Parallel to her acting career Brenda has been a cultural activist on behalf of non-mainstream performers in theatre, film and television and for this work as a well-respected member of the Canadian Theatre Community, she has received Canadian Actors’ Equity Association’s LARRY McCANCE AWARD for outstanding contribution to Equity and its membership of performers in the field of diversity and access.
As a producer and Artistic Director, she has founded Emerald City Theatre Company with her husband, Scott Fairweather, having produced the ground-breaking non-traditionally cast production of Noel Coward’s “Private Lives” starring the late Denis Simpson at Factory Theatre.
Brenda was the Chair of the Non-Traditional Casting Committee of CAEA which spearheaded (and she hosted) the First National Symposium on Non Traditional Casting “Talent Over Tradition” in Toronto.
She is frequently invited to speak on panels, at conferences and at schools and cultural organizations on the issues of diversity and participation in the arts. She is the author of many articles having her own column, “ABOUT FACE!!” in CAEA’s Newsletter and contributing to “VOICES” in EQ, their newsmagazine, as well as contributing to many theatre and media publications.
Brenda Kamino 