The Jungle Book

CAST & CREW

Kit Benz – Tabaqui/Garuda Puppet/Ensemble

Kit Benz is a clown, puppeteer, and physical theatre artist based in Moh'kins'tsis on Treaty 7 Territory. They are a graduate of the drama program at Bishop’s University as well as the Professional Training Program at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. They also spent several glorious summers training in Pochinko clown at the Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance. Past work includes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (ATP), Iniskim: Return of the Buffalo (Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry), Yabber: A Junk Musical (Mudfoot Theatre), and All I Want for Christmas (Lunchbox Theatre).



Lauren Brady – Rama/Ensemble

Lauren is thrilled to be making her debut on the Martha Cohen Stage in The Jungle Book! Lauren is a multidisciplinary artist born in Calgary, Alberta, on Treaty 7 territory. In 2021 she received her BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta and entered the Alberta arts community. Lauren is currently training with Denise Clark through One Yellow Rabbit’s, Beautiful Young Artists program. Credits include: She Sat Down and Wept (BYA ensemble, One Yellow Rabbit), The Comedy of Errors (Theatre Calgary/Shakespeare on the Go), Imperfect Symmetry (Jupiter Theatre), Dracula (Studio Theatre). In addition to acting, Lauren is a clown and contemporary dance artist. In 2021 Lauren received a Canada Council Grant to pursue clown training with John Turner, Karen Hines, and Michael Kennard (The team of Mump & Smoot). Lauren has made various works in festivals across Canada, including; Vancouver FORM Festival, The Nextfest Festival, Fluid Festival, and The Common Clown festival. Lauren would like to thank her friends, family, and mentors for their endless support! @Lauren_brady_



Veenesh Dubois – Raksha/Kaa/Preema/Ensemble

Veenesh Dubois is a Fijian-born Canadian actress working professionally in theatre in Japan, Hong Kong, Seoul, South Korea, L.A. and Canada. She's a Jessie Richardson Best Supporting Actress nominee for the 2019 Bard On The Beach production of All's Well That Ends Well. Other credits include - A Midsummer Night's Dream (Japan), Othello (Japan), Jukebox Paradise (Japan), and A Christmas Carol (Hong Kong) Code 2024 (Hong Kong). In 2009, Veenesh wrote/starred in Vancouver Fringe Festival's winner "Under The Mango Tree" touring it all over Canada, L.A. and Japan to rave reviews. Away from the stage, Veenesh has appeared in numerous international commercials and T.V series and has created a podcast called the "Reluctant Expat" where she interviews people living the same life as herself. When not on stage, Veenesh travels between Vancouver, London - England and Fiji where she's remodelling her home in Vanua Levu with her husband Ray.



Duval Lang – Sher Khan/Rudy/Ensemble

Duval has been very active in the dynamic growth of the Calgary and Alberta theatre community for the past 45 years. He was a co-founder and Artistic Director of Quest Theatre, a prominent Canadian theatre for young audience company for 25 of those years. He was last seen “on the ice” at ATP coaching new Canadians how to curl in the The New Canadian Curling Club. Other memorable ATP credits include directing the holiday play Treasure Island and performing as Edward in You Will Remember Me, which garnered him a Betty Mitchell Award, and doubling as Hitler and Walt Disney in The Blue Light. He is a co-founder of Black Radish Theatre and played Pozzo in their inaugural production of Waiting for Godot. Earlier this year he was featured as Martin in Clem Martini’s new play Cantata and recognized with another Betty Mitchell Award. Duval is also a recipient of the prestigious Harry and Martha Cohen Award for significant and long-term contribution to theatre in Calgary.



Javelin Laurénce – Bagheera/Ensemble

Javelin Laurénce is a nonbinary actor, writer, and fight artist born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. When they aren’t busy on stage or in front of a camera, they can be found in the kitchen tending to their homemade kombucha, or in the garden learning how to be a good plant parent. Their most recent theatre appearances were in The Merry Wives of Windsor (Theatre Calgary’s Shakespeare on the Go) as the salacious Falstaff, and as Doula in Imperfect Symmetry (Jupiter Theatre). Film credits include roles in Wynonna Earp, Death Rattle, and Ride. Javelin would like to thank Kaycie, Clove, and Juniper, for being just the best and most supportive little gay family.



Risha Nanda - Mowgli/Ensemble

Risha is a graduate from the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts and has worked professionally for ten years in Toronto, Vancouver, and London, UK. Recent credits: The Orchard (Arts Club), Victim Impact (Theatre Conspiracy), Men in White (Arts Club), Skin (Magnus Theatre), Peacemaker (Magnus Theatre), Anne and Gilbert (Goya Theatre), Silenced (Red Sandcastle Theatre), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (The Lower Ossington Theatre), Hair (Randolph Theatre), Giovanna D'Arco (Carnegie Hall), Film/TV: Incorporated (Syfy/UCP), Ransom (CBS/ TF1), Out of Time (Flying Monkey Films), Undercover Holiday (Hallmark).



Kristen Padayas – Akela/Priya/Others

Kristen (She/Her) is a South Asian/Portuguese actor/producer currently residing on Treaty 7 territory also known as Calgary, Alberta. She is a graduate of Grant MacEwan College’s Theatre Arts Program and the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting Program. Most recent acting credits include: The Scarlet Letter (Theatre Calgary), The Wedding Party (Alberta Theatre Projects), Sherlock Holmes & the Raven’s Curse, Murder in the Studio (Vertigo Theatre), The Strid (Downstage Theatre), A Fit, Happy Life, A Grand Time in the Rapids (Teatro la Quindicina), Barvinok (Pyretic Productions). She is an Associate Producer with Chromatic Theatre and a Co-Artistic Producer with Impossible Mongoose. This year she is a part of Chromatic Theatre’s Playwrights’ Unit as a producer and is also writing her first play as part of the Unit! Kristen thanks her husband Dan for all his love and support.



Shrina Patel – Toomai/Geeta/Ensemble/Dance Choreography/Dance Captain

Shrina Patel is the Artistic Director of Shaktiflow and a multidisciplinary artist residing in Amiskwacîwâskahikan Edmonton, Alberta. As a Dance Choreograpoher and Actor, Shrina’s work is based on story-telling with a focus on socio-cultural and gender inequality. For over two decades, she has collaborated with many local artists and organizations within and surrounding Treaty 6, to provoke conversations that challenge the traditional social norms. In 2019, she produced and directed her first show entitled Sacred Spaces at the Arden Theatre; a symphonic synthesization of dance and theatre to showcase the somatic responses encased in a trauma informed body, while also illustrating resilience. Her signature choreography is showcased in works with Citadel Theatre, Alberta Musical Theatre Company, and Alberta Theatre Projects. Shrina’s choreography at its core, holds conversations of activism and healing, which they lovingly refer to as Artivism. Shrina actively spends time teaching at Shaktiflow and creating mindful inclusive spaces for and with BIPOC artists.



Madeline Sharryse – Big Garuda/Aerial Artist/Ensemble

Born and raised in Calgary, Madeline grew up in the world of gymnastics, travelling around Alberta to her mother’s various gym clubs across the province. Madeline began coaching recreational gymnastics at 12 years old, and when her workplace incorporated aerial circus, she was hooked. With 6 years of experience in aerial circus, Madeline hopes to perform and teach worldwide, sharing her passion of artistic expression through physical performance.



Mara Teare – Mowgli/Ensemble

Mara Teare is an emerging actor, singer, writer, and creator. Raised in Saskatoon, Mara has recently made Calgary one of her many Canadian homes, and she is so excited to make her Calgary debut with ATP. She is a recent graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s acting program. Through her art and work, Mara strives to create and be a part of spaces with a strong presence of marginalized voices. Just as theatre has given her a voice, she wishes to inspire and uplift others like her through the power of theatre. Some of her selected credits include Crypthand (Gale Force Theatre); Cymbeline, An Online Reading of The Tempest (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan); bonus points if you have air conditioning, Everybody, Indecent (National Theatre School); Young Ones (SUM Theatre). She hopes you enjoy the show!



Marshall Vielle – Bhaloo/Ensemble

Marshall is an Actor, Director, Arts Educator, and Drag Performer from the Kainai Nation. They are a graduate from the University of Lethbridge where they received their Bachelors of Fine Arts, specializing in Theatre Performance and are especially interested in using theatre for community development. They work as an advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the performance sector and beyond, while also lending their creativity to several queer youth initiatives. Marshall is the recipient of the 2018 Theatre Calgary Stephen Hair Emerging Actor Award. Select acting credits include: The House of Bernarda Alba (Sage Theatre), A Christmas Carol (2019, 2020, 2021), The Two Gentleman of Verona (Shakespeare by the Bow), Blow Wind, High Water (Theatre Calgary), Christmas Carol: A Drag Story (Blue Jeans Theatre), Where the Two-Spirit Lives (Azimuth Theatre, Intrepid Theatre, The Cultch/Urban Ink, Theatre Outré). Napi and the Rock (Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra), Istotsi, Kaahsinoniks (Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society), We Are All Treaty People (Quest Theatre).



Rohit Chokhani - Director, Playwright

Rohit Chokhani is excited to have his ATP (Alberta Theatre Projects) directorial debut with The Jungle Book. He is also the Artistic & Executive Director at ATP. Rohit was awarded the prestigious Vancouver NOW Representation and Inclusion Award in 2018. He is also the recipient of the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award in the Large Theatre Category for Significant Artistic Achievement (2017) and the recipient of the Shiamak Vancouver Community Award (by Bollywood star/choreographer Shiamak Davar) in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of Entertainment and Theatre Arts (2017). His directorial work has spanned numerous leading Canadian institutions such as Bard on the Beach, Firehall Arts Centre, Evergreen Cultural Centre, b current performing arts, TheatreOne, Vancouver Fringe Festival and Theatre Calgary. Chokhani, who is the 2020 Finalist for Crow Theatre’s RBC Rising Star Director Prize, is the co-creator / co-director of All’s Well That Ends Well which received four Jessie Richardson Theatre Award nominations including the Critics’ Choice Innovation Award nomination in 2019. Chokhani’s reimagination of Anosh Irani’s Bombay Black was picked as one of the top 20 shows on Vancouver stages in 2017 and won the Pick of the Fringe Award at the Vancouver Fringe Festival. He will be reimagining and directing Bombay Black again for ATP in 2023. Rohit grew up in Bombay (Mumbai), home to Bollywood, the centre of the Indian subcontinent’s vibrant performing arts industry. He speaks four different languages and comes from the Maratha & Marwari lineage of India, which is historically rooted in oral traditions and art forms. Rohit is highly passionate about making performing arts equitable and sustainable by providing representation for the unrepresented. Photo by Adam Thibert Photography.



Andrew G. Cooper – Associate Director, Puppet Designer

Andrew G. Cooper is a theatre director, playwright, puppet enthusiast. They are incredibly excited to be working at Alberta Theatre Projects for the first time and playing in the jungle so many amazing and talented artists! Andrew is passionate about the creation of Canadian theatre and loves telling stories through the languages of dance, puppetry, mask, circus arts, and stage combat. Some of Andrew’s favourite directing credits include Epoque (Cirque Nuit), Mockus (Jupiter Theatre), The Robber Bridegroom (Chimera Theatre), and The Three Munschketeers (Project X Theatre). They are a recipient of the Kamloops Mayor’s Emerging Artist Award and a lover of animals and astronomy. You can catch Andrew’s work as a puppeteer right now on Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock on Apple TV+! Next, Andrew will be directing his adaptation of Frankenstein with Jupiter Theatre in spring 2023. Much love to his amazing and supportive partner Mehgan, who’s is always there for him and puts up with all his monkeying around. www.andrewgcooper.com



Brianna Johnston – Fight Director

Brianna is thrilled to be back at ATP! An actor and Fight Director, she has had the pleasure of working all across Alberta. Favourite fight credits include Murder on the Orient Express (Vertigo Theatre), The Canadian Badlands Passion Play (The Badlands Amp), All I Want for Christmas (Lunchbox Theatre, Betty Mitchell nomination), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Alberta Theatre Projects), GIANT (Ghost River Theatre, Betty Mitchell nomination), A Dinner Party (Bad Knaps Collective), Peter Pan (CYPT), Zorro: Family Code (Assistant Fight Director, ATP), and Wait Until Dark (Assistant Fight Director, Vertigo Theatre). Favourite acting credits include The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Alberta Theatre Projects), The Tempest, The Three Musketeers (The Shakespeare Company), The Crucible (Theatre Calgary), The Money Shot (Ground Zero Theatre, Betty Mitchell nomination), The Bone House (Apparition Theatre). Watch for her upcoming Fight Direction in The Extractionist (Vertigo Theatre), Richard III (The Shakespeare Company), and Teenage Dick (ATP). Thanks and love to Logan and all her family and friends for all their immense support.



Brian Dudkiewicz – Set & Props Design

Brian is an award-winning designer based in Toronto, and is thrilled to be working at ATP. Recent credits include Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Theatre Calgary), Jukebox Hero (Jubilee Auditorium, Mirvish), Dixon Road (Musical Stage Company), Sound of Music, Kinky Boots, Rocky, Newsies, Billy Bishop (Drayton Entertainment), April Fools, Indecent, Bad Jews, Million Dollar Quartet (Segal Center), Titanic (The Grand), The Last Five Years (Neptune Theatre), Never Not Once (Theatre Aquarius), The Great Divide (Harold Green), Jersey Boys (Thousand Islands Playhouse), and dozens of shows Off-Broadway and across The United States. Brian holds an MFA in Set Design from the Yale School of Drama and a BSc in Architecture from McGill University. @briandud1 www.briandudkiewicz.com



Jessie Paynter – Lighting Design

Jessie is a technical director, production manager and lighting designer, who works in both theatre and dance. Credits include Extremophiles (Downstage), Ride (Lunchbox Theatre) Goosebumps the Musical, Matilda the Musical (Storybook Theatre) Wolf on the Ringstrasse (Spirit Fire Theatre) This Little Piggie (C.A.M.P.) She also does lighting design at secondary schools and enjoys teaching lighting to students alongside working on productions with them. As well as being a familiar face around most theatres in Calgary, Jessie has also worked in a technical capacity for companies coast to coast.



Deitra Kalyn – Costume Design

Deitra is delighted to be back working with ATP. She divides her time as a costume designer in both theatre and TV/film. She is an award-winning designer who holds a degree from ACAD and has been designing costumes for various theatre, dance, films and commercial companies for nearly two decades. In addition to ATP, her involvement as a costume designer has allowed her to play with some of the best people in the industry including projects at Vertigo, Theatre Calgary, Shakespeare Company, Decidedly Jazz, 4K film, Netflix & HBO to name a few. Enjoy the show and sending love to my band of boys at home. Xo



Richard Feren – Sound Design

Richard has been creating music and soundscapes for theatre, dance & film since 1992. He has won seven Dora Awards, the 1999 Pauline McGibbon Award, and was the first sound designer ever shortlisted for the Siminovitch Prize, in 2012. Recent credits: Grand Ghosts, Every Brilliant Thing, The Wars, Silence (The Grand Theatre, London); Frankenstein (Kidoons/Wyrd Productions); Hamlet (Stratford Festival); The Cold War (VideoCabaret); Public Enemy, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure For Measure (Canadian Stage); Every Brilliant Thing, Perfect Wedding, Miss Caledonia (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Going, Going (short film by Fiona Highet); Carmen (feature film score); The Flick (Outside the March/Crow’s Theatre). Upcoming: Controlled Damage (The Grand Theatre); Climate Change & Other Small Talk (audio drama series, Why Not Theatre).



Brendan Briceland – Video Design

Brendan is beyond thrilled to be joining ATP in his first production here. Brendan has been involved in the theatre / digital media creation world in various capacities over the years. From performing on cruise ships and the Toronto area, receiving his diploma in Visual Effects to most recently acting as the Head of Projection at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, he is very excited to bringing his talents to ATP. Thank you Mark for always being my guiding light. www.brendanbriceland.com Instagram: @bsquaredcreative



Ryan Cormack – Associate Set & Props Design

Ryan is a graduate of the Dan School of Drama and Music at Queen’s University and later studied set and costume design at The National Theatre School of Canada. Design credits include: Yaga (Touchstone), A Shakesperience (Bard on The Beach), Mr. Burns (DSDM) If/Then, Bring it On! (QMT), Christina The Girl King (5th Co). As assistant: Done/Undone, Romeo & Juliet (Bard on The Beach ), Kinky Boots (Arts Club), Actually (Harold Green/Obsidian).



Kate Pallesen – Stage Manager

Kate Pallesen has been active in theatres and live events across Alberta since graduating in Theatre Production from the University of Lethbridge in 2017. While she primarily works in Calgary in stage management, Kate has also worked as a Sound Designer with Haven Theatre in multiple Edmonton Fringe Festival productions, a Show Caller with Reel Canada, and most recently, an Associate Producer for Pochsy IV at Play The Fool Festival. Earlier this year, Kate crossed provincial boundaries as the Stage Manager for the show bliss: the birthday party play (Verb Theatre), touring to Victoria’s Uno Fest and to Ottawa’s National Arts Centre. For ATP: Debut. Elsewhere: La Traviata, La Bohème, Christmas at the Opera (Calgary Opera) Se Pa Ra Ti Sm (Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre), Ghost Opera (Old Trout Puppet Workshop/Calgary Opera), The Thin Man, The Drowning Girls (Vertigo Theatre). You can catch Kate next in January at Ghost River Theatre on STRUCK. She would like to thank her family, friends, and fiancé Derek for all of their love and support.



Kai Hall – Assistant Stage Manager

Kai Hall is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist based in Mohkinstsis, who explores expression through many mediums, including lighting design, performing, and, of course, stage management. As a stage manager, he enjoys supporting the creation and growth of new works, and forming safe spaces for creativity to flourish. Recent apprentice stage manager works include In Wonderland (Alberta Theatre Projects), All I Want For Christmas, and Shark Bite (Lunchbox Theatre), and they have stage managed shows such as “Ghost” Return to Mourning (Independent), Our Canada, Our Story (Action Dignity and Arts Commons), and Kaahsinnoniks (Making Treaty 7). Kai is excited to be an assistant stage manager on Jungle Book, and is so grateful to be sharing this story with you



Eden Middleton – Apprentice Stage Manager

Eden Middleton is an emerging theatre artist from Mohkinstsis who graduated from the University of Calgary with a BFA Drama and a BA (Honours) in English. Their studies centered on dramaturgy, writing, research-creation and stage management. Their stage management credits include Formations, The Tao of The World, Jawbone, and The Merchant of Venice (University of Calgary). Other recent work includes creative producing at World Stage Design, the Fluid Festival, and ND Student Theatre; writing a verbatim piece titled Hoping You Are Well for the Alchemy Festival, and working as dramaturg on Meg Braem's new work Formations. In their artistic practice, Eden centers a dramaturgy of dialectics, curiosity, and compassion with special attention to new work, queer work, and work about mental illness. They are thrilled and grateful to enter into professional theatre on a show as vibrant and joyful as The Jungle Book.