ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
JORDAN TANNAHILL - PLAYWRIGHT
Jordan Tannahill is a Canadian writer and director. He has been described as being ‘widely celebrated as one of Canada’s most accomplished young playwrights, filmmakers and all-round multidisciplinary artists’ (Toronto Star), and ‘the enfant terrible of Canadian theatre’ (Libération). His plays have been translated into ten languages and widely honoured in Canada and abroad. He has twice received a Governor General's Literary Award - in 2014 for Age of Minority: Three Solo Plays, and in 2018 for his plays Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom. His plays, performance texts, and productions have been presented at venues including The Young Vic Theatre (London), Sadler's Wells (London), The Kitchen (NYC), Festival d'Avignon (Avignon), The Lincoln Centre (NYC), The Deutsches Theater (Berlin), The Volkstheater (Vienna), The National Arts Centre of Canada (Ottawa), Woolly Mammoth Theatre (Washington DC), and on London's West End. He is the author of Theatre of the Unimpressed, a book of essays on theatre. His debut novel Liminal, a work of autofiction, was named one of the best Canadian novels of 2018 by CBC Books, and won France’s 2021 Prix des Jeunes Libraires. His second novel, The Listeners, has just been published by HarperCollins. His virtual reality performance Draw Me Close, produced by the National Theatre (UK) and the National Film Board of Canada, was presented at the Tribeca Film Festival and Venice Biennale in 2017, and ran at London's Young Vic Theatre in January 2019. Jordan has also worked in dance, choreographing and performing with Christopher House in Marienbad for the Toronto Dance Theatre, and writing the text for Akram Khan's dance pieces Xenos and Outwitting the Devil, both currently touring internationally. From 2012 - 2016, in collaboration with William Ellis, Jordan ran the alternative art space Videofag out of their home in Toronto’s Kensington Market neighbourhood. Over the four years of its operation, Videofag became an influential hub for queer and avant-garde work in Canada.
SARAH MILLER - DIRECTOR
Sarah Miller is a dramaturg, director, and playwright based out of Toronto and Whitehorse. They are in their fourth and final year at York University studying Theatre Performance Creation and Dramaturgy, with a special focus on directing. Sarah’s own work centres themes of growing up queer, and the way our childhoods impact the people we become. Past credits include: Dramaturg/Director for “Bridges” in Living Labs, “Prude” and “Birdgeoisie” playGround 2022, “Rise and Shine”, “Skinny Dipping Lake”, and “Stuck” Audiotheatrica Vol. 1 (Theatre@York); Dramaturg for “SHAME” and “digging for sunshine” (PLPC 5290 Festival). Currently, they are the Dramaturg for David Yee’s new play “love in the time of werewolves” set to premiere in Theatre@York’s 2022/23 season.
JAMES CROKEN - STAGE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN
James is a hard working technician born and raised in the Yukon. James has worked at many of the theatres around town developing a love for the behind-the-scenes work. Currently he is attending Capilano University going into his final year of tech.
MAX MCLARNON - JUST JOEY (1)
Maximus is a new and departing member of YTYP. They are thrilled to have joined this performance of "Concord Floral" as their final project in the Yukon. They play Just Joey, a recent high school graduate with skeletons in their closet. Max's previous productions have been Westmount High School's "Mean Girls", YTYP's "Forbidden" and YTYP's "Les Misérables".
LUCA SQUIRES - BOBOLINK (2)
Luca (17) has been very immersed in the Yukon theatre scene for the past few years, including recent YTYP productions "Bringing Broadway 'Round Back," “Les Misérables,” and “Forbidden," of which he was also on the creative team as their choreographer. He has participated in the Music, Arts, and Drama program for three years. He has been dancing his whole life and is excited to be branching out into new aspects of the arts that will help him in his career moving forwards. Luca will not be performing headspins in this production of “Concord Floral,” although he is able.
EZRA BAKER - JOHN CABOT (3)
Ezra Baker is a seventeen year old theatre lover who is very excited to be in their fourth Yukon Theatre for Young People show “Concord Floral”. They completed three semesters at the Music Arts and Drama program at Woodstreet School, and recently graduated high school from Vanier Catholic Secondary School. When Ezra isn’t doing musical theatre, they love reading, writing, creating art, listening to music, pursuing Social Justice initiatives, watching nerdy TV shows, and hanging out with friends. Ezra hopes to continue theatre in the future and wishes to pursue a career in education.
HEATHER MISLANG - FOREVER IRENE (4)
Heather (17) will be attending the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, BC this upcoming year for musical theatre training. However, when she's not performing, she's lost in musical bliss strumming guitar strings or playing jazz standards on piano. She's happy to be a part of this awesome cast and to work with such an amazing creative team!
ELLA LALIBERTY - ROSA MUNDI (5)
Ella Laliberty is 17 years old and she has always loved theatre and performing. She has done 3 semesters in the Music, Arts and Drama program, been a part of YTYP since 2019 and many other things in that genre. When Ella isn’t performing, you can find her online shopping, playing sims, or probably at work!
CADENCE MILFORD - NEARLY WILD (6)
Cadence Milford is an 18-year-old actor from Whitehorse, Yukon. She has been heavily involved in the Whitehorse theatre community ever since she can remember, being inspired by the Frantic Follies when she was a kid to pursue theatre throughout her youth. Cadence is a long time member of Yukon Theatre for Young People, having been in all of their live shows, including playing Crutchie in Newsies (2019), Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables (2022), and co-choreographing the variety show Forbidden (2022). She is so excited to be closing out her run with YTYP playing 6 in Concord Floral. In the fall, Cadence will be pursuing Psychology at the University of Victoria.
COHEN ASHICK-DRAINVILLE - COUCH (7)
Cohen Ashick-Drainville (16) is an actor and comedian who was recently seen playing Thenardier in YTYP’s presentation of ‘Les Miserables.’ Cohen has also performed in YTYP’s ‘Forbidden,’ ‘All Together Now,’ ‘Things I Learned on My Summer Vacation,’ and Disney’s ‘Newsies.’ Cohen is happy to have this opportunity to perform in ‘Concord Floral’ and to work with this amazing cast and Director Sarah Miller.
GABE HOPKINS - FOX (8)
Beginning his stage career as Baby Jesus, Gabriel Hopkins (Gabe) has been performing at every possible opportunity since. Notably, he has played Micheal and Tootles in separate productions of ‘Peter Pan’, Mike TV in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, and Davey in Disney’s ‘Newsies’. Gabe has filled ensemble roles in ‘Oliver!’ and ‘Wizard of Oz’, and was cast as Mr. Bumble in Yukon Theatre for Young People (YTYP)’s ill-fated 2020 production of ‘Oliver!’ Gabe has been part of YTYP since before it was a theatre company, and has been enthusiastically involved in the staging of ‘Things I Learned On My Summer Vacation’, ‘Bringing Broadway ‘Round Back’, ‘All Together Now!’, and most recently, ‘Forbidden’. In addition, Gabe is a graduate of the Music Arts and Drama program at Wood Street School which he attended for four years, and where he was able to further foster his love of theatre, and to develop fantastic friendships with people who share his passion for the stage. His crowning achievement though must be playing Jean Valjean in YTYP’s Production of 'Les Miserables', earlier this year. Gabe is excited to be a part of Concord Floral, as his last time on the stage with YTYP before heading off to the University of Victoria to study Engineering in the fall.
MICHAEL GWYNNE-THOMPSON - GREENHOUSE (9)
Michael was born and raised in Whitehorse. Michael started performing in school choirs about 10 years ago and has fully engrossed himself in the Whitehorse theatre scene over the past 7. Michael is a 3 time M.A.D. Alum as well as a Yukon Theatre for Young People veteran. He has been a member of the YTYP youth steering committee since 2018 and a performer in every YTYP venture. Some credits include Disney’s Newsies and most notably, being set to play Bill Sykes in the ill-fated production of Lional Bart’s Oliver, and playing Inspector Javert in Les Misérables. Michael is excited to be performing in The Heat of RIverdale’s Black Box as it was the same theatre where his love for performing was ignited during classes in 2016. Playing The Greenhouse (9) in Concord Floral is such a unique experience for Michael as he is a musical theatre man through and through, this contemporary straight play is a thrilling change of pace.
BRIA LEMOINE - BOBBIE JAMES (10)
Bria Lemoine is making her comeback to the theatre world after an intense one year hiatus!She has completed 2 semesters at the M.A.D program and has been an active ytyp’er since the beginning. Ready to enter her graduating year, Bria is looking forward to showcasing you the intensely beautiful show that is concord floral. When not on stage Bria can be found at The Heart Of Riverdale Community Centre being overrun by kindergarteners and dancers.