The Meeting: Cast Biographies

Cassel Miles as Martin Luther King Jr. 

​Cassel is thrilled to be working in theatre during this pandemic and even more thrilled to be working once again with long time friend Rosemary Doyle. In the past five years he has played with the King’s Town Players (Of Mice and Men, The Tempest), Domino Theatre (Village of Idiots), Theatre Kingston (Bottle and Glass) and Bottle Tree Productions (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) where he met playwright/director Charles Robertson with whom he collaborated in creating on a one-person show about the life of Josiah Henson (www.josiahhensonproject.ca). A socially-distanced chance meeting on Wellington Street one afternoon led to the idea of presenting The Meeting during these turbulent times for Kingston audiences. This play speculates on a probable inevitability. What if their ideas had come together as one Movement? As Dr. King said, “If we do not live together as brothers, we will perish together as fools.” 

Paul Smith as Malcom X

​Paul Smith is an artist and performer from Stittsville, Ontario. As a Dan School of Drama and Music student at Queen’s University, he’s been involved with the Dan School Student Council, Queen’s Varsity Improv Team, Vogue Charity Fashion Show, and currently sits on the board for not-for-profit Queen’s Players. Outside of work as Assistant Production Manager with The Kick and Push Festival, some recent credits include Blue Sunday (Kingston Canadian Film Festival-Shorts, 2020), A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (Kingston Storefront Fringe Festival, 2019), Box 4901 (foldA: Festival of Live Digital Art, 2019), Goodbye Paris (Dan School of Drama and Music, 2019), and The Flick (Single Thread Theatre Co., 2018). In his evolution as a storyteller, Paul uses his intersectionalities to create spaces where our stories can coexist and hopes to show young voices in our circles the weight their words can have in our larger narrative.

Johnny Jordon as Rashad

Johnny Jordon is a lover of live entertainment, and growing up in NYC was definitely advantageous for him, living within walking distance of Harlem's famed Apollo Theater where he aspired to perform. So what's a guy who loves music, but couldn't sing going to do? After college and a stint in the Air Force, he embarked on a career in radio. This brief, 35 year venture began in Hawaii, and included gigs in Monterey, Fresno, Seattle, San Diego, and Portland. Turns out it was much easier interviewing talent and playing their music than it was needing any talent. He also appeared in several stage productions in the US, and after radio, found himself in Kingston, where he was cast in To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Buddy Holly Story at the Apollo Theater MC. And here, with The Meeting, he is back in Harlem; back at home.

The Meeting: Creatives Biographies

Playwright: Jeff Stetson

JEFF STETSON is a playwright, author, poet and screenwriter. Mr. Stetson was the former Dean of Faculty and Staff Affairs, and Director of Public Affairs and University Relations, for the twenty-campus California State University system.  He received his master’s degree at Boston University in Public Policy Analysis and Social Change Theory. Mr. Stetson also conducted his doctoral course work at Boston University as a Whitney Young Jr. Fellow. His academic discipline is Systems Analysis and Educational/Organizational Development with a cognate specialization in Humanistic and Behavioral Studies. Mr. Stetson has written several screenplays including "Out of Ashes," a feature film for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Productions in association with Touchstone Pictures. Mr. Stetson also wrote "Witness to an Assassination: The Gene Roberts Story" for HBO feature films, which focused on the former New York detective’s undercover assignment as the bodyguard to Malcolm X.

Director: Rosemary Doyle ​​

ROSEMARY DOYLE’s career in theatre has spanned more than 40 years. Most recently she directed Theatre Kingston’s production of What a Young Wife Ought to Know. She is the Artistic Director of Theatre Kingston and was the founder of the Red Sandcastle Theatre, where she directed numerous productions. Rosemary is very proud to guide these wonderful actors in “THE MEETING”. It is not often that a production comes to light at exactly the right time for the world. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay engaged.

Stage Manager: Anne-Marie Mortensen

ANNE MARIE MORTENSEN, like many theatre practitioners, wears many hats. She is an artist-entrepreneur, and educator who owns Bottle Tree Productions. As a freelancer, her recent work has been as Stage Manager of  Happy Days, and Welcome to My Underworld (both for Theatre Kingston), Josiah: From Slave to Saviour (One One Seven Productions) and Birds (Dan School of Drama & Music).  As a producer/director/creator, select credits include Eve of Confederation, Divas Duets and Quartets, and Madeline.  Anne Marie would like to thank Rosemary and Theatre Kingston for the opportunity to work during this challenging time. She thanks the cast, creatives, and you, the audience, for making this production a meaningful re-entry into the communal  experience of theatre.

Set Designer: Deborah Ann Frankel

Deborah Ann Frankel has been designing and producing independent theatre for the past 10 years. Notable affiliations include her work with the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Summerworks and Fringe Festival Toronto, graduate studies in Theatre and Performance at York University, and her ongoing position as General Manager of The Red Sandcastle Theatre. She produced, designed and directed George F. Walker’s Escape from Happiness and Ariel Dorfman’s Death and The Maiden. She also wrote and directed the stage plays GRIPLESS and Into The Arms Of Crazy, as well as her web series The Day Before Yesterday. She is both thrilled and delighted to be working with Theatre Kingston on this powerful and timely production of The Meeting.

Costume Designer: Kei Yano ​

Kei Yano is a graduate of York and Ryerson with over 30 years in film (including shorts and features), TV (including series, comedy and kids programming for TVO and YTV) and theatre (including the Fringe, Panamania and The Centre for Indigenous Theatre), bringing a wide range of experience to the table. This has covered the gamut from period, contemporary , to science fiction, and fantasy. She is currently enjoying creating custom Anime costumes. Kei is proud to be a part of this timely and though-provoking production.

Lighting Designer: Allan Day

Allan is happy to be back in Kingston, lighting a show in the same building he started out in theatre 30 years ago. He’s been busy with live shows all over the place as a designer, technical director, production manager and rigger, and has been the head of lighting at the Fleck Dance theatre at the Harbourfront Centre for the past 10 years. A lot of shows and a lot of touring since he started here. It’s been a pleasure to join this talented cast and wonderful Director and Stage manager.

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Allan Day

The Sylvia Effect: Cast Biographies 

Rosemary as The Daughter 

ROSEMARY DOYLE is the Artistic Director of Theatre Kingston. She grew up on the Kingston Grand Theatre Stage. Notable of the 30+ productions here begin with Annie in KST’s Annie, Janet in KSF’s Rocky Horror (dir. Peter Hinton), ALP in Theatre Kingston’s  Finnegan’s Wake Winnie in Theatre Kingston’s Happy Days. Rosemary founded The Red Sandcastle Theatre in Toronto. There, her favourite roles include Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe, Maureen in Beauty Queen of Leanne, and Elvira in Blythe Spirit. Rosemary has been the lead actor for productions at Mirvish, Shaw and at the Thousand Islands Playhouse. With Theatre Kingston last season, Rosemary directed Peggy’s Song by Jim Garrard.

The Sylvia Effect: Creatives Biographies 

​Playwright and Director: Peter Hinton-Davis 

​Peter Hinton-Davis is a stage director, playwright and teacher. Recent credits: Missing by Marie Clements/Brian Current, Pacific Opera, Sex by Mae West, An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Shaw Festival, Hadrian by Rufus Wainwright/Daniel MacIvor, Louis Riel by Harry Somers/Mavor Moore, Canadian Opera Company, Bombay Black, Factory Theatre. From 2005-2012, Peter was Artistic Director of English Theatre at Canada’s National Arts Centre (2005-2012). Previously, he was associate artist at The Stratford Festival, Dramaturg in Residence at Playwrights Workshop Montreal and Associate Artistic Director at the Canadian Stage. Peter has taught at the National Theatre School, Ryerson University and the University of Alberta. From 2012-2020, Peter, taught the MFA seminar in stage direction at York University. In 2009, Peter was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
For more information on Peter, visit www.peterhinton.ca