Catherine MacKinnon and Gein Wong are smiling at the camera, they both have a L made with their hands. Catherine is wearing a red scarf and a black shirt and Gein Wong in a black shirt. There are spotlights behind them

About Us > Faces of the Theatre

The Faces of Our Theatre

Cahoots takes pride in its history. We hold a special place in our hearts for the artists we're working with in 2022/23, and for those with whom we've worked over the years.

The Faces of the Theatre are those of people who have played a part in shaping our legacy. We're pleased to feature, on a rotating basis, members of our creative community who've been part of the story of Cahoots.

creating community since

1986

supported

500+ artists

projects successfully produced

30+

playwrights

50+

Our Creative Community

A.W. Nadine Grant

A.W. Nadine Grant

Costume Designer, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Alejandra Nūnez

Alejandra Nūnez

Past Board Member (2020 - 2023)

Artist
Alicia Plummer

Alicia Plummer

Actor, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Alicia Richardson

Alicia Richardson

Playwright-in-Development

Playwright
Amaka Umeh

Amaka Umeh

Assistant Director, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Amanda Lin

Amanda Lin

Playwright/Actor, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Playwright
Amelia Blaine

Amelia Blaine

Head of Props, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Andile Win

Andile Win

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Angela Sun

Angela Sun

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Anita Nittoly

Anita Nittoly

Intimacy Coordinator, our place (22/23)

Artist
Anthony Allan

Anthony Allan

Technical Director, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
April Leung

April Leung

Workshop Actor, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Autumn-Joy Dames

Autumn-Joy Dames

Sing for Your Summer Musician (2021)

Artist
Caitlin Farley

Caitlin Farley

Captions Operator, Sweeter (23/24) and Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
Cheyenne Scott

Cheyenne Scott

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Playwright
Artist
Christopher-Elizabeth

Christopher-Elizabeth

Sound Designer, our place (21/22)

Artist
Chynah Philadelphia

Chynah Philadelphia

Head of Props, our place (22/23)

Artist
Claudia Tam

Claudia Tam

Costume and Props Designer, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
Coleen MacPherson

Coleen MacPherson

Creator-in-Residence (2021-23)

Playwright
Daren Herbert

Daren Herbert

Actor, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Dhanish Kumar Chinniah

Dhanish Kumar Chinniah

ENBY Ensemble (20/21); Production Ass't, Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Durae McFarland

Durae McFarland

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Echo Zhou

Echo Zhou

Set and Lighting Designer, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Elizabeth Staples

Elizabeth Staples

COVID Officer (2021-23)

Artist
Elyne Quan

Elyne Quan

Dramaturge, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Emerjade Simms

Emerjade Simms

Actor, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Emie Sabandal

Emie Sabandal

n/a

Artist
Emilie Aubin

Emilie Aubin

Rehearsal Stage Manager, our place (22/23)

Artist
Emily Jung

Emily Jung

Projection Designer, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Esther Jun

Esther Jun

Director, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Farnoosh Talebpour

Farnoosh Talebpour

Assistant Stage Manager, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Gabriel Townsend

Gabriel Townsend

Technical Director, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Geraldine Fuenmayor

Geraldine Fuenmayor

Hot House Crossing Playwright (21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Isaac Thomas

Isaac Thomas

Past Board Co-Chair (2009 - 2023)

Artist
JD Darawi

JD Darawi

Captions Operator, our place; Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Jack Copland

Jack Copland

Actor, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
Jamar Adams-Thompson

Jamar Adams-Thompson

Actor, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
James B. Elloso

James B. Elloso

Hot House Crossing Playwright (21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Jan Jennings

Jan Jennings

Hot House Crossing Playwright (21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Janice Jo Lee

Janice Jo Lee

Sing for Your Summer Musician (2021)

Artist
Jasmine Chen

Jasmine Chen

Director, Hilot Means Healer (19/20)

Artist
Jawon Mapp

Jawon Mapp

Sing for Your Summer Musician (2021)

Artist
Jay Northcott

Jay Northcott

ENBY Ensemble Facilitator (20/21)

Artist
Jeff Yung

Jeff Yung

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Jennifer Stobart

Jennifer Stobart

Stage Manager, our place (22/23)

Artist
Jillian Cooper

Jillian Cooper

Production Assistant, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
Jo SiMalaya Alcampo

Jo SiMalaya Alcampo

Playwright, Hilot Means Healer (19/20)

Playwright
Jordan Laffrenier

Jordan Laffrenier

HHLO / Black PenTHER Dramaturge (20/21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Julia Howman

Julia Howman

Projection Design Mentor, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Kaleb Alexander

Kaleb Alexander

HHLO / Black PenTHER Playwright (20/21/22)

Playwright
Kanika Ambrose

Kanika Ambrose

Playwright, our place (22/23)

Artist
Playwright
Kareem Vaude

Kareem Vaude

Sing for Your Summer Musician (2021)

Artist
Kat Chin

Kat Chin

Stage Manager, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
KayGeni

KayGeni

Sing for Your Summer Musician (2021)

Artist
Ken Caughey

Ken Caughey

ENBY Ensemble Artist (20/21)

Artist
Kenzie Tsang

Kenzie Tsang

Actor, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Keshia Palm

Keshia Palm

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Kiarash Dudgar

Kiarash Dudgar

COVID Officer (2022)

Artist
Krystal Kavita Jagoo

Krystal Kavita Jagoo

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Kwaku Okyere

Kwaku Okyere

Blackstage Pass Co-Host (20/21)

Artist
Lia Luz

Lia Luz

Sing for Your Summer Musician (2021)

Artist
Lily Chan

Lily Chan

Stage Manager, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
Luke Reece

Luke Reece

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Playwright
Artist
Maher Sinno ماهر سنّو

Maher Sinno ماهر سنّو

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Makambe K. Simamba

Makambe K. Simamba

Blackstage Pass Co-Host (20/21)

Artist
Marjorie Chan

Marjorie Chan

Artistic Director (2013-19)

Artist
Maya Royer

Maya Royer

Production Manager, Sweeter (23/24) and our place (22/23)

Artist
Mercy Cherian

Mercy Cherian

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Michael Fillier

Michael Fillier

Lighting and Projection Assistant, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Artist
Mina Zaghari

Mina Zaghari

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Miquelon Rodriguez

Miquelon Rodriguez

Sound Designer, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
NIUBOI

NIUBOI

ENBY Ensemble Artist (20/21)

Artist
Natércia Napoleão

Natércia Napoleão

Hot House Crossing Dramaturge (21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Nia Osei

Nia Osei

COVID Officer (2022-23)

Artist
Olivia Shortt

Olivia Shortt

Crossing Gibraltar Producer (20/21)

Artist
Olivia Wheeler

Olivia Wheeler

Sound Designer, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Pablo Ogunlesi

Pablo Ogunlesi

Actor, our place (22/23)

Artist
Parastoo Amanzadeh

Parastoo Amanzadeh

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Parmida Vand

Parmida Vand

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Paz Jurado

Paz Jurado

Hot House Crossing Playwright (21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Raj Jain

Raj Jain

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Rebecca Vandevelde

Rebecca Vandevelde

Production Supervisor, our place (22/23)

Artist
Reva Lokhande

Reva Lokhande

Assistant Stage Manager, our place; Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Riaz Mahmood

Riaz Mahmood

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Robyn Kaur Sidhu

Robyn Kaur Sidhu

ENBY Ensemble Artist (20/21)

Artist
Sabryn Rock

Sabryn Rock

Director, our place (22/23)

Artist
Sansom Marchand

Sansom Marchand

ENBY Ensemble Artist (20/21)

Artist
Santiago Guzmán

Santiago Guzmán

Hot House Crossing Dramaturge (21/22)

Artist
Playwright
Sarah Yuen

Sarah Yuen

Costume Designer & Head of Props, Between a Wok and Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Shaista Latif

Shaista Latif

Crossing Gibraltar Facilitator (20/21)

Artist
Shawn Henry

Shawn Henry

Lighting Designer, Sweeter (23/24) and our place (22/23); Lighting/Projection Designer, Three Ordinary Men (21/22); Production Manager, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot (22/23)

Artist
Shayne Levin

Shayne Levin

Video Designer, our place (22/23)

Artist
Signy Lynch

Signy Lynch

Past Board Co-Chair and Secretary (2017 - 2023)

Artist
Sim Suzer

Sim Suzer

Set Designer, Sweeter (23/24); Set and Costume Designer, our place (22/23)

Artist
Sophia Walker

Sophia Walker

Actor, our place (22/23)

Artist
Steven Elliott Jackson

Steven Elliott Jackson

Playwright, Three Ordinary Men (21/22)

Playwright
Artist
Susan A. Lock

Susan A. Lock

Hot House Lift Off Playwright (20/21)

Artist
Playwright
Sébastien Heins

Sébastien Heins

Actor, Sweeter (23/24)

Artist
Tan Vu

Tan Vu

Crossing Gibraltar Artist (20/21)

Artist
Tiffany Ledesma

Tiffany Ledesma

Intern Producer (21/22)

Artist

Cahoots
30 for 30

When I first applied to be artistic director of Cahoots in 2013, I revisited my own past with the organization. To my astonishment, I discovered I had worked at Cahoots every single year in some capacity or another since 1998. I had variously been supported as performer, writer, youth facilitator, producer, dramaturge, director and administrator. I would not be remiss to say that my career would not exist without Cahoots.

Founded in 1986 by Beverly Yhap, Cahoots Theatre was operating in a very different time, one in which artists from diverse backgrounds were few and far between. Over the years, our company has contributed significantly to changing the face of theatre, on stage and off. In 1986, I think I would’ve been hard-pressed to name 30 artists from diverse backgrounds. In 2016, I am thrilled to say that picking only 30 people was an enormous problem for us! There are many more deserving of recognition, enough to fill 30 of these books! Ultimately, we narrowed it down to people with a relationship to the company and who we believe have only begun to reveal their enormous potential.

Now, as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, we invite you to celebrate it with us by honouring 30 Cahoots theatre-makers who we consider the future, and who we think will shape the next 30 years in Canadian theatre. Hope you are as inspired by them, as I have been.

Meet them. Remember them. Engage them.

- Marjorie Chan, Artistic Director (2013 - 2019)

since

2010

supported

100+ artists

projects successfully launched

30+

playwrights

20+

ECHO ZHOU

A very grateful positive asian theatre activist!

Email: echozhou1993@gmail.com

Kanika Ambrose

Kanika Ambrose is a Toronto-based playwright.

Email: kanika.ambrose@gmail.com.

RAF ANTONIO

Queer gay homo queen latinx writer etcetera.

BILAL BAIG

I’m a playwright, producer and an actor.

JASMINE CHEN

an eternal child picking blades of grass

BESSIE CHENG

Chinese-born theatre-maker, performer, and playwright

Email: bcheng182@gmail.com

RONG FU

actor, writer, dry humour enthusiast, usually right

Agency: Parent Management Inc.

VIRGILIA GRIFFITH

Creator Time-traveller Shape-shifting Complex Cosmic Visualizer Fire-cracker.

Please contact Cahoots to connect with this artist.

JEFF HO

Hong Kong-er. Torontonian. Actor. Writer. Pianist. Foodie.

INDRIT KASAPI

Stubborn, Loud, Queer, Immigrant cries out: ART.

DAHLIA KATZ

Director, photographer, puppeteer.

SHAISTA LATIF

An artist can’t be defined. Only informed.

APRIL LEUNG

A performing artist, playwright, and food addict.

LeFeaver Talent

DEBORAH LIM

Production/Stage Manager ● Designer ● Collaborator ● Creator ●

Email: debb.j.lim@gmail.com

SIGNY LYNCH

York PhD student and emerging human being.

Email: signy.lynch@gmail.com

TIJIKI MORRIS

Canadian Pakistani, Earth, Community, Queer, Magic, holectic

Email: t_morris@live.ca

JIVESH PARASRAM

Indo-Caribbean Anti-State Artist …with a fine beard.

SARENA PARMAR

Kelowna born. Actor. Playwright.

Email: sarena@sarenaparmar.com

AMANDA PARRIS

Storyteller by any means necessary

PAM PATEL

Music maker. Theatre creator. Life-long learner.

Email: pam@mtspace.ca

TENNILLE READ

Actor, painter, innovator, intent listener, avocado lover.

Agent: Ryan Goldhar – The Characters – 416-964-8522

NEHA ROSS

Check those dailies love, Stage Management.

Please contact Cahoots to connect with this artist.

NIKKI SHAFFEEULLAH

bright colours, loud jokes, community, embodiment, intentionality.

MICHELLE URBANO

Actor, Puppeteer, Storyteller, Producer, Designer, Explorer, Observer.

Email: urbano.mp@gmail.com

MARGARITA VALDERRAMA

Margarita is a Colombian-Canadian actor.

AARON WOLFE-MAXWELL

Deaf. American Sign Language. Actor. Student.

BETH WONG

Theatremaker, avid baker, sailor and efficient emailer

Please contact Cahoots to connect with this artist.

JOANNA YU

Female. Chinese. Immigrant. Theatre Maker. Pasta lover.

JEFF YUNG

Jeff Yung is an actor and artist.

Agent: Maria Ralley – Edna Talent Management – 416-413-1524. maria@etmltd.com

COLE ALVIS

Métis-Irish/English, genderqueer, lover, advocate