The BEST RESTAURANT
IN THE WORLD.
EVER.
Written By Rick Dobran
Directed by Karen Hamm
Playing November 6-16, 2025 @ Jericho Arts Centre
THE BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD. EVER. OPENING SOON!
Written By Rick Dobran
Directed by Karen Hamm
Playing November 6-16, 2025 @ Jericho Arts Centre
As the Chef and Owner of the best restaurant in the world, ever, Joe should be on top of his game. Instead, he leads a troubled and haunted life. A fateful string of events leads Joe, his staff and clientele, into a night filled with love, loss and an unforgettable dining experience. A touching Comedy/Drama that will inspire you to take a new look at the world around you.
Rick Dobran - Joe/Playwright
Rick is an artist, actor, and award-winning writer based in Vancouver. His previous works include his solo show, Aunt Sylvie and the Touchstone Theatre produced Lisa Lisa. He first staged The Best Restaurant In The World. Ever. for the 2000 Vancouver Fringe Festival, where it received a Jessie award for Best New Play. Rick is a graduate of Studio 58 and a Jessie nominated actor. In addition to his work on stage and in film and television, he is an accomplished visual artist. Rick currently works as a professional tattoo artist in Vancouver.
Karen Hamm - Director
Originally from Winnipeg, Karen has Directed, Acted and Produced theatre for 35 years across Canada working every job imaginable from Walla Lead to Executive Director. Although she has worked with countless film and theatre companies, her greatest accomplishment was founding Hamm It Up Productions in Winnipeg and acting as its Artistic Director. In 1996, she began the Manitoba Regional Tournament of the Canadian National Improv Games and the first Winnipeg Improv Festival. Some of her other favourite projects include playing Brenna in Baloney! (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), Joey in Chasing the Money (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), Directing The Shakespeare Show, or How an Illiterate Son of a Glover Became the Greatest Playwright in the World (Monster Theatre), co-directing Calendar Girls (Leather and Lace Theatre) and A Man Walks Into a Bar (CCTC) with Maryth Gilroy and The Swearing Jar (Deep Cove Stage Society) with Sandra Medeiros. She is currently one third of the Artistic Direction team with Curious Cats Theatre Collective.
Mersiha Musovic - Lily
Mersiha is a Vancouver-based actor, writer, and producer. She recently appeared in Hurricane Diane at the PAL Theatre with Leather and Lace Theatre. Some of her favourite stage credits include Wonderwall (NVCP), Mauritius (Vagabond Theatre), Real Estate (NVCP), and Next Fall (Deep Cove Stage Society). In addition to her work on stage, Mersiha is a passionate traveller and the co-founder of M&M Productions, where she develops original content for screen. Most recently, she co-created the comedy pilot Roomhates, which has garnered multiple awards at film festivals across North America.
FJ Mensah - Theresa
FJ is a passionate South Vancouver based actress with training from the Conservatory program with Douglas College, Vancouver Acting School, Railtown Actor’s Studio. She has performed a variety of roles, Theresa in Lion In The Street (RAS), Katherine in Taming of the Shrew (VAS), Gus in Dumbwaiter (RAS) and most recently Jessica in Aboveboard (NVCP). Beyond acting, FJ is also a writer of short stories and screenplays. She has written and performed a one-woman show which she was encouraged to do as a stand-up. Her background in psychology allows FJ the ability to analyze and embody her characters fully.
Erin Jeffery - Rhea
Erin knew at a young age what she wanted to do after being inspired by Princess Leia on the big screen at the Caprice Theatre in Duncan BC. With her trademark determination, she has gone on to a varied and wide-ranging arts career. She has a BFA in Acting from UBC and has trained with Vancouver Theatresports, Laughter Zone101 and local mentor P.Lynn Johnston. On stage Erin has performed as everything from Lady Anne in Richard III (Island Repertory) to Connie in the iconic Hoarse Raven Production of Tony and Tina’s Wedding, Dora Bailey and Miss Dinsmore in Singing in the Rain (Royal City Musical Theatre) to Celia dropping her drawers in Calendar Girls (Leather and Lace Theatre). When not on the theatre stage, Erin performs standup, emcees, tap dances questionably and watches a lot of lacrosse. Behind the scenes in this production, she makes other performers look great as a costumer. By day, Erin spends her energy promoting the Massey and Anvil Theatres as Massey's Director of Communications and Marketing. Away from the arts, Erin creates memories with her fabulous husband and son in New Westminster.
Christi Arellano - Vida
Christi has been performing since she was 11 years old as both an actor and singer. She has had the pleasure of gracing stages all over the lower mainland and as far away as Japan. These days, she calls New Westminster home. Some highlights of Christi’s career include Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (Arts Club), Cora in Calendar Girls (Leather and Lace theatre), Carey in The Swearing Jar (Deep Cove Stage Society) and Marjori in Extremities (Down Stage Right Productions). She was lucky enough to tour to Japan twice singing with the Celtic group Lhiannan. Christi is thrilled to be bringing Vida to life in The Best Restaurant In The World. Ever. and to wear THAT dress every night.
Jordon Navratil - Max
Jordon, originally from middle of nowhere Alberta, has found himself in the middle of Cambie Village (somewhere) Vancouver. Trained in Lethbridge, and withstanding judgement of Phillipe Gaulier in France, Jordon is a fine and hilarious performer having used his talents for productions such as The Play That Goes Wrong (Black Box Theatre), Homeward Bound (Western Gold Theatre), Welcome to Thebes (united Players) to name a few. When not using his Buffon and Clown skills you can find him writing, producing, walking his dogs or spiralling over the fact he is still doing this.
Kurt Evans - Rando
Before kicking off a wildly successful career in film and television in Vancouver, Kurt performed in a multitude of productions in Winnipeg. Kurt has over 100 film and TV credits and has played a wide variety of characters including Mayor Baracus in 3 seasons of iZombie. Kurt is a voiceover actor, a teacher at Vancouver Film School and founder of Artist 2 Artist, a company that helps emerging actors find the connections they need to succeed. He played the part of Lonny in the 2000 Production of this show and is most excited about appearing again in The Best Restaurant In The World. Ever. as Rando. In his spare time, Kurt is a guitar player, woodworker, music and script writer and proud father to his daughter Christina.
Kenneth Seto Tynan - Aldo
Kenneth is one of the rare unicorns who was born and raised in Vancouver. He started on a creative path at a young age as a figure skater and has broadened his horizons over the years. Although he trained in film acting at the Vancouver Acting School, he has realized that theatre is the superior art form and has devoted his time to many local companies as not only a performer but also writer, director and producer. He has ranged widely, moving from Miss West Coast in Pageant: A Musical by Something Extra Collective to directing Antigone for Ensemble Theatre and even improvising high class manners in Regency Impro. Kenneth plays the fiddle, spins on blades and makes things up in a posh accent; it seems like there isn’t anything he can’t do.
Alexander Forsyth - Kaz
Alex lives and works on the stolen traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ məstiməxʷ. Both Alex and the company he founded – K.I.A. Productions – originate in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐊᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ on the traditional territories of the ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ, Denesuliné, Nakota Isga, and Niitsitapi peoples and within the Métis homelands and Métis Nation of Alberta Region 4. Here he began writing, producing, and performing plays that have toured nationally and internationally in collaboration with his wife and co-artistic director Keltie Forsyth. Acting credits include Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe), DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (WB), Charmed (CBS), Genetic Drift (Pi Theatre), Juice (The Cultch), Pass Over (Ensemble Theatre), and Lia & Dor (Compania de Teatru Cătun). Alex holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from East 15 Acting School (London, UK) and a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Creative Writing from the University of Alberta.
Jarod Campbell - Lonny
Jarod is an actor, writer and painter, currently based in Vancouver. Originally from Winnipeg he is a graduate of Vancouver Film School and last appeared on stage playing Tucker Dell in Five Alarm (Deep Cove Stage Society) Other roles include Lawrence in Calendar Girls (Leather and Lace Theatre) and Maurice Morano in Free the Whales (Beach Avenue Media). An avid theatregoer, Jarod loves to travelling to consume art in a different way and pursues all areas of stagecraft including Stage Management. Multitalented, Jarod also delves into screenwriting and painting when he finds time.
Lachlan Harris-Fiesel - Bruno
Lachlan Harris-Fiesel is an actor, performance maker, and musician living and working on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh but was raised amidst the rugged mountains and plains of Southern Alberta, in Calgary on Treaty 7 territory. He is an emerging actor and artist in the Vancouver performance scene and is a recent graduate of SFU’s School for Contemporary Arts. Lachlan approaches his performance artwork with a fast-paced, “perform first and ask questions later” style and likes to provoke audiences with tough questions. An experienced outdoorsman, Lachlan takes inspiration from the natural world and hopes to combine his environmental interests with his love for theatre and music. When not creating or performing, you can find Lachlan literally anywhere outside of the city doing some combination of hiking, cycling, running, surfing, and camping.
Poster Designed by Robert Bockman-Cobban @RBCOBBAN
Images Captured by Andrew Fraser @FRASERFOCUS
A first for the Jericho Arts Centre...
We have partnered with two other professional theatre companies
to create a trio of great entertainment!
Please note that all tickets purchased are non-refundable.