In Brantford at the Left of Centre Festival, Aldrin (James Diamond) the clown loses his watch to Maggie (Jasmine Romany).
Maggie (Jasmine Romany) explains the difference between a good wife and a bad wife to Aldrin (James Diamond).
Aldrin (James Diamond) explains how life works to a doubtful Maggie (Jasmine Romany).
Playwright Rick Butts with director Daniel Ryan-Astley and actor Jasmine Romany before opening night.
Canadian stage debut of Happy Birthday Dear Maggie with IT Productions in Brantford, Ontario, 2026. Initial reading.
Jasmine Romany as Maggie. Daniel Ryan-Astley directing (inset).
James Diamond as Aldrin.
In Brantford at the Left of Centre Festival, Aldrin (James Diamond) explains it’s ok to disclose someone’s personal information when authorized by a clown.
Aldrin the theologically trained clown (James Diamond) explains to a dubious Maggie (Jasmine Romany) that you can’t ask God to kill someone for you.
Maggie (Jasmine Romany) demonstrates to Aldrin (James Diamond) how easy it would be to kill her husband with her bare hands.
Aldrin (James Diamond) is relieved when Maggie (Jasmine Romany) promises not to set him on fire.
Aldrin (James Diamond) gets a friendly head rub from Maggie (Jasmine Romany).
Aldrin (James Diamond) and Maggie (Jasmine Romany) thinking about how everything doesn’t always go completely to shit.
Aldrin (James Diamond) and Maggie (Jasmine Romany) realize they were wrong and most times things do go completely to shit.
Canadian stage premieres of two plays by Rick Butts with IT Productions in Brantford, Ontario. Raccoon. Happy Birthday Dear Maggie. Friday, August 14, 2026.
(A second performance of Raccoon on Saturday, August 15, 2026.)
In Brantford at the Left of Centre Festival, it’s her birthday when Maggie asks a clown named Aldrin if it’s okay for God to nudge a surgeon’s elbow, boomp, and make a problem go away.
At The Knights in Brantford, a benefit performance of two plays Raccoon and Happy Birthday Dear Maggie. And great burgers.
Theatre veterans Lisa Stanford and Carlos Diaz sip coffee while they wait to be arrested in Raccoon. Fan favourites James Diamond and Jasmine Romany punch the clock for another performance of Happy Birthday Dear Maggie.
Aldrin (James Diamond) and Maggie (Jasmine Romany) consider why God won’t kill someone for you even if you ask nice.
Aldrin (James Diamond) listens to Maggie (Jasmine Romany) say that her husband’s only joy in life is yelling at her.
Playwright Rick Butts (centre) compelled to take responsibility for the play by the cast James Diamond and Jasmine Romany.
Professional debut of Happy Birthday Dear Maggie as an audio play with US-based Broken Arts Entertainment 2026. Wrap of recording.
(clockwise from top left) Hannah Lee DeFrates as Maggie; Taliee, producer; Bernie Horton, director; Kevin Lowney as Aldrin.
From the director: We’re not clowning around when we say that we just finished recording “Happy Birthday Dear Maggie” by Rick Butts!
Happy Birthday Dear Maggie makes UK debut at THESTIVAL 2026.
This award-winning theatre festival is back and bigger than ever. Directed by Robert Eagle and produced by The Butter Side Up Theatre Company, Happy Birthday Dear Maggie from Canadian playwright Rick Butts makes a U.K. premiere at The Lantern Theatre, Sheffield, U.K.
Veteran actor Michael Winrow stars as Aldrin along side Alison Mitchell as Maggie in the UK stage premiere of Happy Birthday Dear Maggie at Thestival 2026. It’s produced by the Butter Side Up Theatre Company at the Lantern Theatre in Sheffield, UK.
The actors say Happy Birthday Dear Maggie is “a fantastic piece of theatre” by Canadian playwright Rick Butts and they’re working hard with director Rob Eagle and producer Georgia Deith to present this “very lovely story about two unlikely people meeting and forming a connection.”
The producers at The Butter Side Up Theatre Company explain the appeal of Happy Birthday Dear Maggie by Canadian playwright Rick Butts: “travelling for work on her birthday as her husband undergoes major surgery, Maggie unexpectedly finds herself sharing a hotel room with Aldrin, a clown preparing for a corporate performance. An unlikely encounter unfolds with humour, warmth and heart.”
