MEET OUR TEAM!
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JULIA JOHNSTON
Artistic Director (Saturday program) Choral Director (OCCC & SING-IT) Private Vocal Coach As the Owner & Artistic Director of Express Yourself Performing Arts, Julia loves to share her passion for singing, acting & dancing with children, teens and adults in the Orillia area. She is a performance and music theatre loving, individual. Trained at Randolph College for the Performing Arts she is known as a "triple threat performer". She enjoys passing on her knowledge with children and adults who strive to improve their confidence levels onstage and offstage. Julia is a professional singer and has acted for years in communities all over Eastern Ontario. Julia has acted under the talented direction of Bea Quarrie and Rosanna Saracino and has sung under the baton of many great directors including Dr. Canon Giles Bryant, Syd Birrell, Christine Slevan, Jeffrey Huard, Jeannie Wyse, Mitchell Pady, Blair Bailey, Renee Cingolani and Scott Hurst. Julia is excited to continue bringing choirs for women to Simcoe County and take on the fun of a children's choir called O.C.C.C. (Orillia Community Children's Choir). She has taught children and adults both in group lessons and privately for almost 12 years. Julia has been the Kempenfelt Community Players music director for their Junior shows for 2018-2020. She finished (April 2019) fulfilling a life-long dream of playing the role of Narrator for a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Julia has also gone back to school (2020) to fulfill her dream of earning a degree in the environmental sciences at Lakehead University and Georgian College. Julia loves to encourage children and adults to utilize the amazing gift that is their voice. Her challenge is to prove to each individual that they have a voice, and the world wants to hear it. From music theatre to classical (including conservatory training), Julia has trained with some of the best in the industry and enjoys passing that knowledge along to be learned by future generations. She finds training in both singing and speaking to be just as important as the other. |
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DANCE INSTRUCTOR (SATURDAY PROGRAM)
~ NICOLE FARRER ~ NICOLE's passion for dance began when she started Ballet at age three and has been a major part of her life ever since. Over the years, Nicole expanded her dance styles to Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Musical Theatre. At the age of 13 she began successfully competing in these dance styles throughout southern Ontario and also obtained several certificates of excellence from the American Academy of Ballet. Nicole then quickly found her passion in teaching dance to students. She was an active participant in her high school drama community by acting, singing & dancing in many plays and in her final year, Nicole choreographed the musical Footloose for a cast of over 60. Nicole is really excited to share her dance passion with the dancers at Express Yourself! |
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DRAMA INSTRUCTOR (SATURDAY PROGRAM)
~KRISTINE DACOSTA~ Kristine is a veteran actor, improvisor, comedian, theatre instructor and former talent agent from Toronto. She has spent the last 20+ years working in the industry before making a move to Barrie in fall 2021. Kristine managed her own theatre school for kids in Brampton from 2007 to 2012, as well as teaching for the spectacular Young Peoples Theatre in Toronto for several years. She is thrilled to be back teaching and is looking forward to all the amazing theatrical work the campers will be creating this summer. |
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JUNIOR STARS INSTRUCTOR (SATURDAY PROGRAM)
~SHELBY WILLIAMS~ "Hi! My name is Shelby Williams and I am so excited to be joining the team. I have a love for theatre and have missed it immensely during the pandemic. Musical theatre has been such a big part of my life and it really pushed me to purse my Bachelor of Arts at the University of Ottawa. I have recently graduated from teachers' college (Lakehead University) and I am excited to get back into theatre and teaching children. I have over 12 years of experience working with children and I cannot wait to see what kind of magic we can make with our junior stars!" |
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Administrator (SING-IT! ONLY)
Lorrie is the Administrator for the Sing-It choirs. She assists in the day-to-day business of the Barrie, Midland and Orillia Sing It choirs and is available to help existing and new members with questions about membership, music availability, performances, etc. Lorrie has extensive administrative experience and prior to her retirement was National Director of Administration for a local company. Her organization skills are a much appreciated asset to our growing choirs. Born and raised in Barrie, Lorrie spent a few years moving around Ontario, and came back home in 1990. When she’s not singing with our choirs, Lorrie enjoys spending her time with her six grandchildren, her children, her many friends, travelling and on the golf course. If you ask her, Lorrie will tell you that she thoroughly enjoys singing in an organized choir. Besides the music itself, she enjoys the camaraderie, the sense of community, the joy of singing and the opportunity to perform with her fellow choir members. |
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Phil DaCosta (Adventures in Magic Instructor)Phil DaCosta has been performing magic for the last 17 years. In 2012 he met veteran actor, producer and then talent agent Kristine Marchese. They married in 2015 and began to develop DaCosta Magic Ent into a thriving family business that provides people of all ages an interactive magic experience.
In 2018 this duo created the School of Magic, providing children 6 and up a place to develop their magic skills, while learning to work and respect other aspiring magicians. Their students have grown to be public speaking and performing champs, as well as wondrously magical magicians! Phil DaCosta is thrilled to have you join him for in person magic classes! He hopes to get to work with you for your magical aspirations! Until then.... |
Located in the Orillia, Midland and Barrie area, we offer classes in the performing arts. This includes drama (acting), music (vocal / singing) and dance. Putting all three forms of artistic expression together, our students (ages 4-16) experience the joy of musical theatre. Our program is open to kids of all experience and skill levels and our program is designed in a way that builds confidence for each individual student. Our students also develop excellent communication and team building skills, grow in self-esteem and enjoy the benefits of improved coordination and fitness levels. All of our students learn essential life skills that will stay with them throughout their life. Creative kids love our classes as we provide fun activities in the performing arts!
We offer summer camps which are an experience where lifelong friendships are formed, where learning about life and leadership skills are integral part of a fun musical theater camp experience. Campers experience a fun and exciting summer camp. Your child can fill their summer break with a fun musical theatre experience at our camps. We also provide choirs for both adults and children, which gives individuals opportunities to sing without the pressure of music-reading or auditions. We offer a casual women's choir which is fun if you love to sing.
We offer summer camps which are an experience where lifelong friendships are formed, where learning about life and leadership skills are integral part of a fun musical theater camp experience. Campers experience a fun and exciting summer camp. Your child can fill their summer break with a fun musical theatre experience at our camps. We also provide choirs for both adults and children, which gives individuals opportunities to sing without the pressure of music-reading or auditions. We offer a casual women's choir which is fun if you love to sing.