Since its inception in 2018, Ferre Play Theatre has been committed to using theatre to support and develop women. Out of their collective frustration with the lack of opportunities for female identifying artists being offered by local theatrical institutions, Jackie Block, Angela Christie, Heather Morrison, Elizabeth Nepjuk, and Anita Smith joined forces to create Ferre Play Theatre.
The Collective
ANITA SMITH
Anita (she/her) is an actor, director, producer, and mother who is also the Artistic & Executive Director of 25th Street Theatre. An active member of the Saskatoon theatre community, Anita is proud to have directed J. Caesar, As You Like It (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan); The Birds and the Bees, and The Invisible Girl (Persephone Theatre). She appeared in The Revolutionists, Boeing Boeing, Trout Stanley, Quick Bright Things (Persephone Theatre); Fruitcake (25th Street Theatre); The Penelopiad (Ferre Play Theatre); Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale, and Love's Labour's Lost (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan) among others. In addition to her work as a contract theatre artist, Anita has 25 years of experience as an arts administrator/producer having worked with the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, Persephone Theatre, and Dancing Sky Theatre in supportive roles. From 2014 to 2021 Anita was the Artistic Producer/General Manager of Saskatoon Summer Players where she helped produce 18 large-scale musicals. A passionate feminist, Anita is a founding member of Ferre Play Theatre whose productions of The Penelopiad and Breaking the Curse received a combined seven SATAwards. Anita is proud to be a recipient of the YWCA Young Woman of Distinction Award for her work in bringing performance opportunities to rural Saskatchewan’s youth, and a recipient of the SATAward for Excellence in Leadership.
Upcoming: Directing the premiere production of The Art of French Cooking by Madeleine Blais-Dahlem for 25th Street Theatre and Done/Undone by Kate Besworth for Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan.
TARA OLIVER
Tara (she/her) is a multidisciplinary Ukrainian/Métis artist, producer, writer, administrator, coach, and project manager. She has held roles as the Operations Manager for Saskatoon Summer Players, Community Engagement and Outdoor Festival Manager for 25th Street Theatre and is currently a communication strategist for the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan. Tara’s theatre makeup design credits include: Shrek the Musical, Cabaret, Grease (Saskatoon Summer Players), Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Little Shop of Horrors (Ppl r Ppl Productions). Her theatre production management credits include: Monty Python’s Spamalot, Little Women the Musical, Into the Woods, Annie, Footloose, and Sweeney Todd (Saskatoon Summer Players). In the summer of 2021 Tara served as First Assistant Director and Producer for the independent short film “The Druid’s Hand”, which debuted at film festivals around the world collecting multiple awards.
As a lifelong feminist and mother of two daughters, Tara was drawn to the work that Ferre Play Theatre is doing and believes in the value it brings to the community.
For over 20 years, Angela (she/her) has been involved with theatre across Western Canada as an actor (Blackbird Theatre; Vancouver, Shadow Theatre; Edmonton, Persephone Theatre, Dancing Sky Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan; Saskatoon), stage manager (Western Canada Theatre; Kamloops, Persephone Theatre, Dancing Sky Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre; Saskatoon) and producer (Theatre Ecstasis, Ferre Play Theatre; Saskatoon). As the co-founder of Theatre Ecstasis, Live Five, and Ferre Play Theatre, Angela has been a part of producing close to 30 productions including hits such as The Shape of Things, Bad Jazz, Animals and Plants (Theatre Ecstasis), Pillowman (Wildside Productions), It’s All True and Coronation Voyage (Last Exit Theatre), The Last Windwalker (400lbs of Sunshine), The Penelopiad and Breaking the Curse (Ferre Play Theatre). Angela has been a member of Canadian Actor's Equity Association since 2003 and holds a BFA degree in drama and a BEd from the U of S. She is the creator and coordinator for Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan’s school program and currently teaches Grade 2 at Forest Grove Elementary School.
ANGELA CHRISTIE
RACHEL WALLISER
Rachel (she/her) is an emerging artist juggling work as an actor, playwright, intimacy director, dramaturge, arts administrator, and part-time vintage seller & chocolatier. On top of holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Performance & Women’s and Gender Studies with Distinction from the University of Regina, Rachel has also trained with the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre’s “Reading the Compass” Dramaturgy Program, Theatrical Intimacy Education, Theatrical Intimacy Laboratory, and Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC). This past year, she completed her Consent-Forward Artist Certificate with IDC. In 2022, Rachel worked as an intimacy direction apprentice with On Cue Performance Hub working on productions with the University of Regina, Persephone Theatre, and Globe Theatre. In collaboration, Ferre Play Theatre, 25th Street Theatre, and Rachel won five Saskatoon and Area Theatre Awards including “Excellence in New Work” and “The Innovation Award” for a filmed version of Breaking the Curse in 2023. She was last seen on stage (and screen!) in “Annette is a Bimbo!” by The Women’s Company & Be Kind Rewind Productions for RISER Regina’s inaugural season with On Cue Performance Hub & Why Not Theatre.
Upcoming: Producing and performing the premiere LIVE production of Breaking the Curse for RISER Regina in May 2024.
