WILLOW HAYES Co-Artistic Producer
Willow Hayes (they/them) is a queer and trans settler of Irish, Welsh, and British ancestry. Willow was born and raised on the stolen territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples (the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations) and the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, and currently lives in sxʷeŋ’xʷəŋ taŋ’exw (James Bay). They are a producer, performer, stage manager, and administrator with a passion for baking tasty treats to share with loved ones. While it has taken some time (and many bribes), they have successfully befriended the local crows, and cherish long strolls through the neighborhood with their dog Mija.
Willow initially fell in love with the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival as a performer in shows such as Pericles (2018) and Julius Caesar (2019), and recently returned to stage manage All’s Well That Ends Well (2023) As one of the three Co-Artistic Producers, they hope to push the Festival forward by challenging preconceptions about how Shakespeare should be done, and facilitating as many opportunities for under-represented and inexperienced artists to learn and hone their craft as possible.
MADDY HOOSON-KIRSTEIN Co-Artistic Producer
Maddy Kirstein (any/all) is a queer settler based on lək̓ʷəŋən territories (also known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations) and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples’ unceded and stolen land. As a self-proclaimed artistic goof of all trades specializing in community-centered stage management and immersive storytelling, they wish to create spaces that give artists the strength and support to share their art. When they’re not working on their next crazy experimental project, they spend most mornings hiking as a canine pack leader, and their evenings turning leftovers into new funky meals.
In 2018, they created the Alectoria School of Magic, an immersive live-action roleplaying camp that built a safe space and unleashed creativity in youth all across Vancouver Island. The camp focused on teaching youth that believing in magic frees your voice in carefree and unexpected ways.
Their theatre credits involve assistant stage managing GVSF’s 2023 All’s Well That Ends Well, working as the resident stage manager for iuvenis Production’s 2023 season, and stage managing Collectivus Theatre’s “Summer Bucket List”.
They are most excited to help support the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival by facilitating theater spaces that grow radical community and bloom vibrant self expression.
FRANCIS MATHEU Co-Artistic Producer
Francis is a Filipino theatre artist from Manila who recently received an MFA in Directing from the University of Victoria. His triumphant debut as a director/actor in North America via Theatre Inconnu’s recent production of Pepe by Malou Jacob, staged in both the English and the Tagalog languages, earned critical acclaim. Interested in staging materials that tackle historical, social, political and cultural expressions that mirror society’s ills and comforts, before migrating to Canada, he developed Pamana Collection - a brand designed to promote and preserve Filipino culture and history through innovative, devised and reimagined theatre works. The initiative aims to empower generations of Filipino migrants by reconnecting them to their roots and cultural heritage wherever they thrive in the world.
Belonging to the vibrant theatre industry in the Philippines, he founded Twin Bill Theater serving as its artistic and managing director/producer. In Victoria, he was director for the Phoenix Theatre’s production of Caryl Churchill’s Vinegar Tom in 2023, and assistant director for Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre’s Hedda Gabler in 2022, and Misery in 2023. Other directorial credits include A Christmas Carol, Dancing Lessons, Battle Cry, From Out of the Whirlwind, A Sound of a Voice, The Dumb Waiter, and Children of Eden. His choreography for Grease and The Wedding Singer earned him citations and Gawad Buhay nominations in the Philippines. As an actor, he has appeared in over 50 plays and musicals combined including The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Sweet Charity, Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Stuart, Wit, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet. In 2001, he trained under Kabuki masters to appear in Kanjincho - staged in both Japanese (Nihongo) and Filipino (Tagalog) languages. Internationally, he has performed in Doha, Qatar and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Armed with over 20 years of theatre practice, Francis aspires to connect GVSF to artists and other local performing arts institutions, and diverse cultural communities, to deliver Shakespearean experiences across cultures, practices, and generations while fostering the “bayanihan” spirit - a significant trait of civic harmony, teamwork, and cooperation among Filipinos.
KAREN LEE PICKETT outgoing Artistic Director
Karen received her classical theatre training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.
A recognized award-winning artist with over 25 years’ experience as an actor, director, producer, teacher and playwright, Karen’s credits include work with Deep Ellum Ensemble in New York City, Dallas Theater Center, Yale Repertory Theatre, the English Theatre of Berlin and the Dublin Gay and Lesbian International Theatre Festival. Her Shakespeare roles span Lady Macbeth to Adriana in Comedy of Errors to Malvolio in Twelfth Night. She has appeared locally in productions with Intrepid Theatre, Theatre SKAM, Victoria Operatic Society, William Head on Stage, Theatre Inconnu, and Giggling Iguana. She has been with the GVSF since 2012.
As artistic director of the Festival, Karen brings a vision to provide local actors the opportunity to grow their craft and excite audiences by making Shakespeare accessible to all.