Founded in 2006, Winnipeg Studio Theatre has become a leading force in Manitoba’s musical theatre scene. With a passion for contemporary and cutting-edge works, WST is known for producing bold, innovative musicals that challenge and inspire. From staging regional premieres to nurturing local talent through youth training programs, WST continues to shape the future of theatre in Winnipeg while honoring its rich artistic roots.
Past Leadership
Artistic Director
Erin McGrath
Erin McGrath was recently awarded the 2023 DEIB Leadership Award from the Work Wellness Institute for initiatives being put in place at Winnipeg Studio Theatre. This award recognizes exceptional commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace
Erin is a Director, Actor and Educator. A graduate of the Randolph College for the Performing Arts she has directed and performed in major regional theatre across the country. Originally from New Brunswick, Erin relocated to Winnipeg in 2005. She has played on all of the Winnipeg professional stages. Selections include Ubuntu: The Cape Town Project (PTE), The Penelopiad (RMTC), Angels In America: Perestroika (WJT), Age of Arousal (TPM), Buddy Holly (Rainbow Stage), Sunday In The Park With George (Gallery Works), and Winnipeg’s own Strike! The Musical.
Musical Theatre is where her performance training was focused and she has had the privilege to perform across the country in productions such as Fiddler on the Roof (Chemainus Theatre Festival), Seussical, My Fair Lady (Western Canada Theatre), and Still Desire You (Alberta Theatre Projects) to name a few.
Erin has worked as a director for MTYP as well as PTE School and the University of Winnipeg. As she transitioned into directing, she pursued a field of study into censorship in programming for teens and young adults. As a result, she has been actively developing resources to assist theatre for young audience companies and schools on both the administrative and creative side. The goal being to help support successful productions of more challenging and relevant content for a younger demographic. She has also applied this knowledge to her directing style and is creating a more physical, collaborative, and flexible process to meet the needs of young, developing, diverse professional artists.
Associate Director
Brenda Gorlick
www.brendagorlick.ca
Brenda Gorlick, a Manitoba-born and bred performing artist has been a prolific part of the arts community her entire life.
As director/choreographer Brenda has designed over 250 productions nationwide and has been a member of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Banff Centre of Performing Arts Company and the Stratford Festival. She has gained a reputation as being the “Flash Mob Queen” of Manitoba and has designed events ranging from 1/2 time shows for the Blue Bombers to the Pan Am Games.
As a performer, Brenda’s selected stage credits include Morticia in The Addams Family (Dry Cold Productions), Les Misèrables and Sister Act (Rainbow Stage), and Anita in West Side Story (Banff).
In film, she has been a principal performer in Love in Design opposite Danica McKellar, a swing dance aficionado in If It Ain’t Got That, and portrayed the villain in the indie movie – the Box
She has also choreographed feature films Seance and the soon-to-be-released thriller Time Cut.
Brenda serves as Associate Artistic Director for Winnipeg Studio Theatre and helms the StudioWorks Academy & Players programs. Over the past fifteen seasons, WST has produced over forty musicals including such hits as Avenue Q, Spring Awakening, School of Rock, and the world premiere, Hysteria. She pivoted to two virtual productions during Covid including Super Happy Awesome News and Highlights from Be More Chill. She also developed a series of professional training workshops called Made in Manitoba Masterclass – Theatre edition featured in the Safe At Home initiative.
Her artistic achievements include Winnipeg Theatre Awards (Evie) for Outstanding Educator, YMCA-YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award, Rainbow Stage’s Wall of Fame, and WST’s Award of Excellence.
Brenda is a sessional professor in dance and musical theatre at the University of Winnipeg (since 2003) and is extremely proud of her work with the Manitoba Arts Council’s Artists in Schools program and Manitoba Possible’s All Abilities Dancers. She is a founding member of the Winnipeg Theatre Awards and a member of the board for the Dancer Transition Resource Centre (DTRC) – a nationally based dance organization.
www.brendagorlick.ca
A Message From Founding Artistic Director – Kayla Gordon
I have always believed that if you want to make something happen you can, but it takes tenacity and gratitude. Henry Winkler said it best, “Tenacity gets you where you want to be and gratitude allows you not to be frustrated along the way”. It takes a Village as they say. I am glad I had the tenacity to stick with WST all these years and I am grateful to so many for helping build WST, the board of directors, writers, creative teams, the actors, the sponsors, the supporters, but in particular my colleague and pal Brenda Gorlick. Brenda has been beside me since the beginning and whose program StudioWorks Academy has been helping grow the emerging artists in our community. Many of whom have been part of our professional productions and gone on to bigger regional and Broadway productions. So proud of them and the work.
Going forward I want to welcome Erin McGrath. Her energy is infectious, and I look forward to her vision and leadership as we move forward into the next chapter of WST.
All the Best,
Xo/Kayla G.