Performing Arts Faculty
Faculty and Guest Artists
Faculty
Artistic Director - Assistant Curriculum Leader
Danielle is an educator and artist who has taught Music Theatre, Dance, Drama, and Science in Australia and Canada. Danielle loves teaching in the Arts and has been involved in the development of Arts curriculum with the TDSB and in Australia for over 25 years. Prior to moving to Toronto she taught in both the public and private education sectors in Australia including working at the university level at University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and Queensland University of Technology for 15 years. She was also the Dance Director and Choreographer of The Drama Studio in Queensland. Danielle has been with the Toronto District School Board for 12 years teaching in a number of schools. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching from the Queensland University of Technology (Australia). She achieved the Advanced level in ballet with the Royal Academy of Dance.
Her dance training includes Ballet,, Modern/Contemporary, Folk, Jazz, creative movement/composition. Selected Choreographic credits are True North Mix Tape and The Fence (Toronto Fringe Festival), WPA productions, Rosedale Dance show, USQ Drama productions (Australia), Rock Eisteddfod (Australia), World Youth Day Liturgy (Australia). Selected performances are The Fence (Toronto Fringe Festival), Sherwoodstock, Phantoad of the Opera (Toadshow productions, Australia).
Having spent the majority of her career teaching young people, Danielle knows that a quality Arts education gives people an edge, and helps them to lead happy and successful lives, no matter what field they pursue.
Curriculum - Assistant Curriculum Leader
Shelly is a passionate and dedicated drama, dance and music theatre teacher. She has spent over 17 years with the Toronto District School Board, sharing her love of the arts with young people. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree from York University as well as being a graduate of Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Performance program. Over the years, Shelly has directed and choreographed numerous plays and musicals some of which include: Legally Blonde, Footloose, Urinetown, The Laramie Project, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Eurydice, Anything Goes, Bye Bye Birdie, Seussical, Bittergirl, and Metamorphoses. Shelly’s students have received multiple honors for their participation in the Sears Ontario Drama Festival as well as winning top prize at the Stratford Festival’s Shakespearean Challenge. Outside of school projects include directing and assistant directing for Koogle Theatre Company at both the Burlington Performing Arts Centre as well as at North York Centre for the Arts. Shelly continues to perform and work as a stage manager with the Curtain Club Theatre in Richmond Hill. Various productions she has worked on include: Best Brothers, Butcher, The Last Resort, Drowning Girls (Thea Award for Outstanding Acting Ensemble), Don’t Dress for Dinner, and The Good Doctor. Shelly has been on the steering committee for the Directors Lab North since its inception in 2011. She values this annual opportunity to meet and work with directors from around the globe, which helps her continuously expand her skills as a director and teacher. Shelly is also on the educational advisory committee for Studio 180 and has been a district co-ordinator for the National Theatre School Festival (formerly known as Sears Ontario Drama Festival).
Charlie Agathocleous is an alumni of the Music Theatre program at Wexford and has worked as the Production Manager for the Performing Arts programs for twenty years. His credits include Blood Ties at the Edinborough Fringe, Summerland, The Fence and Daughters of Feminists at the Toronto Fringe Festival and a new production of Blood Ties at the Next Stage Festival this January. He has an extensive performance career in Toronto and throughout North America.
Margaret (Meg) Logue Malone is a Toronto-based, award-winning educator, vocalist, and musical dramaturg. She has worked as a performer and director in both Canada and Australia, and past credits have included work with the West Australian Opera Company, Barking Gecko Theatre, Effie Crump Theatre, Shakespearience, Class Act Theatre, the Blue Room, St. Lawrence Stage Company, and Young People’s Theatre. Notably, she was vocal director and musical co-arranger for the original professional production of the award-winning 'Evil Dead: the Musical,' and is an Associate Dramaturg with subTEXT Dramaturgy Solutions. Meg has twelve years teaching experience with the Toronto District School Board, as well as extensive background as a vocal, instrumental, and drama instructor. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Queen’s University at Kingston (where she co-founded the Queen’s Student Opera Company), a Bachelor of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, and an Honours Specialist in both Vocal Music and Drama.
Andrew received his training at University of King’s College and Dalhousie University earning an Advanced Double Major in Theatre and History. After graduating, Andrew was a founding member of the Irondale Ensemble, a Halifax based theatre company. He was Company Manager and a full ensemble member and performed in eighteen of the Irondale’s mainstage productions during his six years with the company. Notable productions include Bouffe, Enemy of the People, St. Joan of the Stockyards. Andrew also performed with Irondale NYC (Company Store and Our Country’s Good). He also toured Russia with the Nova Scotia Young Company and has taught theatre internationally in such locations as Dublin (UCD) and Fiji.
Guest Artists
Michael Baboolal is an avid tea and alpaca enthusiast. This Toronto based dancer is a proud graduate of Wexford CSA. He has been fortunate to work and collaborate with many artists who have aided in the development of his artistic voice. He is an active member within both the commercial and contemporary dance and entertainment industries; and is a frequent guest artist within the TDSB. His constant training in various disciplines informs his artistic style and qualities. Working towards a unique identity in movement is a goal he continues to work towards. Michael holds a BFA from Ryerson University. He is excited to join COMPAGNIE MARIE CHOUINARD in 2020.
Matt Bernard is a Director and Playwright living in Toronto and a founding member of Bain and Bernard comedy troupe. He is a graduate of the Musical theatre program at Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. Co-founder of Bain and Bernard comedy whose body of work includes vaudevillian styled sketch comedy, street performance, and drastic comedic overhauls of Shakespearean plays. Recent Writing and Directing credits include Romeo and Juliet Chainsaw Massacre (Toronto Fringe Festival) and Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Hamlet (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival Sunday Series, Advice to the Players N.H.)
www.bainandbernard.com
Nicko is the co-founder and creative director of Glitz Event Entertainment. He is a graduate of Quebec's École Supérieure de Ballet and has been dancing professionally for over 20yrs and has performed with every major theatre company in the country including the Vancouver Opera, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and Mirvish Productions . A native Montrealer, Nicko began teaching ballet and jazz at 17 at a studio owned by Miranda Esmond-white, the now celebrated host of Classical stretch on PBS. Although often too busy performing to teach a regular class, he continues to teach dance and music theatre performance at drop-in studios and arts high schools as well as workshops and summer intensives across the country. Nicko is also passionate about choreography, which he gets to express with his new baby: Glitz Entertainment.
Miles Gosse is a dance artist based in Toronto, Ontario. A diverse performer, choreographer, and educator, Miles began his training at Wexford Collegiate School of the Arts studying in the Musical Theatre training program, later specializing in performance dance and contemporary techniques. He continued his dance training at York University where he graduated from the BFA Specialized Honours Dance program as well as earning his Concurrent BEd.
Professionally Miles has danced in works by Michael Caldwell, Alison Daley, Jesse Dell, Marie Lambin, Tracey Norman and The Garage Dance Collective. Miles has performed in the 60x60 Dance festival, Nuit Blache (Toronto), Fringe Festivals (Toronto, Montreal, and Hamilton), the New Music Festival through UofT as well as Canadian Music Week. Miles' choreography has been presented in the Body Brake series curated by Brandy Leary (Anandam Dancetheatre), Edge of the Sky Theatre productions, New Blue Dance Festival, Randolph College for the Performing Arts and for acclaimed Toronto Fringe shows 'WILD/WALLED' (2017) and 'in threes' (2018). Miles is Co-Artistic Director and founding member of Toronto Dance Collective Half Second Echo. He teaches at Stagecoach Theatre Arts (Toronto East), Dance Pointe Toronto, Seneca College and is a guest artist at Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts.
Anika Johnson is a Toronto composer and performer. Writing credits include - with her sister Britta: Brantwood (Sheridan College; Audience Choice Dora winner), Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (YPT; Dora nominee, best new musical), and Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life (Outside the March/The Musical Stage Company); with Barbara Johnston: Blood Ties (Next Stage/Summerworks/Edinburgh Fringe/featured on Orphan Black), Elly's Emotions (Solar Stage; Dora nominee, best TYA production), One Small Step (Toronto Fringe); with Barbara Johnston and Suzy Wilde: Summerland (Toronto Fringe). She received a Dora for her performance in Britta’s Life After, which she also dramaturged, and tours internationally with Corpus DanceProjects and Wannabe: The Spice Girls Tribute Band.
Barbara Johnston is Toronto based performer and a Dora nominated writer and director. Writing credits include – with Anika Johnson: Blood Ties (SummerWorks/Edinburgh Fringe/featured on BBC America’s Orphan Black), and Elly’s Emotions (2015 Dora nominee, Outstanding TYA Production, Outstanding Direction); with Anika Johnson and Suzy Wilde: Summerland (Toronto Fringe 2015) and The Fence (Toronto Fringe 2016). Performing credits include ‘Vera’ in Doctor Silver (Outside the March), The Fence and Daughters of Feminists (Toronto Fringe, 2015), and principal roles on TV’s Orphan Black and Private Eyes. Barbara has been seen on stages across North America as ‘Ginger Spice’ in Wannabe: The Spice Girls Tribute Band and recently as ‘Gwen Stefani’ in Spiderwebs: The No Doubt Tribute Band. She has choreographed for Outside the March and musical directed for Expect Theatre’s Beats and Intentions project. Barbara also works regularly with the award winning Wexford Gleeks (Wexford School for the Arts) and runs a private music studio.
Selected Theatre Credits: Fiddler on the Roof, Little Mermaid (Capitol Theatre), Drinking Habits, Young Frankenstein, Spamalot, 80s Solid Gold (Stage West Calgary), Little Shop of Horrors, Charlie Brown, The Vaudevillians, Midsummer Nights Dream, Blood Brothers, A Christmas Carol (Rose Theatre), True North Mixtape (Toronto Fringe Festival), Blood Ties (Next Stage Festival). As an instructor, Jeremy has worked at Randolph Academy and his alma mater, Wexford for the past 3 years. As a student, Jeremy is a graduate of the musical theatre performance program at Sheridan College as well as training at the Stratford school, Tarragon Theatre, Dean Armstrong acting studio among others. Jeremy has also worked extensively with the hit comedy team 'Bain and Bernard Comedy' on shows such as Romeo and Juliet: Chainsaw Massacre, Sherlock Holmes and the case of Hamlet, A Midsummer's Nightmare (or how I learned to stop worrying and love Desdemona anyway), The 'You've Never Seen Anything Like It' Show and countless performances of Abbot and Costello's immortal "Who's on First?" He is a proud graduate of Wexford School of the Arts.
Talijah Levene was raised in Downtown Toronto, under skyscrapers and bright city lights. In his early childhood, he was passionate about movement and its power within storytelling, having been introduced to it by street and professional dancers, and through children's theatre. His father was a music promoter so, as he was growing up, Talijah got the chance to meet and see many artists perform. While backstage, he got an early glimpse of how a performer connects to their audience and the amount of hard work which happens backstage within a crew. During his three years at NTS, Talijah studied with such teachers as Ian Watson (Shakespeare), David Latham (Mask), Brenda Bazinet (Naturalism), Jackie Maxwell (Chekhov), and Quincy Armorer (Full Play Study). He also performed in numerous productions including Love and Information (dir. Alisa Palmer), Romeo and Juliet (dir. Danielle Irvine), Indra's Web (dir. Arianna Bardesono and Zach Fraser), and Burning Vision (dir. Mike Payette). Apart from NTS, Talijah has worked with the Toronto-based theatre company Edge of The Sky in the Toronto Fringe Festival. He is also an experienced dancer and has trained in ballet, modern, contemporary, and hip hop. In addition, he is the young director for his creative collective All Around, which is based in Toronto and Montreal. Rather than being confined by, or limited to, one profession, All Around focuses on being involved in, and passionate about, many, including music, art, theatre, fashion, and film.
Masini McDermott, was born and raised by a single mother in east end of Toronto. As a little girl, she began singing in the church choir and fell in love with performing.
In her teenage years, she went to Wexford Collegiate School of the Arts after auditioning to be in their Musical Theatre Program. After studying at Wexford, Masini moved on to study at Sheridan College in their BA in Musical Theatre. Once she completed her first year, she made the decision to take a break from the arts and study in George Brown College’s Hospitality Tourism and Leisure Program. In the midst of her studies the inspiration to create again emerged when, she met and sang with Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. This meeting encouraged and reminded her to use her talents to uplift herself and others by way of the arts. So moved and inspired by this meeting, Masini went on to create a one woman show entitled, ‘One Night Only Live’ at The Daniel Spectrum Theatre in downtown Toronto. This show propelled her into many audition rooms which allowed her the ability to perform in many spaces across Canada and internationally. Since then, Masini has been a part of Toronto’s Fringe Festival (Edge of The Sky Theatre Company’s Summerland & True North Mix Tape), Bubble Baz (Barbara Johnston’s one woman Show), Disney Cruise Line (Believe, Wishes, Magic), The Color Purple (Neptune Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre), The Grand Holiday Show (The Grand Theatre), Grow (The Grand Theatre London), Rent, Wrinkle In Time (Stratford Festival) along with various Film/TV roles like; Life In A Year, 1UP, In The Dark, Dear David, Lazy Legs, Law & Order Toronto and her newest endeavour as she makes her way out East at The Neptune Theatre in The Full Monty. While Masini enjoys performing onstage and sometimes off, she also loves the creative process. The opportunity to contribute creatively behind the scenes, has arose in working on Musical workshops with incredible creatives, and behind the camera directing in which she believes will create safe spaces for all to tell wonderful stories in the future. Backed by her agents at Grand Wave Entertainment, Masini has been seen in many rooms and has been provided the opportunity and space to grow as an artist and a black woman in this ever-evolving industry.
Elijah Manalo is a performing artist and choreographer based in Toronto. After receiving his BA from Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre Performance Program ’16 he has continued to work actively within the industry and is also a strong supporter for the development of new works by emerging Canadian artists. Recent theatre credits include One Small Step (Toronto Fringe), Liam: The Musical (Check & Hernandez), All Aboard (Suitcase Theatre), The Fence (Toronto Fringe), and Nuit Blanche’s LOOP (Expect Theatre). Being a Wexford alumni of the performing arts program Elijah has also been invited as a guest artist choreographing and assisting the dance department and production team during the school’s annual musical.
Gray is a proud graduate of both Wexford Collegiate and Sheridan College's Performing Arts programs. He has performed on some of North America's most renowned stages, including Atlanta's Fox Theatre, Kansas City's Starlight Theatre, California's Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre. Gray is currently based in Toronto, and has worked with many acclaimed theatre companies in Toronto and the GTA, including Mirvish Productions (Matilda the Musical), Drayton Entertainment (Holiday Inn, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Little Mermaid), The Grand Theatre (Mamma Mia!), the Toronto Fringe Festival (Summerland), and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company (There's No Business Like Irving Berlin, A Rhapsody in Gershwin). Gray has also performed at The Charlottetown Festival on Prince Edward Island, playing Moody MacPherson and Gilbert Blythe in the Guinness World Record production of Anne of Green Gables, as well as Laertes in Broadway's Kronborg, The Hamlet Rock Musical. Most recently, Gray was involved in the off-Broadway pre-production workshop of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along (Roundabout Theatre Company/Fiasco Theater) in New York City.
BADLOOK is the creative vision of Toronto based artist and producer David Mooney.
His music is an unflinchingly honest celebration of bittersweet sincerity and twisted beauty. Through an eccentric mixture of pop, electronic and hip-hop influences, he forges a powerful intersection of mood and melody, while fearlessly blending a wide variety of genres and exploring a complex array of subjects and ideas through a distinctive artistic voice that carries an undeniable and endearing authenticity.
This earnest examination of the highs and lows of modern life offers an exclusive glimpse into the attitude and aesthetic of a pivotal moment in pop culture history; one that makes BADLOOK a unique and valuable contributor to the signature style and culture of Toronto’s diverse and iconic music scene.
Jeff Newberry is a composer, music director, sound designer, and educator working in theatre, concert, and community spaces. His concert music is performed by a growing number of school, community, and university ensembles in Canada and the United States.
Jeff is the inaugural resident music director at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope. His projects there have included: A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, Little Shop of Horrors, a Year with Frog and Toad (Music Director); Prairie Nurse, Christmastown (Composer and Sound Designer); and the ongoing Billboard: In Concert series (Arranger/Orchestrator). Jeff also enjoys contributing to the development of new works and has done so for Rez Gas (Cale Crowe/Genevieve Adam), Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Britta Johnson/Anika Johnson), Blood Ties (Anika Johnson/Barbara Johnston), and Summerland (Anika Johnson/Barbara Johnston/Suzy Wilde). Recent projects included work with Corpus Dance Projects, the Stratford Festival, and Interprovincial Music Camp.
Jeff taught high school music at the Toronto District School Board for 10 years and is currently teaching part-time at York University. He also enjoys supporting young people and educators through workshops at schools, universities, and conferences.
Jeff holds a Bachelor of Music (University of Toronto), a Bachelor of Education (Queen’s University), an Honours Specialist in Vocal Music (OISE) and a Master of Education (York University).
Jordan has been teaching at Wexford Collegiate for the Arts and directing the Grade 12 Drama Focus show since 2012. Past credits at Wexford include: The Ash Girl (2012, 2018); A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Metamorphoses; Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Title Bout, a show written by and created with the 2017 Grade 12 Focus class.
Jordan has been working across the country on both classical and contemporary plays, and in television, film and radio for over 20 years. He has spent four seasons with the Stratford Festival and has worked extensively with Soulpepper Theatre. Toronto acting credits include: Soulpepper (A Christmas Carol, Picture This, The Heidi Chronicles, The Dybbuk, Twelve Angry Men (Dora Award for Best Ensemble), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Dora award for Best Ensemble), Speed-the-Plow, The Sunshine Boys, Jitters, Glengarry Glen Ross, Travesties, Antigone, Ring Round the Moon, Waiting for Godot, among others); Tarragon (The Waiting Room, Sextet, Generous, Goodness, The Whirlpool); Canadian Stage (Sunday Father, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Written on Water, Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew); Factory Theatre (Zadie’s Shoes, Tiger of Malaya); Theatre Passe Muraille (Yichud, Three Squares, Small Returns); YPT (Danny, King of the Basement). He has performed leading roles in Ottawa (GCTC, NAC); Halifax (Neptune); Winnipeg (PTE; WJT) and Edmonton (Citadel).
Directing /teaching credits include: Zadie’s Shoes, Therac 25 (Factory Theatre) Terminating (Summerworks Festival); Six Degrees of Separation, The Clandestine Marriage, She Stoops To Conquer – Georgian Period Study (George Brown Theatre School) Metamorphoses (Ryerson Theatre School); He has led acting workshops for Soulpepper Theatre and is a regular guest teacher at Randolph College.
T.V and film credits include: American Woman; Suits; Titans; Kim’s Convenience; The Strain; Designated Survivor; Saving Hope; Rookie Blue; Lost Girl; Murdoch Mysteries; Fugitive Pieces; Lost in Wonderland.
Jordan was a regular on the CBC radio drama Afghanada (Actra nomination for voice performance). He is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.
Valerie is an accomplished and award winning entertainer, choreographer, educator, adjudicator and coach who redefines the term “Triple Threat”.
A native of Toronto, Valerie studied Musical Theatre at Sheridan College and has trained extensively in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles studying all disciplines of dance as well as in voice and acting. With over 25 years of professional experience, her career has led her to Broadway and around the world performing on stage, television, radio, music videos, cruise ships, theme parks, casinos and numerous corporate events.
Valerie’s big break came when she was cast as “Oz”, the rocker rebel in the award winning Mirvish production of ‘We Will Rock You’. Other notable credits include: Dance Captain/Swing in the Broadway and Toronto companies of ‘Rock of Ages', Dance Captain/Swing in ‘Dee Snider’s Rock and Roll Christmas Tale’, ‘Hello Dolly’ and ‘Into the Woods’ at the Stratford Festival, Sillibub in ‘Cats’, Brook Wyndham in ‘Legally Blonde’, Rizzo in ‘Grease’, ‘Hair’ and many more. Her talents have also lead her to perform alongside such artists as Queen, Carly Rae Jepsen, Dee Snider of ‘Twisted Sister’, and has recorded a duet with Canadian Idol runner up, Rex Goudie, entitled ‘Won’t Have to Wait’ now available on Itunes.
As a highly sought after guest teacher and choreographer at studios throughout the GTA, Valerie is also a seasoned adjudicator having judged numerous dance and vocal festivals and competitions from coast to coast. A recipient of many awards, her acclaimed choreography credits have been featured on stage, television and corporate events including: TVO’s ‘Un-Sung: Behind the Glee’, Warner Brothers, Canadian Screen Awards, Jay’s Care Curve Ball Gala, The Marilyn Denis Show, Breakfast Television, CITY-TV, Canada Am, Universal Recording artist Suzie McNeil’s live shows, Mandell Entertainment, Canadian International Auto Show, General Motors, and RBC. Other choreography credits include: West Side Story, Grease, Les Miserable, Hairspray, Urinetown, Kiss Me Kate, Lion King, Hair, Footloose, and The Canadian National Show Choir Champions – The Wexford Gleeks. In 2014 she co-founded, the triple-threat vocal group, SONIC EVE who performed worldwide and headlined onboard many cruiselines. She is currently an educator in the arts with the Toronto, Durham and Peel School Boards and continues to teach for Canada’s most notable theatre companies, secondary and post-secondary arts institutions such as Mirvish Productions, Can-Stage, Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, St. Lawrence College, Sheridan College, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Rosedale School for the Arts, Earl Haig and is a resident choreographer/coach at her alma mater, Wexford School for the Performing Arts.
Valerie’s true passion doesn’t just lie within the craft but also with the students and artists themselves. Being a mentor and performance coach has allowed her to work with such organizations such as: YMCA, Sick Kids, United Way, Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, Children’s Wish Foundation, Performing Arts Lodges, Actor’s Fund, and Youth Day. In 2016 Valerie launched her performance consulting business that offers workshops geared towards building confidence, stage presence and teamwork in performers of all ages.
Valerie is an Associate member in Stage with the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (B.A.T.D.) as well as a proud member of ACTRA, CAEA, AEA and the Professional Adjudicators Alliance.
Wilde is co-composer of Fringe hits, Summerland and The Fence (with Johnson and Johnston) and Maddie's Karaoke Birthday Party (with Barbara Johnston). Her new musical, Crack of Doom ( co-written with Matt Bernard) premiered this May as part of Bravo Academy's New Music Theatre Intensives. A graduate of Wexford Performing Arts and Humber College Music, Wilde is currently working towards a masters degree in composition at York University.
B.Ed (Drama/Vocal Music) – University of Western Ontario
BFA (Musical Theatre) – University of Windsor
Dip. Vocal Jazz Performance – Humber College
Drama Specialist (University of Toronto)
Special Education (AQ – University of Toronto)
Shannon is a passionate educator and artist dedicated to the continued training and nurturing of young artists. She has taught Drama, Music, Dance, Music Theatre and Special Education in her over 20 year career with the Toronto District School Board. She has provided her vocal expertise to both Static, Wexford’s Chamber Choir and the Wexford Gleeks.
Along with her love of arts education Shannon also has an ardent love for performing. She continues to perform on stage and has sung on promotional recordings for in-progress musical projects. Selected credits include: She Loves Me, Into The Woods, Sylvia, Nine, Carousel, City of Angels, Sweeney Todd, Falsettos, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.