About the Artists

elena belyea - singer

Elena Belyea (they/she) is a queer/non-binary playwright, performer, producer, arts educator, and Artistic Director of Tiny Bear Jaws. She was born and raised in Amiskwaciwaskahikan (colonially known as Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory and have had work produced across Turtle Island and internationally (including Hungary, Austria, Berlin, New York, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Quebec, and Wells). They're also one half of queer sketch duo Gender? I Hardly Know Them (on Tiktok + Instagram at @genderihardlyknowthem). Her solo show, "Miss Katelyn’s Grade Threes Prepare for the Inevitable" first opened in 2015 and has had over 75 performances since its premiere. Their new musical play "I Don't Even Miss You" (a dystopian pop reflection) premiered last year as part of the Common Ground Arts Society's 2022 RISER project

Caleigh Crow - bass

Caleigh Crow is a queer Metis theatre artist from Mohkinstsis. She is the co-founder and Artistic Lead of Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre. Previous playwriting topics include: a talking crow and a grocery clerk, the mass coronal ejection of 1859, the Antifa Supersoldier, the intersection between 12th century Franciscan nuns and Britney Spears, remote viewing, witch revenge, SETI and a landlord musical. Most recently she directed antigone lives* for WhyNot Theatre's RiserX project. She is also a sometime actor.

Caleigh is so damn excited to be playing bass again with the love of her life, Sacha, and the drummer powerhouse that is Gus. She is an Elena Eli Belyea #1 original old school superfan from way back in the day. And proud of it! Shout out Kathryn for bringing us all together <3 and leading us so well.

sacha crow - lead guitar, "mother courage"

Sacha has been writing music since 2007 and has performed in a variety of bands around the country and abroad. Currently you can catch him fronting the poppy garage punk band Pope Joan. His first time working in live theatre was on Thumbs Up, Good Works’s production of The Born Again Crow. Recently Sacha worked as the Musical Director for Making Treaty 7’s production of O’kosi.

gus rendell - Drums

Gus Rendell (drummer/percussionist): Gus is thrilled to be making his debut working for Verb Theatre on the production of We’re Gonna Die. He most recently worked with Making Treaty 7 as a composer, musician and actor on the production of O’Kosi in September/October 2022. He has worked for over a decade in various bands as a multi-disciplinary musician and artist based in Mohkinstsis. He currently writes and performs as both a singer/guitarist/synthesist in the band Cheer and as a drummer/singer in the band Brain Bent, with music available on Bandcamp and streaming services. Gus spends his free time dedicated to his friends, family and the joy of music.

miranda martini - music director

MIRANDA MARTINI (she/her) is a musician, writer and composer. She co-wrote music for John Ware Reimagined, a musical about the life and impact of Alberta cowboy John Ware, which had its third production in 2022 at the Blyth Theatre Festival in Ontario. Her music and face can also be seen and heard in the NFB documentary John Ware Reclaimed. Miranda was the music dramaturg for the world premiere of I Don't Even Miss You as part of RISER Edmonton in 2022, and co-music director of Lunchbox Theatre's recent production of Countries Shaped Like Stars. In March, she concluded a ten-month stint on tour as the musical guest with queer sketch comedy Gender? I Hardly Know Them at the Expanse theatre festival in Edmonton. Miranda is currently working on a sci-fi musical as part of Chromatic Theatre’s 20222023 Playwrights Unit.

Kathryn Smith (they/them) is a director, designer, and creator who has worked across western Canada. Their focus lies in collective creation, queer stories, puppetry, basic theatre magic, and the ecology of ensemble. They are the Artistic Director of Verb Theatre and a member of the Mudfoot Theatre Collective. Select directing credits: USS Artemis (Boathaus Studios); Murder In the Studio, The American/The Hitchhiker (Vertigo Theatre); inVISIBLE, A Chitenge Story (Handsome Alice Theatre); Safe Site Sessions, Bottle Picker Monologues (Downstage Theatre); Brave Girl, Care Takers, Countries Shaped Like Stars (Lunchbox Theatre). Select design credits: Between Us (Handsome Alice Theatre); The F Word, Benefit (Downstage Theatre); The Democratic Set (Inside Out Theatre); Secret Garden, Merry Wives of Windsor (Theatre Calgary); Million Dollar Quartet (New West Theatre); Amahl & the Night Visitors (Calgary Opera). Kathryn is also an award winning singer songwriter/sound designer under the name KP Smith. All the love to Lara and Scout (the GSD). Follow for more art adventures: @heyits.kpsmith

Millie Winzinowich (She/Her) is a truly groovy cat who has been stage managing since she first ordered people around during her kindergarten recital. She is very excited to be working on her first show with Verb Theatre! She got her BFA in Stage Management from the University of Alberta in 2018 and has been lurking around professional theatres ever since. Her previous credits include The Extractionist, Whispers in the Dark, Might as Well be Dead: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (Vertigo Theatre), The Ballad of Peach Tree Rose (Workshop West Theatre), The Tempest, Hammered Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing (The Shakespeare Company), Shakespeare’s Will (Thou Art Here Theatre). She would like to thank her cats Romeo and Wednesday and her partner Jamie for their love and support. They really are the best.

Camille (she/her) is a playwright and actor. Recent projects include real boi: The Tragedie of Pinocchio in Five Comedic Acts (Calgary Young Peoples’ Theatre), These Moments of Shine (Lunchbox Theatre Stage One & Two), The Hitchhiker (Vertigo Theatre), Go for Gold, Audrey Pham (Lunchbox Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects), and USS ARTEMIS (co-created with Ali DeRegt), a sci-fi radio play that uses binaural audio to create an immersive experience, available at www.USSARTEMIS.ca. Acting highlights include Noises Off (Theatre Calgary), The Outsider (Stage West), and Blackbird (Verb Theatre—Betty Award Nomination). This summer, she will be taking part in the Caravan Farm Theatre’s National Playwrights Retreat. Camille is also the Artistic Associate at Verb Theatre and getting pretty OK at Mario Kart 8 for Nintendo Switch. Thanks to BG for all the love, support, and drifting lessons. See more of her work at www.camillepavlenko.com

hanne loosen - production designer

Hanne is super excited to be working with Kathryn for the first time and to be back with Verb Theatre. Previous collaborations with Verb Theatre include A More Sparkling Version of Ourselves and Sextet. With the help of Verb Theatre and Vertigo Theatre she realized a design-led Experiment Lab with her installation piece For Design’s Sake during the pandemic. Hanne has worked in this vibrant city as a set and costume designer with Theatre Calgary, Calgary Opera, Alberta Theatre Projects, Vertigo Theatre, The Shakespeare Company, Rosebud Theatre and others. She has also been fortunate to spend some time at the Shaw Festival and to design some shows there as well. Her design credits can be found on her website: www.hanneloosen.com

Jason Eckenroth has been an artist, circus person and performance tech professional across most of North America for some 20 years, and is proud to have recently been able to legally call Canada and Calgary home. They are the proud parent of cats Freckle and Paprika, and dream of a world where we just take care of each other.

Sam Jeffery - Mental Health Consultancy

Sam Jeffery (she/her) is a certified intimacy director & coordinator, award-nominated fight director, actor, and educator born and raised in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory. A graduate of the University of Alberta's BFA Acting program, she has been co-AD of StoneMarrow Theatre, a Sterling Award juror, and most recently the instructor of Intimacy for the Actor at Vancouver Film School. Select intimacy credits include: Smoke (Tiny Bear Jaws); Batwoman S3 (The CW); Dooja Ghar (The Other House) (Monsoon Festival); Bunny (The Search Party); Michael Mysterious (Pyretic Productions). Samjeffery.com