March 11–22, 2026/*Studio Theatre
Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker
Director: Lori Delorme
A six-week-long community-centre drama class transforms four lost humans and their teacher. The play is a beautifully crafted diorama of tiny wars and quiet heartbreaks, tinged with humour and sadness, from Pulitzer-Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker.
*Please note that the Studio Theatre is not wheelchair accessible.
This production is generously supported by
The Director and the Producer
LORI DELORME/DIRECTOR
Lori is a Toronto-based director and producer. Previously for Alumnae Theatre Company, Lori has directed The Children (Mainstage), Governing Ourselves and B to Z (New Ideas Festival) and Belle Darling Klondike Queen (FireWorks Festival) and co-produced Top Girls. She is a co-founder of Moss Theatre Collective, acting as co-producer and co-assistant director for its inaugural production, Fierce. Lori is also a co-founder of Just in a Bowl Productions, for which she co-wrote and acted in two plays, Unsinkable and The Hungarian Suicide Duel, both performed as part of the Fringe Festival across Canada. She is focused on creating open, collaborative working environments that foster gathering and community.
VALÉRIE CARRIER/PRODUCER
Valérie’s acting in theatre includes Ring, Under Milk Wood, Les Belles-soeurs, The Orphan Muses, Albertine in Five Times, Boom Baby, String of Pearls, If We Were Birds, Gun play (after the gun goes off), Public Enemy and the workshop of a play in development, The Scream. She also performed in short movies, notably in On a Sunday at Eleven, which was presented at TIFF 2024 and was awarded “Best Live Action Short Film” at the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards. After being Assistant Producer for The Children and co-producing Age of Arousal, Valérie is delighted to produce once again for Alumnae Theatre with such a talented team. Valérie is also a board member of the Théâtre français de Toronto.
The Actors
JULIUS CHAPPLE/SCHULTZ
Julius is thrilled to be a part of this production and back on stage working with Lori and this talented cast. At Alumnae – Half Life. Other theatre – A Man for All Seasons (Pacific Theatre), An Inspector Calls (Chemainus Theatre). Select film and TV include Caprica (Syfy), Miracle (Disney), Into the West (Dreamworks), Underworld 2 (Screen Gems), Masters of Horror (Showtime), Psych (Universal) and Stargate SG-1 (MGM). When he’s not performing, Julius is a master oyster shucker, sommelier and wine agent and co-owner of Stagecoach Performing Arts Oakville and Mississauga. He wants to thank his wife and family for all their support.
KRIS LAW/JAMES
Kris Law is a Toronto-based actor and writer interested in probing the absurd edges of human folly, both onstage and in commercials. He recently completed a play and a novel and enjoys spending time in nature with his partner. He believes strongly that clowning is serious business and that tragedy should always include at least one good laugh. Kris is very grateful to Alumnae Theatre for the opportunity to introduce the character of James to you.
JANET HURLEY/MARTY
After performing on the Alumnae Mainstage in Just for Tonight, as part of the 2024 New Ideas Festival, and haunting the lobby as Dora Mavor Moore in Shadows in the Nooks in 2025, Janet is thrilled to move upstairs to the Studio to play Marty in Circle Mirror Transformation. Janet most recently appeared as overprotective mom Genie Klein in EMP’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. This time, she takes on a different kind of matriarch – a “den mother” of sorts, guiding strangers through vulnerability, awkward silences and the search for human connection. Janet is grateful to her generous, talented castmates and the creative team, especially director Lori Delorme whose expertise, kindness and faith made us “feel, um, safe here. And open. And willing to go with it.”
VIOLET BROWN/LAUREN
Violet Brown is a multidisciplinary artist with a background in acting, singing, and dancing. She has loved performing arts since she was a kid and it was her dream to be a performer. She trained in Drama, Vocals, Dance, and Musical Theatre at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts and then graduated from Brock University with a BA in Dramatic Arts (Concentration in Performance), receiving formal training in theatre performance. Recent theatre credits include Fever Dream (Brock University), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Brock University), and There Were No Birds To Fly (NIF 2025, Alumnae Theatre). She is excited to perform in her first Mainstage play post-secondary with Alumnae Theatre. Special thanks to her supportive mother Carol, her loving partner Morgan, and her amazing friends!
CASSIDY SADLER/THERESA
A director, actor and producer, Cassidy is passionate about new works, immersive experiences and experimental theatre. She has performed in London and New York and across the Canadian Prairies. She is a company member of Live History, whose site-specific work can be seen internationally. Cassidy has produced work in festivals, hospitals, parks and schools. She is the Associate Producer at Roseneath Theatre, where she supports the production of socially conscious touring Theatre for Young Audiences. Additional credits include Bone Cage (Alumnae Theatre); Fierce (Moss Theatre Collective/Alumnae Theatre); The Seqret City and The Curious Voyage (DopoLavoro Teatrale); Back to the Bar (Sidestreet Theatre/Toronto Fringe); A Tonic for Desperate Times (Theatre Gargantua); The Pride of Life and Mankind (Poculi Ludique Societas/Stan’s Cafe/Metropolitan Museum of Art).
The Production Team
LEAH VAZ HOWARD/ASSISTANT PRODUCER
Leah is a born Torontonian and multidisciplinary human. She has occupied many roles, such as Assistant Production Manager for Studio Lab Theatre’s 2025 Scenic Art Workshop; Decor Assistant for the Utility Contractors’ Association Convention; Costume Designer for Fringe’s Quiltro; Production Assistant for Roseneath Theatre’s No Big Deal, The Money Tree, and Morgan’s Journey; and Costumes Assistant at Alumane’s own Bone Cage and Age of Arousal. Leah is passionate about live performance and textile art and is currently working as a Costumes Apprentice for Young People’s Theatre.
SHANNON FARRELL/STAGE MANAGER + SOUND OPERATOR
Shannon Farrell (she/they) is a Playwright, published Poet and Stage Manager. Their past stage management credits include Hang (Obsidian Theatre), Belle Darling (Alumnae Theatre), Fierce (Moss Collective), Undone (SM Movement), and Waylang Hiya (Festival of New Dance, Newfoundland). Writing credits include Sad Sack: a collection of poems, Tendencies (Start The Riot Theatre), Silence S’il Vous Plais (Toronto Fringe, 2018) and North of Orion (Start The Riot Theatre, 2021).
DOUG TILLER/SET DESIGNER + CARPENTER
Douglas Tiller trained in film, doing everything from locations to post-production, but his true passion is woodwork. He designed and built two Leslieville businesses, Mercury Espresso and Hitch, and is now the owner of local carpentry shop Southpaw Built. He started in theatre building props for Alumnae’s production of B to Z. His first full design involved the building of a moss-covered cottage on the stage of the Alumnae production of The Children, followed by the crumbling office set for Moss Theatre Collective’s production of George F. Walker’s Fierce. His most recent design included building a functional 18 foot long wooden bridge spanning the set of Alumnae’s production of Bone Cage, which won him a THEA. He is excited to be part of the Circle Mirror Transformation crew.
FABIANA MERCURIO/ COSTUME DESIGNER
Fabiana holds a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre Production) from York University. Her recent costume credits include the short film Nene by Vann Ferderber and Moss Theatre Collective’s Fierce. Fabiana has recently explored the acting world, performing in Heel, presented at Alumnae Theatre’s New Ideas Festival. Fabiana is excited to get back to her roots in costume designing with Circle Mirror Transformation. She would like to thank Lori for believing in her process, no matter how messy it seemed! She would also like to thank the team for their creativity and curiosity throughout this process.
CONNOR PRICE-KELLEHER/LIGHTING DESIGNER
Connor is a technical director, designer, live-stream consultant, and clown who has just returned to Tkaronto (Toronto) from Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland), where he was head of sound for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival. As a professional, he gets way too excited about breakfast for dinner and studied at the University of Ottawa before working for companies such as IATSE Local 471, Young People’s Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto Dance Theatre, Well Seasoned Productions, The Alumnae Theatre, Act 2 Studios, Driftwood Theatre Group, Aplombusrhombus, The Isabel Bader Centre, The National Arts Centre, The Nogojiwanong Fringe Festival, and the Fresh Meat Festival.
ANDREW HONOR/SOUND DESIGNER + COMPOSER
Andrew Honor is a filmmaker, composer, and award-winning sound designer. He is interested in creating new worlds from found sounds and building emotional moments for audiences to experience. He has composed music for various film projects, produced pop and electronic music in Toronto and Guelph, and most recently designed the sound for Alumnae Theatre’s production of The Children, A Little Bite of Paradise (New Ideas Festival), Catherine Banks’ Bone Cage, and Moss Theatre Collective’s production of George F. Walker’s Fierce.
SARINI KUMARASINGHE/PROPS MASTER
Sarini Kumarasinghe is a theatre-maker born in Sri Lanka and based in Toronto. She completed her BFA in Screenwriting at York University, where she explored her passion for character-driven storytelling. Sarini recently directed Lullabies & Nursery Rhymes for Alumnae Theatre’s New Ideas Festival and Days Since Bo’s Been Gone for FireWorks 2025 and has staged a full production of her gothic horror play The Bluffs as part of the 2024 Toronto Fringe Festival. She’s excited to be back at Alumnae to work on Circle Mirror Transformation!
JES WAREING/INTIMACY DIRECTOR
Jes Wareing is an intimacy director, writer, and actor. She is a movement professional with experience in MoCap, psychophysical acting, and is an advanced practitioner of The Batdorf Technique. For intimacy choreography, her credits include Bone Cage (Alumnae), The Tragedie of Romeo & Juliet (Act VI Productions), Ride the Cyclone (Shifting Ground Collective), and various short films. Jes holds a BFA in Acting from York University, is currently training with IDC Professionals, and is pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing at Humber College. She lives in Toronto with her huxband, three cats, and endless crafting projects.
MARCO NOVAES/PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHER + TRAILER CREATOR
I’ve worked in the visual arts for decades, first in design, then as an art director, and now as a photographer. I am drawn to capturing people in all their diverse ways of being, existing, and showing up in the world – a practice fueled by curiosity, attention, and the joy of witnessing life unfold.
NATALIYA KOZYRINA/LIGHTING ASSISTANT
Meet Nataliya. A lighting technician for multiple shows at Alumnae Theatre, she is so happy to be part of this team! She’s been here for Fringe 2025, doing sound design for Stealing Home and helping out other shows as a theatre house technician. She’s been operating lights for Fireworks Festival. Nataliya is so blessed to be part of the Alumnae family (since 2023) and hopes to contribute to many more shows yet to come!
MELANIE STEVENSON/LIGHTING OPERATOR
Melanie is a writer, so normally she sits at a computer and wrangles dialogue. This time she’s sitting at a computer and wrangling lighting cues. Why? Because theatre is a team sport, and Melanie loves playing with the Alumnae team. Past backstage positions have included lighting operator, stage manager, front of house, and props mistress. Melanie is grateful to the Alumnae for the support it gives Canadian playwrights and for producing her plays Unsettled (Big Ideas 2022), Recipe for a Riot Grrrl (New Ideas Festival 2023), and A Little Bit of Paradise (New Ideas Festival 2024). She is currently working on a new script as a member of the Vault Creation Lab’s “Writers Reading Group”, facilitated by Andrea Scott.
JAIN DICKSON/BACKSTAGE HAND
Jain’s career started in theatre where she worked as an actor, stage manager and producer for 10 years. Jain then moved into television: selected credits include Director for the The Crawlspace for TVO Kids, Production Supervisor for The Jungle Room and Line Producer for The Hoobs – a Jim Henson/Decode co-production. For the past 15 years, Jain has been working as a Producer in children’s animation. Credits include Stella and Sam for Family Channel/Disney Junior and Bubble Guppies for Nick Jr.. Jain has just completed producing the second season of Vida the Vet, a pre-school series for Netflix, Corus and CBeebies.
Accessibility
Alumnae Theatre’s Berkeley Street entrance and the Mainstage Theatre are wheelchair accessible. There is a wheelchair accessible restroom on the ground floor.
