The Company
Small Matters is an ensemble of independent theatre artists helmed by Christine Lesiak. Here are some of the awesome people who often work on our projects.
Christine Lesiak – Artistic Director
Christine Lesiak is an Edmonton-based theatre artist, and founder of Small Matters Productions. She is creator/co-creator/performer of all of Small Matters’ shows; the award-winning The Spinsters, For Science!, Over Her Dead Body (2017), and three red-nosed clown shows; Fools for Love (2012), Sofa So Good (2010) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (2008). She is writer and performer of her one-woman shows, The Object of Constellations (2016), and Ask Aggie (2013). She is the winner of the 2018 Alberta Playwright’s Network Playwriting Competition Novitiate Prize for her script, The Space Between Stars, which premiered March 2023.
Christine has created and performed and directed countless short clown works. She facilitated & produced The Small Matters Physical Comedy Lab. She curated and co-produced the Fool’s Gold Cabaret nights (2010-12), a performance series that provided a mentorship program for emerging theatre clown performers. She was the festival director in charge of programming and mentorship for Play the Fool from 2016-24, Edmonton’s festival of clown theatre and physical comedy, where she created and ran their Rookie Cabaret Program for emerging artists.
Christine has been the director and dramaturge of dozens of clown-theatre and physical storytelling works, including Lee Boyes’ Big Business (Edmonton Fringe 2023/24), Rebecca Merkley’s Jesus Teaches Us Things (Edmonton Fringe 2022/23), Jacqueline Russell’s Allergic To Water (Wee Witches and Inside Out Theatre, 2023), and The Oddball Cabaret (Edmonton Fringe 2024).
Christine holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Drama from the University of Alberta where she researched the intersection of clown performance technique with site-specific theatre. She has trained extensively in the Canadian/Pochinko style of clown with Jan Henderson (Fool Moon Productions) and Michael Kennard (Mump and Smoot). She has studied with comedy and physical theatre specialists from around the world, including Aitor Basauri (Spymonkey); Deanna Fleysher (Butt Kapinski); bouffon with Adam Lazarus, Eric Davis (Red Bastard); improvisation (Rapid Fire Theatre, Keith Johnstone); immersive theatre (punchdrunk, UK); and puppetry (The Old Trout Puppet Workshop). She has taught within the Drama Department at the University of Alberta, Opera Nuova, Edmonton Digital Arts College, in public schools, and Small Matters’ classes and workshops . She has worked extensively with Toy Guns Dance Theatre, and is a frequent collaborator with Catch the Keys Productions (Dead Centre of Town, 900 Seconds, The Runcible Riddle). Check out her personal professional page.
Jan Henderson – Senior Artistic Associate
Jan Henderson is one of Canada’s leading teachers and directors of Mask and Clown.
Through her company, Fool Moon Productions, she has devoted the last 50 years to helping people get in touch with their most authentic, playful and creative aspect – their inner Wise Fool – and use it to enrich their personal and professional lives. She studied and performed extensively with master clown teacher, Richard Pochinko, and in 1975 co-founded with him what is now the Theatre Resource Centre, Toronto. As co-artistic director and performer with internationally acclaimed Small Change Theatre, she has literally clowned her way around the world, discovering first hand that laughter is the universal language. Jan teaches Neutral Mask at Grant MacEwan University, and the University of Alberta, where she has received four awards for excellence in teaching. She is a recipient of Global Television’s Woman of Vision Award, and the Elizabeth Haynes Stirling Award for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre. Jan is Senior Artistic Associate of Small Matters Productions, and she returned to the stage in their popular clown show, Over Her Dead Body, for the Fringe Theatre Adventures 2017 season. Jan’s lifetime of work is celebrated in the documentary, The Wise Fool, directed by Geraldine Carr of Shiny Carr Productions. Jan has an active teaching, directing and dramaturgy practice. www.foolmoon.org
Ian Walker – Artistic Associate
Ian is originally from Yorkshire, England. He is co-creator of and performer in For Science!. Ian is an award-winning, sought-after special effects innovator and mechanical designer. He was part of a small team who redesigned and maintained the automation of the chandelier used in Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theatre in Toronto and holds 2 Elizabeth Haynes Sterling Awards for his work on The Spinsters. He is a filmmaker and visual designer.
Since relocating to Edmonton in 2015, Ian has created theatre effects, props, projection, and art installations for The Spinsters, For Science!, Over Her Dead Body (2017, Fringe Theatre Presentation Series), Dead Centre of Town (2015-19, Catch the Keys Productions), The Object of Constellations (2016, Small Matters Productions), and The Water Project (2016, The University of Alberta). He studied clown and performance with Jan Henderson, Christine Lesiak and Jef Johnson, and performs as the Lab Assistant in For Science!
Suzie Martin – Artistic Associate
Suzie is a theatre creator, director, and teacher. She is the Artistic Director of Theatre Projects Manitoba, and holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Alberta and a BAHons in Acting from the University of Winnipeg. Suzie directs and develops new work in a variety of styles including physical comedy without words, site-specific interactive installation, workshops and premieres of new scripted plays, and collaborative devising processes. She was nominated for a Sterling Award for Outstanding Direction for Fetch and holds a teaching award from the University of Alberta.
With Small Matters: The Spinsters, Over Her Dead Body and The Object of Constellations. Other directing work includes: Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (Studio Theatre); Baba Yaga (AMTC); Fetch (Interloper Theatre); Tragedy: A Tragedy (Blarney Productions); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Citadel Theatre Young Acting Company); Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi (Manitoba Underground Opera); God’s Ear (Studio Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest, Betrayal (U of A); The Cherry Orchard (Theatre by the River & little ECHO theatre); Artichoke Heart, The Gas Heart (Theatre Outgrabe). In Edmonton, she assistant directed Shakespeare in Love (Citadel/RMTC), and Paper Song and Consent (Concrete Theatre).
Tracy Carroll – Artistic Associate
Tracy has worked as a director, dramaturg, teacher and producer for over 25 years. She has held the Artistic Associate position at Alberta Playwrights’ Network as well as at the Citadel Theatre. For SkirtsAfire, Tracy was the program coordinator for Peep Show!, a tease of new plays, and dramaturg on The Mommy Monologues, aiding in the development of dozens of plays by Edmonton area women. For Small Matters, Tracy is the director of The Space Between Stars.
Selected directing and dramaturgy credits include Matara and The Invention of Romance by Conni Massing at Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre, Last Chance Leduc by Katherine Koller and The Book of Ashes by Emil Sher for the Northern Alberta Children’s Festival. Tracy will be directing Fresh Hell by Conni Massing at Shadow Theatre in January 2023.
Adam Keefe – Artistic Associate
Adam Keefe grew up in Athabasca, Alberta. In 2001, he relocated to Edmonton to complete a BA Drama at the University of Alberta. Adam seeks to bring the strange and fantastic to life for your enjoyment and contemplation. He is co-creator of Small Matters Productions’ Fools for Love (2012), Sofa So Good (2010) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (2008), in which he performs as Rocket. Theatrically, he is solo performer of his adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (2013/15) and original show Telephone (2016). He is a film actor and versatile character actor. Adam has performed at the Toronto Festival of Clowns and the New York Clown Theater Festival. He has also performed in productions of Red Noses, On The Open Road, The Importance Of Being Earnest and Half a League. Adam looks to the philosophy of clowning as inspiration for all his theatrical creation, and has trained extensively in the Canadian/Pochinko style of clown with Jan Henderson (Fool Moon Productions), Michael Kennard (Mump and Smoot), clown with Aitor Basauri (Spymonkey), and bouffon with Eric Davis (Red Bastard).