Vision & Mission
At KW Youth Theatre, Guelph Youth Theatre, and Hamilton-Burlington
Youth Theatre, we have a positive vision of the future of our communities. We see a
world full of cooperation, sustainability, and harmony with our surroundings.
As three of only a hand-full of organizations in southern Ontario devoted to the
development of performing arts education for youth, we have a responsibility
to the people and communities that make our existence possible. In order to
fulfill this responsibility, we integrate as many socially beneficial actions into
our production operations as possible. Here are a few of the values-led activities
we are currently engaging in:
• Producing theatre focused on enhancing, promoting, celebrating, and showcasing
the talent and diversity of our local artists
• Offering programs geared towards waiving tuition fees, so as to provide students
the opportunity to gain hands-on learning experiences in all aspects of theatre
• Ensuring that 5% of all ticket sales are used to help students gain exposure to
and participate in healthy living
• Striving for low-cost seating, making first-rate theatre available for everyone
• Supporting the programs of local youth service agencies
• Seeking out sponsors to provide tickets for underprivileged children
By incorporating a concern for the community, theatre can make a positive impact on
the world in which it operates. "Theatre unites as it delights and educates as it entertains."
Ensemble
Josh graduated from Queen's University with a B.A. in Drama and a B.Ed. in
Drama/History. He has filled many roles in the theatre, working as an actor,
director, playwright, and designer with various theatre companies
in both Kitchener-Waterloo and Kingston. Josh now teaches for the
Waterloo Region District School Board at Huron Heights Secondary School
in the Special Education Program, where he also coaches Improv
and runs a theatre troupe for students across the region with special needs.
 Rachel Behling
Rachel has had a lifelong love for theatre and dance. At the age of three, she began to study
ballet until her teens, when her focus changed to theatre. Rachel holds a degree in English
from the University of Guelph, and her passion for literature is evident in the plays she has
directed: Charlotte's Web, A Christmas Carol, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Belle of
Amherst (based on the life of Emily Dickinson). Rachel has acted with companies both on
Vancouver Island and in Ontario, and is currently the Artistic Director of the Kaufman
Arts Studio. She has worked with individuals of all ages, and enjoys being
part of a team that strives for creativity, joy, and togetherness.
Trevor Copp
Trevor has been an active artist in KW since graduating from the UW Theatre program
in 2000. He has since acted and choreographed with Theatre & Company, The MT Space,
and the Oakville Festival of the Classics professionally. Trevor helped to create
the role of 'Rawad' in The MT Space's The Last 15 Seconds, which performed for
KW's IMPACT.09 Festival and the Magnetic North Festival. He is also a professional
Ballroom/Latin dance, Mime, and Contact dance enthusiast. As a writer, he is a member of KW's
'Pat the Dog' Playwriting Centre, which assisted in the creation of his most recent play, First Dance.
Trevor has taught theatre at UW, U of Guelph, and Redeemer College, and now adds his role
as founding Artistic Director of Burlington's first professional theatre company,
Jewels Krauss
Passionate about theatre, creating art, and building community, Jewels is very
excited to be part of Guelph Youth Theatre! Born in south-west Germany,
she found her way to the beautiful and vibrant city of Guelph, where she
now resides. She has been involved in several productions both behind the scenes
as well as on stage. Most recently, she helped create the role of Laura in
The Fear Project, which premiered at the IMPACT.11 Festival. She has also
directed Our Town and co-directed Macbeth with Guelph Youth Theatre.
Jewels combines the ideas of bringing students together to perform a play,
while at the same time creating a loving, respectful, and supportive environment,
where students feel empowered to explore their talents and themselves.
 Tawiah M'carthy
Tawiah is a Ghanaian-born, Toronto-based theatre artist, who graduated from
the Acting Conservatory Theatre Programme at York University in 2006. Some
previous theatre credits include: Bernard in The Boys in the Band (Ghostlight
Projects); Damien in Man2Man (Kwame Stephens); and, Ato in Body 13
(The MT Space). He was also a part of The Arts of Catching Pigeons by Torchlight
at the SummerWorks Theatre Festival in 2009. Playwright credits include
Obaberima (Buddies in Bad Times) and The Kente Cloth (Plural Productions).
Tawiah is also the Artistic Director of TheNextEdition/OperationVote. He is
excited to be joining this team of dedicated professionals for its production of
The Elephant Man.
 Doran Damon Okkema
Doran couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with KW Youth Theatre,
a team of dedicated and passionate individuals. Now a full time actor/director,
Doran has been performing since the tender age of six. Past stage credits
include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Eastwood Collegiate),
An Ideal Husband (Theatre & Company), and more recently Twelfth Night
and Falling: A Wake (Lost & Found Theatre). His film credits include
appearances on numerous Canadian television shows and the
independent feature Lucky 7 , which was released Fall.08.
Pam Patel
A recent graduate of WLU's music program, Pam studied voice under Laura Pudwell
and Marianne Bindig. As a frequent performer with The MT Space, her past shows
include Body 13, The Last 15 Seconds, Across the Veil, and The Other End of the Line. Pam also
collaborates with artist/architect, Cesar Forero, and dancer, Michelle Moylan, in a
multimedia installation piece, The Maze, including a performance at this year's
Nuit Blance in Toronto. For the past two years, Pam attended the Vancouver Creative
Music Institute, and had the opportunity to collaborate with world-renowned
improvising musicians. Excited to be a part of KW Youth Theatre, Pam hopes to
continue exploring the boundaries of her instrument and collaborating with artists of
various backgrounds to produce multidisciplinary works.
 Michael Robinson
Michael has been
associated with the stage and theatre for the last twenty-five years.
He graduated from Auckland University with a degree in Performing Arts
in 2005
and has since directed numerous youth productions within Kitchener-Waterloo.
He has been an
accompanist for Advanced Improvisation, co-written and performed
theatre adaptations, and enjoys writing youth fiction.
Kalene Ticknor
Kalene, trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, and modern dance, studied under
the direction of Heidi Churchill, Ruth Priddle, and Laura Prada at the
Carousel Dance Company. As a student at Ryerson University, she was accepted into
The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, where she had the opportunity to perform
in works by many professional dance artists. Kalene currently teaches dance at the
Carousel Dance Centre, is co-director of the Carousel Dance Company, and is the
resident choreographer for The Singers Theatre, working with their Junior Ensemble,
camp programs, and Intensive Workshops. She is very excited to be joining the
fantastic team at KW Youth Theatre, and looks forward to a great season
with the many talented people involved.
David Trinh
With an extensive background in martial arts, dance, and technical theatre training,
David has found himself traveling, studying, and teaching around the world with various
dance and production companies. Now back in the Waterloo Region, he is currently
training and producing live 1930's vintage swing dance shows with the Royal City Big Band
for all ages. From this diverse background, David brings an abundance of experience and
knowledge to his teaching of body movements to the stage and dance floor.
 Reid Vanier
Reid is a KW based actor and director, and a graduate of the University of Waterloo's
Drama Department. He is a founding member and the Artistic Director of
Standard Deviation Theatre in KW. He has been involved with several local companies,
including The MT Space, InterArts Matrix, Red Shoe Theatre, and UW Drama. Recent credits
include: Hamlet (Standard Deviation Theatre); An Experiment With An Air Pump and
The Comedy of Errors (UW Drama); and, Violent Ends: An Interdisciplinary Adaptation
of Romeo & Juliet (Standard Deviation Theatre). Reid is driven by the innovation of
classic works, and is very excited to bring this passion to work at KW Youth Theatre.
 Nicholas Walsh
Nicholas holds a rich history of experience in and familiarity with southern Ontario's
theatre arts community. He has acted in, written, directed, and produced a
variety of theatre productions throughout the region with credits at the Stratford
Festival, Theatre & Company, JM Drama, Touchmark Theatre, KW Little
Theatre, and KW Children’s Drama. Nicholas received his B.A. from the
University of Waterloo and his M.A. in English/Drama from the University of Toronto.
He is encouraged by the abundance of opportunities students have to
participate in the performing arts throughout southern Ontario.
In his spare time, Nicholas enjoys writing, running, and board games.
This webpage was last updated January 7, 2012.
Site content: ©2012 |
