Portia's Julius Caesar

This is Adriano’s first appearance with Shakespeare in the Ruff after persistent hard-flirting with the company since they started in 2012. That same year he graduated from York University’s MFA Acting Conservatory after a good run as an IT Business Consultant for 10+ years. Recent Theatre: Mowgli in The Jungle Book (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), The Container (Theatre Fix, MyTheatre Best Supporting Actor Nominee), Brave New World (Litmus Theatre, MyTheatre Outstanding Ensemble Winner). Recent Screen: The pilot episode of The Strain (FX, directed by Guillermo del Toro), Saving Hope (CTV), recurring roles on Covert Affairs (USA) and Alphas (SyFy). Next: Premiere of TV Mini-Series 5,000 Years of Heroes as King Wei Bao and the role of Peter Pan in Litmus Theatre’s Wendy.When he isn’t waxing pentameter in parks, Adriano teaches make-believe to kids in Shakespeare in Action’s Drama Club Program at various Toronto Public Library branches around the city. adriano.workbooklive.com

Giovanni Spina is grateful to play Marc Antony in Portia’s Julius Caesar. The opportunity to tell this story through new and relevant eyes is an honour. This is Giovanni’s Shakespeare in the Ruff debut. Some of Giovanni’s credits include The Silver Arrow (Citadel Theatre), and Lear (AdHoc Theatre). Giovanni has graduated from Ryerson University (BFA – Acting), University of Toronto (ArtDip – Classical Voice), and was most recently involved in the Banff/Citadel Professional Theatre Program. Giovanni would like to thank the loving support of his family and friends for helping him realize his dreams.

Eva Barrie is a Dora Award-winning theatre creator, graduate of Ryerson Theatre School and has trained with Anne Bogart’s SITI Company in New York City and Saratoga Springs, NY. She’s had the pleasure of directing new play workshops at Factory Theatre and Tarragon Theatre, as well as leading innovative play development workshops through Nightwood Theatre and Shakespeare in the Ruff.  Select Directing Credits: My Second Smile (Toronto New Theatre/School Tour), Prairie Nurse (assistant to Sue Miner, Factory Theatre) My Co-Mates & Brothers in Exile (Shakespeare in the Ruff), The Merry Wives of Windsor (assistant to Kevin Hammond, Humber River Shakespeare), the dreamer examines his pillow (JR Theatre Co.), The Four of Us (Toronto New Theatre), Olga (New Voices Festival), The Biographer (assistant to Alan Dilworth, Tango Co.), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Parikrma Humanity Foundation, Bangalore, India).

Rachel’s scenic and costume designs have seen several stages and spaces in Canada. Among these are the Shaw Festival, Buddies in Bad Times, Factory Theatre, Theatre Centre, Theatre Passe Muraille and some less traditional spaces. She has had the pleasure of working with many great companies including Obsidian Theatre, Watah Theatre, Charlottetown Festival, and Video Cabaret. Some recent credits include: Risky Phil (Young People’s Theatre), Speaking of Sneaking (Riser Project), Other Side of the Game (Obsidian Theatre/Cahoots), Lukumi: a dub opera, Bleeders, Bloodclaat (Watah Theatre), The Dream Catchers (Charlottetown Festival), 1837: The Farmers’ Revolt (Shaw Festival), Black Boys (Saga Collectif/Buddies in Bad Times), How Black Mothers Say I Love You (Factory Theatre/Trey Anthony Productions).

Jareth is a lighting designer based in Toronto, and is thrilled to be spending his August in the park with the Ruff company. Select lighting design credits include: Prairie Nurse (Factory); Risky Phil (YPT); Black Boys (Buddies in Bad Times + Canada Tour); Punk Rock, The Glass Menagerie, Lemons… (The Howland Company); What Linda Said ,Serenity Wild, (SummerWorks 2017); Chautauqua (Pearle Harbour Presents); Dusk Dances (2015-2017); Crazy For You (Port Hope Festival Theatre); The Trial of Judith K (Thought for Food Productions).
Jareth is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada, and is a stagecraft instructor at York University.
Upcoming: Prairie Nurse (Thousand Islands Playhouse); The Wolves (The Howland Company/Crows); Chautauqua (TPM)

Miquelon Rodriguez is a sound designer, composer, and actor based in Toronto. He attended York University for Theatre Studies with a specialization in Devised Theatre and has been working in theatre for over 12 years. He co-curated both the Tiger Bamboo Festival and the Shen Development Series at Soulpepper and is currently the Apprentice Artistic Director at Factory Theatre. Select sound design and composition credits: Girls Like That (Tarragon Theatre); Good Morning Viet Mom (Soaring Skies Collective/NSTF); Tough Jews (Spadina Avenue Gang/Storefront Theatre); This Is The Point (Ahuri Theatre/Theatre Centre); and Brotherhood: The Hip-Hopera (bCurrent/Buddies In Bad Times).

Andrew Joseph Richardson is an Indo-Canadian actor, director, dramaturg, and dad. He is a graduate of both the Theatre Arts Program at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton (where he is originally from) and the Acting Program at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal. Prior to this year’s original play, A.J. had led each Shakespeare adaptation for Shakespeare in the Ruff’s performances in Withrow Park. His adaptation of The Tempest was directed by Diane D’Aquila for Theatre Calgary’s Shakespeare by the Bow. A.J. is also the Co-Ordinator of the Guerrilla Ruff Squad and directed their production, Situation Unknown (a Shakespearean improv performance), for the Shakespeare Lives microfestival. Selected Shakespeare Acting Credits: Macbeth in Macbeth in Action (Shakespeare in Action), Macduff in Macbeth: The Bloody Business (Forward Theatre), Banquo in Macbeth: Walking Shadows, King Henry in Richard III (Shakespeare in the Ruff) and Henry VI, pt 3, (Ruffing It).

This is Kate’s first year with Shakespeare in the Ruff and she is thrilled to work with this talented and hardworking team. Kate Walker is a University of Toronto graduate with a double major in Anthropology and Sexual Diversity Studies. Kate has a diverse background in the performing arts, with extensive music and music education experience. A singer/songwriter whose songs have appeared on network television, she also works as a freelance producer. Most recently she worked as the Associate Producer for Theatre Direct’s WeeFestival. Kate is currently the Company Manager of Common Boots Theatre. 

David Costello is a Saint Catharines based Production Manager who spends most of his year working with Carousel Players, which tours plays to schools across the Niagara region. Originally from Toronto, he is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, and has worked in a wide range of venues since graduation. For instance, a shuttered funeral home, a giant disused generator plant, some old brickworks, and now Withrow Park. This is his first year with Ruff and he’s thoroughly enjoyed working with such a great company and such wonderful people. 

Elizabeth Morris is an American Sign Language Consultant for Shakespeare in the Ruff. She has a master degree in Inclusive Design (OCAD University, Toronto). Her thesis was based on creating live theatre more accessible and inclusive for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, including their families and friends. Her exhibition was shown at GradEx 102nd and won a medal for Inclusive Design. ASL Coach Credits: Coriolanus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stratford) Tribes (Canadian Stage), Love You Forever and more… (Young People’s Theatre’s -Dora Award Winner: Outstanding Production), Bird Brain (Young People’s Theatre – Dora Award Nominee: Outstanding Production), The Spirit (Native Earth), Flashpoint (CTV). Deaf interpreter credits: Alice Through the Looking-Glass, Up to Low (National Arts Centre), Selfies, The Secret Garden, and Munsch’s Time (Young People’s Theatre). Elizabeth is also a professional actor. Recently, she was Stratford’s Festival’s first Deaf signing actor for The Madwoman of Chaillot.

Nicole is entering her fourth year of the BFA Acting program with a certificate in Arts Management at the University of Windsor. She has also just finished her first module at the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium. In the new year, Nicole will be performing in The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood and Love and Information by Caryl Churchill with University Players. Since high school, she has loved the language and poetry Shakespeare offers. After studying and performing at school and watching as many productions as possible, she is so grateful for the opportunity to be an intern at Shakespeare in the Ruff this summer.

Troy is excited to dive deep into Portia’s Julius Caesar and help give voice to the people of Rome. He is a deviser, playwright, performer, poet, rapper, and sound design. He is also an alumni of the Young Ruffian program. Previous credits include the Devised Theatre Festival 2018 at York University with the show Metanoia, sound designer for Stage Manager’s Guide To Dating Assholes at Edinburgh Fringe 2017, the Paprika Festival’s Creators Unit from 2015-2017, Tarragon Theatre’s Young Playwriting Unit (2016), and Teen 2 (Bobolink) in the Dora-award winning Concord Floral (2014). Troy has recently finished his first rap mixtape working with Scarborough ARTS as part of the EAST Mixtape collective. 

Sienna was introduced to Shakespeare in the Ruff as a Young Ruffian when she was 15 year old where she fell in love with theater, Shakespeare, Withrow Park, and all the wonderful mentors who helped her to grow and learn. Sienna is going into her final year at the Ryerson School of Performance where she has had the privilege of playing Mary in The Women, Death in The Seventh Seal, and even Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar. Additionally, she has trained in Clown, Comedia Del’Arte, mask, Shakespeare, and the Michael Chekhov Technique. Last summer she was involved with BadFox Theatre as, The Forgotten in They’ve Been Sitting in the Graveyard For Far Too Long. Now she is excited to be back among these trees, where honey balls taste sweeter and Shakespeare’s words seem bigger. 

Jahnelle is thrilled to be making her professional debut with Shakespeare in the Ruff after participating in the Young Ruffians Program in 2015 and the community choir for Ruff’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She is a Toronto based actor going into her third year at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College’s joint Theatre and Drama Studies Program. Theatre credits include Mama, Chronically (UofT Drama Fest), The Drowsy Chaperone (UTM Musical Theatre Club) Villian-Elle: Banished from Eden (Young Ruffian Squad), Blacklisted (Paprika Festival), Skirt and Scarves (Tarragon Theatre). Upcoming: Henry IV Part 1 & 2 (Erindale Theatre). Thank you to my friends and family for their endless support and love!