Team

Artistic Producer

Keshia Palm (she/they) is a Toronto-based Filipinx-Canadian settler from Treaty 6 Territory who seeks to expose, challenge and dismantle systems of oppression by creating thoughtful and inclusive art/spaces. Their creative practice includes dramaturgy, direction, performance, writing and producing. Keshia has developed and performed new works with theatre companies across Canada and is the dramaturge for a number of works in development by IBPOC, queer, women and trans artists. Her digital community arts project Make Me An Alleycat (created with wheels from Claren Grosz) invites people to connect over stories and destinations while social distancing by going for a bike ride. Keshia is a playwright in the 20/21 Hot House Lab at Cahoots Theatre, and a former Factory Foreman. They have been the Online Content Producer for ArtistProducerResource.com at Generator since 2018. Keshia is honoured to be the Artistic Producer of the Paprika Festival, celebrating the work of young and emerging artists across Turtle Island.

General Manager

Julia Dickson (she/her) is an arts manager, educator, and producer currently based in Toronto. She currently works with Young People’s Theatre as an Artist Educator and with Single Thread Theatre Company as their Artistic Producer. Previously, Julia worked with Studio 180 Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, and the Festival Players of Prince Edward County. Julia has a post-graduate certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management from Humber College, and a Bachelor of Education with a focus on Arts in the Community Education from Queen’s University.

Community Programming Producer

Cheyenne Scott (she/her) is Straits Salish of the Saanich Nation/Norwegian settler descent and an actor, playwright, and emerging creative producer with a focus on new works. Having learned theatre through a colonial lens, she is working to Indigenize her process through her Salish values, personal expression, land-based methodology, and storytelling. She is a Dora Mavor Moore nominated artist for co-creating Now You See Her (Quote Unquote Collective/Nightwood/Why Not Theatre) which was published by Coach House, and for co-creating The Home Project (Howland/Native Earth/Soulpepper). She strives to create authentic stories that serve the community and offer good medicine for the future. Cheyenne has been shifting into a leadership position and strives to support the work of other artists. She was named as the protégé of Lori Marchand for the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award. As a performer, Cheyenne is drawn to complex contemporary characters and stories that involve music. Select Acting Credits include: Trojan Girls and the Outhouse of Atreus (Outside the March/Factory), The Herd (Citadel/Tarragon), Children of God (Urban Ink/NAC, Citadel/WCT, Segal Centre), Joyride (Caravan Farm Theatre), The Drowning Girls (WCT), Squawk (Geordie Productions), Sidewalk Chalk (Geordie Productions).

Communications Producer

Juliet Jones-Rodney (she/her) is a singer, writer, actor, and producer born and raised in Toronto. As a Black woman, she allows her history and perspective to inform her work and looks to centre identities of Blackness in her pieces. Juliet was a part of the Playwright’s Unit in the 2021 season of the Paprika Festival in which her play Forest for the Trees debuted. Currently she is a part of the Write from the Hip Playwright’s cohort at Nightwood Theatre. 

Outside of theatre, Juliet is an emerging singer/songwriter who released her debut single Free Falling in January 2022. She is also the founder of the Grounded Concert Series, a set of intimate concerts designed to highlight local Toronto artists and connect them over good food, good music and great cannabis. As a Paprika alumni, Juliet is excited to take on the role of Communications Producer and assist other artists as they explore their artistic expressions. 

Production Manager

Aaheli Mukherjee (she/her) is an aspiring arts manager with a professional background in education and healthcare. While she is currently based in Toronto, her South-Asian heritage as well as being born and raised in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia & Oman respectively) informs her identity and appreciation for all expressions of art. In addition to working at Paprika, she is also currently the Technical Director for Eastbound Comedy Theatre. In the past, Aaheli has worked extensively with Leigha Lee Browne Theatre (LLBT) and TEDxUTSC at the University of Scarborough from 2016-2020. Significant projects with the LLBT include stage managing for "The Circle", "The Shell" and "We Are Proud to Present". Aaheli is passionate about working alongside other emerging artists to support the development of new and innovative work that is inclusive and accessible for diverse communities to engage with. She has a Bachelor of Science – in Mental Health and International Development from the University of Toronto.