Deanna Jones
Co-Founder + Artistic Director
Deanna Jones (she/her) is co-founder and Artistic Director of Suitcase in Point with whom she has created and performed in over 15 original plays, including Barrel Crank, the Dora award nominated Keith Richards One Woman Show and Be Wearing Wolf. Other selected acting credits include: Silly Old Men Ought Not to Fall in Love (Theatre Beyond Words), Bluenose (Carousel Players), and Trout Stanley (Essential Collective Theatre). She is part of FIXT Point’s ensemble for the Tale of a Town Canada, directed Niagara Artists Centre’s STRUTT Wearable Art Runway Show (2011-2014), and is Artistic Director of In the Soil Arts Festival. Deanna has a B.A. in Theatre from Brock University, and has trained with One Yellow Rabbit, Philippe Gaulier, Upright Citizen’s Brigade and SITI Company. Deanna is currently working on a new show about the history of smoking cigarettes, des antécédents de tabagisme.
Tamara Jensen
Director of Marketing and Development
Having founded and worked with some of Niagara’s leading destination and event brands over the past decade, Tamara (she/her) brings a wealth of hospitality, tourism, and event marketing expertise as the Director of Marketing and Development. As a practicing visual artist and board member with the Niagara Artists Centre, Tamara is passionate about creating and amplifying opportunities for artists to make a creative living in Niagara. Tamara is the recipient of the 2014 Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce Women In Business Outstanding New Business Award, and has been recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Business Achievement Award recipient. Her fine dining restaurant, Dispatch, was named one of enRoute Magazine’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada. Tamara has a M.A. in Forensic Psychology from Carleton University and received a Professional Management certification from the Goodman School of Business at Brock University.
Marcel Stewart
Outreach Director
James McCoy
Production + Technical Coordinator
James McCoy (he/they) is a queer theatre artist working in the Hamilton/Niagara area. A graduate of Brock University and the National Theatre School, James specializes in all areas of theatrical tech and design. He also enjoys teaching and mentoring emerging designers and technicians, looking forward to when he can work alongside them. His recent work has included video editing and post production on a number of online theatrical performances. James has recently been diving into the relationship between performance and games through tabletop RPGs.
Michelle Mohammed
Artistic Associate
Michelle Mohammed (she/her) is an artist with a primary interest in developing her skills as a performer and director. She is currently working as an Artistic Associate at Suitcase in Point and Teaching Assistant to Cole Alvis at Brock University. In 2021, she worked with the Shaw Festival, Why Not Theatre, Brock University, The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, and Suitcase in Point. She also worked as a dramaturg and actor on an audio drama created by Aria Sharma entitled, The Trick to Walking Backwards. In 2020, she trained in Factory Theatre’s Mechanicals actor training program under the direction of the incomparable Nina Lee Aquino and worked as an Operations Assistant with the wonderful Amrita Kaur-Ratta for Shades of Brown Girl.
Select credits include: Olga in Orphan’s for the Czar(Crow’s Theatre), Betty in Betty’s House(Workshops) by Nikki Shaffeeullah, Villager in Chitra (Shaw Festival), Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare BASH’d), Devisor/Creator in Mahabharata (Workshops) (Why Not Theatre/Shaw Festival), The Handmaid’s Tale (Gilead 3 Prod), Apprentice Assistant Director to Peter Hinton in Oh What a Lovely War (Shaw Festival), Assistant Director to Danielle Wilson in Top Girls (Brock University).
Kaylyn Valdez-Scott
Artistic Associate
Kaylyn Valdez-Scott (she/her) is a half Filipina, half Scottish multi-disciplinary artist from Toronto, Ontario. Kaylyn is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Tethered The Ghost, a collective that explores and celebrates the Filipinx-Canadian diaspora. Their original work, Healing Thread, has been supported by the Ontario Arts Council to continue production, and just wrapped a run at the 2021 In the Soil Arts Festival. Kaylyn’s work is rooted in her passion for devised physical creation, through song and movement. Kaylyn is excited to continue her work with Suitcase in Point as their Artistic Associate. Select credits include: Sister Warriors (Workshop, Suitcase in Point/Affair of Honor), Healing Thread (Tethered The Ghost), The Team (Essential Collective Theatre/Theatre Aquarius), Macbeth (Tottering Biped Theatre), September Songs (Twitches & Itches Theatre).
Board of Directors
Chair
Rebecca Cann
Vice President
Nigel Scott
Treasurer
Kahlin Holmes
Secretary
Annie Slade
Director
Michelle Brisebois
Director
Diana Myrie
Director
Rick Fast
Associate Artists
We are proud to have worked with a wide range of incredible artists, stage managers and technicians since our inception in 2001. From creative collaborators to guest artists, the following folks have contributed to the past 15 years of Suitcase in Point programs.
Graham Shaw
Mike Wale
Heather Maxwell
Dawn Crysler
Andre du Toit
Lewis Melville
Dave Clark
Ernest Harris Jr.
Amy Nostbakken
Rose Plotek
Erin Birkenbergs
Muoi Nene
Stephen Remus
Jason Cadieux
Anrita Petraroia
Diane Konkin
Ker Wells
Clelia Scala
Amir Amiri
June Etta Chenard
Bruce McCulloch
Anah Shabbar
Kelli Sitarski
Lisa Brooke
Tyler Sainsbury
Joe Lapinski
Robert Feetham
Adam Buller
Trent Pardy
Adam Paolozza
Monica Dufault
Kate Leathers
Jessica Carmichael
Michael Greves
Katie Webb
Charles Ketchabaw
Peter Balkwill
Doug Ledingham
Terrance Cox
Daniele Bartolini
Alexa Fraser
Gupreet Chana
Dave Oxner
Thomas Colagna
Kris Demeanor
Rebecca Walsh
Lisa Marie Diliberto
Jacob Bergsma
Jacqueline Costa
Steve Watson
Brittany Brooks
Erin Shields
Geoff Brown
Kevin Richardson
Ethan Rising
Kimberly Purtell
Carla Ritchie
Melissa Convery
Stephanie Jones
Chris Penney
Danielle Wilson
Debbie Arruda
Kasia Smuga
Sascha Cole
Rob Robbins
Shary Boyle
Sam Kalilieh
Andrea Adcock
Johnny Cann