Enough

Stef Smith

Playwright

Stef is a playwright whose work includes: Enough (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 2019); Nora: A Doll’s House (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, 2019); Girl in the Machine (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 2017); Human Animals (Royal Court Theatre, London, 2016); Swallow (Traverse Theatre, 2015); Remote (NT Connections 2015); And The Beat Goes On (Random Accomplice/Horsecross); Cured (The Arches, Glasgow); Woman of the Year (Òran Mór); Grey Matter (Lemon Tree, Aberdeen); Falling/Flying (Tron, Glasgow); Roadkill (Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2010 & 2011).  

Awards include: Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland for Best New Production, Amnesty International Expression of Freedom Award, Herald Angel Award, Total Theatre Award for Innovation, The Scotsman Fringe First Award (Roadkill); Scottish Arts Club Theatre Award for Drama, The Scotsman Fringe First Award (Swallow). 

She has been awarded the New Playwright Award by Playwrights Studio, Scotland. Stef was a member of the Royal Court National Writers Group in 2013. She is an Associate Artist at the Traverse Theatre.

Trevor Schmidt

Director, Costume & Set Designer

Trevor is the Artistic Director of Northern Light Theatre as well as a performer, designer of set and costume, a published playwright and a multiple award winner. He has been awarded twice for playwrighting (THE WATERMELON GIRLS, and CHANGE ROOM),for directing the Canadian premieres of Carol Anne Duffy’s THE WORLD’S WIFE and Sean Graney’s THE 4TH GRADERS PRESENT AN UNNAMED LOVE-SUICIDE and the outstanding production award for the Canadian premiere of Elise Forier Edie’s THE PINK UNICORN. For Guys In Disguise, where he is an Artistic Associate, he has also performed the one-man show COFFEE DAD, CHICKEN MOM, AND THE FABULOUS BUDDHA BOI, penned by Nick Green in New York as part of the FRIGID FESTIVAL for which he also received the award for Outstanding Performance, and the Outstanding New Fringe Play (co-written and created with Darrin Hagen) for FLORA & FAWNA’S FIELD TRIP (both at the Sterling Awards), and Outstanding Touring Production at the Critic’s Awards in Calgary. Also for Guys In Disguise, he received an Orlando Fringe award for his performance for Bette Davis in the much-lauded BITCHSLAP.

Kristin Johnston

Toni

Kristin is an Edmonton based performer and instructor, and a graduate of the Theatre Arts Program at Red Deer College and the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, BC.  Her local credits include A Christmas Carol,  9 to 5, and Sense and Sensibility at the Citadel, the latter as part of the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Training Program. Kristin has appeared in MOB at Workshop West, Helen with Trunk Theatre and Pith, Deathtrap and The Odd Couple at Teatro Live. She’s also appeared regularly with Northern Light Theatre, where her credits include Enough (Sterling Award Nomination), We Had a Girl Before You, Baroness Bianka’s Bloodsongs (Sterling Award Nomination) and Origin of the Species. Kristin’s many Fringe credits include The Black Widow Gun Club, Destination Wedding and Destination Vegas with Whizzgiggling Productions, Mass Debating and Carole Of The Belles with 100% More Girls, Rivercity the Musical and The Unsynchables with Dammittammy Productions and Release the McCrakkin for Accidental Humour Co. Kristin can be seen next in The Vinyl Cafe at the Citadel.

Linda Grass

Jane

Linda is an Edmonton stage, film, television, and voice actor.  She most recently appeared in Shadow Theatre’s premiere of THE WRONG PEOPLE HAVE MONEY. Previously for Northern Light Theatre, she has performed onscreen in THE LOOK, and onstage in CONTRACTIONS, MISS MARGARIDA’S WAY, THE BEARD, and URBAN TALES 9 & 10.  In addition to working with NLT and Shadow Theatre, she has also appeared in the productions of Workshop West Theatre, Theatre Network, Teatro La Quindicina, The Citadel Theatre, Guys in Disguise, The Unconscious Collective, and Trunk Theatre.

Roy Jackson

Lighting Designer

Roy is a Sterling Award Winning Lighting Designer (A Dybbuk for Two People – NLT) and owner of Roy Jackson Design. He has been lighting up bands, churches, schools and theatres for the past four decades. Recently he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Walterdale Theatre where he was Technical Director and Lighting Designer for many years. Roy is delighted to be working with Trevor and NLT again.

Dave Clarke

Sound Designer

Dave is a musician, actor and writer. He has composed music and produced sound designs for theatre, film, dance and multi-media for three decades. Watch out for the 2024 Western Canadian tour of his family musical performed in spoken English and American Sign Language, SONGS MY MOTHER NEVER SUNG ME (Concrete Theatre).

Previous designs for Northern Light Theatre include ENOUGH, THE CARDIAC SHADOW, WISH, SPACE/SPACE, THE ECSTATICS and 6.0 – HEAP AND PEBBLE. Other recent designs include AFTER FAUST (Invisible Practice), DEAFY, THE ROYALE (Citadel Theatre), and ALL THE LITTLE ANIMALS I HAVE EATEN (Shadow Theatre).

Ainsley Hillyard

Choreographer

Ainsley Hillyard is an Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton)-based artist of settler descent. She is a choreographer and performer who works in contemporary dance and theatre. Ainsley was a co-founder, and a co-artistic director/general manager for the Good Women Dance Collective from its inception in 2009 to 2023. She has worked as a choreographer and performer for various theatre and dance companies in Amiskwacîwâskahikan and received numerous Sterling nominations and awards for her performances and choreographies. Select choreography credits include; Frozen the Musical (Citadel Theatre/the Grand Theatre) The Sound of Music (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre/Citadel Theatre/The Grand Theatre) Deafy by Chris Dodd (Citadel Theatre), Cardiac Shadow (Northern Light Theatre) and Mermaid Legs by Beth Graham (Skirts A Fire). She is very grateful to be back at NLT this season.

Liz Allison-Jorde

Stage Manager

Chris Hicks

Production Manager

Christopher Hicks – But mostly known as Hicks since there is a saturation of Chris’s in the world – is a seasoned theatre and festival production creator. He has worked with magnitudes of major festivals in Edmonton and beyond, from dinosaur building and electronic music, to downhill canoe racing on snow. Graduating from the MacEwan Theatre Production program 10+ years ago, Hicks is still making art happen and enjoys it!

Like many still giving it out here, Chris has been successfully navigating the feast or famine, zero to sixty entertainment climate that has been the last 3 years. Avoiding burnout and learning all the intricacies of live streaming theatre, along with the reality of more multimedia shows in general, he has been quite proud of some of the recent achievements!

Hicks is stoked to be joining Northern Light Theatre for a return to full season action. This will be his 4th season in a row with NLT. He is once again pleased to be transforming the space into a powerful show you will be enjoying this time around.

However… Who wants to run away to the mountains with me?!

Ruth DyckFehderau

Salon Facilitator

Ruth DyckFehderau (pronounced Dyke-FAY-der-ow) writes fiction and nonfiction, and teaches Creative Writing and English Lit at University of Alberta. Her shorter pieces have appeared in literary journals and anthologies; her book The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee: Stories of Diabetes and the James Bay Cree (2017 CBHSSJB, distrib WLUP), written with James Bay Cree storytellers, is being translated into five languages; and I (Athena), a novel, is forthcoming in 2023 (NeWest). Currently, Ruth is working on another commission for the James Bay Cree: Finding Our Way Home: Residential School Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree (Vol One forthcoming 2022, CBHSSJB, distrib WLUP). She has published and spoken in venues around the world and has won many literary awards.