by William Missouri Downs

November 10-21, 2010

Melissa Battey-Pratt - HANNAH

For TEATRON: BLUISH.  Raised in Kingston, Ontario, Melissa has performed ballet at the Kingston Grand Theatre, starred in several plays including THE WIZARD OF OZ as the Wicked Witch of the West and more recently was featured in Canon Corporate sales films promoting their new product line and services.  Melissa has also been a model in several fashion shows including the FANTASY FASHION SHOW at Gallery 1313 in Toronto.  When Melissa is not on stage, she is a full time Marketing & Communications Specialist for Imbrium Systems, an Environmental Engineering firm in Toronto.

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  Ron Boyd – FRANKLYN 

For TEATRON: THE DYBBUK and BLUISH. Ron has starred in several successful productions for the Holy Blossom Temple Stagecraft Company, among them THE PRICE, I'M NOT RAPPAPORT, EINSTEIN'S GIFT, GOD OF VENGEANCE, and BROOKLYN BOY. He has also performed with Juno award-winning children's performers Judy and David in productions of GOLDIROCKS, PIGMANIA, RED'S IN THE HOOD, and BEANSTOCK. Ron recently guest starred on an episode of CTV's CORNER GAS, and can be seen on the web on the award-winning web series STAR TREK: PHASE II.

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  Veronika Brylinska  - ALISON

TEATRON début. Veronika is a theatre student at York University. Last year she starred in her first Toronto based production, Daniel MacIvor's NEVER SWIM ALONE / THIS IS A PLAY (Vanier College Productions). Other credits include HAMLET, WAIT WAIT BO BAIT, WANTED: ONE GROOM, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, FARM SHOW and many more.

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  Glenna Förster – Costume design

 For TEATRON: BLUISH. Glenna has worked with ICEBREAKER, PHILMS PICTURES, GEORDIE productions, REPERCUSION theatre, VICE, TEATRO COMUNQUE and CANADA’S WONDERLAND.  She studied costume design at College LaSalle in Montreal and is thrilled to once again be a part of the TEATRON theatre team.

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Tanja Grinberg – Assistant to the director

Tanja is a filmmaker with an interest in theatre. She received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Media Production from Hochschule Darmstadt and Cork Institute of Technology in 2009 and finished her first feature documentary film,  Jew.de.ru – THE JEWISH CONTINGENT REFUGEES, in the summer of 2010. In April 2010 Tanja’s short film PERMANENT TRANSIENT was screened at the Image Festival. Tanja has previously worked as a director’s assistant for a major German television series and is currently pursuing her MFA degree in Documentary Media from Ryerson University.

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  Alicia Ho - LIGHTING DESIGNER

For TEATRON: BLUISH. Alicia is a graduate from Queen’s University and she has been working actively as a Lighting Designer and Technician on various productions across the country including Banff, Montreal, Prince Edward County and Toronto.  A few of her recent design credits include BENU at Theatre la Chapelle, musicals, operas, and film and concerts.  Her past experiences also include being a translator and Assistant Stage Manager for REDSKY'S TONO, a Dora-award winning dance piece that was featured in the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics and at the Shanghai Expo 2010.

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  Richard Hoffman - BEN

TEATRON début. Richard’s passion to act began with a grade four production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. His performance as the Mad Hatter was a sign of things to come. He has had many years of “acting” as a lawyer in his day job, including television appearances as a panellist on CP24’s HOT PROPERTIES in the role of lawyer.

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  Renee Levine – SOUND DESIGNER

Renee is a New York based sound designer who has sound designed numerous shows for the University of New York at New Paltz including AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN, BABES IN ARMS and the world premier of RED MASQUERADE. She has also worked as a sound operator and technician for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and Park Playhouse.

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  Catalina Melo – ASSITANENT STAGE MANEGER

Catalina received a Bachelor of Arts in Music with emphasis in Flute performance in 2010, from La Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, in Colombia. Catalina has a deep interest in the performing arts and in the cultural non profit organizations, and she is studying Non Profit and Volunteer Sector Management at Ryerson University. Catalina is currently involved with SHAKESPEARIENCE PERFORMING ARTS.

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  Bianca Raso – STAGE MANAGER

Bianca is an alumna of the School of Music at the University of South Carolina hailing from Toronto, Canada.  She last appeared on the stage as Crissy in Trustus Theatre’s summer 2010 production of HAIR.  Stage management credits include Opera at USC’s productions of LE NOZZE DI FIGARO and THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.  Other onstage credits with the company include Emily Webb in OUR TOWN as well as the First Spirit in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE and Lucy Brown in The THREEPENNY OPERA.  She has also appeared on Workshop Theater's stage as Golde in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and Miss Dorothy Brown in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.

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  Jada Rifkin - MARTHA

Jada is thrilled to be making her TEATRON Theatre début. A recent graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, Jada has trained extensively as an actor, singer, and dancer. Selected theatre credits include MY FAVORITE YEAR, DOCTOR FAUSTUS, THE ASH GIRL, GUYS AND DOLLS, THE MUSIC MAN, VILLAGE OF IDIOTS and 7 STORIES. Upcoming: A CHORUS LINE, A HAMBURGER IN A PITA.

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  Alesia Volchyk – MAKE UP.

Alesia is a former fashion and beauty writer for several Ukrainian magazines, immigrated to Canada in 2006 where she continued as a journalist for Ukrainian-Canadian and Russian-Canadian newspapers, and as an editor-in-chief for the “Russian TV Guide” magazine. Alesia worked as a make-up artist for Rogers TV (Day Time Toronto and Reel to Real programs), for photographer Sara Thomsom. Now she works for Shoppers Drug Mart as a Beauty Boutique Expert. 

Ari Weisberg - DIRECTOR / PRODUCER

Ari’s directorship and design credits include EDMOND, THE MELVILLE BOYS, THE AFFECTIONS OF MAY, MURDER AMONG FRIENDS, THIS NIGHT, THE CHOSEN, THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG, HOME OF THE BRAVE, THE TENTH MAN, THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO, THE GOD OF ISAAC, CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FATHER, CHAIM’S LOVE SONG. A GLIMPSE OF THE LIGHT, THE DYBBUK and BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS. Ari is the founder and artistic director of TEATRON Toronto Jewish Theatre. He worked for 18 years as a director and a producer for television in Kingston, Ontario. Later he was able to come back to his first love, live theatre.  

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