You're Invited To The Best Slumber Party Ever!
You're Invited To The Best Slumber Party Ever!
“Annette is a Bimbo!”
May 25 - June 2, 2023 | The Shu-Box, Riddell Centre
Presented as Part of RISER Regina 2023
Nancy Parker and her friends are all experiencing a bit of a crisis. Whether it be crushes, or not fitting in, or worries about the future, they are all desperately trying to find themselves and, in their opinion, failing miserably at it.
On the night of Nancy’s 16th birthday, she receives an (unbeknownst to her) magical record, and accidentally summons Annette, a magical drag queen. Annette has made it her job to help teens in distress, and she can’t leave until she has put all their troubles right. Throughout the night, Annette and her friends learn to push back against the patriarchy and break free from the labels and expectations that society has placed upon them.
Part pyjama party, part drag show, and part record hop, “Annette is a Bimbo!” is a campy musical guide to youth and romance for everyone who got picked up early, who lied about their crush, or who never got invited. Welcome to the best slumber party ever!
We are grateful for the support of Canada Council for the Arts & SK Arts.
RISER is supported by the Government of Canada, RBC Foundation, and a community of Senior Partners. RISER Regina is presented by On Cue Performance Hub & Why Not Theatre.
Reviews
“Carson Walliser is a marvel as Annette. It’s an astonishing performance in a company of wonderful big hearted characters. The whole company is a delight. [The Director] keeps the company engaged in the material with fine playful staging and an authentic connection to the themes in the play.”
- Jennifer Brewin, Artistic Director | Globe Theatre
“I loved this show’s unapologetic joy. It was a contagiously Pride-ful show-and-tell for Queer culture, a celebration with just enough lament to bring out both essential flavours. The deliberate campiness, lovingly and energetically embraced by the ensemble, was impossible to resist from the moment I walked into the performance space. Carson Walliser was both mesmerizing and poignant as Annette, elevating an already brightly lit piece of theatre to sheer incandescence. For all of its apparent camp, “Annette Is a Bimbo!” is an important work, not because it cries out for a more compassionate and inclusive world, but because it dares to assume we’re already and irrevocably headed in that direction.”
- Mark Claxton, Executive Director | Saskatchewan Association of Theatre Professionals
““Annette is a Bimbo!” delivers a powerful reflection on the complex journey of Queer adolescence, unmasking the raw and messy aspects of those formative years in an ideal world of unapologetic Queer joy. Through its respectful portrayal of consent, growth, and the exploration of Queer pop culture, the play offers an empowering and celebratory experience that invites audiences to embrace their own confidence and authenticity.”
- Carla Harris, Artist & Community Activist
“Although the cast is relatively large, the characters are fully realized individuals. The play doesn’t rely on types; the characters are unique and particular but still somehow familiar, like friends. Every one of them is helped by the magical “Teen Idol” aspirant Annette – and every one of them helps / supports her in turn as she comes to her own realization that social constructions and expectations have injured and limited her as well. The dialogue is funny, the humour gentle and kind. “Annette is a Bimbo!” is positive, hopeful, welcoming, safe – and above all, very, very joyful.
- Leanne Groeneveld, Dramaturge
Showtimes
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 7:30pm
Friday, May 26, 2023 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 7:30pm
Monday, May 29, 2023 at 2:00pm
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 7:30pm
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 7:30pm
Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 2, 2023 at 7:30pm
Cast
Annette……………………Carson Walliser
Nancy……………………Angeline Lypka
Hayley……………………Rachel Walliser
Julia…………………….Julianne Biegler
Annie……………………Megan Holt
Bobby……………………Kevin Nguyen
Barbara……………………Jane Neumier
Walt……………………George Grassick
Creative Team
Playwright……………………Carson Walliser
Director……………………Landon Walliser
Stage Manager……………………Kahlan Oosterveld
Dramaturge……………………Leanne Groeneveld
Costume Designers……………………Carson Walliser
……………………Des’ree Gray
Set Designer……………………Carson Walliser
Lighting Designer……………………William Hales
Sound Designer……………………Kahlan Oosterveld
Intimacy Director……………………Rachel Walliser
Dance Captain…………………….Julianne Biegler
Music
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