RUNNING TIME
2 Hours with a 15 minute intermission.
The Scene – Margo’s Living Room
Act 1
Present Day
Act 2
Time – One Year Later
A Word from the Director: Nitasha Rajoo
Real. Raw. Relatable.
As a director, I have always been drawn to the power of artful storytelling and the authentic connections that are formed by characters and their characteristics on stage. Always searching for the rule of three, I look for raw, real and relatable moments, and the invitation to pull back the curtain and explore beyond the surface of everyday life and the people within. I am fascinated by intricate, evolving relationships – often the relationships we take for granted- and how subtle, unconscious forces at play shape and redefine these bonds.
In We Don’t Talk About Book Club, the women we follow—Margo, Jo, Allie and Natalie—could be people you know. They are navigating life, grappling the highs and lows of friendships, dynamics of partners and children, and discovering their place in the world and with each other. Just like the actors themselves, we are presented with strong, multifaceted female characters whose struggles and triumphs are deeply relatable.
I invite you to inhale and exhale alongside the characters, diving into the raw, unfiltered emotions that shape their lives. I encourage you to embrace the messiness of their journeys and uncover the complexities of their strengths and vulnerabilities. On a personal level, I also invite you to discover moments that resonate with you and your own female friendships, exploring the nuanced dynamics that exist beneath the surface.
They’re not perfect, but they’re real—and I think that’s what makes them so powerful.
Thank you for joining us for this journey.
I am honoured to have been part of this project and thank everyone at Royal Canadian Theatre Company for this opportunity.
To the Margo’s, Jo’s, Allie’s, and Natalie’s in my life—thank you. I wouldn’t trade our friendships for anything in the world.
Jo (Kerri Norris) and Allie (Nicole DesLauriers).
A Word from the President: Nigel Brooke
This season has had several exciting firsts for RCTC. The Women in Black was our first production with one show presented with ASL interpretation and Knotted was our first production to include a theatrical EA to allow a child with special needs to participate in the show. However, when it comes to firsts, I do think we have saved the best for last. We Don’t Talk About Book Club is our first (non-Panto) commissioned play, and world premiere, and we are very excited to share it with you. I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you from the board to our staff, all the creative teams of the season’s productions, and of course, all of you for coming out to see our shows.
The Royal Canadian Theatre Company is a registered not for profit society dedicated to providing affordable, high quality and inclusive entertainment.
There are many ways that you can contribute if you want to; join as a member, become a sponsor or donor, volunteer, or even just recommend us to someone else.
Allie (Nicole DesLauriers), Natalie (Crystal Weltzin) and Margo (Justine Jones).
Meet the Cast
- Margo - Played by Justine Jones
- Allie - Played by Nicole DesLauriers
- Natalie - Played by Crystal Weltzin
- Jo - Played by Kerri Norris
- Thompson - Played by Oliver de la Harpe
Justine Jones - Margo
Justine was born and raised in San Francisco, and studied and performed with the American Conservatory Theatre before pursuing her BA in Dramatic Arts at UC Davis. Her husband’s football career brought them to Canada where they have lived for over 20 years raising their two daughters in Winnipeg, Calgary, Hamilton, and Regina (where she belonged to a Book Club in most of those cities) before landing in Surrey ten years ago. Justine is so happy to return to the Royal Canadian Theatre Company after playing with the Farndale crew in Fall of ’23! She has loved her time performing with the Sidekick Players, the rEvolver Festival and Peninsula Players as well as The Chair Series. Justine wants to thank her two Book Clubs here in Surrey for their unwavering support on and off the stage.
Nicole DesLauriers - Allie
Nicole has taught and directed people of all ages but focuses on working with children. Currently she is an EA in preschool and kindergarten and runs LARPing camps at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Recently she directed The Woman in Black for RCTC and she is the choreographer for the middle and senior school shows at the school she works at. As a theatre artist she has worn many hats but prefers teaching, directing, and choreography. Her training includes clowning, puppetry, mask, circus arts, and dance. She believes that theatre is an amazing tool for teaching creativity, flexibility, and acceptance and focuses on collaborative creation and collective storytelling.
Crystal Weltzin - Natalie
Crystal is excited to be in this comedy and loves playing a character that feels 10 years younger than her. She hopes you enjoy her naive Natalie as much as she enjoyed playing her. You may have seen Crystal as Candice: How to Survive the Apocalypse without Really Trying (Capricorn Theatre Prod), Pixie Princess: Knotted: Rapunzel’s Story (RCTC), Fluellen: Henry V (Pacific Theatre), Benvolio: Romeo and Juliet (Shadows and Dreams Theatre Co), or directing Something Borrowed, Everyone Blue. She would also like to thank her husband for his endless patience during this process, especially as he helped her memorise her lines. Enjoy the show!
Kerri Norris - Jo
Kerri is an Actor, Director, Costumer, Producer and sometime Dramaturg as well as being RCTC’s Artistic Director. She has an MFA in Acting from CalArts in Los Angeles. Recent acting credits: Maria in Twelfth Night & Touchstone in As You Like It (Shadows & Dreams) and Verna in Ghost of a Chance for RCTC. Upcoming she will be directing The Play That Goes Wrong for Gallery 7 and Hamlet for Stones Throw/Pacific Theatre.
Oliver de la Harpe - Thompson
Originally from England, Oliver has always had a passion for theater and acting. He has studied Drama at the University of Alberta and Acting for Film and Television at Vancouver Film School. Theatre credits include, Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls (Hastleons), Michael in Hanging Out (Late Night Productions), Sheriff in The Trip to Bountiful (United Players Club) and most recently Actor in The Woman in Black (RCTC). Film credits include Mitch in 5G: The Reckoning (Industry Works) and Jason in Intensive Purposes (MonexAldoEntertainment) He is happy to be back with RCTC for another amazing show.
Allie (Nicole DesLauriers) and Margo (Justine Jones).
Meet the Crew
- Director: Nitasha Rajoo
- Stage Manager: Dimitri Shields
- Set Design: Emily Walker
- Lighting Design: Nigel Brooke
- Assistant Lighting Design: Sam Brooke
- Prop Design: Madison Willoughby
- Sound Design: Stephanie Bruce
- Technical Director: Stephanie Bruce
- Costume Design: Hana Maihara
- Written by: Patricia Brooke
- Producer & Marketing Coordinator: Crystal Weltzin
Nitasha Rajoo - Director
Nitasha Rajoo is thrilled to be a part of RCTC’s premiere of We Don’t Talk About Book Club. With a career spanning acting, directing, and teaching, she is deeply passionate about storytelling and has worked globally in South Africa, Tanzania, India, Jamaica, Canada, and the UK. Nitasha holds a Master of Arts in the Advanced Teachings of Shakespeare from Warwick University in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In the UK, she’s worked with Tamasha Theatre, The Black British Plays Project, Warwick in Africa and the Barbican Box. Nitasha has directed numerous productions, including Shakespeare plays, 1984, and The Crucible.
In Canada, she has led the Education departments at Stratford Festival and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Company. She has authored study guides for plays including The Post-Mistress by Tomson Highway and The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, and most recently 500 Words by Jamie Morris for Green Thumb Theatre Company. She co-created and developed the Creative Teens Program at The Arts Club in Vancouver. Nitasha is dedicated to using the arts to inspire cultural change, foster creativity, and connect communities across the globe. Thank you to my “community”.
Dimitri Shields - Stage Manager
Dimitri graduated from the Studio of Arts, Media, and Culture’s BA Theatre program in 2019. Past stage management credits include Under the Needle with Stone’s Throw Productions, White Christmas and Catch Me If You Can with Theatre in the Country, Eat Your Heart Out and Blithe Spirit with Royal Canadian Theatre Company, and The Snow Queen, Anne of Green Gables, and The Game of Love and Chance with SAMC Theatre.
Nigel Brooke - Lighting Design
Nigel began his theatrical career with a critically-acclaimed turn as ‘Tree’ and ‘Candy Cane’ in Hansel and Gretel at age five. More recently (and relevantly), he has designed lights for dozens of productions around the Lower Mainland, including Blithe Spirit, Cinderella, Screwball Comedy and more for RCTC, The Sound of Music and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time for Gallery 7 Productions, and many more. He also occasionally performs, appearing recently as ‘Adam Lucas’ in Ghost of a Chance for RCTC and as ‘Sir Rupert’ in Jeeves Intervenes for Gallery 7. In real life, Nigel is a computer programmer, and, oddly enough, does this for “fun”.
Sam Brooke - Assistant Lighting Design
Despite having always had an interest in technical theater, Samuel has not pursued it seriously until recently. After thoroughly enjoying his work last year on The Woman in Black, Ghost of a Chance and The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, he looks forward to working more and more and creating better and better designs with RCTC.
Madison Willoughby - Prop Design
Armed with her Theatre BA from Trinity Western University, Maddi is grateful to have jumped into the marvelous world of Theatre. She has spent the past few years acting and creating props to help bring to life beautiful productions like this one. Past prop credits include Parfumerie (Gallery 7), Christmas at Pemberley (Gallery 7) and Wild Light (Little Dipper Theatre Co.). However, most recently you may have seen her as Herr Brush in Knotted: Rapunzel’s Story (RCTC). She hopes this show brings you as much joy as it has to her and encourages you to finish that book you’ve been wanting to read.
Hana Maihara - Costume Design
Hana Maihara is thrilled to be part of this sensational production! After previously assisting with marketing for RCTC’s season this summer, Hana is excited to step into a new role as the costume designer for this exciting new show. As a recent graduate of the UVic Theatre Program, she brings her passion for storytelling and creative vision to all the shows she has worked on. Select credits include The Murder Room (Costume Designer, White Rock Players Club), CATS (Dresser, Theatre Under the Stars), Rapunzel Pantomime (Assistant Stage Manager, Fraser Valley Musical Theatre) and most recently, Cinderella Pantomime (Co-Stage Manager, White Rock Players Club). She is very excited to be fulfilling another costuming role for The Watsons at Vital Spark Theatre later this spring. Hana thanks the cast, crew, and her loved ones for their unwavering support.
Emily Walker - Set Design
Emily Walker graduated from TWU’s Art + Design program in 2022 and began working in the theatre world in the role of assistant stage manager in SAMC Theatre’s The Miracle Worker and ASM’d again in Blue Stockings. Emily previously worked as Assistant Technical Director at SAMC and enjoyed bringing the productions’ sets to life. As a visual artist, usually working in graphite and acrylic, Emily has also done set painting for Royal Canadian Theatre Company’s productions, The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery, Cinderella, and Knotted.
Stephanie Bruce - Technical Director & Sound Design
Last season, Stephanie properly moved into the position of Technical Director, and Sound Designer, while continuing as Company Stage Manager. As the workload isn’t any lighter this season, is therefore still far too busy building the sets, sourcing props, gathering various comedy noises, and wrangling the rest of the Stage Management team, multiple casts, and assorted production staff, to write a highly detailed bio, for whichever program is before you. Not even quite sure which month, or even day, it currently is. But, whenever you’re reading this, the show you’re about to see is fantastic. So sit back, relax (not that much!), and enjoy!
*And remember to breathe!*
Patricia Brooke - Playwright
Patricia is the co-founder of Shadows and Dreams Theatre Company, where she’s directed Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s Labour’s Lost. Her playwriting credits include The House (TWU), Snow Queen (TWU), Revolutions (Tempest in a Teacup), Grandpa Satan’s Funeral (Shadbolt Centre) and The Super Awesome Dance Club for Fat Chicks and Losers (Shadbolt Centre). She is the recipient of the Betty Lambert Playwright Award and made the longlist for the Voyage YA First Chapters contest.
Margo (Justine Jones)
After fleeing her life in the Fraser Valley, Colleen is forced to return home for her father’s funeral. Amidst the casseroles and caskets she is confronted by who she was and who she wants to be, and when neighbours come knocking and secrets are revealed, family tensions explode. Through humour, honest conversations, and fiery arguments, one family must pick up the pieces of a broken life and figure out what it means to belong to one another.
April 25-May 11: Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical, presented by Royal City Musical Theatre.
With music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, based on the seminal 1980 hit movie, this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic.
Get your tickets today: royalcitymusicaltheatre.com
A Special Thank you to:
- Hana Maihara - Summer Marketing Assistant
- Aagaaz Joshua Sandhu
- Grace Moore
- Melanie Valencia - ASL Interpretation
- Caitlin Barker Gore - - ASL Interpretation
*Please note, ASL interpretation will be on audience right during our relaxed performance.
Our Board of Directors
- President: Nigel Brooke
- Vice President: Amanda Haggett
- Treasurer: Elizabeth Fletcher
- Secretary: Kulwinder Saini
- Director at Large: Charles Johnson
- Director at Large: Ryan Paul
- Director at Large: Glynis Knowlden
