Facilitated by Caitie Graham

Caitie is a dramaturg, playwright, and emerging screenwriter who is as excited about telling stories as she is about empowering others to do the same. Over her career as a dramaturg, Caitie has designed and facilitated several playwriting units for emerging artists, most notably at Tarragon Theatre (Young Playwrights Unit 2017-2020), and Driftwood Theatre Group, where she began as Company Dramaturg in 2020. Most recently, Caitie was the Assistant Dramaturg on Queen Goneril by Erin Shields at Soulpepper Theatre. She is the facilitator of the inaugural Northerners Creation Unit.

Will Chilton was born & raised in Moose Factory, Ontario. He’s been living in Vancouver, BC since 2015 and has been in various National and International Tv shows such as Arrow, Nancy Drew, TImeless, Jamestown all while continuing to take professional acting workshops, most notably graduating from Vancouver Film School’s Acting for Film & TV intensive program.

Maxwel Cull (he/him) is an emerging actor and theatre artist from Sudbury, Ontario. He is a 2023 graduate of the BFA in Acting program at the University of Ottawa. His recent credits include multiple roles in Howard Barker’s The Possibilities, and Andy-Spandy/Narrator in the TYA adaptation of Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep. He is making his YES Theatre debut in their upcoming production of Romeo & Juilet this summer. Maxwel is thrilled to return to his hometown and continue his work with the Northern Ontario arts community!

Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Colton Gobbo is now a Toronto-based actor, writer, director, and stunt performer/choreographer working in film, television, and theatre. His first production was at the age of 9, performing in YES Theatre’s HAIR. Colton is a recent graduate of the George Brown Theatre School, and can currently be seen at 8:30pm every Tuesday on CBC and CBC Gem as Mike Critch Jr. in Son of a Critch, as well as in the second season of Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia. @coltosaur on all social media.

Recent theatre credits include: Pedrolino (The Corsican Complaint, GBTS), Solyony (Three Sisters & Co., GBTS), John (A Brave New World [Workshop], Tarragon Theatre), Himself (Wonderfully Fantastic… [Wonderfully Fantastic and Compelling Stories Created, Directed, Performed, and Written (but not produced) by Three Gentlemen Who Live Together, Presented in a Well-Mannered Compilation / Bit Format, Including: The Ballad of the Three Salesmen, a Live Feline, and Other Miscellaneous Stories Based on Real Events, ON ICE], YES Theatre).

Recent film/T.V. credits include: Mike Critch Jr. (Son of a Critch), Jordan (Ginny & Georgia), Noah (The Desperate Hour), Rudy (MADD ‘The Wish), Kyle (Titans), Letterman (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark)

Actor, clown, director and community arts builder, France Huot is a bilingual artist and graduate of Laurentian University’s Arts d’expression program. As an actor, she has also worked closely with the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario on many productions such as Jack, written by Marie-Pierre Proulx, and Parmi les éclats written and directed by Miriam Cusson. In the fall of 2023, she participated in the production of Trois created by Mani Soleymanlou (Orange noyée, National Art Center). Written in collaboration with 40 francophone artists from across the country, the play toured in nine different cities in Canada.

France is also the co-founder of the collective Hoquet/Hiccup! with her artistic partner Jenny Hazelton which is dedicated to creating new theatrical works. Their kaleidoscopic approach to theatre-making draws upon many different forms such as clown, deadpan, shadow puppetry and physical theatre to develop new pieces. Their most recent creation, Barbe Bleue, was an installation shadow puppetry piece created during their artistic residency with the TNO. They are currently working on another piece titled Unravel.

France is also very active in the arts and culture sector in Sudbury and across the province. She hosts and organizes events, cultural mediation activities, workshops for schools and the community.

Ruthie Nkut is a proud Northern-Ontarian artist/ actor and Associate Artistic Director at YES/STC. Recent career highlights include Tapestry Opera/ Obsidian’s World Premiere of Of the Sea at the Bluma Appel Theatre, the English language premiere of April Fools at the Segal Centre and YES/STC’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Recent film credits include Shoresy, Purgatory Jack, Barbie. Ruthie is so excited about this investment in new Canadian theatre and this wonderful partnership with Pat the Dog.

April Perrin is an actor, choreographer and teacher based in Sudbury, Ontario. She began her professional training at St. Lawrence College in their musical theatre program and has recently earned her MA in Musical Theatre performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has been performing with STC & YES theatre for years with her most notable roles being “Tracy Turnbland” in Hairspray, “Rosie” in Mamma Mia & “Constance” in last year’s production of Ride The Cyclone. She’s an arts educator in Sudbury, working with students ranging from 8-18 in theatre training programs and she works as a choreographer and dance teacher at several studios in Sudbury. This is her 4th time working with the PlaySmelter festival and, as always, she can’t wait to see where this work will end up! Be sure to follow her on social media @aprilp777

Poetry Pet by Suzanne McCrae

May 11-13 @ 6-9PM
May 14 @1-2PM
Lobby – Sudbury Theatre Centre, 170 Shaughnessy St, Greater Sudbury, ON P3E 3E7

We are delighted to bring back an Audience Favourite from our 10^th anniversary PlaySmelter. Northern ON visual artist Suzanne McCrae will be on-site working an interactive sculpture. Poetry Puppy (in process above) not resides at Art Gallery of Sudbury.

From the artist:  My images, words and poetry will be collaged into the creation of a papier mâché animal to represent this creature my ongoing exploration of the human-animal relationship. The structure of the sculpture will be on-site through the Festival May 11-14. I will be collaging it at the Festival and providing an interactive audience moment by inviting the audience to create poetry which will then be glued to become part of the sculpture.

SUZANNE MCCRAE: I am a Northern Ontario visual artist primarily working in papier mâché sculpture, paint media and some poetry. My sculptures are life-like and life-size and the main focus of my work is animals, both domestic and wild and their relationship to humans. I am currently concentrating on the relationship between man and dog and have been doing it during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Latitude 46 Publishing

May 12 + May 13
6-9PM | Lobby
Sudbury Theatre Centre, 170 Shaughnessy St, Greater Sudbury, ON P3E 3E7

We are super happy to host Heather Campbell and the good folks of Latitude 46 at PlaySmelter 2023 with a table of new Northern ON literature. Come view the newest titles and other great works you might have missed! Latitude46publishing.com

LE BAGUETTE MAGIQUE

May 12 + May 13
6-9PM | Lobby
Sudbury Theatre Centre, 170 Shaughnessy St, Greater Sudbury, ON P3E 3E7

We love supporting and hosting local business! La Baguette Magique will be on-site with their tempting array of delicious fresh baked goods. All their products are handmade and are available on a by-order basis, as well as at the Sudbury Farmers Market. Grab a delicacy (or two!) to munch on during the show. labaguettemagique.ca

Garrett M. Ryan is a Canadian theatre maker hailing from Northeastern Ontario. His works have been produced in Canada, the United States, and Singapore. His pieces There was a Great Big Moose and Pigeon! were both published in 2018 by Off The Wall Plays and Samuel French respectively. Through his company Bird On Stage Productions he has created several award winning productions featured in several Fringe Festivals, notably The Inevitable Frankie Green, winning Artist’s Pick at Island Fringe in Charlottetown and Outstanding Production at On The Edge Fringe (North Bay).

Megan Byrne is thrilled to be reading for the role of Eva in Garrett Ryan’s The Inevitable Frankie Green. Her passion for theatre began at a young age and has continued to grow ever since. Growing up she was involved in several productions with Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre, TOROS, Summer Challenge, and Widdifield’s The Company. Most recently she took part in 2022 On the Edge Fringe Student Artist Program in Oops: A Nuclear Fallout, winning Best Original Work. Megan appear in the upcoming film, Everything’s Going to Be Great.

Matthew Cava-Ferraro (he/him) is a Toronto based theater artist, martial artist, performer, and gamer having just finished his final year of performance creation specializing in Devised Theater at York University. He is absolutely thrilled to be a part of The Inevitable Frankie Green! With a seemingly endless backlog of shows, movies, and games he loves to see new stories come to life! Matthew has always had a fascination with stories and the emotions and conversations they leave the audience with. As a relatively new artist Matthew hopes that his work will leave an emotional impression on those who come see it, as well as having some fun in the process! His previous performances include Checkpoint (2021), and Gory Details (2023) in York University’s Devised Theater Festival. Pigeon Play (2020) Red Rover (2021), Burgertory (2021), and The Birdgeoisie (2022) in York University’s Playground Festival. Descent (2021), Murth Island (2021), and Death of Daisies (2021) in the 5290 festival. The Inevitable Frankie Green (2022) in the Island Fringe Festival. Matthew is excited he gets to return to the world of Frankie, and cannot wait for you all to see the show!

Robert Leitner is a Jewish American actor, currently residing in Toronto. He was born and raised in Miami, Florida, before moving to Canada in 2014. Robert has always understood the necessity for storytelling, and hopes that through performance he can share the importance with everyone else as well.

Robert has spent many years working on multiple Fringe shows. Most recently, Robert worked on and toured across Canada, visiting both Northern Ontario and Prince Edward Island to portray the titular character of Frankie Green in Garrett M. Ryan’s award winning original new play, “The Inevitable Frankie Green”. The show received multiple awards across the tour, bringing home the “IFF Patrons Pick of the Fringe”and the “IFF Artists Pick of the Fringe” at the Island Fringe Festival. As well, winning the “Outstanding Production” award at the On The Edge Fringe Festival. Robert will be continuing touring the show this upcoming summer and can’t wait to get back started on it. As well, Robert just finished his time at York University’s Acting Conservatory, and is ready to jump head first into the professional world.

Robert is very thankful for this opportunity to do a staged reading of “The Inevitable Frankie Green”. Enjoy the journey.

Matthew Heiti- Playwright

Born in a meteor crater, Matthew is a writer, teacher and theatre creator living and loving in North Ontario. He is a graduate of Ryerson University’s Acting program and has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of New Brunswick.

His plays have been workshopped across Canada and produced at various festivals and theatres. Black Dog: 4 vs. the wrld, is published by Playwrights Canada Press. He is also a Genie-nominated screenwriter and his novel, The City Still Breathing, is published by Coach House Books.

A proud advocate for developing voices in neglected landscapes, Matthew has served as Playwright-in-residence with the Sudbury Theatre Centre and Pat the Dog Theatre Creation. With Lisa O’Connell, he is the co-director of PlaySmelter, Northern Ontario’s first festival of new theatre creation.

He explores new work in strange places at crestfallentheatre.com. In his spare time, he is usually working.

Lara Bradley – Playwright

Lara Bradley writes plays, thanks to the support of Pat the Dog and the wicked dramaturgy of Lisa O’Connell and Matthew Heiti. She has also collaborated with the talented Cait Hepner, Cora Eckert, and Rick Duthie (with Matt pulling it all together) on the recently produced #TheWatertower at the Sudbury Theatre Centre. A former Sudbury Star reporter, Lara’s day job is now in communications. She lives with her family – Peter, Sebastian and Quinn– in a little log cabin in Sudbury and is grateful for their encouragement and support. Blind Nickel Pig is about storytelling and inspired by sisters: her own sister Kari, her grandmother and great auntie, Loretta and Aileen, and two teenage sisters who broke out of the Sudbury Jail in the early 1900s (who may have been called Annie and Frannie).

Eli Chilton

I work and live in Moose Factory Ontario with my family. I was born and raised here in the James Bay area and lived here most of my life. I have worked here at our local radio station, CJFI 107.1 The Island Youth Radio since 2013, as a radio DJ and producer. Along with my radio duties, I also work at the youth center as a youth worker, helping with events and daily duties of the center. I have been an amateur writer most of my life, writing plays, screenplays, poetry, and short stories. In regard to my poetry, I have had two poems published in the Poetry Institute of Canada’s publication in 2010 and 2011. I also had a live reading with Pat The Dog Theatre at their festival Playsmelter in 2017. Living in the far north, I have been an outdoorsman in some capacity my whole life. Hunting and fishing with my family throughout my life, but also, hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing around the area of Moose Factory and Moosonee.

Will Chilton was born & raised in Moose Factory, Ontario. He’s been living in Vancouver, BC since 2015 and has been in various National and International Tv shows such as Arrow, Nancy Drew, TImeless, Jamestown all while continuing to take professional acting workshops, most notably graduating from Vancouver Film School’s Acting for Film & TV intensive program.

Jonathan Fisher is Bear Clan and Anishnabe from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He has been acting professionally for the past thirty years. Selected credits include: “Almighty Voice & His Wife” (Native Earth Performing Arts). “Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing” (Red Roots Theatre). “fareWel” (Prairie Theatre Exchange). “A Trickster’s Tale” (Theatre Direct). “New France” (VideoCabaret). “Raven Stole the Sun” (Red Sky Performance). “Copper Thunderbird” (National Arts Centre). “Stretching Hide” (Theatre Projects Manitoba). “Tales of an Urban Indian” (Talk Is Free Theatre). “400 Kilometers” (Lighthouse Theatre). “Medicine Boy” (Anishnabe Theatre Performance). “Night” (Human Cargo). “The Hours That Remain” (Magnus Theatre). “Elle” (Theatre Passe Muiraille). “The Berlin Blues” and “Ipperwash” (Blyth Festival). “Reckoning” (Article 11). “Home Is A Beautiful Word” (SUM Theatre). “Weaving Reconciliation: Our Way” (Vancouver Moving Theatre Company). “This Is How We Got Here” (Native Earth/Shaw Festival) and “The Mush Hole” (Kaha:wi Dance Theatre).

Gregory Tremblay has worked in theatre and film for over 25 years as a cinematographer, editor, actor
and writer. He is an Educational Assistant for the RDSB and teaches Film Studies at Cambrian College.

Raised in Copper Cliff, playwright Karen Thistle’s work has appeared at Sudbury Theatre Centre Playwrights Junction and Northern Ontario’s PlaySmelter Festival. She is a founding member of Inklings (Playwrights and Screenwriters), Sudbury Writers Guild. In her time away from writing, Karen is a Producer with Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, and has enjoyed working with public libraries, hat making, rug hooking and more. She lives in Sudbury with her partner Peter, and pirate fish Eli.

Alessandro Costantini is the co-founder and Artistic Director of YES Theatre and the Sudbury Theatre Centre. His work has brought him to stages across North America, most recently in the National Tour of the Tony Award winning best musical, Dear Evan Hansen. He has been recognized for his work with a Dora nomination (Featured Performance in a Musical – Dear Evan Hansen/Mirvish Productions), a META nomination (Best Leading Performance – Prom Queen/Segal Centre), as well as nominations from the Ontario Arts Council for the John Hirsch Directors Award, the K.M Hunter Award, the Pauline McGibbon Award and the prestigious Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize. Alessandro is a graduate of the George Brown School and a recipient of the 2018 Mayor’s Arts Award.

ake Deeth was born and raised in Sudbury. A George Brown Theatre School graduate, Jake has worked with YES Theatre since their production of RENT (2011). Into The Woods will be Jake’s 20th production with YES. Notable theatre credits include Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar, Edna in Hairspray, Harry in Mamma Mia, Drew in Bed and Breakfast, Misha in Ride The Cyclone, costume designer for Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia, Violet, and director of James and the Giant Peach (YES Theatre), Semyon in The Suicide (George Brown Theatre School), and Mephistopheles in Faust (Theatre by the Bay). Jake is proud to be a YES Theatre resident artist and the STC Venue Coordinator. (@jakemackenziedeeth)

Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Colton Gobbo is now a Toronto-based actor, writer, director, and stunt performer/choreographer working in film, television, and theatre. His first production was at the age of 9, performing in YES Theatre’s HAIR. Colton is a recent graduate of the George Brown Theatre School, and can currently be seen at 8:30pm every Tuesday on CBC and CBC Gem as Mike Critch Jr. in Son of a Critch, as well as in the second season of Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia. @coltosaur on all social media.

Recent theatre credits include: Pedrolino (The Corsican Complaint, GBTS), Solyony (Three Sisters & Co., GBTS), John (A Brave New World [Workshop], Tarragon Theatre), Himself (Wonderfully Fantastic… [Wonderfully Fantastic and Compelling Stories Created, Directed, Performed, and Written (but not produced) by Three Gentlemen Who Live Together, Presented in a Well-Mannered Compilation / Bit Format, Including: The Ballad of the Three Salesmen, a Live Feline, and Other Miscellaneous Stories Based on Real Events, ON ICE], YES Theatre).

Recent film/T.V. credits include: Mike Critch Jr. (Son of a Critch), Jordan (Ginny & Georgia), Noah (The Desperate Hour), Rudy (MADD ‘The Wish), Kyle (Titans), Letterman (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark)

A graduate of Laurentian University’s late French Theatre and Political Science programs, Alex Tétreault (he/him) is a francophone artist, freelance communicator, and queer community activist born and raised in N’Swakamok (Sudbury).

A wannabe writer, sometimes actor, and occasional clown, Alex has worked professionally within the francophone community since 2017. His writing credits include the Franco-Ontarian message for World Theatre Day 2023, several projects for the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario (TNO), and regular contributions on Radio-Canada’s local afternoon radio show, Jonction 11-17.

Devoted to his community, Alex has worked with many local organizations and non-profits, including Fierté Sudbury Pride which he chaired from 2019 to 2021. He currently serves as President of Théâtre Action, an arts service organization catering to Ontario’s francophone theatre community.

To follow Alex’s work (or just to see pictures of his cat, Mush), you can visit his website (www.alextetreault.ca) or follow him on social media.

Garrett Carr has been involved in theatre for well over half their life at this point. Currently their theatrical practice consists of writing plays about the queer experience or advocating for the elimination of stigma against mental illness, as well as performing in drag (Stacy Woods) fairly regularly. Outside of theatre Garrett is an activist for the local Queer Community.

Maxwel Cull (he/him) is an emerging actor and theatre artist from Sudbury, Ontario. He is a 2023 graduate of the BFA in Acting program at the University of Ottawa. His recent credits include multiple roles in Howard Barker’s The Possibilities, and Andy-Spandy/Narrator in the TYA adaptation of Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep. He is making his YES Theatre debut in their upcoming production of Romeo & Juilet this summer. Maxwel is thrilled to return to his hometown and continue his work with the Northern Ontario arts community!

Based in Northern Ontario, Joël Giroux is a graduate of the now-defunct French Theatre program at Laurentian University. He’s thankful to have trained there in theatre performance with Miriam Cusson and Alain Doom, as well as the craft of Clown with John Turner. Recent stage credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in Concert (STC, 2023) and Little Skidoo (CKLU Productions, 2022).

Actor, clown, director and community arts builder, France Huot is a bilingual artist and graduate of Laurentian University’s Arts d’expression program. As an actor, she has also worked closely with the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario on many productions such as Jack, written by Marie-Pierre Proulx, and Parmi les éclats written and directed by Miriam Cusson. In the fall of 2023, she participated in the production of Trois created by Mani Soleymanlou (Orange noyée, National Art Center). Written in collaboration with 40 francophone artists from across the country, the play toured in nine different cities in Canada.

France is also the co-founder of the collective Hoquet/Hiccup! with her artistic partner Jenny Hazelton which is dedicated to creating new theatrical works. Their kaleidoscopic approach to theatre-making draws upon many different forms such as clown, deadpan, shadow puppetry and physical theatre to develop new pieces. Their most recent creation, Barbe Bleue, was an installation shadow puppetry piece created during their artistic residency with the TNO. They are currently working on another piece titled Unravel.

France is also very active in the arts and culture sector in Sudbury and across the province. She hosts and organizes events, cultural mediation activities, workshops for schools and the community.

Cassandra Rene is excited to be back at the PlaySmelter Festival! She has performed on the stage in such performances as; There’s a Mouse In My House as Dinah, Mother and Mother Mouse (Sudbury Theatre Center, 2015), Blind Nickel Pig as Mrs. Dorland and Frannie Flyberry (Pat The Dog/ PlaySmelter, 2017), Macbeth as Lady Macduff (Thorneloe University. 2018) and What Remains? as Caretaker/others (PlaySmelter, 2022). She is ecstatic to be back on the stage with the festival and be able to work with so many talented professionals. A special shout out to Max, for always supporting the things she does and being her number 1 fan!