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The Two Gentlemen of Verona

June 13 to September 19 • BMO MAINSTAGE

OH, YEAH! It’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona—with a twist! This nostalgic visit to the ‘80s features a soundtrack of that candy-coloured decade, from unforgettable dance hits to tear-jerking ballads, as it celebrates friendship and the foolhardy ways young love makes us behave. Sent to court to learn to be “perfect gentlemen,” Valentine and Proteus are derailed by their attraction to Silvia, the ruler’s daughter. Adding to the fun, the role of Crab will be played by an actual dog, the only dog role in the Shakespearean canon.

Directed by Dean Paul Gibson.

Season and production run dates subject to change.

Production run time: TBA

Audience Advisories: TBA

Production Sponsor:

 

Photo Credit: Jacob Leonard as Proteus & Matthew Ip Shaw as Valentine
Photo & Image Design: Emily Cooper

The Story

“ALL HAPPINESS BECHANCE TO THEE”
Amid the splendour and decadence of 1980s Milan, “a deep story of deeper love” unfolds.

Young friends Proteus and Valentine bid each other farewell as Valentine prepares to set off to the bright and brilliant city of Milan. Though Valentine wishes his friend were coming with him on this new adventure, Proteus has decided to stay in their hometown of Verona to be with his love, Julia.

These best-laid plans are foiled when Proteus’ parents, Antonio and Pantina, decide that it is in their wayward son’s best interest to follow in Valentine’s footsteps and serve in the Duke of Milan’s court. Proteus and Julia say goodbye to each other tearfully before Proteus reluctantly leaves Verona with his servant Launce (and Launce’s dog, Crab) in tow.

Meanwhile, in Milan, Valentine has fallen in love with Silvia, the daughter of the Duke of Milan. However, the arrogant Turio is also vying for Silvia’s heart. Eventually, after some nudging from his page Speed, Valentine realizes that Silvia feels the same way about him. The two share a quiet moment together, only to be interrupted by news of Proteus’ arrival.

Proteus and Valentine have a joyous reunion, and Valentine, who once scorned the idea of love, now eagerly tells Proteus about his plans to run away with Silvia and get married.  However, Proteus is also immediately smitten by Silvia—and he’ll stop at nothing to win over her heart.

“THIS THREEFOLD PERJURY”
Back in Verona, a heartbroken Julia is determined to see her beloved Proteus again. With the help of her servant Lucetta, Julia comes up with a plan to disguise herself as a man and follow Proteus to Milan.

At the same time, Proteus breaks Valentine’s trust—and his vow to Julia—by going to the Duke of Milan and informing him of Valentine’s intention of eloping with Silvia. Enraged, the Duke confronts Valentine and banishes him from Milan.

With Julia now rapidly approaching Milan—and Proteus shamelessly wooing Silvia in Valentine’s absence—will these two couples find their way back to each other, or will these two foolhardy gentlemen of Verona prove as inconstant as “the uncertain glory of an April day”?

 

Translations of “The Story” available in the following languages below, click the button to read!
Chinese (Traditional)  Farsi  French  Korean  Punjabi  Spanish

Director

Dean Paul Gibson (he/him)

Director

Dean is Bard’s Associate Artistic Director. He trained at Studio 58, where he graduated with some of Canada’s brightest talents, many of whom he continues to work with to this day. He has been acclaimed as both an actor and director over his three decades of working professionally and is also a much sought after coach, instructor, and adjudicator. Among his many credits for Bard are directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Coriolanus. He staged The Two Gentlemen of Verona for Theatre Calgary in 2018, and he looks forward to revisiting his misspent youth with the Bard Company.

Actors

Scott Bellis (he/him)

Launce, Understudy for Duke

Scott has acted in or directed over 50 productions at Bard since the company was founded in 1990, and many others across the country. He dabbles a bit in film and TV, but is mostly a theatre rat. He remains grateful for the opportunities a life in the theatre grants him, and tries to give back to his community as best he can. He currently serves as Council President for the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

Jennifer Clement (she/her)

Ursula / Outlaw / Courtier

Jennifer has 100+ credits in theatre/film/TV and is thrilled to return to Bard to tell stories on Senákw after playing Gertrude last summer. Recently, Jen was in Heroes of the Fourth Turning; taught at VFS and Haven; and directed The Lifespan of a Fact. A graduate of York and TMU, she has been honoured with the Lorena Gale Woman of Distinction Award and a Jessie Award for The Trespassers. Ever grateful to family and friends for support.

Steffanie Davis (she/her)

Lucettta / Outlaw / Courtier

Steffanie is an actor, singer, dancer, and model living on the unceded, stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Recently she originated the role of Isabelle in the world premiere of Someone Like You with the Arts Club Theatre Company. Select recent credits: East Van Panto: Robin Hood and Beauty and the Beast (Theatre Replacement); We Will Rock You (Theatre Under the Stars); Cabaret (Raincity); and the Leading Player Project (EveryBODY on Stage). IG: @steffwithanff

Tess Degenstein (she/her)

Julia

For Bard: The Comedy of Errors and Measure for Measure. Tess has performed across the country, recently touring the hit Spontaneous Theatre show Blind Date. Internationally she has performed and taught in Vienna, Berlin, Athens, London, Oslo, and Atlanta. She received a Jessie Award for Noises Off. Television credits include featured roles in New Eden, So Help Me Todd, and Murdoch Mysteries. Film credits include The Players and Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey.

Sheldon Elter (he/him)

Duke

Sheldon is a Métis artist. Credits include Métis Mutt (One Little Indian Productions); Romeo and Juliet, Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Freewill Players); Every Brilliant Thing and The Bear and the Proposal (Caravan Farm); Where The Blood Mixes, King Lear, and Queen Goneril (Soulpepper); The Ministry of Grace (Belfry); BEARS (Punctuate! Theatre); A Streetcar Named Desire, One Man Two Guvnors, Julius Caesar, and Vimy (Citadel); Tartuffe and ENRON (NAC); and Nevermore (Catalyst Theatre).

Craig Erickson

Antonio / Outlaw / Courtier

Bard on the Beach: 11th Season. Theatre: Measure for Measure (Bard); Child-ish and Wakey, Wakey (Pacific Theatre); Hurricane Mona (Touchstone/Ruby Slippers); The Cull, Angels in America: Part One and Part Two, and The Glass Menagerie (Arts Club); Titus Bouffonius (Rumble); The Invisible Hand (Pi Theatre); the East Van Panto (Theatre Replacement); and The Idiot (Neworld). Stratford: 2 seasons. Shaw: 2 seasons. 10 Jessie Award nominations. TV: So Help Me Todd, Bau: Artist at War, The Man in the High Castle, and Lucifer.

Paige Fraser (she/her)

Outlaw / Courtier, Understudy for Lucetta / Outlaw / Courtier

Paige is so excited to return to the beach! Select credits include Coriolanus (Bard on the Beach); Elf: The Musical and Da Kink in My Hair (Arts Club); and What If and Like It or Not (Green Thumb). She is a graduate of Studio 58 and Capilano University and has been nominated for two Jessie Awards and won two OVATION! Awards. Huge thank yous to the da Costa team, and big love to Gabe.

Mason

Crab

Mason, a six-year-old Lab/Retriever cross, was bred to be a BC Guide dog. He had nine months of puppy training but due to a medical issue he was not able to go on and Christopher and Jennifer Gaze were then able to adopt him. Like Christopher, Mason is a very social animal, especially if one has a ham sandwich in one’s pocket! This is his debut appearance as Crab, the dog, in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Kristi Hansen (she/they)

Pantina / Outlaw / Courtier

Kristi is a disabled theatre artist who is thrilled to be making their Bard debut! Credits include The Comedy of Errors, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Freewill Players); The Silver Arrow, The Sound of Music, and Alice Through the Looking Glass (Citadel); The Bear and The Proposal (Caravan Farm); Beautiful Scars (Theatre Aquarius); The Invisible (Catalyst Theatre); Sweeney Todd (Plain Jane Theatre); Candide (Edmonton Opera); and Dear Rita (Confederation Centre of the Arts).

Matthew Ip Shaw 葉 銘 康

Valentine

Matthew is an accomplished actor, director, and fight choreographer whose work spans film, television, and theatre. His screen credits include See the Animal (TIFF), Harmony of Grey (Cannes), and voice work in projects such as Come Home Lassie and The Running Man. On stage, he has performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream across Italy and continues to appear with New York City’s Lincoln Center Metropolitan Opera. With a repertoire ranging from Shakespearean classics to contemporary cinema, Matthew is known for his dedication to authentic storytelling, advocacy for diversity in the arts, and commitment to fostering creative collaboration. matthewipshaw.com

Karthik Kadam (he/him)

Eglamour, Understudy for Speed / Turio

This is Karthik’s fourth Season under the tents and he is thrilled to be back with two very exciting productions. Originally from Bangalore, India, Karthik is a graduate of UBC’s Acting program. For Bard: Measure for Measure, The Comedy of Errors, Henry V, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other credits: Mahabharata (Why Not Theatre) and The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arts Club). In 2022, he was the recipient of Bard’s Edmund Kean Sword. For my family, always.

Jacob Leonard (he/him)

Proteus

Over the last ten years, Jacob has had the pleasure of working with numerous incredible theatre companies and artists across Canada, but you may have seen him most recently in the Arts Club/Theatre Calgary co-production of Forgiveness or in The Sound Inside (all day breakfast theatre/The Search Party). Jacob is thrilled to be making his Bard debut and hopes you enjoy the show. Check out his website at jacob-leonard.com or his Instagram at @jacob_leonardo101 for more.

Jennifer Lines (she/her)

Understudy for Ursula / Pantina / Outlaw / Courtier

This is Jennifer’s 22nd Season with Bard. She was last seen in 2023 as Antony in Julius Caesar and Dame Francis and Dame Senior in As You Like it. Raised on a ranch in Midway, BC, she received her BFA in Acting from the University of Victoria. Film credits include Yellowjackets, The Irrational, and Resident Alien. Though she has performed across Canada and internationally, she is grateful to have spent much of her career under the tents at Vanier Park doing what she loves most: acting and gardening.

David Marr

Understudy for Launce / Antonio / Outlaw / Courtier / Eglamour

Numerous productions over the past Seasons. Last appeared in All’s Well That Ends Well (2019).

Taj

Understudy for Crab

Taj is a two-year-old Lab/Golden cross who was bred to become an assistance dog through the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society. After twenty months of training he was medically released from the program and adopted by his puppy raiser Annika. Taj is best described as laid back and loving. In his spare time Taj enjoys being outdoors playing with his doggy friends, hiking, biking, swimming, and kayaking. His evenings are best spent cuddling with his favourite people.

Agnes Tong (she/her)

Silvia

Agnes is thrilled to be making her Bard debut alongside such amazing artists. Theatre highlights: Salesman in China and Wendy and Peter Pan (Stratford); The Birds and the Bees, carried away on the crest of a wave, The Shoplifters, The Great Leap, King Charles III, and 4000 Miles (Arts Club); and Kim’s Convenience (Chemainus). Graduate of Studio 58. Love to her husband Brahm for the endless support, and Dean for this invitation to play.

Jennifer Tong (she/her)

Outlaw / Courtier, Understudy for Silvia / Julia

Jennifer is delighted to be a part of Bard’s Season for the first time(!), sharing the stage with so many talented artists, and to be a part of Erin Shields’ modernized rendition of Much Ado About Nothing, which casts a spotlight on the female perspective. She’s a big believer in chasing dreams, the power of coffee, and the importance of storytelling. Select credits: FAKES (Netflix); Wild Cards (The CW/CBC); Fire Country (CBS); and The Good Doctor (ABC).

Angus Yam (he/him)

Speed, Understudy for Valentine

Angus is based on the unceded Indigenous territories now known as Vancouver. He is delighted to be back on stage at Bard again. Mi Tiezeng and Red Guard, Salesman in China and Prince’s Guard, Partygoer, Romeo and Juliet (Stratford); Greg, Peace Country (rice & beans); Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables (Gateway); and Benvolio, Romeo and Juliet (Bard). Training: Studio 58. Shout-out to Mamei, hater sister, and friends. Glory to God.

Synthia Yusuf (she/her)

Understudy for Julia

Synthia is so happy to be back at Bard after making her debut as Luciana in The Comedy of Errors last Season! Select credits: Waitress (The Grand/Theatre Aquarius); Disney’s Frozen (Neptune); Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Persephone); Little Shop of Horrors (Arts Club/Citadel); Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Mirvish); and The Sound of Music (Arts Club). Thank you to the Bard family for welcoming me back this Season, and to my love, Colin.

Tanner Zerr (he/him)

Turio, Understudy for Proteus

Tanner is a graduate of Studio 58. Tanner is also a recipient of the Carol Chrisjohn Scholarship, the 2022 E.V. Young Award for Outstanding Performance at Theatre Under the Stars, and the 2023 OVATION! Award for Outstanding Newcomer. Some of Tanner’s recent work includes Million Dollar Quartet and Jersey Boys (Arts Club) and Oliver! (Gateway). This is Tanner’s debut at Bard on the Beach, and he is thrilled to be part of this incredible company.

Creative & Production

Carmen Alatorre

Costume Designer

Originally from Mexico, Carmen is a Latina artist with a BA in Art History from Centro de Cultura Casa Lamm (2006) and an MFA in Theatre Design from UBC (2010). She has worked with companies including Vancouver Opera, Caravan Farm Theatre, Gateway Theatre, the Arts Club, Bard on the Beach, Globe Theatre Regina, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Citadel Theatre, Electric Company Theatre, Theatre Calgary, Chicago Shakespeare, Milwaukee Rep, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and The Grand Theatre. Carmen is an Assistant Professor in Performance Design at the University of Victoria. She has received 11 outstanding design nominations and won four Jessie Awards. carmenalatorre.com

Nicky Anderton

Apprentice Director

Nicky is grateful to be an Apprentice Director with Bard this Season! Raised in Africa, she’s been fortunate to explore her love of theatre as an actor and director in various cities around the globe. She did her theatre training in San Francisco, before moving to Vancouver. Select credits include Rabbit Hole (Frolicking Divas); Farragut North (Blank Slate Theatre); Five Alarm and The Affections of May (Metro Theatre); and numerous devised works.

Ryan Cormack

Associate Set Designer

Ryan is returning for his fifth Season at Bard. He is a graduate of Queen’s University and studied set and costume design at NTS. Past credits: The Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, and A Shakesperience (Bard); Oliver! (Gateway); Yaga (Gateway/Touchstone); Jersey Boys (Arts Club); FourPlay (Studio 58); Parade (Raincity); The Last Wife (United Players); OZ (Carousel); Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (DSDM); and If/Then and Bring It On! (QMT). Assistant Designer: Done/Undone, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, and Julius Caesar (Bard); Kinky Boots and Forgiveness (Arts Club); The Jungle Book (Alberta Theatre Projects); and Actually and The Great Divide (Harold Green/Obsidian).

Malcolm Dow (he/him)

Composer & Sound Designer

Malcolm is an award-winning composer and sound designer. Known for evocative compositions, immersive soundscapes, and detailed world-building, his work emphasizes storytelling, collaboration, and seamless technical integration. He’s thrilled to return to Bard for his eighth production. Past favourites include The Comedy of Errors (2015), Pericles (2016), and The Winter’s Tale (2017). His designs have been featured across Canada, and he’s collaborated with many of the country’s top directors and designers. Malcolm studied music production at Douglas College and has received a Betty Mitchell Award and three Jessie Awards.

Annika EngTaj Handler

Annika Eng

Taj Handler

Parker Feenstra (she/they)

Apprentice Costume Designer

Parker is a graduate of the BFA program at the University of Victoria’s Phoenix Theatre in the design faculty. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, she has made a home on the West Coast. Credits include Costume Designer for The Wilds (The Wonderheads) and Dead Man’s Cellphone (Phoenix Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer and Wardrobe Assistant for Classic Country Roads (Chemainus); and Production Designer for When Was the Last Time You Said Hello? (SATCo).

Jennifer GazeMason Handler

Jennifer Gaze

Mason Handler

Lisa Goebel (she/her)

Intimacy Director

Delighted to be returning for her fourth Season, Lisa has worked as the intimacy director on Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night, Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Harlem Duet, and as the choreographer for Hamlet. Recent credits include choreographer/intimacy director for Pride and Prejudice (Western Canada/Gateway) and intimacy director for Madama Butterfly (Vancouver Opera). She completed her Intimacy Certification through Intimacy Directors and Coordinators and is a graduate of Studio 58.

Jacki JamiesonAssistant Mason Handler

Jacki Jamieson

Assistant Mason Handler

Alana Hawley Purvis

Voice Coach

Alana is an award-winning actor and vocal coach. A proud Canadian artist, she has performed on and worked with some of the fi nest stages in the country, including Stratford, Canadian Stage, Arts Club, Theatre Calgary, and Citadel Theatre. Alana is a graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting (MFA) and the Birmingham Conservatory. Her work on film includes The Recruit (Netflix), Supergirl (CBS/The CW), Charmed (The CW), Range Roads (North Country), and a nomination for Best Actress at the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards. Alana teaches voice at UBC and is a proud member of the National Voice Association. alanahawleypurvis.com @alanahawleypurvis

Jonathan Hawley Purvis

Fight Director

Jonathan is a fight director, actor, choreographer, and stunt performer based out of Vancouver. Select credits: As You Like It, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, and Shakespeare in Love (Bard); As You Like It (Chicago Shakespeare, Milwaukee Rep, and Shakespeare Theatre Company); The Three Musketeers and Sweat (Arts Club); Antony and Cleopatra, The Three Musketeers, Julius Caesar, and Romeo and Juliet (St. Lawrence Shakespeare); and The Silver Arrow, Shakespeare In Love, West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Citadel). Select film/TV credits: Tracker, Under the Bridge, Motherland, Fortunate Son, Faultline, and The Last of Us. jonathanpurvis.com

Pam Johnson

Set Designer

Since 1998, Pam’s Bard credits include last Season’s Twelfth Night and Hamlet, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Done/Undone, Coriolanus, All’s Well that Ends Well, Much Ado About Nothing, The Winter’s Tale, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy of Errors, King Lear, Cymbeline, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, King John, Richard II, Titus Andronicus, Henry V, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Measure for Measure, and Richard III. Pam has received several Jessie Awards, as well as a 2012 GVPTA Career Achievement Award.

Gerald King (he/him)

Lighting Designer

Gerald’s recent credits for Bard: Hamlet, As You Like It, and Julius Caesar. Other: As You Like It (Shakespeare Theatre Company, Theatre Calgary); LSD (Kokoro Dance); Weasel and Clue on Stage (CapU Theatre); To Please The Audience (Douglas College); Venus In Fur (Railtown Lab); Bad Parent (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre); Chariots of Fire (The Grand); The Flying Dutchman (Vancouver Opera); Guys and Dolls (Arts Club); and Carmen (Pacific Opera Victoria).

Christopher Lam 林子榮 (he/him)

Apprentice Director

Chris is a Chinese Canadian director/actor who is based on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, also known as Vancouver. He is the co-artistic director of Ensemble Theatre Company and the recipient of the Jean Gascon Award and the Ray Michal Award. He is a graduate of Douglas College and the Bachelor of Performing Arts program from Capilano University and is pursuing his MFA in Directing at UBC. thechrislamshow.com

Alison Matthews

Head Voice & Text Coach

This is Alison’s 16th Season with Bard. She teaches in the Drama Department at the University of Alberta. She was a founding faculty member with the Arts Club Actor’s Intensive and taught voice, text, and dialects with the Banff-Citadel Professional Theatre Program in Banff, Alberta. Alison has three decades of professional acting experience in theatre, film, television, and voice-over, and she is a founding board member of the National Voice Association.

Joanne P.B. Smith

Stage Manager

Some credits include eighteen Seasons in the Douglas Campbell Theatre tent and three Seasons on the BMO Mainstage at Bard on the Beach and four seasons of the East Van Panto. A couple of other recent credits are As You Like It (Shakespeare Theatre Company) and Anywhere But Here (Electric Company).

Nicol Spinola (she/her)

Choreographer

Nicol is a multi-award-winning choreographer, educator, and theatre artist. Nicol has choreographed for the Arts Club, Western Canada Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Chemainus Theatre Festival, Gateway Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, SaskExpress, Studio 58, and Capilano University. Nicol is also the Co-Managing Artistic Director of Raincity Theatre and the Co-Founding Executive Director of Camp Cue, an overnight musical theatre camp for kids and teens. nicolspinola.com

Caroline Tang

Apprentice Stage Manager

Caroline is an emerging stage manager based on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəyə̓ m (Musqueam), hənq̓ ə̓ minə̓ m ̓ (Hul’qumi’num), and Coast Salish Nations. Caroline is thrilled to be working on two amazing shows and teams at Bard this summer! Select stage management credits: Someone Like You—On Tour (Arts Club); East Van Panto: Robin Hood and Beauty and the Beast (Theatre Replacement); Parifam (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre); and Newsies (Theatre Under the Stars).

Jillian White

Assistant Lighting Designer

After many years of setting up tents at Bard, Jill is excited to be joining the design team! Jill is a three-time Jessie Award–nominated designer and member of IATSE Local ADC659. She has lit nearly every show at Caravan Farm Theatre for the past ten years, as well as stages throughout Canada. Favourite credits include Hey Viola! (Musical TheatreWorks); Never the Last (Delinquent Theatre); Blackhorse and The Nutcracker (Caravan Farm); Bright Blue Future (Hardline); Father Tartuffe (Arts Club/Touchstone); Nashville: Music City (Mayfield Dinner Theatre); Certified (Touchstone); Inheritance (Alley Theatre/Touchstone); and The Play That Goes Wrong (Confederation Centre of the Arts). jillianwhite.com

Kady Yeung

Apprentice Sound Designer

Kady is an emerging sound designer and stage manager graduated from Studio 58’s Production Program, and she is beyond thrilled to be making her Bard debut this season! Born and raised in Hong Kong, she is grateful to be accepted on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and to curate art here as a multidisciplinary artist. Recent sound design credits includes: Parler le Silence (Sound Designer, AFCI), Ring of Fire (Apprentice Sound Designer, Arts Club Theatre Company), FourPlay (Sound Designer, Studio 58). Check out more of her work on Instagram @kadyworkshere!

Yvonne Yip (she/her)

Assistant Stage Manager

Yvonne is a Hong Kong-Canadian stage manager. Recent credits include Salesman in China (Stratford); Assembly Hall (Kidd Pivot); and An Undeveloped Sound (Electric Company). Favourite projects include King Arthur’s Night (Neworld); the East Van Panto (Theatre Replacement); Kinky Boots (Arts Club); King of the Yees (Gateway); The Competition Is Fierce (ITSAZOO); Fall Away Home (Boca del Lupo); and Mother Courage and Her Children (Caravan Farm).

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