Summer Camp Instructors
Katie Byrne
Katie has a BA (honors) degree in Drama in Education from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. She has extensive experience doing children’s programming including Camp Director at the Michele Heights Community Centre, and at the YMCA in Windsor. She has also directed for the Perth & District Collegiate Institute and for Perth Youth Theatre Workshop. She currently teaches grade 2 full time for the Ottawa-Carleton school board.
Paul Dervis
Paul returns to OSSD after a year's sabbatical in the States. He spent the season writing film reviews for the Somerville (Mass) News, directing the New York premiere of Michele Markarian's "PARENTS OF AVERAGE CHILDREN" at the American Globe Theatre in Times Square, and finishing his latest play "THE LAST DISCIPLE OF ABRAHAM'. Paul's plays have been produced throughout the US and Canada. "MAKING TRACKS" was awarded "Best Plays" at the 1986 New York One-Act Play Festival on Theatre Row. Other New York credits include "POKEY" which had an extended run at the Paul Mazur Theatre in 1990. "ON ANY MONDAY NIGHT" was listed on the Ottawa Sun's "Best Plays" list in 2000. As a director, Paul has won numerous awards, including "Best Play" 1980 from the Boston Herald for the world premiere of Peter Parnell's "SCOOTER THOMAS", Boston Magazine's "Best Play" in 1986 for David Mamet's "EDMOND", the Boston Globe's "Best PLays" in 1988 for Tom Eyen's "WOMEN BEHIND BARS" and 1998 for Israel Horovitz's "FREE GIFT". He is the artistic director the New Ottawa Repertory Theatre.
Carole Hay
Carole comes to OSSD with over 25 years experience as a drama instructor in theatre, television and the public school system. Born in England and a graduate of Queen’s University, Carole has inspired countless students to pursue their dreams in the performing arts.
Barry Karp
Barry Karp began his acting career in Toronto with “The Studio Lab Theatre” over three decades ago. Since then he has conceived and produced a number of successful theatre training programs for young adults in Canada and the USA. He was the artistic director of The Studio Children’s Theatre which represented Canada at the Venice Biennale. And he has explored the creative aspects of conceiving, directing, writing and producing in the worlds of theatre, Native education and dance. More recently he has been heavily involved in directing the multidisciplinary works of R. Murray Schafer in Canada and Brazil.
Jeff Lawson
Jeff is happy to be back at OSSD summer camp. He started the Improv Camp three years ago and has taught classes of all ages. Jeff currently teaches at Canterbury High School, where students voted him "Best Teacher"2006. This Fall, Majic 100 gave Jeff their Golden Apple award for exceptional teaching. As an actor, Jeff has performed on some of the top stages in the country, including the National Arts Centre and Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa), the Globe Theatre (Regina), and Alberta Theatre Projects (Calgary.) He can be seen on the CBC program Getting Along Famously later this summer and has appeared in numerous television and film roles.
Nick Miller
Teaching drama and physical theatre is an important part of Nick’s life. He has taught and performed coast to coast, including Neptune Theatre School in Halifax N.S. and Kaleidoscope Theatre in Victoria B.C. Other great opportunities included teaching at London England’s Circus Space, Ottawa’s Spring Action, Festival Antigonish’s Summer Workshops and London Ontario’s International Children’s Festival. Nick feels fortunate and privileged to be a part of the OSSD team.
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.
Amy Ripley
Amy is a graduate of the Musical Theatre program at the University of Windsor, and she holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. She has been a member of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board for the past 5 years. As a Dramatic Arts teacher at Canterbury High School, Amy has directed 2 grad shows; Our Town and The Roses of Eyam, along with producing many Children’s Theatre Festivals. She has been a choreographer, performer, and voice and movement coach for several years. Amy currently resides in Toronto but has enjoyed working at OSSD so much, that she keeps coming back to teach the summer camp Musical Theatre program. Past credits include “Lola” in Damn Yankees, “Sr. Leo” in Nunsense, and “Cassie” in A Chorus Line.
Maureen Smith
Maureen most recently appeared in the CanPlay production of Talking With. Additional selected credits include, Swollen Tongues, The Last Liberal, Feelgood Well (for NAC), The Comedy of Errors (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Co.), On the Verge Festivals (NAC,GCTC), and The Drowning Girls (Let it Land Theatre). Maureen holds a first degree black belt in Taekwon-do (ITF) and practices aerobics, and yoga. She is kept on her toes daily, and works to hone her skills of persuasion and patience through her children, Alison (4 years) and William (1 year). , The Forest and The Begats (for GCTC), Twelfth Night, and All’s Well that Ends
Adam Smith
Adam has worked in theatre since he can remember. Adam heralds from Queen’s University with an honours degree in theatre arts and production and an education degree. Currently Adam works with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board as a high school drama teacher. He has instructed, acted, and directed in the community for many years, working such groups as Sock N Buskin, Driftwood Theatre Co., and the Ottawa Fringe Festival among others. He has been an actor, an instructor, a director and is now attempting his hand at playwriting. He has enjoyed every minute working with the talented staff and students at OSSD.
Christie Watson
Christie Studied Acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London England. Christie also works at Great Canadian Theatre Company as an assistant director and producer of various play development projects. Christie creates his own experimental shows here in Ottawa with his company The Cycling Club. He appeared in No Great Mischief at Great Canadian Theatre Company in 2005 and will perform in the National Arts Centre’s upcoming production of The Snow Show. Recent film and television appearances include Shania, Mind Over Murder, Unspoken and Stalked by a Madman.
Kristina Watt
Kristina relocated to Ottawa after training and working in the U.S, England and South America. She currently teaches at OSSD, has served a Director of The Young Actors' Space, and instructs both theory and practice at the University of Ottawa. She recently acted in Love's Labour's Lost (National Arts Centre), The Real Inspector Hound (Third Wall Theatre Co.), and Picking Up Chekhov (Magnetic North--On the Verge). A career highlight was working with Judd Hirsh and Eva Marie Saint in Death of A Salesman (North Carolina). Film/TV credits include One Life to Live, Bull Durham, and Rescue 911. She plays the flute, and loves dancing and horse-back riding.
Sue Yendall
Having recently retired from teaching English and Drama at International Schools in Moscow, Bangkok, Jarkarta and Islamabad and for the Ottawa Board of Education, Sue returned to OSSD in September 2002 to continue her love of teaching Drama to young people. Sue designed and established Drama programmes for the Bangkok International School (1989-93) and The Anglo-American School of Moscow (1999-2002) and is an associate member of The International Theatre Schools Association based in London, England. Since returning to OSSD she has been involved as director of the Young Actor's Company and devoting her energies to Acting Techniques and Voice.
Emmanuelle Zeesman
Emmanuelle has recently graduated from the University of Windsor in Musical Theatre Performance. Since then she has been making a living through film, television, dinner theatre, children's theatre, musicals and straight plays, she loves it all. Emmanuelle's most memorable roles in Ottawa include: "Titania & Hermia" in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Company of Fools), "Muriel Tate" in Plaza Suite, "Morvan" in Samuel Beckett Shorts (Great Canadian Late Night Series) and "Referee" in Never Swim Alone (People's choice Award 2004). Musical theatre credits include: "Adelaide" in Guys and Dolls, "Wendy" in Peter Pan, "The Narrator" in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and "Julie Andrews" in Forbidden Broadway. You can also see Emmanuelle signing and dancing every weekend with Eddie May Murder Mysteries. On top of her busy performing schedule, Emmanuelle also takes the time to teach Musical Theatre at her very own Broadway Performance Studios.