Instructor Bios

Mary Antonini
Broadway Choreography

Born in Winnipeg, she trained all over Canada, graduating from The Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. She has performed in shows across North America including Cabaret (Royal Manitoba Theatre Center), Legally Blonde (Neptune Theatre), and West Side Story (Paramount Theatre and Asolo Rep). She also spent three seasons at The Stratford Festival (West Side Story, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter Pan, Camelot, Jesus Christ Superstar) and is proud to have been part of the 1st National Tour of Disney’s Aladdin.

Mary's Broadway credits include Jesus Christ Superstar and Aladdin, while she was also part of the original cast of The Prom. Mary has been lucky to appear on The Tonys, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Good Morning America, The View, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In addition to performing, Mary has taught and adjudicated for many years and has a passion for her community and fellow artists.

Josh Assor
Ask a Broadway Star

Josh is a New York City based choreographer, performer and educator. His work has spanned across every area of the entertainment industry including Broadway, National Tours, fashion, film and television. He has worked in major venues worldwide including United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe

Choreography credits include New York Fashion Week, Audi, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Modos Furniture as well as regional productions of Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Newsies and the world premiere of Medicine, which ran in New York City, Off-Broadway. He was the associate choreographer for the Saturday Night Fever National Tour as well as the Canadian premiere of Newsies at Drayton Entrainment. 

As a performer, favorite credits include Neleus in Disney’s Mary Poppins on Broadway as well as the 1st National Tour, Disney’s Newsies 1st National Tour (asst. Dance Captain), Baby John in West Side Story at the Stratford Festival, Wizard Of Oz National Tour. He has appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon as well as ABC’s The Chew.

Josh has been featured in Dance Spirit Magazine, Dance Canada Quarterly, Industry Dance Magazine and Dance Plug Los Angeles. He has taught at Edge Performing Arts Center and is currently on faculty at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City where he has been a guest choreographer for many of their events.

Alexandra Frohlinger
Ask a Broadway Star

Alexandra “Alex” Frohlinger is a New York based actor, singer, dancer and teaching artist. She has performed, adjudicated and taught all over the world from the USA to Canada to the United Arab Emirates. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Alex trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet school (studying all styles of dance) before obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, in Musical Theater, from The Boston Conservatory.

Most recently, Alex was seen in the First National Tour of Hello, Dolly! starring Betty Buckley. She played (“the first singing”) Anybodys on the First National Tour of West Side Story (which toured the USA, Canada and inaugurated the Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan). She appeared on Broadway in the original cast of Soul Doctor the musical. Alex also toured the USA and Canada in the cast of the First National Tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Off-Broadway. She played the role of Sadie in The National Yiddish Theater’s production of Amerike: The Golden Land, which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.

Regionally, Alexandra has performed at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, at The Sacramento Music Circus, in California and at Rainbow Stage and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg. She was a top 10 finalist on Season 1 of CBC’s Triple Sensation reality show.

Brenda Gorlick
All Access Dance

Brenda Gorlick, a Manitoba born and bred performing artist has been a prolific part of the arts community her entire life.

Brenda serves as Associate Artistic Director for Winnipeg Studio Theatre and helms the StudioWorks Academy program. Productions have ranged from the western Canadian premiere of Spring Awakening to the virtual musical Super Happy Awesome News. In 2020 Brenda initiated two programs: Made in Manitoba Masterclass series- an online training series focused on theatre arts and Broadway Without Borders - a musical theatre program aiming to collaborate with musical theatre companies and artists worldwide.

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 the recent Hallmark movie Love in the Alps and played opposite Danica McKellar in the movie Love in Design.

Her artistic achievements include a Winnipeg theatre Honorary award (The Evies) for Theatre Educator, YMCA-YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award, Rainbow Stage’s Wall of Fame and WST’s Award of Excellence.

Brenda serves as guest professor in dance and musical theatre for the University of Winnipeg (since 2003) and is extremely proud of her work with the Manitoba Arts Council’s Artists in Schools program and the Manitoba Possible's All Abilities Dancers. She also serves as Past Chair of the Winnipeg Theatre Awards.

Above all, she is mom to two boys, Jordie and Taj and life partner to Victor.

Shannon Guile
Mime & Physical Storytelling for Deaf and Non-Deaf Artists

Shannon has been creating, producing and performing for over fifteen years. She received her BA Honours in Theatre and Film at the University of Winnipeg where she trained as an actor, comedian, mime and stunt performer and has now come full circle, teaching those exact courses in the exact same rooms she started. On stage, she is most recognized for her work with the three-time Canadian Comedy Award nominated sketch troupe Hot Thespian Action, which she founded in 2006. Off the stage, Shannon has appeared in over thirty film & TV productions, both as an actor and as a stunt double, because, why not have your cake, eat it and pretend to choke on it while falling down some stairs…too?! In 2012, she developed a mime program for the Deaf community of Manitoba, which became the internationally recognized Deaf mime troupe 100 Decibels. In March 2021, you can see her on stage at MTYP for the world debut of Plé- a trilingual play that celebrates language and diversity- that she co-created.

Joanna Hawkins
Mime & Physical Storytelling for Deaf and Non-Deaf Artists

Hailing from Poland, a University of Manitoba Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate, Joanna Hawkins has always felt a strong connection to the arts. She is a skilled artist (drawing & painting), graphic designer and photographer but her real dream had always been with acting. Joanna has performed as a lead in a children’s show for young deaf children and has been involved in several films in Manitoba as a featured extra as well as two television commercials. Joanna has been professionally trained in mime, physical comedy and storytelling by the award winning Hot Thespian Action’s Shannon Guile-Hardy. Recently Joanna performed as Mrs. Peachum in Sick + Twisted/AA Battery production’s “The Threepenny Opera”.

Joanna's aim is not only to entertain audiences with her incredibly crisp and clean physical illusions but to reach-out with the beauty of Deaf Culture and build bridges between the hearing and Deaf worlds.

Joanna continues enjoying working in theatre/film industry as an actor, ASL translator and ASL coach.

Samantha Hill
Ask a Broadway Star

Proudly born and raised in Winnipeg, she is currently an actor, singer, retired dancer, arts educator based in New York City.  Samantha trained in theatre at the University of Winnipeg before getting her BFA in acting from the prestigious conservatory program at the University of Alberta. Since then, Samantha has performed all across North America, most notably on Broadway as Cosette in the original revival of Les Mis and Christine in the 25th anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera

Frequently returning to Canada to perform, she was most recently seen in Winnipeg this past winter in RMTC’s production of Christmas at Pemberley. Other selected theatre credits include From the Earth to the Moon, Kris Kringle, (Off-Broadway), the original comedy What We May Be (Berkshire Theatre Festival), South Pacific (Drury Lane Chicago), Gracie (PTE), August Osage County (RMTC), Spring Awakening (WST), Chicago (Mayfield), The Light in the Piazza (Dry Cold) and numerous productions with Rainbow Stage.

Samantha loves working with young people and teaches for Broadway Workshop in NYC. During quarantine Samantha has only almost burnt down her kitchen once and is saving her money so she can see every show on Broadway TWICE when it reopens!

Jean-Marc Lafond
Theatrical Makeup

Jean-Marc Lafond is a professional makeup artist and designer for the stage.

Based in Winnipeg he has designed and painted for most of the stages in Winnipeg. After studying Stage Make at UofW, Jean-Marc started his makeup career in 2007 with the Manitoba Opera Association painting chorus faces. He has remained with the MOA ever since, now serving as the Head Principals Assistant. He has served as Head of Makeup for the former Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg and the All Dentist Musicals hosted by Prairie Theatre Exchange. In 2016 he served as Head of Makeup and Prosthetics for Shrek: the Musical at Rainbow Stage. Recently he was part of the Evie Award winning ‘Cantatrice Chauve’ team at the Cercle Molière, in charge of cast make-up tutelage.

A profoundly engaging human, Jean-Marc’s skills and positive approach will engage you through all steps of the make-up application process.

Andrea Macasaet
Pop Vocals
 
Andrea is a proud Filipino performer with deep roots in contemporary pop style singing. Making her Broadway Debut in SIX The Musical at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Andrea previously starred in SIX at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Repertory Theater, The Citadel Theatre and the Ordway Center of Performing Arts.
 
Andrea was seen in WST'S productions of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Avenue Q and Heather's The Musical. Her most recent Canadian theatre experience was Prairie Nurse at the Station Arts Center in Saskatchewan.
 
 
 
Joshua LeClair
Voiceover Technique

After his first professional job in Peter Pan for Rainbow Stage, Joshua left Winnipeg to study at Sheridan College’s prestigious musical theatre program and then moved to London, England to complete his Masters degree at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

He is now based in the UK working as a musical theatre performer and voiceover artist. Onstage he’s played The Artful Dodger in Oliver! (Drayton Entertainment), Arpad Lazslo in She Loves Me (Landor Theatre), Evan Mann in the UK premiere of See Rock City: and Other Destinations and Hollis Bessemer in Road Show (Union Theatre) and most recently played Nigel in the International Tour of Matilda the Musical.

Behind the microphone, Joshua has provided the voices of Fox in the touring production of Franklin and the Noble Knights (KOBA), Hunter De Vil in 101 Dalmatian Street (Disney+) and Teepee in Sadie Sparks (Family Channel) as well as hosting interview podcast called Better Your World on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Joshua also works as a yoga teacher and teacher trainer and is continuing the research from his dissertation at Central about how yoga can supplement and integrate the three disciplines of musical theatre as well as support positive mental health in performers.

Markian Tarasiuk
Acting for Camera

A proud Manitoban, Markian is a former student and alumni of Winnipeg Studio Theatre. Since graduating from Vancouver’s Studio 58 theatre program in 2014, Markian has gone on to a career predominantly in film and television. His credits include lead and supporting roles in Status Update, Project Mc2 (Netflix), Christmas Jars, The Murders(CityTV), The Magicians (SyFy), Supernatural, iZombie (CW), Take Two (ABC), 50 States of Fright (Quibi), Bunks (Disney), Britney Forever After (Lifetime), A Homecoming for the Holidays, A Time to Dance (Hallmark).

Markian has also appeared in many times on stage including Billy Elliot and Over The Tavern (RMTC) and Footloose, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, The Full Monty (Rainbow Stage). He is also a founder and General Manager of SpeakEasy Theatre.

Next, you can catch Markian in the upcoming Netflix horror film There’s Someone Inside Your House this fall. 

 

Jeremy Walmsley
Jeremy Walmsley is an established Actor/Recording artist/multi-instrumentalist based in Toronto but originally hailing from Manitoba. His career consists of Theatre productions ranging from Mirvish, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Grand Theatre, Drayton and Prairie Theatre Exchange as well as Film & TV credits such as; Harland Manor, Royally Wrapped for Christmas, Nurses, Private Eyes, Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries and Reign. Jeremy's newest single, 'Unwind U' , as well as his other music, can be found on all music streaming platforms. Jeremy’s upcoming Film projects are; When Hope Calls Season 2 Premiering on GAC network Dec 18th as well as ‘First Person Shooter’ coming out 2022 on Tubi streaming service.