Staff

Artistic Producer (Maternity Leave)

Kanika Ambrose (she/her) is a Toronto-based playwright and librettist. This year, she is Cahoots Theatre Company's Canada Council Playwright-in-Residence, developing her play our place. Last season, she was Obsidian Theatre Company's Ontario Arts Council Playwright-in-Residence developing her play Reception.  Her work has been featured at Curtis Institute of Music, Tapestry Opera’s Tapestry Briefs, the 39th Rhubarb Festival, Black Lives, Black Words and Rising Tides Showcase. She is a Dora Award nominee for her role in Binti’s Journey, and was part of the Dora nominated Outstanding Production, Obeah Opera. Kanika is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School and is founder of Dominican bélé dance group, Mabouya Dance Company. She was featured as one of Cahoots Theatre Company's 30 for 30 theatremakers for their 30th anniversary season.

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.

Artistic Programs Manager

daniel jelani ellis (he/him) is a Toronto-based artist raised in Jamaica by a village of theatre artists, poets, and educators. His art practice is driven by his commitment to celebrate those of us who live within the margins. ellis is grateful for this opportunity to carry forward Paprika Festival's outstanding legacy of support for young and emerging artists.

Assistant General Manager

Nathan Carroll (he/him) has performed on stages across Canada, from Vancouver to Charlottetown. As a performer, his credits include: Next to Normal (Musical Stage Co./Mirvish), Hook Up (Tapestry/Theatre Passe Muraille), Vimy (Western Canada Theatre), Once (Mirvish), and The Book of Esther/Bordertown Café (Blyth). Nathan has music directed multiple productions of Bad Hat’s Peter Pan for Soulpepper, Carousel, and MTYP. He directed In On It (EmerGENce) and Little One for Common Roof—a company he co-founded to produce Canadian plays in Norfolk County. A graduate of George Brown Theatre School, he has been a member of 3 Dora Award-winning ensembles. Co-chair of Equity’s Mental Health and Wellness Task Force and published in Intermission Magazine and Equity Quarterly, he advocates for greater access to mental healthcare, safe workplaces, and the freedom and dignity of theatre artists. Nathan lives in Toronto with his dog Henry.  

Indigenous Arts Program Producer

Jay Northcott (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist; director, playwright, burlesque dancer, and producer. Jay works to decolonize their art and practice with storytelling, movement, and gesture to create a foundation for their work.
They continue to grow and make it their mission to unlift projects that put BIPOC Queer artists in the spotlight. They create and develop communities that are run by and for racialized and queer artist. 
Their goals: to make you cry and piss yourself at the same time, they want to bleed, break, grind, make money, fuck, fight and blow some shit up. With their Post-Britney2007/Hyperpop Aesthetic, Jay develops techniques and experiences that questions: Why theatre is still relevant.
Credits include: The Parasite (Rhubarb Festival), Premium Content (Major Matt Mason, High Performance Rodeo), Blacktop Sky (Obsidian Thearte), Passover (Obsidian Theatre, AD), Scarlet Letter (Theatre Calgary, AD), Iphigenia and theFuries (Saga Collectif, AD), Cows (Theatre Junction).

Communications Manager

Emma Westray (she/her) is a Toronto-based producer and arts administrator. She was a member of the Producers’ Learning Network and is an alumna of Generator's Artist Producer Training program (2016-17). Emma was the founding Artistic Producer of House + Body and is the current Managing Producer for Broadleaf Theatre. As Producer: The Chemical Valley Project (Broadleaf Theatre/Theatre Passe Muraille); hiraeth (Summerworks Festival); MARRY ME MARRY ME MARRY ME MARRY ME (House + Body). As Associate Producer: Girl in the Machine (Seven Siblings Theatre); Cannibal (Scrap Paper Theatre/Next Stage); Gray (Theatre Inamorata).

Production Manager

Taylor Young (they/them) is a Toronto-based Stage Manager and Production Manager, originally from Calgary, AB. They hold a BFA from Ryerson University in Performance Production with a minor in Curatorial Studies. They are currently the Production Coordinator & Assistant Stage Manager for Toronto Dance Theatre’s 2020/2021 Season. 

Some of their favourite past projects include: Stage Manager, hollow mountain, Rock Bottom Movement (Wildside 2020); Assistant Stage Manager, RING, Toronto Dance Theatre (2019); Assistant Stage Manager, Fall for Dance North, Ryerson Theatre (2019); Apprentice Stage Manager, Hand to God, Coal Mine Theatre (2019); Assistant Production Manager, Mary’s Wedding, Solo Productions (2019); Stage Manager, MANICPIXIEDREAMGIRLS, Rock Bottom Movement (Kitchener 2019).

Festival Producer

Brendan Kinnon (he/him) is a Toronto-based artist with a passion for alternative theatre practices and assisting multidisciplinary artists in the development of new work. Brendan has worked with independent companies across Southern Ontario as an actor, director, and producer. Some highlights from the past few years include two tours of Theatre of the Beat's show #ChurchToo across Canada and to The Netherlands, joining The Way with Theatre by Committee in Wagon Play at Toronto Fringe 2018, and connecting with all of the artists that have been involved in the Dark Crop Performance Festival which Brendan started producing with OPIA Theatre Collective in 2017. When not on stage or sending emails, you can find Brendan working away in his garden or strolling around the many wonderful parks of Toronto!

Producer - Special Events + Programming

Gloria Mok (she/her) is a theatre creator, production manager, designer, and playwright. As a daughter of first-generation Chinese immigrants, contemporary works that transcend real or imagined barriers excite her. She is a founding member of Silk Bath Collective, the creators behind two hit trilingual plays, Silk Bath (Toronto Fringe 2016) and Yellow Rabbit (Soulpepper Theatre 2018). She has worked with various Toronto arts organizations including Cahoots Theatre, Directors Lab North, fu-GEN, Native Earth, SummerWorks, Shakespeare in the Ruff, Soulpepper Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, and Theatre Passe Muraille. Gloria is a graduate of The National Theatre School’s Production Design and Technical Arts program.