Brenda Gorlick, Director of Made in Manitoba Masterclass, received a Safe at Home Manitoba grant recently and is preparing to offer 26 online classes starting Jan. 10, 2021, featuring top performing arts professionals from Manitoba who now perform and create for the world stage. The program is being offered through Winnipeg Studio Theatre for which Brenda serves as Associate Director alongside Kayla Gordon.

Registration online begins today: www.winnipegstudiotheatre.com

The sessions cover all aspects of theatre arts performance — from acting, singing and dance technique to voiceover, acting for camera, mime and makeup for the stage.

“I’m thrilled that I can support 12 artists, along with a videographer, web design and promotion people with this grant,” adding the classes come complete with American sign language interpretation.  “As artists, it’s so hard to earn a living during the pandemic. This grant means they’ll be paid their true worth for the workshops.”

The roster includes artists Andrea Macasaet, pop vocal diva and newly-minted Broadway star of Six the Musical, Mary Antonini, dancer extraordinaire of the Broadway show The Prom, choreographer-dancer Josh Assor from Newsies and Mary Poppins on Broadway, plus stage and screen actor Markian  Tarasiuk.

There’s also Joshua LeClair, a voiceover specialist who appeared in ‘Matilda’ the  World Tour, Samantha Jeanne Hill, star of Broadway’s Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera, Jean-Marc Lafond, a theatrical make-up specialist, Shannon Guile and Joanna Hawkins from 100 Decibels (a deaf mime troupe) and Gorlick — master teacher of All Abilities Dancers.

Each live Zoom session includes instruction, as well as a question-and-answer session with the guest faculty. Auditors are welcome. Training videos of each session may also be accessed asynchronously.