Cast || Creative Team
Principals
Ashley Parker
(BURNIE)
Crossing Over marks Ashley’s 13th theatre production, as they move into the world of Film and TV acting. Ashley has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this special production, as they have a real fondness for original material. Ashley would like to thank their friends, family, and partner for their love and support. Enjoy the show!
Eddy Sweeney
(DAVID)
Eddy did not grow up in Peterborough, but he is grateful to be involved in this celebration of local history. Most recently, you might have seen Eddy playing Charlie in Mary’s Wedding (2025) or Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof (2024) with the Peterborough Theatre Guild, or as Sebastian in the Electric City Players’ production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (2025).
Kalla Tahon
(ELINOR)
Kalla is a Grade 11 student at St Peter’s Catholic School. Having discovered community theatre a few years ago, she has been in many productions with different groups around Peterborough, including four shows with the St James Players and a summer intensive show with the Theatre Arts Training Academy. She most recently appeared as Seitz in the St. Peter’s production of Newsies. She is thrilled to be a part of this production as it’s her first drama and her first lead role. She’s excited to share the character of Elinor Ryan with the audience. Anchors away!
Robyn Hawthorne
(ELIZABETH)
Robyn is thrilled to make her acting debut with Trent Valley Archives Theatre and help bring local history to life on stage. She has performed in numerous theatrical productions across the region, including Beauty and the Beast, Something Rotten! (Northumberland Players), Catch Me If You Can, The Drowsy Chaperone (Anne Shirley Theatre Company), Broadway and Beyond (Theatre Arts Training Academy), Matilda (Triple Threat Theatre), Shrek the Musical, and Mamma Mia (St. James Players). In addition to acting, she has contributed behind the scenes as a choreographer to shows including The Lightning Thief, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (ASTC), and Peter Pan (SJP), bringing creative energy to a wide range of productions. Robyn is excited to explore a new kind of storytelling with TVAT and hopes audiences enjoy this unique blend of theatre and history as much as she has.
Sianna Gaulton
(JOHANNA)
Making her acting debut, Sianna Gaulton plays Johanna Hagerty. Currently, she attends Grade 10 at Crestwood Secondary School. She is excited to be on stage for the first time with actors who can share their experience with her. Sianna hopes to audition for more roles in the future and expand her comfort level into other types of shows. Playing the parts of both a background actor and a main character is a challenge that she meets with grace and ease.
Hugh Foley
(KELEHER)
Crossing Over is a play that depicts the six weeks aboard one of Peter Robinson’s ships as Irish settlers head towards a new life in Upper Canada. In the play, Hugh portrays the character of John Keleher, a historical figure travelling on board the John Barry. By coincidence, some of his Foley ancestors were aboard the same vessel. Hugh has a great interest in the early history of Peterborough County. For the past decade, he has performed as the seanchai, or Gaelic storyteller, of Foley’s Irish Pub (Showplace Peterborough). He has also written two books about Irish short tales (some are even true!) that can be found on Amazon. He is looking forward to the play!
Abby Koshka.
(MARY)
Abby is excited to be a part of Crossing Over. A newcomer to Peterborough from Edmonton, this is her first time performing with Trent Valley Archives Theatre and her first time on stage since high school. Before moving to Peterborough, Abby was an arts administrator for three years at Citadel Theatre, an exciting milieu that allowed her to see some of Canada’s most acclaimed productions. Abby is currently attending Fleming College in the Cultural Heritage Conservation program.
Michael Ketemer
(MUSICIAN / MUSICAL DIRECTOR)
Returning for his second performance with Trent Valley Archives Theatre (Tide of Hope, 2024), Michael Ketemer is a talented and well-known Peterborough-based musician and musical director. He plays tunes from the lyrical to the lively in various folk traditions, as well as ragtime, classical, and everything in between. He is a multi-instrumentalist on fingerstyle guitar, hammered dulcimer, tin whistle, and concertina. Michael is excited to infuse Irish tunes from the last 200 years into the show. If you’re lucky, you may hear him singing along.
Nathan Govier
(PATRICK)
Returning from Trent Valley Archive Theatre’s show last year as Lord Kingston in Tide of Hope, Nathan Govier started doing theatre in Peterborough in the 1990s. He was a founding member of the MYOB comedy troupe, performing shows at the Union and the Gordon Best Theatres, including a sold-out election night MYOB comedy show during which he ran for Mayor of Peterborough. Nathan also appeared in several dance shows choreographed by local choreographer Wes “Scooter” Ryan. Since returning to Peterborough, Nathan has performed in Incident On Gun Mountain (2017) and Appropriate Audience Behaviour (2018), both Planet 12 Productions. Currently, he performs stand-up as #fixieG at Bar 379.
Lucas Pronk
(ROBINSON / MR. HAGERTY)
Lucas Pronk is an aspiring actor who began performing in theatre in 2018 and has been acting
ever since. He has previously worked with the Peterborough Theatre Guild, 4th Line Theatre, St. James Theatre, Anne Shirley Theatre Company, and Trent Valley Archives Theatre. This is Lucas’s second performance with Trent Valley Archives Theatre, continuing in his role as Peter Robinson in Tide of Hope (2024). Lucas acts professionally, with roles in various shows, including American Gods, Dark Side of the Cage, and in commercials for CIBC, Bell, and Tim Hortons. Outside of acting, Lucas enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons, hiking, biking, and skiing. He will be attending Trent University for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the fall of 2025.
Kaza Hesselink
(TIM)
Kaza is a first-year student in the Integrated Arts Program for Drama at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School. He performed the role of Officer Scott in Secrets Under The Stars (a Prom Night Mystery Fundraiser hosted by DarkHouse Events Co. in collaboration with Hospice Peterborough). He has participated in improv groups and is volunteering at Peterborough’s beloved Theatre Guild. He has experience working backstage, but prefers to stick close to the light. In his free time, he enjoys writing scripts and acting. Kaza hopes to attend the University of Toronto for its drama program or to study history. His goal is to be well-known in the acting community and to give it his all.
Chorus
Justin O’Brien
(CAPTAIN ROCHE)
Justin is happy to be boarding the John Barry as Captain Peter Roche in Crossing Over. He is relatively new to the local theatre scene, having only performed in the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s run of Dorothy in Wonderland (December 2025). Justin is honoured to help bring this unique production to life and hopes everyone enjoys the show! He would like to dedicate this performance to his Nonna and Nonno – two immigrants who also braved the unknown to start a new life in Canada.
Adrianna Malloy
(ELIZA YOUNG)
Adrianna is so excited to be part of this production as her first performance at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. She has usually acted in musicals, portraying the leading role of Katherine Plumber in SPCSS Newsies (February 2025), as well as shows with the Theatre Guild, including Annie (2022) and Fiddler on the Roof (2024). Having only been in one other non-musical show previously, 4th Line Theatre’s The Cavan Blazers (2023), she is looking forward to stepping out of her comfort zone and channelling her inner Irish immigrant. (Being a redhead with an Irish family name, this shouldn’t be too hard).
Zoe Shufelt
(FRANCIS YOUNG)
Zoe is thrilled to be playing the role of Francis Young in this production of Crossing Over. This is their second ever show, having first performed in St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School’s production of Newsies (February 2025). They also enjoy ushering at The Peterborough Theatre Guild and St. James Players. They are excited to continue working in community theatre and will be directing Clue at St. Peter’s early in 2026.
Lily Faulkner
(HONORA YOUNG)
Lily is very excited to be in this production of Crossing Over! The Adam Scott Intermediate student is delighted to be with a group of such amazing actors and be back on stage. Her most recent performance was a staged reading of Pugwash. Lily is veering away from her normal musicals, which are more fictional and otherworldly, and is doing something way out of her comfort zone by doing something more like historical fiction. She would like to thank her family for pushing her to do things that she once thought were impossible. Thanks for coming, enjoy the show!
Cathy Brand
(MRS. HAGERTY)
Being of Irish descent, Cathy is excited to be part of the Crossing Over commemorative event and have the opportunity to relive the experiences of her ancestors. Cathy has recently started performing on stage, appearing in the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of Fiddler on the Roof (2024). Cathy developed a love of acting while participating in a Toronto-based American Civil War reenactment group. She educates students and spectators about the 50,000 Canadians who participated in the American Civil War.
Elaine Day
(MRS. OWENS)
On stage, Elaine has performed in musicals, children’s musical variety shows, and dramas. Last year, she performed the role of the Descendant for Trent Valley Archives Theatre (Tide of Hope, 2024). True to life, Elaine is thrilled to be walking in her Heffernan ancestor’s boots, portraying a passenger on the same ocean voyage that her family took in 1825. Her ancestor, John Heffernan, was a poor gardener who came to Canada with Peter Robinson. Crossing Over includes Irish music that would be one of the few pleasures on the ship. Elaine can’t wait to be on stage singing with other cast members. As well as singing in choirs since she was a child, she is an artist and a regular performer at local open mic events in the area, singing favourites from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Elaine would like to thank all of the special people who have encouraged her to continue creating and embracing her inner artist.