Bright Young Things: Meet the Young Ambassadors of the 2014 PuSh Festival

January 14, 2014

I’m very excited to introduce you all to this year’s Young Ambassador cohort. It’s been such a pleasure to work with everyone and to be inspired by their energy and enthusiasm. Welcome to the next generation of Vancouver’s performing arts scene.

Find out more about the origins of the PuSh Young Ambassadors program in my interview with program founder, Dani Fecko.

Meet the Ambassadors

Alyssa Kostello is a 2011 graduate of Capilano University’s Acting for Stage and Screen Program. She is currently taking part in PTC’s BlockA playwriting program and is the Artistic Director of NOW! Theatre where she’s combining her passion for theatre and sustainability. www.nowtheatre.ca / @NOWTheatre

Alyssa is a Young Ambassador for Seeds.

Chelsea MacDonald is currently on a whirlwind tour of adventures, traveling to five European countries, Mexico and the Virgin Islands in under three months. In reality, she is an actor who graduated from SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts with a degree in Theatre like a few of the other Young Ambassadors who also happen to be her pals. She is a founding member of emerging theatre company O, o, o, o and looks forward to learning more about art making and experiencing the Push Festival from a new angle.

Chelsea is a Young Ambassador for L.A. Party/An Evening with William Shatner Asterisk.

Chu-Lynne Ng’s stage debut was in Hong Kong as the Virgin Mary in Nativity Scene. Since then she has traveled around doing Playback Theater, performed improv with Chinese migrant workers for 2 years in China and mucked about at the Hive and Illuminares festivals. She thoroughly enjoys devising and has dealt with most of her theatre problem at SFU.

Chu-Lynne is a Young Ambassador for The Dragonfly of Chicoutimi.

Conor Wylie is a performer, director, writer, and creator working in the contemporary theatre. He is a co-founder of the theatre group, OOOO, wh.?/? -00//??j:?0?.— -:ome of Con’ crnt inteest & question: the law, complicity and the consumption of art, and playing or becoming the bad guy.

Conor is a Young Ambassador for Super Night Shot, Gob Squad’s Kitchen & The Quiet Volume.

Dan Borzillo is a recent graduate of SFU’s theater performance program. He is now working with a new local theater company O,o,o,o. Their most recent work together was at Art for Impact where they performed their new original work titled “I don’t want to be like this…”. Dan also is aspiring to be a decent photographer.

Dan is a Young Ambassador for Super Night Shot.

Devika Arora is a visual artist and entrepreneur. She is a globally travelled 24 year old currently studying Interaction Design at Emily Carr University. In 2011, she founded India’s largest rooftop event series called “420” (“Char So Bees” in Hindi) which focuses on promoting local retail and the performing arts in every capacity. Devika has worked for companies like TED.com, PUMA and Alienware, Dell in various roles and her photography has been exhibited in 10 prominent galleries around Asia. An audiophile and bookworm, Devika is a self proclaimed geek by day and superhero by night!

Devika is a Young Ambassador for Club PuSh.

Jamie Taylor is a local performer, creator, divisor, and great story teller. Ask her to tell you about how great her stories are. She also makes party games with O, o, o, o., so,o,o,o if you need tips or advice on how to be the life of the party, and look good doing it, ask her. You won’t regret it.

Jamie is a Young Ambassador for Super Night Shot.

Jess Amy Shead is a Performer who Stage Manages on the side, and enjoys working in all areas of theatre. Her focus is on challenging, innovative work, and her passion lies in collective creation. PuSh Festival is a thrill, and she is truly honoured to be involved.

Jess is a Young Ambassador for Super Night Shot and Have I No Mouth.

Jordy Matheson is in his second year of the Theatre Program at Douglas College. In addition to the PuSh Young Ambassadors program, he is an intern with Zee Zee Theatre. He is very excited to be taking part in such an excellent Festival!

Jordy is a Young Ambassador for Human Library.

Katrina Darychuk is an emerging director and writer. She is currently assistant directing Measure for Measure with The Honest Fishmongers at Pacific Theatre. Recent credits include writing Fallout, for 4PLAY: New Works by Excited Writers (directed by Kevin Bennett), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Studio 58), 8 Girls Without Boyfriends (Connected Theatre), Harvest (Gateway Theatre) and How Should You Be? (Architect Theatre/Studio 58). Katrina is the student ambassador for Rumble Theatre. She will graduate from Studio 58 in April.

Katrina is a Young Ambassador for Club PuSh.

Kayleigh Sandomirsky is finally done university after seven amazing years and ready for what the theatre world holds for her. However, her love for traveling often whisks her away to magical lands, where her passion for theatre only grows as she visits festivals all over the world. When she is calling Vancouver her home she loves to create, devise, perform, and on occasion sing (after a couple drinks).

Kayleigh is a Young Ambassador for Super Night Shot and Gob Squad’s Kitchen.

Meaghen Buckley is an interdisciplinary artist fusing academic research with studio practice to create experimental performance work in theatres, galleries, and public space. She studies at Emily Carr University and teaches dance at Arts Umbrella.

Meaghen is a Young Ambassador for Human Library.

Milton Lim is an interdisciplinary artist; he holds a BFA in theatre performance from SFU. Milton has guest-curated for Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, apprenticed under MACHiNENOiSY, and has recently joined Theatre Conspiracy as their artist-in-residence. He is an Artistic Director of Hong Kong Exile, an ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration between three emerging contemporary artists, inspired by cultural politics in an era of globalization.

Milton is a Young Ambassador for The Quiet Volume.

Natalie Tin Yin Gan is a contemporary dancer, choreographer and instructor based in Vancouver. She holds a double major in Dance and International Studies from Simon Fraser University. Natalie creates work with interdisciplinary arts company, Hong Kong Exile.

Natalie is a Young Ambassador for The Quiet Volume.

Sean Marshall Jr. is a member of O, o, o, o. He is a theatre creatOooor, a handsome mOooovie man, a dangerOooous dancer. In other words, a performer who will make your dreams come true, and your nightmares come false. In other worlds, the same thing, but different.

Sean is a Young Ambassador for Super Night Shot and Club PuSh.