Othello by William Shakespeare November 13-29, 2008.

Chris Moore-(Iago)

This is Christopher's fourth show with Persephone Productions. His other roles include Stan in Unity (1918) and Duff in To The Green Fields Beyond - winner of the 2007 MECCA for Best Ensemble. Christopher attended the John Abott College Professional Theatre Program, where he received the Pamela Montgomery Award upon graduation in 2005. School credits include Rolly in George F. Walker's Escape From Happiness, Rev. Parris in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Romeo and Sir Andrew in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night. After graduating, Christopher worked with such companies as Gravy Bath Productions (Joe in This Table and Norman in Au Dela De La Ville, original works by Anthony Kokx), Three Blind Mice Productions (Willy in Phillip King's Pool's Paradise) and The Montreal Theatre Ensemble (Medvedenko in Chekov's The Seagull and most recently as Curley in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men). He has a helping hand in Vanguard Productions which presented Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood in 2007 (where he played Narrator) and I Don't Know Where Here Is, an original piece by Jessica Rose and shortlisted at the 2008 Montreal Fringe Festival for the Centaur Award for Best English Production.

Stephanie Chapman-Baker-(Desdemona)

Stephanie is a graduate of the John Abbott Professional Theatre Programme and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art classical acting program. During the 2007 Montreal Fringe Festival she played Viki in One Night in Berlin. More recently, she played the baroness in a remounted production of Cobra: the Musical. Some past roles include Millament in Way of the World, Elenor in War of the Roses, Livia in Women Beware Women, and Miranda in The Tempest. Now a resident of London, England she is happy for the chance to return to Montreal and to work with Persephone Productions for the second time.

Becky Croll-(Emilia)

Rebecca is a graduate of the John Abbott College Professional Theatre Programme, and the British American Drama Academy's Midsummer in Oxford Programme. Selected theatre credits include Pamela Marsh in Silver Dagger, Rose Arnott in Enchanted April, Eugenie in A Flea in her Ear, Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables the Musical , and Florence Unger in The Odd Couple; the Female Version. She has previously appeared, with Persephone Productions in such roles as Blanche Ingram, Bessie, Grace Poole, and Diana Rivers in Jane Eyre, Frau Bergman in Spring Awakening, and Rose in Unity 1918. Most recently, she performed in the Montreal Theatre Ensemble production Of Mice and Men, as Curley's wife.

Matt Raudsepp-(Cassio)

Matthew Raudsepp's recent stage credits include Whit in The Montreal Theatre Ensemble's production of Of Mice and Men, Cervantes/Sancho in Canis Tempus Theatre's Quixote, Lucky in The Emptiest, an adaptation of The Tempest which he directed with his theatre company Second Body Produtions and Romeo in Gravy Bath Producitons' Gayanashagowa, an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. Film and TV credits include: Dead at 17, Durham County and Picture This! Matthew is a graduate of the John Abbott College Professional Theatre Program where he received the Pam Montgomery Award.

Christopher Nachaj-(The Duke, Montana)

Born and raised in Montreal, Chris graduated from John Abbott College's Professional Theatre Acting program in 2007. Past projects include work in theatre, film, voice over, and in August a remount of "Quixote" for Canis Tempus as the title role. He is also presently working on an untitled project, which is to be performed this winter.

Clive Brewer-(Brabantio, Gratiano)

Clive has been involved with theatre in and around Montreal for the past fifteen years. Past credits include Chandebise / Poche in A Flea in Her Ear for Hudson Village Theatre, Graham in Talking Heads for Hudson Players, Gerald Lyman in Bus Stop for Level II Theatre, Sid in West for Persephone Productions, and John Malcolm in Separate Tables for Lakeshore Players. Clive is thrilled to be working with Persephone again on this production.

Warrona-(Bianca)

Warona is a not-so-fresh-off-the-plane-anymore actor from Botswana who has been calling herself a "professional actor" for 8 years now and even has the debt to prove it. During her one year in Montreal, she has performed in 2 shows: The Vagina Monologues (2008 VDay Community Campaign) and The Infernal Tragedy (Open Heart Theatre). She describes her relationship with the theatre as "a long happy marriage with the odd extra-marital affair with television." She is delighted to work with Persephone and her next project is directing The Vagina Monologues for the VDay community campaign of 2009. Hooray!

Sebastian Jacek-Côté-(Rodrigo)

Sebastian Jacek-Côté is a graduate of the Dawson Professional Theatre program. Selected theatre credits include Riff in West Side Story, King Henry VI and Lord Stanley in Richard III, and Didapper in Joseph Andrews. He has also worked as both a stage manager and front of house manager for the Dawson Theatre and shows for Through Line Productions.

Jody Burkholder-lighting designer

Jody is a Yellowknifer living in Montreal. He has designed in the past under the direction of Frances Balenzano, Paul Van Dyke, and Zach Fraser. He is an award winning lighting designer, winning the MECCA for best lighting design for Fallen Angel Production's Heaven in 2007. He also spent six years as the Technical Director of the St. Ambroise Montreal Fringe and has enjoyed working as Technical Director for many companies over the years, including MainLine Theatre, Teesri Duniya Theatre, The Saidye Bronfman Centre, infinitheatre, Black Theatre Workshop, and Imago Theatre. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, graduating from the Technical Production Program under the direction of Norberts Muncs. In his free time he enjoys live sound mixing for The Dynamo Coleoptera.

Mary Davidson- Stage Manager

Having just finished a contract as a Stage Staff on the Royal Caribbean ship 'Splendour of the Seas' in the Mediterranean, Mary is overjoyed to return to her second-home of Montreal to work on Othello with Persephone. Mary is a graduate of Concordia University, from which she received a BFA in Playwriting in June 2007. Her previous credits include: Assistant Stage Manager on Richard III, In Bouffon with Company of Fools (Mainline & Arts Court, Montreal & Ottawa), Stage Manager on One Night with Tableau D'Hôte Theatre (Studio Hydro-Quebec, Montreal), Assistant Director on The Queens with Concordia Theatre (Cazalet) and Assistant Stage Manager on At The Crossroads & Caucasian Chalk Circle for Concordia Theatre (D.B. Clarke Theatre).

Raina Clair-Gillis-costume designer

Raina has completed three University degrees and an Attestation of Collegial Studies, more specifically, an ACS in Fashion Design, an Honours BA with a medial in History and Art History, a B.Ed, (with teachables in History and Visual Art), and an MA in Art Education. Concurrently with her studies, Raina-Clair has also launched her own clothing company in Montréal, Canada, affectionately referred to as "Olivanella." (Olivanella is a portmanteau of her grandmother's names "Oliva" and "Nell"). Both a tangible reflection and expression of extracurricular interests and activities, Olivanella embodies Raina-Clair's love for avante-garde urban design and specialized textile arts and crafts including beadery, embroidery, lace work, silk painting and silk-screen printing, among others. Raina-Clair is also an avid traveler having visited more than twenty countries in and around Western Europe, North Africa and the Caribbean and is lastly an accomplished musician currently accompanying Dave Martel of Kindling Music on violin.

James Campbell-composer

James Hugh Keenan Campbell is an undergraduate student at McGill University in Montreal. Othello is the first Persephone Production he has worked on and he is thrilled to have be given this opportunity. He has performed, directed and composed scores for several theatrical performances including The Crucible by Arthur Miller, where he also appeared as Judge Hawthorne. Among other roles he has played Melchior in Spring Awakening by Wedekind, and George Gibbs in Our Town by Thornton Wilder. He has composed in a variety of different musical genres including several folk songs.

Sophie Gee-Assistant Director

Sophie is a director originally from Alberta. Credits include: Fool for Love (Montreal Fringe), A Shadow's Story (Cabaret Concret, Montreal)and The Fire Raisers (Garage Theatre, London). As an Assistant Director: Prophecy (New End Theatre, London, UK), Wolf in the House (Tara Studio, London, UK), Amadeus (Segal Theatre, Montreal), Burning In (Tessri Duniya, Montreal). Sophie recently took part in the research and development phase of a puppetry presentation of The Tempest, a co-production between Little Angel Theatre, London and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Phil Demers-Fight Directorr

Phil is currently in his third year in the Professional Theatre program at John Abbott College. He has performed as an actor on the stage and as a stunt double in a few independendent films. His credits include Doc Gibbs in Our Town, Countess Bathoria's Graveyard Pictureshow, and in December he will be performing as Bill in The Hot L Baltimore. This is Phil's first time assisting Persephone Productions.

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