OUR TEAM
TED DYKSTRA - CO-FOUNDER / CHIEF ENGINEER (ARTISTIC DIRECTOR)
Ted has acted, directed, written and/or composed for every major theatre in Canada and around the world, including such great cities as New York, London and Tokyo. He is a proud graduate of The National Theatre School Of Canada, and a founding member of Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre. Arguably best known for co-creating one of the most successful plays in Canada's history, 2 Pianos, 4 Hands, Ted also wrote the hit musical Evangeline (Citadel Theatre, Charlottetown Festival) and adapted and performed Tolstoy's novella The Kreutzer Sonata (Art Of Time, Soulpepper) to great acclaim. Coming soon: see Ted in Season 6 of the hit sci-fi series The Expanse. Over the course of his career he has been the recipient of numerous awards including six Doras, a Gemini, a Sterling, a Merritt and a Chalmers.
GERRY EGAN - GENERAL MANAGER
With 3 decades of diverse theatre experience, Gerry quickly established himself as an Equity stage manager in large- and small-scale productions, festivals events and everything in between! This led him into Production Management and Theatre Administration over the past decade. His production and administrative background have seen him in various roles with companies such as Opera Hamilton, the Canadian Opera Company, Streetcar Crowsnest and Tarragon Theatre where he has the distinct honour of seeing almost 30 new works get from the page to the stage. Gerry has been a Coal Mine Theatre advocate since its inception having Stage Managed The Creditors in its first season and helped to build the previous venue before its move to it Woodbine and Danforth location. He's very excited to be back working this team and the community at large.
BRYAN KLING (HE/THEY) - DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Bryan is a multifaceted Production Manager & Artist who has spent his career bringing art to life, both on and off the stage. They pride themself on their dedication to supporting and honoring this work; cultivating safe, respectful, and exciting work environments.
Graduating from the Randolph College for the Performing Arts back in 2014 they have since had the wonderful opportunity to work for many prestigious companies both on and off the stage, helping to bring life and love to audiences in Toronto, Montreal and beyond.
They are thrilled to be bringing their many years of expertise to the Coal Mine and to help further the legacy of this astonishing theatre institution.
BREANNA DILLON - ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / VENUE MANAGER
Breanna Dillon is a Dora-nominated actor and a producer based in Toronto. She trained in New York City and is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. In 2014, she co-founded Witchboy Theatre in Toronto, producing and acting in all four of their successful productions. Her past acting work got her recognized as NOW Magazine’s "Breakthrough Stage Artists of 2018". Her most recent stage appearances have been in Toronto’s Best of Fringe 2019 Winner “The Huns'' by Michael Ross Albert. “The Huns” was remounted in Toronto of 2022 before it traveled to the Brighton Fringe Festival in the U.K where it was received with much critical acclaim. She also performs regularly in staged readings of “Comic Books LIVE” at The Assembly Theatre. Breanna is a proud ACTRA member and has appeared in shows on Netflix, Apple TV & Amazon Prime. She joined the Coal Mine Team in January 2023 as an Associate Producer and most recently as Venue Manager. Additionally, she loves to read, write, sing in the car, eat cheese, travel and kick box.
DIANA BENTLEY - CO-FOUNDER / CO-CHIEF ENGINEER (EMERITUS) / INTERIM MARKETING MANAGER
Diana Bentley is a multi-disciplinary, award winning Toronto artist. She is the Co-Founder of the Coal Mine Theatre with partner Ted Dykstra and is an actor, producer and writer. She recently accepted an Equity Award of Distinction for ‘collective courage sparking a culture shift’ in the Canadian Theatre community. Bentley is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Actors Conservatory, the London Academy of Musical and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and The University of Toronto. She takes the stage regularly at the Coal Mine (most recently in Hedda Gabler), has had recurring roles in Hudson and Rex, Frontier, Channel Zero, and The Expanse. She is the proud mother of Henry and step-mother of Rosie and Theo Dykstra. Coming soon: catch Diana in Season 2 of the British-Canadian suspense drama Departure and Netflix’s Locke and Key.
ANTHONY GONCHAROV - ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Anthony is an emerging director, producer and actor. In addition to his work at Coal Mine, he also is a Founding Associate of The Vault Creation Lab, and Artistic Director of Icarus Theatre.
As an actor some of his favourite shows have been Concord Floral (PuSh Festival, Tannahill), Constellations and Lobby Hero (Icarus Theatre), The Cunning Little Vixen (Canadian Opera Company), Centurions (Boca del Lupo). As a producer he has worked on the Dark Day Cabaret Series, A Little Closer, Discount Dave and the Fix, as well as the past couple years of shows both at Coal Mine and at Icarus Theatre. He’s looking forward to another year full of awesome shows!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Brett Ledger - Chair
Rena Bedard
Natalie Herbert
Eli Taylor
Ted Dykstra
Heather McAdam