— ABOUT THE PROJECT

”This project aims to establish a free, week-long Theatre Bootcamp for Youth in Gatineau, Québec. With the support of Artishow, I was able to gather submissions from passionate teenagers whose families do not have the financial means to provide them with extensive theatre training.”

”The workshop had a profound impact on the community. The teens were incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and so were their parents. At the end of the presentation, many parents expressed their heartfelt thanks, sharing how meaningful this week had been not only for their children but also for them. It brought them immense relief to be able to offer their kids an experience like this, and seeing their reactions during the presentation truly filled my heart with joy. I know that these young artists will cherish the time they spent together, and that this experience has deepened their curiosity and passion for the arts.”

– Danik McAfee, creator of the project

— BIOGRAPHY

As a recent graduate of the National Theatre School’s Directing Program, Danik McAfee (Directing, 2024) has observed the growing impact of inflation on families, often forcing them to sacrifice extracurricular activities like the performing arts. For Danik, theatre was a crucial space for self-expression, confidence-building, and community, particularly as a queer youth. Aware of how fortunate he was to have access to such opportunities, Danik is dedicated to offering similar experiences to youth who may not have the financial means to engage in the arts.

— ABOUT THE PROJECT

This project offers a 40-hour workshop exploring Contemporary Shadow Theatre, where participants will experiment with shadow techniques, learn to craft puppets and silhouettes, and create their own reflectors using simple materials.  

The workshop will culminate in a free public presentation of scenes or a scene created by the participants, providing an opportunity for the local community to experience this unique art form and witness the creative process. The event serves as both a celebration of the participants’ creativity and a cultural contribution to the community.  

Open to both beginners and experienced artists, the workshop encourages creativity, collaboration, and skill development in an inclusive and accessible environment. Participants will gain hands-on experience, regardless of prior knowledge of theatre.  

Led by João Veloso, a multidisciplinary artist with expertise in puppetry, shadow puppets, and community-driven projects, this workshop aims to make theatre and storytelling accessible, blending traditional methods with contemporary techniques. 

— BIOGRAPHY

Joao Veloso (Production Design and Technical Arts, 2026)

— ABOUT THE PROJECT

After the death of Engineer Abimbola Issachar Bakare in Toronto, three cousins are charged with a quest – to return his body back to their homeland, Nigeria where he might rest in peace with his ancestors. All three cousins are gripped by loss, a companion so powerful it may as well be a character. As they wrestle with cumulative losses, they are forced to prepare to reclaim a place that is half remembered, and which has taken on mythical proportions in their memory.

— BIOGRAPHY

Magda Uculmana-Falcon (a.k.a. isi bhakhomen) (Acting, 2021) is a PERUVIAN and NIGERIAN playwright, actor and director based in Tkaronto, Treaty 13 Territory. Through storytelling they aim to build worlds that give black children permission to breathe, to release, and to heal.

During their time at NTS, they had the opportunity to work with incredible artists such Jojo Rideout and Brian Dooley (Voice and Text), Martha Burns (Intro to the Actor’s Process), Rose Plotek and Anne-Marie MacDonald (Solo Project), Julain Molnar (Solo Song), Anita Nittoly and David Chinchilla (Stage Combat), Brenda Bazinet (Canadian Scene Study), Willow White (Theatre History), Tim Welham and Danielle Irvine (Shakespeare), Floydd Ricketts (Head of Music), Andrew Kushnir (Bonus Points If You Have Air Conditioning) and ahdri zhina mandiela (Devised Theatre Creation).

In addition, they would like to acknowledge their mentor, Lisa Karen Cox. Without them, this accomplishment, graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada, would not have been possible.

“Holding yourself above others will not work for long, holding your arms open will support you.”

― Suzan-Lori Parks, Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference, Los Angeles, 2010

— ABOUT THE PROJECT

A creation by Gillian Clark (Playwriting, 2020)
An Imago Theatre and Keep Good (Theatre) Company Collaboration

Be carried away in a story that is for the hopeful and the hopeless. Part fairy tale, part gritty-real-life story, Adventures invites us to the roots of the Mother Tree in this time of collective grief, to witness PJ and Wendy on the edge of a life-altering moment. This story poses the question: am I a good enough person to bring a child into this big, sad and beautiful world?

— BIOGRAPHY

Gillian Clark (Playwriting, 2020) is a multidisciplinary theatre creator and the artistic co-director of Keep Good (Theatre) Company. She resides in Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal, with a large part of her heart in K’jipuktuk/Halifax.

Her plays include: Let’s Try This Standing, (solo piece and winner of Outstanding Performance at the 2016 Summerworks Performance Festival, Now Magazine), The Ruins (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre), Harmony Mall (Runner-Up for the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s 2019 RBC Emerging Playwright Award), and Drums and Organs (commissioned by Dalhousie University for their 2018 graduating acting class). Upcoming projects include The Game for the New Words Festival and Adventures with Keep Good (Theatre) Company.

Gillian’s work fuses text, spontaneity, and interdisciplinary practices to create experiences that juxtapose intimacy with large-scale theatrical moments. Gillian values collaboration, innovation, and joyful rigour. Recent collaborators are: Christian Barry, Sarah Elkashef, Erin Shields, Anthony Black, and Ann-Marie Kerr.

— ABOUT THE PROJECT

Do you remember what it was to be eighteen? What about, when you were thirteen, and who you thought you’d be when you turned eighteen? When you could understand that the world was restless, and you felt invincible, and powerless, in the same breath.

Puppy teeth is a two-hander centering on queer age gap relationships and child loss, following ADAM and STEVEN, star crossed and half faded, destined by a pack of India to meet once again. While difficult to call the play a love story, at its core, it serves as a love letter to rural Newfoundland.

The play is heavily influenced by movement, blending text and physicality. In a 2023 workshop funded by ArtsNL and Untellable Movement Theatre’s Movement Theatre Incubator, Carter explored how movement could enhance the text. Working with movement dramaturg Lynn Panting, they discovered how movement shaped the narrative, adding new layers to the story. This experience highlighted the importance of movement, which Carter plans to further develop in a workshop in the summer of 2025.

The 2025 workshop will focus on expanding the movement vocabulary and further exploring the text. Carter is excited to continue working with director Sharon King-Campbell and Lynn Panting. The three-week workshop will include preparation, rehearsals, and culminate in documenting the movement created, and through the TEC grant, continued conversations of queer authenticity in rural environments.

— BIOGRAPHY

Owen Carter (they/them) (Acting, 2026) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist, born and raised across the East Coast.

Prior to coming to train at the National Theatre School of Canada, they worked professionally as an actor in both classical text and musical theatre with many theatre companies across Newfoundland including Terra Bruce Productions, Stephenville Theatre Festival, Untellable Movement Theatre, Resource Centre for the Arts, and three seasons with Perchance Theatre.

Throughout their training, they have been challenged with a multitude of complex roles allowing them to expand on their range as an actor, from Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Victor in Yerma. They have also had the privilege of learning from Gregory Doran, Marla McLean, Graeme Somerville, Brad Cook, Tawiah M’Carthy and Thomas Morgan Jones.

Their first play, puppy teeth.’ which revolves around age gap relationships and child loss in rural Newfoundland, is currently in development with support from ArtsNL, the National Theatre School’s Theatre Engaging Communities grant, and Untellable Movement Theatre. Through Untellable Movement Theatre, parts of the Puppy teeth. script have been adapted into an upcoming virtual reality movement piece.

They are excited to get back into the world, freshly armed with new skills from their time at NTS and driven by an incurable love for theatre.

“The readiness is all”