Big Smoke About Us

BIG SMOKE PRODUCTIONS

RUSSELL BENNETT - Actor, Writer, Director, Producer

Originally from Toronto, Russell began acting at the age of eleven as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, a life-defining experience. However, instead of pursuing his passion, he earned two degrees and became a lawyer. After making a documentary film, Russell finally listened to his heart and decided to pursue the art of acting. After training with Jacqueline McClintock in her Toronto Working Class, Russell trained at the renowned Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, where he met Gillian Bennett (formerly Stevens-Guille).

Among his work in film, Russell has been the lead of three short films: Memory Waters, which premiered at the Virginia Film Festival; The School, which screened at Sundance and won the Volkswagon Audience Award at the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival; and The Last Bang, which screened at film festivals in Toronto, Los Angeles, Houston (where it won a Gold Remi for Best Original Comedy), Dallas, Venice and Barcelona.

Russell has acted in several plays including All My Sons (Toronto Village Playhouse), Killing Time at the Crossroads of the World (Toronto Fringe Festival) and A Late Summer's Dream (Soho 20, NYC). Russell's first solo play was The Black Cat, which he adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's short story. Russell co-wrote and performed in the award-winning and cult hit solo show The Reefer Man. Russell performed his third solo show, Rocket Man, touring the western Canadian Fringe circuit, which critics both loved and loathed.

Russell co-wrote and directed the Fringe Festival hit, Self-Storage, starring Gillian Bennett. Russell also produced and directed the documentary STONED: Hemp Nation on Trial, which premiered on CBC Newsworld, and was nominated for Best Political Documentary at the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival. Russell also teaches the Meisner technique of acting at his Vancouver workshop, Foundation.

Crude Love is Russell and Gillian's fifth play, which they wrote, performed and produced. It was their third Fringe Festival tour, garnering awards and rave reviews across Canada.

GILLIAN BENNETT - Writer, Actor

Originally from Edmonton, Gillian Bennett (formerly Stevens-Guille) met Russell Bennett when training for two years at The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC. At the time, he thought she was a snob and she thought he was arrogant. Little did they know that they would eventually fall in love while collaborating on a show and that they would end up married. It was the happiest accident of her life.

Crude Love marks Gillian's third Canadian Fringe Festival tour. She co-wrote and directed her future husband, Russell Bennett, in the multiple award-winning solo play The Reefer Man in 2004. Gillian co-wrote her first solo play, Self-Storage with Russell who also directed. Self-Storage toured eight cities in the 2005 Fringe Festival circuit to great critical acclaim, winning the Critic's Pick of the Fringe in Toronto & Saskatoon, and was selected as an early favorite of the festival by critics in Edmonton and Vancouver. Gillian was nominated for Best Actress and for Best Solo Play at the Victoria Fringe Festival.

Gillian has appeared in plays in New York, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver. She performed and wrote as a member of the acclaimed Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. Gillian won the Gordon Armstrong Rent Award in 2007 for a play she is currently developing. Gillian recently appeared in the MOW Vipers, playing the Mother to a son who is attacked by a really, really mad, genetically-engineered snake.

EMELIA SYMINGTON FEDY - Dramaturge, Director

Emelia is an actor, writer and co-artistic director of The Chop Theatre Society, company in residence with Rumble Productions. Most recently Emelia has teamed up with Radix to create the multiple Jessie Award winning play Assembly. Emelia has worked with The Arts Club Theatre, Rumble Productions, Sunshine Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, Green Thumb Theatre and Axis.

Emelia is most proud of writing and performing in the highly successful Patti Fedy Trilogy. Emelia favours physically devising theatre using boufoon and clown training as her inspiration. Emelia is a graduate of Studio 58 and has furthered her training with John Turner (Mump and Smoot) and Karen Hines (Pochsy). Emelia has just finished an internship with CBC radio, and is now adding freelancer and sound designer to her resume. Most recently Emelia directed The Chop's new play, Townsville for Magnetic North, and directed and dramaturged Big Smoke's production of Crude Love.


			RUSSELL BENNETT - Actor, Writer, Director, Producer Originally from Toronto, Russell began acting at the age of eleven as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, a life-defining experience. However, instead of pursuing his passion, he earned two degrees and became a lawyer. After making a documentary film, Russell finally listened to his heart and decided to pursue the art of acting. After training with Jacqueline McClintock in her Toronto Working Class, Russell trained at the renowned Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, where he met Gillian Bennett (formerly Stevens-Guille). Among his work in film, Russell has been the lead of three short films: Memory Waters, which premiered at the Virginia Film Festival; The School, which screened at Sundance and won the Volkswagon Audience Award at the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival; and The Last Bang, which screened at film festivals in Toronto, Los Angeles, Houston (where it won a Gold Remi for Best Original Comedy), Dallas, Venice and Barcelona. Russell has acted in several plays including All My Sons (Toronto Village Playhouse), Killing Time at the Crossroads of the World (Toronto Fringe Festival) and A Late Summer's Dream (Soho 20, NYC). Russell's first solo play was The Black Cat, which he adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's short story. Russell co-wrote and performed in the award-winning and cult hit solo show The Reefer Man. Russell performed his third solo show, Rocket Man, touring the western Canadian Fringe circuit, which critics both loved and loathed. Russell co-wrote and directed the Fringe Festival hit, Self-Storage, starring Gillian Bennett. Russell also produced and directed the documentary STONED: Hemp Nation on Trial, which premiered on CBC Newsworld, and was nominated for Best Political Documentary at the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival. Russell also teaches the Meisner technique of acting at his Vancouver workshop, Foundation. Crude Love is Russell and Gillian's fifth play, which they wrote, performed and produced. It was their third Fringe Festival tour, garnering awards and rave reviews across Canada.

			GILLIAN BENNETT - Writer, Actor Originally from Edmonton, Gillian Bennett (formerly Stevens-Guille) met Russell Bennett when training for two years at The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC. At the time, he thought she was a snob and she thought he was arrogant. Little did they know that they would eventually fall in love while collaborating on a show and that they would end up married. It was the happiest accident of her life. Crude Love marks Gillian's third Canadian Fringe Festival tour. She co-wrote and directed her future husband, Russell Bennett, in the multiple award-winning solo play The Reefer Man in 2004. Gillian co-wrote her first solo play, Self-Storage with Russell who also directed. Self-Storage toured eight cities in the 2005 Fringe Festival circuit to great critical acclaim, winning the Critic's Pick of the Fringe in Toronto & Saskatoon, and was selected as an early favorite of the festival by critics in Edmonton and Vancouver. Gillian was nominated for Best Actress and for Best Solo Play at the Victoria Fringe Festival. Gillian has appeared in plays in New York, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver. She performed and wrote as a member of the acclaimed Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. Gillian won the Gordon Armstrong Rent Award in 2007 for a play she is currently developing. Gillian recently appeared in the MOW Vipers, playing the Mother to a son who is attacked by a really, really mad, genetically-engineered snake.
			EMELIA SYMINGTON FEDY - Dramaturge, Director Emelia is an actor, writer and co-artistic director of The Chop Theatre Society, company in residence with Rumble Productions. Most recently Emelia has teamed up with Radix to create the multiple Jessie Award winning play Assembly. Emelia has worked with The Arts Club Theatre, Rumble Productions, Sunshine Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, Green Thumb Theatre and Axis. Emelia is most proud of writing and performing in the highly successful Patti Fedy Trilogy. Emelia favours physically devising theatre using boufoon and clown training as her inspiration. Emelia is a graduate of Studio 58 and has furthered her training with John Turner (Mump and Smoot) and Karen Hines (Pochsy). Emelia has just finished an internship with CBC radio, and is now adding freelancer and sound designer to her resume. Most recently Emelia directed The Chop's new play, Townsville for Magnetic North, and directed and dramaturged Big Smoke's production of Crude Love.