Large title text in the centre says "Dangerous Liaisons". On the left, La Presidente de Tourvel, Le Victome de Valmont and La Marquise de Merteuil all wear period costumes and wigs. Photography by Ted Belton.

Festival Theatre

August 6 – October 25 |

Opens August 22

Classic

DANGEROUS LIAISONS

By Christopher Hampton

Based on the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos

Directed by Esther Jun

“LOVE IS SOMETHING YOU USE, NOT SOMETHING YOU FALL INTO.”

Two aristocrats in pre-Revolutionary France, bored of their own privilege and the decadence gilded to its shell, embark on a dangerous game of manipulation and seduction. The victim of their subterfuge is a beautiful young woman, La Marquise de Merteuil, whose virtue and piety will put the players to shame. A scandalously clever period drama, the play delivers a nasty bite, guaranteed to sting the conscience of its audiences.

MEIGHEN FORUM EVENTS

CAST & CREATIVE

CAST

(she/her) Birmingham Conservatory 2022/2023

2025: La Presidente de Tourvel in Dangerous Liaisons, appears in Sense and Sensibility and understudy in As You Like It. Fourth season. Stratford: Rachel Whyte in Get That Hope, Princess of France in Love's Labour's Lost, Richard II, Player Queen in Hamlet and Olabisi in Death and the King's Horseman. Elsewhere: Corinna and seven other characters in Primary Trust, 16 characters in No Child (Arts Club); Ann Atwater in The Best of Enemies, Novelette in 'da Kink in My Hair (Pacific Theatre); Same Difference (Theatre Conspiracy); Catherine in The Numbers Game (Storefront Theatre). Film/TV: American Wasteland, Corrective Measures, Swan Song, Voir, The Baby-Sitters Club, Detour, Song Bird, Scared Lies, Sirens. Radio/Recordings: Aisha in Redbone Coonhound (Arts Club); Mama in Rishi & d Douen (Rumble Theatre and Carousel Theatre). Training: York University. Awards: Peter Donaldson Award recipient, Michael Mawson Award recipient, and B.C. Arts Council Pivot recipient.

Métis Nation of Alberta

2025: Le Vicomte de Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons, Oliver Martext in As You Like It and Gossip in Sense and Sensibility. Second season. Stratford: The Diviners. Elsewhere: Clue (MTC\Grand Theatre); The Breathing Hole (NAC); Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre, Silver Arrow, Crazy For You, Alice Through the Looking Glass, One Man Two Guvnors (Citadel Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Love's Labour's Lost, Hamlet, As You Like It, Comedy of Errors, Coriolanus, King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew (Free Will Players); 6.0, 4th Graders (NLT); 10 out of 12, Passion Play, Realistic Joneses (Wild Side Productions); Joy Ride, Black Horse (Caravan Farm Theatre). Film and TV: Tiny Plastic Men Seasons 1-4 (Super Channel); Caution May Contain Nuts Seasons 2-4 (APTN); Blind Ambition, Joe Pickett. Voiceover: Mass Effect 1, 2, 3, Dragon Age: Origins, Anthem, Neverwinter Nights (BIOWARE). Training: BFA University of Alberta. Online: @jesse.gervais, www.jessegervais.com.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2014/2015

2025: Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility, La Marquise de Merteuil in Dangerous Liaisons and Phoebe in As You Like It. Eighth season. Stratford: Viola (Twelfth Night), Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet), Helen (All's Well That Ends Well), Lady Anne (Richard III), Emily Brontë (Brontë: The World Without), Bess (Mother's Daughter). Playwright: The Dark Lady (SIR-SotS/Lunchbox-TSC), Pandora (PTE). Both plays are available online and at the Festival Gift Shop. The Dark Lady is part of Bard on the Beach's 2025 season, and recently had a staged reading at Red Bull Theatre in New York City. Film/TV: Five Days at Memorial, The Boys, Kings of Napa. Voice/Mocap: Star Wars Outlaws. Training: Birmingham Conservatory, McGill University, Dawson College. Awards: SATA for Artistic Excellence - The Dark Lady, Bernard Amyot Teaching Award - NTS, Mary Savidge Award - Stratford Festival. The Dark Lady has won six awards across three provinces, including three Betty Mitchell awards. Online: Instagram: @jessicabhill.

Birmingham Conservatory 2025/2026
2025: Cecile Volanges in Dangerous Liasons, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Sense and Sensibility. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Hedda in Hedda Gabler, May in Bedlam, Des-Neiges in Les Belles Soeurs, Jocasta in Oedipus Rex (Theatre at Grenfell); Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream (Dartmouth Players); Melissa in Out of It, Marie-Louise in No Man's Land (Rising Tide Theatre). Film/TV: Son of a Critch (CBC); This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC); Sugar Highs (OUTTV); Surreal Estate (SYFY); Hudson & Rex (CityTV); Sullivan's Crossing (CTV); Astrid and Lilly Save the World (SYFY); Diggstown (CBC); Alaska Triangle (Discovery). Training: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus, 2023 (BFA); Power of Connection Intensive with Perchance Theatre. Online: @ashleyjdingwell. Et cetera: To Mom, Dad, Grammy, Jordan - I love you, so I keep going.

2025: Duchess Senior in As You Like It, Mrs. Jennings in Sense and Sensibility and Madame de Rosemonde in Dangerous Liaisons. 32nd season. Last year, Ms. McKenna directed Twelfth Night on the Festival stage, mentored directing students at the National Theatre School, did her very first Murdoch Mystery, received the 2024 Stratford Festival Legacy Award, and taught her grandson how to swim underwater. Her previous roles at the Festival include: Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Medea, Richard III, Portia, Paulina, Jaques, Julius Caesar, Katerina, Dolly Levi, Amanda Wingfield, the Marquise de Merteuil, Queen Elizabeth I and Madame Arcati. Elsewhere, she has played Cleopatra (Centaur), Shylock (Shakespeare Company/Hit and Myth Prod.), Hermione (Kansas City Rep), Yaga (Tarragon) and Lear (Groundling Theatre Company). She has three Doras, a Jessie and a Genie award, and is a Member of the Order of Canada. Love and gratitude to the McPotters.

2025: Le Chevalier Danceny in Dangerous Liaisons and appears in As You Like It and Forgiveness. Stratford debut.

(she/her) Birmingham Conservatory 2025/2026

2025: Madame de Volanges in Dangerous Liaisons, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Forgiveness. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Polonia in Hamlet (The Shakespeare Co, Hit & Myth), She in Lesson in Forgetting (Pleiades), Phoenix/Empress Dowager in The Forbidden Phoenix (Citadel, YPT), Mimi in Singkil (Fu-Gen), Karen in Gladstone Variations (Convergence). Nadine also co-wrote and performed as Jennifer in Miss Orient(ed) and Lorna/Geline in PEOPLE POWER (Carlos Bulosan Theatre/Teesri Duniya). Training: Birmingham Conservatory 25/26. Awards: Dora Nomination - The Forbidden Phoenix. Online: @beanbabble. Et cetera: Nadine is forever grateful to her first artistic home, Carlos Bulosan Theatre, and would like to give a shout out to all arts organizations for continuing to do the challenging work of keeping theatre, arts and culture alive. She dedicates this season to her loving mom Fely, her babycakes Maxine, and to the holder of her heart, Troy.

(he/him)

2025: Orlando in As You Like It, appears in Sense and Sensibility and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. Second season. Stratford: Cloten in Cymbeline, Lachlan in The Diviners. Selected theatre credits: The Master Plan (Theatre Aquarius, Soulpepper); Rockabye (ARC Stage); The Master Plan (Crow's Theatre); Redbone Coonhound (Tarragon Theatre); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bard on the Beach); Sweat (Canadian Stage); Antigone…, Selfie (Young People's Theatre); Julius Caesar, The Comedy of Errors (Canadian Stage); The Adonis Project (The Piece of Mine Festival). Film/TV: Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+/CBS); Coroner, Workin' Moms (CBC); Murdoch Mysteries (CBC Television, Citytv); 13: The Musical (Netflix). Voiceover: Audiobook: No Bootstraps When You're Barefoot. Education: York University Acting Conservatory. Awards: Dora Award winner and nominee. Online: Instagram: @christopherallen.me.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2024

2024: Cooper in Forgiveness, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. 12th season. Stratford: Peter in Something Rotten!, Gord in The Diviners, Romeo in Play On!, Al in A Chorus Line, Henrik Egerman in A Little Night Music, Rolf Gruber in The Sound of Music, Pinball Lad in Tommy, and appeared in Chicago, King Lear, Rent, Billy Elliot the Musical, The Rocky Horror Show, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, HMS Pinafore, Fiddler on the Roof and Carousel. Elsewhere: Johnny alternate in Green Day's American Idiot (first US tour); Hank Majewski in Jersey Boys (Dancap); Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown). Film/TV: Captain von Trapp in The Pacifier. Training: Birmingham Conservatory, Etobicoke School of the Arts. Online: Twitter/Instagram: @GabrielNacci. Et cetera: Huge thanks to Stratford and Colin McMurray. This season is dedicated to Gabe's Beautiful Wife Robin.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2024

2025: Edward Ferrars, Robert Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility, Azolan in Dangerous Liaisons and appears in As You Like It. Third season. Stratford: Peter in Romeo and Juliet, Martin in London Assurance, Benicio in Twelfth Night, Harry Percy in Richard II, Waiter in Grand Magic and understudy in Love's Labour's Lost. Elsewhere: A Few Good Men, Twelve Angry Men, The Miracle Worker, The Birds and the Bees, Death of a Salesman, Brighton Beach Memoirs (Drayton); The Cider House Rules reading (Talk is Free); Suitcases/Provenance workshop (Canadian Stage). Film/TV: Jump, Darling (opposite Cloris Leachman), Deadbolt, In the Dark, Murdoch Mysteries, Man Seeking Woman, Heroes Reborn, Bitten, Reign. Radio/Recordings: Strange Loops (audiobook). Training: The Randolph College for the Performing Arts. Online: Instagram: @tomsdup.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2013

2025: Rosalind in As You Like It, Fanny in Sense and Sensibility and Emilie in Dangerous Liaisons. Seventh season. Stratford: Juliet, Anne Frank, Cordelia, Mary in The Last Wife and The Virgin Trial, A Little Night Music, The Lion... Wardrobe, The Merchant of Venice, She Stoops to Conquer, The Beaux' Stratagem, Finally There's Sun, others. Broadway: Delphi in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Elsewhere: Delphi in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Mirvish, Canadian première); The Last Timbit; Medium Alison in Fun Home (Musical Stage/Mirvish, Dora nominee, TTCA winner); Brigid in The Humans (Canadian première at Citadel/Canadian Stage); many productions at Soulpepper, Citadel, Musical Stage Company, Theatre Calgary, Tarragon, Passe Muraille, Segal Centre, YPT and others. Film/TV: Hudson & Rex, Frankie Drake, Departure, Nurses, others. Et cetera: Sara is a musical theatre bookwriter and a playwright. Thank you Chris and Antoni, Tovah and Michele. Hi Josh.

2025: Phyllis, Ralph's Mother in Forgiveness, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. Ninth Season. Stratford: Rosemary (Hamlet-911), Madge Macbeth (1939), Patience Maria (Henry VIII), Stephanie Crawford (To Kill a Mockingbird), Calpurnia (Julius Caesar), Celia (As You Like It) and Caroline Bingley (Pride and Prejudice). Elsewhere: Thousand Islands Playhouse, Citadel Theatre, Blyth Festival, Shakespeare in the Ruff, Canadian Stage, Young People's Theatre, Theatre Northwest, Sudbury Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre, Resurgence Theatre, Theatre by the Bay, Brookstone Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, Thought for Food, Equity Showcase, Toronto Fringe and SummerWorks. Film/TV: Welcome to Derry, Ruby and The Well, The Christmas Spirit (feature film), Re: Possessed Homes (short film), Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, Flashpoint, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Missing, Train 48, Our Hero, The City, F/X: The Series, Falling Fire. Awards: 2018 Tanya Award in recognition of excellence, and the Jean A. Chalmers Award.

(she/they) Birmingham Conservatory 2025/2026

2025: Audrey in As You Like It, appears in Dangerous Liaisons and understudy in Forgiveness. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Quartet (Other Hearts/VideoCabaret); Mad Ones (Tangled Art + Disability); Johnny Belinda (Smile Theatre); Lil' Red, Jack and the Beanstalk, Treasure Island, Three Musketeers (Stirling Festival Theatre). Film/TV: Murdoch Mysteries, Good Witch, Call Me Fitz. Training: B.A. Honours English, Creative Writing and Interdisciplinary Sexuality Studies (Concordia University); Musical Theatre (American Musical and Dramatic Academy NYC); Theatre (Interlochen Arts Academy). Online: www.otherhearts.ca. Et cetera: Vae is a Mad performance artist, Dora-nominated designer and poet (Toronto International Festival of Authors New Embassy; The /t3mz/ Review Issue 22). Eternal gratitude to my community and especially to Cake, who constantly remind me that "the thing perhaps is / to eat flowers and not to be afraid."

Birmingham Conservatory, 2024

2025: Appears in As You Like It, Forgiveness and Dangerous Liaisons. Second season.

(he/him) Birmingham Conservatory, 2025/2026

2025: Deighton, Adams in Forgiveness, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. Stratford debut. Elsewhere (Selected): A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024); The Woman In Black, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Extractionist (Vertigo Theatre); Premium Content, Air (Major Matt Mason); Chariots Of Fire (Rosebud Theatre/Grand); Gordon (Theatre Network); This Is War (Punctuate); The Circle (Alberta Theatre Projects); SIA (Downstage Theatre). Film/TV (Selected): The Expanse (Amazon Prime); Black Summer (Netflix); Range Roads, O Brazen Age, The Valley Below (North Country Cinema); Blood Mountain (Nocturnal Productions). Training: BFA acting - University of Alberta, Mount Royal College. Awards: Several Outstanding Performer nominations, including Betty Mitchell Theatre Awards, Calgary Critics Award, Sterling Theatre Awards, and Rosie Film and TV Awards. Online: joewperry.com, @Joewperry. Et cetera: Love to Allison and to his family in Alberta.

2025: Mrs. Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility and appears in Dangerous Liaisons. Seventh season.

(she/her)

2025: Margaret, Lucy Steele in Sense and Sensibility and appears in Dangerous Liaisons. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Constance in The Three Musketeers (Citadel/Arts Club), Aiden in Smoke (Tiny Bear Jaws), River in Appropriate (CalArts), Unsung: Tales from the Front Line (Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre), Monkey King (Enrichment Works). Film/TV: This Too Shall Pass, Abracadavers (Season 2, 3), Last Stop Video Rentals, Shadow of God. Training: California Institute of the Arts. Online: www.jadevrobinson.com, @jade.robi. Et cetera: Big thanks to my team (Clarina and Shari) and friends for their support! This debut is dedicated to my mom, dad, grandma, and Zach, who have always made me feel like my dreams are within reach. Sharing this with you is one of my greatest joys.

(she/her)

2025: Celia in As You Like It and appears in Sense and Sensibility and Dangerous Liaisons. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Udo in Three Sisters (Soulpepper Theatre/Obsidian Theatre), Slimm in Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers (b current performing arts/Tarragon Theatre), Faith/Tia in Serving Elizabeth (Thousand Islands Playhouse), Girl in The First Stone (New Harlem Productions). Film/TV: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (CBS), Titans (HBO), True Dating Stories (CBC Gem) and Grand Army (Netflix). Training: University of Lethbridge. Awards: Dora Mavor Moore Awards: Outstanding Production and Outstanding Ensemble for Three Sisters. Outstanding New Play (TYA) and Outstanding Performance (TYA) for Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers. Online: www.Makambe.com, @artingwithmakambe. Et cetera: Makambe was born in Zambia and raised in the Caribbean. She is also a multiple-award-winning playwright. She would like to dedicate her first Stratford season to her biggest cheerleader and inspiration, her mother, Mwangala.

Birmingham Conservatory, 2024

2025: Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. Third season. Stratford: Portia in Something Rotten!, The Diviners, Joanne in Rent, Richard II. Elsewhere: Vicky in Chris, Mrs. (Boldly Productions); Gloria in Damn Yankees, White Christmas, The Importance of Being Earnest, Shawground, 1922 in Concert, Charley's Aunt, Duke and the Two Irenes, Song for a Winters Night (Shaw); Home For the Holidays (Theatre Aquarius); Emcee in Cabaret, Finding Black Joy (Grand Theatre); Mamma Mia! (Stage West); Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet (Capitol Theatre); Sophie in Mamma Mia! (Rainbow Stage). Voiceover: We the Culture (Facebook). Training: Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance, Sheridan College; H.B. Beal Secondary and C.C.H. Online: @oliviasinclairbrisbane. Et cetera: Olivia dedicates this season to her amazing support system, her family both chosen and biological, her friends and mentors. To anyone moving through life with bravery, joy, kindness and deep love.

2025: Major-Domo in Dangerous Liaisons and appears in As You Like It and Forgiveness. Third season.

CREATIVE

(she/her) Langham Directors' Workshop, 2016

2024: Director of Dangerous Liaisons. Artistic Associate, Planning, and Director of the Langham Directors' Workshop for the Stratford Festival. Seventh season. Stratford: Director: Cymbeline, Les Belles-Soeurs, Little Women, I Am William. Assistant director: John Gabriel Borkman, Richard III (2020). Elsewhere: Director: Kim's Convenience (UK: Riverside Studios, Park Theatre; Grand, TIP); Between a Wok and a Hotpot (Cahoots); The Great Leap (Cleveland Playhouse); Planet Munsch (George Brown); Pal Joey, The Gamblers, Amadeus (Talk Is Free); The Promised Land (Soulpepper); The Omnibus Bill (Counterpoint Players); Theory, Girls Like That (Tarragon); The Private LifeCabaret (Theatre ARTaud); The Last Wife (Belfry, GCTC); Rococo (Shaw); Bremen Rock City (Song Trolley Productions); Cowboy Mouth, Trout Stanley (Heart In Hand); Yellow Face (Hart House); Fear and Misery of the Third Reich (DeusXM). Training: B.A. Directing, Drama Centre London. Et cetera: Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon (2016-2018); Co-Founder of Directors Lab North. Love & gratitude to Mike, Lola, the kitties and Frida. www.theestherjun.com.