A Headlines Theatre production ©2003

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Headlines staff bios, in alphabetical order:

Publicist: Jen Cressey. Jen has been an active creator, producer, and publicist of grass-roots cultural events for more than 10 years. She is best known as producer of cabarets that have been staged at the Anza Club, Wise Hall, the Waldorf Hotel, and the Heritage Hall. In 2001, she enjoyed a brief tenure as editor-in-chief of alternative weekly "Terminal City".

In 2002, Jen worked with Flick Harrison to produce digital video short "The Victory Party" and rejoined Harrison as Production Manager for "Marie Tyrell", which is currently in post-production. She also worked as publicist for Christine Taylor's "Happyland", and for Radix Theatre, among others.

Being a part of the Headlines team is a great honour for Jen, who finds inspiration in their marriage of theatrical excellence with social conscience. In 2003, Jen returns to writing and producing cabarets.


Financial Administrator: Jackie Crossland. Jackie has many years experience in Vancouver's arts community both as an administrator and as a theatre artist. She combines her administrative and artistic skills to make a unique contribution to the organizations that she has been associated with over the years. In addition, she has been to clown school so your company is safe with her.

Career Highlights:
Executive Director, Public Dreams Society, 1995 - 2002
Co-Artistic Director, Random Acts Productions, 1988 - 2002
Associate Artistic Director. Tamahnous Theatre, 1994 - 1995
General Manager, Headlines Theatre, 1991 - 1994

Artistic and Managing Director/Joker: David Diamond. Since 1981 David Diamond has directed almost 300 community specific theatre projects on issues such as racism, gender roles, violence, addiction, self-esteem, First Nations' Residential Schools, language reclamation and many, many others. David has directed workshops throughout BC, Canada and the USA, as well as in Namibia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Italy and Finland. He has also been involved in the writing and/or directing of all of Headlines' main stage plays, including NO` XYA` (Our Footprints), Out of the Silence, Mamu, Squeegee, Corporate U and THIR$TY. David has pioneered the development of live, interactive Forum Television and web casting.

Diamond is a 1975 graduate of the University of Alberta with a BFA in acting. He worked as a professional actor in theatre, television and film throughout Western Canada until 1981 when he co-founded Headlines Theatre. He is the originator of Headlines' THEATRE FOR LIVING workshops, based on Brasilian Director Augusto Boal's ground-breaking Theatre of the Oppressed. In 1996 David was the first individual recipient of the City of Vancouver's Cultural Harmony Award. In 2001 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University College of the Fraser Valley.

Under Diamond's direction, Headlines has received the following awards:

  • RIGHT TO FIGHT (1985) National Housing Video and Film Festival -- Audience Favourite and Most Original Treatment
  • ¿SANCTUARY? (1989) Jessie Richardson Award -- Innovation in Theatre
  • ¿SANCTUARY? (1989) Hometown Award -- Innovation in Television, Human Rights Award (1991) from MOSAIC
  • THIS IS MY LIFE? (1993) CCTA Pacific Programming Excellence Award
  • Mamu (1996) Canadian Healthy Environment Award
  • Generations (1998) Hometown Award (Community TV)

Lighting Designer: Shane Drouker. Shane is thrilled to be working with Headlines Theatre and everyone on Don't Say a Word. Shane is a year 2000 graduate from Studio 58's professional production program. Later this season Shane is looking forward to Designing for New World Theatre, Co. ERASGA, Studio 58 and trying to take at least a moment to breathe. Recent credits include; Lighting Designer for The Sound of Music, Richmond Gateway Theatre; Technical Director for Earshot, The Vancouver Playhouse; Lighting Designer for Volt, Co. ERASGA; Lighting Designer, Lady Macbeth, Cor Productions; Lighting Designer, Tales of the Ramayana, VMT; Lighting Designer, An evening with Beckett, Tandem Productions; Lighting Designer, Swan Diva, Co. ERASGA, and Lighting Designer, The Dead Reckoning, The Vancouver Playhouse.

Shane is Co-Artistic Director and Resident Lighting Designer for TANDEM productions, a Vancouver based Production Company that he runs with Co-Artistic Director Erin Wells.

Shane has been nominated for five Jessie Richardson awards in the last two years.

Outreach Coordinator: Jennifer Girard. Jennifer has worked with a variety of community groups, most recently with Youth Net Vancouver (a facilitation team that leads discussions with young people on mental health and mental illness) and Voices For Change (a multi-partner initiative engaging youth and the community at large in dialogues and actions regarding corporate social responsibility and corporate accountability).

In the context of this work she has lead drama workshops, performed interactive theatre pieces, facilitated discussion activities and dialogue, developed workshops and created education materials. These experiences have given her the opportunity to work closely with high school leadership students, inner-city homeless adolescents, children with physical disabilities, and young teens struggling between two cultures.

Jennifer brings to Headlines a passion for creative, strategic and critical thinking; a genuine curiosity, compassion and grace in personal communications; knowledge, experience and leadership in the areas of theatre-in-education, drama-in-education, and cross-cultural education, particularly in the context of social and economic justice. She thrives on creating links between people, ideas and resources and is delighted to be a part of this company and its community.

Executive Assistant: Dylan Mazur. Over the past five years, Dylan has worked as a Post-production Supervisor/Coordinator and Production Coordinator in the film & television industry. Through his work with a Winnipeg-based production company, Dylan collaborated on a number of feature films, television series, and documentaries.

Shortly after moving to Vancouver in January of 2002, Dylan began a voluntary position at Oxfam Canada, where he currently sits on a number of committees devoted to fair trade and food security. Dylan's interest in working directly with members of the community led him to join the Vancouver Association for the Survivors of Torture (VAST), as a volunteer and member of the Organizing Team (Board of Directors).

In the off hours, Dylan continues his pursuits in film, music, and poetry.

 
Designer/ Technical Director: Adam Parboosingh. Adam is thrilled to be the working on Don't Say a Word. This is the first time he has been involved with Headlines Theatre, and he welcomed the unique challenge and extraordinary circumstances surrounding this serious subject matter.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he moved to Calgary in '78, but eventually moved to the west coast six years ago, where he currently resides with his wife and child.

Some of Adam's recent credits include Wild Honey and Medea (both scenery and lighting) with the United Players; Macbeth (scenery and lighting) and Cabaret (scenery) - both at UBC where he obtained his Masters degree in Theatre Design; AlterNatives and Wawatay (scenery) at the Firehall Theatre; and Mojo (lighting) with the Western Theatre Conspiracy Co-op. He also works in the film and television industry here in Vancouver, art directing such TV projects as Maybe It's Me, and the feature film, MVP3, and set designing for the TV series, John Doe.

Stage Manager: Melissa Celine Powell. Melissa is currently finishing her 4th year in the B.F.A. Production and Design in Theatre program at the University of British Columbia. She would like to thank the Headlines Theatre Company for this amazing opportunity to explore a new realm of theatre. She would also like to thank all her friends and family for their support, and her student apprentice, Carlie Clarke.

Melissa's theatre credits include: Production Manager, Dirty Hands Theatre Festival, UBC Theatre; ASM, Oh What a Lovely War, UBC Theatre; Stage Manager, The Falstaff Project, UBC Theatre; Production Manager, Summer Expressions Theatre Festival, MAD haTTer productions and UBC Theatre; Assistant Production Manager, Dirty Hands Theatre Festival; ASM, The Creation, UBC Theatre; and Stage Manager, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, UBC Theatre.

Project Counsellor: Sandra Teves. Sandra's background is in Social Work, specifically in the counselling field. She is currently in a Master's program at UBC looking at different community approaches of working with young people. She first encountered Headlines' work three years ago on a project working with youth. Sandra found the process was incredible and brought the community together to highlight and work with the realities of young people. It is her conviction that he forum presents the stage of these struggles and brings involvement and accountability back into the community. And she believes that it is an incredible process for the individual and community as a whole.