Acting

In addition to my theatre and film work, I’m available for hosting, debate moderation and panel facilitation, public speaking, and voice work.

A graduate of Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School’s Integrated Arts Program, I’ve appeared as an actor in over 40 productions. You can read about many of those below.

In addition to my theatre experience, I also have some fight training from FDC instructors, some basic ballroom dance training, basic dance training (many styles), and my motorcycle license.  I have also worked around fire and special effects, and have learnt how to eat fire as well as been rigged with squibs to simulate a gunshot wound. And yes, I’ve done background work in film – the ones you’ve heard of where sometimes you can almost see me in the background of a shot are A Cool Dry Place and Jumper.

 

Film Work


2012
Grimwell   Stratagem Entertainment   Rachel  Director Sean Bruce
An independent web-series about a post-apocalyptic world where crime gangs fight for control over the Earth. Released October 2012. Visit the Grimwell website for more details.
Watch it online.

2009 State of the Art   Stratagem Entertainment      Elisa   Director Sean Bruce
An independent feature film about an artist who discovers she has an unusual ability, and uses it to take revenge on the local crime syndicate. Released 2010.

Candace Shaw and Gloria Shapiro in State of the Art, 2009

2007 Peterborough Time     Super Popular Studios      Andrea Forsell (Voice Actor)     Director Barney Wornoff
An independent animated feature about an evil local politician and his attempt to turn downtown Peterborough into the world’s largest used car dealership.  Foiled by the combined efforts of local artists led by Washboard Hank, the film features local celebrities and artists playing each other.  Released November 2007.
Visit the website.

2005 Rigoletto… in Bluegrasss     Firewire Channel      Flirt  Director Rob Swales
An independent feature musical adaptation of Guiseppe Verdi’s 1851 opera Rigoletto, adapted to the characters of small-town Canada and set to bluegrass music.  Released 2006.
Watch it online.

2003 Untitled Atlas Moves Watching/Public Energy Dancer Directors Candace Shaw and Kai Masaoka
A dance short featuring Candace Shaw and Sarah Loucks, produced with financial support by the Canada Council for the Arts.
Watch it online.

2000 B3 World     B3 Productions  Host  Director Matt Dawydchak
A short web-series following some of the real-life adventures of a team of friends who work in independent film.   Released 2000-2001.

1999 Flick      B3 Productions     Joey Balthazar     Director William Tedford
An independent feature film about a young filmmaker named Simon and his attempts to make a film and escape the numbing 9-to-5.  Released November 2001.

1996       The Vampire Film       B3 Productions/PCVS Tech Department      Vampire Hunter       Director William Tedford
A silent short film about a vampire hunter.
Watch it online.

Theatre Work

2012       Thirty Dollar Slumdog     The 24 Hour Project   Â Slummer/Manager  Director Esther Vincent
The Gordon Best Theatre
The 24 Hour Project is a challenge to actors, writers, and directors to pull together a one-act play in just 24 hours, from writing to performance. Thirty Dollar Slumdog was written by Rowan and Wyatt Lamoureux.

2012 Pride and Prejudice  Showplace Players Charlotte Lucas    Director Bea Quarrie
Showplace Theatre
The inaugural production of the Showplace Players, Pride and Prejudice it the familiar and beloved story by Jane Austen.  Full of drama, disappointment, humour, and romance, this popular tale is told on a backdrop of whispers, gossip, and dance, including several period-accurate English Country dances.

2011 Eerie Ashburnham Ghost Walk   Trent Valley Archives  Storyteller 
Leading visitors through the historic neighbourhood of East City/Ashburnham, exploring the tales of death, tragedy, and ghost sightings that are told about this part of the city.

2010 The Threepenny Opera Max’s Cabaret Mrs. Peachum  Director Max Price

2007-2009 Max’s Cabaret  Penny Dreadful  Director Max Price

Laurel Paluck, Candace Shaw and Leigh Macdonald - 2007Max’s Cabaret is a Peterborough arts institution, presenting performances as fund raisers for arts organizations.  In the past, Max’s Cabaret has supported Mysterious Entity Theatre, The Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, and Trent Radio.  Penny Dreadful is a character that I created for the Cabaret; a little ditsy, a little risque, Penny dances and sings torch numbers.

2007 The Boom Theory   24 Hour Project  Mother Earth  Director Marissa Conlin
The Gordon Best Theatre
The 24 Hour Project is a challenge to actors, writers, and directors to pull together a one-act play in just 24 hours, from writing to performance.  The Boom Theory was written by Gerry McBride.

2007 The Possibilities  End of April Theatre Cooperative  Various  Director Laurel Paluck
The Peterborough Arts Umbrella
A series of short plays by Howard Barker, The Possibilities ranges from post-apocalyptic, Biblical, and recent modern settings and deals with themes of authority, the responsibility of the individual, and the range of human nature.

2007 Close to Home   24 Hour Project  Mother  
The Gordon Best Theatre
The 24 Hour Project is a challenge to actors, writers and directors to pull together a one-act play in just 24 hours, from writing to performance.  Close to Home was written by Rob Swales.

2006 Sleep   24 Hour Project  Mary  Director Rob Swales
The Gordon Best Theatre
The 24 Hour Project is a challenge to actors, writers and directors to pull together a one-act play in just 24 hours, from writing to performance.  Sleep was written by Sara Berniker.

2005 Greatest of All Time (GOAT) Firewire Channel  Director Brian Mitolo
The Montreal House
A weekly, semi-scripted improv serial, GOAT followed the misadventures of a band and the community around them.  Recorded live on digital video.  Copies are available for rent at Peterborough’s Have You Seen…

2004 Les Belles-soeurs  Peterborough Theatre Guild Pierrette Guerin  Director Tracey Germa

Guild Hall
Candace Shaw (red dress) with Les Belles-soeurs cast - 2004A  play by Michel Tremblay, it tells the story of working-class women in 1960s Quebec.

2004 The Soap Firewire Channel  Nicole Director Brian Mitolo
A weekly, semi-scripted improv about the regulars at a bar, done soap-opera style and shot live on digital video.  My character was a drunk bartender.

2000 The Countess Kathleen  Countess Kathleen  Director Mark Finnan
The Gordon Best Theatre
William Butler Yeats’ 1892 work set historically in Ireland during a famine.

1998 The Balcony  Carmen  Director Lauren Hughes
The Gordon Best Theatre
Jean Genet’s play about revolution, reality and illusion.

1997 Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love   Theatre Humber Jerry Coxwell

Director Shawn Goodman

1996 Oleanna   Theatre Humber  Carol  Director Mark Shoenberg

1996 The Children’s Hour Theatre Humber  Martha  Director Mark Shoenberg

1996 The Prisoner of Second Avenue   Theatre Humber Edna Edison  Director Mark Shoenberg

1996 Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet   Theatre Humber  Servant  Director Mark Shoenberg

1995 Under the Bridge  PCVS Theatre Troll Queen  Director Andrew Big

PCVS high school’s entry into the Sears Drama Festival.  A student-written play with an ensemble cast about self-esteem and choices.

1995 As You Like It  Ship of Fooles Theatre CompanyÂ\ Rosalind
Director John Barclay
One of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, the character Rosalind is the most famous of the ‘breeches roles.’  Performed outdoors in a forest 15 minutes East of Peterborough, this production was very well-received by audiences.

1995 The Crackwalker   PCVS Theatre   Sandy  Director Bill Gunson
Judith Thompson’s work about women living on the edge.

1995 The Tempest Ship of Fooles Theatre Company  Miranda  Director John Barclay

The Market Hall Theatre

1995 hist whist   Emergency 3 – Peterborough New Dance Green Spirit  Director/Choreographer Pierre Blin

1994 The Fionavar Tapestry   PCVS Theatre  Kim Ford Director Kris Keating

1993 Cavan Blazers 4th Line Theatre Kathleen Collins  Director Ron Winslow
The second season  of the wildly popular play exploring local tensions between Catholic and Protestant Irish settlers during the 19th century.

1993 Everyman A La Mode  Bethany Outdoor Theatre Scientist  Director Andrew Bigg

1992 Let’s Hear it For Christmas  Peterborough Theatre Guild Christy  Director Marilyn Robinson / Faye Talesnick
Guild Hall
A children’s musical by Beth McMaster, I played Christy, Santa’s Christmas Coordinator.  This was my first lead role in a musical, and it was huge fun.

1992 The Halfway Place  PCVS Theatre Hailey  Director Justin Blair-Ewart

1992 Put on the Spot Peterborough Theatre Guild Gonda Seed  Director Faye Talesnick
Guild Hall
A children’s musical by Beth McMaster, I played a corrupt City Councillor who wanted to close the zoo.

1992 The Otonabee River Chronicles  Ground Zero Productions Various  Director Don Bouzek

1992 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe  Bethany Outdoor Theatre  Unicorn  Director

1992 East of the Sun, West of the Moon   PCVS Theatre East Wind  Director Kristine Keating

1992 Annie   PCVS Theatre Chorus Director Susan Hewitson

1991-1993 Donwood Players   Donwood United Church Theatre Variety Show Cast Member Director Ollie Harding
Produced by my Grandmother’s church, the Donwood Players were my first taste of the stage. A variety show featuring music and skits adapted from the Vaudeville stage, the Donwood Players played to sold-out audiences every year.