Instructors
The Junior Repertory final presentations are directed by Rochelle Douris, MFA, Artistic Director of the UCRC. Her creative and educational team includes Ann Weir, BEd, Director of Education, Zoe Sweet, BFA, Acting and Vocal Coach, Maytal Kowalski, dance teacher and choreographer and Corey Payette, singing coach/musical director.
Rochelle
Douris
2008's A Midsummer Night's Dream will be the tenth Shakespeare adaptation Rochelle brings to the stage. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Florida and is the founder and Artistic Director of The Upper Canada Repertory Co. She has acted, written and directed professionally in Canada and the U.S.; including directing Escape Productions’ Grease (Bluma Appel), and UCRC’s Macbeth:Reloaded,and Troilus & Cressida:Redux (Berkeley Street). Other directorial credits include Turks & Infidels (Jane Mallett), and Digging For Fire and Fish Kill On Maria Sanchez (Hippodrome State Theatre, FL.) In summer 2008, she will play the role of Blanche in the Annex Summer Repertory production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Zoe Sweet
Zoe Sweet has taught acting and dance for the company since 2002. She played Lady Macbeth in our production of Macbeth:Reloaded and Cressida in Troilus & Cressida:Redux. When members of our company joined with Escape Productions for Grease at the Bluma Appel, Zoe played the role of Rizzo. She has given many critically acclaimed performances in Toronto, including the Young Wife in Hello Again, Cressida in Troilus and Cressida (Upper Canada Repertory Company); Miss Goldberg, In Trousers; Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre ; Iphigenia, Iphigenia in Tauris (Afflux Productions); Rose Ouimet, Les Belles-Soeurs ;The Hunger Artist in Dark Circus ; Josie Pie in Anne of Green Gables, and Nana for Ante-M Theatre, which received the acclaim for Best Ensemble Casts. She has also work-shopped new plays with Nightwood Theatre’s new works festival Write From the Hip as part of the Groundswell Festival and Hot Dog with Scriptlab. This spring and summer, Zoe will play Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Ann Weir
Ann Weir has been with the company since our very first Shakespeare Zone. During the school year, Ann teaches for the TDSB, and moonlights with our weekend classes, teaching acting, improvisation, theatre history. During the summer, she is Camp Director for the Shakespeare Zone and the Broadway Zone, overseeing all full and part-time staff. Ann is also an accomplished athlete and coach, and has been the driving force behind our camps' outdoor sport and fitness components. Ann has stage managed every main stage UCRC show from 2001 to 2006. This year she will be back in charge for our Summer Repertory Season at Walmer Theatre.
Maytal Kowalski
Maytal Kowalski began her dance career at the age of three in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She began pursuing teaching while still in high school, and made a choice to move to Toronto and work towards her BFA in dance at York University in order to further her teaching and choreographic skills.
Maytal has choreographed for Dance Innovations, York Dances and The Over the Top Festival, to name a few, and has worked with the likes of Holly Small, Carol Anderson and Susan Cash.
Her work with the Upper Canada Repertory Company has proven to be challenging, rewarding, and a completely new and unique experience, one she hopes to pursue and expand upon in the future.
Corey Payette
Corey Payette has been a featured songwriter on many charity CD compilations. His debut solo CD "Broken Vow" was released in 2004. Since attending York University on scholarship, Corey has been actively composition for film, chamber, and musical theatre projects. He has written the film score to The Great Fear by 24 Film Productions and has had his string works performed in York Showcase Concerts. With certificates in honors in piano, voice, and music theory from the Royal Conservatory of Music; Corey is an active private teacher. He teaches piano and voice at the York Region Conservatory of Music in Richmond Hill. Acting Credits include: Teen Angel- Grease, Harry Houdini-Ragtime: The Musical, and Freddy- My Fair Lady. "Thanks to Ro for making me a part of this project."