Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is situated on the lands of the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, and the Wendat, and the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We acknowledge them and any other Nations who care for the land (acknowledged and unacknowledged, recorded and unrecorded) as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land, referred to as Tkaronto (“Where The Trees Meet The Water”; “The Gathering Place”). Buddies is honoured to be a home for queer, trans and 2-Spirit artists on these storied and sacred lands that have been stewarded by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years before the arrival of colonial settlers.
cover photography + design by
Fran Chudnoff
cover photography and concept design by
Fran Chudnoff
creator’s note // never Walk alone
BY JULIE PHAN
You would think I’d have something clever to say right now considering I wrote this whole damn thing but I’m drawing a blank. I think I’m in a bit of shock and awe that this whole thing came together. Working on this show for the past six years, I’ve done a lot of growing and learning alongside my beloved collaborators— those who have been with the project for a long time and those who’ve hopped on board within the last couple months, who’ve held me and this project with so much love and care and support amidst all of pain, loneliness and confusion. I guess that’s the main thing I’m feeling, I have a lot of gratitude and respect for everyone who’s trusted me in this process and that I’ve been able to trust to carry this with me and now it’s for you to hold. I hope this play means something to you, because I know it does for me, and that it reminds you that you matter too— and so does everyone else in this room sitting along side you.
Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.
creator’s note // reina
BY AUGUSTO BITTER
Thank you for coming to Reina. She has been bubbling for a long time. Para mi mami, mis tias, mis hermanas, mis primas, mis novias, mis maestras, y Punto Fijo.
Endless gracias to Claren and Pencil Kit Productions for supporting my work for nearly a decade (curveball after curveball).
To Jaime for stepping in so gracefully and enthusiastically.
To Y Josephine for the music and the laughs and the cries.
To Victoria Mata for the skirt.
To corn for feeding my family.
Reina is a love letter to food, femininity, and feeling good. I hope you enjoy your meal.
photo by Felice Trinidad
never Walk alone team
Julie Phan // writer + producer + performer
Matt McGeachy // dramaturg
Paul Flicker // consulting producer
Tawiah M’Carthy // director
Nate Gerber // choreographer
Jawon Kang // set + props designer
Julie Phan // costume stylist
Shawn Henry // lighting designer
Miquelon Rodriguez // sound designer + composer + asst. director
VideoCompany (George Allister + Patrick Boivin) // video designer
Carley Melvin // set assistant
Jeff Soucy // stage manager
Anthony Allan // technical director
Annasofie Jakobsen // production manager
Alex Chung, Felice Trinidad, Madeleine Fiore // online content team
Isabelle Lê, Anaëlle Sauvet // pole coaches
thank you
Marjorie Chan, David Yee, Bilal Baig, Daniel Carter, Jeff Ho, Gillian Clark, Deb Lim, Marissa Orjalo, Keshia Palm, athena kaitlin trinh, Michael Derworiz, Quincy Williams, Andrea Werhun, Graham Isador, Emily Nixon, Ferlenn Duenas, Greg Forbes, Connor Pearcy, JJ Gerber, Rhiannon Collett, Michelle Le, Vivian Hoang, , Phuong Thy Nguyen, Andrew Pham, Jacob Banks — and there’s so many more of you I’m sure I missed, please forgive me.
Special thanks also to Toronto Arts Council for the development of the dance creation process, as well as Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts for the development and production of the show.
support never Walk alone
Want to support the work? visit www.juliephan.art/honeystipjar.
Genrefuck. creW
Sebastian Marziali // technical director
Darren Shaen, Van Ward, El Patey, Steph Raposo // head technicians
Lexi Sproule // platform coordinator
Julie M. Li, Mike Dowdall, Mojo Noble, Christopher-Elizabeth // crew
photo by Warren Kang
reina team
Augusto Bitter // creator + co-director
Claren Grosz // co- director + producer
Y Josephine // composer
Jaime Lujan // performer
Augusto Bitter + Claren Grosz // scenic designers
Miquelon Rodriguez // sound designer
Shawn Henry // lighting plot designer
Nathan Bruce // lighting designer
Taylor Zalik-Young // stage manager
Courage Bacchus // ASL performer
Juan Jaramillo // ASL consultant
thank you
Aluna Theatre
Bea Pizano
Trevor Schwellnus
hub14
Liz Peterson
Jonathan Gera
Arnold Ruste
Victoria Mata
Fran Chudnoff
Roya del Sol
Eden Graham
Rahnell Branton
Theatre Passe Muraille
b current performing arts
Tawiah M’Carthy
Mel Hague
Steph Raposo
Camil@ Diaz Varela
Bebsabe Duque
Dulcinella Bakery
Canadian Stage RBC Emerging Creators Residency
Cristina Castrillo & Bruna Gusberti (Teatro delle Radici)
Denise Fujiwara (Solo Dance Lab)
Caitlin Gallichan-Lowe
Ghost River Theatre
Inside Out Theatre
Toronto Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council
Canada Council for the Arts
artIst BIos / reina
Augusto Bitter [any pronoun] // creator + co-director + coscenic designer – Augusto Bitter is a Venezuelan-born, Dora Award-winning actor and writer for stage and screen. Augusto’s work dances between silly and sacred, developed in-residence at the Canadian Film Centre, Reelworld’s E20, Canadian Stage, Soulpepper, Factory, Aluna, TPM, Stratford, and the city of Toronto. Augusto’s first play, CHICHO (Rhubarb Festival 2018), is also a short film that has screened at 11 major cities across North and South America. Augusto has been an educator with Soulpepper, Paprika Festival, Story Planet, and Project: Humanity, and first performed at Buddies in Theatre Rusticle’s Our Town (2017). Food is Augusto’s love language :) www.augustobitter.com
Claren Grosz [she/her] // co-director + producer + co-scenic designer — Claren Grosz is a queer theatre and visual artist, chickpea enthusiast and Artistic Director of Pencil Kit Productions. She’s the recipient of the 2018 Ken MacDougall Emerging Director Award and the 2015 My Entertainment World Outstanding Direction (Small Theatre) Award and was nominated for the 2023 Dora for outstanding projection design. Select credits: Director, Cat Sitters short film (PKP, 2024); Producer, WHITE MUSCLE DADDY (PKP/Buddies, 2024); Creator/ Projection Designer/Performer, I love the smell of gasoline (PKP/Expanse/Nightwood/ RUTAS, 2022-25); Director, CHICHO (PKP/Theatre Passe Muraille, 2019); Director/CoCreator, Shadow Girls (PKP/Rhubarb Festival 2018/17). www.clarengrosz.com
Jaime Lujan [he/him] // performer (Reina) — Jaime Lujan is a Toronto based actor, writer, and costume designer whose name is misspelled at least once a day. Previous acting credits include WHITE MUSCLE DADDY (Buddies in Bad Times, Pencil Kit Productions) and The Gig (Theatre Aquarius).
Y Josephine // composer — Y Josephine is a Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist known for her work as a singer-songwriter, percussionist, writer, and visual artist. Her powerful vocals and signature cajón rhythms blend Afro-Latin sounds with jazz and soul. She has performed across Venezuela, Aruba, Spain, the UK, and Canada, and is a past collaborator of Amai Kuda. She is the founder of Y JAZZephine, a jazz quartet covering Peggy Lee, Norah Jones, and more with a fresh Latin twist, and co-founder of Baobá, an all-female percussion collective. Her work includes composing and performing in Taura by Sofi Gudino, contributing visual art to Good Housekeeping by Augusto Bitter, and exhibiting new pieces at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto in collaboration with NourbeSe Philip.
Nathan Bruce // lighting designer — Nathan is a Toronto based Projection and Lighting Designer and New Media Artist. Recent theatre credits include projection design for The Magic Flute (The Royal Conservatory of Music), lighting design for 18 Jews Order Chinese Food (Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon), and video design for WIGHTS (Crow’s Theatre). Recent installations include creator of Try To Forget (St. Anne’s Parish Hall, Long Winter), co-creator of After The Flood (Charles Street Video) and co-creator of Love Across Distance (The ArQuives, Nuit Blanche). This is Nathan’s design debut with Buddies In Bad Times Theatre.
Taylor Zalik-Young // stage manager – Taylor Zalik-Young is a Toronto-based Stage Manager and Production Manager, originally from Calgary, AB. He holds a BFA from TMU in Performance Production. He is currently the Arts Encounters Producer at dance: made in canada. Some of his recent credits include: Production Stage Manager, I Love the Smell of Gasoline, Pencil Kit Productions presented at the Expanse Festival, Co-Production Manager, Hypothetical Baby, Nightwood Theatre, 2025; Production Stage Manager, The 9th!, ProArteDanza, Ontario Tour 2025.
Courage Bacchus [she/her] // Deaf theatre interpreter — Natasha “Courage” Bacchus is a very active multidisciplinary artist, former three time gold medallist Deaf Olympian Sprinter. Her theatre /TV and Film performances include Shaw Host Talk (2014), The Black Drum with Soulpepper Theatre (2019) in Toronto and France, The Two Natasha’s (2020) comedy performed in art festivals, 21 Black Futures produced by Obsidian Theatre and CBC Arts (2021), mini-TV series The Coroner season four on Netflix (2022). She has participated in cabaret events including the 2019 and 2024 ASL Deaf Drag Performance, Rainbow Seniors Showcase, and Criptonite at Buddies.
Juan Jaramillo [he/him] // ASL consultant — Juan is a Deaf AfroIndigenous Colombian Canadian artist and ASL consultant based in Toronto. Founder of Dancing Hands Theatre, he creates work rooted in Deaf culture, storytelling, and access. For Reina, Juan supports the integration of ASL through coaching and cultural consultation.
artIst BIos / Genrefuck.
Miquelon Rodriguez (he/him) // sound designer (Reina), sound designer + composer + assistant director (Never Walk Alone) — Miquelon Rodriguez is a Dora-nominated director and sound designer, composer, radio play mixer and editor, digital content creator, actor, and arts leader based in T’karonto. He was the Apprentice Artistic Director at Factory Theatre from 2017 – 2019 under the mentorship of Nina Lee Aquino, is a graduate of the Artistic Leadership Residency at the National Theatre School of Canada, and has worked with a multitude of artists and companies across Turtle Island and internationally. Previous work at Buddies: Pass Over (2019) and Brotherhood: The Musical (2014).
Shawn Henry // Genrefuck. lighting plot designer, Never Walk Alone lighting designer — Shawn Henry is a Toronto based Production Manager and Lighting Designer. Her lighting design credits include: Shedding a Skin, Truth, Sweeter, Loss, Bentboy, La Forestera, Russell’s World, Three Ordinary Men, Comedy is Art, Hybrid by Design, 21 Black Futures, Maman La Mer, Riot, rock.paper.sistahz., Cycle of a Sari, 30 people watching. Shawn is currently the Director of Production at Opera Atelier. She has production Managed for companies such as Tapestry, Cahoots, Pleiades Theatre, and she is also the resident Lighting Designer for the Ismailova Theatre of Dance.
artIst BIos / never Walk alone
Julie Phan [she/her] // performer (Honey) + producer + writer + content creative director + graphic designer + costume stylist — In 2023, Julie was selected by Tarragon Theatre for the RBC Emerging Playwright Award, and by David Yee for the Siminovitch Protégé Prize. She is best known for disappointing her father as well as her work with fu-GEN asian theatre company. She is happy to present the first iteration of her project, Never Walk Alone, developed through her first professional residency with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.
Matt McGreachy [he/him] // dramaturg — Matt McGeachy is a Toronto-based dramaturg. He spent 10 seasons as Company Dramaturge at Factory Theatre, is past president of LMDA Canada, and is currently Director of Government Relations at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Recent credits: national tour of First Métis Man of Odesa (Punctuate! Theatre); Buddies in Bad Times: début.
Tawiah M’Carthy [he/him] // director — Tawiah M’Carthy is a Ghanaian born, Toronto based theatre practitioner, notable as a Director, Playwright, Creator and Performer. Directing credits include Here Lies Henry (Factory Theatre) Topdog Underdog, (Canadian Stage), Fairview (Obsidian Theatre/Canadian Stage), Death and the King’s Horseman (Stratford Festival), and Rihannaboi95 (Young People’s Theatre). Creator/Writer credits include Maanomaa, My Brother (Blue Bird Theatre Collective), Ara Asaase Ni
(21 Black Futures, Obsidian Theatre), Black Boys (Saga Collectif) and Obaaberima (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre). Performing credits include Sizwe in Sizwe Banzi Is Dead (Soulpepper Theatre), Oyinyechuku in Three Sisters (Obsidian Theatre/ Soulpepper Theatre), Larry in Fat Ham (Canadian Stage) and Emeka/Archie in Feast (Tarragon Theatre). Tawiah is a Pauline McGibbon Award recipient for Directing, a multi Dora-nominated playwright and performer and Co-Artistic Director of Blue Bird Theatre Collective.
Jawon Kang [she/her] // set + props designer — Jawon is a Korean Canadian set and costume designer based in Toronto. For Buddies: Debut. Upcoming: Educating Rita (Persephone); The Piano Teacher: A Healing Key (TIP); A Profoundly, Passionate Devotion To Someone (-noun) (Tarragon & Obsidian). Portfolio: jawonkang.myportfolio.com
Jeff Soucy (he/him) // stage manager — Selected credits: Titanique (Segal/Mirvish), Halfway There (Drayton Ent.), The Death of Walt Disney (OtM/Soulpepper), The Effect (Coal Mine Theatre), No Save Points (OtM), Mamma Mia! (Tweed & Co), Les Zinspiré.e.s 11, Le club des éphémères (TfT), très loin (BoucharDanse) Cock, Sweeney Todd, Pal Joey (TIFT), and Heroine (TNB). Other: Jeff is a Toronto-based bilingual stage manager originally from New Brunswick with a creative and performance background, having graduated from Randolph College for the Performing Arts. Please register to donate stem cells. Thank you to my parents, family, and friends for their endless support. @jeff_makes_theatre
Annasofie Jakobsen (she/her) // production manager — Annasofie is an emerging production and stage manager based in Toronto. She’s thrilled to have joined the Never Walk Alone team and hopes you enjoy the show! For Buddies: Stage Manager (ANIVIA, Emerging Creators Unit 2022). Some other credits: Ophis (Transcen|Dance Project), Are You The One (xLq/Downstage), Jacqueline (Tapestry Opera), Interior Design (Tarragon Theatre), Insert Clown Here (Parlous Theatre). Catch her at Withrow Park this summer, production managing Tiff’ny of Athens (Shakespeare in the Ruff) and Dusk Dances
Alex Chung [he/him] // online content team — Alex Chung is a Toronto-based Cinematographer/Director of Photography and Camera Operator, with an extensive portfolio, he has lent his expertise to a multitude of campaigns and commercial projects, collaborating with a diverse array of clients. Noteworthy among them are prominent names such as Hudson’s Bay, BMO, Tim Hortons, Blue Jays, National Ballet of Canada, and Destination Ontario. Beyond the commercial realm, he also advocates spreading attention and good messages by creating various creative and documentary films to support different cultures and communities like BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, and accessibility for all. He believes that his creative expression could be a powerful tool for social change, through his lens, he strives to amplify voices that often go unheard, shedding light on the rich tapestry of diversity and the importance of inclusivity.
With an ardent belief in the transformative power of visual storytelling, Alex Chung continues to merge his cinematography with the pursuit of weaving captivating narratives, and innovative techniques in visual storytelling and also pushing the boundaries of storytelling.
Felice Trinidad // online content team — Felice Trinidad is a BIPOC queer photographer in Toronto who specializes in editorial and creative portraiture.
Madeline Rose Fiore // online content team — Madeline Rose Fiore is a Toronto-based artist specializing as a social media producer, photographer, writer, and director. With a passion for storytelling in all its forms, she’s dedicated to bringing both her own visions — and those of others — to life through bold, creative collaboration.
Anaëlle Sauvet // pole coach — Graduée à l’université en arts visuels et médiatiques, Anaëlle commence la pole dance peu après en 2015 chez Milan pole dance Studio à Montréal. Elle a un véritable coup de cœur pour ce sport aérien et découvre rapidement l’amour de la scène grâce aux compétitions et au monde du striptease. Attirée depuis toujours par le sensuel et le sexy, elle propose une approche qui se situe entre érotisme et performance physique. Depuis 2018, elle enseigne et se produit à Montréal régulièrement, offrant des spectacles dans des clubs et pour plusieurs événements. Sa philosophie repose sur le dépassement de soi, invitant ses élèves à explorer leurs limites et à découvrir l’expressivité et la puissance de leur corps.
Anthony Allan (He/Him) // technical director — is a freelance technical director, sound designer, and lighting designer based in Toronto. He is excited to be back at Buddies with Never Walk Alone, hope you enjoy the show! For Buddies: There is Violence… (Technical Director). Other: The Inheritance (Technical Director), Mahabharata (Asst Technical Director), Fall for Dance North (Asst DOP), Woking Phoenix (Technical Director), Sweeter (Technical Director), Little Shop of Horrors (Asst Sound Designer), and Toronto Fringe Festival (Technical Coordinator).
aBuDDIes In BaD tImes theatre
opened at the Carrefour International Theatre Festival in Québec City before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in London. In 2020 Martin was awarded the Nyssen-Bansemer Theatre Prize
Artistic Director TED WITZEL
Director of Finance + Development KRISTINA LEMIEUX
Operations Coordinator MASON MCDONALD
Production Manager REBECCA VANDEVELDE
Producer
AIDAN MORISHITA-MIKI
Rhubarb! Festival Director LUDMYLLA REIS
Marketing Manager KATIE CLARKE
Social Media Coordinator OLYA GLOTKA
Hosting Lead BYZMUTH FFRENCH
Facility Manager PAUL THERRIEN
Senior Manager of Nightlife and Hosting AL THOMAS-HALL
KENNEDY, DIVINE MARKS-OWUSU, MAC MCCALLUM, LESLEY NICHOLLS, ASHER ROSE, SARAH ROWE, SIWAR SORIA, MAIREAD STEWART, DANNY SYLVAN
Head of Security AIDAN MCKENDRICK
Bar Personnel
RICHARD BELL, CHARLEE BOYES, DANIEL HOANG, RONNIE LÉGÈRE, ASHER ROSE
Residency Program Artists
BILAL BAIG
CELIA GREEN
JULIE PHAN 潘家雯 HEATH V. SALAZAR
Emerging Creators Unit Director AMANDA CORDNER
Board of Directors
SEDINA FIATI
JESSE GRIFFITHS
ALEXANDER HUTCHISON
MICHAEL MAN
ANU RADHA VERMA
ALEX RAND
BuDDIes’ communIty of Donors
LEGACY CIRCLE
Ed Cabell + Roy Forrester
John Alan Lee
Russell Mathew + Scott Ferguson
Richard McLellan
Adam Morrison + James Owen
Jim Robertson + Jim Scott
VISIONARIES ($5000+)
Fabio Mascarin Foundation
The Estate of George Grant
The Estate of Dr. Beverly Harris
The Kingfisher Foundation
Metcalf Foundation
Pride and Remembrance Foundation
HEROES ($2500+)
Elephant Shoes Foundation
House of Beida
The KM Hunter Charitable Foundation
Martha LA McCain
LEADERS ($1000+)
Ed Cabell + Roy Forrester
Carol Dilworth
Andrew Gillespie
Paul Hartwick
William Hodge + Robert Wylie
Jim Lawrence + David Salak
Lydia Leatherdale + Mike Cox, in memory of Calvin Cox
Richard McLellan
NIgE Gough Shine On Foundation
Oldfield Management Inc.
Brian Sambourne
Peter Taylor
Greg Tranah
David Wong + Dennis Yu
Woody’s on Church
ADVOCATES ($500+)
Mark Aikman + Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea
Emily Derr
Philip Doiron
Philip Gazaleh
Sean Hillier
Richard Isaac
Kent James
Sarah Kaplan and Anita McGahan
Karim Karsan + John Rider
Montana Kimel
Stephen McGregor + Tony De Franco
Aidan Morishita-Miki
Adam Morrison and James Owen
Option Properties (Canada) Inc.
Paul Petro
Smokestack Studio
J.R.Tennyson.
Michael David Trent
Anu Radha Verma
R. Howard Webster Foundation
PARTNERS ($250+)
D. Arcand + A. Karmali
Kate Bishop + Doug Gerhart
Mark Brodsky
Jeffrey Buttle
Robert Coates
Russell Connelly
James Davis
Alan Dingle
Dennis Findlay
Berkha Gupta
Neil Guthrie
Ronald Haynes
Raymond Helkio
Jaigris Hodson
Tom Hutchinson
Alex Hutchison
Dr. Ben Louie
Dhanveer Mangat
Gilles Marchildon
Rebecca Markus
Al Rajan
Nik Redman
Andrea Ridgley
Jim Robertson + Jim Scott
David Steinberg
Rick Sutton
Lionel Tona
Allison Vanek
MONTHLY DONORS
Mark Aikman + Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea
Golboo Amani
Artun Anto Azad
Leyla Bikbulatove
Allen Braude
Mark Brodsky
Jeffrey Buttle
Ed Cabell & Roy Forrester
Herng Yi Cheng
Nancy Clemo
Russell Connelly
David Couture
Arjun Dhanjal
Jennifer Duffy
Barbara Fingerote
Randy Goldman
Neil Guthrie
Matthew Harding
Raymond Helkio
Allen Hernandez
Sean Hillier
William Hodge + Robert Wylie
Jaigris Hodson
Andrea Houston
Alex Hutchison
Montana Kimel
Chanti Zoelene Laliberte
Kristina Lemieux
Dr. Ben Louie
Jonathan MacArthur in memory of Stuart Hamilton
Cameron MacLeod
Gilles Marchildon
Rebecca Marcus
Catherine May
Joseph McLean
Richard McLellan
Option Properties (Canada) Inc.
Aidan Morishita-Miki
Bernadette + Gene Morishita-Miki
Hakeem Muhammad
Thompson Nguyen
Rui Pires
Al Rajan
Ingrid Randoja
Nik Redman
Andrea Ridgley
Sonja Scharf
Peter Taylor
Lionel Tona
Ayse Turak
Uncle Tee
Allison Vanek
Anu Radha Verma
VS
Paul Wollaston
David Wong + Dennis Yu
Arielle Zamora
neXt Gen: matcheD
Donations from people unDer 35 will be matcheD until may 31!
From now until May 31, 2025, a generous anonymous donor is matching donations from people under 35 up to $5000.
Queer spaces in Toronto and beyond are at risk, and we want to build a donor base that can sustain us through the bad times — whether it’s a one-time donation or $5 a month until you’re somebody’s favourite gay uncle.
One of our values is liberation: it’s aspirational, and probably impossible, but you, the collective of queers who move through this space, make it visible.
Keep Buddies bold. Help us raise 10K to platform the next generation of queer artists and preserve Buddies as a crucial space for radical artistic expression and queer existence.
Speak to a member of our hosting team, give us a call at [416] 975 – 8555, or visit buddiesinbadtimes.com/support to learn more about supporting queer theatre in Toronto and beyond.
BuDDIes season sponsors
LEAD CORPORATE SPONSOR
COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION PARTNER
CORPORATE PARTNERS
PUBLIC AGENCIES
FOUNDATIONS
Great theatre lives here.
We are pleased to support Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and the artists that are captivating audiences with exciting, innovative, and entertaining productions.
BMO is proud to be the 2024/25 Season Platinum Sponsor.
