'da Kink in my Hair by Trey Anthony program

Bluma Appel Theatre St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts

’da Kink in my Hair by Trey Anthony December 6 – 23, 2022

Photo credit: Jalani Morgan

Co-presented by TO Live and Soulpepper Theatre

We live and work on the traditional territory of Haudenosaunee-speaking nations, including the Huron-Wendat, Seneca, and Mohawk. Haudenosauneespeaking nations have been here since time immemorial, and were more recently joined by the Mississaugas of the Credit.

This place has many Indigenous ports, including where the Humber and Rouge rivers meet other waterways such as Lake Ontario. Ancient longhouses— typical Haudenosaunee housing structures—have been found along both these rivers and in the north of Toronto near modern-day York University. This territory is covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) Confederacy and the Anishnaabe (Ojibwe) and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the lands and the relationships around the Great Lakes.

What this means is that by living and working here, we all have a responsibility to the environment and to each other, to treat each other and the environment with peace and respect. This means we have responsibilities to honour, renew, and consistently uphold the values and relationships outlined in the ancient agreements.

Today, Toronto is home to Indigenous peoples and settlers from around the world. Let us all come together in an atmosphere of respect and peace to do good work together with good minds. Let’s start building stronger and healthier relationships with each other and the spaces we inhabit in Tkaronto, Ontari:io, Kanata.

Let’s hold our minds together in kindness. Nia:wen. Thank you.

© Dawn Maracle

TO Live would like to acknowledge Tkaronto, which is a Mohawk word meaning the place in the water where the trees are standing.

Welcome

’da Kink in my Hair’s artistic journey has been well documented and celebrated.

From its debut at the 2001 Toronto Fringe Festival, followed by hugely successful runs both at the New York International Fringe Festival and Theatre Passe Muraille, the play went on to triumph with a groundbreaking extended engagement at the Princess of Wales Theatre in 2005

Great reviews and sold-out engagements led to interest from film and television, resulting in a TV movie starring Emmy award-winner Sheryl Lee Ralph as Novelette and a celebrated TV hit series starring Ordena Stephens-Thompson as Novelette (and our Letty tonight!).

It is an unprecedented achievement and a powerful statement cementing playwright Trey Anthony and ’da Kink in my Hair’s position in the Canadian theatre canon.

For the past two decades, ’da Kink in my Hair has been doing what live theatre does so well—provoking social discourse, encouraging intercommunity understanding, and inspiring the potential for social change.

We are so happy to be bringing this show and its long-time collaborators back for this anniversary production. 20 years ago, it stood as a powerful platform that launched the careers of many prominent Black female artists in Toronto, while inspiring many more to share their stories on stage and television. It broke barriers and box-office records and opened up unprecedented opportunities for Black artists in Canadian theatre.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, TO Live and Soulpepper are proud to present ’da Kink in my Hair and to make it possible for a whole new generation of audiences to experience this powerful and uplifting show. We look forward to the conversations the play will provoke about how far we have come and how far we still want to go as a collective community.

tolive.com

Weyni Mengesha Artistic Director

Gideon Arthurs Executive Director

Clyde Wagner President & CEO

Josephine Ridge Vice President, Programming

’da Kink in my Hair by Trey Anthony

Cast

Grace/Nia: Olunike Adeliyi

Stacey-Anne/Claudette/Fitzroy: d’bi.young anitafrika

Milly/lead vocalist: Alana Bridgewater

Patsy: Tamara Brown

Renee/vocalist: Tiffany Deriveau*

Sharmaine: Shakura Dickson

Sherelle: Miranda Edwards

Trina/vocalist: Chelsea Russell

Miss Enid: Satori Shakoor

Novelette: Ordena Stephens-Thompson

Creative team

Playwright: Trey Anthony Director: Weyni Mengesha

Assistant director: Natasha Adiyana Morris

Choreographer: Jaz ‘Fairy J’ Simone

Set design: Joanna Yu

Assistant set designer: Patricia Reilly

Costume design: Rachel Forbes

Assistant costume designer: Des'ree Gray

Lighting design: Kimberly Purtell

Sound design: Thomas Ryder Payne

Music director and composer: Corey Butler

Assistant music director: Darryl Jennie

Stage manager: Michael Sinclair

Assistant stage manager: Laura Baxter

Dialect coaching: Krystle Chance, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, and Amaka Umeh

Consulting hairstylist: Allison Hill

Artistic consultation: Nation Cheong and Wes Hall

Soulpepper production

Head carpenter: Andy Devries

1st carpenter: Bill Stahl

Head scenics: Paul Boddum and

*Dance captain

Sara Ahmadieh

Scenic painters: Christopher Blanchenot and Daniel Robertson

Head of props: Lisa Nighswander

1st props builder: Greg Chambers

Head of wardrobe: Ellie Koffman

Assistant head of wardrobe: Kalina Popova

Cutter: Geoff Hughes Stichers: Acadia Walsh and Valerie Cameron

Head of wigs: Jacqueline Robertson-Cull Wig Assistants: Jordan Silva and Brooklyn Johnson

Senior production manager: Jasmine Knox

Technical director: Corey MacVicar

Assistant technical director: Rhett Costin

Assistant production manager: Julia Carrano Production assistant: Nathaniel Wong

Additional credits

“Jamaican Funk” performed by Michie Mee and licensed courtesy of Michie Mee. Dub poem “the moon is your witness” written by d'bi.young anitafrika

The “Reggae Lane Mural” was created by Adrian Hayles. Artwork displayed in Novelette’s Salon is a selection from “The Orishas” by Sharon Virtue.

Presented by

Media partner

Soulpepper Theatre 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. Prop Builders/Buyers, Scenic Artists & Painters employed by Soulpepper are represented by Local 828 of the Internationals Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

Tangled roots: Woman of ’da Kink on Black hair

The history of Black hair is rich and complex, with meanings and attitudes shifting depending on the culture and time. From being a symbol of identity in pre-colonial African societies to a sign of resistance during Black liberation movements, Black hair is profoundly connected to the personal and political. This is especially true for Black women, who even today face pressure to relax and straighten their natural texture.

But Black hair is also cause for celebration, with every curl, dread, and kink forming part of a Black person’s crown. ’da Kink in my Hair explores some of these important issues. For a deeper look, we asked the cast and creative team to share their own hair stories and salon experiences.

“For me, anyone who touches my head has access to a vulnerability that I can’t quite name. Growing up in Jamaica, sitting between your mum’s, aunt’s, or cousin’s legs and getting your hair combed was a sacred moment.” —d’bi.young anitafrika

“After shaving my head, running my hand through my hair and feeling the natural texture of the kinkiness and curliness and being okay with that after so many years of straightening it and trying to get it to move and sway…just feeling the roots, it was very profound.” —Ordena Stephens-Thompson

To hear more hair stories from the cast, scan the QR code below!

Photo credit: Jalani Morgan

Thank you to ’da Kink in my Hair sponsors

TO Live and Soulpepper would like to thank our artistic sponsor and our performance sponsors

Celebrating

TO Live’s aspirations can’t come to life without help from our supporters.

Support from the City of Toronto, major partner Meridian, and the generous donations of other partners and individuals creates space for artists, performances, and related activities. We appreciate the generosity of all our supporters.

For sponsorship opportunities with TO Live, please contact lawrence.tan@tolive.com.

Major sponsor and community access partner Music sponsor

Corporate and program sponsors

Foundation support

Fondation

Alex U Soyka Hatch Foundation

The McLean Foundation Pitblado Family Foundation

Soulpepper academy

Soulpepper on the stage

The Marion Armstrong Charitable Foundation

The Norman & Margaret Jewison Charitable Foundation

Media and in-kind sponsors

Government support

Soulp

Trey Anthony Playwright

Trey Anthony is a Jamaican-British-Canadian, truthteller, award-winning writer, and wellness expert. She’s the girl to call when you want to turn your inner shame into success!

Trey is known as the “Oprah of Canada,” the first Black woman in the country to have her own primetime series on a major network. Trey has appeared on NBC, ABC, CBS, NPR, Fox, CTV, CBC, City TV, and Global Television. She has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, The Globe and Mail, Essence magazine , and Madame Noire.

Her award-winning play, ’da Kink in my Hair, received four NAACP awards including best new playwright. ’da Kink has broken box-office sales records in Canada, England, and the United States. It has grossed millions, been critically acclaimed, and was named one of the top 10 plays in Canada’s theatrical history.

She is the author of the popular book Black Girl in Love (with Herself), published by Hayhouse. treyanthony.com @blackgirlinlove

Weyni Mengesha Director

Weyni Mengesha is the artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre Company and an award-winning director known for her groundbreaking work and community engagement. Weyni has directed shows across Canada that have gone on to tour nationally and internationally and have been developed into television shows playing on CBC, Global, and Netflix.

She has also directed in London, New York, and Los Angeles, garnering a NAACP nomination for best direction as well as Dora, Drama League, and Drama Critics Circle award nominations and awards for outstanding direction.

She has been an instructor at the Soulpepper Academy, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Canadian Film Centre. She was recently named one of the 50 most influential people in Toronto by Toronto Life magazine. She wants to thank everyone involved in bringing this show to life, and all of you for being here to share it.

Olunike Adeliyi Grace/Nia

Olunike Adeliyi is a Canadian actress, writer, and producer. She has built an impressive resume that includes shows such as Republic of Doyle, American Gods, Little Dog, Workin’ Moms, Coroner, and Revenge of Black Best Friend. In June 2021, Olunike joined the ensemble cast for The Porter, a BET+ and CBC drama about North American railway workers now shooting in Winnipeg. Olunike also joins the star-studded cast of Hulu’s new series Mike, with Trevante Rhodes, Harvey Keitel, Laura Harrier, Grace Zabriskie, and TJ Atoms.

Olunike’s film credits include The Parting Glass, SAW 3D, Darken, Boost, The Prodigy, She Never Died, Chaos Walking, and Akilla’s Escape. Olunike has been nominated for best supporting actress at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards for her role in Boost and best performance by a female-film at the Canadian Comedy Awards for her performance in French Immersion. She won the 2011 Black Canadian Award for best actress for overall performances.

She recently received the rising star at the Excellence Awards presented by AfroglobalTV. Olunike will soon appear in Flint Strong, a film directed by Rachel Morrison and written and produced by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins.

Alana Bridgewater has trained at the University of Windsor music theatre program and is the recipient of NYF Radio Awards Gold Award for The Journey to Jazz and Human Rights and Rose. Her theatre credits include Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Wild Woman in Rose at Soulpepper, Spoon River (Signature Center in New York, Soulpepper Theatre), Novelette in ’da Kink in my Hair (Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver), and Freedom (Stratford Festival). Their film and television credits include Mysticons, Total Dramarama, Hannibal, Wayne, and *Zokie Sparkleby.

Alana Bridgewater Milly/lead vocalist

Satori Shakoor Miss Enid

Satori Shakoor was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She was the catalyst and a founding member of Obsidian Theatre Company in 1999. She founded The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers in 2012. Satori has recorded and toured with George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic as one of the Brides of Funkenstein.

Her theatre credits include Harlem Duet (Neptune Theatre), Intimate Apparel (Citadel + Compagnie), and ’da Kink in My Hair (Princess of Wales). Her film and television credits include Batman vs. Superman, The Hurricane, and Mike Judge Presents: Tales From The Tour Bus.

StephensThompson Novelette

Ordena Stephens-Thompson is a two time Doranominated actress whose selected theatre credits include Nona’s Malaika (Shakespeare in Action), Contraction (Studio 180 Reads), Sweat (Canstage/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), and How Black Mothers Say I Love You (Factory Theatre).

Selected television and film credits include 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, Designated Survivor, and ’da kink in my hair.

Ordena is thrilled to be back working in the theatre.

Tamara Brown was born in Toronto, raised in Ottawa, and is now based in Montréal.

She is one of the founding members of Metachroma Theatre, created to address the under-representation of BIPOC artists in Québec and Canadian theatre since 2010. In 2019, Tamara wrote Blackout for Tableau D’Hôte Theatre with Lydie Dubuisson and Kym Dominque-Ferguson. Her work as a director has been seen on stages in Montreal, Toronto, Sherbrooke, Winnipeg, New York, and Stratford.

Her theatre credits include ’da Kink in my Hair (NAC/Theatre Calgary), Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God (NAC/Centaur Theatre), Intimate Apparel,

Tamara Brown Patsy

Ordena

Deriveau Renee/vocalist

Urban Tales (Centaur Theatre), and Inherit the Wind (Segal Centre for Performing Arts). Her film and television credits include Three Pines, Helix, 19-2, The Game, Real Detective, Gothika, and Full Love. She does it all for Nancy.

Tiffany Deriveau was born in Windsor, Ontario to her beautiful Indo-Guyanese mother and proud Afro-Haitian father. Her theatre credits include Chicago (Stratford Festival), Mamma Mia! (Mirvish), Cookin’ At The Cookery (Canadian Stage), Hairspray (Charlottetown Festival), Buddy, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, Soul Sistas (Mayfield), and Priscilla (Drayton). She dedicates her performance to her parents, who paved the way.

Miranda Edwards was born in Saskatoon and raised in Toronto. Her theatre credits include La Ronde (Soulpepper), The Ridiculous Darkness (Alley Theatre), Twelfth Night (Stratford Festival), Beyond the Cukoo’s Nest (YPT), The Madonna Painter (Factory Theatre), Toronto the Good (Factory Theatre), and ’da Kink in my Hair (Princess of Wales).

Her film and television credits include Detective Knight, Rogue, Family Law, Snowpiercer, A Million Little Things, Motherland, Fort Salem, Arrow, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Ghost Wars, The Magicians, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, The Good Doctor, Supernatural, Murdoch Mysteries, Orphan Black, and Mean Girls.

So much appreciation for Priya and Amahri, my magical little ones and for my rock-solid Toronto and Vancouver fam. Love you!

Tiffany

Miranda Edwards Sherelle

d’bi.young anitafrika Stacey-Anne/ Claudette/Fitzroy

Triple Dora-award-winning playwright-performer d’bi. young anitafrika was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. They are the author of 12 plays, seven albums, and four collections of poetry. They were recently celebrated with the Rosemary Sadlier Freedom Award in Canada and recognized as a global leader in theatre and performance by Arts Council England. Creator of the Anitafrika Method and founding artistic director of Watah Theatre and Ubuntu! Decolonial Arts Centre, d’bi. young is currently completing their PhD on Black womxn in theatre and finishing their 20-year collection of plays entitled dubbin theatre.

Their theatre credits include for colored girls, Three Penny Opera, Three Sisters (Soulpepper), bloodclaat (Theatre Passe Muraille), benu (La Chappelle Theatre), word! sound! powah! (Tarragon), androgyne (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre), Esu Crossing the Middle Passage (Storefront), Lukumi (Tarragon), Once Upon a Black Boy (Crows), and Concrete Jungle (Theatre Peckham). d’bi. young’s film and television credits include Sunday Afternoon, Lord Have Mercy, and 21 Black Futures.

Shakura is a Dora Award-nominated artist. She recently returned from playing Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill (Theatre Calgary). Additional theatre credits include Dear Evan Hansen (Mirvish), I am William, Freedom 2.0 (Stratford Festival), Jerusalem (Outside the March/Crowds), Trout Stanley (Factory), Light, Girls Like That (Tarragon), and Other Side of the Game (Obsidian/Cahoots).

Shakura has also appeared in Grand Army (Netflix), Coroner (CBC), and Private Eyes (Global). She is a graduate of Sheridan College’s music theatre program. She would like to thank her agent, Michael Marino at Noble Caplan Abrams, Chelsea, and her mom for their unwavering support, the creative team and crew, incomparable cast, and Weyni for allowing her to be a part of this moment.

Shakura Dickson Sharmaine

Chelsea Russell Trina/vocalist

Chelsea Russell was born in Barbados, raised between Barbados and Jamaica, and is currently living and working in Toronto. Her theatre credits include Pipeline, ’da Kink in my Hair (Soulpepper Theatre), Judas Noir (Obsidian Theatre/BDB Productions), and Bella Donna (Tarragon Theatre). Her film and television credit include Skymed, 21 Black Futures, Rebirth of the Afronauts, See, Woman Meets Girl, and Fellow Travellers.

This year, Chelsea was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for best supporting performance in a web performance or series. She would like to thank her mother, Maxan Russell.

Natasha Adiyana Morris Assistant director

Natasha Adiyana Morris is a Toronto west ender of Jamaican descent and a 2021 Soulpepper Academy graduate. Her theatre credits include The Negroes Are Congregating (PIECE OF MINE Arts, Theatre Passe Muraille), half n half (SummerWorks Festival), and Weston Trax (b current).

Jaz ‘Fairy J’ Simone Choreographer

Jaz ‘Fairy J’ Simone, formerly known as Jasmyn Fyffe, is a Barbadian-Canadian multi-hyphenate artist based in Toronto. For the past 15 years she has been building her career as a performance artist, choreographer, movement director, dancer, singer/musician, outside eye/ creative mentor, group facilitator, and more recently, handmade skincare small business owner.

Jaz ‘Fairy J’ has created over 30 original dance works presented in Toronto, Montreal, North Bay, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Berlin, Birmingham, and Sinop. Her choreography has been commissioned by Toronto Dance Theatre, Art Gallery of Ontario, The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Cawthra Park Secondary School, Dance Immersion, Etobicoke School of the Arts, and the Guelph

Rachel Forbes

Costume design

Contemporary Dance Festival.

She made her debut as a movement director and choreographer for theatre in 2011, working under the direction of Philip Akin and Obsidian Theatre. In 2017 she worked with Soulpepper as the co-choreographer for for colored girls. This past summer, Jaz made her debut with Stratford Festival as the choreographer for Death and the King’s Horseman under the direction of Tawiah BenEben Mfoafo-M’Carthy. This fall she premiered her interactive art experience titled The Reception at Nuit Blanche. Jaz is delighted and honoured to be a part of the creative team for ’da Kink as the choreographer for the 20th year anniversary.

Rachel is an award-winning set and costume designer working in theatre, opera, dance, and film. Her credits include ’da Kink in my Hair, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Brothers Size (Soulpepper Theatre), Choir Boy, New Monuments (Canadian Stage), 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), 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre, CBC), Calpurnia, The Mountaintop (Manitoba Theatre Centre), Million Billion Pieces, and Risky Phil (YPT). Rachel received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for costume design for The Brothers Size (Soulpepper) and a Merrit Award for set design for The Bridge (2B/Neptune).

Des’ree Gray Assistant costumer designer

Des’ree Gray 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. Her credits include The First Stone (Buddies In Bad Times Theatre), assistant costume designer for Little Women (Stratford Festival), and 1851: Spirit & Voice (Soulpepper), designer for Designing the Revolution (Theatre Passe Muraille), costume designer for Chloe=Catalyst (Culchaworks Art Collective), key makeup artist for The Barber of Seville (UofT Opera), and head of wardrobe and makeup for Transform T.O (ARCA Productions).

Kimberly Purtell Lighting design

Kimberly Purtell was born and raised in Thornhill, Ontario. Her credits with Soulpepper include Pipeline, Queen Goneril, King Lear, ’da Kink in my Hair, A Streetcar Named Desire, Sisters, The Goat or Who is Sylvia?, The Last Wife, The Virgin Trial, Mother’s Daughter, Crash, Twelve Angry Men, and Happy Place.

Kimberly has also worked with Mirvish Productions, Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, Canadian Stage Company, Arena Stage in DC, National Arts Centre and the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Pacific Opera Victoria, Opera Philadelphia, Edmonton Opera, Theatre Calgary, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Citadel Theatre, and Place des Arts, among others.

She is the recipient of three Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the Pauline McGibbon Award, a Montreal English Theatre Award, a Toronto Theatre Critics Award, an Ottawa Critics Circle Award, and an Elizabeth Sterling Award. Kimberly is the vice president of the Associated Designers of Canada.

Thomas Ryder

Payne Sound design

Thomas has many theatre credits including sound designer for Queen Goneril and King Lear, and sound designer and composer for The Brothers Size, Little Menace: Pinter Plays, The Royale, Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape, Orlando, Picture This, The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?, The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine, Incident at Vichy, Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts I, II, III), La Ronde, Kim’s Convenience, and Ghosts.

Thomas has received six Dora Awards and 29 nominations.

Joanna Yu Set design

Over the past 15 years, Joanna has designed and collaborated as a set and costume designer on over 100 productions, with almost half of them being world premieres. Her designs have been seen on stages across Canada and internationally and she is thrilled to be part of the ’da Kink team.

Joanna is a board member of the Associated Designers of Canada, founding member of IBPOC Designer Circle, and co-creator of Designing the Revolution.

She has received the Pauline McGibbon Award, Virginia and Myrtle Cooper Award for costume design,

Patricia Reilly Assistant set design

and Dora Mavor Moore Award for her set design of David Yee’s Among Men.

Patricia Reilly was born in Kingston, Ontario and raised in Squamish, British Columbia. She has a 3D animation and character design certificate from Fanshawe College; masters of theatre design from Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts, London; a BFA in theatre design from University of Victoria; and a diploma in technical theatre production from Red Deer College.

Her other theatre credits are assistant set and costume designer at the Stratford Festival from 2017 to 2022 including Hamlet 911 (set), Death and the King’s Horseman (costume), Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women (set and costume), The Merry Wives of Windsor (costume), An Ideal Husband (costume), and Bakkhai (set and costume).

She has also created designs for Green Light Arts, Impulse Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, Pacific Opera Victoria, Puente Theatre, Theatre SKAM, and Story Theatre.

Corey Butler Music director and composer

Corey Butler is the founder and artistic director of the Zamar Music Group, a multifaceted music arts organization in Brampton, Ontario committed to impacting communities through music art education, music mentorship, and music art performance and production. He served as the musical director of the Juno Award-winning Toronto Mass Choir for over 10 years and has written songs with Grammy Award-winning, hall-of-fame inductee Carvin Winans.

As a music professor at York University in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. Corey has also made his mark on the music industry in Canada as an award-winning music producer, musical director, composer, and songwriter. In addition to his skills as a piano player, musical director, and producer, Corey has conducted his own symphonies and featured the work of other world-renowned music composers from around the world. You can also hear some of his compositions on some of the recordings he’s produced. To that end, he has gained a reputation in that arena and is affectionately called “The Maestro.”

Darryl Jennie

Assistant music director

Darryl Joseph-Dennie was born and raised in Mississauga and began playing piano at the age of three. His theatre credits include composer and music director for Brown Eyes (TIFT) and Dario et La Diablesse (No Strings Theatre). His film and television credits include Single Ladies.

Darryl is the music education specialist at Merriam School of Music, and music director and producer for Roy Hamilton III (The Singer’s Company), Carlos Morgan, and Trillium United.

Michael Sinclair Stage manager

Michael Sinclair was born in Jamaica. He has worked with Soulpepper on Father Comes Home from the Wars (Part I and Part II), Our Town, Time of Your Life, and Government Inspector. He has also worked on concerts in Harlem, Manhattan.

Michael is the general manager of Obsidian Theatre Company, Canada’s largest culturally specific theatre company. Now, he’s back for the anniversary of ’da Kink; prior to this he was a stage manager for over 20 years. His role as stage manager took him across Canada and internationally to Barbados, working in all types of theatre— from commercial shows to festivals and school tours.

Laura Baxter Assistant stage manager

Laura Baxter was born in Grimsby and raised in Kingston, Ontario. She has worked with Soulpepper on Pipeline, 27 Club, Dirt, and Jitters. Her other theatre credits include Sweat, Love, and Information, Venus in Fur; nine seasons at Dream in High Park (Canadian Stage), Indecent, Oslo, My Name is Asher Lev, My Night With Reg, You Will Remember Me, God of Carnage (Studio 180), Black Boys, Arigato Tokyo, Obaaberima, The Maids (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre), Actually (Obsidian/ Harold Green), The Story, Tails From the City (Common Boots Theatre), Trout Stanley, Little Pretty and the Exceptional (Factory Theatre), 11:11, Elle (Theatre Passe Muraille), and Soliciting Temptation (Tarragon Theatre). She’d like to thank her amazing wife Shawn and daughter Amari for their unwavering love and support.

Krystle Chance Dialect coach

Krystle Chance was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Her theatre credits include 9 to 5 (Capital Theatre), Dixon Road (Musical Stage Company), We Will Rock You (Annerine Productions), Obeah Opera (Asah Productions), Dream Girls (Lower Ossington Theatre), and ’da Kink in my Hair (Theatre Calgary/National Art Center of Canada). She has also worked in television and film on Christmas on 5th Ave, What We Do in The Shadows, In the Dark, and Zak’s Haunted Museum.

Amaka Umeh Dialect coach

Amaka Umeh was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and Calgary, Alberta. Their credits include ’da Kink in my Hair, 1851: 170 Years Later, Around the World in 80 Plays, Death and the King’s Horseman, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stratford), The Wolves (Howland Company/Crow’s) and James and the Giant Peach (Young People’s Theatre).

Umeh has received two Dora Mavor Moore Awards, a BBPA Harry Jerome Award, and a Toronto Theatre Critic’s Association Award.

Allison Hill Consulting hairstylist

Allison Hill is the owner of Hill Studio, a salon and wellness hub for Black women in Toronto. With Afro haircare as the medium, Allison activates her clientele into a force through wellness initiatives focusing on the needs of Black women. Her studio offers Hill Run Club, a body-positive, size-inclusive, culturally sensitive mindful running club; and Restore, which are clinics and activations developed by Black wellness practitioners to share practical tools to restore hope, health, joy, and community. Allison is proud to serve countless Black women creating strong bonds and a stronger community of care.

Content warning: ’da Kink in my Hair includes sexual content as well as references to gun violence, sexual assault, suicide, and child abuse. Some members of the audience may find the content challenging. If you need support or someone to speak to after the show, please call the Toronto Distress Centre: 416 408-4357 or 408-HELP, available 24/7.

Vincent Assistant stage manager

Cole

Imogen Wilson* Assistant lighting designer

Cole Vincent was born in Clinton, Ontario and raised in Grand Bend. His credits include Where the Blood Mixes, Welcome to My Home for the Her Words Festival, Rose (Soulpepper); Sexy Laundry, The New Canadian Curling Club (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Eraser: A New Normal (Theatre Direct); Kitne Saare Laloo Yahan Pey Hain (NextStage Festival); Room, The Glass Menagerie (The Grand Theatre); The Pianist of Willesden Lane (Harold Green Jewish Theatre) Eraser (The Riser Project - Why Not Theatre, Theatre Direct); Birds of a Feather (Roseneath Theatre); Aqsarniit, Anne of Green Gables, Jesus Christ Superstar (Charlottetown Festival); and King Lear, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, All’s Well That Ends Well (Canadian Stage). He holds a BFA in theatre production and design fom York University and has worked as a venue stage manager at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Imogen is a Toronto-based lighting designer. She has designed with the Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage, Crows Theatre, Against the Grain, Toronto Dance Theatre, Bloodpact Theatre, and Red One Theatre. Imogen has also worked as an assistant lighting designer for Mirvish, Stratford Festival, Musical Stage, Festival Players of Prince Edward County, and Canadian Stage. She is also a scenic painter, proud member of ADC 659, and loves to go for a canoe at sunset. She wishes to thank ADC for the funding through the assistant designer program to work with the brilliant Kim Purtell.

*The services of Imogen Wilson are made possible through the Associated Designers of Canada Assistant Designers Program funded by the Government of Canada.

“Miss Enid’s Song” composer: e’Marcus Harper

Associate music director: Darryl Joseph-Dennie

Meet the real-life businesses in Little Jamaica that inspired the set design!

Little Jamaica is home to the highest concentration of diverse and dynamic Black- and Caribbean-owned businesses in the city of Toronto.

Nadine’s Hair Studio

1562 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON

Rap’s 1541 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON

Sheryl’s Caribbean Cuisine 1720 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON

Spence’s Bakery 1539 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON

Wailer’s Connection

6 Times Rd, York, ON

TreaJah Isle International 1514 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON

Thank you to these community partners along Eglinton West!

TO Live staff and board

Board of directors

Lori DeGraw Chair

Councillor Gary Crawford Vice Chair

Paul Bernards

Myriam Gafarou

Kevin Garland

Mustafa Humayun

Owais Lightwala Gave Lindo Dawn Maracle

Kathleen Sharpe

Gillian Smith

Executive management

Clyde Wagner

President & CEO

Isabel Vicente Menanno

Director of the Office of the CEO & Board Relations

Special projects

Leslie Lester

Vice President of STLC Redevelopment

Development

Sandra Bellisario

Vice President of Philanthropy & Sponsorship

Megan Kotze

Director of Philanthropy & Sponsorship

Lawrence Tan Assistant Manager of Partnerships & Events

Finance and administration

William Milne

Vice President of Finance & Administration

Thomas Grady

Director of Finance

Hayde Boccia

Director of Finance

Michael Johnson Controller

Sabrina Li

Senior Financial Accountant

Dorian Barton Client Settlement Services Assistant

Alice Lin

Senior Payroll Manager

Gladys Torres

Payroll Specialist

Nooshin Ashraf-Zadeh Accounting Assistant

Nelum Dissanayake

Accounting Assistant

Fiona Liu

Accounting Assistant

Fiona Wan Accounting Assistant Charles Mayne Office Clerk

Information technology

David McCracken

Director of Information Technology Michael Cadiz

IT Support Technician

Chahat Khandhar Systems Administrator Scott Spence IT Coordinator

Human resources

Michelle Carter

Vice President of Human Resources & Organizational Culture

Mohamed Othman

Director of Human Resources Mini Chhabaria Human Resources Generalist Melissa Creighton Human Resources Generalist

Marketing and communications

Jeff Rohrer

Vice President of Marketing & Communications

Stephanie Canarte

Director of Marketing Grant Ramsay Media Relations Officer

Stephen Crooks

Senior Digital Marketing Manager

Vanessa Grant

Senior Content Marketing Manager

Lauren Finateri

Marketing Manager

Emma Forhan Digital Content Creator

Shaun Lee Graphic Designer

Jaya Arora

Social Media & Web Content Coordinator

Jimena Perez Marketing Coordinator Joshua DeFreitas Marketing Coordinator

Box office

Tom Kerr

Director of Ticketing Services Fran Holywell Box Office Manager

Liz Bragg Box Office Manager

Sandie Chui

Box Office Assistant Manager

Thomas Quinlan

Box Office Assistant Manager

Holly Merkur-Dance

Box Office Assistant Manager

Clayton Batson

Box Office Duty Manager

Jennifer Norma Box Office Duty Manager

Brittney Channer

Box Office Duty Manager

Michelle Cruz Box Office Duty Manager

Operations

Matthew Farrell

Vice President of Operations

Edward Delavari

Director of Capital Projects

Luke Belfontaine

Senior Project Manager

BahramAghakhan Project Manager

Michael Gutowski

Project Manager

Patron services

Sean Tasson

Director of Patron Services

Lynn Frenette

Patron Services Manager

Derek Genova

Patron Services Manager Inoka Dias

Events Manager

Natalie Ireland

Events Manager

Lina Welch

Assistant Patron Services Manager

Kelsey McGuigan

Assistant Patron Services Manager

Christian Lavigne

Assistant Patron Services Manager

Peter Harabaras

Patron Services Duty Manager

Andrew Muirhead

Patron Services Duty Manager

Bruna Pisani

Patron Services Duty Manager

Stephen Lee Executive Chef

Juliana Fay

Catering Manager

Facilities

Abiodun Ojekunle

Director of Facilities Jarryd Fish Facilities Manager

Evan Ramdin Chief Building Operator

Robert MacLean Building Operator Ryan Nerona Junior Building Operator

Omar Nurse

Stage Door Security Supervisor

Colin Dyble Stage Door Security

Henry Fernandes

Stage Door Security

Margreta Kristiansen Stage Door Security

Mohammed Shaikh Stage Door Security Tushar Somani Stage Door Security Mohuddin Memon Stage Door Security Reza Moradi

Stage Door Security

Sangay Lhamo Stage Door Security

Mohamed Zuhair

Maintenance Supervisor

Roger Alves

Maintenance

Robert Bischoff

Maintenance

Mizrah Mohemed Maintenance

Catherine Patrick Maintenance

Jose Rauda Maintenance

Rosalina Silva Maintenance Rosa Victoria Maintenance Christine Vivlan Maintenance

Vivian Hije Maintenance (housekeeping)

Roderick Padasdao Building Operator

Marciano Ramos Jr. Building Operator Ehsan Rahman Jr. Building Operator

John Vickery

Housekeeping Supervisor

Ahmed Akinpelu

Housekeeping

Rhowen Jane Bunda

Housekeeping

Michael Kim Housekeeping

Elliott Lewis Housekeeping

Mabel Liwag

Housekeeping Ian Romero Housekeeping

Adam Sikora Housekeeping

Lauren Smith Housekeeping

Alicia Surujbally Housekeeping

Matthew Pannell Handyperson

Eduardo Costales Handyperson

Programming

Josephine Ridge

Vice President of Programming Max Rubino

Director of Commercial Programming & Partnerships

Sascha Cole

Producer Ariana Shaw

Producer John Kiggins Programming Manager Nathan Sartore Programming Coordinator

Jasmine Vanstore Education & Engagement Programming Coordinator

Courtney Voyce Bookings Manager

Alyssa Hu Bookings Coordinator Alex Whitehead Bookings Coordinator

Scott North Director Corporate & Private Events Michaela Aguirre Social Media Specialist

Production Kristopher Dell Director of Production Zoe Carpenter Senior Production Manager Anthony (TJ) Shamata Senior Production Manager Bruce Bennett Senior Manager, Theatre Systems and Special Projects Chris Carlton Production Manager

Paul McKenna Production Manager Armand Baksh-Zarate Production Manager

Susanne Lankin Production Manager Julian Iacob Production Coordinator

Meridian Hall stage crew

IATSE Local 58

Richard Karwat Head Electrician Steve McLean Head Carpenter

Marcus Sirman Head of Properties

Ross Tuskey Head Sound Operator

David Baer

Assistant Carpenter Zsolt Kota Assistant Sound Operator

Michael Farkas Assistant Electrician – AV Jason Urbanowicz Assistant Electrician

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts stage crew

IATSE Local 58

Wes Allen Head of Properties, Bluma Appel Theatre

Yunier Alvarez Penate Head Technician, Jane Mallet Theatre Jay Blencowe Head Carpenter, Bluma Appel Theatre Keijo Makela Head Sound Technician, Bluma Appel Theatre

IATSE Local 822

Susan Batchelor Wardrobe Head, Wardrobe Head, Bluma Appel Theatre

Meridian Arts Centre stage crew IATSE Local 58

Aaron Dell Head Technician, Lyric Theatre

Russell Hawley Head Technician, George Weston Recital Hall

Patrick Hales

Assistant Head Technician, George Weston Recital Hall Grant Primeau Head Technician, Greenwin Theatre

Duncan Morgan Head Technician, Studio Theatre

Soulpepper staff and board

Weyni Mengesha

Artistic Director Gideon Arthurs Executive Director

Administration

Idil Djafer Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director

Ece Aydin

Executive Assistant to the Executive Director Luke Reece Associate Artistic Director

Producing

Jonathan Heppner Executive Producer Annie Clarke Producer

Kimberly Colburn

Producer, New Work Development Malika Daya Assistant Producer

Production

Jasmine Knox

Senior Production Manager

Corey MacVicar Technical Director

Julia Carrano

Assistant Production Manager Rhett Costin

Assistant Technical Director Andy DeVries Head Carpenter Lisa Nighswander Head of Properties

Paul Boddum Head Scenic Artist Ellie Koffman Head of Wardrobe Kalina Popova Assistant Head of Wardrobe Nathaniel Wong Production Assistant

Development

Gabrielle Peacock

Director of Partnerships & Development

Kayla Vanderlip Development Manager, Individual Giving Lauren Vandervoort Development Manager

Liza Hersh Development Officer, Corporate & Foundation Adele Kei Development Coordinator

Marketing

Peter Crighton

Director of Marketing & Communications

Riaz Charania

Associate Director of Marketing

Education

Rohan Kulkarni

Director of Education and Community Development Ahlam Hassan Education Coordinator Micah Bucholtz Academy Administrator

Finance

Michelle Beveridge

Director of Finance

Maria Larina Finance Manager Rachel Shen Payroll Coordinator Sandra Gandola Accounts Payable Coordinator

Founding members

Martha Burns Susan Coyne Ted Dykstra Michael Hanrahan Stuart Hughes Diana Leblanc Diego Matamoros Nancy Palk Albert Schultz Robyn Stevan William Webster Joseph Ziegler

Board of directors

Alex Besharat Rob Brouwer Robin Cardozo (Chair) Nicholas Chambers John Chang Casey Chisick Maureen Dodig

Denise Donlon Charmain Emerson Beverley Flynn Roger Garland Nancy Jain Melissa Kennedy Dana Lafarga Vanessa Morgan Jackie Moss

Sanjay Nakra Maja Neable James O’Sullivan Alicia Rose Roxana Tavana Martha Tory Alan Walker

This holiday season, give the gift of live. The arts are essential for creating healthy, vibrant, and engaged communities. Help make arts programs accessible to everyone and support local Toronto artists by donating today.