Indigenous Producer Training Program

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Early Career Support

The Indigenous Producer Training Program is a new initiative carefully crafted by Native Earth Performing Arts to offer personalized and fully supported training for three early career producers.

The Indigenous Producer Training Program (IPTP) is unique in its approach as it relies on the participants to frame the training based on their individual learning styles and needs. It is also unique in that placement organizations will not be expected to shoulder the burden of onboarding and maintaining the participants’ support, which will fall to the Co- Program Directors Samantha MacDonald and Lucy Coren working closely with the placement companies.

Meet the 2024.2025 Cohort

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JANIS MAYERS (Producer)

Janis Mayers is an Afro-Indigenous and European settler Toronto born theatre artist. Her formal education is in Corporate Media Production with Seneca College. She transitioned to the arts sector in 2018 and has since performed in the 2020 theatrical production of “The Solitudes” produced by Aluna Theatre and “Derives” produced by Sans Productions at the Bentway. She has also produced 2 short films: Park Life Chapter 1 and 2, as well as 2 documentaries: Pile of Dirt and Know your Elders. Most of this work centers around the Regent Park neighborhood and the pros and cons of gentrification. As well as fostering strong intergenerational ties in the local LGBTQ2S+ community. A 20 min excerpt of her self produced play “Park Life” was presented at the 2023 Caminos festival with Aluna Theatre. Janis has also produced audio described access to many live theatre performances and events in Toronto and southern Ontario such as, ”My Sisters Rage” at the Tarragon “The Cave”, “Canoe”, “Women of the Fur Trade” all NEPA productions, the 2024 Luminato Festival, the 2023 and 2024 Dora awards and many more.

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BREFNY CARIBOU (Producer)

Janis Mayers is an Afro-Indigenous and European settler Toronto born theatre artist. Her formal education is in Corporate Media Production with Seneca College. She transitioned to the arts sector in 2018 and has since performed in the 2020 theatrical production of “The Solitudes” produced by Aluna Theatre and “Derives” produced by Sans Productions at the Bentway. She has also produced 2 short films: Park Life Chapter 1 and 2, as well as 2 documentaries: Pile of Dirt and Know your Elders. Most of this work centers around the Regent Park neighborhood and the pros and cons of gentrification. As well as fostering strong intergenerational ties in the local LGBTQ2S+ community. A 20 min excerpt of her self produced play “Park Life” was presented at the 2023 Caminos festival with Aluna Theatre. Janis has also produced audio described access to many live theatre performances and events in Toronto and southern Ontario such as, ”My Sisters Rage” at the Tarragon “The Cave”, “Canoe”, “Women of the Fur Trade” all NEPA productions, the 2024 Luminato Festival, the 2023 and 2024 Dora awards and many more.

A woman with short, spiked blonde hair, blue eyes, and light skin, smiling, wearing a black striped blouse and dangling earrings, standing in front of a dark purple textured background.

SAMANTHA MCDONALD (Program Co-Designer and Director)

Janis Mayers is an Afro-Indigenous and European settler Toronto born theatre artist. Her formal education is in Corporate Media Production with Seneca College. She transitioned to the arts sector in 2018 and has since performed in the 2020 theatrical production of “The Solitudes” produced by Aluna Theatre and “Derives” produced by Sans Productions at the Bentway. She has also produced 2 short films: Park Life Chapter 1 and 2, as well as 2 documentaries: Pile of Dirt and Know your Elders. Most of this work centers around the Regent Park neighborhood and the pros and cons of gentrification. As well as fostering strong intergenerational ties in the local LGBTQ2S+ community. A 20 min excerpt of her self produced play “Park Life” was presented at the 2023 Caminos festival with Aluna Theatre. Janis has also produced audio described access to many live theatre performances and events in Toronto and southern Ontario such as, ”My Sisters Rage” at the Tarragon “The Cave”, “Canoe”, “Women of the Fur Trade” all NEPA productions, the 2024 Luminato Festival, the 2023 and 2024 Dora awards and many more.

A woman with short dark hair, glasses, and a nose ring is smiling slightly while looking at the camera. She is indoors, sitting in front of an exposed brick wall, next to a wooden table with a potted plant on it.

Lucy Coren (Program Co-Designer and Director)

Janis Mayers is an Afro-Indigenous and European settler Toronto born theatre artist. Her formal education is in Corporate Media Production with Seneca College. She transitioned to the arts sector in 2018 and has since performed in the 2020 theatrical production of “The Solitudes” produced by Aluna Theatre and “Derives” produced by Sans Productions at the Bentway. She has also produced 2 short films: Park Life Chapter 1 and 2, as well as 2 documentaries: Pile of Dirt and Know your Elders. Most of this work centers around the Regent Park neighborhood and the pros and cons of gentrification. As well as fostering strong intergenerational ties in the local LGBTQ2S+ community. A 20 min excerpt of her self produced play “Park Life” was presented at the 2023 Caminos festival with Aluna Theatre. Janis has also produced audio described access to many live theatre performances and events in Toronto and southern Ontario such as, ”My Sisters Rage” at the Tarragon “The Cave”, “Canoe”, “Women of the Fur Trade” all NEPA productions, the 2024 Luminato Festival, the 2023 and 2024 Dora awards and many more.