THE CHRISTMAS MARKET

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Kanika Ambrose

Playwright

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Kanika Ambrose is a two-time Dora Award winning playwright, opera librettist, and screenwriter. Her play our place, was first produced by Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille in November 2022 and received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for “Outstanding New Play” in 2023. She received a second “Outstanding New Play” Dora in 2024 for Truth which premiered at Young People’s Theatre.

Her opera Of the Sea with composer Ian Cusson premiered at the Bluma Appel Theatre in 2023, commissioned by Tapestry Opera and Obsidian Theatre Company. Other credits include: writer and co-creator of the concert The Big Easy: Music of New Orleans at Soulpepper in 2024, writer of two pieces on Juno nominated classical album Known to Dreamers: Black Voices in Canadian Arts Song produced by Canadian Art Song Project.

Other short works have premiered across North America including celebrated digital work Tak-Tak-Shoo with composer Rene Orth. Kanika is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University and is Associate Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company. She is a former Artistic Producer of Paprika Festival. She was featured as one of Cahoots Theatre Company’s 30 for 30 theatre makers for their 30th anniversary season. She is a graduate of Canadian Film Centre’s Bell Media Primetime TV Program (2022-2023). This year she is Tarragon Theatre’s OAC Playwright in Residence and will have another new work, Moonlight Schooner premiering in Toronto this November.

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Philip Akin

Director and Dramaturge

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: The House That Will Not Stand, Gem of the Ocean (Shaw Festival); In 7 Days (The Grand Theatre/Harold Green Jewish Theatre); Fat Ham, The Lehman Trilogy (Canadian Stage); Heroes of the Fourth Turning (The Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre); Maanomaa, My Brother (Blue Bird Collective/Canadian Stage).

AWARDS: Toronto Theatre Critics award (Best Director, 2019: Actually and Pass Over); Canadian Stage Artistic Achievement Prize; The Herbert Whittaker/CTCA award (distinguished contribution to Canadian theatre); Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts; William Kilbourn award (the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life); C.A.E.A. Lifetime Membership award (outstanding contributions to the performing arts); PGC Women’s Caucus Bra d’Or award (supporting and promoting the work of Canadian women playwrights); Mallory Gilbert Leadership award; T.A.P.A. Silver Ticket Award (Outstanding Contribution to the Arts).

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Matthew G Brown

Joe

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: Romeo and Juliet (Dream in High Park), Is God Is (Canadian Stage, Obsidian, Necessary Angel), Controlled Damage (Neptune, NAC), The Real McCoy (Blyth Festival), Appropriate (Associate Director, The Coal Mine Theatre), Intimate Apparel (Belfry), Billy Elliot, Little Shop of Horrors, To Kill A Mockingbird, (Stratford Festival), Sister Act (Drayton), Wizard of Oz, Cinderella: A RATtical retelling (YPT), I Think I Can (YPT, The National Arts Centre), Jersey Boys (Dancap, Dodgers). Selected film & TV: Mother Father Sister Brother Frank (Highball TV), Fellow Travelers (Showtime), Pretty Hard Cases (CBC), Pinkalicious and Peterrific (PBS Kids), The Kennedys (History Television), Hailstorm (CFC) Instant Star (CTV) Training: Randolph College, The Canadian Film Centre Actors Conservatory.

Follow on IG, Tiktok and BlueSky @ItsMrMGB

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Danté Prince

Lionel

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Danté Prince is an Artist born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario. He self describes as having an obsession with the craft of storytelling. Committing himself to refine his discipline. To be the best Actor, Playwright, or whatever else he can be. He feels very grateful to have been able to do this as a career. Living out long time dreams that even he didn’t know were there. And he hopes to eventually be able to share his art with everyone reading this.

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Savion Roach

Roy

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Savion Roach is a multidisciplinary artist from Scarborough, ON. He has studied Jazz Vocal at the New Conservatory of Music and is a self taught Hip-Hop, Krump, Step, and Contemporary Dancer. He also writes, produces and performs his own music with multiple releases on Spotify and Apple Music under the Alias (SAATURN).

Selected credits: Simeon Whyte in Get That Hope (Stratford Festival); Miles/Rashaad/Shawn in Gloria (Crow’s Theatre); Scotch in Is God Is (Obsidian Theatre/Canadian Stage/NAC); AJ in Choir Boy (Canadian Stage/Arts Club Vancouver). Training: National Theatre School of Canada.

Love.

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Brenda Robins

Ryan

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Brenda has performed extensively in theatres across Canada. Selected recent appearances include: Steel Magnolias (Capitol Theatre), From Alaska, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, The Children (Belfry Theatre), Escaped Alone, A Delicate Balance, Noises Off, King Lear (Soulpepper Theatre), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Citadel Theatre, RMTC, Grand Theatre), The Lion in Winter (Grand Theatre), August: Osage County, The Constant Wife (Citadel Theatre), Doubt, The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Centaur Theatre), Death and the Maiden, Hedda Gabler (Vancouver Playhouse), and Cruel and Tender, Private Lives (Canadian Stage). Brenda has also been a company member at both the Shaw Festival and the Stratford Festival. Other Work: Brenda co-adapted the scripts for Picture This and the award-winning Parfumerie for Soulpepper Theatre. Awards: She is the recipient of Dora, Sterling, Jessie, and MECCA Awards.

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Ken Mackenzie

Set Designer

For Studio 180 Theatre: The Nether, Sweat. Select theatre credits: Set design for Flex, Bidding War, The Wrong Bashir (Crow’s Theatre); Set, Lighting and Costume for Towards Youth, Stars: Together (Crow’s Theatre); The Woman in Black (Western Canadian Theatre); The Last Landscape
(Bad New Days Theatre); King Lear/Queen Goneral (Soulpepper Theatre). Upcoming Projects: Hamletmachine at Usask, She Holds Up the Stars (RedSky Performance). Education: MFA from California Institute for the Arts. More: Teaches design, performance and technical theatre at the University of Saskatchewan and is president of IATSE local ADC659.

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Shawn Henry

Lighting Designer

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Shawn Henry is a Jamaican born, Toronto based Lighting Designer and Production Manager. She is currently the Director of Production at Tarragon Theatre, Prior to arriving at Tarragon she was the Director of Production at Opera Atelier. Her recent lighting design credits include: Shedding 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. She has been the Production Manager for companies such as Tapestry Opera, Cahoots Theatre and Pleiades Theatre, She is also the resident Lighting Designer for the Ismailova Theatre of Dance.

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Jacob Lin 林鴻恩

Sound Designer

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits as a Sound Designer: Prodigal, Heroes of The Fourth Turning, The Wrong Bashir (Crow’s Theatre); Fat Ham, My Name Is Lucy Barton (Canadian Stage); The House That Will Not Stand (Shaw); Old Times (Soulpepper); a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun), Withrow Park (Tarragon); Dead Korean Girl Comedy Show (Seagull Collective/Aluna Theatre); Old Times (Soulpepper); Doubt (Thousand Island Playhouse); Otihew (Shakespeare in Action); ABFE47 (Summerworks). Assistant/Associate Sound Designer: Guilt, Post-democracy, The Hooves Belonged to the Deer (Tarragon Theatre); It’s a Wonderful Life (YPT); Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Modern Times/ Crows); Ghost: The Musical (Starvox); Cast Iron (Obsidian/Factory Theatre). Upcoming Projects: The Fiancee (WCT); Clydes (Canadian Stage); Ohio State Murders (Shaw Festival). Website: www.jacoblin.ca

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Des’ree Gray

Costume Designer

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. 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.

Work: Costume Designer for A Case for the Existence of God (The Coal Mine Theatre); Costume Designer for Tyson’s Song (Pleiades Theatre); Designer for Jesus Christ Superstar (Talk is Free Theatre) Costume Designer for Appropriate (The Coal Mine Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer for Frankenstein: Revived (Stratford Festival); Associate Costume Designer for Treemonisha (Volcano Productions); Assistant Costume Designer for Fairview (Canadian Stage); Assistant Costume Designer for Maanomaa (Canadian Stage); Costume Designer for The Flight (Factory Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer for Da Kink in My Hair (Canadian Stage); Costume Designer for The First Stone (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre); Assistant Costume Designer for Little Women (Stratford Festival). Online: Instagram @desreegraydesigns; Website www.desreegraydesigns.ca

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Amelia Mielke-O’Grady

Assistant Set Designer

Set Design credits: Lulu (The Walking Griot, Toronto Fringe); The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals (The Playhouse Collective); Unmute (Limbus Work Collective, Toronto Fringe); Velvethead (Pickles Theatre Company); The Government Inspector (RCPA). Scenic Painting: A Year With Frog and Toad (TYT Theatre); David and Jonathan (assistant, Opera Atelier); Sanguine (Cahoots Theatre); The Little Mermaid (TYT Theatre); Paradise Lost (RCPA); Dion A Rock Opera (Coal Mine Theatre). Props: She Loves Me (RCPA); Mammoth Season (TYT Theatre). Amelia received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Production and Design, York University; Nightwood Theatre Shadow Residency (Costume Design). Amelia also occasionally stage manages and has done so for The Orillia Opera House, Beyond Mental Borders, TYT Theatre, and Moonhorse Dance Theatre.

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River Oliveira

Associate Sound Designer

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: Perceptual Archaeology (Crow’s Theatre); Oraculum (Buddies in Bad Times); The
Darkest Dark (Young People’s Theatre); I Love You + It Hurts (Theatre of the Beat); Come Closer (SKAMPede Festival); The First Stone (New Harlem Productions/HCTC); Cockroach 曱甴 (Tarragon); rihannaboi95 (Young People’s Theatre); Just In Love (Alumnae Theatre); Motherhood (Alumnae Theatre). Upcoming Projects: Weston Mural Sound Project (Crossroads
Theatre); How the Wolf Says Goodnight. Education: Hons. BA from University of Toronto. More: River also works as a musician, audio engineer, and technician. Social Media: riveroliveira on SoundCloud, @whtvrrvr on Instagram, TikTok, X, and Bluesky, or check out my website at riveroliveira.com which has everything.

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Rhys Bernier

Head of Props

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: Puppets: The Little Mermaid (TYT); Avenue Q (UNBCMP). Props: Good Mother (RCPA); Crazy For You (RCPA); Cabaret (TheatreTO). Design: Arcadia (RCPA); Paradise Lost (RCPA); Legally Blonde (RCPA) and others. Upcoming Projects: On stage in Seussical (TYT) and LGBG (Roseneath). Education: Randolph College for the Performing Arts. More: Dora Nominated Young Audience Actor. Social Media: IG @rel_91

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Peter N. Bailey

Dialect Coach

For Studio 180 Theatre: Sweat. Select theatre credits: A World Without Shadows, The Wilberforce Hotel, Jumbo, The Real McCoy (The Blyth Festival), Other Side of the Game (Cahoots Theatre Co. and Obsidian Theatre), To Kill a Mockingbird, An Ideal Husband, Richard III, All’s Well That Ends Well (Stratford Festival), Fences (The Grand Theatre), Here Are the Fragments (The Theatre Centre), Romeo and Juliet, Fairview (Canadian Stage Company), Sweat (Canadian Stage and Studio 180 Theatre) and A Few Good Men (Drayton Entertainment).

Peter’s voice and dialect coaching credits include: The Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, Crow’s Theatre, The National Theatre School of Canada, Canadian Film Centre, and Sheridan College. Peter is a graduate of the Patsy Rodenburg Associate Programme.

Peter is also an award winning playwright, with his first play Tyson’s Song, winning a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Play in the Independent Theatre Division in 2024.

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Autumn Davis

Mentee Assistant Director

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: Directing Credits: It Just Bugs Me (Guild Festival Theatre); How To Drink Mate (Paprika Festival); Mama Loves Her Pie (Paprika Festival). Acting Credits: Storybook Search (Bad Hats Theatre); Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz (Blyth Festival Theatre); Alice in Wonderland (Guild Festival Theatre). Upcoming Projects: A Christmas Carol (Soup Can Theatre); Wren’s Recipes (Tarragon Theatre’s Family Series). Film/TV: (Selected) Directing Credit: All The Advice in the World (Human Lights Festival). Acting Credits: Baamaapii (Victoria Anderson- Gardener); A Jarring Experience (Floating House Productions); Circa:1981 (Skeleton Films). Education: BFA in Performance – Toronto Metropolitan University. More: Autumn is a Dora Award winning artist who approaches her works with passion, curiosity. and joy. An aspiring director, actor and playwright, she attacks her craft with humor and an eagerness to explore new creative challenges. Social Media: IG: @autumndavi_s

*Autumn Davis’ position is made possible by the RBC Foundation and their support of Studio 180 Theatre’s 2025/26 IN DEVELOPMENT program.

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Daniella Reid

Wardrobe Assistant

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Daniella Reid is a Toronto-based costume designer and performer with experience spanning dance, theatre, and opera. She has worked as a stitcher for Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha (Volcano Productions) and designed costumes for Springworks (Esie Mensah) and Human Body Experience 2.0 (Hanna Kiel, Ryan Lee). Upcoming Projects: Daniella can soon be seen as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz pantomime (Diversified Theatre). She is also joining Fulfillment Center (Coal Mine Theatre) as a Wardrobe Assistant. Education: She is completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University, specializing in costuming, where she continues to refine her skills in design and garment construction. Social Media: IG: @danie_reid

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Emily Morse

Props Assistant

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Farnoosh Talebpour

Stage Manager

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: Orphans for the Czar, Red Velvet (Crow’s Theatre); Dear Robert & Special Delivery (Video Cabaret); Izad Etemadi: Let Me Explain (Green Light Arts); Songs from The Journey (Daniels Corporation/RCM); seven methods of killing kylie jenner (Obsidian Theatre Company); Lessons in Temperament (Outside the March); No Save Points (Outside the March); Iphigenia and The Furies (Theatre Passe Muraille/Saga Collectif). ASM: A Strange Loop (Soulpepper/Crow’s/Musical Stage/To Live); Sweeter (Cahoots); Bittergirl the Musical (TIP); English (Soulpepper/Segal Centre); Dido & Aeneas (Opera Atelier); Dixon Road (Musical Stage Company/Obsidian Theatre Company); Serving Elizabeth (Stratford Festival); Angelique (BTW/Factory Theatre); Through the Bamboo (Uwi Collective/Toronto Fringe). Upcoming Projects: Medusa (Soulpepper and Outside the March). Film/TV: Assistant Production Design for One Small Visit, Lune. Costume Design for Tête à Tête,
Queen of the Morning Calm. Education: York University. Social Media: @Farno05h

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Danielle Walcott

Apprentice Stage Manager

For Studio 180 Theatre: debut. Select theatre credits: Disney’s The Lion King (Mirvish Productions, 2024-2025); Get That Hope (Stratford Festival, 2024); King Lear (Stratford Festival, 2023); Richard III (Stratford Festival, 2022); The Meighen Forum (Stratford Festival, 2022, 2023). Education: Sheridan College’s Technical Production for the Performing Arts program. Awards: Excellence in Stage Management (Sheridan College, 2021).

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