Meet some of the Class of 2020
Ahmed ASSAF - BA Drama Major
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Ahmed is excited to graduate from his Bachelor of Arts program at the university. Ahmed has lived in Calgary for most of his life but spent three years in Scotland due to familial commitments. He is currently in Edmonton, attending the University of Alberta for his fourth year, pursuing a double major in drama and economics. "I would like to thank the judges for picking me, and my parents who I love, I love you Houston." Credits include: University of Alberta: Loveplay, Ellie and Tom, Never Swim Alone, NSFW, Ministers of Grace, Bent, The Goat or Who is Sylvia. IGNITE! Festival 2016: Defined. Crescent Heights High School: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Defined, Boys Girls and Animals, I Never Saw Another Butterfly.
Anita DIAZ - BFA Theatre Design
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Anita is a St. Albert-based designer who is passionate about the creation of space through design. She is currently in her graduating year in the BFA Theatre Design Program and is set to graduate in June 2020. Some of her recent credits include Lighting Designer for Rig Pig Fantasia (Wishbone Theatre: Summer 2018), Lighting Designer for Eurydice (Bleviss Laboratory Theatre: Fall 2018), Assistant Set Designer for On The Verge (Studio Theatre Fall 2018), Set Designer/Props Designer Red Wood (New Works Festival Winter 2019). Anita is currently working as the Set Designer/Props Designer for the upcoming production Changes of Heart (Bleviss Laboratory Theatre: Fall 2019). She is looking forward to future opportunities to design elements of theatre production and visual arts. Anita is excited to be entering the work field with the passion and creativity she brings to her everyday life, contact her via email anitajdiaz@gmail.com or on Instagram @neet.designs for more information on this designer.
Michael JP JENKINS - BA Drama Honours
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Michael JP Jenkins (various aliases) is a vagabond, performance artist and butoh-ka from the Vancouver area, where he trained as an actor at Douglas College. He came to Edmonton to study theatre and performance theory. His research in eco-theology and the post-anthropocence involves butoh as a vehicle for nonhuman transformation, and creating performance and intervention aimed at biophilic empathy.
He/they is/are grateful for the push, and honoured for the play.
Travel wide, stay wild, and serve your spirit.
Krystal JOHNSON - BFA Stage Management
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Krystal is in her fourth and final year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Production Stage Management program. She has previously completed a BA(Drama)/BEd(Secondary) Degree with a minor in English. Krystal decided to return to university to pursue her passion for stage management. Recent credits include The Birthday Party (SM, 2018) and Middletown (ASM, 2019). Krystal has apprentice stage managed for the Freewill Shakespeare Festival on The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Winter's Tale (2019). She also worked on two Fringe Theatre Festival shows this summer, Queen Lear is Dead (SM, 2019) and For One Night Only (SM, 2019). This year Krystal is excited to stage manage Shakespeare's Dog, assistant stage manage Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., and apprentice with the Edmonton Opera on Candide. Krystal would like to thank her family, classmates, and professors for supporting her throughout her time at the University of Alberta.
Drew LEKIC - BFA Technical Theatre Production
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Drew is currently in his graduating year of the BFA Technical Theatre program at the University of Alberta, specializing in Tech Production. He has been involved in the performing arts from a young age, and has experience both as a performer, musician, and as a technician. Originally from Cochrane, AB, Drew has had the opportunity to perform as a member of the Calgary Stampede Showband, and continues to work with the band during Stampede Week to ensure their performances go smoothly. Here at the UofA, he has had the opportunity to further develop his skills as a technician, and take on a variety of production roles, including the roles of Head Lighting Technician for Studio Theatre's Richard III (Oct. 2019), Assistant Technical Director for Middletown (Apr. 2019), and Technical Director for the upcoming production of Iphigenia 2.0 (Dec. 2019) in the Bleviss Laboratory Theatre. With his background in music, Drew has also discovered his love for audio design, having been the Sound Designer on Eurydice (Oct. 2018), Head of Audio on Studio Theatre's All For Love (Feb. 2019), and Sound Designer for Shakespeare's Dog which will be playing in the Timms Centre for the Arts this upcoming February (2019).
Hanna Loh - BFA Stage Management
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Hanna is in her fourth and final year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production with a specialty in Stage Management at the University of Alberta. Her recent credits include Mythic Family Jewels (SM, Thousand Faces Festival 2019), A String of Mythic Pearls (ASM, Thousand Faces Festival 2019), All for Love (ASM, Studio Theatre 2019), and Loveplay (SM, ABBEDAM 2018). This Studio season she is ecstatic to be working with fellow emerging artists where she will be Assistant Stage Managing Richard III, Assistant Technical Directing Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., and Stage Managing Chrysothemis. She would like to thank her family, professors, and classmates who have supported her throughout her time at the university.
Ben OSGOOD - BA Drama Honours
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Ben is currently in his 5th year BA Drama Honours with a history minor. He has been all around the Drama Department in his time, from being President of ABBEDAM, Artistic and Executive Director of The New Works Festival and an Executive of Off-The-Cuff Cabaret. This year he is working as the Assistant Director for ABBEDAM and is directing a play at the New Works Festival. He has cultivated his passion and knowledge of theatre during his time in the BA and is excited to finish up Honours Thesis this year and continue his learning outside of school.
Brayden SAUNDERS - BFA Stage Management
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Brayden is in his final year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Production specializing in Stage Management. Previous credits in and around the university include: A Winter's Tale, Two Gentlemen of Verona (Sound Assistant - Freewill Players 2019), Hamlet (Sound Assistant - Freewill Players 2018), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Stage Manager - Second Playing Space), Eurydice (Stage Manager - Bleviss Laboratory Theatre). This season Brayden is sound Designing both Changes of Heart and Iphigenia 2.0 as well as Assistant Stage Manager on Don Juan Comes Back from the War.
A special thanks to all other members in his year and the professors for making these years memorable and an extremely valuable experience.
Joe SEMENOFF - BA Drama Major
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Joe is an Alberta based Freelance Artist, having worked as an actor, playwright, producer, director, vocal coach and production manager. This June he will be graduating from the U of A with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama (major) and Film Studies (minor). Previous U of A theatre credits include: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Actor, Vocal Coach), Ellie and Tom (Sound Designer), Disappearance of Jordan Blackburn (Actor), The Time Merchant (Actor), The Hand of Donald (Director). He has worked with various theatre and film companies including: Calgary Opera, Theatre Calgary, Birnton Theatricals/Stage West for Kids, Polyscope Productions, T-Series, and Goodger-Pink Family Theatre. He is a graduate of the Mount Royal University Theatre Performance Program and has trained with Company of Rogues Actor's Studio and Fight Directors Canada (having received his Intermediate Actor Combatant).
Stacy VANDEN DOOL - BFA Stage Management
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Born and raised in Lethbridge, Stacy moved to Edmonton and is now in her 4th and final year of the BFA Stage Management program, having transferred after her first year in BA drama. This year she will have the opportunity to work on Studio Theatre's Richard III and Chysothemis. On her time off you will likely find her reading about the latest superhero news. Stacy would like to thank John Raymond for giving her an amazing opportunity in this program, as well as all the other professors for their dedication, and the classmates who helped along the way.