White As Snow: A Black Queer Exvangelical’s Poetic Memoir
About this Event
White As Snow - Calgary Premiere!
After a successful run in New York City this spring, comedian Rose-Ingrid Benjamin is bringing their powerful solo performance to the prairies.
A Queer ex-preacher traces the arc from altar to aftermath in this lyrical blend of spoken word, humour, song, and story. Told from the perspective of a Haitian, Queer, eldest immigrant daughter, former worship leader and missionary, White As Snow is a tender reckoning with faith, family, identity, and the ways we come home to ourselves.
Edmonton-born, Ottawa-raised multi-hyphenate Rose-Ingrid Benjamin's first play blends spoken word, storytelling and song to weave a "deeply personal solo piece" that seeks to explore and challenge what it means to believe, belong and walk away.
First developed in Edinburgh as part of PBH Free Fringe in 2025, White As Snow premiered at the NYC Fringe in April 2026 and is making its way across Canada in the summer and fall of 2026.
The performance is in English, with French and Kreyòl featured in memories and songs.
DATE: Saturday, August 29, 2026
TIME: 7pm (doors at 6:30pm)
LOCATION: cSPACE Studio Marda Loop, 1721 29 Ave SW, Calgary
TICKETS: Pay-What-You-Want $10/$20/$30
Credits
Written and Performed by: Rose-Ingrid Benjamin (She/They)
Directed by: Kyle Brown (He/Him)
Musical Direction and Compositions by: Katie James (He/She)
Art Design by: Nataly Kais (She/Her)
Dramaturgy by: Cherissa Richards (She/Her)
Content Notes:
Themes of grief, loss, faith deconstruction, and spiritual abuse. Instances of homophobia, anti-Black racism, suicide, and corporal punishment.
This performance is made possible by Affirming Connections in partnership with Black Pride YYC, and venue sponsor cSPACE Marda Loop. We are so proud to be able to present Calgary's premiere of "White As Snow".
Rose-Ingrid Benjamin (Playwright)
Rose-Ingrid (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and performer from Ottawa, Ontario, and a member of the Haitian diaspora in what is commonly known as Canada. Their work weaves together comedy, theatre, music, and storytelling to explore the intersections of faith, identity, and belonging, informed by their lived experience as a Black, queer, first-generation Canadian and a survivor of spiritual abuse.
Their solo show, "White As Snow," a deeply personal exploration of faith deconstruction and resilience, will be presented at the New York and Edmonton Fringe festivals in 2026. Rose-Ingrid has also performed stand-up across Canada, the U.S., and Europe, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Ottawa Fringe, We’re Funny That Way Comedy Festival, Laugh Riot Grrrl Fest (Los Angeles), Portland Maine Comedy Festival, and the Sweet & Salty Comedy Tour — Canada’s first comedy tour comprised of women of colour.
Beyond the stage, Rose-Ingrid works as a speaker and strategist, she has worked with the National Arts Centre, where they spearheaded Black Out Night programming and co-curated the inaugural NAC Hip Hop Theatre Festival. Their practice is guided by decolonial, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive values and is committed to creating stories and spaces that centre equity-deserving communities.
“This isn’t a clean narrative about leaving faith behind. It’s messier than that. It’s about holding love and harm in the same space. About realizing the thing that saved you might also be the thing you have to let go of.”
- Stephen Kearley, Hi! Drama
Kyle Brown (Director)
Kyle Brown (he/him) is a Toronto-based singer, actor, and theatre artist whose work is born of faith, heritage, and a deep commitment to storytelling. The son of Trinidadian immigrants, he began his artistic journey in the church before moving into professional performance. His stage credits include Jesus Christ Superstar and the internationally acclaimed Come From Away, performed in Toronto and on the Australian National Tour. Kyle received a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for his work in Tyson’s Song. As a director and dramaturg, he brings a thoughtful, collaborative approach informed by his experience across music, performance, and narrative interpretation.
Katie-James (Musical Director + Composer)
Katie-James (he/she) is so excited to be a part of the White As Snow team! She is currently living in Astoria, writing songs with Anania, Milo McCray, and more, while working as music supervisor on the upcoming Anania Show Live! When she’s in New York, you can find her playing with Cat Barker, Pearly, Brooke Taylor, and a host of other bands. She’d like to thank ice cream for always being the perfect late-night snack and Rose-Ingrid for their unflappable tenacity in making this show happen. It’s an honour to work with you <3
Nataly Kais (Art Director)
Nataly Kais (she/her) is an art director and concept artist crafting immersive stage visuals, large-scale installations, and story-driven experiences for the world's biggest live shows. Her work spans arena tours, broadcast moments, and festival main stages, including collaborations with Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Phish at the Las Vegas Sphere, U2, KISS, Conan Gray, and performances at the Grammys and Coachella. From first concept through final pixel, she sets the visual language for productions, blending concept art, world-building, and creative strategy to define the emotional core of a piece before it hits the stage.
Cherissa Richards (Dramaturg)
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 11.98 to CAD 33.28
