Adam McCort
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Adam McCort is the writer, director, and producer of the short crime film "Lipstick and a Power Drill", starring Micaella Stone, Stephen Huddlestone, and Nick Mancuso. As of August 2026, "Lipstick and a Power Drill" is playing at film festivals in Europe, winning the Best Actress Award for Micaella Stone at the Lulea Festival in Sweden, the Best Director Awards at the Hallucinea Festival in France and at the Amsterdam New Cinema Festival, and the Best Short Film Award at the Bracciano Festival in Italy.
Adam McCort is a Ukrainian-Irish independent filmmaker and theatre producer. McCort co-produced the Merie Weismiller Wallace directed documentary "Tales From Zone 7", based on the film "Cherry 2000" starring Melanie Griffith. McCort also produced Darrell and Danny Strickland's Tahlequah based horror films, "Blood Red River Bed" and "The Miracle of Violence."
Adam Joel McCort Demski was born in Winnipeg, Canada. A professional stage actor in Canadian independent theatre since 2004, he did his professional apprenticeship with Prairie Theatre Exchange. At PTE he trained in contemporary theatre, as well as stage design, mime, puppetry, commedia del arte, and other forms of avant-garde and classical theatre. At PTE McCort also trained with Doug Bagot, co-writer of Jerry Ciccoritti's Boy Meets Girl (1998), and G. Philip Jackson's 2103: The Deadly Wake (1997).
Bagot mentored McCort and cast him in his professional theatre debut with a lead role in Bob Armstrong's dark comedy "Penetration." McCort played Gene Taylor who is a flamboyant, slyly devious, often manic, anarchistic computer hacker with an insatiable ego. "Penetration" was produced by the We Happy Few Theatre Company and was directed by Doug Bagot in 2004. "Penetration" was a runner-up in the 2002 Canadian National Playwriting Competition.
McCort performed in other PTE stage productions including Bruce McManus's tragicomedy "Selkirk Avenue." McCort played the tyrannical patriarch Steve Sawatzky. "Selkirk Avenue" was produced by PTE and was directed by playwright Ellen Peterson in 2004. "Selkirk Avenue" was a finalist for the 1998 Governor General's Award.
McCort also collaborated with Armstrong and Bagot on the writing and filming of the video surveillance installation scenes in "Penetration." This led McCort to want to learn more about writing, and he then went on to study at the University of Manitoba. While at the U of M, he wrote and directed plays, short films, and performed in U of M Black Hole Theatre Company stage productions.
In 2007 he formed his own theatre and live performance company, Trash De La Trash Theatre, which the same year presented its first production, "Transcona." McCort's first full length play, "Transcona" was written and performed by McCort as a solo production at the U of M. The surrealist play explored the history of Ukrainian immigration to Winnipeg, as well as the industrialization within the railyard hub of east-end Winnipeg.
In 2009 McCort performed in Ken Rudderham's drama "Gorilla", which is based on a true story. McCort played American serial killer, Earle Leonard Nelson. "Gorilla" was produced by the Black Hole Theatre Company and was directed by playwright Megan Andres.
The same year, McCort did public readings of poetry by Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats at various cafes in Winnipeg, and directed two plays by W.B. Yeats for the BHTC, "Purgatory" and "Cathleen Ni Houlihan." McCort graduated from the U of M in 2012 with a BA in English & Theatre, and a BA in Film & Politics.
In 2013 McCort wrote, produced, and performed as Joelle Addams in the solo show and absurdist horror play, "Glamorous Gothic Delinquency." McCort played mid 1950s era teenager, drag queen, satanist, and goth glam diva, Joelle Addams, who lives in San Francisco. As Joelle enters high school she creates a new drag persona, Edna Alannah Potion, and forms a gothic musical theatre, cabaret, burlesque performance troupe, and band.
As Joelle performs in underground scenes around the city she quickly becomes a sensation. At the same time, Joelle becomes a member of a girl gang, which leads her down a dark path into the cult known as the Wood Family, and Joelle's sanity begins to unravel. Later, Joelle then joins a burgeoning avant garde theater group and has the fight of her life when she tries to escape the Wood Family. "Glamorous Gothic Delinquency" was produced by Trash De La Trash Theatre.
In 2017 McCort wrote, produced, and performed in the solo show "Gangrene Glamour", the sequel to "Glamorous Gothic Delinquency." McCort played late 1970s era drag queen, satanist, and goth glam diva, Joelle Addams, formerly known in the 50s and 60s as Edna Alannah Potion.
Joelle is a desperately insecure attention seeker, raging megalomaniac, and a former underground performer and musician. Due to her extreme narcissism and hedonistic excess, Joelle ruined her own life and career, the lives and careers of her drag sisters, and Joelle then went into exile, moving to Vancouver.
Nearly a decade after hitting rock bottom, Joelle begins to mount a comeback with her new drag persona, Pissy, performing her new poetry, and later with her new freak rock opera, "Lurid Melodrama: The Diaries of Joelle Addams." As Joelle claws her way back to the top, she receives dire warnings from the ghost of her grandmother, Yvonne D'Orsay, a former vaudeville star and renowned psychic from Marseilles.
Joelle's comeback is then complicated when she gets caught up in an investigation to catch a serial killer. "Gangrene Glamour" was produced by Trash De La Trash Theatre. From 2017 to 2020, McCort performed as Joelle Addams at various venues in Vancouver, Canada.
In 2020, McCort began collaborating with Nick Mancuso when they co-produced a live performance of Mancuso's poetry collection, "Mediterranean Men", which was performed in the Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Dublin, Ireland.
"Mediterranean Men" was performed by poet Rachel Lally and Adam McCort. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Adam McCort, Nick Mancuso, and Paul Scully. "Mediterranean Men" was published by Guernica Editions, 2006.
McCort also co-produced a live performance of Gregory Corso's poetry collection, "The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems", which was performed at the Vancouver Central Library in Vancouver, Canada.
"The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems" was performed by Adam McCort. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Nick Mancuso, Adam McCort, and Matteo Scarfo. "The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems" was published by Cambridge, MA: Richard Brukenfeld, 1955.
McCort then co-produced a live performance of, "On Death and the Supernatural by Christina Rossetti", which was performed at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.
"On Death and the Supernatural" was performed by Adam McCort. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Nick Mancuso, Adam McCort, and David Samuel McCort.
McCort then co-produced a live performance of Christina Rossetti's poetry collection, "Goblin Market and Other Poems", which was performed at the Dalnavert Museum in Winnipeg, Canada.
"Goblin Market and Other Poems" was performed by Sharon Bajer, Rodrigo Beilfuss, Aqqalu Meekis, Hannah Green, Lorraine James, Adam McCort, Stephen Eric McIntyre, and Vanessa Warne. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Jennifer Dale, Adam McCort, and Nick Mancuso. "Goblin Market and Other Poems" was published by MacMillan, 1862.
McCort then co-produced a second live performance of Nick Mancuso's poetry collection, "Mediterranean Men", which was performed at Haus of Owl in Victoria, Canada.
"Mediterranean Men" was performed by Adam McCort, Sherry Duggal, and Matt Stern. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Adam McCort, Nick Mancuso, Hoelune Hernandez, and Matteo Scarfo. "Mediterranean Men" was published by Guernica Editions, 2006.
Adam McCort is a Ukrainian-Irish independent filmmaker and theatre producer. McCort co-produced the Merie Weismiller Wallace directed documentary "Tales From Zone 7", based on the film "Cherry 2000" starring Melanie Griffith. McCort also produced Darrell and Danny Strickland's Tahlequah based horror films, "Blood Red River Bed" and "The Miracle of Violence."
Adam Joel McCort Demski was born in Winnipeg, Canada. A professional stage actor in Canadian independent theatre since 2004, he did his professional apprenticeship with Prairie Theatre Exchange. At PTE he trained in contemporary theatre, as well as stage design, mime, puppetry, commedia del arte, and other forms of avant-garde and classical theatre. At PTE McCort also trained with Doug Bagot, co-writer of Jerry Ciccoritti's Boy Meets Girl (1998), and G. Philip Jackson's 2103: The Deadly Wake (1997).
Bagot mentored McCort and cast him in his professional theatre debut with a lead role in Bob Armstrong's dark comedy "Penetration." McCort played Gene Taylor who is a flamboyant, slyly devious, often manic, anarchistic computer hacker with an insatiable ego. "Penetration" was produced by the We Happy Few Theatre Company and was directed by Doug Bagot in 2004. "Penetration" was a runner-up in the 2002 Canadian National Playwriting Competition.
McCort performed in other PTE stage productions including Bruce McManus's tragicomedy "Selkirk Avenue." McCort played the tyrannical patriarch Steve Sawatzky. "Selkirk Avenue" was produced by PTE and was directed by playwright Ellen Peterson in 2004. "Selkirk Avenue" was a finalist for the 1998 Governor General's Award.
McCort also collaborated with Armstrong and Bagot on the writing and filming of the video surveillance installation scenes in "Penetration." This led McCort to want to learn more about writing, and he then went on to study at the University of Manitoba. While at the U of M, he wrote and directed plays, short films, and performed in U of M Black Hole Theatre Company stage productions.
In 2007 he formed his own theatre and live performance company, Trash De La Trash Theatre, which the same year presented its first production, "Transcona." McCort's first full length play, "Transcona" was written and performed by McCort as a solo production at the U of M. The surrealist play explored the history of Ukrainian immigration to Winnipeg, as well as the industrialization within the railyard hub of east-end Winnipeg.
In 2009 McCort performed in Ken Rudderham's drama "Gorilla", which is based on a true story. McCort played American serial killer, Earle Leonard Nelson. "Gorilla" was produced by the Black Hole Theatre Company and was directed by playwright Megan Andres.
The same year, McCort did public readings of poetry by Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats at various cafes in Winnipeg, and directed two plays by W.B. Yeats for the BHTC, "Purgatory" and "Cathleen Ni Houlihan." McCort graduated from the U of M in 2012 with a BA in English & Theatre, and a BA in Film & Politics.
In 2013 McCort wrote, produced, and performed as Joelle Addams in the solo show and absurdist horror play, "Glamorous Gothic Delinquency." McCort played mid 1950s era teenager, drag queen, satanist, and goth glam diva, Joelle Addams, who lives in San Francisco. As Joelle enters high school she creates a new drag persona, Edna Alannah Potion, and forms a gothic musical theatre, cabaret, burlesque performance troupe, and band.
As Joelle performs in underground scenes around the city she quickly becomes a sensation. At the same time, Joelle becomes a member of a girl gang, which leads her down a dark path into the cult known as the Wood Family, and Joelle's sanity begins to unravel. Later, Joelle then joins a burgeoning avant garde theater group and has the fight of her life when she tries to escape the Wood Family. "Glamorous Gothic Delinquency" was produced by Trash De La Trash Theatre.
In 2017 McCort wrote, produced, and performed in the solo show "Gangrene Glamour", the sequel to "Glamorous Gothic Delinquency." McCort played late 1970s era drag queen, satanist, and goth glam diva, Joelle Addams, formerly known in the 50s and 60s as Edna Alannah Potion.
Joelle is a desperately insecure attention seeker, raging megalomaniac, and a former underground performer and musician. Due to her extreme narcissism and hedonistic excess, Joelle ruined her own life and career, the lives and careers of her drag sisters, and Joelle then went into exile, moving to Vancouver.
Nearly a decade after hitting rock bottom, Joelle begins to mount a comeback with her new drag persona, Pissy, performing her new poetry, and later with her new freak rock opera, "Lurid Melodrama: The Diaries of Joelle Addams." As Joelle claws her way back to the top, she receives dire warnings from the ghost of her grandmother, Yvonne D'Orsay, a former vaudeville star and renowned psychic from Marseilles.
Joelle's comeback is then complicated when she gets caught up in an investigation to catch a serial killer. "Gangrene Glamour" was produced by Trash De La Trash Theatre. From 2017 to 2020, McCort performed as Joelle Addams at various venues in Vancouver, Canada.
In 2020, McCort began collaborating with Nick Mancuso when they co-produced a live performance of Mancuso's poetry collection, "Mediterranean Men", which was performed in the Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Dublin, Ireland.
"Mediterranean Men" was performed by poet Rachel Lally and Adam McCort. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Adam McCort, Nick Mancuso, and Paul Scully. "Mediterranean Men" was published by Guernica Editions, 2006.
McCort also co-produced a live performance of Gregory Corso's poetry collection, "The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems", which was performed at the Vancouver Central Library in Vancouver, Canada.
"The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems" was performed by Adam McCort. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Nick Mancuso, Adam McCort, and Matteo Scarfo. "The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems" was published by Cambridge, MA: Richard Brukenfeld, 1955.
McCort then co-produced a live performance of, "On Death and the Supernatural by Christina Rossetti", which was performed at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.
"On Death and the Supernatural" was performed by Adam McCort. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Nick Mancuso, Adam McCort, and David Samuel McCort.
McCort then co-produced a live performance of Christina Rossetti's poetry collection, "Goblin Market and Other Poems", which was performed at the Dalnavert Museum in Winnipeg, Canada.
"Goblin Market and Other Poems" was performed by Sharon Bajer, Rodrigo Beilfuss, Aqqalu Meekis, Hannah Green, Lorraine James, Adam McCort, Stephen Eric McIntyre, and Vanessa Warne. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Jennifer Dale, Adam McCort, and Nick Mancuso. "Goblin Market and Other Poems" was published by MacMillan, 1862.
McCort then co-produced a second live performance of Nick Mancuso's poetry collection, "Mediterranean Men", which was performed at Haus of Owl in Victoria, Canada.
"Mediterranean Men" was performed by Adam McCort, Sherry Duggal, and Matt Stern. The event was presented by Trash De La Trash Theatre and co-produced by Adam McCort, Nick Mancuso, Hoelune Hernandez, and Matteo Scarfo. "Mediterranean Men" was published by Guernica Editions, 2006.
