Sherry Bie trained at the Playhouse Acting School under the Artistic Direction of Powys Thomas, one of NTS’s founders. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at UBC and Post-Graduate diploma at McGill. In her twenty year career as an actor, she has worked in theatres across Canada; most notably: Canadian Stage, The National Arts Centre, Globe Theatre, Centaur Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse and the Manitoba Theatre Centre. Sherry Bie originated roles in such Canadian plays as Seven Stories by Morris Panych, 1949 by David French and Jennie’s Story by Betty Lambert. She was a company member at Caravan Stage Company and Theatre Beyond Words, received the first Ray Michals Award for Outstanding Emerging Director and, more recently, played in the Odin Teatret’s Ur Hamlet at Elsinor Castle, Denmark and Ravenna Festival, Italy.
Photo credit: Maxime Côté

Yael Farber is a multiple award-winning playwright and director of international acclaim. Her original works have toured the world extensively - earning her a reputation for hard-hitting, controversial works of the highest standard. Ms. Farber won ARTIST OF THE YEAR in her native South Africa in 2003. She is the recipient of three national BEST DIRECTOR AWARDS (South Africa); Internationally, she has been awarded a SCOTSMAN FRINGE FIRST AWARD (Edinburgh), the ANGEL HERALD AWARD (Edinburgh), and a SONY GOLD AWARD (London). She has been nominated for a DRAMA DESK AWARD (NYC) and a TMA BEST DIRECTOR AWARD (UK). She is an invitee of: Lincoln Theatre Directors' Workshop (NYC), Mabou Mines Theatre Company (NYC), In Transit Laboratory at Haus de Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), and Sundance Theatre Laboratory (Utah). Her texts are published by Oberon Books (UK).
Photo credit: Maxime Côté

Kelly Thornton is an award winning director and dramaturg and has been the Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre in Toronto since 2001. At Nightwood, her direction, namely of That Face, Wild Dogs, Bear with Me, The Danish Play, China Doll and Mathilde has received wide acclaim and several have toured nationally and internationally. She’s also worked in play development at Canadian Stage, Factory Theatre and Buddies in Bad Times, where she was Festival Director of the Rhubarb Festival for two seasons. In 2009 she produced the landmark 4x4 Festival and Directors Summit which brought together 150 international delegates to examine the director’s practice. She has taught at NTS, directing the 2nd year Solo Shows from 2006-2009. Ms. Thornton has also directed at Canadian Stage, Globe Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Buddies in Bad Times, Yukon Arts Centre and Magnetic North Theatre Festival. She is a recipient of the Pauline McGibbon Award for Directors and in 2008 was named a YWCA Woman of Distinction (Arts & Letters).
Photo credit: Guntar Kravis