Sedina Fiati - Toronto based performer, producer, director, creator and activist for stage and screen. Proudly Black and queer, Sedina is deeply invested in artistic work that explores the intersection between art and activism, either in form or structure or ideally both. Sedina holds a BFA in Music Theatre from the University of Windsor. Favourite and recent artistic projects: Peace Camp (Children’s Peace Theatre, director),  Every Day She Rose (Nightwood Theatre, co-director), Switch: The Village (collective member, QTBIPOC street performance, Buddies in Bad Times 2018 & 2019), Feminist Fuck It Festival (multidisciplinary festival, co-creator and co-producer), Tokens (performer, web series). Upcoming projects: Switching Queen(s) (devised street performance), Last Dance (a web series). Sedina is also a Principal with BIPOC Executive Search, working on equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives.

 

Autumn Coppaway - Autumn is the Technical Director for Vancouver Opera. Her past credits include Technical Director for Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century Program;  Assistant Technical Director for the Canadian Opera Company; Production Manager for Against the Grain Theatre; Production Director for Carousel Players; Director of Production for Production Agency (now Bespoke AV) and Assistant Technical Director for the Grand Theatre in London. Autumn also spent 8 years as a rigging, lighting, and video technician for a variety of companies across the country. Autumn is a member of the Opera America and Opera Europa Technical Production Committees and has recently been elected to the CITT / ICTS  Board. She continues to work as a leadership mentor and indigenous advocate  through a variety of cultural and community projects.

 

Rachel Forbes - Rachel is an award-winning set and costume designer creating for theatre, dance, opera and film. Her work has been seen across the country on stages big and small including the Shaw Festival, Buddies in Bad Times, Obsidian Theatre, Neptune Theatre, Centaur Theatre and many more. She has designed and mentored at educational institutions such as Ryerson University and UTSC. Rachel is particularly interested in the development of new works and interdisciplinary explorations. She is invested in exploring the artistic expressions of the African diaspora in North America and beyond. Much of her work has focused on creating worlds for these stories on stage. Samples of her work can be seen at rachelforbesdesign.com.

 

Shanna Miller (She/Her) - Shanna is currently the Technical Director at Young People’s Theatre in Toronto. Shanna has worked with many theatre and dance with companies.  Credits include Stria (ChartierDanse); Svadba – Wedding (Queen of Puddings Music Theatre); Agokwe (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre); Spin by Evalyn Perry (Outspoke Productions); Penny Plain, Billy Twinkle; Requiem for a Golden Boy and 10 Days on Earth, Provenance (Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes); A Craigslist Cantata – 2014 Alberta Tour (Acting Up Stage Company);  I Send You This Cadmium Red - 2014 (Art of Time Ensemble); Kaeja d’Dance 25th Anniversary Concert (Kaeja d’Dance); Rocking Horse Winner – 2016 (Tapestry Opera); Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan in Wonderland (Ross Petty Productions).  Shanna is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada Technical Program.