Tarragon is proud to have several multi-talented artists in residence.
Artists in Residence
Meet the artists
In residence
Marissa is an actor, translator, and director whose creative practice navigates the shifting boundaries of identity and social justice—including issues surrounding sexuality and intellectual disabilities.
Born to a Japanese mother and a German-American father, Marissa developed an early interest in the complexities of human history—particularly genocide and violence against women—which continues to inform her creative work.
Her stage debut came at age 10, playing Anne in a Japanese production of Anne of Green Gables. While performing in Les Misérables at age 20, she pursued academic studies in visual arts criticism and philosophy at Japan Women’s University, graduating with the highest honors from the Department of Humanities and Cultures.
Her first leading film role was in The Eye’s Dream, a U.S.–Japan co-production, which was officially invited to the 64th International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea, and the Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival in Switzerland.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when theaters were closed, Marissa launched a socially inclusive performance project titled Poetic Play: The Sound and the Fury. Inspired by the novel by William Faulkner, the work drew from a collaborative creative process with her brother, who has an intellectual disability. She developed a semi-fictional piece that intertwined Faulkner’s original text with elements of their real-life relationship. The resulting work blended fact and fiction and was performed on tour in Tokyo, Nagano, and Fukushima.
In 2022, Marissa appeared in I Call My Brothers, directed by Eriko Ogawa, Artistic Director of the New National Theatre Tokyo—a collaboration that marked the beginning of an ongoing professional relationship. Later that year, she was brought in as a last-minute replacement in Annie Baker’s The Antipodes, stepping into the role on just one week’s notice after the originally cast actress contracted COVID-19. Her recent stage credits also include Leopoldstadt and Decalogue IX, in which she played the heroine Hanka—both directed by Eriko Ogawa at the New National Theatre Tokyo.
Among her most acclaimed performances as strong female characters are Elena in Butcher (2023, written by Nicolas Billon) and Tazuko Sakane in The First Female Film Director (2025). Both roles earned her praise from newspapers and theater magazines for the depth of her performances.
As a multifaceted artist—actor, translator, and director—Marissa is helping shape the future of Japanese theater.
Although Japanese was her first language, her desire to communicate more deeply with her international family led her to learn English. Today, she works bilingually as a narrator and translator. Her film credits include the U.S.–Japan co-production She’s Just a Shadow, and she serves as an English-language narrator on NHK World’s art program no art, no life.
As a translator, she has worked on numerous plays, including A Walk in the Woods and Great Falls (Lee Blessing), Harajuku Girls (Francis Turnly), Big Deal (Mia Efremova), and Ghost Land (Andriy Bondarenko). While details remain under wraps, several exciting new productions of her translated works are set to hit the Tokyo stage starting in 2026.
Born to a Japanese mother and a German-American father, Marissa developed an early interest in the complexities of human history—particularly genocide and violence against women—which continues to inform her creative work.
Her stage debut came at age 10, playing Anne in a Japanese production of Anne of Green Gables. While performing in Les Misérables at age 20, she pursued academic studies in visual arts criticism and philosophy at Japan Women’s University, graduating with the highest honors from the Department of Humanities and Cultures.
Her first leading film role was in The Eye’s Dream, a U.S.–Japan co-production, which was officially invited to the 64th International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea, and the Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival in Switzerland.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when theaters were closed, Marissa launched a socially inclusive performance project titled Poetic Play: The Sound and the Fury. Inspired by the novel by William Faulkner, the work drew from a collaborative creative process with her brother, who has an intellectual disability. She developed a semi-fictional piece that intertwined Faulkner’s original text with elements of their real-life relationship. The resulting work blended fact and fiction and was performed on tour in Tokyo, Nagano, and Fukushima.
In 2022, Marissa appeared in I Call My Brothers, directed by Eriko Ogawa, Artistic Director of the New National Theatre Tokyo—a collaboration that marked the beginning of an ongoing professional relationship. Later that year, she was brought in as a last-minute replacement in Annie Baker’s The Antipodes, stepping into the role on just one week’s notice after the originally cast actress contracted COVID-19. Her recent stage credits also include Leopoldstadt and Decalogue IX, in which she played the heroine Hanka—both directed by Eriko Ogawa at the New National Theatre Tokyo.
Among her most acclaimed performances as strong female characters are Elena in Butcher (2023, written by Nicolas Billon) and Tazuko Sakane in The First Female Film Director (2025). Both roles earned her praise from newspapers and theater magazines for the depth of her performances.
As a multifaceted artist—actor, translator, and director—Marissa is helping shape the future of Japanese theater.
Although Japanese was her first language, her desire to communicate more deeply with her international family led her to learn English. Today, she works bilingually as a narrator and translator. Her film credits include the U.S.–Japan co-production She’s Just a Shadow, and she serves as an English-language narrator on NHK World’s art program no art, no life.
As a translator, she has worked on numerous plays, including A Walk in the Woods and Great Falls (Lee Blessing), Harajuku Girls (Francis Turnly), Big Deal (Mia Efremova), and Ghost Land (Andriy Bondarenko). While details remain under wraps, several exciting new productions of her translated works are set to hit the Tokyo stage starting in 2026.
Thank you to the Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists sponsored by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan for making this opportunity possible.
Kanika is a playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. She is a graduate of Canadian Film Centre’s Bell Media Primetime TV Program and Associate Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company.
Kanika’s work has premiered at stages and screens large and small in Toronto and in the USA. Her critically acclaimed play, “our place,” is a recipient of a Dora Mavor Moore Award for “Outstanding New Play”, her opera “Of the Sea” with composer Ian Cusson premiered at Toronto’s historical Bluma Appel Theatre. Her children’s play “Truth” received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for “Outstanding New Play”. Other credits include celebrated digital opera work “Tak-Tak-Shoo” at Opera Philadelphia with composer Rene Orth, “Anansi and the Great Light” at Curtis Institute (Philadelphia) and “The Big Easy: Music of New Orleans” at Soulpepper.
Reneltta is an Inuvialuk, Dene and Cree mom from the Northwest Territories. She is founder of Akpik Theatre, a northern focussed professional Indigenous Theatre company. Raised by her grandparents on the trap-line until school age, this nomadic environment gave Reneltta the skills to become the multi-disciplined artist she is now. For nearly two decades, Reneltta has taken part in or initiated the creation of Indigenous Theatre across Canada and overseas. Under Akpik Theatre, Reneltta has written, produced, and performed various works creating space for Indigenous led voice. Current works include Pawâkan, a Plains Cree takeover of Macbeth written by Arluk on Treaty 6 territory. Pawâkan Macbeth was inspired by working with youth and elders on the Frog Lake reserve. Reneltta is the first Inuk and first Indigenous woman to graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting program and Reneltta is the first Inuk and first Indigenous woman to direct at The Stratford Festival. There she was awarded the Tyrone Guthrie - Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director's Award for her direction of the The Breathing Hole.
Mercedes Isaza Clunie is a queer, Chilean-Canadian playwright, poet, and actor from Toronto. Mercedes’ writing explores topics such as girlhood, culture, sexuality, and language through diverse formats that both disrupt traditional conventions and celebrate the essence of theatre. Her play “Gringas” is a five-time award winning play and has been showcased across Canada at Toronto and Hamilton Fringe, Calgary’s Ignite Festival, and Aluna Theatre’s RUTAS Festival. Mercedes was also recently shortlisted for The Tom Hendry RBC Emerging Playwright Award. She is a recent alumni of Paprika Festival’s Playwriting Unit, where she began workshopping her second play ‘Pablo and Bill Make a Baby’, and is the Artistic Director of First Born Theatre - a queer, Latine-led emerging theatre company dedicated to creating the next generation of Canadian theatre. She holds a BFA in Acting from York University and grew up just down the road from the Tarragon - making this residency a true home-coming. Her friends and family refer to her as ‘Meche’, colloquially.
Waawaate Fobister - is an actor, dancer, playwright, choreographer, instructor, and a producer. A proud Anishnaabe from Grassy Narrows First Nation. A recipient of two Dora awards for outstanding actor and play for Agokwe, Humber College outstanding actor, Mark S. Bonham Centre award from University of Toronto for their advocacy and public knowledge in sexual diversity. Waawaate also has many nominations, including Ontario Premiers' Award, K.M Hunter Award and Sterling Award - Edmonton.
Waawaate has had numerous residencies as playwright and choreographer, including Banff Centre for the Arts, Native Earth Performing Arts, Playwrights’ Theatre Centre, Playwrights Workshop Montreal and Magnus Theatre.
Other work: Waawaate coordinated Canada’s first ever 2SLGBTQ+ Council for an Indigenous governing body at Grand Council Treaty #3. Waawaate served for three seasons as a curator for Indigenous Programming at Kick & Push Festival in Kingston.
Most Recent: Waawaate choreographed BentBoy by Herbie Barnes at Young Peoples’ Theatre. Performed Omaagomaan in Munich, Germany & Peterborough, Ontario.
Waawaate has had numerous residencies as playwright and choreographer, including Banff Centre for the Arts, Native Earth Performing Arts, Playwrights’ Theatre Centre, Playwrights Workshop Montreal and Magnus Theatre.
Other work: Waawaate coordinated Canada’s first ever 2SLGBTQ+ Council for an Indigenous governing body at Grand Council Treaty #3. Waawaate served for three seasons as a curator for Indigenous Programming at Kick & Push Festival in Kingston.
Most Recent: Waawaate choreographed BentBoy by Herbie Barnes at Young Peoples’ Theatre. Performed Omaagomaan in Munich, Germany & Peterborough, Ontario.
Shaharah Gaznabbi (they/them) is an ACTRA Actor, Playwright, and Comedian currently pursuing a BFA in Playwriting & Devised Theatre in York University’s Theatre program. They were part of this year's cohorts for Tarragon Theatre's Young Playwrights Unit, and Nightwood Theatre's Innovators Program. Shaharah performed their Solo-Show “What Can-Indian Look Like? Can It Look Caribbean?” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and received The Neurodiverse Review’s Birds of Paradise Theatre Emerging Talent Award. They have recently made their television debut in season 3 of CBC’s Run the Burbs. Shaharah is so grateful, and very excited to foster community through this incredible Residency.
Monique Mojica (Guna and Rappahannock nations) Actor/Playwright/Dramaturg
Monique’s artistic practice mines stories embedded in the body in connection to land and place. She has created land-based, embodied dramaturgies and taught Indigenous Theatre in theory, process and practice throughout Canada, the US, Latin America and Europe.
Monique’s artistic practice mines stories embedded in the body in connection to land and place. She has created land-based, embodied dramaturgies and taught Indigenous Theatre in theory, process and practice throughout Canada, the US, Latin America and Europe.
Most recent: the role of Wanda in My Sister’s Rage at Tarragon Theatre, Aunt Shady in The Unnatural and Accidental Women, at the NAC and Izzie M.: The Alchemy of Enfreakment written by Monique with a diverse creative team. Monique has collaborated with Santee Smith as the dramaturg for Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s tryptic, Re-Quickening /Blood Tides/SKe:NEN and for Teneil Whiskeyjack’s Ayita for Edmonton’s SkirtsAfire Festival. She is a member of the newly formed Indigenous Dramaturgy Circle at Tarragon Theatre and she was the inaugural Wurlitzer Visiting Professor at the University of Victoria’s Theatre Department in 2023.
Keshia Palm (they/them) is a director, dramaturge, creator, performer, producer, teacher, and mentor. As a storyteller, Keshia’s work centres postcolonial and queerfeminist perspectives sprinkled with theatre magic, and seeks to spark connection and conversation through shared live experiences. They hope to create art and spaces that bring and hold us together in all our multitudes.
Keshia previously served as artistic producer for Paprika Theatre Festival (2021-2024), online content producer for ArtistProducerResource.com (2018-2021), Resident Dramaturge for Puente Theatre (2022), and Interim Program Director of Write from the Hip (2023-2024). You would have seen them last on stage as Anya in The Cherry Orchard (Modern Times Stage Company), and Wen’s Understudy in The Year of the Cello (Theatre Passe Muraille + Music Picnic). Productions they recently helped get onstage from offstage include dramaturging NewfoundLanded by Santiago Guzmán and Nabila Qureshi (TODOS Productions), WHITE MUSCLE DADDY by Raf Antonio (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre + Pencil Kit Productions), directing Radium Girls (York University), SEPH (RISERx Why Not Theatre + Toronto Metropolitan University), and as co-creator of Shadow Girls (Pencil Kit Productions + Blank Canvas) at the Gladstone Hotel. @keshiapalm // keshiapalm.com
Sydney Scott is a trans-disciplinary artist from Toronto. Their first play, the titty play, is a maximalist exploration of how the male gaze constructs femininity, from the perspective of sentient titties. the titty play received awards from Playwright’s Guild of Canada, Hart House Theatre, and was shortlisted by Toronto Fringe. Current projects include flip flop, a sticky depiction of queer adolescent sexuality set in a pool. flip flop is supported by Hart House Theatre, the Canonbury Foundation, and Outside the March. With Tarragon, Sydney is investigating the blurry lines of responsibility, memory, and politics in a new play about a trans student who passes away before coming out to their family.
Kenneth T. Williams’ professional path is a “guidance counselor’s nightmare.” He’s been a soldier, rock musician, journalist, First Nations land claims researcher, and door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. As a journalist, he was a member of the very first news team for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
His plays, The Herd, In Care, Café Daughter, Gordon Winter, Thunderstick, Bannock Republic, Suicide Notes and Three Little Birds have been produced across Canada. As a dramaturg, he has helped many playwrights at all levels develop their plays.
He lives in Edmonton with his partner, Dr. Melissa Stoops, with their cats, Augustus and Drusilla. He is a member of the George Gordon First Nation in the Treaty 4 territory.
His plays, The Herd, In Care, Café Daughter, Gordon Winter, Thunderstick, Bannock Republic, Suicide Notes and Three Little Birds have been produced across Canada. As a dramaturg, he has helped many playwrights at all levels develop their plays.
He lives in Edmonton with his partner, Dr. Melissa Stoops, with their cats, Augustus and Drusilla. He is a member of the George Gordon First Nation in the Treaty 4 territory.
Paula Wing is a playwright, translator, dramaturge, and teacher. Plays on stage in 2025 are: Wicked Nix, an adaptation of the book by Lena Coakley, at Young People’s Theatre; a translation of Stefano Massini’s Intractable Woman at Brandeis University; and Roadkill, a play for teen audiences for Roseneath Theatre, planned for the 2025-26 season. Paula is in demand as a dramaturge, recently helping playwrights birth plays for Tarragon, Young Peoples Theatre, and Akpik Theatre. She is always involved with play creation and development. Paula has been a story consultant for the Calgary Stampede Museum, and for many years wrote program notes for productions at Soulpepper Theatre. She teaches nationally and internationally, regularly going across the province with the Gryffon Trio’s Listen Up program, among others. She has taught playwriting at Tarragon Theatre for more than 15 years, in their Local and National Young Playwrights Units. Paula is a Sessional Professor at the University of Windsor and the University of Waterloo and for the past thirteen years she has been the creative writing instructor at the Native Men’s Residence in Toronto.
Chelsea’s playwriting work includes: Paint Me This House of Love (Tarragon Theatre, and a US Premiere at Burning Coal Theatre, NC), Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs (Nightwood Theatre’s Groundswell Festival), The Mountain (Geordie Theatre, US Premiere at Spinning Dot Theatre, MI), and The Only Good Boy (Theatre BSMT). Chelsea’s work has been featured at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C.., and at the “Shakespeare is Dead” Festival in Belgium. She is the founder of the Mixed-Arts Performance Partnership Program connecting young artists living in precarity to professional mentorship, and co-write a script titled, One Day with teens at Red Door Shelter. Chelsea is the Head of Drama at the Canadian Children's Opera Company, and is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Playwriting Program. Other recognitions include: Tarragon Theatre’s RBC Emerging Playwright Award 2019, The PGC’s Surefire List, Ellen Ross Stuart Opening Doors Award, the University of Lethbridge’s 2024 Young Alumni Award, and The Toronto Fringe New Play Contest.
Commissioned artists
Luke Reece shares authentic and engaging stories with audiences through his work as an award-winning poet, playright and producer. Luke is the Associate Artistic Director at Soulpepper Theatre, one of Canada’s leading non-profit theatre companies. In 2021 Luke was included in York University’s Top 30 Changemakers Under 30 list. He is one of Toronto’s most decorated slam poets, and his body of work also includes a radio play, animated short, and a praised short film featured on CBC titled ‘Notice’
Anusree is a Governor General’s Award-nominated and four-time Dora Award-winning writer, actor, and director. For theatre: Anusree’s plays include Through the eyes of God, Sisters, Trident Moon, Little Pretty and The Exceptional, Sultans of the Street, Brothel # 9, Roshni, Letters to my Grandma, and Pyaasa. For television: Anusree has worked on Remedy (Global TV), Killjoys (SyFy), Nurses S1 & S2 (GlobalTV/NBC), Transplant S2 (CTV/NBC), Fanger (Netflix), SkyMed (Paramount+/CBC). She is the recipient of the K.M. Hunter Award, RBC Emerging Artist Award, The Carol Bolt Award and The Siminovitch Protégé Prize. She was the 2018 finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her plays have appeared in various anthologies along with being published by Playwright’s Canada Press. Anusree is currently developing a feature film inspired by her Audio Play: Sisters as well as Directing and premiering her short films: The Birthday Party and God’s Plan (winner of Best Performance & Best Editing at WIFF). Recently, her new TV pilot Part-Time Disabled was selected to be a part of AccessCBC’s program and her series adaptation of Austenistan is in development with Unicorn Island Productions and Blink49 Studio. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor, teaching playwriting at University Of Toronto.
PAMELA MALA SINHA is an award-winning Canadian actress and writer, working internationally in theatre, television, and film. Pamela is the recipient of Canada’s prestigious Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play (playwright) and Outstanding Lead Actress for her solo debut play,
CRASH. Published by Scirocco Drama, Crash was also included in a Bloomsbury UK’s Audition Speeches anthology, and Love, Loss and Longing (Playwright’s Canada Press). Her second play Happy Place premiered in Toronto at Soulpepper, followed by runs at Vancouver’s Touchstone
Theatre and Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange. CRASH’s U.S debut was at the Signature Theatre, N.Y as part of Soulpepper’s tour in 2016. As one of few artists selected nationally to receive a prestigious Project Imagination commission (Soulpepper), Pamela began research for NEW which she
completed as Playwright-In-Residence at Necessary Angel Theatre. NEW had its World Premiere in November 2022 at Winnipeg’s Royal MTC followed by a Toronto run at Canadian Stage, co-produced by Necessary Angel. Pamela’s film adaptation of Happy Place was produced by Jennifer Kawaja (Sienna Films/Sphere), directed by Helen Shaver. Pamela completed development with CBC and Sienna Films on her series Nirvana and production wrapped last year on the filming of CRASH (produced by Necessary Angel and Riddle Films) starring Pamela. She is currently at work on an adaptation of NEW as a screenplay in addition to her new play, Rebel Royals.
Marcus Youssef’s fifteen or so plays, about half written in collaboration with pals, include Winners and Losers, Leftovers, King Arthur’s Night, Jabber, The In-Between, Ali & Ali and the aXes of Evil, Everyone, Adrift, Peter Panties, and A Line in the Sand. They have been produced across North America, off-Broadway and in Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Greece, Germany, China, Denmark, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Marcus’ work has received numerous awards, including the Siminovitch Prize for Theatre, the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award, the Rio-Tinto Alcan Performing Arts Award, the Chalmer’s Canadian Play Award, the Seattle Times Footlight Award, two Arts Club Silver Commissions, the Vancouver Critics’ Choice award (three times), the Canada Council Staunch-Lynton Award as well as multiple local awards in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Marcus’ plays are published by Talonbooks and Playwrights Canada Press. A co-founder of the Vancouver-based artist-run production studio Progress Lab 1422, Marcus is currently Senior Artist at Vancouver’s Neworld Theatre (which he led from 2005-19), artistic advisor to the National Arts Centre English Theatre and an editorial advisor to Canadian Theatre Review.