The Light of Other Skies
A NEW PLAY BY LIAM MONAGHAN
(Collage of images sourced from CCA and SFU Archives.)
Searching for traces of the celebrated architect Arthur Erickson, an architecture student enters an archive, where he also discovers Erickson’s little-known partner in work and love, the interior designer Francisco Kripacz. As their story unfolds, the archive transforms into a theatrical world of sculptural forms, elaborate gardens, mirrored halls, and kaleidoscopic colours.
The Light of Other Skies commemorates Erickson and Kripacz’s artistic accomplishments, which helped shape the landscape of present-day Canada, and remembers the love that they shared. In the ruins and remains of their utopian creations, an extraordinary history waits to be rediscovered.
Witness two work-in-progress showings at RISER Festival, May 28-31, 2026 (Edmonton, Alberta).
Get your tickets now!
Cast & Creative
Doug Mertz
Doug Mertz is thrilled to return to the role of Arthur Erickson after having workshopped the play in Lethbridge in April 2025 and Edmonton in July 2025. Doug is an actor, director and speech and dialect coach and an Assistant Professor of Music Theatre Performance at MacEwan University. Recent performance credits include: CIVIL BLOOD: A TREATY STORY for Thou Art Here Theatre at Fort Edmonton, one night as The Narrator in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW for Grindstone and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at the Citadel Theatre.
ARTHUR ERICKSON
Mike Tan
Mike is a Treaty 7-based theatre artist and photographer. He has worked as a co-creator in devised theatre creation ensembles with Downstage, Theatre Junction, Ghost River Theatre, and Major Matt Mason Collective; an acting ensemble member at the Banff Centre Playwrights Lab workshopping new plays from around the world; and as an actor at Lunchbox Theatre, Vertigo Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, and Theatre Calgary. Mike also works as a documentary photographer for arts and culture organizations, events, and independent artists. He lives with his loves, Di, Aiden; and their cat babies, Frankie and Prismo.
FRANCISCO KRIPACZ
Autumn Strom is a transfem, multidisciplinary theatre artist based in amiskwaciwâskahikan. They are a graduate of the University of Alberta's BFA in Acting program, and are particularly interested in new work processes, as well as any work that explores gender through a queer lens. In addition to acting, Autumn’s artistic practice includes sound design, stage management, and playwriting. She is also a member of Rapid Fire Theatre’s Main Performing Ensemble.
Select theatre credits include:Tough Guy (Actor - Persistent Myth Productions), After the Trojan Women (Actor - Alma Theatre/CGAS), The Immaculate Perfection of Fucking and Bleeding in the Gender Neutral Bathroom of an Upper-Middle Class High School (Actor - BodyCube Arts Collective/HPR), The Shiniest Piece of Trailer Trash (Co-Director/Touring Stage Manager - Squawk Theatre), Binding (Sound Designer - CGAS/Expanse Festival 2026), MINE (Sound Designer - Common Ground Arts Society).
BRENDAN PENDERAutumn Strom
Liam Monaghan is a theatre artist, indie producer, researcher, and educator. He is the Artistic Director of Memory Box Theatre and playwright, director, and producer of The Light of Other Skies.
Liam’s past plays include the independently produced Strange/Familiar , an autofictional exploration of adoption, family, and queer belonging, which won the Sharon Pollock Playwriting Prize. His plays have appeared on stages in Victoria, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Halifax and his personal essays, literary criticism, and articles on artistic methodologies can be found in publications including Alberta Views Magazine, HowlRound Theatre Commons, and Canadian Theatre Review .
PLAYWRIGHT, PRODUCER, DIRECTORLiam Monaghan
Brett is a multidisciplinary queer theatre maker based in Alberta and the Artistic Director of Theatre Outré. Primarily a director, they also work as a writer, actor, dramaturge, drag performer, choreographer, producer, and educator. They have worked on over a dozen world premieres and are thrilled to be working with Liam on the development of The Light Of Other Skies. Directing: Tough Guy (Persistent Myth); The Cottage (Keyano Theatre); Is My Microphone On? (Citadel Theatre Young Company); Troilus and Cressida (Studio Theatre); and Strange/Familiar (Theatre Outré). In 2019, Brett toured their original award-winning play Like Orpheus to the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival in Ireland. Brett is a graduate of the BFA-Acting and MFA-Directing programs from UofA. Awards: Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award (2018) and RBC Emerging Artist Cultural Leader in Calgary Award (2020). Online: www.brettdahl.com
DRAMATURG & DIRECTING MENTORBrett Dahl
T. Erin Gruber is an award-winning set, lighting, costume and projected media designer. She is an Assistant Professor in Theatre Design (Lighting) at the University of Alberta and works professionally across Canada and around the world. In June 2019 her work was featured at the Prague Quadrennial International Design Exhibition. In 2021 she co-curated “Level UP,” an online symposium presented by the Associate Designers of Canada that attracted hundreds of participants from around the world. SelectedAward-winning projects: Cycle (Thou Art Here Theatre, Sterling Award for Multimedia Design), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (Citadel Theatre and RMTC, Sterling Award for Lighting Design). For more information visit her online: eringruber.com, levelup.designers.ca
DESIGNERT. Erin Gruber
Jess Haight is an emerging stage manager originally from Nipawin, Saskatchewan. They hold a BFA in Stage Management from the University of Alberta and have called Edmonton home since 2018. Thank you to my friends and family for all of their support, and all my love to Ethan.
Recent credits include: The Wizard of Oz, Vinyl Cafe: The Musical, Disney’s Frozen, Little Women (Citadel Theatre), Tough Guy (Persistent Myth Productions), Headhole (Found Festival 2025), The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night (Freewill Shakespeare), Orlando, Wildfire, Rough Magic, She Kills Monsters (Studio Theatre).
STAGE MANAGERJess Haight
With special thanks to
Geoffrey Erickson
Holden Kripacz
The Canadian Centre for Architecture
Rare Books and Special Collections, University of British Columbia
Simon Fraser University Archives
Mia van Leeuwen
Julia Wasilewski
Victor Snaith & Payal Jotania (Builders Extraordinaire)
The University of Alberta Costume & Prop Shops
And to the public arts funders who supported the development of The Light of Other Skies
