Instructors

Sarah has spent the majority of her life on the stage and has an extensive background in all types of performing arts. Sarah studied classical music with top vocal coaches and competed and flourished in vocal competitions from a young age. She performed for the Conservative Party of Canada and with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra. She later shifted gears and went on to study Musical Theatre in New York City at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and The New School University (BFA Musical Theatre). Additionally, She studied and performed improv at the acclaimed Upright Citizen’s Brigade in NYC.

In New York City she performed in an Off-Off Broadway sketch comedy show and a tour with the Theatre Rehabilitation for Youth. She was a main puppeteer and performer in a number of NYC’s Shadow Box Theatre’s productions.

Sarah’s exploration of the arts led her to pen her one woman show, Stamped: A Story About Daniel, who Happens to have Autism that premiered at the Toronto Fringe Festival July 2012 and received rave reviews. From there, Sarah’s solo show was later performed for 500 4th year nursing students at Ryerson University and for the Autism Ontario National Conference. Sarah’s show most recently had a run at the legendary Kraine Theatre in New York City for Autism Awareness Month. Following the show’s success, Sarah had the great honour of being invited to speak on a panel at City College New York for their highly regarded Theatre Education program about theatre and disability.

She is currently a resident artist and can be seen in a number of performances with an internationally acclaimed Blacklight theatre company in Toronto.

On top of being an actor herself Sarah has taught and been the director of many children’s theatre year round and Summer programs at the Vaughan City Playhouse, throughout the City of Vaughan and the City of Toronto. After noticing a huge gap in theatre training she realized that what was missing was a place for students to learn how to grow as artists, truly harness their skills and put them to use outside of the program. This led her to found Thatz Showbiz, bringing Broadway-class training to Vaughan. She has a firm belief in theatre as a tool to heal, educate and empower. Please feel free to visit:

www.sarahmagni.com

 

for more information.

Hayden has loved the theatre ever since he can remember. Throughout his high school career Hayden discovered that acting was what he wanted to pursue professionally after racking up multiple solo and ensemble awards of excellence and merit for it in the Sears Ontario Drama Festival.

For years Hayden has been interested in Acting Technique and learning about acting in all of its different styles. For this reason he adored studying at the Ryerson Theatre School’s Acting Conservatory program (where he graduated with a BFA). This program is special in that it focuses on a new acting style each term. In school, Hayden had intensive training in: Classical theatre, Contemporary theatre, Character Mask, and Clown among other forms. Hayden also studied performance abroad in the beautiful Hydra, a Greek island, with Ryerson.

Now out of school Hayden has gained lots of practical acting experience in the field. Hayden has made it a mission to try as many styles and mediums of performance as he can – which in turn, he feels, makes him a much more understanding instructor. Hayden has had practical experience in: musical theatre, contemporary theatre, verbatim theatre, on-site theatre, voice work for soundtracks and animation, and film. He also enjoys writing his own work.

Hayden has performed for Nickelodeon Creative Advertising and Bristow Global Media among others. Currently he can be heard in Nickelodeon’s ‘Nationwide Make Safe Happen 2016’ campaign and in the pilot for the now viral ‘Super Science Friends’ (more episodes are currently in production).

Michelle Fox holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ryerson University with a major in performance dance. Upon graduation, Michelle danced as a company member with Cadence Progressive Contemporary Ballet for several seasons and went on to found her own company, Intrinsic Dance Project in 2012. With Intrinsic, she has presented works for many dance festivals and venues across Canada. Michelle has also choreographed and performed in many music videos and dance photography projects.

Athena will charm her way into the hearts of many as she performs the role of Rosina in the Summer Opera Lyric Theatre’s production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.This past December, she received The Sustaining Members Scholarship from the ARIAS Foundation, and coached with Sandra Horst in preparation for the ARIAS concert in Walter Hall. She most recently performed the role of Blondchen in Opera By Request’s production of Mozart’s Die Entführung auf dem Serail in February of 2012 as well as The Queen of the Night in The Glenn Gould School’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, in December 2011.Athena participated in The Vianden International Music Festival, which took place in Luxembourg. There she coached with Semyon Rozin, Simon Pettite and Nicolas Muni among other distinguished performers and teachers. She won the Concerto Competition at York University in the third year of her degree, where she performed Rossini’s “Una voce poco fa” from The Barber of Seville, under the baton of internationally renowned violinist and former concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Jacques Israelievitch.

For the past four years Athena has been singing with the acclaimed Ottawa Bach Choir, as a choir member and soloist. In December of 2008 she went to Mexico City, and in June 2009 she went on a European tour including J.S. Bach’s own Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Germany, Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, England, and most notably Notre Dame in Paris, France, among other distinguished venues. In May of 2011, she went to New York City to perform at various venues, including Carnegie Hall.

Athena is currently in her second year of the Artists Diploma Program at The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory where she received the Ruby Mercer Por Scholarship in 2011. She graduated from Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts Secondary School with Honors. She has completed both Grade Ten level in voice and the Grade Eight level in piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music with First Class Honors. She has graduated from York University Faculty with a BFA in Music Performance. She received an Entrance Scholarship and The York University Talent Award.

Kat Langdon is one of Toronto’s in-demand vocalists and the leader of jazz and RnB trio, Lady Be Good. As a “singer-for-hire” she is frequently found performing in a variety of genres; from soul and RnB to Top 40 and jazz with some of the top bands in the city. Kat is a graduate of Humber College’s esteemed BMus Jazz Performance program and in the past few years, has taken a keen interest in theatre with Steppin’ Out Productions in Richmond Hill. Most recently Kat was named the top Jazz Singer in North America by Gigmasters and was selected by Serena Ryder to sing at her Toronto concert.In addition to performing, Kat is a sought-after educator in some of the city’s finest private studios teaching vocal performance and piano.Please feel free to visit: www.katlangdon.com www.katlangdon.com for more information.

From a young age Michael has been interested in the Dramatic Arts. Michael successfully auditioned for the Regional Arts Program (R.A.P) at St. Elizabeth C.H.S where he studied dramatic arts. His passion for theatre does not stop at performing. Michael is currently a lighting and sound technician at the York Catholic District School Board Centre for the Arts and a part time technician at Flato Markham Theatre. Most recently he was asked to work on the short film “Sundae”, that will be in film festivals all over the world this year. Other film credits include “Onion Skin” and “Memories” currently on the festival circuit. Michael is Currently attending Sheridan College in the very Competitive Technical Production for Theatre and Live Events program. Michael is ecstatic to be the technical director for Thatz Showbiz. He is looking forward to a safe, and fun filled summer.

Laura has recently completed her undergraduate degree at Ryerson University in the competitive Performance Production program earning herself a Bachelor of Fine Arts. With a focus in Public Relations and Costume, Laura’s previous credits include: Front of House Supervisor, Ryerson Dances (2010); Head Dresser, Period Study (2011); Wardrobe Supervisor, The Bundle, Directed by Alan Dilworth (2011); Marketing and Publicity Manager, Ryerson Theatre School (Fall 2012); Public Relations Coordinator, Staging a Rebellion: A Double Bill, Docket Theatre. Laura has also interned in the wardrobe department for Canada’s National Ballet School and this past June was the Associate Publicist in Toronto for the Emmy-Nominated dance company Shaping Sound, created by Travis Wall from So You Think You Can Dance. Laura is excited to be back creating magic with Thatz Showbiz!