THE MASTER CLASS SERIES FACULTY
Faculty for 2026 announced!!
Music Theatre Combo: Stephen Cota!
Vocal Production: Troy Lebane & Patricia Warnock!
Vocal Belt: Gabriela Farias!
Vocal Technique: Rebecca Poff!
Vocal Storytelling: MIRAGE!
Pop Vocals: Chynna Lewis!
Pop Vocals: Dani Garcia!
Music Theatre Scene Study- Sharon Heldt!
On-Camera- Sharon McFarlane!
Improvisation: Ed Sahely! Audition Preparation: Sharron Matthews! Hip Hop- Mark Samuels!
Fosse Workshop: Marianne McCord!
Briar Boake- Yoga audition practice!
Morning Stretch & Meditation- Kenz Hay!
SHARON HELDT
Music Theatre Scene Study & Improvisation
SHARON HELDT (she/her) is a professional actor in theatre/ film / television, Sharon has over 38 years experience in the business.
actingoutkidstheatre.com sharonheldt.com
PATRICIA WARNOCK
Vocal Production & Master Class
PATRICIA WARNOCK - (she/her) has taught Vocal Music in the Music Theatre Program at the Etobicoke School of the Arts for 21 years. She is the current Head of the program.
Gabriela Farias
Vocal Tutorial Teacher 2026
Michael Vieira
Accompanist & Vocal Coach 2026
GABRIELA FARIAS brings a unique perspective as both a classroom music teacher and private voice studio owner. She holds an honours undergraduate degree in music education from the University of Toronto, and a Master’s of Teaching degree from OISE where she completed her thesis on culturally responsive pedagogy in music education.
Steve Cota
MICHAEL VIEIRA-(he/him) is a Toronto born musician. He brings years of experience as a vocal coach, accompanist and audition pianist. For 37 years he was the accompanist, composer and musical director for ESA.
Mark Samuels
Choreographer Music Theatre 2026
STEPHEN COTA (he/him) has been performing all over Canada including 16 seasons at the Stratford Festival where he has been on stage and for the last 6 years and has had the privilege of working alongside Donna Feore as Associate Choreographer and Assistant Director.
Rebecca Poff
Choreographer Hip Hop 2025
MARK SAMUELS - (he/him) is a well-established, in demand artist in the dance & choreography industry with over 20 years of experience.
Sharon McFarlane
Vocal Production & Coaching 2026
REBECCA POFF (she/her) has been on the faculty at Sheridan College Honours Bachelor of Music
Theatre Performance as a vocal tutorial teacher for the past 15 years and has been able to help usher many young talented performers into
professional careers.
Ed Sahely
On Camera Film Studies 2026
SHARON MCFARLANE (she/her)
Sharon has worked in film and television with credits including: The Boys, Late Bloomer, Law &
Order Toronto, Accused, Saving Hope, Murdoch Mysteries, Spotlight and many more.
Marianne McCord
Improvisation 2022-26
ED SAHELY- (he/him) spent 7 years with The Second City, receiving a Dora Mavor Moore award for work on the Toronto MainStage. His theatrical improv troupe, NOT TO BE REPEATED, was so successful, it went on to become a series on CTV and The Comedy Network.
Troy Lebane
Vocal Production & Coaching 2026
TROY LEBANE (he/him) is a Toronto-based vocalist, songwriter, and educator. As a graduate of the ESA Music Theatre program and the McGill Concurrent B.Mus/B.Ed program, Troy is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed on many stages across North-America, including in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Niagara Falls, NYC, Boston, and Chicago.
Fosse Workshop & Broadway Talk Back 2026
MARIANNE MCCORD Marianne has performed across Canada and the US in musicals produced by Mirvish Productions, Livent, The Stratford Festival, The Drayton Festival, from Theatre New Brunswick to Vancouver's Arts Club Theatre. Highlights include CHICAGO at the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway.
Carl Steinhauser
Accompanist 2026
CARL STEINHAUSER Carl Steinhauser is a Toronto-based pianist, organist, and composer. He is currently accompanist with Etobicoke Centennial Choir, Mississauga Festival Choir, and Etobicoke School of the Arts.
Chynna Lewis
POP Vocals & Coaching 2026
CHYNNA LEWIS is a Pop/R&B singer-songwriter based in Toronto. Her music deftly weaves R&B, soulful vocals, and folk into classic pop songwriting, creating a dreamy, modern, and genre-blurring sound.
Dani Garcia
POP Vocals & Coaching 2026
DANI GARCIA is an award-winning vocalist, songwriter, and educator based in Toronto, Ontario. With over 17 years of experience on the Canadian music scene, she performs in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, blending styles like Latin, jazz, R&B, and pop.
Macayla Paris
MIRAGE
MACAYLA PARIS-MIRAGE (she/her) Macayla Paris is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Toronto - Treaty 13. She is passionate about the development of new work through collaborating with artists of all mediums and backgrounds. Macayla is a graduate of Sheridan College's Music Theatre Performance Program. MIRAGE recently won Best Picture at the Innovate Dance Film awards for original song and film. Currently Macayla (MIRAGE) is creating her own Indie- electronic new album for release in the Fall of 2025! Follow her on Instagram: mmmirage___
Music Theatre Storytelling 22/23/26
Tyler Pearce
Music Theatre Choreography 2023
TYLER PEARCE-is a Toronto-based artist and budding choreographer with a thriving career as a vocalist and performer: Rock of Ages (Elgin Theatre), Peter’s Final Flight (Ross Petty Productions), Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), etc.earse is a Toronto-based artist and budding choreographer with a thriving career as a vocalist and performer: Rock of Ages (Elgin Theatre), Peter’s Final Flight (Ross Petty Productions), Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), etc.
Elysia Cruz
POP Vocals 2024 & JULIET Talk Back 2025
ELYSIA CRUZ -Born in the Philippines, is a Filipino- Canadian performer. She graduated with the class of ‘23 at Sheridan College for the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance training in vocal, dance and acting as well as specializing in Pop style singing. She has just recently finished SIX the Musical as Katherine Howard with Mirvish Productions. Select credits include: An Incomplete List. (Theatre Sheridan & Toronto Fringe Festival), Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (Theatre Sheridan), In Studio: With Britta Johnson (Theatre Sheridan). Elysia is set to perform in
& Juliet at Mirvish December 2025.
Lorraine Lawson
POP Vocals 2025
LORRANE LAWSON -Lorraine is the most sought after vocal and performance coach in Canada, working with Canadian superstars Roy Woods, Chris Grey, Olivia Lunny and Elijah Woods, Grammy nominees Rachael Kennedy and Alessia Degasperis, dance sensations Blake McGrath and Briar Nolet, Musical Theatre stars Jeff Madden, Tamara Podemski, Ian Lake, Actors Brenton Thwaits, Tiffany Haddish, Emily Hampshire with the rest of the cast of Schitt's Creek season 5 and was proud to be the official vocal coach on TV shows ‘The Launch’ and ‘Pop Stars’.
Shila Lee
Meghan Caine
Music Theatre Choreogrpahy 2024
MEGHAN CAINE-is a Toronto-based artist and budding choreographer with a thriving career as a vocalist and performer: Rock of Ages (Elgin Theatre), Peter’s Final Flight (Ross Petty Productions), Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), etc.earse is a Toronto-based artist and budding choreographer with a thriving career as a vocalist and performer: Rock of Ages (Elgin Theatre), Peter’s Final Flight (Ross Petty Productions), Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), etc.
Eric Martin
& JULIET Talk Back 2025
ERIC MARTIN: Eric was born and raised in Hamilton, ON. Eric is a graduate of Sheridan College Music Theatre Program. Eric is currently starring in & Juliet at Mirvish Theatre, understudying the character, 'May'.
Sharron Matthews
Audition Preparation 2025/26
SHARRON MATTHEWS -
Sharron Matthews is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed multi-hyphenate artist. Her exceptional work as a writer, actress and producer can be found on stage, in TV/film and in essays and articles around the world.
As an actress on the big screen, Sharron can be currently seen as MRS BILLUPS in the Disney Plus feature film OUT OF MY MIND, based on the hit novel by Sharon Draper, which debuted at SUNDANCE in January of 2024.
Lindsey Gallagher
TAP choreography 2022 & 2023- Not offered in 2026
SHILA LEE- (she/her) is a graduate student of the University of Toronto, doing a double major in Psychology and English. She is also a Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance Full-Time Competitive Graduate with Tap and Hip Hop as her specialty. Shila continues to guest teach at ESA in the Music Theatre department.
Lee MacDougall
Broadway Talk Back 2022
LEE MACDOUGALL (he/him) was in the original Broadway cast of Sankoff and Hein's COME FROM AWAY, after developing the show at La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Washington DC's Ford's Theatre, Gander NFLD's Community Centre, and Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre. Lee MacDougall is currently directing SUGAR ROAD for Drayton Entertainment and starring in The Odd Couple and Barry and Jonas in the Home.
Ann Baggley
Headshot Photography Talk Back 2023/26
ANN BAGGLEY (she/her) https://www.annbaggleyphotography.com
Ann has been an actor with SHAW and Stratford Festivals, an assistant director for Donna Feore at Stratford Festival and has transitioned to photographing with intent for the last 12 years.
As a photographer, Ann provides headshots for actors in Stratford and Toronto, businesses and corporations, families, weddings. Ann is currently one of the top Stratford Festival's photographers, as well as Here For Now Theatre.
Craig Warnock
On Camera 2022-24
CRAIG WARNOCK - (he/him) has been in the Film and Television industry for over 35 years.
Skylar Blythe
Social Media & Assistant Director 2022-26
SKYLAR BLYTHE:(she/her) is excited to be working with Master Class again to boost their social media and further their outreach for their Triple Threat Intensive. Skylar is an ESA MT grad and SPLASH Show Choir member. A recent graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University, Skylar complete her bachelor's degree in Creative Industries, studying her 3rd year at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Skylar is currently is a leading arts educator for Young People's Theatre after completing her residency.
LINDSEY GALLAGHER (she/her)Member of professional tap dance company, What's On Tap,Certified Tap Dance Instructor,Member of University of Guelph's competitive tap dance team, Guelph Tap Pak.
Timothy French
Broadway Talk Back 2022
TIMOTHY FRENCH (he/him)
(he/him) is one of the foremost Directors and Choreographers of Musical Theatre in Canada.
Mr. French spent 7 years at the Stratford Festival where he moved from performer to Associate Director and Choreographer with the eminent Brian MacDonald. Timothy is currently choreographing for the BLYTH FESTIVAL 2026
Madelyn Miyashita
Choreographer Fossee 2024
MADELYN MIYASHITA-(she/her) is a choreographer and performer based in Toronto. She is an honours graduate of Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance program, where she specialized in choreographic studies. She has also trained with the Verdon Fosse Legacy, Steps on Broadway, and Broadway Dance Centre. On stage, Madelyn has recently appeared in Brigadoon, White Christmas (Shaw Festival), and Margarita (Holla Jazz + Fall For Dance No. Currently a member of the SHAW festival 2025/26 season!
Briar Boake
Yoga Audition Technique 2025 & 26
Briar came to Yoga through a dance and performance background with a desire to stay fit and gain more peace of mind. As an actor and singer, she brings a creative approach to her teaching and workshop environments so that students of all levels can benefit from the mind/body inspired teachings of Yoga.
Kenz Hay
Yoga/Meditation/Focus -Assistant Director and Choreographer 2022-26
KENZ HAY: (she/her)
A graduate of ESA Music Theatre Program and dance leader for the award winning Show Choir, SPLASH. Kenz is also a member of the esteemed Second City Conservatory Program. Kenz has a high level of training and experience in all disciplines of performance art, including costume design. Kenz is also professionally certified in meditation and alternative medicine. Kenz is a leading arts educator for Young People's Theatre and others.
Check out our Multidisciplinary artists
Skylar Blythe & Makenzie Hay's
review on their first show, AL FRESCO!
https://www.sesayarts.com/review-this-is-one-funeral-that-bears-repeating/
