Meet the Artists
Cast
Brefny Caribou (she/her) is a performer and writer of Cree/Irish-settler descent based in Toronto. Holding an MFA in Acting from York University she focuses her practice on reimagining traditional theatrical practices, telling Indigenous stories, and making people giggle. She has developed her writing Savage is a Word in the English Dictionary through the Animikiig Creators Unit at Native Earth Performing Arts and Aluna Theatre’s Winter Artist Residency with an offering at the CAMINOS Festival (‘21). She was a collaborator on the world premiere of Aluna Theatre/Nightwood Theatre’s piece The Solitudes inspired by the world of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Márquez. As an actor, most recently, Brefny finished her 3rd season at the Stratford Festival with credits that include playing Zhaboonigan Peterson in The Rez Sisters (‘21) and Beth March in Little Women (‘22).
Brefny Caribou - Rachel
Carmen Alvis (she\her) is a Turtle Mountain Michif (Métis) artist based in Tkarón:to with Chippewa, Irish & English ancestors. She is one of the leaders of lemonTree creations, manidoons collective, and AdHoc Assembly, and is on the board of the Dancers Of Damelahamid. Carmen has performed, directed and toured queer and Indigenous performance across Turtle Island (North America) including venues in Coast Salish territory, Treaty 7 territory, Robinson Superior Treaty territory, and Mi’kma’ki territory.
Carmen Alvis - Janey
Heath V. Salazar (they/them) is a Dora Award-winning multidisciplinary Latinx performer and writer based in Toronto. Named a ‘prolific trans artist’ by CBC Arts, Heath has developed a body of work in theatre and film that spans the gender spectrum. Select theatre credits include: Volare (Prairie Theatre Exchange), Shakespeare in High Park (Canadian Stage), Shove It Down My Throat (Buddies In Bad Times Theatre), The Wolves (Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre), Chasse-Galerie (Storefront Theatre). Heath has completed residencies with The Banff Centre for the Arts, Aluna Theatre, and is currently an Artist in Residence at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. One of their biggest honours to date has been their nomination for LGBTQ Person of the Year from the 2019 Inspire Awards. You can currently catch Heath on screen in their role as Arrow in the award-winning and highly acclaimed CBC and HBO Max original series Sort Of.
Heath V. Salazar - Isaac/The Prophet
Jillian is an actor, creative leadership coach and strategic designer. Passionate about authentic connections and wellbeing practices, her work champions transformation within individuals, organizations and systems through coaching, conflict mediation, and strategic foresight. Before pursuing a Masters in Design she was a member of Diasporakidz, an international and interdisciplinary artist collective exploring ancestral relationships and slow art-making. As a performer and theatre practitioner she’s created and produced award-winning productions and toured internationally with ever-queer, multimedia shows. Over the last decade Jillian has acted in films, television, video games and performed in all kinds of unconventional spaces. When she isn’t working she loves to move her body, write, read, and travel with her wife.
Jillian Harris - Caroline
Robin Luckwaldt, B.F.A., M.A.(c) (they/them) is a creative arts therapist, arts educator, and theatre maker living on the unceded lands of the Kanien'kehà:ka Nation, Tiohtià:ke. Robin's therapeutic work has primarily been in support of Queer communities and survivors of family violence, and their research examines sexuality and mirroring in adult attachment relationships. Select credits include: Andrea, The Knoll (Rumble Theatre, Tremors Festival); Wasp, Caroline, and fight director for various iterations of Wasp; the voice of Sarah Robertson on Nick van der Kolk’s Love + Radio, ep. Gotcha!; co-creator and voiceover for the short dance film Grove with Vicki Sue Machin (Screen:Moves, Progress Festival); co-instructor with Phoebe Wang for Sound Design in Performance workshop (Danish National School of Performing Arts, Radiobiograf Festival); co-creator and performer for various iterations of The Bathtub Girls (KAIROS Theatre; Outstanding New Play Nominee, Dora Awards 2020; Critics’ Choice Award, Hamilton Fringe).
Training: M.A.(c), Creative Arts Therapies, Drama Therapy option with Play Therapy certification, Concordia University; B.F.A. Acting, University of Windsor. Additional Training: Directors' Lab 2020 with Maiko Yamamoto (Rumble Theatre); Playwriting with Paula Wing (Tarragon Theatre); Intermediate Stage Combat Certification (Rapier Wit); various intensives with the Moscow Art Theatre School, Stratford Festival, and the SITI Company.
Robin Luckwaldt - Wasp
Creative
Rhiannon Collett (they/them) is a playwright, performer, and translator based in Vancouver on the territories of the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. They are interested in interdisciplinary creation processes, sexual labour, gender performativity, and science fiction. Selected playwriting credits include Miranda & Dave Begin Again (Playwrights Guild of Canada RBC Emerging Playwright Award), Wasp (Nightswimming/safeword), The Kissing Game (Youtheatre/Young People’s Theatre), J’ai Jamais (French translation by Pénélope Bourque, Youtheatre/Télé-Québec/Maison Théâtre) and Girlfriend (Young People’s Theatre).
Rhiannon Collett - Playwright/Director/Producer
Lior is a Tiohtiá:ke-based writer, actor, translator, director and dramaturg who works across Canada and internationally. Growing up, she participated in performance workshops at The Black Theatre Workshop and the MSOPA where she developed a love for storytelling. Lior performed at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to critical acclaim and she appeared in Mattias Graham’s short film, Bleach, which has been shown at over 20 festivals around the world. The Geordie Theatre premiere of Lior’s From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea received eight Montreal English Theatre Award nominations, including Outstanding New Text and Production. Her voice can be heard on Netflix and Ubisoft projects.
Read more about Lior at liormaharjan.com and follow @liormaharjan.
Lior Maharjan - Director/Dramaturg
Ren is a managing producer at Cited Media Productions. They hold an MA in journalism from Concordia University, where they studied subjectivity in journalism and how to make a soundscape on a shoestring budget. Ren works on a number of Cited podcasts including Darts and Letters, and spends their free time playing the harp and arguing with their cat.
Ren Bengart - Audio Producer
Katherine lives in Tkaronto and works in stage management, events, admin and IT support. For safeword: Contempt, Nature of the Beast, Circle Jerk. Other credits include The Walls Enclosing (RPSFEST); A Christmas Carol (Three Ships); Musik für das Ende, Two Odysseys (Soundstreams); Obeah Opera (Luminato). Thanks, everyone!
Katherine Belyea - Digital Stage Manager
Brandon (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist and arts administrator based in Tkarón:to. They are the author of five, produced plays (Turtleneck, Donors, Maypole Rose, Nature of the Beast, Contempt) and have participated in residencies and readings with Stratford Festival of Canada, National Arts Centre and Urban Stages (NYC). Most recently, they directed the Canadian and Australian premiere of For Both Resting and Breeding by Adam Meisner (Lambda Literary Award Finalist). Their professional career in the arts spans over 20 years working in multiple disciplines. They are currently the Sales and Marketing Coordinator for Playwrights Canada Press and working on the world premiere of their new play about trans youth called Sorry You’re Cis, Get Well Soon! Sincerely, The Brunch Club. Brandon is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada and Humber College’s Arts Administration and Cultural Management program.
Brandon Crone - Producer
kira buro (they/them) is an artist currently working in so-called vancouver, bc.
Kira Buro - Illustrator
The participation of these Artists are arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under
the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy and ACTRA Toronto under the provisions of the Audio Recording Contract.
Wasp was commissioned and developed by Nightswimming and produced by safeword.
This production is made possible through the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
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