about us

Launched in 2002, The Cheshire Unicorn aims to produce innovative, thoughtful, and experimental productions created by Canadian artists. Since it’s founding, the company has consistently staged thought-provoking and interesting theatre, gaining itself a prestigious reputation in Toronto’s independent theatre market. The Cheshire Unicorn continues to entertain with diverse productions ranging from historical absurdist drama to modern surrealism.

 

resident artists

emily andrews - choreographer | actor | dancer

Selected theatre credits: Movement Coach of Kid Cosmic (Cheshire Unicorn), Co-Director/Choreographer of Floozy (Mellow Brown), Witch/Ensemble in Macbeth  (CTP), Tiresias/Ensemble in Creon (Stone Circle Project/Theatreworks), Choreographer for A Quiet Place (Unspun Theatre), Adelaide in First Heist Club (Toronto Fringe), Choreographer for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Toronto Youth Theatre), Orsino in Twelfth Night (Alchemy Theatre), Choreographer of The Rat King Rock Opera (NOW Indie Fest), Roz/Doctor/Bunny in Pinned-Up: The Exploits of Bettie (Hamilton Fringe), Co-Choreographer/Lindy in The Jammer (Edinburgh Fringe Festival Winner), Movement Director/Mrs. Peachum in The Threepenny Opera (MacOwen Theatre UK), Co-Choreographer/Anybodys for West Side Story (Markham Theatre), Dance Captain/Justine in Daemons based on Frankenstein (Netherlands Tour), Dance Captain/Leslie Pynchon in The Fix (MacOwen Theatre UK).

Selected film and television credits: The Devil's Tail (Zoe), Cycle of Fear (Erica),  Hairspray (Dancer/Auditioner), Focus Films’ Pride and Prejudice (Dancer), CBC’s Wind At My Back (Laura Bridgeman), TVO’s Wexford  (Jade), Hopeless Romantic The Short Musical (Lead), HBO’s Beyond the Call (Young Pam), SkyTv UK’s Zombie Lords (Principal). Emily's training took place in London England in the three-year acting course at LAMDA.

emma bartolomucci - performer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Cast of Infinitum (2011)

Emma Bartolomucci is thrilled to be working with these intelligent and creative people!! Born in Oakville, ON she trained for several years at the Canadian Dance Company. Growing up she was exposed to a wide range of art forms such as: dance, singing, acting, piano, guitar and saxohpone. A recent grad from the Randolph Academy she has been privileged to have the following performance opportunities: Carmela in West Side Story (Theatre St. John's), contemporary company dancer in Conflicts and Resolutions for Dance Ontario Weekend (Jasmyn Fyffe Dance) and a Wife/Ensemble in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Silver Mist Productions). She also has an innovative eye, her choreography credits include: Bazaar: Heroes, Big Art for Little Minds, International Dance Day, Bram Stoker's Dracula book signing, The Alter Ego Dance Cabaret (with Kay-Ann Ward), and Dr. Faustus at the Randolph Academy. With the hopes of becoming a choreographer, dancer, actress, singer, musician, writer and teacher, she lives for creating brilliant art.

justin bott - actor | dancer | singer

Justin is a Toronto-based actor, singer & dancer (more like a good 'mover', but dancer sounds much more impressive). A 2006 graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts, Justin has performed all over Canada including Victoria, Canmore, Niagara Falls, Dawson City and more. He also spent the majority of 2009 in Osaka singing at Universal Studios Japan. Although his travels have taken him to many wonderful places, Justin still calls Toronto home and loves any opportunity to perform in the city.

Cheshire Unicorn Credits: Bently in  The Saddest Girl in the World & Kid Cosmic in  Kid Cosmic

Selected Theatre Credits: The Wedding Singer  (Stage West), [title of show]  (AngelWalk), Macbeth; Romeo & Juliet (Classical Theatre Project), Wanda T. Grimsby (Little Monsters),  I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!; The Last Resort; Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know (Cornerstone), The Diamond Tooth Gertie Show  (TNT), Puttin' on the Ritz  (Victoria Symphony).

laura burns - actor | playwright | singer-songwriter

Recent Acting Credits:My Name is Rachel Corrie (Dariusz Entertainment), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Canadian Stage Company), Viola in Twelfth Night and Lady Macduff/Witch in Macbeth (Classical Theatre Project).

Playwriting CreditsHONK, If You Can Hear Me! (SummerWorks 2007, and Bread & Circus May 21-25, 2009!)

Laura is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School. She recently released Normal, an album of original songs.

krystina chabursky - performer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Cast of Infinitum (2011)

Krystina’s passion for performing began when her parents enrolled her in her first dance classes at Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance in Etobicoke. She trained there for 14 years, during which she joined the competitive team and performed in over 20 studio productions. Her favourite roles included Cinderella (Cinderella), the Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland), and a soloist in Elite Syncopations. In high school, Krystina discovered a love for the theatre and decided to attend Randolph Academy’s Triple Threat College program in pursuit of her dreams. Krystina played the Bad Angel in Doctor Faustus, one of her most memorable roles to date, before graduating. She has since performed as Kristine in A Chorus Line, Serena Silvertail in Angelina Ballerina: The Musical, and experienced her first Fringe Festival as a member of the Infinitum cast.

jamie drake - percussionist | drummer

Selected Theatre Credits: Floozy (Mellow Brown), With A Little Help From My Friends (Acting Upstage) and for Randolph Young Company: Footloose, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Disney's High School Musical.

To date he has played approximately 30 full scale musicals, and many other musical revue and variety shows. In addition to theatre work, he performs regularly with orchestras, big bands, jazz combos, choirs and world music ensembles around the city. He has recorded for and performed live multiple times on CBC Radio 2, including an award winning performance with the Hamilton Children's Choir. As a member of the TorQ Percussion Quartet, Jamie has performed across Canada and been a clinician for MusicFest Canada. Jamie completed his Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Toronto and his Master of Music Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he was actively involved in commissioning new music from Bay Area composers. Currently he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Toronto, with a performance focus in solo multi-percussion and a research focus in the percussion instruments and traditions of North Africa. Jamie is proud to endorse Yamaha Percussion Instruments and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.
www.jamiedrake.ca
www.torqpercussion.ca

eugene draw - composer |violinist

For Cheshire Unicorn: Composer for Infinitum (2011)

Whether opening for A-list acts like Cyndi Lauper at an open air festival in the U.S., creating near chaos at the Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival or playing luxury brand events like Chloé and Dom Pérignon, Dr. Draw inspires kudos wherever he plays. He has a constantly evolving musical style that brings together the seemingly disparate elements of classical violin, jazz-rock fusion, folk and pop into a riveting masala that feeds the soul and invigorates audiences. Unfettered by music’s traditional boundaries, Dr. Draw and his talented band pull together an organic blend of instruments that satisfies eclectic audiences. Added to Dr. Draw’s violin strings are the instruments of his musical collective: an award-winning guitarist, electronic keyboard specialist, electric harpist, rock bassist and drummer. One of his career favorites was playing at Prague’s Presidential Palace in the same venue where many of Europe’s greatest composers and musicians have played over the centuries. One of his greatest honors was being selected to play O’Canada on Parliament Hill in Ottawa as part of Canada Day celebrations in front of 300 000 people. Dr. Draw is currently based in Toronto.

trason fernandes - make up + prosthetics designer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Make Up and Prosthetics Design for Infinitum (2011)

He is an independently contracted makeup artist for the past 6 years in Toronto. He has worked, learned and built himself as an artist in pretty much every field in makeup there is to offer just to stay ahead of the game. He graduated from Complections International School of Make-Up Artistry in 2006 and is currently a prosthetic instructor at the same institution. He has had the opportunity to work with various theatrical productions throughout the city within those 5 years. Shows such as Hair the Musical, Fairy Tale Ending, Rent, Rocky Horror Show, Into the Woods, Twelfth Night, The Killing Game, Little Shop of Horrors, King Lear, Cabaret, Reefer Madness and many others. Trason also works within the TV/film industry on commercials, music videos, feature films, etc. He assisted Tony Gardener and Stephen Prouty with the prosthetics on the feature film Hairspray as part of Team Travolta in 2006 and recently completed Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children, which was filmed in Sri Lanka 2011. He is also actively currently involved in the Miss Canada Universe Pageant every year as their Head of Department for makeup when they run their shows here in Toronto. He’s had the opportunity over the last couple of years to travel the world working on larger scaled prosthetics for museums in Alberta, Texas and Germany.
www.trason.com

sarah kuzio - performer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Cast of Infinitum (2011)

Originally from the small town of Thorsby, Alberta, Sarah moved to Toronto to attend the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. After two amazing years of triple threat training, Sarah graduated winning the Governor General’s Award. Since completing school, Sarah has had the opportunity to perform and create through many aspects of the industry including musicals, dance, pantomimes, film, and choreography. Sarah can be seen next as Vici in Angelina Ballerina: the Musical and Janette in Tiki Bikini Beach Paradice Party A-Go-Go (Toronto Best of Fringe) in the upcoming Next Stage Festival. To be able to share the stage and such a creative and explorative process in the company of the extrodinary women in the cast and creative production team is a privilege and a treat, to say the least. Reveal and enjoy people, reveal and enjoy!

gillian lewis - stage manager | production manager

For Cheshire Unicorn: Stage Manager for Kid Cosmic (Summerworks, 2008); Stage Manager for Kicking and Smiling at Squiggfest and Nuit Blanche (2007)

This is Gillian's third production with Cheshire Unicorn. Previous credits include: Stage Manager for Kid Cosmic (Summerworks, 2008) and Stage Manager for Kicking and Smiling at Squiggfest and Nuit Blanche (2007). Gillian makes her living as a Production Manager and Stage Manager for theatre and dance. Recent credits include: Production Stage Manager for Fallen Rock Production's Rent (Bathurst Street Theatre, June 2011), Production Manager for Eldritch's Theatre's Madhouse Variations (Theatre Centre, October 2010) and Stage Manager for Dancemaker's 3/2/1 (Dancemakers, April 2011). This year, Gillian has toured two productions Public Recording's 300 Tapes (Alberta Theatre Projects, February) and Small Wooden Shoe's Dedicated to the Revolutions (Supernova Theatre Festival, May). Upcoming productions include: ProArteDanza's 2011 Season (Fleck Theatre, October 2011, www.proartedanza.com), Eldritch Theatre's The Haunted Medicine Show (Secret Venue, October – November 2011, www.eldritchtheatre.ca) and a new work by choreogrpaher Valerie Calam (Company Vice Versa) called Children of the Triangle (Citadel Theatre, January 2011).

lily ling - musical director | collaborative pianist | accompanist

Selected theatre credits:Musical Director of the Canadian premier of Jerry Springer: The Opera (Hart House), pianist for Breaking Into Song (Acting Upstage/Canadian Stage), assistant musical director for several productions at the Randolph Young Company, including the North American stage premier of Disney's High School Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Footloose, and musical director/conductor for the Canadian Premier of Reefer Madness (Hart House Theatre). Lily is a faculty member for the Randolph Academy of Performing Arts Kids program and is completing a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of Toronto.

melissa major - playwright | director | actor | producer | stage manager

Melissa is a playwright, poet, performer and director whose interests lie in the experimental, surreal and absurd manifestations of theatre. She is a MFA candidate in the Creative Writing programme at University of Guelph with a focus on playwriting and is a full member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

Her plays have been produced in Toronto, New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai India, Pune India, Williston North Dakota, Royal Oak Michigan, Kitchener/Waterloo and the metropolis of Kincardine. Previous credits include: writer/performer of Floozy: The Musical (Toronto Fringe 2008), writer of Even Burning (Toronto Fringe 2008 & New Ideas Festival 2008), director of Kid Cosmic (Summerworks 2008), writer/performer of Unicorn Horns (IDEA World Congress of Theatre in Hong Kong, Theatre Passe Muraille & Nuit Blanche 2006), writer/director of Kicking & Smiling (Nuit Blanche 2007 & Squiggfest 2007) and writer of Art is a Cupboard (Toronto Fringe 2006, hotINK Festival, New York 2007 & WPI, Mumbai 2009).

Awards for her work include the York University President's Prize for Playwriting in 2004 (Art is a Cupboard), 2006 (Unicorn Horns) and 2007 (Kicking and Smiling). Art is a Cupboard was also a finalist for the Hidden River Arts Playwriting Award in Bala Cynwyd, PA (USA) and a semi-finalist for Reverie Productions' Next Generation Playwriting Contest in New York, NY (2006). As well it won the hotINK 2007 playwriting competition where it was produced in New York, NY. Her only children's play Wanda T. Grimsby, Detective Extraordinaire won the 2006 Summer Shorts Festival Playwriting Competition, where the play was produced by Youth Education OnStage in Williston, North Dakota. One of her short plays, Delly’s Belly was a finalist for the 2006 Emerging Artist Theatre’s Fall EATfest award in New York, where it garnered a staged reading.

katelyn mcculloch - performer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Cast of Infinitum (2011)

Katelyn McCulloch is a Toronto based artist and a recent graduate of York University's Acting Conservatory, she is also trained in a variety of dance forms as well as acrobatics and aerials. Katelyn is a passionate creator who recently wrote and performed her piece What has 270 Calories, 27 grams of fat and reeks of Dill in the Labcab Festival at The Factory Theatre. Recent Credits include: Chorus in Oedipus,Witch in Macbeth, Winnifred in The Witch of Edmonton, Frog in Ti Jean and his Brothers, choreographing and playing Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream, Rhonda in Lion in the Streets, Sandy Arbuckle in What is the mango Project.

katelyn parish - performer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Cast of Infinitum (2011)

Hailing from Whitby, Katelyn started dancing because she wanted to be like her sister Rachel. Katelyn grew up as a competitive dancer winning many overalls and scholarships. After seeing Wicked on broadway she decided she wanted to pursue musical theatre. Katelyn attended and graduated from Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts with a diploma in Performing Arts. Some of Katelyn’s credits include: Toronto Marlie’s Dance Team, Taylor in High School Musical 2, Dance Captain/ Ensemble in Cinderella, Keshia Chante’s Table Dancer Music Video, Serena Ryder and the Beauties’ Ramblin Man music video and many fundraisers! Katelyn is also proud to have achieved her Advanced 2 level exam in R.A.D ballet.

erik patterson - composer | music arranger | musician

Selected theatre credits: Multi-musician for Floozy (Mellow Brown), Musical Director for the York Durham Academy for the Performing Arts’ Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, Grease, and Seussical the Musical.

Guitarist credits include: A Man of No Importance (Acting Upstage) and Footloose (Paradox Performers). As a performer, Erik has played guitar, mandolin, banjo, and piano for pit bands, solo acts, and accompanist roles, in all styles of western music. He has won several awards as a composer, and his works are regularly performed by several bands around the city, including the Composer's Collective Big Band, an 18 piece jazz orchestra in which he is a founding member, and guitarist. Erik is a graduate of the Humber College music program, with a bachelor of music.

scott penner - set + costume design

Selected theatre credits: Set and Costume design for Toronto Youth Theatre: City of Angels, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, A Musical Called Robin Hood, Fairy Tale Ending and Lucky Stiff, Set Design for Randolph Young Company: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Footloose and other set and costume design credits include: Kid Cosmic (Summerworks Festival), Dom Juan (Theatre Glendon), Savage/Love (Zeitgeist Theatre Collective), Absolution (Column 13 Actors Company), Death & the Maiden (Theatre @ York) and Design Assistant on Houdini (Segal Theatre Montreal). Scott has also worked in television building puppets for LOGO’s hit animated series “Rick and Steve: the happiest gay couple in the world” and in the UK building show pieces for Robert-Cary Williams’ A/W 2005 Runway Show Badlands for London Fashion Week. Scott is a graduate of York University’s Theatre Production & Design Program and the Royal Court Theatres prestigious Young Writers Programme.

emily c. porter - audio + visual design

Selected theatre credits: Various shows at Shaw Festival, Soulpepper, CanStage, the Summerworks Festival and she is in her second year of being resident sound designer of Randolph Young Company. Emily is excited to be a part of this collection of creative people producing interesting and thought-provoking works. Having recently launched her own Sound design and equipment services firm, Dual Audio Services, Emily’s focus is on providing technologically innovative equipment solutions coupled with superb engineering and design to all her projects whether it is the creation of soundscapes and effects or a full scale musical design and operation.
www.dualaudioservices.com

faye lynn rauw - dancer | choreographer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Choreographer for Infinitum (2011)

Hailing from Saskatchewan, Faye has been performing and choreographing for over 20 years. Her success has come from years of experience from working on cruiseships sailing around the world, training across Canada and down in NYC, to teaching master classes, college classes and judging dance competitions around the world.

Musical choreo: King David, Nunsense II, Little Women, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Chorus Line.

Original works: NBA, AHL, CFL, GRIEF: Another Common Bond, Red City, and now Infinitum.

TV/Movie and Live Performances: Chicago, Hairspray, Amelia, The Sixth Man, Monk, Roxanna, Dancing With The Hosts, Best Buy - Xmas 360 with Connect commercial and Rain with Helix Dance Project. She owns Fayez1 Productions which focuses on training for young dancers across Canada.

stephanie seaton - performer

For Cheshire Unicorn: Cast of Infinitum (2011)

Stephanie Seaton is a Toronto-based actor/dancer and a budding aerialist. Stephanie received her diploma from the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, and was the recipient of the Triple Threat Award in her graduating class. This past Fringe, while working on the original production of Infinitum, she also helped create and performed in Bloom--a physical-theatre adaptation of the collection of poetry Bloom by Michael Lista. Previously, she has graced the stage as one half of the star-crossed lovers in Romeo and Juliet (Classical Theatre Project). Other Credits Include: Macbeth (CTP), 60X60 Festival (Kinetic Elements), Mr. Baxter (The Quickening Theatre), Annie (T3 Productions), Grease (Focus Festival), Anton in Show Business (RAPA) and Cinderella (RAPA).

jordann zaza - musical director | conductor | accompanist | vocal coach

Selected theatre credits: West Side Story (Fallen Rock Productions), La Cage Aux Folles (Scarborough Music Theatre), The Wiz (Randolph Young Company), High School Musical (North American premiere at the Randolph Young Company), Grease (Escape Productions), Footloose (Paradox Productions and Randolph Academy Young Company) Kid Cosmic (Cheshire Unicorn).

Jordann has been working in Toronto for the past six years on musicals at the Randolph Academy, Toronto Fringe and Summerworks festivals, as well as various other theatres across the GTA and Ontario. She graduated from University of Toronto's Music Faculty and has participated in workshops/master classes in orchestral and choral conducting at the Royal Conservatory.
www.jordannzaza.com