Patrick McDonald has been the Artistic Director of Green Thumb Theatre since 1988; prior to that he was the Artistic Director of Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa. He has directed over 75 productions for Green Thumb and has overseen the commissioning and development of more than 50 new plays for children, teens and young adults. He has commissioned work from emerging writers like Dave Deveau and Michelle Riml and established writers Morris Panych, Joan MacLeod and George F. Walker. During his tenure Green Thumb productions have won numerous Jessie Richardson Awards, several Betty Mitchell Awards, and three Canada Council Awards for Outstanding Production for Young Audiences. McDonald has been nominated for many awards and has received Jessie Richardson Awards for both directing and “continued excellence in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences”. In 2009 he received the Jessie Richardson Award for Career Achievement, and in 2013 he was a recipient of the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award. He has directed across the country at theatres including The Belfry, The Grand Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, National Arts Centre, Vancouver Playhouse, Gateway Theatre, Manitoba Theatre for Young People and Arts Club Theatre. He has been a two time member of the Canada Council’s Theatre Advisory Committee and has sat on many peer juries at the provincial and federal levels.
Born and raised in Richmond, BC, Breanne has worked as a professional Stage Manager for close to ten years. She graduated with honours from the University of British Columbia with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Production/Design, where she was the recipient of the Norman Young Scholarship for Theatre and the Dean of Arts Scholarship; while also completing the Fine Arts Program in Visual Arts at Langara College. Breanne has had the pleasure of working for various theatre companies across Canada, including; The Shaw Festival, Arts Club, National Arts Centre, among many others. She was the Tour & Education Manager at Green Thumb from 2016-2018 and was the Production Manager at Presentation House Theatre from 2013-2014. Breanne is excited to bring her touring knowledge and experiences to Green Thumb Theatre, having completed many cross province, Canadian and US tours. Breanne has sat on the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Society board, the GVPTA's Theatre Engagement Project Steering Committee, the Jessie Richardson Theatre for Young Audiences and Large Theatre juries and was a Stage Management Mentor with the Cultch’s Ignite program. She is the proud mama to her beautiful baby boy.
Rachel is an actor, playwright and now administrator born and raised in Vancouver. She made her professional acting debut with Green Thumb in their production of Souvenirs, and since then has appeared on stages across Western Canada. Her work as an actor has included new works, classics, musicals, and has taken her everywhere from a sold out 700 hundred seat theatre to a stage on the back of a flatbed pickup truck, performing in public parks for free. Rachel has been featured playing the cello, singing her heart out, and jumping onto a moving, four-horse chariot. Rachel’s first play, Still/Falling appeared in Green Thumb’s 2015/16 season, after comprehensive dramaturgical input from Patrick McDonald, and her second play, The Code will premiere with the company in 2018. Throughout her time as professional theatre artist, Green Thumb has always felt like home to Rachel, and has offered constant support to her in her artist endeavors, as an actor, playwright, and now arts administrator.
Ruth grew up in Steveston, British Columbia. In 2014 she graduated from the Production Program at Studio 58, where she was awarded the John F. Parker scholarship for Demonstrating Exceptional Promise. Since .graduation Ruth has worked as a professional stage manager in Vancouver for companies including Bard on the Beach, Neworld Theatre, Theatre Replacement, Carousel Theatre for Young People, Full Circle First Nations, Gateway Theatre and most recently Green Thumb Theatre for the 2016/2017 season tour of Alone Together. Ruth was awarded the Mayors Art Award for Emerging Theatre Artist in 2016
Aliya is a director, creator, facilitator, front of house manager, and arts administrator with a keen interest in socially engaged theatre. Previously, Aliya has worked administratively for the Leaky Heaven Performance Society, as rental manager for the Russian Hall in Strathcona, and as Program Coordinator for ROARS; an arts camp run by Leave Out Violence and Little Mountain Neighbourhood House. She is the founder and Artistic Director of The Troika Collective, a multi-disciplinary performance collective that uses Eastern European history and culture as a lens to explore universally resonant stories and themes. Aliya also performs with her own vocal group Vostok, specializing in music from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Aliya holds a BA in theatre performance and political science, and an MEd in Arts for Social Change from SFU.
Susan has been an accountant for over 15 years, and with Green Thumb since 2011. She makes her home in Richmond, BC, with her husband and two twin boys.
Bronwyn Carradine is a theatre artist and educator currently based in Vancouver, and whose work has been seen on many stages across North America. In 2013 she moved out West to study at Studio 58, and since has worked with companies such as Resonance Theatre Collective, Bard on The Beach, Zee ZeeTheatre, The Chop Theatre, Solo Collective, Intrepid Theatre, The Livery Theatre, Green Thumb Theatre, and her alma mater, Studio 58.
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Shanae is a Vancouver based producer and director. As one of the establishing members of The Student Diversity Committee at Studio 58, Shanae spearheaded work to give voice and strength to marginalized groups within the theatre community, while empowering students with the tools and knowledge to engage in conversations surrounding diversity. Shanae is also the recipient of the Studio 58 Diversity Award for ‘increasing access and opportunities for diversity and inclusion within the program’. Shanae currently works as the Associate Producer Intern with Green Thumb Theatre, Associate Producer for the Diwali Festival, Producer on Mx by Lili Robinson, and has the honour of being an Ambassador for Visceral Visions’ DiverseTheatreBC.
Shanae's internship is funded by the generous support of the BCAC Early Career Development Grant.
