YPT's DRAMA SCHOOL FACULTY

Mike Ackerman

Mike graduated from the University of Victoria with a BFA in Theatre in Education. Mike then completed a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Radio and Television Broadcasting – Advanced Standing) at Ryerson University. He is presently completing a Masters in Media Production at Ryerson University. Mike has dedicated his working life to educating and entertaining children. For the past several years he has been producing, starring and appearing in several children’s television series. He is presently starring in Time Blazers, has a re-occurring role on Monster Warriors, hosted several pilots and has a new series in development. Mike’s focus while completing his various degrees has been educating and entertaining children. While continuing his children’s television career, Mike has dedicated his time to teaching at YPT.

Heather Marie Annis

Heather has been teaching drama for over ten years. Her teaching experience includes running theatre camps, teaching classes at several schools through the GTA, workshops in Pochinko clown, physical theatre, playwriting and creation, as well as in theatre for social change. She has also worked extensively with Mixed Company theatre as a playwright (playwright in residence for the 2009/10 Season), creating shows with youth on topics such as bullying, harassment and homophobia. Heather has a BFA (Hons.) as well as a Masters with a focus on theatre for social change from York University. She works in film and theatre with a large focus on developing original works. Heather is Co –Artistic Director of U.N.I.T. Productions, the home of Canadian Comedy Award nominees, Morro and Jasp.

Mark Cassidy

Last year for YPT, Mark taught Extreme Theatre and led the 2010 Ensemble. Mark holds an M.F.A. degree in Theatre Directing from York University and is also is a graduate of Queen's University's Artist in the Community Education Program and University of Toronto's UC Drama Program. He has taught in various settings over the years including universities, schools, acting studios, workplaces and prisons. Mark approaches his teaching and his own theatre work in the spirit of improvisation, exploration and collaboration. Mark has twice been nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction, and also for the John Hirsch Award in Directing and the Siminovitch Prize for Excellence in Theatre Directing. For more info on shows & thoughts about theatre, please check www.thresholdtheatre.ca.

Marjie Chud

Marjie is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers and has taught in elementary schools for many years . She teaches drama, improvisation and creative writing in after school programs as well as drama school, workshops and camps at YPT. Marjie is a founding member of Triptych Lounge Comedy Improv and Four Corners Theatre. Recent performing credits include the original production of "The State of New York v Peter Pan" at the 2010 Hamilton Fringe Festival and its remount in Toronto. Currently she is performing in a Canada wide tour of “Russell’s World”, produced by Manitoba Theatre for Young People.

Jessi Linn Davies

Jessi Linn is a teacher and education consultant working with schools, school boards and theatre companies. She’s a recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Artists in Education program and a graduate of Queen’s University’s Artists in the Community Education program and Queen’s Drama program. Currently, Jessi Linn is the co-director of youth programming at Toronto’s Bad Dog Theatre and works with Theatre Direct, YPT, and the Canadian Opera Company. Jessi Linn is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers. JessiLinn.com.

Kate Fenton

Kate Fenton is currently developing a play called Fish Face with Ginette Mohr for up coming summer festivals. Her play In Our Father's House, co-written by Adam Seybold, Ginette Mohr and Kate Fenton will be workshopped in February with Director Soheil Parsa and dramaturge Martin Julien. She can be seen in Shakespeare in Action’s up coming production of A Midsummer Nights Dream in April 2009 and production of Mask and Madness in Hamlet in the fall 2009. Kate is also a film maker and is in post-production on two short films, The Wedding party and Greta's Eddy.

Jill Harper

Jill has been working at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People since 2002. Starting as an assistant teacher, she began teaching for the theatre in 2008. She teaches largely on camera and filmmaking classes. She holds a BFA from York University in film production and works in various capacities on films and in theatre across Toronto. She has directed the short films This December and Model and is currently in post-production for her 3rd short. She also directed the play The Guilty Party in the spring of 2008. Recently she has worked as assistant director on several shows including Buried (Theatre Awakening), and The Baker’s Wife (George Brown Theatre School). She also teaches at the Centre for the Arts’ teen film camp.

Sharon Heldt

Sharon Heldt is a graduate of the Humber College Acting Program. She has been an actor for over 25 years. Sharon has performed in theatres across Canada, including the Stratford Festival. Sharon has also appeared in many commercial, television and film roles. Sharon has a strong musical theatre background that has taken her to New York City to perform Off-Broadway at the 47th Street Theatre. As a drama teacher for over 15 years, Sharon is thrilled to be teaching young and mature students alike. Sharon has taught with YPT, Theatre Aquarius, Arts Express, Etobicoke School for the Arts and workshops through the Toronto District School Board. Sharon continues to learn and study her craft by watching the exuberant energy and open imaginations of her students.

Beth Helmers

Beth is a theatre artist and artist educator. She is presently completing a Metcalf Internship in community-based arts with Jumblies Theatre, working as a lead artist on a residency in east Scarborough. Other projects this year include co-facilitating the Creators’ Unit with the Paprika Festival and teaching at YPT. She directed Ablaze and acted in HONK, If You Can Hear Me! (NNNN, NOW Magazine) at SummerWorks festival, and directed Escape from Grace (**** EYE Magazine) at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Beth has worked as an assistant professor in the acting program at Ryerson University, created and directed projects with young women through Theatre Revolve and led workshops for Soulpepper, Canadian Stage, and the Tarragon Theatre. She holds a BFA in acting from Ryerson University.

Brittany Knight

Brittany has directed productions for Original Kids Theatre Company, traveling children’s theatre, and Famous PEOPLE Players where she evolved as a Performer, Trainer, Educational and Touring Director, responsible for world-renowned shows in Canada, and abroad. She now serves on their Education Advisory Board. Brittany has taught and developed innovative programming for Centauri Summer Arts Camp, Carousel Players, diverse community organizations, school boards and ESL classes. She has also collaborated with Mixed Company Theatre and the Manitoba Theatre for Young People. Her passion is in physical theatre and has received a Diploma in Clowning from Brazil. Brittany specialized with a BA in Theatre, English and Drama-in-Education and received her B Ed from OISE/University of Toronto. She looks forward to co-creating POSSIBILITIES with the community of LKYTP!

Paul Lacey

Paul Lacey has been teaching drama for eight years, and is pleased to be in his fourth year as an YPT Drama School Teacher. Paul has a Specialised Honours B.A. in Theatre from York University, where he focused on collective creation, acting, and playwriting. He also holds a B Ed with Primary/Junior credentials from OISE / University of Toronto. He has taught drama workshops for teachers in public schools throughout Toronto, and is currently working on writing a resource book for new elementary drama teachers. When he is not teaching, Paul is an active actor in the professional and community theatre scenes, and is currently writing and composing an original musical.

Sharon McFarlane

At the University of Alberta, Sharon received a BFA in Acting and went on to work in professional theatre in Edmonton and beyond. She has worked in children’s theatre productions in schools and theatres alike. She has performed at the Citadel Theatre, Magnus Theatre, Sudbury Theatre Centre, the Vancouver International Comedy Festival, The Halifax and Edmonton Fringes, many summer theatres and at the Stratford Festival. As well as teaching at YPT, Sharon works with Learning Through the Arts and gives workshops on Shakespeare to junior age students in Toronto elementary schools.

Joanne Mitchell

Joanne is an actor, stage director and drama teacher. She holds an Honours BA in Drama from Queen's University, a B Ed from OISE / University of Toronto, and an MA in Drama from the University of Toronto. Joanne has been teaching drama to children for many years and is currently the drama coach for the Canadian Children's Opera Company (CCOC), as well as the Toronto Beaches Children's Chorus. She has taught drama at summer camps for the CCOC and Solar Stage Children’s Theatre, and is very excited to be part of YPT’s drama school. She also writes and adapts plays for children to perform. Selected directing credits include the new Canadian children’s opera Dragon in the Rocks, The Wizard of Oz and Oliver!

Ginette Mohr

Ginette has performed with various companies across Canada, including The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Neptune Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick, Drayton Entertainment, Theatre Aquarius, The Second City, The Edmonton Festival Ballet, and Monkey Toast (Canadian Comedy Award Winner). She has been nominated for several Dora Mavor Moore Theatre Awards, most recently for her performance in Keystone Theatre’s The Belle of Winnipeg. Ginette has taught at York University, The Second City, Bad Dog Theatre, Shakespearience, The Living Arts Centre, The Classical Theatre Project, and Shakespeare in Action. She holds a B.F.A. from Simon Fraser University and an M.F.A. from York University.

Aynsley Moorhouse

Aynsley Moorhouse is a theatre artist and educator. She co-founded a greatly successful after school drama program in Manhattan in 2007, and in Toronto has taught at Dramaway and YPT. Aynsley holds an MFA in Acting from The Actors Studio and an MA in Theatre Studies from the University of Toronto. She has appeared in numerous productions and short films in Winnipeg and New York City, and since arriving in Toronto has been focusing on dramaturgy, writing, and teaching. She has been apprenticing with dramaturge Iris Turcott at Factory Theatre since September 2009, and her performance-based sound pieces have been presented at various festivals around Toronto. In the spring she will be directing a play as part of the Foundry Theatre’s Reading Series and assistant directing The River Lady with The Lonesome Crowded West.

Laura Nordin

Laura is a professional actor, director, and teacher with an MFA in acting from Harvard’s American Repertory Theatre and the prestigious Moscow Art Theatre School. She has performed on stages in the U.S., Canada, and Russia. Recent credits include Agamemnon (Theatre Cipher), Stranger (Praxis Theatre), and Macbeth (Classical Theatre Project). Laura appeared in Pontypool directed by Bruce McDonald and Truth by Oscar-nominated director Hubert Davis. Recent directing credits include: The Package (Movieola) and Laundry Day. Laura recently directed a trilogy of short films based on the novel, When I Was Young & In My Prime set to be released in the fall. Laura has been teaching acting for the last 5 years and she is thrilled to be teaching with YPT.

Mladen Obradović

Mladen Obradović comes from Montenegro and is an actor, director, drama teacher and theatre producer. He holds an MFA degree from York University’s Theatre Department, a BFA from Belgrade’s Academy of Arts, as well as a Specialist’s Diploma for Musical from University of Belgrade. He taught drama for several drama schools in Toronto including TheatrePeace, Pulse Theatre, YPT, Arts Express, Shakespeare in Action and Centauri Summer Arts Camp. His Canadian acting credits include Andrei in Chekhov's "Three Sisters", Lalo in Pulse Theatre's "Night of the Assassins" and Conspiracy Theorist in Draft89's production, "FOE". He is the founder and the Artistic Director of Pulse Theatre, Toronto. www.mladenobradovic.com

Alexandra Parravano

Alexandra is thrilled to be part of the YPT family in a myriad of ways! She first started as an intern in Educational Services before moving to teaching for the drama school and continues to teach many workshops at various schools through YPT. Alexandra received her undergraduate in theatre as well as her B Ed from the University of Toronto. She has taught for many arts organizations, in many classrooms all over Toronto and has been an English teacher/ Drama and Dance Specialist in Florence, Italy. She currently teaches Musical Theatre at Claude Watson School for the Arts. She loves amalgamating her two passions of teaching and the Arts and hopes you enjoy the day here at our beautiful theatre!

Laura Quigley

Laura Quigley received a BFA from Simon Fraser University. She worked as co-artistic director of seventeenth floor performance co. creating and touring work nationally and internationally. She has worked with some of Vancouver’s most daring independent theatre artists including The Leaky Heaven Circus (Happyland), Radix (The Swedish Play), Felix Culpa (Howard Barker’s Possibilities), and Theatre Replacement. Laura has studied intensively with voice teacher Fides Krucker, and with Richard Armstrong at the Banff Centre. She has taught at SFU, Baja California Sur University, Humber College, as well as private voice and acting coaching. Recent work includes “Little Pea’s Revolution”, her newest critically acclaimed solo show.

Breanne Ritchie

Breanne is thrilled to be working with Lorraine Kimsa as a drama school teacher this year! She is a recent graduate of York University’s Theatre Studies program and is extremely happy to be out of school and in the ‘real world’. Teaching children’s theatre has always been an important aspect of Breanne’s life. She has taught and directed with Original Kids Theatre Company in London, Ontario as well as with Zodiactors, Solar Stage, and YPT in Toronto. Skills that children learn through theatre help shape them into socially active, confident, creative, and contributing members of their community which is why Breanne is sure she will forever be involved in children’s theatre. Keep those dreams alive and don’t shy away from your potential!

Kristin Rodgerson

Kristin is overjoyed to be teaching at YPT this year! Kristin has created and taught children and youth theatre programming for The Canadian Stage Company and Theatre Kingston. She has a BAH in Stage and Screen Studies from Queen's University and a lifelong interest in learning through play and imagination.

 

 

Nathalie Stechysin

Nathalie Stechysin holds a BEd from OISE / University of Toronto, an MFA in Acting from York University and a BFA with a Specialization in Theatre Performance from Concordia University in Montreal. She is passionate about the performing arts and the integration of drama strategy in education. Nathalie’s drama teaching credits include: YPT’s Drama School, City View Middle School’s Play Week, Arts Express, Troyanda Dance Ensemble, ASM, and York University (Devised Theatre/Majors/Non-Majors). This spring, Nathalie choreographed Runnymede Public School’s 2010 Drama Showcase.

Elizabeth Saunders

Elizabeth is an established actor/theatre artist/director and artist-educator with over 22 years experience. She has performed in theatres throughout Canada with many of our finest theatre artists, and has accrued considerable film, television and voice-over credits. Elizabeth coaches acting privately, as well holding teaching credits with numerous leading arts organizations, notably YPT, Soulpepper, Shakespearience, and her own ‘Shakespeare’Scool. In recent years she has also turned her hand to directing and is a founding member and contributing creative artist of Aether of Us Theatre Co. She holds a BFA Honours in Acting, as well as extensive training in voice and movement.

Anne-Marie Woods

Anne-Marie is a graduate of the Dalhousie Professional Actor Training Program, ran her own young company called The Imani Women’s Artistic Project while in Nova Scotia, and has been in such theatre productions as Whylah Falls, Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, Afrika Solo, and Consecrated Ground. She has been teaching theatre for various school boards in Canada for over 20 years, and for Nu Century Arts in Birmingham, England and most recently at the University of the West Indies Department of Creative and Festival Arts. Anne-Marie Woods is pleased to be teaching at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre For Young People and to be taking part in the Artist Educator in Residence Program.