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Meet Chromatic Theatre's new 2025 Playwrights Unit Cohort! Melanee Murray-Hunt, Kathleen Faith Ballangan, and Jessica Szeto. Melanee Murray-Hunt SHE/HER Melanee, writer, actor filmmaker has written, directed and produced seven award-winning short films as well as wrote and starred in her award winning solo show, "The ‘Hoodwink" which received critical acclaim in Calgary and New York. She is currently completing her Masters Degree in Creative Writing at UBC (University of British Columbia). At UBC, Melanee was a recent recipient of the prestigious SSHRC, (Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council) Award and in Calgary, she won the 2023 Brenda Strathern Literary Award for her current literary project, "Moesha’s Mass." Melanee's film, "The Invincible Jayson Garvey," will be having its New York City Premiere at the Kwanzaa Film Festival and was an official selection for the Root Experience Film Festival in Seattle. As an actor she can be seen on camera in various independent, network and studio producers such as CBC, NBC, CBS, and Hallmark. She had a recent role in the upcoming, hilarious short film, "Now I am a Bear." Kathleen is a Filipino-Canadian artist, actor, and drama educator born and raised in Mohkintsis. She graduated with a BFA in Drama from the University of Calgary in 2022 and has since performed on stage with local theatre companies like Theatre Calgary and Lunchbox Theatre. Outside of performing, Kathleen spends her time teaching young people drama, nursing sore muscles from her pole dancing classes, and acting for the screen in her partner’s films. Ignited by the need for more racially diverse representation in the Calgary theatre scene, Kathleen hopes that her work as a performer, teacher, and creator will assure other young artists of colour that they belong in this community too. Kathleen Faith Ballangan SHE/HER Jessica Szeto is a multidisciplinary artist born, raised, and currently based in Calgary, Alberta. As a writer, software developer, and media artist, she is interested in storytelling across a variety of mediums. Her work often explores relationships between technology, history, and emotions. She holds a BSc Honours in Computer Science from the University of Calgary. Jessica Szeto SHE/HER

Maezy Reign Markerting and Communications Maezy Reign (they/she) is a biracial multidisciplinary artist, born and raised in Calgary. They work as a playwright, lighting designer and occasional actor. They are determined to create art that has the representation she never saw growing up, like mentally ill, gender diverse, queer, and racialized main characters. Both my parents are theatre artists and entrepreneurs so I've been raised in a very artsy family. Maezy is a mixed-race black artist. Maezy's paternal grandmother grew up in St. Vincent in the Caribbean and immigrated to Canada in the 70's. Performance and Creative Credits include; Gaslight (Vertigo), The F Word (Downstage and ATP) Shark Bite (Lunchbox Theatre), Hay Coloured Houses (Paprika Festival), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Alchemy Festival), Hang In There (Chromatic PLU), This isn’t home (fear the festival), Psychotic Bitch (Ignite Festival), Revolution or Slumber (WCHS with HPR), Donut Diaries (Ignite Festival) Contact

Static By Ashley King September 4-14, 2024 “Static: A Party Girl’s Memoir” is a coming-of-age story inspired by true events, written and performed by Mexican-Canadian artist Ashley King. It follows Ashley, a young woman whose life revolves around booze, boys, and late-night parties, while navigating a turbulent relationship with her mother, Carolina. But when she wakes up blind while on holiday, she’ll have to face her darkest depths of grieving a new life she didn’t choose or want. Not your typical inspirational story, Static offers a poignant and humorous take on the struggles and triumphs of a young woman learning to navigate the world without sight. With moments of laughter and tears, this dark comedy explores whether everything happens for a reason and if joy can really be found in unexpected places. Photos by Motif Photography CAST AND CREW Featuring: Ashley King Jaime Cesar Director • Javier Vilalta Stage Manager • Jennifer Yeung Assistant Stage Manager • Sabrena Shah Baigzada Scenic Designer • Natalia Cortes Sound Designer • Miranda Martini Lighting Designer • Anton deGroot Video/Projection Designer • Skylar Desjardins Dramaturg • Kodie Rollan Design Consultant • Lindsey Zess Cultural Consultant • Daniela Atiencia Disability Dramaturg • Jessica Watkins Engagement Coordinator • Iván Guevara García Production Manager • Col Cseke Producers • Camielle Craig & Kristen Padayas Poster Design | Marketing • Ebony R. Gooden & Maezy Reign Ashley King • Playwright ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Program Plain Text Program

Rebecca Comer Acting Associate Producer Rebecca Comer (she/her) is a theatre creator, performer, and educator. She holds a master’s degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts. Her artistic practice includes playwriting, performance creation, and acting. Her focus is on creating work for Black audiences, often exploring vulnerability through autobiographical storytelling. Contact

Chromatic Theatre is a theatre company that develops, supports, and creates space for racialized theatre artists in Moh'kins'tsis (Calgary). Learn More Get Involved Charitable Status Update Learn More Call For Board Members Learn More Past Shows Learn More Hucksterland Learn More Learn More Kisapmata Learn More Learn More Sign Up STATIC: A Party Girl's Memoir Learn More Contact Us Directly! Artistic Director Associate Producer Marketing General Email Name* Email* Subject* Write a message* Send Subscribe to Our Newsletter Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

Archive Static: A Party Girl's Memoir 2024 Co-Produced with Inside Out Theatre Direction by Javier Vilalta Written by Ashley King “Static: A Party Girl’s Memoir” is a coming-of-age story inspired by true events, written and performed by Mexican-Canadian artist Ashley King. It follows Ashley, a young woman whose life revolves around booze, boys, and late-night parties, while navigating a turbulent relationship with her mother, Carolina. But when she wakes up blind while on holiday, she’ll have to face her darkest depths of grieving a new life she didn’t choose or want. Not your typical inspirational story, Static offers a poignant and humorous take on the struggles and triumphs of a young woman learning to navigate the world without sight. With moments of laughter and tears, this dark comedy explores whether everything happens for a reason and if joy can really be found in unexpected places. Static was originally developed in our IBPOC Playwrights Unit. Kisapmata 2024 Co-Produced with Lunchbox Theatre Direction by Gina Puntil Written by Bianca Miranda The Tagalog word “kisapmata” means “blink of an eye.” It’s also the title of a punk banger by Filipino band, Rivermaya. Inspired by this song, this new Canadian play tells the love story of two Filipino women—one living here in Canada and the other, born and raised in the Philippines. Through intimate vignettes, we see the longing, the diving in, and eventually, the letting go. Kisapmata has been in development since 2021, when it was part of our IBPOC Playwrights Unit, and it was featured in both the Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work and Stage Two at Lunchbox Theatre in 2022. Stages of Transformation: feel ur feels (CRINGE LIBERATION) 2023 Presented at Rumble Festival Created by Kris Vanessa Teo Xin-En As we attempt survival in a white supremist and capitalistic society, it is so easy for us to cut ourselves off from how we are feeling, to deny ourselves pleasure, to move at high speeds, to ignore our needs, to bypass processing our lived experiences, to numb sensations that come up, to live through our days on autopilot, to hide who we are and to fast-forward anything that feels uncomfortable. Creating feel ur feels (CRINGE LIBERATION) is a way for me to practice the small actions and connections of listening to the deep feeling and nonrational eroticism within me, and to practice with my friendos, pals and buddy buds, through conversation, stopping to notice what’s around me, in me, and to follow the curiosities that come up along the way. Hookman 2023 Co-Produced with University of Calgary SCPA Direction by Jenna Rodgers Written by Lauren Yee First year university life gets even harder for Lexi when she’s feeling homesick, her roommate is super weird, and a hook-handed serial killer is slashing girls’ throats. When Lexi discovers what really happened to her high school best friend, she learns what it means to grow up – and it isn’t pretty. 我的名是张欣恩 (Gimme Chance Leh) Redux: A Team Together 2021 Direction by Thomas Geddes Written by Kris Vanessa Teo Xin-En Chromatic Theatre is proud to present the AUDIO PLAY version of 我的名是张欣恩 (Gimme chance leh) written and performed by Kris Vanessa Teo. Thanks to support from the CBC Digital Originals program, this project is now streaming live and 100% FREE from the CBC website. Grab a snack, strap on a pair of your favourite headphones, click here and give it a listen! The Green Line 2022 Co-Produced with Downstage Theatre Direction by Jenna Rodgers Written by Makram Ayache During the Lebanese Civil War, Naseeb wants his sister to withdraw from her university studies and move to the mountains. But Mona is secretly falling in love with her classmate Yara. Forty years later, Rami, a Lebanese Canadian student, comes to Lebanon to bury his father, Naseeb. That night, he meets Zidan, a drag queen at a queer Beirut nightclub and things take an unexpected turn. Past and present braid together in The Green Line’s contemplation of how memories are inherited or erased. Cowboy Versus Samurai Direction by Jenna Rodgers Written by Michael Golamco Cowboy Versus Samurai is a modern-day comedic take on the Edmond Rostad classic, Cyrano de Bergerac. Our protagonist Travis Park is the only Korean American in the dusty cowboy town of Breakneck, Wyoming. When the beautiful and clever Veronica Lee moves to town to fill the post of science teacher, he’s immediately smitten – until she reveals that she only dates white men. Travis must choose whether to ally with the “cowboy”: the handsome gym teacher, Del; or the “samurai”: best friend, and militant Asian of unknown origin, Chester. He must choose between the Asian and the American within himself in the pursuit for love that may only be as real as the love letters he writes on behalf of someone else. Winners and Losers 2018 Presented at Summerworks Festival Written by James Long and Marcus Youssef Adapted by Valerie Planche, Makambe K. Simamba and Jenna Rodgers Winners and Losers is one part game, one part conversation that leans into our universally flawed human logic, and the desire to win at all costs. Valerie Planche and Makambe K. Simamba, two powerhouse performers at different stages of life and careers, debate whether people, places or things – Robin Williams, camping, Meghan Markle, private schools – are winners or losers. This exploration of female friendships leads us down a spiralling path of staunch sisterhood and deep-seated difference. As the discussion gets personal, how far is too far when confronting deep-seated beliefs? Based on the Governor General Award-nominated text by Marcus Youssef and James Long, this homegrown adaptation – re-written and re-cast with an all-female team – premiered to rave reviews at Toronto’s SummerWorks Performance Festival! Medea Direction by Alyssa Bradac Written by Euripides, Translated by Robin Robertson Chromatic Theatre is producing a highly contemporary and anti-colonial production of Euripides’ classic tragedy, Medea. After Jason captures the Golden Fleece, in large part because of Medea, her magic, and her betrayal against her family, Jason takes Medea as a wife. A few years pass, their sons grow and prosper, when Jason decides to take another bride from his Grecian homeland for political reasons, offering to keep Medea as a mistress, illegitimating their children in the process. To keep her agency, self-respect, and cultural identity, she pays the ultimate price and kills her children.

Past Project Archive 2015 Playwrights Lab Medea Cowboy vs. Samurai Back to Past Projects

Greater Forest Lawn Playwrights Lab 2015 Featuring: Female Robbery by Jessica Del Fierro Dramaturgy by Caroline Russell-King Timmy, Tommy & the Haunted Hotel by Ali DeRegt and Kathryn Smith Dramaturgy by Alyssa Bradac Blind Pass by Hayley Feigs Dramaturgy by Zachary Moull Absurdable Universe by Kyle Hinton Dramaturgy by Neil Fleming Parched by Jennifer Roberts Dramaturgy by Jenna Rodgers Technology Trade-off by Phyllis Wheaton Dramaturgy by Trevor Rueger Featuring talented performers from across the city: Josh Bertwistle, Michelle Brandenburg, Alex Cherovsky, Filsan Dualeh, Devon Dubnyk, Chelsea Dwarika, Deborah Ferguson, Rodrigo Flores, Natalie Gauthier, Mike Griffin, Alan Johnson, Duane Jones, Alvan Le, Kelly Malcolm, Andrew Merrigan, Dan Perry, Ryan Reese, Holleay Rohm, Lara Schmitz, Makambe Simamba, Ayla Stephen, Liam Volke, Alicia Ward, Justine Westby, Sarah Wheeldon, and Greg Wilson The Greater Forest Lawn Playwrights Lab is a development opportunity supported by CADA for emerging playwrights representing the plethora of diverse communities that exist in Calgary. The Lab will be a safe creative space for writers to explore their ideas and grow their talent – in full colour. The Lab will be led by Jenna Rodgers, a local Director/Dramaturg, who will work with a group of up to five emerging playwrights, each developing their first draft of a play. “Emerging” refers to individual career status, and playwrights of any age are welcome to apply. Playwrights will not be restricted to writing about issues of diversity, but will be encouraged to use their work to explore issues that challenge them. This program will take place over the course of six months, spanning Oct 2014 – March 2015. Selected playwrights will meet twice monthly for the program’s duration. Meetings will take place in Forest Lawn, and will be tailored to support the group of artists that have been assembled. In the final month of the Lab, playwrights will be paired with a mentor in a professional director/dramaturg. You will be given 12 hours of professional development time and a cast of non-equity actors. The GFL Playwrights Lab will culminate with a public presentation to showcase the Playwrights’ work to their friends, family, and the greater Calgary arts community. Back to Past Projects Listen Now! Digital Program

Jesse Del Fiero Early Career Artist Jesse Del Fierro is a queer, non-binary, Filipinx – Canadian actor, director and theatre creator with the privilege to work in both Moh’kinstsis on Treaty 7 Territory and on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples colloquially known as Calgary AB and Vancouver BC respectively. They hold a BFA in Theatre Performance from Simon Fraser University, and have collaborated on works presented at PuSh International Performance Art Festival, SummerWorks, Audain Gallery and rEvolver Festival amongst others. Their work focuses on centering the artist and valuing process over product and consent over consensus as a radical form of decolonizing their practice – acknowledging that this is a life-long process. Intersectionality is their only reality. As a recipient of BC Art’s Council Early Career Development grant 2020, Jesse is currently under the mentorship of Jenna Rodgers of Chromatic Theatre, and Jivesh Parasram of Rumble Theatre to further develop their skills as director, dramaturg, collaborator and overall badass artistic leader. As Jesse always says, “Honesty is the policy and so is screaming.” Contact

Exhibition Agenda 4:00pm - 4:10pm - Land Acknowledgement 4:10pm - 4:15pm - Introduction by Production Team 4:15pm - 4:25pm - Remarks by dramaturg-in-residence, Kodie Rollan 4:25pm - 4:30pm - Remarks by course instructor, Kristen Schaffer 4:30pm - 5:50pm - Invitation to explore the exhibition at your pace 4:50pm - 5:10pm - Presentation of Men in Education and Stomp, Roar and Be Brave (we will invite everyone to turn and listen) 5:30pm - 5:50pm - Presentation of Men in Education and Stomp, Roar and Be Brave (we will invite everyone to turn and listen) 5:50pm - 6:00pm - Final note of gratitude See also: Parking Info for MRU

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Chromatic Theatre is a theatre company that develops, supports, and creates space for racialized theatre artists in Moh'kins'tsis (Calgary). Click Here for Details News & Updates What’s Going On Meet this year's Playwrights Unit Cohort! Click here to participate! Get tickets to our current production! Link for tickets Read More Meet our Artistic Director! Click here to set up a meeting with Kodie! Read More Contact Us! First Name Last Name Email Comments SUBMIT Thanks for submitting! "To develop and support diverse voices that contribute to an artistic landscape reflecting the spectrum of diversity we see across our country"