Fairview House Program

Written By Jackie Sibblies Drury

Directed By Tawiah M’Carthy

Chelsea Russell & Ordena Stephens-Thompson.

Photo: Lorne Bridgman.

Season Sponsor

This sacred land has held story for thousands of years: stories that live in the fabric of who we are as a nation. Canadian Stage would like to acknowledge and thank the original caretakers and knowledge keepers of this territory: The Anishinaabe Nations (including the Mississaugas of the Credit River), The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Wendat and Metis Nations. We give thanks to the Nations recorded and unrecorded, acknowledged and unacknowledged, who also share the responsibility for this territory. We honour the Dish With One Spoon Treaty and our responsibility to peaceably share and care for the resources that surround us. We are honoured to be in this meeting place called Tkaronto that many First Nations, Inuit and Metis people from across Turtle Island call home.

Welcome Note

Brendan Healy Artistic Director, Canadian Stage

The word theatre comes from the ancient Greek theatron (θέατρον). Thea means eyes and tron is a place. The theatre is, literally, a place for viewing. The etymology of theatre speaks to an obvious characteristic of this space that you are in. It is a place for you to see the actors on stage. And it is also a place for the actors to see you. This reciprocal viewing is part of what makes the theatre so special.

But in addition to the act of seeing, the theatre also involves the experience of being seen. In 17th century France, being seen at the theatre became almost a fetish. Noble men and women would pay large sums of money just to sit on the sides of the stage with the actors so that they could be seen by the rest of the audience as they watched the play.

It is this unique feature of the theatre –the relationship between the viewer and the viewed / the seer and the seen – that Jackie Sibblies Drury leans into with her breathtaking play. In particular, she is interested in disrupting the racial and social dynamics that are at play in this exchange. She brilliantly utilizes this most fundamental ingredient to the theatre experience to speak truth to power.

At Canadian Stage, we are pleased to bring to Toronto the world’s most important contemporary plays such as this Pulitzer Prize-winning work. And we are so proud to be partnering with Obsidian Theatre Company on this production. We send a big thank you to everyone at Obsidian for being such extraordinary partners. Enjoy the show!

Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu Artistic Director, Obsidian Theatre

Thank you so much for joining us for this performance of Fairview!

Fairview was initially programmed to be a part of Obsidian’s 2020 season by my predecessor Philip Akin.

When I first read the script I was excited about the audacity of the piece and its potential to rattle and provoke important conversations about how we view Black bodies and consume Black stories.

The piece feels even more relevant now as we return to the making of live theatre post pandemic and continue to unpack the politics of race and power in our industry.

We are thrilled to once again partner with Canadian Stage and are full of gratitude for the incredible team that is bringing this story to life.

Artists’ Note

Tawiah M’Carthy

Akwaaba (Welcome) to Canadian Stage and Obsidian’s premiere of Fairview. My prayer is that you leave this show feeling inspired by the work of all the artists involved in this production.

I would like to offer this space to some of the members of the ensemble to share their reflections working on Jackie Sibblies Drury’s play. Thank you for making the time to be here.

Peter N. Bailey

Fairview is one of those reading experiences that causes a double take as you begin to understand what the play is about and the journey the play demands the actors and audience to go on. At the date of writing this, the rehearsal process is still underway; my mind wrestles with the truths it unabashedly unearths. But it is my hope that audiences open their minds and hearts in such a way that allows them to understand how they’ve been taught to “see” me and comprehend what the true cost of that [mis]understanding has been for the both of us.

Sascha Cole

Tawiah reminded us in rehearsal the other day that we have been holding space for this play since 2018. I remember sitting in my living room five years ago and reading it for the first time, when it was originally programmed by Obsidian Theatre and Canadian Stage, pre-covid. I got to “End of Play” and put down the script. I was…breathless. The play scared me. The play challenged me. The play made me uncomfortable. I also thought it was very funny. It was certainly one of the best scripts I had ever read in my life. And now here we are in 2023, finally making this offer. This invitation. Buckle up.

Chelsea Russell

I was hesitant to unpack the deeper meaning of this play despite receiving it almost three years ago, simply because I knew how many layers it brought with it. This play asks its audience, and even the actors, to consider their actions. A question that resonated with me in the rehearsal hall was: How far can good intentions get someone? The perception of the audience was a heavy topic as this play’s crux is held, quite literally, in the audience’s gaze. There were days I left the rehearsal hall emotionally and mentally exhausted, but that is the work, to carry the weight of being watched and force-fed regurgitated narratives of my colourful people. It is exhausting.

My hope is that through this experience (I say experience and not play) the audience is left questioning how they may or may not have been complicit in perpetuating a certain narrative, a narrative created by someone who has not lived that experience. It’s time that we switched for a little while, because as uncomfortable as it is to watch, it’s even more uncomfortable to perform - to live.

Ordena Stephens-Thompson

My experience working on this show was one that I had never had before working on a play. The way it is written is very informative, but the ideas and the theme were a little difficult to unpack right away. It challenged the sensibilities that I use to approach and discover a character. I had to find different strategies than I have ever used to attack most other plays that I have done.

Sophia Walker

Jackie Sibbles Drury has written a play that is somewhat complicated to write about. It’s American (New York), it’s a Pulitzer Prize Winner and it’s about the Black Experience, I can say that much. I can count on one hand in the 15+ years of my career the number of shows I have done that was for Us, by Us. Although Fairview is a comedy it has given me freedom to call out the micro-aggressions, assumptions, ignorance, and my ‘OTHERED’ experience. It wasn’t always easy to deep-dive into my pain but the beauty of Fairview, and of the theatre space, is that it allowed me to work through it, to have candid discussions, and to try to understand why we are the way we are.

Visible - An Essay Response to Fairview

Jordan Laffrenier Associate Artistic Director, Canadian Stage

“What are you looking at?” The first line of a play often tells us what the play is about. “What are you looking at?” is the first line in Fairview. It’s a line that encapsulates something I feel deeply: That I am being looked at or looked through. That I am, at every moment, both completely visible and invisible: “What are you looking at?”

I have been the only Black person in the audience at a ballet. I have also been the only Black person in the audience at a rap concert. Look around the audience tonight and you will likely notice that I am not the only Black person, however, most of the audience is white. “What are you looking at?”

Recently, I worked on a benefit that honored two Black superstars, performed by mostly Black superstars. The audience consisted almost exclusively of white people watching in their seats, while my mother danced loudly up and out of her seat. While I was embarrassed, my embarrassment quickly turned to discomfort when I thought about the white gaze on these Black performers. It felt poignant, like we had not quite moved beyond the painful history of minstrelsy. Here these performers were singing their hearts out and the response was mostly met with white people looking at them. Maybe my mother, through her dancing, was making a point about the theatre. Maybe she was unwittingly saying that this is

a Black show and I am going to watch it the only way I know how. “What are you looking at?”

Theatre spaces have been having conversations about diversifying audiences for a long time. Though there are certain narrative comforts that get prioritized in our art form that get in the way of diversification. Who is watching the work? Who is passing judgment? Who gets to criticize? Who is programming the work? Who has a fair view?

In Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness, Simone Browne writes about the impact of surveillance on Black life. She argues that surveillance is often discriminatory, that it defines boundaries and privileges whiteness She states that “although surveillance is penetrating deeply throughout our society, its penetration is differential and has been racialized…today’s seeing eye is white.”

Jackie Sibblies Drury and Sarah Benson used Simone Browne’s book as research material when developing Fairview. The two met in 2012 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Summer Residency lab while each working on different projects, and then returned to Berkeley Repertory in 2015 for The Ground Floor Summer Residency to work together. As they spent more time together, they began having more conversations about surveillance. During their process, they

asked six actors to do a deep dive on the internet to find as much information as they could about their fellow castmates. From their unsettling results, they developed the play’s foundation.

although surveillance is penetrating deeply throughout our society, its penetration is differential and has been racialized…today’s seeing eye is white.

—Simone Browne

Jackie’s writing process always begins with an idea. Her next step is to collect materials, write materials, and participate in workshops that allow her to hear her work aloud. As a separate note on how long theatre shows take to develop: though they started working on the show in 2015, the show first premiered in 2018.

“It started as a piece about surveillance, not in terms of technology but in terms of thinking about why surveillance feels more dangerous to people of colour because of the implicit bias around the people who are actually doing the surveilling…the piece shifted to really thinking about the way that people understand worlds they observe and live in.”

- Jackie Sibblies Drury

I first saw a Jackie Sibblies Drury play when I saw a production of We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika Between the Years

1884-1915 (that is the actual title!) at the Theatre Centre produced by Why Not Theatre. In this play, a group of actors attempt to make a play about the genocide of the African Herero tribe by German colonists but they struggle because the only written records are written by Germans. “All we are doing is hearing the white version of the story over and over again” states a character in the play. The whole play is staged to be set in the round and if I remember correctly the night that I saw it the audience was segregated at the beginning of the show. The whole thing was uncomfortable, especially being one of the only Black people in the audience. The theatricalization of otherness is a consistent theme in Jackie Sibblies Drury’s work.

“I am a little bit obsessed with watching whiteness and blackness. I do think that it was about going to see a lot of plays in my teens, 20s, 30s, and often being the only person of color in an audience and often feeling very visible in that way. And even welcomed in a very ‘So what brought you to the play? We’re so happy to have you,’ on the good end of the spectrum. And then if I ever did anything wrong, if I forgot to turn off my cellphone, I’m feeling very not welcome in that space.” -

Jackie Sibblies Drury

In her most recent play, Mary Seacole, she wrote a non-traditional bioplay about Mary Seacole. “If you don’t know who she is - google her” Jackie writes in the stage directions. The play jumps between time and place, between Jamaica and America, and between characters, most of whom are named Mary (Mary, Merry, Duppy Mary), sometimes in the same monologue. In

case you are worried that work such as this will expand your brain beyond its capabilities, don’t be. Jackie is so direct that even the most complex ideas are easy to comprehend. From Mary Seacole: “You go there and they make you work and mock you well you do it. You go there and they will not see you as human…them need us but them nah want us.” Her ability to refocus our attention towards people who do not normally receive attention is one of my favourite things about Drury’s work. There are not really plays about Mary Seacole and there are too few plays about Black middle class families, like the family you are about to see in Fairview.

said she feels “this play is equally about Blackness as it is about Whiteness.”

Jackie has echoed that this show cannot have a Blackout night for similar reasons. I believe personally this show is for a Black audience and directed to a white audience, but perhaps Jackie’s work is more complex than that. Maybe Jackie is trying to point to something that we are all culpable of or actively participate in. I, too, watched my mother dance in embarrassment (mom if you are reading this I am sorry!). I encourage you to watch this show however you feel the most inspired watching it. I encourage the laughter, the joys and the silences, the discomfort and the exuberance, I encourage you to participate the way Drury asks us to participate and to consider what it is you are looking at.

I am inspired by theatre that challenges me. Although I understand from watching a lot of theatre that theatre is not always challenging. When I watch Jackie’s work, I become a participant - it’s rarely a passive experience, it’s always challenging, and I sense that I’m part of the process. Since her work is so unique, it’s impossible to say if a Black person will like it or a white person won’t because there are so many ways to experience the play. When Sarah Benson, who is white by the way, was asked in a talk-back interview why she directed and developed this play she

“I grew up as a theater dork who memorized all the lyrics to Rent and Les Mis, and I was in plays in elementary school after school always. And so ... even as I grew older and experienced other things, I just — I really like the form. I like that you have to be in a room with other people. I like that you hear other people cough, and you get annoyed at people who have big hair sitting in front of you, and that there’s just this crazy, embodied experience. And so I like that a lot of different people can come into a room and have a similar point of focus, but really, really different experiences. And that just is something that is inspiring to me.”

- Jackie Sibblies Drury

It started as a piece about surveillance, not in terms of technology but in terms of thinking about why surveillance feels more dangerous to people of colour”

—Jackie Sibblies Drury

Fairview

By Jackie Sibblies Drury

Creative

Tawiah M’Carthy Director

Pulga Muchochoma

Assistant Director/ Choreographer

Jawon Kang

Set Designer

Rachel Forbes Costume Designer

Des’ree Gray Assistant Costume Designer

Logan Cracknell Lighting Designer

Miquelon Rodriguez Sound Designer

Victoria Wang Stage Manager

Lani Martel

Assistant Stage Manager

Anita Nittoly Fight & Intimacy Coach

Jane Gooderham

Dialect Coach

Jamie Robinson Active Listener

Cast

Peter N. Bailey

Dayton

Sascha Cole Suze

Colin A. Doyle Jimbo

Jennifer Dzialoszynski Bets

Jeff Lillico Mack

Chelsea Russell Keisha

Ordena StephensThompson Beverly

Sophia Walker Jasmine Production

Daniel Bennett Technical Director

Marshall Kidd Assistant Technical Director

Chanti Laliberte Head of Wardrobe

Mary Spyrakis Head of Props

Chynah Philadelphia Props Assistant

Alysson Bernabe Scenic Artist

Chanti Laliberte Head of Wardrobe

Michael Zoffranieri Wardrobe Cutter

March 4 - 26, 2023 Berkeley Street Theatre

Running Crew:

Josh Vlodarchyk Head Technician, Lighting

Everett Dalingwater House Technician, Audio

Jon Cunningham Head Technician

Barbara Cardoso Dresser

Fairview was originally commissioned and presented by Soho Rep, New York, NY (Sarah Benson, Artistic Director; Cynthia Flowers, Executive Director) and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, CA (Tony Taccone, Artistic Director; Susan Medak, Managing Director)

Canadian Stage is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages professional Artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the terms of the jointly negotiated Canadian Theatre Agreement.

Stage Employees of the Bluma Appel Theatre are represented by Local 58 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees

This performance runs 90 minutes with no intermission

Peter N. Bailey – Dayton

Peter (he/him) is an actor and voice coach whose life in the theatre continues to bring him joy. His theatre credits include: Romeo and Juliet, Sweat (Canadian Stage), A Few Good Men (Drayton Entertainment), Other Side of the Game (Cahoots Theatre Co. and Obsidian Theatre), To Kill a Mockingbird, An Ideal Husband, Richard III, All’s Well That Ends Well (Stratford Festival), Fences (Grand Theatre), Here Are the Fragments (The Theatre Centre). Peter’s voice coaching credits include: The Stratford Festival, The National Theatre School of Canada, Canadian Film Centre, and Sheridan College... And shoutout to the Bailey and Tiessen families!

Sascha Cole – Suze

Sascha is an actor and producer who has performed on stages throughout Canada. She is proud to have developed and premiered over thirteen new Canadian plays over her career so far. She is a Dora Award nominee and has been named one of NOW Magazine’s ‘Artists to Watch’. For Canadian Stage she previously performed in Tom Stoppard’s Rock N Roll and for Obsidian Theatre she previously performed in Shakespeare’s Nigga. Other favourite theatre credits include: Wedding at Aulis and It’s a Wonderful Life (Soulpepper); Theory (Tarragon); New Jerusalem (Harold Green Jewish Theatre); Goodnight Desdemona Good Morning Juliet (GCTC); The Diary of Anne Frank (Shakespeare in Action); Horses: outrage a la raison (It Could Still Happen); Jordan Tannahill’s Post Eden (Suburban Beast). Sascha is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Special thank you to Michael and Luca.

Colin A. Doyle – Jimbo

Colin is THRILLED to be making his Canadian Stage & Obsidian Theatre debut in this incredible show with this incredible cast & crew. He is an award-winning actor in TV, film, radio & theatre. He has toured all over Canada, the United States, & Europe. Recent theatre credits: Three Sisters (Howland Theatre), The Antipodes (Coal Mine Theatre), The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries (co-creator, Outside the March), The Flick (Outside the March & Crows Theatre, Toronto Theatre Critics Award), The Great Shadow, Bombers! (4th Line Theatre), The Cherry Orchard (Modern Times), Monday Nights (co-creator, Theatre Centre, LUMINATO, PuSH festival). FILM/TV: 5 Days in Memorial, American Gods, Titans, FANGBONE! (ACTRA nomination). Thank you to Tawiah & this beautiful cast & crew, Luke R, Beth W, Rae Ellen, Philip A, Amy K, and those who ran lines with him, his pals, parents, agents, his wife Katherine (THANK YOU!) and his new baby daughter Lily. www.colindoyle.ca

Jennifer Dzialoszynski – Bets

Jennifer is an actor, fight director, stage combat instructor, and voice artist. She is incredibly proud to be among this fierce and passionate company, at long last, working on this incredible play. Canadian Stage credits include: Is God Is (Fight Director), Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth (Shakespeare in High Park). She has worked in theatres across Canada including: Four seasons at The Shaw Festival; King Lear, Othello, Richard III, Hamlet, (Shakespeare Bash’d); Antony & Cleopatra, Three Musketeers (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival); Jane Eyre, Gone With The Wind (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); August: Osage County (The Citadel); Boeing, Boeing, Perfect Wedding (Magnus Theatre); Kindertransport (Harold Green Jewish Theatre); Hana’s Suitcase (The Grand Theatre); among others.

Jeff Lillico – Mack

Jeff is thrilled to be making his Obsidian Theatre debut. Previously with Canadian Stage, Jeff appeared in Cruel & Tender, directed by Atom Egoyan. Past productions at the Berkeley Street Theatre include Clybourne Park (Studio 180); Grey Gardens, The Light in The Piazza (Dora Award) (Musical Stage Company); & Company (Theatre 20). Jeff has performed in 23 productions for Soulpepper (including at the Signature Center – 42nd St, NYC), 5 seasons with the Shaw Festival, as well as Stratford, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Crow’s, Tarragon, Factory, Buddies in Bad Times & many others. On screen, Jeff can be seen as Coffey on Netflix’s Locke & Key, as well as in On the Basis of Sex, Designated Survivor, Murdoch Mysteries, Hudson & Rex, Nurses, Rocky Horror Picture Show (2016), Copper & Flashpoint

Chelsea Russell – Keisha

Chelsea is a Jamaican-bred DORA and Canadian Screen Award nominee. Her theatre credits include Da Kink in My Hair (Soulpepper Theatre), Pipeline (Soulpepper Theatre), Judas Noir (Obsidian Theatre/BDB Productions) and Bella Donna (Tarragon Theatre). Her film and television credits include Fellow Travellers (Showtime), Skymed (Paramount Plus), 21 Black Futures, Rebirth of the Afronauts (CBC Gem), See (Apple TV) and short film Woman Meets Girl

When Chelsea is not working on the stage or screen, she is working on releasing her musical projects. Her Instagram handle to follow her journey is @chelsearussell0. She is currently working on releasing an EP available on Spotify and Apple Music. She would like to thank her mother Maxan Russell and her agent Alix Kazman.

Ordena Stephens-Thompson – Beverly

Ordena is a two-time Dora nominated actress whose selected theatre credits include: ’Da Kink in My Hair 20th Anniversary (Soulpepper/TO Live), Contraction (Studio 180 Reads), Sweat (Canadian Stage/Studio 180), Fences (Grand Theatre), Harlem Duet (Tarragon Theatre), Risky Phil (YPT), Other Side of the Game (Cahoots/Obsidian Theatre), For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf (Soulpepper Theatre), How Black Mothers Say I Love You (Factory Theatre). Selected TV and film credits include: Christmas at the Drive Inn, Brother (feature film), Ruby and the Well (seasons 1 and 2), Kings of Napa, Hudson & Rex, Salt n’ Pepa, Grand Army, Umbrella Academy, The Handmaid’s Tale, ‘Da Kink in My Hair (TV series seasons 1 and 2).

Sophia Walker – Jasmine

Sophia is a Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) Theatre graduate, Alum of the Canadian Film Centre’s CBC Actors Conservatory, and an award-winning actor. Her film and television appearances include: Neil Burger’s The Marsh King’s Daughter, MGM/ HULU’S The Handmaid’s Tale, Paramount’s The Mayor of Kingstown, CBS’S Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, ABC’s Designated Survivor, a recurring role on AMC’s series The Divide, Y: The Last Man and the feature Born to be Blue. She also played recurring roles on Carmilla and Shadowhunters. Theatre credits include: Black Mary in Gem of the Ocean (Shaw Festival), Niesha in Our Place (Cahoots). Walker has spent the last 11 seasons performing at the Stratford Festival, and she was part of The Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre. Love 2 Gil!

Creative

Jackie Sibblies Drury – Playwright

Jackie Sibblies Drury is a Brooklyn-based playwright. Her critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview premiered in 2018 at Soho Rep. Other plays include We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915, Really, and Social Creatures

Drury’s plays have been presented by New York City Players and Abrons Arts Center, Soho Rep, Victory Gardens, Trinity Rep, Woolly Mammoth, Undermain Theatre, InterAct Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Company One, and The Bush Theatre in London, among others. Her work has been developed at The Bellagio Center, Sundance, The Ground Floor, Manhattan Theatre Club, Ars Nova, A.C.T., The Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, NYTW, PRELUDE, The Bushwick Starr, and The MacDowell Colony. Drury is a NYTW Usual Suspect, a United States Artists Gracie Fellow, has received a Van Lier Fellowship at New Dramatists, a Jerome Fellowship at The LARK, a Windham-Campbell Literary Prize in Drama, and is a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

Tawiah M’Carthy - Director

Tawiah is a Ghanaian-born, Toronto-based theatre practitioner, notable as a director, creator, playwright, and performer. His creator/performer credits include Maanomaa, My Brother (Blue Bird Theatre Collective), Black Boys (Saga Collectif), Obaaberima (Buddies in Bad Times) and Yɛn Ara Asaase Ni, 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre). His directing credits include Fairview (Canadian Stage / Obsidian Theatre), Death and the King’s Horseman (Stratford Festival) and Rihannaboi95 (Young People’s Theatre). He is a founding member and co-artistic director of Blue Bird Theatre Collective. Tawiah has worked with various organizations across Canada including Soulpepper, Factory Theatre, National Arts Center, Shaw, and MT Space. Tawiah is a Dora-nominated playwright and performer.

Pulga Muchochoma - Assistant Director/ Choreographer

Pulga was born in Mozambique where His dance training began with Montes Namuli Dance Company. In August of 2006, he came to Toronto with the company for the International AIDS Conference. With Montes Namuli/Shakespeare Link Canada, he performed in several shows in venues across Toronto. In 2006, Pulga stayed in Toronto to study at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. By the year 2009, he graduated and then joined the Toronto Dance Theatre company, where he had the pleasure of working and collaborating with many local and international choreographers. He’s also the creator and founder of Pulga Dance, est. 2015. In 2022, he joined Stratford Festival where he played Joseph in Death and the Kings Horseman, directed by Tawiah Ben M’Carthy.

Jawon Kang - Set Designer

Jawon is a Korean-Canadian theatre designer based in Toronto. Canadian Stage credits include: Set design for Fairview; design assistance for Choir Boy. Other theatre credits include: Costume design for Armadillos (upcoming, Factory Theatre); design assistance for Of The Sea (Tapestry Opera and Obsidian Theatre); set design for Redbone Coonhound (Tarragon and Imago Theatre); set designs for Directors’ Workshop Project (Stratford Festival); associate set design for Death and the King’s Horseman (Stratford Festival); costume design for Venus (NTS); design assistance for 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre). Jawon is a graduate of the set and costume design program at the National Theatre school of Canada and the recipient of 2022 Tyrone Guthrie Award for theatre design study.

Rachel Forbes - Costume Designer

Rachel is an award-winning set and costume designer creating for theatre, dance, opera and film. Her designs have been seen on stages all across Canada. She is a board member for the Associated Designers of Canada. Rachel is particularly interested in the development of new works, interdisciplinary explorations, experimental creation methods and design lead projects. She received a Dora Mavor Moore award for costume design of The Brothers Size (Soulpepper) and a Merrit Award for set design of The Bridge (2B/Neptune). Selected Credits: Choir Boy (Canadian Stage & Arts Club) Death and the King’s Horseman (Stratford Festival); Harlem Duet (Bard on the Beach); The Doctor’s Dilemma, Trouble in Mind, Victory, 1837: The Farmers’ Revolt (Shaw Festival); New Monuments (Canadian Stage, Luminato), 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre, CBC).

Des’ree Gray - Assistant Costume Designer

Des’ree is a Toronto-based Costume Designer with experience in film and theatre. She is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Production Design Program and takes pride in her abilities in all stages of the design process. Work: Costume Designer for The Flight (Factory Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer for Yerma (Coal Mine Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer for Da Kink in My Hair (Canadian Stage); Costume Designer for The First Stone (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer for Little Women (Stratford Festival); Assistant Costume Designer for 1851: Spirit & Voice (SoulPepper Theatre); Designer for Designing The Revolution (Theatre Passe Muraille).

Online: Instagram @desreegraydesigns; Website www.desreegraydesigns.ca

Logan Raju Cracknell - Lighting Designer

Logan is a Toronto-based theatre artist specializing in theatrical design and live stream creation. Canadian Stage credits include: As You Like It/Dream in High Park 2022, Dream in High Park 2021. Other Credits include: Prodigal (Howland Company), The Extinction Therapist (Theatre Aquarius), Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats Theatre), Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Theatre Calgary), Dixon Road (The Musical Stage Company/Obsidian Theatre Company), William Shakespeare’s As You Like It: A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal (Crow’s Theatre).

Miquelon Rodriguez - Sound Designer

Miquelon is a Dora-nominated Sound Designer/Composer and Director based in T’karonto. Canadian Stage credits include: Dream in High ParkNoWhen. Recent theatre credits include: Ok, You Can Stop Now (Theatre Passe Muraille); X and Da Spirit (Theatre Passe Muraille/bCurrent); My Sister’s Rage (Tarragon); Gem of the Ocean (Shaw Festival); and Year of the Rat (Factory). He is a graduate of the Artistic Leadership Residency at the National Theatre School of Canada and was a two-season Apprentice Artistic Director at Factory Theatre under Nina Lee Aquino. Miquelon is currently writing and directing an “audio-only video game” with Frog In Hand Theatre Company and Diaspora Games and will be making his Stratford debut this year as sound designer on King Lear

Victoria Wang - Stage Manager

Victoria is a Toronto-based stage manager, producer, and arts administrator. Canadian Stage credits include: Love and Information, All’s Well That Ends Well, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Comedy of Errors. Other theatre credits include: My Sister’s Rage (Tarragon Theatre); Solitudes (Aluna Theatre); Hilot Means Healer (Cahoots); Four Sisters (Luminato); Hockey Sweater: A Musical (Segal Centre/NAC). She has also worked with The Musical Stage Company, Nuit Blanche, TIFF and theatre festivals including SummerWorks and Rhubarb. Outside of theatre, Victoria enjoys practicing yoga and is a certified instructor.

Lani Martel – Assistant Stage Manager

Lani is a stage manager whose career has taken her across the country. She is delighted to be working with Canadian Stage and Obsidian Theatre for the first time. Recent favourite credits include A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Mountaintop, Intimate Apparel, The Little Prince (Grand Theatre), #34 and I Call Myself Princess (Globe Theatre), and Manman La Mer (Théâtre Catapulte), as well as various productions with Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Eldritch Theatre, Western Canada Theatre, Theatre NorthWest, Blyth Festival, The National Ballet of Canada, Dasein Dance Theatre Company, FLUX Dance Festival, CCDT, and Opera Lyra Ottawa.

Anita Nittoly – Fight & Sexual Choreography

Selected Fight Director credits: 2019 Season (The Stratford Festival); The Last Wife, The 39 Steps, Successions (Centaur Theatre); Whole World (Carousel Players); Kitchen Radio, Stag & Doe, 2018 Season (Blyth Festival); Don Quichotte, Die Walkure, Carmen (Canadian Opera Company, Associate Fight Master). Stage Combat Instructor and Fight Director/Sexual Choreographer (National Theatre School). Intimacy Choreographer: Trojan Girls and The Outhouse of Atreus (Outside The March/Factory Theatre/Factory Theatre); Our Place (Cahoots Theatre/Theatre Passe Murraille); TV/FILM: Stunt Performer/Stunt Actor (selected credits: SEE, Star Trek: Discovery, Pretty Hard Cases, Teen Titans, The Boys, Rabbit Hole, What We Do in the Shadows, various Ubisoft motion capture productions).

Jane Gooderham – Dialect Coach

For Canadian Stage: London Road, The Syringa Tree, Rock ’n’ Roll. Other: 19 seasons with The Stratford Festival; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Cloud Nine, The Lord of the Rings, The Producers (Mirvish); Shaw Festival; War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Royal National Theatre/Mirvish); Matilda (Royal Shakespeare Company/Mirvish); Oroonoko, Chair (Theatre for a New Audience, New York). Television: Good Sam (CBS), Reacher (Amazon), Republic of Doyle (CBC). Teaching: Head of Voice, National Theatre School of Canada (2009-16); Centre for Indigenous Theatre; Birmingham Conservatory. Training: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (MA Voice), Guildhall School of Music & Drama (BA Acting).

Proud supporter of the arts.

At BMO, we take pride in our local communities, and the artists that contribute to the cultural diversity and creative richness of our cities.

We’re proud to be the Canadian Stage’s 2022/23 Season Sponsor.

Photo: Lorne Bridgman

Amaka Umeh & Deborah Hay

Jamie Robinson – Active Listener

Jamie has been a Toronto-based professional artist since 1997 as an actor, director, producer, teacher and writer. Select director credits include: This summer’s Midsummer Night’s Dream in High Park, 1184 (The Aga Khan/ Phoenix Arts), Madness with Rocks (CBC Gem/Obsidian Theatre), Copy That (Tarragon Theatre), Scotian Journey (Black Theatre Workshop), She Stoops to Conquer and Romeo & Juliet (Guild Festival Theatre, also as Artistic Director). Theatre acting credits include: Four seasons with the Stratford Festival of Canada, Much Ado About Nothing and Measure for Measure (Canadian Stage), Risky Phil (Young People’s Theatre. Dora Award Winner, Outstanding Performance), Gas Girls (New Harlem Productions. Dora Award Nomination), Title role in Richard III (Metachroma Theatre. METAward nomination). Film/TV acting credits include: Condor (AT&T), Believe Me (Showcase), Hudson & Rex (Rogers), Expanse (SyFy), Murdoch Mysteries (Shaftesbury), Celeste in the City (ABC). Jamie is a professor of Acting/Directing for York University and is currently co-editing/writing for the current issue of Canadian Theatre Review focused upon Race and Casting.

Production

Chanti Laliberte – Head of Wardrobe

Chanti is a Toronto-based theatre craftsperson with a BFA from York University. A two-time nominee for the Pauline McGibbon Award, Chanti’s work has been seen on stages throughout Ontario. For Canadian Stage: Fall On Your Knees, As You Like It, All But Gone (with Necessary Angel). For Obsidian Theatre Company: School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls (with Nightwood Theatre), The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble (with Factory Theatre). Other credits include: The Men In White, Prairie Nurse, Bang Bang, trace, Little Pretty and the Exceptional (Factory Theatre). Musik Fur Das Ende (Soundstreams), Obeah Opera (Asah Productions). Chanti spent many seasons with The Blyth Festival and worked as a shoe craftsperson with the Stratford Festival & Jitterbug Boy. Drink more water.

Obsidian is Canada’s leading culturally specific theatre company with a threefold mission to produce plays, to develop playwrights and to train emerging theatre professionals. We are passionately dedicated to the exploration, development, and production of the Black voice. Obsidian produces plays from a world-wide canon focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on the works of highly acclaimed Black playwrights. Obsidian provides artistic support, promoting the development of work by Black theatre makers and offering training opportunities through mentoring and apprenticeship programs for emerging Black artists.

Obsidian Theatre Company was born out of a passionate sense of artistic responsibility – a responsibility to bring the Black voice, in its many artistic dialects, to Canada’s cultural forefront. Obsidian encourages Black artists to expand their vision of what they perceive, create and present to a national audience. Obsidian continues to play a prominent role in Canada’s theatrical mosaic by showcasing the work of both emerging and established Black artists.

Since its inception, our development programs have led many artists to expand their professional development and create new Canadian works. Through our training programs, we produce plays, develop playwrights and train emerging theatre professionals.

Of the Sea

March 25–April 1, 2023

The Bluma Appel Theatre

Libretto by Kanika Ambrose | Composed by Ian Cusson

Directed by Philip Akin | Music Direction by Jennifer Tung

With The Canadian Opera Company Orchestra

An Obsidian Theatre Company and Tapestry Opera co-production, in partnership with TO Live

Obsidian Season Sponsor

Tapestry Season Sponsor

S T A F F

Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu Artistic Director

Michael Sinclair General Manager

Vanessa Spence Producer daniel jelani ellis

Metcalf Intern

Artistic Director

Jay Northcott Young, Gifted & Black (YGB) Program Director

Lisa Codrington Playwrights Unit Facilitator

Beverley Thomas-Barnes Chair

Walter Gibbons Treasurer

Stacey Norton Secretary

Ashima Chopra Director Sascha Cole Director

Kevin Hanchard Director

Alistair Hepburn Director

OBSIDIAN SEASON SPONSOR

OBSIDIAN SUPPORTERS

OBSIDIAN YOUNG, GIFTED & BLACK PROGRAM SUPPORTERS

Obsidian Supporters

Rainbow Sheen [$1000+]

B&B Hamilton Fund

Ms Jennifer Birmingham

Black Solidarity Fund

Robin Cardozo

Denham Corporation

Kamala-Jean Gopie

Ins Choi Productions Inc

Kingfisher Foundation

Professor J W Michael & Dr. Edith Lorimer

Mary McDougall Maude

Necessary Angel Theatre

Pat And Tony Adams Trust

Patricia J Fleming Fund

Penguin Random House

McLean Smits Family

Mary McDougall Maude

Canada Helps

Elizabeth Pasternak

Nicholas Eddie

Jay Fisher

Gold Sheen [$500-$999]

Burgundy Asset Management LTD

Mary Anne Chambers

Jacqueline Costa

David Crawford

Kevin & Christine Hanchard

Greg Holness

Richard Knowles

Ulla Laidlaw

Martha Loewen

Kewayn Lynch

Signy Lynch

Stacey Norton

Amanda Rosenthal

Leslie Sanders

Michael Sinclair

Wood Hart Fund

Amanda Rosenthal

Karen Lawrence

Kristin Moriah

Silver Sheen [$250-$499]

Neil Foster & Alicia Jeffery

Sarah Bay-Chen

Ashima Chopra

Sascha Cole

Lisa Cunningham

Aurora Stewart De Pena

Kardon Douglas

Eva Feldman

Daniel Levinson

Adam Pottle

Sabryn Rock

Neta Rose

Lily Sutherland

Marcus Tuttle

Marc Zwelling

Darren Herbert

Anonymous

Faye Schepmyer

Paula Wing

Melanie McNeill

Canada On Line Giving

Colin Rivers

Kevin & Christine Hanchard

Kamala-Jean Gopie

Red Mahogany [$100-$249]

Ravi Jain & Sarena Parmar

9 Story Media Group

Diana Abraham

Amir & Aleks Realty Team

Anonymous

Stephanie Appin

Jennifer Bewwin

Eric Blais

Robin Breon

Madeline Brown

Sarahi Cardenas

Revel Coffee

Harmony Cohen

Wesley Colford

Levi Cristobal

Jeff Cummings

Eric Cunningham

Darling Brenda & Ian Gilmour

Katrina Darychuk

Christopher Dearlove

Debbie Ebanks (School)

Nicholas Eddie

Susan Ferley

Henri Fiks

Barbara Fingerote

Walter Gibbons

Duncan Gibson-Lockhart

Basia Gilas

Andrew Guy

Meredith Henry

Sandra Gravel Hollett

Rose Janson

Alomar Kocur

Madeline Lunney

Stephanie Malek

Anyika Mark

Grecia Mayers

Derek Miller

Natalie Morgan

Zachery Moull

Natasha Mumba

Russel Niessen

Sonya Popovich

Grahame Renyk

Colin Rivers

Peter Roberts

Faye Schepmyer

Paula Shewchuk

Sarah Garton Stanley

Heidi Taylor

Stephanie Taylor

Leonie Thelwell

United Way

Vive Social Marketing Inc

Janet Watson

Emma Westray

Alten Wilmot

Paula Wing

Hersh Zeifman

Peter Hill

Krista Wylie

Diana Ralph

Stacey Norton

Neta Rose

Anonymous

Anyika Mark

Bernice Neil

Katherine Bishop

Joanna Decc

Charity Aid Foundation

Alistair Hepburn

Jini Stolk

Claire Hopkinson

Hilary Land

Grave Lindo Academy of Cdn

Black Glass

[up to $99]

Dalmar Abuzied

Oritsetimeyin Agbeyegbe

Lauren Allen

Laura Ashmore

Emilie Aubin

Rebecca Ballarin

Nicola Bardell

Linda Barnett

Eva Barrie

Nicole Baughan

Madeline Billiel

Wade Bogert-OBrien

Danielle Bourgon

Ellen Brooker

Coleen Burke

Sarah By-Chen

Nathan Carroll

Annie Clarke

Gemma Clifton

Leo Compton

Shane Corkey

Kate Crome

Constance Crompton

Kate Croome

Cyber Graants TD Staff

Sara D’Agostinoi

Stacy Darko

Francis Dean

Colleen Derkatch

Loretta Diaz

Mikayla Dunlop

Kaitlain Dunn

Allison Edwards-Crewe

Fatma Sarah Elkashef

Tequeilla Faulkner

Suzanne Gerhold

Kyle Golemba

Humberly Gonzales

Joyce Henry

Nathan Heuvingh

Peter Hill

Tiffany Hong

Kayla Horn

Katie Howgate

Beverley John

Carman Johnston

Thalia Gonzalez Kane

Ms Denyse Karn

Jennifer Kelley

Robert Kempson

Erin Kim

Heather Kirkham

Victoria Laberge

Andrew Lamb

David Lee

Annie Liao

Amanda Lin

Lisa Lister

Sabrina Litherland

Frances Loiselle

Cameron MacKenzie

Bonnie MacLeod

Laura McCallum

Sonya McFarlane

Tymika McKenzie

Heather McMartin

Yago Mesquita

Clear Mortifee

Elisa Natarelli

Bernice Neal

Lise Olds

Vivian Pow

Nan Richardson

Carol Roundtree

Carla Sanchez

Julia Schultz

Vanessa Sears

Tessa Simpson

Lynn Slotkin

Barbara Stewart

Shawn Stillman

Heather Stolte

Vicki Storich

Carla Tassara

Catherine Teichman

Verie Thompson

Sean Towgood

Rebecca Tran

Diana Tso

Sarah Tumalium

Brenda Vellino

Yolanda Ferrato

Kevin Vidal

Margaret Fortuna Yassky

Anja Zelkovic

Taylor Onski

Alex Currie

Jeremy Opolsky

Romina Julian

Jeanne LeSage

Sunny Drake

On Line Giving

Aidan Morishita-Miki

Connor Copeland

Beatrice Campbell

Rachel Birnberg

Dave Deveau

Alessandro Constantini

1 Anonymous donor

Thank You!

Many thanks to The Slaight Family Foundation for your transformational theatre initiative. Your commitment of $15 million to 22 Canadian theatre companies and training institutions will have a profound impact as we rebuild and relaunch the performing arts in Canada.

Over the next two years, this truly extraordinary investment from the Slaight Family Foundation will exponentially support and amplify the work at Canadian Stage, full of innovative projects and programs for artists and audiences. It will ease the expected and unexpected challenges with the sector’s re-opening after the long and volatile pandemic closure period. This incredible act of faith and support from the Slaight Family Foundation will have a lasting impact across the sector for years and years to come.

— Brendan Healy & Monica Esteves

Public Enemy. Matthew Edison, Amy Rutherford, Jonathan Goad, Rosemary Dunsmore, Finley Burke, Michelle Monteith, Maja Vujicic.

Photo by Dahlia Katz. Set by Julie Fox, Costumes by Ming Wong, Lighting by Kimberly Purtell.

As part of our goal to help people feel a sense of belonging in their communities, TD supports arts and culture events, initiatives, and organizations across North America that amplify diverse voices. That’s why we’re thrilled to support Obsidian Theatre Company and the first Canadian production of Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Fairview

td.com/artsandculture

We believe that when people participate in their community, good things can happen.

Annual Donors, Sponsors and Members

Canadian Stage is grateful to the many individuals and organizations that supported our activities during the 21.22 season. They allowed us to invest in artist development, experiment with new technologies, build our pipeline of new work and present artistic experiences at the highest levels.

Artistic Director’s Circle

$100,000+

Marilyn Baillie, C.M. & Charles Baillie, O.C.

BMO Financial Group

$50,000-$99,999

David W. Binet

John & Nancy Embry

The William and Nona Heaslip Foundation

RBC Foundation

TD Bank Group Through the Ready Commitment

$25,000-$49,999

Mark & Gail Appel

The Azrieli Foundation

Alexandra Baillie

CIBC

The Council for Canadian American Relations (made possible by the

Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation)

Brendan Healy

The Henry White Kinnear Foundation

Trina McQueen, O.C.

Shawn McReynolds & Elaine Kierans

Polar Asset Management

The Sabourin Family Foundation

Producer’s Club

$10,000 - $24,999

Canada Life

Fran & Ed Clark

Hugh Clark

Davies

Deloitte Canada

Steven Endicott

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Monica Esteves & Chris Bretz

Huw Evans & Kathryn Bird

Sheila Goldman

Goodmans

KPMG

The McLean Foundation

Metcalf Foundation

Remembering Otto & Marie Pick

Charitable Foundation

Sandra & Jim Pitblado, C.M.

Timothy & Frances Price

Skygrid

Sylvia Soyka

Julie Sutherland

Torys LLP

Wendigo Investments

Julie, Peter & James in Memory of John David Wood

Woodbourne

Anonymous (1)

$5,000 - $9,999

Sara & Dr. Michael Angel

The Marion Armstrong Charitable Foundation

Tony Baylis

Ellis Don Capital

Entuitive

Joan & Clifford Hatch Foundation

Linda Glover & Ian de Verteuil

Nicole Holder

Kathy Inch & Steve Simpson

RAD Marketing

Penny & Robert Richards Elizabeth

Smith & Andersen

Suulin Architects

Anonymous (1)

$2,000 - $4,999

Rick Archbold & Rick Feldman

Renee Barrette & Gary Bryck

Benefaction Foundation

Sylvia Bethlenfalvy

Adam Burke

Communauto

Lynn Eakin

Dr. Roy Eappen

Jay Fisher

Richard & Justine Giuliani Foundation at Hamilton Community Foundation

Ludwig W. Kalchhauser

LeMay

Ian & Dorothy MacDonald

Stuart MacGregor

Gail MacNaughton & In Memory of John MacNaughton

Paul Maranger & Robert Brown

John Montesano

Robert Morassutti

Alice Morgan

Ed & Cindy Nowina

Aine O’Flynn & Steven Braun

Perry Orestes & Tim Giguere

The Pat & Tony Freedom Trust

Penny Partridge & George Staznik

The Racioppo Family Foundation

Linda Reed

Gabrielle Richards

Glenn Rogers

Helena Ruken

Greg Sharp

Jason Silzer

Doug & Gail Todgham

Antoinette & John Tummillio

Carole Winberg

City Builders Members

Principals

Kingsett Capital

SvN Architects + Planners

Vandyk Properties

Partners

Allied Properties REIT

Castlepoint Numa

Diamond Schmitt

EllisDon

ERA

Hugh Clark Associates

Multiplex

TAS

BDP Quadrangle

Boszko & Verity Inc.

Enwave Energy

KPMB

LRI Engineering Inc.

Newmark

RAW Design

Lifetime Giving

Canadian Stage wishes to thank the generous contributions from individuals and corporations whose lifetime financial contributions to the company exceed $100,000.

Above $2,000,000

Bram & Bluma Appel

The Bluma Appel Community Trust

BMO Financial Group

TD Bank Group

$1,000,000 - $1,999,999

Marilyn Baillie, C.M. & Charles Baillie, O.C

CIBC

Sandra Simpson

$500,000 - $999,999

BMO Harris Private Banking

Susan Crocker, C.M. & John Hunkin, C.M.

John & Nancy Embry

Imperial Oil Foundation

Ron Lalonde & Jane Humphreys

William MacKinnon

Manulife Financial

Maureen & Roger Parkinson

RBC Foundation

Scotiabank

St. Joseph Communications

Anonymous (1)

$250,000 - $499,999

David W. Binet

Canada Life

Hal Jackman Foundation

The Henry White Kinnear Foundation

Laidlaw Foundation

Loblaw Companies Limited

Metcalf Foundation

Ontario Trillium Foundation

Jack & Judith Rose

Sylvia Soyka

Sun Life Financial

Anonymous (1)

$100,000 - $249,999

Alexandra Baillie

Cathy Bateman

Jill E. Black & Barry Allan

Susan & Hans Brenninkmeyer

The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation

M. Joan Chalmers C.C., O.Ont & Barbara Amesbury

Peter & Frances Chiddy

Mark & Ann Curry

Deloitte Foundation

Ernst & Young LLP

Margaret & Jim Fleck, O.C.

GE Canada

Peter & Dianne Gillin

Gluskin Sheff & Associates Inc.

Sheila Goldman

Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation

Barbara Hackett & John Tory

The William & Nona Macdonald

Heaslip Foundation

Hewlett Packard Canada

HSBC Bank Canada

Ken Hugessen & Jennifer Connolly

Intact Insurance Company

Ed & Ann Kerwin

KPMG Canada

Adrian Lang & Ash Taylor

Don & Marjorie Lenz

Gail MacNaughton & In Memory of John MacNaughton

John & Kay McKellar Household

Trina McQueen, O.C.

Molson Coors Brewing Company

Sandra & Jim Pitblado

Polar Foundation

Emmanuel Pressman

Timothy & Frances Price

PwC Canada

Shawn McReynolds & Elaine Kierans

Penny & Robert Richards

Jim Riley & Nicole Sigouin

Edward S. Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc.

Ellen & Brian Rose

The Sabourin Family Foundation

Schuyler Bankes & Family

The Estate of Stanley Shaw

TC Energy

Tridel Corporation

Chip & Barbara Vallis

Arlene & Michael Willis

Julie, Peter & James in Memory of John David Wood

Anonymous (2)

Legacy Giving

We are grateful to the following individuals who have very thoughtfully and generously remembered Canadian Stage in their estates.

The Estate of Bluma Appel

The Estate of Kenneth C. Dawe

The Estate of John Gordon Hunter Larry Lubin

The Estate of Stanley Shaw

The Estate of Helen Joan Kates

These listings include donations received between July 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022. We have made every effort to ensure proper recognition. If, however, your name has been accidentally omitted, listed incorrectly, or misspelled, we apologize. Please notify us at donate@canadianstage.com with any corrections.

Coming Soon

Maanomaa, My Brother My Brother

April 11 - 30, 2023

Berkeley Street Theatre

The development of Maanomaa, My Brother was made possible by the generous support of lemonTree creations, Inter Arts Matrix, Nightswimming, the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund, artsNB, the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Co-created by Tawiah M’Carthy and Brad Cook with Anne-Marie Donovan

Canadian Stage

Board of Directors

Alexandra Baillie Chair

Hugh Clark Vice-Chair

Adam Burke Treasurer

Huw Evans Secretary

Nimal Amitirigala

Sara Angel

Rupinder Dhillon

Paul Fletcher

Councillor Paula Fletcher

Colin Hennigar

Nina Josefowitz

Elaine Kierans

Marc Mayer

Trina McQueen

John Montesano

Penny Partridge

Vanessa Pfaff

Drew Sinclair

Julie Sutherland

Vandana Taxali

Margaritta Topielski

Raj Uttamchandani Management

Brendan Healy

Artistic Director

Monica Esteves

Executive Director

Beth Toombs Director of Finance and Administration

Heather McMartin Director of Development and Campaigns

Elissa Horscroft Director of Production and Facilities

Tanya Doroslovac Director of Marketing and Communications

Artistic

Lynanne Sparrow Producer

Jordan Laffrenier Associate Artistic Director

Laurie Merredew Company Manager

Jade Silman New Work Development Coordinator

Lucy Mee Producing Intern Development

Kathryn Liedeman Associate Director of Individual Giving

Chris Faulkner Senior Manager, Government Relations and Foundations

Derolyn Kinkead Senior Manager of Corporate Development

Gillian Hoff Manager of Special Events

Shaneill Floyd-Wlazlak Development Coordinator

Finance & Administration

Sunitha Rai Manager, Payroll Administration and HR Support

Kari Seppen Intermediate Accountant

Brian Parsons Senior Manager, IT Services

Ruth-Anne Yiu Executive and Planning Assistant

Stephanie Fung Executive Director Intern

Phillip Pike Data Entry Clerk, Accounts Payable

Marketing and Communications

Juliana Feng Digital Strategy and Communications Manager

Madison Zinger Marketing Coordinator

Derek Ma Graphic and Digital Designer

Michael Crumpton Senior Sales Specialist

Shannon Tigert Audience Services Manager

Faisal Butt Assistant Manager to Audience Services

J. Atlas Front of House Manager Production

Meg Woods Assistant Production Manager

Daniel Bennett Technical Director Gunes Agduk Production Coordinator

Jillian Wardell Assistant Technical Director

Marshall Kidd Assistant Technical Director

Mary Spyrakis Head of Properties

George Nadrous Building Operations Manager

Jon Cunningham Head Technician (Upstairs Theatre)

Josh Vlodarchyk Head Technician (Baillie Theatre)

Everett Dalingwater House Technician

Support

Government Support

Season Sponsor Special Foundation Support

Major Corporate Sponsors

Major Foundation Supporters

The Council for Canadian American Relations (made possible by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation)

Henry White Kinnear Foundation

City Builders – Principal Sponsors

The Joan and Clifford Hatch Foundation

The William and Nona Heaslip Foundation

Hal Jackman Foundation Kingfisher Foundation

Otto & Marie Pick Charitable Foundation

The Sabourin Family Foundation

Hotel Sponsor