9th Annual St. John's Short Play
Festival Participants
PLAY READINGS PARTICIPANTS
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Lydia Makaga is an actress, playwright, production manager, and coordinator originally from Tanzania and now based in St. John's, NL, Canada. She cultivated her passion for acting and directing while studying Drama in high school. In 2021, she entered the film industry as a Production Assistant and quickly advanced to the role of Assistant Production Coordinator for "Hudson and Rex" over the past three years. She had the pleasure of working as the Production Manager on “Only the Knight Knows,” a film produced by Ruth Lawrence, Brad Gover, Mayra Sanchez, and Francois Van Zyl, starring Mary Walsh and many other local talents. In 2024, Lydia is making her acting debut and joining the wonderful cast of “Newfoundlanded” and “Aya and the Masquerades”, directed by Santiago Guzmán.
Lina Makaga wears many hats, predominantly she is an actress, singer and stage manager. Originally from Tanzania and currently residing in St.John's, NL, Canada. Her journey in the world of performing arts started in high school, where she cultivated her passion for acting while studying Drama. In 2021, she was featured in the TV series "Astrid and Lilly Save the World '', followed by Hudson and Rex in 2022. In 2023, she landed a leading role in a short film called "NYX". She will be one of the leads in a play written by Karen Monie, produced by White Rooster Theatre in December 2024. In January 2023, she made her stage-managing debut in the play "Happy Anniversary", produced by Todos Productions. Shortly after, she stage managed "A Talk In The Terrace" with Sycamore productions. Followed by "Song Seekers: The Greenleaf & Mansfield Story" produced by White Rooster Theatre. In 2024, she was a production mentee in the musical "An American Hymnal" produced by Terra Bruce Productions. |
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Dream Haus Productions will host Quartz Fest: A festival celebrating the 2SLGBTQIA+ artists of Newfoundland and Labrador. The festival will take place in October 2024 in St. John’s and other communities across the island and highlight artists from multiple artistic disciplines. This script was written and directed by Dill March, creative director of Dream Haus Productions and a local interdisciplinary artist skilled in production and storytelling. Dill is the producer ofDream Haus Productions is dedicated to amplifying the voices of 2SLGBTQIA+ artists through one-of-a-kind arts projects. We focus on authentic storytelling that highlights the unique experiences and talents within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Newfoundland & Labrador. Our mission is to foster inclusivity and representation, creating spaces where everyone feels safe to express their most authentic self. The Travelling Linguist, a YouTube channel that uses digital storytelling and video animation to highlight some of the unique elements of the world’s languages. An avid writer, Dill has written short plays, courses, textbooks, and recently a novel, For a Minute There I Lost Myself (not yet available for purchase). Currently in production, Dill is also producing a documentary about the unique characteristics of the Newfoundland accent, sharing its history and cultural significance.
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Monica Walsh is an actor, writer, singer and producer from St. John's NL. Her company Kanutu Theatre has been producing theatre for the last decade in NL and various locations around the globe. IN 2015, Monica created 'Scene and Blurred' an open mic series for theatre artists. She has taken this series on tour to Ontario, Alberta, and Texas, USA. This is Monica's 4th time as participant in St. John's Shorts, and she is thrilled to be back with another rendition of 'Me and Spock'. The story continues!
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MAINSTAGE
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Patrick Curtis is an emerging artist living with cerebral palsy. He has extensive work in the theatre field, appearing in various plays, throughout Cape Breton and Newfoundland. His most recent appearance was at the Shakespeare by the sea festival. He’s excited to have the opportunity to tell his story of living with a disability.
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Rabbittown Travelling Theatre Company was founded in 2022 by 2 trash humans with great ambition, zero focus, and far too much stress. Despite a history of collaboration since its inception, the chaotic duo of Bran MP and Shoeless Jo were always too disorganized to act like they created a production company until 2024.
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Yejide Emioladipupo and The Creator's Creators.
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Daniel Lanigan O'Hara is an Irish-Canadian playwright from Kilkenny, Ireland currently living in St. John's, Newfoundland.
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Jana Gillis is a professional skit artist and bagpiper from Cape Breton, NS. Her skits have taken many forms over the years. Sometimes as short films (screened at SJIWFF, AIFF, The Nickel, HIFF, TOSketchFest & various Sci-Fi & Fantasy Conventions throughout Atlantic Canada); as plays (St. John’s Short Play Festival, Cape Breton Stage Company) as “sketches” (NL SketchFest, Is This a Bit?, Almost Baymous, The Second City Toronto Sketch Conservatory) and straight up make ‘em ups (St. John’s Improv, Extreme Improv XStreamed, Movie Night Productions). She’s also acted in longform television skits (Hudson & Rex, Son of a Critch, Astrid & Lilly Save the World, Hallmark’s Everything Christmas). Jana studied professional skitcraft and earned a red t-shirt with a chair on it from The Second City Toronto and a BFA in Theatre Acting from Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
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NewFunny is a monthly comedy variety show whose mission is to provide an accountable performance space for comedians from under-platformed demographics. In just over three years of shows, they have featured stand-up, burlesque, clown, music, and a lot of other wonderful & weird things, including debut 25 debut stand-up performances. Never afraid to push boundaries or try something new, the NewFunny crowd are excited to present their unique comedic voices in a brand new format with their first sketch comedy show, NewSketchy.
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Susan Kelsey is a St. John's based multidisciplinary performer and writer. She has a long history with the St. John’s Shorts Festival, doing publicity for the festival for the first 3 years and working on the shows One Thing (costumes), Besties (actor & producer), Catcalled (writer/director/actor/producer), Bad Date (actor), Choose Your Own Adventure: Comedy Edition (performer/writer/producer) and its sequel which will be in this year's festival. Her first full-length play Goldstar Girlfriend was chosen as part of this year’s Women’s Work.
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Darryl Davis is a graduate of Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Social Work. Darryl has written entertainment related articles for'The Outport' magazine (2013-2015), and completed profiles on local actors and monthly reviews of theatrical productions in St. John's. In 2017, Darryl produced his first play ‘The Last Of The Second Chances’ at the St. John’s Shorts Festival. ‘Second Chances’ was first written in a creative playwriting course offer by Memorial University (2014-2015), and taught by famed author Robert Chafe. A screenplay adaptation of ‘Second Chances’ was later written in a screenwriting course offered by Memorial University (2019) and taught by critically acclaimed writer Elisabeth de Mariaffi. Darryl has worked as a background actor on the film 'Crown and Anchor' (2018) directed by Andrew Rowe, the Discovery/Netflix television show ‘Frontier’ starring international superstar Jason Momoa, as well as the Global television show ‘Hudson and Rex’ and the CBC television show ‘Son of a Critch’.
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Scaredy Cat Theatre is a newly formed company based in both Montreal and St. John’s, which began out of a concentration on the workshopping & development of new plays by award-winning company playwright Cole Hayley. With each of our founding members coming from different artistic backgrounds –playwriting, acting and directing – we approach collaboration from these varied perspectives, creating in a multidisciplinary practice. We are interested in theatre that explores non-linear narratives, inspired by music and rhythm, and themes that examine the gritty and surreal aspects of human behaviour and experience. We believe that creating this kind of theatre takes immense courage snd perseverance, especially during a time of great uncertainty in not only our professions, but our mortality. Thus our name, Scaredy Cat Theatre, is our pledge to bask in the fear and make art nevertheless.
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Dawn Marie Miller began as a singer/songwriter. She graduated the Music Arts and Recording Arts programs, for which she received the President's Medal, at College of the North Atlantic. In 2022, she became interested in writing and directing musical theatre and Cnt Blv My Ears Productions was born. Just a few months later her first musical 'Secret, Secret' was staged at LSPU Hall as part of the St. John's Shorts Festival. Dawn has since written a Christmas musical, 'Don't Waste Christmas', a situation comedy, 'Da Mumphreys' and will once again be on stage at the festival with a new musical short entitled 'Pretty Protest'. Dawn aspires to be socially conscious and attempts to reflect that in her productions.
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Jabula means "rejoice" in Zulu and art is our way of sharing our happiness as well as adding value to the community. We are truly one of a kind and provide a unique atmosphere. Everything was carefully thought out in order to give audiences the best possible and most fun experience. We have been heavily involved with the arts scene in St John's over the past 6 years through the classes, workshops, short plays and so much more.
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Afro-Canadian Arts Frestival (Afrocan AF) is a nonprofit arts organization based in Newfoundland. Dedicated to nurturing Black Creatives in Canada, we provide artists with tools to support your growth and success. From finding your tribe and collaborating with other creatives, to skills development sessions, Afrocan has your back!
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Studio Squidcicle is a production company behind It's Up To You: An Interactive Story, The Queen of Hearts at the St John's Short Play Festival, and An "Improv" Show at the NL Sketchfest. Their team is made up some of St John's best young writers, directors, actors, stand-up comics, puppeteers, bridesmaids, fishermen, and game show winners.
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Cassandra Munroe – Winner of the 1st St. John’s Shorts Playwriting Challenge.
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The St. John's Short Play Festival is made possible through the RCA 60/40 Box Office Split Agreement.
