creative team
SCOUT REXE PLAYWRIGHT
ANNIE VALENTINA DIRECTOR
FATMA SARAH ELKASHEF DRAMATURG
JACKIE GALLANT SOUND DESIGNER & COMPOSER
SOPHIE EL-ASSAAD COSTUME DESIGNER
POTATOCAKES_DIGITAL LIGHTING & PROJECTION DESIGN
BURCU EMEÇ INTIMACY DIRECTOR
JEN VIENS ASSISTANT INTIMACY DIRECTOR
YVES ROY SHIBARI CONSULTANT
AVA BISHOP STAGE MANAGER
MARYAM NOUR APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER
MORGANDY MCKINNELL ORIGINAL PRODUCTION MANAGER & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
AURORA TOROK TOURING PRODUCTION MANAGER & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
PLAYWRIGHT’S MESSAGE
This play began with a question: how could I be lured into a cult? I wrote CULT PLAY to understand how people have their better natures used against them and where my particular vulnerabilities lie. In turn, the play offered another question: how can people, brought together under the right circumstances, be kind?
CULT PLAY is dedicated to my longtime dramaturg Fatma Sarah Elkashef, whose collaboration shaped this piece from its first impulse. It also owes much to digital dramaturgs Emily Soussana and Andrew Scriver, whose contributions guided the work from inception to production. Thank you, Sarah, Emily, and Andrew for your investment in a truly collaborative process. Heartfelt thanks to Annie Valentina who joined us a couple of years in and brought an astute vision, and attentiveness to language, and an attunement to the artists in the room.
Thank you to the remarkable actors Madeleine Scovil, Kayleigh Choiniere, and Thomas Vallières whose extraordinary craft and care for one another moved me deeply.
Thank you to the talented actors who generously participated in workshops of this play: Anna Morreale, Cara Rebecca, Rebecca Gibian, Ellie Ellwand, and Ryan Bommarito.
CULT PLAY was developed in collaboration with Playwright’s Workshop Montréal, including through their Gros Morne Playwright’s Residency in collaboration with le Centre des auteurs dramatiques and Artistic Fraud, and it was created as part of PWM and potatoCakes_digital’s
Digital Dramaturgy Integration Strategy and Digital Dramaturgy Initiative.
Thank you to Brian Drader, Daniel Thau-Eleff, Thomas Morgan Jones, and my fellow playwrights for your support and encouragement through the Manitoba Association of Playwrights-Prairie Theatre Exchange Playwrights Unit, and thank you to my fellow artists in the Imago Creators’ Circle. Thanks, too, to the Manitoba Arts Council.
Thank you to France Richards for countless inspiring conversations, reading many drafts, and always bringing me coffee. Thank you to Megan Piercey Monafu for our ongoing creative conversations which guide so much of what I do. And thank you to my friends who came as a test audience and provided essential feedback.
Thank you to Krista Jackson, Dani Laurin, Danna-Rae Evasiuk, Leni Krivy, and all the folks at Imago Theatre for producing the world premiere of this play, and thank you to our CULT PLAY team: this work exists because of you.
Playwright, Cult Play Scout Rexe
There’s something about a story that asks you to look your own longing square in the face. Have you ever been in love like this? Would you ever risk your heart like this??...
Maybe it’s refreshing in opposition to the cynicism of our digital age - an age of situationships, of social media curation, of masking our cringe behind a series of socially codified behaviors. In a certain light, Alex’s journey is a kind of rebellion – it leans into Want with an abandon that is at once terrifying and enviable, to most of us. But big wants, of course, come with big risks, or we wouldn’t have heartbreak. Or cults, for that matter.
CULT PLAY invites you, the audience - for a minute, an hour, or as long as you decide to participate in the experiment - to step into Alex’s shoes; to surrender to and be carried by the powerful currents of desire. “To be a good rigger, you need to be tied in rope” we learn from Alex’s practice of Shibari, the art of Japanese rope bondage. It makes sense, doesn’t it? So many things in life are like that. Being on the receiving end of the power equation teaches you valuable lessons about being the one wielding it.
What you do with those lessons is a different story.
I am endlessly grateful to have been trusted with this beautiful, complex script, and to be collaborating with so many generous artists on bringing the vision to life. Thank you to Scout, and PWM, and Imago. And to you, who are sitting in the audience reading this: thank you for being here. We truly couldn’t do it without you.
Director,
Cult Play
AnnieValentina
Welcome to CULT PLAY - a bold and immersive new multi-media experience from Imago Theatre. This show asks difficult questions about cults, power, and abuse, while also holding space for resilience and the stubborn, necessary force of hope. This work does not look away. It listens, challenges, and illuminates.
New theatrical works are an important part of our cultural fabric - and ensuring new works get a second, third, fourth (and beyond!) production is how we grow the Canadian Theatre voice. Shows that challenge the status quo, find unique ways to share their narrative, and innovative theatre experience can allow us to explore what is possible and how we can share it.
By welcoming Imago Theatre, and the CULT PLAY team here to Neptune we are sharing in the exploration of new Canadian Theatre and innovation. By being here you are supporting the now, and helping to mold the future.
Kimberlee Stadelmann Executive Director
KAYLEIGH CHOINIERE
ROLE: Taylor NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Canadian Premiere of POTUS (Segal Centre), History of Sexuality (Talking Dog, Place des Arts/Fierté Montréal), Triplex Nervosa (Centaur Theatre) FILM/TV: Wild Goat Surf, Charlie Tango, Wong & Winchester, The Bold Type AWARDS: META nomination and winner of Broadway World Montreal Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance in POTUS. OTHER: Kayleigh is also a Costume Designer. Selected feature films include You Can Live Forever, Love & Chaos (upcoming) and Wild Goat Surf (Leo Award nomination for Outstanding Costume Design). Other selected credits include The Weeknd’s “After Hours til Dawn” tour, Lux Pascal for The Hollywood Reporter, and Ada Lea’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Kayleigh sits on ACTRA’s LGBTQ2S+ committee, and is a co-founder of Saturgays, a queer nightlife and community events organisation, and is an outspoken activist against the silence culture and abuse in arts training institutions. Thank you to this beautiful team for the care and healing <3
MADELEINE SCOVIL
ROLE: Alex NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Sophie, Strawberries in January (Centaur Theatre); Lara, Extra/Beautiful/U (Infinithéâtre) TRAINING: Madeline is a recent graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s acting program and previously completed degrees in French, Theatre and Education from Queen’s University OTHER: Thank you to the entire Cult Play team - your care and support is felt in every moment of this piece.
THOMAS VALLIÈRES
ROLE: Hunt NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Indéfendable, Sorcières, Pool (No Water), All Shall Be Well OTHER: Chuffed to bits to be part of an Imago production at last—big thanks to the team for letting me step into Hunt’s sandals!
SCOUT REXE
ROLE: Playwright NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: O Death, which examines cancel culture, trans identity, and the legacy of cultural icons, and This is the August, a darkly funny love story about generational frictions, fame, and the blurring of public and private selves, which premiered at SummerWorks. Their short play Lodged in the Body toured nationally and internationally with Theatre of the Beat. Scout’s work has been supported by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal, Imago Theatre, the Manitoba Association of Playwrights, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Sanctuary Queer Arts, and the Stratford Festival (upcoming 2025). They have participated in residencies at Gros Morne and Riding Mountain National Parks and at Artscape Gibraltar Point TRAINING: Scout holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and a BA from Concordia University OTHER: Scout Rexe is a playwright and dramaturg. As a dramaturg, Scout has collaborated on new plays with artists across Canada and in the UK.
ANNIE VALENTINA
ROLE: Director NEPTUNE: The Last Show on Earth by Breton Lalama, Ballad of the Motherland by annie valentina, Pleasureville by Ellen Denny, Lo (or Dear Mr Wells) by Rose Napoli OTHER THEATRE: The Book of Ashes by Emil Sher (Halifax Theatre For Young People); The Outside Inn by E. Zarrillo & S. Bajer (Festival Antigonish and Prairie Theatre Exchange) TRAINING: Alum of Dalhousie University and the Lincoln Center’s Directors Lab OTHER: Queer immigrant artist, recent transplant from Atlantic Canada. Grateful to be here.
FATMA SARAH ELKASHEF
ROLE: Dramaturg NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: In 2021 Sarah co-directed (with Sylvia Cloutier) the audio play Lâche pas la patate by Yvette Nolan for Imago Theatre’s Tuning In. Previously, Sarah was the Senior Reader at Soho Theatre in London, U.K. and lived and worked in New York City for more than a decade. At the National Theatre School of Canada she has worked as a dramaturg and teacher across programs since 2012. Sarah co-facilitated four iterations of the Interdisciplinary Dramaturgy Lab at Studio 303 with Dana Dugan (circus) and Kathy Casey (dance) OTHER: Sarah is a dramaturg, educator, and Artistic Director of PWM (Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal) where she has collaborated on the evolution of numerous plays and performances. Born and raised in the U.K. to Egyptian and Dutch parents, she has been based in Tiohtià:ke since 2010. In 2016 she was a recipient of an LMDA Bly Creative Fellowship Grant for artists creating new approaches to dramaturgy.
JACKIE GALLANT
ROLE: Sound Designer & Composer NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Okinum (A co-production with Onishka), Foxfinder, Upside Down, Scorpio Moon (Imago Theatre) Still Life (Talisman Theatre), The Cloud (Et Tu, Machine), Sex Garage (Rag Tag Collective), The Truss Arch (film director Sonya Stefan) OTHER: My career path has been decidedly non-linear and passion driven. From playing drums or guitar in queer bands to musically accompanying contemporary dancers on stage. A big thank-you to Imago theatre for inviting me to create the sonic world for Cult Play!
SOPHIE EL-ASSAAD
ROLE: Costume Design NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: t2025, Head of Wardrobe, Les Creatures du Hasard, Les Films Cosmos ; 2025 Scenography consultant, Concerto, Charlie Prince/ Olivia Tapiero/ FTA; 2025, Costume Designer, Helgi Por Rofnar, Théâtre de Qaut’Sous; 2025, Co-Costume Designer / Mr Burns / Théâtre Prospero; 2024, Costume Designer / Incendie / Théâtre Duceppe; 2024, Co-Costume Designer / Kukum / Théâtre du Nouveau Monde; 2024, Designer / Macbeth / MAYDAY + Théâtre de Qaut’Sous; 2024, Costume Design / Cordes / Coop Ludotek-Art Théâtre + Théâtre Libre; 2024, Director of Kostia’s Play in Act 1 / The Seagull / Prospero + National Arts Centre; 2024, Art Director / Governor General Award to Melanie Demers / National Film Board + MAYDAY; 2024, Costume Designer of the Beast / Ricki / Scapegoat Carnivale + Centaur Theatre OTHER: Sophie El-Assaad is a multidisciplinary artist based in Montreal, working in the visual and theatrical arts. Her work encompasses design and staging, sculpture, and installation. Her current practice addresses themes of diasporic identity mediated by sociopolitical frameworks, trauma, and technology.
POTATOCAKES_DIGITAL (EMILY SOUSSANA & ANDREW SCRIVER)
ROLE: Lighting, Production & Projection Designers NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: The Retreat - Technical Direction (2023); Tuning In - Stream Visuals and Technical System Design (2021) (Imago Theatre); Geordie 2Play Tour - Video (2024/25); Lesbian Wilderness Retreat from Hell - Set, Video, TD, and Creature (2025); Jordan - Video (Geordie Theatre, 2025); NanatasisProjections (Musique 3 Femmes, 2025); Cycle - Lighting and Video (Surreal SoReal, 2025) OTHER: potatoCakes_digital is an award winning production design and technical services company. Emily and Andrew have worked together for almost a decade as an all-encompassing artistic and technical team offering digital dramaturgy, production management, and technical direction--as well as designing a bit of everything for in Tiohtià:ke and across Canada, (and recently also Norway). The company’s mandate is to technically helm and realise cohesive, digitally enhanced, character driven designs for productions from conception to performance. As digital dramaturgs, the Potatoes have helped develop Cult Play with Scout Rexe since 2021 as part of several initiatives through Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal. potatocakesdigital.ca
CREATIVE TEAM
BURCU EMEÇ
ROLE: Intimacy Director NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Streetcar (Soulpepper), White Muscle Daddy (Buddies in Bad Times), Overcompensating (A24/Amazon), Brilliant Minds (NBC), Ghosts (CBS) OTHER: Adjacently - also a theatre and performance maker whose work has been shown at OFFTA, SummerWorks, Festival TransAmériques, and MAI, amongst others.
YVES ROY
ROLE: Shibari Consultant NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER: Yves Roy has been practicing Shibari as a rigger since 2015. In addition to training with local teachers, they have also taken workshops with artists from the USA, Europe and Japan. They are drawn to unconventional tying that is oriented toward connection and co-creation with the person being tied. For Cult Play, they brought their knowledge of safety, creativity and rope mechanics to help the team to better understand the world of Shibari and its possibilities in a secure manner.
AURORA TOROK
ROLE: Production Manager & Technical Director NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Scorpio Moon (Lighting Designer - 2025 - Imago), ARTISTA Mentorship Program (Lighting Designer2023, 2024 - Imago), White Lion, Brown Tiger (Lighting Designer - Teesri Dunya Theatre 2025), Max and Aaron Write a Musical (Lighting Designer - Trevor Barette 2025), Ressurection (Lighting Designer - Dane Stewart 2025), Those Roots Within (Lighting Designer - Roots2Reach 2025) OTHER: Aurora Torok (she/her/by name) is a queer and hard-of-hearing (using hearing aids) artist based in Montreal. Aurora’s scenography experience is primarily in theatre after graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in Production Design and Technical Arts, as well as from Concordia University with a BFA - Specialization in Design for the Theatre. Other designs for live arts include: contemporary dance, outdoor art installations, comedy and visual exhibitions. Aurora was nominated by the Montreal English Theatre Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design in 2024 and 2025.
MORGANDY MCKINNEL
ROLE: Production Manager & Technical Director NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: PM/TD, Max and Aaron Write a Musical; PM, Jordan (Geordie Theatre); SM, Resurrection (Winterworks); CSM, Mayflies (York Theatre Royal); CSM, Lines (Sheffield Theatres) OTHER: Morgandy is a multidisciplinary theatre artist based in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Her practice focuses on new works, collective creations, and musicals that bring underrepresented voices and stories to the stage.
AVA BISHOP
ROLE: Stage Manager NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Selected SM/ASM Credits: Max and Aaron Write A Musical (Segal Centre/Trevor Barrette), Mickey & Joe (Theatre Ouest End), Strawberries in January (Centaur Theatre), Three Women of Swatow (Centaur Theatre), POTUS (Segal Centre), Still Life (Talisman Theatre), Sky Dancers (A’nó:wara Dance Theatre), Sapientia (Scapegoat Carnivale), Josephine: A Musical Cabaret (Segal Centre), Counter Offence (Teesri Duniya Theatre), Wildfire (Talisman Theatre), Dracula A Comedy of Terrors (Segal Centre), Pool (No Water) (Persephone Productions), Legacy (Magjusjen Entertainment), Jonathan: A Seagull Parable (Geordie Theatre/Surreal SoReal), The Future Is Another Country (Boulouki Theatre), Law of the Land (Caravan Farm Theatre) OTHER: Ava Bishop (she/her) is an Equity Stage Manager based in Montréal. She is eager to work on engaging and innovative theatre pieces throughout Canada, and is proud to be a part of the rich Montréal theatre scene. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Production Design and Technical Arts program.
MARYAM NOUR
ROLE: Original Apprentice Stage Manager (Montreal) NEPTUNE: Debut OTHER THEATRE: Renopia Production’s Love The Sinner (Stage Manager), Torpédo with Les productions des pieds des mains and Sunday Night Improv at Theatre Sainte-Catherine (performer). Love The Sinner - Renopia Productions, Devising Feydeau - Concordia University OTHER: Maryam Nour is a Moroccan theatre artist whose love for theatre grew on the traditional, unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation. With her focus in improvisation and physical theatre, she is always searching for “firefly moments”, what she calls the feeling of synergy and connection felt onstage. Both onstage and off, she commits to accessibility and care in her work, and enjoys delving into projects that explore culture, resilience and truth. She is grateful to be able to learn from the artists around her and to work on her first show as an apprentice stage manager.
