Musical Theatre Instructors
Theresa Cillis-O’Meara
Theresa Cillis-O’Meara holds Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Ottawa. She has enjoyed the past twenty-six years serving Ottawa’s musical community through her work with The Savoy Society of Ottawa, Cantabile, The Ottawa School of Speech and Drama, The Canadian Centennial Choir, The Ottawa Gay Men’s Chorus, The Ottawa Dutch Choral Society, CAMMAC, The School of Dance, The Beachcomber Dinner Theatre, The Bytown Operaworks, and the University of Ottawa’s Choral Ensemble, Opera Workshop, and Calixa Lavalee Choir. She has taught music for The City of Ottawa and presently teaches Music at Sacred Heart Catholic High School. She has served as the Musical Director for GOYA Theatre Productions and Act Out Theatre for the musicals “Vaudeville”, “Menopositive the Musical”, “Cabaret” and “War Brides” and served as Vocal Director for The Greely Players production of the musical “Annie Warbucks”. Theresa is currently the Piano Accompanist for the Ottawa Bach Choir, the Organist at Emmanuel United Church, the Assistant Musical Director and Piano Accompanist for the Ottawa Classical Choir and the Music Director for GOYA Theatre Productions’ October 2007 presentation of the musical “Dads in Bondage”.
Natalie Fraser Purdy
Natalie Fraser-Purdy has a degree from Concordia University in Theatre Performance and has had specialized training in directing, English literature and technical theatre. She has been performing, teaching and coaching professionally in Ottawa since 1995, working for companies all over the city. Trained in voice, dance and emotional development, Natalie also utilizes theatre to teach workshops on leadership, professional development and anger management.
Sylvia Larrass
Sylvia Larrass grew up in France and Germany where she began her music education in piano and voice. She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and holds a diploma in vocal performance, as well as the Silver Medal of excellence from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. Over the past few years Sylvia has developed special techniques to bring out the best in the voice, sung and spoken and has coached over a thousand people in France, Germany, the US and throughout Canada, helping them to gain success in performing and speaking in public. Sylvia also performs actively as a soloist, as well as with the Opera Lyra Chorus and Tourmaline vocal ensemble. Recent credits include a performance at Carnegie Hall in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the New York Metropolitan Opera.
Emmanuelle Zeesman
Emmanuelle graduated from the University of Windsor in 2004 from the Musical Theatre Performance Program. Selected Theatre Credits: 'Lady MacBeth' in MacBeth (Slamander Theatre), 'Titania and Hermia' in A Midsummer Night's Dream (A Company of Fools), 'Morvan' in Beckett's Shorts (G.C.T.C. Late Night Series),'Spirit' in Tales of Hoffman (Opera Lyra), 'Referee' in Never Swim Alone (People's Choice Winner), 'Lead Volcalist' at La Rochelle Festival (France) and 'Dancer' in the 2006 Rolling Stones Video. Musical Theatre credits include; 'Adelaide' in Guys and Dolls, 'Narrator' in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 'Mrs. Walker' in Tommy, 'Witch' in Into the Woods and 'Julie Andrews' in Forbidden Broadway. Don't miss Emmanuelle as 'Olivia' (choreograoher and musical director) in A Company of Fools' Twelfth Night touring parks this summer. Emmanuelle would like to thank her beautiful family, all the wonderful people at O.S.S.D. and especially the amazing kids who make teaching so much fun and help bring her dances to life!