After receiving a number of incredible auditions, we have officially cast our four beautiful shows, and we can not be more excited. The rehearsal process has begun for our festival, which will be performed online at the beginning of March. The teams are beyond excited to share all of their talent and hard work with you. Please refer below for a complete breakdown of the cast and crew for each show, along with their headshots and bios.
Araceli Ferrara: Playwright and Director
Araceli Ferrara is an emerging playwright, dramaturg, and director. She’s currently in her fourth year at York University, specializing in Dramaturgy and Devised Theatre with a minor in history. Born and raised in Toronto, she’s the daughter of a refugee and celebrates her Chilean and Italian heritage.
Victoria Horvat: Stage Manager
Victoria Horvat is a third year production student and she is very excited to get to work on “Bug”. Victoria’s main love in the theatre is costuming, and when she isn’t working on shows, historical costuming in particular is always a favorite point of study. Victoria has designed for playGround shows: The Strangers at Motel 7, Red Rover, and words that start with L as a set designer. Some of her other credits include lighting design for Red Rover, as well as working as an ASM for Superliked, and stage managed for words that start with L.
Alice Wordsworth: Cordy
Calgary born artist, Alice Wordsworth, currently attends the University of Alberta for a BFA in Acting. Growing up, seldom did she see her race represented on stage/screen and she’s thankful to be a part of a festival dedicated to creating space in theatre for people like her. Recent performances: The Tempest (The Shakespeare Company), Roost, and Allison in Wonderland (SCPA).
Alexander Voutchkov: Duncan
Alexander Voutchkov is an actor currently based out of Edmonton, Alberta. He was last seen in the Citadel Theatre’s production of The Wonderful World of Dissocia. Alexander is thrilled for the opportunity to perform with Black Swan and is looking forward to bringing Duncan to life in this new format.
Carolyn Bayley: Elspeth
Carolyn Bayley is a theatre artist based in Toronto who recently graduated from Queen’s University with a BAH in Drama. They enjoy performance as well as stage management, most recently stage managing a production of Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play and performing as Lady Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone, both at Queen’s University.
Colleen MacIsaac: Bug
Colleen MacIsaac (they/she) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Kjipuktuk/Halifax. A theatre maker, performer, illustrator, comic artist, and creator, Colleen is the past recipient of the Halifax Mayor’s Award for Emerging Theatre Artist, the former Managing Director of 2b theatre company, and the current Artistic Producer of The Villains Theatre. @littlefoible / littlefoible.net
Arvind Venkat: Playwright
Arvind Venkat grew up in the quaint town of Jamshedpur in India. He currently works as a Senior Software Analyst at DXC Technology in Toronto, Canada and takes online courses at Queen’s University. He is a bookworm and an avid writer. His first play, “A Little Big Thing”, will be featured in the New Work Play Festival 2021.
Alexandra Rizkallah: Director
Alexandra Rizkallah is ecstatic to be joining the Black Swan team as the director of “A Little BIG Thing”. She has been a part of the performing arts for the past six years whether it be performing, writing, producing, or directing. She has found her strongest passion in directing and cannot wait to share this amazing show with you all.
Kayla Ado: Dramaturg
Kayla Ado is a third year production and dramaturgy student. She was so honored to get to work as a Dramaturg on the first season of Black Swan Production Company’s New Work Play Festival. You can also find her in the 2020-2021 playGround at York season, as the Stage Manager for Red Rover and as Stevie in words that start with L. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Arman Hakimattar: Arjun
Arman Hakimattar is a second year student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts studying drama. His special skills include reciting the entirety of Space Jam (1996) from memory and making a mean slice of toast. He’s honoured to be a part of this process with Black Swan.
Harry Meddings: Sam
Harry Meddings is a 4th year Biomechanical Engineering Student at Queens. He found his love for the performing arts and theatre in 2nd year and hasn’t looked back since. He’s been in 2 musicals, 2 plays, and 2 musical comedy sketch shows with clubs at Queen’s and is always excited to get the opportunity to perform!
Siddharth Kumar: Rajesh
Siddharth Kumar is an actor, producer, filmmaker and engineer from the University of Waterloo. His credits include Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Company) and The 39 Steps, (AHSDFA Provincial One Act festival). Last year he starred in and produced “Exam Day,” an original short and is currently working on a new film.
Jenna Asaria: Kamala
Jenna Asaria is a passionate performer of dance and drama. She has over twelve years of experience in both and has won numerous gold medals & awards. She is currently working towards receiving an Associate Teacher’s Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. This is her first virtual production and she is excited to jump into the world of virtual theatre!
Rachel Arnold: Playwright and Director
Rachel Hannah Arnold is an actor, playwright, and director who is passionate about using theatre to amplify underrepresented voices. Rachel is currently a second year BFA Performance Creation student specializing in Devised Theatre and Playwriting at York University.
Joshua Patrick: Assistant Director
Joshua Patrick is a recent graduate of Western University’s faculty of Music majoring in Vocal Performance. In his final year, he was Theatre Western’s Coordinator and Artistic Director. Some of his favourite performance credits include Bobby- A Chorus Line, David –If/Then, and Peter Van Daan- Diary of Anne Frank. Joshua is excited to be with Black Swan PC as an Assistant Director and supporting Rachel in creating her vision for “Love and Other Drag.”
David Browne: Dramaturg
David Browne is a dramaturg, set designer, sound designer and costume designer in his 4th year at York University. In his free time he enjoys music and drag. He is very excited to be working as a dramaturg on “Love and Other Drag” and hopes you enjoy the show!
Carmen Castello: Hallie
Carmen Castello is an actor currently based in Wisconsin, who previously studied Theatre Arts at York University. She is very excited to still be involved in theatre during her gap year, and looks forward to navigating a new online style of performance with this wonderful team!
Lennon Bradford: Fallon
Lennon Bradford (they/them) is a non-binary multi-disciplinary artist from Brampton, Ontario. Though their career focus is on theatre acting, their passions for devising new works and writing have been at the forefront of their pursuits for the past year. Lennon looks forward to starring in “Love and Other Drag” directed by Rachel Arnold.
Alejandro Ortiz: Elijah
Alejandro Ortiz is an actor, creator and storyteller currently studying Dramatic Arts at The New School. Before moving to NYC, he travelled the world whilst performing onboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. While generating works of theatre, Alejandro hopes to promote inclusivity and spread positivity.
Aaron Refugio: Playwright and Diego
Aaron Refugio is a second year BFA Acting student at the U of A. Past acting credits include: People In Cages (NewWorks Festival), Iphigenia 2.0 (U of A), The Zoo Story, I Am Not Batman (AHSDFA Provincial Festival), Urinetown, West Side Story, Anything Goes (Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High). His training includes various improv and acting workshops (Rapid Fire Theatre- Edmonton, MagSchoolnet Theatre- NYC, American Academy of Dramatic Arts- NYC, William Esper Studio- NYC)
Tara Koett: Director
Tara Koett teaches high school Drama, Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Improvisational Theatre. Past directing credits are Urinetown, West Side Story, Anything Goes, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and Footloose. In addition to teaching, Tara is a senior ensemble member and instructor for Rapid Fire Theatre in Edmonton. Tara has also trained and performed with the Magnet Theatre and Upright Citizens’ Brigade Theatre in New York, NY. She has worked as director for MusiCamp Alberta’s musical theatre intensive for the past three summers.
Jade Silman: Dramaturg
Jade Silman is a recent graduate of York University’s Devised Theatre and Dramaturgy programs. Currently, Jade is a Marketing Assistant at Theatre Gargantua and is working on independent theatre projects. Many thanks to Aaron and Tara for being such a welcoming team and congratulations to Black Swan for their first festival!
