rock paper sistahz 2014

A second-draft reading of Other Side of the Game was presented at the 13th annual rock paper sistahz festival on May 17th, 2014 with the following company:

ABENA MALIKA – actor

Abena is thrilled to be joining the cast of Other Side of the Game for this year’s festival! Film/TV credits include:Rookie Blue (ABC), Flashpoint (CTV/CBS), Suits (USA Network/BRAVO!) and Lost Girl (BRAVO!). She also starred in Charles Officer’s film 100 Musicians, which was chosen to screen at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Theatre credits include: Intimate Apparel (ATP), Cruel and Tender, directed by Atom Egoyan (The Canadian Stage Company), A Raisin in the Sun, Jitters, A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, e.e. cummings in song(Soulpepper Theatre), Da Kink in MY Hair (Mirvish/San Diego Repertory Theatre, Hackney Empire Theatre),Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, Mamma Mia! (Mirvish). Abena is the recipient of a 2007 NAACP Award and two Dora Award nominations. As a singer, she has toured with many artists, notably with the band Jacksoul opening for the legendary James Brown on his final Canadian tour.

SHOMARI DOWNER – actor

Actor Shomari Downer draws from a diverse range of life experiences, realities and communities to bring characters to life. A child between worlds, the son of British-Jamaican parents, Shomari spent a lot of time visiting his family of 5 brothers and 6 sisters in England and growing up as a single child in with his mother in Canada.Ranging from stage to television to film, Shomari’s passion for authentic story telling and honest characters has led him to explore a range of emotions – a challenge that Shomari relishes. Being cast in “Born Ready” and the Toronto run of “Secrets of a Black boy” Shomari is no stranger to the stage and has found great success in cobbling together slices of life to tell moving stories through his craft.From his start on the screen in John Singleton’s “4 Brothers” to him taking on the lead in the Lifetime movie “One Angry Juror”, Shomari Downer has embarked on a beautiful Quixotic journey to discover himself while inhabiting the lives of others.

AMANDA PARRIS – actor/playwright/producer

Bio can be found here.

DRAE WALSH – actor

Drae Walsh is a Community “Artivist”, Activism through Art. born and raised in Toronto, ON he discovered a love for media at Trinity Square Video an artist co-op in the downtown core of Toronto.

He then facilitated an award winning program for emerging video artist called “Fresh Voices”.

While becoming co-founder of 4Unity Productions a non-profit interdisciplinary audio/video studio space in Parkdale. Drae has been writing treatments and directing visuals for Much Music +Juno award nominated recording artist “Point Blank”.

He has worked as assistant D.O.P. on “Exchanging Vows” produced by Life network.

He went on to play the principal role in Canada’s first “Hip Hoprea”called “Da Real Deal” and “Reality Rules” the sequel, a two part play about resourceful youth, relationships & AIDS.

He has received numerous awards but none so needed as a scholarship into the Community Arts Practise Program, part of the Environmental Studies Department at York University.

Drae has set a goal of delivering a global balance of diversity, inclusion and equality in all artistic and educational endeavours he is a part of.

CARA EASTCOTT – director

Cara is Toronto based multi-disciplinary creative producer and performer who believes in the power of good storytelling and cooperation. She works on combining community development with the arts and encourages the use of humor and music in everything. She has been a member of local theatre ensembles and productions with organizations such as b current theatre company and Art Starts. She has performed stand up comedy and spoken word in Toronto and Mumbai, India. Cara has worked as the Associate Producer at Goldëlox Productions in Toronto, a social issue documentary production company. Cara is currently the Community Liaison and Event Producer at the Abilities Arts Festival – an annual festival dedicated to disability arts.

Note: The dream sequences included in the second draft reading of Other Side of the Game were written by Keisha-Monique Simpson.