Life of Pi

Shows > Life of Pi
Sep 13 - Oct 5, 2025

Life of Pi

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Life of Pi brings Yann Martel’s acclaimed novel to life in a visually stunning and emotionally captivating theatrical experience. The story follows Pi Patel, a young Indian boy who survives a shipwreck and is left stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with only a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker for company. As Pi struggles to survive in the vast, unforgiving ocean, he confronts the limits of his faith, his resilience, and his understanding of the world.

The stage adaptation immerses audiences in Pi’s extraordinary journey, blending breathtaking visuals, puppetry, and immersive storytelling to bring the ocean, the tiger, and Pi’s incredible survival to vivid life. As Pi recounts his tale to skeptical officials, the play explores themes of faith, identity, and the power of storytelling, leaving audiences to question the nature of truth and belief.

Photos & Videos

Photos by Nanc Price for the Citadel Theatre’s production of Life of Pi (2025). Featuring the cast of Life of Pi. Produced in partnership with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Cast & Creative Team

Davinder Malhi

Pi Patel

Davinder Malhi

Pi Patel

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Wicked Nix (Young Peoples Theatre), Fifteen Dogs (Segal Centre), Casey and Diana (Soulpepper Theatre/Stratford Festival), No Big Deal (Roseneath Theatre), rihannaboi95 (Young Peoples Theatre), Concord Floral (Canadian Stage).
Thank you to my wonderful family, friends, and agent. This is a dream come true.
Instagram: @davinder.pdf

Deena Aziz

Nurse, Amma, Ensemble

Deena Aziz

Nurse, Amma, Ensemble

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Sakura (Centaur Theatre); Birthday Candles (City Theatre); The Supine Cobbler (GCTC); A Thousand Splendid Suns (Grand Theatre; Vancouver Arts Club); The Tempest (Pittsburgh Public); If We Are Birds (Imago); Dust (ATP); Rice Boy (Canadian Stage; Stratford Festival).
Film & TV: Transplant, Diggstown, This Life, Being Human.
Away from stage and camera, Deena works as a dramaturge, coordinator, and is an active champion for equity and reform in the performing arts.

Andrea Cheung

Mrs. Okamato, Ship's Captain, Ensemble

Andrea Cheung

Mrs. Okamato, Ship's Captain, Ensemble

Citadel: The King and I
Other Theatre: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Lunchbox Theatre); Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatre Prospero); Urban Tales (Northern Light Theatre); Laughing Wild (Epiphany Theatre); Springboards New Play Festival (Workshop West Theatre); Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding (TheatRepublic)
Andrea is a graduate of Grant MacEwan Theatre Arts Program. An enormous thank you to my biggest fan – you know who you are.

Bailey Chin

Lulu Chen, Jai, Ensemble

Bailey Chin

Lulu Chen, Jai, Ensemble

Other Theatre: Little Women, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Feast (Prairie Theatre Exchange)
Film & TV: A Magical New York Christmas
Bailey is so delighted to be back at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton alongside such an amazing company. Special thanks to S, who supports me endlessly, and to my family and friends for all of their love.

Braydon Dowler-Coltman

Richard Parker Puppeteer 2, Ensemble

Braydon Dowler-Coltman

Richard Parker Puppeteer 2, Ensemble

Citadel: The Three Musketeers, Little Shop of Horrors, Pride & Prejudice, Network, Jane Eyre, The Tempest
Other Theatre: As You Like It (Freewill), The Three Musketeers, Little Shop of Horrors (ArtsClub), Network (RMTC), Burning Bluebeard (Edmonton Actor’s Theatre), Bright Lights (Blarney Productions), Fortune Falls (Catalyst Theatre)
Film & TV: The Irrational (NBC), Abracadavers (Numera Films)
Braydon will be returning to the Citadel as Ben and the Ghost of Christmas Future in A Christmas Carol.

Troy Feldman

Richard Parker Puppeteer 1, Ensemble

Troy Feldman

Richard Parker Puppeteer 1, Ensemble

Citadel: The Forbidden Phoenix
Other Theatre: War Horse, The Heart of Robinhood, Lord of The Rings (Mirvish Productions), Little Amal (The Walk)
Film & TV: Overlord in Overlord and the Underwoods (CBC), Score: A Hockey Musical, Reign, Stepping Up, etc.
Troy is a Toronto based actor, choreographer, dancer, puppeteer and parkour artist. As a professional bboy, he has traveled across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Special thanks and love to Nadine.

N. Girgis

Mrs. Biology Kumar, Zaida Khan, Ensemble

N. Girgis

Mrs. Biology Kumar, Zaida Khan, Ensemble

Citadel: Drowning Girls, Humble Boy
Other Theatre: Palace of the End, Communion, Life Skills (Network); Love, Heroine (Northern Light); Speaking in Tongues (Shadow); Gypsy, Evita (Mayfield); Dark Lady, Richard III, Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare Co.); Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon, Charlotte’s Web, Around the World in 80 Days (Alberta Theatre Projects); Ends of the Earth, Drood (Vertigo); Trespassers (Belfry); 39 Steps, Unnecessary Farce (Stage West); One Christmas Carol (Storybook); Becoming Dr. Ruth (Theatre Northwest); Abundance (Caravan).

Kevin Klassen

Father Martin, Cook, voice of Richard Parker, Ensemble

Kevin Klassen

Father Martin, Cook, voice of Richard Parker, Ensemble

Citadel: The Sound of Music, Network, Shakespeare In Love, Arcadia
Other Theatre: (Selected & Recent) Rock Of Ages, Mary Poppins (Rainbow Stage); ELEVATE: Manaaji’idiwin (RMTC); The Prom, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Dry Cold); Othello (Beau/Raven/Echo)
Film & TV: (Selected & Recent) Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Acting Good, LIttle Bird, Burden of Truth
An occasional playwright, Kevin is currently working on a show about Bram Stoker and his disastrous stage version of Dracula. Kevin is also a proud alumnus of the 2015 Citadel/Banff Professional Training Program.

Azeem Nathoo

Mamaji, Pandit-Ji, Ensemble

Azeem Nathoo

Mamaji, Pandit-Ji, Ensemble

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Three Men in a Boat / Bike (Guild Festival); 2008 Season (Stratford Festival); Richard III (Metachroma Theatre/Segal Centre); Alice in Wonderland (Theatre NorthWest)
Film & TV: Fubar, My Perfect Landing, HotZone
Tyrone Guthrie Award (Stratford) & three BWW Toronto nominations (Guild Festival). Azeem also teaches Shakespeare at George Brown and is on the Board at Theatre Passe Muraille where he also made his debut as a playwright with “1184”. Love to Albert.

Kristen Padayas

Ensemble

Kristen Padayas

Ensemble

Citadel: Collider Festival ’24 & ‘25, Vinyl Café Workshop
Other Theatre: Dance Nation (SkirtsAFire, Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Nomination); A Grand Time in the Rapids, On the Banks of the Nut (Teatro la Quindicina); Murder in the Studio, Sherlock Holmes and the Raven’s Curse (Vertigo Theatre); Under Cover (Concrete Theatre, Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Nomination).
She is also a Producer with Chromatic Theatre and Impossible Mongoose (IMP). Love to D + A.

Garett Ross

Russian Sailor, Admiral Jackson, Ensemble

Garett Ross

Russian Sailor, Admiral Jackson, Ensemble

Citadel: The Three Musketeers, Sound of Music, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Shakespeare in Love, Peter and the Starcatcher, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet.
Other Theatre: Nevermore, The Soul Collector, Vigilante (Catalyst Theatre); The Odd Couple, Private Lives, Fever-Land, I Heard About Your Murder (Teatro Live!); Sherlock Holmes and the Raven’s Curse (Vertigo Theatre); Liberation Days (Theatre Calgary); Jack Goes Boating (Sage Theatre); Outside Mullingar, The Best Brothers, Beginning of August (Shadow Theatre); Chicago, Hairspray, Sheer Madness (Mayfield Dinner Theatre).

Anaka Maharaj-Sandhu

Rani, Ghost Rani, Ensemble

Anaka Maharaj-Sandhu

Rani, Ghost Rani, Ensemble

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Mahabharata (Lincoln Centre), His Majesty’s Theatre, Barbican Centre, Canadian Stage, NAC, (Shaw Festival), Twelfth Night (Shakespeare in the Ruins), The Last Five Years (Winnipeg Fringe Festival).
Film & TV: The Magic of Lemon Drops (Hallmark), Spencer Sisters (CTV), Psycho Killer (Regency Productions)
I dedicate this performance to my ancestors and all those who have been brave enough to start over.

Sanjay Talwar

Father, Ghost Father, Ensemble

Sanjay Talwar

Father, Ghost Father, Ensemble

Citadel: Debut.

Other Theatre: Around the World in 80 Days (ATP); Oslo (Theatre 180/Mirvish); The Men in White, Helen’s Necklace (Arts Club); The Road to Paradise (Human Cargo); The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Measure for Measure, Titus Andronicus, The Merchant of Venice (Dream in High Park); Shaw Festival 11 seasons; Stratford Festival 6 seasons.

Film & TV: Brilliant Minds, Doc, The Handmaid’s Tale, Orphan Black, Puck Hogs, Murder Unveiled/A Love Story.

Suchiththa Wickremesooriya

Ensemble

Suchiththa Wickremesooriya

Ensemble

Citadel: The Tempest (2019)
Other Theatre: Bombay Black (Alberta Theatre Projects); Jesus Christ Superstar (Talk is Free Theatre); 3 Men in a Boat, 3 Men on a Bike (Guild Festival Theatre); Bend it Like Bekham, North American Premier (Star Vox); Secret Garden (Theatre Calgary), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare in Action).
Other: Often works with the Deaf community. Currently the Associate Artistic Producer of Common Boots Theatre.

Yann Martel

Novelist

Yann Martel

Novelist

Writing credits: The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, Self, Life of Pi, Beatrice and Virgil, The High Mountains of Portugal and the non-fiction collection 101 Letters to a Prime Minister: The Complete Letters to Stephen Harper. Son of Nobody, a novel about the Trojan War, will be published in 2026.
Yann Martel is a Canadian writer and novelist. He is the author of a collection of short stories and four novels, most notably Life of Pi, for which he won the 2002 Man Booker Prize.
He lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Lolita Chakrabarti

Playwright

Lolita Chakrabarti

Playwright

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Writing: Life of Pi (West End & Broadway); Hamnet (RSC & West End); Hymn (Almeida Theatre & Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre, St Ann’s Warehouse, West End); Invisible Cities (Manchester International Festival & Brisbane Festival); The Greatest Wealth (Old Vic); Sylvia (Old Vic); Message in a Bottle (Peacock Theatre).
Film & TV: Acting: The Hunt (St Ann’s Warehouse); Screw (CH4); Vigil (BBC1); Showtrial (BBC1); Wheel of Time (Amazon); Hamlet (RADA); A Casual Vacancy (BBC1/HBO); Criminal (Netflix); Delicious (Sky One).

Haysam Kadri

Director

Haysam Kadri

Director

Citadel: Heist
Other Theatre: Homes: A Refugee Story, A Street Car Named Desire, Einstein’s Gift (Grand Theatre); Heist, Clue, Nero Wolfe: Might As Well Be Dead (Vertigo); King James, In Wonderland (ATP); A Thousand Splendid Suns (Arts Club, MTC); The Shoplifters, Romeo and Juliet (Theatre Calgary); Three Musketeers, Titus Andronicus, Hamlet (Shakespeare Company); Prairie Boys Winter, A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, Dracula (Mount Royal University); Metamorphoses (U of C); Dracula (Red Deer College).
Film & TV: Last of Us, The Revenant, Hell on Wheels.
Haysam is the Artistic Director of Alberta Theatre Projects: albertatheatreprojects.com

Dayna Tietzen

Puppetry Director

Dayna Tietzen

Puppetry Director

Citadel: Performer in The Rocky Horror Show, Spamalot, Romeo and Juliet (Young Company)
Other Theatre: Puppeteer in War Horse (Toronto/U.S. National Tour/Japan), Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK: The First Flight (World Tour). Puppetry Director/Specialist: Frozen (Neptune), Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, The Golden Mickeys, Disney Dreams (Disney Cruise Line). Favourite other credits include Cassie in A Chorus Line (Stratford Festival/Riverside Theatre/Arvada Centre), Morticia in The Addams Family (Neptune Theatre), and Fraulein Kost in Cabaret (RMTC).

Beyata Hackborn

Set Designer

Beyata Hackborn

Set Designer

Citadel: Legally Blonde, Heist, The Play That Goes Wrong (Sterling Award for Outstanding Set Design), Little Shop of Horrors, Jersey Boys
Other Theatre: The Secret Garden, Village Wooing, Playboy of the Western World, Overruled, Bright Lights (Shaw Festival); The Inheritance (CanStage); Chris, Mrs. (Boldly Productions); Metronome, Mob, Horseplay (Workshop West); The Maids (Putrid Brat), Freaky Green Eyes (Fringe/Punctuate!); Sleight of Mind (WCT).
Much love to my household of dogs & friends, to shows that embrace non-reality and the absurd, to my mediocre juggling and of course, to my embarrassingly fervent love of Sondheim.

Joseph Abetria

Costume Designer

Joseph Abetria

Costume Designer

Citadel: The Play That Goes Wrong (with TC/RMTC)
Other Theatre: (Selected) Indecent, Little Women, The Comeback (RMTC) Calpurnia (RMTC with NAC/Black Theatre Workshop); Prophecy, Mary’s Wedding, Iceland (TPM), Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Grand Ghost (Grand); Snow White, Spelling 2-5-5 (MTYP); Volare, Space Girl, Voice (PTE)
Extremely grateful for the support of my family and friends. Salamat po!

April Viczko

Lighting Designer

April Viczko

Lighting Designer

Citadel: Blackbird, True Love Lies (Costume Design), As You Like It (Set and Costume Design).
Other Theatre: Skylight (Theatre Calgary), Butcher, The Circle, The Apology, Ash Rizin’ (ATP), Might As Well Be Dead, Murder on the Orient Express, Strangers on a Train, The Mousetrap, In the Heat of the Night (Vertigo Theatre).
April is the Chair of the Drama Department at the University of Alberta and a full member of Associated Designers of Canada/IATSE 659. aprilviczko.com

Corwin Ferguson

Video Designer

Corwin Ferguson

Video Designer

Citadel: Heist, Playing With Fire
Other Theatre: Brigadoon (Shaw Festival); Forgiveness, Salesman in China, Rent, (Stratford Festival); Homes (Grand Theatre); Evil Dead the Musical (Starvox); Into the Woods Jr, Newsies (Yellow Door Theatre Project); Mary Poppins, 1984 (Saint John Theatre); Rinaldo (Pacific Opera); Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Richard III (Shakespeare Company); Playing with Fire, You Will Remember Me (Alberta Theatre Projects).
Graduate of the BPA Program at Capilano University, Studio 58 Acting Graduate www.corwinferguson.com

Joelysa Pankanea

Sound Designer and Composer

Joelysa Pankanea

Sound Designer and Composer

Citadel: A Streetcar Named Desire, Little Women, Death of a Salesman (upcoming)
Other Theatre: Behind the Moon (Touchstone); The Mousetrap (Theatre Calgary); Henry V (Bard).
Film & Podcast: Rolling Hills (Sunny Drake Productions), Sue Sada
(Cindy Mochizuki)
Originally from Kenya, Joelysa is an award-winning composer and sound designer from Vancouver. She’d like to thank Haysam Kadri, Craig Hall, the Citadel and RMTC teams, cast and crew for this incredible opportunity!
www.joelysa.com
@joelysa_composer

Morgan Yamada

Fight Director

Morgan Yamada

Fight Director

Citadel: Fight/Intimacy Director: Little Women, A Streetcar Named Desire. Fight/Movement Director: The Play That Goes Wrong. Fight Director: Prison Dancer, Jersey Boys. Assistant Director: Almost a Full Moon. Actor: The Three Musketeers, Pride and Prejudice.

Other Theatre: Intimacy Director: Where You Are, After Mourning – Before van Gogh (Shadow Theatre). Actor: Glory (Chemainus Theatre Festival/National Tour/Original Cast – WCT, et al.)

Learn more at: www.morganyamada.com

Steven Conde

Assistant Director

Steven Conde

Assistant Director

Citadel: Debut.
Other Theatre: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Stratford Festival), My Name is Asher Lev, Suicide Incorporated, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Wit (TwinBill Theatre). A Killing at La Cucina (Vertigo Theatre); Seafarer (Alberta Theatre Projects); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatre Calgary); Sideshow, Madagascar the Musical, Matilda the Musical, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Band’s Visit, Waitress (Atlantis Theatrical).

Molly Pearson

Stage Manager

Molly Pearson

Stage Manager

Citadel: The Mountaintop, Rubaboo, The Royale, The Garneau Block, A Christmas Carol, Children of God, Peter and the Starcatcher and Made in Italy
Other Theatres: As You Like It, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Comedy of Errors and The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, and Love’s Labour’s Lost (The Freewill Shakespeare Festival); Vigilante (Catalyst Theatre)

Anna Davidson

Assistant Stage Manager

Anna Davidson

Assistant Stage Manager

Citadel: Sound of Music, The Fiancée
Other Theatre: Die Walkure, Das Reingold, Die Fledermaus, Bluebeard’s Castle, Aquarius, Orphée+, La Boheme (Edmonton Opera), The Fiancée (Chemainus Theatre Festival), Don Giovanni (National Arts Centre, The Banff Centre)
Anna is delighted to be back at the Citadel. She has worked as a stage manager, ASM and IATSE Local 210 theatre technician in Edmonton since graduating from the Theatre Production Program at MacEwan in 2007.

Ryan MacAuley

Apprentice Stage Manager

Ryan MacAuley

Apprentice Stage Manager

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Die Walküre, Aquarius, Bluebeard’s Castle, Die Fledermaus, Das Rheingold (Edmonton Opera); Native Gardens (Persephone); Sunday in the Park with George (MacEwan); Shrek, White Christmas (NUOVA).
Ryan is a Métis stage manager, based in Treaty Six. Originally from Prince Albert, he now calls Edmonton home. He is excited to be joining the Citadel for this production. Much love to Nico for his constant support and encouragement.

Amy Dass

Assistant Set Designer

Amy Dass

Assistant Set Designer

Citadel: Debut
Other Theatre: Hyena’s Trail (Here for Fear Collective), Sprouts (Concrete Theatre), Witch (UAlberta), Local Diva (Low Hanging Fruit Productions), Emergence of Self (Connections//Collisions).
Amy is a multidisciplinary theatre designer based in Edmonton. She is very grateful to be working with the Life of Pi team for her debut Citadel show! Much love to her clowder of cats, mom and dad, Ana, Kijo and Sanaa.