BUTCH/FEMME – Digital Program

Emily Paterson is an emerging Toronto-based theatre artist currently completing her HBA in Drama and English at the University of Toronto. Her primary focus is in playwriting, direction, and dramaturgical research. She is the founder of “The Green Couch Theatre Company” (2025). “Butch/Femme” (2025) presented by Theatre Passe Muraille is her debut production. This play premiered at the 2025 UofT Hart House Drama Festival where it was awarded the President’s Award for Best Production by the festival adjudicator, Marjorie Chan. Emily got her start in the National Theatre School Drama Festival, where her play “Can’t We Be Seventeen?” (2022) was awarded “Outstanding Playwriting” (Ontario provincial) and “Outstanding Production” (Peel North regional). She is the Managing Editor of “Mnerva Literary Journal“. Her academic research focuses on literary drama, where she will be conducting an independent research study on the subject at the University of Toronto in the 2025-26 academic year. She is incredibly grateful to Marjorie Chan, and the Theatre Passe Muraille team, for giving her the platform to grow as a Toronto theatre artist.

Anya Ivantchenko is a third-year Drama and Poli Sci student at the University of Toronto. Anya is passionate about expanding diversity and equity in the performing arts space, especially surrounding art administration. When she wasn’t producing a million shows, she is also an actor, director, composer, sound designer, and general theatre patron.

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Eden Phillips (they/he) is a multidisciplinary artist who works in both theatre and film. They gravitate toward themes of queerness, finding community, and narratives that are grounded in lived experience.

Some of their notable theatre credits include: Tick, Tick… Boom! (SMC Troubadours ‘25), Elephant Song (cinema club/Toronto Fringe ‘25), Rosemary Lies Where The Hill Meets The Sky (Theatre@York playGround ‘24), Ordinary Days (SMC Troubadours ‘24), Chitra (Paprika Festival 2024). Eden is honoured to be working alongside so many talented performers and artists.

Aria recently completed her Master’s in Medieval studies at the University of Toronto, where she wrote a thesis centering on medieval dramatic history. Her set design credits include York Plays 2025 (Poculi Ludique Societas), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Thaumatrope Theatre), Tick… Tick.. Boom! (SMC), Next to Normal (TCDS/VCDS), and Legally Blonde (SMC).

Salma Qureshi-Wennekers is a Fourth year National Scholar at the University of Toronto. She is the 2025 winner of the Janet Bessey Award for Excellence in Stage Management. She is also a 9 time National Theatre School Dramafest provincial award winner, including outstanding achievements in design and stage management. Some of her previous credits include set design for “Company” at the Vic Drama Society, and Set and Costume design for “Pool, No Water” at the CDTPS Director showcase.

Gaby Bondoc is an emerging Production and Stage Manager currently finishing up her studies in the Arts Management program at the University of Toronto. Gaby is now Toronto-based, but originally hails from the Philippines and as such, is dedicated to facilitating artistic/theatrical shared spaces for members of underrepresented communities who feel like “outsiders”, just as she once did. While she fell (and/or was pushed) into Production/Stage Management, she’s been lucky enough to step in as an SM or ASM for productions like Lord of the Flies (Hart House Theatre), Wayne and Shuster (Bygone Theatre), and Two Left Feet (Thaumatrope Theatre), amongst others. Butch/Femme marks Gaby’s first production with Theatre Passe Muraille and she could not be more thrilled! Love and thanks to her family and friends for their endless support.

Leslie McBay (she/her) is a performer and intimacy professional. Some of her favourite performer credits include Orphan Black, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent and Reacher. As a certified intimacy director with IDC, Leslie works with theatre companies across southern Ontario, and student productions at the University of Toronto. As an intimacy coordinator, she’s worked on many queer projects including Uncomfy (WYR productions) and Last Call (supercasual productions), winner of the Queer Your Stories: Short Film Competition, which premiered at Inside Out in 2025. She is also part of the video game studio Polyvale Studios. For more, visit lesliemcbay.ca.