by Bronwyn Carradine
Studio 16, 1551 West 7th Avenue
May 5-21, 2023
May 11, 8:00PM – ASL Interpreted Performance
May 13, 2:00PM – Relaxed Performance
Married couple Annie & Josephine have been trying to start a family for the past 5 years. As their patience and pennies have dried up, and they start to second-guess themselves, their chance at a baby literally bursts through their front door. Unexpecting explores marriage, friendship and modern motherhood.
Directed by Cameron Mackenzie
Featuring Elizabeth Barrett, Jessica Heafey, Melissa Oei, & Rahat Saini
Set Design by Lachlin Johnston
Costume Design by Carmen Alatorre
Assistant Costume Design by Melicia Zaini
Lighting Design by Sophie Tang
Sound Design by Shawn Sorensen
Props Design by Carol Macdonald
Assistant Direction by Jack Bumbala
Technical Direction by Ash Shotton
Assistant Stage Management by Kitra Jeanne
Intimacy Direction by Karyn Mott
Accessibility Coordination by Anika Vervecken & Jack Bumbala
Media Relations by Murray Paterson Marketing Group
Photography by Tina Kulic
Set Visual Art by Marnie Hiebert & Jack Bumbala
Poster Design by Jordy Matheson
Consulting by Matt McGale & Meghan Sorensen
Community Engagement Coordination by Morgan Brayton
Front of House Management by David Underhill
ASL Interpretation by Lisz Keallen
Content Warning: This play contains strong language, and frank discussions of infant mortality and related grief.
COMPANY BIOS
CARMEN ALATORRE – Costume Designer
Originally from Mexico, Carmen has a Licenciatura (BA) degree in Art History from Centro de Cultura Casa Lamm in Mexico City and earned her MFA degree in Theatre Design at the University of British Columbia (2010). She is currently based in lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ Territories (Victoria, BC). With over 87 design credits, some of her recent costume designs were seen in companies such as: Arts Club Theatre Company, Bard on the Beach, Globe Theatre Regina, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Citadel Theatre, Electric Company, Milwaukee Rep Theater and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Carmen is an Assistant Professor in Performance Design at the University of Victoria. She is also a recipient of four Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards. For more information visit: carmenalatorre.com
ELIZABETH BARRETT – Sawyer
Elizabeth is thrilled to be making her debut at Zee Zee for this beautiful production of Unexpecting. Her previous theatre credits include: Clarissa in Teenage Dick (Arts Club Theatre); Moira in The Code (Green Thumb Theatre, Young People’s Theatre,Tennessee Performing Arts Center); Sawyer in Unexpecting (Arts Club Theatre Audio Play); Ensemble in Reframed (Electric Theatre Company); Belle in A Christmas Carol (Western Canada Theatre); Hattie Bomber in Law of the Land (Caravan Farm Theatre) and Ensemble in Little Red Riding Hood (Theatre Replacement). Elizabeth is a graduate of the acting program at Studio 58 in Vancouver, BC. Big thanks to her partner Anton and her friends and family for their support!
JACK BUMBALA – Assistant Director / Accessibility Support / Scenic Artist
Sprouting in The unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation (Ottawa, ON), Jack Bumbala (They/Them), graduated from The Canterbury Dramatic Arts Program before rooting down in Vancouver, BC where they finished their “formal” education at Studio 58 (production). Jack strives to create meaningful work focused on queer, feminist and nuerodiverse experiences. They are beyond grateful to Zee Zee Theatre for offering them an assistant directing residency during their 15th anniversary season, allowing them to learn and create in a queer environment. Current credits include: Costume Designer for the “Expressions Theatre Festival” (Arts Umbrella), Stage, Assistant Director for “In My Day” directed by Shawn MacDonald, and Assistant Director for “My Little Tomato” directed by Cameron Mackenzie.
BRONWYN CARRADINE – Playwright
Bronwyn Carradine (she/her) is a queer playwright, theatre creator, and administrator based on the unceded lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh Nations. Past credits for Zee Zee include Assistant Director for Elbow Room Café – Phase 1 (Studio 58) & Phase 2 (The Cultch); My Funny Valentine (Buddies in Bad Times). As a playwright, she’s had the privilege of developing work with Arts Club Theatre Company, Babelle Theatre, Zee Zee Theatre, Intrepid Theatre, Green Thumb Theatre, Pacific Theatre, Speakeasy Theatre, Studio 58, Jumpsuit Collective, and Playwrights Theatre Centre. Carradine is a graduate of Studio 58’s variety program, a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatre’s Labour Relations Committee, the Playwright’s Guild of Canada, and an inaugural member of the Arts Club Theatre Company’s Emerging Playwright’s Unit. In 2022, she was awarded the Gordon Armstrong Playwright’s Award. Bronwyn is thrilled to be back with Zee Zee for their 15th anniversary and the world premiere of the stage play of UNEXPECTING, with so many amazing humans working on it. Thank you endlessly for supporting live theatre. As always, for N & M.
JESSICA HEAFEY – Jo
Jessica performs on stage and in front of the camera in both English and French. Her focus for the last 7 years has been voice, film & TV and, more importantly, being a mom. While she has the Hallmark movie genre down pat (Chronicle Mysteries, Morning Show Mysteries, Emma Fielding Mysteries, to name just a few mysteries), she is delighted to be back on stage. Some previous productions include Deux ans de votre vie and Traces with Théâtre la Seizième, a few Molière plays with the Théâtre Français de Toronto and La corneille with L’Unithéâtre in Edmonton. When not acting, Jessica works as a Certified Executive Coach, supporting leaders and organizations in creating psychologically safe and inclusive work culture. She also produces and directs voiceovers and commercials en français. Her favourite things to do remain creative collaboration and playing with her child.
KITRA JEANNE – Assistant Stage Manager
Kitra is ecstatic to be working with the wonderful Zee Zee Theatre on this production! As a young Non-binary theatre artist, Kitra is incredibly grateful to be on this show’s touching journey; exploring Queer & chosen family & ultimately what family means, in all its various forms. A thank you to the beautiful people that came together to create this piece. Kitra is a Studio 58 Acting Graduate and currently works as the Artistic Producing Associate of the Chutzpah! Festival.
LACHLIN JOHNSTON – Set Designer
(he/him) Lauchlin calls Vancouver home and is grateful to be living today as an uninvited guest on the stolen and unceded lands of the (Skwxwú7mesh) Squamish, xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) and (səlililw̓ ə̓ taʔɬ) Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
Lauchlin has had the opportunity to collaborate with companies across Canada, and most recently designed scenery for the world premiere of Rosanna Deerchild’s The Secret to Good Tea at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg. Other collaborations include Gateway Theatre, Chemainus Theatre Festival, Arts Club Theatre, ITSAZOO, Theatre Under the Stars, Western Canada Theatre, Firehall Arts Centre, Pacific Theatre, Native Earth and Mortal Coil Performance. Coming up, he is looking forward to designing sets and lighting for his tenth year at the Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train.
Lauchlin is a graduate of UBC holding a BFA in theatre design and production. He has received twenty-two Jessie Richardson Theatre Award nominations and three wins, plus one Ovation Award. Lauchlin is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada and IATSE 659.
CAMERON MACKENZIE – Director
Originally from South Africa, Cameron is a director, producer and drag queen working on the stolen, traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and Səl̓ílwətaʔ. He produced and curated Club PuSh for the PuSh Festival from 2013 to 2020, and is founder and Artistic & Executive Director of Zee Zee Theatre currently celebrating their fifteenth crystal anniversary season. Since the pandemic Cameron has developed and funded a major sector transforming project that finally launched this season: The National Queer & Trans Playwriting & Public Reading Series. More info on the website. Zee Zee directing highlights: My Little Tomato, Men Express Their Feelings, Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women, Elbow Room Café: The Musical and Whale Riding Weather. Other directing credits: Antony & Cleopatra (Studio 58), Angels in America Part 1 & 2, (Assistant, Arts Club), Pauline (Assistant, City Opera Vancouver), Hamlet (Assistant, Bard on the Beach), La Cage aux Folles (Associate, Vancouver Playhouse). A recipient of the Ray Michal Award for Outstanding Body of Work by an Emerging Director for 2014/2015, he has also been nominated for Outstanding Direction at The Jessie Awards. He is a graduate of Studio 58 and trained with Pochinko clown master, John Turner. Mackenzie’s drag alter ego Isolde N. Barron has hosted numerous weekly and monthly shows, taught drag workshops for various ages and helped transform The Cobalt, an East Van space into a vital queer hub for nearly a decade ushering in a new era of drag in Vancouver. With husband and drag daughter Peach Cobblah, she has co-created Tucked & Plucked: Vancouver’s Drag Herstory Live On Stage and Parents Are A Drag, a drag show for kids, commissioned by the Vancouver Kids Fest starring their real life child. Upcoming: look our for details of Zee Zee’s 15th Anniversary Crystal Ball Gala.
KARYN MOTT – Intimacy Director
Karyn Mott they|them is a queer, non-binary, intimacy director and coordinator, award-winning actor, and artistic mental health practitioner. Karyn has worked in theatre, film, and tv for over 15 years. They hold their BFA from the University of Alberta. They are the workshop coordinator and board member of the National Society of Intimacy Professionals (NSIP), a proud team member of Principal Intimacy Professionals (PIP), and an assistant facilitator for the PIPS SAG-accredited Intimacy Professional Training Program.
MELISSA OEI – Pam
Melissa is a prolific actor who has appeared on stages across Western Canada with dozens of companies including Arts Club, Citadel, Green Thumb, Carousel, VSO, Ruby Slippers, Alley, Theatre North West, TUTS, and more. Recent acting credits include The Café (Aphotic/Itsazoo), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bard on the Beach), Beautiful Man and Lampedusa (Pi Theatre). As an emerging director, Melissa recently directed Thy Neighbour’s Wife with United Players, 90 Days with Western Gold Theatre, and Six of One with Studio 58. Melissa is a recent recipient of a Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Performance and is a graduate of the acting program at Studio 58. Upcoming projects include Division Infinity with Neworld Theatre, A Doll’s House Part 2 with Western Gold and Fire Never Dies: the Tina Modotti Project with Electric Company Theatre. Melissa is grateful to live on the ancestral, stolen lands territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
RAHAT SAINI – Annie
Rahat Saini is an actor, comedian and storyteller. After completing her BFA in Theatre at the University of Victoria (2020), Rahat returned to the mainland and has continued her performance training at Kot Creative Studios in Vancouver. Although she’s been working hard to find her feet in the Film/TV world, Rahat is grateful for the opportunity to be back on a Theatrical stage — and with such a touching and hilarious story. Coming from a family of storytellers, Rahat is passionate about the power of a good story, and excited to bring this one to you. Previous credits include: SEETHERED (rEvolver Festival, Fringe Festival), 7 Stories (Phoenix Theatre), The Drowsy Chaperone (Phoenix Theatre). Film/TV: Under the Bridge (ABC Studios/Disney), and Match Me, Please (Hallmark)
ASH SHOTTON – Technical Director
Ash Shotton (they/them) is a theatre tech turning technical director and production manager. They’ve been based in Vancouver since 2018, after they graduated from VIU in Nanaimo and then had a short stint in the Bermuda triangle. They are passionate about the arts, and working with projects by and about underrepresented demographics. Recent TD/PM work includes Men Express Their Feelings (Zee Zee Theatre), Marjorie Prime (Ensemble Theatre Company), Pass Over (Ensemble Theatre Company), In My Day (Zee Zee Theatre), and OZ (Carousel Theatre for Young People).
SHAWN SORENSEN – Sound Designer
Shawn is the Technical Director for both the Massey Theatre and Anvil Theatres in New Westminster. He is excited to be back working with Carousel, where he previously did sound design for My Funny Valentine. He is a graduate of Studio 58.
SOPHIE TANG – Lighting Designer
Sophie Tang is an award-winning lighting and set designer working in Theatre, Opera and Dance. She has worked with companies including Stratford Festival, Electric Company Theatre, Vancouver Opera, Artsclub Theatre, Bard on the Beach, Citadel Theatre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Replacement and so on. Recent credits: Legend of Georgia Mcbride (Artsclub Theatre), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Vancouver Opera), Undeveloped Sound (Electric Company Theatre), Choir boy (Canadian Stage and Arts Club), The Pearl Fishers (Vancouver Opera), Romeo and Juliet (Bard on the Beach), 9 to 5 (Citadel Theatre). Portfolio website: sophieyufeitang.com)
MELICIA ZAINI – Assistant Costume Designer
Melicia (they/them) is a costume designer and textile artist for stage and screen. Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia to a family of Chinese ancestry, they are grateful to be living and creating on unceded Coast Salish Territories, colonially known as Vancouver, BC. Selected theatre credits include costume design for God Said This (Pacific Theatre – upcoming), The How & The Why (Aenigma Theatre), My Little Tomato (vAct & ZeeZee), Courage Now (Firehall Arts Centre); assistant costume design for Forgiveness (Arts Club & Theatre Calgary). Melicia is passionate about telling visually impactful stories through striking colours, and is always inspired by their community to create art that uplifts and celebrates BIPOC, queer, and trans voices. meliciazaini.com