You're Invited To The Best Slumber Party Ever!

You're Invited To The Best Slumber Party Ever!

“Annette is a Bimbo!”

May 25 - June 2, 2023 | The Shu-Box, Riddell Centre

Presented as Part of RISER Regina 2023

Nancy Parker and her friends are all experiencing a bit of a crisis. Whether it be crushes, or not fitting in, or worries about the future, they are all desperately trying to find themselves and, in their opinion, failing miserably at it.

On the night of Nancy’s 16th birthday, she receives an (unbeknownst to her) magical record, and accidentally summons Annette, a magical drag queen. Annette has made it her job to help teens in distress, and she can’t leave until she has put all their troubles right. Throughout the night, Annette and her friends learn to push back against the patriarchy and break free from the labels and expectations that society has placed upon them.

Part pyjama party, part drag show, and part record hop, “Annette is a Bimbo!” is a campy musical guide to youth and romance for everyone who got picked up early, who lied about their crush, or who never got invited. Welcome to the best slumber party ever!

We are grateful for the support of Canada Council for the Arts & SK Arts.

RISER is supported by the Government of Canada, RBC Foundation, and a community of Senior Partners. RISER Regina is presented by On Cue Performance Hub & Why Not Theatre.

Reviews

“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. [The Director] 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 Pride-ful 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 & Community 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

Showtimes

  • Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 7:30pm

  • Friday, May 26, 2023 at 7:30pm

  • Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 7:30pm

  • Monday, May 29, 2023 at 2:00pm

  • Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 7:30pm

  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 7:30pm

  • Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 7:30pm

  • Friday, June 2, 2023 at 7:30pm

Cast

Annette……………………Carson Walliser

Nancy……………………Angeline Lypka

Hayley……………………Rachel Walliser

Julia…………………….Julianne Biegler

Annie……………………Megan Holt

Bobby……………………Kevin Nguyen

Barbara……………………Jane Neumier

Walt……………………George Grassick

Creative Team

Playwright……………………Carson Walliser

Director……………………Landon Walliser

Stage Manager……………………Kahlan Oosterveld

Dramaturge……………………Leanne Groeneveld

Costume Designers……………………Carson Walliser

……………………Des’ree Gray

Set Designer……………………Carson Walliser

Lighting Designer……………………William Hales

Sound Designer……………………Kahlan Oosterveld

Intimacy Director……………………Rachel Walliser

Dance Captain…………………….Julianne Biegler

Music

Thank You to Our Sponsors & Supporters

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The Man in the Brown Suit

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"Annette is a Bimbo!" On Tour