WRITERS | DESIGNERS | STILTERS | PRODUCERS | PAINTERS
CRAFTERS | COSTUMERS | SCULPTORS | COOKS | BUSKERS | PUPPETEERS I FIRE SPINNERS
MISSION AND VISION
Frolick Theatre creates and performs en-heightening and enchanting works of puppet, stilt and masque theatre and site-specific entertainment. Our aim is to be a multi-faceted cultural gem, both presenting and participating in events. We work with inspiring & fun-filled stories, riveting performers, innovative set designs, stylish & rugged costumes and quality, local-artisan made merchandise. Our mix of traditional art forms with modern digital media and technology offers a uniquely storied spectacle that activates audiences. We also work with a wide range of community-engaged citizens and organizations to create sustainable, well-rounded cultural experiences, integrating urban agriculture, local-preneurs, and our shows into fertile cultural experiences to share with all. We are engaged in creating a yearly season of shows, great local harvest feasts, and unique one-off events with independent music, circus and sustainable community efforts at the forefront. |
Board of Directors
Matthew Krist - Artistic Director
Actor, writer, director, producer, stilter, puppeteer, dancer, marketer, graphic designer, singer, musician, lighting designer, sound designer, painter, costumer, carpenter, juggler, weaver of tales, and herder of cats: these are a few of the "HATS" that Matthew Krist, (affectionately referred to as "Uncle Frolick") has worn over his years of being a theatre creator. Book Matthew for events here. Matthew Krist funded Frolick Theatre with the proceeds of his racehorse riding job at Woodbine Racetrack, until 2015 making Frolick a "Horsepowered" production. Matthew has had the good fortune and pleasure to gallop 2008 Eclipse Award Champion Forever Together, 2014 Sovereign Award Nominee and multiple stakes winner Paladin Bay, Executive Five and the 2014 80-1 winner, one eyed pirate horse Explosive Leah among countless others. Matthew has produced/directed and acted in independent theatre and film projects in Canada, USA and Australia since 1998 and founded Frolick in 2011 after receiving a $6000 entrepreneurial grant from the Carrot Cache to create "A Midsummer Nights Dream" in 2011 atop the Carrot Common Green Roof. Since then, Frolick has been self funded and created 3 half hour episodes adapted from Winsor McCay's, "Little Nemo's Adventures in Slumberland" which played at the legendary Lagoon Theatre, on Olympic Island from 2012, till 2014. In 2015, Frolick moved to 160 Bartley Drive, an Urban Village, where theatre, sustainability, community living, gardening, cooking, and makers space converged to create a new model for artistic development. Frolick Studio Theatre was an opportunity for semi-professional artists without great financial resources can have access to more space, more resources and more opportunities for growth without paying too much for it. Matthew opened the new theatre with Cowboy Mouth in April 2016, and brought Cowboy Mouth to Bestival 2016 and Fringe 2016. An active member of Toronto's stilting community, Matthew stilts regularly for Zero Gravity Circus, Circus Orange, Tallbeat and is in the band "The Wandering Mariner's" Matthew is a multi-talented artist who cares mostly about creating relevant and unique work and getting artists well paid work. Naomi Belacamino- Treasurer Naomi Belcamino has a BFA in Film Production and is Frolick's Production Manager and Treasurer. Naomi is co-creator of Cirque Du Soul a community that produces festival programming. She's been featured on CBC for her popular "Wine and Colouring" nights, as well as hosted a plethora of other recurring hospitality events such as Tarot Brunch, Bingo Brunch and more. She loves to incorporate her love of immersive experiences with food and entertainment. Veronica Michelle Campbell Theatre Creator, community builder, art therapy practitioner and acting coach Veronica has been playing and working in Toronto for over a decade. Collaboration is a core value in her creativity. Working with small independent companies, and communities allows for deep intimacy and high value connection. A Graduate of The University of Windsor BFA Acting with Honours, The Actors Movement Studio NYC, and HeartCore coaching, Veronica applies herself to building teams with creativity, radical self-expressing and artistic excellence. Veronica was featured in Marina Abramovic’s “The Artist is Present” and models much of her personal public performance practice from her experience with Marina. University of Toronto grant recipient for community arts programming for “The Atheist” in 2016. Canadian Labour Congress grant recipient for “Peaceflame reconciliation project” in 2015. Veronica is committed to community healing through story and shared experiences. Core Creative Team Bevy Law - Costume Designer Bevy has executed various costume related projects, including an exhibition for Toronto's Nuit Blanche, the Randomland characters for A.D/D via Circa Nightclub, MuchMusic Video Awards Afterparty staff costumes, Toronto Burlesque Festival's Trixie Periwinkle as Barberella, and jazz maestra/lead singer Rebecca Pellet via Chris Hunt & Tenet's at The Rex, as well as wardrobe for short films and commercials. Her latest work has been woven through the web of Toronto's psy-trance community, such as Frolick's rendition of A Midsummer Nights Psy-Dream at the Big Carrot Rooftop in 2011 and frolicking with The Indigo Cabaret 2012. Bevy's training in the design field includes studying at Ryerson University, programs in Milano, Italy and Madrid, Spain, and a diploma in George Brown College. Visit ohmybevy.com to better quench the thirst for Bevy. Rebekah Reuser - Set Designer, Propsmaster, Painter Rebekah Reuser is a passionate and accomplished multi disciplinary artist and designer, with her own creative flare and style, producing whatever she can with any materials that come her way. Working with Frolick, she is proud to play a vital role in the cultural life of the city. While studying fine art and fine art history at Sheridan College and University of Toronto, she developed her skills in painting, drawing, sculpture, carpentry, design, photography and print making. Now a creator of beautiful and magical things, she believes that artwork should not be valued by aesthetics alone. As a true advocate that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, her works bring into play used and recycled materials along with elements from nature; she strives to create, present and appreciate art that heals our relationship with the natural world and instills environmental awareness in the stewards of the earth. Her jewelry company is Primal Pulse Jewelry. Cast and Crew for Cowboy Mouth, 2016 Fringe 2016 Slim- Matthew Krist Cavale- Emily Dickinson Lobsterman- Bobby Del Rio Director- Maria Wodzinska Stage Manager- Stephanie Williams April Opening in Cahoots with MAPS Global Psychedelic Dinner at 160 Bartley Slim - Matthew Krist Cavale- Shawna Willow Lobsterman- Geoffery Armour Director- Maria Wodzinska Sound- Andrew Leiba Understudy Cavale- Emily Dickinson Understudy Lobsterman- Ryan Genereaux MAPS Dinner - faculitated by Shawna Willow, Matthew Krist, Adam Maxwell Volunteers- Chantel Tophen, Jodi Koberinski, Zlata Kovaltchouk, Paul Hall, Scott Jr. Sneizdens, Bestival 2016 Slim- Matthew Krist Cavale- Shawna Willow Lobsterman- Matt Zammit Stage Manager- Adam Reich 2014 Performers of Part 3 of Adventures in Slumberland by Winsor McCay Matthew Krist Slavko Trivcovich Rok Capuder Sequoia Erickson Alex Bazcynskyj Veronica Campbell Derek Birch Amy J Lester Melanie Rosen 2013 Performers of Parts 1 and 3 of Adventures in Slumberland by Winsor McCay Matthew Krist Sequoia Erickson Hayden Silberer Karen Slater Maria Torianno Julia Matias Shauna Sloan Emma Bartolomucci Amy J Lester Orion Milczarski Elana Polyanovski Ilya Firer Kiki the Clown Slavko Trivcovich 2012 Performers of Parts 1 and 2 of Adventures in Slumberland by Winsor McCay Matthew Krist Amira Emma Routledge (Co-Director/Producer) Joe Law Mark Segal Caitlin Morris-Cornfeild Maria Wodzinska Kevin Forster Irena Huljak 2011 Performers of A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare Lorne Hiro- Oberon Nadia Persad- Titania Zack Lathrop- Demetrius Dawyne Wilson- Lysander Anna Fin - Helena Teodora Porumb - Hermia Anna Pollo - First Fairy Sher-Doc Yidaki - Puck/Robin Goodfellow Matthew Krist- Nic Bottom Nic Newman - Peter Quince Stacie Noel- Francis Flute Percy Campos - Snout the Tinker Laur Fisher - Robin Starveling Mauricio Rodas -Snug the Joiner Angela Allain- Philomena Mitch Gold- Egeus Rachelle Catahan - Changeling Collected Performer Bios Maria Wodzinska - Performer/Director Maria Wodzinska spent two seasons working with Clay & Paper Theatre as a troupe member in the Cycling Oriented Puppet Squad (CYCLOPS) acting and collaborating on original projects large and small. This is where she had the pleasure of working with Amira Routledge on the epic-cycling saga The Pedaler's Wager. She is a clown, stilt-walking enthusiast and physical theatre performer keen on bringing theatre back into public space! Maria studied at Humber College, Sheridan Performing Arts Prep, and abroad at LAMDA's summer school. More recently she studied Clown and Le Jeu with Philip Gaulier through Fixt Point Toronto, and completed Ecole Jacques LeCoq in Paris. Sequoia Erickson Sequoia Erickson acquired her passion for performing in New Zealand where she trained in the arts of stilt walking, Commedia Dell Arte, aerial acrobatics and fire bending. Working as part of a professional street theatre troupe (Troupe Waihi)which she co-managed for her last 3 years of High School; as well as performing independently at festivals and events throughout New Zealand. She is here in Canada broadening her literal, metaphorical and theatrical horizons; and is eagerly awaiting, with greatpomp and circumstance, the arrival of Little Nemo (and all the magic he brings with him). Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson stumbled upon Frolick Theatre in the most serendipitous of ways, and is thrilled to perform at Toronto Fringe as Cavale. Emily was last seen on stage in Tandum Entertainment’s State of Women as war widow Jean Martin. She recently completed the Ensemble Studio Series at Bad Dog Theatre Company (you can sometimes catch her doing standup), and attended summer school at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Once upon a time she did a Bachelor of Journalism, and has lived on three continents writing about various things. She co-created and starred in the web series Young and Ozington (2014). Upcoming film/TV appearances: IRL: The Series, Flowershop Mysteries: Snipped in the Bud. Shawna Willow Shawna Willow is a Toronto based healer and artist whose penchant for the sublime, bizarre and enchanted continues to inspire her learnings and teachings. Amy J Lester Amy is a creator, performer, producer yoga teacher and clown recently relocated to Toronto from Vancouver. Amy has performed in theatres across Canada and around the world. Amy has traveled across Canada three times on the Fringe Festival Circut with her own company Compassion-Machine (The Unhappy Barista, Little White Lies) and most recently Loonatic Fringe (Temple of Khaos, Monster Makers, Loonatic Spectacular) She has been busy performing around Toronto in Rachelle Elie and Luke Jackson's Rag Bag Cabaret, Zero Gravity Circus' Lunacy Cabaret, Toronto Festival of Clowns Mullet's Night Show among others. Originally from Ottawa Amy was a founding member of the Great Canadian Theatre Company's INFLUX unit for emerging playwrites. In 2009 her play Boo-Hoo Boutique was workshopped and performed in a reading at the Magnetic North Theatre Festival. Amy co-created and performed in the Rideau Award Nominated We Never Clothed which debuted in the Ottawa Fringe Festival in 2009. Amy is a graduate of Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, France and is currently hard at work writing her newest one woman show about heartbreak and bubbles. Check out her upcoming performances and workshops at www.compassion-machine.com. She wishes to thank Matthew and the rest of her Frolick Family for this unique and pleasure filled opportunity. Emma Bartolomucci - Performer Emma is loving her time on the island with this groovy cast. A graduate of the Randolph Academy she has had the following opportunities; Carmela in West Side Story (Theatre St. John's), contemporary company dancer in Conflicts and Resolutions for Dance Ontario Weekend (Jasmyn Fyffe Dance), a Wife/Ensemble in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Silver Mist Productions, Niagara Falls), Question in INFINITUM; a physical theatre piece with Melissa Major and Faye Rauw, Cancan dancing/singing at Diamond Tooth Gertie's Casino in the Yukon and Nobody's Idol in the 2013 Fringe Festival with Ramona Gilmour-Darling and Sandy Thorburn. Choreography credits include: Bazaar: Heroes, Big Art for Little Minds, International Dance Day, Little Red Ridinghood with Resonance Theatre (Fringe Kids), Fame and Hair with First Act Productions, currently working at the Lower Ossington Theatre. With the hopes of doing this for the rest of her life, she lives for creating art from her heart. Caitlin Morris-Cornfield - Performer Caitlin is a Toronto based creator/performer, who completed her training in theatre performance at Humber College in 2006. Currently she is trying her turn in the world of circus, training on aerial silks and dancing on stilts. She is a founding member of the Kadozuke Kollektif (zuke.ca), and has been part of the creation and performance of all their work, including: The Gulliver Project, Figaro His Marriage and the Fine Art of Dressmaking, The Sandman, Dream Pandemic, Codex Nocturno, The Desperate Tenderness of Hydraulic Displacement, and When I Look In His Eyes It Is Not His Eyes I See. Currently, Kadozuke is in the works for it's latest production based on Richard the Third. Other selected theatre credits include: The Great Gatsby, The Children`s Hour, and A Midsummer Nights Dream (Upper Canada Repertory Company), Mute (An Act of Pluffie/BergARTS), The Blackheart Princess (Sunnyleo), John/Yoko Bed Piece (Draft 89/Toronto Centre for the Arts), The Land of I Told You So, Dog Days, The Emperors New Clothes, and The Man in the Moon (Shrimp Magnet), Gaggle (Hysteria Festival 09), The Nightwood (Back Burner/Luminato Festival 09), Caribbean Dream (Speakeasy productions), The Bird (Union8/Buddies in Bad Times), and Bird Brains and City Hearts (Cryptozoology Playground/Theatre Passe Muraille) Josef Hayden Silberer began training in martial arts at a young age, developing his own style and excelling in competition territory. During his time in New Zealand he joined a professional street theatre troupe (Troupe Waihi); working festivals country wide as one of their renowned performers, finding performing was a perfect outlet for the skills he had obtained as a martial artist. Armed with his arsenal of fire bending, high flying acrobatics and classic mime Hayden has returned to Canada to try and make an impression on the performing world. Knowing you're learning till you die, he is universally eager to further all his skills as a performer and will be there to wake Nemo up all Summer long. Maria Torriano is graduating Drama Specialist at the University of Toronto (Mississauga Campus). Her passion for performance developed in elementary school and she has kept that true love alive ever since! Her most recent production was an actress in the University of Toronto's Transit of Venus. She has starred in other shows, including Amelia Once More, Alice in Wonderland, Juvie, and Go Ask Alice. She loves to sing, dance, draw, paint, and do anything artsy. Now she is ready to entertain the audience of Frolick - always with a big smile! Kiki the Clown – Kiki the Clown is a fun, playful and energetic clown. She loves hula hooping, and getting into fun mischief. She loves traveling around the world, partying at festivals and is the perfect Clown to lead a parade. Kirsten Harvey has forever been involved in the arts. She was born into a family of musicians and first stepped onto the stage at the age of 2! Now an actor, singer and dancer, she began her acting career studying Musical Theatre in Edmonton where she attended Grant MacEwan Theatre Arts. She spent 5 years in Edmonton performing in children’s musicals, touring shows across Alberta and B.C., and performing in the Edmonton Street Performers Festival. Kirsten has spent many summers traveling across Canada touring with the Fringe Festival, both as an actor and a busker.Since moving to Toronto in 2008, Kirsten has found a home amidst the growing hoop community as she pursues her career as an actor and playwright. Recently Kirsten wrote and produced critically acclaimed show, The Cat of Kensington, for the 2010 Toronto Fringe Festival, Everlasting Slumber with Hercinia Arts for the 2012 London Fringe Festival and for the 2013 Hamilton Fringe Festival. Kirsten graduated from Ryerson with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in performance acting. Recently she completed her Bachelor of Education at Trent University. Irena Huljak - Actor/Writer/Producer Irena graduated from York University’s Acting Program and studied at The Oxford School of Drama and London’s National Theatre summer programs. She wrote and produced her first short film “Bear” in 2004. "Blue Coat" her short, shot last year, is still in the editing stage. She won a finalist placement for her short film script "The Sweeter Half". Recently she has appeared in The Big Ideas Festival at Alumnae Theatre under the direction of Lindi Papoff in "Sins of the Fathers". Some of her favorite roles were Lead Woman in “Lysistrata”, Mercutio in “Romeo and Juliet”, Charlotte in “Lion in the Streets”, and Beatrice in “The Changeling”. She has worked with people such as Patsy Rodenburg and Taborah Johnson. Kevin Forster - Performer Kevin Forster is currently attending Ryerson Theatre School. He has always enjoyed magic, and has performed as a magician at kids’ birthday parties and other events. Improv has been a big joy in Kevin’s life. He has trained at The Second City, and created his own improv troupe with a few friends. His most recent theatre experience was at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he performed a show that was collectively written by him and his company. Kevin is really looking forward to working this summer with such an interesting group of people. This is his first experience working in children’s theatre and can’t wait to see what magic will take place. Mark Segal - Performer/Puppetmaker Mark is a visual and physical artist who went to Sheridan College and graduated from the illustration program. He worked as a miniature model and prop builder in the film industry for four years, among other things, until he quit it all to become a circus performer, which he has now pursued for the last ten years. He has worked as an aerialist and acrobat in Toronto and abroad, performing and teaching for the last 6 years. This is his first foray into acting, a pursuit that has interested him for some time. Tijiki Morris - Performer Tijiki learned how to walk on stilts in order to perform the role of Mama/Candy Kid/the Princess for Frolick summer 2012 joining the cast in early July. She has performed at the Day of Delight 2012 as well as the New Traditions Island Arts Festival, and continues to explore new projects and venues for puppetry, clown, and experimental theatre in Toronto. Karen Slater Karen is excited to be performing in this year’s production of Adventures in Slumberland. You can also find her this summer in the Alley by Honest Ed’s in Isoporox theatre’s performance of The AV Sideshow during the Toronto Fringe. Also, look for her online in October, when she will be releasing her new web series 221B, the story of the female Sherlock Holmes, and Jane Watson, in Toronto, doing things, together…check it out by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/221Bproject ! Most recent adventures include playing Lucy in The Muted, a Humber thesis project film; working at The Grand Bank Regional Theatre festival in Newfoundland where she made costumes, played her flute, sang a bit and acted sometimes. She also recently appeared in Toronto Masque Theatre’s production of The Convent of Pleasure. |