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Apply to the 23/24 Playwrights Unit now! Chromatic Theatre is so excited to Introduce our 2023/24 Playwrights Unit Cohort! Take some time and get to know each playwright Program Alia Sofia Mara Nakota Tech & Design Actors Directors Stage Manager: Sabrena Shah Baigzada Tech/Design help: Natalia Cortes Dramaturg/ Producer: Kodie Rollan Tania Alvarado Filsan Dualeh Sunny Faust Amy On Tiffany Thomas Keshia Cheesman Javier Vilalta Marshall Vielle Jenna Rodgers Roma Inspired by the playwrights time as a transient muralist working at and living in a Roman Hotel, “Roma” follows a series of intimate, confrontational, and often humorous events shared between international guests and workers. Narrated by a jaded yet brutally honest Turkish handyman, the hotel's longest-standing resident, who critically observes how love and connection flourish in defiance of language, culture, and time barriers. Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on three different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy where she works with organisations that support youth through mentorship and fundraising, and is in the early stages of starting the Aluma Scholarship Foundation with her father, a leader within his community, and twin brother, while also donating hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually. @aliaaluma Death and The Poet Death and grief are parts of life we can’t escape, no matter how fast we run. In this theatre and movement show, we follow the Poet as they navigate encountering, accepting, and eventually befriending Death. Drawing from the playwright’s Mexican cultural understanding of Death, this show is a love letter to living, grieving, and making art to make sense of the world. Content Warning: explicit descriptions of death, mentions of sexual and gender violence, mentions of suicidal ideation Sofia Huarte Aguilar (they/them) is a first generation Mexican immigrant residing in Moh’kins’tsis, and pursuing a combined degree in Drama and Philosophy at the University of Calgary. Also an activist and a student organizer, Sofia’s artistic and academic practice revolves around constructing radical pedagogical tools for performance. They are deeply passionate about diversifying the theatre, and utilizing it as a critical tool for liberation. Their recent acting credits include Argonautika, directed by Randi Edmundson at the SCPA, and Hookman, directed by Jenna Rodgers and produced in collaboration with Chromatic Theatre and the SCPA. @sofia_huarte18 The Eaten A bachelorette party rents a house in the country for a weekend of salacious revelry. However, unknown to them, the owner of the house has different, more sinister plans in mind. The party goes rapidly sideways in this absurdist dark comedy. Content Warning: Misogyny, Misogynistic/derogatory language, Profanity, Transphobia, Sexual content and language, and Violence Mara Teare is an emerging interdisciplinary artist. Originally from Saskatoon, she has recently found a new artistic home in Calgary. She made her Calgary debut as Mowgli in Alberta Theatre Projects production of The Jungle Book. Graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada's acting program, Mara is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices through her work. She's eager to develop her skills as a writer. Her stage credits include; The Jungle Book (Alberta Theatre Projects), Crypthand (Gale Force Theatre), Cymbeline (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan), Everybody, Indecent (National Theatre School), and Young Ones (SUM Theatre). Additionally, she has written one previous play sad girls watch The Princess Bride. @marateare Tale of Two Spirits ‘Tale of Two Spirits’ is a weird, potentially confusing, and funny story about the friendship and connection of two souls, Sunny and Starr, in a universe filled with supernatural wonder and chaos Content Warning: Strong Language Nakota Starr Tobias (they/them) is a Queer Trans Two-Spirit Indigenous actor and playwright currently residing in Calgary, Alberta but is from Treaty 6 Territory, and is Nakota Sioux/Anishinaabe Ojibwe. They are in their 3rd year of a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree, mainly focusing on acting but interested in writing as well. They aim to tell stories of joy, connection, and love through the lens of their intersectional identities, whether this is through bringing it to life as an actor or being the one to write the story themself. Which has motivated and encouraged them to write their play Wild Spirits, that is somewhat based on one of their friendships and has aspects of their personal experience entwined within. They also strive to inspire and uplift the generations to come, and bring forth representation they never had growing up. @theweirdonamedkoda

Apply to the 23/24 Playwrights Unit now! Chromatic Theatre is looking for applications from writers/ creators who identify as being Indigenous, Black, or a Person of Colour from all levels of experience. At Chromatic Theatre we are dedicated to developing and supporting work by and for the wide breadth of cultural diversity that exists in our province. We are excited for the seventh iteration of our Playwrights Unit that will bring together IBPOC playwrights/creators from Mohkins’tsis (Calgary) and surrounding areas, with the aim of strengthening our community, and investing in new Canadian plays. If you have any questions about the application or have barriers to applying through this google form, please contact Artistic Director, Kodie Rollan at kodie@chromatictheatre.ca Deadline: September 22, 2025 Please send applications through this Google Form If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Artistic Director, Kodie Rollan, at kodie@chromatictheatre.ca PDF Posting As a part of the Chromatic Theatre Playwrights Unit, you will: Attend one digital group meet and greet in October 2025 Attend a total of eight group workshops between October 2025 - May 2026 Receive up to seven one-on-one dramaturgical sessions with Artistic Director, Kodie Rollan Receive a workshop of your script with an ensemble of actors between June 9 - 14, 2026 Receive a public, in-person reading of your script, performed by an ensemble of professional actors, culminating at the end of the June 9 - 14, 2026 workshop week. Artistic Directors from the Calgary community will be invited to this showcase. Build community with other racialized writers Receive an honorarium of $1000 Applications Accepted via Google Forms Within it, applicants must answer questions pertaining to: A description of the writing project you will be working on as part of the playwrights unit Why you would like to be part of the Playwrights Unit, what you hope to get out of the residency, and why you think you’d be a good fit to work with Chromatic Theatre. Applicants will also be asked to upload one (1) PDF document including Your CV (maximum 2 pages) A writing sample that is a maximum of 20 pages. We also welcome writing samples from other mediums (essays, short stories, poetry, etc.).

Chromatic Theatre is a theatre company that develops, supports, and creates space for racialized theatre artists in Moh'kins'tsis (Calgary). gift Get Involved Charitable Status Update Learn More Call For Board Members Learn More Past Shows Learn More Learn More Kisapmata Learn More Learn More Sign Up STATIC: A Party Girl's Memoir Learn More Learn More Playwrights Unit 2024 Contact Us Directly! Artistic Director Associate Producer Marketing General Email Name* Email* Subject* Write a message* Send

Hucksterland By Caleigh Crow January 28 - February 7, 2026 When the city is built on lies, someone has to bring the house down. Corporate landlord Jordan Jamieson sits at the top of his empire. He is rich, ruthless and riding high alongside his whip smart executive assistant and the mayor in his back pocket. It's not long before a fearless prosecutor starts asking questions and we see cracks beginning to form and Jordan's power starting to crumble. From award-winning playwright Caleigh Crow, and composers Sacha Crow and Gus Rendell, Hucksterland is a new musical pulsing with humour, heart and rebellion. It’s loud. It’s fearless. And when the music stops, not everyone makes it out alive. Get Tickets Co-Production with Thumbs Up Good Work and presented by One Yellow Rabbit as part of the 40th Annual High Performance Rodeo. CAST AND CREW CALEIGH CROW • Book Writer and Director SACHA CROW • Music & Lyrics, Music Director, and Sound Design GUS RENDELL • Music & Lyrics and Drummer NEIL FLEMING • Technical Director and Scenic Design KATRIONA DUNN • Costume & Props Designer KODIE ROLLAN • Producer & Production Manager SAMUEL KUGBIYI • Production Mentee

Cowboy versus Samurai 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. Produced by Chromatic Theatre Direction by Jenna Rodgers Production Stage Management by Olivia Brooks Set and Costume Design by Jennifer Lee Arsenault Lighting Design by Ian McFarlane Sound Design by Kyle Hinton Cast: Mike Tan Travis Richard Lee Hsi* Chester Carmela Sison* Veronica Mat Glessing Del *Members of the Canadian Actors Equity Association Back to Past Projects

Men in Education Talks (Podcast) Exhibition Info Exhibition by: Format: Audio/ Video Content: Contains 5 - 10 minute clips of different parts of the podcast. Audiences are invited to watch as much or as little as they choose before moving on to other exhibits. Accessibility: The video contains subtitles. Teacher candidates will be available for questions/ comments as the video plays. See also: Parking Info for MRU

Samuel Kugbiyi Artistic Director Mentee Samuel Kugbiyi is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller and arts administrator who blends writing, voice acting, visual arts and technical skills such as audio editing, sound design, and directing to create impactful narratives. As a versatile creative, he has contributed his talents to a range of projects, from theatre and film, to radio and audio dramas and to animation. Samuel had his art exhibition in Calgary in December 2024 with the Emmedia Gallery & Production Society. Notably, Samuel was the voice of the beloved character Toye in the animated worldwide phenomenon “Iyanu" which is airing on Showmax , ITVX, HBO Max and Cartoon Network. Samuel also published his book “Grim Africana” an African horror anthology in the summer of 2025. In 2019, Samuel co-founded SAK Productions, a media production company dedicated to crafting stories that inspire and connect audiences. Through this venture, he has partnered with esteemed organizations like UNESCO and Global Rights, contributing to projects that resonate on a global scale. Samuel is also currently enjoying his residency at Chromatic as an Artistic Director Mentee. Contact

Medea 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. Cast Direction by Alyssa Bradac Stage Management by Courtney Charnock Set and Lighting Design by Kathryn Smith Costume Design by Benjamin Toner Sound Design by Miquelon Rodriguez CAST Chantelle Han* Medea Justin Michael Carriere* Jason Ali DeRegt Aegeus/Chorus Carly McKee Creon/Chorus Jenna Rodgers Tutor/Chorus Makambe K. Simamba Nurse/ Chorus *Member of the Canadian Actors Equity Association Back to Past Projects Listen Now! Digital Program

The Green Line April 3, 2030 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. This is a co-production between Downstage Theatre & Chromatic Theatre. Cast and Creative Team Makram Ayache: Playwright / Rami / Naseeb Filsan Dualeh: Yara Ryan Abd’u’llah Hooper: Zidan / Fifi Sepidar Yeganeh Farid: Mona Jenna Rodgers: Director Chris Austman: Sound Design & Original Music Ajay Badoni: Lighting Design Abbie Brokenshire: Costume Design Assistant Alia Shahab: Set Design Jordan Wieben: Costume Design Aldona Barutowicz: Publicist Jesse Del Fierro: Assistant Director Adam Kostiuk: Production Manager / Technical Director Evan Medd: Dramaturg Donna Sharpe: Stage Manager Back to Past Projects

The Reading Rainbow Reading Rainbow: Support Us Chromatic Theatre’s “Reading Rainbow” is a play reading series exclusively for artists of colour. The purpose is to bring BIPOC folx in Calgary’s community together to share space, one afternoon at a time. We will sit together and read a play (generally by a culturally diverse artist), then chat about the play, and get to know one another. It’s an exercise in getting familiar with the canon of culturally diverse works in Canada, and in building community. This is a drop in group – there is no obligation to attend every session. We are generously hosted by Mike Tan Photography, but have currently adjusted to meet digitally due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. We meet quarterly to read good plays, hang with good people, and enjoy good food together. Sign Up for The Reading Rainbow below! *we ask that only members of the BIPOC community sign up Sign Up Here!

2024/25 Jessica Szeto "Last Light" Kathleen Faith Ballangan "EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse)" Melanee Murray-Hunt “The City on the Hill” 2023/24 Ali Aluma "Roma" Mara Teare "We Are Food" Nakota Starr Tobias "Tale of Two Spirits" Sofia Huarte "Death and The Poet" 2022/23 Ashley King "Static" Miranda Martini "Yeoman" Kristen Padayas "Laalcha" Ado Nkemka "I'm Not Afraid To Die Anymore" 2021/22 Rebbekah Ogden "My White Daddy" Thomas Geddes " A Plain Ol' Escape Room" Rick Gaudio "When It Rains" Sepidar Yeganeh Farid "Limbo" 2021 Bianca Miranda "Kisapmata" Toyin Lamas "Father's Heart" Maezy Reign "Hang In There" Barry Bilinsky "Red Leather, Yellow Leather" Bill Yong "Red Leather, Yellow Leather" 2019/20 Rebecca Comer "Dear Dad" Kodie Rollan "The Watchdog Society" Caleigh Crow "Hucksterland"

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