Lighthouse Festival unveils casting for 2025 summer season
iPhoto caption: A stock image of Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover.
The Lighthouse Festival has announced casting details for its 2025 summer season. A mix of returning favourites and new faces will appear in five productions across its two venues in Port Dover and Port Colborne.
“This year, we have an incredible lineup of plays, all guaranteed to bring joy, humour, and a sense of togetherness to our patrons,” wrote artistic director Jane Spence in a press release. “It’s a celebration of great stories and incredible talent, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience it all.”
Listed below is the full season lineup, including casting.
The New Canadian Curling Club
Written by Mark Crawford
Directed by Jane Spence
May 22 – June 8 in Port Dover, June 12 – 22 in Port Colborne
A misfit group of newcomers signs up for a “learn to curl” class taught by a reluctant, injured curler with something to prove. This heartfelt comedy explores identity, immigration, and what it means to be Canadian, on and off the ice.
Starring Frank Chung as Mike Chang, Mahsa Ershadifar as Fatima, Chiamaka Glory as Charmaine Bailey, John Jarvis as Stuart McPhail, and Andrew Prashad as Anoopjeet Singh.
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson
Directed by Andrew Scanlon
June 12 – 29 in Port Dover, July 3 – 13 in Port Colborne
A fast-paced spoof of the Sherlock classic, performed by three actors collectively playing 17 roles.
Starring Jonathan Ellul as Watson, Sweeney MacArthur as Jason (and others), and Andrew Scanlon as Javier/Sherlock.
“The type of person that is going to love this show,” quipped MacArthur, who juggles a dozen characters in this production, “is the type of person that uses a funny voice to talk to their pets at home, then uses a different funny voice to answer!”
Hidden Treasures
Two one-act plays by Norm Foster
Directed by Derek Ritschel
July 3 – 20 in Port Dover, July 24 – August 3 in Port Colborne
Presented as a single evening of theatre, this double bill features My Narrator and The Death of Me — two short comedies infused with Foster’s signature warmth and wit.
Starring Jennifer Dzialoszynski as Lacy/Cassie, Melanie Janzen as Barb/Angel, David Leyshon as Miles/John, and Stephen Sparks as Bob/Doctor.
Pinkerton Comes to Prospect (World premiere)
Written by Jamie Williams
Directed by Steven Gallagher
July 25 – August 10 in Port Dover, August 14 – 24 in Port Colborne
Developed during Lighthouse’s 2025 Play Development Festival, this Western-inspired comedy follows Herschel Pinkerton, a hapless newcomer who rides into the dusty town of Prospect and finds far more trouble than he bargained for.
Starring Ryan Bommarito as Herschel Penkerton, Matt Olver as Doc, Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski as Amos, Jessica Sherman as Tallahassee Trigger, and Evelyn Wiebe as Lacy.
Here on the Flight Path
Written by Norm Foster
Directed by Derek Ritschel
August 14 – 31 in Port Dover
John lives on a quiet balcony near the airport, where over the years he encounters three very different women next door. This Foster favourite is a tender, funny look at love, growth, and the connections we make along the way.
Starring Julia Dyan as Fay, Angel, and Gwen, as well as Reid Janisse as John.
Subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale at the company’s website. You can also check out its summer season preview video for more information.
Lighthouse Festival is an Intermission partner. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Krystal Abrigo
Krystal is Intermission's Publishing and Editorial Assistant. A Scarborough-based writer of Philippine and Egyptian descent, she graduated cum laude with an Honours BA in Professional Writing from York University, specializing in Book Publishing and Corporate/Organizational Communication. She enjoys reading bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and James Baldwin. At any given moment, you can probably find her at a concert or on a long walk somewhere in Toronto.
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