That’s my boy! It’s the kind of proud declaration that sums up how Ottawa-based actor John Koensgen was feeling at the opening night party for Butcher, a Canadian thriller by playwright Nicolas Billon that’s got enough meat on it to keep things very interesting.
Koensgen shares the Great Canadian Theatre Company stage with his son, fellow actor Jonathan Koensgen, as well as Sean Devine and Samantha Madely (also the subject of parental pride, but we’ll revisit her in a moment).
From left, director Eric Coates with actors Sean Devine, Samantha Madely, John Koensgen and his son Jonathan Koensgen.
“I’ve experienced watching my son, in a very difficult part, grow over the process,” Koensgen told Around Town. The veteran actor said he tried to keep their relationship professional at work “but, tonight, I really felt proud to be his dad.”
Feeling that same emotion was retired broadcaster Steve Madely. He watched his daughter, Samantha, a former student of Canterbury High School, tackle her tough role. “I know how draining it has been for her, but she knows it’s an important piece of theatre,” said Madely. “I think she knows that theatre has a power to make people think about issues that sometimes we may want to turn away from.”
Actor Samantha Madely, one of the stars of the GCTC’s production of the Canadian play Butcher, seen at the opening night party on Thursday, March 3, 2016, with her dad, retired broadcaster Steve Madely, and her brother, Zachary.
The play is called Butcher but the reception afterward was served with a side of vegan; it was catered by Westboro vegetarian restaurant Pure Kitchen. The GCTC’s artistic director, Eric Coates, who directed the play, was seen mingling. So were the cast, crew, GCTC board members and well-known faces from Ottawa’s theatre community.
While the play was very well-received by the full-house audience, the most dramatic reaction was from arts enthusiast Jessica Ruano. Let’s just say that she got so “hooked” into the violent plot twists that she briefly fainted.
-
![Actor Samantha Madely, one of the stars of the GCTC's production of the Canadian play Butcher, seen at the opening night party on Thursday, March 3, 2016, with her dad, retired broadcaster Steve Madely, and her brother, Zachary.]()
Actor Samantha Madely, one of the stars of the GCTC's production of the Canadian play Butcher, seen at the opening night party on Thursday, March 3, 2016, with her dad, retired broadcaster Steve Madely, and her brother, Zachary.
-
![From left, Chris Ralph and John Muggleton, co-founders of The Acting Company for theatre education and performance, attended the opening night of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of Butcher, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre on Thursday, March 3, 2016.]()
From left, Chris Ralph and John Muggleton, co-founders of The Acting Company for theatre education and performance, attended the opening night of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of Butcher, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre on Thursday, March 3, 2016.
-
![From left, assistant director Gabrielle Lazarovitz at the opening night party of the GCTC's new play, Butcher, with Erin Clatney from DISH Catering and Sanjay Shah, president of ExecHealth. In case you're wondering, the women just happen to be wearing the same Ottawa Necklace pendant, named after its City of Ottawa shape.]()
From left, assistant director Gabrielle Lazarovitz at the opening night party of the GCTC's new play, Butcher, with Erin Clatney from DISH Catering and Sanjay Shah, president of ExecHealth. In case you're wondering, the women just happen to be wearing the same Ottawa Necklace pendant, named after its City of Ottawa shape.
-
![From left, director Eric Coates with actors Sean Devine, Samantha Madely, John Koensgen and his son Jonathan Koensgen.]()
From left, director Eric Coates with actors Sean Devine, Samantha Madely, John Koensgen and his son Jonathan Koensgen.
-
![From left, well-known Ottawa chef Michael Moffatt (Beckta, Gezellig, Play) was seen at the opening night on Thursday, March 3, 2016, of the GCTC's production of the Canadian play Butcher, along with Ottawa photographer Andrew Alexander and his wife, Amy Cunningham.]()
From left, well-known Ottawa chef Michael Moffatt (Beckta, Gezellig, Play) was seen at the opening night on Thursday, March 3, 2016, of the GCTC's production of the Canadian play Butcher, along with Ottawa photographer Andrew Alexander and his wife, Amy Cunningham.
-
![From left, cast member Jonathan Koensgen with his mom, Laurie Koensgen, brother Lucas Koensgen, and his dad, fellow cast member John Koensgen, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre on Thursday, March 3, 2016, for the opening night of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of the Canadian play Butcher.]()
From left, cast member Jonathan Koensgen with his mom, Laurie Koensgen, brother Lucas Koensgen, and his dad, fellow cast member John Koensgen, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre on Thursday, March 3, 2016, for the opening night of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of the Canadian play Butcher.
-
![Catriona Leger, co-artistic director of A Company of Fools, and Ottawa director Patrick Gauthier were in the audience for the opening night of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of the Canadian play Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016.]()
Catriona Leger, co-artistic director of A Company of Fools, and Ottawa director Patrick Gauthier were in the audience for the opening night of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of the Canadian play Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016.
-
![From left, Magnetic North Theatre Festival artistic and executive director Brenda Leadley with Hugh Neilson, managing director of the Great Canadian Theatre Company, and its board vice-chair, Jeanne Inch, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre for the opening night of the GCTC's production of Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016.]()
From left, Magnetic North Theatre Festival artistic and executive director Brenda Leadley with Hugh Neilson, managing director of the Great Canadian Theatre Company, and its board vice-chair, Jeanne Inch, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre for the opening night of the GCTC's production of Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016.
-
![Great Canadian Theatre Company board member Kim Barnhardt with her husband, Dr. Kumanan Wilson, on Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the opening night of the GCTC's production of Butcher, which continues its run at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre until March 20.]()
Great Canadian Theatre Company board member Kim Barnhardt with her husband, Dr. Kumanan Wilson, on Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the opening night of the GCTC's production of Butcher, which continues its run at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre until March 20.
-
![John Kirkwood attended the opening night of the GCTC's production of the Canadian play Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016, with long-time friend Sheila Whyte, owner of Thyme & Again.]()
John Kirkwood attended the opening night of the GCTC's production of the Canadian play Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016, with long-time friend Sheila Whyte, owner of Thyme & Again.
-
![Great Canadian Theatre Company subscribers Jane Morris and Bob Hicks at the opening night of GCTC's production of Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre.]()
Great Canadian Theatre Company subscribers Jane Morris and Bob Hicks at the opening night of GCTC's production of Butcher, on Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre.
Carolyn001@sympatico.ca
