Created and Performed By
Cliff Cardinal
Directed and DramaturgeD By
Karin Randoja
Originally Produced by
Eric Epstein and Imaginary Force
Stage Managed by
Andrew Dollar
Cliff Cardinal
Cliff Cardinal is a polarizing writer and exceptional performer. His solo theatre productions STITCH, HUFF, CLIFF CARDINAL’S CBC SPECIAL, THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or AS YOU LIKE IT and (EVERYONE I LOVE HAS A TERRIBLE FATE BEFALL THEM) have earned a reputation on the scene for his black humour and compassionate poeticism. As Video Cabaret writer in residence, Cardinal’s first multi-character play, TOO GOod TO BE TRUE, opened Video Cabaret’s 2019 season at The Busy Street Theatre in Toronto with Cardinal himself directing. In 2023, A TERRIBLE FATE opened the newly re-named Deanne Taylor Theatre. CLIFF CARDINAL’S CBC SPECIAL, toured festivals in Ottawa, Calgary, St. Catharines and Toronto, through Canada’s North starting in Yellowknife as well as in Guanajuato, Mexico. CLIFF CARDINAL & THE SKY-LARKS have produced three albums and toured Ontario and Eastern Canada. The Single, Suicidal Valentine, the title track from the 2022 album released on Merilainen Music, reached #6 on the Indigenous Music Countdown. The song Y2K enjoyed consistent play on satellite radio. The song Christmas in Kingston has been performed by Corin Raymond and Hawksley Workman- who CliFFPerformed with at the Danforth Music Hall. He lives in Toronto where he is developing a Television show and writing his first noveL.
Karin Randoja
Karin Randoja (Director and Dramaturge) is a director, actor, teacher and singer/composer. For over 35 years she has directed mainly original performances, including: (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them); This is the Point; Gertrude and Alice; Jacinto; huff; Brotherhood: The Hiphopera; My Nightmares Wear White; Breakfast and Clean Irene and Dirty Maxine. Karin was a founding member of Primus Theatre and The Independent Aunties. Her work has received numerous Canadian and International awards and has been seen in Australia, Denmark, England, India, Italy, France, Japan, Mozambique, Scotland and across Canada and the U.S. She has taught and directed at Humber College, The Centre for Indigenous Theatre, The International Theatre Institute and The National Theatre School, of which she is also a graduate.
Eric Epstein
Eric has worked in theatre professionally for over fifty years, as an actor, director, producer, stage manager and sound designer. He studied theatre at UBC and East 15 Acting School in the UK, and continued his studies at the National Voice Intensive and with Gob Squad Theatre from Berlin. He was a founding member of Touchstone Theatre and founding artistic director of the Vancouver Shakespeare Festival (precursor to Bard on the Beach). He served as Artistic Director of the Guild Hall in Whitehorse for nearly a decade. He has also worked as a performing arts curator, first with the Frostbite Music Festival and then as Artistic Director of the Yukon Arts Centre, presenting theatre, dance, music, circus, clown, and more from across Canada and beyond. He remains active as an actor, musician and storyteller having recently studied storytelling practice under the mentorship of New York monologuist Mike Daisey. He is producer of the award-winning theatre piece, Cliff Cardinal’s CBC Special.
Andrew Dollar
Andrew has been a longstanding member of VideoCabaret. Andrew’s recent Stage Management credits include: FAOC's Beige Christmas with VideoCabaret, Dissonant Species with Theatre Gargantua, Every Brilliant Thing with the Orillia Opera House, Unwritten – The improv Show with Yonge People’s Theatre, Metamorphose With Theatre Smith Gilmore at Crows Theatre, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, and 15 Dogs with Crows Theatre.
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