Summer Camp Instructors
Nikki Carriere
Nikki has danced competitively since the tender age of ten years old. Her dancing and performing experiences are varied, including festivals, television programs, galas, and fashion shows. To further round her dance experience, she has also obtained a diploma in Early Childhood Education from Algonquin College; and, has also participated in teachers' intensive courses at the National Ballet of Canada, Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, and at the Dance Commons School of San Francisco. She is highly enthusiastic to be part of the Pre-School Program at the OSSD teaching drama, Gotta Dance, and instructing in adult dance classes.
David Bernstein
David Bernstein is an actor, director and designer. He has been featured professionally at the National Arts Centre and on CBC Television, directed and developed sold-out runs of original and published plays at Canterbury High School, and designed productions locally and abroad. He is currently studying drama at New York University, training at the prestigious Stella Adler Studio in Manhattan. Recently, he appeared in a New York reading of Kristen Kosmas’ new play Hello Failure! He has been involved with OSSD in almost every capacity since 2001, as a camper, student, actor, volunteer, and senior camp counselor.
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.
STACEY TILLER
STACEY TILLER has been involved in theatre as a singer, actor, director and producer for over 15 years. She currently teaches Drama at a school for the performing arts in Toronto. Directing credits include The Miracle Worker, Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz, Footloose, Wanda’s Visit, For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls and Clue: The Musical.
Feature performance roles include Kim in Bye Bye Birdie with Brampton Musical Theatre, for which she was awarded the 2004 Bloom Award for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Female Actor by the Association of Community Theatre of Ontario (ACTCO), Maria in West Side Story, Maria in The Sound of Music and Ms. Hannigan in Annie with New Star Theatre Co., Shy in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and a Hot Box Dancer in Guys and Dolls with Orpheus Musical Theatre Society, Mabel Tidings in Pride’s Crossing and Myrhinne in Lysistrata with Theatre Erindale.
Stacey co-starred in a Rogers Cable/YTV television show called “Hey Kid!” for 2 seasons, and starred as Judy Jetson in The Jetson’s Space Blast and Pebbles in The Flinstones with Paramount Canada’s Wonderland.
Her theatrical training includes an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama Studies from the University of Toronto, a Performance Diploma from Sheridan College, a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University where she graduated with honours from the Artist in Community Program, and has earned her Honours Specialist in Dramatic Arts through OISE in Stratford, Ontario. Stacey has also trained privately in voice with John Karr, Marie Baron and Yoriko Tanno-Kimmons.
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.
Bryn Morin
Bryn was eleven years old when she first encountered the Ottawa School of Speech & Drama. As fate would have it, one session at summer camp would turn into many years of year-round study, until eventually she found herself pursuing a degree in Drama in Education at the University of Windsor. Bryn reunited with OSSD in the fall of 2008 as an office administrator and volunteer teaching assistant, but it wasn't long before she was asked to step in as a full-fledged instructor and stage manager. A trained vocalist and professional swing dance teacher, Bryn also holds a minor in Child Psychology and is the first OSSD instructor to obtain an ATCL diploma in Teaching Speech & Drama from Trinity College, London. She feels deeply privileged to be working with OSSD and re-experiencing the excitement, the personal growth, and the love of theatre as they become ignited within her students.
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 Helsby
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.
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.
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.
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.