Ryan Luhning - Artistic Director

Ryan has been the Artistic Director of Ground Zero Theatre since its inception 1997. He is an actor, director and producer. His work has been seen on many of Calgary's professional stages and he has been nominated for five Betty Mitchell Awards for Acting.

Favourite theatre credits include: BOY GETS GIRL & THE OPTIMISTS (Theatre Junction), WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, POPCORN, THE MERRY ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (Alberta Theatre Projects), DEATH OF A SALESMAN, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, HOLIDAY (Theatre Calgary), THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (Manitoba Theatre Centre), STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT, 12 ANGRY MEN (Vertigo Mystery Theatre), TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT, MY FAIR LADY, (Citadel Theatre), PERVERT, SUBURBIA, LOOKING AFTER EDEN, COCKTALES, SPEED-THE-PLOW, KUNG-FU PANTIES (Ground Zero Theatre/Hit & Myth Productions).

Directing credits include: reasons to be pretty, My First Time (Ground Zero Theatre/Hit & Myth Productions). Ryan was the recipient of the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role for THE PILLOWMAN (Ground Zero Theatre/ Hit & Myth Productions). Ryan lives in Calgary with his wife Carolyn and his two daughters; Grace & Peyton.

Joel Cochrane - Artistic Producer, Hit & Myth Productions

Joel is the Artistic Producer of Hit & Myth Productions (H&M). Producing credits include Kung Fu Panties (co-produced with Ground Zero Theatre (GZT)), reasons to be pretty (GZT), Goodness (Downstage), My First Time (GZT), Speed The Plow (GZT), Evil Dead: The Musical (GZT), The Piper (Downstage), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (GZT), CockTales (GZT), The Full Monty (GZT), The Pillowman (GZT), Jesus Hopped The A Train (GZT and Rogues Theatre), Urinetown, The Musical (GZT).

Joel's recent acting credits include And So It Goes, Den of Thieves, CockTales: The ReTooling, Dinner With Friends, The Full Monty, Man Out Of Joint, Heaven, The Laramie Project and The Lieutenant of Inishmore.

Joel received The Greg Bond Memorial Award in 2009, for outstanding contribution to musical theatre in Calgary.

Kevin McKendrick - Artistic Associate

Kevin has enjoyed success as a director, producer, performer, educator and arts administrator. After graduating from the Canadian Mime School in 1975, he co-founded Arete, a company dedicated to creating original works in physical comedy. The troupe toured internationally for 13 years giving over 5,000 performances on four continents. Kevin was recruited by the Canada Council in 1989 and served as a Theatre Officer for six years after which he returned home to Calgary to head up Shakespeare in the Park.

Kevin has been working steadily as a freelance director since 1995. He has been nominated for eight Betty Mitchell Awards, and his productions of Urinetown, Boy Gets Girl and The Good Life, won the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Production in Calgary (2007, 2004 and 2003 respectively). Glenn, which he directed for Blacklist Theatre won a special Betty Mitchell Award jury prize for Outstanding Ensemble (2005).

Kevin has directed for Theatre Calgary, Alberta Theatre Projects, Ground Zero Theatre/Hit and Myth, Sage Theatre, Theatre Junction, Lunchbox Theatre, Quest Theatre, The Banff Festival, Western Canada Theatre (Kamloops), Persephone Theatre (Saskatoon), Manitoba Theatre for Young People (Winnipeg), Fringe Theatre Adventures (Edmonton) and Theatre Beyond Words (Niagara-on-the-Lake). For Ground Zero Theatre/ Hit and Myth Kevin has directed Evil Dead, Urinetown and The Full Monty, The Pillowman, Speed The Plow and The Lieutenant of Inishmore.

In addition to his directing duties, Kevin has been teaching acting and directing for schools such as The University of Alberta, Red Deer College, Central Memorial Performing Arts program, and Mount Royal University.

Emma Brager - Production

A born and raised Calgarian, Emma Brager has always been keen to contribute to, support, and participate in the growing, thriving arts and theatre community here. As a stage manager, Emma has been lucky enough to work with Ground Zero Theatre and Hit & Myth for nine productions in the three years since she finished the BFA Drama program at the University of Calgary.

Favourite GZT/ H&M productions include: Trout Stanley, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Evil Dead: The Musical, My First Time, and reasons to be pretty. Elsewhere, favourite credits include: A Christmas Carol '08 – '10 and Jake and the Kid (Theatre Calgary), Sherlock Holmes (Vertigo Theatre), Bone Cage (Downstage), and Queen Lear (Urban Curvz Theatre), August: Osage County (Citadel Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, (Theatre Calgary).

Emma is always excited to come home to GZT/ H&M, and is looking forward to the new season of heartbreaking, ass kicking, gritty, and dark nights at the theatre!

Luke Dahlgren - Production

Luke Dahlgren has been a proud member of Ground Zero Theatre (GZT) since their very first production of subUrbia back in 1997 at the Garry Theatre. He has worked on various productions as a lighting designer, sound designer,technical director and now as production manager.

Some of his favourite GZT credits include: Shopping and F***ing, Looking after Eden, bash: latterday plays, Pervert, John Doe / Jack Rabbit, Dough: The Politics of Martha Stewart. Also, The Full Monty, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Evil Dead: The Musical and reasons to be pretty (all with Hit & Myth Productions) and of course, the entire CockTales series. In his time away from Ground Zero, Luke is the stage manager for the Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary.

He is also active as a freelance designer, stage manager, instructor and TD for various schools, theatre companies and dance ensembles. In his spare time, Luke can be found looking up at the stars or cheering his beloved Canadiens to victory.

Ian Kelly - Production

Ian has proudly worked with Ground Zero Theatre (GZT) since its' very first co-production at the Big Secret Theatre and the first full production subUrbia at the Garry Theatre in 1997. Since then he has worked on many of GZT's productions at various venues in the city as a designer, technical director, or stage manager. Ian also works with other theatre companies in Calgary and has been nominated for one Betty Mitchell Award.

Some his favourite credits include: The Boy's Own Jedi Handbook (ATP – sound design), Evil Dead: The Musical (GZT – technical director), reasons to be pretty (GZT – sound design), The Bear (Lunchbox – light design), Little Mercy's First Murder (GZT – technical director), Cheek to Cheek (Lunchbox – production manager), Hidden In This Picture (Lunchbox – production manager), Heartspent & Black Silence (Bridge Street – director), Pervert (GZT – technical director), Faggot: Steel Kiss & Gulag (GZT – production design), Vagina Monologues (GZT – light design), Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll (GZT – stage manager).

Ian graduated from the University of Calgary with a BFA in drama (with a one year sojourn to York University), and an unfinished degree in Art History. Away from Ground Zero Theatre, Ian works at the University of Calgary as the Event Facility Coordinator for the Rozsa Centre and works in the food & beverage division at the Calgary Stampede. So far Ian has summered at the "Greatest Show On Earth" for the past fourteen fairs. He has also works at the High Performance Rodeo's 10 Minute Play Festival as the company stage since 2001.

Derek Paulich - Production

Derek is currently obtaining his MFA in theatrical design from the University of Calgary. He has worked with Ground Zero Theatre (GZT) as a technical director, production manager, designer, and as a scenic painter on: reasons to be pretty, My First Time, Speed The Plow, The Full Monty, Trout Stanley, The Pillowman, Dough: The Politics of Martha Stewart, and Oleanna.

Other memorable theatre credits include: Heroes (Sage Theatre), Tree Hugger (Urban Curvz), Politiko (Ghost River), Arms Length Embrace (Down Stage), Henry VI (Shakespeare Company), Macula and Neruda Nude (Maple Salsa), as well as Hamlet and Never Swim Alone (University of Calgary).

When Derek is not working for GZT, he is working as a freelance designer, performer, makeup artist, and as a teacher of improv and theatre sports.

Marketing & Communications

Brad Walker & Todd Hawkwood - Bottom Line Productions

Bradley Walker, a graduate of the Arts and Cultural Management program at Grant MacEwan University, has been involved in the arts and entertainment industry for over 15 years, as a performer, volunteer, advocate and professional arts manager.

Prior to rejoining Bottom Line Productions in 2003 to open the company's Calgary office, Bradley was the Manager of Operations and Director of Resource Development for Alberta Ballet, one of Canada's largest ballet companies. During this time, Bradley oversaw the operations, philanthropic and marketing initiatives of the ballet's Edmonton office. Bradley has been nominated for the national "Pfizer Award for Emerging Arts Managers", was the recipient of Grant MacEwan University's Distinguished Alumni Award, and has been named one of Calgary's "Top 40 Under 40" by Avenue Calgary (Calgary Inc. Magazine).

Bradley is also active in the community and has been involved as a volunteer with Alberta Opera, The National Ice Theatre of Canada, Victoria School Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Professional Arts Alliance and Calgary Opera. Bradley is currently a member of SAIT's Business Administration Marketing Major Program Advisory Committee.