Sarah Ashton
• Community Engagement Coordinator •
Sarah is a a third year English Major with a Concentration in Creative Writing. She has been on the stage performing since she was 4, so now her legs are very tired. During her first year at Carleton she has jumped right into the theatre scene here, acting in several SnB shows. Going into her second year with Sock’n’Buskin now, Sarah is excited to see what the new year will bring. When not rehearsing she can be found adventuring in the rugged wilderness or in Roosters because she basically lives there.
Meghan Boyer
• Events Coordinator •
Meghan Boyer is a fourth year Global and International Studies student and she is over the moon excited about joining the board this year! She is very inspired by the power theater has to make people smile, or to think about a situation in a new way, and she looks forward to experiencing that process with everyone in SnB. In her free time, she likes to read the first chapter of a book and forget about it for five months, drink fancy lattes she can’t afford, and go for runs (which are more like leisurely strolls around the neighborhood to pet dogs).
Kosta Diochnos
• Treasurer •
Born and raised on the Bayou, Kosta’s diet from a young age consisted of wild berries and game fowl; until one day at the young age of thirteen he saw an old witch doctor hold a spellbinding performance to save the community’s soul. From then on, theatre has been all he’s devoured, with a ravishing desire to act, react, and explore the abstract.
Sheldon Parathundyil
Originally from Brampton, ON, Sheldon is in his third-year of PAPM and has been active with SnB since he arrived in Ottawa. He has served as an actor, singer, writer, director, dramaturg, and stage manager in over 30 school and community theatre productions, and graduated with Merit from Mayfield SS’s Drama Regional Arts Program. In 2016, he wrote and co-directed the 9-award-winning show “The Red Road,” about the residential school system, for the Sears Ontario Drama Festival, reflecting his love for Grotowski and Artaud and his belief in theatre as a vehicle for sociopolitical commentary. Some notable past SnB credits include John Merrick in “The Elephant Man,” the titular character in SnB’s “Macbeth,” and Donny in SnB’s “Adult Entertainment.” He can often be heard talking decolonization, development, and dank memes, and takes great pride in his Brampton hipster grandpa aesthetic.
Natascha Sekerinski
Natascha is a 2nd year BGInS student, specializing in Globalization and Environment and minoring in Law. When she’s not out exploring the other side of the Atlantic or roping her friends into being her photography models, Natascha has found a second home backstage with Sock ‘n’ Buskin. Relatively new to theatre in her first year at Carleton but nevertheless jumping right in wherever she could, Natascha starred as a stagehand elf in the Brother’s Grimm Spectaculathon, and then brought her one show stagehand expertise to Twelfth Night. She could also be spotted as a dancing usher throughout the year. Natascha is super excited to expand her involvement with Sock ‘n’ Buskin this year, and would like to encourage absolutely everyone to become involved!
Sarah Sheils
Sarah Sheils is a 3rd year English student who found her way from a small town to the big city of Ottawa. It took blood, guts and glory but she found a second family in Sock ‘n’ Buskin. When not on the stage, you can find her in a basement playing Dungeons and Dragons or filling a sketchbook with doodles. Sarah would like to spread some good news and give a super special shoutout to Sarah Ashton!
Jasmine Stamos
Jasmine is a fourth-year journalism student with three passions: asbestos awareness, Scrabble, and Sock ‘n’ Buskin Theatre Company. Since starting with the company in her first year, her credits include The Crucible (Abigail), Macbeth (First Witch), and Twelfth Night (Viola). Jasmine has gained a lot from SnB, but most important has been the friendships she’s made that will last a lifetime. Jasmine’s super hyped to be part of the board for the company’s 75th anniversary and is ready to make her last year with the company her best yet.
Laura Sumpter
Laura is a fourth year Social Work student with a minor in Law. When Laura’s not hanging out in the shadows of backstage she enjoys making puns and petting dogs. This is Laura’s second year on the board, she started her involvement as a backstage volunteer and was lucky enough to stage manage two productions last year.
Meg Sutton
Originally from the east coast, Meg is happy to say she found her new family at Sock ‘n’ Buskin, for this will be her third year on the board. She did come to Carleton to study journalism and law, but always knew she needed to incorporate theatre into her life somehow. Managing a full time job, journalism society, and cheerleading along with school, Meg is going into her fourth and final year and can’t wait for the adventures it will bring. Hopefully it involves disney princesses. Shoutout to her best friend Mary, who she met through this company.
Mary Sword
Mary is a fourth year English major with a concentration in Drama Studies. Sock ‘n’ Buskin is where Mary has found her home on campus, and she couldn’t recommend this “friendship company” enough. Mary has been with SnB since her first week on campus, and is so sad to be in her final year with them, but hopes to make it the best one yet! Having been lucky enough to direct a show (The Elephant Man), Mary has also been able to stage manage (Sherlock Holmes) and act in as many shows as she possibly can. When not working with SnB though, Mary can be found thinking about her dog, sleeping as much as she possibly can, working too many jobs, and drinking far too much coffee. Mary is incredibly excited for this coming season and can’t wait to see what it has in store! Shout out to Meg who puts up with her insanity.
Keara Voo
Keara is a show tune-singing, book-loving, trash-TV-binging English major who stumbled upon Sock n Buskin in her first year and never turned back. She loves and appreciates all forms of artistry and hopes in her time here to finally create a “show-stopping show”.
Alex Wilson
Alex Wilson is a fourth year Computer Science student with a passion for theatre and improv, who embodies the phrase “trash can, not trash can’t!” When she isn’t coding, you can find her performing as “The Thing From Behind the Furnace” with North of Normal Improv, judging teenage theatre sports, drinking her weight in coffee, and being involved in as many SnB productions as possible. She has stage managed a group of wild rhinoceroses and performed as a weird sister, an even weirder sister, and the weirdest lit prof you could ever hope to have. Alex is incredibly excited to return to the board and work towards putting on an incredible season with the friendship company!
THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Christian Giansante
Pizza enthusiast. Avid television watcher. Average cyclist. These are only some of the words used to describe Christian. Christian is a 4th year Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Engineering student with a knack for theatre. He is thrilled to be a part of Sock ‘n’ Buskin’s 75th Season and can’t wait to try out a bad new accent on stage this year.
Molly McGuire
Molly is a fourth year Humanities student at Carleton who is better known for her status as a nationally-recognized Mancala player at the professional level. Regardless of McGuire’s passion for the marbles, however, she pursues a myriad of crafts in the off-season. Most notably, she is reputed for her delectable preserves, her Grammy award-winning ambient soundtracks, and her undeniable knack for papier-mâché. The true crowning jewel among her accolades though, is her love for theatre. First making her debut alongside Mel Gibson in Braveheart, and going on to work opposite Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life, she has since found a home in live performance. She looks forward to another star-studded season with the indomitable Carleton theatre community, and as always urges her fans maintain an air of skepticism when reading about her accolades.