Alumni Producers
Brian Goldenberg – Artistic Director/Producer
bgolden@yorku.ca
Brian is a professional theatre producer, music director, songwriter/arranger, performer, and educator. He has worked as Business Consultant for Dancap Productions, the Director of Business and Development for the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation, Assistant Producer at Acting Up Stage Company, and Executive Director for Theatre 20. Currently, Brian is the Artistic & Executive Director for Angelwalk Theatre and the Artistic & Executive Producer for Goldenberg Productions. An accomplished songwriter, Brian won first-place in an In Front Magazine Music Contest for his song “Music Will Always Lead Me Home”, and wrote the music and additional lyrics for the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation Theme Song. His original musical Seven of Us made its Toronto debut in the 2010 Toronto Fringe Festival and he conceived the 2017 original musical Maddie’s Karaoke Birthday Party. Brian is a recipient of the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Citizenship Award, the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation Aces in Action Award, and three SINGular Sensation BackDoora Awards for contributions to the Toronto theatre community. A two-time graduate of York University (BFA in Music, Schulich MBA specializing in Arts & Media Management), Brian has enjoyed working with Vanier College Productions since 2003 and has served as Artistic Director/Producer since 2009.
bgolden@yorku.ca
Brian is a professional theatre producer, music director, songwriter/arranger, performer, and educator. He has worked as Business Consultant for Dancap Productions, the Director of Business and Development for the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation, Assistant Producer at Acting Up Stage Company, and Executive Director for Theatre 20. Currently, Brian is the Artistic & Executive Director for Angelwalk Theatre and the Artistic & Executive Producer for Goldenberg Productions. An accomplished songwriter, Brian won first-place in an In Front Magazine Music Contest for his song “Music Will Always Lead Me Home”, and wrote the music and additional lyrics for the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation Theme Song. His original musical Seven of Us made its Toronto debut in the 2010 Toronto Fringe Festival and he conceived the 2017 original musical Maddie’s Karaoke Birthday Party. Brian is a recipient of the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Citizenship Award, the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation Aces in Action Award, and three SINGular Sensation BackDoora Awards for contributions to the Toronto theatre community. A two-time graduate of York University (BFA in Music, Schulich MBA specializing in Arts & Media Management), Brian has enjoyed working with Vanier College Productions since 2003 and has served as Artistic Director/Producer since 2009.
Kristen Pepper – Associate Producer, Marketing & Alumni
kristen@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Kristen Pepper is a Toronto-based dancer, singer, actor, model, choreographer, director and producer. Her stage works include: The Silent Goodbye and White Light Follies (High Society Cabaret), DJAA in Fall For Dance North (Lua Shayenne Dance Company), Joseph…Dreamcoat (LOT) and Cabaret (VCP). Kristen is a versatile choreographer and director. She produced, choreographed and performed in Pepper Dance Projects’ Hooked for the Toronto and Windsor Fringe Festivals to critical acclaim. For the past four years, Kristen has also directed VCP’s There is No Maybe.
kristen@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Kristen Pepper is a Toronto-based dancer, singer, actor, model, choreographer, director and producer. Her stage works include: The Silent Goodbye and White Light Follies (High Society Cabaret), DJAA in Fall For Dance North (Lua Shayenne Dance Company), Joseph…Dreamcoat (LOT) and Cabaret (VCP). Kristen is a versatile choreographer and director. She produced, choreographed and performed in Pepper Dance Projects’ Hooked for the Toronto and Windsor Fringe Festivals to critical acclaim. For the past four years, Kristen has also directed VCP’s There is No Maybe.
Farnoosh Talebpour – Associate Producer, Production
farnoosh@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Farnoosh studied Fine Arts Cultural Studies at York University and during that time she was involved with VCP as a student in the role of Costume and Props Manager, but helping out wherever she could. She is excited to be back for her fourth season helping as a producer and looking forward to the wonderful shows and working with the talented VCP family.
farnoosh@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Farnoosh studied Fine Arts Cultural Studies at York University and during that time she was involved with VCP as a student in the role of Costume and Props Manager, but helping out wherever she could. She is excited to be back for her fourth season helping as a producer and looking forward to the wonderful shows and working with the talented VCP family.
Dave Crawford – Associate Producer, Strategic Operations
David Crawford (Associate Producer) is proud to be entering his 19th season with Vanier College Productions (VCP). He was the founding producer of the Vanier Improv Company (VIC), directed The Laramie Project, and has had other numerous roles both on and off-stage with VCP. A graduate of the York Theatre Program, Dave interned with Livent, Inc. on productions of Sunset Blvd. and Ragtime. As an independent producer, Dave’s credits include : Sketchy At Best and Santagod (Tim Sims Playhouse), the League Against Tedium (Bathurst Street Theatre), Into (Berkeley Theatre) and Tick, Tick…Boom ! (co-produced with Angelwalk Theatre). Along with Director Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, Dave also co-produced Dancing to a White Boy Song (Summerworks), the Dora-nominated Nightmare Dream and Oraltorio: a Theatrical Mixtape, and workshops of Motherland. Dave is looking forward to working with a great producing team on the 2020-21 season.
David Crawford (Associate Producer) is proud to be entering his 19th season with Vanier College Productions (VCP). He was the founding producer of the Vanier Improv Company (VIC), directed The Laramie Project, and has had other numerous roles both on and off-stage with VCP. A graduate of the York Theatre Program, Dave interned with Livent, Inc. on productions of Sunset Blvd. and Ragtime. As an independent producer, Dave’s credits include : Sketchy At Best and Santagod (Tim Sims Playhouse), the League Against Tedium (Bathurst Street Theatre), Into (Berkeley Theatre) and Tick, Tick…Boom ! (co-produced with Angelwalk Theatre). Along with Director Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, Dave also co-produced Dancing to a White Boy Song (Summerworks), the Dora-nominated Nightmare Dream and Oraltorio: a Theatrical Mixtape, and workshops of Motherland. Dave is looking forward to working with a great producing team on the 2020-21 season.
Alanna McConnell – Associate Producer, Technical
alanna@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Alanna graduated from York’s Theatre Production and Design Program in 2012 and spent her time as a student heavily involved in VCP. Professionally, she has worked as the Assistant Technical Director and Interim Technical Director at Canadian Stage Company, Production Manager for Outside the March’s production of Tomorrow Love, Patio Technical Director for The Toronto Fringe Festival, Production Manager for Peggy Baker Dance Projects for the premier tour of Who We Are in The Dark, and she's currently working as an Associate Technical Director with Tarragon Theater.
alanna@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Alanna graduated from York’s Theatre Production and Design Program in 2012 and spent her time as a student heavily involved in VCP. Professionally, she has worked as the Assistant Technical Director and Interim Technical Director at Canadian Stage Company, Production Manager for Outside the March’s production of Tomorrow Love, Patio Technical Director for The Toronto Fringe Festival, Production Manager for Peggy Baker Dance Projects for the premier tour of Who We Are in The Dark, and she's currently working as an Associate Technical Director with Tarragon Theater.
Jean-Paul Yovanoff – Assistant Producer
jeanpaulyovanoff@gmail.com
Jean-Paul is entering his 19th year with VCP. He has performed in every capacity in the company, including actor, director, sound op, lights op, stage manager, front of house manager and pretty much every position in between. He even helped sew costumes for about an hour in 1997, until it was determined that his skills could be put to better use in LITERALLY any other part of the company. Jean-Paul looks forward to another 19 years with the company, but with fewer strikes and pandemics during that time.
jeanpaulyovanoff@gmail.com
Jean-Paul is entering his 19th year with VCP. He has performed in every capacity in the company, including actor, director, sound op, lights op, stage manager, front of house manager and pretty much every position in between. He even helped sew costumes for about an hour in 1997, until it was determined that his skills could be put to better use in LITERALLY any other part of the company. Jean-Paul looks forward to another 19 years with the company, but with fewer strikes and pandemics during that time.
Arielle Branitsky – Assistant Producer
arielle@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Arielle is a proud VCP Alumna. From 2003-2008 she held titles of Assistant Stage Manager, Stage Manager, Production Manager, and Director of Publicity and Events. She received the VCP Hero award for her work on the 2007-2008 Season and stayed involved post graduation as a member of the alumni committee. Since graduating from York, Arielle has received Masters in Jewish Education and Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, and lived in six different cities around the world. Arielle now works as an Independent Contractor in the fields of Jewish education and experiential design. She is very excited to have the opportunity of reconnecting with VCP as an Assistant Producer, now that she is resettled in Toronto.
arielle@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Arielle is a proud VCP Alumna. From 2003-2008 she held titles of Assistant Stage Manager, Stage Manager, Production Manager, and Director of Publicity and Events. She received the VCP Hero award for her work on the 2007-2008 Season and stayed involved post graduation as a member of the alumni committee. Since graduating from York, Arielle has received Masters in Jewish Education and Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, and lived in six different cities around the world. Arielle now works as an Independent Contractor in the fields of Jewish education and experiential design. She is very excited to have the opportunity of reconnecting with VCP as an Assistant Producer, now that she is resettled in Toronto.
LEAP Work-Study Students
Matthew Sabido – The Robert & Nancy Accinelli Company & Production Manager
matthew@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Matthew is a fourth year devised theatre student at York, and this is his fifth season with Vanier College Productions. In previous years, Matthew only took on roles in the musicals and show choir, but going into his second year as Production Manager he looks forward to devising new avenues for VCP to excel in an online and virtually connected setting. His strongest suit in production is sound design and technology, so ask him anything and he'll be glad to answer.
matthew@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Matthew is a fourth year devised theatre student at York, and this is his fifth season with Vanier College Productions. In previous years, Matthew only took on roles in the musicals and show choir, but going into his second year as Production Manager he looks forward to devising new avenues for VCP to excel in an online and virtually connected setting. His strongest suit in production is sound design and technology, so ask him anything and he'll be glad to answer.
Ethan Mofford – Technical Director
ethan@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Ethan is a fourth year film major and aspiring artist/animator who's made it his personal mission to be a part of every VCP show in some form or fashion before he graduates, whenever that happens. He's known for his red beanie and his creative encouragement! He's excited as always to work here again! Get ready for a fun year!
ethan@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Ethan is a fourth year film major and aspiring artist/animator who's made it his personal mission to be a part of every VCP show in some form or fashion before he graduates, whenever that happens. He's known for his red beanie and his creative encouragement! He's excited as always to work here again! Get ready for a fun year!
Hussein Esmail – Technical Director
hussein@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Hussein is a second-year computer science student at Lassonde School of Engineering, and this is his second season at Vanier College Productions. His previous roles include Lighting Designer (Spelling Bee, 2019), as well as 3 years of lighting and sound operation in high school. When Hussein is not working on schoolwork or helping at VCP, he is usually reading or playing with his dog. He is eager for a long and eventful future here.
hussein@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Hussein is a second-year computer science student at Lassonde School of Engineering, and this is his second season at Vanier College Productions. His previous roles include Lighting Designer (Spelling Bee, 2019), as well as 3 years of lighting and sound operation in high school. When Hussein is not working on schoolwork or helping at VCP, he is usually reading or playing with his dog. He is eager for a long and eventful future here.
Vicky Tan – Communications & Media Manager
vicky@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Vicky is a fourth year film production student at York. This is her fourth season with VCP and her third year as a LEAP. Her previous roles include Stage Manager (9 to 5: The Musical), Sound Designer (The Exonerated) and Board Operator (Shrek). Vicky is an avid lover of tea, books, and dogs. Bring her any of the above items and you will become her favourite person. You can see some of her work on her Facebook page, Lady of the Lake Productions.
vicky@vaniercollegeproductions.com
Vicky is a fourth year film production student at York. This is her fourth season with VCP and her third year as a LEAP. Her previous roles include Stage Manager (9 to 5: The Musical), Sound Designer (The Exonerated) and Board Operator (Shrek). Vicky is an avid lover of tea, books, and dogs. Bring her any of the above items and you will become her favourite person. You can see some of her work on her Facebook page, Lady of the Lake Productions.
Araceli Ferrara – Communications & Alumni Manager
araceli.m.ferrara@gmail.com
Araceli is fourth year theatre student at York University, specializing in Dramaturgy and Devised Theatre with a minor in history. This is her fourth season with VCP and her second year as a LEAP. Araceli is a lover of theatre; you can often find her working on her own play or helping with someone else’s. Don't hesitate to ask her for any advice on developing a new show because she can and will talk about it for hours.
araceli.m.ferrara@gmail.com
Araceli is fourth year theatre student at York University, specializing in Dramaturgy and Devised Theatre with a minor in history. This is her fourth season with VCP and her second year as a LEAP. Araceli is a lover of theatre; you can often find her working on her own play or helping with someone else’s. Don't hesitate to ask her for any advice on developing a new show because she can and will talk about it for hours.
