monica wrote Peg and the Yeti, which has been produced by Carousel Players and theatres across Canada. She has taught in the Drama department at Brock University, and was the Artistic Director of Essential Collective Theatre from 2014 to 2018. Monica has been Artistic Director of Carousel Players since 2018, where she has directed nine productions to date.
Sara Allison, Stage Manager
Sara Allison is a St. Catharines based Stage Manager and Scenic Artist. Currently the Resident Stage Manager at Carousel Players, she is super excited to be working on Simone, Half and Half. Sara has stage managed over 10 productions with Carousel Players! Other credits for Carousel Players include; Tiny Treasures, Pop! Pop!, The Velveteen Rabbit, Meet Chloe, Mask Minis, HBD2Me, Lig & Bittle, Water Wonder, Whole World, Hare & Tortoise. Recent credits elsewhere: Jack & The Beanstalk, A Pack of Thieves, On The Air, The Real Sherlock Holmes, Sugar Road, Lunenburg, Fair & Square (Lighthouse Festival Theatre), Starwalker (Urban Ink Productions), This Is How We Got Here (Native Earth Performing Arts @ The Shaw Festival), East of Berlin (Essential Collective Theatre), Becoming Dr. Ruth (Harold Green Jewish Theatre Co.), Master Harold and the Boys (Obsidian Theatre Company) Dracula, Me and My Girl (Shaw Festival). Thank you to all my family and friends who continue to encourage me while I fulfill my theatre dreams.
Kelly Wolf, Set, Costume & Prop Designer
Kelly Wolf is a Theatre Maker, a Set and Costume designer and an Artist Educator who is interested in exploring ways that design can augment the theatrical experience. She has created designs for many theatres across Canada ranging from small independent companies to the major festivals. Other designs for Carousel include Hare and Tortoise and The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito Most recently designing The Team on the Hill at the Blyth Festival and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at Brock University.
Recent work has taken her into the realm of site specific theatre creation. With her Hamilton based company Open Heart Arts Theatre, Kelly has worked in collaboration to create new devised performances that ask questions about the society that we live in. Upcoming Conversations around the Table will take place as a part of the Theatre Aquarius New Voices Festival. It is the culmination of a two year investigation into the stories of those who have experienced homelessness.
Other recent designs include: A Christmas Carol (Grand Theatre) Pantalone’s Palace and Top Girls (Brock University) Waiting Room (Tarragon Theatre), Quiver (Nightwood, Theatre Aquarius Studio), Rukmini’s Gold (Toronto and Hamilton Fringe), Commercials for Hamilton (Hammer Theatre/Staircase), Sanctuary Song (Theatre Direct – NAC), The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh (Roseneath)The Old Man and the River (Theatre Direct) Queen for a Day – set (Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts), Midsummer Night’s Dream –costume (Citadel Theatre),Sound of Music – set (Drayton) and Between the Sheets (Nightwood).
Joe Lapinski, Music Composition & Sound Design
Joe Lapinski is very excited to be part of Carousel Player’s production of POP! POP!. He has been creating sound and music for theatre for 18 years, and is based in St. Catharines Ontario. Joe is also an active musician, producer, songwriter, and recording engineer who has worked with an array for musicians, and is currently lead producer at WOW! Recording Studio. He is a co-founder of the In the Soil Arts Festival, and is a former music director for Suitcase In Point Theatre Company. Past productions include: Hare & Tortoise, 2018/19, Carousel Players; Antigonick, 2014, Summerworks Festival; Topdog / Underdog, 2011, Shaw Festival Theatre/Obsidian Theatre; A Downtown Stupor, 2009, Suitcase in Point; I Know Angelo, 2008, Suitcase in Point; Looking For George, 2008, Suitcase In Point; 1984, 2008, Theatre Rien Pantoute.