Press & Praise

Accolades

WINNER Best Play, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
WINNER Best Touring Show, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
WINNER Carson Walliser - Best Costume Design, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
WINNER Best of Venue, Mill’s Hardware
NOMINEE Jane Neumier - Best Actress in a Play or Musical, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
NOMINEE Angeline Lypka - Best Actress in a Play or Musical, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
NOMINEE Robyn Sanderson - Best Actress in a Play or Musical, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
NOMINEE Gabrielle Dufresne - Best Actress in a Play or Musical, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
NOMINEE Erin Johansen - Best Actress in a Play or Musical, BroadwayWorld Awards (Edmonton)
NOMINEE Angeline Lypka & Robyn Sanderson - Creative Spirit Award, Queen City Pride

Love, Loss and What I Wore

WINNER Landon Walliser - The Regina Artist Award, Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts
HONOUREE Be Kind Rewind Productions - Celebrated Arts Organization, Arts of Celebration by SK Arts
NOMINEE Outstanding Touring Production or Presentation , Saskatoon and Area Theatre Awards

“Annette is a Bimbo!”

Reviews & Praise

Love, Loss and What I Wore

“Annette is a Bimbo!”

by Nicole Hicks-Wedge | July 4, 2017 | Regina, SK
Atop white suitcases (one pink) from varying eras, sits 6 women. Each wearing a different vibrant color and each ready to unload a little baggage. What weaves each of their stories together? Clothing. I absolutely adored this production! The cast of 6 women were hilarious, eloquent, meaningful and poignant. Every cast member had standout moments. My favorite being I Hate My Purse. There was a slight disconnect with the dialogue in The Gang Sweater, but I was touched by Bathrobe, Fat/Thin, Shoes and even shed a tear during Brides.
The Clotheslines were fantastic! I constantly found myself laughing out loud with every celebration or lament I connected with. My only suggestion would be to time the line deliveries with the audiences laughter a tad more, so we don't miss any tasty dialogue. Love, Loss and What I Wore is a delightful and contemplative love letter to our garments and the memories they carry. Add this show to your "must see" fringe list.
by Marianne Daly | July 25, 2018 | Hamilton, ON
Five women confidently stride onto the stage with their suitcases. Each one takes her spot and thus begins a colourful kaleidoscope of characters and stories about women and about clothes. From that first moment, I was very impressed at how precisely and gracefully the women move about the stage.
[…] I loved the use of white items to represent clothes remembered. […] All the shifts in topics, characters and extensive use of costume props were perfectly choreographed and executed. Well-chosen music punctuated many of the scenes and set the tone. […]
The audience thoroughly enjoyed this show. It was a delightful feeling to join in the spontaneous laughter of light-hearted, communal self-deprecating humour. Favourite scenes like the purse and wearing black drew collective nods, giggles and sighs. Kudos to the Women's Company of Regina for this wonderful show.
A portion of profits from this show will be donated to support Hamilton Interval House. Thank you for that!
by Maxie Dara | July 26, 2018 | Hamilton, ON
Clothing is a funny thing. Once you strip it off, there's a naked vulnerability hidden just beneath. And as with the fashion that sits at the centre of Love, Loss, and What I Wore, once you look past the dresses and boots, there's a whole other layer full of revealing truths about both the play's characters and everyday life. The Nora Ephron-penned, Women's Company of Regina-produced play explores everything from love and illness to weight struggles and mother-daughter relationships through a series of sketches and monologues performed by six actresses, who share all the major roles between them.
[…] the stories presented are witty or heartfelt in their turn, and staging is clever, with suitcase set pieces and cos-tumes-turned-stage-curtains. Jane Neumier shone in each of her roles, and Erin Johansen has great comedic deliveries and touching emotional scenes […]
“Unforgetable, brilliant...a collective performance of love and true loss...every emotion was believable...every moment one you will remember as if you were in it...what a ride this is to experience!!!” - Larry Kowalchuk
“This show is so entertaining, it just flew by -- I wasn't ready for it to be over when the applause started!” - Kay Klopstock
“Loved this!! […] you need to see this show.” - Samantha Ecarnot
“Cast and crew: thank you for a wonderful show, which I saw this afternoon. I was thoroughly entertained. Actors, I thought each of you was at times very funny, at other times very moving, and at all times very truthful. Bravo. I also admired the creative stage business and the perfect costumes, so kudos to the director and designer. It was an outstanding production in all aspects.” - Greg Digout
“truly enjoyed it. Wonderful acting, great stage presence... loved the costume! Thank for such a fabulous performance!” - Nadine Bouchardon
“We drove down to Regina to catch the last performance of this play at the Fringe. Well-paced, funny and poignant, it was well worth the trip. A strong cast of women with very distinct personalities and back-stories made us laugh, and sometimes cry, as they shared their memories about clothes. Even the men in the audience could relate to their experiences. Thanks to all involved in bringing this production to the stage.” - Verna Gallen
“Perfectly cast and designed… just beautiful.”
“★★★★★” - EdmontonFringe.ca Reader Rating (Based on over 100 Reviews)
“There were so many moments of comedy, and if you think this show is only about fashion, think again! It’s about relationships between women, between men and women, and clothing is only used as a device. A stellar cast pulls it all together in a charming, fun, relatable way. This is one of those ninety minute Fringe shows that goes by in what feels like less than an hour. ” - Kyle
“The play is sensitively written, extremely well-performed, and was enjoyed with wholehearted enthusiasm by the audience. There was not as single false moment.” - Brian
“This is a beautiful, touching performance of a thoughtful, well constructed play. It’s unifying theme is the love/hate relationship between women and their clothes but, as a middle-aged guy, I found it spoke to me profoundly. 127 viewer five star reviews tells you what you need to know about this show.” - Eric
“A beautiful, heart-warming play; authentic performances from all the actors. This is a top-notch, professionally done production. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to give each actor a hug. Go see this play if you haven’t already. You won’t be disappointed.” - Jenny
“Go check out the great shows at this year’s Fringe. Last night I watched two fantastic shows. Funny, poignant and with a great message behind them: The one pictured, Love, Loss and What I Wore will have you laughing, crying and nodding in recognition. And you’ll learn how to draw yourself!” - Natasha
“A wonderful cast tells an amazing story of love and relationships we as women have with men, women and our clothes. Amazing show.” - Levi

“Carson Walliser is a marvel as Annette. It’s an astonishing performance in a company of wonderful big hearted characters. The whole company is a delight. Landon Walliser keeps the company engaged in the material with fine, playful staging and an authentic connection to the themes in the play.” - Jennifer Brewin | Artistic Director, Globe Theatre
“I loved this show’s unapologetic joy. It was a contagiously Prideful show-and-tell for Queer culture, a celebration with just enough lament to bring out both essential flavours. The deliberate campiness, lovingly and energetically embraced by the ensemble, was impossible to resist from the moment I walked into the performance space. Carson Walliser was both mesmerizing and poignant as Annette, elevating an already brightly lit piece of theatre to sheer incandescence. For all of its apparent camp, “Annette Is a Bimbo!” is an important work, not because it cries out for a more compassionate and inclusive world, but because it dares to assume we’re already and irrevocably headed in that direction.” - Mark Claxton | Executive Director, Saskatchewan Association of Theatre Professionals
““Annette is a Bimbo!” delivers a powerful reflection on the complex journey of Queer adolescence, unmasking the raw and messy aspects of those formative years in an ideal world of unapologetic Queer joy. Through its respectful portrayal of consent, growth, and the exploration of Queer pop culture, the play offers an empowering and celebratory experience that invites audiences to embrace their own confidence and authenticity.” - Carla Harris | Artist & Activist
“Although the cast is relatively large, the characters are fully realized individuals. The play doesn’t rely on types; the characters are unique and particular but still somehow familiar, like friends. Every one of them is helped by the magical “Teen Idol” aspirant Annette – and every one of them helps / supports her in turn as she comes to her own realization that social constructions and expectations have injured and limited her as well. The dialogue is funny, the humour gentle and kind. “Annette is a Bimbo!” is positive, hopeful, welcoming, safe – and above all, very, very joyful.” - Leanne Groeneveld | Dramaturge & Scholar
“I loved this play! What's not to like about a musical that focuses on a magical drag queen who pops into a teen sleepover and helps them with their problems in recognizing and embracing their youthful Queerness? This piece is so unabashedly joyful and gets at the heart of teenagehood, yet within a Queer context, and takes itself seriously by not taking itself too seriously. It's on the nose in a self-aware way and really centres Queer joy in a refreshing fashion. The piece is so much fun!” - Juror | Wildfire Playwriting Competition
“I’m so obsessed!” - Carla
“Annette! Annette! Annette!”
“So much fun - and so sweet, too. Being a teenager is hard. This show helps.” - Sarah
“Fabulous!” - Carmelle
“It’s F****** Good!” - Calic
“My heart feels so full!” - Keely
“BEST Sleepover Ever!” - Charlie
“So much fun! […] Brilliant, wise, poignant, and laugh out loud funny!” - Patricia
“I’ve never seen something like this. […] This show, and this cast, made something magical!” - Julia
“Ya'll need to get tickets now!”
“Y’all seriously need to see this show.” - Jessica
“An exuberant extravaganza!” - Kathleen Irwin
“I needed this.” - Carla
“It’s so stupid! (Complimentary)” - Brendan
“SCREAMING”
“OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH”
“Literally so amazing.”
“Phenomenal!” - Jennifer
“Last night we saw “Annette is a Bimbo!” at U of R through On Cue Regina. If you remember your teen years, and you felt different from everyone, you could probably relate.” - Carmelle
“[T]his show was great. It’s called “Annette is a Bimbo!” and it tugs at all your gay heart strings and delivers on them. The comedy so good I was laughing constantly through out the show. […] an amazing show to see. If you didn’t see it you missed out on greatness.”
“We saw this live performance in Regina in our PJ’s. It is a great show for ages 12 -90. I loved the music, the lyrics, the costumes, the humour, the style, and especially the story. This Heartwarming play is full of wisdom, guidance & acceptance in a teenagers world.” - Val
“This show was such a delightful surprise. Like I knew I would have fun, I knew it was good, I heard rave reviews from people I trust. But it is so nice to be surprised by something where you want to buy all the merch, you want to buy the soundtrack, you want to buy anything that is affiliated with this production. What the cast and crew have done with this: chef’s kiss. I am so energized walking out of that and I can’t stop thinking about it. […] Everything about “Annette is a Bimbo!”, from the casting, the direction, from all the wonderful people behind the scenes in tech, it is just magnificent. […] I’m hoping to go to Pride. If I can’t, “Annette is a Bimbo!” was my Pride Parade. Thank you to the Cast and crew, to The Women’s Company. This play is fantastic. If you guys just want fun theatre: there’s music, there’s dancing, there’s laughing, it’s funny, there’s great characters, go see it tomorrow. It’s just a wonderful, wonderful show. And it’s made me so happy.” - Ezekiel McAdams, Reviewer
“So beautiful and fun and literally perfect. 12/10 l laughed I cried I was absolutely delighted!” - Janna
“This show changed me.” - Jen
“I need everyone to go see this show I am actually fully obsessed. Like I will never recover from how perfect this show is. This whole f****** show is just inclusion and identity and I can't sing its praises enough.”
“Go see it!!!”
“I just saw the perfect show for pride month, and I suggest everyone go see it at the Persephone!! "Annette is a Bimbo!" is the best (and gayest) show playing in Saskatoon! I'm so glad I got to see it! I laughed, I cried, it moved me: 10/10 no notes”
“This is my new hyper focus. Go see it.”
“Had me feeling all the feels!!!! So fun and heartwarming!!!” - Robin
“Lots of laughs, great music, great talent, great message, & awesome dance moves! If you don't have tickets, what are you waiting for?”
“Please please please watch this show!! “Annette is a Bimbo!” y’all are absolutely phenomenal!” - P
“AMAZING!! Annette Funicello was among my favorite childhood pre-teen idols. The writing and messaging of this production stole my heart over and over!” - Tammy
“Y'all, go see this show. It was an absolute delight! I had a smile plastered on my face for a full two and a half hours!” - Braden
“[A] queer teen fever dream! (with an incredible soundtrack). Congrats to all who poured their whole hearts into this piece.” - Liz
“This show is so joyful and heartfelt! If you've got the time you should definitely check it out!” - Abbey
“What an incredible show! Go see it! Seriously!”
“I saw this show on Friday and I laughed so hard during the first act that it triggered an asthma attack and I had to use my inhaler mid show. EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO SEE IT. I am obsessed and definitely going again!!!” - Tessa
“The show blew my mind. Seriously it was so unbelievable.”
“This was so good. Light and deep at the same time.” - Sandy
“It was a great show!” - Bev
“Fantastic music & great performance.” - Penny
“I loved this show!” - Gabrielle
“This is a fantastic show! I saw it in Regina and I highly recommend it!” - Lynn
“Great show, great message, great music and lots of fun!” - Yvonne
“Such a beautiful show” - Kylen
“Do NOT, I mean, do not miss this one! This play is a perfect addition to all your Pride month activities. The story is one laugh after another and gets you in the feels.” - Garnet
“This production absolutely NAILED the nostalgic magic! Annette was my childhood idol too - that perfect mix of innocence and charm. Every line, every musical number hit me right in the feels!” - Dean
“Please go see this show! It is super queer. It made me laugh and cry so much.” - Craig
“What an incredible show last night!!!
My friends and I were blown away by all the emotions it stirred up. I knew it would be fun and entertaining, but there were some really poignant moments that caught me off guard - in the best way!” - Ericka
“It made us laugh and cry. Queer power and excellence on stage”
“Trust me it is the best stage show you will see this year! Truly incredible”
“Everyone was so blown away and fricking LOVED it. I want Annette to play 500 more times.”
“All the hot girls are watching “Annette is a Bimbo!””
“We had such a good time, and our faces were hurting from smiling and laughing so much throughout the show, and then simultaneously trying to hold back tears from the heartfelt moments. The queer joy that was that show was wonderful to experience and that was the only pride related activity the four of us did and what a fucking amazing way to celebrate. […] the whole cast were phenomenal. [T]he characters all felt like real people that we would know. It felt like the sleepover maybe not all queer people got to have. We saw ourselves and our friends within the show. You made us all want to be on the stage with you. Cannot express enough words to how much we enjoyed the performance. It was such a treat.” - Ryan