— ABOUT THE PROJECT

Roots of Creation is a free theatre creation and performance program that will be offered to Black, Nova Scotian youth in the Dartmouth, Cole Harbour and Preston areas. It will provide classes in dance, acting, costume design, music composition, playwriting and more: delivered through a collaborative, accessible lens with a focus on decolonization. All classes will be taught by Black artists from or with strong connections to those communities, providing lessons in these specific art practices but also about how the art can connect to everyday life and traditional studies.

— BIOGRAPHY

Riel Reddicks-Stevens (Acting, 2022) is an actor, multidisciplinary artist and educator from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. She comes from a musical theatre background and, in addition to being an NTS grad, is also a graduate of Randolph college. Throughout her training, she has had the opportunity to work with some incredible artists who have helped shape who she is as an artist today: Ray Hogg, Brian Dooley, Jani Lauzon, Jeannie Wyse, Louisa Burgess-Corbett, Kieran Macmillan, Marla MacLean, Jonathan Patterson and Alisa Palmer, to name a few. Select theatre credits include Nothing Less! and Dream by Fire (Two Planks and A Passion Theatre), Electra (Calling up Justice/ WTFringe), The Wiz (Broadway in the HOOD). Riel’s primary training is in acting and musical theatre performance with dance training in tap, ballet, jazz, and African dance. She is also a trained singer with a focus on musical theatre and jazz styles. In addition to acting, Riel is a composer and songwriter. She participated in the Musical Stage Company’s 2021 Noteworthy program and is an inaugural winner of the Rita Joe Award (Highland Arts company) for her musical LAYUP, co-written by Aaron Jan. Some of her music can be heard in Camille Thomas’ upcoming production, Parent Plus Loan (Dixon Place), on all streaming platforms under “Riel DonnaJoy” or on her website: rielreddick-stevens.com Riel is interested in making theatre and art more accessible for individuals and communities that have historically been left out of the arts. She enjoys telling and creating stories rooted in Blackness and Queerness with a focus on identity, sexuality, activism and coming of age. Riel is extremely grateful for all of the opportunities her training has granted her so far and is excited to see where they take her next!