Cast and Crew

Ken Gordon – Playwright / Nick

Ken wrote and performed in his first Fringe play Pulling Pints in 2015 at the Winnipeg Fringe. He followed that up with True Blue in 2018 which he wrote and produced. Last year he joined part of the ensemble cast of Leith Clark’s Staffroom, where he first worked with JBJ. The ideas behind Buying Bacon have been floating through Ken’s mind for the last few years, but it was after working with JBJ last summer that the concept of the show crystallized. Ken can also be seen on stage this year as Basil in Leith Clark’s Spice of Life at Venue 4. (Advanced tickets available here: Spice of Life Tickets)

John Bent Jr. – Technical Wizard / Chuck

John (JBJ) is delighted to be joining Ken onstage in his Magnus Opus Buying Bacon. Previously John was seen in last year’s Staffroom, and in 2010’s The Shadowy Waters both at the Winnipeg Fringe. John’s first role on stage was as a Carrot in Mrs. Drayton’s grade 4 class production of The Four Food Groups at St. Mary’s School for Troubled Boys. Later, in that same year, he appeared in The Nativity as the back half of a camel, to rave reviews from The Warden who said, “I’ve never seen such an amazing rendition of a dromedary hindquarters”. In 1999, John auditioned for a part in the film Battlefield Earth, but was beat out for the role by a rubber puppet. John has also been known to dabble in theatrical audio.

Denese Dwyer – Stage Manager

Denese joins her Buying Bacon mates as stage manager and is a cast mate with Ken in Spice of Life playing Rosemary. “I’ve been acting my whole life you know”. Places like the bathroom mirror, the living room in front of family and friends and even sometimes at her day job when she has to grin and bear it. When she’s not acting she’s intensely karaoke singing around town or again in her living room. This will be her first foray into Fringe and she’s enjoying it thus far. Hopefully they don’t fire me at the end of all this.

Review from Ken and John’s first appearance on stage together.

Staffroom (2023) “some standout performances carry the production. John Bent Jr. as the politically incorrect shop teacher, and Ken Gordon shine” – UMFM

Thank You!

Thank you to the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival and all of their crew behind the scenes who make this amazing event happen every summer.

Special thanks Johnny MacKenzie for his work on our t-shirt designs. If you want one of your own, or would like to check out some of his other work, you can do so at the following link: JohnnyMacK