At WCT: Fool's Undersecretary in Bird Brain, Frankie B in Francine & Frankie B Make Art and Usher in Sleep No More: The Musical as part of WCT’s Highwire Festival. Other: Rosalind in As You Like It, Betty in Back to Beaulah, Margare” in Gossip and Zlateh in Village of Idiots (TRU). Jessica was also the Co-Director/Co-Creator of The Freudian Slips Improv Troupe; both in Kamloops and Toronto and honed her funny skills as a Writer/Performer in 100% a Show: A Second City Conservatory Grad Show & Friday Night Sketch in Toronto. She is also a co-creator of the Push Up Bar collective; a show curated by a talented group of women for WCT’s Pandemic Playhouse. She is currently the Education and Outreach Assistant at WCT.
Ila is a founding member of the Kamloops Printmakers, a non-profit group of printmakers who share studio facilities in Kamloops. Ila is an Educator Emerita from Thompson Rivers University, having taught in the Visual Arts Department since 1991. The work included in this presentation comes out of a research project by the Kamloops Women’s Resource Group Society and Thompson Rivers University that focused on women in the Kamloops region who were instrumental in developing social organizations and agencies.
Chioma has been singing since age 7 and has performed at several events both in her home country, Nigeria, and here in Kamloops BC. She has found time to appear in some Movies of The Week and Christmas movies shot in the Okanagan area, and is a background performer with Askem Talent. At Motion Church in Kamloops, she has served as a worship leader and background singer for about 3 years, and she has directed and trained at other churches, both in Kamloops and in Nigeria. She has had the honour of working with Rise Kamloops as a performer in fundraisers for the Pregnancy Care Center in 2019 and 2020. Chioma has an overall passion for entertaining and always loves to be a part of creating magical moments. See her work as a photographer on Instagram @sheshootsstreet
Valerie has a long association with Western Canada Theatre, starting in their infancy when she appeared as Anne Shirley in their production of Anne of Green Gables (1975). Valerie is a veteran of TV and stage in BC and across Canada, and has been a regular on such CBC productions as The Wolfman Jack Show and René Simard. A director and choreographer of over 50 professional productions in Vancouver and at major theatres in almost every province, her affiliation with WCT has been strong, working on such productions as Fiddler On the Roof, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Closer Than Ever, Peter and the Starcatcher, and, most recently, The Sound of Music. In 2019 Valerie was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame for her contribution to the Arts in the province. Valerie is thrilled to be performing with her daughter, Robyn, for the first time in this International Women's Day extravaganza!
Avery is a 15-year-old high school student who has trained at The Dance Gallery in Kamloops, BC for the last 11 years. She trains in all forms of dance but especially enjoys modern and contemporary. In 2017 Avery was recognized as Runner-up at the BC Provincial Festival of the Arts Modern Level I. She returned the following year to capture top spot as the winner of Modern Level II. Avery has performed across BC in many festivals and has attended Summer Intensives at TDG, Okanagan Dance Studios and Innovate Dance Arts. At the Vibe Dance Competition in Kelowna, BC in 2019 Avery was honored with Dancer of the Day and received a scholarship for to attend a summer dance program in New York. Avery looks forward to continuing with her dance training and hopes to pursue a career in kinesiology.
At WCT: Ensemble - The Sound of Music Other: Actor/Community Engagement Coordinator- Rivertown Players, Mom/Ensemble- Cinderella, Dorothy- The Wizard of Oz, Ensemble - Grease. Abbie is thrilled to be taking part in WCT’s A Broad’s Way Cabaret. Sharing her passion is the most fulfilling privilege. She dedicates her performance in this project to all of the brilliant, strong, inspiring women in her life. To her mother, who pushes her and encourages her to work for everything she dreams of. To her sisters, who have been such beautiful examples of how people can grow into adulthood. To all of the educational and artistic mentors who have come in and out of her life, sharing moving parts of themselves as they pass by. Celebrate and spread some gratitude and love this International Women’s Day.
Hannah has been dancing for the past 13 years and feels as though the stage has become her second home. She has trained in many styles such as, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre, tap, and acro. Her previous performances include numerous solo and group dances in the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts and the Penticton Kiwanis Performing Arts Festival. Recently, Hannah was awarded the Ana Grandia award from the Kamloops Festival. Dance is extremely important to Hannah as it gives her an outlet for creative expression. She is also grateful for the all the growth and important life skills that dance has offered her. After graduation, Hannah plans to continue her dance training and hopes to pass on her love of dance to younger students as a teacher and choreographer.
Previously at WCT: Scenic Painting Apprentice: The Drowning Girls & The Sound of Music. Other shows: At TRU: Eva Teeter in The Mail Order Bride, Rita Altabel in Uncommon Women and Others, Viola in 12th Night or What You Will, Vera in She Kills Monsters, Elizabeth Caulder in Laundry and Bourbon. At Project X: Kaa in The Jungle Book, Nan in Rapunzel, Queen Anne of Austria in The Three Musketeers, Thatun in Cinderella. Brittany is also a Co-Creator of the Push Up Bar collective, which was created for WCT’s Pandemic Playhouse. She is currently a Head Instructor with WCT’s Stage One Theatre School and the current Apprentice in Theatre Creation at WCT.
At WCT: Various Roles in Silent Chap and a Stage One Theatre School Assistant Instructor. Other: Linda Loman in Death of A Salesman, Shen Te in The Good Person of Szechwan and many, many more at TRU. With Project X Theatre her credits include Mrs. Fox in The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Fiona/Ensemble in The Wizard of Oz. She is also the Co-Founder/Co-Director of The Freudian Slips Improv Troupe in Kamloops and Toronto. More recently she could be seen as a Writer/Performer in It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Crisis: A Second City Conservatory Graduation Show and performing improv around Toronto.
Tania has been moving and exploring in some way for the last 34 years. She completed a BFA in Acting at York University in Toronto and spent time creating collective movement-based theatre. She has been teaching yoga and movement from a trauma-informed perspective with diverse populations for 14 years. As a result of the pandemic, Tania returned to school to complete a Bachelor of Social Work at Thompson Rivers University. Moving into a new career as a social worker, she is passionate about working with aging adults. This spring Tania will be working on a collaborative anthology of works about mothers and daughters and the sandwich generation with Toronto actor/writer Dharini Woolcombe. If you have any questions about contributing to this project, please email Tania at tania.mccartney@gmail.com. Tania is grateful for loving care provided at her Mom’s care home and dedicates this piece to her Mom.
Before disappearing to Berlin for a few years and eventually settling in East Vancouver, Devon More was raised in Kamloops, cutting her teeth in the TRU Actors Workshop Theatre, and performing with Saucy Fops, 3 Men of Sin, Project X Theatre, Kamloops Players, Serious Options choir, BC Living Arts Society, and members of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra. Now an award-winning playwright, nationally-touring performer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumental musician with a slam poet’s soul, Devon pairs infectious melodies with insightful lyrics. She is known for staging solo cabaret performances that combine her original songs and stories in themed theatrical concerts. Kamloops audiences may have caught her premieres of Flute Loops and Hits Like a Girl at the 2018 & 2019 Hydra Festivals. Last seen locally in WCT’s Pandemic Playhouse performing Berlin Waltz (Nov 2020).
Find more about Devon at: devonmoremusic.com