Ay, Caramba! Theatre

Yulissa Campos-Artistic Director & Playwright
Yulissa Campos is an Ecuadorian- Canadian emerging theatre artist and founder of Ay, Caramba! Theatre, currently based in Saskatoon. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan. When Yulissa is not acting or producing, she teaches drama and works with the newcomer community. Yulissa was nominated in 2020 for the SATAwards for Outstanding Emerging Artist and loves to write stories that connect with the underrepresented voices. Yulissa celebrates her Latinx heritage in her plays and her podcast on Spotify “Latinas in Stoon”. Moreover, she did her international debut with her play I, Frida at the M1 Singapore Festival in January 2021. Selected theatre credits: Turn, Turn, Turn; Earth Diver (SUM Theatre), Prairie Nurse (Station Arts Centre) I, Frida (Ay, Caramba! Theatre), The Penelopiad (FerrePlay). Playwriting credits: The Ungrateful Immigrant (25th Street Theatre), Trapped (National Theatre School 2020, Short Cuts Festival 2020, The Last Sunday 2019) I, Frida (MF1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2021, Saskatoon Fringe 2019).

Yvonne Addai- Artistic Associate
Yvonne Addai is an Ghanaian-Canadian Actor/ Artist Educator and Artistic Associate of Ay Caramba! Theatre. She is a graduate from the University of Saskatchewan’s BFA acting program. She has had the opportunity to work on stages in Saskatchewan and now calls Toronto home. She was also part of the 2019.2020 Factory Theatre’s Mechanicals program under the Leadership of Nina lee Aquino and Natasha Mumba. Along with acting, Yvonne is passionate about the importance of art education and creation with children. She works with Young People’s Theatre as an artist educator and her new role as the Education and Participation Programs Coordinator. Her selected theatre credits include & Other Concerns (CLYMB Production) The Tempest (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan) An Atlas and Other Concerns (Toronto Fringe) Monday Night (Highway 55 Production/Live 5 ), Overhear (Nutrien Fringe Saskatoon), Pride & Prejudice (Persephone Theatre), The Shorts Cuts festival (Hardly Art Theatre) ,The Woodcutter and the Lion ( Sum Theatre) and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Theatre Naught/ Live Five). Upcoming for Yvonne is & Other Connerns (CLYMB Productions)

 

Mercedes Bátiz-Benét – Director
Mercedes (she/her) is a Mexican-born multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and award-winning director, privileged and grateful to live, work, and create on the unceded traditional territory of the Lək̓ʷəŋən,  WSÁNEĆ, and Wyomilth peoples of the Coast Salish Nation. Known for her emotionally potent and surrealist style, she has written, co-written, and directed numerous plays that have toured nationally and internationally. In 2014, Mercedes won the Canadian Stage Award for Direction at the SummerWorks Festival in Toronto with her play El Jinete – A Mariachi Opera. In 2015 she was chosen as the Distinguished Alumna of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Victoria, and in 2020 she directed Fado, The Saddest Music in the World by Elaine Avila (Firehall/Puente), which won the JAYMAC Award for Outstanding Production at the Greater Victoria Regional Arts Awards. In 2021 Mercedes was chosen as one of the Playwrights Theatre Centre’s Associates where she will be in residence until 2024 developing her latest play, “La Malinche”.  Mercedes is the artistic director of Puente Theatre based in Victoria where her mission is to advocate for the inclusion, representation, and development of immigrant, IBPOC, and culturally diverse voices.

 

S.E. Grummett- Actor
S.E. Grummett (they/them) is a transgender performing artist from Treaty 6 Territory/Saskatoon. After graduating from acting school and becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of opportunities for queer and trans folks, Grumms began Scantily Glad Theatre, an 2SLGBTQIA+ theatre company that creates original queer comedy. They have created and toured 8 original shows to festivals and stages around the world. They are the co-writer and performer of “Pack Animals”, “SCUM: a manifesto”, and “Creepy Boys”. They also work as a projection designer and puppeteer. Most recently, their solo show “Something in the Water” won Best Theatre at the 2021 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

 

 

Valeria Ascolese-Actor
Valeria is a Peruvian-Italian multidisciplinary artist and educator born in Lima, Peru. A graduate of Capilano University, she has collaborated with theatre companies like Electric Company Theatre, Rumble Theatre, Bard on the Beach and Pacific Theatre, while simultaneously working in film and TV. As a Teaching Artist she works at Bard on the Beach, Carousel Theatre for Young People, Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools, North Van Arts and other drama schools across the city. In addition, she is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator at the Canadian Latinx Theatre Artist Coalition (CALTAC). Valeria focuses on making art accessible to everyone and anyone by bridging her cultures and identity into the work.

 

 

Angie Descalzi- Actor
Angie Descalzi is an award winning Latinx producer and arts administrator living and working on Coast Salish Territories. Originally from Quito – Ecuador, Angie moved to Canada to pursue her love for theatre, and holds BA in Acting and Applied Theatre from Vancouver Island University and an Advanced Certificate in Arts and Entertainment Management from Capilano University. Since then, she has worked with a variety of theatre companies in Vancouver, and has been involved in the inception of initiatives such as CultureBrew.art and CALTAC (Canadian Latinx Theatre Artist Coalition), which aim to advocate, celebrate and support Latinx and BIPOC artists. After working at the Vancouver Fringe Festival for 8 years, where she was part also of their Diversity Committee, Angie is now the Education Manager at Carousel Theatre for Young People, spreading her love for theatre to young thespians in Vancouver.

 

Guilfre Bantjes- Rafols – Actor
Guifre Bantjes-Rafols is a Catalan-Canadian actor, based in Toronto. Straddling the divide between performer and technician, he has worked on productions in multiple languages around the world and is fluent in English, Catalan, French, and Spanish. An avid creator, he has produced a number of short films, as well as acted, written and directed (Though never all at the same time) including producing and directing trailers and other promotional materials for his graduating season at George Brown College’s Theatre Arts Program. He also trained at The Neighborhood Playhouse, and is a member of both ACTRA. He can be seen in Private Eyes Ep405 (Global), Coroner Ep202 (CBC), and the feature film Sebastian (Bonpland Pictures). Past theatre credits include: Jacob Mercer in Salt-Water Moon (QCT), Lazarus in Lazarus and his Beloved (Broken Hill Theatre), and Cheever in The Crucible (Kindling Collective). And IATSE: as a stagehand and lighting/sound/AV technician since 2009, and as an electric since 2018 on productions like: The Boys, American Gods, Impulse, Shazaam, and IT: Volume II.

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