• Workshop West
• Jake Tkaczyk

• Contact

This page exists to host digital programs, offered for fellow Edmontonian theatre producers and performers.
Links to these programs are listed in chronological order below.

All programs are offered sans-charge by Kira, supported by Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre and Jake Tkaczyk. To contact these parties, please refer to the provided contact links.

• The Maids

October 24^th - November 3^rd 2024

• Back

October 24^th - November 3^rd 2024

Martin Crimp

TRANSLATOR

As Writer:

For the Royal Court: In the Republic of Happiness, The City, Fewer Emergencies, Advice to Iraqi Women, Face to the Wall, The Country, Attempts on Her Life, The Treatment, Getting Attention, No One Sees the VideoOther theatre includes: When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other: 12 Variations on Samuel Richardson’s Pamela (National); Men Asleep, The Rest Will Be Familiar to You from Cinema (Deutsches Schauspielhaus); Play House, Play with Repeats, Dealing with Clair, Definitely the Bahamas, Four Attempted Acts (Orange Tree); Cruel and Tender (Young Vic & Vienna Festival)

As Translator:

For the Royal Court: Rhinoceros, The ChairsOther translations and adaptation include: Cyrano de Bergerac (West End & BAM), The Misanthrope, The Maids (Young Vic); The Chairs (Young Vic & Theatre Royal Bath); Roberto Zucco (RSC The Other Place); The Triumph of Love (Almeida); The False Servant, The Seagull, Pains of Youth (National); Gross und Klein (Sydney Theatre Company & Barbican)Opera includes: Into the Little Hill, Written on Skin, Lessons in Love and Violence, all with composer George Benjamin.

Martin’s first solo show as writer and performer, Not one of these people (2022), opened at the Carrefour International Theatre Festival in Québec City before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in London and Montreal’s USINE C, followed by performances at the International Festival of New Drama at the Schaubühne in Berlin.

Awards include: Olivier and What’s on Stage awards for best revival (Cyrano de Bergerac), John Whiting Award (The Treatment), Premio Ubu (Fewer Emergencies), recipient of the 2020 Nyssen-Bansemer theatre prize*.

Alexandra Dawkins

MISTRESS

Alexandra Dawkins (she/her) is an actor, director, and musician based in ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ (Amiskwacîwâskahikan) / Edmonton, AB, on Treaty 6 Territory. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta, and a certificate from the Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance. During her time as co-creator of innocent operations theatre company, (alongside Jake Tkaczyk) she collaborated on many independent productions, including: Pride and Pre-Jeu-dice (Edmonton Clown Festival, 2016), And How Do You Feel About That (Edmonton Play the Fool Festival, 2017), ALL PROCEEDS GO TO: (Edmonton Fringe Festival (2018), and White Comforter (Edmonton Play The Fool Festival 2019). Select theatre credits include: The Ballad of Peachtree Rose (Workshop West Playwright’s Theatre), Smoke (Downstage Theatre), Bloomsday (Shadow Theatre), and Brick Shithouse (fenceless theatre). Her next appearance on stage will be in the Citadel Theatre’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The 70’s Musical, in February and March, 2025. Her EP Virgo's Last Stand, is available on all streaming platforms. She is very excited to be working with the creative team behind Putrid Brat’s production of The Maids, and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to perform this play.

KIJO GATAMA

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Kijo Eunice Gatama is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Edmonton, Alberta, specializing in playwriting, performance, and producing. As a co-curator of the Here, for: Fear Collective, Kijo produced Edmonton's first fear-focused theatre and film festival, amplifying IBPOC voices since 2020.Kijo’s works explore folklore and Afro-Canadian experiences, including Hyena’s Trail (Nextfest) and Mango of the Dead (A Thousand Faces Festival). The upcoming A Tale of Two Bundles will be workshopped in December 2023 with the Thou Art Here immersive theatre program. Additionally, The Forage is in development with the Write From The Hip program at Nightwood Theatre Company in Toronto for 2024.Graduating with a BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta in 2022, Kijo has expanded their artistic practice through diverse interests, aiming to create meaningful storytelling experiences and empower bold, in-process works.

JEAN GENET

PLAYWRIGHT

Jean Genet was born in Paris in 1910. An illegitimate child who never knew his parents, he was abandoned to the Public Assistance authorities. He was ten when he was sent to a reformatory for stealing; thereafter he spent time in the prisons of nearly every country he visited in thirty years of prowling through the European underworld. He escaped life imprisonment in 1948 after ten convictions for theft when the President of the Republic--on the petition of a group of eminent writers and artists--granted him a pardon. Plays include The Balcony, The Blacks, Deathwatch, The Maids, The Screens and Splendid's. Fiction includes Funeral Rites, The Miracle of the Rose, Our Lady of the Flowers, The Thief's Journal and Querelle of Brest.

Even Gilchrist

SCENIC DESIGNER

Even is a queer and trans theatre designer and creator based in Treaty 6 territory. He recently graduated from the University of Alberta's MFA Theatre Design program and is sometimes a creator and producer with his scrappy indie company, Donkey Dog Theatre. Feel free to check out other collaborations on his website.Previous select design credits include: The Sound of Music (Citadel Theatre), Brick Shithouse (fenceless theatre), The Adventure of Young Turtle (So.Glad Arts), El Funeral (Diaspora Diaries Collective), The Innocence of Trees (Theatre Network), Cinderella, Rapunzel (Alberta Musical Theatre Company), Boy Trouble (Amoris Projects), and Re:Construct (Donkey Dog Theatre).

Jacinda Grummett

Production manager & Technical Director

Jacinda has been a theatre technician in Edmonton for over 20 years, working primarily as a scenic and stage carpenter, lighting technician, and props builder. For the last 6 years she has been an ATD at the Citadel theatre working with their production team on mainstage productions as well as the more intimate House series and Highwire shows. Jacinda is happy to join the Putrid Brat team on this project and is enjoying the challenges and excitement of this site specific production.

Beyata Hackborn

COSTUME DESIGNER

Beyata is an Edmonton-based set & costume designer currently living with a beloved household of friends and dogs. When not gallivanting around with them, she splits her time between out-of-province contracts and building maquettes for other designers. She has an especial love for shows that embrace non-reality and the absurd, musically-driven pieces, and has an incredibly soft spot for Sondheim. She's worked extensively as an assistant & associate designer - stints at the Banff Centre, Citadel, Winter Garden, Freewill Shakespeare, Canadian Stage and the Shaw Festival. Select credits include: The Play That Goes Wrong (Citadel/Theatre Calgary/RMTC co-pro), Chris, Mrs. (Boldly Productions), Little Shop of Horrors (Artsclub/Citadel); Jersey Boys (Citadel); Metronome, Mob (Workshop West); Sleight of Mind (WCT); The Secret Garden, Village Wooing, Playboy of the Western World, Overruled, Bright Lights (Shaw Festival). Catch her upcoming work this winter/spring with Heist (Citadel/Grand) and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Shaw Festival). On a good day, she can juggle a bit.

David Kennedy

DIRECTOR / co-producer

David Kennedy is a stage director with over 25 years of experience. He was Associate Artistic Director of Connecticut's Westport Playhouse from 2009-2023, where his directing credits included 4000 Miles, Doubt, Don Juan, The Understudy, Appropriate, The Invisible Hand (Connecticut Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Director), And a Nightingale Sang, Nora, Loot, Tartuffe, Suddenly Last Summer, Beyond Therapy, and Dinner with Friends. He has also staged productions at Dallas Theater Center (The Misanthrope, Glengarry Glen Ross, I am My Own Wife, The Violet Hour), the Wilma Theater (The Real Thing, Assistance), Clarence Brown Theatre Company (Triumph of Love, Arcadia), Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Romeo & Juliet), Prospect Theater Company (Don Carlos), and Ship’s Company Theatre (Brighter Than the Light of the Sun), among many others. He previously served as Associate Artistic Director at Dallas Theater Center from 2004 to 2007 and as acting artistic director for their 2007-08 season, and was a founding artistic director of The Lunar Society in Toronto and Milkman Theatre Group in Halifax. Kennedy is a former Phil Killian Fellow at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Drama League Directing Fellow, and teaches in the MFA Directing and BFA Acting programs at the University of Alberta.

Nick Kourtides

SOUND DESIGNER

Nick Kourtides designs for musical theatre and creates sound environments for devised ensemble works. He is the global sound designer for Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas, London, Berlin, and Australia. Most recently: Three Houses (Signature), The Keep Going Songs (LCT3), Travels (Ars Nova), Heather Christian’s TERCE (Protoype). Other Off-Broadway: Oratorio for Living Things (Ars Nova), Blacklight (Greenwich House), The Lucky Ones (Ars Nova), Object Lesson (NYTW, BAM), Elephant Room (St. Ann’s), Carson McCullers Talks About Love (Rattlestick), and Jomama Jones: Radiate (Soho Rep). Regional: Shakespeare Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse, New York Stage and Film, McCarter, Center Theatre Group, Geffen, Folger, Studio, Milwaukee Rep, the Wilma, the Arden, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Prince Music Theater, and La Jolla Playhouse. With Pig Iron Theatre Company: A Period of Animate Existence, Cankerblossom, Isabella, Chekhov Lizardbrain, and Mission to Mercury. Nick has taught Sound Design for Live Performance at Drexel University and Swarthmore College. He has received an Obie, Lucille Lortel, Bessie, and Barrymore awards. Learn more about Nick on his website.

Mũkonzi Mũsyoki

PRODUCTION DRAMATURG

John Mũkonzi Mũsyoki (The preferred name is Mũkonzi) is a theatre scholar, writer, director, and dramaturg. He is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Alberta in Theatre and Performance Studies. He has worked with different theatres across Canada, Kenya, and Uganda. Mũkonzi works as a dramaturg for new play development (NPD) at the Stratford Festival. He is also exploring the ethics of cultural dramaturgy and casting in Canada through Postmarginal Edmonton. And also continues to work as a dramaturg for Ignite Afrika Trust, participating in the OSNW (Old Stories in New Ways) Project and TIC (Theatrical Interactions for Change) back in Kenya, collaborating with local artists from Kisumu. Last Fall, 2023, Mũkonzi worked with The Ndere Cultural Centre in Kampala, Gulu, and Kisoro in Uganda, exploring ideas of East African Indigenous storytelling as acts of knowledge generation and transmission. His research is on Black Performance Theory (BPT), Orature, Orality and Performance, Postcolonial Theatre in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Afrocentric Dramaturgies in the African Canadian Diaspora.

JAKE TKACZYK

Associate Producer

Jake graduated from the BFA Acting at the University of Alberta and is currently in the midst of his PhD in Creative Practice from the Transart Institute and Liverpool John Moores’ University. Previous Guys in Disguise credits include: Puck Bunnies, Crack in the Mirror, With Bells On, Don’t Frown at the Gown, (Guys in Disguise). Others include: Flora and Fawna Have Beaver Fever (and so does Fleurette!) (Lunchbox Theatre), 10 Funerals, Lungs (Shadow Theatre). Directing and creating credits include: Die-Nasty, White Guy on Stage Talking, Bedeutung Krankenwagen, The Big Fat Surprise, (Innocent Operations), The Land that Art Forgot, and Devour Content Here: Of Love and Wheat (Kristine Nutting). Jake is the General Manager of Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre. He had the pleasure of working as an Artist Intern at Northern Light Theatre for a few years and was previously employed as the Program Manager, Performing Arts at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Julia Van Dam

claire / co-producer

Julia van Dam (she/her) is a Dutch/Canadian actor, singer and producer. She holds a BFA in acting from the University of Alberta, a Theatre Performance and Creation diploma from Red Deer College and Meisner training from William Esper Studio in NYC. She’s so grateful for the opportunity to bring this dream/play to life! Select credits include: A Phoenix Too Frequent (Northern Light Theatre), Little Women (Opera Nuova), Dracula, Don Juan Comes Back from the War (Studio Theatre) Some Girls (Central Alberta Theatre), Nasty Weird Bird (Vital Only Films), and a 250 show run on a 6 month tour in Italy with Theatrino. You can catch her next in Northern Light Theatre’s world premiere of Monstress, Fallen Arches, a new independent film she conceptualized with Cassandra Johnston, and After the Trojan Women presented by Common Ground Arts Society. She’d like to thank the amazing Maids team, her family, friends, and Joel for all their love and support.

Patton Wei

Stage Manager

Patton is a Stage Manager who graduated from the U of A Stage Manager Program. He worked as a Stage Manager, Lighting operator, Sound Operator, Programmer and Production Assistant with different companies. His recently projects are stage managing Alberta Circus Arts Festival, K-Days Production Assistant, and Fringe Festival Box Office Assistant. He is thrilled to be part of The Maids team! And hope everyone enjoys this crazy production!

Hannah Wigglesworth

Solange / Co-Producer

Hannah Wigglesworth is an actor, singer, and mover, originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 2021 with a BFA in acting. Hannah recently spent two years at the Stratford Festival as part of the Birmingham Conservatory. Her Stratford credits include Queen Isabel in Richard II, Jaquenetta in Love's Labour's Lost, Princess Elizabeth in Richard III, and ensemble in The Miser. Other Selected theatre credits include, Agamemnon, Natasha in Three Sisters, Nightingale in The Birds (Birmingham Conservatory), Isobel in Bull (Edmonton Fringe), Jo in Little Women (Opera Nuova), Adriana in The Comedy of Errors (Theatre Calgary), Vasilisa in Baba Yaga (AMTC), Carolyn in The Bridges of Madison County (Dry Cold Productions), South Pacific (Rainbow Stage), Rebecca in The Seduction Theory (Sarasvati Productions). She was the 2022 recipient of the Stratford Festival’s John Hirsch Guthrie Award. You can follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahwiggles. Thank you so much for being here and supporting live independent theatre.

Morgan Yamada

Fight Director

Morgan (she/her) works as a fight director, actor, arts educator, and Co-Artistic Producer of Azimuth Theatre. Her work focuses on physical based theatre, and new work development. She is so thankful to have gotten the chance to collaborate with this amazing team. Morgan is a University of Alberta BFA Acting alum and a certified instructor with Fight Directors Canada. Morgan has acted and worked as a fight director in theaters across the country, and has been a member of award-winning ensembles. Her work primarily focuses on new work/play development and physical-based theatre to share stories, memories, laughs, and life!Recent credits include Fight Director for The Play That Goes Wrong (Theatre Calgary, Royal MTC), A Streetcar Named Desire (Theatre Calgary), Prison Dancer, Jersey Boys, Clue, 9 to 5 (Citadel Theatre). Orlando, Rough Magic, Troilus and Cressida (Studio Theatre), Deathtrap (Teatro Live), Intimacy Direction - Twelfth Night ( MacEwan University), FIJI ( Shatter Glass Theatre), 10 Funerals (Shadow Theatre), Everybody Goes to Mitzi's (Teatro Live). Actor - The Three Musketeers, Pride and Prejudice, (Citadel Theatre), Glory (Chemainus Theatre Festival, National Tour & Original Cast). Assistant Director - Almost a Full Moon (Citadel Theatre). For more info, please visit her website.

• Back

SPECIAL THANKS

• The Citadel Theatre
• Robyn Clark
• Jamie Criswell, Colin Bernard, and Lectrosonics North America
• Freewill Shakespeare Company
• Grant MacEwan Theatre Production Program
• Kira Franchuk
• Leslie Greentree and Blaine Newton
• T. Erin Gruber
• Whittyn Jason
• Louise Mallory
• Tiffany Martineau
• Magnus Grummett Maxwell
• Westley Maxwell
• Gal Minnes
• Production Lighting
• Max Rubin
• Shadow Theatre
• The Tessarae
• Theatre Calgary
• Nicole Thibault
• Dana Tanner-Kennedy
• The University of Alberta Department of Drama (for the loan of certain props, wardrobe items, and rolling stand lamps)
• Cody Volk and FM Systems Canada
• Kim Mattice Wanat & Nuova Vocal Arts
• Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre
• Front of House Volunteers