Reign Check

Michael Watt is a Queer multi-disciplinary artist based in Amiskwacî (Edmonton) passionate about creation, production, and performance. Community, joy, and laughter are major priorities in Michael’s artistic practice. They can often be found indulging in music and theatre projects both independently and with frequent collaborator, Jacquelin Walters, with their company Walters & Watt Theatre Projects. Recent writing credits include: Arthur & Titi (New Works Festival); Reign Check (Off the Page, SkirtsAFire/Springboards, WWPT); Let’s Not Turn On Each Other and What Was Is All (Walters & Watt). Recent performance credits include: FEED (Mile Zero Dance); Pansies (Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre); and Bea (Shadow Theatre). They are incredibly grateful for both the Edmonton Arts Council’s support of this production, and for the AMAZING Found Festival & Common Ground Arts Team! 

Jacquelin Walters is a multidisciplinary theatre artist based in Amiskwacî, colonially known as Edmonton. Recent performance credits include Televangelists (Dog-Bite Theatre) Shrek: The Musical (Nuova Vocal Arts dir. Kim Mattice Wanat), Girls Can Eat Now (New Works Festival dir. Aidan Collins), White Christmas (Nuova Vocal Arts dir. Kim Mattice Wanat), Witch  (Bleviss Laboratory Theatre dir. Alissa Watson), Let’s Not Turn On Each Other (Edmonton Fringe dir. Nicole Maloney), Troilus and Cressida (Studio Theatre, dir. Brett Dahl), Indecent (Studio Theatre, dir. Ben Smith), and Helen (Trunk Theatre, dir. Amy DeFelice). Recent creative credits include Let’s Not Turn On Each Other (Walters & Watt, Edmonton Fringe, 2024, dir. Nicole Maloney), Tomato Girl (University of Alberta’s New Works festival 2024), What Was Is All (Walters & Watt, Edmonton Fringe 2023). Thank you to Common Ground Arts and the Found Festival team as well as the Edmonton Arts Council for making this production possible! And thank you to my best friend Michael, for writing it.

Erin Pettifor is a queer theatre artist based in Treaty 6 / Edmonton. In the 2023 Edmonton Fringe she premiered her Sterling Award winning show Stigma, Pistil and Style, directed by Jacqueline Russell and produced by Wee Witches. They have co-created and performed multiple physical theatre pieces often inspired by feminism and absurdity at Play the Fool Festival and various clown cabarets. She is currently working on the development of her next solo show featuring her drag king character Earl Grey. This past spring, Erin played Beth in Little Women at the Citadel Theatre. She most recently worked on FEED at Mile Zero Dance by Tia Kushniruk. She is thrilled to have her directorial debut on Michael Watt’s play Reign Check and cannot wait to share it with the community.

Nicole Maloney is a director, performer, clown, educator, and theatre administrator currently working on Treaty 6 territory. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Drama) and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta. Nicole’s theatre practice is rooted in collaboration and the creation of spaces where discovery and risk-taking is encouraged; her focus in theatre currently lies in the development and creation of new works of theatre. Her theatrical style is rooted in physical theatre practices: largely drawing from clown, physical comedy, dance, and movement. Recent directing credits include: Televangelists (Nextfest 2025), SWAN? (Adelaide International Fringe Festival 2025, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2025, Edinburgh International Fringe Festival 2025), One Man Two Guvnors (ABBEDAM Productions 2024), Let’s Not Turn on Each Other (Edmonton International Fringe Festival 2024, Fringe Holdover Series 2024), OWEaDEBT (Edmonton International Fringe Festival 2024, Fringe Holdover Series 2024, Edinburgh International Fringe Festival 2024), Lola (New Works Festival 2024), What Was Is All (Fringe 2023), A Flea in Her Ear (University of Alberta, 2023). 

Claire Sonmor (they/she) is a surprisingly funny Queer theatre artist currently living and creating in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton). A graduate of the University of Alberta’s BA (Drama/English)/BEd program, Claire wears many hats and works as a stage/production manager, lighting/set designer, and theatre administrator. Recent credits include Rat Academy 2: Gnaw and Order (Batrabbit Productions), ReConstruct(ion) (Donkey Dog Theatre), The S.P.O.T.T. (Squawk Theatre), @interWEBBED (HEYwire Theatre), Rat Academy (Batrabbit Productions), It Gets Everywhere (BFA Movement Show 2024), Working It Out (WorkPlays), Stigma, Pistil and Style (Wee Witches), The Hand that Feeds & Sheep Play (New Works Festival), and Lemon (ReadyGo Theatre).

Ryan is a Métis stage manager, originally from the Treaty No. 6 territory of Saskatchewan. He holds a BFA in Theatre Production from MacEwan University. He is excited to be joining the excellent team that Walters and Walt have assembled for Reign Check!

Recent stage management credits: Die Walküre, Aquarius, Bluebeard’s Castle, Die Fledermaus, Das Rheingold (Edmonton Opera); Shrek, White Christmas, A Gentleman’s Guide (NUOVA); Native Gardens (Persephone Theatre); Sunday in the Park with George (MacEwan University).

Chris Scott is a Composer, Sound Designer and Multidisciplinary artist based in Treaty 6 Territory, Edmonton. He is absolutely thrilled to have been included on such an amazing project, one that has gifted him creative freedom to explore and support such a relevant piece of art. He is a graduate of Berklee Valencia’s Master’s in Scoring for Film, TV and Video Games. As a creative he loves to blend his life as an actor with his approach to music, seeking to blend comprehensive storytelling with his sonic profile. Select sound designer/composer credits include, The Concierge (NorthMist Studios), Radiant Vermin (Northern Light Theatre), Haunted House (Stuttgart Film Festival) ARC (Concrete Theatre) and The Erlking: A New Musical (Edmonton Fringe Festival) Thank you to the amazing team at Found Fest as well as the EAC for giving us the resources to create.”

Logan (They/Them) is a non-binary designer, playwrite and performer based in Amiskwaciwâskahikan, colonially known as Edmonton, Alberta. Originally getting their start in theatre as the Genie in Horizon Players production of Aladdin Jr., Logan has gone on to perform, design and work backstage on many productions throughout the years. Favorite credits both on and off stage include Costumes for The Bells (Orpheum Productions), Props for Practically Perfect Pitch (Top Bunk Theatre), Props/Set/Puppets/SFX & ASM for Evil Dead: The Musical (SATCO), Young Turtle in The Adventure of Young Turtle (So.Glad Arts & Azimuth Theatre, Persephone Theatre), Robert in the Drowsy Chaperone (Citadel Theatre Young Company), ASM for Xanadu (SATCO & Uniform Theatre)and Production Designer for Into The Woods Jr., James and the Giant Peach and Once Upon A Mattress (Sky’s the Limit YT).

Levi (He/Him) is an Illustrator and textile artist based in Edmonton, originally From Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario. Levi is a recent graduate of the Honorary Bachelor of Illustration program at Sheridan College and has begun to work more frequently in the theatre world, having created garments, Assisted backstage designed posters and artwork for Sky’s The Limit Youth Theatre, Walters and Watt and the Horizon Players. Levi’s Embroidery work has been featured in the Neilsen Park Creative Centre –  Be Creative: Pride 2024 Exhibition in Toronto as well as The Society of Illustrators – Student Scholarship Exhibition 2024 in New York City.

Scott Shpeley is an Edmonton-based actor, multi-instrumentalist, and educator with a BFA in Acting (University of Alberta) and a BEd (CUE). Selected theatre credits: Nevermore (Catalyst Theatre), Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet (Freewill Shakespeare), One Man Two Guv’nors (Citadel Theatre & Theatre Calgary), You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (ATP), Peril In Paris (Lunchbox Theatre).

Spenser Kells is an Edmonton based Actor, Writer, Musician, and reformed tomato farmer. Their recent credits include roles in ‘Televangelists'(Dog-Bite Theatre) ‘Brother Rat’(ReadyGo Theatre), ‘Witch’(Bleviss Laboratory Theatre), ‘Troilus and Cressida’(Studio Theatre), and writing ‘Sheep Play’ which premiered at the 2024 Edmonton Fringe Festival. When not acting, Spenser can be found playing gigs with their punk band ‘Best in Show’ or writing their next play.