The Reel Whirled

Jenna (they/them) is an actor and playwright based in Saskatoon, SK. They have worked with various theatres across the province such as Persephone Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, Dancing Sky Theatre, Sum Theatre, Live Five, and Globe Theatre. They spend their time working on their current play 18 Jews Order Chinese Food, playing on the National Ball Hockey Team, and hanging with their dog Lennon.

Jesse (he/him) is a Métis experimental artist whose scattered mind leaves him frequently moving between mediums. He is a theatre rat, dabbling in sound design, acting, directing, stage managing, and teaching. As a performer Jesse has taken on such roles as a ladybug, a cow, a bison, a rock, and a corner— like, the corner of a square. Outside of the theatre, he holds an MFA in Studio Art and maintains a studio practice involving performance and installations, projections and animations, or just junk food and bad jokes.

Ed (he/him) is an actor, director, voice actor, and more, based in misâskwatôminihk (Saskatoon) in Treaty Six Territory. Ed has appeared on-stage in productions for Persephone Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, multiple companies with Live Five, Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre, and 25th Street Theatre. He is the general manager of Burnt Thicket Theatre, and has administered Live Five, SOTS, and GTNT over the past decade. Ed has also appeared in various animated TV series on CityTV, and in TV, digital, and radio commercials across Saskatchewan. In his spare time, Ed enjoys making memories with his partner Tamara, their three boys and two adorable cats.

Katie (she/her) is a talented actress, improviser and teacher who holds a BFA from the University of Regina. Select credits include The Winter's Tale / Much Ado About Nothing (Globe Theatre), Romeo and Juliet / As You Like It (Shakespeare on The Saskatchewan), and Luna (25th Street Theatre). Katie has also performed in many improv troupes and collective creation projects. When she's not on stage, Katie can be found tending to her garden, teaching improv and spending time with her beloved dog Lennon.

Rebecca (she/they) is an actor and musician from Treaty 4 territory (Ituna, Saskatchewan) who is now happy to be living, studying, and creating art on Treaty 6 territory. Rebecca is currently working toward their BFA at U of S. She appeared in Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan’s 2023 productions of Romeo + Juliet and As You Like It. Other performances include A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of Great Lakes, Concord Floral, and Gordon Winter (Greystone Theatre). They hope you enjoy the show!

Megan (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian actor originally from Treaty 6 Territory (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) but currently based on the unceded and traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations (Vancouver, British Columbia). She received her B.F.A in Acting from the University of Saskatchewan and has been working professionally in theatre for the past few years. She has performed in both indoor and outdoor stages across Saskatchewan in plays and musicals. Select acting credits include: Wâhkôhtowin, The Young Ones (Sum Theatre); Chicago, Mamma Mia,The Hobbit (Globe Theatre); Boeing Boeing, Pride and Prejudice (Persephone Theatre); Oz (Carousel Theatre); Gaslight (Chemainus Theatre).

Treaty 4 Filipina artist Kris Alvarez is privileged to make relationships & art with Curtain Razors, Fadadance, Artesian, Globe Theatre, Common Weal, Scantily Glad, It’s Not a Box, RIWC, Dunlop Art Gallery, Neutral Ground, AKA Artist-Run, Persephone Theatre. Kris performs (Bad Blood, Carmen Angel - Joey Tremblay), makes (Golden Potluck, Burnt Sienna, Acknowledging), and just before the pandemic, was humbled (Reasonable Doubt - Joel Bernbaum, Yvette Nolan, Lancelot Knight). Kris continues in film (Donkeyhead, Agam Darshi), parks (Other Side of the River, Wâhkôhtowin, Sum Theatre), TV (ZARQA, CBC Gem), onstage (2021-23 Making Spirits Bright, Globe Theatre, Jennifer Brewin), in creation (Banana Musik). Summers 2022-2023, Regina Folk Festival invited Burnt Sienna Boulevard – her reimagined variety show now for younger audiences. Kris joined amazing artists to collaborate on new work (Homebuddies - So Glad, It’s Not a Box) to present at the 2023 Prague Quadrennial. In Saskatoon that fall, she performed in Persephone Theatre’s season opener (A Bright Half Life, Kathryn Smith). Kris is happy to be back with Sum’s Theatre in the Park 2024!

Mac (he/him) is proud to call the prairies home. He received his BFA in Acting from the University of Saskatchewan, and has had the pleasure of making theatre with many of Saskatoon’s theatre companies. As Artistic Director at Sum, Mac is grateful to create art that serves and strengthens communities across Saskatchewan. An avid runner, hiker, and general outdoor enthusiast, Mac figures why not take theatre outdoors too?

Projects with Sum Theatre include The Young Ones (Assistant Stage Manager), The Hockey Sweater / Le Chandail (Co-Director), Zero Gravity (Co-Director), Elder Brother and the Bison / Le Frère aîné et les bisons (Director). This summer, Mac will be Co-Directing Theatre in the Park 2024 alongside S.E. Grummett.

Oli (they/them) is a prairie queer who is passionate about music, storytelling, and what happens when you combine the two. Oli graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Classical Vocal Performance from The University of Toronto. Theatre/Opera: Bon Apetit!, Carmen, Die Fledermaus, The Brothers Grimm, La Boheme,   (Saskatoon Opera/SSO), The Adventure of Young Turtle (So.Glad Arts), Stag and Doe (Souris Valley Theatre) Concerts: Handel’s Messiah 2022, 2023 (SSO), Drag Messiah (OperaQ) Sound Design/Composition: The Maids (Whirligig Theatre Co.), C’est à nous d’y voir (La Troupe Du Jour), Death: A Love Story (Dandelion Theatre) Direction: As You Like It (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan/Apprentice Director), The Trial of Louis Riel (Riel Co.), War Room: The Musical (Saskatoon Fringe), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (UC Follies) Upcoming: Brahms Alto Rhapsody (Saskatoon Chamber Singers/Soloist) Other: Oli is also a proud member of punk band, Checkout Queens, who just released their debut EP last fall and will be performing at multiple music festivals across Saskatchewan this summer, including Ness Creek and the Regina Jazz Festival.

S.E. Grummett (they/them) is a queer, transgender theatre artist from Treaty 6 Territory. Over the past 5 years, Grumms has created a body of original queer work and toured it around the world, including Canada, US, UK, Europe and Australia. They are the co-creator of SCUM: a Manifesto, Girl in the Box, Pack Animals and Creepy Boys. Their solo-show, Something in the Water has toured around the world to queer audiences young and old. Most recently, their queer puppet musical The Adventure of Young Turtle premiered in Edmonton at Azimuth Theatre’s Expanse Festival. Grumms is the recipient of the 2022 RBC Outstanding Award in recognition for their contribution to the queer and trans community across Saskatchewan, and recently won the inaugural 2SLGBTQIA+ Multidisciplinary Artist Award presented by the Sask Foundation for the Arts.

After months of anticipation, Theatre in the Park is finally here! Sam (she/her) is thrilled to return to the local greenspaces of Saskatchewan to play and discover with new friends and returning community members, this time with the responsibility of the Big Truck. She is a stage manager, performer, and educator born and raised on Treaty 6 Territory, and is grateful to her beautiful family - both blood and found - for their love and support. Sam’s purpose in life is to provide for her Pippa dog, the most wonderful border collie that may ever boop your nose.

Born & raised in Saskatoon, Avery (she/her) is always thrilled to be working in her hometown and is so stoked to be coming to a park near you! She attended the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, BC where she had her first experience stage managing and has continued with it ever since! Recent credits include; Anne of Green Gables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat, The Penelopiad (CCPA), Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Persephone), #34 (Globe) GLORY (CTF) and Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It, Cymbeline (SOTS). 

Bio coming soon!

Hannah (she/her) is a designer and artist who is thrilled to be assisting SUM Theatre as their Production Assistant this season! This last year Hannah had the opportunity to co-design costumes for Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre's Mary of Patuanak and Greystone Theatre's Metamorphosis. Graduating from the University of Saskatchewan's Fine Arts Program this Fall, Hannah has a passion for costume and set design, atop of a love for dabbling in all things art. When not covered in paint, Hannah enjoys crocheting, cartoons, and bothering her dog for cuddles.

Rowan Pantel is a Visual Artist, Puppeteer, and Designer currently living on Treaty 6 Territory. She holds a a Master of Fine Arts in Intermedia from the University of Regina, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the University of Saskatchewan. For Puppetry she has trained with the Old Trout Puppet Workshop at the Banff Centre, and at the Eugene O'Neill Puppetry Conference in Connecticut. She works with a variety of media including, printmaking, puppetry, drawing, photography, installation, painting, and film. She is also the co-executive director with On The Boards Staging Company, committed to supporting spaces for artists to create and perform.

Paige (she/they) is a bona fide all-around theatre rat, born and raised right here in Saskatchewan. They have always loved the way that telling stories can help shape identity, both as individuals and as a community, and are so proud to get to help tell stories in their community and beyond. She is thrilled to join SUM as an Artistic Associate, after many years of working with the company in various capacities. Previously, they had a hand in Little Badger and the Fire Spirit (2016), The Woodcutter and the Lion (2017), Queen Seraphina and the Land of Vertebraat (2018), #consent (2019), and Zero Gravity (2023). When not in parks across the province this summer, Paige can also be found aboard the Wheatland Express for its interactive wild west shows.

Bio coming soon!

Kei (she/they) is an artist from Treaty Six Territory. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts with a focus on painting and with a sprinkle of theatre design on the side. They are the Boutique and Administration Coordinator at the Saskatchewan Craft Council, and work on their independent illustration series Animal Friends on their Instagram @tanakeiart. Kei is a props master, recently working on Zero Gravity (SUM Theatre) and Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan’s 2023 season. Kei is always ready to share a smile and happiness through art!

Ricardo Alvarado (Production Manager) is a local theatre artist who believes in the power of music, positive energy, diversity, and teamwork. He is the Artistic Producer for Saskatoon Summer Players, the co-founder of Ppl r Ppl Productions, a long-time member of Artists Against Hunger, and he spends his spare time daydreaming and pretending to be a grown-up. This is Ricardo's third season with SUM Theatre and he is grateful for the opportunity to create with such a wonderful group of artists on a regular basis. Past Credits: La Troupe du Jour, Persephone Theatre, SUM Theatre, Ppl r Ppl, SSP, Live Five, Shakespeare on the SK, Greystone Theatre, and Saskatoon Opera. Up next, he's directing and starring as Jeff in [Title of Show] for Ppl r Ppl Productions and getting ready to once again hit the parks in both Saskatoon and Regina with SUM's Theatre in the Park show this summer!