Staff & Board
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Rachel is a multifaceted theatre artist born and raised in various parts of the Greater Vancouver area, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh (Squamish), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), S’ólh (Stó:lō), Stz'uminus, Qayqayt, sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ (Tsawwassen), Kwantlen and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Peoples. As a performer, she has appeared on stages across Western Canada in a wide range of productions from new works, to classics, to musicals. As a playwright, Rachel strives to explore complex issues with humour and curiosity. In 2018, she was recognized with the Sydney J. Risk Prize for Outstanding Original Script by an Emerging Writer, for her second play, The Code. As a director, she strives to cultivate an environment that prioritizes fun and excellence in equal measure. Favourite directing credits include the world premiere of Like It or Not and co-directing the digital live-stream adaptation of Cranked for Green Thumb, and the collective creation I Know What I Saw at her alma mater, Studio 58. Rachel was selected for the 2017 Playwrights Lab at the Banff Centre, the 2020 Caravan Farm Theatre National Playwrights Retreat (sadly cancelled due to Covid-19) and was one of only 15 international artists selected for the ASSITEJ Next Generation Program at the 2018 ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering in Beijing. All training and resume credits aside, Rachel’s favourite and most important job is being a Mom to her daughter Elliot, who challenges and inspires her every day.

Born and raised in Richmond, BC, Breanne is grateful to be working on the traditional, unceded, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Before working in arts administration, Breanne worked as a professional Stage Manager for close to ten years and 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 Theatre Festival, Arts Club Theatre Company, National Arts Centre, among many others. She was the Tour & Education Manager at Green Thumb from 2016-2018 before moving into her current role as General Manager, and was previously the Production Manager at Presentation House Theatre. Breanne is the Co-Rep for the PACT TYA Caucus, has been involved in a number of PACT Negotiations Teams, Advisory Committees and Working Groups, including the 2021-2024 CTA and PGC Agreements. Breanne is a Founding and Core Member of Rising Tides and Open Door, a national initiative for the advancement of IBPOC and equity deserving arts managers. she is on the ASSITEJ Canada Communications & Membership Committee, a member of the PACT and PGC TYA Working Group, and has previously sat on the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Society Board, GVPTA's Theatre Engagement Project Steering Committee, and was a Stage Management Mentor with the Cultch’s Ignite program. She is the proud mama to two beautiful children.

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Madelaine is a theatre director and producer based on the traditional, ancestral, and stolen lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, who strongly believes in the power of storytelling and theatre as an effective medium for understanding our world, each other and ourselves. She has worked in the Vancouver theatre community since graduating from UBC in 2017, most recently as the Venue Manager of Performance Works with the GITD. She is also the Co-Producer for Wunderdog Theatre, and can be found playing Dungeons and Dragons in her spare time, telling queer and fantastical stories about friendship.

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Miku was born and raised in Japan, from the beautiful prefecture of Gunma. She moved to Canada 14 years ago and has been in the Calgary theatre community for about 10 years as an actor. She was in the last graduating class from the theatre program at Mount Royal University in Alberta. After the program got cut from the university, she became passionate about encouraging and supporting theatre/art in the community to keep it alive.  She strongly believes in the power of laughter and a contagious smile and positivity. That is why she was super excited / wanted to be a part of Green Thumb Theatre, to move young people, and bring awareness of the current world we live in.

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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.

Originally from the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, Seneca and the Mississauga of the credit (aka Toronto), Leslie is a graduate of York University (2008) and Studio 58 (2012). Most recently, she was the lead instructor for Carousel Theatre for Young People's Teen Shakespeare Project this past summer. Favourite credits include "Jane" in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, "Sam" in Thanks for Giving (Arts Club Theatre Company), and "Bap" in Baking Time (Presentation House Theatre).

*The Artistic Associate Intern position is supported by a BC Arts Council Early Career Development Grant

Camila (she/her) is a Brazilian theatre practitioner now residing in Canada for over 13 years. She arrives in Vancouver after serving Montreal’s stage arts community as the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Montreal Theatre Hub, Theatre Contributor to Global News TV, and Associate Artistic Director of Tableau D’Hôte Theatre. A graduate of Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business and John Abbott College’s Professional Theatre Acting program, her industry work lies at the intersection of the performing arts, journalism, and arts administration. Within Theatre for Young Audiences, previous experiences include credits with Geordie Theatre and Shakespeare Canada. Her journalistic work was recognized in 2019 by the Canadian Theatre Critics’ Association for a Nathan Cohen Award in the category of Outstanding Emerging Critic.

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.

Sandy Scofield is a multiple award-winning Cree, Saulteaux and French songwriter, performer, composer and educator based in Vancouver.  She has travelled numerous festivals around the world performing her work such as Rainforest in Borneo, Crossing Cultures in Korea, a tour of eastern Australia and several other international locales. She has won several awards for her work including a WCMA, CFMA and three Juno nominations. Not only a performer, Scofield also works as a sound designer supporting other Indigenous artists’ expressions in theatre, opera, dance and film. She holds an undergrad degree in music composition from SFU and this includes studies in African music at the University of Ghana in west Africa. She is releasing her 6th studio recording June 2022.

This position is supported by a BC Arts Council Arts Impact Award

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Patrick McDonald served as Artistic Director of Green Thumb Theatre from 1988 to 2020; 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.