The Monster Collective

 
 

Lyndsey Britten (Creator/Performer)

Lyndsey Britten is a Chinese-Canadian choreographer, performer, and instructor, originally from Vancouver, BC. Now residing in Toronto, ON, Lyndsey is continuing to explore the musical theatre industry both as a performer and choreographer. Select choreography credits include: Matilda (Mainstage Theatre), Urinetown (Carousel Theatre/Touchstone Theatre), West Side Story (Gleneagle Secondary), Don Giovanni (UBC Opera), King Arthur’s Court (Metro Theatre’s Panto), Ring of Fire (First Impressions Theatre), and Cabaret (Tomo Suru Players) where she won a CTC Award for outstanding choreography. As a performer and as an assistant choreographer, she has worked with companies such as YPT, Theatre Under the Stars, Gateway Theatre, Chemainus Theatre Festival, Studio 58, and RCMT. During the pandemic, Lyndsey created a temporary online dance company to work with ‘movers’ from all across Canada. She helped people gain confidence in their ability, no matter their age or experience. Dance is for everybody!

 

Ellen Denny (Creator, Dramaturgy/Script Advisor)

Ellen is a Toronto-based playwright and actor who has worked across Canada. Her contemporary comedy 'Pleasureville' premiered at Halifax's Neptune Theatre in 2019, and was recently produced at The Guild Charlottetown. She is the co-creator of february: a love story with Emilio Vieira, a pandemic rom com that played digitally with Magnus Theatre and the Stratford Festival, and live with Globus Theatre. Through Musical Stage’s Launch Pad program, Ellen was book writer for musical What Goes Up (premiered in RePrint at the Globe and Mail Centre) alongside song writing team Colleen Dauncey and Akiva Romer-Segal. As a performer, Ellen has worked with companies including NAC English Theatre, Mirvish Productions, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Citadel, and the Segal Centre. She received a Dora nomination for her portrayal of Alice in Life After (Canadian Stage) and was named one of Now Magazine's Breakthrough Toronto Stage Artists (2017).

 

Stephanie Graham (Creator, Concept & Direction)

With over twenty-five years in the industry Stephanie has become one of Canada's most sought-after Director/Choreographers creating dynamic and innovative theatre across Canada. During the COVID-19 pandemic she has been devising collaborative digital dance projects featuring Canadian musical theatre writers and performers. Directing and/or Choreography credits include: Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, All Shook Up, Mary Poppins, The Drowsy Chaperone (Globe Theatre), Anne of Green Gables (Thousand Islands Playhouse), The Last Five Years (YRG Productions), Fun Home, Grey Gardens, The Wild Party-DORA Award (Musical Stage Company), Chariots of Fire (Grand Theatre), Peter Pan, Cinderella, The Addams Family (Neptune Theatre-3 Merritt Award nominations), Crazy for You (Capitol Theatre Port Hope), and Next to Normal (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre). She is a graduate of Sheridan College's Honours Bachelor Music Theatre Program and has taught at Sheridan College, George Brown College, Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts and at Queen’s University. She was the Intern Artistic Director at the Musical Stage Company and the Associate Artistic Director at the Globe Theatre. www.stephaniegraham.ca

 

Alexandra Herzog (Creator/Performer)

Originally from Winnipeg (Treaty 1), Alexandra obtained her Cecchetti Senior Certificate and completed her pre-professional training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Alexandra was awarded scholarships in both ballet and modern from Dance Manitoba. Alexandra pursued her training in Music Theatre at Sheridan College and spent five seasons at the Stratford Festival. She has since shifted her focus to choreography and after choreographing Cinderella at Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg in 2019 and Nine at Sheridan College, she is currently a choreographer on the Apple TV series, See.

 

Aisha Jarvis (Creator/Performer)

Aisha is a Toronto born and raised singer, dancer, and actor and graduate of Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Music Theatre Program. Her career has taken her through many parts of Canada and internationally working in theatre, in tv/film, and as a backup vocalist. Her select theatre credits include ‘Velma Kelly’ in Chicago, ‘Silly Girl/Enchantress’ in Beauty & The Beast (Globe Theatre); ‘Bird Woman’ in Mary Poppins (Young People’s Theatre); ‘Jan’ in Grease (Irregular Entertainment); Key Change (Globe Theatre); ‘Bree’ in Fancy Nancy (Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society); ‘Dom’ in The Law of Gravity (Youtheatre); Prissy’ in Anne of Green Gables, ‘Lisa’ in Mamma Mia (Charlottetown Festival); ‘Sally’ in Hogtown (Hogtown Collective); ‘Wilhemina’ in The Postman (Appledore Productions/Panamania); ‘Snow White’ in Snow White (Solar Stage); ‘Annette’ in Brantwood, ‘Vanessa’ in In The Heights, Hello Dolly!, ‘Sonia/Aisha’ in Godspell (Theatre Sheridan). Select Film/TV credits include ET Canada (CTV), Private Eyes (Global TV) and an upcoming show on Apple TV. She also most recently toured in Europe with the band Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar as a backup vocalist! Instagram: @aishaljarvis

 

Kelsey Lacombe (Creator/Performer)

Kelsey Lacombe is a Toronto based Singer, Dancer, and Actor, originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Treaty 1). A proud graduate of Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Performance Program, her career has taken her to many theatres across Canada. Select credits include; Bend it Like Beckham the Musical (Bend It Toronto, Inc), Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, West Side Story, The Producers, Footloose (Rainbow Stage) Holiday Inn, Cinderella: The Panto, Anything Goes (Drayton Entertainment), Crazy for You (Citadel/Theatre Calgary), Beauty and the Beast (Capitol Theatre), Legally Blonde, Damn Yankees (Theatre Sheridan), Les Feux Follets (The Charlottetown Festival). When not performing, Kelsey can be found in the kitchen, baking and decorating cakes! @cremedelacombe on Instagram.

 

Krista Leis (Creator/Performer)

Krista has had over twenty years experience as a professional dancer, actor, teacher, director and choreographer. She was on Broadway in the Tony nominated production of Jesus Christ Superstar and has spent nine seasons at The Stratford Festival including Guys and Dolls, The Sound of Music, Carousel, Man of La Mancha (Assistant Choreographer), The Who’s Tommy, Fiddler On The Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar, Camelot, West Side Story (Assistant Choreographer), A Funny Thing..., The Music Man, Fuente Ovejuna, Gigi, The Tempest. She choreographed Snow White the Panto (Capitol Theatre) and was honoured to play Greta Hodgkinson’s daughter in the film Roxana (Bravo) choreographed by Roberto Campanella. Other films include Hairspray, The Music Man and Eloise at the Plaza. Krista is also a fully certified Pilates instructor, mobility specialist and straight up biomechanics nerd with a passion for alignment and injury prevention in young dancers. Thrilled and absolutely terrified to be creating a show with this incredible group of humans.

 

Hailey Lewis (Creator/Performer)

Hailey Lewis is an Afro-Canadian triple-threat artist who hails from the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit (Burlington, Ontario). After graduating from the Music Theatre degree program at Sheridan College, Hailey has had the pleasure of performing in a variety of musicals, playing various roles across Canada. Currently, Hailey is part-time faculty at Sheridan for the dance department and is looking forward to playing Rose Granger-Weasley in the up-coming production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, with Mirvish productions. When not performing, Hailey loves to cuddle with her dog Rigley, play her Ukulehailey, facetime her friends, spend time with her family (especially her mama) and eat lots of chips ♡

 

Ayrin Mackie (Creator/Performer)

Currently based in Stratford, ON. Credits include: Polly Baker in Crazy for You (Theatre Calgary/Citadel Theatre). West Side Story (Citadel), Stratford Festival: A Chorus Line, A Little Night Music, Man of La Mancha, Crazy for You, Pirates of Penzance, Taming of the Shrew, Sound of Music and Elektra;

Eowyn in Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz (Toronto and National Tour), The Producers all for Mirvish Productions and several shows with Drayton Entertainment, Stage West, Neptune Theatre (NS), Theatre Aquarius, and The Segal Centre (Montreal). Ayrin is a mom of 2 and a Kundalini yoga and meditation teacher.

 

Kyla Musselman (Creator/Performer)

Kyla grew up in Stratford, Ontario and now hails from the east end of Tkaronto with her new husband and pup. After graduating from Sheridan College, Kyla began her professional career at the Charlottetown Festival where she spent 3 wonderful seasons, and has since had the privilege of performing across North America. Some of her favourite credits include; Mary Poppins, The Addams Family, Shrek the Musical (Neptune Theatre), Saturday Night Fever (North American Tour), Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, I Love You...Now Change (Stage West Calgary), Mamma Mia!, All Shook Up (Globe Theatre), Newsies (Drayton Entertainment), Crazy For You, Mary Poppins (Capitol Theatre) and Shout! The Mod Musical (Magnus Theatre). Kyla is also a co-founder, producer, and co-host of the musical theatre podcast, Tits and Teeth, as well as a founding and participating board member of the Canadian Guild of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

 

Sarah O’Brecht (Creator/Performer)

Sarah is a Toronto-based artist, born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick. She is passionate about dance, comedy, arts education, and lifelong learning. Select Theatre: As an actor: 1979 (Theatre New Brunswick), Noises Off, Mamma Mia! (Neptune Theatre), No Man is an Island (Atlantic Repertory), Anne of Green Gables, Mamma Mia!, Alice Through the Looking Glass (Charlottetown Festival), Jersey Boys, Chicago (Stage West), Guys and Dolls (Segal Centre), Johnny Belinda (Smile Theatre). As Assistant Director: Beauty and the Beast (Globe Theatre), Lucy Maud and Anne (Smile Theatre). Film/TV: Mother of Invention, Lady Darb, Good With Her, Adulting: Year One, Good Witch, Warehouse 13, CCMA’s, So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Sarah has her BA in English and French and BEd. from the University of New Brunswick and is the recipient of the Amy Wallis Scholarship (Charlottetown Festival). She recently wrote and starred in a short film called Good With Her, directed by Sheila McCarthy and her writer/director debut she her him appeared at YEAA shorts x Reelworld Festival in 2020. @sarahobrecht www.sarahobrecht.com

 

Genny Sermonia (Creator/Performer)

Genny is a Filipina-Canadian artist based in Toronto, Ontario. Select Theatre: The Stratford Festival, The Shaw Festival, Elgin Winter Garden Theatres, Drayton Entertainment, Broadway Tour of Mary Poppins, Vancouver Opera, The Grand Theatre, The Globe Theatre, Neptune Theatre, Capitol Theatre Port Hope, The Charlottetown Festival, Disney Cruise Line. Film/TV: Blues Clues & You, Take Note (For The Record), Full Out, Odd Squad, Degrassi: TNG, CW’s Beauty and the Beast, The L.A. Complex, Hellcats, Warehouse 13, Really Me, Forensic Factor, Mirror Mirror. Choreography: Season Gala: Follies In Concert, Little Women, Once On This Island Jr., The Barbeque King, A Funny Thing… Forum; Assistant Choreographer: Phantom of The Opera, Urinetown; Self-choreographed appearances: The Fantasticks: In Concert, Odd Squad (PBS Kids), Best Buy Canada, McDonald’s. Genny is currently part-time on the dance faculty at Sheridan College where she also graduated with Honours from the Music Theatre Performance Program, and was also awarded the E. McFaddin Award for her commitment to dance as a passion and as an industry. Favourite roles: Connie in A Chorus Line, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet Remixed, Mama to Lucilia. For you and Gomj.

 

Michele Shuster (Creator/Performer)

Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Treaty No. 1), Michele has been training in dance for over 19 years. Michele is a body positive advocate, a triple threat performer, a choreographer, a director, and an arts educator. Production Credits (Selected): Newsies (Director-Choreographer/ Mainstage); The Music Man, Sweet Charity, Anything Goes (Choreographer/ Mainstage); The Little Mermaid (Choreographer/ St. Lawrence College), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Director); Marvelous Wonderettes (Director-Choreographer/ Stephenville Theatre Festival), Urinetown, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Blue Champagne, and Tales of Ti-Jean (Choreographer/ Stephenville Theatre Festival.)

Performance Credits (Selected): Mary Poppins (The Grand Theatre); Rocky Horror Picture Show (Magnus Theatre); Grease (Irregular Entertainment); Mamma Mia, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins (Rainbow Stage); Shrek (Neptune Theatre); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Blue Champagne (Stephenville Theatre Festival)

Michele is a proud graduate of the Music Theatre Performance Program at St. Lawrence College.

Follow @Mzshuster on Instagram.

 

Natasha Strilchuk (Creator/Performer)

Natasha Strilchuk was born in Malaysia, was raised in King’s Lynn, England and Regina, SK and is now a Toronto based artist. She is a proud graduate of Randolph College of the Performing Arts and is an accomplished, multi versatile artist and arts educator. Most recently Natasha was working on a CBC kids television show as an Assistant Choreographer and prior to that she was the Assistant Director/Choreographer for a fully digital production of Going Under for St. Lawrence College’s Musical Theatre program. In 2019 Natasha was chosen as a 2019/2020 participant for Neptune Theatre's RBC Chrysalis Project, in the director’s unit. Natasha is being mentored by AD Jeremy Webb in his production of Calendar Girls in early 2020. Some her favourite credits include: The North American Premiere of Bend it like Beckham (Bluma Appel Theatre), Chicago (Globe Theatre), Mamma Mia (Neptune Theatre), Guys & Dolls (Stratford Festival), Romeo & Juliet (CBC/Stratford HD), Motives and Murder (Cineflex Productions). Social: @natashakstrilchuk

 

Kevin Wong (Creator/Musical Composition & Arrangement)

Kevin (Y) Wong is a composer, lyricist, singer, musician, and dramaturg. Past works: Recurring John: A Song Cycle, STAR!(ving): A Collection of Songs; Reframed (Musical Stage Company / AGO, Dora Nomination – Best New Musical), Polly Peel (with bookwriter Julie Tepperman) and Drama 101 (co-written by Steven Gallagher). Current projects: Believers (with Ali Joy Richardson), and In Real Life (with Nick Green). Kevin is an Artistic Associate at the Musical Stage Company, teaches musical theatre writing at Sheridan College with Robert Gontier, and is a member of the vocal group Asian Riffing Trio.

 Joining The Monster Collective ↴

 

Alice Ferreyra Galliani (Stage Manager)

Alice is originally from Lima, Peru and has worked as a Stage Manager across Ontario since 2011. Favorite credits include: R+J, Henry VIII, Birds of a Kind, Bakkhai (Stratford Festival); Blue Bird (Blue Bird Theatre Collective); Every Silver Lining (Next Stage Festival); Maggie & Pierre (Grand Theatre); Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls (Roseneath Theatre); The Drowsy Chaperone, Footloose, The Addams Family, Spring Awakening, Spelling Bee, Nine (Randolph Academy); Godspell (Theatre Sheridan); Seussical Jr. (Capitol Theatre); Anne of Green Gables, Evita, Shrek the Musical (Lower Ossington Theatre); The Canadian (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Hamlet (Tarragon Theatre); The Magic Flute (Canadian Opera Company); City of Angels (Theatre By the Bay); The Story (Theatre Columbus); The Test (The Company Theatre).

 

Erin Fitzgerald (Stage Manager)

Erin has worked as a stage manager for over 20 years. Her recent credits include
Dear Evan Hansen, Kinky Boots, The Wizard of Oz (Mirvish), Fun Home (Musical
Stage Company/Mirvish) and Life After (Canadian Stage/Musical Stage Company).
Other credits include shows for the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Passe
Muraille, Cahoots, The Globe Theatre, Theatre Aquarius and Drayton Entertainment.

 

Renée Brode (Lighting Designer)

Renée is a lighting designer for theatre, musicals, opera, and dance productions across Canada and internationally. Recent designs include Swan Lake (Alberta Ballet); Roe (University of Oklahoma); The Fantasticks (Stages Repertory, Houston); Prince of Players (World Premiere – Houston Grand Opera). She has designed at The Grand Theatre, Globe Theatre, Watermark Theatre, Charlottetown Festival, Stratford Festival, Canadian Opera Company and many others. She was Associate on the Broadway production of Farinelli and the King and designed the Lab Production of Beetlejuice. She is currently the Lighting Design Professor at University of Oklahoma. Renée was awarded the 2014 Houston Press Theatre Award for Best Lighting Design. She has a BFA and MFA from York University and is a member of Associated Designers of Canada/IATSE ADC659. Her website is: reneebrode.com

 

Kaitlyn Mackinnon (Sound Designer)

Kaitlyn is a Sound Designer from Huntsville, ON. Credits include: Holiday Inn, Brigadoon, Grand Hotel, Me & My Girl (Shaw Festival); BLACKOUT (Musical Stage Company); Seeds of Self, Love Song for Thunderbird (Grand Theatre); Concord Floral, Casimir & Caroline, Cabaret (Theatre Sheridan); Rose (Soulpepper); Grease (Winter Garden Theatre); HOT MESS with Kelly Holiff, Hastings!, Aleck Bell (Tweed & Company); Sousatzka (Teatro Proscenium). Kaitlyn would like to thank her family and friends for their constant support.

 

Ayanna Sealey (Mental Performance Coach)

Ayanna incorporates her unique experience as a Broadway-caliber performer and master’s in performance psychology to help artists, high-level executives, and athletes, realize their potential and achieve peak performance.

Having danced for over 35 years - training at the Alvin Ailey School in New York City and performing as a ‘triple-threat’ dancer, actor, singer in Toronto (Disney’s The Lion King and the Stratford Shakespearean Festival) – Ayanna imparts her personal experience becoming a world-renowned performer, despite an on-going battle with Lymphedema, to help others actualize their own potential.

Through her acclaimed Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), Ayanna helps clients identify and release subconscious blocks that are preventing them from achieving their dream goals and desires.

After coaching throughout New York, London, Zurich, Geneva, and Mexico, Ayanna launched Magic Makers, Inc. in 2020, a 1:1 and group program designed to help leaders rebuild confidence, regain power, and unlock their full potential.

Today, Ayanna is a mental performance guest expert on tv and is the mental performance coach behind high performing executives, performers and athletes. She currently resides in Toronto, Canada with her husband Mark Jeffers.

Jesse MacMillan (Film Director and Editor)

Jesse is a Kingston based media artist and filmmaker with a passion for contemporary performance and artworks that integrate live performance and digital technologies. Working as a problem solver for performing arts, Jesse thrives as a member of a creative team and is continually confounded by the immense talent of other artists.  Recently, Jesse was the film director for the Thousand Island Playhouses 2021 Season and works as the Technical Director for FOLDA (Festival of Live Digital Arts).  As the Arts Stage Technician at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, Jesse has lit hundreds of live musical performances/events and acts as the head of the video department for their ongoing IMAGINE Creation Project.Jesse also currently teaches at The National Theatre School as the Live Stream Instructor / Coach.