Students Completely Reimagine Classic Tales in Virtual Production of ‘Ye Gods!’

Back in the summertime, Andy Massingham challenged his fifth-term Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre students to come up with a list of legends, myths and fables they might like to reimagine on the Toronto Film School stage.

“The response was overwhelming: over 50 stories from across the spectrum of time and place. The company worked together to give fresh interpretations and see what happened,” Massingham said of the origins of the upcoming virtual production of Ye Gods!

“In Ye Gods!, we will travel from Mount Olympus, to an abandoned cabin, to the deep Russian wilderness, to the gritty world of a seedy nightclub, a dark alley and all points in between, and eventually back to the world where all these stories came from…ready to be told again.”

The 90-minute play, which was stage managed and assistant directed by Deep Shah, will take to the virtual stage for a three-performance run on the evenings of Dec. 16, 17 and 18 as follows:

Thursday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. (EST)

Friday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. (EST)

Saturday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. (EST)

***Click here to livestream any of the above performances***

 The Creative Team Behind Ye Gods!:

Adam Ali (He/him)

Adam Ali is a fifth term acting student at Toronto Film School. He can speak fluent English and conversational Hindi. After high school, Adam decided to join TFS to start his career in the film industry. He can perform using many accents and loves to work with his voice. Adam has appeared on a few TFS student films including a silent Film he wrote, produced, and directed. He has also worked on and acted in a 48- hour film festival submission titled The Denim Salesman. Adam’s hobbies include singing, archery and cooking.

Aidan Autan (He/him)

Aidan Auten is an actor in training at Toronto Film School, where he has been studying since October 2020. Since the start of school, Aidan has been actively working towards and helping his classmates achieve their collective goal of becoming great actors. Aidan really enjoys voice acting and character work, and on his own time, he does game design.

Sajeev Bhagowtee (He/him)

Sajeev Bhagowtee grew up in Bradford, Ontario and studied Archaeology at the University of Waterloo. He worked in the industry for a few years, until his passion for performing pulled him back into the acting world. When Sajeev isn’t studying and rehearsing, he is playing sports or watching the newest movies. He knows the importance of storytelling, and what value film and theatre play in all of our lives. Acting in various student short films and TFS productions, Sajeev knows there’s a story out there for everyone and he wants to tell them all.

Carina Pinto-Bras (She/her)

Originally from Portugal, Carina is currently attending Toronto Film School’s Acting program. She is fluent in both English and Portuguese. Carina has co-written, co-directed, and acted multiple roles in Mae and The Wallpaper, which both competed in the National Theater School Drama Festival. She has also acted in and directed some short films at TFS. Carina enjoys reading, music, and film.

Rebekah Costa (She/her)

Rebekah Costa is currently a Term 5 student in Toronto Film School’s Acting program. In high school, Rebekah co-wrote, directed, and starred in a play. She won an award for the writing and directing of it. She went to an arts high school and studied drama from Grades 10-12. She was in five school plays, playing one of the main characters in four of them. She was also a co-councillor at the Harbourfront’s theatre camp in 2019. When she is not acting, she also enjoys writing, reading and all things film.

Mackenzie Gibson (She/her)

Born in Reno, Nevada, Mackenzie Gibson moved to Canada during childhood and featured in Canadian films, pageants, commercials and music videos based in Toronto. After losing touch with the industry in high school and getting a degree in Cosmetic Techniques and Management, she re-discovered her passion at Toronto Film School in October 2020. Since then, she has been non-stop working in front and behind the camera on student films and passion projects, including one of her own based around the subject of mental health awareness. She enjoys hiking, nature, art, and all things entertainment related.

Juan Giraldo (He/him)

Juan Giraldo started off his acting passion with his high school’s production of Camp Rolling Hills, playing the lead role of Smelly. He left home at 18 to live in Toronto as a full-time student at Toronto Film School. He was very creative from a young age, always looking to make movies with his cousin. Born in Colombia, he then moved to Canada for a safer life. Juan is fluent in both Spanish and English. He played a majority of team sports growing up, particularly soccer. He knows how to quickly build chemistry with teammates and coworkers. To this day Juan brings optimism, charisma, and good energy on set.

Deanna Hill (She/her)

A Term 5 student at Toronto Film School, Deanna Hill recently moved from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she was raised to finish her acting studies live in person. Deanna studied drama in both junior high and high school, supplementing her studies by participating in an after-school Theatre Production Program for the last two years. She has been cast in a couple student-run productions and many general plays. In one of those productions, entitled I Hate Shakespeare, she was cast as seven different characters ranging from an eccentric British literary historian to a failing one-lined murderer. Deanna is very proud of this and is not sure when she’ll stop bringing that fact up. Her hobbies include guitar playing, singing, song writing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. Deanna’s interests include ultimate frisbee, basketball, ukulele, and traveling.

Najma Hirsi (She/her)

Originally from Somalia, Najma is a Term 5 student in Toronto Film School’s Acting program. She speaks fluent English, Urdu, and Somalian. Najma finished high school last year. She was supposed to go to law school, but she decided to join TFS to follow her passion for acting. Najma has participated in short films such as Martha Kopps and Ramirez, and she was also part of Thanks for Nothing. Najma loves to ride longboards and some of her other hobbies are soccer, basketball, and any type of sport. She enjoys riding horses and has been doing this since she was 11 years old.

 Trinity Marshall (He/him)

Trinity Hope Marshall is the smartest out of his 14 siblings. Coming out of Innisfil Ontario, Trinity is currently a full-time student at Toronto Film School. Growing up, he was always fond of all things art, drawing, crafting, and even filmmaking many little skits and movies. Besides his love of art, Trinity has also taken an active role in his community, going to events and programs and making himself known in the Native community – even earning himself an eagle feather, which is a big deal in Native culture. His dream is to continue doing what he loves and to be a huge success in whatever he does.

Julien Meunier (He/him)

Born in Quebec, Julian is a Term 5 student on Toronto Film School’s Acting program. He speaks fluent French and English. During high school, he tried learning how to make video games, but gave up after seeing that he still understood nothing. It wasn’t until after high school that he finally realized he wanted to become an actor and join TFS. He enjoys editing, games, and movies.

Stella Park (She/her)

Stella Park is a 19-year-old Term 5 Acting student enrolled in Toronto Film School. Originally born in South Korea, Stella immigrated to Canada with her family at a young age. She is able to speak fluently in both Korean and English. Stella discovered her interest in acting after doing theatre throughout junior high. She has been passionately working on improving her acting skills. Stella aspires to be a film and television actress.

Zhuang Nanli (They/ them)

Zhuang Nanli, is an acting student at Toronto Film School learning how to become a young wannabe actor. They speak fluent Mandarin and English. Nanli is also a writer and editor, mainly focusing on fan art, which hasn’t yet gained any fame nor popularity at all. Nanli’s interest in acting started in high school and stretched its way all the way into university. After failing Psychology and Journalism, Nanli majored in English Literature and Theatre and Performance Art at the University of Toronto. There, they successfully staged The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine and The Drowning Girls. Nanli had to stop developing Concord Floral because of COVID-19, then transferred to Toronto Film School with the aim of learning more practical skills in film and TV. Nanli has successfully debuted as an actor, writer, director, producer, and editor with their first short film, Killing Plant. Nanli is currently working on their short film, I’m Not a Baker.

Shakir Qadri (He/him)

Born in Toronto. Shakir Qadri is a Term 5 Acting student at Toronto Film School. Shakir has participated in the famous 48-hour film competition as an actor and has also appeared as an extra for some Toronto projects. Shakir is proficient at guitar as his instrument of choice. He has also competed in various dance competitions while attending York University for Political Science. Shakir is also fluent in English and conversational Urdu and Hindi. Shakir enjoys fitness, kickboxing, and parkour.

Sangeev Ravindran (He/him)

Sangeev Ravindran’s passion for acting began in his high school drama class. Initially, he enjoyed the opportunity to make people laugh as he starred in the Improv Show at Woodbridge College. When he decided to pursue acting at Toronto Film School, his newfound motivation was self-exploration. He has previously trained at York University acting for non-majors, The O.A Training Studio, Second City, The Livonia Improv Club, and now currently training in the Acting for Film & Television program at Toronto Film School.

Priscilla Ayomikun Saidu (She/her)

Originally from Nigeria, Priscilla is a Term 5 student in Toronto Film School’s Acting program. She speaks fluent English, Yoruba, and Pidgin English. Before deciding to follow her passion for acting at TFS, Priscilla studied law back in Nigeria and worked in the customer service industry. She has written, directed, produced, and acted in her silent movie which focused on the fate of a young lady who was raped and got pregnant. Priscilla has acted in some Nigerian short movies and music videos here in Toronto. She enjoys cooking, talking, writing, dancing, and traveling.

Richard Sánchez (He/ him)

Originally from Germany, Richard Sánchez is a Term 5 student in Toronto Film School’s Acting program who speaks fluent English and German. Before he decided to continue his education at TFS to follow his passion for acting and directing, Richard built a small production company called 324 Productions. He has acted, produced, written, and directed and continued his green-lit silent film Out, which is focused on the importance being there for one another before it’s too late. Richard has acted in a few short films and commercials around the industry. He enjoys acting, filmmaking, modeling, and weightlifting.

Dawn Warren (She/her)

Dawn Warren is currently a Term 5 student in Toronto Film School’s Acting program. Dawn spent her childhood on several military bases, as her family served in the Royal Canadian Navy. Dawn previously studied at Wilfred Laurier University for Archeology specializing in Paleontology. She is now pursuing her love of storytelling and imagination through the art of theatre and film. Dawn has written, acted and produced a few short films and has also participated in several voice artist projects. Dawn has practiced competitive archery, and enjoys writing, reading and all things nature.

 Tamara Yelisieieva

Originally from Russia, Tamara is a Term 5 student in Toronto Film School’s Acting for Film and Theatre program. She speaks fluent Russian, Ukrainian and English. Tamara finished her studies in Sales and Marketing and worked in the field for a while before deciding to follow her dream and became a TFS student. Tamara has experience in modeling, shooting music videos and has been an extra in a couple of movies. Tamara enjoys writing, reading and music.

Andy Massingham – Director

Andy Massingham hails from Toronto and is a Dora Award-winning actor, director, educator, and playwright. He has performed across Canada at such venues as the Stratford Festival, Theatre New Brunswick, National Arts Centre, Banff Centre, Tarragon, Odyssey, Y.P.T. and many others. For the past 30 years, Andy has concentrated on physical theatre creation. His wordless play Rough House (presented by Nightswimming Theatre) toured Canada and the U.S. At Toronto Film School, he has directed Not A Clue and This Is How It’s Done. He is currently developing a series of comedic works based on the myth of knowledge. He is enjoying it immensely and he hopes that you will too, eventually. He thanks his wonderful company for taking the plunge into the world of Ye Gods! so fearlessly and creatively.

Deep Shah (He/Him) – Assistant Director/Stage Manager

Deep is originally from India and has been living in Canada for last seven years. He speaks fluent English, Hindi, Gujarati, and conversational Punjabi. Deep finished Mechanical Engineering and worked in the industry before he decided to join Toronto Film School to follow his passion for acting. Deep has appeared on both the President’s List and Honours List throughout his time at Toronto Film School and his grades and hard work are a confirmation of his passion for Acting. Deep wrote, produced, directed, and starred as lead in a Toronto Film School green lit short film, Blocks, which follows the struggle of a 21st century couple dealing with their traumas and finding their way out of difficulties in their relationship. Deep has also written, produced, directed, and starred as lead in his greenlit silent short film, Privileged, focusing on the importance of charity and life of homeless people. Deep appeared in Jonathan Whittaker’s rendition of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream as Bottom. He also appeared in a production of Clues as Wadsworth directed by Rosanna Saracino.