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Manitoba Bar Association
Community Involvement
Public advocacy takes the form of regular meetings with government ministers and officials, submissions to legislative committees, interviews with the media, and participation in other forums, like the MBA's work on behalf of victims of motor vehicle injuries before the Manitoba Public Utilities Board.
In addition, the MBA has a long and award-winning association with the Manitoba Theatre Centre, which stages a professional production each year that features MBA members as a fundraiser. Other community groups have benefitted from the efforts of the MBA, such as the Winnipeg Boys and Girls Clubs and Habitat for Humanity. In 2006, MBA members participated in a Habitat for Humanity Adopt-a-day Build. Of course, the MBA is equally proud of its members who, on their own initiative, volunteer their time and skills to countless charities and community organizations throughout the province.
Manitoba Theatre Centre
Chicago
Notwithstanding the traditional stereotypes, I’m normally not a big fan of musical theatre. (I also could never understand the appeal of Liza Minelli). So I attended the opening night production of “Chicago” with more than a little trepidation. To be honest, I was expecting to be underwhelmed. I have to say that my preconceived notions were blown out of the water.
Now I always knew that the lawyers and law students and judges who take part in the cast of our annual MBA/MTC productions donate an incredible amount of their time and energy to making these plays a success. Musicals, however, not only require the actors to memorize lines. The ability to both sing and dance add additional layers of skill needed to successfully present this kind of production. Without exception, every cast member was amazing. However, I do want to acknowledge a few standout performances:
• The female leads, Nalini Reddy and Darcia Senft: You two possess so much talent that maybe you should reconsider your law careers and move to Broadway. Seriously, head-to-head, you would blow Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger out of the water.
• Mark O’Neill: If “Dancing with the Stars” ever comes to Canada, you would be the odds-on favourite!
• Jessica Cogan: Remarkably, you made the concept of being held captive in a women’s prison oddly appealing.
• Jeff Hirsch: As the lovable loser, you actually brought a tear to my eye…in a musical!
• The entire women’s chorus: You all deserve big bouquets for singing and dancing in front of a packed house of your peers, friends and families – in your underwear!
• Ron Meyers: very convincing as a gay tailor but somehow I just couldn’t believe him as a judge. (Kidding, your Honour!)
On behalf of the Manitoba Bar Association, thanks to Robb Paterson, Chuck McEwen, Rob Ring, Melinda Tallin and all the other great staff from MTC who somehow managed to turn a bunch of legal professionals into Broadway stars. Thanks PricewaterhouseCoopers who sponsor the play, to the reception sponsors (Hotel Fort Garry, Glutton’s, Pastry Castle, Bailey’s and Delta Winnipeg,) for their delicious food and Amphora Wine Distributors, the Yellowtail wine sponsor. Thank you to everyone who supported this very worthwhile fundraiser by making it the most successful MBA/MTC joint production ever – a record five sold out performances! Next year’s play will make it number 15. Don’t miss it!
Michael Law
President, Manitoba Bar Association
THE CAST:
Hayley Anderson - Cellblock Girl/Dancer
Kim Antonio - Liz/Dancer
Kathrine Basarab - Mama Con/Photographer
Melissa Burkett - Reporter
Jessica Cogan - Mama Morton
Lisa Cupples - Mama Con/Photographer
Kelly Curtis - Cellblock Girl/Dancer
Kirsty Elgert - Annie/DancerMelanie Enns, Reporter
Adrian Frost - Fred Casely/Reporter/Dancer
Cynthia Hiebert-Simkin - Mama Con/Photographer
Jeff Hirsch - Amos Hart
Joan Holmstrom - Mary Sunshine
Jamie Jurczak - Hunyak/Dancer
Michael Kay - Bailiff/Reporter/Dancer
Catherine Kelly - Reporter
Allison Kindle - June/Dancer
Rachel Margolis - Mona/Dancer
Candray Mehkary - Cellblock Girl/Dancer
Ron Meyers - Judge/Tailor/Reporter
Marika Nerbas - Reporter
Howard Nerman - Doctor/Reporter
Mark O’Neill - Billy Flynn
Nalini Reddy - Velma Kelly
Margaret Redmond - Go-To-Hell Kitty/Dancer
Brad Regehr - Sergeant Fogarty/Reporter
Dean Richert - Martin Harrison/Reporter/Dancer
Evan Roitenberg - Aaron/Reporter/Dancer
Steve Scarfone - Harry/Reporter/Dancer
Darcia Senft - Roxie Hart
Priti Shah - Cellblock Girl/Dancer
Marla Shragge - Reporter
Richard Smith - Foreman/Reporter/Dancer
Lisa Stiver - Cellblock Girl/Dancer
Mark Toews - MC
Amanda Wallack - Cellblock Girl/Dancer
A Midsummer Night's Dream
All of us contribute to community activities and fundraisers in one way or another. The main community profile event for the MBA is the MTC production. This year the cast was asked to take on a challenging play – a Midsummer Night’s Dream. Doing Shakespeare is not as easy as they made it seem. Some of the actors had to ramp up the already incredible amount of hours spent memorizing their lines in order to ensure that speaking this archaic English seemed entirely natural. Merci, thank you for your dedication.
I would also like to thank Steve Schipper for his vision and patience. Productions such as this one are not successful without the support volunteers and MTC staff, including Nick Kowalchuk, Melinda Tallin and Jessica Cranmer. They spent countless hours putting this production on for your entertainment and for a wonderful cause.
I also wish to recognize our generous sponsors Price Waterhouse Cooper, York the Hotel, Fort Garry Hotel, Delta Winnipeg and the wine sponsor Yellow Tail. My thanks also to our Executive Director, Stacy Nagle and her assistant Jadah Nerman and finally to the audience for its generous support.
The MBA is proud to be associated with MTC in this annual fundraising event which has now raised well over $500,000. Encore une fois, merci pour votre appui pour le théâtre.
Antoine Hacault
President, Manitoba Bar Association
THE CAST:
Hayley Anderson - Helena
Nunziata Ardita - Hermia
Gail Asper - Titania
Lawrie Cherniack - Philostrate
Jessica Cogan - First Fairy
Scott Farlinger - Oberon
Carolyn Frost - Fairy
Danny Gunn - Puck
John Harvie - Peter Quince
Sean Hicks - Francis Flute/Thisbe
Jeff Hirsch - Snug the Joiner/Lion
Catherine Kelly - Fairy
Robin Kersey - Robin Starveling/Moon
Jim McLandress - Tom Snout/Wall
Candray Mehkary - Fairy
Marika Nerbas - Fairy
Nalini Reddy - Hippolyta
Brad Regehr - Theseus
Steve Scarfone - Demetrius
Murray Sinclair - Nick Bottom
Lyle Smordin - Egeus
Mark Toews - Lysander
Inherit the Wind
This year marked the 12th year in which the Manitoba Bar Association has partnered with the Manitoba Theatre Centre in a community production, professionally directed and produced but cast with lawyer-volunteers, all in an effort to raise funds for MTC. Another $85,000 dollars was raised this year, for a total to date of some $665,000 dollars.
I hope that you took the opportunity to see this year’s play, Inherit the Wind, and that you enjoyed it as much as I did. It was the result of the hundreds of hours of dedicated volunteer effort on the part of MBA members.
On behalf of the Manitoba Bar Association, thank you to Steven Shipper, Robb Paterson, Nick Kowalchuk, the Board, the Community Play Committee and the staff of MTC. Warm thanks as well to those members of the Manitoba Bar Association who made up the cast of this production. Thank you to everyone who supported this very worthwhile event as sponsors (especially the hotels who provided the delicious fare for the after-theatre receptions) and to those who purchased tickets.
I have yet to have a single cast member fail to tell me, without any prompting, that they have taken more from the experience than they have given, notwithstanding all of the hard work and the time involved. Why not find out for yourself by answering next year’s casting call? Next year’s play will make it a baker’s dozen. Don’t miss it!
John Stefaniuk
President, Manitoba Bar Association
THE CAST:
Krista Boryskavich - Mrs. Blair
Jessica Cogan - Rachel Brown
Paul Cooper - Tom Davenport
Marcia Dzik - Mrs. McLain
Duncan Geisler - Reporter
John Harvie - Mayor
Sean Hicks - Meeker
Cynthia Hiebert-Simkin - Sarah Brady
Jeff Hirsch - Judge Brown
Jamie Jurczak - Mrs. Cooper
Mark Kantor - Bertram Cates
Robin Kersey - Bollinger/Harry Y. Esterbrook
James McLandress - Reverend Jeremiah Brown
Candray Mehkary - Mrs. Loomis
Ron Meyers - Elijah
Sabrina Montefiore - Mrs. Goodfellow
Lyndee Patterson - Melinda Loomis
Brad Regehr - Jesse Dunlap
Stephen Robertson - Howard Blair
Evan Roitenberg - E.K. Hornbeck
Priti Shah - Mrs. Krebs
Christopher Sigurdson - Bannister
Murray Sinclair - Henry Drummond
Lyle Smordin - Matthew Harrison Brady
Paul Taylor - Hot Dog Man
Mark Toews - Mr. Goodfellow
John Wooley - Sillers 
Cabaret
If you didn’t make it out to see Cabaret, let me echo what others have probably already told you… you missed out, big time! This year’s production of Cabaret, the 11th joint production of the Manitoba Bar Association and the Manitoba Theatre Centre, was a phenomenal production. Past shows have included five dramas (Twelve Angry Jurors, The Caine Mutiny, And Then There Were None, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and You Can’t Take it With You) and five musicals (Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, The Pajama Game, Grease and Little Shop of Horrors).
The production of Cabaret showcased the talent and dedication of many members of our legal profession to our community. On behalf of the Manitoba Bar Association, I would like to extend my appreciation to Robb Paterson, Nick Kowalchuk, the Board and the staff of MTC and the members of the Manitoba Bar Association making up the cast (and part of the crew) of this production, for their tremendous volunteer efforts.
The people that participated in the production put in hundreds of hours planning and rehearsing. These volunteers have sacrificed much of their professional and personal time in order to make this event a success and raise money for MTC, one of the jewels of our community. To each and every one of the talented MBA members who volunteered in this generous way, bravo! Your contribution has earned you the appreciation and gratitude of your professional association. As the president of the MBA, I thank you.
Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets and supported this very worthwhile fundraiser. This year’s production of Cabaret sold out, and sold out early! Don’t be left out in the cold next year. Get your tickets early… you won’t regret it.
FINAL NOTE: The production raised over $40,000, bringing the grand total to about $500,000 raised to date for the Manitoba Theatre Centre.
Veronica Jackson
President, Manitoba Bar Association
THE CAST:
Kim Antonio - Fritzie (Kit Kat Girl)
Gail Asper - Fraulein Kost
Vic Bargen - Ensemble
Anne Bolton - Lotte (The Band)
Krista Boryskavich - Prostitute #1
Lawrie Cherniack - Ensemble
Paul Cooper - Ernst Ludwig
Kirsty Elgert - Frenchie (Kit Kat Girl)
Scott Farlinger - Max
Cynthia Hiebert-Simkin - Fraulein Schneider
Jamie Jurczak - Helga (Kit Kat Girl)
Anne Gregory - Heidi (The Band)
Mark Kantor - Bobby (Kit Kat Boy)
Catherine Kelly - Lena (The Band)
Allison Kindle - Texas (Kit Kat Girl)
Bryan Klein - Herr Schultz
Lori LaBine - Prostitute #2
Rachel Margolis - Lulu (Kit Kat Girl)
Howard Nerman - Ensemble
Gerry S. Posner - Hans (Kit Kat Boy)
Dean Richert - Herman (Kit Kat Boy)
Ronan Reinart - Victor (Kit Kat Boy)
Darcia Senft - Sally Bowles
Priti Shah - Rosie (Kit Kat Girl)
Barb Shields - Frieda (The Band)
Mark Toews - Clifford Bradshaw
Richard Yaffe - Emcee
Habitat for Humanity
The MBA gets an A+ for Enthusiasm
On Friday, August 25th, 2006, approximately 20 members of the Manitoba Bar Association donned work boots, tool belts and safety goggles and put in a full day of hard labour to help build a home in Transcona for a needy family. Our workers arrived at 8:45am and received some basic training on the use of the tools and materials required for the day. Before work began, everyone was divided up into two groups; one putting up drywall and the other installing insulation and the vapor barrier.
Linda Peters, the volunteer services coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, described our group as “charming yet perfectionist”. Unusually for professional groups, the MBA members all showed up in proper work gear. Intelligent questions were asked and little time was wasted in getting started. What struck Ms Peters the most was the high quality of everyone’s workmanship. I suppose being picky about detail is a positive quality shared by both good lawyers and good home builders. If the MBA was being graded for our work, Ms Peters would give us “an A+ for enthusiasm”.
The members of the MBA who participated ranged from law students to senior practitioners. According to Ken Mandzuik of Taylor McCaffrey LLP, who was on the drywalling crew, his group worked well together and had the concept of “measure once, cut twice” perfected within minutes. Most importantly to Ken, everyone left the site “with all limbs intact”. Priti Shah of Praxis Consulting, who also helped on the drywall team, said “the build was an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the community while working side by side with colleagues. It was full of labour and laughter.” Another member of the crew, Ralph Neuman also from Taylor McCaffrey LLP, indicated that “A certain sense of satisfaction was obtained from the immediate results we got in transforming the rooms, something that we were not always able to achieve in our practice of law.”
Thank you to all the volunteers (Melanie Bueckert, Meghan Campbell, Kendra Goertzen, Antoine Hacault, Michael Jack, Karen Johnston, Ken Mandzuik, Kelly McGonigle, Kathy McIlroy, Ralph Neuman, Scott Newman, Priti Shah, Cory Shangreaux, Barbara Shields, Tracey Sterling, Delaney Vun, Kristen Wittman and Charlotte Young) who participated in this build.
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