OUR VISION

Brandon White is an interdisciplinary artist whose passion for queer theory and theology recurs throughout his body of work, both thematically as a director and visually as a designer. A graduate of York University’s comprehensive Theatre Program, Brandon specialized in Devised Theatre with an emphasis on collective creation, directing, and design. A wearer of many hats, Brandon’s varied interests are integrated into a singular vision as Artistic Director of White Mills Theatre Co. With this in mind, his original works have toured throughout Central America, earning him a Bernice Adams Memorial Award nomination early on in his career. More recently, Brandon successfully pursued a collaboration with the City of Toronto to animate local heritage sites, museums, and community spaces—working together with his creative partners to develop immersive theatre at Spadina Museum: Heritage House and Gardens. An active participant in the Toronto theatre community, Brandon creates inclusive opportunities for performers of diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and experience.

Shannon Mills earned her Master of Arts with distinction in Music Performance from California State University, Fresno, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Lethbridge. Inspired by the achievements of her academic mentors, Shannon has gone on to instil a love of opera in children—working as a Program Assistant with the Canadian Opera Company’s After School Opera Program. With this in mind, Shannon is driven to produce engaging work for fellow artists within her community. Recognizing both the wide range of talent and few performance opportunities in Toronto, Shannon founded White Mills Theatre Co. to bring her fresh perspective to the stage. As Managing Director, she reimagines classic libretti to produce original theatre projects and newly relevant opera, creating fulfilling work for herself as a soprano. Shannon’s extensive musical training has been an asset in her ventures as a theatre director, working closely with actors to develop the cadence and musicality of spoken text.