ON THE AIR
by Ephraim Ellis
January 9-31, 2026
Directed by Abby Craig & Jennifer Monteith
Producers: Bridget Jankowski & John Acuna
Tickets are now available for ON THE AIR. To find out how to reserve them or buy them online, please click on image below. . . . . (Sorry, tickets for Sunday, January 18 at 2:00 pm are SOLD OUT.)
Annotated show schedule for ON THE AIR:
OUR BRILLIANT CAST (left to right):
Kayne Wylie as Matt Gibson
Monica Horsburgh as Alice Kerwin
Mike Ferens as Buck Everett
Mesha Morgan as Courtney Collins
David Borwick as Arthur Gibson
Rehearsal photos below. . . .
About the play:
CJLN ‘The Loon’ is the fourth most popular local radio station in Northlamburton county, and it has only one problem… no one is listening.
Station manager Alice Kerwin has her hands full dealing with the local arts council, insubordinate interns, and egotistical DJs – but she really has her work cut out for her when Matt, the former station manager’s son, returns to town with a plan to revitalize the station for the modern era… and change everything.
Will Matt be able to help Alice drag ‘The Loon’ kicking and screaming into the 21st century without losing what makes it a charming and quirky local broadcaster? Will Matt be able to reconcile with his estranged uncle Art, ‘The Loon’s’ biggest donor (and loudest DJ)? And will Matt and Alice finally admit they’ve had a crush on each other since high school?
On The Air is a comedy about family, ambition, rock and roll, and dreams pursued in the unlikeliest of places.
“This new comedy by first-time playwright Ephraim Ellis is funny, engaging, and refreshing, and the audience is glad to tune in!”
~ Sookie Mei, Entertain This Thought
About Ephraim Ellis, the playwright:
Ephraim Ellis began as an actor; his first television role an eight episode arc during seasons three and four of Degrassi: The Next Generation, playing Rick Murray, the character who famously shot and paralyzed Drake’s character. After appearing on Degrassi, Ephraim appeared on varied television shows before landing a lead role in the Manitoba-based series Falcon Beach. His more recent acting career has seen him onstage in such Ontario theatres as the Lower Ossington Theatre, the Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover, Upper Canada Playhouse, and the Roseneath Theatre for Young Audiences.
On The Air is the first play Ellis has written. Originally rejected as a TV sitcom pilot, he carried on acting. “One day it occurred to me, quite suddenly, that my old pilot script had a cast of quirky off-beat characters, a quaint rural Canadian setting, plenty of jokes, and plenty of heart,” said Ellis, who realized that a little editing would make his story perfect for the stage. It had its world premiere at the Lighthouse Festival theates in Port Dover and Port Stanley in 2023. His second play, the adventure-comedy Bigfoot! was performed at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre in 2024.
About Abby Craig & Jennifer Monteith, the co-directors
Abby Craig is an Associate Producer at Yonge Street Theatricals. Her directing credits include The Smell of the Kill, Going Out Alone, and MacBeth at the University of Windsor, where she earned her BFA in Acting. She has appeared onstage in Portia’s Julius Caesar (Portia), The Antipodes (Dave), The Sweet Science of Bruising (Anna Lamb), and you may recognize her from last season’s Terror by Gaslight (Marilyn Norton) or changing sets in the half-light on Ripcord.
Jennifer Monteith is a multifaceted creator, and an active member in the Toronto theatre scene. For the Village Players, she directed The Book of Will (2024), and Murder Weapon (2019) and was a board member until 2021. You may have seen her on the Village stage in The Fighting Days (Chorus), Anybody for Murder (Mary Ticklewell), Lady Windermere’s Fan (Mrs. Erlynne) or An Ideal Husband (Lady Gertrude Chiltern). Jennifer has also produced, stage managed and created costumes, props, hair, set design and show photography for a variety of Village shows. Jennifer studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art [England] and during the day successfully pretends to be a banker.
Abby joined the Village Players as a shadow director on Jennifer’s Book of Will, and the two got along so well they decided to co-direct. They are so happy the Village Players chose them to direct On the Air.
Village Players 