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ABOUT MTO
Who We Are: Our Vision, Team, Artists and Teachers
OUR VISION
Through our Mentorship Training and Opportunity (MTO) program, Eclipse Theatre Company is committed to fostering new generations of theatre artists and creators through classes, coaching, and mentorship, as well as providing them access to build connections with artistic leaders within the industry that will lead to future professional opportunities.
We have a diverse group of coaches that each bring with them a specific area of expertise,
providing specialized knowledge, a professional work ethic, and unique learning experience for the participants.
These classes are designed to equip you with the tools you need to hone and finesse your theatrical skills.
We are so excited to share this new initiative with you all and have you join us as a member of the ETC family.
EDUCATION TEAM
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JACQUI SIROIS
Jacqui a director, dramaturg, writer and performer currently based in Toronto. She earned her Bachelors in Drama from Queen’s University and her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance, Musical Theatre from New York University. Directing credits include Dogfight, Hannah’s Play, Double Bogey, and She Persisted: The Musical (Assistant, Atlantic Theatre Co). Her play, Homeshare, debuted at Soho Playhouse in New York in 2021. jacquisirois.com
JACQUI SIROIS
EDUCATION DIRECTOR
ASSOCIATE ARTISTS
SUE DUNSTAN
Sue was part of the Original Broadway Cast of Come From Away. Select credits: Kinky Boots, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Lord Of The Rings, South Pacific, The Lion King. When not performing, Sue can be found at the dog show with her chmpion Dobermans and Standard Poodle, or teaching at her private voice studio. www.susandunstand.com
SUE DUNSTAN
GABI EPSTEIN
Gabi has made a name for herself as one of the country's top vocalists and owes it all to her singing training and technique. A DORA Award Winner Gabi is best known for playing Audrey in Little Shop… (Stratford) and Fanny Brice Funny Girl (Segal). A member of the award-winning Mirvish Production of Once (Best Ensemble/Best Production), Gabi has worked all over Canada in shows with Stratford, Drayton, HGJT, Stage West, TIFT, the Capitol among others. Her "Gabarets" have been performed all over North America (“Best Cabaret of the Year" by the Times Square Chronicles in NYC) and her CD "Show Off" is available on Spotify/iTunes.
Gabi has been teaching private singing lessons for 15+ years using her classical training and musical theatre experience to foster healthy vocal technique in your own repertoire. She teaches all styles specializing in musical theatre/belt techniques. @gabifayepstein
GABI EPSTEIN
JAKE EPSTEIN
Jake Epstein can currently be seen on Netflix as Chuck in Designated Survivor and as Brian in Suits. He is best known for playing Craig in Degrassi: The Next Generation. Other Film/TV: Mouthpiece Borealis, Mistletoe and Menorahs, Charlie Bartlett, Frankie Drake, Ransom, Remedy, Murdoch Mysteries, Private Eyes, Hollie Hobbie and The Zack Files. A graduate of The National Theatre School of Canada, he originated the role of Gerry Goffin on Broadway in the Tony nominated hit Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and survived playing Spider-Man/Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Other Theatre: Straight (Off-Broadway), Spring Awakening, American Idiot (National Tours), Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack, Dear Louise (world premiere - Arena Stage). Upcoming: continue performing his acclaimed one-man show Boy Falls From the Sky as part of the Off-Mirvish season in Toronto.
JAKE EPSTEIN
NICOLE JOY FRASER
Nicole started her career as a top soprano in The Nathaniel Dett Chorale. Then she was launched into musical theatre with Mamma Mia! (Original North American Cast), Jerry Springer-The Opera (multi-award-winning West End Cast) and Disney's Beauty and the Beast (UK Tour/Greece). Other theatre credits include: Red Sky's Raven Stole the Sun (Western Canada, Ontario, & US Tour, Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad), Job's Wife (New Harlem Productions, Summerworks Festival), Emily Dictionary in The Rez Sisters (O'Kaadenigan Wiingashk, Public Energy, Peterborough), the Dora-nominated premiere of Giiwedin -a First Nations Opera (Native Earth Performing Arts/An Indien Rights Reserve, Theatre Passe Muraille), the premiere of Marie Clements’ Tombs of the Vanishing Indian (Native Earth/Red Diva Projects, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre), and Red Sky'sThe Great Mountain (Young People’s Theatre/BC & Alberta Tour/NYC’s Smithsonian Institute).
NICOLE JOY FRASER
MARC KIMELMAN
Marc is currently the associate choreographer for Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill. He was the associate choreographer for Broadway’s A Bronx Tale and National Tour, and assistant choreographer for Broadway’s revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. He choreographed Saturday Night Fever (National Tour), Man of La Mancha (Stratford Shakespeare Festival), Play It Cool and The Apple Boys (Off-Broadway), Once on this Island (Dora Award for Outstanding Choreography). As an instructor, Marc is on faculty at NYC’s Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, and in Toronto at Metro Movement.
JACOB JAMES
Jacob is an actor, director, and teaching artist/drama professor. As an actor: Seven seasons with The Stratford Festival, Five seasons with The Thousand Islands Playhouse, Five seasons with Videocabaret, Five seasons with Drayton Entertainment, as well as Globe Regina, Soulpepper, Theatre Aquarius, Neptune Theatre, Theatre Kingston, and more. As an Arts Educator: over 10 years with The Stratford Festival Education department, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, St. Lawrence College, Mosaic Arts Institute, long-time adjudicator for The Sears Ontario Drama Festival, and more. Graduate of The National Theatre School, Birmingham Conservatory (Stratford Festival), York University’s Teaching Artist program, and The Second City Conservatory (Toronto). Jacob is a professor of drama at Queen’s university.
ESTHER JUN
Esther Jun originally trained as an actor in NYC and completed her directing degree at Drama Centre London in 2006. She was the Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre from 2016-18. She was part of the 2020 & 2016 Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction at The Stratford Festival, and was the 2015 Neil Munro Intern Director at the Shaw Festival. She is a founding member & Co-Artistic Director of Directors Lab North. Selected Credits: Planet Munsch (GBTS); Pal Joey, Amadeus, The Gamblers (Talk is Free); The Promised Land, Tales from Folks-Laos & Mongolia (Soulpepper); The Omnibus Bill (Counterpoint Players); Theory, Girls Like That (Tarragon); The Private Life Cabaret (Theatre ARTaud); The Last Wife (Belfrey/GCTC); Rococo (Shaw); And Now, The End (Ante Up); Bremen Rock City (Song Trolley); Cowboy Mouth, Trout Stanley (Heart In Hand); Yellow Face (Hart House), Fear & Misery of the Third Reich (DeusXM), First Hand Woman (Fire Up Prod.).
NORA MCLELLAN
Nora McLellan is an actress of theatre, television and film. Theatre credits include: Noises Off (Arts Club Theatre), John (Company Theatre), Shoplifters (Theatre Calgary), How Do I Love Thee? (Canadian Rep), Company (Theatre 20), Matchmaker, King of Thieves, The Trojan Woman, Cabaret, Oklahoma! (Stratford Festival), Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival), The Drowsy Chaperone (Citadel Theatre), Arms and the Man, Belle Morale A Natural History, Pygmalion, The Royal Family, Merrily We Roll Along, The Man Who Came To Dinner (Shaw Festival), Ross Petty's Robin Hood The Merry Family Musical (Elgin Theatre), and the world premiere of Harry's Back In Town (COMUS Music Theatre). TV/Film: Talent Drivers, Cardinal, Sometimes The Good Kill, Killjoys, Virtual Hitman, Saving Hope, Orphan Black, Tart, My Own Country, Dangerous Offenders: The Marlene Moore Story, Double Double Toil And Trouble, and The X-Files.
MARC KIMELMAN
JACOB JAMES
ESTHER JUN
NORA MCLELLAN
TRACY MICHAILIDIS
ETC: Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Dora Nom), Sunday In The Park With George. Tracy has just finished a run of Piaf/Dietrich for Mirvish, and will be returning to the CAA theatre this Spring with Studio 180's production of Indecent (Off-Mirvish). Other Theatre: Life After (Musical Stage Company, CanStage, Yonge Street Theatrcals: Dora Award), The Light in the Piazza (Musical Stage & Theatre Calgary), Mary's Wedding (Magnus Theatre), Anything that Moves (Belfry Theatre), Emily (Charlottetown Festival), Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Outside the March), Three Sisters (Atlantic Theatre Festival), The Other Place (Weston Playhouse), seasons at both Stratford, Shaw and Charlottetown Festivals (debut as Anne Shirley). She currently divides her time between New York City and Toronto. Tracy is also a teaching artist and runs her own private studio as well as being on the faculty of MTCA in New York City and The Performing Arts Project in North Carolina. www.tracymichailidis.com
TRACY MICHAILIDIS
JONATHAN MONRO
Jonathan is a multi-disciplinary performer and creator. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 16 and later trained at BMI’s famed Lehman-Engel Workshop (Harrington Award for Outstanding Musical Theatre Writing Achievements). Jonathan was Musical Associate to Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby, and mentored by Adam Guettel. As a Composer: The Hockey Sweater (Segal Centre), Variations on a Nervous Breakdown, A History of Summer, and original scores for the Stratford Festival (4 seasons), A Christmas Carol (NAC), A Christmas Fury (CBC). As Music Director: Fun Home (Vancouver Arts Club) Angel and Sparrow, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (Segal Centre), The Light in the Piazza (Theatre Calgary/ Musical Stage Co), Floyd Collins, Best Laid Plans (Patrick St. Prod), both MD & Director for Sweeney Todd (Opera on the Avalon). As a Perfomer: Bakersfield Mist (Centaur/Vancouver Arts Club), Much Ado About Nothing, The Miser (Stratford/ Broadway), The Producers (Mirvish), Flashpoint (CTV), Republic of Doyle (CBC), Heyday (CBC), 2 Pianos 4 Hands (6 productions/1st Nat’l Tour), Valjean in Les Misérables (Atlantic Light), Kiss of the Spiderwoman (TIFT), and The Stratford Festival (3 seasons).
JONATHAN MONRO
VANESSA SEARS
Vanessa Sears is an educator and award winning actor living in Toronto. Having recently won both a Dora Award and a Toronto Theatre Critics' Award for her role as Emmie in Musical Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre’s co-production of “Caroline, or Change”, Vanessa is thrilled to be joining Eclipse Theatre Companyas an Associate Artist. Now performing in Musical Stage Company’s“Porchside Songs” and working with Shakespeare in Action as a Community Programs Facilitator, Vanessa has discovered her passion for educating children and youth. Working as a coach and panellist for In the Wings online musical theatre training, and developing her own course called “Acting for Musicals” with CBY Music, Vanessa is excited to continue merging her love of performance and education.