Pop Goes The Opera

Stay tuned for news about our 10th Anniversary show, Cavalleria rusticana, this summer at the Fringe in the stunning sanctuary of Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

We hope to be announcing our creative team and dates for auditions soon!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

For everyone who worked so hard on this production. This would not have been possible without the many many people involved.

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters! ! Thank you to everyone who came and attended the show! Thank you all!

Follow our social channels for updates on future projects and auditions like Fringe 2026!

Spend an evening of love with those you love in 1920's Paris with us.
Last chance to see The Merry Widow! We hope to see you there!

Showsstart at 7:00 pm.
Tickets still available.
🎟️ Link in bio - https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-merry-widow-tickets-244678

Show info:
Feb 13 & 14, 2026
Eva O. Howard Theatre at the Victoria School of the Arts
📷: all Nanc Price Photography
🎭

It’s opening night for Pop Goes The Opera The Merry Widow.

We can’t wait to present this wonderful production. We’re so fortunate to have the talented nancpricephotography Nanc Price Photography take some photos at our orchestra dress rehearsal.

We hope to see you either tonight or tomorrow night.
Shows start at 7:00 pm.

Tickets still available: 🎟️: Link in bio - https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-merry-widow-tickets-244678

Show info:
Feb 13 & 14, 2026
Eva O. Howard Theatre at the

📷: all nancpricephotography

🎭

We had our orchestra dress last night and we getting ready for our final dress/student matinee this afternoon.

Our “Merry Widow”, , is also taking over our Insta. Follow along on our stories!

Tickets available 🎟️: Link in bio - https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-merry-widow-tickets-244678

Show info:
Feb 13 & 14, 2026
Eva O. Howard Theatre at the

🎥:ASM Christina O'Dell view
📷: view
🎥: stage left view
📷: ASM view from the catwalk

yegopera yegmusic yegculture yegtheatre🎭

More of our production team!

Christina O'Dell, Assistant Stage Manager
Christina lives a true double life: Speech-Language Pathologist by day, and theatre maven by night. An alum of Victoria School, veteran of the Edmonton Opera Chorus, and PGTO co-founder, she is thrilled to be bringing her passion backstage for this incredible run. From the brassy heights of Reno Sweeney to the comedic charm of Janet van de Graaff, Christina has lived a thousand lives on stage—and now she’s ensuring the magic happens from behind the scenes. Outside the theatre, she’s a literal high-flyer, known for disappearing up mountains just for the sake of a high altitude snack.

Markiyan Fedyna, Assistant Stage Manager
[In a horrible French accent]
Behold Markiyan Fedyna! Ze master of ze verticalité! Wiz fingers like iron talons and a heart full of passion, he conquers ze peaks like a brave mountain goat. He defies ze gravity for ze glory! C'est magnifique! Markiyan climbs until he touches ze stars! Allez!

Nico Van Der Kley, Technical Director Victoria School of the Arts, Lighting Designer & Operator

Betty Kolodziej, Costume Designer
While earning her opera degree at the University of Alberta, Betty discovered a lifelong passion for costuming. Over several decades, she has designed and built costumes for organizations like Opera Nuova, Edmonton Musical Theater, and Concordia University. A 38-year member of the Edmonton Opera chorus, Betty now enjoys semi-retirement. When not traveling or enjoying fine food, she stays busy renovating a 1948 home.

Tim Lo, Production Manager, Marketing (& Ensemble)
Tim is happily alternating between onstage and backstage roles, and both in this show! He’s happy to have been part of the first PGTO production and back with the PGTO family. He’s the silent “lo” in Con-”lo”-witz Productions () and he dabbles in a bit of everything - producing, acting, singing, stage managing, directing, marketing - just to name a few. He’s also worked with , , and . Thanks to this amazing theatre family! Enjoy this slice of gay “Paree”! Tweetstagram:

We wouldn't be anywhere without our amazing production team! Led by

Brian Deedrick, Director
Brian has directed well over a hundred productions of operas, operettas, plays and musicals all over heck's half-acre (this is a school, after all), and while most of them have been across Canada and many US states, there have been occasional forays as far afield as Israel, Italy and Germany. With all that traveling, what a treat it is for him to work with these lovely buncha coconuts in his home city, Edmonton. ENJOY!

Kimberley McMann (BMus DAL, MMus UofA), Conductor
Kimberley is a sought after conductor, singer, teacher, clinician, and adjudicator based in Edmonton, AB.
She is currently the Artistic Director of Piatta Forma Singers and is so excited to have made a full circle journey with Pop Goes the Opera- from the role of Lola in their first fringe production in 2016, to conductor of their first main stage production! Toi toi toi everyone!

Ariane Maisonneuve, Répétiteur
Hailing from Alberta’s Smoky River Region, Ariane is a versatile accompanist, teacher, and arranger. Highlights of her 2024/25 season include Latin American recitals, 8-hand piano performances at the APTA Conference, and premiering her own compositions. A frequent collaborator, Ariane currently serves as rehearsal pianist and chorus master for her third PGTO production, alongside her work as an adjudicator and arranger.

Katie Hayes, Lead Choreographer
Katie is thrilled to be choreographing for The Merry Widow! Previous choreography includes Honk!, Avenue Q, A Grand Night for Singing, Kiss Me Kate, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Little Women with Foote in the Door Productions. Katie has taught with Edmonton Community Dance since 2005, using dance to enrich stories and build community.

Jen Magel, Stage Manager
Jen is thrilled to be working on her first show with Pop Goes the Opera! On most days you can find Jen at Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre as the TD or with her family playing board games, building LEGO and singing show tunes. Thank you to this amazing cast and crew for their hard work and dedication! And a big thanks to my family for letting me play in theatre. Enjoy the show!

Meet the strings and percussion!

Serena Sullivan - Violin 1
Serena is violin teacher and performer from Edmonton. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music at the University of Alberta.

Samantha Carwell - Violin 2
Samantha Cardwell is an Edmonton-based violinist from Ontario. She holds ARCT diplomas in violin and piano and is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at the University of Alberta. She plays in multiple orchestras and is deeply passionate about collaborative music-making.

Regis Yuen - Viola
Regis Yuen (he/they) is a violist, violinist, and aspiring conductor currently studying at the University of Alberta. This is their first true opera/operetta experience in the pit, and he’s excited to be a part of this production!

Conrad Sobieraj - Cello
Edmonton-born cellist, composer, and educator Conrad Sobieraj began his journey at age four. He holds a Bachelor’s from the University of Alberta and a Master’s from McGill University, where he studied under Matt Haimovitz. As a versatile collaborator, Conrad has performed with the Vertex String Quartet, recorded for Rare Americans, and worked with electronic artist Noo Jii. Deeply committed to the local scene, he organizes community concerts and teaches cello and improvisation at the Society for Talent Education. Outside of his professional life, he spends his time composing, improvising, and painting.

Keith Erb - Percussion
Former Vic Comp student in 1969. I got older and now are very active in music and acting. I play drums , flute and sing. I act for UofA clinical health training and exams area.

Show info:
Feb 13 & 14, 2026
Eva O. Howard Theatre at the
🎟️: Link in bio - https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-merry-widow-tickets-244678
🎭

We're so excited to meet and sing with our chamber ensemble tomorrw at our sitzprobe!

Meet the woodwinds and brass.

Jennifer Gregory - Flute
Originally from Ontario, Jennifer Gregory studied flute through high school, earning music degrees from Western University and the University of Alberta. She works in emergency management while performing in Edmonton ensembles and community theatre, like Into the Woods and Beauty and the Beast.

Angela Parker - Clarinet
Anj plays clarinet with the Royal Canadian Artillery Band and has been performing in the pit for a variety of companies since 2017. When not playing music, she loves eating good food, hanging out at home with her partner and fur family and planning her next trip. Enjoy the show!

Lyndsey Cohen - Bassoon
Lyndsey taught herself to play the clarinet when she was 5 years old. Since then she has learned to play all the woodwind instruments. Lyndsey is an in demand woodwind doubler who plays multiple instruments in many different groups and theatre companies in and around Edmonton.

Maria Rosvick - Horn
Maria is a lifelong musician who has been playing in pit bands for over ten years, for productions such as Into the Woods, Pirates of Penzance, and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. When she's not playing her French horn, she spends her days repairing wind instruments at St John's Music, where she works as a band instrument repair technician.

Nancy Stepney - Trumpet
​Nancy Stepney is a trumpet player and teacher who holds a BMus from the University of Alberta. Her greatest joy in life is sharing music, whether through performance or education. She is pleased to join the orchestra for The Merry Widow, supported by her most demanding teachers: her four children.

Donald Heitzman - Trombone
Local business owner, proud member of the St Albert Community Band and veteran of 15 different musicals and local productions, including Miracle on 34th Street, Guys and Dolls, and Amelie.

Show info:
Feb 13 & 14, 2026
Eva O. Howard Theatre at the
🎟️: Link in bio - https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-merry-widow-tickets-244678