This year is the first time Blogging Fringe gave out an award for Fringe Crush, and our first winner was Mikaela from Dying Hard. http://www.mikaeladyke.com

Originally from Newfoundland, Mikaela is a writer and performer who now makes her home in Toronto. An improviser for over a decade, Mikaela has training in solo improvisation, mask, Commedia dell'Arte, clown, storytelling and Alexander technique.

Having performed with companies all over Canada and the U.S., her recent theatre credits include: Arm's Length (Summerworks festival); A Rustling (Playwrights of Spring Festival); Sky (Rabbittown Theatre Productions); Buried Child (Beothuck Street Players); Comedy of Errors (SBTS); My Name is Rachel Corrie (Forest Productions) and Reflections on Giving Birth to a Squid (Parent Productions).

She is currently touring with her verbatim theatre show Dying Hard (Forest Productions), which won awards for Outstanding Performance and Best Female Performance at the London Fringe.

After obtaining her B.A. from Memorial University, she attended the University of Toronto where she completed her M.A. in Drama. In the past year she has appeared in Thanospa at both the Edmonton and Queens, NY international film festivals. She has also finished working in the ensemble for the sketch comedy pilot 6 Billion Degrees and as the female lead opposite Canadian rockers Slim Twig and Gord Downie in Sight Unseen, a feature film.
Mikaela has an extensive comedy resume including a variety of sketch comedy, stand-up and improv. She has workshopped and played with many of Canada's top improv troupes and, in 2008, hosted the prestigious Stephen Leacock Debate. She is a current active member of Space School, and 2010 Cagematch champions Bea Arthur.