presenter bios

April Viczko (She/Her) – Designer Keynote

April has worked on over 100 productions during the last 26 years. She has designed sets, costumes, lighting, and projections for companies such as Citadel Theatre, Theatre Calgary, The Banff Centre for the Arts, The Only Animal, The Belfry Theatre, Persephone Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre, Vertigo Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, and Kill Your Television.April is an Associate Professor and Chair of Drama at the School of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Calgary. She is a full member and past president of the Associated Designers of Canada. April is also the project lead for World Stage Design 2022, to be co-hosted with CITT/ICTS at the University of Calgary. Since moving to Calgary in 2010, April has been woven into the fabric of the arts community and city where she works to support many local endeavours through her design and teaching practices. In 2006, she shared the Siminovitch Protégé Prize. In 2000, she received a Tyrone Guthrie Award at the Stratford Festival of Canada, where she spent four seasons as an assistant designer. Through the University of Calgary, April has also received multiple awards for her teaching and research within the field of Theatre.

You can find more info on April on her site: aprilviczko.com

Nick Bottomley (He/Him) – Creating with Isadora: The Real-time Manipulation of Digital Video and Projections

Nick is a theatre designer and programmer based in K'jipuktuk (Halifax). He studied computer science and has a Master’s in Visualization from the Glasgow School of Art. Selected credits include designs for Stephen Fry’s MYTHOS Trilogy (Shaw Festival & UK Tour), The Tape Escape, The Flick and Dr.Silver (Outside the March), Controlled Damage (Neptune Theatre with b current) HMS Pinafore, Treasure Island, Possible Worlds and The School for Scandal (Stratford Festival), The Nether (Coalmine and Studio180), Dream ON (BBC Live) Pop-Up Love Party, This is Nowhere  (Zuppa Theatre), One Discordant Violin, When it Rains (2b theatre), Sir John A: A Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion (NAC English Theatre), Let’s Not Beat Each other to Death (Accidental Mechanics). Nick also lectures on projection design and is a coach at the National Theatre School of Canada.

Wes D Pearce – How Can I Make Your Job Easier? or Why is Good Design Seldom About the Designer?

Having left Regina to pursue graduate school and a career in theatre design in Calgary, Wes returned in 1997 to begin teaching at the University of Regina. Some years later he is now a Professor of Theatre and teaches a variety of courses including Hollywood and Fashion, Designing Shakespeare, and Canadian Theatre. Wearing his “academic” hat he has published on a wide range of topics including the role of visual dramaturgy in new play development, the visuals of prairie gothic and pieces on the intersections of scenography, the playwright’s imagination and domestic spaces in Sharon Pollock’s plays. As a scenographer, he has dozens of professional credits across Western Canada including Globe Theatre (Regina), Stage West (Calgary), Western Canada Stage (Kamloops), ATP (Calgary), PTE (Winnipeg) and Persephone Theatre. In his spare time, he has designed elements for nearly thirty productions for the University of Regina. He has sat on the boards of Associated Designers of Canada, Canadian Association of Theatre Research, Mid America Theatre Conference, Saskatchewan Drama Association, Saskatchewan Association of Theatre Professionals and currently sits on the board of directors for Globe Theatre.

Sholem Dolgoy (he/him) – Training the Eye for Lighting: Colour Theory (And How it Relates to Pigment and Skin Colours)

Lighting designer Sholem Dolgoy has worked for 50+ years nationally and internationally in theatre, dance, opera, corporate, special event, exhibit, and some tv. He is largely self-taught, so his teaching is motivated by a desire to help others not stumble about as badly as he sometimes did, particularly with colour. He is Associate Professor Emeritus at Ryerson School of Performance. Sholem is a long-standing member of Associated Designers of Canada (ADC) and is a Charter member of the new IATSE Local ADC 659. Currently, he and his colleagues are developing this proposed workshop series for World Stage Design, Scenofest, in Calgary August 2022

Michael Wanless (They/Them) – Qlab for Sound Control

Michael is a recent graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada from the Production, Design, and Technical Arts program. They are currently the Interim Head of Sound and an Artistic Associate at Globe Theatre in Regina and have worked professionally as a sound designer since 2013. They have also worked in live sound mixing for over a decade, with experience working in large concert venues and outdoor festivals. Their interests are wide-ranging, but of particular interest to them are queer stories as well as other marginalized and under-served communities.

Devon Bonneau (He/Him) – Qlab for Sound Control

Devon is a Saskatchewan-based Sound and Lighting Designer who has designed for numerous Saskatchewan theatre companies. For the last nine years, he has been working as a member of the technical production department at the Globe Theatre, where he currently serves as Technical Director. Devon has worked on small independent shows as well as large-scale musical productions. He is a graduate, with honours, of the Audio Engineering and Production program from Pacific Audio Visual Institute in Vancouver.

Jocelyn Lachapelle (she/her/they/them) – An Introduction to 3D Printing

Jocelyn has been working at Nutrien Wonderhub as a Program Facilitator for the past two years. As part of her role, and using skills developed during their time at Red Deer College in the Theatre & Entertainment Production program, Jocelyn has been deeply involved in designing, planning, and running various programs geared towards children and adults of all ages including camps, youth workshops (board games, woodworking, robotics, etc.), adult nights, and more.

Frank Brault (Senior Entertainment Technologist at Vectorworks Inc.) – Using Vectorworks: Translating Your Designs to 3D

Frank focuses on keeping Vectorworks entertainment design solutions at the forefront of the industry by investing in customer and industry advocacy, and by empowering Vectorworks sales and marketing teams to be more successful in planning and executing campaigns. Brault has more than 30 years of experience in scenic and lighting design, software development, and training. Over the years, he has personally trained more than 2,000 Vectorworks users through seminars, onsite training, and one-on-one webinars. He also created the Theatrical Lighting Toolkit, which was the precursor to Vectorworks Spotlight, as well as the initial release of the Space Planning suite of functionality in the Architect application. He designed and largely coded the first version of the Vectorworks Landmark application. Brault is concurrently a faculty member of the Towson University Theatre Department where he teaches an independent study studio course.

Company Bio: Vectorworks, Inc. is an award-winning design and BIM software provider serving the architecture, landscape architecture and entertainment industries in 85 countries. Creating intuitive software since 1985, we’ve become the preeminent software built to manage the entire design process. Globally more than 685,000 users are creating, connecting, and influencing the next generation of design with Vectorworks on Mac and Windows. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Newbury and London, England and Vancouver, Canada, Vectorworks is a part of the Nemetschek Group. Learn how we empower designers to create experiences that transform the world at vectorworks.net or follow @Vectorworks.

Carla Orosz -- Moderator, Careers in Design and Theatre Tech for Women

Carla Orosz has been designing Sets and Costumes for theatre full- time since 2006 when she completed a MFA in Theatre Design at the University of Victoria. In years previous Carla worked in technical theatre and design while earning her BFA in Design at the University of Saskatchewan. Carla was recently awarded a SATA for her set design on Penelopiad (Ferre Play Theatre). Carla has worked with the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan company on multiple shows for the past eighteen years. Her designs for Macbeth earned her a S.A.T. award in Costume Design. Carla has received two previous S.A.T. Awards for her Set & Costume Design on Bite the Hand and her collective work during 2009-2010 and most recently for her set design on Penelopiad (Ferre Play Theatre). Carla is an Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan and is the resident Set & Lighting Designer at Greystone Theatre (Drama Department – Usask).

Select theatre credits include: Rabbit Hole, Velocity, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, Gordon Winter, Harvest, Bannock Republic. Little Women, The Walnut Tree, A Christmas Carol, For the Pleasure of Seeing her Again, Bite The Hand, and Evita (Persephone Theatre), Mad Forest, Ends of the Earth, Experiment with an Air Pump, She Stoops to Conquer (U of S), Top Girls, Fen, Accidental Death of An Anarchist (University of Victoria), Coronation Voyage (Last Exit Theatre), Dsymorphia (Ground Cover Theatre), John & Jen (Top Drawer Dramatics), Dying City (Hire in the Hole Productions) and Merchant of Venice, Merry Wives of Windsor, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Julius Cesar, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan).

mps, youth workshops (board games, woodworking, robotics, etc.), adult nights, and more.

Jennifer Rathie-Wright - Panelist, Careers in Design and Theatre Tech for Women

Jennifer has been involved in theatre since the late 1990s. She started her professional career after attending Red Deer College in the early 2000s. She has worked with more companies than she can remember but has spent a lot of time stage managing and being a production manager. As a member of IATSE she can be found in almost any role in the technical side of theatre. In the last few years Jen has moved over to more corporate events as a member of the AV team at Prairieland Park. She is a mom to three great kids with her every enduring (suffering) husband Devon.

Eryn Griffith - Panelist: Careers in Design and Theatre Tech for Women; Designers/Directors Working Together in Unison

Eryn Griffith is a lighting designer and production manager. She is currently the Director of Production at the Globe Theatre in Regina Saskatchewan. Eryn is a graduate of NTS, holds an MFA in Production Design from the University of Victoria and a BFA in Theatre Design from Concordia University. Hand in hand with being a theatre artist, Eryn is an entrepreneur. She built, owned and ran two thriving businesses, a coffee shop hosting artistic events in the community and a clothing store featuring sustainable and Canadian brands in Terrace BC. She has worked as an art gallery coordinator, interior designer, design instructor and theatre manager. Recent lighting design credits include The Inspector, Gut Girls, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Summer and Smoke at the Phoenix Theatre in Victoria, BC, The Caretaker and Red Hot Cole at Bluebridge Theatre in Victoria, BC, Jackie and Kiss of the. Spiderwoman at the National Theatre School of Canada, Irma Vepp at Lac Brome Theatre and Gracie and Exit Pursued by A Bear at the Globe Theatre.

Alyssa McLellan and Bruce Lozinsky

Alyssa McLellan (she/her) – Integrating LEDs in Practical Ways

By the time Alyssa graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Stage Management & Technical Theatre from the University of Regina she was already working professionally as a Lighting Technician, Wardrobe Technician, and Stage Manager. Although her formal training is in theatre, Alyssa’s experience focused more on special events, and live music. After 3 years as a lighting technician at Regina’s busiest roadhouse, Alyssa joined a production company where she expanded her skills to include design, programming, production management, and staging. 4 years later she joined the Christie Lites Sales team and 8 years later has never looked back. She finds great satisfaction in helping other people build their vision and solving problems.

Bruce Lozinsky (he/him) – Integrating LEDs in Practical Ways

Bruce Lozinsky has spent the majority of his working life involved in the customer service aspects of the entertainment industry, both in sales and as an onsite technician/client services representative. Bruce is very much a customer-oriented person who is personally motivated and has over 30 years of experience taking care of client’s needs. He takes great pleasure in finding solutions to a customer’s problems and enjoys doing the research often required to do so.

Judy Wensel - Designers/Directors Working Together in Unison

Judy Wensel is a director and creator. Her directing work includes productions of contemporary Canadian work, ensemble-based devised creations, new play premieres and interdisciplinary collaborations. Judy has been an Artistic Associate with Curtain Razors Theatre (Regina) since 2015 and the Associate Artistic Director with Sum Theatre (Saskatoon) since 2019. This summer, Judy will be co-directing The Other Side of the River with Sum Theatre (Saskatoon/Regina) and This is the Story of the Child Ruled by Fear with Strange Victory Performance/Found Festival (Edmonton). Judy is a graduate of the Directing Program at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montréal.

Yvette Nolan - Designers/Directors Working Together in Unison

Yvette Nolan (Algonquin) is a playwright, director and dramaturg. Her works include the play The Unplugging, the dance-opera Bearing, the libretto Shawnadithit, and the short play-for-film Katharsis. In Saskatchewan, she has recently directed Reasonable Doubt, The Penelopiad and The Art of War, which did not open in April. She is the Company Dramaturg for Sum Theatre.

Jensine Emeline - Designers/Directors Working Together in Unison

Jensine Emeline (they/them) is a theatre designer and stage manager from Saskatoon and an alumnus from the U of S drama department. Crown jewels in their career thus far include: With Glowing Hearts (SM/costumes, Dancing Sky Theatre), The Penelopiad (costumes, Ferre Play Theatre), and Girl in the Box (SM, costumes, Scantily Glad Theatre/Live Five). They are honoured to have been awarded Saskatoon & Area Theatre Awards for Outstanding Costume Design for The Penelopiad, and Outstanding Emerging Artist in 2020. Jensine is endlessly grateful for their mentors and friends, the guidance and support they have been given, and to be able to work in and share their passion for the arts and community in Saskatchewan.