Colleen Murphy was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, and raised in Northern Ontario. She is a two-time recipient of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, and the Carol Bolt Award for Outstanding Play, for Pig Girl in 2016, and The December Man / L’homme de décembre in 2007. Other plays include The Society For The Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius (winner of six Jessie Richardson Awards including Outstanding Production, and three Elizabeth Sterling Awards including Outstanding Production), The Breathing Hole (shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, U.S., and the Carol Bolt Award), I Hope My Heart Burns First, Armstrong’s War, The Goodnight Bird, The Piper and Beating Heart Cadaver (shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama). Libretti include Fantasma, with composer Ian Cusson, for the Canadian Opera Company, Oksana G., with composer Aaron Gervais, for Tapestry Opera, and My Mouth On Your Heart, with composer August Murphy-King, for Toy Piano Composers and Bicycle Opera. Colleen is also an award-winning filmmaker and her distinct films have played in festivals around the world.

She has been Playwright-in-Residence at Finborough Theatre in London UK; Necessary Angel Theatre and Factory Theatre in Toronto, and at the University of Regina. She’s been the Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer-in-Residence at McMaster University; Writer-in-Residence at the University of Guelph; Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence at Wilfrid Laurier University; Lee Playwright-in-Residence at the University of Alberta; Writer-in-Residence at the University of New Brunswick, and most recently, Writer-in-Residence at Green College, University of British Columbia. Colleen is a member of the Order of Canada.

Bradley is honoured to be directing the world premiere of Jupiter by Colleen Murphy and to be working with such a talented team, and a beautiful dog. Bradley is an MFA graduate in directing from the University of Alberta. He joined Theatre Network in 1996 to create the multidisciplinary emerging artist festival – Nextfest. In 2014, Bradley accepted the dual role of Artistic & Executive Director for Theatre Network. Bradley and the Theatre Network team are excited to share the newly rebuilt Roxy Theatre with audiences.

Some recent productions include: The Innocence of Trees, the Sterling Award-winning production The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius, Bed and Breakfast, The Empress & The Prime Minister, Minerva – Queen of the Handcuffs, Infinity, the Sterling Award-winning production Irma Voth, Gordon, Red, The Last Five Years, Armstrong’s War, the Governor General-nominated The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble, the Sterling Award-winning Little One, Driving Miss Daisy, the Governor General Award-winning Pig Girl, the Sterling Award-winning Let the Light of Day Through, Where the Blood Mixes, In On It, Moving Along, Twelfth Night, Public Speaking, the Sterling Award-winning production Dog, Thunderstick, Buddy, Alias Godot, Misery, Closer and Closer Apart, the Sterling Award-winning production Summer of My Amazing Luck, True West, Girl in the Goldfish Bowl, Hosanna, Marion Bridge, A Skull in Connemara, the Sterling Award-winning glam rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and High Life.

Ellie Heath is a multidisciplinary artist based on Treaty 6 Territory. She is a founding member of the award-winning sketch troupe Girl Brain and a solo theatre creator, with her critically acclaimed show Fake n’ Bake earning three Sterling Award nominations and touring across Canada. Ellie has performed on most stages in Edmonton and has brought her work to audiences across Canada and the United States.

Beyond sketch comedy and theatre, Ellie is a film, TV and voice-over actor, a cast member of Die-Nasty and a host for events around town. She is also a singer-songwriter, with her debut EP, SHINE, released last June!
Visit www.ellieheath.com for more info!

Select Credits: Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice Through the Looking Glass (Citadel Theatre), Queen Lear (Shadow Theatre), Strike! the Musical (Workshop West), the Frog Prince (Alberta Opera), Slipper: a Distinctly Calgarian Cinderella Story (ATP), Naughty But Nice: Fourplay (Forte!), Vigilante (Catalyst), Urinetown (Macewan), the Sound of Music (Mayfield Dinner Theatre)

Brian Dooley is an award winning actor and producer. For 45 years Brian has worked throughout the country and abroad. His skills include directing, writing, producing and performing in a variety of media including radio, animation, film, television and the theatre. Brian was trained and educated at the National Theatre School and Bishop’s University. He is delighted to be reunited once again with Bradley Moss and Theatre Network. Since leaving Edmonton, Brian has appeared in the internationally recognized production of the “Night from the 4th to the 5th”, as well as the Tarragon and Imago Theatre’s celebrated co-production of “RedBone Coonhound”. Other recent credits include “How to Survive in the Wild” for Montreal’s Persephone Theatre and “Quiller” at the National Theatre School as well as King of Canada for Infinitheatre. New plays promise challenges – challenges which prove illuminating and rewarding. Brian is proud to be part of this dynamic team and is very pleased to team up, once again , with Colleen Murphy and Bradley for this exciting premiere. Throughout his career he has regularly drawn inspiration form Victor Banda’s fervent message: “The theatre moves, illuminates, disquiets, disturbs, lifts the spirit, reveals, provokes and violates conventions. It is a conversation shared with society. Theatre is the first art to confront emptiness, shadows and silence to make words, movement, lights and life surge forth.”

Cathy is an actor, singer, musician and educator and makes her home here in Treaty 6 territory. She feels truly blessed to have been able to create and sustain a living in live theatre for almost 4 decades so far and is thrilled to be a part of this incredible “Jupiter” team!

Past Theatre Network credits include Girl In The Goldfish Bowl, Perfect Pie,and Joni Mitchell’s Songs of a Prairie Girl as well as a few productions back in the Stephen Heatley days ie: The Other Side of the Pole. Cathy has worked many times with multiple companies here in Edmonton and across the country as well as numerous Fringe festivals in Edmonton, Winnipeg,Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria and Edinburgh.

A few faves: (as an actor): Bluebeard’s Castle, Candide (Edmonton Opera),The Occulist’s Holiday, The Finest of Strangers,Fever-Land, The Importance of Being Earnest ( Teatro Live!), The Science of Disconnection, Crescendo (Shadow Theatre),Buddy Holly: The Buddy Holly Story, Sister Act,9-5:The Musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Mayfield Dinner), A Christmas Carol, Into the Woods, Little Shop of Horrors (Citadel),Craniatrium (Firefly Theatre),A New Brain (Plain Janes),La Bete (Canadian Stage), Cowgirls (Sudbury Theatre),Sweeney Todd (Phoenix Theatre), Dads In Bondage(Lunchbox Theatre), and Outrageous(Alberta Theatre Projects).
A few faves:(as a Music Director): Company, Into The Woods,The Drowsy Chaperone, The Light In the Piazza,Anything Goes,Promises Promises, Sondheim On Sondheim and Working, Peter Pan ( Young Company at The Citadel).

Cathy is also privileged to work as a Sessional Instructor at MacEwan University where she plays a lot of piano (and occasionally accordion) for a lot of fabulous students. Cathy graduated herself from the Theatre Arts program in 1986 under the tutelage of Tim Ryan. She is a multiple nominee and recipient of two Sterling Haynes awards both for Acting and Music Direction. Cathy is the mother of two incredible young women who continue to surprise and inspire her.

Gabriel (He/Him) is a film and stage actor and producer born in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory. After graduating from The National Theatre School of Canada Gabriel moved back to amiskwaciwâskahikan to reinvest in the rich community that he missed so much while out East. Select acting credits include: Scout (Screaming Mantis Productions), Heartland ( Rescued Horse Season Sixteen Inc.) Crave (Stonemarrow Theatre), Pandora (Youtheatre Montreal) and Smoke (Tiny Bear Jaws), Brick Shithouse (Fenceless Theatre), Civil Blood (Thou Art Here Theatre), Gabriel will also be appearing in Little Women at the Citadel Theatre.

Dayna (she/her) is an actor and multidisciplinary artist based in amiskwaciwâskahikan ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ. She is a graduate of the UofA’s BFA Acting Program and Douglas College’s Theatre Diploma, is a former performer and teacher of the Vancouver Circus School, and an alumnus of Canada’s National Voice Intensive. When she is not performing on local stages, or dabbling in set and prop design, Dayna works with Thou Art Here Theatre as the Artistic Leadership Mentee. Additionally, she tours and produces with her own company Batrabbit Collective where she performs as Fingers in Rat Academy, a nationally acclaimed award-winning clown show. Previous Credits include Stars on Her Shoulders (WWPT), Pillowman (Theatre Yes), Mermaid Legs (Skirts-a-Fire), A Hundred Words for Snow (Northern Light Theatre), and All the Little Animals I Have Eaten (Shadow Theatre). Big love to Ben and Sweetpeas.

Monk is a three-year-old Field Retriever ready to steal the spotlight in his very first play. Based in Calgary, he’s everybody’s friend with flowing reddish gold locks and turned up charm to match. Before venturing into theatre, Monk could often be found making a splash in any body of water – lakes, rivers, pools, even deliciously gooey black mud puddles. While his friendly nature and adorable grin will melt anyone’s heart, he’s also a bit of a troublemaker demanding extra treats and stealing multiple balls at a time. Get ready to meet this very good boy who, while making his theatrical debut is bound to leave paw prints on your heart. A star in the making – one handsome highly charismatic cuddle bug and life of the party!

Tessa Stamp is an Edmonton born theatre professional, entrepreneur, and found object artist. A dancer first, Tessa has made her career in technical theatre. She travelled the world as a pirate for 5 years, ran away with the greatest circus on earth, Cirque Du Soleil in 2007 and eventually landed back in Edmonton to re-join the rich theatre community that created her. She has an eclectic mixed bag of tricks and skills. Tessa enjoys set, lighting and costume design, props building and stage management. But those are her theatre skills, in the craft world she is a very accomplished papier macher, carpenter, sculptor and glue gun expert. In 2009 she co-founded the Theatre Garage and grew it up to be a successful and integral part of Edmonton’s creative community. In 2015 she sold her shares to her partner and has since expanded her freelance career to include window display, parade floats, school theatre props, workshops and commissions. Now, you can find her at her retail store in Highlands, selling Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and encouraging everyone to upcycle and be creative. And every once in a while she gets to make great theatre with her pals at Theatre Network.

DARRIN HAGEN is an award-winning playwright, author, composer, director and Queer historian, with over 40 plays and dozens of published essays and articles – many dealing with the history of sexual minorities in Alberta – to his credit.

In addition to the prize-winning full-length documentary Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story, he directed the music video for Only Here on Loan by King of Foxes, and the dance film Shadow of a Doubt with Gerry Morita.

Plays by Darrin include the award-winning The Edmonton Queen; Tornado Magnet; the Sterling-nominated Buddy; Witch Hunt at the Strand; The Empress & The Prime Minister; Metronome; 10 Funerals; and the international hits BitchSlap!, and With Bells On (adapted into a musical by New York City’s Live & In Color.)

He has received 7 Sterling awards, and 1 AMPIA. In 2005 he was named one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century. In 2013 he was inducted into the Q Hall of Fame Canada for his contribution to Queer culture, and was named by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts as one of the 25 Most Influential Alberta artists in the last 25 years. He was recently selected as one of Edify Magazine’s “6 Who Inspire.”

Morag Northey, is a cellist, singer, writer, and composer of film, dance, theatre, song, and sound installations. She has performed in theatre & musicals for 33 years, created her CD This is the Life, Red Venus Blue Tango 2009, wrote and debuted her play ’17’’, and honoured to sound design and play cello in Eugene Stickland’s Queen Lear 2009, naturally leading to a sound design collaboration with Darrin Hagen on Eugene Stickland play, The Innocence of Trees, Theatre Network 2022.

Wishing to uplift, Morag created a year of Full Moon walks, talks, and performances, a concert series ‘Together Calgary, Together World’  and serenaded along ‘The Way of St. James’ – 720 Klm. across Spain. She was a soloist in the Athletes Village for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and visionary and director of the niitsitapi healing Listen Garden, soon to be developed in Calgary’s Fish Creek Provincial Park.  

Awards include “Outstanding Theatrical Composer – Betty ” ATP’s “Butcher” 2015.  Her film ‘We Are The Land’’ was awarded the Montreal Independent Film Award Nomination, an LA Independent Women Film Award  ‘Outstanding Composition,”  Onyko Film Awards ‘Outstanding Experimental Short Film’, shown at Festivals worldwide. Morag & Darrin Hagen’s collaborative sound design for Eugene Stickland’s play ‘The Innocence of Trees’, Theatre Network was nominated for Outstanding Sound Design, Sterling Awards 2023.   

Mother to two amazing women & Monk the field retriever, Morag is over the moon happy to be back at Theatre Network as part of Colleen Murphy’s play Jupiter, under the direction of Bradley Moss and an amazing team.

Larissa (she/her) is a queer Ukrainian artist living and creating in amiskwaciwaskahikan. A multidisciplinary performer, production designer, visual artist and tattooist (owner/artist at Folk Lore Tattoo), she is also a teaching artist with the Citadel Theatre (musical theatre/dance), and is the current Artistic Director of the Vohon Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. Select performance credits: Once, All Because I’m A Woman, Hits of Broadway (Citadel) ; Infinity (Theatre Network); Canada Rocks: The Reboot, VEGAS LIVE, Canada 151 (Mayfield); ren & the wake (Catch the Keys); 10 out of 12 (WildSide); Ordinary Days (Straight Edge); Assassins (Loose Ends); Dreamer’s Cantata (Plain Janes). Assistant Music-Direction: Jersey Boys (Citadel); Assistant Direction: Evelyn Strange (Teatro). Lighting Design: MONSTRESS, A Phoenix Too Frequent (Northern Light Theatre); Joni Mitchell’s Songs of a Prairie Girl, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Network); An Homage to Billie Holiday, Les Sylphides (Ballet Edmonton); La Raccourcie, Les Neiges, Simone et le whole shebang (L’UniTheatre); Surveil (Hip.Bang!); Fusion – Harmony in Motion, At the Bazaar (Viter Ukrainian Dancers & Folk Choir). Sterling-Nominated Music Direction for the Canadian national tour of Barvinok (Pyretic Productions). You can catch her lighting up the stage next with NLT’s Radiant Vermin. Thanks to everyone who continues to support Larissa on this artistic journey. Much love to Vince and to very good dog Soaps.

@poho.art @larissapoho – Instagram
www.larissapoho.com

Tracey is delighted to be part of Theatre Networks production of Jupiter.

Past Roxy credits include Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, The Innocence of Trees, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble, Armstrong’s War, and Woman in Black. (Theatre Network)/ Tracey would like to thank her husband John for his love and support.

Betty is pleased to be returning to Theatre Network. Some previous credits at Network include: What a Young Wife Ought To Know, Summer Of My Amazing Luck, Lawrence & Holloman, Habitat, Misery, Hickey Mom, Hockey Dad, and others that were produced before many were born! Presently, Betty is a member of the Fine Arts Faculty at the University of Lethbridge. For Workshop West, she’s stage managed Springboards and the premiere of Tell Us What Happened. She also stage managed Cafe Daughter, which played at the National Arts Centre, The Belfry Theatre, tours of the Northwest Territories and Belgrade, Serbia, Herceg Novi, Montenegro. Betty was the Technical Producer for SkirtsAfire for many years, as well as stage manager for Alberta Ballet’s productions of Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Balletlujah! Favorite projects over the last few years — co-producer on WILDLIFE; a projection experience at the Rossdale Power Plant, co-producer of Oh! Christmas Tree, part of The Roxy Series, stage manager for Movement/Architecture; a presentation at the Prague Quadrennial. Betty also worked as Company Manager for Catalyst Theatre’s premiere of The Invisible-Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare and stage managed Disgraced at Alberta Theatre Projects before it all went surreal and we had to stay in our house.

Jadera (more commonly known as Jadey) has been working as a technician in the Edmonton theatre community since 2020. After graduating from MacEwan University’s Theatre Production program, she has spent her time working as an lighting, audio, and video technician for multiple companies throughout Alberta. Primarily she spends her time here, at the Roxy Theatre, but she loves to pick up any work she can to keep herself unnecessarily busy. Jadey is very grateful to be a part of a team that works so hard to bring beautiful pieces of art into this world, and she hopes you enjoy watching the show as much as she does!

Ashley (She/Her) has been a full time Theatre & Live Event Technician since 2019, though her journey started much earlier when she joined her high school tech club. Working on events such as concerts, conventions, galas, festivals, and live theatre, she finds joy in representing, creating, and bringing to life all forms of live arts. Having come to the Roxy Theatre in Season 48, she is honored to be a part of the incredible Theatre Network team!

Ashley believes that art, in all of its forms, is and should be a place of community, of expression, and of acceptance. Anybody anywhere, no matter their age, language, orientation, experiences, or tastes, can find art that speaks to them, and that’s the way it should be. As a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Ashley hopes to continue the work this industry has done to create spaces that are inclusive, welcoming, and safe to all members of all communities, by incorporating the Métis values of Unity and Harmony as well as honoring Tatawaw, the Cree phrase meaning “Welcome, there is room”.

Will Chichak is a stage carpenter and technician based in Edmonton, Alberta. Graduating from MacEwans University’s Theatre Production Program in 2017 Will took part in “Nice Work if You Can Get It” and “The Drowsy Chaperone” among other great shows during that time. Will has moved on to working and building with a multitude of festivals and theatre companies in the region, having the opportunity to create on stages all over the city. He is delighted to be back for a third consecutive season working with Theatre Network for “Mump and Smoot in Exit” and “Jupiter,” as well as being the Gallery Technician in the Miller Art Gallery located in the lobby of The Roxy Theatre.