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First time teaching
Between my third and fourth year of University, I took a job as a teaching assistant with a children's art class. I was lead to teaching most especially by a 5 year old girl named Chelsea. Together we made jungle dioramas and painted beautiful flowers, and I will never forget her, or the lessons I learned from my first student. -
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Director of the Board - UPEI Theatre Society
The first time I really put myself out there to be a leader was upon my arrival at UPEI, when my love of theatre motivated me to run for the Director of the Board position in the Theatre Society. It was that experience which would serve as a springboard in the future to many other opportunities both in theatre and as a leader. -
Producer - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
As a new man on the PEI theatre scene, I was excited by the idea of seeing my favorite play performed. At the time though, with no directing experience, I turned to Bruce Barton, a UPEI Professor in the English department, and with me as Producer, and he as Director we collaborated to bring Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to the stage at the Guild for a six week run of performances. -
Director - Salome
The first play I directed was written by Oscar Wilde, and was performed in a dilapidated gymnasium that sat on the UPEI campus and was used for nothing but theatre and storing useless old desks. I worked with a group of my peers and took the lead to create a show that to this day, remains one of my fondest memories of theatrical collaboration. -
Director - Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet
My first full length play was actually quite a feather in my cap at the time. It had not been the habit of the Theatre Society to have a student direct the major production. And yet I was tapped to do so. It was also against the policy of Ann Marie MacDonald (Playwright)'s Agent to allow an amateur theatre company perform her play in the Maritimes, when no professional company had yet debuted it. And yet, through perseverance and compromise, we were allowed to stage the play. -
Director - Spoon River Anthology
Spoon River, another UPEI Theatre Society production taught me a pretty valuable lesson. Never before had I led a project I disliked, everything I had done before it had been a labor of love. But when asked by a respected professor to take on this project, I jumped in blindly, and learned that a big part of being a leader is finding the bright side, and sharing it with those around you. -
Director - Sam Slick the Clockmaker
Looking for an alternate placement for my third teaching practicuum I ended up in a theatre arts class at Charlottetown Rural, where I now teach the drama program. At the time I had directed a few shows, and was in the process of directing one for the UPEI Theatre Society, and so my cooperating teacher gave me the task of directing the 801 class in their senior production of Sam Slick, the Clockmaker -
Director - Woyzeck
In contrast to my previous project, the Spoon River Anthology, Woyzeck was a play that was enjoyed greatly by me and my fellows, but completely unappreciated by the rest of the world. Saddled with obscurity, few people attended the play, but it was a powerful experience for the cast and crew alike. Sometimes the journey is the important thing, not the destination. -
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Yearbook Advisor
Although a Highschool Yearbook advisor is meant to guide students through the process of creating the Yearbook in a school, there always seems to be a lot left to do at the end of the year, no matter how organized you are. -
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Coffee Culture
I think all teachers see their "high school self" reflected in their students. But when I was a student I had been very disconnected from my school. In order to meet the needs of students more like me, I formed an afterschool weekly coffee-house for artists, poets and musicians. Together we spent seven years sharing our work, and the work of those who inspired us. -
First Lollipop Moment
At the end of my 2nd year as a teacher I had my 1st lollipop moment. A student of mine, who in my two years teaching I had already instructed through three courses in art and photography graduated and was accepted into my Alma Mater, to pursue an education in the Fine Arts as I had. Since that time she has gone on to become a respected artist, who makes her living in the Art world, full time. When I met her, she had enrolled in my class just for fun, with no intention of taking it seriously. -
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Curriculum Development
Early in my teaching career I joined other Senior High Art Teachers to develop the curriculum for Senior High Visual Arts -
Director - The Wiz
Perhaps I wasn't a first time Director, but I felt like it when I first had the opportunity to direct a show on the Confederation Mainstage. The Wiz was a Motown retelling of the classic Wizard of Oz story, providing a big challenge for me as a Director. Luckily, My partner in crime, Musical Director Allie Macready was there to help guide the way. -
Director - Tales from the Bog
In 2005, a year at CRHS without a musical I was approached by a group of students to take a show to the provincial drama festival. They were inexperinced, but keen to take on new challenges, and so, guided by their enthusiasm for drama and literature, we staged a production of " Tales form the Bog, or, Whatever happened to Lost Lenore?" A play based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. -
Director - Waiting For Godot
My first proposal to ACT (a community theatre) was pitched around 2005, and disapproved. Two years later, the president of ACT approached me during a workshop we were both attending on Theatre lighting, and asked me to re-pitch the idea to the new board. Waiting For Godot, was approved by the board almost immediately this time, and by the end of the meeting I had also been asked to consider a role on the board itself. -
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Member of the Board for ACT (a community theatre)
I joined the Board of Directors for ACT(a community theatre) in 2005 as it's secretary. Was elected to the role of Vice-President in 2007, and then to the role of President in 2008. After 7 years on the board I stepped down to take a break from the administrative side of theatre, but knowing full well that it wouldn't be long till I was back. -
Director - Cinderella the Musical
Cinderella, being my second major musical really allowed me to utilize the lessons I learned during The Wiz. Which was especially lucky, as it was my turn to be the senior member of the leadership team as I welcomed onboard a new Musical Director to collaborate with, Mark Parsons. -
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Advisor - Gay-Straight Alliance
Through many icarnations and with many different teacher partners I have helped organize and advise groups in our school to support students and educate people on Gender Diversity and orientation. -
Director - Senior Active Living Centre
One year I was asked to volunteer my experience to help the Senior Active Living Centre Variety show, in which the talents of the elderly members were paired with talents of young people. A wonderful experience for the young and the young at heart. -
Director - Go Ask Alice
After my work on Cinderella I couldn't wait another 2 years to work with some of the talented kids I had directed, and they couldn't wait either. So in 2007 I directed a group of high school students in the play "Go Ask Alice" based on the book of the same name. The themes of peer pressure and drug abuse made this play a very powerful experince that students performed not just for the drama festival, but also for their peers at the high school. -
Director - Back to the 80s The Musical
Any Charlottetown Rural production is led not only by a Director, but also a Musical Director, Stage Manager and Producer. Even the leadership in a production like these ones is a team effort. -
Director - Jack The Ripper
A bloody good time was had by all in this over the top, dark comedy about the most infamous serial killer of all time. This play presented new and unusual challenges both from the subject matter, and fromone very unusual feature; this play has three different endings! -
Director - The Rocky Horror Show
The tradion of ACT Halloween Shows seemed to have begun with Jack The Ripper, and The Rocky Horror Show proved to be a favorite with many audiences. -
Director - Willy Wonka The Musical
A high school musical includes the talents of not only the production team, but over a hundred students - on and off the stage. If a student wants to be involved in a show, they can. Even if they don't get a part on the stage. -
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PLC Coordinator - High School Visual Arts
For several years I took the role of coordinator for a group of art teachers focused on High Yield Teaching Strategies in Visual Arts, with an emphasis on visual vocabulary. -
Director - Sweeney Todd
My partner in crime, Mark Parsons and I took our experiences within our school to the community in 2011 when we directed a production of Sweeney Todd for ACT at the Carrefour Theatre -
Producer - At Play In the Dark
In a cold winter in 2010, I produced an evening of one act plays with mature themes, in order to work with three young first time directors, who had visions I was excited to see translated to the stage. This became a greater challenge when I was cast in one of the shows. This was still an exciting opportunity though, as it was a two person show, and I was cast alongside my wife. -
Director - Annie The Musical
My most recent directing experience has been with the talented cast of Annie. (Starring the daughter of a classmate!) I always enjoy my work in theatre, but this show was a particular highlight in my career. The talented kids who made this show possible really shined! -
Producer - An Evening of Fairy Tales
Directors are creative people who guide their actors through the theatre experience. But they are only one side of the theatre experience. Just as neccesary (but a whole lot less exciting) is the role of the Producer, who pays bills, books venues, arranges the auditions, and every other task that may come up that requires attention. The producer coordinates the efforts of every person who works behind the scenes, and makes the final product possible. -
The Future - Municipal Liason - NaNoWriMo
This November I will serve as Prince Edward Island's Municipal Liason for National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is actually an international event now, with an enormous worldwide following. Last year almost 4,000 novels were written by participants, all in the span of a single month. -
The Future - Director - CRHS Musical 2014
Charlottetown Rural's next musical will go into production this year, ready to hit the stage at the onfederation Centre of the Arts in May 2014. In conjunction with other school and community leaders, I'll be working to make that event a success for all students.
