The Cast
MARK FRIEBE - Co-Owner / Performer
Markus's career began almost 15 years ago as a bartender in a small dinner theatre in Vernon, B.C. One night, one of the male leads failed to show up for the performance, and the owner of the dinner theatre said to Markus, "Here are the costumes, here's the script, you're on in ten minutes!" He hasn't left the stage since. Markus became an icon, and perhaps the most integral member to ever grace the stage of that dinner theatre, elevating its success to a level unimagined by its founder, and now former owner, Marilyn "Maz" Gering. During his career, he has portrayed literally hundreds of hilarious characters ranging from a lonely poinsettia plant named Percy to The King of Rock and Roll himself. As well as being an unmatched performer, Markus’ understanding and execution of comedic timing is unbelievable. Markus's talents have been appreciated all across Canada, as he toured with "The Legends of Rock and Roll" as Elvis Presley to sold-out crowds everywhere. He frequently crosses the border into Alberta to perform at several different venues throughout the province, and has developed an enormously dedicated following there as well. Markus has also appeared on numerous television shows and commercials, but his first and foremost love is the stage. His most proud accomplishment, on an already long list, is the opening of The Giggle Dam Dinner Theatre - a long time dream that has finally come true!
SHEILA SHARMA - Co-Owner / Writer / Director / Performer
For anyone who has seen a Giggle Dam show, you might wonder what kind of warped brain could possibly come up with the outrageous and witty material performed on their DAM stage. Well, voila, here she is, the wacko herself. Sheila spent many years honing her psychosis in a myriad of roles and genres that range from singing blues & jazz in smoky pubs to sacrificing what was left of her sanity to the now defunct Maz & Me’s TM. She travelled B.C and Alberta performing in theatrical productions around the two provinces when she realized that the only way for a performer to have a steady gig is to create one for yourself. As an accomplished singer, actor, comedienne and the successful writer of hilarious parody & sketch material, Sheila decided that she would package up her skills and join forces with her true love, the lower mainland’s undeniable "King" of comedy, Mark Friebe - and alas, The Giggle Dam was born. Since their DAM opening in 2001, Sheila has written & directed some of the funniest politically incorrect musical comedy shows ever performed on a stage anywhere. She performed these shows with the DAM ensemble cast until March 2005, when the child in her uterus got tired of being bounced around every night. Now behind-the-scenes, she continues to write and direct the DAM shows, while she anxiously waits to see if her daughter has inherited the twisted traits passed on by herself and equally disturbed husband, Mark. Pray for this child, she’s doomed.
BRAD LOVELL - Performer / Promotions & Marketing
Brad Lovell has a long history of performing rock’n’roll. Fresh out of high school he hit the road fronting a myriad of big hair bands during the eighties. Moving to Vancouver in 1988 he fell into the fronting job for the local band ‘Metropolis’, a band that became highly sought after on the club circuit due to their musical prowess and comedic approach. After the ‘Metropolis’ era, Brad landed at a bizarre entertainment venue that lent itself to Brad’s spastic style of comedy and music performance. Years of screaming over a loud band had honed his voice to a perfect ”I gargle with razor blades” tone. Then somebody said “ You know...you got a kinda big nose, if you cut your hair you could probably do a pretty good Rod Stewart impersonation.” Desperate for a buck Brad cut his hair, shaved his face and pulled out all those old spandex outfits he’d been keeping in the garage and PRESTO...ROD ‘O’ RAMA! Brad looks forward to writing and producing a platinum album of his own material one day, however accepts the fact that his CD will most likely end up as a drink coaster on a ‘Trading Spaces’ episode. Until then he is very happy sitting on the edge of the comedy brink at the Giggle Dam and tries diligently to raise his 2 kids so they won’t be as weird as he is. Now, if he could just stop stealing his wife’s hairspray…
JON LUNDQUIST - Performer
"Jonman" was born and raised in the thriving metropolis of Enderby, BC. He began his musical/acting career at age 14 and has been one stage or another ever since. After graduating high school and criss-crossing the country with far too many musical acts to mention, he received a call from his high school buddy Markus Friebe asking him if he was ready for a real job. When Jon replied "Hell no!" Markus offered him the chance at a wonderful and rewarding career in musical theatre and the rest is history. In his spare time Jonman loves to write songs, play beer-league sports and remind his mother that he now makes his living doing what she used to give him shit for doing in school! His hero is Lem Motlow and he worships at Jonny's Church of Rock n Roll. Keep The Faith
Ashley Bishop – Performer
Ashley Bishop made her ground breaking acting debut in
a little musical entitled Fully Alive at Maplewood
Elementary. She played the role of ‘Ashley’, a role
that was written specifically for her because of her
captivating audition singing ‘I’m a Little Teapot’.
Quickly after the director said that she had to have
Ashley in the show even if there wasn’t a part there
for her. From then on the world only looked bright
for this young hopeful performer. She was soon playing
‘Pink Two’ a chorus kid in Joseph and the Amazing Techni-Colored
Dream Coat at the Ford Centre which opened the doors
to ‘Ensemble’ in Anything Goes. Ashley attended Capilano
College where her acting chops got a work out in such
roles as ‘The Butterfly’ in The Lion the Witch and
the Wardrobe, ‘Communist’ in The Measures Taken, and
part one of five of ‘The Yellow Brick Road’ in their
musical The Wiz. (That last role was a difficult one
as she was in gold lamé spandex and on a scooter the
entire show.) Now Ashley resides at the Giggledam Theatre
hob-knobbing with the best in their field and enjoying
every single second she gets. This is her very first
show with the Giggledam and to this she says: “This
looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship!”
Elicia MacKenzie - Performer
Elicia started her career at an early age by producing, directly & starring in her own musical extravaganzas. She held captive, a cast & audience at her family Christmas Celebrations with her spellbinding performances. Relatives still clamor to arrive for this annual event, now running in its 16th year.
Deciding to broaden her horizons beyond her living room, Elicia continued to perform at her every opportunity. Recently completing a 3 year Musical Theatre Program at Capilano College some of her credits include: Fern in “Charlotte’s Web, Cinderella in “Into the Woods”, Constance in “The Three Musketeers, & Evilene, the Wicked Witch of the West, in “The Wiz”.
Now performing at the Giggle Dam along with the questionable food and the constant heckling Elicia feels like she’s right back at home!
Michaela Scott - Performer
Michaela has always yearned to be in the spot light since
a young age, not even a toddler’s harness could hold
her back. She just recently graduated from the 3 year
Musical Theatre Diploma Program at Capilano College.
(Although according to Sheila and Mark you must FORGET
EVERYTHING taught in theatre school to survive at the
Dam) A Character actor to the core, Michaela has had
the opportunity to grace the stage as many different
characters ranging from a bratty child, to a raunchy
whore and even a uni-tard, helmet wearing porcupine.
She is absolutely delighted to be working at the Giggle
Dam as she never imagined someone would actually pay
her to run around in hideous outfits accosting random
strangers in the night. Sorry Mom and Dad…
EAMONN MORRIS - Keyboards
Eamonn started playing piano at age 4 under the tutelage of his father, the choirmaster of his pastoral village in rural Ireland. However when the lad began experimenting with strange chords unfamiliar to the pater familias, he was quickly packed off to the local nuns for a cure. After several years of ‘going for baroque’, and having his knuckles soundly rapped along the way, rock and roll came a knockin' and he began to worship at the altar of Jerry Lee Lewis and Floyd Kramer among others. Having played with some of Ireland’s biggest names in the folk and carbaret circuits, Eamonn came to Canada several years back with the Irish showband Killarney "for a six month tour". He has been kept busy ever since with long stints as arranger/ keyboardist at the likes of the Blarney Stone in Gastown and, later, the legendary Unicorn Pub. He also taught classical piano in Vancouver for several years and, along with his wife Cheryl Finn, he has written several educational works for piano students. Eamonn comes to Giggledam fortuitously having tripped over a shiny Giggledam flyer on his way to the pub, learned to play the entire Giggledam show in a week and then presented himself for work.
CLAYTON HILL - Drummer
Clayton comes to the Giggle Dam with a wealth of live playing experience. He has been touring the world since he was born and, aside from his Dam Drumming Gig, Clayton holds the esteemed position of being the drummer for Trooper, the legendary Canadian Rock Band. Amazingly he seems to know how to play every song ever written and also knows almost every musician on the face of the planet. Behind his even keel demeanor lurks a powerful player that can knock the paint finish off of any drum kit. It’s evident he loves what he does. Clayton is a songwriter and is constantly writing and recording new material, he loves to shoot videos and ‘people watch’ as he puts it. All in all he’s just a great guy who loves people. The ‘Dam’ is lucky to have him.
