The Debut

Kena Leon (she/they) is a queer Filipinx multi-disciplinary artist who uses music, sound and technology as their main media. Kena is active in the Alberta queer scene through events as a DJ and a performing artist.  

Kena founded Hoy! Productions as a way to uplift voices, share stories and provide a platform for queer, Filipinx and BIPOC artists.

The constant pursuit of Kena’s work is using music/sound to uplift the queer community, have queer BIPOC representation and create safe/inclusive spaces.

Miracle Mopera is a Filipina actress who graduated with a degree in Drama from the University of Alberta Augustana. If she’s not acting, she is juggling 3 jobs on the side. If she’s not juggling those jobs, she’s sleeping. She’s a self-proclaimed karaoke queen, a frustrated ukulele player, and a Sinigangster.

She was in her university productions of Concord Floral, The Wind In The Willows, Autobahn, and Love & Information. She has also been in two Edmonton International Fringe Festival shows, Mules and Well-Behaved Women pt. 3. She previously toured with WorkPlays Alberta for the show Workin’ It Out! as well. This is her first time being in a RISER Edmonton production, and she’s very excited to be here! She’d like to thank her family (HELLO MALLARI-MOPERA!), her friends, especially those in the LGBTQIA2S+ community, for giving her inspiration and support. You can see her daily antics on Instagram stories @mirmop. She hopes you all enjoy the show and see the glory of Pinoy-made productions! #PinasPataasNumba1

Amanda graduated from the MFA Directing and the BA Drama programs at the University of Alberta. She is a director, educator, and actor. Acting credits include Bitches: A Woman’s Fury, The Flood: A Disaster Story, and Trout Stanley.

Her passion for leading creators and educating folks in drama and communication has brought her to teach with the Grindstone Theatre, U of A Drama, and Concordia University of Edmonton. As founding Artistic Director and Producer of the Capitol Theatre, she wore all the hats to create a season of quirky, heart-filled productions. Amanda completed three seasons there, some of her favourites include The Importance of Being Earnest, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Poof! The Musical by Nick Green and Darrin Hagen.

Sarah Emslie (they/she) is a queer, non-binary theatre artist based in amiskwaciwâskahikan, Treaty 6. They hold a BFA from the University of Alberta in Acting; recent performance credits include The Space Between Stars (Small Matters Productions), MINE (RISER), Dead Centre of Town XIII (Catch the Keys), and I Don’t Even Miss You (Understudy/Assistant Director, Tiny Bear Jaws, RISER). Outside of their directing and performance practice, they are the Associate Producer with Common Ground Arts, and are currently working with the stellar CG team to bring Found Festival 2024 to life. All their love to Gabriel, Thistle, and the whole team of The Debut.

Steven is a proud mixed-Filipino artist based in Amiskwaciwâskahikan. He has worked as a stage manager all over Treaty 6 with companies such as Prison Dancer (Citadel Theatre) Million Dollar Quartet (Theatre Calgary), Working it Out! (Workplace School Programs), Smoke, This Won’t Hurt I Promise, Gender? I Hardly Know Them, I Don’t Even Miss You (Tiny Bear Jaws), Carmen, Don Giovanni (Edmonton Opera). Steven was also a part of the Citadel’s RBC Emerging Artist program in Artistic Leadership/planning and the Belfry Theatre’s Emerging Arts Leadership Training Program. He is also one of the Equity Stage Management Councillors. Thanks to Casey for all the love and support.

Gina is a proud Filipino-Canadian based in Amiskwacîwâskahikan on land referred to as Treaty 6 colonially known as Edmonton Alberta. She is always trying to expand the relation space on the venn diagram of Community, Workers’ Rights, Arts Practice, Social Justice, and Basic Life Needs.  Currently, Gina is the Artistic Director and Program Coordinator for the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre’s Work Plays Schools Program which brings the important message of Work Place Safety and Workers’ Rights wrapped in a professionally sculpted live theatre production to students and new workers.

This past fall, after stage managing Prison Dancer at the NAC she shifted gears to direct the gift of a script Kisapmata at Lunchbox Theatre at the top of 2024. Debut is the third play this season that Gina has the privilege to work on that is has been created and told by Filipinos – a trend she hopes will continue to grow.

Jared is an Edmonton-based director, dramaturg, actor, educator and playwright. His playwriting credits include the award-winning Lig & Bittle (co-written with Elyne Quan); Paper Song; Near Diamond; Harusame, the Little Bird; and Penelope vs. The Aliens! (co-written with Chris Bullough). A former Artistic Co-Director of Concrete Theatre, Jared is the Executive Director of the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre, which (in addition to other programming) produces professional theatre focused on empowering young people on their workplace rights. Jared is happy have had the opportunity to work alongside Kena on this new play!

Rebecca is a queer, mixed race, Filipino theatre artist living and working in Amiskwacîwâskahikan. Currently, her work is focused on set, costume, and lighting design. She is a recent graduate from the University of Alberta’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Production, and was chosen to participate in Citadel Theatre’s RBC Horizon emerging Artists Program in 2021. Select  credits include; Costume Design for Mermaid Legs (Skirts A Fire Festival), Design Assistant for The Hooves Belonged to the Deer (In Arms Theatre Collective), Set and Lighting Design for Interwebbed (HEYwire Theatre), and Production Design for Peter Pan (Citadel Theatre Young Company).

Born and raised on Treaty 1 territory (Winnipeg), and currently residing in Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton), Lindsey Walker (she/her) is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and theatre performer. Lindsey was awarded the Westbury Family Fringe Theatre Award to support the production of ren & the wake, which she is incredibly grateful for.Lindsey’s second musical, Amor de Cosmos:  A Delusional Musical, which she wrote with Richard Kemick, was “Critic’s Pick” at the 2023 Toronto Fringe Festival.

With Lindsey’s solo musical project, she won an Edmonton Music Award for Indie Rock Recording of the Year (2018), has been shortlisted for the Edmonton Music Prize (2019), nominated for Female Artist of the Year at the Edmonton Music Awards (2018), was voted Best of Edmonton Solo Artist by Vue Weekly (2017), and earned distinction as a finalist in the Canadian Songwriting Competition. Most recently, Lindsey created the musical score for the true crime podcast “Natural Life” and has been creating compositions for theatre productions in Edmonton. Lindsey hopes you enjoy watching this show as much as she enjoyed working on it! See more of what Lindsey is up to on social media: @lindseywalkermusic

Rory is a designer, performer, and theatre maker from the prairies. He is interested in slow music, postcards, toy theatres, and masks. Rory attended the Theatre Arts program at MacEwan University and studied theatre design at the University of Alberta. He is a design instructor at the Citadel’s Foote Theatre School and the lighting designer for Common Ground Arts’ RISER production development projects. Recent design credits: The Immaculate Perfection… (Body Cube Arts, High Performance Rodeo), Hyena’s Trail (Here For Fear Collective, Next Fest), Helen (Trunk Theatre), MINE, In My Own Little Corner, Omisimawiw, After Faust (Common Ground Arts).

Kat Evans (she/her) is a freelance professional Artist, Designer, Creator, Producer, PM/TD, Technician and Stage Manager based in Amiskwaciy-Wâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta) on Treaty 6 Territory, Metis Regional Council 4. She holds a BFA in Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, and is the Co-Founder of The October People Productions. She specializes in practical SFX and immersive design for theatre, film, and escape room experiences. Since 2011, Kat has also been a core creative team member of the Dead Centre of Town Collective, with Catch the Keys Productions.

In addition to stand-alone productions, Kat is involved in several festivals and presentation series throughout the year, including The Edmonton International Fringe Festival, RISER Edmonton, and Play the Fool Festival. She is a Sterling Awards nominee in the categories of Outstanding Lighting Design (Freaky Green Eyes) and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Production (Production Manager).

Recent credits include: PM/TD and SM for The Spinsters (Small Matters Productions – Touring Production 2023/24), PM/TD & Mentor for RISER (Common Ground Arts Society), PM/TD and Lighting Designer for Freaky Green Eyes (Screaming Mantis in assoc. with Punctuate! Theatre and Fringe Theatre 2023), Costume and Props Associate for Nevermore (Catalyst Theatre, Vertigo Theatre 2023), PM/TD and Stage Manager Anahita’s Republic (Au Tash Productions 2023), PM/TD & Lighting/Costume/Makeup/Set/Props/SFX Design for Dead Centre of Town (Catch the Keys Productions 2011-present), Costume Designer/Production Design Associate for Ren and the Wak