AMP COHORT

Joshua Bilbao (he/him) is a trilingual, award-winning multidisciplinary Mexican artist working as a producer, actor and writer. He was born in Taiwan and raised throughout North America, which has led him to forge a unique artistic voice rooted in cultural hybridity, displacement and a deep desire to create space for stories that often go untold. 

Naledi Sunstrum (they/them) is a Motswana-Canadian, queer, non-binary artist whose work fuses music, storytelling, and activism. A self-taught musician and certified producer/engineer, they blend soulful songwriting with technical precision to amplify marginalized voices. Naledi’s deep-rooted love for music evolved into a powerful tool for community-building and representation. They’ve released original work, led sound-tech workshops for underrepresented artists, and fostered inclusive creative spaces across disciplines. Now expanding into theatre, Naledi is developing their first musical play—carrying forward their desire to create work that resonates, uplifts, and reflects the beauty and power of multidimensional identities. Their artistry is both a calling and a catalyst for meaningful cultural expression. 

Troy Crossfield (he/him) is a dynamic force in Canadian theatre, known for curating soul-stirring, culturally rooted narratives. As the founder of Crossfield House Productions, he has written, directed, and produced multiple sold-out stage plays since 2016, including A Little White Lie, BLACK LIE, and Ninety Four Tour which went on tour Nationally. His work blends entertainment with healing, often centering Black voices and mental health. A 2023 ByBlacks People’s Choice Award winner for Director of the Year, Troy’s storytelling transcends the stage, inspiring audiences and fostering dialogue. With a passion for community and authenticity, Troy continues to use theatre as a platform for transformation and truth. 

Hwaan Han (she/her) is an emerging theatre maker who lives and creates in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal. She holds a B.A. in English: Drama and Theatre at McGill University (2023) and took part in Imago Theatre’s ARTISTA Mentorship Program (2022-23) and Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal’s Young Creators Unit (2023-24). Currently an Artist-in-Residence at Infinitheatre, she is developing her debut play Willow. Her work is driven by an interest in interdisciplinary and physical theatre, and she is experimenting with an organic, sensory, and poetic language in her current journey into playwriting. Passionate about independent theatre-making, she has worked as a performer, dramaturg, costume and graphic designer in various independent productions and Fringe shows across Montreal, Calgary, and Edmonton. Dedicated to supporting Quebec‘s vibrant English-language theatre community, she is also part of the core staff at the Quebec Drama Federation. 

Keira Ash (she/they) is an Indigiqueer citizen of the Tłı̨chǫ Nation, they grew up in Somba K’e Denendeh, or Yellowknife Northwest Territories. They are an artist, educator, student, beadworker, burlesque performer, actor, and newly a director. They’ve helped with festivals across western Indigenous territories, performed across the north, and are currently an Artistic Associate at Gwaandak Theatre. 

Born in Aburrá (Medellin, ancestral land of the Aburraé people), Colombia, and now rooted in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), Sebastian Quint (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges cultures, languages, and identities. With a heart fueled by purpose and performance, he channels his artistry to uplift and reflect the stories of the Queer and Latinx communities he belongs to. A graduate of Dawson’s Professional Theatre program, Sebastian has toured across Eastern Canada with Geordie Theatre, collaborated with Concordia University and the Colombian government in activist documentary theatre, and written and performed original works that interrogate cultural taboos with tenderness and fire. He is the proud founder and chair of ACTRA Montreal’s first-ever Latinx Subcommittee, where he champions visibility, equity, and authentic representation. Whether on stage, in front of the camera, or behind the pen, Sebastian is committed to storytelling that heals, challenges, and celebrates. 

Tyra Ashauntie is from Pelly Crossing, Huchá Hudän, Selkirk First Nation. Tyra loves their siblings, culture, language, painting, writing, friends and family. Tyra’s artistic career was started in highschool at the Music, Arts and Drama program at the Wood Street Centre. Tyra has worked with Gwaandak Theatre a number of times, having been part of Gwaandak’s Indigenous Summer Play Readings every summer since 2022, as actor and director. For ISPR 2024, one of the scripts was ‘Constellation’ written by Tyra. They were the assistant manager for ThumbsUpGoodWork theatre and the Guild Halls co-production of ‘Coywolf’ by Colin Wolf. Tyra was one of five who were selected for Canadas first national Queer & Trans playwright unit. Tyra loves exploring all forms of theatre and creating! 

Tsholo Khalema (he/him) is a South African-Canadian multi-hyphenate artist producer, director, and theatre educator with over 25 years of experience in the arts. His practice centers on storytelling, facilitation, and the creation of inclusive spaces that amplify Black, trans, queer, and neurodiverse voices. Tsholo is the creator and facilitator of VUKA, a development and devising program that supports new work grounded in community, identity, and transformation. He is a recent graduate of GeneratorTO’s Artist Producer Training Program, Nightwood Theatre’s Shadow Program in Artistic Direction, and Reelworld’s Black Casting Director Lab. Tsholo has worked extensively as an assistant director and educator in theatre and is also a director for children’s television. As co-founder of Amava Collective he supports early-career artists in developing their work with care, rigor, and imagination. Tsholo is passionate about equity-focused practices and building spaces where artists feel seen, supported, and empowered. 

Jamal Weekes (he/him) is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and overall storyteller passionate about highlighting voices that often go unheard. Born in Barbados, he moved to Canada in 2022 to study Television and Film at Sheridan College. After graduation, he joined Rising Tide Theatre, working as a cinematographer on their exciting Digital Archival Film Project (2023–2025) and also performing in their summer show, The Trinity Pageant in 2024. In 2025, Jamal took on the role of Samson in Todos Productions’ stage play 76 Centimeters, written by Xavier Michael Campbell and directed by Santiago Guzman. 

Hiba (she/her) is a trilingual actor, playwright, and scriptwriter. She has collaborated with theatre companies in Beirut, New York, Ontario, Calgary, and Montreal, and acted in many short films, TV shows, and theatre productions. Keffiyeh Made in China marked her Montreal theatre debut, after a central role in her first feature film directed by Maryanne Zéhil. Hiba composes poetry in English and Arabic and translates works from French and English into Arabic. She wrote the scripted narrative for a musical concert by the Canadian Arabic Orchestra, created several short films, and translated Ayache’s The Green Line, published by Playwrights Canada Press. She is currently developing her first play with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Louis Anthony Bryan (he/him) is a theater artist and educator from Trinidad and Tobago. A graduate of St Thomas University’s Bachelor of Arts in 2017 and the Bachelor of Education program in 2018. Anthony is currently based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, working primarily as a writer, dramaturge, and stand-up comedian.  

 He has worked with several theater and film companies in his local art scene, including The Union of Black Artist’s Society, Rebel Femme Productions, Strike Pictures, Notable Acts, and Theatre New Brunswick: Young Company. This year he is interested in: shows about nothing, gothics and folklore, supernatural melodramas and writing about where he is from. 

Métushalème (Métu) (elle) est une artiste multidisciplinaire née à Montréal et d’origine haïtienne. Elle se forme en interprétation à Toronto et New York, et complète un stage à Williamstown, MA. Au théâtre, on la retrouve dans Kilimandjaro (Théâtre La Marjolaine), et en anglais, dans une adaptation musicale de Des fraises en janvier (Théâtre Centaur). Au cinéma, on la voit dans le long métrage Farador, et à la télévision dans les séries Aller Simple, Alertes et Indéfendable. Elle écrit également, et développe actuellement un projet personnel où s’entrelacent récit, rythme, voix et mouvement. 

Ashley Naomi (she/her), is a trans femme theatre artist, actor/performer, and musician/sound designer. Excited by fusing lines between emotions, genres, and mediatic forms, Ashley’s creative process uses a post-modern, kaleidoscopic approach influenced by remix culture, blending digital+embodied motifs to evoke feelings of synesthesia. 

Projects as performer-creator include Dreams (Toronto Fringe, 2022), Hip Hop 100 (Tarragon Greenhouse, 2024), and digitrans // analogirl (development readings: Dead Name Theatre, 2024; Summerworks, 2025). Sound design+composition credits: Gringas (First Born Theatre), Isle of Demons and The 39 Steps (Guild Festival Theatre), The Little Prince (Theatre Passe Muraille), Chez Moi (The Chez Moi Collective), Regarding Antigone (Sort Of/The Sky is The Limit). 

Ashley has recently contributed to Museum of Toronto’s “The 52” exhibition as a contributing writer and performer (as Jackie Shane and Penny Oleksiak), in partnership with Luminato Festival. As a live bassist+keyboardist, she has performed at Femmepocalypse, Confluence Concerts, and Exit Points. 

BAFTA nominee Yolanda Mercy (she/her) is a writer and performer, making work for stage, screen and audio. Character-driven stories are in the DNA of the award-winning projects Yolanda has been a part of. Her work has been described as funny, relatable, and honest. 

Yolanda’s credits include BBW (Channel 4), Queenie (Channel 4/Disney), Failure Project (Soho Theatre), Between Two Places (BBC), and Quarter Life Crisis (The Bridge Theatre). Alongside developing new projects for TV , Yolanda is keen to expand her theatre practice and continue making bold, entertaining and relatable shows.  

Micha Cromwell (she/her) is a Robert Merritt Award Winner for an Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role. She has performed at the National Arts Centre, in Chasing Champions (Ship’s Company Theatre) and The Westwoods (Mulgrave Road Theatre). She performed the roles of Horatio and Ophelia in Hamlet (Below the Salt Theatre). Other theatre credits: Unity 1918 (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre), Macbeth (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre). She has worked on various TV productions including Diggstown (CBC), Mr. D (CBC) and season 2 of the award-winning limited series Studio Black! (CBC). Film credits include: Night Blooms (Shut up and Colour Productions) and A Walk in the Sun (Ubuntu Media). She is a graduate of the Artist Mentorship Program from Black Theatre Workshop (2023). Micha is African Nova Scotian and a proud descendant of the Black Loyalists.