Reneltta Arluk Director
Director of Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Founder and Artistic Director of Akpik Theatre. An alumni of Centre for Indigenous Theatre and University of Alberta – BFA (Acting) program.
Director experience includes: 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: 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-creation work. She is thrilled to be bringing Pawâkan Macbeth to the communities that inspire stories.
barry Bilinsky
Assistant Director
Akpik Theatre’s Associate Director, Barry Bilinsky is a professional theatre creator of Metis, Cree and Ukrainian heritage. Based in Alberta, he has worked as a director, curator, performing artist, stage manager, and technical/production manager across Canada with projects centred primarily around the proliferation of Indigenous arts, artists, and collaborations. He has studied Drama and English at the University of Alberta, attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2012. Barry is an Artistic Associate with Dreamspeakers Indigenous Film Festival as well as having been involved in many capacities with: Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts; The Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society; Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society (REDx Talks); Fool Spectrum Theatre; among others.
Barry is committed to developing honest, respectful, and purposefully compassion creations that challenge the overarching cultural assumptions we often face in the performing arts community.
Kerry Johnson
Stage Manager
Select SM credits include: The Party, Peter and the Starcatcher (Citadel Theatre), The Wedding Party, Zorro: Family Code, The Virgin Trial, Charlotte’s Web, The Last Wife, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Alberta Theatre Projects), Liberation Days (Theatre Calgary), The Winter’s Tale, Hamlet, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Freewill Shakespeare Festival), Ursa Major (Catch the Keys/Workshop West) and Christina/Phillipe (Northern Light Theatre). Kerry is a graduate of the BFA Stage Management program at the University of Alberta and the Theatre Arts Program at MacEwan University.
Allyson Pratt
actor
Allyson Pratt hails from Edmonton, AB, and lives in Toronto, ON. A member of the Alexander First Nation, her mother is Plains Cree, and her father is of British and Scottish origins. Allyson studied at the Randolph Academy (RAPA), and received the Triple Threat Award in her graduating year. Allyson has performed in theatre roles across the country, including Nuna – a role she originated for Red Sky Theatre, and Anne Shirley for The Charlettown Festival (2010). Allyson can be seen in the CSA nominated series Mohawk Girls in her reoccurring role as Iostha, and the award-winning web series Teenagers. Allyson starred in and co-created the short film Stephanie’s Room, which screened at the 2016 Cannes Festival. She also creates crystal and Indigenous art, through her company “Moon In Libra”.
Aaron Wells
Actor
čačimhi - Aaron M. Wells comes from the Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Tsimpsian Nations of the Northwest coast of BC and is a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Aaron has been involved in the creation of new Indigenous Canadian works like Children Of God (The Cultch, NAC), Thanks For Giving (The Arts Club), I Call Myself Princess (Paper Canoe Projects, Cahoots Theatre and Native Earth Performing arts) and The Cure For Death By Lightning (WCT). čuu!
JOEL MontGrand
Actor
Joel D. Montgrand was born and raised in Northern Saskatchewan with his Cree family before moving away at the age of 19 to the metropolis of Saskatoon. Once there he discovered there was too much to see in the prairies, since nothing was in the way and he couldn't handle it. Since the town was too full of bad restaurants attempting to make world cuisine, he set out to see the actual world. He lived in many different countries before realizing he needed to come back to Canada and pursue art and acting at the age of 33. His Cree family was very supportive. His white family asked if he had money for food. The only sustenance he requires is the stage.
Kaitlyn Yott
Actor
Kaitlyn is a proud Coast Tsimshian and Japanese-Canadian theatre artist, and currently lives on unceded Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver). She is a 2015 graduate of Capilano University's Musical Theatre program. Select credits: Kamloopa (WCT/The Cultch/Persephone), Peter Pan (CTYP), The Coyotes (Caravan Farm Theatre), Little Women (Chemainus Theatre), Les Filles Du Roi (Urban Ink/Fugue Theatre) Children of God (Urban Ink/2017-2019 tours). Up next, she will be a part of Bard on the Beach's 2020 season in Paradise Lost and Love's Labour's Lost. Much love to this wonderful company of storytellers and T’ooyaḵsiy̓ n̓iin to Reneltta for the opportunity to be a part of this beautiful story.
Sophie Merasty
Actor
Sophie Merasty is of the Denesuline and Woodland Cree Nations from Brochet, Manitoba. She attended the 25th Street Theatre School in Saskatoon and now resides in Vancouver, B.C.
Sophie has toured and performed across Canada for the past 30 years beginning with Winnipeg's Native Theatre Company in Gwen Pharis Ringwood’s Lament for Harmonica. Sophie’s work includes Saskatoon Native Theatre’s Troubled Spirits, Native Earth Performing Arts with Floyd Favel’s Lady of Silences, Headlines Theatre’s Out the Silence and Shattered, Hardly Art in Whitehorse with Yvette Nolan’s Anna Mae’s Movement, a modern adaptation of Ibsen’s play An Enemy of the People at the Firehall Arts Theatre, Ian Ross's Farewell, Marie Clements play The Unnatural and Accidental Women and later in the film version where she was Leo-nominated for her role as Verna, Vera Manuel’s Strength of Indian Women at Women in View Festival, Tomson Highway's Rez Sisters as Pelagia Patchnose with Spark Theatre, an opera/dance performance of Bearing with Signal Theatre at the Luminato Festival and most recently a Canadian tour of Weaving Reconciliation – Our Way with Vancouver Moving Theatre.
Mitchell Saddleback
actor
Mitchell Saddleback of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta is a Vancouver-based actor, writer, comedian, spoken word artist and advocate for Indigenous rights and education. Featured in the 2019 film Cold Pursuit (with Liam Neeson, Laura Dern and Tom Jackson), and a role in upcoming Kelly Reichardt feature film First Cow. In theatre; Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish (with Axis Theatre), as well as a prominent role in Pawâkan Macbeth (an Indigenous retelling of Shakespeare’s Classic) with Akpik Theatre. Mitchell is currently imagi’NATION Collective’s Workshop Director and a cast member in the upcoming productions of Beneath the Surface. Mitchell continues to tackle important projects that combine the arts with education, lending his talents and voice to endeavours that promote critical social change.
Cimmeron Meyer
Set Designer
Lighting Design for Iceland at Theatre Calgary, Set and Lighting for My Fair Lady - The Punk Version at Productive Obsession. The Unplugging at Gwaandak Theatre, Lighting Design for the Bakkhai at the Stratford Festival 2017, Lighting Design for Twelfth Night at National Arts Centre and Theatre Calgary, For the Old Trout Puppet Workshop: Ignorance, The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan (and Set Design), Famous Puppet Death Scenes. For One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre: Dream Machine, Featherland (and Set Design), The History of wild Theatre. For Ghost River Theatre: Sailor Boy, Confessions of a Paperboy, The Alan Parkinsons Project. For Ground Zero Theatre: Closer (and Set Design), Reasons to be Pretty, Urinetown:The Musical, Writers Block, The Full Monty. Film/TV: Producer, From Naughty to Nice, Old Trout Film Division Training: National Theatre School of Canada. Awards: Betty Mitchell Award for Confessions of a Paperboy, Ghost River Theatre and for Sailor Boy, Ghost River Theatre, Sterling Award for The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan, Old Trout Puppet Workshop. Online: design@cimmeron.net. Cimmeron dedicates her work to her daughter
Daniela Masellis
Lighting Design
Daniela Masellis is a theatre designer and artist born and based in Treaty 6 Territory in Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta). She works mainly in the areas of set, lighting, and projection design for theatre, dance and live events.
Her training includes a B.F.A. of Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, a Grant MacEwan Diploma of Fine Arts, and a design apprenticeship in Italy at ‘Teatro alla Scala Milano’. Daniela has designed across Canada collaborating on over 65 productions with companies such as The Stratford Festival, the Arts Club,The Citadel Theatre, Workshop West, Akpik Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects and Maggie Tree among many others.
Leif
Ingebrigtsen
Sound Designer
Leif is a Canadian sound designer, musician, writer and improviser. Career highlights include Ursa Major (Catch the Keys/Workshop West), Pawâkan Macikosisân (Aptik Theatre/Theatre Prospero), Over Her Dead Body (Small Matters Productions), Silver Arrow: The Untold Story of Robin Hood (Citadel Theatre), Scorch (Bustle & Beast/Blarney Productions), Blood: A Scientific Romance (Bustle & Beast/The Maggie Tree) and most recently The Roommate (Shadow Theatre). He’s also created several musicals including Echoes of a Lost King: A D’n’D Musical, and Fossegrim & Nøkk (Alberta Musical Theatre Company). He’d like to thank his family and friends for always believing in him and hopes dearly that you enjoy the show!
Logan Martin-Arcand
Costume Designer
Logan Martin-Arcand is a Queer Indigenous theatrical artist from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Logan has numerous theatrical credits to his name as an actor, director, designer, producer and writer. Most recently, Logan made his New York City debut as a writer and producer with his play The Gay Card (SexualSpaceWalk Theatre / FRIGID Festival 2019). Select credits include writer/actor in Politics of Happiness (SexualSpaceWalk Theatre, 2018), costume design for Reneltta Arluk’s Pawakan Macbeth (Akpik Theatre / Theatre Prospero 2017), costume design for Tony Kushner's The Illusion (Greystone Theatre, 2017) and as Vernon Little in DBC Pierre's Vernon God Little (Greystone Theatre, 2014). Logan is extremely happy to be working with Akpik Theatre once again!
Nathan Loitz
Fight Director
Nathan is Dene from Fort MacKay. He is an actor and Fight Director. He is extremely proud to be a part of Pawâkan MacBeth. He feels that productions like Pawâkan MacBeth are extremely valuable and important because they help us to discover our history, our stories, who we were and as a result who we are today and drive us to build for our future. Thank you.
Eric Janvier
FilmMaker
Protocol & PLay
An award winning film producer with over ten years in the film industry. Eric got his career start while attending the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. During his time in school he produced two student short films, one of which went on to play at festivals worldwide, as well as several independent commercials and web videos. Eric also spent time as an Intern with a respected Talent Agency. Upon leaving film school he was able to obtain work on an Award Winning TV Pilot filmed in Canada where he was a Shadow Producer/Director. This exposure lead Eric to branch out and start creating his own work. For several years Eric produced and created educational documentaries with a focus on Indigenous issues. He was also a co-creator and producer on a very successful web series that had a very large National audience in Canada. In 2015, Eric was the producer on the award winning Short Film Gods Acre which had its world premiere at The Toronto International Film Festival in 2016. After its world premiere, the film continued to play festivals across the world, winning several awards, including the Edmonton International Film Fest, ImagiNative, and New Zealand Windu Film Festivals. Most recently Eric had the pleasure of producing several ad campaigns for Marvel, Disney, and Lionsgate.
Dr. Darlene Auger
Cree Language & Cultural Coach
Dr. Darlene Auger, is a Cree woman from Wabasca, Alberta, residing in Edmonton (Amiskwâci Wâskahikan), she is a mother, an educator, an international speaker, holistic practitioner, actress and singer. She has been involved in theatre since she was a teen and it is one of her life’s true joys! Darlene is the co-founder of Old Earth Productions, an indigenous theatre company. She has acted in numerous productions, including the most recent, Ancestors and Elders a musical produced and directed by Jeff Hoffman and Barry Bilinsky in 2018. Darlene holds a Psych Degree from the University of Alberta with a minor in drama and a Doctoral Degree from the University Nuhelotine Thayotsi Nistameyimakanak Blue Quills in “Iyiniw Pimâtisiwin Kiskeyihtamowin” - Indigenous Life Knowledge. Dr. Auger is the Cree Language and Cultural coach for Pawâkan Macbeth.
Tallis Kirby
Production Manager
Tallis Kirby was raised in the tall trees of a company of Clydesdales on the long winding road from the back field down to the riverside, and the great blue beyond. He is proud to be the Production Manager for Pawâkan Macbeth. Tallis is been working on the outside since birth, a veteran of many aspects of the arts, finding purpose where utility finds him; as a mariner, technician, rigger and an engineer. From one Caravan to another, the knowledge remains strong and vibrant from one Caravaner to the next. Here’s to bringing the knowledge back for us all.
Jhaik Windyhair
Cree Consultant
Jhaik WindyHair is from Cowessess First Nation in Southern, Saskatchewan. Jhaik has two daughters and one son, three granddaughters, four grandsons and one great grandson. Jhaik loves his family as well as his culture. He enjoys adventures with family. Also enjoys learning languages of other First Nations, and is fluent in Plains Cree and Saulteaux. He attended University of Regina in the late 1990s earning a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics. His love for languages and teaching, sharing life lessons, and stories continues each day.
He has participated as a storyteller for RIIS From Amnesia, a feature documentary, on the Regina Indian Industrial School, and for The Beacon Project: Stories of Qu'Appelle, a documentary to screen on CBC. He was also a language consultant for the National Film Board short documentary, Stories are in our Bones.
Shivani Saini
Publicist
Shivani Saini is a media producer, consultant and skillful communicator with over 25 years of professional experience. Her company, Atelier Culturati, helps cultural institutions, creative leaders and artists produce stories and sold-out events. She specializes in narratives that represent true equity, diversity and inclusion, and storytelling that advocates for decolonized worldviews. The mandate of Atelier Culturati is to create and support works that positively transform the human condition. For more info and recent projects, please visit: www.atelierculturati.com.
