Mixed Company Theatre

Our Team

Below is our directory of artists, administrative staff, consultants and the board.

Our Artists

Simon Malgobat
Simon Malbogat

Simon Malbogat

Artistic Director

Simon Malbogat has been a key player in Canada’s popular theatre scene for over 25 years now. He has studied with the greatest contemporary popular theatre practitioners (Augusto Boal, Jerzy Grotowski, Eugenio Barba, Yoshi Oida) and blended Forum Theatre with the Sweet Medicine Teachings (SMT) of the Deer Tribe Metis Medicine Society for an innovative theatre and teaching approach.

Simon has directed and acted in over 50 new Canadian works, many of which many are now seen as important benchmarks in the development of Canadian theatre. He has played key roles in numerous plays by the Chalmer’s award winner Rex Deverell; David Fennario’s On The Job, Nothing to Lose, Banana Boots which won the Montreal Gazette’s Best New Play and Joe Beef which won the Pauline Julienne Award; George Walker’s Criminals in Love; and Michael Glassbourg’s Bad Apples.

Simon has provided workshop creation, direction and facilitation for young people ages 14 to 18, resulting in over 40 theatre forums plays. Other youth group projects have involved the Community Initiative Project, Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club, the East End Community Health Centre, the Sears Drama Festival for Youth, the Social Planning Council of Peel and the Toronto West End Community. International workshops for youth have taken him to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Ukraine on three separate occasions.

Teaching credits include The University of Toronto, York University, Humber College, Queen’s and Brock University. In 1997 Simon created The Ripple Effect: 8th International Festival of the Theatre of the Oppressed which presented 450 artists from over 22 countries. He also produced The Open Stage Toronto Theatre Festival, The Canadian Popular Theatre Alliance Festival and From the Ground Up: The National Festival of Canadian Theatre.

Duncan McCallum

Duncan McCallum

Associate Artistic Director

Duncan McCallum is a Toronto theatre artist and educator. He holds a Hon. B. A. in Theatre from York with a specialization in devised theatre and a B. Ed. from Queen’s with a specialization in artist in community education.

Since his return from Kingston, Duncan has been focusing on using theatre as a tool for social awareness and change. In 2006, Duncan became a repertory performer with Mixed Company Theatre. He has continued to work passionately in their ranks, beginning as an actor to aiding in creation and facilitation and finally to producing and directing. During his time with Mixed Company he has performed and held workshops in Minneapolis, New York, Austria, and all throughout Ontario. His work with MXCO has allowed him to work directly with communities dealing with homelessness, Gang violence, bullying, STIs and AIDS, sexual assault and rape, and many other issues.

Luciano Iogna

Playwright, Facilitator, Director & Actor

Luciano Iogna has worked professionally in film and theatre across Canada and internationally as a writer, director, actor and facilitator for over three decades. For more than 22 years, he has worked extensively with Forum Theatre and Theatre of the Oppressed techniques on issues as diverse as AIDS and health, poverty, discrimination, workplace safety, sexual abuse and violence; with children, teen and/or adult participants, women’s groups, unions, and cultural communities.

A guest instructor at universities in Canada and Turkey, Luc has also led numerous Forum Theatre workshops around the world. He has written for international theatre periodicals and has co-authored a book on participatory children’s theatre in Turkey with renowned critic Nihal Kuyumcu.

Luc has been nominated or has won regional, national and international awards for his innovative writing, directing and designing. Two of his plays, produced by Toronto’s Mixed Company Theatre (Showdown and HIV/AIDS Toolbox), were nominated for Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

Heather Cherron

Playwright, Facilitator & Actor

Heather Cherron started with the company in 1993 as an actor and has been working on Forum Theatre projects with Mixed Company ever since. Heather has just completed writing our new HIV/STI play Under Pressure which premiered at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto and will tour schools in fall. Heather offers a female perspective to the company as well as her writing and acting talents.

Marsha Coffey

Soundscape Artist

Marsha Coffey is an award winning composer and musician (piano/percussion) who has worked for many years providing original music for theater, film and dance. She has also worked extensively with young native artists in various collaborations in Canada and Denmark.

Marsha brings a unique educational style that is calm and uplifting for youth and is a great addition to the team.

Tom Brouillette

Choreographer – Project ACT

Tom Brouillette started dancing at the age of thirty in intensive training with Mary Wigman disciple Til Thiele. He was a lead dancer with both the Desrosiers Dance Theatre and the Randy Glynn Dance Theatre, and has performed regularly with independent choreographers such as Claudia Moore, Kathleen Rea, Karen and Allen Kaeja, Peter Chin, Marie-Josée Chartier, and Holly Small. Tom began choreographing and showing his own works in 1982. He is a retired member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, with whom he collaborated on two performance pieces: Boilermakers in Concert, and The Rite of Steam.

Tom continues to work with a core group of dancers and youth, and recently spent three months in Manhattan in intensive study with Douglas Dunn.

He has been teaching his weekly Body Wisdom classes since 1980, and Tom continues on an energetic, productive and focused journey to dance’s end.

Rex Deverell

Playwright

Rex Deverell began his working career in 1967 as the pastor of a small Baptist church in southern Ontario. Drama, both religious and secular, played an important role even in those days through acting, directing, and writing.

In 1968 Deverell’s “The Invitation” won the Playwrights’ Award from the University of Western Ontario. He wrote several plays in the following few years. By 1970 he resigned his pastorate and devoted himself to theatre. From 1970 to 1975 Deverell and his family lived in Regina and Toronto. This same period also saw the production of plays for young audiences such as “Sam and the Tigers”, “Shortshrift”, “Copetown City Kite Crisis” and “Sarah’s Play”.

In 1975 Regina’s Globe Theatre, southern Saskatchewan’s premiere theatre company, appointed Deverell as Playwright-in-Residence. He held this position until October 1989 when he moved to Toronto. “Boiler Room Suite” was produced in 1976. In 1978 this play won the Canadian Authors’ Award. It enjoyed great success, became the libretto for an opera, and travelled to Vancouver, Toronto and London, England among other cities.

Deverell has served in various provincial and national organizations, including the Playwrights Union of Canada, the Guild of Canadian Playwrights. He was was a founding member of the Saskatchewan Playwrights’ Centre.

Sheree Tams

Set, Costume & Props Designer

Sheree Tams collaborates with directors to capture their vision of a world in which to place the story. Born in South Wales, she studied art and environmental design in art college followed by post graduate studies at Motley in London. Sheree has exhibited art installations, video and photography in several solo and group shows. She has worked on a wide range of design projects differing in scale, budget and content. Most recently devised theatre, site specific events, a season of theatre for the elders, theatre for young audiences, theatre in education, theatre of the oppressed, music theatre, experimental theatre, exhibition design, dance and opera.

Over the past year alone, Sheree has worked with Mixed Company on four productions. Her style which is based on creative iconic representation serves the art of Forum Theatre and thus Sheree’s approach and imagination have proved a perfect fit for Mixed Company.

Angela Thomas

Set, Costume & Props Designer

Angela Thomas began working with Mixed Company Theatre in 2002 designing costumes for ‘How Can You Tell” and “Show Down”. In 2007 I was invited to become an associate designer with the company for the 2007/08 season. During this time, in collaboration with Simon Malbogat, I designed a touring set system that is adaptable to all of Mixed Company’s touring productions, as well as creating costumes for three shows.

Mixed Company’s approach to creating a safe place for audiences and contributing artists alike to openly discuss issues that affect the well being of our society is inspiring, challenging and very rewarding. It is an honour to be a part of this work.

Peter Jarvis

Sound & Mask Workshop Artist

Peter Jarvis has traveled abroad and worked here at home with Mixed Company. His specialty is mask, clown and sound-scaping. Peter assists in character building through his workshops and offers an alternative path into creative work that is quite effective. His work with sound adds depth and emotional under current to our productions.

Pete, otherwise known as SilverElvis, is also a dancer, mime, clown, musician / composer, and teacher of the arts who has been performing for 25 years. Voted “Best Busker” for the third consecutive year in NOW Magazine’s Reader’s Poll, he is one of Mixed Company’s esteemed Associate Artists.

Dharini Woollcombe

Actor & Facilitator

Dharini has acted with Mixed Company for over four years. She is very familiar with our objectives and intentions and is interested in joining the creative team on this project as both an actor and facilitator.

Dharini has interned at the off-Broadway, Irish Repertory Theatre in NYC. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and a B.F.A. Honours in Acting. She trained at the TVI Actor’s Studio in NYC, and studies the Meisner Technique.

Dharini has lived in numerous countries including the U.S., Germany, Indonesia and Venezuela. She visits friends and family regularly in the UK, Switzerland and Japan. She currently resides in Toronto, Canada.

Tashieka McTaggart

Actor

Tashieka McTaggart is a professional actor who graduated from the Humber College theatre performance program. A number of years now Tashieka has worked with Mixed Company in the capacity of actor and brings a wealth of knowledge in Forum Theatre.

This actor and entrepreneur, loves to learn and gain experience, “Knowledge is the key to success”.

Alicia Payne

Actor

Alicia Payne is a professional performer, writer and facilitator. Her acting credits encompass theatre, film, television and radio. She has been a reader/narrator at SceneMakers, The Female Eye Film Festival, wildSOUND and Lift Out Loud script reading series and has participated in numerous new play development workshops. Alicia has toured schools as a performer and/or facilitator for several theatres including Mixed Company Theatre, Sheatre and The Golden Horseshoe Players. Alicia also participated in the Playwrights Collective at Theatre Passe Muraille.

Her published writing credits include Horrorscope, a syndicated cartoon; “Do You Know What It’s Life” and “Hire Me” in TELLIN IT LIKE IT IS: A COMPENDIUM OF AFRICAN-CANADIAN MONOLOGIES FOR ACTORS; and “Don’t Call Me That,” an award-winning short play for young people in TWO FOR THE SHOW.

Alicia participated in the inaugural Momentum Project at the National Film Board of Canada. She was also heard weekly on “Where Am I?” a contest she developed for METRO MORNING on CBC Radio.

Alicia is an alumna of the 2007 Tapestry New Opera Works Composer-Librettist Laboratory, and was a volunteer workshop leader with youth in the 2007 summer drama program at Culture Link.

In 2008/2009 she was a Playwright Facilitator for Uth Ink, St. Johns. She attended the 2009 Innocence Network Conference in Houston, Texas, and moderated a panel after the excerpt reading of MAURICE CARTER’S INNOCENCE, a play she co-wrote with Donald Molnar.

Alicia is a co-founder of Arbez Drama Projects, a small independent, project-based theatre company for which she has produced workshops of SARA’S CAVE, MAURICE CARTER’S INNOCENCE and PAZ.

Alicia is also an Associate Artist at Mixed Company Theatre, which specializes in Forum Theatre, which specializes in Forum Theatre, and a 2009-2010 World Stage Ambassador for Harbourfront Centre.

Administrative Staff

Maureen Verboom

General Manager

Maureen brings to the General Manager role 20 years of experiences in the Financial Services sector where she focused on Sales and Marketing, Communications and Project Management. Her education and volunteer activities also support her appreciation for MIXED COMPANY’S social change goals, objectives and methodology.

Holding an Ontario Teacher Certificate, Ms Verboom is a regular contributor to and assistant editor of the on-line women’s publication Glamamama. Maureen volunteers on the Fund Raising committee for Distress Centre Durham and is currently serving as Vice-President of Media Relations for Cycle to Help – a not-for-profit organization committed to mental health education and suicide prevention awareness.

Settling in to her new role, Ms Verboom shared: “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with MIXED COMPANY THEATRE and contribute to communicating the power of Forum Theatre as an interactive teaching tool that fosters social change in individuals and society.” The company welcomes Maureen and looks forward to her being a key contributor to its continuing success.

Deidre Budgell

Outreach & Communications Coordinator

Rejoining the MCT team is Deidre Budgell, a key contributor who helped ensure successful tours in past seasons.

Following a history of volunteering with the company, Deidre joined MCT as Administrative Coordinator in 2010 after completing her M.A. in Theatre Studies at York University. By day Deidre’s committed to research and arts administration, but by night she enjoys moonlighting as a stage manager, having worked in Toronto and extensive work in her native St. John’s. She’s thrilled to be working with Mixed Company Theatre and believes strongly in the Mixed mandate of theatre for social change.

Jillian Cockburn

Outreach Consultant

Jillian Cockburn provides administrative support and consulting services to Mixed Company Theatre. She has a solid background in various areas of arts administration and cultural management including: fundraising, marketing, outreach, communications and general administration.

Her client list includes: Arbez Drama Projects, Ballet Creole, Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, Mixed Company Theatre and Sheatre. Her previous work tenures include Interim General Manager at Odyssey Theatre and Development Manager at Ballet Creole. She has also completed internships as the Communications Assistant at the Toronto Arts Council and as the Marketing Camp; Outreach Assistant at Ballet Creole.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and Dance from York University and a Post-Graduate Certificate (Honours) in Arts Administration/Cultural Management from Humber College.

An avid volunteer and arts advocate, she currently serves as the Interim Corporate Secretary for the Board of Directors of the Guelph Arts Council. In this role, she supports and contributes to the development of the local arts community, the enrichment of cultural life in Guelph and the widespread appreciation and promotion in the arts.