Brick Lane Bargain

Hamilton Arts Council Artist-in-Residence (2024), recipient of the City of Hamilton’s 2020 Arts Innovation Award, 2016 Theatre Award and 2022 Chalmers Fellowship, multi-disciplinary artist and animal activist, Menon began performing in British theatre and television in her youth.

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Stateless until age seventeen, Menon emigrated to Regina, Saskatchewan in 1995 where her performance career abruptly ended, and her writing career began. Her critically acclaimed plays

have been produced at theatre festivals in Canada, the US, UK and India, include Blackberry, Ganga’s Ganja, Rukmini’s Gold, Rise of the Prickly Pear, The Circus & The Washing Machine.

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Menon holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph.

Menon is passionate about the representation of marginalised communities, believing that

inclusion is imperative for all to feel valued within Canadian culture. Red Beti Theatre (RBT), Hamilton’s first feminist IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and People of Colour) theatre company was founded by Menon in 2011. Supported by a Canada Council for the Arts Digital Now Grant, 5 of Radha’s plays were adapted and produced as podcasts in 2021 by RBT.

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Menon’s area of expertise is women’s rights, Dalit’s rights and the decolonisation of theatre, its practices and spaces. Her current area of research focuses on the decolonisation of South Asian culture after 400 years of British colonialism. She is currently developing a suite of goddess plays, Devi Triptych and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph.

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Menon is based in Hamilton and is editing her first novel, Soul Seeker.

Anubha Jha is a Toronto-based actor, playwright, director and producer with a
multidisciplinary background spanning theatre, television, media and
communications. Prior to her work in theatre, she built an extensive career in
television as a News Director, Producer, Anchor and Show Host. Her professional
training in Family Mediation, Paralegal Studies and Communications further informs
her artistic practice, bringing a nuanced understanding of human behaviour,
relationships and social dynamics to her work on stage and behind the scenes.

A long-time collaborator with Mississauga’s SAWITRI Theatre Group, Anubha has
worked with the company for over a decade as an Actor, Writer, Director and Project
Manager. Her stage work reflects a particular commitment to complex, socially
relevant and emotionally demanding roles. Her notable performances include a
powerful 60-minute monologue performed entirely from a wheelchair (2020); an
acclaimed portrayal of a transgender character (2022); 12 Angry Jurors (2023);
and the title role of Binodini, a widowed muse, in Ashalata & Binodini, an adaptation inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s celebrated novel Chokher Bali, at the 2024 Mississauga Fringe Festival.

In 2025, her critically acclaimed lead performance in Becoming Sanjina, based on
the true-life journey of a transgender individual, earned her standing ovations and
widespread audience appreciation. In 2026, she returned to the Mississauga Fringe
Festival in the title role of Chamkeeli, portraying a sex worker in an emotionally
layered 60-minute theatrical work. Her performances have been recognized for their
versatility, emotional depth and willingness to inhabit challenging, underrepresented
characters.

Anubha’s artistic work consistently focuses on elevating underrepresented voices
and bringing lived experiences to the stage, with a particular commitment to
creating opportunities for seniors. Through her production company, A J DreamZ
Inc., she has produced several senior-focused theatre and performance initiatives, including Senior Shorts and Seniors Stand-Up, while continuing to develop accessible, community-centred programming.

Alongside theatre, Anubha is also a singer and an experienced producer and presenter of live musical concerts in Mississauga. Over the years, she has curated and presented numerous music productions through A J DreamZ, collaborating with accomplished musicians and performers to create musical experiences rooted in melody, nostalgia and storytelling.

Through A J DreamZ, Anubha has also been a proud presenter at the Mississauga
Multilingual Fringe Festival across four editions - 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026,
contributing in multiple capacities as a Producer, Actor, Writer and Director.

Anubha continues to work across theatre, music and community arts, transforming
lived experiences into meaningful storytelling while creating platforms for diverse
voices.

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She currently serves as General Manager of Red Beti Theatre in Hamilton,
alongside her ongoing work as an artist, producer and performer.

Makambe K Simamba is a four-time Dora Mavor Award-winning, three-time Betty Mitchell Award winning theatre artist. She is the sole writer and performer of Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers which she has toured across Canada.

Select acting credits include As You Like It (Stratford Festival), Three Sisters (Soulpepper Theatre and Obsidian Theatre), The First Stone (New Harlem Productions), and Serving Elizabeth (Thousand Islands Playhouse). Makambe is also a national award-winning and published playwright whose work includes A Chitenge Story, Makambe Speaks, Recipe for Change and Mwana Mulena. Makambe was the Urjo Kareda Artist in Residence at the Tarragon Theare in 2020/21, and was a finalist for the Gina Wilkinson Prize in 2023.

Makambe was born in Zambia and raised in Guyana, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. Her intention as an artist is to be of service to humanity through her ability to tell stories.

Suchiththa Wickremesooriya is a versatile actor and theatre-maker who most recently appeared as Robin in Spamalot at the Grove Theatre (2026). He is known for work that is physical, grounded and for theatre that includes the Deaf and Disabled communities. Notable roles include Ariel in The Tempest (Citadel Theatre, 2019), Kamal in Bombay Black (Alberta Theatre Projects, 2023) and George in 3 Men in a Boat and 3 Men on a Bike (Guild Festival Theatre, 2023 & 2024). He is also a Broadway World Award nominated actor for his work on 3 Men in a Boat and 3 Men on a Bike. He has had the opportunity to work with renowned directors such as Josette Bushell-Mingo, Ravi Jain (Why Not Theatre), Ellen Lauren (CITI), Lezlie Wade and Saccha Dennis.

Suchiththa’s goal as an artist is to tell stories that others aren’t considering, and to shed light in dark places so that we can bring things out into the open. He believes that peace can only be found in the light and facing the uncomfortable realities that we all live in. To this end, he is writing a play with Roselyn Kelada-Sedra about sibling-on-sibling molestation. In addition to acting and writing, he is also a Stage Manager, a Director and a Producer. And whatever else he decides to do.

Outside of the arts, he enjoys raising his two sons alongside his wife, growing as many fruits and vegetables as he can manage, and volunteering with a variety of charities that support vulnerable populations.

Chhavi Disawar is a Vancouver-based actor, writer, and creator originally from India. Her work is drawn to stories of identity, belonging, and human connection, with a particular interest in complex, emotionally layered characters and imaginative storytelling.

Her recent theatre work includes playing Friar Lawrence in Tottering Biped Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet. Her other theatre credits include A Journal of the Plague Year, The Time Machine, and Heathers: The Musical, as well as work with the Vancouver Fringe and Toronto Fringe Festivals. Her screen credits include the independent films The Clinic and Chaturanga.

Alongside acting, Chhavi writes and develops original work exploring culture, identity, and the complexities of the human experience. She is excited to be part of the play reading of Brick Lane Bargain with Red Beti Theatre.

Annika Venkatesh is a Hamilton-based theatre artist (actor, director, producer, usher, and whatever other tasks she can get her hands on), as well as a Registered Nurse. Through both professions, she strives to learn more about people, and build empathy, ability, and resilience in her community. She's classically trained in Bharatanatyam dance and in Carnatic vocals, and trained through life to seek delight and silliness in art and nursing! It is, as always, an honour to be here telling stories. Selected theatre credits include: Heathers (Heather Duke) with McMaster Musical Theatre, and Romeo and Juliet (Prince Escalus) and Twelfth Night (Feste) with McMaster Thespian Company (MTC). Directing credits include My Ex's Funeral (co-director) and Along For The Ride with Mac One Act, and The Scottish Play (she still can't say the real name) with the McMaster Thespian Company, which she is currently the Executive Advisor for. You can find her on Instagram at @annika.ven.2, and you can find MTC on Instagram at @macthespians for updates on their upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream!

Zaheer-Abbas is a Toronto-based tabla player, composer, and multidisciplinary artist. He has performed across Canada in a variety of classical, semi-classical, and contemporary settings, and has accompanied many leading artists in the Canadian performing arts landscape. Zaheer-Abbas brings the tradition of tabla to new contexts through his diverse musical collaborations and projects spanning theatre, dance, and production.

Zubin Vincent is a Toronto-based actor originally from India and trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, UK. He made his Canadian theatre debut in Hamilton with Tottering Biped Theatre’s The Tempest, where he had the pleasure of working with Radha Menon. He was involved in last year's reading of Red Beti’s Bricklane Bargain and is delighted to return to Hamilton and Theatre Aquarius for this reading. Zubin is grateful to the entire team, and especially to Dia Frid for making the introductions to this wonderful community.

ມະນີຄໍາ (Manikham) Marianne ວົງບູດີ (Vongboutdy) is a Laotian-Canadian Theatre Production Stage Manager and artist from a beautiful country known as Laos.

With an SHSM (Specialist High Skills Majors) in Arts and Cultures from St. Catharines Collegiate Institute & Vocational School and an BA from Brock University's Honours Dramatic Arts program with a Concentration in Production and Designs, Marianne has endeavoured herself to learn the ways of theatrical art through the primary lens of backstage as a

part of the Stage Management, Design and Creative Playwright Teams.

Over the years, she has stage managed award winning productions such as Unwritten, Nothing Left Undead, Surviving Molly Morgan (2016 -2022). She has also stage managed the Canada Summer Games Opening & Closing Ceremonies (2023), the DSBN NTS (National Theatre School) Drama Festival twice (2020-2022) and Piece of Me at the Edinburgh

Festival Fringe in Scotland (2024). During her time at Brock University, she had stage managed; The Rise and Shine Festival (2022-2023), Bound To Happen

(2023), All That Makes Us (2023), The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy (2024) & Truth and Other Things: A Journey Through Alitheia (2024).

She also worked with many local theatre companies like; Carousel Players, Suitcase In Point, Firehall Theatre Company and Red Beti Theatre.

She is excited to join the Red Beti Theatre team again to work on the Brick Lane Bargain Project for this year. To her, art is more than just entertainment. It is education. A way to promote, preserve and contribute to who we are.

Paromita Kar is a professional dance artist, and holds a PhD in Dance Studies and an MA in Dance from York University, Toronto. She is a performer of South Asian and Central Asian dance styles. Her core training was in classical Indian Odissi dance in the Debaprasad Das lineage of Odissi, a history and theorization of which forms the base of her research for her doctoral dissertation. She has performed in India, United States, Canada, Netherlands and Czech Republic and her work has been featured in over 20 international music videos. Past performances include Corpus Matris at Toronto Fringe Festival 2013, which was the first production in classical Indian dance at the Toronto Fringe Festival, National Choreography Festival in India, Vignettes of Sringaar workshop at The Cloud Danslab in Netherlands, and performances at National Arts Centre, Shenkman Centre for the Arts in Ottawa, Aga Khan Museum’s First Five Festival, Doors Open and Nuit Blanche events, Dance Ontario

at Harbourfront Centre Theatre, Unfinish/Unfurl Choreographic Festival at The Theatre Centre,

Toronto, and several others. Her artistic work and development has been supported by Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Hamilton Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council and Shastri Indo-Canada Fine Arts Fellowship. Her website is: paromitakar.wixsite.com/danseuse

Hasheel is a South Asian Queer Hindustani Classical Musician. He began training at the age of five under his father. He also started playing the bansuri under the guidance of his first teacher and original flautist on the Life of Pi score, Shri Jeetu Sharma. He quickly excelled in both Indian and Western music and started composing and writing his own pieces at the age of thirteen. 

Hasheel lived in India to pursue his musical training and is currently a senior student of the legendary Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Hasheel has performed around the world and across Ontario. He is also featured in numerous albums and film scores and his collaborations include those with Balkan musicians all the way to electronic House and Drum and Bass artists. 

Hasheel pushes gender fashion norms that exist in and outside of India. He often gender bends while wearing clothing inspired by Indian bridalwear. His music mixes hip-hop, electronica, R&B, and Bollywood with a steady undertone of traditional Indian Classical. 

Performances have included those with Kailash Kher, Hariharan, Karthik, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Karsh Kale, and for academy award winner A. R. Rahman. He has also headlined the brOWN//out stage for Pride Toronto. His most recent work as composer, musician, and traditional music consultant for WhyNot Theatre’s modern production of the Mahabharata won him a Dora Award for Outstanding Sound Design/Composition.