OLD SPICE
Paprika Alumni Updates:
Are you a Paprika Alumni? Send us a short bio and we'd love to post what you're up to now! info@paprikafestival.com
Hannah Cheesman was a particpant in the Paprika Festival of 2005, as writer of and actor in her absurdist work "Mi Amiga Arde". She is currently attending the National Theatre School of Canada in her second of three years in the acting program graduating class of 2008.
Emily Sugerman participated in the inaugural year of the Paprika Festival in 2002. Along with Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, she wrote, directed and performed "The End of Pretending", which went on to runs at the Summerworks Theatre Festival, and the Regent Theatre in Picton, Ontario. She is currently wrapping up a B.A in English, Women's Studies and Film Studies at the University of Toronto.
CAITLIN BATOR participated in the 2005 paprika festival as director of “mi amiga arde”. She is currently studying philosophy and political science at U of T, and is acting in an independent film to quench her continuing thirst for dramatic endeavours.
BRIANA BROWN is a recent graduate of York University's theatre program, Briana co-wrote and performed in More Than Breath as part of the 2004 Paprika Festival. Recent credits include; The Vagina Monologues (V-Day Toronto, actor), Cassandra (national fringe tour, writer/performer),Telling Tales (Spring Arts Fair, writer/performer) and The Photograph (New Ideas Festival, director).
MELISSA ELIZABETH BURNETT, an alumnus of Paprika, has appeared in "Behind the Brickz" (2006) "Up In Arms"(2006), She is a liaison for "The A.M.Y. Project"(2007) and a Co-op student at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People.
JAYNE COLLINS wrote Ablaze for last years Paprika Festival which also received
a reading at last years Summerworks Festival. She continues to write
and act and make music in Toronto.
MOLLY GARDNER a former participant, stage managed the production of “Girls of Kensington in Paprika 2006. In 2007 she is an Associate Artistic Producer of the Festival and Coordinator of the Productions and Workspace
EMILY GILBERT was a member of the Artist's Lab in the Paprika Festival of 2005/2006 and enjoyed it profusely. She is now attending the University of Guelph and studying English and art. Emily have always taken pleasure in acting and seeing plays, and am overjoyed to be participating in another year of the Paprika Festival!
JULIA JOHNSON is thrilled to be involved in the Festival once again. Last year she acted in Jayne Collin's ( Shakespeare) play titled, "Ablaze". Most recently Julia has trained at George Brown College Theatre School. She is looking forward to participating in The Tarragon's Spring Training Project.
ALEXANDRA PARRAVANO was a Paprika participant last year, where she took part in the production of “Ablaze” by Jayne Collins and remembers Paprika as a wonderful experience! Currently she is completing her degree at the University of and performing for the New Ideas Festival at Alumnae Theatre in the show, 4/10/2000.
MIRANDA PLANT was a participant in the Production Unit in the 2006 Paprika Festival as an actor in the play "Butterfly". In 2007 she is an Associate Artistic Producer of the Festival and Cooridnator of the Artist Lab. She is currently enjoying acting opportunites around the city and thanks Paprika for their help to get her there.
SARAH WARREN played Summers-Haren in one of last year's Paprika plays, "Girls of Kensington," and can next be seen/heard in the Cross Currents Festival with Theatre Revolve. She encourages students to try their own work in Paprika because now is the time to experiment with little to lose.
LEAH WEINER was a Paprika participant in the 2006 Playwright's Unit. In 2007 she is studying history and equity studies at Victoria College at Uof T.
2008
Unfriendly Stories
Written by Joshua Korngut | Directed by Cherie Tam and Joshua
Korngut
Stage Managed by Kelsey Speakman | Technical Direction by Alaine Hutton
| Featuring Emily Derr, Joy Lee, Janina Kowalski, Cosia Rutowski
A play on urban legends, Korngut uses innovative methods of narration
to share a series of original and vibrant scary tales, including one
that reminds us why it’s a good idea to be afraid of the dark.
R-E-B-E-C-C-A
Produced with the support of Factory Theatre
Written and performed by Sara Farb
Told through the perspective of Sara’s sister, Rebecca, a mentally
disabled fourteen year-old. Through the script’s honesty and courage,
the audience is shown Rebecca’s perspective, gaining insight into
a world and way of life, usually inaccessible.
Blind Spot
Written by Josie Franchi and Mia Yugo | Directed by Mia Yugo
| Stage Managed by Josie Franchi | Original Music Composed and Performed
by Michele Carbone and Anthony Pannozzo | Featuring Tiago Abreu, Michele
Carbone, Michael Dosantos, Erika Graham, Michael Henry, Jacklyn Nobrega,
Paulo Paiva, Anthony Pannozzo, Carla Perreira, and Monica Serodio
Blind Spot tells the story of a taxi driver who forges a relationship
with one of his passengers, a kindly old woman, who helps him to rediscover
hope and turn his life around.
Manicure
Produced with the support of Cahoots Theatre Projects
Written and Directed by Rong Fu | Stage Managed by
Featuring Deedra Deeterville and Elaine Poon
Manicures are never permanent, never perfect, and never cheap. Manicure
is an absurd drama that explores the futility in the search for perfection,
and the cost of getting it done.
Drinking Age
Written By Ellen Ross Stuart | Directed by Laurel Wilde and
Ellen Ross Stuart | Stage Managed by Andrew Henderson | Featuring
Mandy Mistele, Ellen Ross Stuart, Maya Tekavcic, Nikesh Trecarten
and Laurel Wilde
"Drowning is the single most painful way to die after burning
to death slowly. "What do you do when life's got you down? Take
action! Then grab some friends and head to Jack Astor's where the
party never stops. Leave a big tip.
Summer Skin
Written by Julia Heximer and Leah Travaglini | Directed by
Nicole Haldoupis | Stage Managed by Jessica Willet | Assistant Director
Julia Czlapinski | Featuring Julia Heximer and Monica Sass
Follows a friendship between two girls, each summer at neighbouring
cottages, which becomes more complex as they mature.
FEATURED PLAYWRIGHT: Jack and Jill (Reading)
Written by Fraser MacKinnon | Directed by Will Hofstetter
| Featuring Travis Lahay
What makes us feel the need to have a person to depend on, to be able
to call our own as if we could buy each other from Wal-Mart? What
makes a perfect mate? Is beauty the eye of the beholder? Love, it
can make us feel invincible and entirely vulnerable.
In the all new Creator’s Unit this year, was
Samantha Pollak, Shae Gowland, Helen Orvis, Stephanie Cooper, Christopher
Manousos, Jocelyn Townsend, Polly Phokeev, Amba Pragnell, Senia Selinova,
Brooke Banning, Callahan Connor, Colleen Connor, Tristan Bell, Dianne
Oliveira, Isis Giraldo, Aracely Reyes, Nishan Ravindran, Jennifer
Reid, Nick Wilson, Philip Nozuka, Waleed Ansari, Kevin White, Michael
Flax, Clara Pasieka, Eitan Kerzman, Amba Pragnell ,
The shows that the Creator’s Unit created were:
Tuesday’s Song / “E” Interview – Film
Mendacity – Film
Driver’s Bed – Film
Bye – Film
Snow
Lady
Brush My Teeth
Three Feet of May and One Inch
Htrae
Oxytocin
Angels of Death
Up and Down and Round and Round
Project Hopscotch
We Are the Few
Untitled
Portia, I am Not
Just One More Day
Party
Memories of / I am
At The Mall
Prison Letters
Cellophane Mirrors
Omega Three
Hagoromo
I’m Sorry
To Her Next Generation/Anorexia’s On Sale
Dating Game
Broken Mirror
Kendal Ogden
Pictographs
2006
Ablaze
written by Jayne Collins; directed by Bethany Jillard; featuring Julia Johnson and Alexandra Parravano; stage managed by Alison Haines
The prodigal sister returns home to face her dying grandmother and the sister she left behind. On the night of their reunion, their shared musical past is forced to the surface.
Untitled
written by Jonathan Blankenstein; directed by Tamara Winegust; featuring Michelle Bitran, Jonathan Blankenstein, Lee Cadesky and Adira Winegust; stage managed by Sam Rothman
Elliot, an aspiring playwright, hoping to rekindle old friendships, assembles the ambitious and talented Will, the mysterious, self-destructive Poppy and the seemingly naïve Evian, to read his newest play.
Butterfly
written by Will Hofstetter; directed by Fraser MacKinnon; featuring Will Hofstetter, Travis Lahay, Miranda Plant, Genifur Sartor and David Simor; stage managed by Lauren Potts
One man’s struggle through family dysfunction, unemployment, unfulfilled dreams, breakups, blind dates, cancer, and butterflies.
Girls of Kensington
written by Stephanie Law; directed by Caitlin McCarthy; featuring Mazin Elsadig, Andrea Kwan and Sarah Warren; stage managed by Molly Gardner
Kensington. 1969. The marketplace. The heat, the dirt, the smell, the voices, the drums. What happens when a poverty stricken couple living in this environment is faced with the intrusion of a runaway teenager? Who changes who? Can it change you? Welcome to Kensington.
In 2006, the Playwrights Unit was Kara Dymond, Leah Wiener & Parvin Zafarani. Artists Lab was Miranda Corcoran, Emily Gilbert, Sarah Miller Garvin, Steve Hersch, Darwin Lyons, Lior Soibelman & Emily Wiener. Daniel Karasik and Emma Healey were Playwrights in Residence.
2005
The 2005 Paprika Festival presented a dynamic line-up of passionate theatre artists under-21, with four dynamic young companies and their sizzling new productions:
Hopelessly Hopeful by Michael Albert
Among the fireworks of the last night of summer, four friends find that the safest place to keep all their tenderness, all their bad ideas and all their hope is within each other.
directed by Rachael McManus; featuring Lisa Basnett, Harrison Forsyth, Brian Mancini and Allie Smith; stage managed by Jenna Fearnley dramaturg Joanna Falck; company trainer Jovanni Sy
mi amiga arde by Hannah Cheesman
Two friends meet for afternoon tea, on what they believe to be a cold winter's day. What better to do than share the afternoon with your closest confidante? Hilarity and pain ensue.
directed by Cailin Bator and Tina Fance; featuring Hannah Cheesman and Alexandra Draghici dramaturg Morwyn Brebner; company trainer Ruth Madoc-Jones
Janet by Emma Healey
“Yeah, I know her. Sort of. She’s...well, let’s just say she would never in a million years know me.” “My best friend. Seriously, my best. I don’t think I could ever find someone as close to me as she is.” Two girls – nothing alike – are wondering about the little things. Outside the principle’s office. Somebody needs to talk.
directed by Naomi Skwarna; featuring Kalyna Franco and Emma Healey; stage managed by Sinye Tang dramaturg Beatriz Pizano; company trainer Keira Loughran
The Zoo-Keeper’s Love Song written and directed by Johnnie Walker
This is a song about movie stars that stalk their fans. This is a song about bored record store clerks. This is a song about imaginary nightclub singer boyfriends. This is a song about holding a birthday party for your dead husband. Please don’t feed the animals.
music by Josh Wynn; designed by Melanie Cheung; featuring Devora Bellaiche, Amy Duncan, Kara Dymond and Sam Sutherland; stage managed by Dani Klein dramaturg Stephen Collela; company trainer Eda Holmes
2005 Playwrights Unit: Megan Patterson, Naomi Skwarna, Nel Stuart, Lisi Tessler and Emily Wiener.
2005 Playwright-in-Residence Daniel Karasik
2005 National Workshop Lee-Anne Poole
2004
In Europe the Ceilings are Rather High by Daniel Karasik
Four Sons by Michael Albert
More than Breath by Brianna Brown and Megan Patterson
2003
Intermission by Mitchell Cushman
George by Maureen Gualtieri
Lorenzo and the Day Pass by David Rendall
2002
The End of Pretending by Emily Sugerman and .Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman
Michael and Dr. Mephisto by Vanessa Shaver
Binary by Natasha Mytnowych
Elizabeth and Audrey by Sarah Gaby-Trotz
Clever by Rob Norman
"Old Spice" Paprika Alumni
Former Paprika Participants, Staff, Trainers, Dramaturgs, Readers and Hosts:
2005
Alexandra Draghici, Allie Smith, Amy Duncan, Andrew Soren, Andy McKim, Ann-Marie Kerr, Anthony Furey, Ashlee Cowan, Astrid Janson, Avery Swartz, Beatriz Pizano, Brian Mancini, Brian Quirt, Brianna Brown, Cailin Bator, Cathy Nosaty, Chris Prideaux, Claudia Dey, Clinton Walker, Damiano Pietropaulo, Dani Klein, Daniel Karasik, Daniel MacIvor, David Oiye, Devora Bellaiche, Djanet Sears, Eda Holmes, Emily Wiener, Emma Healey, Erika Hennebury, Fiona Jones, Franco Boni, Hannah Cheesman, Harrison Forsyth, Joanna Falck, Johnnie Walker, Josh Wynn, Jovanni Sy, JP Robichaud, Julia Gray, Kara Dymond, Kathryn Puddicombe, Kaylna Franco, Keira Loughran, Kilby Smith-McGregor, Kristen Van Alpen, Laura Bonfigli, Laurence Siegel, Lee-Anne Poole, Lisa Basnett, Lisi Tessler, Marie Beath Badian, Megan Patterson, Melanie Cheung, Michael Albert, Michaela Washburn, Michelle Girouard, Morwyn Brebner, Naomi Skwarna, Natasha Mytnowych, Natasha Parsons, Natasha Pike, Nel Stuart, Nina Lee Aquino, Rachael McManus, Ruth Madoc-Jones, Sam Sutherland, Sinye Tang, Stephen Collela, Steve Lucas, Tina Fance, Weyni Mengesha
2004
Adam Karasik, Adam Kirkham, Andy McKim, Anthony Furey, Briana Brown, Catherine Matzig, Charissa Aldcroft, Daniel Karasik, Eda Holmes, Elizabeth Helmers, Franco Boni, Glen Drutz, Harrison Forsyth, Jenna Fearnley, Kate Macdonnell, Kristen Van Alphen, Laurence Siegel, Leanor Linhares, Megan Patterson, Michael Albert, Michelle Ouellet, Naomi Skwarna, Rachael McManus, Shawn Henry, Simon Vidoczy, Spencer MacEachern, Stephen Collela, Svetlana Vaisman, Thomas Pedzinski, William Webster
2003
Aaron Feldman, Ada Puiu, Amanda Grieco, Andre Gordon, Andy McKim, Anthony Furey, Caitie Drewery, Caitlin Morris-Cornfield, David Rendall, David Sazant, Elena Spanu, Franco Boni, Jessica Sturm, John Harvey, John Palmer, Jon Grosz, Kristen Van Alphen, Katrina Scrimshaw, Laura Bonfigli, Lindsey Clark, Lindsey Pacheco, Maja Ardal, Margot Blankier, Martin Zimmerman, Mitchell Cushman, Mitchell Marcus, Natalie Manuel, Nicholas Carella, Sara Nobrega-Pedrosa, Sarah Gladki, Shane Anderson
2002
Aaron Wright, Alison Deon, Andy McKim, Angela Hane, Anthony Furey, Benjamin Blais, Brendan Narancsik, Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, Derek Bruce, Don Hannah, Emily Sugerman, Emrys Davis, Franco Boni, Frank Cox-O'Connell, Harry Tomany, Jenn Orpana, Jessica Katz, Julie Peters, Kate Rodgers, Kendall Wright, Krista Wojciechowski, Kristen Hager, Kristen Van Alphen, Kristy Piper, Liam Morris, Lyon Smith, Mary Francis Moore, Mary Wood, Maureen Gualtieri, Morwyn Brebner, Natasha Mytnowych, Nicholas Longstaff, Rob Norman, Sadie St. Denis, Samantha Burton, Sarah Gaby-Trotz, Sarah Weaver, Sean Chambers, Shannon Roszell, Sophia Saunders, Vanessa Shaver
