The Toy Guns Team
Executive Director
Jake W Hastey (he/him/they/them) has never chewed a toe nail. Not his and not anyone else’s. Their artistic development has been informed by this resolve. Knowing what to chew on and what not to, when it’s appropriate to chew and when you should just swallow something whole. He is a creator/director/choreographer, and artistic director of Toy Guns Dance Theatre. He studied at The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, University of Alberta, King’s University, American Ballet Theatre (NYC), as well as privately with amazing artists and directors across Canada including Evelyn Hart and Arnold Spohr.
Jake is a three time Mayor’s Awards for the Arts nominee (Edmonton), received the Telus Courage to Innovate Award in 2017, two time recipient of the of Arnold Spohr Scholarship for dance, a Sterling award nominated director, winner of the Best Director award at the Edmonton International Film Festival, and has had their work exhibited at national arts festivals. They have created nine original theatrical productions with over a hundred and fifty performances at mattress galleries, parks, parkades, and major theatres across Canada. Their film work has been seen on Telus Optik TV, Domestic Air Canada flights, and at many film festivals in Canada. They are currently in post-production on Abercrombie Zombie a feature length film they wrote and produced, Victim Hunter Lover a queer vampire short film they co-wrote/co-directed, and pre-production on Meat the Sweetest Treat a partially scripted mockumentary that gets a little too real…
Jake is a three time Mayor’s Awards for the Arts nominee (Edmonton), received the Telus Courage to Innovate Award in 2017, two time recipient of the of Arnold Spohr Scholarship for dance, a Sterling award nominated director, winner of the Best Director award at the Edmonton International Film Festival, and has had their work exhibited at national arts festivals. They have created nine original theatrical productions with over a hundred and fifty performances at mattress galleries, parks, parkades, and major theatres across Canada. Their film work has been seen on Telus Optik TV, Domestic Air Canada flights, and at many film festivals in Canada. They are currently in post-production on Abercrombie Zombie a feature length film they wrote and produced, Victim Hunter Lover a queer vampire short film they co-wrote/co-directed, and pre-production on Meat the Sweetest Treat a partially scripted mockumentary that gets a little too real…
