Hello! We are overjoyed to welcome both Michael Wamara and Sadie Epstein-Fine to
Shakespeare in the Ruff’s team, as the newly appointed Education Coordinators.
Listen here:
Our call for a new education leader went out in December 2021. Delightfully, we received a
number of applications from an abundance of brilliant artist educators. We are, truly, amazed by
the insight and brilliance of each person that applied and who we had the honor to interview.
Such remarkable people; all committed to educational outreach and working collaboratively and
creatively with young artists.
Our hiring committee was compromised of collective members PJ Prudat (Our education lead),
Christine Horne, and Patricia Allison. They were joined by Jahnelle Jones who has a long history
with Ruff’s programs, having been a Young Ruffian, assistant directed the YRAPs, and
performed in Portia’s Julius Caesar and Towards Rebirth.
After meeting such radiant applicants within the arts education community, we at Ruff were
tasked with the great challenge of narrowing down and choosing only ONE coordinator… (I
mean how?) … spoiler alert: we couldn’t.
And so, in Ruff’s newest collaborative-fashion, we felt we had to bring on two extraordinary
artists who would together, devise a program that would be simultaneously trail-blazing and
inspirationally dynamic.
Please welcome Sadie and Michael to the Ruff Team! There is no doubt that they, along with
the Young Ruffians, will knock it out of Withrow Park this summer. Get Ready…
Biographies
Michael Wamara (He/Him) is a Black Canadian Actor & Writer. Michael’s most recent
pandemic role was at the St. Lawerence center for the Art’s for the Spectators Odyssey. When
the weather is clear & sunny you can find Michael taking long walks & enjoying the sunshine.
Sadie Epstein-Fine (they/them) loves telling stories, being in nature, working with young people
and being surrounded by community.They take on many artistic roles including directing,
writing and choreography. They are passionate about watching and creating musicals, immersive
theatre and theatre for young audiences. They are driven to work in queer, trans and queerspawn
communities, and in 2018 they edited a book called Spawning Generations, about the experience
of having queer and trans parents.Theatre credits include: The Last Five Years
(Director, Langham Directors Workshop), Eraser (Director/Choreographer/Creator, The Riser
Project/Why Not Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Director, Nightwood Theatre). Sadie is currently
developing Sugar Plum about the experience of growing up as a queer ballet dancer.
JOIN THE RUFF 100 TODAY AND SUPPORT OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS
🌱✨We have an ambitious season-long goal of registering 100 NEW monthly donors at $5+ per month. We currently have 32 gracious folx registered for the Ruff 100 who are already receiving perks, insider information, and updates through our Ruff 100 member newsletter. We are BLOWN AWAY with the response that we have received from our community so far and we want to keep that momentum going.
🦋Now – we have a goal of registering 50 folx by the spring equinox (March 20th). This would bring us to 50% of our goal. (… see what we did there? 50% daylight and moonlight … 50% of our way to our goal. 50 of 100 … you get it.)
CLICK HERE TO JOIN TODAY! Your funds will be going directly to our education programs and collaborating artists. And LET ME TELL YOU – Our collaborating artists for this year are out of this wooooorld.