The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ

Artists

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  By Colleen Murphy

  

  By Colleen Murphy

  Colleen was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, and grew up in Northern Ontario. She is a two-time recipient the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, and the Carol Bolt Award for Outstanding Play, for both The December Man / L'homme de décembre in 2007, and Pig Girl in 2016. Other plays include The Society For The Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius; I Hope My Heart Burns First; The Goodnight Bird; Armstrong’s War; The Piper, and Beating Heart Cadaver. She is also a librettist and a filmmaker. She has been Writer-in-Residence at seven Canadian universities, and currently teaches playwrighting at Queen’s University in Kingston.

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  With Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy

  

  With Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy

  Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy has been a traditional Inuit drum dancer and cho- reographer for over 20 years. has performed traditional Inuit drum dance and worked as a choreographer for over 20 years. She studied ballet and was in the aboriginal modern dance core at Banff Centre for the Arts with the Aboriginal Dance Project. In her choreography work, Siobhan melds tradi- tional drum dancing with modern dance. She is a graduate of the University of Victoria where she earned her law degree in 2005. She has worked as a lawyer and also taught drum dancing to youth and children. Siobhan lives in Iqaluit and has three wonderful daughters and a stepson.

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  Nattilingmiutut Language Direction Nilaulaaq Miriam Aglukkaq

  

  Nattilingmiutut Language Direction Nilaulaaq Miriam Aglukkaq

  Nilaulaaq Miriam Aglukkaq was born on the island of Uqšuutituuq which is between Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay and she later moved to Taloyoak area as a nine year old. As a young adult she was trained to administer medicines and took them by dog team to the various seasonal camps—carrying them in her amauti (packing parka) so they wouldn’t freeze. She also worked as a midwife in her capacity of medical liaison. She is widely respected as a leader and knowledge keeper and known for her expertise in documenting archaic language. She is a master storyteller, traditional singer and widely sought as an advisor to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit wisdom) in Nunavut. She raised six children while continuing a semi-nomadic lifestyle as a young adult. Today, her extended family, with in-laws, grandchildren, great grandchildren and several great great grandchildren is her biggest inspiration for all she does. She loves them each and everyone deeply and works with all her heart to keep her language and culture alive for their wellbeing.

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  Nattilingmiutut translation / Language Consultant / Surtitles Creator Janet Tamalik McGrath

  

  Nattilingmiutut translation / Language Consultant / Surtitles Creator Janet Tamalik McGrath

  Janet Tamalik McGrath is a fluent speaker of Inuktut from childhood and has worked broadly as a language consultant across Inuktut dialects in the Canadian Arctic and internationally. She was educated in the Arctic and worked as a translator before completing a doctorate, research she documented in The Qaggiq Model, 2018.

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  Director Reneltta Arluk

  

  Director Reneltta Arluk

  Reneltta is an Inuvialuk/Dene/Cree from the Northwest Territories. Raised by her grandparents on the trap-line until school age, this nomadic environment gave Reneltta the skills to become the multi-disciplined artist she is now. She is founder of Akpik Theatre, a northern focussed professional Indigenous Theatre company. For nearly two decades, Reneltta has taken part in or initiated the creation of Indigenous-led Theatre across Canada and overseas. Current Director experience includes: Bound & Messiah/Complex (Against the Grain Theatre); The Birds (Studio Theatre); All That Binds Us (Azimuth Theatre); The Breathing Hole (The Stratford Festival), where she received the 2017 Tyrone Guthrie - Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director's Award, The Unplugging (Gwaandak Theatre). Radio plays: The Unplugging (Common Boots Theatre); Niitahtaastsi (Jupiter Theatre); I Count Myself Among Them (Akpik Theatre); Ndoo Tr’eedyaa Gogwaandak - Forward Together (Gwaandak Theatre.) Co-Director experience: Kuekuatsheu Mak Muak (Anorae Productions) and Aklavik Journals (Stuck in a Snowbank Theatre). Reneltta has extensive directing experience working within Indigenous communities across Canada in self-created work.

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  Mrs. Griffith Thomson / Crew #2 Martha Burns

  

  Mrs. Griffith Thomson / Crew #2 Martha Burns

  Martha Burns is an actor, arts educator and filmmaker. She has been an ensemble member and leading actor of the Vancouver Playhouse, National Arts Centre, Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival and Soulpepper theatre companies. She is the recipient of two Gemini awards for the series, Slings and Arrows, two Genie supporting actor awards for the films Long Days Journey Into Night and Love and Savagery and two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the plays Trafford Tanzi and The Miracle Worker. She received the 2005 Barbara Hamilton Award for excellence and professionalism in the performing arts and the 2016 Leslie Yeo prize for volunteerism. Martha has directed a short film, How are You (TIFF 2008), and a feature documentary, Robin, Mark and Richard III. From 2010 - 2017, Martha taught first year acting at the National Theatre School. In 2017 she worked with performers from Nunavut’s Qaggiavuut Performing arts society to create Kiviuq Returns, a play based on elders’ stories about the Inuit’s most beloved Shaman hero. Martha is a co founder of Masterclass Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre, The Toronto Arts for Youth award and Got Your Back.

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  Ibřuq / Atuguaq as an adult / Crew #1 / Qi'ngaqtuq Donoghue/ Marianne  Miali Buscemi

  

  Ibřuq / Atuguaq as an adult / Crew #1 / Qi'ngaqtuq Donoghue/ Marianne  Miali Buscemi

   Miali Buscemi grew up in Kimmirut, Nunavut.

  ᒥᐊᓕ ᕗᓯᒥ ᑭᒻᒥᕈᒻᒥᐅᑕᑦᓴᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ.

  She was introduced to acting in film in 2007 debuting in a poignant role in the film Necessities of Life/Ce Qu'il Faut Pour Vivre, where it all began.

  She is known for the leading role in Aviliaq, a short film commissioned by ImagineNative, and as Billy Naittuq, a character from the Inuktitut comedy TV show Qanurli?

  Miali joined the 2017 Stratford Festival acting company, North America's largest classical repertory theatre.

  With a combination of fluency in Inuktikut and a talented actor she brings a powerful presence to the screen and stage.

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  Maniilaq / Lee Malaya Qaunirq Chapman

  

  Maniilaq / Lee Malaya Qaunirq Chapman

  Malaya Qaunirq Chapman is an actor, model, producer and social advocate from Iqaluit, NU. When she was young, Qaunirq Chapman also grew up in Panniqtuuq (Pangnirtung), NU, and Los Angeles in the United States. She has hosted several well-known documentary TV series and acted in TV and film.

  Chapman has stated in interviews that her experiences growing up in both the North and in Los Angeles has influenced the work she does now. As host to two documentary TV series that focus on life in the North, she is excited to connect and work with elders and experts of traditional life in a way that she could not living in the South. Her experience of being adopted is the subject of a film written by her mother, Heaven’s Floor (2016), of which Chapman is executive producer.

  Chapman was propelled into the spotlight when she became Miss Nunavut in 2011, which helped her expand her social advocacy for mental health. She began her acting career on a whim when she was asked to play a small role on the comedy sketch series Qanurli (2011-2017) which eventually turned into recurring roles and production work. Chapman’s first dramatic role was in director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s short film Aviliaq: Entwined (2014). She has since been a host to several documentary TV series, including Illinniq (2010-2017) and Nunavummi Mamarijavut (2018-present). Her work on Nunavummi Mamarijavut has been integral in reconnecting Malaya with her culture and language through food. She has noted that the show, which provides her with the opportunity to hunt and prepare food with Inuit across Nunavut has been essential in honing her Inuktitut language skills and connection to her homeland. There are plans to continue the show into it’s fourth season in 2022, however shooting is on hiatus due to the global covid-19 pandemic. Malaya is also the star of Restless River (2019), a new Isuma Productions film that is currently being prepared for release on Crave TV and has been released in theatres in major cities and Iqaluit throughout 2019.

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  Hummiktuq / Matson Day Else Charlem Danielsen

  

  Hummiktuq / Matson Day Else Charlem Danielsen

  Born 1963 in Greenland. Graduated as an actor in 1992 from The Tuukkaq Theatre in Denmark, and has been working both in Denmark and Greenland as an actor on stage and in films. Besides teaching drama and Greenlandic mask-dance, she also has directed and written several theatre-pieces. In 2018 she moved to Denmark.

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  Steward #3 Nick Di Gaetano

  

  Steward #3 Nick Di Gaetano

  Nick is a comedian, musician and a self-described renaissance (hu)man who has been working creatively in both official languages for 15+ years as a clown, puppeteer, musician, sound designer and writer/creator. His career includes clown shows, puppet shows, improv shows, shows for children, bands, performance art, video art, voice overs, sound design, music direction and a wealth of original songs and compositions for stage, screen and recorded media. Nick has taught acting at various colleges in the GTA, studied improv, Clown and Performance with master teachers from around the world and holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Ottawa where he also teaches Sound/Son in both official languages. He has received multiple Fringe and Prix Rideau Awards and is a 2019 Dora Award recipient for Best Performance of an Ensemble with Théâtre Français de Toronto. Selected credits include: Countries Shaped Like Stars (Play Where You Live Productions), Ignorance and Famous Puppet Death Scenes (The Old Trout Puppet Workshop), Unbridled Futurism and Light Speed Blues - A Canada Council Digital Original (Makesndoes Productions) and a Rogers commercial where he drove a car. He lives in Smiths Falls, ON with his amazing wife Teddy, their magical son Yuri and a sweet cat named Poopoo.

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  Nukilik / Tuutalik Klaus Geisler

  

  Nukilik / Tuutalik Klaus Geisler

  Klaus Geisler was born in 1973 and was one of the first to graduate from the National Theatre school of Greenland in 2014. Since graduating he has been working in many different theatre shows internationally and in Greenland. He is best known as the first Greenlander who won the danich Reumert award for his role in Angutivik in 2018. His is very dedicated to his work which appears in the clownshow for school kids called Uanga Timera (My body), and the show Tarnima nammatai (I carry my soul). He also wrote a children show called Sofus Siggusmund, which he also instructed. As a playwright, he wrote and played in the theatre show called Remember Liza.

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  James Holloway / Steward #1 / Emergency Understudy: Nukilik and Tuutalik Jesse Gervais

  

  James Holloway / Steward #1 / Emergency Understudy: Nukilik and Tuutalik Jesse Gervais

  Selected theatre credits include  Grand Ghosts (Grand Theatre); Jane Eyre, Silver Arrow, Crazy For You, Alice Through the Looking Glass, One Man Two Guvnors, Measure for Measure, A Christmas Carol (Citadel Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Love’s Labours Lost (Free Will Players); 6.0, 4th Graders Present…,Fat Pig (Northern Light Theatre); 10\12, Passion Play, Realistic Joneses (Wild Side Productions); Buddy, Little One, Let The Light Of Day Through (Theatre Network); Joy Ride, Black Horse (Caravan Farm Theatre) Film and TV Credits Tiny Plastic Men Seasons 1-4 (Super Channel); Caution May Contain Nuts (APTN); Blind Ambition: The Wop May Story. Jesse has a BFA from the University of Alberta. www.jessegervais.com

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  Angu'řuaq (Puppeteer) Gisle Lars Henriet

  

  Angu'řuaq (Puppeteer) Gisle Lars Henriet

  Gisle Henriet is a multidisciplinary circus artist from Uppsala, Sweden. He graduated from the Circus Cirkör circus school in Stockholm, Sweden in 2004 and from the National Circus School in Montreal, Canada in 2007.  Gisle has worked with companies such as les 7 Doigts de la Main, Norwegian National Theatre, and Cirque du Soleil, as well as performed on the streets in buskers festivals and in events such as the Royal Variety Show and the 2006 Winter Olympic closing ceremony. He now regularly works with Artcirq as well as Tupiq A.C.T. and is also the Co-Artistic Director of the Montreal based circus company Throw 2 Catch. .

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  Sir John Franklin / Mr. Griffith Thomson Randy Hughson

  

  Sir John Franklin / Mr. Griffith Thomson Randy Hughson

  Previously at the NAC, Randy performed in Serpent Kills, High Life, Earshot, Buried Child, Death and The Maiden, Alanienouidet, Romeo and Juliet. Randy has worked extensively in theatres across Canada including 12 seasons at The Strartford Festival. As well as with The Mirvish Organization. He also worked in Mexico the US and Scotland. He has garnered eight Dora Mavor Moore nominations, three Jessie Richardson Award nominations, two Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award nominations, one Betty Mitchell Award nomination and two Gemini nominations, and has been awarded one of each. He has a large body of television, film, animation and radio work. He is thrilled to be back at NAC.

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  Higguk / Paningajak / 2nd Captain Vincent Colin Karetak

  

  Higguk / Paningajak / 2nd Captain Vincent Colin Karetak

  Vinnie Karetak is a cultural icon in Inuit Nunangat. His face is instantly recognized by Inuit young and old for his work in comedy, journalism, performing arts, theatre and film. From starring in much beloved APTN programming such as Qanurli, to exploring heartache in his own short films and advocating for an Inuit performing arts centre in Nunavut to co-creating Kiviuq Returns with Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Vinnie’s dedication to art cannot be captured into a single genre. He is passionate about Inuktitut and its rightful place as the working language in Nunavut, for Inuit creating art for Inuit, processes of communication that challenge colonization and for Inuit family connections.

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  Atugauq at 8 / Qaakšaattiaq / Lucy Tara Kuppaq

  

  Atugauq at 8 / Qaakšaattiaq / Lucy Tara Kuppaq

  Tara is originally from Nunavut and has travelled and lived in several places throughout the North. Tara’s interest in performing began in her drama class in an urban school. Being connected to the culture gives her pride, her favourite part is being on the land listening to the sounds of nature. She embraces her culture at National Arts Centre and her role as part of Indigenous Theatre in this production.

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  Avinngaq / Ařgaiq / Steward #2 Salik Gudmundsen Lenner

  

  Avinngaq / Ařgaiq / Steward #2 Salik Gudmundsen Lenner

  Salik Gudmundsen Lennert from Sisimiut is a second-year student at the National Theatre School of Greenland. He is 26 years old and has a Greenlandic mother and a Greenlandic father with Scandivanian roots. Salik started his acting interest when he was cast as the lead character in a contemporary theatre play. Prior to studying acting he was living and working in Ireland as a computer technical support. Salik is passionate about performing, creating his own projects and dabbles with piano and guitar. He also held Greenlandic Maskdance workshops in different places in Greenland and abroad, has performed in several productions before he became a student.

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  Wickers / Dufort Bonnière Jamie Mac

  

  Wickers / Dufort Bonnière Jamie Mac

  Jamie originated the roles of Wickers and Young Angu ruaq in 2017 at the Stratford Festival and is overjoyed to reprise this incredible play. This is Jamie Mac’s sixth time performing on the National Arts Centre’s stages. Under the artistic directorship of Peter Hinton, he starred as Jacob Mercer in David French’s Saltwater Moon (co-production with Neptune Theatre), as well as featured roles in Oliver!, Saint Carmen Of The Main (co-production with Canadian Stage), Creation, and Vimy (co-production with GCTC). Jamie is a proud Newfoundlander and has spent much of his career at the Stratford Festival, and was trained by the late Martha Henry at the Birmingham Conservatory for classical actors, as well having a BFA in Acting. You can also catch Jamie in the Sundance acclaimed On The Count Of Three on Hulu, and in Murdoch Mysteries on Netflix, and next year in the Stratford Festival 2023 season.

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  Carter / Ainsworth Christopher Morris

  

  Carter / Ainsworth Christopher Morris

  Christopher is an actor, playwright and director and the artistic director of the Toronto-based theatre company Human Cargo. Some recent acting credits include The Runner (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Magnus Theatre); Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, Hedda Gabler, Botticelli in the Fire (Canadian Stage); A Doll's House, Noises Off (Soulpepper); Oedipus Rex, Diary of Anne Frank (Stratford Festival); The Importance of Being Earnest, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Stuff Happens (NAC). Past TV Credits include Orphan Black, Frankie Drake, The Girlfriend Experience, Murdoch Mysteries, In Contempt. Upcoming - Painkiller (Netflix), Beyond Black Beauty (Amazon). Christopher wrote and directed Night which premiered at the NAC in 2009 and is currently creating a VR film with Miali Buscemi about Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook. Thank you for this opportunity, Reneltta!       

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  Oliver Morshead / Rivera Garcia Alon Nashman

  

  Oliver Morshead / Rivera Garcia Alon Nashman

  Alon Nashman is honoured to be returning to the NAC as part of Indigenous Theatre’s season. Selected credits include: Kafka and Son, Alphonse (Theaturtle); Birds of a Kind, HIRSCH (Stratford Festival); Tales of Two Cities (Tafelmusik); Much Ado About Nothing, Forests, Scorched, Democracy, Remnants (Tarragon Theatre); Hamlet, All’s Well That Ends Well, Botticelli in the Fire/Sunday in Sodom, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, THIS (Canadian Stage); Hedda Gabler, Howl (Buddies in Bad Times); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Birdland); Reading Hebron, A Short History of Night (Factory Theatre); and If Jesus Met Nanabush (Debajehmujig Theatre Group). For Theaturtle, Alon wrote the singspiel Charlotte: A Tri-Coloured Play With Music, is developing a new musical, Mimi On The Beach with Jane Siberry, and is co-creating Kiuryaq, a circumpolar performance with Akpik Theatre.   

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  Ukuannuaq and Baby Polar Bear (Puppeteer) / Larkin / Puppetry Coach Joylyn Secunda

  

  Ukuannuaq and Baby Polar Bear (Puppeteer) / Larkin / Puppetry Coach Joylyn Secunda

  Joylyn Secunda is an actor, dancer, puppeteer. They performed their solo physical comedy, The Moaning Yoni, 50 times in cities across Canada. Recent credits include Scrooge in A Wonderheads Christmas Carol (The Wonderheads), Zephyr in Crisis on Planet Z (Monster Theatre), Seek in Pop Pop (Presentation House), and puppeteer in Nombre (Théâtre la Seizième). Joylyn was selected for the Startle Reflex Residency where they were mentored by Crystal Pite and Tiffany Tregarthen. They are a BFA Acting graduate from UBC and studied clown at the Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance and puppetry at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

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  Bean / Roy aaron wells

  

  Bean / Roy aaron wells

   čačumḥi – aaron wells

  ʔuukłaas čačumḥi aaron wells ʔuukłaas ƛaḥ – my name is chah-chum-hi, aaron wells is what I am also called. I come from the nuučan̓uł and ts’ymsyen nations of the what is known as the northwest coast of BC as well as English settler heritage. Many thanks to our director Reneltta and the Team of both the English and Indigenous Theatre for bringing all of us together to do this fantastic work. Language has always been something that is really important to me and to have the honour and privilege to work within another culture that is not my own is beyond English words. čumqƛsiš luu’am guudl s’ygoy’n ƛeekoo ƛeekoo.

  Previous works include Children Of God (The Cultch/NAC); They Call Me Princess (The Globe Theatre); Pawâkan Macbeth (akpik theatre); The Coyotes, The Nutcracker (Caravan Farm Theatre) and other community language projects.

  čuu

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  Assistant Director Najattaajaraq Joelsen

  

  Assistant Director Najattaajaraq Joelsen

  Najattaajaraq Joelsen is an actor and director from Greenland. She is originally from Aasiaat and graduated as an actor from The National Acting School in 2016. Najattaajaraq has a bachelor’s degree in teaching and uses her acting and teaching skills as an instructor at the National Acting School of Greenland.

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  Choreographer Shannon Litzenberger

  

  Choreographer Shannon Litzenberger

  Shannon Litzenberger is an award-winning dancer, choreographer, director, embodiment facilitator and experienced cultural leader working at the intersection of art, ideas and transformational change. She creates sensory-rich, multi-disciplinary performance experiences that animate our relationship to land, community and the forgotten wisdom of the body. She has been an invited resident artist at Soulpepper Theatre, Toronto Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, Atlantic Ballet Theatre, Banff Centre, Remai Modern and Memorial University. She is also a frequent collaborator with the wind in the leaves collective. Her recent work World After Dark was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award. www.shannonlitzenberger.com 

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  Sound Designer/Composer Carmen Braden

  

  Sound Designer/Composer Carmen Braden

  Award-winning musician Carmen Braden is a dynamic force in the world of new music, hailing proudly from Yellowknife NWT. Moving smoothly between genres of composing and songwriting, Carmen is recognized as an “acoustic ambassador of the Canadian Subarctic” (Musicworks). Carmen’s work in theatre, dance and film has been performed from Atlin BC to Helsinki, Finland with a special focus on northern themes. Carmen was the original sound-designer + composer for world premiere of The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ in Stratford 2017. She has released three albums to national acclaim, and her contemporary classical compositions are regularly commissioned and performed across Canada. 

  carmenbraden.com https://www.longshadowmusic.com https://magnumom.ca - Artist representation

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  Set and Puppet Designer Daniela Masellis

  

  Set and Puppet Designer Daniela Masellis

  Daniela Masellis is theatre designer and artist based in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta), on the Treaty 6 territory. Daniela’s training includes a B.F.A. of Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, a Diploma of Fine Arts, and a design apprenticeship in Italy at ‘Teatro alla Scala Milano’. She has designed in theatres large and small across Canada, collaborating on over 85 professional productions. Her credits include work with such companies as The Stratford Festival, The Citadel Theatre, The Arts Club, Soulpepper, Workshop West, Mile Zero Dance, Western Canadian Theatre, Akpik Theatre and many others.  Daniela works mainly in the areas of set, lighting, and projection design for live performance and film. She is a proud member of the Associated Designers of Canada and Iaste 659.

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  Costume Designer Samantha McCue

  

  Costume Designer Samantha McCue

  Samantha McCue (she/her) is Anishinaabekwe from the Chippewas of Georgina Island and Ned’u’ten from Lake Babine First Nation. She grew up on the Musqueam Reserve in Vancouver, BC, and currently lives in Ottawa. Samantha graduated from York University’s Theatre Production program in 2017. Selected design credits include: Selected design credits include The Breathing Hole (National Arts Centre); Kamloopa (Soulpepper Theatre Company, Western Canada Theatre), Where The Blood Mixes (Soulpepper Theatre Company), Little Red Warrior and his Lawyer (Belfry Theatre), I Am William (Stratford Festival), Honour Beat (The Grand), Aqsarniit (Confederation Centre of the Arts), The Monument (Factory Theatre), Thanks For Giving (Arts Club Theatre Company). sammccuedesign.com

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  Lighting Designer Leigh Ann Vardy

  

  Lighting Designer Leigh Ann Vardy

  Recently: Hamlet 911, The Neverending Story, As You Like it, The Diary of Anne Frank (Stratford), The Breathing Hole, Metamorphosis (NAC), Misery, The Rocky Horror Show (Neptune), Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Belfry Theatre), For A Look or a Touch (Pacific Opera Victoria), Tell Tale Harbour (Confederation Centre for the Arts), Between Breaths, Everybody Just C@lm The F#ck Down (Artistic Fraud), The Silver Arrow (Citadel Theatre), The Third Colour (Prairie Theatre Exchange), Secret Life of a Mother (Theatre Centre, Crows Theatre), and The God That Comes (2b). Leigh Ann is a teacher and coach at NTS. She is originally from Nfld and now lives in Nova Scotia and works all over the country. She’s honoured to be part of the telling of this story with these remarkable people.

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  Fight Director John Koensgen

  

  Fight Director John Koensgen

  John has been working as a fight director since 1981. He has taught at the National Theatre School, Dawson College, Algonquin College and Saint Lawrence College. Most recently he's choreographed fights at GCTC and the NAC. John is also an actor, this year as a member of the Stratford Festival Acting Company and at GCTC in Blissful State of Surrender.

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  Dialect Coach / Vocal Direction, Polar Bears Kirsten Catriona Hawson

  

  Dialect Coach / Vocal Direction, Polar Bears Kirsten Catriona Hawson

  Kirsten Catriona Hawson is a British/Canadian voice & dialect coach currently pursuing a PhD in Communications at McGill University under the doctoral supervision of Dr Jonathan Sterne. She has 35 years of global experience as an actor, singer, voice and dialect coach. She works freelance as a performance coach in theatre/film/TV and is currently teaching Theatre 200 at Yukon University. She just completed work on Choir Boy at Canadian Stage with Mike Payette & Floydd Ricketts. She is very excited to work with Reneltta Arluk again and thanks her for bringing her on this project. kirstenhawson.com

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  Surtitles Designer Kyle Ahluwalia

  

  Surtitles Designer Kyle Ahluwalia

  Kyle is a bilingual technical director and designer based in Ottawa. After completing a degree in international relations, Kyle did an MA in Theatre Theory at University of Ottawa (2013) and has been working in live performance for the last decade. Kyle was with Théâtre Catapulte from 2014-2019 and is currently the Technical Director at GCTC. Selected past work includes lighting designs for The Arsonists (uOttawa); Trust (10 Gates Dancing); technical direction for Cabine/Traces (Productions 2359) and Moliere dans le parc (Fâcheux Théâtre) and surtitles for several productions at La Nouvelle Scene and on tour across Ontario.

  When not in a performance venue, Kyle can be found at home with his partner Danielle or at the park trying (in vain) to tire out his Australian shepherd Beau.

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  Assistant to the Language Director John Preston Iharrataitchuq Aglukkaq

  

  Assistant to the Language Director John Preston Iharrataitchuq Aglukkaq

  John plays guitar in Gjoa Band, a group of six musicians that play fiddle, accordion, vocal and bass instruments and have performed throughout Nunavut over the past decade. He was raised by his grandmother Nilaulaaq, who named him after her father Iharrataitchuq—a master storyteller. John was raised on his grandmother’s stories and she now mentors him in carrying on the oral tradition, to keep the stories alive through new means. He is a traditional Nattilingmiut drummer and passes on the art to his children who have grown up with their great grandmother’s guidance and support. He and his partner Patricia live in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut with their children and extended families.

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  Drumming Workshop Consultants/Cultural Support Elisabeth Jansen-Hadlari

  

  Drumming Workshop Consultants/Cultural Support Elisabeth Jansen-Hadlari

  Elisabeth has been active facilitating training in various forms of the arts in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut since the early 1970’s. Since 2005, together with her partner, Attima, her employment has been through their own company, which facilitates services and programming in Inuit language and traditional practices, cross cultural awareness, as well as arts-based learning.

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  Drumming Workshop Consultants/Cultural Support Attima Hadlari

  

  Drumming Workshop Consultants/Cultural Support Attima Hadlari

  Attima is an Inuk drum dancer who presently lives in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. He has been actively drumming since his early teen years and attributes his ability to his teachers, Hadlari, his father, and Qauquqtuuq, his cousin. Attima drums in the Natchilingmiut style accompanied by one or more chant singers. Over the years he has performed with his drum to audiences across the world, often explaining the significance and traditional uses of the chants and the dance. Other times he demonstrates such traditional skills as the use of the seal skin whip or teaches, coaches and officiates traditional Inuit games. Attima was born out on the land between today’s settlements of Talurřuaq, and Kuugaarřuk, and raised in the nomadic lifestyle, living in tents and iglus, until his family moved into the settlement of Talurřuaq when he was a teenager. He has worked as an interpreter/ translator for the legislative assembly since the mid 1970's. Working together with, elder, Miriam Aglukkaq, a Natchilingmiutut dictionary has been produced, and is now shared online.

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  Stage Manager Rebecca Eamon Campbell

  

  Stage Manager Rebecca Eamon Campbell

  Rebecca is a freelance stage manager based out of Kemptville, Ontario. She has worked in stage management and fundraising with performing arts organizations across the country including: Bard on the Beach, Vancouver Fringe, Firehall Theatre, Pi Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, Globe Theatre, Soulpepper, Ottawa Fringe, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, and the Upper Canada Playhouse. Rebecca worked for the NAC Foundation for 10 years and taught at Queens University for seven years. Most recently, she was Stage Manager for Jersey Boys (Thousand Islands Playhouse) and for Heartlines (Calalou/RAFT Theatre Projects at GCTC).

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  Stage Manager Laurie Champagne

  

  Stage Manager Laurie Champagne

  Laurie began her stage management career with English Theatre and Jean Roberts’ company at the National Arts Centre. Since then she has been honoured to work with NAC English Theatre,  NAC Indigenous Theatre, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and NAC Presents. Laurie has been Production Stage Manager for the Shaw Festival and Theatre Calgary and Stage Manager for, amongst others, Arts Club Theatre Company, The Globe Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Mirvish Productions, Stratford Festival, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Grand Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick and Neptune Theatre.

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  Assistant Stage Manager Caitlin Mears

  

  Assistant Stage Manager Caitlin Mears

  Caitlin is making her NAC debut with The Breathing Hole. Elsewhere: Chicago, The Miser, Three Tall Women, Festival Theatre Production Assistant (Stratford Festival); Home for the Holidays (The Grand Theatre); The Tender Land (University of Toronto Opera); Angel, The Resurrection, Don Giovanni (Opera Atelier); Cinderella: The Panto (Capitol Theatre); August: Osage County (Soulpepper); rochdale (SummerWorks); Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (a Company of Fools). Training: York University, SM Arts. Other: Caitlin would like to thank her friends, family, and mentors for all of their support.

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