Creative Team

Playwright

Drew Hayden Taylor is an award winning playwright, author, filmmaker and journalist. Born and raised on the Curve Lake First Nation, he has done everything from performing Stand-up comedy at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., to serving as Artistic Director of Canada’s premiere Indigenous theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. Currently his 36th book, the play Open House, was published by Talonbooks, and he’s writing a history of Indigenous theatre.

Director

Vinetta Strombergs has directed everything from Shakespeare to musicals to original Canadian plays. Her directing credits include many regional theatres, summer theatres and local stages large and small. Most recently she directed The Thanksgiving Play for the Off-Mirvish season. For many years she helped develop First Nations writers and actors through working with Debajehmujig Theatre on Manitoulin Island and Native Earth Performing Arts in Toronto. She has directed many plays by Ojibway writer Drew Hayden Taylor and Cree writer Kenneth T. Williams. Her production of 60 Below for Native Earth garnered 7 Dora Nominations. She has taught and directed at almost every post-secondary theatre training program in Ontario, helping to prepare the next generation of theatre professionals.

Set & Lighting Designer

For Blyth: Set, lights and projections for: Innocence Lost: A Play about Steven Truscott, The New Canadian Curling Club, Test Drive and Billy Bishop Goes to War; Set and light design for: The Drawer Boy, The Ballad of Stompin’ Tom, Queen Milli of Galt, The Pigeon King, If Truth Be Told, and A Huron County Christmas Carol. Lighting design for: Pearl Gidley, Stag and Doe, The Wilberforce Hotel, Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad; Set design for: Seeds. Since 1987 Steve has designed award winning sets and lighting for more than 500 productions of theatre, dance and performance art. His work has toured extensively and has been seen in 27 countries around the world. Steve has received several awards including five Dora Awards for his designs. He has also been nominated for several of Canada’s most prestigious awards including the Siminovitch Prize in Theatre and thirty-six Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations.

Costume Designer

Theatre: Assistant to Head of Wardrobe at Grand Theatre for past two seasons, Seamstress: Pride & Prejudice, Controlled Damage, Elf: The Musical, Grand Ghosts (Grand Theatre), Assistant Costume Designer: Wedding Band (Stratford Festival), Design Consult for Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts, Film: Design Assist: Tenth Generation, Education: Fanshawe College. Dedication: For Eddie Leigh and Demitro Choma, for giving me my love for theatre and the work ethic to get here.

Sound Designer

Lyon Smith is a Toronto based artist. He has enjoyed a creative relationship with the Blyth Festival over the years as both sound designer and actor. Throughout his career he has worked with the Shaw Festival, the Tarragon Theatre, Soulpepper, Theatre Passe Muraille, Aluna, the Grand Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, Canadian Stage, Modern Times Stage Co and the NAC among others.

Stage Manager

With over 30 years in the entertainment industry Crystal has been blessed to work across Canada and Internationally. Mostly you can find her touring with Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes. Crystal’s Stage Management Career started in Blyth with the production of Mail Order Bride in 1988. Her career has flourished in many different capacities and she is thrilled to be directing her first show with the Livery in June of ’26

Assistant Stage Manager

Amanda is a multi-passionate theatre creator, performer, and stage manager. She’s a graduate of Brock University’s Dramatic Arts Program. Amanda is thrilled to be back at the Blyth Festival for her third season! Her Selected Stage Management Credits: The Golden Anniversaries, Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes, Chronicles of Sarnia (Blyth Festival), Mommy Shark (Lumen and Jupiter), Wally’s Café (Upper Canada Playhouse), John School (Essential Theatre Collective), Robin Hood, Newsies (Yellow Door Theatre Project). Child Supervisor: White Christmas (Shaw Festival). Her Selected Acting Credits: The Vagina Monologues (Gillian’s Place, 2018, 2020), Legally Blonde (Garden City Productions). Film/Web Series: Both Sides of the Curtain (Lumen and Jupiter), Red Letter Day (Yellow Door Theatre Project).