Baroness Bianka’s Bloodsongs

Joanna Weinberg

Playwright

Composer, book — writer and lyricist of contemporary musicals , singer songwriter and Cabaret artist. Joanna was born in London, raised in South Africa and has lived in Sydney Australia for the last 20 years. She comes from a family of classical musicians, has a drama degree from the University of Cape Town and has years of experience creating and performing theatre, music , cabaret and musical theatre. Her work has been performed in the U.K., Australia, Canada, South Africa and her film Goddess, starring Laura Michelle Kelly, had a worldwide release in 2012. Joanna has created 5 albums of original songs, two of which are original cast albums of her musicals.

Trevor Schmidt

Director, Set & Costumes

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

Baroness Bianka

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.

Darrin Hagen

Music Direction and Sound Design

Darrin is an award-winning playwright, composer and queer historian. He is the author of THE EDMONTON QUEEN, which won a Sterling Award and was published in book form by Brindle & Glass Publishing. Darrin is the Artistic Director of Guys In Disguise, marking over 30 years of creating drag comedies that have toured across North America. He has received 7 Sterling awards and over 40 nominations for his work in Edmonton theatre. Other plays by Darrin include BITCHSLAP!: THE NEO-NANCIES: HITLER’S KICKLINE; TORNADO MAGNET: A SALUTE TO TRAILER COURT WOMEN (published by Brindle & Glass), WITCH HUNT AT THE STRAND; BUDDY; WITH BELLS ON; and THE EMPRESS & THE PRIME MINISTER (all nominated for the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding New Play).

Darrin has also teamed up with Trevor Schmidt to create the award-winning FLORA & FLORA’S FIELD TRIP (WITH FLEURETTE) and FLORA & FAWNA HAVE BEAVER FEAVER (AND SO DOES FLEURETTE), the hit musical KLONDYKES, DRAGULA (now available as a radio play through Bandcamp), PSYCHOBABBLE, 2 QUEENS & A JOKER, PREPARE FOR THE WORST!, PUCK BUNNIES, DON’T FROWN AT THE GOWN and the upcoming CRACK IN THE MIRROR.

Darrin has created sound and sometimes performed for many Northern Light Theatre productions going back 31 years, including CINDERELLA (THE REAL STORY), DOG’S TEMPER, METASTASIS, SPEECH AND DEBATE, 3 DIFFERENT HEAVENS, I GOOGLE MYSELF, BIFURIOUS, MOTEL HELL, MERCY OF A STORM, THE PASSION OF NARCISSE MONDOUX, CHRISTINA/PHILIPPE, DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME, BARONESS BIANKA’S BLOODSONGS, and most recently THE LOOK.

In 2005, Darrin was named one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century. To the best of his knowledge, he’s the only Drag Queen on that list. In 2017 he was named one of the most influential Alberta artists of the past 25 years.

Elise Jason

Lighting

Elise CM Jason (they/them/theirs pronouns) is a queer, mixed-race, multi-discinplinary artist living and creating in amiskawaciy (Edmonton, Alberta). In their practice, they are particularly interested in the intersection of visual art, installation in theatre, and creating devised performances. Select design credits include Boy Trouble (Vena Amoris, Nextfest), Lungs (Shadow Theatre), KaldrSaga (Cardiac Theatre), Origin of the Species (Northern Lights Theatre). Elise also holds a BFA (Theatre Design) from the University of Alberta.

Liz Allison-Jorde

Stage Manager

Chris Dela Cruz

Production Manager

Chris has spent the last 12 years making theatre things happen for many amazing theatre people. He couldn’t be more excited to be working with NLT once again. Enjoy the show!

Kristy Harcourt

Salon Facilitator

Kristy is a social worker whose career has focused on the thriving of LGBTQ people and communities, on violence prevention and on strengthening social service organizations. She teaches in the Social Work and Gender Studies programs at MacEwan University. For many years, she co-hosted Edmonton’s Loud and Queer Cabaret with Darrin Hagen. Kristy is nerdy about social change movements, queer and trans history, adult education, community development, adoption and brunch.