DAWN XAVIER-FRANLKIN

Dawn Xavier-Franklin (She/Her/Elle/La) is a stand-up comedian, storyteller, and contest-winning public speaker from Ottawa, Canada. She’s performed stand-up comedy since 2017 as “Dawn Xanklin” and first wrote about being a wife, mom, and Black Nerd (“Blerd”). In 2019, Dawn was nominated for the online, CBC Comedy Next Up Comedy competition. From 2020 to 2022, she hosted and co-hosted Ottawa StoryTellers’ (un)told show that featured true personal stories. In 2021, Dawn was voted Ottawa’s Best Comedian in the 2021 edition of the FACES Magazine Awards. In 2022, she was a finalist.

Project Description

Dawn’s project will focus on the development and expansion of her first play, “Blurred Life”, for staging in front of a live audience. Blurred Life is a play about intersections, infant loss, and what’s left unsaid in one Carribean-Canadian family.

Blurred Life was originally written as a one act monologue and it received a staged-reading at the Overtime Theatre (San Antonio, Texas, USA) in March 2022.

TIM C. MURPHY

Tim C. Murphy – Writer and Performer – Tim (He/Him) has written and performed his 4 solo shows at 25+ Fringe and curated festivals across North America. He has received critical acclaim with his sold-out shows “Blind to Happiness” and “Kuwaiti Moonshine”, and is a 4x Best of Fest winner. Tim’s shows explore mental health in comedic, dark, thought-provoking, and non-linear ways that challenge the audience to look at how they relate to themselves and others. Tim has a M.A. in Sport Psychology and B. Education.

Project Description

“Two Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” is a comedic tale of Tim’s most recent stay at a mental health ward. Hoping to make it his last visit – he takes lessons from attachment theory, lip-syncing to sad breakup songs, and learning to finally speak from the heart.

DILLON ORR

Dillon Orr (Il/him), a queer Franco-Ontarian theatre artist, is the interim Artistic Director of Créations In Vivo in Ottawa. Known for his loud, unapologetic style, Dillon’s work blends satire, bouffon, and popular revolution, all rooted in the gritty realities of Franco-Ontarian life. Originally from the Le Détroit, he graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2012 and the National Theatre School of Canada in 2019. His fearless approach has earned him accolades, including the Pauline McGibbon Award from the Ontario Arts Council in 2021. Dillon’s theatre isn’t here to coddle; it’s here to provoke, unsettle, and make you laugh in spite of yourself. Find @dillonorr / @dillon_orr_ on social media.

Project Description

Mourir de trop gueuler is Dillon Orr’s riotous take on Theatre for Young Audiences, smashing bouffon-style satire right into the faces of its audience. Set as the funeral procession of a giant frog for the 50th anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian flag, the show tackles the question of French-language survival head-on. Dillon hits young people with raw, unfiltered questions like, “Why is the French language dying?! WHY?!” The show’s no-holds-barred energy is loud, irreverent, and wildly funny, dragging big ideas like identity and cultural survival out into the open. With oversized characters and a punk-like irreverence, Mourir de trop gueuler doesn’t just challenge the audience—it dares them to keep up.

Photo credit: Rémi Thériault

CHANÇARD LEMVO

Chançard (lui/il/he/him) a fait ses débuts en théâtre à l’université d’Alberta à Edmonton où il était impliqué dans la troupe de théâtre du campus pendant environ 4 ans. Dans le désir d’approfondir sa formation théâtrale, Chançard a complété un Baccalauréat avec spécialisation au département de Théâtre de l’université d’Ottawa dans la concentration jeu.  Il a participé à plusieurs projets théâtraux, que ce soit avec la troupe de l’université ou dans la communauté notamment avec le Théâtre du Trillium et Vox Théâtre.  Tout dernièrement, Chançard a pris part à l’interprétation d’un conte d’Halloween pour enfants, L’effroyable Facelette, la citrouille mangeuse d’enfants, une co-production de VOX Théâtre et le Théâtre de la Vieille 17.  Grand adepte de la danse, Chançard reste en contact avec cet art qui continue à le fasciner en donnant des ateliers de danse et en participant à des festivals de danse urbaine.

ÉRIC BEEVIS

Éric (lui/il/he/him) a une formation théâtrale du département de théâtre de l’Université d’Ottawa de 1996 à 1999.  En septembre 2004, il s’est joint à l’équipe du Centre d’Excellence Artistique de l’Ontario à De La Salle, Ottawa, où il enseigne le théâtre.  Eric joue parfois dans la région, se concentrant surtout sur l’interprétation de personnages historiques pour le Théâtre Dérives Urbaines, à Gatineau.

Depuis 3 ans, Éric s’est tourné un peu plus vers l’écriture dramatique.  Son premier texte, Al jar’at … ingrates, une adaptation des Belles sœurs de Michel Tremblay, fut présentée en mise en lecture par le Théâtre Tremplin en 2018.  En 2020, Éric a co-écrit un texte, Cette monnaie d’échange, avec Nabila Hadibi.  En 2021, il a été sélectionné par Théâtre Action pour rédiger le Mot franco-ontarien pour la journée mondiale du théâtre.

Éric maintient un contact étroit avec la communauté théâtrale d’Ottawa-Gatineau.

Description du projet

Chasse au Trésor est un one-man show d’une durée d’environ 45 minutes tiré d’une oeuvre plus large tentativement intitulée Déconfidences. Une bonne partie du spectacle prend la forme de vlogs livrés par Trésor intitulés “Chasse au Trésor”. Lors de ses lives, Trésor fait des témoignages personnels pour parler de sa vie comme jeune homme de descendance congolaise nouvellement installé au Canada; parfois sérieux, parfois plus léger mais toujours aussi pertinent.

ERIK KARKLIN

The Lighter Touch Art Collective is a multidisciplinary art collective that focuses on collective creation and community building through art. The leading artist on this project is Erik Karklins (he/they) who is an interdisciplinary artist focusing on theatre, dance, and creative technology. They are passionate about working on projects that help them explore their culture in new and innovative ways.

Project Description

Viņsaule: Where The Sun Goes At Night speaks to the other sun we live under once we die. This project explores traditional Latvian paganism that flourished before this culture suffered under military Christianisation crusades. This queer interdisciplinary performance weaves together dance, new media projection mapping, and untampered Latvian folk mythology.

CULLEN ELIJAH MCGRAIL

Cullen Elijah McGrail (He/Him) is a playwright originally from rural Southwestern Ontario who has recently presented The City Aquarium is Proud to Present: The Marvelous Mermaids of Merriment™ (Queered: A Mini-Fest, 2024 // Ottawa Fringe Festival, 2024 // Fresh Meat Fest, 2022), 77 Days with Dog 33 (Fresh Meat Fest, 2023), and Juliana (undercurrents theatre festival, 2023 // Fresh Meat Fest, 2021). The City Aquarium… won the Queer Jury’s Choice Award at the 2024 Ottawa Fringe Festival and his play, Wind, received an Honourable Mention at the 2024 Toronto Fringe New Play Contest. He is also the producer and festival director of Fresh Meat Fest.
— @cullen_elijah cullenelijah.ca @freshmeatfest

Project Description

fools’ paradise follows Sandra MacDonald whose future is put in jeopardy when a black goose decides to nest on her property. Inspired by Cullen’s hometown’s local legend, this play asks if believing in the supernatural could be a way to combat climate change.