Summer Theatre Program - Jitterbug Staff 2011

Nupi is the Director of Youth Programming for Theatre Ancaster.  She has her B.A.H. B.Ed, and is the Department Head of the Arts at Brantford Collegiate Institute in the Grand Erie District School Board.  Apart from teaching, Nupi directs her high school’s annual spring musicals, co-ordinates the Specialist High Skills Major Performance and Production program, and is usually involved in Theatre Ancaster’s main stage productions as well as the Board of Directors.  Last fall, she directed Theatre Ancaster’s Beauty and the Beast while overseeing the Stage 2 and Stage 3 youth programs of the company. She is the proud mother of three children, all who have participated in our theatre programs. 

Gwendolen Groen - Head Instructor

Gwendolen is excited to spend her first summer in Ontario as the Head Instructor of Theatre Ancaster’s Jitterbugs Camp. Gwendolen recently graduated from Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C. with a B.A. in Theatre and brings a great deal of experience in both the performing arts and work with children. She has been dancing, playing music, and acting from age five through to University where she recently wrote and directed her own one-act play. In between academic years, Gwendolen has enjoyed working at various kids’ camps. Seeing children come alive through creative exploration is one of Gwen’s greatest joys.

Agnes Niewiadomski - Administrative Assistant & Craft Associate

Agnes rejoins the Stage 2 team this summer after successfully acting as Properties Master and Set Designer for the Stage 2 Saturday’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr. She also headed up our props department this past fall for our main stage production The Wizard of Oz. Never a moment to rest, she also took on the role of set designer for Brantford Collegiate’s production of Grease earlier this year. Agnes is a Fine Arts graduate from the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto, with distinction in Sculpture and Installation and will be lending her talents as the Jitterbugs Craft instructor for her third summer at Jitterbugs camp. Agnes is continuing on in her role as the Administrative Assistant for Stage 2 this summer. When she is not busy answering parent emails, taking in registrations, or gathering up props for a show, Agnes makes custom order cakes and costumes which you can check out at www.agnesmakes.com.

Maggie Davey- Dance Associate

Maggie joins Theatre Ancaster's Jitterbugs Camp for her first season as Associate Dance Instructor. She is entering her third year in St. Clair College's Musical Theatre program. This year Maggie performed in St. Claire's production of Grease as the role of Cha Cha. Last year she was featured in The Fiddler on the Roof as the Fiddler. Maggie also performed in the Nutcracker and Garden Behind the Moon. She has been dancing since she was three years old and was on the competitive team since age six. She loves all forms of dance including Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Tap, Ballet and Acro. Maggie was chosen as a V.I.P. and travelled to New York and Los Angeles to compete in a “JUMP” competition where she worked with various choreographers including Mandy Moore and Nick Lazzarini. Maggie has also been a competitive gymnast placing first in floor at both COWASSA and OFFSA competitions throughout high school.  Maggie is looking forward to bringing her passion and love of dance to camp this summer hoping to inspire the young theatre community.

Danielle Viola - Dance Junior

Danielle is very excited to be a part of the Jitterbugs team this summer! She herself started at Theatre Ancaster's Stage 2 Summer Camp at age ten. She has been in numerous Theatre Ancaster productions recently including The Wizard of Oz and EBP Productions of Broadway Now and Then.  She has been singing and dancing since she was three and loves every minute of it. Danielle has also taken vocal and dance exams as well as choreographed numbers in Cinderella and Hairspray. She is a grade 10 student at Saltfleet District Highschool and enjoys being involved in choir and dance team. She is an energetic and responsible person and can't wait to share her passion with the Jitterbugs!

Kasia Niewiadomski - Drama Associate

This is Kasia’s first summer joining Theatre Ancaster's Jitterbugs Camp as the Associate Drama Instructor. She has her Bachelor of Arts & Science from McMaster University and B.Ed. from OISE. Originally from Hamilton, she currently teaches in a Toronto school board. Her passion for teaching and the dramatic arts has led to her involvement of leading drama instruction at a community centre for at risk youth in Toronto, teaching at a summer camp in South Korea, and on-going infusion of dramatic arts in her everyday classroom teaching.

Aaron Jan - Drama Junior

Aaron is thrilled to be joining the Jitterbugs staff, as it will not only be a splendid adventure in theatre but it will be his first job! A graduate of Westdale Secondary School, The Canadian Stage’s Innovators Program and Theatre Aquarius’ Performing Arts Programme, Aaron is currently directing Enter Alice with Blackboxfire’s Emerging Artists Series and producing Breathe with his own theatre company, Fulcrum Theatre. Aaron will be attending York University in the fall for Theatre studies. He believes that the arts are a powerful and unifying force in a community and is pumped to be part of this year’s staff.

Hollie Stephan - Music Associate

Hollie Stephan is returning for her second summer as Associate Music Instructor for the Jitterbugs Camp. In 2007 she held the position of  Head Instructor. Hollie first started taking lessons at age eleven and studied though the Royal Conservatory with Gayle Hare.  As a young musician she won several awards in the Caledonia Music Festivals. In 2003, Hollie continued her musical study in classical piano at Mohawk College, receiving her Diploma in Applied Music and a Certificate in Preparatory Music. Hollie also worked as a Teacher’s Assistant for Basic Keyboarding at Mohawk College, and won the June Caskey Teaching Methods Award.  After graduating from Mohawk College in 2007, Hollie attended McMaster University where she continued her studies in musical performance and music history.  In 2010 she received her Bachelor of Music with Honors from McMaster University. Hollie has been teaching piano for the past six years in Ancaster and Cayuga.  In 2010, she opened a new location for Progressive Music Studio in Cayuga where she continues to teach piano. 

Lexi Ewing - Music Junior

Lexi has been a participant in Theatre Ancaster since she was eight years old in the Stage 2 Summer Camps, the year round youth programming and the main stage productions.  When not involved in Theatre Ancaster activities she takes dance and vocal lessons in the Ancaster area. Lexi attends Highland Secondary School in Dundas and is involved in Concert band, Student Council and many other clubs there. Lexi can't wait to spend her summer with the Jitterbug campers! 

Julia Bobiak - Volunteer

Julia is very excited to be with us again volunteering with Jitterbugs Summer Camp. She has been with Theatre Ancaster for many years as a Stage 2 camper, performing and volunteering with our Stage 2 Saturday program, and has been in both Beauty and the Beast and Wizard of Oz on our main stage. Julia is sad that she won't be with us for the first session because she is off to Newfoundland with the Hamilton Children’s Choir. She just finished the musical Grease with Westmount Secondary School and is excited to continue her studies as she enters grade 11 in the fall. Julia is looking forward to a fabulous summer meeting all of the campers!

Meghan Smith - Volunteer

Meghan started on stage at the age of four and has been performing ever since! She has been in several musicals (Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph, Guys and Dolls, Wizard of Oz). She studied dance for eight years with The Dance Centre and also sang with the Hamilton Children's Choir. Currently Meghan plays french horn and trumpet in four school bands and studies voice with Erin Bree Pierce. Music is the love of Meghan's life, but in her spare time she loves swimming and walking her Golden Retriever. Meghan is looking forward to a summer of fun and adventure with the staff and campers of Theatre Ancaster's Jitterbugs summer program. 

Reha Sandill - Volunteer

Reha is joining us for her first year at Jitterbugs camp. She is 16 years old and attends Ancaster High School. She is very excited to join the Theater Ancaster Staff for the Jitterbugs Camp. Reha loves to act! Ever since the age of 5, she has always had an interest in theatre. She has trained in a triple threat program focusing on acting, singing and dancing and has starred in Ancaster High's Performance of Grease as Ms. Lynch. She is so glad to have the opportunity to be able to help the Jitterbugs learn all about theatre and can't wait to get started!

Amy Cormier - Technical Director

We welcome Amy to our Theatre Ancaster summer team this year as our new Technical Director. Amy will be filming and photographing all the excitement happening at the Firehall during camp this summer. She will be compiling a more in depth review of what goes on at camp for our final DVD along with a recording of the final performances. Amy is 19 years old and lives in Hamilton where she currently attends Mohawk College. She is enrolled in the Television Broadcasting program and has one more year left until graduation. She hopes to start a career in the television industry as an editor, or to work in script writing.  Amy enjoys filming and making Corporate Videos in her spare time. She is very excited to be a part of the Theatre Ancaster team this summer and to make a memorable DVD for the kids to remember camp by.