Brontë: The World Without
by Jordi Mand
Directed by Helen Juvonen
Preview: July 16
Opening Night: July 17
Brontë: The World Without offers a glimpse into the lives of the three famous sisters, presenting an intimate look at their relationships, their artistic struggles, the pressure of family responsibilities, and the sisterhood that helped them achieve greatness. The play illuminates how their experiences echo those of the heroines who live on in their beloved and unforgettable novels such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.
A must-see for Brontë fans, Brontë: The World Without is an unflinching portrayal of family, artistry, and what it means to strive for success in a world that often denies women the right to dream.
Cast
Laura Del Papa* as Charlotte Brontë
Hilary Scott* as Emily Brontë
Lara Lucia as Anne Brontë
Creative
Directed by Helen Juvonen*
Costume Design by Alex Amini
Sound Design by Maddie Bautista**
Lighting Design by Honey Hoseiny
Production Design by Elisia Evans
Stage Manager Sabrina Weinstein
Choreography by Leah Wilton
Fight Direction by Siobhan Richardson*
*The participation of this these Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance.Opera.Theatre Policy (DOT).
**** Indicated designers are members of the Associated Designers of Canada, IATSE Local ADC659
Laura Del Papa - Charlotte Brontë
Hailing from Montreal, Laura loves travelling for theatre. Her work in mask theatre (Faustwork Mask Theatre) and theatre for young audiences has taken her across Ontario, all the way to France and back again. Recent credits include Dromio of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors (a Company of Fools, Ottawa), Bella in Gaslight, and DeeDee/Mia in Liars at a Funeral (Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay). Laura is thrilled to be spending the summer working in such a beautiful venue and close to family in Scarborough. Endless love and gratitude to mum for her unwavering support.
Hilary Scott - Emily Brontë
Originally from Oakville, Hilary is a graduate of George Brown’s Theatre Conservatory Program, and a Certificate Holder in Art & Design Skills from OCAD U. As co-founder of the Highland Arts Theatre, where she served as Assistant Artistic Director from 2014-2017, she has worked in nearly every capacity of theatre operations, from programming to patron services; community outreach to 4am set painting; directing and performing, to the occasional emergency lighting or plumbing gig, mid-show. Currently she works remotely as the HAT's lead graphic artist, and her own practice can be found across most platforms under HilHob.
Lara Lucia - Anne Brontë
Lara is so thrilled to be making her Guild Festival debut with this beautiful show! She is an Indian-Colombian-Canadian actor, singer, dancer, musician, and graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Select credits include: Kitty in The Drowsy Chaperone (Shifting Ground Collective), Zoe in From Stardust (Theatre Of The Beat), Ensemble/Musician/Music Captain in Killy Willy (Second City/First Born Theatre), and Joey in I Was Unbecoming Then (Next Stage Festival).
Helen Juvonen - Director
Helen is an actor, director, producer, writer and the founder and Artistic Director of Thought For Food Productions. She also served as the Co-Artistic Director of Guild Festival Theatre from 2019-2026. For GFT she has directed Heratio, The Drowning Girls, The Red Priest, Salt-Water Moon, co-directed Anne and also performed in Isle of Demons.
With Thought For Food she has produced, directed and/or appeared in over a dozen shows including her own play The Aleatory Project. Most recently she directed The Veil which was produced in association with Crow’s Theatre in Toronto and will be remounted at the Stratford Festival this October.
As a screenwriter Helen has created the award-winning short film “Advances” and the webseries “You’re Never Alone”. Helen is the recipient of the Cayle Chernin Award, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pin and the King Charles III Coronation medal. She is also a Jeopardy! Champion.
Alex Amini - Costume Design
Select theatre credits include: 39 Steps at Guild Festival Theatre; Kelly v Kelly, Caroline or Change, The Wild Party (Dora Nominee), Grey Gardens (Dora Nominee), Onegin, and Next To Normal, (Dora Nominee); Musical Stage Co., To Life, Gloria: A Life, The Jazz Singer and Brighton Beach Memoirs; The Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia and Beauty and the Beast.
Maddie Bautista - Sound Design
Maddie Bautista creates and shapes sound in iconic theatres across the country – from composing original music in the earliest stages of new work development, to tuning systems with live musicians and mid-sized casts. She has created music and sound design for over 80 productions and counting across Canada, for theatres such as the Stratford Festival, Alberta Theatre Projects, The Grand Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, Soulpepper, the Tarragon, and more.
She moonlights as half of xLq with Jordan Campbell – a queer pop performance duo who tours across the country with their daring, interactive theatre and bizarre, grungy drag. Maddie received 2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Love You Wrong Time (Outstanding Sound design and composition, and Outstanding Ensemble), and 2 nominations. www.maddiebautista.com
Honey Hoseiny - Lighting Design
Honey is a Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist, theatre director, designer, actor, and puppeteer originally from Iran. With over two decades of experience, he has directed, designed, and performed in a wide range of productions, from intimate performances to large-scale festivals. Honey holds a BA in Puppet Theatre and an MA in Dramatic Literature from the University of Art in Tehran. He recently received the 2025 Toronto Newcomer Artist Award from the Toronto Art Foundation. Passionate about combining traditional techniques with modern technology, his work encompasses interactive installations, immersive art, and theatrical productions. Since moving to Canada in 2023, he has collaborated with prominent companies such as Outside the March, the Aga Khan Museum, and Crow's Theatre, in partnership with Nowadays Theater, on the Dora-nominated Earworm. Honey continues to explore innovative storytelling as a co-founder of the Simiya Group, fostering creativity and cultural dialogue through the intersection of performance and visual arts.
Elisia Evans - Production Design
Elisia Evans is a Set Designer and Props Builder joining the team as this season’s Set and Props Designer. She is a graduate of Theatre Production at Humber Polytechnic with a focus in props, paint, and design. Elisia comes from a background in education and her years as an elementary school teacher have fostered a passion for story telling. She came to theatre with a desire to explore how the elements of live performance can reach and inspire people. She is thrilled to contribute to another incredible season at GFT!
Recent credits include: Dance Nation (Outside the March and Coal Mine Theatre, Head of Props), Fulfilment Center (Coal Mine Theater, Head of Props), Shrek the Musical (Young People’s Theatre, Props Builder), This is How We Got Here (Humber Polytechnic, Set Designer), The 39 Steps (Guild Festival Theatre, Assistant Technical Director and Scenic Painter), Heratio (Guild Festival Theatre, Assistant Technical Director).
Sabrina Weinstein - Stage Manager
Sabrina Weinstein is thrilled to be making her Guild Festival debut. Past stage management credits include Love You Forever and More Munsch (Young People’s Theatre); Xtraordinaire (Paris and California Tours; Starvox Entertainment); Grease, Finding Neverland (Drayton Entertainment); Bad Roads, Earworm (Crow's Theatre); Maanomaa My Brother (Canadian Stage); Fertility (Light Echo Theatre); This Feels Like The End (Next Stage); Gulp, Jackes and Jills (Toronto Fringe). Sabrina is a proud graduate of the Centre for Drama Theatre and Performance Studies at UofT. Much love to Liam and Otis, as well as my friends and family for their endless support.
Leah Wilton- Choreographer
Leah Wilton is a graduate of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, where she trained in contemporary dance. Wilton has performed in a number of festivals including Busker’s festivals, Short&Sweet at Sappyfest14, and the Common Ground Dance Festival. An award nominated choreographer, Wilton maintains her choreographic practice through residencies such as the Town of Sackville’s Performing Artist in Residence, and ArtsLinkNB’s Introspect: A Nature Residency. Select choreography credits include Night at the Grand Guignol (Eldritch Theatre), Alice, a Dance Tale (Perpetual Motion Dance Studio), and Music and the Mirror (They’d Never Cast Me In That Cabaret).
Siobhan Richardson - Fight Director
Siobhan Richardson‘s work has appeared at The Canadian Opera Company (where she is the resident Fight and Intimacy Director), The Shaw Festival, the National Arts Centre, The Stratford Festival, Native Earth Performing Arts, Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre, Soulpepper, Canadian Musical Theatre Projects, The Grand Theatre (London, ON), Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company, Young Peoples’ Theatre, Starvox Entertainment, and The Grand Theatre (London, Ontario) to name a few. She teaches a several post-secondary theatre programs, and has completed 3 European teaching tours. Recently she added Vocal Combat Technique™ coaching and training to her skillset.
She’s also an actor/fighter/singer/dancer. Recent projects include Heratio (Guild Festival Theatre), Boy Boy and the Magic Drum (Blackman Productions), Dark Heart (Thought for Food productions), Seven Veils (a film directed by Atom Egoyan) and The 39 Steps (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Company). Upcoming, you can see her in Cyrano which recently played in Edmonton, and will next perform in Winnipeg (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre), then London (The Grand Theatre).
Always infusing Joyfulness and Curiosity into the work, Siobhan is dedicated to the growth and development of the art forms, the artists and the workspaces. She builds upon current practices, inspired by historical sources, infused with science, and drawing upon a variety of styles and approaches, to create spaces for adventurous creative exploration. Hear about upcoming workshops through her Instagram (@fighteractress) and by signing up for her newsletter (www.SiobhanRichardson.com).
Content Warning: This play is based on the real lives of the Brontë sisters, which includes references to real events in their lives, such as mentions of death, suicide, and substance abuse. Please contact the box office if you would like more details on the content of the show