Artist Bios
Heidi Chan (Musician/Composer/Sound Designer) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and sound artist based in Toronto. She has performed internationally with numerous music, dance, and theatre groups, including Japanese music ensembles Nagata Shachu and Ten Ten; Little Pear Dance Collective (Toronto - Bitter Tea, Wind/Breeze), Shakespeare's Globe (UK - Midsummer Night's Dream 2014 tour), and Tang Shu-Wing Theatre Studio (Hong Kong - Titus Andronicus 2.0, Macbeth). She is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Ethnomusicology at York University, and is currently experimenting with ambient, experimental soundscapes with an eclectic combination of traditional instruments and electronic music systems.
Jeffrey Chan (Choreographer), the founder of Wu Ming Dance Project, started dance training in Hong Kong with Chinese classical and folk dance; and later encountered Graham techniques in England at the London Contemporary Dance School. Chan has created three full-evening dance productions: Eight Tones, Nanking Monologue and The Lord of Death.
Janet Lo (Jiang Qing/Producer) has worked internationally, portraying roles across Canada as well as appearing in Los Angeles and China in theatre, film, television and radio. Janet Lo and Azure River were the 2013/14 Artist in Residents for fu-Gen Asian Canadian Theatre Company. Stage highlights include Red Snow, Tout Comme Elle, Hana's Suitcase, Pu-Erh, M. Butterfly and a season at the Shaw Festival.
Jenna McCutchen (Set and Costume Designer) is a graduate of NTS and York U. She has been nominated for a Dora award and is the recipient of the Brian Jackson and the City of Stratford Guthrie Awards. Credits include She Mami Wata & The Pussy Witchhunt (the Watah Theatre), Oregano (Theatre Rhea), Little Death (Riser Project 2015), Big Plans (Scapegoat Collective), Killer Joe, The Motherf**ker with the Hat (Coal Mine Theatre) and 3 seasons at the Stratford Festival. Film/TV Orphan Black, onegative.
Kyra Ritchie (Stage Manager) is a Toronto based artist and graduate from the Devised Theatre program at York University. In the otherwise chaotic world of theatre, Kyra provides just the right amount of calmenergy, organization, and lack of sanity required to perfect her role as a stage manager. Her recent credits include: Stage Manager for Circle Mirror Transformation (Play Practice Collective, 2014), Stage Manager for Madam Mao (SummerWorks, 2014), Production Stage Manager for Return (Toronto Fringe Festival, 2014), Stage Manager and Designer for Ephemeral (Devised Theatre Festival, 2014), Assistant Stage Manager for The Servant of Two Masters (Toronto Fringe Festival, 2013), and Stage Manager for bare (Toronto Youth Theatre, 2013). Kyra looks forward to the many years of theatre ahead of her.
Sally Roberts (Production Manager) was born in Toronto Ontario. She graduated from Ryerson Theatre School’s Performance Production program. Since then Sally has been working primarily as a freelance lighting technician and Production Manager around the city. Most recently, Sally had the pleasure of being Associate PM and Surtitles Operator for Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille’s Co-Production of Ultrasound.
Paul Thompson (Co-creator): Co-founder and former long-time Artistic Director of Passe Muraille; initiated an approach to making theatre called collective creation that combined first-hand research and improvisation; produced a body of work of more than fifty original plays; numerous honours include Dora Silver Ticket, Officer of the Order of Canada, and Governor General's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Severn Thompson (Director) is excited to be bringing Madam Mao back to the stage with a fantastic artistic team. Her directing credits include Beyond the Farm Show (Blyth Theatre Festival), and The Munsch Bunch (George Brown College). Severn has worked extensively as an actor, appearing most recently in the Theatre Passe Muraille production of Elle. She also adapted the script, Elle, from the novel for which she received a Dora nomination.
Rebecca Vandevelde (Lights and Video Designer) is a designer, technician, and anything-manager who creates interactive installations like Flip the Table and Blanket Fort with Art is Hard, Production Manages for Common Boots Theatre, Writes/Directs/Designs interactive TYA with Cow Over Moon Children's Theatre, and does design + production work with many independent theatres and festivals. She holds a BA in Drama, History and speaking French sometimes from Glendon College at York.
Samantha Wan (Sergeant/Trickster) is a Toronto based actor, director, producer and graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada. Selected roles: Rosalind (As you like it), Mary Warren (the Crucible), Lady Croom (Arcadia). Martial Artist for 8 years as well as a musician. Created works: Second Jen, Sudden Master.
Amanda Zhou (Red Guard) is excited to work with the team again. She wishes to dedicate this performance to her mother who has shared personal stories of living through the revolution. Representing the Asian culture, her next show also shares the same cultural passion with Silk Bath Collective at the Fringe festival 2016. Selected work includes The Adventure for Love by Jefferey Chiang, Warriors by Phillip Noyce, Zhou Xuan with Hong Kong Dance Company, and Shu Umera print by L'Oreal. When not on stage, she writes, dances, and loves eating cookies!