Meet your coach …

you are in good hands … And … it’s a bit of a long story …

I think my earliest memories are of theatre and music. My parents took me to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in London when I was 5 years old and it was the beginning of a lifelong passion. I remember being completely awestruck. The music, the lights, the story, the colours. It was incredible. My parent's bought me the cassette tape and it was on repeat in my bedroom from then on. I can sing you the entire score of Joseph because I acted out the show in my bedroom probably 1000 times.

Since then, I have worked on honing the craft of acting, acting for musical theatre and voice through as many outlets as I could. The most wonderful thing about this profession is that there is so much knowledge to gain from every teacher and professional that comes along. Since the age of 11 I have been “acting”, and keeping myself not only performing, but learning all the while.

An alumni of the Zamprogna’s summer program at Theatre Aquarius, I spent four amazing summers learning from professionals and performing dream rolls such as Fantine, Mrs. Lovett and The Baker’s Wife. I went to two Universities, neither of which gave me the thrill I needed at the time, and found myself getting a scholarship to AMDA in NYC where I learned from not only the incredible professionals that taught in the school, but also through amazing teachers in NYC like Craig Carnelia. In these amazing Musical Theatre classes I sat and worked with some of Broadway’s biggest names.

I auditioned a gazillion times. I took classes. I joined companies to do off-Broadway shows. I was called in for multiple rolls including Natalie for Next To Normal — but it was 2008 in NYC, and Broadway was shutting down because of the recession. I was also Canadian and couldn’t seem to catch a break. It was hard. And my Visa expired. So I came home and started teaching the senior program with Lou Zamprogna along with working, finishing my degree, and taking a summer course at Stratford.

Perhaps what was the most surprising of all, was that teaching gave me more pleasure and excitement than I could have imagined. It has taken me many years to get where I am today, but I am so excited for this next adventure of opening up my acting studio, a dream for years, and dreaming bigger dreams of one day turning this little studio into a performing arts school. But we need to work. Just do the work. A phrase that in this business is scripture.

What I do know is that I have learned how to teach in a way that ensures the actor understands themselves first as an artist. Before you can “become” another character, or place yourself in a different life, you need to first understand yourself. It’s so important to find your voice, your quirks, learn about what makes you, you.

Let’s work.