The Lobbyists

At the expanse festival

ACTIVATING SPACES, IGNITING IMAGINATIONS

Established in 2013, The Lobbyists ensemble has been a permanent fixture of the Expanse Festival, performing captivating site-specific shows inspired by the festival’s themes. They activate spaces with play, laughter, and transformative experiences for unsuspecting audiences—making any space their stage, including… the lobby!

Are you interested in having The Lobbyists perform at your event? Contact us for more info.

The Lobbyists program offers professional training to emerging artists eager to explore physical and dance theatre, as well as site-specific performance. As a key part of Azimuth Theatre’s Expanse Festival—and now expanding to other festivals and events throughout the year—we are committed to breaking boundaries and bringing our performances directly to the community.
We are proud to support the next generation of performers, equipping them with the tools, connections, and confidence they need to thrive. The Lobbyists is more than just a training program—it’s a transformative journey that unlocks the creative dynamo of collective creation.

the Lobbyists is a transformative journey that goes beyond traditional training, unlocking the creative dynamo of collective creation.

2024 Lobbyist ensemble

Asia Weinkauf-Bowman is a disabled theatre artist living and working in Amiskwacîwâskikan (colonially known as Edmonton). Her theatrical practice focuses heavily on performance, with a keen interest in exploring her embodied knowledge and experiences as a disabled woman. Asia has worked with a number of theatre companies across Alberta, including Trickster Theatre, The Maggie Tree, Vena Amoris Projects, Citadel Theatre, Catalyst Theatre, Theatre Prospero and more. Her work as an artist is often inspired by her deep desire for transformative justice across all sectors of humanity, and she feels especially called to the works of radical women of color feminist thinkers and activists as she continually aspires to expand her understanding and role in our current global world. Asia is also very interested in further exploring clown, physical theatre and movement, playwriting and collaborative creation as part of her theatrical practice.

My name is Daniyal Daar. I am an actor based in Edmonton. Since a young age, I have always been passionate about theatre and acting. I have spent most of my 12 years of school acting on stage and taking on different characters. I went to the University of Alberta for nursing school and I recently graduated and have been practicing as a registered nurse. For the past few years, I have been acting in short films and original theatre productions to build my resume and challenge myself. I want to challenge myself again and try my hand at physical/dance theatre. I have always been into dance and I find that it helps me while I am on stage performing as an actor. I would love to apply and I look forward to hearing back from you!

Katelyn Cabalo (she/her) is a first-generation Filipina Canadian performing artist based in amiskwacîwâskahikan / Edmonton. She is currently completing her final semester at the University of Alberta, studying Drama and Political Science. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Katelyn enjoys doing work that challenges her both as an artist and as a person. Her work is based in contemporary, applied, musical, and devised theatre, as well as dance. Select acting credits include: Tomato Girl (New Works Festival), White Christmas (Opera Nuova), Everybody (Studio Theatre), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Grindstone Theatre) and Lemon (Edmonton Fringe Festival & New Works Festival).

Rhiannon is a multiple disciplinary theatre artist based in Edmonton. She wears many hats including actor, technician, stage manager, burlesque dancer, and clown. She has previously graduated from the Keyano College Visual and Performing Arts program and recently MacEwan University’s Theatre Production program. Rhiannon believes that laughter is key in creating, and even the darkest of works can be an opportunity for a giggle.

Kijo Gatama, an emerging multidisciplinary performance-maker exploring playwriting, movement, acting, artistic producing, and directing. My passion lies in delving into afro-queer identity and the complex intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, and diverse lived experiences. Currently, I serve as the Outreach Coordinator for Azimuth Theatre and Program Coordinator for YEP with Fringe Theatre. Additionally, I co-artistic direct Here, for: Fear Collectives, a company dedicated to pushing boundaries. My work as a playwright focuses on Folklore and Queer Afro-Canadian experiences, with notable pieces like “Hyena’s Trail” and “Mango of The Dead.” Premieres include “Hyena’s Trail” at Nextfest and “A Tale of Two Bundles” with Thou Art Here. Currently, I’m immersed in developing “The Forage” with Nightwood Theatre. Happy to be part of the Expanse festival, dancing in community brings me immense joy!

Lauren Brady is an award-winning creator & performer born on Treaty Seven Territory. Brady is an alumnus of the University of Alberta’s BFA in Acting Program. Since then, she has continued to pursue clowning through Michael Kennard’s mentorship and explores physical theatre with Denise Clarke through One Yellow Rabbit’s BYA Ensemble. Brady is the founder of HEYwire Theatre, a collective that creates work surrounding ominous topics and dissects them through comedy to make the undesirable content more palatable through laughter. Recent works include OWEaDEBT (5 stars TheLISTuk) @interWEBBED (5stars Edmonton Journal). Brady has presented works internationally: Adelaide Fringe Festival, High Performance Rodeo, Skirts a Fire, Play The Fool, Vancouver FORM Festival, The Nextfest Festival, Fluid Festival, Ottawa & Edmonton Fringe Festival. https://laurenbrady.ca/heywire/

2025 Lobbyist ensemble

Asia Weinkauf-Bowman is a disabled theatre artist living and working in Amiskwacîwâskikan (colonially known as Edmonton). Her theatrical practice focuses heavily on performance, with a keen interest in exploring her embodied knowledge and experiences as a disabled woman. Asia has worked with a number of theatre companies across Alberta, including Trickster Theatre, The Maggie Tree, Vena Amoris Projects, Citadel Theatre, Catalyst Theatre, Theatre Prospero and more. Her work as an artist is often inspired by her deep desire for transformative justice across all sectors of humanity, and she feels especially called to the works of radical women of color feminist thinkers and activists as she continually aspires to expand her understanding and role in our current global world. Asia is also very interested in further exploring clown, physical theatre and movement, playwriting and collaborative creation as part of her theatrical practice.

My name is Daniyal Daar. I am an actor based in Edmonton. Since a young age, I have always been passionate about theatre and acting. I have spent most of my 12 years of school acting on stage and taking on different characters. I went to the University of Alberta for nursing school and I recently graduated and have been practicing as a registered nurse. For the past few years, I have been acting in short films and original theatre productions to build my resume and challenge myself. I want to challenge myself again and try my hand at physical/dance theatre. I have always been into dance and I find that it helps me while I am on stage performing as an actor. I would love to apply and I look forward to hearing back from you!

Katelyn Cabalo (she/her) is a first-generation Filipina Canadian performing artist based in amiskwacîwâskahikan / Edmonton. She is currently completing her final semester at the University of Alberta, studying Drama and Political Science. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Katelyn enjoys doing work that challenges her both as an artist and as a person. Her work is based in contemporary, applied, musical, and devised theatre, as well as dance. Select acting credits include: Tomato Girl (New Works Festival), White Christmas (Opera Nuova), Everybody (Studio Theatre), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Grindstone Theatre) and Lemon (Edmonton Fringe Festival & New Works Festival).

Rhiannon is a multiple disciplinary theatre artist based in Edmonton. She wears many hats including actor, technician, stage manager, burlesque dancer, and clown. She has previously graduated from the Keyano College Visual and Performing Arts program and recently MacEwan University’s Theatre Production program. Rhiannon believes that laughter is key in creating, and even the darkest of works can be an opportunity for a giggle.

Kijo Gatama, an emerging multidisciplinary performance-maker exploring playwriting, movement, acting, artistic producing, and directing. My passion lies in delving into afro-queer identity and the complex intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, and diverse lived experiences. Currently, I serve as the Outreach Coordinator for Azimuth Theatre and Program Coordinator for YEP with Fringe Theatre. Additionally, I co-artistic direct Here, for: Fear Collectives, a company dedicated to pushing boundaries. My work as a playwright focuses on Folklore and Queer Afro-Canadian experiences, with notable pieces like “Hyena’s Trail” and “Mango of The Dead.” Premieres include “Hyena’s Trail” at Nextfest and “A Tale of Two Bundles” with Thou Art Here. Currently, I’m immersed in developing “The Forage” with Nightwood Theatre. Happy to be part of the Expanse festival, dancing in community brings me immense joy!

Lauren Brady is an award-winning creator & performer born on Treaty Seven Territory. Brady is an alumnus of the University of Alberta’s BFA in Acting Program. Since then, she has continued to pursue clowning through Michael Kennard’s mentorship and explores physical theatre with Denise Clarke through One Yellow Rabbit’s BYA Ensemble. Brady is the founder of HEYwire Theatre, a collective that creates work surrounding ominous topics and dissects them through comedy to make the undesirable content more palatable through laughter. Recent works include OWEaDEBT (5 stars TheLISTuk) @interWEBBED (5stars Edmonton Journal). Brady has presented works internationally: Adelaide Fringe Festival, High Performance Rodeo, Skirts a Fire, Play The Fool, Vancouver FORM Festival, The Nextfest Festival, Fluid Festival, Ottawa & Edmonton Fringe Festival. https://laurenbrady.ca/heywire/