Meet the NIFF Collective
Advisors/Mentors
Muriel Miguel
Muriel is a choreographer, director and actor. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Spiderwoman Theater, the longest running Indigenous women’s theater company in North America. Muriel is a 2016 Guggenheim Fellow; awarded an Honorary DFA from Miami University in Ohio; a member of the National Theatre Conference and in 2015 attended the Rauschenberg Residency. She taught at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and is a pioneer in the development of a culturally based Indigenous performance methodology. She facilitates Storyweaving Workshops in universities and communities across the US, Canada and Europe.
Muriel is a choreographer, director and actor. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Spiderwoman Theater, the longest running Indigenous women’s theater company in North America. Muriel is a 2016 Guggenheim Fellow; awarded an Honorary DFA from Miami University in Ohio; a member of the National Theatre Conference and in 2015 attended the Rauschenberg Residency. She taught at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and is a pioneer in the development of a culturally based Indigenous performance methodology. She facilitates Storyweaving Workshops in universities and communities across the US, Canada and Europe.
Drew Hayden Taylor
Drew Hayden Taylor is an award winning playwright, novelist, filmmaker, and journalist. Born and living on the Curve Lake First Nation, he has done practically everything from performing stand up comedy at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., to serving as Artistic Director for Canada's premiere Indigenous theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. Currently, he is in the process of shooting season 3 of the APTN documentary series Going Native, and his 35th book, a novel titled COLD by McClleland & Stewart, will be released this winter.
Drew Hayden Taylor is an award winning playwright, novelist, filmmaker, and journalist. Born and living on the Curve Lake First Nation, he has done practically everything from performing stand up comedy at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., to serving as Artistic Director for Canada's premiere Indigenous theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. Currently, he is in the process of shooting season 3 of the APTN documentary series Going Native, and his 35th book, a novel titled COLD by McClleland & Stewart, will be released this winter.
Deborah Ratelle
Deborah is the Managing Director of Two Spirit Productions and is a consultant with Spiderwoman Theater. Stage Management credits include: The Gala Performance for the opening of the Nunavut Territory in 1999; The Unnatural and Accidental Women (Firehall Arts Centre); BONES: An Aboriginal Dance Opera (The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity); When Will You Rage? at Planet IndigenUs (Penny Couchie). Project/Production Management credits: Native Earth Performing Arts and The Centre for Indigenous Theatre in Toronto; Aboriginal Dance Program at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity; Indigenous Performance Initiatives at Trent University and most Aanmitaagzi in Nipissing First Nation.
Deborah is the Managing Director of Two Spirit Productions and is a consultant with Spiderwoman Theater. Stage Management credits include: The Gala Performance for the opening of the Nunavut Territory in 1999; The Unnatural and Accidental Women (Firehall Arts Centre); BONES: An Aboriginal Dance Opera (The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity); When Will You Rage? at Planet IndigenUs (Penny Couchie). Project/Production Management credits: Native Earth Performing Arts and The Centre for Indigenous Theatre in Toronto; Aboriginal Dance Program at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity; Indigenous Performance Initiatives at Trent University and most Aanmitaagzi in Nipissing First Nation.
Joeann Argue
Festival Founder
Joeann Argue is an artist, musician, writer, educator, and rescuer of unwanted dogs. She was also a late-night Twitter scroller, which is how we find ourselves here with a brand new Indigenous Fringe Festival. Until recently, Joeann was an assistant professor in Indigenous Performance at Trent University where she focused on storytelling as performance and everyday practice. She is now a part-time online instructor living in the mountains of BC and focusing on her art practice, all the while continuing to function as the Artistic Director of the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF), the first ever Indigenous Fringe Festival in the world! She has a long history of working in performance despite her best efforts to pretend that's not where she wants to be and is one quarter of the slightly renowned women’s singing group, Unity.
Festival Founder
Joeann Argue is an artist, musician, writer, educator, and rescuer of unwanted dogs. She was also a late-night Twitter scroller, which is how we find ourselves here with a brand new Indigenous Fringe Festival. Until recently, Joeann was an assistant professor in Indigenous Performance at Trent University where she focused on storytelling as performance and everyday practice. She is now a part-time online instructor living in the mountains of BC and focusing on her art practice, all the while continuing to function as the Artistic Director of the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF), the first ever Indigenous Fringe Festival in the world! She has a long history of working in performance despite her best efforts to pretend that's not where she wants to be and is one quarter of the slightly renowned women’s singing group, Unity.
Lee Bolton
General Manager
Lee Bolton has three decades’ experience in Canadian theatre. She trained as a theatre maker at York University and the University of Leeds, and has been Artistic Director of Second Mile Theatre (Toronto), Yukon Educational Theatre (Whitehorse) and Silk Purse Theatre (Vancouver and Saint John). As a theatre maker, she is best known for “Larger the Life: The Musical,” which has been performed in Vancouver and Toronto and toured in British Columbia and Yukon. Local directing credits include “Rapunzel: A Panto” and “Little One” for the Peterborough Theatre Guild as well as “Fluorescent Lights” and “Falling Upwards” for Toronto’s Women at Plays Festival. As an arts administrator, she has been Executive Director of the Saint John Imperial Theatre, General Manager of Driftwood Theatre and Theatre Coordinator of Nozhem First Peoples Performance Space. She is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab and a veteran of the Vancouver, San Francisco, Fundy and Island Fringe Festivals.
General Manager
Lee Bolton has three decades’ experience in Canadian theatre. She trained as a theatre maker at York University and the University of Leeds, and has been Artistic Director of Second Mile Theatre (Toronto), Yukon Educational Theatre (Whitehorse) and Silk Purse Theatre (Vancouver and Saint John). As a theatre maker, she is best known for “Larger the Life: The Musical,” which has been performed in Vancouver and Toronto and toured in British Columbia and Yukon. Local directing credits include “Rapunzel: A Panto” and “Little One” for the Peterborough Theatre Guild as well as “Fluorescent Lights” and “Falling Upwards” for Toronto’s Women at Plays Festival. As an arts administrator, she has been Executive Director of the Saint John Imperial Theatre, General Manager of Driftwood Theatre and Theatre Coordinator of Nozhem First Peoples Performance Space. She is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab and a veteran of the Vancouver, San Francisco, Fundy and Island Fringe Festivals.
Don White
Nozhem Technical Director
Don White has more than three decades experience in the entertainment industry. He is currently the Special Events Technical Coordinator and Technical Director at Trent University. Previous engagements include Touring Lighting Designer for Spiderwoman Theatre and Stuart McLean; Technical Director for Showplace Performance Centre, Lindsay Academy Theatre and Market Hall Performance Centre; Lighting Designer for Whispers Dinner Theatre, Peterborough Theatre Guild, Empire Theatre Belleville, Orillia Opera House, Kawartha Summer Theatre and New Stages Theatre; Front of House Manager for Arbor Theatre; Audio Engineering and Technical Support for an extensive list of musical groups.
Nozhem Technical Director
Don White has more than three decades experience in the entertainment industry. He is currently the Special Events Technical Coordinator and Technical Director at Trent University. Previous engagements include Touring Lighting Designer for Spiderwoman Theatre and Stuart McLean; Technical Director for Showplace Performance Centre, Lindsay Academy Theatre and Market Hall Performance Centre; Lighting Designer for Whispers Dinner Theatre, Peterborough Theatre Guild, Empire Theatre Belleville, Orillia Opera House, Kawartha Summer Theatre and New Stages Theatre; Front of House Manager for Arbor Theatre; Audio Engineering and Technical Support for an extensive list of musical groups.
Leah Simms-Karp
Administrative Coordinator
Leah was born into the arts and followed in her family’s footsteps, merging her love of multi-disciplinary performing arts, community and organization into one. Studying theatre throughout her life showed her an appreciation and comfort in working behind the scenes. She has spent the last 10+ years working in arts administration and in Indigenous communities, where her creative and organizational ways of thinking thrive. Leah has worked locally with Indigenous Performance Initiatives, Market Hall, Showplace and Peterborough MusicFest and outside of Nogojiwanong with Native Earth, Toronto Fringe Festival, Art Starts, Toronto Centre for the Arts and Naomi Tyrrell Services. Leah is driven by this work and is excited to continue to be immersed in Nogojiwanong’s arts community.
Administrative Coordinator
Leah was born into the arts and followed in her family’s footsteps, merging her love of multi-disciplinary performing arts, community and organization into one. Studying theatre throughout her life showed her an appreciation and comfort in working behind the scenes. She has spent the last 10+ years working in arts administration and in Indigenous communities, where her creative and organizational ways of thinking thrive. Leah has worked locally with Indigenous Performance Initiatives, Market Hall, Showplace and Peterborough MusicFest and outside of Nogojiwanong with Native Earth, Toronto Fringe Festival, Art Starts, Toronto Centre for the Arts and Naomi Tyrrell Services. Leah is driven by this work and is excited to continue to be immersed in Nogojiwanong’s arts community.
Board Members
Nancy Stevens
President
Nancy has worn many hats over the years: single mom of 4 kids and grandma to 2 boys, counsellor, teacher, and almost professional student. She has been a bit of a rolling stone and has lived in more places than she can recall. The upside has been many interesting people to meet and things to do! Nancy is on the NIFF board as a result of knowing all the right people and not because of any particular artistic abilities. She currently teaches at Nipissing University in North Bay in the Indigenous Studies program.
President
Nancy has worn many hats over the years: single mom of 4 kids and grandma to 2 boys, counsellor, teacher, and almost professional student. She has been a bit of a rolling stone and has lived in more places than she can recall. The upside has been many interesting people to meet and things to do! Nancy is on the NIFF board as a result of knowing all the right people and not because of any particular artistic abilities. She currently teaches at Nipissing University in North Bay in the Indigenous Studies program.
Sandra Tomatuk
Treasurer
Sandra is the Finance Officer for the First Peoples House of Learning and the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University. She is a member of the Cree Nation of Eastmain, from Moose Factory Ontario; Trent ’03. She is also a proud Gookoom!
Treasurer
Sandra is the Finance Officer for the First Peoples House of Learning and the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University. She is a member of the Cree Nation of Eastmain, from Moose Factory Ontario; Trent ’03. She is also a proud Gookoom!
Brenda Maracle-O'Toole
Secretary
Brenda (Kanien’Keha:ka) is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Tyendinaga Territory. She has been the Academic Assistant for the Trent University Indigenous Studies Phd Program for the last 20 years as well as a Trent alumni. She is so excited to be part of this new initiative! As a member of the acapella women’s group, Unity, for the last 15 years, she has had the honour of participating in many singing and speaking engagements with various Indigenous and Non- Indigenous organizations, schools and universities in the surrounding areas, sharing songs and stories to educate as many as possible as to the reality of who Indigenous people are.
She is a self taught piano and guitar player and has tried her hand at writing a song or two. Brenda is constantly amazed at the courage and confidence all artists have, to tell their own stories in so many different ways. NIFF will be a great platform to see this. She has never being part of such a unique event, it is her sincere wish that all the Indigenous artists who participate and visit the festival, have wonderful stories and experiences to pass on to future artists.
Secretary
Brenda (Kanien’Keha:ka) is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Tyendinaga Territory. She has been the Academic Assistant for the Trent University Indigenous Studies Phd Program for the last 20 years as well as a Trent alumni. She is so excited to be part of this new initiative! As a member of the acapella women’s group, Unity, for the last 15 years, she has had the honour of participating in many singing and speaking engagements with various Indigenous and Non- Indigenous organizations, schools and universities in the surrounding areas, sharing songs and stories to educate as many as possible as to the reality of who Indigenous people are.
She is a self taught piano and guitar player and has tried her hand at writing a song or two. Brenda is constantly amazed at the courage and confidence all artists have, to tell their own stories in so many different ways. NIFF will be a great platform to see this. She has never being part of such a unique event, it is her sincere wish that all the Indigenous artists who participate and visit the festival, have wonderful stories and experiences to pass on to future artists.
Cherylanne James
Board Member
Cherylanne James is Anishinaabekwe from Chippewas of Rama First Nation and is from the Martin Clan. She belongs to the urban Indigenous community of Nogojiwanong and has called this place home for the past ten years. She received her Master’s in Indigenous Governance from the University of Victoria and is a registered Child and Youth Care Practitioner. Cherylanne works for First Nations Technical Institute as Educational Developer and Curriculum Lead. She is a visual artist, writer, photographer, educator, and storyteller.
Board Member
Cherylanne James is Anishinaabekwe from Chippewas of Rama First Nation and is from the Martin Clan. She belongs to the urban Indigenous community of Nogojiwanong and has called this place home for the past ten years. She received her Master’s in Indigenous Governance from the University of Victoria and is a registered Child and Youth Care Practitioner. Cherylanne works for First Nations Technical Institute as Educational Developer and Curriculum Lead. She is a visual artist, writer, photographer, educator, and storyteller.
Festival Staff
James Weiler
On-site Administrative Coordinator
James has been working in Fringe Festivals since he was 14, Venue Captaining his way through the Hamilton Fringe, until NIFF started in 2021. This is James’s 3rd year now with NIFF!
Customer-service-administrative-production-assistant-box-office— well whatever the title he has this year, he loves Fringe! Helping to click all the little pieces into place that let some of the coolest mixes of shows and artists have a stage (or Stone Circle) to perform.
When not out NIFF’ing, he can be found studying health science or watching some clouds somewhere. James also has a passion for Fandom and transformative works.
On-site Administrative Coordinator
James has been working in Fringe Festivals since he was 14, Venue Captaining his way through the Hamilton Fringe, until NIFF started in 2021. This is James’s 3rd year now with NIFF!
Customer-service-administrative-production-assistant-box-office— well whatever the title he has this year, he loves Fringe! Helping to click all the little pieces into place that let some of the coolest mixes of shows and artists have a stage (or Stone Circle) to perform.
When not out NIFF’ing, he can be found studying health science or watching some clouds somewhere. James also has a passion for Fandom and transformative works.
Connor Price-Kelleher
Technical Director
Connor is a technical director, live stream consultant, and clown based in Toronto ON. As a professional, he gets way too excited about breakfast for dinner and believes if everyone learned to juggle the world would be the best place. Connor has worked for companies and theatres such as Driftwood Theatre Group, Aplombusrhombus, The Isabel Bader Centre, The National Arts Centre, The Nogojiwanong Fringe Festival, The Ottawa Fringe Festival, and the Fresh Meat Festival. He has toured across Ontario performing in parks, bars, theatres, and this one time in Winnipeg (wrong turn).
Technical Director
Connor is a technical director, live stream consultant, and clown based in Toronto ON. As a professional, he gets way too excited about breakfast for dinner and believes if everyone learned to juggle the world would be the best place. Connor has worked for companies and theatres such as Driftwood Theatre Group, Aplombusrhombus, The Isabel Bader Centre, The National Arts Centre, The Nogojiwanong Fringe Festival, The Ottawa Fringe Festival, and the Fresh Meat Festival. He has toured across Ontario performing in parks, bars, theatres, and this one time in Winnipeg (wrong turn).
Angela Akingbola
Health and Safety Coordinator
This is Angela's first year with NIFF, and she is really pleased to be a part of the team. She enjoys the arts and was a member of a choral choir for 10 years. She is in her third year of the nursing program at Trent. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to various types of music, spending time with the people she cares about, and going on random adventures. She can't wait to be part of the NIFF team.
Health and Safety Coordinator
This is Angela's first year with NIFF, and she is really pleased to be a part of the team. She enjoys the arts and was a member of a choral choir for 10 years. She is in her third year of the nursing program at Trent. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to various types of music, spending time with the people she cares about, and going on random adventures. She can't wait to be part of the NIFF team.
Sheri Smith
On-site Front of House Manager
My name is Sheri. I come from les Cânton Est du Québec. I am of mixed descent (Blackfoot/ Mohawk/Winnebago and French). Mkwa ndoodem. I am a mother of 4 and a nookimis to 5 exceptional children.
While here at Trent University I have worn many different hats. I have worked with Nozhem as the Front of House manager, cultural consultant and mentor for the past few years, working with the INDG department as a peer- mentor and workshop facilitator to bring about awareness of Cultural practices and open dialogue, worked many years assisting with the Elders Conferences, and with SAS. Most recently I have been and continue to be the Coordinator of the CAT at Trent University.
In my free time I garden, run cultural workshops, study alternative practices of Healing and make crafts to keep balanced.
As this is my third year working with NIFF, I am excited to see the growth. I look forward to interacting with all the different people involved from the artists, the helpers and the audiences.