Mandate
Praxis Theatre is a Toronto-based not-for-profit theatre company devoted to creating original theatrical productions. These works emphasize challenging sociopolitical ideas while remaining dedicated to creating theatre that is accessible to a wide spectrum of our community. The impetus underlying all our projects is the same: We believe in the potential and power of new stories, created by local artists, to give audiences the opportunity to question the world we engage in and how we shape it.
Simon Rice: Co-Artistic Director
Simon Rice
Simon is a director, actor and journalist. Most recently he directed Underneath with Praxis. Simon also directed Stranger and the company’s “Patron’s Pick” winning The Blood of a Coward. As a performer, he played principal roles in Eugene, Checkpoint, and The Master and Margarita. In 2007, Simon toured Toronto’s parks with Stranger Theatre’s, The World Turned Upside Down.
Other roles include, “K” in Red Castle Inquiry and Richard in Richard III, directed by Yanna McIntosh. Simon has worked extensively with teacher and director Raymond Bobgan, Artistic Director of The Cleveland Public Theatre. Simon is a graduate of Humber College Theatre School and is currently pursuing an Advanced Diploma in Journalism at Humber’s School of Media Studies and Information Technology.
Michael Wheeler: Co-Artistic Director
Michael Wheeler
Michael is a director, actor, online collaborator and activist. With Praxis, Michael directed Tim Buck 2, DYAD, The Master and Margarita, Checkpoint, Steel, and Eugene. As a performer he has appeared on stage with Crate Productions, Praxis Theatre, The American Repertory Theatre, and The American Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre.
He is currently working on three projects: 1) An in-depth exploration of the relationship between direction and design as Director in Training at The Tarragon Theatre. 2) Coordinating the social media and assistant directing The Africa Trilogy being created by Volcano Theatre for Luminato, June 2010. 3) Directing and creating with Praxis Theatre an original Canadian civil rights-themed work titled, Section 98 which will be workshopped through the HATCH program at Harbourfront Centre, March 2010. He holds a B.A. from McGill University, a Certificate from Harvard University and a M.F.A. from the Moscow Art Theatre. As an arts-based activist Michael is a member of The Wrecking Ball and a founding member of Department of Culture.
Margaret Evans: General Manager
Margaret Evans
Margaret’s first association with Praxis was as an actor and producer of DYAD at the 2007 Toronto Fringe Festival. She became the General Manager for Praxis Theatre in June of 2008 producing Stranger, Tim Buck 2 (which she also performed in) and Underneath. She has produced for the Summerworks Festival, the Toronto International Fringe Festival, Nightwood Theatre, Theatre in Her Shoes and the Andrea Nann Dreamwalker Dance Company, among others.
Margaret’s screen credits include many short films as well as Spynet and This is Wonderland (CBC Television). Her first feature film The Last New Year premiered at the Victoria Film Festival in January of 2009. Her theatre acting credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Cry Havoc) Jimmy the Cocksucker (Expanded Arts), Crossing Delancey (Encore) The Moon Bath Girl (Summerworks), Trying (Globus), and A Minor Symphony in Bees (Rhubarb). Margaret received a B.A. in History from the University of King’s College in Halifax, a M.F.A. in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School in New York and completed the Acting Shakespeare course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
