About Coast Shakespeare
Michael Gurney and Lise Kreps started the Sunshine Coast Community Shakespeare Project in 2024, under the umbrella of Driftwood Players. Our all-volunteer productions benefit the Bev Shaw Literacy Fund of the Sunshine Coast Foundation, which supports literacy on the Sunshine Coast and has brought writers into local schools. Bev was the beloved owner of Talewind Books for many years, and a stalwart of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts. Thank you, our audience, for attending and supporting our shows!
Creative and Production Team Biographies
Marisa Alps (Co-Producer for Festival of the Written Arts, Graphic Designer, House Manager) is the Artistic and Executive Director of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts (SCFWA), celebrating its 44th year here in the Pavilion Aug 13-16. Marisa was a Board Member and volunteer for the Festival for many years before taking its helm. She is a 30-year veteran of the publishing industry, starting out at Harbour Publishing. The Festival supports literacy events around the Coast, including the Celebration of Authors, Books and Community (CABC) and bringing Writers in Residence into schools, in collaboration with School District 46. She has been involved with the Shakespeare Project since its inception. More info about Marisa here.
Robyn Faucher (Costume Designer) created dozens of original costumes for our Twelfth Night and As You Like It.
Bill Forst (Co-Producer for Driftwood Players) has been an actor, producer, treasurer, and general wizard for Driftwood Players for many years, since retiring from his career as a school counsellor. He has been involved with the Shakespeare Project since its inception.
Lise Kreps (Co-Producer, Dramaturge, Music Director, musician - recorders, flute, bass viola da gamba, voice) has wanted to do this since she was 11 years old and first played Shakespearean music on the recorder. Lise studied Renaissance music and drama for her Bachelor’s degree. For 50 years she has played early instruments and sung in choirs, including Suncoast Phoenix, Coast Messiah, Gallery Singers, MOTET, Tallis Scholars & Canadian Renaissance Music Summer Schools, and Coast Music Theatre (Pirates of Penzance, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat). Since 1992 she has designed sound and music for theatre, including Utah Shakespeare Festival's Tony-award-winning season, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Driftwood Players (Super Seniors, Waiting for the Parade, Two Witches No Waiting, Timepiece, and Story Theatre). More info at www.transcenturyradio.com
Paul McKeigan (Co-Producer) After a successful career as an Executive Producer at CBC, Paul helped Driftwood to produce several shows, including Waiting for the Parade, and is excited to join CoastShakespeare. In his spare time, he enjoys painting.
Kimerica Parr (Director) played Lord #1 in the Forest in our As You Like It. She has spent a lifetime on stage, performing in Shakespeare, musical theatre, opera, and concert works. She first discovered Shakespeare as Cobweb in A Midsummer Night's Dream at age 12, later returning to the Bard as Desdemona in Othello. Favourite roles include Eliza in My Fair Lady, Magnolia in ShowBoat, and Lily in The Secret Garden. A longtime devotee of opera, she also performed professionally in various roles with Michigan Opera Theatre. When not on stage, Kimerica serves as Department Head of Speech Arts and Drama and Director of Choral Studies at Vancouver Academy of Music. She is delighted to return to the Sunshine Coast Community Shakespeare Project.
Evelyn Phillips (Stage Manager) has sung with the RenFriends in our previous productions, and serves on the Board of the Suncoast Phoenix Community Choir. She is pleased to be returning to community theatre.
2027 PRESENTER & SPONSORS of The Tempest
Please help us thank them for their generous support:
Special Thanks To
Lucy Clark
Sara Douglas & Coast Music Theatre
Michael Gurney
Courtney & Tom Lamb
SCFWA Volunteers for our Front of House staff
Sechelt Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Erin Storey, Emmie Hendricks, & the Sunshine Coast Foundation
Karen Weatherington, Marisa Alps, & Wardens
of St. Hilda’s Anglican Church
Generous Anonymous Donors
Our fabulous cast, designers, crew, and musicians
for volunteering so many hours of their time and talents!
Our families, friends, and audience for your support!
Sunshine Coast Community Shakespeare Project
coastshakespeare ( at ) gmail.com
We are fortunate and grateful to work and play in ch'atlich (Sechelt), on the unceded ancestral lands of the shíshálh Nation.