CAST & CREW BIOS

Ashima Suri
With the vision to create, engage and inspire through performance art, Ashima Suri began Limitless Productions in 2007. Since then, Ashima Suri has choreographed over 30 performances and launched the company officially as an Indo-contemporary brand by producing a full featured show at the Winchester Theatre in December 2010. Ashima’s most recent performance and choreographic credits include performing at IIFA at Rogers Centre, THE TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL 2011, NUIT BLANCHE and CULTURAL DAYS. She most recently acted in Artistic Director William Yong’s EIGHT WAYS OF MARA production piece in October 2011. Ashima is excited to be part of THE TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL 2012 and producing the upcoming Limitless Productions show, ‘Sex, Bollywood & Other Lies.’ She is also excited to be part of Radha Menon’s ‘Ganga’s Ganja’ at the HAMILTON FRINGE FESTIVAL 2012.

Imran Mohammed
Imran Mohammed began his dance training in hip hop with Grace n’ Style Dance and since then has been training in Contemporary, Hip Hop and Jazz from studios in both Toronto and Vancouver. Imran has performed at numerous venues and events across GTA including the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festivals in 2010 and 2011. In addition he has also performed at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. Imran has been associated with Limitless Productions as a principal dancer as well as General Manager. He has also collaborated with Ismailova Theatre of Dance, Kinetic elements and Grace n’ Style Dance Crew in a few of their productions. Imran continues to train in the Indian Classical dance form – Kathak previously with Taal Academy of Dance and currently with Upasana School of Dance.

Megan Lawrence:
Megan Lawrence was born in Oshawa, ON. With five years of training at Generation Dance Studio Megan was certified in Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop, in addition to Lyrical, Modern, Tumbling and Break Dancing. In 2010 Ms. Lawrence moved to Toronto, ON to complete her formal dance training at George Brown College. An accomplished hip-hop dancer, Ms. Lawrence has appeared on stage across Canada, the Caribbean and for Keisha Chante on the TV show SOUL, and Chante’s video Table Dancer. Megan has also worked alongside Blake McGrath in a UofT Lip Dub video. She has most recently added another form of dance to her repertoire as she trains in aerial silks. With unrelenting support from her mother, Megan has received many awards in both gymnastic and dance with promises of a fulfilling and successful career.

Amitha Mundenchira
Amitha Mundenchira is a Toronto-based emerging artist with multiple talents – dancing, singing, writing music and acting. Her passion for the arts has motivated her to acquire skills outside her current profession as a doctor. She has trained in Indian classical Bharatanatyam and Bollywood styles of dancing. She performed at the Rogers Centre in 2011 as part of the IIFA opening ceremony choreographed by Amy Wright. Her training in Indian classical vocal music has given her opportunities to perform at various cultural events. She is ecstatic to be performing with Limitless Productions at the 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival.

Morgan Timberg
Morgan Timberg is studying Dance Performance Studies at George Brown College. She is a recent high school graduate of the music theatre program at Etobicoke School of the Arts. Morgan began dancing at the age of six and received most of her training from Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance. As a performer, not only has Morgan competed in national competitions and been a member of What’s On? Tap!’s youth tap company (2008 – 2009), but she has also had the opportunity to work with many established choreographers, such as Ray Hogg, Hanna Kiel, Malgorzata Nowacka, and Derek Sangster. Morgan is proud to be the 2011 recipient of the Facutly Award, from George Brown College and the 2009 recipient of the Mary Smart Memorial Dance Scholarship, from Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance.

Farrah Fernando
Farrah has extensive background in contemporary dance having graduated from the School of Contemporary Dancers in Winnipeg in May 2010. Since graduation she has been a performer in several shows working with local Winnipeg choreographers as well as an apprentice for the Winnipeg African Contemporary dance company NAfro Dance Productions. Farrah was first exposed to Indo-Contemporary dance under the tutelage of Roger Sinha at the School of Contemporary Dancers where she excelled in learning and articulating the intricate classical Indian dance movement. Farrah has been a part of Prairie Theatre Exchange’s Young Company for 3 years and has taken a few voice and theatre classes throughout her dance education.

Kunal Jaggi
Kunal commenced his training as an actor with Sears & Switzer and Gloria Mann for on camera acting. Currently, he is further developing his on camera acting technique at the ProActors Lab, under the direct tutelage of Bruce Clayton. Kunal has taken workshops at Bad Dog Theatre Company and has graduated from the Improvisation Program at the Second City Training Centre in Toronto, and has performed long form, scene work and improv games on both main stage and the John Candy Box Theatre. Selective film credits include playing a prisoner in upcoming thriller THE CHAMELEON, a lover in CHERRY ON TOP, a guest spot on the TV show FraudSquad TV and a commercial for Benjamin Moore. Recent stage appearances include MISSING at the 7th Annual InspiraTO festival, THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN at the New Ideas Festival and a double role in DECEIVED at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

Yui Ugai
Ugai Yui has received professional ballet training at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) in Japan. She majored in drama at high school in Takarazuka and dance and music at Kobe University. Yui has actively performed as a film and has been awarded by magazine Dance Dance Dance. Through out university Yui has worked with many celebrated choreographers and was awarded as Best Choreographer at Kobe University for her work “I Lent You My Dream”. Her self-produced “One Coin One Hour Theater” wassponsored by Nishinomiya City in 2011. Most recently, Yui has completed an experimental film Raptura which was showcased at the Lets Dance Festival.

Justine Cargo
Justine Cargo initially started as a competitive figure skater. She has taken improvisation classes with Impatient Improv Co. and supplemented these with acting classes at Sheridan, Humber and Seneca College and studios across the GTA that enable her to work on various short films and build on her film experience. Justine has studied dance at the Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance and Ballet Creole, among other studios. Justine has previously performed at Toronto Fringe Festival 2011 with Limitless Productions. Releasing also this summer is her feature length film entitled Consequences, where Justine takes on the lead role in a Dramatic Thriller. Justine believes through her art she becomes alive and strives to be in the moment to convey her emotions truthfully. When giving the chance she ignites a spark between her and the audience.

Nishant Bahl
Nishant was born in India and brought up in Canada. After graduating with a degree in Marketing from Ryerson University Nishant got himself trained in method acting at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. He has garnered immense experience in theatre, commercials, the award winning Short Films Diaspora at Montreal Young Cuts and various other film festivals across the country. He has also been featured in an upcoming Feature Film Surkhaab. Nishant’s involvement in acting has been motivated by his ability to live different lives. His goals for the future include not just acting but also producing, directing and giving opportunities to more people to express and connect.

Shayan Ali
Shayan Ali Syed has been performing on stage since I was 16, starting from high school cultural events to bigger stage performances such as the South Asian Carnival in Chicago. Shayan has performed as an actor in a live stage play Anarkali: The Pomegranate Bud. A newcomer to Contemporary dance, his first performance was “Creep” with Limitless Productions. Shayan considers himself fortunate to
perform/train in different dance forms such as bollywood, break dance, pop/lock. Currently with Limitless productions Shayan is relishing the opportunity to learn new forms of dance such as indo-contemporary and classical.

CREW BIOS

Owais Lightwala – Lighting Designer
Owais is an emerging theatre artist, who works across the city as an actor, designer, director and producer. He is currently Associate Artistic Producer of Why Not Theatre (Ravi Jain), a member of Soulpepper’s inaugural Youth Leadership Council and a recent grad of York University’s Theatre Production & Design program. Owais has been associated with Limitless Productions as their lighting director and stage manager for the last three years since their launch event.

 

Tara Mohan – Stage Manager
Tara is a recent graduate of Ryerson University’s Performance Production program. Despite the fact that she had only just complete her BFA, Tara has worked on a number of professional shows. Moving forward, Tara hopes to lead a successful career in the performing arts. Recent credits include: Stage Manager for DeviationDance’s Antibiotic (The Winchester Street Theatre, May 2012), Stage Manager for George Brown Dance’s Spring Graduation Showcase (The Betty Oliphant Theatre, April 2012), Stage Manager for George Brown Dance’s Commercial Dance Graduation Showcase (The Toronto Centre for the Arts, December 2011), and Stage Manager for Gadfly’s Klorofyl: Thrive or Survive (The Fleck Dance Theatre & The Oakville Community Centre, November 2011).

Aparajit Bhattacharjee – Theatrical Director
Aparajit directed Maya Theatre’s Four Chapters by Rabindranath Tagore and was assistant director in Cahoots Theatre’s Bhopal working with Guillermo Verdecchia. As a member of DAM he directed Mumbai to Malton and The Koopers Immigrate. Outreach with community made him director of Rana Bose’s On the Double and Kironmoy Datta’s Three Trilogies and in 2005 the One Act Festival awarded him as Best Director. With Sampradaya Dance Creations and CASSA he was theatre director for arts education projects in schools and community organizations across the GTA. As director of a youth workshop his productions were presented for Equity Showcase Theatre, CBC Radio and MMM. He looks forward to directing Radha Menon’s Ganga’s Ganja at the 2012 Hamilton Fringe Festival.