Acting Grads
Emma del Carmen Abbott is a Latinx artist from Edmonton Alberta, Treaty 6 Territory. It was there where she found herself on stage at eleven years old, as the Evil Stepmother in her elementary’s production of Cinderella. Since then, her heart has taken her to many stages, including two post-secondary theatre programs (MacEwan Theatre Arts and Studio 58). Credits include: Cinderella (Into the Woods, Studio 58), Ensemble (East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast, Theatre Replacement), Ariel (The Tempest, Studio 58), Rhonda/Co-Creator (Girlhood 4 Dummies, Studio 58). Emma has now found a home here in “Vancouver”, on the unceded and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She’s excited to continue pursuing her passion for theatre and music (bonus if she can do both at once!) as well as creating her own work, in hopes of sharing the love she carries with anyone willing to listen.
Brynna Drummond (she/her) lives in the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. A graduate of Studio 58’s Production Program in 2019, Brynna has always had an appreciation for the off- and on-stage work that goes into storytelling. After her maquette building days were over, she felt her time spent in the Langara basement wasn’t quite finished. By joining the Acting Program in 2021, Brynna gained confidence through her love of acting. She is so grateful to all the Studio 58 faculty for their endless support and her fellow classmates and friends for sharing the stage with her.
Danica Kobayashi (she/her) is an emerging theatre artist residing in Vancouver on the unceded land of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples. After graduating from MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts Program, she performed in the community and worked as an arts educator for several years before returning to study at Studio 58. Recent credits include: Christina (Panty Sniffers, Studio 58), Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods, Studio 58), Gabrielle (Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Gateway Theatre), Iris (The Tempest, Studio 58) and Amanda (Girlhood 4 Dummies, Studio 58). Danica is fortunate enough to be the recipient of the 2024 Sydney Risk Acting Award as well as the 2023 Applause! Musicals Society’s Cheryl Hutcherson Memorial Award. Danica believes in creating safe, equitable spaces for young artists and is passionate about providing accessible arts education. Endless gratitude to her family for their constant support and to her classmates for putting up with three years of her terrible jokes.
Jenna is an actor and writer living and working on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Previously, you might have seen her in Studio 58 productions such as Florinda in Into the Woods or as a proud co-creator/actor in the Risky Nights production of Girlhood 4 Dummies. She’s a graduate of the theatre diploma program at Vancouver Island University where she acted in the quirky play William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead. As a writer, her one-act play I Feel Everything premiered at the 2021 New Waves Festival with Western Edge Theatre in Nanaimo. Her second play, Panty Sniffers, debuted at Studio 58’s FourPlay. The play discusses the struggle of low-income folks and breaks down sex work stereotypes. She’d like to thank her family for their ongoing support, particularly her parents, who endured many “I don’t know if I can do this!” phone calls. Love you all!
Olivia Manojlovic (she/her) is an emerging artist living on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She discovered her love for performing in elementary school by joining Vanderhoof Children’s Theatre, located on the unceded Dakelh (Carrier) Nation. Her love for theatre carried her through high school, eventually leading her to Studio 58. After graduating, Olivia aims to create and collaborate in the theatre and film community of Vancouver, focusing on femme empowerment. Recent credits at Studio 58 include: Little Red Ridinghood (Into the Woods), First Maiden (Blood Wedding), Francisca (The Tempest) and Violet (The Kitchen).
Marielle is an emerging Mexican actor and student at Studio 58 who is thankful to live on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She has written and acted in small productions back in Mexico such as Feliz Aniversario (Microteatro León) and Pero que necesidad (Microteatro León) and loves to sing! Her recent credits include The Kitchen (Studio 58), The Tempest (Studio 58) and Blood Wedding (Studio 58). She also had the opportunity to explore the meaning of womanhood in Girlhood 4 Dummies, a piece co-created with her cohort at Studio 58. She is excited to find new ways to stretch her imagination and explore intersectionality within cultures.
Alyson Vance is a multi-disciplinary artist who has always had a deep passion for the weird and beautiful. She has had the privilege of growing up here in “Vancouver”, the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, where her family has always supported her pursuit of the arts. Alyson found her love of theatre through her song and dance solos at Tri-City Dance Centre and continued her dance training at Harbour Dance Centre’s Intensive Training Program. She then plucked up the courage to push herself to Studio 58 to further pursue her love of acting and creating theatre. Some of her credits include: The Prosecutor (Gillty as Fin, Studio 58), Chorus #5 (Pretty Girls, Studio 58), Rapunzel/Granny/Cinderella’s Mother/Dance Captain (Into the Woods, Studio 58), Ensemble (Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Gateway Theatre), Alonza (The Tempest, Studio 58) and Bunny/Devisor (Girlhood 4 Dummies, Studio 58). Alyson hopes to continue to create meaningful, wacky and feminist theatre to share with the community. She would like to thank the faculty of Studio 58 and her family with all her heart and hopes she can make them all proud!
Marianna Zouzoulas is an interdisciplinary artist originally from the unceded territories of the Anishinaabe, known as “Ottawa”. She found her love for art in drawing. But after ruining one too many tablecloths, she was encouraged to branch out and make messes on stage rather than exclusively in her parents’ kitchen. Marianna pursued the performing arts in and outside of high school during her adolescence. This included a youth theatre apprenticeship with Odyssey Theatre. As a performer on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, her credits at Studio 58 include Miranda (The Tempest), Second Maiden (Blood Wedding), Lucinda (Into the Woods), Gina (Girlhood 4 Dummies, Risky Nights) and Mia (Panty Sniffers, FourPlay). Marianna would like to thank her family and partner for their unconditional love and support. And of course, the fierce women she has shared the stage with. And Filip.