About

Isabella Halladay, Artistic Director, Theatre Teacher

Isabella Halladay is a Vancouver based performer, working and playing on the the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh first nations. She studied opera performance and received a Bachelor of Music from the University of British Columbia, while training in theatre in dance. She has performed in musicals, opera, and theatre in BC, New York, and Europe, as well as working as a choreographer and vocal coach. An interdisciplinary artist, Isabella is always thrilled to connect the worlds of opera, theatre, music, dance and physical storytelling. Isabella also teaches with Bard on the Beach, Vancouver Opera, Choral Stage, and throughout the community. She is thrilled to be supporting youth who are passionate about musical theatre through the TES Theatre program.  

Harriet Dykstra, Assistant Theatre Teacher

Harriet Dykstra is a young performer, living, working, and playing on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh first nations. She is a performer new to the professional world but very excited to be working with youth through TES theatre. She has nine years of onstage and behind the scenes experience in the community with Windsor House Theatre and Sheep and Goats Productions. Harriet has worked in an education based retail environment and hopes to bring her experience from that to TES. Harriet believes strongly in being excited about everything she does and is looking forward to creating a safe and inclusive space for young performers from any background.

Demi Pedersen, Mentor

Demi Pedersen is an actor, musician and educator based on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people. Since graduating from UBC in 2015 Demi  has worked primarily as an actor and musician in the Vancouver indie theatre community. She is also a youth educator, teaching film, improv and sketch with Young Moviemakers, an award winning video and production program for children and youth.

Stephanie Ondrack, Administrator

Stephanie Ondrack is delighted to support the TES Theatre Company in an administrative capacity. Former Box Office Manager for the Arts Club (and Stanley) Theatre Company, and ongoing Executive Director of the Childbearing Society, Stephanie brings experience with non-profit organizations, theatre administration, and educational programming. Parent to four alternatively educated children, including one graduate, one current participant, and one probable future student in the TES Theatre Company, Stephanie is glad to be part of such a dynamic and innovative program for youth. 

TES (Transforming Education Society)

The Transforming Education Society (TES) was originally formed by parents as a support organization for Windsor House Democratic School. TES has since evolved into an umbrella group that both sponsors and partners with self-directed, personalized learning initiatives, in which learners collaborate with mentors, teachers, parents, and peers to determine the curriculum. TES believes the collaborative skills learned in these educational environments will make the learner more able to consider alternative points of views, more likely to generate as well as appreciate innovative ideas, better equipped to contribute to inclusive discourse and practice, and a more engaged and able member of society. TES is committed to supporting projects that offer opportunities for collaborative, self-determined, and personalized learning. TES is very proud to support the TES Theatre Program.