Skip to main content

The Collective

Amanda Hadi

Editorial & Creative Manager

Amanda Hadi is a Toronto-based cultural programmer, digital producer and talent specialist. Beginning in May 2020, she joined Shopify Toronto’s office as a Talent Sourcer. She was most recently part of the Toronto International Film Festival’s public programming team, where she curated a film retrospective dedicated to Canadian comedy legend Catherine the Great: In Praise of Catherine O’Hara, an evening with Chani Nicholas: Art, Activism and Astrology and Loved It: Ira Madison III on Bring It On. Prior to this, she was TIFF’s Lead Digital Engagement Producer, curating the third annual TIFFxInstagram Film Festival. She has worked for the Canadian Opera Company, the City of Ottawa Public Art Program, several creative branding studios in Toronto, and as the head of Social Media for the Art Gallery of Ontario. Since 2015, she has spent her evenings running the editorial and creative campaigns of Against the Grain Theatre, where among her many contributions she spearheaded the company’s RGD-winning creative rebrand by Acme Art & Design, and creates site-specific, immersive house programs for each production with a team of Toronto’s leading designers and art directors. She has been profiled in Flare Magazine, NOW Magazine, Metro News and 500px.

David Eliakis

Artistic Associate & Opera Pub Host

As a sought-after voice coach, host and lecturer, pianist David Eliakis has collaborated with world-renown artists such as Warren Jones, Julius Rudel, and Sir Martin Isepp. His performances have taken him to the stages of Brazil, Switzerland, England, Germany, and across Canada. He shares his time between the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Music as a voice coach and lecturer, as well as Against The Grain Theatre as an Artistic Associate and host of their wildly popular monthly Opera Pubs. As a lecturer he speaks passionately about lesser-known composers and works, as well as singers from previous generations, including a pre-screen talk about Maria Callas at the Toronto International Film Festival for the debut of their film ‘Maria by Callas’.

Madison Angus

Digital Content Manager

Soprano Madison Angus (she/her) is a multidisciplinary performer and artist based in Toronto, Ontario. As a performer and creator, she is drawn to projects that focus on innovation and social change. Recent performance engagements include, performing in FAWN Chamber Creative’s Convergence Theory, Relay with Expect Theatre, Musetta in Against the Grain Theatre's Yukon tour of La Bohème, modelling and singing at Fashion Art Toronto, and portraying Rosetta in Love in a Village. In addition to performing, she enjoys directing, writing, and visual arts. Recent engagements include, assistant directing on Giulio Cesare for the Historical Performance Department at UofT as well as being a member of Expect Theatre’s Playwriting Unit. Last year, Madison directed her first opera, Dido & Belinda with OperaQ and was involved in writing and designing for the show. Madison has past experience assistant directing with Opera 5 and co-directing musical theatre/ opera scenes through the studio of Lorna MacDonald at UofT. This year, Madison was a member of Nightwood Theatre’s Young Innovators Program which offers producing workshops to help empower young artists in creating their own work.

Jason Hand

Resident Lighting Designer

Jason Hand is a Toronto-based lighting designer working in theatre and opera. He has designed at major opera houses in Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Minneapolis, and at theatres and festivals including Canadian Stage, Soulpepper, Shaw, Stratford, Banff, Young People’s Theatre and Theatre Calgary. He is the recipient of five Dora Award nominations for Lighting Design, and was the 2012 protégé recipient of the prestigious Siminovitch Prize in Theatre. Beginning with the first Bohème in 2011, Jason has lit ten of AtG’s numerous productions.

Michael Morreale

Digital Consultant

Michael is a Toronto-based digital producer and writer. His work has been featured in The Guardian, CBC, Maclean’s Magazine, WQXR, The Globe and Mail, CTV News, The New Classical FM, Classic FM, Ludwig Van Toronto and more. At the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, he led the $10-million Canada 150 signature initiative Canada Mosaic, which included 42 concert recordings, an innovative e-learning platform and partner orchestras across the country. This season, he is producing 12 live concert streams from Koerner Hall at the RCM. Previously, he was a producer at CBC Music and CBC Radio 2, and an Emerging Dance Critic at the National Ballet of Canada. He is from Sarnia, Ontario.

Michaela Dickey

Administration & Projects Consultant

Originally from 100 Mile House, BC, Michaela Dickey’s journey as a performer has recently led her here to Toronto. She holds degrees in Opera from McGill, the University of British Columbia and the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Michaela has had the pleasure of working with AtG as a performer first, singing the role of Zerlina in #UncleJohn at the Banff Centre, and as an ensemble member of AtG’s Dora Award–winning production of AtG’s Messiah.

Alumni & Original Members

Joanna Barrotta
Andrea Bellefeuille, Past President
Allison Bent
Cecily Carver
Brad Cherwin
Holly Coish
Cait Coull, Founding Member
Nina Draganic
Nancy Hitzig
Jonathan MacArthur
Topher Mokrzewski, Founding Music Director
Nikki Tremblay