Daffydil: Queen of Hearts

Letter from the Director

who tells your story? medicine.

at its heart, becoming a doctor is about more than simply diagnoses and treatments. it’s about stories. the deep, complex stories that every patient carries with them. the stories that we ourselves carry, which themselves grow increasingly nuanced with every patient interaction our work brings.

how fortunate we are not only to help patients, but for our patients, in turn, to help us.

in many ways, art (in all its forms) is much the same. art, like medicine, is filled with vulnerability, passion, and human connection. hidden behind every musical, movie, song, painting – you name it – is a human being trying to turn powerful emotions or experiences into something tangible. art is medicine, and medicine is art.

Queen of Hearts came into existence through sticky notes on my wall, and later, a late night phone conversation with my co-producer, Jonathan, who supported it all along the way (thanks, cra-z-j). the story behind this musical is complex. some of it is rooted in my own experience, while other aspects touch on elements of social justice and advocacy.

in 1847, when this show is set, social inequities – including lack of access to medical care, housing, and employment – were significant. unfortunately, one doesn’t have to look very far to acknowledge that disparities continue to exist. in Queen of Hearts, we see a ‘small but might group of medical students’ who fight for what they believe in – and what is right. it’s a message that reminds all of us (medical students and otherwise), that the capacity to create positive change is in our hands.

toeveryonewhohasmadethisproductionpossible,thankyou.first,to UofT’sTemertyFacultyofMedicine,fortheopportunitytolearnhere,andfor yourendlesssupportoftheDaffydilinitiative.tooursponsor,TorontoNotes, fortheirgenerousfinancialsupportthathelpedbringQueenofHeartstolife. toeveryfacultymember,staff,andstudentwhohelpedwithoneofthemany aspectsoftheprocess–fromlendingrehearsalspace,topromotingtheshow toyourcolleagues,toattendingthisperformance.anenormousthankyouto everyoneseatedheretonight,takingthetimeoutofyourbusylivestosee whatwe’vespentsolongpreparing.

last,butcertainlynotleast,totheentire‘Daffamily.’whetheryouarea performer,oroneofthemanycontributorsbehindthescenes,THANKYOU. wordscan’tdescribehowmuchitmeanstoseethisstory–whichisnolonger mystory,butourstory–broughttolife.

thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.

andso,toeveryonereadingthis,i’llaskagain: whotellsyourstory?

Letter from the Dean

On behalf of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, we would like to thank you for supporting Daffydil 2023: Queen of Hearts. For more than 100 years, Daffydil has been bringing people together in celebration of the talent and creativity of our learners to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Proceeds of this performance will help fund research, advocacy, prevention, and support services in the fight against cancer. We are thrilled to return in person to enjoy this year’s spectacular show, which is one the many ways that our learners take centre stage to help build the Temerty Medicine community. For performers and audience members alike, Daffydil has long been a night to remember. Thank you once again for joining us here tonight!

Sincerely,

Dr. Patricia Houston MD, MEd, FRCPC Vice Dean, Medical Education

Dr. Marcus Law MD MBA MEd CCFP FCFP Associate Dean, MD Program

Sponsor: Toronto Notes

Toronto Notes Inc. is a non-profit organization run by medical students at the University of Toronto. Their product, Toronto Notes, updated and published every year, is one of the most cherished and recognized study resources used by medical students across Canada. The Toronto Notes executive board consists of University of Toronto medical students, and their entire editorial board

consists of University of Toronto medical students and faculties. Over the past 39 years, students in their fourth year of undergraduate medical training and in the MD/PhD program have been publishing what continues to be the most comprehensive up-to-date medical review text in Canada.

Since its inception, Toronto Notes remains entirely run by medical students, and is a distinct entity from the Faculty of Medicine. The success of Toronto Notes relies heavily on the tireless effort of medical students working for the organization on a volunteering basis, which then generates and donates its proceeds back to our society. For individual purchase: please visit torontonotes.ca

History of Daffydil

For over 100 years, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto has performed Daffydil, a spectacular theatrical production, to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Since its inception, Daffydil has raised over $700,000 for charity. The show is entirely produced, directed, written and performed by students in the Faculty of Medicine.

Daffydil is among the oldest traditions of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine. It draws upon the creative talents of students in the faculty and channels it towards a cause that is personal to some of us, yet dear to us all: the search for more advanced treatments and medical care for those afflicted by cancer. We invite you to join us in this cause.

History of UofT Medicine

The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine was founded as a school of medicine in 1843. It is uniquely positioned as the only medical school operating in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which has a diverse population of more than six million people.

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto has a deep history of global leadership in all aspects of its work – from discovery science and ground-breaking innovation to preparing expert physicians, rehabilitation professionals and researchers.

The MD program is delivered in partnership with 30+ affiliated clinical teaching sites, including nine fully affiliated hospitals and research institutes and four associate affiliated hospitals. Partnered with the Faculty of Medicine, these affiliated hospitals and research institutes comprise the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN), one of the largest biomedical research, education, and clinical care networks in North America.

Cast Profiles

Chris Choi Emily Adams

Hannah Lee

Chris is playing Jack Islington in ‘Queen of Hearts ’ He is a second year student at the Fitzgerald Academy and through Daffydil, he is learning how to nurture his interest in the arts alongside a career in medicine. In his free time, he likes to hike, explore French songs, and go for a relaxing stroll in his favourite brunch place, Ikea.

Emily is a 2T6 student playing Leopold Fletcher, one of the Undead medical students. Outside of Daffy, she can be found studying, in a dance class or rewatching Game of Thrones. She joined daffy to relive her high school theatre kid memories.

After 3 years in the Health Sciences

Musical at McMaster, Hannah is thrilled to take the Daffy stage for the first time as this year's pretentious brat 'villain,' Vance. She also waited too long to buy tickets to Hamilton at the Ed Mirvish (it's a touchy subject - don't mention it to her). She hopes you enjoy the show!

Jonathan Zhao Justine Chang Ke Xin Lin

Jonathan is a 2T5 who had the pleasure of playing Roy in Daffy 2022 and is playing Levi Krause in Daffy 2023. He is also a co-producer of the show aka Autumn's personal assistant. He is in Daffy for the fun vibes and to ensure Daffy 2023 has a healthy dose of hip hop. If you come see the show, you will make him a happy man

Justine is a 2T5 that plays Felix in this year’s Queen of Hearts and played Devon in Daffy 2022. She found her passion for singing in grade 3 when she stumbled into a choir audition in Xiushan elementary school. Throughout her time at Western, she performed at various events as a singer and more recently as a developing dancer She plans to bring more performances in the future

Ke Xin (she/her) is a 2T6 and a cast member on Daffy. She has always wanted to be part of a musical, and Daffy was the perfect opportunity!

Cast Profiles

Kristine Keon Lara Parlatan

Léa Sharifi

Kristine is really excited to be involved in this year's Daffy! She is playing Wilber and having a blast and a half doing some mandatory singing/dancing every week to balance her first year of medical school!

Lara is a second-year medical student She is so excited to help bring Daffy to life as she has always loved to sing, act and dance. She won the “most likely to win an Oscar” award in her March Break Drama Camp when she was 10 so, she is a legit actor.

Léa is a 2T6 who loves singing and being on stage She's excited to be a part of this 112-year tradition and loves working with her talented and amazing cast mates!

Nicholas Chiang Sabrina Balkaran Samantha Ismail

Nicholas is a second year medical student and an avid singer in showers, cars, and when home alone A lifetime ago, he attended the Claude Watson Arts Program as a vocal major, and has taken on roles such as LeFou in Beauty in the Beast, Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls and Banquo in Macbeth Nicholas is very excited to be back to performing live and is eagerly awaiting to be discovered to make it big as a broadway star

Sabrina is a first year medical student. She is super excited to be playing the role of Hugo Walker In her free time, she loves to sing, run, and bake!

Samantha is a first year medical student. She is very excited to play Elias Bergmann and Celeste’s Mother in this year’s Daffy production In her spare time, she loves to sing and play sports!

Cast Profiles

Vangie Tsagarakis

Evangeline (Vangie) is a 2T6 who is super excited to be part of this year’s Daffy! She heard about Daffy years ago thinking it was so cool that Med students put on a charity musical and she promised herself that if she ever ended up at U of T med she’d get involved. She is a bit of a theatre nerd and loves going to see plays and musicals so it feels really special for her to be a part of this show that’s uniquely ours and to do it with such a lovely and talented group of people

Dance Profiles

Shilpa Balaji Beth Boyd

Stephanie Dephoure

Shilpa is a second-year medical student who is dancing and choreographing in Daffydil 2023 Participating in one of the school’s oldest traditions feels surreal to her She got involved with Daffy to get back into dancing, one of her passions It’s been an incredible creative outlet for her and she has enjoyed learning new dance styles and connecting with other dancers in medicine

After being a part of Daffy's dance team last year, Beth (2T5) was eager to bring this year's show to life as one of the dance leads. While she trained as a rhythmic gymnast for 12 years, Beth began dancing in highschool and found her new passion! When she’s not dancing, you can find her binge-watching Netflix, shopping for deals or catching some zzz's

Jacqueline Fleisig Nina Harris

Stephanie is a 2T5 student and one of the dance leads for Daffy this year. In her spare time she enjoys spending way too much time on Tiktok, trying to find the best oat milk cappucino in Toronto and microanalyzing The White Lotus Steph is so excited to put together an on-stage Daffy this year!

Thalia Hua

Jacquie is a 2T6 med student She has been dancing for most of her life and is very excited to be bringing her love for dance to Daffy this year. When she isn’t groovin’ or studying, Jacquie spends her time rock climbing, napping, and annoying her friends and family with random medical facts she’s learned!

Thalia is a 2T5 and a Daffy dancer. Outside of Daffy, you can catch her browsing Winners and Homesense. :)

Nina is a 2T5 and one of the dance leads for Daffy this year! For fun she enjoys spending time in nature, sewing and of course dancing.

Dance Profiles

Jacalyn Kelly Jinny Kim

Jiwon Lee

Jacalyn Kelly is one of the dance choreographers for the Daffy Dance Team. She is a PhD student in the Department or Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto She researches paediatric brain cancer at the Hospital for Sick Children

Jacalyn has been dancing since the age of 3 in multiple dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and musical theatre among others

Jinny is a 2T5 student and one of the dancers for Daffy this year! Aside from dancing, she enjoys painting, binge watching shows, and spending her money on overpriced lattes

Jiwon is a 2T6 student, and one of the dancers for Daffy this year. She is excited to be on stage after a long break from performing Aside from dancing, she likes to play piano and take walks in nature in her free time

Denis Margalik Thalia Pandolfi Anjali Sachdeva

Denis is a 2T6 student and is dancing for Daffy this year! Apart from pulling all nighters at McCaul and Gerstein library, Denis loves to skate, bike everywhere around the city and be overly competitive at board games.

Thalia is a 2T6 student and is a dancer is Daffy this year. She has been dancing since she was 3 years old and joined Daffy to continue dancing during med school!

My name is Anjali, I am a first year medical student at UofT and a dancer in this year’s production of Daffydil! I am so excited to be among such a supportive group of medical students with such passion and drive to uphold this longstanding UofT medical school tradition!

Dance Profiles

Natasha Verhoeff Haleh Zabihi

Natasha is a first year medical student and dancer in Daffy She chose to be part of Daffy because she loves to dance, enjoys collaborating with other medical students, and values how Daffy is a longstanding tradition that raises money for the Canadian Cancer Society. In her free time, Natasha is passionate about teaching Zumba!

Haleh is a 2nd year student and this is her first year being involved in Daffy. She’s always had a love for musicals and was able to cross off a bucket list item by being in one! In addition to being a dancer, she was also on the writing & editing team.

Band Profiles

Aaron Dou Julian Gilmore

Lucy Guan

Aaron is a second-year medical student and one of the Band Leads, pianists, and trombonists for Daffy this year When he's not playing or writing music, he enjoys going on runs and hikes with friends

Nelson Huang

Julian is currently cello-ing (celling?) his way through his second year of the MDPhD program. Although he loves playing cello, he would tell his younger self to pick a cool instrument like a banjo, or at least something more portable like a piccolo

Lucy is a second year med student who plays flute in the Daffy band. Outside of Daffy, you can find her taking bare naps and eating bare food

Sofia Ivanisevic Karen Li

Nelson is a 2nd year medical student and the pianist of the Daffy band. His hobbies include watching Starcraft, playing board games, and reading unusual books. One day, he dreams to travel the world, discovering the most delicious foods.

My name is Sofia (she/her) and I am in my first year of med school here at UofT. I first learned to play viola in middle school and have enjoying continuing to play by being a part of Daffy’s band!

I'm a 2T6 and I play the violin and trumpet. I joined Daffy to reconnect with music and to become a part of a supportive, passionate, and lively community. Fun fact - my younger brother is actually the one with the perfect pitch and music talents in the family!

Band Profiles

Robert Lu Josh Mathews

Andrew Mazzanti

Robert plays bassoon in Daffy and various other community ensembles Robert is currently in his 5th year of PhD studies in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto Outside of research, Robert enjoys reading, exercising, and sleeping

Josh is a first-year medical student from Winnipeg, Manitoba playing bass guitar with the Daffydil band. He loves musicals and his favourite aspect of being part of Daffy so far has been getting to regularly witness first hand at rehearsals the talent of each of the performers

Andrew is a 4th year MD/PhD student, currently completing his PhD in the Molecular Genetics Department at UofT. This is also his 4th time as a Daffy trombonist, and 2nd time as a band lead! When not busy with school or Daffy, Andrew can be found cooking, playing piano, or rewatching Drag Race

Erin Puersten Brandon Ruan Kathy Tam

Erin is very excited for her 2nd year in Daffydil and first time playing a live show with this ensemble. She has been playing the violin for 18 years and has previously performed in several musicals including Chicago, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and A Tale of Two Cities.

Brandon is a second year medical student and is one of this year's Band Leads. He was drawn to become band lead beyond just the music. He is drawn to experiences like Daffy, HSM, competitive acappella, and string quartet because the people within these commitments invest the time to push themselves and produce something together with the best of their abilities This year, Brandon will be filling in as the drummer for the Band

Kathy is a 2nd year UofT MD student. She is playing guitar in this year's musical, and she wanted to join Daffy because it seemed like a blast!

Executive Profiles

Autumn Sky // Olivia Rennie David Chen

Tiffany Lam

Autumn is a second-year MD/PhD student at UofT, and is Daffydil 2023’s writer, director, and coproducer. She is thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with such a talented, dedicated Daffydil team this year Autumn originally completed her studies in neuroscience, followed by programs in theatre, literature, and film prior to medical school As a playwright and screenwriter, she is passionate about bringing stories of science and medicine to the stage and screen She has been involved in various theatrical shows/initiatives over the years, including UTSC’s 2020 and 2021 productions, We Are Proud To Present…. and The Pande-Mic Project, respectively. She was Assistant Director for Daffydil 2022: Viral Vengeance, and has collaborated with theatres across the city including Soulpepper, Theatre Passe Muraille, Tarragon, and Factory Theatre. Autumn looks forward to completing her PhD research in the Medical Humanities, exploring the representation of disability in theatre and film, and use of these artistic mediums for social advocacy

David is in the class of 2T6 at UofT Medicine and one of the Assistant Directors of Daffydil. He wanted to be involved in the musical to meet like-minded individuals with a passion for the music and performing arts Seeing the different parts of the musical come to life motivates him to continue to work in this creative space

Aditi Venkatraman

Originally from Hong Kong, Tsz Ting Lam is a Toronto based emerging art administrator and stage manager. She loves observing, supporting and collaborating with the talented individuals in this unique art form that raises awareness, questions and challenges people on important issues like mental health. Viewing theatre in the shifted world as an opportunity to support the community, she is excited to join the Daffy and give back

Grace Kuang

Aditi is a 1st year MD student and this year’s assistant director and stage manager This is Aditi’s first Daffy production and her first time in her role Aditi has been involved in various productions in the past in roles ranging from cast to pit orchestra, to crew, and production and she is excited for everyone to see the show!

Grace is 2T6 and was the mastermind behind all of Daffy 2023's socials/promo! She joined the daffamily to stretch the visually creative side of her brain & work with like-minded individuals When she's not making reels, she's baking, reading, or gyming!

Executive Profiles Brian Ross

Brianna Cheng

Brianna Cheng's contributions to the Script Writing and Set Design team stemmed from her interests in creative writing and visual art. Before medicine, she completed a narrative medicine fellowship at Concordia University She was previously a Humanities Editor for the McGill Journal of Medicine, and reader for WTAW Press

Monique Botros

Brian is a performing artist of many talents, and excited to be the fight choreographer for Queen of Hearts. Brian has extensive experience in dance, acting (film and theatre), and music He has performed in musicals such as Billy Eliott, Anne of Green Gables, and The Wizard of Oz

Francesca Alexander

Roha Alam

Monique is a first year medical student at UofT. She is passionate about writing, especially in the context of story-telling. Her favourite musical is Little Women.

Singaporean-Canadian mezzo-soprano Francesca Alexander is a rising young artist based in the Greater Toronto Area. Having been lauded as possessing a “mature, warm voice capable of great depth” (Opera Canada), she has had the privilege of singing around the world in various operas and recitals. She is the current vocal director for the University of Toronto’s 2023 Daffydil musical production, Queen of Hearts.

Roha is a 2T5 who was part of the script editing team on Daffy. Outside of Daffy she enjoys baking and spending time with her adorable nephew

Act I Credits

Overture: Orchestra Show 2023

Composed by: Andrew Mazzanti

Part of your World

Arranged from: “Part of Your World” in The Little Mermaid

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Make a Doc Out of You

Arranged from: “Make a Man Out of You” in Mulan

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan, Julianne Feng, Robin Oh

Choreographed by: Beth Boyd, Stephanie Dephoure

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

At the End of the Day

Arranged from: “At the End of the Day” in Les Misérables

Arranged by: Robin Oh, Brandon Ruan

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

I Want it All

Arranged from: “I Want It All” in We Will Rock You

Arranged by: Andrew Mazzanti

Choreographed by: Nina Harris

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Phantom of the Med School

Arranged from: “The Phantom of the Opera” in Phantom of the Opera

Arranged by: Andrew Mazzanti

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

I Found

Arranged from: “I Found” by Amber Run

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan

Choreographed by: Beth Boyd, Jacalyn Kelly

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Act II Credits

Look Down

Arranged from: “Look Down” in Les Misérables

Arranged by: Aaron Dou

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Hip Hop Dance Battle

Choreographed by: Jonathan Zhao & Shilpa Balaji

Some Nights

Arranged from: “Some Nights” by Fun.

Arranged by: Aaron Dou

Choreographed by: Stephanie Dephoure

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Who Wants to Live Forever

Arranged from: “Who Wants to Live Forever” in We Will Rock You

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Mr. Sandman

Arranged from: “Mr. Sandman” by SYML

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan, Aaron Dou

Choreographed by: Nina Harris

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Who Lives Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

Arranged from: “Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story” in Hamilton

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan

Adapted lyrics by: Autumn Sky

Counting Stars

Arranged from: “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic

Arranged by: Brandon Ruan

Choreographed by: Beth Boyd, Stephanie Dephoure, Nina Harris

Behind the Scenes

Daffydil Social Media