black & rural | creative team
Pi Theatre and the Black & Rural creative team have been developing this deep and delicate look into the hearts of Black Canadians living in the countryside. Shayna’s collaborators include a score by Rufus Cappadocia (developed live in the rehearsal hall!) and choreography by Amber Barton. As the show continues to evolve and we approach opening night, meet the team behind this world premiere.
“I love folktales. I love how they are free from the constraints of logic or adequate explanation. They are a window. A portal.”
Shayna Jones
SHAYNA JONES
Creator/Performer
Shayna Jones is an award winning actor, a multi-disciplinary spoken word artist, and an applied folklorist. She combines her passion for live, theatrical performance with the study of traditional African and Afro-Diasporic folklore and contemporary Black experience to create dynamically soulful, nuanced, and visceral performances. She has had the privilege of spending the last decade performing her work for theatre companies, festivals and schools across Canada. For this she is continually awed and deeply grateful. Learn more about Shayna and her work at www.wearestoryfolk.com
RICHARD WOLFE
Director
Richard is the Artistic and Producing Director of Pi Theatre as well as a dramaturg, educator and specialist in contemporary theatre and performance who’s received, among other awards, the Larry Lillo Prize and the Ray Michel Award. He’s been nominated 6 times for Outstanding Director (winning twice) and once for Significant Artistic Achievement. Seven new plays that he’s premièred have gone on to publication by Talon Books or Scirocco Drama. Plays and performance pieces he’s directed recently include: the Canadian premiere of Lampedusa, by Anders Lustgarden, Dance Like No One’s Watching by Munish Sharma and the audio drama At the Speed of Light by Peter Dickinson. This is Richard’s 4th show at Pacific Theatre. Others include: The Busy World is Hushed by Keith Bunin, Cherry Docs by David Gow, and the musical chamber piece The Meal by Rick Maddocks. He’s very pleased to be back with this beautifully human story by Shayna Jones.
BRAD TRENAMAN
Lighting Designer
For Pi Theatre: The Events. Vancouver: White Noise (Savage Society / Firehall), Kindred (Belfry), Salmon Girl (Jessie Award – Raven Spirit / Carousel), Redpatch (Jessie Nomination – Hardline Productions / Arts Club), Where The Wild Things Are (Presentation house). Toronto: Shakespeare in High Park (Canstage), CATS (NuMu Productions). Las Vegas: Matt Dusk (Hilton Residency ) and Menopause the Musical (Luxor). Touring: The Stepcrew, magician Ted Outerbridge, National Chinese Acrobats. Freelance writer for Professional Lighting and Production Magazine, member of Associated Designers of Canada and President of New Works, a Vancouver-based dance support organization celebrating its 30th anniversary next year. www.batlighting.com
RUFUS CAPPADOCIA
Composer/Musician
Rufus Cappadocia is a multi-lingual musician, performer, composer, and recording artist of incredible range and diversity. Cappadocia has made a career of going where few cellists have gone before. Born in Hamilton Ontario, Cappadocia has made New York City his home for 30 years. His deep understanding of poly-rhythm and modal music has led to performances and recordings with a broad spectrum of musicians and dancers, such as “Bonga” and the Vodou drums of Haiti, Odetta, Urban Tap, RossDaly, Yacouba Moumouni, David “Fuze” Fiuzynski, The Paradox Trio, and Stellamara. He also performed with Aretha Franklin, Kasse Mady, The Peace Poets, Vishal Vaid, The Black Rock Coalition, Kif, Vernon Reid, The Campbell Brothers and more. Cappadocia has toured the Americas, Europe and Asia and has also performed in Mali Niger and Nigeria.
AMBER BARTON
Choreographer
Amber has spent the majority of her life working in the arts as a professional contemporary dance artist, performing, choreographing, producing and teaching dance. She received her professional dance training with Goh Ballet Academy, Arts Umbrella, Ballet BC’s Mentor Programme and the Banff Centre for the Arts.
As a choreographer, her work has been presented in various venues in Vancouver, across Canada, and internationally. As she extended her practice into the theatre community, she has had the privilege of working, collaborating and choreographing for such companies and artists as Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Mindy Parfitt of Search Party Productions, Studio 58, Neworld Theatre and Electric Company. Amber is currently studying to become a Yoga Therapist and has been the Interim Program Director at New Works since 2022.
CECILIA VADALA
Set Designer
Born and raised in Italy, Cecilia has a Philosophy and Art History background. A recent graduate of the MFA program in Theatre Design and Production from the University of British Columbia, Cecilia designs for the stage and the screen, focusing on the scenic design practice.
As a designer, Cecilia considers herself a visual storyteller. Her aesthetic is suggestive and evocative. In her work the space is another character that evolves and tells a story on its own. As an artist, Cecilia explores the connections between emotions and materials, feelings and textures, often introducing a sensorial component to her designs. Portfolio: ceciliavadala.com
KAYLEIGH SANDOMIRSKY
Stage Manager
Kayleigh Sandomirsky is a stage/production manager, producer, curator and performer. She recently toured Departure by Marissa Wong, 003_playback by Caroline MacCaull, BLUSCRN by FakeKnot, New Societies by Re:Current Theatre, and Ying Yun by Wen Wei Dance. Stage/Production Management credits: Double Happiness: Detour this Way by Nancy Tam and Robyn Jacobs, The Array by UpintheAir Theatre, Dancing to Remember by Aeriosa Dance and Butterflies in Spirit, The Sun and The Moon by Crimson Coast Dance, In Response to Alabama by Little Thief Theatre, and Kwê by Jeanette Kotowich and collective. Kayleigh also curated with UpintheAir theatre as their Resident Curator for 3 years, and recently curated the Conversation Series for Peek Fest by Impulse Theatre.
ALEX FORSYTH
Production Manager
ALEXANDER FORSYTH (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist with focuses in theatre and film acting, playwriting, and visual arts, residing on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəyəm, Skwxwú7mesh, and Səlílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh Nations. Both Alex and the company he founded – K.I.A. Productions – originate in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐊᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ on Treaty 6 territory, where he began writing, producing, and performing plays that tour across Canada and the UK in collaboration with his wife and co-artistic director Keltie Forsyth. As a technician, Alex has worked for artists and companies ranging from Vancouver Opera and Cirque du Soleil to Lady Gaga and Guns ‘n’ Roses with stints on shows like Stephen King’s The Stand and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Alex holds a Master of Fine Arts with Distinction in Acting from East 15 Acting School (London, UK) and a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Creative Writing from the University of Alberta.