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Spice It Up Victoria Presents Bollywood Cabaret: Lights, Camera, Drama! The essence of the Hindi Film Industry, also known as Bollywood, comes alive in this vibrant variety show. A celebration of cinema, music, and storytelling, this performance takes you through different stories, movies, and melodies—all seen through the eyes of aspiring artists. Bad Shah, our charismatic narrator, will guide you through multiple genres of Bollywood, weaving emotion, drama, and rhythm into every scene. Alongside a lineup of incredible local artists, this show promises a night of sparkle, nostalgia, and pure entertainment. The question is: Are you ready? Because the spotlight is waiting—and the magic of Bollywood is about to unfold. Credits Stay tuned for the full artist lineup! Accessibility Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation Content warnings: There are no current content warnings for this show About the Artists Someone is here to bring the heat, and he’s got all the spice of Mumbai wrapped in his bold, queer, and fabulous persona. As the first Bollywood Drag King of Canada, Bad Shah infuses his performances with a unique blend of high-energy Bollywood choreography. Whether it's through his show-stopping performances or his bold expression of queerness, He captivates and electrifies audiences every time he hits the stage. You might have seen him headlining Victoria Pride, or seen him dancing alongside BBNO$ at the JUNO Awards and being a member of all drag king boy band Call Us Men;) , showcasing his versatility. He’s also an active collaborator with Sher Vancouver, working to support the queer South Asian community and create spaces for inclusion and empowerment. As the producer of Spice It Up Victoria, he continues to amplify the voices of marginalized communities while delivering unforgettable performances. Bad Shah is here to make some noise, get ready to sweat because he’s bringing the spice with him! Stay tuned for the full artist lineup!
Intrepid Studio
Intrepid Studio
Stuck in an endless loop of turning a dagger on herself, Juliet breaks out of her tragedy in search of a reason for her tragic demise. On the way, Juliet recruits a team of Shakespeare’s most famous female characters to find out why they’ve been forced to die. Can they alter their fate or are they doomed to play out the same tragic tales for the rest of eternity? “Award-winning evisceration of Shakespeare’s Verona Tragedy” -Orlando Weekly “…hilarious simply because it’s so audacious and unexpected.” -Colin Thomas “…an example of the new heights that can be achieved when we rethink tropes as old as time.” -Winnipeg Free Press ★★★★★ “…a delightful tale that’s equal parts feminist critique, Renaissance romp and bravura acting display…not to be missed.” -NOW Toronto NNNN (out of 4) Credits Written by – Pippa Mackie and Ryan Gladstone Original Score by – Drew Jurecka Directed by – Ryan Gladstone Lightning Design by – Jon Paterson Costume Design by – Nita Bowerman Performed by: Lili Beaudoin as Juliet Ryan Gladstone as Shakespeare Carly Pokoradi as Everyone Else Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, depictions or mentions of cartoonish violence, discussion of suicide. Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation. About the Artist Monster Theatre Monster Theatre was founded in 2000. Our first play was Fairy Tale: A Choose Your Own Adventure Play, an improvised street theatre show that toured the Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Victoria Fringe Festivals. Our second play The Canada Show: The Complete History of Canada in One toured across the country numerous times winning countless awards. We have developed over 40 original productions for adult and young audiences always with our signature irreverent twist on history and mythology. Plays for young audiences include The Big Rock Show: The Complete History of the World, Mini Masterpieces, The Little Prince, Shakespeare’s Dream, We Now Know: The Complete History of Science and Crisis on Planet Z! Plays for adults include Juliet: A Revenge Comedy, War and Peace, Who Killed Gertrude Crump?, Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, No Tweed Too Tight, Assassinating Thomson, Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle, The Seven Lives of Louis Riel, The Shakespeare Show, The Macbeth Show and many, many more. Monster Theatre has become one of Canada’s premiere independent touring theatre companies. Lili Beaudoin – Performer (Juliet) Based out of Vancouver, Lili is an actor, Improvisor and voice artist. Some of her notable theatre credits include Marie in The Nutcracker at Caravan Farm Theatre, Claudia in I, Claudia at The Arts Club, Mimi/scenographer in Blind Date, Brigid Blake in The Humans at Theatre Calgary, Gracie in Gracie at ATP & Belfry and Miranda in The Tempest at Bard on the Beach. Elsewhere Lili’s voice can be heard in several animated shows such as Beat Bugs, Littlest Pet Shop, Rainbow Ruby, Max Steel and My Little Pony. If you’d like to see her do some improv you can catch Lili most weekends at Vancouver’s Tightrope Impro Theatre strutting her stuff on stage and pretending she knows what she’s talking about. Lili is the honoured recipient of the Anthony Holland Scholarship for Outstanding Ability and Dedication as well as a Betty Mitchell award for Outstanding Performance by a lead Actress in a Drama. Carly Pokoradi – Performer (Everyone else) Carly is a collaborative creator, multidisciplinary artist, clown, and scrap collector who trusts her goosebumps. As a theatre-maker, Carly has worked in various capacities with Theatre Replacement, Caravan Farm Theatre, The Chop, and Hardline Productions and has toured the country with sold-out runs on the Canadian Fringe Circuit. Carly is an artistic associate with Monster Theatre, an improviser with Blind Tiger Comedy, a Jessie Richardson Award nominee, and a graduate of Studio 58. As artist-in-residence with the incredible @hammockresidency, she recently showed her textile art at the James Black Gallery in so-called Vancouver. Currently, she is studying to become an ASL-English interpreter and relishing every minute. In her spare time, she sews messily, sleeps deeply, and laughs loudly. Ryan Gladstone – Playwright/Director/Performer (Shakespeare) Ryan currently lives and works in Vancouver as an actor, producer, director, playwright and improvisor. Ryan holds an MFA in Directing and a BFA in Acting, he also spent ten years studying Improvisation Loose Moose Theatre under Keith Johnstone. Ryan is the founder and Artistic Director of Monster Theatre (www.monstertheatre.com) where he has co-created over 25 original plays. Selected writing/directing credits include: Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Who Killed Gertrude Crump?, The Shakespeare Show, and The Canada Show (Monster Theatre). Selected directing credits include: Hell of a Girl (revolver Festival), Hunter Gatherers (Staircase Theatre), Ubu Roi (UBC). Ryan has six one-person plays including War and Peace, No Tweed Too Tight, Every Story Ever Told, The Seven Lives of Louis Riel, Napoleon’s Secret Diary and Confessions of a Class Clown. Pippa Mackie – Playwright Pippa Mackie is an award-winning actor, playwright, and producer. Her work has been performed on stages and at festivals across North America. Most notable credits include The Progressive Polygamists co-written/performed with Emmelia Gordon, which toured across Canada for many years including the Just For Laughs Festival. Her one-act play Starman, which was originally commissioned and produced as part of Upintheair Theatre’s The Array, was adapted into an audio drama as part of Sound the Alarm Theatre’s podcast series in 2021 and received 3 Berlin Film Haus nominations including Best Scriptwriting and Best Podcast. She is also the co-writer of a mockumentary comedy podcast titled Philippa Po: Changing Minds with Ryan Gladstone produced by Sound the Alarm Theatre. Her most recent play Hurricane Mona was co-produced by Touchstone Theatre and Ruby Slippers Theatre and received its World Premiere production in November 2023. Hurricane Mona was created as part of the Arts Club Theatre’s Emerging Playwrights Unit, was awarded Touchstone Theatre’s David King Prize for Comedy in 2022 and Pippa was a participant of the 2023 Banff Playwrights Unit. Pippa is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Drew Jurecka – Original Score Drew Jurecka is a Toronto-based violinist/vocalist who is comfortable in many genres. Trained classically at the Cleveland Institute of Music, during his final year Drew played a solo with the great Dave Brubeck and his quartet at Severance Hall. While at the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles, a summer program for jazz and aspiring studio musicians, Drew had the opportunity to play at the Hollywood Bowl with Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, and Shirley Horn. Drew has played, written or arranged on more than 150 records, including several JUNO-winning and Grammy-nominated albums. He can be heard on numerous film and television soundtracks. Drew has toured internationally as a sideman and with his own projects. He spent five years on the road with Jeff Healey and now plays as part of Jill Barber’s regular band. He is a faculty member at Humber College where he has helped to develop a unique jazz strings program that includes technique classes, ensembles and private lessons. Jon Paterson – Lighting Designer/Stage Manager Jon has been an active member of the Canadian theatre community for the past 25 years and has performed in numerous theatres and festivals including the Centaur Theatre and Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (Montreal), Canoe Theatre Festival, Workshop West and Mayfield Theatre (Edmonton), Rogue Festival (California), Living Arts Centre (Mississauga), Vertigo Mystery Theatre (Calgary), the Winnipeg Improv Festival and the Vancouver Comedy Festival. Jon received his training at MacEwan University, where he studied both theatre arts and production. He has also trained with master clown Mike Kennard (Mump & Smoot) and has honed his improv skills at Second City Toronto. Nita Bowerman – Costume Designer Nita Bowerman is a multidisciplinary performance-based artist, mixing the mediums of dance, acting, media art and costume design. Her self-created real time performances are often hybrid works mixing live action with digital content. Her creation and collaboration credits include performing in live and live digital spaces, generating visual content for short art videos and live plays, and making wearable art works and costumes. She has worked with various local theatre companies in a variety of capacities and has performed and screened diy digital video works locally and internationally. Art is the medium through which Nita processes existing. She is an experimenter of form and designer of content, creating works for stage and screen. Thanks Monster Theatre for inviting me to have fun and play! Nita is a graduate of SFU School for Contemporary Arts.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Shirley Gnome is a singer who has spent sixteen years performing songs about adult topics. Even though she’s been doing this for a long time, she’s never had a big hit. That changes when a video of her at a music festival, looking a bit "out of it", gets posted on TikTok by a teenager. The video quickly goes viral. A popular TikTok creator named DJ BBKn0$e turns the video into a song that becomes a huge hit with kids - the next “Baby Shark.” Suddenly, Shirley finds herself famous with a new, younger audience. She decides to go along with it to make more money. She’s invited to perform at an elite private school, hoping this new direction will finally pay off. But things quickly fall apart. The kids are confused by the songs, and her lyrics raise disturbing questions that no child (or parent) is ready for. Through this experience, Shirley starts to reflect on her fears about the world, the future, and the kind of planet we’re leaving behind. What starts as a cash grab gig turns into something deeper — a challenge to modern despair. Let’s be clear: this is not a real kids' show. It’s satire. Please do not bring your children. Seriously. Credits Written by – Shirley Gnome and Becky Johnson Performed by Shirley Gnome Featuring the voices of: Shirley Gnome featuring the voices of Bunnie Gnome Duckie Gnome Boden Fear Leigh Cameron Ursa Folinsbee Vanilla Frog Olive Merkin Knowles Maximilian Thunder Chevalier Shortt Ryan Beil Becky Johnson Story by Becky Johnson and Shirley Gnome Music and Lyrics by Shirley Gnome Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, drugs or alcohol use, depictions of violence: references to corporal punihcment, death, war. Sensory warnings: Loud noises, audience interaction/participation About the Artist Shirley Gnome - Playwright/Composer Shirley Gnome is a Juno-nominated comedian, songwriter and vocalist based out of Vancouver BC/Montreal QC. She is celebrated for performing folk, rock, pop, and country with satirical subject matter and stunning vocals. Her witty, hilarious lyrics tackle topics both silly and provocative, captivating audiences with playful and biting content. Gnome has earned rave reviews and accolades in five countries. She’s performed at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, JFL Vancouver, Winnipeg Comedy Festival and more. Gnome has been featured on CBC Radio’s The Debaters, CBC Gem, and Sirius XM, and is signed with Comedy Here Often? Records. In 2021, her album Decoxification earned a Juno Award nomination. In 2024, she made her television debut at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival’s TV galas. Her latest album, Live Bare & Natural, was released on March 27th, 2025, along with her accompanying comedy special. Becky Johnson - Playwright Becky Johnson is a veteran of the Canadian comedy scene currently based in Toronto. She is an alumna of the Toronto Second City Mainstage, has created and toured her own scripted and improvised shows internationally and has appeared in iconic Canadian plays including the European premiere of Daniel MacIvor’s A Beautiful View and the world premiere of Sheila Heti’s All Our Happy Days Are Stupid. Becky has been nominated for seven Canadian Comedy Awards and has won two. On screen, Becky can be found in Baroness Von Sketch Show (Frantic Films/IFC), What We Do In The Shadows (FX), Workin’ Moms (CBC), Gary and His Demons (Blue Ant/Look Mom), Odd Squad (PBS/Sinking Ship), The Beaverton (Comedy Network/Pier 21 Films), Space Riders: Division Earth (CTV Extend/Hulu), The Amazing Gayl Pile (CBC/LaRue Entertainment) and more. Becky has won two Canadian Screen Awards for writing on Baroness Von Sketch Show and has also contributed to Because News (CBC Radio One) and This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC). She is currently developing several scripted projects of her own.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Slow Dive is an auto-fictography and queer coming-of-age tale spanning the course of 20 years that asks “What do our bodies know?" The story is told through a series of vignettes combining experimental documentary and projected animations. A relationship to swimming and themes of water move throughout, drawing on symbolism and parallels to portray embodiment, grief, self-love, and queer identity. Alongside personal narratives and reflections, Slow Dive collages research-based historical accounts such as the colonial roots of the breaststroke, a rumoured secret romance that inspired the writing of The Little Mermaid, and iconic cultural references like the hanky code and the first 'lesbian’ kiss on Star Trek Credits Directed by – Emma Tibaldo Dramaturgy – Fatma Sarah Elkashef Production Design – potatoCakes_digital Original Compositions – Estraven Lupino-Smith Additional consultation/collaboration/production feedback – Catherine Hahn, Jessica Hickman, Britt Small, Mind of a Snail, Liz Charters Created in Residencies with OUTstages and Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, themes of consent, drugs or alcohol use Sensory warnings: Haze About the Artist Kerri Flannigan (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, and educator currently based on Lkwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories (Victoria, BC), who experiments with methods of research and storytelling through installation, video, and performance. With a background as an experimental animator and zine-maker, Flannigan is interested in investigating different ways of creating and performing narratives, working to create frameworks where the personal is critically connected to a wider sphere of context. Family mythologies, the history of wildfire, queer experiences of place, and swimming have all been subjects of recent works. Flannigan has shown locally and internationally and was a recipient of the Best English Zine at the Expozine Awards (2011 and 2014); a recent artist-in-residence with Impulse Theatre and The Only Animal; and runner-up to the inaugural Lind Prize.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Tackle Box is a coming of age story based on Cheyenne Scott's real life experience salmon fishing with her Tsawout/Norwegian family. Performed as a one-person show, Spring, puts the pieces of herself back together by reflecting on her relationship to family and the land, while in pursuit of catching her first Chinook salmon. The Tackle Box carries stories as gifts or good medicine and important teachings. The story is told through a series of vignettes or memories: from collecting slugs, to learning to set up the fishing rods, and grieving a wounded seal pup. During this phase of development the team is experimenting with form, staging, and introducing a touch of the soundscape. Development support has been provided by First Peoples Cultural Council, Intrepid Stages and Spaces, Cahoots Theatre Hot House Program, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council Credits Written by — Cheyenne Scott Co-Directed by — Jessica Schact and Julie McIsaac Accessibility Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation Content warnings: Adult language About the Artist Cheyenne Scott is a member of the SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation/Norwegian settler descent, and an actor, playwright, and creative producer with a focus on new works. Having learned theatre through a colonial lens, she is working to Indigenize her process through her W̱ SÁNEĆ values, land-based methodology, and storytelling. She is a multi Dora Mavor Moore nominated artist for co-creating/performing Now You See Her (Quote Unquote Collective/Nightwood/Why Not Theatre) which was published by Coach House, and for The Home Project (Howland/Native Earth/Soulpepper). Cheyenne was named the protégé of Lori Marchand for the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award. She is an Artistic Associate for Urban Ink and Associate Artistic Director for Western Canada Theatre. Select Acting Credits include: Children of God (Urban Ink/NAC, Citadel/WCT, Segal Centre), The Herd (Citadel/Tarragon), The Last Five Years (Blue Bridge) Joyride (Caravan Farm Theatre), The Drowning Girls (WCT), Mistatim (Red Sky Performance), Trojan Girls and the Outhouse of Atreus (Outside the March/Factory). Julie McIsaac is a versatile director, dramaturg and creator of theatre and opera, Julie earned her Master’s in Theatre from the University of York (UK), and is also a graduate of Carleton University and the Canadian College of Performing Arts. She is a Jessie, Ovation and BroadwayWorld award winner, a founding member of the Honest Fishmongers (Critics’ Choice Innovation award nom.), a previous Artist-in-Residence with Pacific Opera, and in 2019 was named Director/Dramaturg-in-Residence at the Canadian Opera Company, where she led the critically-acclaimed premiere of Ian Cusson and Colleen Murphy’s Fantasma. Directing highlights include the premiere of The Nightingale of a Thousand Songs (Canadian Children’s Opera Company), The Last Five Years (Blue Bridge), Beauty’s Beast (East Van Opera), The Exquisite Hour (Playhouse Fringe award), Pride and Prejudice (Chemainus) and the multiple award-winning Poly Queer Love Ballad by Sara Vickruck & Anais West. Julie is the playwright and award-winning composer/arranger/sound designer of The Out Vigil which was featured in the New American Voices Festival in London’s West End and premiered in Vancouver in 2016, receiving a total 5 Jessie nominations including Outstanding Production. Jessica Schacht is a director, dramaturg, and writer living gratefully on Quw’utsun territory, Vancouver Island. She comes from Métis and Canadian families and her work and ethos centre around exploring identity and relationships through the cultural, environmental, and personal experiences that shape us. She is a graduate of the University of Victoria's Theatre Program and has honed her craft at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity's Dramaturgy for Dance residency, Theatre Replacement's New Aesthetics Performance Intensive, as well as PTC's Block A program. As a theatre artist she has worked across genres of theatre, opera, and dance. Select credits include: Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Director - Chemainus Theatre); TheFiancee (Director - Chemainus Theatre); In the Shadow of the Mountains Workshop (Dramaturg– Visceral Visions); Gather in Nature (Dramaturg – New World Theatre/Pacific Theatre); SisNe'Bi-Yiz: A Mother Bear’s Journey (Associate Director/Dramaturg– Heart of the City Festival); Dialogue Dances (Dramaturg – National Ballet of Canada); Kamloopa (Fire Igniter – WCT/The Cultch/Persephone/GTNT). Jessica has been the Artist in Residence at Pacific Opera Victoria and the Artistic Associate at TheatreOne.
Intrepid Studio
Intrepid Studio
We've ruined the Earth in one lifetime. 85% of the carbon in our air has happened since World War II. In Ten Thousand Things, acclaimed storyteller Brendan McLeod tracks how we got here, and how nothing (still!) seems to be getting done about it. What begins as an examination of Western history—how commodification separates people, how language influences power, history's annoying insistence on repeating—soon morphs into a personal exploration of grief and joy. The answer to the simple question—what would societal change actually look like—is obviously not so simple, but potential answers aren't as complex as expected, and might even be uplifting. From the former Canadian SLAM champ, the creator of hit Victoria fringe shows "Brain" and "Ridge", comes the world premiere of a new solo performance, which, for a show about human annihilation, also has quite a few jokes. Credits Written by – Brendan McLeod Performed by — Brendan McLeod Directed by — Julie Course Accessibility There are no Content or Sensory Warnings for this show. About the Artist Brendan McLeod is a writer, theatre creator, and musician. He’s the author of a poetry collection, a novel, and seven theatre shows. A JUNO-nominated songwriter with his folk group The Fugitives, he's the former Canadian SLAM champ, and was the Poet of Honour at the 2012 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Here in Victoria, his 2015 solo show Brain won Best Male Performer at the Fringe Festival. His next show, Ridge, won our Virtual Pick of the Fringe in 2020.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Death of a Salesman meets Mr. Bean... A lonely office worker squeezes through a portal in their bathroom mirror and goes on a quest for the meaning of life in this surreal physical comedy. The mundane becomes extraordinary as each vignette and dance takes you deeper into a whimsical world of illusion. The Routine will leave you in stitches and remind you of the magic within. ★★★★★ Secunda doesn’t just put on a show, they pull you into a world where routines are poetry and the mundane is pure magic. — the LIST UK ★★★★★ — Edmonton Journal “An overall rollicking good time.” — Broadway World “Secunda has great comedic timing and fantastic physicality that really shines” — Mooney on Theatre “If Jim Carrey is the male rubberface, Secunda might just be the female equivalent.” — Forget the Box “...non-stop physicality...pushes the edges of reality.” — Showbill Credits Joylyn Secunda — Co-creator, performer, sound designer, producer David Secunda — Director, co-creator Linda Arkelian — Movement coach Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, drugs or alcohol use, depictions of violence: references to corporal punihcment, death, war. Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation About the Artist Joylyn Secunda (they/them) — co-creator, performer, sound designer, producer Joylyn Secunda is a physical theatre artist, actor, dancer, and puppeteer based in Vancouver, Canada. They grew up in a performing arts family and have recently collaborated with their parents David Secunda (director) and Linda Arkelian (choreographer) on their solo shows. They toured their critically acclaimed solo show, The Moaning Yoni across Canada and most recently performed The Routine at the Adelaide Fringe and in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg. In addition to their solo career, they have performed with theatre companies including the National Arts Centre and The Wonderheads. Joylyn was mentored by Crystal Pite in the Startle Reflex Residency. They are a BFA Acting graduate from UBC and have studied clown with John Turner (Mump & Smoot) and Aitor Basauri (Spymonkey), mime with Dean Evans (Cirque du Soleil), Corporeal mime at Théâtre Omnibus, and devised theatre at Dell’Arte International. David Secunda (he/him) — co-creator, director Originally a visual artist specializing in fibre arts David Secunda transformed into a performance artist as he experimented in ritual style performance art at art show openings and conferences. Through the 1980's David Secunda performed physical theatre, experimented with his giant woven fibre masks and puppets, and toured nationally and internationally with Imago and Theatre of Giants. 1989-2012, he taught theatre arts in Coquitlam and has published two novels, Balancing Act and Fluid. He is the director and co-writer of The Moaning Yoni and The Routine. Linda Arkelian (she/her) — choreographer Linda has performed internationally with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Theatre Ballet of Canada, Anna Wyman Dance Theatre and the Judith Marcuse Dance Company. She was the recipient of a Canada Council grant in 1991 to study at the National Dance Intensive and the National Voice Intensive. Linda is a professional ballet and contemporary instructor and choreographer. She is ballet mistress and repertoire coach for Lamondance Company. In addition, Linda is a visual artist, actor and filmmaker. Her dance films with David Cooper have received worldwide acclaim and international screenings in the US, India and the UK.
Intrepid Studio
Intrepid Studio
It all started when Executive and Artistic Director Dyana Sonik-Henderson found herself captivated by the 1925 gothic and melodramatic silent picture Phantom of the Opera. With a spark of creative inspiration, she quickly became enthralled with old monster pictures and began to experiment with how to transform these iconic movie moments and stories into dance. The result is several short works that bring the classic horror movie genre of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s back to the stage and in 3D. Combining Broken Rhythms’ innovative rhythmical contemporary style you’re in for a captivating and nostalgic experience. This performance is supported by the Victoria Foundation as part of Intrepid Theatre’s Stages & Spaces program. Limited $25 Early Bird tickets available until Monday Sept 1st. Early Bird tickets get early entrance and a pre-show chat (for 7:30pm performances only). Credits Choreography: Dyana Sonik-Henderson Accessibility Content warnings: None. Sensory warnings: Haze. About the Artist Broken Rhythms Victoria Society is a Victoria-based, registered not-for-profit independent dance company founded in 2011 under the artistic direction of Dyana Sonik-Henderson. The company was created to showcase the unique style of Rhythmical Contemporary, to provide local artists with performance and training opportunities, and to support and develop the Canadian arts community. Broken Rhythms has created and produced numerous original works such as SPARK, GRIM, SEVEN, UNIVERSAL HORRORS, THYSELF, INTERNAL RHYTHMS, INTO THE WIRE, 1,000 PIECES OF ∏ , ABOVE ME, CHIARO:SCURO, KNOTTED and ON HOLD that have toured all over Canada. They have been awarded nine Pick of the Fringe awards, named as one of Toronto Star’s “can’t miss shows at the Toronto fringe”, received the LOLA International project award and most recently were invited to perform at Dancing on the Edge/Vancouver Contemporary festival 2025.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
1. I am STILL waiting to be discovered. 2. Most of my best stories aren’t even true. 3. I'm a liar, a cheat, and a thief. 4. I chain smoke. 5. I adore cheap mayonnaise. 6. I am secretly proud of my terrible table manners. 7. I haven’t had sex in over a year. Maybe two years. Actually, 6 years. 8. I can't stop scrolling!!! 9. I just want people to think I’m cool. 10. I am a loser. & I want to tell you all about it. J McLaughlin is a mean, funny, petulant, weird queer old maid obsessed with understanding and unpacking anxiety, ecstasy, true love, dark thoughts, inner peace, death, desire, enlightenment, sex, smoking, drinking, fear, rage, paranoia, guilt, greed, pleasure, failure, egomania, megalomania, & other people. Four out of 5 robots agree: “J McLaughlin’s desperate megalomania will make you feel better about your own problems.” Credits Written by – J McLaughlin Performed by - J McLaughlin Accessibility . Sensory warnings: Haze Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, themes of consent, drugs of alcohol use, depictions or mentions of violence (surrealistic depictions of rage-fuelled revenge scenarios), potential nudity. About the Artist J McLaughlin is a shy, queer anarcho-bourgeois musician and performer. They have been entertaining, enthralling & occasionally unsettling burlesque, drag, stand-up, theatrical & music audiences for over 30 years. Working from deep within an incandescent cathedral of optimistic rage, McLaughlin’s solo performances use intimate narrative, dark humour, & surreal ribaldry to de/reconstruct the cognitive dissonance of living within a cisheteronormative imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Spice It Up Victoria Presents Bollywood Cabaret: Lights, Camera, Drama! The essence of the Hindi Film Industry, also known as Bollywood, comes alive in this vibrant variety show. A celebration of cinema, music, and storytelling, this performance takes you through different stories, movies, and melodies—all seen through the eyes of aspiring artists. Bad Shah, our charismatic narrator, will guide you through multiple genres of Bollywood, weaving emotion, drama, and rhythm into every scene. Alongside a lineup of incredible local artists, this show promises a night of sparkle, nostalgia, and pure entertainment. The question is: Are you ready? Because the spotlight is waiting—and the magic of Bollywood is about to unfold. Credits Stay tuned for the full artist lineup! Accessibility Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation Content warnings: There are no current content warnings for this show About the Artists Someone is here to bring the heat, and he’s got all the spice of Mumbai wrapped in his bold, queer, and fabulous persona. As the first Bollywood Drag King of Canada, Bad Shah infuses his performances with a unique blend of high-energy Bollywood choreography. Whether it's through his show-stopping performances or his bold expression of queerness, He captivates and electrifies audiences every time he hits the stage. You might have seen him headlining Victoria Pride, or seen him dancing alongside BBNO$ at the JUNO Awards and being a member of all drag king boy band Call Us Men;) , showcasing his versatility. He’s also an active collaborator with Sher Vancouver, working to support the queer South Asian community and create spaces for inclusion and empowerment. As the producer of Spice It Up Victoria, he continues to amplify the voices of marginalized communities while delivering unforgettable performances. Bad Shah is here to make some noise, get ready to sweat because he’s bringing the spice with him! Stay tuned for the full artist lineup!
Intrepid Studio
Intrepid Studio
Stuck in an endless loop of turning a dagger on herself, Juliet breaks out of her tragedy in search of a reason for her tragic demise. On the way, Juliet recruits a team of Shakespeare’s most famous female characters to find out why they’ve been forced to die. Can they alter their fate or are they doomed to play out the same tragic tales for the rest of eternity? “Award-winning evisceration of Shakespeare’s Verona Tragedy” -Orlando Weekly “…hilarious simply because it’s so audacious and unexpected.” -Colin Thomas “…an example of the new heights that can be achieved when we rethink tropes as old as time.” -Winnipeg Free Press ★★★★★ “…a delightful tale that’s equal parts feminist critique, Renaissance romp and bravura acting display…not to be missed.” -NOW Toronto NNNN (out of 4) Credits Written by – Pippa Mackie and Ryan Gladstone Original Score by – Drew Jurecka Directed by – Ryan Gladstone Lightning Design by – Jon Paterson Costume Design by – Nita Bowerman Performed by: Lili Beaudoin as Juliet Ryan Gladstone as Shakespeare Carly Pokoradi as Everyone Else Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, depictions or mentions of cartoonish violence, discussion of suicide. Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation. About the Artist Monster Theatre Monster Theatre was founded in 2000. Our first play was Fairy Tale: A Choose Your Own Adventure Play, an improvised street theatre show that toured the Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Victoria Fringe Festivals. Our second play The Canada Show: The Complete History of Canada in One toured across the country numerous times winning countless awards. We have developed over 40 original productions for adult and young audiences always with our signature irreverent twist on history and mythology. Plays for young audiences include The Big Rock Show: The Complete History of the World, Mini Masterpieces, The Little Prince, Shakespeare’s Dream, We Now Know: The Complete History of Science and Crisis on Planet Z! Plays for adults include Juliet: A Revenge Comedy, War and Peace, Who Killed Gertrude Crump?, Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, No Tweed Too Tight, Assassinating Thomson, Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle, The Seven Lives of Louis Riel, The Shakespeare Show, The Macbeth Show and many, many more. Monster Theatre has become one of Canada’s premiere independent touring theatre companies. Lili Beaudoin – Performer (Juliet) Based out of Vancouver, Lili is an actor, Improvisor and voice artist. Some of her notable theatre credits include Marie in The Nutcracker at Caravan Farm Theatre, Claudia in I, Claudia at The Arts Club, Mimi/scenographer in Blind Date, Brigid Blake in The Humans at Theatre Calgary, Gracie in Gracie at ATP & Belfry and Miranda in The Tempest at Bard on the Beach. Elsewhere Lili’s voice can be heard in several animated shows such as Beat Bugs, Littlest Pet Shop, Rainbow Ruby, Max Steel and My Little Pony. If you’d like to see her do some improv you can catch Lili most weekends at Vancouver’s Tightrope Impro Theatre strutting her stuff on stage and pretending she knows what she’s talking about. Lili is the honoured recipient of the Anthony Holland Scholarship for Outstanding Ability and Dedication as well as a Betty Mitchell award for Outstanding Performance by a lead Actress in a Drama. Carly Pokoradi – Performer (Everyone else) Carly is a collaborative creator, multidisciplinary artist, clown, and scrap collector who trusts her goosebumps. As a theatre-maker, Carly has worked in various capacities with Theatre Replacement, Caravan Farm Theatre, The Chop, and Hardline Productions and has toured the country with sold-out runs on the Canadian Fringe Circuit. Carly is an artistic associate with Monster Theatre, an improviser with Blind Tiger Comedy, a Jessie Richardson Award nominee, and a graduate of Studio 58. As artist-in-residence with the incredible @hammockresidency, she recently showed her textile art at the James Black Gallery in so-called Vancouver. Currently, she is studying to become an ASL-English interpreter and relishing every minute. In her spare time, she sews messily, sleeps deeply, and laughs loudly. Ryan Gladstone – Playwright/Director/Performer (Shakespeare) Ryan currently lives and works in Vancouver as an actor, producer, director, playwright and improvisor. Ryan holds an MFA in Directing and a BFA in Acting, he also spent ten years studying Improvisation Loose Moose Theatre under Keith Johnstone. Ryan is the founder and Artistic Director of Monster Theatre (www.monstertheatre.com) where he has co-created over 25 original plays. Selected writing/directing credits include: Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Who Killed Gertrude Crump?, The Shakespeare Show, and The Canada Show (Monster Theatre). Selected directing credits include: Hell of a Girl (revolver Festival), Hunter Gatherers (Staircase Theatre), Ubu Roi (UBC). Ryan has six one-person plays including War and Peace, No Tweed Too Tight, Every Story Ever Told, The Seven Lives of Louis Riel, Napoleon’s Secret Diary and Confessions of a Class Clown. Pippa Mackie – Playwright Pippa Mackie is an award-winning actor, playwright, and producer. Her work has been performed on stages and at festivals across North America. Most notable credits include The Progressive Polygamists co-written/performed with Emmelia Gordon, which toured across Canada for many years including the Just For Laughs Festival. Her one-act play Starman, which was originally commissioned and produced as part of Upintheair Theatre’s The Array, was adapted into an audio drama as part of Sound the Alarm Theatre’s podcast series in 2021 and received 3 Berlin Film Haus nominations including Best Scriptwriting and Best Podcast. She is also the co-writer of a mockumentary comedy podcast titled Philippa Po: Changing Minds with Ryan Gladstone produced by Sound the Alarm Theatre. Her most recent play Hurricane Mona was co-produced by Touchstone Theatre and Ruby Slippers Theatre and received its World Premiere production in November 2023. Hurricane Mona was created as part of the Arts Club Theatre’s Emerging Playwrights Unit, was awarded Touchstone Theatre’s David King Prize for Comedy in 2022 and Pippa was a participant of the 2023 Banff Playwrights Unit. Pippa is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Drew Jurecka – Original Score Drew Jurecka is a Toronto-based violinist/vocalist who is comfortable in many genres. Trained classically at the Cleveland Institute of Music, during his final year Drew played a solo with the great Dave Brubeck and his quartet at Severance Hall. While at the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles, a summer program for jazz and aspiring studio musicians, Drew had the opportunity to play at the Hollywood Bowl with Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, and Shirley Horn. Drew has played, written or arranged on more than 150 records, including several JUNO-winning and Grammy-nominated albums. He can be heard on numerous film and television soundtracks. Drew has toured internationally as a sideman and with his own projects. He spent five years on the road with Jeff Healey and now plays as part of Jill Barber’s regular band. He is a faculty member at Humber College where he has helped to develop a unique jazz strings program that includes technique classes, ensembles and private lessons. Jon Paterson – Lighting Designer/Stage Manager Jon has been an active member of the Canadian theatre community for the past 25 years and has performed in numerous theatres and festivals including the Centaur Theatre and Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (Montreal), Canoe Theatre Festival, Workshop West and Mayfield Theatre (Edmonton), Rogue Festival (California), Living Arts Centre (Mississauga), Vertigo Mystery Theatre (Calgary), the Winnipeg Improv Festival and the Vancouver Comedy Festival. Jon received his training at MacEwan University, where he studied both theatre arts and production. He has also trained with master clown Mike Kennard (Mump & Smoot) and has honed his improv skills at Second City Toronto. Nita Bowerman – Costume Designer Nita Bowerman is a multidisciplinary performance-based artist, mixing the mediums of dance, acting, media art and costume design. Her self-created real time performances are often hybrid works mixing live action with digital content. Her creation and collaboration credits include performing in live and live digital spaces, generating visual content for short art videos and live plays, and making wearable art works and costumes. She has worked with various local theatre companies in a variety of capacities and has performed and screened diy digital video works locally and internationally. Art is the medium through which Nita processes existing. She is an experimenter of form and designer of content, creating works for stage and screen. Thanks Monster Theatre for inviting me to have fun and play! Nita is a graduate of SFU School for Contemporary Arts.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Shirley Gnome is a singer who has spent sixteen years performing songs about adult topics. Even though she’s been doing this for a long time, she’s never had a big hit. That changes when a video of her at a music festival, looking a bit "out of it", gets posted on TikTok by a teenager. The video quickly goes viral. A popular TikTok creator named DJ BBKn0$e turns the video into a song that becomes a huge hit with kids - the next “Baby Shark.” Suddenly, Shirley finds herself famous with a new, younger audience. She decides to go along with it to make more money. She’s invited to perform at an elite private school, hoping this new direction will finally pay off. But things quickly fall apart. The kids are confused by the songs, and her lyrics raise disturbing questions that no child (or parent) is ready for. Through this experience, Shirley starts to reflect on her fears about the world, the future, and the kind of planet we’re leaving behind. What starts as a cash grab gig turns into something deeper — a challenge to modern despair. Let’s be clear: this is not a real kids' show. It’s satire. Please do not bring your children. Seriously. Credits Written by – Shirley Gnome and Becky Johnson Performed by Shirley Gnome Featuring the voices of: Shirley Gnome featuring the voices of Bunnie Gnome Duckie Gnome Boden Fear Leigh Cameron Ursa Folinsbee Vanilla Frog Olive Merkin Knowles Maximilian Thunder Chevalier Shortt Ryan Beil Becky Johnson Story by Becky Johnson and Shirley Gnome Music and Lyrics by Shirley Gnome Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, drugs or alcohol use, depictions of violence: references to corporal punihcment, death, war. Sensory warnings: Loud noises, audience interaction/participation About the Artist Shirley Gnome - Playwright/Composer Shirley Gnome is a Juno-nominated comedian, songwriter and vocalist based out of Vancouver BC/Montreal QC. She is celebrated for performing folk, rock, pop, and country with satirical subject matter and stunning vocals. Her witty, hilarious lyrics tackle topics both silly and provocative, captivating audiences with playful and biting content. Gnome has earned rave reviews and accolades in five countries. She’s performed at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, JFL Vancouver, Winnipeg Comedy Festival and more. Gnome has been featured on CBC Radio’s The Debaters, CBC Gem, and Sirius XM, and is signed with Comedy Here Often? Records. In 2021, her album Decoxification earned a Juno Award nomination. In 2024, she made her television debut at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival’s TV galas. Her latest album, Live Bare & Natural, was released on March 27th, 2025, along with her accompanying comedy special. Becky Johnson - Playwright Becky Johnson is a veteran of the Canadian comedy scene currently based in Toronto. She is an alumna of the Toronto Second City Mainstage, has created and toured her own scripted and improvised shows internationally and has appeared in iconic Canadian plays including the European premiere of Daniel MacIvor’s A Beautiful View and the world premiere of Sheila Heti’s All Our Happy Days Are Stupid. Becky has been nominated for seven Canadian Comedy Awards and has won two. On screen, Becky can be found in Baroness Von Sketch Show (Frantic Films/IFC), What We Do In The Shadows (FX), Workin’ Moms (CBC), Gary and His Demons (Blue Ant/Look Mom), Odd Squad (PBS/Sinking Ship), The Beaverton (Comedy Network/Pier 21 Films), Space Riders: Division Earth (CTV Extend/Hulu), The Amazing Gayl Pile (CBC/LaRue Entertainment) and more. Becky has won two Canadian Screen Awards for writing on Baroness Von Sketch Show and has also contributed to Because News (CBC Radio One) and This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC). She is currently developing several scripted projects of her own.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Slow Dive is an auto-fictography and queer coming-of-age tale spanning the course of 20 years that asks “What do our bodies know?" The story is told through a series of vignettes combining experimental documentary and projected animations. A relationship to swimming and themes of water move throughout, drawing on symbolism and parallels to portray embodiment, grief, self-love, and queer identity. Alongside personal narratives and reflections, Slow Dive collages research-based historical accounts such as the colonial roots of the breaststroke, a rumoured secret romance that inspired the writing of The Little Mermaid, and iconic cultural references like the hanky code and the first 'lesbian’ kiss on Star Trek Credits Directed by – Emma Tibaldo Dramaturgy – Fatma Sarah Elkashef Production Design – potatoCakes_digital Original Compositions – Estraven Lupino-Smith Additional consultation/collaboration/production feedback – Catherine Hahn, Jessica Hickman, Britt Small, Mind of a Snail, Liz Charters Created in Residencies with OUTstages and Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, themes of consent, drugs or alcohol use Sensory warnings: Haze About the Artist Kerri Flannigan (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, and educator currently based on Lkwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories (Victoria, BC), who experiments with methods of research and storytelling through installation, video, and performance. With a background as an experimental animator and zine-maker, Flannigan is interested in investigating different ways of creating and performing narratives, working to create frameworks where the personal is critically connected to a wider sphere of context. Family mythologies, the history of wildfire, queer experiences of place, and swimming have all been subjects of recent works. Flannigan has shown locally and internationally and was a recipient of the Best English Zine at the Expozine Awards (2011 and 2014); a recent artist-in-residence with Impulse Theatre and The Only Animal; and runner-up to the inaugural Lind Prize.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Tackle Box is a coming of age story based on Cheyenne Scott's real life experience salmon fishing with her Tsawout/Norwegian family. Performed as a one-person show, Spring, puts the pieces of herself back together by reflecting on her relationship to family and the land, while in pursuit of catching her first Chinook salmon. The Tackle Box carries stories as gifts or good medicine and important teachings. The story is told through a series of vignettes or memories: from collecting slugs, to learning to set up the fishing rods, and grieving a wounded seal pup. During this phase of development the team is experimenting with form, staging, and introducing a touch of the soundscape. Development support has been provided by First Peoples Cultural Council, Intrepid Stages and Spaces, Cahoots Theatre Hot House Program, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council Credits Written by — Cheyenne Scott Co-Directed by — Jessica Schact and Julie McIsaac Accessibility Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation Content warnings: Adult language About the Artist Cheyenne Scott is a member of the SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation/Norwegian settler descent, and an actor, playwright, and creative producer with a focus on new works. Having learned theatre through a colonial lens, she is working to Indigenize her process through her W̱ SÁNEĆ values, land-based methodology, and storytelling. She is a multi Dora Mavor Moore nominated artist for co-creating/performing Now You See Her (Quote Unquote Collective/Nightwood/Why Not Theatre) which was published by Coach House, and for The Home Project (Howland/Native Earth/Soulpepper). Cheyenne was named the protégé of Lori Marchand for the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award. She is an Artistic Associate for Urban Ink and Associate Artistic Director for Western Canada Theatre. Select Acting Credits include: Children of God (Urban Ink/NAC, Citadel/WCT, Segal Centre), The Herd (Citadel/Tarragon), The Last Five Years (Blue Bridge) Joyride (Caravan Farm Theatre), The Drowning Girls (WCT), Mistatim (Red Sky Performance), Trojan Girls and the Outhouse of Atreus (Outside the March/Factory). Julie McIsaac is a versatile director, dramaturg and creator of theatre and opera, Julie earned her Master’s in Theatre from the University of York (UK), and is also a graduate of Carleton University and the Canadian College of Performing Arts. She is a Jessie, Ovation and BroadwayWorld award winner, a founding member of the Honest Fishmongers (Critics’ Choice Innovation award nom.), a previous Artist-in-Residence with Pacific Opera, and in 2019 was named Director/Dramaturg-in-Residence at the Canadian Opera Company, where she led the critically-acclaimed premiere of Ian Cusson and Colleen Murphy’s Fantasma. Directing highlights include the premiere of The Nightingale of a Thousand Songs (Canadian Children’s Opera Company), The Last Five Years (Blue Bridge), Beauty’s Beast (East Van Opera), The Exquisite Hour (Playhouse Fringe award), Pride and Prejudice (Chemainus) and the multiple award-winning Poly Queer Love Ballad by Sara Vickruck & Anais West. Julie is the playwright and award-winning composer/arranger/sound designer of The Out Vigil which was featured in the New American Voices Festival in London’s West End and premiered in Vancouver in 2016, receiving a total 5 Jessie nominations including Outstanding Production. Jessica Schacht is a director, dramaturg, and writer living gratefully on Quw’utsun territory, Vancouver Island. She comes from Métis and Canadian families and her work and ethos centre around exploring identity and relationships through the cultural, environmental, and personal experiences that shape us. She is a graduate of the University of Victoria's Theatre Program and has honed her craft at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity's Dramaturgy for Dance residency, Theatre Replacement's New Aesthetics Performance Intensive, as well as PTC's Block A program. As a theatre artist she has worked across genres of theatre, opera, and dance. Select credits include: Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Director - Chemainus Theatre); TheFiancee (Director - Chemainus Theatre); In the Shadow of the Mountains Workshop (Dramaturg– Visceral Visions); Gather in Nature (Dramaturg – New World Theatre/Pacific Theatre); SisNe'Bi-Yiz: A Mother Bear’s Journey (Associate Director/Dramaturg– Heart of the City Festival); Dialogue Dances (Dramaturg – National Ballet of Canada); Kamloopa (Fire Igniter – WCT/The Cultch/Persephone/GTNT). Jessica has been the Artist in Residence at Pacific Opera Victoria and the Artistic Associate at TheatreOne.
Intrepid Studio
Intrepid Studio
We've ruined the Earth in one lifetime. 85% of the carbon in our air has happened since World War II. In Ten Thousand Things, acclaimed storyteller Brendan McLeod tracks how we got here, and how nothing (still!) seems to be getting done about it. What begins as an examination of Western history—how commodification separates people, how language influences power, history's annoying insistence on repeating—soon morphs into a personal exploration of grief and joy. The answer to the simple question—what would societal change actually look like—is obviously not so simple, but potential answers aren't as complex as expected, and might even be uplifting. From the former Canadian SLAM champ, the creator of hit Victoria fringe shows "Brain" and "Ridge", comes the world premiere of a new solo performance, which, for a show about human annihilation, also has quite a few jokes. Credits Written by – Brendan McLeod Performed by — Brendan McLeod Directed by — Julie Course Accessibility There are no Content or Sensory Warnings for this show. About the Artist Brendan McLeod is a writer, theatre creator, and musician. He’s the author of a poetry collection, a novel, and seven theatre shows. A JUNO-nominated songwriter with his folk group The Fugitives, he's the former Canadian SLAM champ, and was the Poet of Honour at the 2012 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Here in Victoria, his 2015 solo show Brain won Best Male Performer at the Fringe Festival. His next show, Ridge, won our Virtual Pick of the Fringe in 2020.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
Death of a Salesman meets Mr. Bean... A lonely office worker squeezes through a portal in their bathroom mirror and goes on a quest for the meaning of life in this surreal physical comedy. The mundane becomes extraordinary as each vignette and dance takes you deeper into a whimsical world of illusion. The Routine will leave you in stitches and remind you of the magic within. ★★★★★ Secunda doesn’t just put on a show, they pull you into a world where routines are poetry and the mundane is pure magic. — the LIST UK ★★★★★ — Edmonton Journal “An overall rollicking good time.” — Broadway World “Secunda has great comedic timing and fantastic physicality that really shines” — Mooney on Theatre “If Jim Carrey is the male rubberface, Secunda might just be the female equivalent.” — Forget the Box “...non-stop physicality...pushes the edges of reality.” — Showbill Credits Joylyn Secunda — Co-creator, performer, sound designer, producer David Secunda — Director, co-creator Linda Arkelian — Movement coach Accessibility Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, drugs or alcohol use, depictions of violence: references to corporal punihcment, death, war. Sensory warnings: Audience interaction/participation About the Artist Joylyn Secunda (they/them) — co-creator, performer, sound designer, producer Joylyn Secunda is a physical theatre artist, actor, dancer, and puppeteer based in Vancouver, Canada. They grew up in a performing arts family and have recently collaborated with their parents David Secunda (director) and Linda Arkelian (choreographer) on their solo shows. They toured their critically acclaimed solo show, The Moaning Yoni across Canada and most recently performed The Routine at the Adelaide Fringe and in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg. In addition to their solo career, they have performed with theatre companies including the National Arts Centre and The Wonderheads. Joylyn was mentored by Crystal Pite in the Startle Reflex Residency. They are a BFA Acting graduate from UBC and have studied clown with John Turner (Mump & Smoot) and Aitor Basauri (Spymonkey), mime with Dean Evans (Cirque du Soleil), Corporeal mime at Théâtre Omnibus, and devised theatre at Dell’Arte International. David Secunda (he/him) — co-creator, director Originally a visual artist specializing in fibre arts David Secunda transformed into a performance artist as he experimented in ritual style performance art at art show openings and conferences. Through the 1980's David Secunda performed physical theatre, experimented with his giant woven fibre masks and puppets, and toured nationally and internationally with Imago and Theatre of Giants. 1989-2012, he taught theatre arts in Coquitlam and has published two novels, Balancing Act and Fluid. He is the director and co-writer of The Moaning Yoni and The Routine. Linda Arkelian (she/her) — choreographer Linda has performed internationally with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Theatre Ballet of Canada, Anna Wyman Dance Theatre and the Judith Marcuse Dance Company. She was the recipient of a Canada Council grant in 1991 to study at the National Dance Intensive and the National Voice Intensive. Linda is a professional ballet and contemporary instructor and choreographer. She is ballet mistress and repertoire coach for Lamondance Company. In addition, Linda is a visual artist, actor and filmmaker. Her dance films with David Cooper have received worldwide acclaim and international screenings in the US, India and the UK.
Intrepid Studio
Intrepid Studio
It all started when Executive and Artistic Director Dyana Sonik-Henderson found herself captivated by the 1925 gothic and melodramatic silent picture Phantom of the Opera. With a spark of creative inspiration, she quickly became enthralled with old monster pictures and began to experiment with how to transform these iconic movie moments and stories into dance. The result is several short works that bring the classic horror movie genre of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s back to the stage and in 3D. Combining Broken Rhythms’ innovative rhythmical contemporary style you’re in for a captivating and nostalgic experience. This performance is supported by the Victoria Foundation as part of Intrepid Theatre’s Stages & Spaces program. Limited $25 Early Bird tickets available until Monday Sept 1st. Early Bird tickets get early entrance and a pre-show chat (for 7:30pm performances only). Credits Choreography: Dyana Sonik-Henderson Accessibility Content warnings: None. Sensory warnings: Haze. About the Artist Broken Rhythms Victoria Society is a Victoria-based, registered not-for-profit independent dance company founded in 2011 under the artistic direction of Dyana Sonik-Henderson. The company was created to showcase the unique style of Rhythmical Contemporary, to provide local artists with performance and training opportunities, and to support and develop the Canadian arts community. Broken Rhythms has created and produced numerous original works such as SPARK, GRIM, SEVEN, UNIVERSAL HORRORS, THYSELF, INTERNAL RHYTHMS, INTO THE WIRE, 1,000 PIECES OF ∏ , ABOVE ME, CHIARO:SCURO, KNOTTED and ON HOLD that have toured all over Canada. They have been awarded nine Pick of the Fringe awards, named as one of Toronto Star’s “can’t miss shows at the Toronto fringe”, received the LOLA International project award and most recently were invited to perform at Dancing on the Edge/Vancouver Contemporary festival 2025.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio
1. I am STILL waiting to be discovered. 2. Most of my best stories aren’t even true. 3. I'm a liar, a cheat, and a thief. 4. I chain smoke. 5. I adore cheap mayonnaise. 6. I am secretly proud of my terrible table manners. 7. I haven’t had sex in over a year. Maybe two years. Actually, 6 years. 8. I can't stop scrolling!!! 9. I just want people to think I’m cool. 10. I am a loser. & I want to tell you all about it. J McLaughlin is a mean, funny, petulant, weird queer old maid obsessed with understanding and unpacking anxiety, ecstasy, true love, dark thoughts, inner peace, death, desire, enlightenment, sex, smoking, drinking, fear, rage, paranoia, guilt, greed, pleasure, failure, egomania, megalomania, & other people. Four out of 5 robots agree: “J McLaughlin’s desperate megalomania will make you feel better about your own problems.” Credits Written by – J McLaughlin Performed by - J McLaughlin Accessibility . Sensory warnings: Haze Content warnings: Adult language, sexual content, themes of consent, drugs of alcohol use, depictions or mentions of violence (surrealistic depictions of rage-fuelled revenge scenarios), potential nudity. About the Artist J McLaughlin is a shy, queer anarcho-bourgeois musician and performer. They have been entertaining, enthralling & occasionally unsettling burlesque, drag, stand-up, theatrical & music audiences for over 30 years. Working from deep within an incandescent cathedral of optimistic rage, McLaughlin’s solo performances use intimate narrative, dark humour, & surreal ribaldry to de/reconstruct the cognitive dissonance of living within a cisheteronormative imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.
Metro Studio
Metro Studio