Alana Perri is an Expressive Arts Therapist & Educator, Improvisor, and Baker. She has worked alongside populations experiencing life-altering situations, grief, bereavement, transition, living in palliative & hospice care, emotional regulation, as well as, simply coping with the struggles of everyday life. Additionally, she’s been acting and improvising ever since she could say ‘yes and’!

She is the Executive Director & Owner of Purple Carrots Drama Studio (Canada), providing Arts-based programming specialized in diverse neurological & physical abilities. Previously, she was a part of the Expressive Arts facilitation team at Mohawk College; educating students on the topic of integrating Expressive Arts into treatment for those living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She then returned to her Alma Mater, in the Dramatic Arts Department at Brock University as faculty, facilitating the course Movement: Applications for Education & Theatre.

Alana's goal is to educate & provide Expressive Arts to anyone willing to play, share, and explore!
She is a professional member in good standing with the Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association.

Purple Carrots is the perfect place for Kevin to combine his love of drama, theatre, and play with his knack for working with children and youth.
As he works towards finding a permanent teaching position at TDSB, Purple Carrots has given him a chance to continue to grow as a creator and educator while working and playing with students of all ability levels.

He's extremely grateful that the Purple Carrots community has welcomed him with open arms and will continue to bring his own sense of fun, wonder, and humour to every workshop he teaches and assists!!

Michaela Bekenn (she/her/they) is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), music therapist, certified sound therapy practitioner, yoga instructor, meditation guide, and singer-songwriter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Master of Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University. Michaela is a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT). She is a certified facilitator of Compassion-Based Resilience Training and mindfulness for stress reduction, addiction recovery, and chronic pain. Michaela is committed to upholding an approach to care that is anti-racist, anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, client-centered, resource-oriented, and 2SLGBTQIA+ positive. Michaela brings an eclectic, intuitive, and playful essence to her practice, drawing on her extensive interdisciplinary training in theatre, music, dance, community arts, energy work, and holistic wellness. For many years, Michaela has supported individuals and groups across the lifespan, including neurodiverse youth and adults, women’s circles, elders, and corporate teams. Her music therapy and psychotherapy practice spans settings such as paediatric rehabilitation, long-term care, oncology, and palliative
care. Michaela compassionately journeys alongside individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, complex grief, burnout, chronic pain, systemic oppression, low self-esteem, and relationship challenges. She is passionate for integrative approaches to health, rooted in community and anchored within a framework of social justice and collective liberation. Michaela strives to create a welcoming space for her clients of all identities to tell their stories and move toward their personal goals/hopes while feeling seen, nourished, and empowered.

Erica Gellert began her career in the arts by attending Humber College and graduating with a diploma in Performance and Writing in Comedy. She continued her education at Toronto Film School, originally pursuing a career in entertainment. After a summer job as a Drama and Arts camp counselor with the YMCA, Erica was offered a permanent position as a Kindergarten daycare teacher at Alexander Muir Gladstone Public School. During her time at AMG, Erica realized she had a passion for supporting children and youth experiencing daily challenges or who are coping with complex behaviors. Throughout the three years she spent as an Early Childhood Assistant, Erica took every opportunity to gain more knowledge and develop valuable skills such as training to understand how to support children living with ASD and trauma, and frequently met with a Behavioural Consultant as the main point of contact for children's behavioral progress from 2019-2020. Erica also volunteered regularly at Sick Kids with a non-profit charity known as Funnies for Families before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the spring of 2021, Erica made the decision to return to college for a diploma in Child and Youth Care at George Brown College. She received a certificate in Supporting Youth Experiencing Exploitation as well as Crisis Prevention and Intervention. During the fall of 2021, Erica began working with a participant of Purple Carrots and quickly became connected to the wonderful company. From there, she was able to complete her final field placement for her program with Purple Carrots and is honoured to be an official member of the team. Erica is now officially a Child and Youth Care practitioner and is eager to begin a career dedicated to therapeutic arts, connection, and healing.

Lauren Griffiths is a Toronto trained actor and comedian: both a graduate of York University’s Acting Conservatory (BFA) & The Second City Conservatory (Certificate Program). She is also a trained clown; having studied multiple summers at The Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance, where she was truly able to explore her own sense of play & freedom through the arts!
Lauren now spends the majority of her time trying to make people laugh around Toronto: performing stand-up comedy all over the city, and teaching/directing improv & sketch comedy to students at York University (Vanier College Productions). After volunteering with Purple Carrots for the first time in winter, Lauren immediately knew that she needed to join this magical community again for the spring, and couldn’t be more grateful for how welcomed she’s been with open arms & open hearts!

Eliza Martin is a Toronto-based theatre artist, writer, child and youth care practitioner, and award-winning solo performer. She is a graduate of the Theatre and Drama Studies program at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College, and holds a Masters in Child and Youth Care from Ryerson University (M.A. CYC). Eliza has performed and written three solo shows: O (United Solo Award, Best Satire, All About Solo, Critics’ Choice), Harvey & The Extraordinary (My Entertainment World - Critics’ Pick Award Nominee, Outstanding Solo Performance) and BLOOM (Bad Hats Theatre 2019 Creator-in-Residence).

Some of Eliza’s favourite acting credits include: Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Isabella in The Changeling (Shakespeare BASH’d), Molly in Peter and The Starcatcher (LOT), Hedvig in Wild Duck Project (Re:Current Theatre), Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (Hart House Theatre), Hellena in The Rover, Mary Warren in The Crucible (Theatre Erindale), u/s Louise in Gypsy (Hangar Theatre), Emily in Bodies, and Patricia in Hiding Like Elephants (Hangar Wedge Series).

In her off-stage life, Eliza works in children's mental health and teaches creative workshops around the city. Her first children's novel Harvey and the Extraordinary (Annick Press) based on her play of the same name, will hit bookshelves November 2021.

Eliza offers creative skill-building and therapeutic services through Purple Carrots Counselling.

Steph Crothers is a graduate of both internationally acclaimed clown school Ecole Philippe Gaulier and Humber Theatre Performance Program.

She is an enthusiast of theatre, aerial skills, attempting to be musical, laughter, the outside, magic, all things 80's, and making stuff with her hands. She is a camp girl at heart having worked and attended both Camp Gay Venture and Camp Oconto.

A proud Slytherin and believer that, though the world is a big place, it is the stories we share with strangers we meet that make it seem small. When Steph is not working as an actor or educator she is the proud co-producer and host of Girl Gang Cabarets; an unboxed and/or feminist variety show.

Sandra brings her passion and work experience in entertainment and the arts to the Purple Carrots team and workshops. With a professional history in the music and film industries, she is always eager to help empower children and youth of diverse backgrounds to express themselves through the Creative Arts.

Stephanie is a Toronto-based actor and stand-up comedian who has spent the last decade performing all over Canada. In 2013, she graduated from Brock University with a Degree in Dramatic Arts: Concentration in Performance with a specialization in Education. During this time, she spent her summers as the Musical/Drama director at Camp Tawingo, in charge of directing several productions and teaching acting classes. In 2015, she received a teaching certificate in yoga, which has allowed her to always connect performing and any creative endeavour back to movement and breath. Steph began volunteering with Purple Carrots in 2023 with the desire to connect back to her background in education. She looks forward to sharing her passion of performing with the Carrots crew!