Indigenous St. Lawrence College’s Music Theatre - Performance program proudly hosts renowned guest artists, offering students opportunities to engage with and learn from leading professionals actively shaping the industry.
Heather Braaten
Heather is an accomplished professional theatre director and playwright with special interests in musical theatre, new play development, large ensemble physical performance, theatre for young audiences and devised theatre. With a portfolio boasting over 50 productions across North America, Heather brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to her role as Artistic Director at County Stage Company.
Heather has held key upper management roles in the performing arts sector from artistic director and company manager, to tour coordinator and producer. Most notably, she has served as the Artistic Director of The Stephenville Theatre Festival since 2017.
Heather also extends her passion for the theatre to the next generations of performing artists as a director and instructor for post-secondary institutions including St. Lawrence College in Brockville and The Randolph Academy in Toronto. She actively contributed to Canada’s theatre community, representing Newfoundland and Labrador with the Professional Association of Canadian Theatre (PACT) and chairing professional development on the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador (APTNL).
Lyndsey Britten
Lyndsey Britten (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian choreographer, dance educator, and musical theatre performer residing in Toronto, ON. Born and raised in Vancouver, she trained in all styles and disciplines with Caulfield School of Dance.
Lyndsey has spent most of her career working across Canada in the musical theatre industry. In addition to performing, Lyndsey began to expand her skillset into choreography at a very young age and ended up as the resident choreographer at her former high school Gleneagle Secondary for nine years. She has also spent an extensive amount of time working as an assistant or associate director/choreographer. Most notably, Lyndsey has worked alongside Julie Tomaino for over 10 years.
Select Choreography credits include: SpongeBob the Musical (St. Lawrence College); Fame (Randolph College); Don Giovanni (UBC Opera); Matilda (Mainstage Theatre); Urinetown (Lawyer Show); and Cabaret (Tomo Suru Players) where she won the 2018 CTC Award for Best Choreographer. Select Associate/Assistant Choreography credits include: The Full Monty (Neptune Theatre); Jersey Boys, Once (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Newsies (TUTS); The Adventures of Pinocchio (YPT); Grease (Chemainus Theatre); 42nd Street, and Urinetown (Studio 58). Lyndsey also works with worldwide top talent as a Dance Supervisor for Disney Cruise Lines.
During the pandemic, Lyndsey founded LVB Workshops, beginning with the “Non-Dancers Dance Workshop.” She believes dance should be available to anyone and everyone. As a choreographer, Lyndsey strives to tell the story with the strengths of the artists in front of her. Everyone should feel confident in the movement they’re bringing to the stage.
As a choreographer, dance educator, and performer, Lyndsey brings a sharp presence to every experience she is a part of. She is known by her students and performers to be ambitious, dynamic, and dedicated in any role she takes on. More than anything, Lyndsey cares about the heart of the work and the people that are telling the story.
Andrew Broderick
Andrew Broderick is a Toronto based theatre artist who has performed professionally at festivals and theatres across the country. Some of his favourites include the Canadian premiere of The Color Purple, Hadestown, and Choir Boy.
Cameron Carver
Cameron Carver is a director-choreographer originally from Canada, currently living in London (UK). Recent work includes choreographing The Diviners (World Premiere), La Cage Aux Folles and Richard 2 at the Stratford Festival. Cameron also received the Dora Mavor Moore award for Outstanding Original Choreography in 2022 (Sweeney Todd) and again in 2023 (Alice in Wonderland).
David Connolly
David Connolly is the first (and only) male amputee to have performed on Broadway. In his thirty-year career he has collaborated with artists including Katy Perry, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John, Sarah Jessica Parker, kd lang, Sarah Brightman and many others. David is the Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment, and has helmed over thirty productions including the Canadian premieres of Kinky Boots, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Mama Mia!, Newsies, and The Prom. For the screen, David has directed and choreographed several series for CBC Kids as well as projects for CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS and two feature films by director Deepa Mehta.
Naomi Costain
Naomi is a Toronto based actor, choreographer, director and teacher. As a performer, Naomi has played leads across Canada from Sally Bowles and Kost in Cabaret (Segal Centre, Mayfield Theatre), Roxie in Chicago, Brooke in Legally Blonde (Neptune Theatre), Janet in The Drowsy Chaperone (MTC, TC), to Dory in Ladies Foursome (Bruce County), and Myra in Deathtrap (Classic Theatre Festival).
Most recently she played Mrs. Warrack in The Louder We Get at Theatre Calgary led by broadway director Lonny Price. She has also appeared in seven seasons at the Stratford Festival.
Selected choreography credits include The Wedding Singer (Director / Choreographer – St. Lawrence College), Sister Act (L.O.T.), The Hobbit (Movement – The Capitol Theatre), as well as premieres of For Life (Norm Foster and Mike Doherty – STC) and Mike Doherty and Caleb Marshall’s stunning musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol (TNB/ STC).
As a teacher, Naomi has been on faculty at Randolph Academy and Sheridan College. She has taught in dance studios across Southern Ontario for 20 years, and adjudicates dance competitions across Canada. Naomi holds her Advanced RAD Ballet and studied Solo Seal in the UK. She spent three summers in the Banff Centre ballet program and trained at Laine Theatre Arts in London, England.
Passing on the knowledge and craft that all of our teachers gave us, along with her joy and passion for theatre, is a driving force in Naomi’s life.
Colton Curtis
Colton began acting at the age of 5. His work has led him to many prestigious stages across North America including The Stratford Festival, The Shaw Festival, Soulpepper, and The Charlottetown Festival. He has also trained and performed with the Florence Ballet Company in Florence, Italy, as well as the Finger Lakes Music Theatre Festival in New York.
Michael Doherty
A gifted musician, composer, sound designer, producer and musical director, Michael Doherty’s artistic career has seen him playing in and leading award-winning bands, running his own sound-recording studio (SingingDog Studio), working as an educator in local high schools and universities and holding the position of resident composer/sound designer and music director for Theatre New Brunswick (TNB).
A fixture in the local music and theatre communities, he has provided musical direction for numerous ensembles and musical theatre productions as well as acted as a director and mentor to countless students. One of his most noteworthy contributions to the local community has been his involvement with Christmas@theplayhouse – a large-scale local production which he co-founded in 2001. Over its 13-year history, Doherty collaborated on each original script, wrote and arranged musical numbers and provided musical direction.
Mr. Doherty has made an outstanding contribution to the local performing arts scene and continues to develop his artistry in live theatre and music both locally and nationally.
Aaron Eyre
Aaron is a Toronto-based Music Director, Composer, Arranger, Pianist and Vocal Coach with 25 years of professional experience. Aaron is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University with degrees in Composition and Theatre, and is the recipient of the NUMUS Award for Composition for The Poison Tree (New Art Quartet). Selected credits as Music Director include Trey Parker's Cannibal! (STARVOX), Forever Plaid (Fallsview), Little Women (Theatre New Brunswick), Let’s Bop! (Terra Bruce), 9 to 5 (STF), The Addams Family (SLC), Every Silver Lining (Next Stage), Dreamgirls (LOT), Evil Dead: The Musical US National Tour (STARVOX), Grand Central: Divas on Broadway (SLC), Mary Poppins (LOT), In Flanders Fields (Smile Theatre), Cabaret (Randolph), Let the Sunshine In (Welcome Wood), Central Park Tango (Theatre Sheridan/CMTP) and The Last Five Years (Angelwalk). Musical supervision on Season one of Acting Up! (Marble Media) and The Journey That Saved Curious George (Stephen Schwartz ASCAP). Aaron arranged music for The Nick Drake Project and Let’s Dance and composed six new songs for Trey Parker's Cannibal!
Craig Fair
Craig Fair is a graduate of Sheridan Colleges Musical Theatre Performance program. He was the recipient of the triple threat award. Has appeared in such shows as The Producers, Legally Blonde, Crazy For You, Forever Plaid, On The Town, Mamma Mia! He has spent 8 seasons at the Charlottetown Festival both as a performer and Music Director.
Selected Music direction credits include Patsy Cline, Canada Rocks!, Legends Of Harmony, The Wachowski Brothers, The Full Monty, Ring of Fire, Assassins.
He has arranged both vocally and orchestrally for over 7 shows and is currently arranging a piece for Symphony Nova Scotia. Mr. Fair was the Director and Musical Director for St. Lawrence College's production of Now and Forever in 2015.
Susan Ferley
Susan Ferley is a Canadian director and actor. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Alberta. She has acted in various plays across Canada, including "The Diary of Anne Frank" (Carousel Theatre); "If We Are Women" (Globe Theatre); and "Glass Menagerie" (Western Canada Theatre Company). She was the Artistic Director of the Globe Theatre in Regina from 1990 until 1998, after which she served on the Board of Directors of Canada Council for the Arts (1998-2001). From 2001 until 2016, she was the Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. She has taught in theatre training schools and programs across the country, including Studio 58, Banff Centre for the Arts, University of Alberta, University of Regina, and the National Theatre School of Canada.
Steven Gallagher
Steven is a writer, director, and actor based in Hamilton. Recent directing credits include Living With Shakespeare (Driftwood), Murder at Ackerton Manor (Tweed Theatre), Birthday Balloon (RCA Theatre, St John’s, NL), Fully Committed (The Grand Theatre), Myth of The Ostrich, and Rumspringa Break (Next Stage Festival). As a writer, his musical Pollyanna, written with composer Linda Barnett, had its World Premiere at Theatre Aquarius. His musical, Blackout, written with Anton Lipovetsky, had its World Premiere in Toronto (The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage Co.) and was selected to be part of the prestigious NAMT Festival in New York in 2023. His plays include Murder at Ackerton Manor (Tweed and Company Theatre, Lighthouse Theatre), Stealing Sam (United Solo Theatre, NYC, Alberta Theatre Projects), and Memorial (Next Stage Festival). As an actor, Steven has appeared at theatres across the country, including La Cage Aux Folles (Neptune), Forever Plaid (Citadel), The Gig (Theatre Aquarius), The Rocky Horror Show (RMTC), Urinetown, It’s A Wonderful Life, Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canadian Stage). Steven is a Merritt Award Nominee, the winner of the Aubrey & Marla Dan Fund for New Musicals, and the winner of Best Play, BroadwayWorld (Ottawa) for Murder at Ackerton Manor.
Liz Gilroy
Liz is the Artistic Director of The Port Stanley Festival Theatre. Originally from Toronto, Liz started her artistic journey as a professional performer at the age of 12. That was the start of a robust career as a “triple threat” that included seasons at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, three summers as Diana Barry at The Charlottetown Festival, and Canadian premieres starring in ELF and LEGALLY BLONDE at Neptune Theatre. Other theatres of note include: The Citadel, YPT, Canadian Stage, Magnus Theatre, and Theatre Aquarius to name a few. As a Director and Choreographer, she has been fortunate to direct and choreograph plays and musicals from The Charlottetown Festival in P.E.I to Stage West Calgary in Alberta. Liz has also been involved in the creation of many new Canadian works at The Factory Theatre, PSFT, Canadian Stage, Stage West Calgary, and Lighthouse Festival Theatre.
Cameron Grant
Cameron Grant is an actor, playwright, theatre creator and artist educator. He was the Artistic Director of Shakespeare in Action, now Crossroads Theatre from 2022-2023. He has directed Twelfth Night at Theatre Erindale and has assistant directed productions at Bard on The Beach, Factory Theatre and Theatre Erindale. A graduate of the Theatre and Drama Studies program at UofT Mississauga & Sheridan College he started his career as an actor performing in productions in theatres all over Ontario and across the country including the Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival, Grand Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Thousand Island Playhouse, and many more. Cameron’s work as an artist has led to work that focuses on youth and building community. He regularly works as an artist educator and has developed and facilitated workshops for The City of Brampton Performing Arts, Theatre Direct, The Shaw Festival, The Rose Theatre, Suitcase In Point Theatre and Shakespeare in Action. He has been a guest artist for universities, colleges and high schools across Ontario and was a sessional instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Margot Greve
Margot Greve (she/her) is a two-time Dora nominated director and writer. She is the founder of Mixtape Projects, a music and movement theatre company that creates unapologetically fun works of theatre in the city of Toronto. She has written and produced projects for the New Voices Festival, Next Stage Festival, Next Stage Audio Series, the Watershed Festival, the Hamilton Fringe and the Toronto Fringe, as well as independent productions through Mixtape Projects, Panoply Collective, Tweed and Company, the Uncommon Folk Collective, Send Noods Productions and Hungover Cabaret. While writing and directing are her primary practices, she also works as a movement director for projects in the Greater Toronto Area.
Amir Haidar
Amir Haidar is an actor, performer, writer, and teacher who has been working in all the above for over 15 years. He holds a BA in Math from the American University of Beirut (2009), is a Sheridan College Music Theatre graduate (2012), has a Master’s Degree in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Toronto (2021), and is currently working on his PhD there as well.
As an actor, he has worked in the Canadian theatre and music theatre industries extensively since 2012, most recently performing in the Mark Crawford play Bed & Breakfast alongside Kyle Golemba. As a teacher, he has taught drama, acting, and music theatre vocal performance at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College. He still does both to this day and his teaching, acting, and writing all influence each other.
Past acting credits include: Come From Away (Broadway National Tour and Mirvish), Little Shop of Horrors, Stag and Doe (Capitol Theatre), James and the Giant Peach (YPT), The Music Man, Darling of the Day, The Prince of Homburg (Talk Is Free Theatre), Treasure Island, Rapunzel (Stirling Festival Theatre), Bloodless (Theatre 20), Sweeney Todd, Oklahoma!, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Theatre Sheridan).
Alexandra Herzog
Film/TV credits include movement & choreography on all episodes of Season 2 & 3 Apple TV+ SEE starring Jason Momoa, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice starring James Marsden. Theatre credits include (as director): Mary Poppins (Rainbow Stage), Nine (SLC); (as choreographer): Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and A Chorus Line (Rainbow Stage), Cabaret (SLC) and Nine (Sheridan). As a Performer: 5 Seasons at The Stratford Festival, Theatre Aquarius, Neptune, The Grand, Drayton and Canadian Opera Company.
Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho)
Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho) is a theatre artist, originally from Hong Kong. As an actor, he has toured as Ophelia in Why Not Theatre’s Prince Hamlet across Canada and the United States over five years. Other credits include: Hana’s Suitcase (Young People’s Theatre, tour: Toronto, Montreal and Seattle); I Forgive You (Artistic Fraud/NAC); Orestes (Tarragon Theatre); trace (Remount – NAC/Factory Theatre); Box 4901 (Buddies in Bad Times); camera obscura (hungry ghosts) (the frank theatre/QAF – Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Production – Small Theatre); Kim’s Convenience (CBC); The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu); and Orphan Black (BBC America). As a playwright, his works include cockroach, Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land), Antigone: 方, and trace. His work has been developed with the Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Young People’s Theatre, Human Cargo, Factory Theatre, Cahoots, the Banff Playwrights Lab, Nightswimming Theatre. His plays are published by Playwrights Canada Press. Jeff is grateful to have been honoured with a LAMBDA Award for Best LGBTQ+ Drama; the Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best New Canadian Play; the Jon Kaplan Legacy Fund Award for a Young Canadian Playwright; the Bulmash Siegel Playwriting Award; a Harold Award; finalist for the Playwright’s Guild of Canada’s Drama award; finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award; nominated for four Dora Awards. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School and holds an MFA from York University. He is presently the Associate Artistic Director of the Tarragon Theatre.
Qasim Kahn
Qasim is a four-time Dora nominee who has played major roles across the country. He recently starred in The Inheritance Parts 1 & 2 for which he won the Toronto Theatre Award for Outstanding Lead Performance, the title role in Hamlet (Canadian Stage), and in Hedda Gabler, for which he was nominated for another Toronto Theatre Award (Coal Mine Theatre). Prior to that, he starred as the title character in The Playboy of the Western World (Shaw Festival), as well as The Miser, The Neverending Story, Paradise Lost, The Comedy of Errors, Timon of Athens, Henry VIII, Richard III, The Crucible, The Madwoman of Chaillot, among others (Stratford Festival); All’s Well That Ends Well, Hamlet, and Das Ding (Canadian Stage). He has also appeared in Alligator Pie, The Crucible, The Royal Comedians, Dirt (Soulpepper); Anne of Green Gables, Alice Through The Looking Glass (Charlottetown Festival); Beneath the Banyan Tree (Theatre Direct); A Craigslist Cantata (Musical Stage Co.); and Acha Bacha (Theatre Passe Muraille/Buddies). Qasim has played roles on Nikita, Saving Hope, The Riftworld Chronicles, Little Mosque, Dan For Mayor, and appears in the Disney feature Sneakerealla. Qasim is currently filming season one of Underbelly which will air on Crave next year and has several film and theatre projects in development. Qasim trained at the University of Toronto, Sheridan College, Soulpepper Academy, and was an International Actor Fellow of Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Ben Kopp
My introduction to musical theatre was through acting in the high school projects at the Grand Theatre in London ON, my hometown! I have been performing and composing ever since, including music and lyrics to “Killing Time: A Game Show Musical” and “Over Again”. Thank you to Kyle, Chad, Erin and everyone at St Lawrence College for giving our show an opportunity to shine! And of course thank you to my creative and life partner Margot, who never ceases to amaze me.
Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster is a founding member of the collective The Howland Company, former Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre, and was a resident artist with Soulpepper Theatre Company for 7 years. She has performed with the Shaw Festival, Soulpepper, Public Recordings, Canadian Stage, Citadel Theatre, Blue Bridge Repertory, Cahoots, Native Earth, Tarragon and beyond.
Her theatre direction includes The Orphan of Chao (Shaw Festival), Hypothetical Baby (Howland/Nightwood) Three Women of Swatow (Tarragon, 4 Dora nominations), The Home Project (Howland Company/Native Earth/Soulpepper, 5 Dora nominations), The Wolves (Howland/Crows - Outstanding Ensemble Win, Toronto Critics Awards, Outstanding Production - MyEntWorld), 52 Pick-Up (Howland - Best of Fringe), and Everybody (York University).
Courtney directed Ins Choi's audioplay Casting at Factory Theatre as well as projects for CBC's PlayMe Podcast and Tarragon Acoustic. She co-directed the Expect Theatre audioseries Tunnel Runners and co-created Stillwater School for Mosquitos, a musical podcast for children. Her onscreen credits include shows like Love et Lajoie, Hudson and Rex, SurrealEstate, Transplant, Murdoch Mysteries, films like the the NAC Orchestra/CBC project Undisrupted, The Drawer Boy and the feature Silent Planet.
Courtney is an alumna of the Loran Award, and holds a BFA from UBC and an MBA (Social Enterprise) from MUN.
Michael Man
Michael Man is a multifaceted theatre artist interested in the intersection of performance and cultures. Born and raised in Hong Kong, lived in Vienna and Taipei, based in Toronto, he has worked as an actor for over ten years performing with Canadian Stage, Grand Theatre, Gateway, Magnus, Sudbury, Carousel, St Lawrence Shakespeare, 找我劇場 (Taiwan) and four seasons as part of the Acting Ensemble at The Shaw Festival.
His playwriting debut, The Orphan of Chao, a new translation and adaptation of a 13th century Chinese drama, was commissioned and produced by The Shaw Festival in 2024 to critical acclaim, and featured in The New York Times.
As educator, he co-led George Brown College’s Period Study teaching Yuan and Ming Dynasty Chinese Theatre, and co-facilitated Cahoots Theatre’s Crossing Gibraltar program fostering artistic expressions in refugee and newcomer youths. As producer, he was the General Manager for fuGEN Asian Canadian Theatre. He sits on the Program Advisory Committee for theatre performance at George Brown College; and serves as Board of Directors Co-Chair at Buddies in Bad Times, the world’s largest and longest-running queer theatre company. Prior to theatre, he studied to be a classical pianist, and was awarded third and first prize in junior divisions of Puigcerdà Music Festival (Spain), and Concours Musical de France, respectively.
Forrest McClendon
Forrest is a Tony® Award Nominee for his Broadway debut as Mr. Tambo in THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, first created at the Vineyard and Guthrie Theaters. Post-Broadway, Forrest received a Barrymore Award for his reprisal of the role at the Philadelphia Theatre Company, and recently appeared in the award-winning London premiere at the Young Vic.
Julia McLellan
Julia McLellan is a Nova Scotian actor and theatre educator. She has had the fortune of performing on some of North America’s largest stages including three companies of the Tony Award winning hit Kinky Boots (Broadway, 1st Nat Tour, Mirvish). Most recently Julia was an alternate for Seymour, Howard and Boleyn in Mirvish’s SIX The Musical. Select credits include: Doralee in 9 to 5 (Citadel), Persephone in the North American premiere of Mythic (Segal), Val Clark in The Stratford Festival’s A Chorus Line, Dorothy Alternate in the North American premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz (1st Nat tour, Mirvish), Casey in First Date (Mayfield), Katharine Plummer in Disney’s Newsies, Annabelle in Lucky Stiff, Ariel in Footloose (Drayton). Julia’s stage career intertwines with her passion for theatre education, founding Coach With Julia in 2018. Her studio takes her across Canada teaching contemporary vocal technique, acting through song and theatre dance.
Jeremy Morganty
From Ottawa, Canada, Jeremy trained at Leeming Danceworks for 10 years in jazz, tap, musical theatre, contemporary, and ballet. He is a graduate of the Music Theatre Performance program at St. Lawrence College in Brockville, Ontario. Since graduating in 2015, Jeremy has choreographed, taught, and performed across Canada, Asia, and Europe.
In 2017, Jeremy moved to Hong Kong where he lived and taught for 4 years. In his time at Red Shoe Dance, he created both tap and musical theatre programs and expanded the existing jazz program. In 2020, he sent in the first student in all of Asia to successfully complete her Advanced Jazz Exam - the highest level in the Adapt Syllabus. He has former students studying at elite musical theatre and dance programs such as the London Studio Centre and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and in professional and West End shows including Matilda and Annie. Jeremy moved to London in July 2021, where he taught for 2 years at various schools in and around the city, including the Royal Academy of Dance. He was instrumental in Adapt’s UK launch in 2023. As well as teaching and choreographing, Jeremy is also an Adapt Examiner and adjudicates at various competitions throughout the year in Canada, Europe, and Asia.
Jeremy moved back to Canada in 2023. Since returning to the community that raised him, he has taught and choreographed at various studios in the area. He now teaches full-time at Four Season Dance Academy in Brockville, and continues guest work, examining, and adjudicating across the globe.
Mary Saunders-Barton
Mary is a Penn State Professor Emeritus in Musical Theatre Voice and Voice Pedagogy currently residing in NY where she maintains a professional voice studio. Students have been seen or will appear this season on Broadway in Wicked, Mamma Mia, Book of Mormon, Newsies, Kinky Boots, Beautiful, Pretty Woman, A Bronx Tale, Ain’t Too Proud and Be More Chill among others, and in national tours and regional productions.
She is frequently invited to present her workshop “Bel Canto/Can Belto” in the U.S and abroad. Mary has produced two teaching videos, “Teaching Women to Sing Musical Theatre” and its sequel “What About the Boys?” and is co-author of “Cross Training in the Voice Studio: A Balancing Act” with colleague Norman Spivey.
Ms. Saunders-Barton is chair of The American Academy of Teachers of Singing. Mary is also a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from Shenandoah’s CCM Institute.
Jake Schindler
Jake Schindler is a Toronto based composer, music director, and orchestrator. From large commercial theatre to Fringe shows, Jake works on projects that are music-forward and use music to tell stories in new and interesting ways. Recently, he has worked on two Dora-nominated shows (Mirvish, Mixtape Productions), three TO Fringe Patron's Pick musicals, is completing a cast recording of his show "Ursa, A Folk Musical", was the 2023 Associate Keyboard Programmer at the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, and is a music director at The Second City (Toronto) and Comedy Bar Danforth. Check out more of his work: jakeschindler.com.
Eliza-Jane Scott
Eliza-Jane is an actor and singer based out of Hamilton Ontario. Who starred as Beverley Bass in the Toronto production of Come From Away. She has had an extensive career in the theatre in Canada, with some highlights including playing Maria in The Sound of Music at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Donna in Mamma Mia! The Musical at The Confederation Centre for the Arts, and Hold Me, Touch Me in the Canadian Company and First National Tour of The Producers. She is Dora nominated for her work in The Musical Stage Company’s Elegies and is a founding member of both Theatre20 and The Montreal Young Company.
Eliza-Jane is director and producer, having worked on such projects as B!TCH ISLAND at the Hamilton Fringe, A Misfortune which has its world premiere at the Confederation Centre for the Arts, Laura Secord at Festival Players of Prince Edward County, Les Belles Soeurs at St. Lawrence College, among others.
Val Stanois
Val Stanois has had great success as a musical theatre performer, singer and recording artist. She has appeared on Broadway (Rock of Ages), the Stratford Festival (Into The Woods, Hello, Dolly!), Drayton, Mirvish, Stage West and many others. She is also the Lead Vocalist and Artistic Director of the singing group SONIC EVE with her recordings heard on CBC and available through iTunes!
Ms. Stanois graduated from Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre program and has trained with some of Canada’s top singing, acting and dance professionals including an Apprentice Training Program at The Stratford Festival.
Natasha Strilchuk
Natasha Strilchuk is a Malaysian Canadian performer and emerging director/choreographer who has worked all over the country. She was most recently working as Associate Director for the production of Rozencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead (Neptune/Mirvish) and on the choreo team of the CBC Kids show Ukulele U.
Julie Tomaino
Julie (she/her) is a theatre director, a choreographer, and an educator. She has won a Jessie Award, a Dora Award, and multiple Ovation and Broadway World Awards for her work in Musical Theatre. Julie trained and worked as a performer in New York City for over a decade. Notable credits include the US National Tour of CRAZY FOR YOU, CELEBRATE BROADWAY starring John Lithgow and Linda Eder at The Kennedy Center, and performing as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall for six seasons. As a Rockette she appeared numerous times on The Today Show, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Julie is now based in Toronto and travels across Canada putting up musicals at some of the top regional theatres in the country. Recent credits include Jersey Boys at The Arts Club, The Full Monty at Neptune Theatre and The Capitol Theatre, Once at Thousand Islands Playhouse, Pollyanna at Theatre Aquarius, Million Dollar Quartet at The Grand, Margaritaville at Theatre Calgary, and 9 to 5 at Chemainus Theatre
Festival.
Julie loves educating the next generation of artists and has been on faculty at AMDA NYC, Sheridan College, Randolph College for the Performing Arts, and Capilano University. Find out more at www.julietomaino.com.
Breanna Willis
Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Breanna holds a Bachelor of Physical Education (Dance Major) from the Universities of Alberta and Otago (New Zealand). As a performer, guest instructor, choreographer, and adjudicator, Breanna has had the opportunity to combine her two passions of dance and travel to over 60 countries, and currently represents Canada as a judge and choreographer for the International Dance Organization.
Choreography credits include 9-5, The Musical (Mayfield Dinner Theatre), It’s Always Something (Sony Centre), “Strictly Dancing” (Australian Broadcasting Co), “Mass Exodus” (Ryerson University), “Degrassi: The Next Generation” (assistant choreographer), Canadian National Dance Team (Jazz/Modern) 2012-present
Select performance credits include Television: “Warehouse 13”, “Bomb Girls”, “The LA Complex”, “MMVA’s” (Psy) Theatre: “Crazy For You”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Stratford Festival), “West Side Story” (Vancouver Opera), “Return to Grace” (Fallsview Casino), “9-5”, “Dance Legends”, “Canadian Legends”, “Legends of Rock & Roll” (Drayton Entertainment), “The Super Groovy 70’s part 1 & 2”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” “Chicago”, (Mayfield Dinner Theatre), “Chicago” (Palace Theatre New Hampshire), “42nd St” (Troika Asia Tour), Princess Cruise Line.
Kevin Wong
Kevin Wong is a composer-lyricist, singer/musician, and dramaturg. His musicals include: Recurring John: A Song Cycle; STAR!(ving): A Collection of Songs; Polly Peel (with Julie Tepperman); Out of Stock; Drama 101 (with Steven Gallagher); In Real Life (with Nick Green); Believers (with Ali Joy Richardson); and Soft Magical Tofu Boys. Kevin streams online concerts weekly on the streaming service Twitch (twitch.tv/kevinywong). He is a member of the vocal group Asian Riffing Trio (with Chris Tsujiuchi and Colin Asuncion), is currently part-time faculty at Sheridan College, and is a two-time winner of the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Tom Hendry Award for Best New Musical. As of 2023, he is the Creative Lead on the Musical Stage Company’s UnCovered concert series. Most recently, he can be heard on his albums Small Ways to Move and Covers (available on streaming services everywhere).
Additional Guest Artists
- Jenny Weisz
- Jen Shuber
- Amanda Cleghorn
- Evan Buliung
- Karen Burthwright
- Thomas Alderson
- Scott Christian
- Mariiane McCord
- Melissa Morris
- Jennifer Walls
- Stephan Dickson
- Shane O’Regan