Vanier Improv Company 2020-2021
Tuesdays @ 9:00 PM
Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Dec. 1, Jan. 19, Feb. 9, Mar. 9, Mar. 30
VIC 25th Anniversary Jan. 27 @ 7:30 PM
Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Dec. 1, Jan. 19, Feb. 9, Mar. 9, Mar. 30
VIC 25th Anniversary Jan. 27 @ 7:30 PM
Directed by Jonathan Shaboo
Stage Managed by Shania Mendes
Technical Directed by Shabithah Varatharajan
Cast:
Alexandra Gouvis
Barbara Morrone-Sanchez
Hannah Rocca
Hitesh Arulnesan
Kaitlyn Stollery
Kiana Shahamat-Manesh
Mary Witlib
Mason Choffe
Montserrat Cadena
Vicky Tan
Stage Managed by Shania Mendes
Technical Directed by Shabithah Varatharajan
Cast:
Alexandra Gouvis
Barbara Morrone-Sanchez
Hannah Rocca
Hitesh Arulnesan
Kaitlyn Stollery
Kiana Shahamat-Manesh
Mary Witlib
Mason Choffe
Montserrat Cadena
Vicky Tan
Meet the Crew & Cast of VIC 2020-2021
Shania Mendes
Shania is a third year Cinema and Media Studies student at York and is in her first season with Vanier College Productions. She is currently taking on the role of Stage Manager of Vanier Improv Company. In previous years, Shania was the lighting designer at her highschool’s audio-visual club and performed in her school’s biannual variety performance shows. She is very excited to be working with the VIC this year and is looking forward to a wonderful season!
Shania is a third year Cinema and Media Studies student at York and is in her first season with Vanier College Productions. She is currently taking on the role of Stage Manager of Vanier Improv Company. In previous years, Shania was the lighting designer at her highschool’s audio-visual club and performed in her school’s biannual variety performance shows. She is very excited to be working with the VIC this year and is looking forward to a wonderful season!
Shabithah Varatharajan
Shabithah, or known as Shabi to most, is a first year student at York in the Schulich School of Business and it’s her first year with Vanier College Productions. She was part of the drama club during high school and is looking forward to getting more involved with VCP in the years to come. She is excited to spend her first year learning as much as she can from the rest of the VCP cast and crew!
Shabithah, or known as Shabi to most, is a first year student at York in the Schulich School of Business and it’s her first year with Vanier College Productions. She was part of the drama club during high school and is looking forward to getting more involved with VCP in the years to come. She is excited to spend her first year learning as much as she can from the rest of the VCP cast and crew!
Alexandra Gouvis
Alexandra is a third year theatre student specializing in dramaturgy at York University. This is her second year with VCP and first year with the VIC. She is so excited to be a part of this special anniversary season!
Alexandra is a third year theatre student specializing in dramaturgy at York University. This is her second year with VCP and first year with the VIC. She is so excited to be a part of this special anniversary season!
Hannah Rocca
Hannah Rocca is a second year devised theatre and English student at York University. Despite being born and raised in Moncton, New Brunswick, (which also happens to be where she is quarantined) Hannah is NOT a fan of seafood. She performed with the Canadian Improv Games through high school, and enjoyed it enough to join the VIC when she began university. This is her second consecutive year with the company! Hannah enjoys everything bagels (with lactose free cream cheese), arbitrary personality tests (wow such a Slytherin), and (most of all) entertaining others
Hannah Rocca is a second year devised theatre and English student at York University. Despite being born and raised in Moncton, New Brunswick, (which also happens to be where she is quarantined) Hannah is NOT a fan of seafood. She performed with the Canadian Improv Games through high school, and enjoyed it enough to join the VIC when she began university. This is her second consecutive year with the company! Hannah enjoys everything bagels (with lactose free cream cheese), arbitrary personality tests (wow such a Slytherin), and (most of all) entertaining others
Kaitlyn Stollery
Kaitlyn is a fourth year Theatre student here at York University, and a third-time cast member in the Vanier Improv Company. In addition to the VIC, she has been in four VCP productions, lighting designed for Show Choir (2018), and is currently in two of the productions with VCP this year (check them out)! She also assistant-directed, lighting designed and performed in On Its Way Musical Production's Next to Normal (2019) at the Fred Thury Theatre. Kaitlyn co-hosted VCP's 2020 Breaking Curtain where she won the Dave Crawford Award. She would love to thank all of the wonderful staff from VCP past and present for providing her with a home from home, Jonathan Shaboo for being the fantastic director of the VIC, and all of her friends and family for their continual support in the audience.
Kaitlyn is a fourth year Theatre student here at York University, and a third-time cast member in the Vanier Improv Company. In addition to the VIC, she has been in four VCP productions, lighting designed for Show Choir (2018), and is currently in two of the productions with VCP this year (check them out)! She also assistant-directed, lighting designed and performed in On Its Way Musical Production's Next to Normal (2019) at the Fred Thury Theatre. Kaitlyn co-hosted VCP's 2020 Breaking Curtain where she won the Dave Crawford Award. She would love to thank all of the wonderful staff from VCP past and present for providing her with a home from home, Jonathan Shaboo for being the fantastic director of the VIC, and all of her friends and family for their continual support in the audience.
Kiana Shahamat-Manesh
Kiana is in her fourth year in York’s Theatre program in the Performance and Creation Research stream as well as specializing in Playwriting. This is her first year in VCP and she is very excited to be a part of the VIC! She looks forward to creating lots of fun memories with the company!
Kiana is in her fourth year in York’s Theatre program in the Performance and Creation Research stream as well as specializing in Playwriting. This is her first year in VCP and she is very excited to be a part of the VIC! She looks forward to creating lots of fun memories with the company!
Mary Witlib
Mary Witlib is a first year student currently enrolled in the Theatre program. Past experiences/roles include being in Talk Is Free Theatre’s “Young Company” in their production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods (2019), and “Mrs. Beauregarde” in East View Secondary School’s production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (2018). She also helped design and build the set for Willy Wonka. Along with many workshops and training within the field, she hopes to pursue a career in theatre. This is also her first year working with VCP and she hopes to continue working with them in the future.
Mary Witlib is a first year student currently enrolled in the Theatre program. Past experiences/roles include being in Talk Is Free Theatre’s “Young Company” in their production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods (2019), and “Mrs. Beauregarde” in East View Secondary School’s production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (2018). She also helped design and build the set for Willy Wonka. Along with many workshops and training within the field, she hopes to pursue a career in theatre. This is also her first year working with VCP and she hopes to continue working with them in the future.
Mason Choffe
In the beginning, there was nothing. Then, eventually, after a long, long, time, there was Mason Choffe. Mason is a fourth-year Student at York University, and this is his fourth year at VCP! He has been acting since he was 5 years old, and has had many different roles including Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web. Upon being accepted at York University, he joined VCP and played the role of Captain Slank in Peter and the Starcatcher. Since then, he has been a regular member of the VIC for 3 years running, and can be seen as Harlan Bean in VCP’s upcoming production of The Radio Play Disaster. Mason’s major is English and Professional Writing, and hopes to become an actor or a novelist after graduating.
In the beginning, there was nothing. Then, eventually, after a long, long, time, there was Mason Choffe. Mason is a fourth-year Student at York University, and this is his fourth year at VCP! He has been acting since he was 5 years old, and has had many different roles including Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web. Upon being accepted at York University, he joined VCP and played the role of Captain Slank in Peter and the Starcatcher. Since then, he has been a regular member of the VIC for 3 years running, and can be seen as Harlan Bean in VCP’s upcoming production of The Radio Play Disaster. Mason’s major is English and Professional Writing, and hopes to become an actor or a novelist after graduating.
Montserrat Cadena
Montserrat is a film student who’s in love with theater. There was always something holding them back from trying out acting but this year she thought “screw it”. Monteserrat loves watching people and listening to them and understanding their complexity. It helps her understand different views and fuels her own creativity. She loves getting lost in the character and forgetting everything else, just making an opinion. Her opinion is choosing to be brave and taking every chance she can at happiness.
Montserrat is a film student who’s in love with theater. There was always something holding them back from trying out acting but this year she thought “screw it”. Monteserrat loves watching people and listening to them and understanding their complexity. It helps her understand different views and fuels her own creativity. She loves getting lost in the character and forgetting everything else, just making an opinion. Her opinion is choosing to be brave and taking every chance she can at happiness.
Vicky Tan
Vicky is a fourth year film production student at York. This is her fourth season with VCP and her third year as a LEAP. When she isn’t questioning her existence or dramatically acting out songs, Vicky is worrying too much about her grades and drinking a scalding cup of tea. She is excited to be a part of the VIC this year! She feels extremely lucky to work and joke around with her fellow VIC members and crew. She would also like to thank her sister, and her dog, Mochi, for their constant love and support.
Vicky is a fourth year film production student at York. This is her fourth season with VCP and her third year as a LEAP. When she isn’t questioning her existence or dramatically acting out songs, Vicky is worrying too much about her grades and drinking a scalding cup of tea. She is excited to be a part of the VIC this year! She feels extremely lucky to work and joke around with her fellow VIC members and crew. She would also like to thank her sister, and her dog, Mochi, for their constant love and support.
