Karyn Way

Singing Instructor

Karyn is very active in Vancouver as a singer, director, and music instructor. Some of her favourite roles include Mme. Giry in The Phantom of the Opera, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Eva Peron in Evita, and the Second Lady in The Magic Flute.

Karyn has also directed for the Vancouver Academy of Music. She was on faculty at Capilano College as a voice instructor in the Jazz Studies program and also teaches voice, piano, and theory. Karyn earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and a Master of Music in Opera from the University of British Columbia. She has also completed diplomas in Musical Theatre from Grant MacEwan College and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Karyn is delighted to be part of the StageCraft team.

For private singing lessons, visit www.vocalismusic.com.

Sarah Sutherland

Head of Dance
Choreographer
Dance Instructor

Sarah took to the stage at the age of 3 and has never looked back. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Upon graduation, she earned her sea legs while dancing aboard the MS Maasdam (Holland America Lines) for a year. Washed ashore in London, England, Sarah has spent the past five years touring and performing contemporary dance, physical theatre, children's dance theatre, film, and opera throughout the UK.

In addition to performing, Sarah has over 13 years of teaching and choreographic experience. Her choreography has received acclaim in Canada, USA, and the UK including the "Excellence in Choreography" award at the American College Dance Festival in 1999. After her 10 year absence, Sarah is thrilled to be back in her native BC and is excited to share her passion and skill with the students of StageCraft.

Hannah Hardy

Preschool Instructor
Drama Instructor

Hannah is an avid actress and musician, and has been performing from a very early age. Her professional musical theatre career started at age 10 when she appeared with the official U.K. touring cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on a three-year tour. Some of her favourite roles have been Christine in Phantom of the Opera, Nancy in Oliver, and the Witch in Into the Woods. Hannah added to her theatre training by achieving various Royal Academy of Music awards and LAMDA exams before heading to the University of British Columbia to receive a BA in Literature and Classical Studies. At present, she is taking courses at Vancouver Film School.

Hannah has appeared in various theatre, television, and film productions. Her most recent highlights have included Psych, Whistler, Aliens in America, Eureka, Juno, and a new movie, 2012. Although she is extremely busy with her own performing schedule, Hannah also finds time to be an on-set chaperone and coach for several up-and-coming child actors working on productions such as The Time Traveller’s Wife, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Martha Speaks, and a TIFF entry Big Head.

Hannah has been training with StageCraft as a preschool and drama teacher for the past four years and is now thrilled to be a fully qualified member of the StageCraft faculty where she has the opportunity to share her knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for musical theatre weekly.

Troy V. McLaughlin

Substitute Dance Instructor

Troy is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He holds a B.F.A. in Jazz Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. There he studied with Judith Jamison, tap great Lavaughn Robinson, and members of the Martha Graham Dance Company, New York City Ballet, and Jo Jo Smith's Dance Factory. Highlights of Troy's career include performing in Disney's The Lion King, Andrew Lloyd Weber's Starlight Express, The Radio City Rockettes Show, The Siegfried & Roy Show, as Richard Pryor's tap dancing conscience in Pryor Offenses for Showtime, and entertaining the troops for the U.S. Dept. of Defense.

He's choreographed for musicals, industrial shows, and dance companies all over North America. Troy teaches students of all levels, helping them achieve their potential. Most of all, he believes performing should be fun no matter what the level and looks forward to sharing his expertise with StageCraft students.

Alannah Berridge

Assistant Drama and Preschool Instructor

Alannah was a StageCraft student for 4 years in the Main School and Performance classes, with many StageCraft performances under her belt, e.g. Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, and Chicago. She has a passion for working with children and is currently with us as a teacher's assistant specializing in working with the younger students as well as training with StageCraft in all aspects of teaching drama.

Emma Mazur

Dance Instructor and Choreographer

Emma comes from England where she was classically trained in ballet. She was accepted on a scholarship to the prestigious Laine Theatre Arts in London where she continued her studies in ballet and the performing arts. She holds a National Diploma in professional dance awarded by Trinity College London. Emma danced professionally in England and internationally before changing her focus to teaching and moving to Vancouver.

Mishelle Cuttler

Substitute Singing Instructor

Mishelle has been a musician and actress since a very young age. She studied voice for over 5 years, and has performed as a solo vocalist in festivals, choirs, and musical theatre productions. Currently a Theatre student at UBC, Mishelle has worked in drama ranging from Shakespeare to collaboratively devised theatre. Recent credits include The Tempest and Gilbert & Sullivan's Iolanthe. Mishelle has studied classical piano since the age of 9, and spent 5 years as a private teacher. She is very excited to share her love and knowledge of music and the performing arts with the students at StageCraft.

Julia Ullrich

Assistant Main School Instructor

Julia, now a student at the University of British Columbia, has been an active participant in the theatre world from a very early age. Her favourite credits include To the Root of It, The Witch of Evil Wood, The Crucible, and Untitled which participated in the 2008 Vancouver International Fringe Festival. After spending a year as a student assistant to StageCraft, she is thrilled to be now training as a drama teacher and to continue sharing her love of performing arts with others.

Christine Loddy

Drama Instructor

Christine, a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School, has been working as a professional actor and singer for the last fifteen years in Toronto. She recently moved to Vancouver with her husband and young son. Her favourite credits include the role of Rosie in the Toronto company of Mamma Mia!, Claptrap (NAC/Canadian Stage), The Dreamland (Canadian Stage), and two seasons in the mainstage company of the Disney Cruise Line. Christine has worked on many plays and musicals in development, most recently Slave To a Dream, commissioned by the Vancouver Playhouse. Christine is passionate about teaching children and is thrilled to be doing so again at StageCraft!

Valeria Lockwood

Singing Instructor

Valeria holds a Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy and Choral Conducting from the Moscow Conservatory. She performed as lead vocalist at the Classical Opera Theatre in Moscow, while serving at Moscow Universities, Dept. of Music as Chair of Vocal Pedagogy and Choral Director. Valeria is a founder of the Canadian Arts Teachers Network and West Coast Music Competition. She was an instructor of voice technique performance and music theory at the New Conservatory of Music in Toronto and the New England School of Vocal Arts, and gave master classes in vocal pedagogy to the Toronto youth choir at the Advanced School of Music. In addition, she has directed and produced a post 9/11 Red Cross fundraiser entitled A Song and A Prayer, a Broadway musical review entitled Highlights from Musicals, and A Celebration Of Rising Stars - an annual concert of young musicians.

Valeria is thrilled to be joining StageCraft where she can share her biggest passion – musical theatre!

Kirby Snell

Dance Instructor

Kirby, originally from Edmonton AB, graduated from Canada’s “Fame School" - Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts, where she focused on dance and choreography. After graduation and a training stint in New York, she danced professionally, shipboard, for both Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises, and on land in Los Angeles and Italy. Curious about acting and a disciplined student, she moved to Vancouver to study method acting full-time at Methodica Acting Studio for Film and Theatre. She has acted in over 15 stage productions, and 10 films. She is currently a co-artistic director of Foulplay Productions Society.

Kirby is honoured to be teaching at StageCraft Theatre Schools.