radiant vermin
by philip ridley
november 12-22nd 2026
Ollie and Jill want to tell you about their dream home. Some of the things they did to get it, you might find shocking. But they want you to know they did it all baby…
“Radiant Vermin asks uncomfortable questions about the value we place on property, who we believe deserves a home, and how easily we can distance ourselves from our unhoused neighbours. At a time when housing affordability, homelessness, and the rising cost of living are affecting so many people in our city, Radiant Vermin allows us to laugh, feel uncomfortable, and ultimately look more closely at the world we have created around us. As the director, I’m excited to bring this challenging and darkly comic play to Toronto audiences with a small group of exceptional artists.”
Radiant Vermin is a wickedly comedic satire about a young couple who are offered a way onto the property ladder that may turn out to be too good to be true. Through a whirlwind retelling of everything they’ve done to get their dream home, Ollie and Jill show us just how far we might go to build a better life for ourselves. Playful, provocative, and viciously sharp, this outrageous dark comedy comments on the housing crisis, homelessness, and what it really takes to support a family in today’s world. It will leave Toronto audiences shocked, thrilled, and feeling a little more connected to everyone who calls this city home.
Toronto’s Sebastian Biasucci directs this production. Sebastian is currently an Associate Member of The Howland Company, where he helps lead the Howland Reading Group, where he first came across Radiant Vermin. He has also held assistant directing positions with prolific Canadian directors like Weyni Mengesha and Richard Rose.
This three-hander is helmed by Canadian theatre icon Lisa Horner (Mirvish, Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival), Riot King company member Katherine Cappellacci (Young People’s Theatre, 4th Line Theatre, Tweed & Company Theatre), and Toronto newcomer Ziye Hu (Stratford Festival, Mirvish, Tweed & Company Theatre).
The creative team also includes stage manager Zahra Esmail (Canadian Opera Company, Small but Mighty, A Moment for Frayed Nerves TO Fringe), lighting design by Toronto & New York City based Natasha Rotondaro (Global Forms Festival, Second Avenue Dance Company, NYU Tisch), set and costume design by Amelia Mielke-O’Grady (Talk is Free Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, Crow’s Theatre), and sound design by Zach Parsons (Tottering Biped, Assembly Theatre, One For One Productions). Rounding out the production team are Riot King company members Brendan Kinnon and Lindsey Middleton.
Important Show Information
This production includes strong language, mature themes, discussions of violence and is recommended for audiences 13+. The show runs 110 minutes with no intermission. There will be no re-entry. The theatre washroom is on stage and is used during the production and seating is general admission, so be sure to arrive early, so the production can begin on time.
Community Partner - Street Health Toronto
We are so proud to be partnering with Street Health Toronto for this production. Street Health is a non-profit, community-based organization in Toronto that has provided low-barrier healthcare, mental health support, and social services to homeless and under-housed people since 1986. As part of this partnership, we will be collecting new socks, gloves, and hats in the lobby of the Sandcastle to donate to Street Health at the end of the production. If you'd like to support, please consider donating! To learn more about the organization head to there website at https://streethealth.ca
Restaurant Sponsor - Fangio Trattoria
We are also partnering with Fangio Trattoria (1111 Queen St E.) on this production! Fangio is presenting a special 3-course prix fixe menu for Radiant Vermin guests for only $40! Located just down the street from the theatre, Fangio is the perfect spot for pre-show dinner and drinks. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar, but with their intimate setting it's best to make a reservation. Check out the menu and more about the restaurant at https://fangio.ca
creative team
sebastian biasucci
director
Sebastian Biasucci (he/him) is a Toronto-based actor, producer and director. A graduate of TMU's Performance Acting Program, Sebastian has worked with Good Old Neon, Panoply Productions, Hart House Theatre and Rock Bottom Movement.
As an Associate Member of the Howland Company he has been a Shadow Director on The Welkin, Associate Producer on Prodigal and Marketing Manager for Entrances & Exits. Most recently he produced a production of Hannah Moscovitch's The Children's Republic with Richard Rose, Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company and Koffler Arts.
Sebastian is thrilled to be directing Riot King's upcoming production of Radiant Vermin. He's wanted to work on this show since being introduced to it and one of Howland's reading groups and is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this stellar team bringing it to life.
Ziye is an actor and writer based in Toronto. Onstage, he has played cocky teenagers, elderly suitmakers, and troubled yogis. Onscreen, he has been seen as a music historian, a jealous boyfriend who swaps bodies with his partner for sex, and a careless beta engineer aboard the USS Enterprise. He believes comedy and humour will save us all. He is probably wrong. Training: BFA from NYU. Online: @ziyehu, www.ziyehu.com. We are not strangers.
Lisa is delighted to be making her debut with Riot King! With over thirty-five years in the business, Lisa has been seen in theatres across Canada. Performances include Beulah in Come From Away, Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz and Mme Thenardier in Les Miserables (for Mirvish Productions), five seasons with the Shaw Festival and three seasons with the Stratford Festival. Most recently, Lisa played the title role of Kimberly Akimbo at the Vancouver Arts Club. Lisa is also a director, teacher and licensed PSW and is the recipient of two Dora awards and a Bessie for her work. Many many thanks to Katharine and Sebastien for including me in this mind-blowing show!
Katherine is an actor, theatre maker, and producer from Toronto. As a performer, her work spans musical theatre, large-scale historical epics, TYA, devised and collaborative creation, physical theatre, film, and TV. Recent theatre acting credits include A Night at the Grand Ghoul Opry (Tweed & Company Theatre); Pop! Pop (Young People’s Theatre/Carousel Players); The Tilco Strike (4th Line Theatre); Screwball Comedy (Globus Theatre); and INDISPOSABLE (Grandview Theatre). Film and TV: Pretty Hard Cases (CBC Gem) and I Woke Up A Vampire (Netflix). Katherine is a proud producer & company member of Riot King, and has also recently associate produced the Bell Fibe TV series, I’m Also Here. Next month, see Katherine return to Crane Girl (Falling Iguana Theatre) in the show’s Toronto premiere at Theatre Passe Muraille, or starring in the upcoming film, The Christmas Eve Feast (Hallmark). She has a BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University. Thank you for supporting our show! Learn more at katherinecappellacci.com or @kath.cappellacci
zarah esmail
STAGE MANAGEMENT
zach parsons
SOUND DESIGN
lindsey middleton
PRODUCER
amelia mielke-O’grady
SET/COSTUME DESIGN
natasha rotondaro
LIGHTING DESIGN
brendan kinnon
PRODUCTION MANAGER