Gordon Portman’s work as a playwright has been experienced in theatres and rehearsal / workshop spaces from the west to the east coasts of this land. In Saskatoon, his most recently seen work was After Sundown (Live Five, Fall 2023). Previously, his play Comfort was produced by Know Tomorrow Theatre in 2012 and received two SATAward nominations, including one for Outstanding New Play. Gordon is also an experienced and respected dramaturge; his skills at new play development have contributed to First Monday presentations such as Kevin Moxley’s Fissure, Mitchell Larsen’s and Lautaro Reyes’ Antorcha (2024-25) and Todd Devonshire’s The Boat (2023-24), which is scheduled for production at Live Five in the Spring of 2026.

Blair Pisio (he/him) is a vibrant queer theatre artist whose work spans acting, producing, stage management, and now, writing. He is thrilled to debut his original play in SUM Theatre’s First Monday series. Recent highlights include performing in Music for the Gut 15, with upcoming work as stage manager for McClure Players’ Nunsense (March 2026). Active in Saskatoon theatre since 2016, Blair also serves as President of Saskatoon Summer Players and balances his creative pursuits with life as a devoted father of three.

Cheryl Jack has been a theatre artist for a very long time. An actor and writer, she is having fun working with Sum Theatre on this little play called Waiting to Breathe. Her writing credits include: Lou (Saskatoon Fringe Festival), Out in The Cold (CBC radio and Amoeba Works Film), and At The End of Her Rope (Persephone Theatre). Cheryl lives with her partner Bruce and her dog Hazel in Saskatoon.

Marley Duckett is a doctoral candidate with the College of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies in Interdisciplinary Studies. Marley’s work considers the intersections between climate change, ethnography, and feminist theatre theories; she is particularly interested in stories that uplift the voices of women. Marley regularly works in the arts in Saskatchewan. She has been fortunate to work with companies like 25th Street Theatre, SUM Theatre, Ferre Play, and more! When she is not in the field or on the stage, Marley teaches anthropology at both the Regina and Saskatoon universities, likes to sing, and is an emerging playwright. Recently, Marley completed playwriting mentorships with 25th Street Theatre’s Behind Closed Doors, and Saskatchewan Association for Theatre Professional’s Mentorship Program.

Carla is a set, lighting and costume designer who is grateful to live and work on Treaty 6 Territory. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan School for the Arts (Drama). Her research work is centered on design elements used in new ways to increase and support diversity on stage by putting the performer first. She is also working on sustainability in the performing arts and how to better serve the community through shared resources. Her design work can be seen in Saskatoon at Greystone Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, Persephone Theatre, and various independent theatre collectives.

Adam Pottle is a Deaf author whose works span multiple genres. His dark fantasy play The Black Drum is the world's first all-Deaf musical and was performed to rave reviews in Toronto and France. His 2023 prairie gothic horror novel Apparitions was shortlisted for three Saskatchewan Book Awards and was called "perhaps the most unsettling novel of the year." His other works include the memoir Voice and the historical suspense novella The Bus. He has a PhD in English Literature and has taught creative writing, English, and communications for nearly twenty years. When not writing or teaching, he is at the boxing gym, the library, or the park with his wife Deborah and their goldendoodle Valkyrie. They live in a small town just outside Saskatoon.

Shawn Cuthand is a writer, actor and stand up comedian from Treaty Six Territory. He is part of The Feather News which just had its second season premiere on APTN. Recently he has performed stand up comedy at the Vancouver Fringe, LA, New York and most of all, Winnipeg.

Skye is a Treaty 6 actor/director/producer who calls Saskatoon home by way of Prince Albert and Melfort. He has worked with many of our province's theatre companies (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, Persephone Theatre, Dancing Sky Theatre, Globe Theatre, Station Arts Centre), multiple independent companies (Last Exit Theatre, Bridge Theatre Collective and Theatre Naught, to name a few), as well as various companies outside of Saskatchewan (Stratford Festival, Drayton Entertainment, Shakespeare in the Ruins, Northern Light Theatre, Prairie Theatre Exchange and others). Recently, Skye directed The Tragedy of Richard II (SotS), and Misery (Drayton Entertainment).

Originally from Treaty 4, now living and creating on Treaty 6 territory, Kenn is an award-winning director, performer, educator, and Clown. He received his BFA in Acting at the University of Regina and his MFA in Directing from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As a performer, you may have seen him last summer at Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan in Midsummer Night’s Dream:1985 and Richard II. He is relatively new to playwriting and is excited to expand his art in that direction.

He is a sessional lecturer at the U of S Drama Department, the Executive Director of Saskatoon Summer Players, and the current First Vice President of CAEA. He is a D&D enthusiast, a proud father, and thrilled to be a Saskatchewan Artist. Cheers.

Emma Fiorante (she/her) has a BFA in Performance Acting and an MFA in Scriptwriting and Story Design from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her practice spans theatre and film acting, clown, improvisation, dramaturgy, directing, and writing for both stage and screen. Working between Regina and Toronto, she has recently focused on new play development with Mixtape Projects and Talk is Free Theatre, performing with her clown troupe Flatland Fools, and making her stand-up debut with Pass the Hat.

Drew Mantyka (He/Him) is a Saskatoon based actor, director, playwright, physical theatre creator, and producer. Drew is also the Co-founder of Saskatoon theatre company Wonder City Collective and is the president of Live Five Independent Theatre. Drew is delighted to be doing anything related to theatre, working in the world that fills his soul. When not doing theatre Drew can be found teaching his cat to hunt toy fish, pretending to be sick for medical students and admiring pictures of baby ducks. Drew would like to thank his family and most importantly his wife and cat for supporting him in all he does.

Louise Seidel (she/her) is a crip artist who collaborates with diverse communities as a director, facilitator and instructor spanning everything from grassroots performance coaching to professional theatre. Her passion for theatre ignited as a teen attending Alberta’s Artstrek, launching a career that includes teaching high-school drama, leading community classes and instructing ITEP student teachers (USask.) With directing credits across all three western provinces, Louise is committed to elevating underrepresented voices and cultivating inclusive, empowering spaces where everyone can thrive.

A neurodivergent Treaty 6 based theatre artist, Grahame can be found in many places in and around theatre; working as a performer, writer, producer, designer, voice artist, editor, dramaturg, foley artist, director, administrator and stage manager.

Grahame is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a BFA in Acting and a graduate of the Globe Theatre Conservatory. He has received three SATAwards; one as a Foley Artist for Dr. Frightful Present: Dead Air (Buttered Ghost Theatre) and one for Artistic Excellence for It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Persephone Theatre) and one for Excellence in Leadership.

Grahame has been seen on stages across Canada and you may have seen his work at Live Five, Persephone Theatre, The Globe Theatre, Wide Open, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan and many more indie venues.

Grahame is the Artistic Producer of Buttered Ghost Theatre, a Treaty 6 based company that produces new and exciting work. Grahame is an active member with The Sketchy Bandits sketch comedy group.

If you like radio plays, check out Dr. Frightful Presents: A Podcast which is created, produced and curated by Grahame and created with a bundle of incredible talent. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Find out more at grahamekent.com

Kevin Moxley (he/him) is a performer, educator, and writer with a dramaturgical background rooted in his undergraduate education in Literature, Creative Writing, and Educational Theatre from New York University. He also earned his MFA in Theatre Performance from Florida Atlantic University. He has been teaching and coaching actors, and workshopping with fellow writers for over 15 years in a variety of professional theatres, schools, universities, camps, community groups and more. His short and full length plays have received readings and performances across the United States and Canada, with his digital short Self-Reflection receiving a regional B. Iden Payne award nomination for best digital short script. Kevin has spent a large part of his career working on and advocating for high quality, collaborative new work development. Raised in the southern Appalachian mountains, he is grateful to be living and working in the prairies on Treaty 6 Territory, making a home with his husband in Saskatoon.

JB is an award winning actor and writer based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Select acting credits include: The Reel Whirled (Sum Theatre), Treasure Island (Persephone Theatre), Hand To God (Ppl r ppl productions), Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan), Bad Hats Peter Pan (Globe Theatre) and many more. Their most recent play 18 Jews Order Chinese Food premiered at Persephone Theatre in February 2025.