Over the past ten days I’ve been part of the South Slave 2018 Arctic Winter Games hosted by Hay River & Fort Smith, NWT. It’s been an incredible experience! Thanks to Patrick Roberge and PRP team from Vancouver (the same folks that staged Canada Games 2017 Ceremonies in Winnipeg), I had the great fortune to work as Director of the Cultural Gala and assist with the Opening Ceremonies.

A total of over 1900 athletes and 45 cultural performers descended on the two communities virtually doubling the population. We hosted a week of intensive workshops, cultural sharing sessions and stage rehearsals to get the gala together and it was an unbelievable success. Featuring talent from nine circumpolar regions including Canada (Alberta North, Northwest Territories, Nunavik, Nunavut & Yukon), USA (Alaska), Greenland, Russia (Yamal) and Scandinavia/northern Russia (Sapmi), the gala highlighted traditional song, dance, throat singing, drumming and theatrical elements culminating in a finale production number unifying all the participants. It featured the AWG theme song “Be the Ones” by Canadian recording artist- Serene Ryder, reinforcing the mission statement of the Games – Find Your Power!

Well, we’re just over two months from the opening of Winnipeg Studio Theatre’s School of Rock the musical and our two matinee performances are already SOLD OUT! Our young cast is doing a phenomenal job and the production is shaping up to be the highlight of their season! Tickets are available at: https://winnipegstudiotheatre.com/box-office/

We’ve also just come off a successful run of Winnipeg Music Festival’s 100th Anniversary season and our students shone brightly in the musical theatre category, garnering a high gold standing with their SOR medley and a WMF Scholarship for the Schuyler Sisters quartet helmed by Kamal, Alyssa, Tiana & Samantha. Way to go!! Thanks to our wonderful music director Rachel Cameron and our expert accompanist Trish Franklin for their fine work on the keys!

Just completed Day 1 of our shooting schedule for the movie short…If It Ain’t Got That….the brainchild of Nicola Baldwin and Miles Crossman. Such a treat to be working with such a terrific team of actors, crew and artistic staff. Thx to my fellow principal actor and dance partner Genie Baffoe; excited to share a few “behind the scenes” shots by photog. Matt Duboff!

As a complete departure from all things “traditional’, Victor and I , my partner of 16 years, hosted a “pop-up” wedding on February 23rd…in Winnipeg…in the dead of winter…but one of the warmest festive occasions I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending. Yes there was singing and dancing and special performances and guest celebrity musicians and food and drink and laughter and love! A perfect night and a terrific way to mark our ongoing relationship. Here’s to our continued adventure!!

Summer StudioWorks Intensive 2018 “hits the boards” from July 9-13th at the University of Winnipeg’s Asper Centre.

The summer program, open to emerging artists aged 10 and up, offers training in “triple threat” technique with Manitoba’s finest musical theatre specialists. Over the course of five days, students are exposed to singing/songwriting/recording sessions, dance technique and choreography classes, improv, acting, script interpretation and much more….Entrance by audition only! To arrange an audition contact: bregor@shaw.ca

For more information visit: www.winnipegstudiotheatre.com   https://winnipegstudiotheatre.com/studioworks/summer-studioworks/