THE MASTER CLASS SERIES
FACULTY 2025
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.
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
Full Faculty for 2025 announced soon!!
Music Theatre: Stephen Cota!
Vocal Technique: Gabriela Farias!
Vocal Production: Rebecca Poff!
Broadway Pop Vocals: Lorraine Lawson! Hip Hop- Mark Samuels!
Fosse Workshop: Marianne McCord!
Improvisation: Ed Sahely!
Gabriela Farias
Vocal Tutorial Teacher 2025
Michael Vieira
Accompanist & Vocal Coach 2024
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.
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.
Lorraine Lawson
Pop Vocals 2025!!
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 Schitts Creek season 5 and was proud to be the official vocal coach on TV shows ‘The Launch’ and ‘Pop Stars’.
Lorraine spent 15 years teaching Commerical Performance at Sheridan College, has been a returning guest coach for Canada’s fastest growing Hip Hop community Beatcave, guest lecturer at TMU, CMW 2021-2024, and this years Departure 2025.
As the founder and CEO of Lawson Vocal Studios, Lorraine and her team of coaches, offer private and group programs designed to help people not only discover a voice they love but offer the skills to be able stand on small and large audiences with greater confidence!
Lorraine has 3 released acclaimed albums, sung on countless dance singles, radio jingles, is the author of several music articles and 3 books including Power of Performance available on Amazon.
Lorraine is excited to join the Masterclass Series along with Patricia Warnock and Sharon Heldt.
Lorraine Lawson
CEO of LVS
Vocal & Performance Coach, Schitts Creek/The Launch/Grammy & Juno Winning Artists, Key Note Speaker, Author and Mentor
Text me 289-536-0727
Mark Samuels
Choreographer Hip Hop 2024
MARK SAMUELS - (he/him) is a well-established, in demand artist in the dance & choreography industry with over 20 years of experience.
Craig Warnock
On Camera Film Studies 2024
CRAIG WARNOCK - (he/him) has been in the Film and Television industry for over 35 years.
Rebecca Poff
Vocal Production & Coaching 2025
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.
Marianne McCord
Fosse Workshop & Broadway Talk Back 2025
Steve Cota
Choreographer Music Theatre 2025
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.
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.
Tyler Pearce
Ed Sahely
Choreographer Music Theatre - 2023
Tyler Pearse 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.
Improvisation 2024
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.
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.
Timothy French
Broadway Talk Back- 2022
TIMOTHY FRENCH (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.
Lindsey Gallagher
Shila Lee
TAP NOT OFFERED IN 2025
Choreographer Tap - 2023
Choreographer - Tap 2022
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.
SHILA LEE- (she/her) is a current 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.
Macayla Paris
Vocal Storytelling/Performance 2022/23
MACAYLA PARIS -(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.
Ann Baggley
Headshot Photography Workshop - 2023
ANN BAGGLEY (she/her) https://www.annbaggleyphotography.com
Ann has been an actor, an assistant director and has been photographing with intent for the last 10 years.
As a photographer, Ann provides headshots for actors, businesses and corporations, families, weddings, and just about anything else she’s asked to do!
Meghan Caine
Choreographer Music Theatre 2024
Meghan Caine (she/they) is an interdisciplinary performer, creator and educator. Originally from
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, she has a broad spectrum of experience in the industry,
performing in professional theatre settings, new works development and teaching.
Elysia Cruz
Madelyn Miyashita
Choreographer Fosse 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
Broadway Pop Vocals 2024!
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).
Makenzie Hay
Skylar Blythe
Yoga/Meditation/Focus 2022/23/24/25
MACKENZIE HAY: (she/her)
Currently a student of the esteemed Second City Conservatory Program, Makenzie has a high level of training and experience in all disciplines of
performance art. She is also professionally certified in meditation and alternative medicine.
Social Media 2022/23/24/25
SKYLAR BLYTHE: (she/her) is excited to be working with Master Class 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 currently is an arts educator for Young People's Theatre after completing her residency.