Media Release
MADDADDAM Casting Announced
Onstage June 13 – 21
June 8, 2026… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today the casting for Wayne McGregor’s MADDADDAM. Inspired by Margaret Atwood’s celebrated novel trilogy with a score by internationally acclaimed composer Max Richter, the acclaimed work is onstage at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto June 13 – 21.
On opening night, dancing the role of Jimmy is Principal Dancer Siphesihle November, Crake is Principal Dancer Harrison James, Oryx is Principal Dancer Koto Ishihara, Toby is Principal Dancer Heather Ogden, Ren is Principal Dancer Tirion Law, Amanda is First Soloist Jenna Savella, Zeb is Principal Dancer Christopher Gerty, Blanco will be Principal Dancer Larkin Miller and Adam will be performed by Principal Dancer Ben Rudisin.
A co-production with The Royal Ballet, MADDADDAM was created in Toronto at the National Ballet and had its world premiere at the Four Seasons Centre in November 2022. The Royal Ballet presented the London premiere to sold-out houses in November 2024 and will remount the production in February 2027 to mark McGregor’s 20th anniversary as Resident Choreographer with the company. The highly anticipated Toronto revival includes some updates from the London production.
Exploring themes of extinction and invention, hubris and humanity, MADDADDAM splices together aspects of Atwood's activism and her connection to Canada. This post-apocalyptic world is brought to life by designers We Not I with bold costumes by Gareth Pugh, lighting by Lucy Carter, film design by Ravi Deepres and dramaturgy by Uzma Hameed.
Casting
Jimmy
Siphesihle November (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Spencer Hack (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Crake
Harrison James (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Naoya Ebe* (June 14, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Isaac Wright* (June 18 at 2:00 pm)
Oryx
Koto Ishihara (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Svetlana Lunkina (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Toby
Heather Ogden (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Alexandra MacDonald (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Ren
Tirion Law* (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Monika Haczkiewicz* (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Amanda
Jenna Savella (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Agnes Su* (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Zeb
Christopher Gerty (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Peng Fei Jiang (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Blanco
Larkin Miller* (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Donald Thom (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
Ancestor Adam
Ben Rudisin (June 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 pm)
Jack Bertinshaw (June 14, 18, 20, 21 at 2:00 pm)
*Debuts
Casting subject to change.
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MADDADDAM Trailer
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MADDADDAM: The Concept
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2025/26 Season Sponsor: BMO
IG Private Wealth Management Presents MADDADDAM
Lead philanthropic support for MADDADDAM is provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell, Rosamond Ivey, Tim & Frances Price and Gretchen Ross & Donald Ross, O.C. Additional support is provided by The Gail Hutchison Fund and The Producers’ Circle.
The commissioned score for MADDADDAM is underwritten by Noreen Taylor, C.M. & David Staines, C.M., O.Ont.
The Producers’ Circle (2023): Gail & Mark Appel, John & Claudine Bailey, Inger Bartlett & Marshal Stearns, Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Jerry Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C., The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., The Harry & Lillian Seymour Family Foundation and The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.
Naoya Ebe is sponsored through Dancers First by Gretchen Ross.
Christopher Gerty is sponsored through Dancers First by Ms. Nancy Viner & Dr. Raymond Stein.
Tirion Law is sponsored through Dancers First by Anne-Marie Canning.
Siphesihle November is sponsored through Dancers First by Jerry Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C.
Heather Ogden is sponsored through Dancers First by Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin.
Ben Rudisin is sponsored through Dancers First by Sylvie Allard & Brian O’Keefe.
Jack Bertinshaw is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.
Alexandra MacDonald is sponsored through Dancers First by an Anonymous donor.
The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.
Heather Ogden in MADDADDAM. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
For more information and interview opportunities, please contact:
Touchwood PR
Andréa Grau, Founder and OwnerChelsea Cabello, Senior PublicistSydney Clarke, Publicist
NBOC@touchwoodpr.com
The National Ballet of Canada
Catherine Chang, Associate Director of Communications & Content Strategy
Sarah Johnsen, Interim Communications Manager
Media@national.ballet.ca