Bio Incoming

Matthew Cardinal (he/him) is an amiskwaciy (Edmonton, AB)-based musician, sound artist, and photographer known for his work with Polaris Short List nominee group nêhiyawak. Cardinal’s solo full-length album Asterisms was released in October 2020 on Arts & Crafts. Cardinal’s music utilizes modular synthesizers, vintage analog equipment, electric pianos, and samplers to create cinematic and dreamlike soundscapes Cardinal has lent his sound to many film productions as well as art installations.

Cardinal’s photographic works come from a daily practice of collecting and photographing the natural environment, friends, and objects of interest with vintage Polaroid and 35mm cameras. His photographic works have been shown at Latitude 53 (Edmonton) and the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (Lethbridge).

Theresa Cutknife (she/her) is an Alberta-born, Toronto-based actor, writer, and storyteller of Nêhiyaw and Puerto Rican descent, and a proud member of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacîs, Alberta, situated in Treaty 6 Territory. An alumna of The Centre for Indigenous Theatre, the 2023 Soulpepper Academy, and most recently the 2024 CBC/CFC Actors Conservatory Theresa splits her time working professionally in theatre and tv/film industries alongside her independent writing and producing practices. Theresa’s co-written play Talk Treaty To Me received two Sterling Award nominations for Outstanding Fringe Ensemble and Outstanding Fringe New Work at the 2023 Edmonton Fringe Festival. Theresa is passionate about creating stories that honour her cultural heritage and resonate across communities.

Samantha Fraughton is a playwright, actor, and lawyer from Treaty 6 territory. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in drama and Juris Doctor degrees both at the University of Alberta. Samantha was awarded the Gerald L. Gall global community services grant for her development of the play “Talk Treaty To Me” while in law school, and performed it at the 2023 Edmonton Fringe festival, following a residency at the Banff Centre. Her play "The Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Kind of" received workshop funding as part of the Thousand Faces Festival in both 2022 and 2023. Samantha wrote and performed her play "High and Dry" at the 2024 Edmonton Fringe, which received a 5-star review. Samantha is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary masters degree in law and theatre, which seeks to apply the live and embodied elements of theatre to interpreting the numbered Treaties in Canada.

Skye Grinde is a theater designer with experience in set, lighting, costume, and projected media design. Skye also explores the world of fine art regularly in their work; they are passionate about creating work that is accessible for both audiences and artists. This includes sewing for all sizes and abilities. When Skye is not designing, you can find them at home, doing their best to recreate the painting Ophelia by Alexandre Cabanel.

Select credits include: Play that Goes Wrong; (Keyano Theatre); Cycle (Thou Art Here Theatre); Honk! The Musical (Storybook Theater); The Space Between the Stars (Westbury Theater)

AJ Hrooshkin (they/them) grew up on the grid roads and poorly paved highways that bridge rurality with urban niceties. Focusing on themes including intimacy, Queerness, and silence, AJ’s works seek to highlight blue-collar lives and experiences, while paying homage to the strange prairie upbringing they had.

desirée is an artist: she is a thinker and a doer. her brain dreams of ways to create art that shows how we can live together in a way that is filled with more depth, more fullness, and more spirit. her hands facilitate, teach, learn, and lead others to be dreamers too: whatever their dreams may be. desirée studies theatre institutionally and spirit personally. theatre can be so many things. desirée’s particularly absorbed with theatre that is decolonized, theatre that is embodied, and theatre that is epic. she spends her time as an assistant professor at the university of toronto, and an artist in the universe.

Andrea Murphy is a stage manager, an FOH Coordinator and a garbage crew member during the Fringe Festival in Edmonton. She’s also a few other fun things in between. Stage managing for nearly a decade, she has worked primarily on site specific work, new work development, workshops, Indigenous theater and independent productions. Enjoy the show and thank you for watching!

Mitchell Saddleback is an actor, writer, and comedian from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. Mitchell’s experience includes films Cold Pursuit, the Gotham Award-nominated First Cow, and theatrical productions Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish, Keepers of the Salish Sea and Pawâkan Macbeth.

Mitchell co-wrote and stars in The Bannocking, a horror comedy series on CBC Gem. Performance highlights include The Drum is Calling Festival, a comedy showcase for First Nations Health Authority, and a comedy special for Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association, and YVR Funny season 2. Mitchell brings a unique blend of education and humour to his artistic ventures.

Sheldon Stockdale is an actor, visual artist, and beginner musician from Edmonton Alberta. He graduated from the UofA-acting program and promptly became a server. He still has a burning desire for anything and everything creative. He is pleased to take on the role of Morris and to work on this magnificent show once again. Sheldon would like to dedicate his performance to his grandmother Olive Modersohn who allowed him to be as playful and ridiculous as he could muster up. It is entirely due to her Cree humour that Sheldon can bring the laughter out of others. He hopes you have the most wonderful time at the show.

Autumn Strom (she/they) is a transfem theatre artist based in amiskwaciwâskahikan. She is a graduate of the University of Alberta's BFA in Acting program. Autumn is delighted to be joining the Talk Treaty To Me team.

Select theatre credits include:

Acting in After the Trojan Women (Common Ground Arts Society/RISER), Bull (Edmonton

Fringe 2024), The Immaculate Perfection [...] (BodyCube Arts Collective/HPR), The Comedy of

Errors (Theatre Calgary), Love, Kurt (MAA & PAA Theatre), and The Game of Love and

Chance (Primestock Theatre)

Sound Design for MINE (Common Ground Arts Society/RISER), Kneeture’s Gift (Mile Zero

Dance), OWEaDEBT and @interWEBBED (HEYwire Theatre)

Directing The S.P.O.T.T. (Squawk Theatre), and Pressure (GemmaTone Productions).