Our Team

David di Giovanni

Artistic Director

david@shakespeareinaction.org

David di Giovanni is a playwright, theatre director, and North York resident.  He co-founded madonnanera with Amanda Cordner, a theatre company invested in creating new outrageous and intersectional work for the stage and screen.  He is the Artistic Director of Shakespeare in Action, and is passionate about growing performing arts experiences outside of the city centre.  

Tamara Freeman

Artists & Outreach



















Coordinator

tamara@shakespeareinaction.org

Tamara Freeman is very happy to be a part of the Shakespeare in Action family as the Artist and Outreach Coordinator, managing the Artists Supporting Community Initiative (ASCI) program. She is a graduate of the Acting for Film and Television program at Humber College. Since graduation, she has been blessed with incredible experiences on stage, set and in recording studios as an actor and creative, both in Toronto and Ottawa. She continues her artistic journey by setting her sights on both directing and artistic leadership having recently become the fourth company member of Skipping Stones Theatre. Freeman also works as an Artist-Educator for both Shakespeare in Action, and A Company of Fools.

Suchiththa Wickremesooriya

Summer Programming



















Coordinator

suchiththa@shakespeareinaction.org

Suchiththa Wickremesooriya is a multi-disciplinary actor/educator who has recently been drawn to multi-sensory theatre as well as physical theatre. As an educator, he holds a M.A in Musical Theatre and teaches for SIA in schools and for their Library Program. Select Credits: The Tempest (Citadel Theatre), The Secret Garden (Theatre Calgary), Creases in My Sari (Alumnae Theatre) and Pocket Rocket (Lost and Found). He appeared last on stage in Bend it Like Beckham the Musical, but has continued to perform in Zoom plays, musicals and rehearsed readings. Follow him @SuchiththaW on IG, Twitter and FB.

Amaka Umeh

Summer Programming



















Facilitator

Amaka Umeh is a Toronto-based performing artist with hometowns and heart-parts in Calgary, AB and Lagos, NG. 
 
Selected credits: 2020 Stratford debut postponed (Hamlet in Hamlet and Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall); 00 in The Wolves (Howland Company/Crow’s); Abigail in A Christmas Carol, Christa in Beethoven Lives Upstairs (Grand Theatre); Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sampson in Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare in High Park); Spiker in James and the Giant Peach (Young People’s Theatre); Ariel in The Tempest (Hart House Theatre). 
 
Training: Stratford Festival Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre, Factory Theatre Mechanicals, Toronto Fringe Theatre Entrepreneurs’ Network Training, Randolph Academy for Performing Arts. 
 
Awards: Dora and Toronto Theatre Critics’ Awards for The Wolves; Toronto Fringe Patron’s Pick Award for All Our Yesterdays (AnOther Theatre Company).

Lucy Wong

Summer Programming



















Facilitator

Lucy Wong is a fashion and costume designer recently graduated from the University of Guelph. She is currently a Student Member of Associated Designers of Canada, and has assisted in designing shows for various plays across Toronto. Last summer, Lucy was the assistant costume designer for Shakespeare in Action’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, she is excited for what SIA has to offer this summer! To view her work and designs check out www.lucy-wong.com.

Matt Nethersole

Community Programming



















Coordinator



















(6ix Summer Pop Ups)

Matt Nethersole is a Juno Award nominated multi-disciplinary performer, educator and artivist. His work employs music creation, poetry, dance and theatre to express an eternal longing for nature and the cosmic complexity of human life. Matt’s career has taken him from the stages of Stratford and Shaw to Theatre Passe Muraille and Buddies in Bad Times as well as regional theatres across Canada. Matt is dedicated to using the arts as a mechanism for social change by making art accessible to over-exploited communities. Matt’s greatest hope for his life and work is that it be a symbol of loving kindness and a prompt for others to recognize their inherent power and value.

“The happiness of one’s own heart alone cannot satisfy the soul; one must try to include, as necessary to one’s own happiness, the happiness of others.”  –  Paramhansa Yogananda

Vanessa Sears

Community Programming



















Facilitator



















(6ix Summer Pop Ups)

Vanessa Sears is an educator and award winning actor who is thrilled to be joining Shakespeare in Action as a Community Programs Facilitator. Having just taught ‘Acting for Musicals’ at CBY Music and currently performing in Musical Stage Company’s innovative concert series ‘Porchside Songs’, Vanessa is excited to continue merging her artistic practice with community engagement and education. 

Selected credits: Emmie in Caroline or Change – Dora Award, Toronto Theatre Critic’s Award (Musical Stage Co and Obsidian Theatre), Mum in Billy Elliot, Ronette in Little Shop of Horrors (Stratford Festival); Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins – Critic’s Pick Award, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz – Dora Award (Young People’s Theatre); Flaemmchen in Grand Hotel, Polly Plummer in The Magician’s Nephew, Zoe in An Octoroon (Shaw Festival); Nicola in Kinky Boots – BroadwayWorld Award (Mirvish Productions). Next up you can catch Vanessa on TVO’s Odd Squad. 

Malindi Ayienga

Community Programming



















Facilitator



















(6ix Summer Pop Ups)

Malindi Ayienga is a Dora Award winning Toronto based artist, activist and co-founder of Diva Day International. Diva Day empowers youhg menstruators by eliminating barriers to education. Since it’s inception in 2017, Diva Day has provided over a thousand young menstruators with DivaCups and menstrual health education. Malindi has an Honours Bachelor degree in Musical Theatre Performance and a passion for people. For the past year, Malindi has been combining her love of theatre and her love for children by performing at Young People’s Theatre.

Julien Rutherford

Admin & Marketing



















Coordinator

marketing@shakespeareinaction.org

Julien Rutherford is a bilingual (French & English) theatre artist and emerging arts manager who is passionate about education and working with youth. He is a graduate of Humber College’s “Theatre Arts – Performance” program and has an additional background in communications and public relations. Julien also possesses experience in teaching and has taught ESL for the past four summers in France.

For more information about Julien’s professional experience, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julienrutherford

Our Board of Directors

Shakespeare in Action is grateful for the support and guidance of our dedicated and experienced Board of Directors

Ben Gunn

Director

Entrepreneur
Founder, The Spread

Member since 2015

Howard Goldby

Chair

President
Excellutions Ltd

Member since 2018

Romina Cortina

Director

Member since 2018

Joanne Acri

Director

Member since 2019

Call for Directors

Shakespeare In Action Seeking candidates for Board of Directors

Shakespeare in Action is a culturally-diverse theatre company that aspires to enhance the arts and education through exploring and performing Shakespeare’s plays. We are dedicated to fostering literacy, enhancing creativity and promoting speech arts by making the language and stories of Shakespeare accessible and relevant to young audiences, their families and the community Shakespeare in Action seeks to inspire audiences of all ages to discover Shakespeare’s universal truths in our everyday world, showing the influence classical theatre has within our community. Additional information about the organization can be found found throughout our website.

Shakespeare in Action is currently seeking new members to supplement its Board of Directors. Of particular interest are individuals with a background in any of the following areas:

  • Fundraising
  • Web Development
  • Strategic Alliances

How to Apply?

Please forward a resume and cover letter to: info@shakespeareinaction.org with the subject line “Board of Director Position”

Lucy Wong

Summer Programming



















Facilitator