Chris Dodd is an award-winning Edmonton-based Deaf performing artist, playwright, and accessibility advocate. Over a 25-year career, he founded and serves as artistic director for SOUND OFF, Canada’s national theatre festival dedicated to Deaf performing arts, working to dismantle barriers for Deaf artists. His critically acclaimed solo show, Deafy, has toured widely and been published by Playwrights Canada Press in the anthology Interdependent Magic: Disability Performance in Canada. A tireless advocate, he has consulted on accessibility and previously worked as an Adaptive Technologist at the University of Alberta. His significant contributions have been recognized with honors including the 2019 Guy Laliberté Prize and an appointment to the Order of Canada in 2025.

A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s playwriting program, Martin Bellemare was awarded the 2009 Prix Gratien-Gélinas for Le Chant de Georges Boivin. He received creative assistance grants from CNT/ARTCENA for La Liberté, Moule Robert (Bourse CNL, shortlisted for the 2017 Prix de la dramaturgie francophone de la Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques [SACD], 2018 Prix Michel-Tremblay), for Maître Karim la perdrix (2018 SACD Prix de la dramaturgie francophone), and for his play for young audiences Charlie et le Djingpouite (shortlisted for the 2020 Prix Louise Lahaye). He has led workshops and attended writing residencies in West Africa, Quebec and Europe, including Poland, where he wrote three short plays for the DramEducation Francophone project “10 sur 10.” He was a finalist for the 2020 Siminovitch Prize, which celebrates excellence and innovation in contemporary Canadian theatre. His play Cœur minéral won the 2020 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama. His plays are read and performed in West Africa, Canada, and Europe, and are published by Dramaturges Éditeurs and Lansman.