About Us
Our Story
Introduced by their (adored) mutual friend, Cristiana Ripeanu and Gillian Clare formed Exact Resemblance with the goal of bringing compelling, clever, provocative, laugh-and-then-cry theatre to Vancouver stages.When the show they had originally planned fell through, Cristiana asked Gillian what plays she wanted to tackle. Gillian came back with a few options, secretly hoping Cristiana would pick one in particular (she did). As the maxim goes, when one author turns down your gender-bending adaptation, do a different play. Thus began the endeavour to co-produce work together.
What does 'exact resemblance' mean anyway?
Exact resemblance is a phrase coined by Gertrude Stein in her poem "If I Told Him, A Completed Poem of Picasso". Choosing our name wasn't easy. We wanted something quirky, punchy, and with some of the self-deprecating humour we enjoy. We liked the consonant sounds in the phrase. We liked the oxymoron, we liked the irony, we liked that it was written by a woman.
OUR MANDATE
Pluralism
We promote the voices of emerging artists from underserved communities, including femme, Indigenous, immigrant, & refugee artists within the local theatre scene. We help support emerging artists by offering free mentorship & training, programs made accessible through flexibility in participation and time commitment.
Rigour
We choose texts of high literary merit. We strive to produce work with detail and discernment. We hope to contribute to the zeitgeist of Vancouver's arts scene.
Partnership
We create cross-sectoral collaboration by building bridges between the arts and community stakeholders. We create a more interconnected theatre community of more compassionate and diverse creators within a healthy working environment.
Who We Are
Meet the Resemblers
Cristiana Ripeanu (she/her)
Cristiana is a Romanian-Canadian theatre director and educator. Her work has been staged at several state theatres in Romania and performed in multiple languages at festivals across Europe, such as Balkan Theatre Festival, International Theatre School Festivals (Greece, Netherlands, Albania), and Freistil Festival (Germany). In Canada and Germany, Cristiana has worked as an acting teacher and director for independent theatre companies and organizations. She also works in community-building and social outreach programs with sociocultural organizations in Germany. After spending the last 14 years in Germany, Cristiana has now relocated to Vancouver, where she looks to join other creators in the effort of enriching the Canadian theatre scene. She is co-founder of Exact Resemblance.
Find her here
Gillian Clare (she/her)
Gillian is a French and English-speaking actor, dancer, and writer. Having trained in the US in classical ballet and modern dance, she went to theatre school in Toronto before returning to her hometown of Vancouver. Some favourite theatre credits include Ruth in Blithe Spirit, Myrrha in Metamorphoses, and Olivia in Twelfth Night, and appearing with the Riotous Youth at Bard on the Beach and the Guerrilla Ruff Squad at Shakespeare in the Ruff. Now primarily working in film and TV, she will next be seen in the upcoming series 'The Last Stand of Ellen Cole'. For Exact Resemblance, she has played Marianne in Constellations. She is repped by Helen Campbell at Webster Talent. She is a co-founder of Exact Resemblance.
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Jacob Machin (he/him)
Jacob's career started in pantomime before finding a brief but successful calling in stand-up comedy, winning the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival's 'Class Clowns' competition. Jacob went on to various theatre productions such as Death Of A Salesman, Next To Normal, Young and Jackson, directed by Wayne Harrison, August: Osage County, and Much Ado About Nothing with Melbourne Shakespeare Company. Now based in Vancouver, Jacob has recently appeared in ‘Big Sky,' 'Supernatural,' and 'Twilight Zone.’ For Exact Resemblance, Jacob has played AA in The Emigrants and Roland in Constellations. Find him on IMDb.
Victoria Hunter Bell (she/they)
Victoria (V) is a Vancouver based scenographer (lighting, sound, set, and projection designer), technical director and Studio 58 graduate. Victoria is an ADC and IATSE 118 member. She is also a Stir recognized "Game Changer" in this year's fall arts guide.
She sees her work as focusing on the depth in shadow and its necessity to show detail in the light. Working between vibrant colours and muted tones, while using Physical structure to fully infuse her designs into the world of the piece. Using physical structures on stage with the performance creates a more literal connection to the lights, she very specifically doesn't want to just work in the grid "above" the performance, she is entangled with the performance as a whole, not just its outward final presentation. She wishes her designs to be objects wielded by and into the metaphor of the text.
Associate Artists
Jill Goranson (she/her)
Jill is a theatre creator, performer, producer, and educator of Métis, Austrian and Swedish descent who lives and works on the traditional lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She graduated from Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Musical Theatre Program in 2019, where she was awarded the Triple Threat award. Since graduating, Jill has worked as a producer with Art Pop-Up (2019-2025), as an improviser with the Vancouver’s International Improv Festival as part of the Festival Ensemble (2022), as a creator with her one-person improvised musical and stand up show Sweaty, Bloated, and Stressed which premiered at the Toronto Fringe Festival (2023), and most recently as a composer and performer in The Tempest at Buddies in Bad Times (2024) with Theatre Rusticle.
Paul du Toit (he/him)
Paul is a celebrated actor and director, renowned for his work in television and film, including starring roles in Apple TV's "Foxtrot," Lifetime TV's "The Girl Who Wasn't Dead," and Amazon Prime's "My Spy: The Eternal City" alongside Hollywood A-listers. His international appearances include roles in "Bulletproof 3" for Sky TV and as Commander Lazarro in SYFY's "Vagrant Queen." Paul has a rich background in diverse projects like "Maze Runner 3," "Shark Killer," and "Tremors: Cold Day in Hell." He gained fame in South Africa as Malan Koster in "Binnelanders" and co-produced "Rough or Smooth" through his company, Fanagalo Films. On stage, he won the 2022 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Director for "The Unlikely Secret Agent" and has numerous accolades for his performances in musicals and plays, including "The Rocky Horror Show" and productions at the Fugard Theatre. Educated in drama and opera at Stellenbosch University, Paul currently divides his time between Vancouver, Canada, and Cape Town, South Africa, continuing to captivate audiences with his compelling performances and productions.
Marketing and Outreach Team
Michaela Abalos (she/her)
Micaela holds a law degree from Argentina and is currently based in Vancouver, where she is pursuing a Post-Degree Diploma in Marketing Management. She is passionate about art and is excited to bring her diverse background to creative projects. Micaela is thrilled to contribute to work that connects with audiences in meaningful ways.
Grace McNamara (she/her)
Graduating in 2023 from Northeastern University with a degree in Communications and Theatre, Grace has always had a passion for all creative endeavors. From seeing her first Broadway show, The Lion King, with her parents at age 7, to now working as a Marketing Coordinator with Exact Resemblance, Grace has had extensive experience working on and off the stage. She has worked as stage crew and choreographer on her high school’s production of Mama Mia as well as had roles in Honk! and Shrek. In college, she worked as part of the costume run crew on Urinetown as well as on the set build crew for other productions. Outside of theatre, she has done content creation for Eva Ullmann, contestant on season 22 of The Voice as well as worked on the Graphic Design team at Hot Press Magazine in Ireland, creating the spreads for the articles as well as doing concert photography. Most recently she worked as Marketing Coordinator for Allianz Commercial in New York and loved being able to experience all of the theatre that the city had to offer. She moved to Vancouver this past September and is enjoying getting to explore the west coast!
Nikta Barzegar (he/him)
Nikta Barzegar is a Vancouver-based analyst and digital marketing professional, combining analytical skills with creative insights to deliver effective business outcomes. With a background in Material Science Engineering from Sharif University of Technology and currently pursuing an MBA at the University of British Columbia, Nikta applies his analytical abilities and proficiency in Python and R to develop targeted strategies that improve online visibility and enhance audience interaction. In his role as a Freelance Crypto Analyst, Nikta effectively interprets market data to create clear, actionable investment strategies. His expertise in Google Analytics, Tag Manager, and SEO techniques enables him to optimize digital presence, helping businesses improve their search rankings, drive more traffic, and increase conversions.
Nikta has also shared his analytical expertise through teaching Mathematics and Computer Algorithms, demonstrating his strength in clearly communicating technical concepts. Recognized for academic achievements and success in competitive environments, such as the Stock Market Scholarship Contest, Nikta is committed to providing practical and impactful digital marketing solutions for businesses of all sizes.
Francis Rosario (he/him)
Francis is a web designer who graduated with a diploma in Animation Art and Design from LaSalle College Vancouver, formerly known as the Art Institute Vancouver. With a light background in theatre, Francis has had a good amount of experience on-stage; as Roger in a 5th grade production of 101 Dalmatians, a Stormtrooper in a middle school production of Star Wars: A New Hope, and Captain Redbeard Rum in a high school production of Blackadder. Outside of theatre, he is an aspiring writer working on an independent webcomic, and product photographer specializing in action figures. He currently does volunteer work at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) Centre.