INTO THE WOODS
In our first company production, we presented a concert version of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, which took place live in Toronto June 2nd-June 11th, 2023. We believe this piece about navigating identity, finding self-love, learning and healing from the mistakes of our parents, balancing independence and interdependence (among many others) should be made more accessible to the trans, non-binary and queer community by exploring the themes of the show through these lenses and life experiences. In our concert-style performance, we brought light to the importance of representation while creating a safe space for our community members and artists to create freely.
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GoFundMe Campaign CLICK HERE!
Contributing to this campaign will allow us to:
We will also be hosting events to create community connections and fun opportunities for us to reach our financial goals. Keep an eye out for these future events!
Suggested Donation Tiers:
The Cow as White as Milk | $1 - $24
The Cape as Red as Blood | $25 - $59
The Hair as Yellow as Corn | $60 - $99
The Slipper as Pure as Gold | $100 or More
All contributions will be thanked in the show program regardless of donation tier.
Thank you so much for supporting Dead Name Theatre and this production. Please help spread the word by posting about us, signing up for the company newsletter, donating to the campaign or sending our website to a trans and/or non-binary friend.
- Pay for our rehearsal hall
- Pay our artists and creatives the rate they deserve
- Share this production with a wider audience
- Grow our company and envision future projects, community spaces and collaborations
We will also be hosting events to create community connections and fun opportunities for us to reach our financial goals. Keep an eye out for these future events!
Suggested Donation Tiers:
The Cow as White as Milk | $1 - $24
The Cape as Red as Blood | $25 - $59
The Hair as Yellow as Corn | $60 - $99
The Slipper as Pure as Gold | $100 or More
All contributions will be thanked in the show program regardless of donation tier.
Thank you so much for supporting Dead Name Theatre and this production. Please help spread the word by posting about us, signing up for the company newsletter, donating to the campaign or sending our website to a trans and/or non-binary friend.
Cast Members
Sai Lian Macikunas (The Baker) is a disabled queer Chinese Malaysian-Lithuanian performer-playwright and multidisciplinary artist with prior training from the University of Toronto, fu-GEN Theatre and Nightwood Theatre. As a gay trans man, his interest in Into the Woods began with a high school production, and ever since he has been pondering its queer subtext. It is a dream for him to explore those themes, and although he has been performing in musicals for the past 11 years, this marks his first leading role. His non-art hobbies include gaming, baking, and owning a hyperactive cat. He hopes you enjoy the show!
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Raeff Fontaine (The Baker's Wife) is an electric, captivating, and unapologetically Queer Performer overflowing with charisma. Unafraid to reimagine conventions of the established, Raeff brings a duality to their artistry, combining a vintage sound and aesthetic with current takes on narratives, self-love, and gender expression. Raeff is inspired by all the queer art that made them the person they are today, and they will be a vibrant member of the next wave of artists to continue telling stories of queer beauty and brilliance for the beautiful and brilliant queers.
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Brett Seivwright (The Witch/Cinderella’s Mother/Granny) is a Montreal-born performer whose life-long dream is to curse an infant at their christening while the whole kingdom looks on helplessly. He remains euphoric about playing the Witch alongside this host of ferocious queer talent, and lives in perpetual dread of inevitably being fired for harbouring too many frogs in his coat pocket. He would like to thank Dead Name for inviting him to the party. When he isn’t humming vacantly at the wall or telling the broom in his kitchen to “giddyup,” he works as a professional psychic and Tarot reader. Yes, he accepts tips.
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joey o’dael (Narrator/Mysterious Man/Wolf) is an obnoxious but loveable award winning multi-hyphenate originally from “Why Are You Even This Far North?!,” Manitoba. They have had the honour to do a buncha cool junk including: being published in the Canadian Theatre Review, co-creating experimental art stuffs like MusicalWheres (The Musical Stage Company), and NASTY (Maelstrom Art Collective), and being Harolded (House of Don McKellar.) When not performing, directing, or producing, joey can be found painting their face, being silly on the internet, and eating popcorn.
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Arya Tavakoli (He/She/They) (Cinderella/Rapunzel) is a queer, non-binary emerging actor, and musician of Iranian descent. As an artist, they find themselves constantly moved by the transformative power of storytelling, recognizing its profound ability to educate, inspire, and ignite change within our societies. Arya is incredibly excited to embrace roles that had once seemed out of reach for someone of their background and identity and is eager to bring their passion and personal life experience into the role. Through their portrayal, they aspire to challenge conventional notions and offer audiences a refreshing perspective on the traditional archetype of a fairytale princess.
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Elena “Elm” Reyes (he/they) (Jack/Cinderella’s Prince/Florinda) is a queer, Latinx, AuDHD performer, arts administrator, and spoonie. Elm was born and raised in London, Ontario (Treaty 6 territory) now residing in Tkarón:to, and graduate of the University of Windsor BFA Acting program. They are alumni to the Nightwood Innovators Program (Nightwood Theatre), Emerging Artist Roundtable (Theatre Gargantua), TENT (Toronto Fringe), and Taking on The World (Soulpepper Theatre). Recent theatre performance credits include: Sweeney Todd (Talk is Free), Trojan Girls and The Outhouse of Atreus (Factory Theatre, Outside The March).
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Rachelle Bradley (Little Red Ridinghood/Rapunzel’s Prince/Lucinda) is a Toronto based costume designer and actor. Some of their favourite past acting roles include Martha in Heathers: In Concert (We Are Here Productions), Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show (The LOT), Christmas Eve in Avenue Q (The LOT), Mrs. Brill in Marry Poppins (The LOT). Favourite wardrobe credits include Handel's The Resurrection (Opera Atelier), Mouse On the Move! (T.Y.T. Theatre), Wake Up Brother Bear (T.Y.T Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (The LOT), Mary Poppins (The LOT), Peter and the Starcatcher (Randolph College for the Performing Arts).
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Carly Anna Billings (she/her) (Jack’s Mother/Cinderella’s Stepmother) is a queer fat femme second-generation Italian-Canadian and Ojibwe emerging theatre-maker, podcaster and storyteller born, bred and based in her favourite city, Hamilton, ON, which is the traditional lands of her people the Mississaugas of the Credit. In 2022 she premiered her critically acclaimed solo show Meat(less) Loaf at the Hamilton Fringe and her company Afterlife Theatre’s newest work Uninvited Guests is currently in development. Carly is beyond excited to go to the wood and get back to her musical roots in this unique and beautifully queer environment. Grateful for it all! www.carlyannabilings.com
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Production Team Members
PRODUCER and DIRECTOR
Lee Stone (they/them) is a queer, trans and non-binary, multidisciplinary theatre practitioner with a focus in directing, collective creation and producing. Their inspiration as a director has always been about engaging with stories and voices of and for social change through the lens of feminism. They consider their audience to be those whose voices have been historically and systemically silenced and oppressed due to their gender identity, gender presentation/expression, sexuality and assigned sex. They are a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and have worked in live performance since 2007 as a Director, Performer, Fight/Intimacy Choreographer and Stage Manager in Honolulu, Los Angeles and Toronto. In 2019 they were brought on as an Assistant Director for the Stratford Festival’s Michael Langham Directors’ Workshop Presentation (DWP) under the supervision of Martha Henry and Bonnie Green. Lee has also been an active member of the North American Taiko Community or Japanese drumming ensemble since 2014. They currently work as a Patron Services Associate for Theatre Passe Muraille and are this year's Director for Young People's Theatre, Junior Ensemble. Selected Directorial Credits: Richard II (AD - Stratford Festival’s Langham DWP, 2019); Hamlet (AD & Lead Script Editor - Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, 2016); Othello (AD & Fight Choreographer - Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, 2015); The Vagina Monologues (Director - Joyful Heart Foundation, 2012).
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PRODUCER
Lizzie Song (she/they/ze) is a first-generation Taiwanese-Indigenous, queer, multi-disciplinary performer, creator and administrator based in Tkaronto. Whether performing onstage or working creatively behind the scenes, Lizzie is passionate about breaking down barriers in the arts industry for marginalized and under/mis-represented folks. She is extremely proud to be apart of the Dead Name Theatre team, co-producing Into the Woods, bringing new light and safe space to queer, trans and non-binary artists. Lizzie is also directing the Playhouse Collective's second production, Ride the Cyclone, and is currently working as the Program Coordinator and Administrator in the Music and Arts department at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Lizzie is a graduate of the MA Musical Theatre program at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and of Randolph College for the Performing Arts. She is also a proud member and creator of the sketch comedy group, Potato Potato Presents. @lizziesong_ |
PRODUCER
Katherine Teed-Arthur (she/her) is a queer mad theatre artist. After beginning her career in New York, her Canadian debut, Joan / Jehanne, premiered as a digital exclusive at Hamilton Fringe in 2021. Previous design work include Ride The Cyclone! (The Playhouse Collective), All The Times I Did Not See Potsdam (Plaxall Gallery), Roberto Zucco (The New School. She is also an alumni of the 2022-23 cohort of Nightwood Innovators, where she helped plan Fempocalypse 2023 at Buddies In Bad Times. When she is not working, Katherine is usually singing show tunes, writing about vampires, and playing with her two cats. kteedarthur.com |
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR and DRAMATURGE
Max Cameron Fearon (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, Mad, and multiply-disabled artist. They’re interested in interdisciplinary and collaborative storytelling, and in exploring relationships with ourselves, others, and larger power structures. Max recently interned in Artistic Directing with SummerWorks, training in programming, curation, and artistic leadership under the mentorship of Laura Nanni. Currently, they’re co-creating How the Wolf Says Goodnight (with collaborator River Oliveira), a multi-media piece on queer interpersonal relationship dynamics through the lens of folktales, psychoeducational performance lecture, and sound collages. Furthermore, Max is committed to supporting artistic development and to amplifying emerging and underrepresented artists. They support new play development with Write from the Hip (Nightwood Theatre); connect youth on the margins with professional artistic mentorships (Project: Humanity); and facilitate intergenerational creation processes, in-person and online (Mixed Company Theatre & Sparkin’ Art). In recognition of their efforts to increase the visibility of and opportunities for 2SLGBTQ+ youth, Max was nominated for “Youth of the Year” at the 2020-2021 INSPIRE Awards. Max is studying Arts & Entertainment Design at X University and holds a BA Hons. from the University of Toronto. They’ve trained with Nightwood, Volcano Theatre, TENT, Theatre Gargantua, and the Cyborg Circus Project. Contact Max at mcfearon.com. |
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT SOUND DESIGNER
Alex “Cloud” Cameron (she/her) is a performer and sound designer/musician, excited to join Into the Woods as assistant sound designer and assistant director. A grateful alumni of training programs such as Nightwood Innovators, TENT, and Paprika Festival, she is really excited and interested by new play development, indie collectives, uplifting and connecting fellow emerging artists, and anything that pushes boundaries and crosses disciplines. Credits as a performer include Lunchmates (ACTRA Diversity), Beginning the Middle With the End (UTM EDSS), The Addams Family Musical (UTM Musical Theatre Club), Gay Mean Girls, and her solo-ish show Dreams (Toronto Fringe 2022), which she also directed and sound designed. Sound design credits include House of Whale (Toronto Fringe 2023), On Which We Stand (Black Theatre Workshop), BOOM! (Paprika Festival), and Wheel of the Year Walks (b current, associate artist). She is excited to work with this talented, upcoming cast and crew, and help bridge the gaps between the worlds of performance, creation, and music!! Follow her original musical adventures at cloudj.bandcamp.com - first album dropped in December, babe! |
STAGE MANAGER
Ella Martindale (she/they) has been involved in community theatre throughout their life, and has enjoyed singing, acting, and backstage roles. Outside of the arts, she is a graduate student who studies land-based education. She is so excited to be working with such an amazing company, team, and cast on this production! |
ASSISTANT MUSICAL DIRECTOR, PIANIST
Tallan Alexander (they/them) is a musician and mental health advocate living in Toronto. They recently played the Cheshire Cat and accompanied on piano in the musical NeverWonder which debuted at the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival. Last summer they completed their level 9 piano exam at the Royal Conservatory of Music and are working towards level 10. Tallan works at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in a variety of capacities and has reached many people on TikTok with mental health and musical messaging. |
SOUND DESIGNER and ENGINEER
Heidi Chan (all pronouns) composes, performs, and designs music and sound for theatre and dance. Heidi plays bamboo flutes, percussion, synthesizers, and occasionally baritone ukulele. Select theatre credits: Titus Andronicus 2.0, Macbeth (Tang Shu-Wing Studio–Hong Kong); Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe–UK); Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Sagacollectif/Architect Theatre/Passe Muraille); Wing Night at the Boot, Team on the Hill, Café Daughter (Blyth Festival), Joan/Jehanne (Friendly Bear/Hamilton Fringe), The Tempest (Company of Fools), Trojan Girls and the Outhouse of Atreus (Outside the March/Factory), Waterfall (Theatre Gargantua), Anahita’s Republic (Bustle & Beast), A Number (That Arts Group), No Save Points (Outside the March). |
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Rach Schaen (she/he/they) is a lighting designer and artist based in Toronto. Recent lighting design projects include The First Stone @ GCTC (dir. Yvette Nolan), This Lip-Sync I’ll Lament Until I’m Born Again (Social Growl, dir./choreo Riley Sims), Festival designer for the 2023 Rhubarb Festival (dir. Clayton Lee), and assistant lighting designer to Bonnie Beecher on The Man That Got Away (dir. Peter Hinton). Rachel’s artistic interests include non-traditional light sources, experimental film, and lighting queer raves and nightlife. In addition to their design practice, Rachel currently works as a house technician at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. |
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION (EDI) CONSULTANT
Kamini (They/Them) is an artist, text coach, community organizer and social theorist. They work at the Creative Destruction Lab, Network Operations as Project Manager - Technology Instructor on enterprise level software development projects. As a freelance multimodal equity consultant and facilitator, they specialize in business process optimization within frameworks of harm reduction, anti-oppression and degrowth economics. Kamini has worked with organizations in the Tkaronto area including Means of Production, X University, Canadian Stage and UNITY Charity. Their work focuses on language, narrative and the power of people in creating more just and equitable societies. www.kmkequity.com |
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