Yvette Nolan is a playwright, dramaturg, director and educator. Her plays include BLADE, Job’s Wife, Video, Annie Mae’s Movement, The Birds, The Unplugging, and the libretto Shanawdithit. She is the editor of Beyond the Pale: Dramatic Writing from First Nations Writers and Writers of Colour, and of Refractions: Solo, and the upcoming Refractions: Scenes with Donna-Michelle St Bernard. Directing credits include The Tombs of the Vanishing Indian, Salt Baby, A Very Polite Genocide, Death of a Chief, Tales of An Urban Indian, The Unnatural and Accidental Women, Annie Mae’s Movement (Native Earth), The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (Western Canada Theatre/National Arts Centre), The Only Good Indian…, The Triple Truth (Turtle Gals). As a dramaturg, she works across Canada, most recently at Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre Spring Festival of New Plays. In 2007, she received the Maggie Bassett Award for service to the theatre community. She has been the president of the Playwrights Union of Canada (1998- 2001), of Playwrights Canada Press (2003-2005), and of the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance (2007-2008). In 2007-2008 she was the National Arts Centre’s Playwright-In- Residence. The Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts from 2003-2011, she was recently awarded the City of Toronto’s Aboriginal Affairs Award.

Tawiah is a Ghanaian born, Toronto based Theatre Artist and Professional, notable as a Dora nominated performer and playwright. In his action as an artist, Tawiah strives to create works and characters that contribute new narratives to the stage, works that reflect the truths of society as it was, is and could be. His playwright/creator/performer credits include Maanoma, My Brother (Blue Bird Theatre Collective), Black Boys (Saga Collectif), Obaaberima (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre),and The Kente Cloth (Summer Works). He was recently featured as a playwright (Yɛn Ara Asaase Ni) in 21 Black Futures by Obsidian Theatre on CBC Gem. In his action as a theatre professional, Tawiah aims to create opportunities for young and emerging artists to become the administrators of their own artistic practices. Tawiah is a founding member of Saga Collectif and Blue Bird Theatre Collective. He has worked with theatre companies such as, Shaw Festival Theatre, Stratford Festival Theatre and Soulpepper. He is currently the Artist Outreach and Development Coordinator at Canadian Stage and Director of the Emerging Creators Unit at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.