BiographyHools Kay (they/them) is a creative chameleon, dedicated to supporting the work of those who feel erased from mainstream media. Their journey began at St. Lawrence College, studying musical theatre, before honing their comedic skills at The Second City conservatory program in Toronto. Hools’ impressive portfolio of original content includes producing and writing two digital series, Female Therapy and Penny for Your Thoughts. Their short film #BasicBaes earned them 9 awards and 13 nominations.
They leverage their award-winning theatrical creations, such as Drink Of Choice, Getting Odd, and LOL LOL Land, to cultivate an audience, strategically transitioning their work to the screen for even greater impact and reach. In 2019, Hools wrote and produced a theatre show, Drink of Choice, that won Patron’s Pick at the Toronto Fringe Festival, which was later remounted at the Factory Theatre for a 22-show run season. From the success of Drink of Choice emerged the script for the short film Aced It, which has been selected for six festivals so far, with plans in place to develop it into a full series. Hools is highly adaptable and committed to creativity, as seen by their hosting of the radio show Aced It on Alphabet Radio (UK) during the pandemic, and their contribution to the published novel A Stage Light Flickers, offering a unique perspective on creativity in a global crisis. Currently working on the series version of Aced It, hoping one day that title can be written on their tombstone. Hools is constantly curious where their career and life will take her next, but in the meantime they enjoy a good cup of coffee from an indie hipster coffee joint, and cuddling her sweet fur-baby Mrs. Lola Peanutbutter. |
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Resume
Actra Apprentice • Iatse 411 Production Coordinator Caucus • DGC GAP trainee
Mezzo-Soprano
Film
Motorheads S1 - Jax Media - Series | 2024 (trainee assistant art director)
Shelf Life - Firecracker Film Igniter Project - Short Film | 2024 (producer, writer, actor, camera op, editor)
Chucky S3 - NBC - Series | 2023-2024 (2nd assistant production coordinator)
Secret Ingredient - Mad Butterfly Collective - 48hr Film Project | 2023 (1st assistant director)
Aced It - Aced It Productions - Short Film | 2023 (creator, executive producer, actor)
Chucky S2 - NBC - Series | 2022 (production assistant)
Did You... Series - Half&Haf Comedy - Digital Series | 2022 (producer, actor)
Luckiest Girl Alive - Picturestart/Netflix - Feature Film | 2021 (2nd assistant production coordinator)
1Up - Buzzfeed/Ganked Films - Feature Film | 2020-2021 (production assistant)
Starhammer 2020 - Screened in 60 - Short Film | 2020 (producer, writer, actor)
Forever Alone - Cookie Policy - Short Film | 2019 (producer, writer, actor)
Finding Harold - Short Film | 2019 (1st assistant director)
#BasicBaes - Daisy Productions - Short Film | 2018 (producer, writer, actor)
Penny For Your Thoughts - Comedies Never Win Productions - Digital Series | 2017 (producer, writer, actor)
Fre-breeze - Comedies Never Win Productions - Short Film | 2017 (producer, actor)
Inside Joke - Comedies Never Win Productions - Short Film | 2017 (producer, writer, actor)
True Lovers - Comedies Never Win Productions - Short Film | 2017 (actor)
Female Therapy - HollyWould Productions - Short Film | 2016 (producer, coordinator, writer, actor)
Celiac - RF Film Studies - Short Film | 2015 (actor)
Theatre
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche (Unit 6, The Assembly Theatre)
Drink of Choice (AlmaMatters, Factory Studio)
All's Well That Ends Well (Dauntless City Theatre)
Drink of Choice (HollyWould Productions, Toronto Fringe 2019)
Much Ado About Nothing (Dauntless City Theatre)
Opening Statement (MindPlay Festival 2018, Hamilton ON)
The Five Points (Theatre by the Bay)
LOL LOL Land (Daisy Productions, Orlando Fringe 2017)
Twist Your Dickens (The Second City)
Assisted Suicide Squad (Second City Writing Conservatory)
Getting Odd (HollyWould Productions, Toronto Fringe 2016)
National Demographic (Second City Improv Conservatory)
Mute (Toronto Fringe 2014)
Chicken Little (Solar Stage)
The Buddy Holly Story (Magnus Theatre)
The F Word (Buddies in Bad Times)
Let the Sunshine In (Welcome Wood, Brockville Arts Centre)
Commercial
TurboTax (Hero - Union, 2019)
QuickBooks (Supporting - Non Union, 2019)
Monster.com (SOC - Non Union, 2019)
Twinnings Tea (Featured Extra - Non Union, 2019)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Ontario Creates IDM Future Forwards Program, Web Series Canada | 2023
Selected for the six-part skill development focusing program on pitching, marketing, production management,
financing, and budgeting.
The Second City Training Centre | 2016
Conservatory Grad, Level A-E
St. Lawrence College | 2012
Musical Theatre Performance Program (Diploma)
Acting: Clown Ken Hall
Improv Etan Muskat, Frank McAnulty, Evany Rosen, Kris Siddiqi, Connor Thompson, Kevin Matviw, Ashley Comeau, Karen Parker, Marjorie Malpass, Jacob James
Scene Study Mike Shore, Tony Babcock, Brian Frommer, Kate Hurman (Shakespeare), Andy Massingham, Alix Sideris, Mary Ellis, EJ Scott
Film Brad Milne, Tony Babcock, Michael Gordin Shore, Nola Augustson
Dance: Jazz Cheryl Blondin, Kerry Gage, Jay T. Schramek, Janet Venn-Jackson
Tap Deanna Smith, Janet Venn-Jackson
Ballet Alejandra Sanchez, Tina Veirra
Voice: Robert Graham, Barbara Szarek, Susan Eichhorn Young, Luiz Monterei, Aaron Eyre, Pat Towell, Jenniah Armstrong, Jamie Philp, Denise Krawczuk
Workshops: Rosalie Joseph (2-day on camera audition lab), Nola Augustson (Intermediate Camera Ready Scene Study), Thom Allison (2-day workshop), Sue Morrison (2 day Clown), Lynne Cormack (2-day on camera audition lab), Dorian Foley (Stage Combat)
Special Skills
Simple Slight of Hand, Basketball, Bowling, Clarinet, Violin/Fiddle, Tenor Sax, Latte Art, Basic Puppeteering, Basic Piano, Guitar, Whistling, Loon Call, Valid Passport, G level Drivers License
Dialect: Russian, Southern, British, Irish, Scottish
Mezzo-Soprano
Film
Motorheads S1 - Jax Media - Series | 2024 (trainee assistant art director)
Shelf Life - Firecracker Film Igniter Project - Short Film | 2024 (producer, writer, actor, camera op, editor)
Chucky S3 - NBC - Series | 2023-2024 (2nd assistant production coordinator)
Secret Ingredient - Mad Butterfly Collective - 48hr Film Project | 2023 (1st assistant director)
Aced It - Aced It Productions - Short Film | 2023 (creator, executive producer, actor)
Chucky S2 - NBC - Series | 2022 (production assistant)
Did You... Series - Half&Haf Comedy - Digital Series | 2022 (producer, actor)
Luckiest Girl Alive - Picturestart/Netflix - Feature Film | 2021 (2nd assistant production coordinator)
1Up - Buzzfeed/Ganked Films - Feature Film | 2020-2021 (production assistant)
Starhammer 2020 - Screened in 60 - Short Film | 2020 (producer, writer, actor)
Forever Alone - Cookie Policy - Short Film | 2019 (producer, writer, actor)
Finding Harold - Short Film | 2019 (1st assistant director)
#BasicBaes - Daisy Productions - Short Film | 2018 (producer, writer, actor)
Penny For Your Thoughts - Comedies Never Win Productions - Digital Series | 2017 (producer, writer, actor)
Fre-breeze - Comedies Never Win Productions - Short Film | 2017 (producer, actor)
Inside Joke - Comedies Never Win Productions - Short Film | 2017 (producer, writer, actor)
True Lovers - Comedies Never Win Productions - Short Film | 2017 (actor)
Female Therapy - HollyWould Productions - Short Film | 2016 (producer, coordinator, writer, actor)
Celiac - RF Film Studies - Short Film | 2015 (actor)
Theatre
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche (Unit 6, The Assembly Theatre)
Drink of Choice (AlmaMatters, Factory Studio)
All's Well That Ends Well (Dauntless City Theatre)
Drink of Choice (HollyWould Productions, Toronto Fringe 2019)
Much Ado About Nothing (Dauntless City Theatre)
Opening Statement (MindPlay Festival 2018, Hamilton ON)
The Five Points (Theatre by the Bay)
LOL LOL Land (Daisy Productions, Orlando Fringe 2017)
Twist Your Dickens (The Second City)
Assisted Suicide Squad (Second City Writing Conservatory)
Getting Odd (HollyWould Productions, Toronto Fringe 2016)
National Demographic (Second City Improv Conservatory)
Mute (Toronto Fringe 2014)
Chicken Little (Solar Stage)
The Buddy Holly Story (Magnus Theatre)
The F Word (Buddies in Bad Times)
Let the Sunshine In (Welcome Wood, Brockville Arts Centre)
Commercial
TurboTax (Hero - Union, 2019)
QuickBooks (Supporting - Non Union, 2019)
Monster.com (SOC - Non Union, 2019)
Twinnings Tea (Featured Extra - Non Union, 2019)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Ontario Creates IDM Future Forwards Program, Web Series Canada | 2023
Selected for the six-part skill development focusing program on pitching, marketing, production management,
financing, and budgeting.
The Second City Training Centre | 2016
Conservatory Grad, Level A-E
St. Lawrence College | 2012
Musical Theatre Performance Program (Diploma)
Acting: Clown Ken Hall
Improv Etan Muskat, Frank McAnulty, Evany Rosen, Kris Siddiqi, Connor Thompson, Kevin Matviw, Ashley Comeau, Karen Parker, Marjorie Malpass, Jacob James
Scene Study Mike Shore, Tony Babcock, Brian Frommer, Kate Hurman (Shakespeare), Andy Massingham, Alix Sideris, Mary Ellis, EJ Scott
Film Brad Milne, Tony Babcock, Michael Gordin Shore, Nola Augustson
Dance: Jazz Cheryl Blondin, Kerry Gage, Jay T. Schramek, Janet Venn-Jackson
Tap Deanna Smith, Janet Venn-Jackson
Ballet Alejandra Sanchez, Tina Veirra
Voice: Robert Graham, Barbara Szarek, Susan Eichhorn Young, Luiz Monterei, Aaron Eyre, Pat Towell, Jenniah Armstrong, Jamie Philp, Denise Krawczuk
Workshops: Rosalie Joseph (2-day on camera audition lab), Nola Augustson (Intermediate Camera Ready Scene Study), Thom Allison (2-day workshop), Sue Morrison (2 day Clown), Lynne Cormack (2-day on camera audition lab), Dorian Foley (Stage Combat)
Special Skills
Simple Slight of Hand, Basketball, Bowling, Clarinet, Violin/Fiddle, Tenor Sax, Latte Art, Basic Puppeteering, Basic Piano, Guitar, Whistling, Loon Call, Valid Passport, G level Drivers License
Dialect: Russian, Southern, British, Irish, Scottish
