APOTHECARY

Toronto Fringe Festival
July 2nd-13th, 2025

Welcome to the Apothecary

Artist Statement

In a world built for men, women create community. 

This show is an homage to the way women have gathered and cared for one another from time immemorial. Women are the backbone of society, carrying the burden of its ills, but we are also its heart; loving when there is hate.

To be a woman is not to be perfect; it is to accept imperfection as a human right, and to do good, anyway. As a society, we are challenged more than ever to do something about it, and we can find ourselves paralyzed with worry about doing the wrong thing. But, if our smallest inaction can be harmful, then it is true that our smallest offering can bring peace. Reach out your hand to your neighbour and give them what you can. 

The hand of a woman is extraordinary indeed.

Director’s Statement

Apothecary is a response to the systems which have failed and continue to fail women. It is a reclamation of care—an act of resistance against a medical system that has, for centuries, failed women.  From being left out of clinical research to having their symptoms dismissed as “hysteria,” women’s bodies have rarely been trusted, and even more rarely prioritized. They have long been subjected to a healthcare system shaped by patriarchal values. And yet, women have always found ways to care for each other.

In this story, Lady and Tilly carve out a living sanctuary, one built not on perfection, but on care, solidarity, and collective survival. Their work is messy, deeply human, and profoundly political. This play honours the healers, midwives, witches, organizers, and mothers who created community not for glory, but out of necessity. May we learn from their courage and from the countless women who do this work every day.

Creative Team

  • Allison Wither

    Composer/Lyricist, Music Director

  • Laura Piccinin

    Playwright, Producer

  • Cass Van Wyck

    Director

  • Greg Carruthers

    Stage Manager

  • Adriane VanSeggelen

    Assistant Stage Manager

Meet the Cast

Sydney Marion
(Tilly)

SYDNEY MARION (she/her) (TILLY) is a proud queer, Toronto-based performer originally from a very small town called Tiny, Ontario. She is thrilled to join this phenomenal cast of talented artists in such an important, unnervingly relevant and beautiful piece. Selected theatre credits include; Hayley The Boy in the Moon (New Stages Theatre) Hermia/Snout/Fairy A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bar Team Theatre), Swing Elsa/Anna/Olaf Frozen in Time (KCP Productions), Junie B. Jones Junie B. Jones, Thumbelina Thumbelina: A Little Musical (T.Y.T Theatre). She thanks her wonderful family and partner for their unwavering support, and extends her gratitude to you for coming to support live theatre! @_smarion on Instagram

Laura Piccinin
(Lady)

Laura was born to tell stories. Whether as a dancer/aerialist with Tokyo Disney, a playwright for new Canadian musicals, Every Silver Lining, and Apothecary, or her solo shows, LESBIHONEST, The Suicide Key, and GO, or as a comédienne in Footloose with Just for Laughs, Laura’s unstoppable passion in life lies in telling people all sorts of eccentric stories, whether they want to hear them or not.

Ayokunmi Oladesu
(Penny)

Ayokunmi (she/her) is thrilled to be in Apothecary! She is a multidisciplinary artist residing in Toronto. Credits include: High School Musical and Mary Poppins (JCR Theatre), Something Rotten, Bring it On and, The Wolves (Vanier College Productions), Alice by Heart (Thaumatrope Theatre) and Little Shop of Horrors (Alexander Showcase Theatre). Stage manager credits include: Labyrinth of Desire (Vanier College Productions), AHAHA and Elephant Song (Fringe) and Ordinary Days (Shifting Ground Collective). She’d like to thank her family for their support of her artistic dreams. Enjoy the show!

Ashlie White
(Henrietta)

Ashlie is thrilled to be joining the cast of Apothecary and returning to the Toronto Fringe Festival. She is originally from Alberta where she studied Theatre Arts at Grant MacEwan University. Ashlie has worked in theatre, musical theatre, opera and voiceover for the last 20 years. She can be heard on a variety of commercials for both radio and tv, and coming up, she can be seen is season 2 of The Office Movers (Bell Media)

Anique Mercier
(Eleanor)

Anique is thrilled to be in the cast of Apothecary. Alongside her BFA in Theatre from NYU, MFA in Musical Theatre, and MM in Vocal Pedagogy from the Boston Conservatory, Anique has been fortunate to perform on stages across the USA and Canada.

Select credits include: Hairspray (upcoming), Marvelous Wonderettes, Anne and Gilbert, No Change in the Weather, Matilda, It's a Wonderful Life, Peter and the Starcatcher, Elephant and Piggie's We Are In a Play, Willy Wonka, Heathers, Journey to Oz, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and The Velveteen Rabbit. 

Anique also teaches voice privately and is an instructor at Sheridan College. Enjoy the show!

Lauryn Hall
(Gisele)

Lauryn Hall (she/they) is an emerging multidisciplinary queer artist based in Toronto. She's beyond grateful to make her Fringe debut with this poignant and powerful show. She is a recent graduate of Randolph College where she played Lank in Crazy For You and Juror 3 in 12 Angry Jurors in the Spring/Summer of 2024.

Apothecary is a show now stitched to her heart as she enters this industry with a mind to co-create informed and inspiring work. Huge thanks to this amazing team! And to the lovely Ava for all of her support through the process.

Jodi Jahnke
(Marie Anne)

Jodi Jahnke is a Toronto-based actor with credits in hit series like Star Trek: Discovery, The Handmaid’s Tale, and SurrealEstate. Outside of television, Jodi shares her love for musical theatre through vocal covers on her YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/JodiJahnke.

Callan Forrester
(Frances)

CALLAN FORRESTER (they/them) is a non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist originally from Montreal. They moved to Toronto in 2019 to attend Randolph College for the Performing Arts, where they graduated in 2021. To Callan, theatre is a way to connect with our community and spark creation. They hope their work will inspire you to tell stories of your own. Callan has a passion for medical justice for women, trans people and gender minorities, so they are exceptionally excited to be a part of Apothecary. Selected credits include The Leading Player Project (EveryBODY on Stage), The Storyteller (No Strings Theatre) and season 4 of Drag Heals (OUTtv).

Mona Hillis
(Alina)

Mona is a Toronto-based actor, singer, and dancer who has worked both locally and across Canada for nearly a decade. She is so excited to be at The Fringe working on another new piece of Canadian musical theatre! She is also a certified nail tech and started her own manicure business one year ago. You can follow to hear about her upcoming work and other various shenanigans on instagram @monahillis. Nails at @trashprincessmanicures. Selected theatre credits include: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (T.Y.T. Theatre), Salt-Water Moon (King Theatre Company), Falsettos (Bowtie Productions), Merrily We Roll Along (Shifting Ground Collective).

Benjamin Earl
(Man/Bass)

Benjamin is an artist and performer from Toronto, and a graduate from the Theatre Studies program at the University of Guelph. While acting in both theatre and film, he is also a guitarist and singer in the Toronto rock n’ roll band The Thick, and the folk & blues band The Gatke Brothers. He wants to thank his family, friends & partner for their unwavering support and for constantly inspiring his soul and heart with their love, courage and ambition. S

elected theatre credits include: Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid, TYT), Wilson (Unfurnished, Toronto Fringe), Kenickie (Grease, Hart House), Vincent (The Halcyon, The Luscombe Theatre). @ben_rosie on Instagram.

Jasmine Jones-Ball
(Percussionist)

Selected Credits: Jesus Christ Superstar (Theatre Sheridan) Bittergirl The Musical (Thousand Islands Playhouse) Charlie and the Chocolate factory (Grand Theatre London) Onstage percussionist for Romeo and Juliet (Stratford Festival) Drum sub for Six The Musical (Mirvish) Drum Sub for The Lion King (Mirvish)


Jasmine has been playing drums professionally for over 20 years, playing various musical styles such as jazz, r&b, rock, gospel and country. Her drumming journey began when she began drumming for her youth choir. She went on to drum for the Juno award winning Toronto Mass Choir and the dynamic praise and worship group For the Master. She is a graduate of the Humber College music program as a percussionist.

Currently she is a member of The 6ixStix and The Hitmen Drumline, which are the official drumming groups for the Toronto Raptors and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Acknowledgements

A very special thanks to Chad McNamara, Jennifer Stewart, and Arron Eyre who believed in our work before it was done, and who gave us the opportunity to shine. 

To the artists at St. Lawrence College who helped devise this work in 2022, pieces of you all are at its heart. 

To Stephanie Graham and Sarah O’Brecht who gave their time and minds in dramaturging Apothecary as it grew into the show it is today.

To Derrick Chua, who, for the second time, leaned over and whispered an idea into my ear that changed my life.

To Larry Silverberg. We’ve saved you a seat. 

Thank you to Hart House for loaning us these beautiful costumes.

Thank you to the Alliance for Canadian Musicals & Pat and Tony Adams Freedom Fund for the Arts for providing our technical needs for this show.

Thank you to Peter Dowhaniuk and Gabi Okuda for giving the show its visual life through your graphic design. 

To all the women who have lived and loved, and cared for one another through it all, we’re here because of you.