MAINSTAGE Anatol

Brandon is a set and costume designer based in Toronto with work appearing on stages across Canada, most recently; Mamma Mia (Drayton Entertainment), Boy Falls from The Sky (Mirvish Productions), and Blackout (Musical Stage Co. and Canadian Stage Company). Up next, he’s designing the set for Rent (Stratford Festival), The Little Shop of Horrors (Port Hope Festival), and The Sound of Music (Thousand Islands Playhouse). Brandon is a multiple Dora award nominee and a two-time winner. He recently won a Merritt Award for his work bringing Viola Desmond to life in the world premiere of Controlled Damage at Neptune Theatre in Halifax. For more information and to see his portfolio, please visit www.brandonkleimandesign.com

Logan Raju Cracknell is a Toronto-based theatre artist specializing in theatrical design and live-stream creation. Their work has taken them across the country, and they are truly excited to see what journeys lie ahead. Recent works include: Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats/Soulpepper), Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Theatre Calgary), Turn The Page (Theatre Sheridan), Dixon Road (The Musical Stage Company/Obsidian Theatre), As You Like It/Dream In High Park (Canadian Stage Company), William Shakespeare’s As You Like It: A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal and Orphans for the Czar (Crow’s Theatre).

Shelayna Christante is an actor, singer, and artist born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta. She moved to Toronto to embark on pursuing her passion for Theatre Performance and is now in her third and final year at George Brown Theatre School. She has enjoyed the rigour and discipline of training in her time at theatre school and is looking forward to hitting the ground running and plunging into the industry post-graduation, delving into the worlds of theatre and film and television.

Ari Crooks is an actor, dancer, singer, writer, and artist born and raised in Toronto. It’s important to Ari that she gives an authentic and compelling story to the audience, whether on film or on the stage. Ari wants the audience to feel that, while she is performing, it is safe to feel throughout the performance and embrace the catharsis. She wants to tell the truth of the story in her performance and make sure the audience understands every beat.

During her time at George Brown, Ari has worked with many talented theatre practitioners, guiding her on this journey. Jimmy Simon directed her as Joan in Saint Joan, and Ali Momen directed her as Janine in Scorched.

Ari is eager to embark on the journey that is acting. Ari always finds new things to love about theatre and acting as a whole and is excited to challenge herself more as her career progresses. “Isn’t it fascinating what the human mind and body can do with words on a page and a stage? Let me show you”.

Keren is an actor, creator and artist who is pumped to be here, and glad you are too. She grew up in the Toronto suburbs and is now enjoying finding her own way in the city! She is so thankful for the endurance, skills and community she has built at George Brown, thanks to the hard work and collaboration that the program demands of the students. Out of graduation, she looks forward to delving headfirst into the theatre and tv/film scene, and creating her own work as well. If you see her in the streets, say hi! You can catch her frequenting thrift stores and pretending to be all sorts of different people.

Hannah is an actor, singer and dancer who grew up in Newfoundland listening to her parents’ favourite music as a baby, thanks to her dad, who decided it wasn’t his kid if she couldn’t fall asleep to Led Zeppelin, Green Day or Electric Light Orchestra blaring at the highest volume. This kind of music has consumed her so much that she truly believes it is a personality trait at this point.

Hannah has been entertaining since the ripe age of two when she became the hired act for all the family parties. As she grew up, her passion for performing grew more and more. When she was 16, she went to NYC to perform on the Broadway Stage at The New Amsterdam Theatre and promised herself that one day she would be back.

Hannah has always said that if she weren’t an actor, she would be a therapist, so her goal is to incorporate that into her journey as an artist and find creative ways to help people to feel heard and seen through her art, and hopefully find peace and healing in it too.

Gibum D. Lim is a Korean-Canadian actor born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Toronto, Canada. One half here and the other half there. He loves telling stories on stage with fellow creators. He enjoys mask work and movement theatre, along with all the drama of humanity that theatre delivers. He wants to make a home in the theatre. Will he? We shall see! You will find him on the street talking to people, at a park playing chess or walking on a slackline, or on stage like we have here for New World. Feel free to say ‘Hi’ when you find him.

Aly is so excited to be back performing amidst her colleagues here at George Brown Theatre School. Past credits include It’s Munsch Time!; George Brown Theatre School, Fiddler on the Roof; Etobicoke School of the Arts, Christmas Carol; Soulpepper (2010), and Time of our Lives; Soulpepper (2010). Aly wants to thank her parents for inspiring and supporting her unconditionally in this journey and hopes that you all enjoy the performance! Follow her on Instagram! @aly.macfarlane

My time here at GBTS has given me the opportunity to learn, grow, and play as an actor.

It has challenged my understanding of what it means to be an artist today; to make us feel less alone. Paul Aikins was the first drama teacher I ever had and was the one who inspired me to attend GBTS. Since then and over the past three years, I have been so lucky to have worked with the teachers and guest artists that have all come through the Yonge Centre doors. You all have fostered a deep desire to keep learning and exploring as an actor and a human, so I want to thank all of you, teachers. You do not go unnoticed.

Let me tell you about a promising young man. His name? Judah Parris, better remember it. He’s a Trini-Canadian actor extraordinaire. He's a talented actor, yes, but did you realize that he’s a singer and gifted dancer too? He aspires to be a prominent actor in theatre and film, as well as have a successful voice-over career. He has trained for over ten years in the art of Karate, earning himself a blackbelt and has taken well to stage combat during his classical training at George Brown. To push himself is his real test; to train him is their cause: Deborah Joy, Diana Reis, Jeannette Lambermont-Morey, Stephan Ermel, Suzanne Liska, Simon Fon, and many more have all had a hand in his magnificent rise! He believes art and theatre hold the potential to bring the best out of people and aspires to become an artist who can both touch people's hearts and challenge their minds. Understanding and unity are things he strives to sow within himself through his work and others through his performances. Keep walking forward, never look back, keep your heart and ears open, and lead by example. With these principles and disciplines in his heart, he hopes to wow you in the future. But don’t take it from me; see for yourself.

Sarah is an actor, singer, and artist from Guelph, Ontario. Despite deciding to pursue acting, she is classically trained in voice and piano and is really excited to see how she can merge these art forms in her future. She is excited by how theatre has continued to grow and change throughout history and by what she can add to today's theatre in order to tell stories as authentically and honestly as she can.

During her time at George Brown, Sarah has had the opportunity to play roles such as Masha in Three Sisters, Isolda in Leo, and Ch’ien Nu in The Soul of Ch’ien Nu Leaves Her Body. Sarah has also had the privilege of learning from and working alongside many incredible artists and teachers, but most notably, she has had the honour of working with the ensemble that is her graduating class.

The thing that excites Sarah most about this upcoming season and the industry that she is about to enter is there will always be something to learn. Sarah feels that embarking on this ever-changing and challenging career path will be a never-ending lesson, and she is excited to share what she finds out along the way.