Heidi Damayo

In Angels Unawares, seventeen-year-old Faith has a penchant for violence and a habit of picking fights. When her guardian angel oversteps his bounds to defend her, all hell breaks loose – literally – and they find themselves in the midst of a new war in heaven. Angels Unawares uses epic stage fights and ensemble movement to bring badass women centre stage and questions how far is too far when it comes to protecting the people we love.

Angels Unawares was commissioned in 2020 in the fifth year of Nightswimming’s 5×25 initiative.

Heidi Damayo is a multidisciplinary theatre artist and queer, hapa prairie girl from Calgary, Alberta. Her playwriting credits include Morning Glory (LEAP at The Arts Club), LIVE (LEAP and Ignite Youth Festival), and Home Fires Burning (UBC Centennial Celebration). Acting credits include Mustard (Arts Club/Belfry Theatre) and New Canadian Kid (Green Thumb).

Dramaturgy & process

Heidi is in the first phase of writing for Angel Unawares. Stage combat workshops are an integral part of Heidi’s creation and writing process for the play; however until recently, the Covid-19 pandemic delayed these by-necessity physical and in-person explorations from moving forward. Currently, Heidi conducted a short workshop in January 2022, in collaboration with the Vancouver-based stage combat company Affair of Honour, and continues to meet with Brian and Gloria to discuss ways to continue the development of the piece.