STAFF

Heather Inglis took the helm of Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre as Artistic Producer in November 2019. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Heather is an award-winning director, producer, and dramaturg whose career has taken her across the country. In 2019, Heather was nominated for the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada’s Bra D’Or Award, recognizing her support and promotion of Canadian women playwrights via Theatre Yes. Heather has directed and assistant directed over 40 productions, many of which have been new Canadian works. Credits include: The Shaw Festival, Citadel Theatre, Workshop West Theatre, Northern Light Theatre, Azimuth Theatre, Theatre Junction, Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre (SK), Live Five (SK), The Doppler Effect Productions (NS), Alberta Playwrights Network, Saskatchewan Playwrights' Centre, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, The Notable Acts Festival (NB) and Universities in Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatoon. Heather has received Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award (2014) for her work at Theatre Yes, the Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund (twice), the Celebration of Women in the Arts Award (twice), and the Telus Courage to Innovate Award (Edmonton). Nine of Inglis’ productions have been nominated for 17 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, including 7 nominations for Outstanding Independent Production and nominations for Outstanding Director and Outstanding Fringe Director. Theatre Yes received a special Sterling Award for Outstanding Innovation in Theatre (2014).

Heather ingLIS,
ARTISTIC PRODUCER
EMAIL ME
780 477 5955, ext. 102

Jake Tkaczyk is an Edmonton-based theatre artist with a passion for creating new and engaging work collaboratively. He graduated from the BFA Acting at the University of Alberta and is currently in the midst of his PhD in Creative Practice from the Transart Institute and Liverpool John Moores’ University. Also a graduate of Red Deer College’s Theatre Performance and Creation program, Jake has worked as an actor, director, creator, and educator in central Alberta. His selected acting credits include: Flora and Fawna Have Beaver Fever (and so does Fleurette!) (Lunchbox Theatre), Mr. Burns, a post-electric play (Blarney Productions/You are Here), 10 Funerals, Lungs (Shadow Theatre), That’s Danger! (Alberta Workers’ Health Centre), Crack in the Mirror, With Bells On, Don’t Frown at the Gown, (Guys in Disguise), Urinetown(Grindstone Theatre), You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown! (Opera Nuova). Directing and creating credits include: White Guy on Stage Talking, Bedeutung Krankenwagen, Post, Like, Share—Beware!, The Big Fat Surprise, All Proceeds Go To:, and Pride and Pre-Jeu-Dice (Innocent Operations), The Land that Art Forgot, and Devour Content Here: Of Love and Wheat (Kristine Nutting). Jake has taught workshops for The Citadel Theatre’s Foote Theatre School and Grindstone Theatre, as well as guest instructing at Augustana University. Jake had the extreme pleasure of working as an Artist Intern at Northern Light Theatre for a few years and is was previously employed as Theatre Alberta’s Program Coordinator and the Program Manager of Performing Arts at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Jake recently received the AFA Young Artist Prize.

jake tkaczyk,
GENERAL MANAGER
Email Me
780 477 5955, ext. 101

Kira Franchuk,
House Technician
EMAIL ME
780 298 6604

JASON HARDWICK,
Communications SPECIALIST
Email Me
780 477 5955, ext. 103

 

Martin Galba is a Sherwood Park-based portfolio artist: an actor, singer (opera and musical theatre), dancer, choreographer, director and producer; with an equal passion for all things finance related. As a trained accountant and IT professional, one of his many talents is implementing accounting software for mid-to-large size organizations, as well as providing bookkeeping and financial/accounting advisory services to a number of non-profit organizations in the Capital Region. Martin is excited to join the Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre family.

martin Galba,
bookkeeper

Josh Languedoc is an Anishinaabe playwright, theatre educator, and theatre artist from Saugeen First Nation. For the past 10 years, Josh has been teaching theatre writing, creation, acting, and improvisation throughout the greater Edmonton community. Josh has been an active teaching artist and actor for the #WriteOfPassage program since its introduction to Edmonton in 2016. Josh has taught the program throughout Edmonton and as far as Lloydminster and Maskwacis Reservation. Josh also has served as a theatre instructor for Artstrek, the Citadel Theatre and Edmonton Public Schools. In 2018, Josh collaborated with the Drama Department of Ross Sheppard High School to create and direct Side By Side: Our Stories, a devised creation piece rooted in Indigenous teachings and the ancestral stories of the students. As a playwright, Josh’s solo show Rocko and Nakota: Tales From the Land has also toured across Canada to various communities and schools. These days, you can also catch Josh doing research and teaching some undergraduate students while working on his MFA Theatre Practices in Indigenous Playwrighting at the University of Alberta, in addition to his role as Director of Education with Workshop West. Josh is thrilled to have joined Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre!

JOSH LANGUEDOC
Youth EDucation & Outreach Coordinator
EMAIL ME

Darrin hagen
Dramaturg in Residence

EMAIL ME

 
 

BOARD

 
Elliott's passion for the theatre began as a student at Victoria School of the Arts here in Edmonton. His time there introduced him to Edmonton's dynamic theatre community and the important role of Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre. An avid theatre…

Elliott's passion for the theatre began as a student at Victoria School of the Arts here in Edmonton. His time there introduced him to Edmonton's dynamic theatre community and the important role of Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre. An avid theatre goer and a recent recruit to the board of directors for Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre, Elliott is grateful for the opportunity to once again be an active member of the arts community.

During the day Elliott is a community builder and works as the Senior Manager of Communications and Engagement at Boyle Street Community Services where he champions the needs of those experiencing homelessness and poverty. A graduate of the University of Alberta's Political Science Department, Elliott spends much of his time following Canada's ever changing political landscape. A people-person at heart, when not out for drinks with friends Elliott can generally be found podcasting about sports or out for a walk with his dog Nelly.

ELLIOTT TANTI
BOARD MEMBER, PRESIDENT

Evan is a local performer in stage, voice, and film. With theatre, dance, and voice training from the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Evan has built a career over the past decade taking him from Canadian stages across Canada, an international tour, 3 years performing for audiences around the world on Royal Caribbean Cruise lines, and finally back home to the prairies. He has created with his spouse Twin Flames Theatrical Productions and is working to build a strong touring repertoire theatre industry in Canada. Evan continues to perform and engage in the Edmonton theatre scene and develop a deep contribution to the Edmonton community.

Evan Dowling
board member, VICE-president

Paul is an Electrical Engineer working in telecommunications for the past decade. Trained in classical piano and Ukrainian dancing from a young age, he may be technically minded, but he's always been passionate about the arts. Born and raised in Edmonton, he is always looking for new and exciting ways to contribute to the community. When he's not working, Paul can often be found trying the latest offerings at one of the cities many local breweries, playing a game of Magic the Gathering with his friends, or out practicing his sport shooting for the International Practical Shooting Confederation.

PAUL LESOWAY
BOARD MEMBER, SECRETARY

 
 

Amanda (Manda) is an English teacher at a high school in Edmonton/amiskwaciy-wâskahikan where she is also the Teacher Advisor for the student GSA, school newspaper, and Cappies team. Her love of the arts was stoked at a young age when she began studying classical piano and nurturing an early obsession with figurative drawing. In 2007 she graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts in English & Fine Art, and went on to complete her Bachelor of Education with Distinction in 2009. 

Manda enjoys spending time with her spouse and their twin daughters, collecting plants, hoarding books, fulfilling her insatiable penchant for noodles, and tending flowers on her Animal Crossing island. Additionally, Manda attends a GSA for teachers; volunteers with the Alberta GSA Conference; and studies MENAHT dance, music, and history at the Salimpour School of Dance. This is her first year on WWPT’s Board of Directors.

AMANDA BOURASSA
BOARD MEMBER, DIRECTOR

Emma Banfield
board member, director

Ting is a lover of slow food and good coffee. A yoga teacher and an amateur abstract painter, you can also find her walking in urban parks and backcountry trails, foraging for some local herbs and such. Or maybe interpreting for her people in sign language and in her native dialect of Tagalog, which she does for the Canadian government as an accredited contractor.

Ting has over two decades experience in administration and event planning. And with her CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) designation, she consults and assists some local grassroots charities and non-profits in their fundraising initiatives based in Manila, Bangkok and Edmonton. She is also passionate and a part of EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity) Task Force at King’s University where she is currently employed.

Ting Pimentel-Elger
BOARD MEMBER, Director

 
 

STEFANO MUNERONI
BOARD MEMBER, DIRECTOR

MARIE GYNANE-WILLIS
BOARD MEMBER, DIRECTOR

Kenneth T. Williams’ professional path is a “guidance counselor’s nightmare.” He’s been a soldier, rock musician, journalist, First Nations land claims researcher, and door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. He’s now an assistant professor of Drama at the University of Alberta. As a journalist, he was a member of the very first news team for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.  His plays, The Herd, In Care, Café Daughter, Gordon Winter, Thunderstick, Bannock Republic, Street Corner Playwright, Suicide Notes and Three Little Birds have been produced across Canada. As a dramaturg, he has helped many playwrights at all levels develop their plays. He lives in Edmonton with his partner, Dr. Melissa Stoops, with their cats, Augustus and Drusilla. He is a member of the George Gordon First Nation in the Treaty 4 territory.  (PHOTO CREDIT: Aloys Fleischmann)

Kenneth T. Williams’ professional path is a “guidance counselor’s nightmare.” He’s been a soldier, rock musician, journalist, First Nations land claims researcher, and door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. He’s now an assistant professor of Drama at the University of Alberta. 

As a journalist, he was a member of the very first news team for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.  His plays, The Herd, In Care, Café Daughter, Gordon Winter, Thunderstick, Bannock Republic, Street Corner Playwright, Suicide Notes and Three Little Birds have been produced across Canada. As a dramaturg, he has helped many playwrights at all levels develop their plays. He lives in Edmonton with his partner, Dr. Melissa Stoops, with their cats, Augustus and Drusilla. He is a member of the George Gordon First Nation in the Treaty 4 territory.  

(PHOTO CREDIT: Aloys Fleischmann)

Kenneth T. Williams
BOARD MEMBER, INTERIM TREASURER

 
 

Honorary Board Members

Kate A. Boorman
Louie Campbell
Catherine Cole
Jillian Gamez
Kim Iampen
Gord Nielsen
Brian Piercy
Gerry Potter (founder, WWPT)
Flo Schultz
Steve Struthers