Winter 2027 Theatre Academy for Children & Youth
Mountain Play Theatre Academy continues into winter with a new creative challenge: IMPROVISATION!
Students will continue developing their skills through improvisational theatre. Improvisation teaches much more than how to be funny. It teaches students to:
- Listen
- Respond
- Trust themselves
- Support their scene partners
- Think creatively
- Developing memorable characters
- Take risks
- Adapt
- Say “yes” to an idea and build on it
THE WINTER SHOW WILL BE DIFFERENT. This session, Mountain Play students will work toward a production that is partially scripted and partially improvised. Some scenes will be rehearsed. Some characters and mini musical elements will be prepared. And some moments will be created live, in front of the audience. Every performance becomes a shared creative experience between the performers and the audience.
YOU NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.
And that’s the fun!
Wednesdays: 3:45 – 4:30pm from January 20 – April 21 (excluding 2 weeks for spring break)
12 Sessions (9 hours) at the Radium Hot Spring Centre (Community Hall): $180.00
Get ready to play, create and shine!
Students explore acting, singing, movement, rhythm, introductory instruments and theatre games while inventing characters, telling stories and working together.
They’ll build communication skills, imagination and confidence as they discover what it means to be part of a theatre company.
Wednesdays: 4:30 – 6:00pm from January 20 – April 21 (excluding 2 weeks for spring break)
12 Sessions (18 hours) at the Radium Hot Spring Centre (Community Hall): $360.00
Junior Company members develop their acting, vocal, movement and improvisation skills through character work, scene creation, music and ensemble activities.
Students learn to collaborate, take creative risks and bring ideas to life while preparing for a live company production.
Wednesdays: 6:00pm – 7:30pm from January 20 – April 21 (excluding 2 weeks for spring break)
12 Sessions (18 hours) at the Radium Hot Spring Centre (Community Hall): $360.00
Develop your craft, find your voice and own the stage!
Teen Company explores acting technique, character development, improvisation, voice, movement and ensemble performance.
Students challenge their creativity, strengthen their stage presence and collaborate on bringing a live production to life, with opportunities to contribute ideas and make bold artistic choices.
Why Mountain Play Theatre Academy?
ACT.
SING.
MOVE.
PLAY.
PERFORM.
A complete performing-arts experience for children, young people and adults.
This Fall we are excited to introduce Mountain Play Theatre Academy Classes, where performers of all ages can explore theatre, singing, movement, rhythm, improvisation and introductory instrumental skills.
From our youngest performers discovering imaginative play and music to our teens developing their stage skills, Mountain Play Theatre Company provides opportunities to explore the performing arts in a welcoming, creative environment.
Our programs are designed to meet children where they are. Whether they’re naturally drawn to the spotlight, prefer working as part of an ensemble, love music and movement, or are simply curious to try something new.
WHY FAMILIES CHOOSE MOUNTAIN PLAY
ONE DROP-OFF
Theatre, singing, movement, rhythm and introductory instrumental skills — all in one programme.
CONFIDENCE
Students develop communication, self-expression and the confidence to perform in front of others.
CREATIVITY
They have the opportunity to explore acting, music, movement and storytelling.
TEAMWORK
Students learn how to collaborate, listen, support others and work toward a shared goal.
PERFORMANCE
They have opportunities to take their skills from the rehearsal room to the stage.
COMMUNITY
Mountain Play is a place to make friends, discover talents and become part of a creative community.
EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS
Mountain Play is led by Tara Whittick, Ellie Crabb and Leisa O’Sullivan, are experienced teachers with more than 50 years of cumulative experience working with children and young people of all ages and abilities.
Together, they bring theatre, music, voice, movement and performance experience into one supportive program.
WHAT MAKES MOUNTAIN PLAY DIFFERENT?
Our program is led by three experienced educators and performers, each bringing a different area of expertise.
Our music and voice instructor leads students through:
Singing and vocal development
Musicality and rhythm
Harmony and ensemble singing
Basic instrumental skills
Musical exploration
Performance skills
Our theatre & movement instructors lead students in:
Acting
Character development
Improvisation
Storytelling
Stagecraft
Confidence-building
Movement and basic choreography
Together, these disciplines become musical theatre and live performance. Students learn not only individual skills, but how those skills work together to tell a story on stage.
MEET THE TEAM
Experienced educators.
Creative practitioners.
Passionate performers.
Tara Whittick, Ellie Crabb and Leisa O’Sullivan bring more than 50 years of combined experience working with children, young people and adults through theatre, music, education and the performing arts. Together, they create a supportive environment where performers of all ages and abilities can explore their creativity, develop confidence and discover the joy of performing.
TARA WHITTICK
Theatre • Performance • Movement
Tara Whittick is an experienced educator with more than 20 years of teaching experience a degree in Theatre Arts and a degree in the Master of Teaching Program, both from the University of Calgary. Her teaching career has included working with children and young people from early childhood through age 18, as well as adults, in Western Canada and internationally.
Tara brings a strong background in theatre, music and creative education, with a particular passion for helping students develop confidence, self-expression and performance skills. She enjoys creating engaging, supportive environments where students can explore character, storytelling, movement and performance while learning to work together as an ensemble.
At Mountain Play, Tara leads students through theatre, acting, movement and basic choreography, helping them discover their own ways of contributing to a production.
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ELLIE CRABB
Theatre • Applied Performance • Creative Learning
Ellie Crabb is a theatre practitioner and creative learning facilitator with a First Class BA (Hons) in Applied Theatre from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).
She has worked with people from ages 3–90 across Scotland, including youth theatre, community groups and adults with disabilities. Her professional experience includes working in the Creative Learning departments of the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and Dundee Rep Theatre, as well as leading youth theatre programs and facilitating workshops for diverse communities.
Now based in Invermere, Ellie is passionate about making theatre accessible, welcoming and enjoyable for everyone. At Mountain Play, she brings her experience in applied theatre, improvisation, ensemble work and creative learning to help students build confidence, explore their creativity and discover the joy of making theatre together.
LEISA O’SULLIVAN
Music • Voice • Instruments • Performance
Leisa O’Sullivan is an experienced music educator, musician and performer with more than 20 years of experience working with children and young people in the Columbia Valley.
She has taught music, dance and choir at J.A. Laird and Eileen Madson schools in Invermere and led the Silver Strings Ukulele Group for many years, helping young musicians develop their skills and confidence as performers.
Leisa is also an accomplished working musician and member of The O’Sullivans, who have performed extensively throughout the Columbia Valley. She has also performed with the family band Siofri and continues to offer private music lessons.
At Mountain Play, Leisa leads singing, voice, rhythm and introductory instrumental skills, bringing together her experience as an educator and performer to help students discover the joy of making and performing music.
