Rod Beattie
Walt Wingfield

A veteran of fifteen seasons with the Stratford Festival (most recently in Wingfield's Inferno in the 2005 season), Rod Beattie has become one of the most respected and versatile actors in Canadian theatre.

His extensive credits include radio, television, film and live performances across Canada; featured roles include Felix in The Odd Couple at the Saidye Bronfman Theatre, Montreal, Johnny Pateen Mike in The Cripple of Inishmaan at Theatre Calgary, Bill in The Lovelist and Greg in Sylvia at the Belfry Theatre, Victoria; John Proctor in The Crucible and Father Gustave in Blessings in Disguise at Manitoba Theatre Centre; the Professor in Oleanna at the Grand Theatre and the National Arts Centre (opposite Sandra Oh) and Andy Ladd in an Ontario tour of Love Letters (opposite Martha Henry).

Over the past eighteen years or so Rod's name has become synonymous with the Wingfield series which has brought him acting awards, rave reviews and sold out houses in Toronto, London, Stratford, Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Saint John, Fredericton and a host of smaller communities across Canada.

Rod and Walt made their American debuts to great acclaim at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in January, 1994. Rod is the winner of the 1991-92 Dora Mavor Moore Award (best performance by an actor in a leading role) for his performance in the first three Wingfield plays.

Dan Needles
Playwright

Dan spent half of his childhood in the city and half on the family farm at Rosemont, Ontario. After university, he went to work as editor of the local newspaper in Shelburne where he created the character of Walt Wingfield, the retired stockbroker turned farmer, who told about his adventures on the farm in a series of weekly letters to the editor.

In 1985, Dan drew from these columns to write his first play, Letter From Wingfield Farm. Wingfield's Progress followed in 1987, Wingfield's Folly in 1990, Wingfield Unbound in 1997, Wingfield On Ice in 2001 and Wingfield's Inferno in 2005.

Dan writes columns for two publications these days, Petunia Valley Sideroad for Country Guide Magazine and True Confessions from the Ninth Concession for Harrowsmith Country Life. He's also the winner of the 2003 Leacock Medal for Humour for his book, With Axe and Flask, The History of Persephone Township from Pre-Cambrian Times to the Present.

Dan's latest book, a novelization of Wingfield plays four, five and six, entitled Wingfield's Hope, and its companion volume, a book version of the first three Wingfield plays, called Letters From Wingfield Farm, were short-listed for the Leacock Medal in 1989 and 2005 respectively. Dan's seven character play, The Perils of Persephone, premiered at The Blyth Festival in 1989.