Lisa Jacobs (bass)

Multi-instrumentalist, Lisa Jacobs, declares the bass guitar her most beloved. Playing her first blues festival at age 12, she has gone on to write, record, music direct, perform and tour with a variety of artists including Julian Taylor, Jann Arden, Johnny Reid, Jill Barber, Kyle McKearney, Jocelyn Alice, Celeigh Cardinal, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Amy Bishop and Classic Albums Live. Lisa has a gold record Bound to You, was awarded Bassist of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Country Music Awards, sits on the board of the Western Canadian Music Alliance and has a degree in Music Therapy.

Sam Coulson (guitar)

English Canadian guitarist Sam Coulson is best known for his six-year stint in the prog rock supergroup Asia. Since then he has been releasing albums as a solo artist as well as being a prominent member of the YouTube community with 27,000 subscribers on the platform. His solo releases include classical guitar work, instrumental rock as well as roots blues.

Kate Melvina (keyboards)

Kate Melvina is a singer/pianist/composer and the brainchild behind psychedelic/space funk/soul/jazz collective Tendavillage, whose reach has amassed a loyal global fanbase. Kate has well-established herself in the Calgary music scene as prominent performer from piano lounges to high-profile events, festivals and residencies.

Ben Montgomery (drums)

Ben Montgomery is a Scottish-born drummer, who holds several music degrees. Ben has toured Europe and Canada, performed with orchestras for several musicals and toured the globe as a drummer on many Carnival Cruise Ship contacts. Ben has contributed to major productions including Rock the Nation at the National Music Centre and the Calgary Stampede Grandstand show.

Priscille Bukasa is a Calgary-based spoken word artist, writer, and teaching artist with over 15 years of performance experience. Her work bridges poetry, storytelling, and community engagement, centering voice, cultural identity, and social reflection. She has performed at festivals, conferences, and cultural events including Chinook Blast, Ethnik Festival of Arts and Culture, Block Heater Festival, and the ICC 6 Degrees Conference. In 2025, she cowrote and narrated Oscar, a Hones-commissioned production that premiered at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Priscille has worked extensively as a Teaching Artist with the Werklund Centre and Arts ReimaginED, and currently serves as Festival Coordinator for Arts ReimaginED. 

Cedric Lightning

Cree/Stoney Nakoda drummer Cedric Lightning grew up around southern Alberta as a member of the Samson Cree and Mini Thni Nations. He started singing at the young age of two and making sticks at age 14. Cedric grew up in the system so moved around a lot and coped by learning powwow, perfecting his mistakes and skills along the way. He jumped at any chance to attend events, as he felt it was the best way to connect to his people.

On one of his powwow adventures, he purchased a flute and taught himself how to play, thus leading him to the opportunity of working on theatre projects with Making Treaty 7 and recently, with One Yellow Rabbit/Ghost River Theatre’s Echoes of the Land.

When not creating traditional and original music and acting as a musical director, he makes powwow sticks. Initially started as a hobby, it has evolved into a real handcraft business. His passion is sharing his accumulated knowledge with youth and working together with his oft-collaborator – local poet, musician, actor and songwriter Kris Demeanor.

Kris Demeanor

Kris Demeanor is a Mohkinstsis-born artist who has released 10 recordings of original songs, acted in theatre and film, and was the first poet laureate of Calgary.

The most fulfilling and significant work Kris has done began with his involvement in the Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society, collaborating with indigenous artists on numerous beautiful and unique projects.

Most recently Kris accompanied Cedric Lightning at his debut appearance at the 2026 Calgary Folk Music Festival, and will perform in June in Michelle Thrush and Peter Moller’s Indians and Cowboys, as well Ghost River Theatre’s Echoes of the Land.

Kris Demeanor’s most recent album is titled Songs for my Father to Fall Asleep to, and he appeared January 2026 in One Yellow Rabbit’s Dream Machine.

Mark Bellamy

Mark Bellamy has been a part of Calgary’s theatre community for over 30 years. From 2014 to 2017 he was Artistic Producer of Calgary’s Lunchbox Theatre. Prior to that he was Artistic Director of Vertigo Theatre from 2004 to 2012. He has also worked extensively in western Canada as a freelance director and choreographer on over 75 professional productions. Mark has been honoured with numerous Betty Mitchell Awards for his work as an actor, a director and a choreographer, as well as the International Mystery Festival’s Angie Award for Best Director in 2008 and Calgary Critics Award for his direction of Sweeney Todd in 2012 and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder in 2019. He is the recipient of the 2006 Greg Bond Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre as well as the 2007 Betty Mitchell Award and the 2012 Harry and Martha Cohen Award; both for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Calgary. In 2013 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his service to Calgary’s Arts Community. Mark lives in Calgary with his awesome golden retriever, Jackson.

Oliver Munar  

Oliver Munar (he/him/his) is a concert and operatic tenor born and raised in Calgary. Since his formative years in the award-winning Calgary Boys’ Choir, he has been featured in various ensembles and as a tenor soloist. Recently, he sang on the JUNO® award-winning recording of a Ukrainian War Requiem with Edmonton-based choirs Axios and Pro Coro Canada. He had an unexpected debut in the lead role of a Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra production of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, sight-reading the score on stage without rehearsal. Last year, he fulfilled bucket-list roles of Jean Valjean in the hit musical Les Misérables for Cantilon Choirs, Edmonton, and the role of Evangelist in a self-produced production of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion. Oliver just completed his ninth season with the Calgary Opera Chorus, and collaborates regularly with Calgary Concert Opera Company, Axios Men’s Ensemble (Edmonton), Pro Coro Canada (Edmonton), Straight-Up Opera (Edmonton), and Opera By Request (Toronto). 

Stephania Romaniuk

Ukrainian-Canadian mezzo-soprano Stephania Romaniuk is honoured to make her Mayor’s Celebration for the Arts debut. She performs regularly with the Calgary Opera Chorus and has appeared as a soloist with ensembles including the Calgary Concert Opera Company, Calgary Philharmonic, and Calgary Civic Symphony. This fall, Stephania performed in Ammolite Opera’s Rocking Horse Winner, following her debut with the company in 2024 in the Betty Award-nominated production of Proving Up. A Calgary Performing Arts Festival Rose Bowl laureate, Stephania serves as Calgary Opera’s Director of Learning & Engagement, where she leads opera discovery programs and transformative community arts projects for learners of all ages. Her acclaimed trio recital for ProArts@Noon co-presented by the 2024 High Performance Rodeo used song, poetry, and movement to take audiences through the two months prior to and two months following the fully fledged invasion of Ukraine and will be re-staged in November 2026. 

Selina Wong 

Selina is a Calgary-based professional actor and singer whose work has been featured on stages across Canada. She has performed with Theatre Calgary, ATP, Lunchbox Theatre, Stage West, The Arts Club, and The Globe Theatre. Selina received a Calgary Critics’ Award for her performance in Touch Me with Forte Musical Guild and earned a Betty Mitchell Award nomination for Avenue Q at Stage West. She was also first runner‑up at the National Youth Talent Competition and a recipient of the Young Albertan Award. 

Alongside her performance career, Selina is a dedicated performance coach, adjudicator, and private voice teacher. With a Bachelor of Education and over 20 years of vocal teaching experience, she has guided students to success in local and provincial competitions, RCM examinations, and professional and community theatre. 

She was most recently seen as Ling in the world premiere of The Tale of the Gifted Prince at Theatre Calgary. 

Landon Krentz/Ghost River Theatre

A World Without Them is a visually immersive and emotionally powerful new work conceived by Landon Krentz and Eric Rose for both Deaf and hearing audiences. Through a series of original cinematic vignettes fusing physical theatre and the striking precision of Visual Vernacular, it explores extinction in its many forms. 

Landon Krentz is a Dora Award–nominated Deaf theatre artist, performer, director, and producer based in Canada. Their artistic practice is rooted in Visual Vernacular, physical theatre, and Deaf-led storytelling, creating visually driven performance work that communicates through movement, spatial composition, and image. Eric Rose is an award-winning director, deviser, playwright, educator, and Artistic Director of Calgary’s acclaimed devised theatre company Ghost River Theatre. 

Plains Bison vignette original credits: Landon Krentz, Co-creator, Performer; Eric Rose, Co-creator, Director, Set Designer; Alexandra Prichard, Lighting Designer; Orlando Retana, Composer; DeNeane Osmond, Costume Designer. Produced by Ghost River Theatre and Landon Krentz. 

Robert Adam 

Robert Adam is a non-binary country storyteller who blends heartfelt nostalgia with shimmering showmanship. Raised under the wide-open Alberta sky, Robert writes from the heart first — crafting songs that feel like late-night confessions, starlit promises, and road-trip revelations.  

A vocal powerhouse Robert has earned a reputation for stopping folks of all walks of life dead in their tracks. Known for their dynamic live performances, Robert has built a reputation for transforming stages big and small into safe, glittering spaces of connection. From the great and spectacular Calgary Stampede, to the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, this “Dream Angel Cowboy” has charmed the hearts of audiences all over the world. 

As a songwriter, Robert channels the honesty of classic country with the warmth of contemporary queer culture. Robert’s lyrics have a gentle mystical aura about them that stay with the listener long after the song is finished. Winning the 2025 YYC Award Songwriter of the Year award.   

Whether on stage, on record, or behind a sewing machine designing their next look, Robert Adam brings heart, imagination, and community to everything they do. Their work invites listeners to feel deeply, shine brightly, and celebrate every part of who they are. 

Pulse Studios  

Creative Director Tara Wilson, a Hip Hop and Contemporary dancer, teacher and choreographer was busy chasing her dreams: offering Hip Hop classes in Calgary and bringing pioneers of Hip Hop and Streetdance to Calgary through an event she created called Get Down! She and Vince Truong met when he came to the event. Years later, united by their shared passion for Hip Hop and Streetdance, Vince, a computer software developer at the time, and his future wife Gill Co, an HR rep in the oil and gas industry, joined Tara and her husband Peter Strickland. Together Tara, Peter, Vince and Gill opened the doors of Pulse Studios – Calgary’s first, and only, dance studio dedicated exclusively to Hip Hop and Streetdance on January 24, 2011. 

Pulse Studios continues to bring together the finest artists in the Calgary Hip Hop community to share their gifts, along with artists from across the globe to deliver world-class education in Hip Hop and Streetdance to the Calgary community.  

Princess Roberts Bio (Dancer 1) 

Princess is a dance instructor and choreographer who has been performing since 2015 and teaching at Pulse since 2025. From musical theatre, to K-pop dance covers in dance crews and online, she is skilled in connecting students to the K-Pop community through dance. She strives to have a lively, structured, and creative learning environment in her classes, and Pulse Studios has helped to facilitate her many creative endeavours. Through their friendly administration, transfer of wisdom from other dancer instructors, and fostering of creative ideas (such as The Pulse Show 2025 where she collaborated with fellow K-pop instructor, Alisha, to create a remixed performance), Pulse Studios has been a wonderful place to develop skills and connect with the community. 

Phoenix MacKinnon Bio (Dancer 2) 

Phoenix MacKinnon is a Mohkinstsis-based dancer with over a decade of experience in performing and training in a variety of dance styles. Phoenix teaches studio styles like contemporary and jazz, and  additionally teaches street styles waacking and shuffle. 

Introduced to dance through music first as a singer in a pre-professional performing arts program, their love for dance was fostered at the Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede. 

The Vadrózsa Hungarian Folk Dancers (Vadrózsa) are a dedicated folk dance group and cultural community organization committed to sharing and promoting Hungarian heritage through traditional dance, music, and celebrations. Vadrózsa first began in 1974 and has gone through many iterations and group structures, but what has always remained is their passion for Hungarian folk culture and dance. The group is generational, with many current dancers being the children and family members of original founders. Vadrózsa is deeply woven into Calgary’s Hungarian community and is proud to continue to showcase Hungarian culture in Calgary, and surrounding areas, for years to come. 

Showcased Dance: 

Felcsík a village in Harghita County, Romania. Dances from Felcsík showcase men, women, and children alike engaging in upbeat exciting songs and movements through several different styles! Vadrózsa will be transporting you to the Csíki Basin with the Cepper, Lassú csárdás, Gyors csárdás, and Verbunk. 

Shone Thistle

Shone Thistle (she/they) is an award-winning poet, speaker, and community builder. 2025 Stonewall Porchlight Award Honouree, Calgary’s 7th Poet Laureate (2024–26), Executive Director of Calgary Queer Arts Society, author and champion for inclusive dialogue. Their work spans poetry, visual art, and advocacy; and they are known for advancing cultures of belonging and community-led change. 

Clara A.B. Joseph

Clara A.B. Joseph, who was recently appointed Calgary’s eighth Poet Laureate, is a poet, scholar, and Professor of English at the University of Calgary. She is the author of the poetry collections M/OTHER, which received first place in poetry from the Catholic Media Association in the USA and Canada, Dandelions for Bhabha, and The Face of the Other: A Long Poem. Her writing often explores memory, faith, family, and the ways we are called to care for one another. She is also the author of two scholarly books on the Thomas Christians of India. Across poetry, criticism, and public speaking, Joseph brings a deep commitment to language as a form of listening, witness, and civic care. As Calgary’s new Poet Laureate, she looks forward to celebrating the city’s artistic life and to helping create spaces where poetry can speak across difference, honour community, and deepen our shared sense of belonging. 

Cédric Blary (clarinet)

Cédric Blary is a versatile clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist who is active in the classical, jazz and folk music scenes. He has appeared on over 50 commercial recordings, three of which have been nominated for Juno awards. Cédric can be seen playing with the Red Hot Hayseeds, the Polyjesters, Over The Moon, Heather Blush, the Heebee-jeebees and many others. He also teaches extensively in Calgary and throughout southern Alberta. 

Thomas Dundas (trombone)

Thomas “Tombone” Dundas has been playing bass trombone for 15 years and teaching within the arts community for the past 8 years. Since graduating in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in music from U of C, Thomas has gone on to enjoy a career full of diverse performance opportunities. Tombone was a founding member of the 5-piece funk fusion horn band “Long Time No Time”. He has also been spotted in a cow onesie performing with the Cowtown Brass Band. In 2025, Tombone released his first self-titled album delving into rap, beatboxing and looping.  

Steve Williams (saxophone)

 Steve Williams has been a musician for over 40 years. He is one of the most in-demand saxophone players in Calgary. Some recent highlights of his freelance career include  the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show, and projects such as Luis Tovar’s Studio Bell recordings “Back to My Roots”.  Steve plays regularly at the Blues Can and at Alvin’s Jazz Club with The Heet where he also plays flute, keyboard and sings backing vocals.