Risky Nights (Fall Edition)

This has been such a special time to me. More and more, it becomes clearer to me that the core of why I’m a theatre-maker is because of the incredible people I get to have connections with.

And wow, did I get to have connections with some of the most incredible people during this theatre-making time.

I am so grateful to all the students who I got to meet and cross paths with during my time here. Getting to say hi to you all in the hallways were highlights of my days here. You all rock. This program is what it is because of you.

I am so grateful for Jessie, my fellow director at the school - always kind, always reassuring, always here for me when I needed someone.

I am so grateful to the staff and faculty for their ongoing support, not only for the students, but for me as well. To be invited back at my alma mater, this time as the Director of Risky Nights means so much. Thank you all for giving me the warmest welcome back.

I am so grateful to the C term student stage managers for being the spine of the organization in running the room, to the C term students who offered their talents and time with photography, and our solo B term crew member who was always a helping hand.

And finally, I am so grateful to the D term students.

There is this beautifully innate human exchange that happens in the process of creating art as we work from questions, struggles, and knowings that we have about life together, and I was gifted an abundance of these exchanges as we created this piece. I am humbled by the way in which these students share their stories and transform into vessels that can express what they want to say with so many complexities and layers. Whether that be with fear, with a deep desire to get things perfect, or with trying to get it wrong because who knows what might happen next?

I have learned and grown so much from each and every one of you in each and every exchange that we’ve had together. I am so, so, so grateful.

Great work :) <3

Studio 58 offers professional theatre training for actors and production personnel. The six terms of practical training consist of intensive classroom work as well as performance and backstage experience in productions. Production students and third term acting students operate sound, lighting and video and act as running crew and stage management.

Stage Management
Stage Manager – Gus Setala-Gay (they/them)
Assistant Stage Manager – Chhavi Disawar (she/her)

Crew
Joel Bakajika (he/him)

Katie Voravong is a theatre artist based on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Since graduating Studio 58’s acting program in 2019, they have worked with companies such as the Chop, the frank theatre, ITSAZOO, Green Thumb, jk jk, Neworld Theatre and Carousel Theatre.

Presently, their focus is on directing, performance and writing, and they are currently working as the Associate Artistic Producer at vAct (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) under the mentorship of Derek Chan 陳嘉昊. Most recently, Katie won the Artistic Risk Award (Vancouver Fringe Festival in partnership with the Cultch) for I Fear Love.

Katie centers their artistic practice with compassion and empathy. They feel privileged to create art for a living and lucky to have the chance to meet and collaborate with so many inspiring individuals.

katievoravong.com