Rachel Aberle is a writer, director, (lapsed) performer and the Artistic Director of Green Thumb Theatre. Her plays Still•Falling and The Code were both premiered by Green Thumb and are available in a single volume through Talonbooks. As a writer, Rachel is interested in exploring questions with no simple answers and getting her characters into terrible messes. She is also currently on commission with The Belfry Theatre and desperately trying to keep up with her toddler, who is moving way too fast.

‍

“Canada’s go-to guy for dolphins, whales and trees” - The National Post. Mark Leiren-Young is a playwright, screenwriter, author, journalist and performer who has recently been focusing on raising awareness about endangered orcas, sharks and oceans. Mark’s plays are produced around the world. His previous YA plays include Blueprints From Space, Basically Good Kids and Jim. He has written over a dozen books, including Orcas Everywhere, Sharks Forever and The Killer Whale Who Changed the World. His next book topic: octopus. He hosts the Skaana podcast www.skaana.org which covers ocean-related environmental issues. Mark has dreamed of writing for Green Thumb since he was sitting on the floor of his high school gym watching their wonderful plays. He lives in Saanich, BC in the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples.  www.leiren-young.com

‍

Georgina Beaty is the author of the short story collection The Party is Here (Freehand Books, 2021). She writes for theatre, film, and is currently at work on her first novel. She's the playwright of Extremophiles (High Performance Rodeo, SummerWorks, Uno fest) and has worked on collective creations with many companies including Blyth, Small Wooden Shoe, Electric Company, and several with the company she co-founded, Architect Theatre. Georgina's also an actor who has performed across Canada and internationally. She grew up in the Rockies and is a 2020-2022 Stegner Fellow in fiction at Stanford University.

‍

Ashley Cook is Metis and Saulteaux from Pine Creek First Nation and a 2nd generation urban Indigenous woman, wife and mother currently based in Treaty 1 Territory, Winnipeg. She recently graduated with honours from the acting program at Studio 58 in Vancouver and has been acting in theatre since she was a teen when she got her start touring TYA shows to local high schools in 2007. At Studio 58 her short play Labour Pains was staged in 2018. She was also a recipient of the David Pritchard Award for Outstanding achievement in Stage Management for her work on Mortified (Studio 58). She now is based in her traditional territory in (Wanipigow) Winnipeg and continues to write and act for stage and film, aiming to nurture her practice and bring theatre shows and training to the youth of her community and beyond.

‍

Falen Johnson is Mohawk and Tuscarora (Bear Clan) from SixNations Grand River Territory. She is a writer, podcaster, and radio host. Her plays include Salt Baby, Two Indians, and Ipperwash for which she received a Dora Nomination. Her writing has been featured in Brick, The Canadian Theatre Review, and Granta Magazine. She has also written for Urban Native Girl (APTN) and Merchants of the Wild (APTN) and the 2020 Inspire Awards (CBC). She was named "one to watch" in 2020 by Maclean’s magazine. And is a 2021 Governor General finalist in the drama category. Falen co-hosts the Secret Life of Canada and is the  host of the podcast Buffy both with CBC Podcasts. 

‍

Michael McCreary is an autistic comedian, author and TEDX speaker who has been performing stand-up comedy since age 13. In the past 6 years, he has performed stand-up shows and keynote addresses in every province in Canada – plus the Yukon - and across the United States. He has been featured on The National and on CBC Radio’s “Laugh Out Loud”!" Michael is currently in the process of adapting his book, Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic, to the stage, a show intended for all ages.

He can be reached at www.aspiecomic.com, www.comicsnos.com, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/aspiecomic.”

Read our Q & A with Michael

Michael is an actor and writer, who first worked for Green Thumb as an actor in George F. Walker’s Problem Child, nearly 20 years ago. Michael was thrilled years later, when Patrick McDonald and Green Thumb gave him the opportunity to write CRANKED, then consequently gave him the chance to collaborate with Kyprios again on a grander scale, with the full-length, Hip Hop musical, Ash Rizin (Produced by Green Thumb Theatre & ATP at The Enbridge festival in Calgary, 2012), and is happy to see the new iteration of CRANKED: The ReMix, with Rachel Aberle at the helm, and an exciting new cast and crew for the 2022-23 season.

Makambe K. Simamba is a Dora Award winning playwright and actor for her solo work, Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers (b current performing arts). She recently co-directed inVISIBLE (Too) at the University of Lethbridge. Selected acting credits include Winners and Losers (Chromatic Theatre), A Chitenge Story (HandsomeAlice), GIANT (Ghost River Theatre), Bea (SageTheatre), SIA (Pyretic Productions), inVISIBLE (HandsomeAlice), Burn Your Maps (Cinelou Films), Grand Army (Netflix),and Young Drunk Punk (Citytv). Makambe is a national award winning playwright whose work includes Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers, A Chitenge Story, Makambe Speaks, MUD and The Drum Major Instinct. She is 2020/21 Urjo Kareda Artist in Residence at the Tarragon Theatre, as well as co-host of the Blackstage Pass podcast at Cahoots theatre. Makambe is a proud Zambian whose intention is to be of service through her ability to tell stories. www.makambe.com

Read our Q & A with Makambe

Agnes Tong is an actress, dancer, and emerging playwright based in Vancouver. Originally from Ottawa, Agnes moved out West to attend Studio 58 theatre school. Since graduating, Agnes has appeared on stages at the Arts Club, Gateway, the Cultch, Firehall, Chemainus, Caravan, Globe, Waterfront, and all over the lower mainland when on tour. Agnes is honoured to be commissioned by Green Thumb Theatre to write a play for high school students. She is passionate about cycling, dark chocolate, breathwork, meditation, travelling, and crystals.

Read our Q & A with Agnes