David Whiteman is a Canadian writer with a degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. He credits his early career as a newspaper reporter for giving him the keen insight into humanity which now allows him to draw literary characters that are both true-to-life and compelling. David changed gears in his mid-forties, enrolling in a college script-writing program with the idea of becoming a screenwriter, but soon found himself drawn to the world of theatre - in particular, twentieth-century classics by the likes of Edward Albee, Eugene O’Neill, Harold Pinter, and Terrence McNally. For this new play, Proxima Centauri, he was inspired by a 2021 Ottawa staging of Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen. “I already had my story idea, but was struggling with structure. Here I was, fortuitously being reminded that, because it’s theatre, I’m free to create something surreal, something abstract, like a painting where the subject isn’t explicitly defined and audiences use their imaginations to fill in what I’ve only suggested.” David Whiteman’s first play to be fully produced, The Lights of Shangri-La, was staged by Ottawa’s TotoToo Theatre in 2014, earning him a Capital Critics Circle Award for Best New Play. He lives in Almonte, Ontario, where his leisure pursuits include reading, gardening, antique hunting, and painting along the riverbank.

Carl Randolph (Director) earned his MA in Producing Film at American University and his MFA in Directing from the Catholic University of America. Carl has worked in many aspects of the theatre including director, choreographer, actor, and FX Make Up Artist for 40 years. Directing/Choreography credits include the premiere of All Save One by Greg Jones Ellis, assistant director for Jason Loewith for On The Town at Olney Theatre Center, A Chorus Line, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Terra Nova and the US premiere of Futureproof by Irish playwright Lynda Radley. He is a proud member of SDC (associate), AEA and SAG-AFTRA and served as the Balto/Washington AEA Liaison for six years. He is the founding Artistic Director for Transformation Theatre. www.carlrandolph.com

Victoria Estes is a freelance Dramaturg originally from Illinois. She received her BA in Theatre from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and her MA in Theatre History and Criticism from Catholic University of America. She specializes in new play development and devised theatre. Victoria previously was dramaturg with Transformation Theatre for Bandera, Texas. She is thrilled to be working with such an amazing team!