Program Duration:
9 months
Next Full-Time Starts:
March & September 2010/11

Faculty

Faculty

Advisory Council

William B. Davis - Director, Actor & Instructor

Before becoming "Cancer Man" on the hit TV series The X-Files, William Davis had a long career as a teacher, director and actor. He has been the Director of Canada's two leading acting schools: the National Theatre School and the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School. He was the founding Artistic Director of Festival Lennoxville in Quebec, Director of the Dundee Repertory Theatre in Scotland and Assistant Director at the National Theatre of Great Britain.

Mr. Davis has directed over 100 professional productions at major theatres in Britain and Canada.  He founded the William Davis Centre for Actors' Study in 1989, which now offers its highly regarded curriculum at VanArts, where he now also sits on the Board of Advisors. Bill founded the William Davis Centre for Actors' Study in 1989, which now offers its highly regarded curriculum at VanArts. Additionally, Mr. Davis sits on the Board of Advisors at VanArts.

For more information, see also:
www.williambdavis.com
William B. Davis at IMDB

Candice Elzinga

A 4 time Emmy Nominee, based in Vancouver since 1995, Candice Elzinga has been responsible for casting some of the leading feature films, television series and movies for television shot in Western Canada. A trained actor with her BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta, Candice brings a profound understanding of the acting process to her work. Boasting a keen eye for new talent, she has earned a reputation for her in-depth knowledge of the Canadian acting community, as well as her knack for bringing a fresh, innovative eye to the projects she casts. 

Murray Gibson

With post-secondary training focussed on Marketing and Public Relations, Gibson became a Talent Agent in 1986 and has worked with Characters, Canada's largest full service Talent Agency with offices in both Vancouver and Toronto, since 1991. He represents Canadian actors for film, television, theatre, and radio in Canada, and around the globe. He produced a short film to gain a more thorough knowledge of all aspects of the entertainment industry. He also travels extensively, and relaxes by scuba diving, rock climbing, white water rafting, and sky diving. Mr. Gibson was one of the founding members of the Talent Agents and Managers Association of Canada (TAMAC), a self-governing body of the professional Talent Agents in Canada, and served on its Board. In a highly competitive industry, he is known for both his sense of humour, and his ethics.

Rob LaBelle

A graduate of Brown University and NYU’s Graduate Program in Acting, Rob LaBelle has worked as an actor, director and producer in theatre, film and television for over 20 years. He worked on such early features from ground breaking director Todd Haynes as Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story and Poison. Rob has also worked with directors Barry Sonnenfeld, Harold Becker, Roland Joffe, Wes Craven, Bruce MacDonald, Roger Spottiswoode, Stan Douglas and Zack Snyder. He was nominated for a Gemini award for his work as Eddie Nambulous in First Wave, and a Leo Award for his starring role in The Burial Society. Rob has been the Executive in Charge of Television for Infinity Features (Saved, Capote) for several years, and is currently an Executive Producer on their TV series Mental (with Fox TV Studios). He has taught acting at Colorado College and UCLA’s Overseas Program (in Florence, Italy). Rob has also served on the Executive Boards of SAG, ACTRA and UBCP.

Faculty Members

Christine Willes - Co-Department Head, Acting for Film & Television

Acting is Christine's passion, and the pursuit of excellence her mandate. She has been inspired by the work of all the staff at the Centre for Actors' Study since 1999. Christine holds degrees in acting and education, and has been a professional actor since 1976. She has played recurring roles on X-Files, Mercy Point, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and most recently played Delores Herbig on Dead Like Me for Showtime. Christine's performance as Martha in The Unexpected Man earned her a 2007 Jessie nomination for Best Actress. She plays Mrs. Henderson in the feature Trick 'r Treat, opening in October 2007, just wrapped the Dead Like Me movie, and is delighted to be joining the cast of the new series Reaper as Gladys.

 

Click here to see Christine on the imdb.

Greg Kean - Co-Department Head, Acting for Film & Television

Greg Kean has been a professional actor since receiving his MFA in Acting from Cornell University in 1985. Greg's credits include Houston's Alley Theatre, The Los Angeles Theatre Centre, movies including "Summer Dreams, the Story of the Beach Boys" as Brian Wilson, "Air America" and "Saved!". On television Greg portrayed Clancy Lass on the series "Dead Like Me" and has guest starred on many shows including "Designing Women", "Da Vinci's Inquest", "Saved By The Bell", "Life Goes On", "Smallville" and "The Guard". Greg has also done many commercials, including spots for Avandia, Oldsmobile, Honda, Michelob, and T. Rowe Price.

 

Click to see Greg on the imdb.

William B. Davis - Founding Director, Actor & Instructor

Before becoming "Cancer Man" on the hit TV series The X-Files, William Davis had a long career as a teacher, director and actor. He has been the Director of Canada's two leading acting schools: the National Theatre School and the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School. He was the founding Artistic Director of Festival Lennoxville in Quebec, Director of the Dundee Repertory Theatre in Scotland and Assistant Director at the National Theatre of Great Britain.

Mr. Davis has directed over 100 professional productions at major theatres in Britain and Canada.  He founded the William Davis Centre for Actors' Study in 1989, which now offers its highly regarded curriculum at VanArts, where he now also sits on the Board of Advisors.

Bill founded the William Davis Centre for Actors' Study in 1989, which now offers its highly regarded curriculum at VanArts. Additionally, Mr. Davis sits on the Board of Advisors at VanArts.

For more information, see also:
www.williambdavis.com
William B. Davis at IMDB

Daniel Martin

Daniel has been appearing on Vancouver stages since graduating from the William Davis Centre in 1999. Highlights include the manic director Strizh in Black Snow (United Players), Frank in Daniel McIvors' Never Swim Alone (Street Repertory Theatre), Edmund in King Lear (Firehall/Shakespeare Centre) and Sophie's Dad in Carnage (Pi Theatre). He most recently played himself, his great-great-great-grandfather, and many others in Upintheair’s Johnny Grant: A Rollicking Adventure Story. As Artistic Director of Upintheair, Daniel has been instrumental in the creation of Wedgie, Men of the World, 120bpm, Johnny Grant, and The Walking Fish Festival. He has been an ongoing member of the CORE physical training group since 2004.

Trilby Jeeves

Trilby Jeeves was the only English student to be theatrically trained in French, her second language, for 3 years at Le Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Québec City. She went on to perform in both languages, across Canada. In BC, she worked with Théâtre La Seizième, The Raymond Burr Theatre, First Impressions Theatre and other smaller companies. In between working as a costumer in the film industry for 10 years, Trilby directed the first French Canadian productions in Vancouver of Les Monologues du Vagin two years running, as well as teaching improvisation and buffoonery en Français, throughout various schools in B.C., and P.E.I. For the last three years, Trilby has been teaching her own Buffoonery Acting Workshops to actors and non-actors, traveling as far as Puerto Rico, also for Tooba Physical Theatre, and VanArts. With partner, Peter D. Marshall, she co-trains their “Directing the Actor” workshop, and is heading to Singapore for the second time this fall. Also, with Peter, she gives social media workshops and private coaching for artists and other businesses. You can follow her on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tjbuffoonery

Bruce Dawson - Acting

Bruce studied in New York at the renowned HB Studio with Carol Rosenfeld. He is a past member of the Equity Theatre company Sea Theatre and has appeared in many of their critically acclaimed productions including Burn This, Popcorn, and Established Price. Bruce has appeared in numerous film and TV roles. He currently has recurring roles on the popular television series The L Word and the new series Painkiller Jane, as well as playing Flash Gordon's father in the new Flash Gordon series. He can also be seen as "Captain Harrison" in the feature film Holloman II. His teaching is influenced by Uta Hagen's methods. Students of his love the fact that he teaches them techniques that work on set and on stage, not just in the classroom.

 

Click here to see Bruce on the imdb.

Chilton Crane - Head of Film & Television

One of Vancouver's busiest TV and film actors, Chilton has had recurring roles on Madison, Beggars and Choosers , and Pasadena, and is currently part of the new Cold Squad team. She played lead and co-star roles on TV episodics X-Files, Dead Man's Gun, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone and Poltergeist . Chilton's recent feature film credits are co-starring roles in Flower and Garnett and Air Bud . Despite her credits, what truly makes Chilton a good teacher is she has personally made every mistake an actor can make and learned the hard way.

 

Click here to see Chilton on the imdb.

Dave Mott

Dave is a BFA graduate of University of Victoria and is committed to challenging established creation concepts and developing new ways of seeing theatre. In the 1990's he was core member of the Chaos Collective and his creative efforts gave rise to the Metanoia Projects and a number of site-specific theatre installations in local rave parties. A committed member of the CORE group in Vancouver since 2005 he is skilled in Suzuki Method, Viewpoints, Grotowski & Fowler physical theatre techniques. As co-founder of Upintheair Theatre (www.upintheairtheatre.com) in 1999 he has created, produced, directed and/or performed in Wedgie, Pyropornomania, Moxie, Men of the WORLD, STUMPED & 120bpm and established Vancouver's short form original theatre festival - The Walking Fish Festival. Selected Acting: Escape From Happiness, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Glengarry Glen Ross, Hopscotch, Hello Out There, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear.

Helen Walkley - Physical Training

Helen is an independent performer, choreographer, improviser and teacher based in Vancouver, BC. Performance work in the US, Canada, and Europe encompassed the New York Improvisation Festival and Dance Theater Workshop/NY, the American Dance Festival, On the Boards/Seattle, Danceworks/Toronto, the Edge Festival/Vancouver, Tangente/Monteal Danslab/Amsterdam and the Tanzfabrik/Berlin. A certified Laban Movement Analyst and registered Somatic Movement Educator, Helen has a M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Simon Fraser University. Teaching experience, including Artist in Residence tenures, ranges from Simon Fraser University, the University of Calgary, Virginia CommonWealth University and the Laban Institute for Movement Studies/NY to the School for New Dance Development in the Amsterdam, the Dance Centre in Vancouver, and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby.

Julie Howgate - Acting

From Winnipeg to London to Vancouver, Julie has trained, performed and taught in theatre, TV and film for well over a decade. Expert at teaching beginning actors, she has introduced over 500 students at the Centre to the thrill of acting. European credits include Brookside (BBC), Soul Survivor (Trisquare), and French National commercial "Orange". North American credits include Hallowe'en 8, The Gut Girls , US national "Got Milk" commercials and character voice work for Da Vinci's Inquest . Julie just made her directorial debut with Alan Ball's Five Women Wearing the Same Dress for Kindred Spirits. She brings with her the eclectic background and positive attitude needed to facilitate true acting.

Lesli Brownlee - Acting

Lesli Brownlee is a graduate of the William Davis Centre's Full-time program and since than has been busy in the local theatre and independent film scenes. Lesli brings to her teaching a wide variety of skills - from sketch comedy (Grimaldi's Asylum) to avant-garde adaptations she's done it all. Lesli was most recently seen as Aphrodite in the critically accaliamed Vancouver premiere of Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses.

Rachel Scott - Physical Training

After earning her BA in English and Theatre from Columbia University in New York City, Rachel earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. She is an SAFD Certified Actor Combatant in Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger, and Hand to Hand, and has also received Advanced Dueling Arts training with Gregory Hoffman in multiple disciplines. She has had the great pleasure of working as J. Steven White's assistant in choreographing, directing, and teaching in New York University's undergraduate and MFA programs, Columbia University's MFA program, the Public Theatre Shakespeare Lab, and the Stella Adler Conservatory. Additional work has included fight directing "Taming of the Shrew" and assisting in the fight choreography for the Broadway productions of "The Pirate Queen" and "Hamlet." Additional teaching credits include the University of San Francisco and (locally) Schoolcreative.

Robin Douglas - American Dialect

Robin Douglas is a veteran of over thirty years as a performer, appearing on stage, screen and television. A native New Yorker, she began her professional training as a teenager at the High School of Performing Arts, the inspiration for the movie Fame. She continued her training at NYU School of the Arts and studied further at the famed HB Studio. She then spent the next fifteen years working on-stage in New York, including the Off-Broadway premiere of Joseph Heller's Catch-22.

 

Since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1990, Robin has worked as an actress and voiceover performer while developing her skills as a private coach and teacher. She spent five years as the Dialogue Coach for The X Files, and has worked as an American Dialect Coach on such films as Miracle, Prozac Nation and X-Men 2. She juggles acting, teaching and voiceover work from her home in Point Roberts, Washington.

Click here to see some of what Robin has done .

Tracy D Smith - Film and Television

In 2002, Tracy D. Smith received an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. She then joined Brightlight Pictures’ Development Department until 2006. She served on the board of WIFTV for over three years. Her short film Sandra Gets Dumped (2005 Crazy8s) won a Leo Award for Best Screenwriting and her feature film debut, Taming Tammy, premiered at the 2007 Vancouver International Film Festival. She is currently writing and directing segments for CBC’s national show, the Living Series.

  • rss
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • vimeo