Lauren Hillman – Artistic Director
Instructor for: Junior and Senior Productions, Lunchbox and Spotlight Theatre, Camps, Musical Theatre Academy
Lauren Hillman is an actor, writer, director, and creative artist from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She has a BFA in Acting from the University of Windsor (2007) and favourite on-stage roles include Puck (Midsummer Night’s Dream), Charlotte/Nurse (7 Stories), Amalia Balash (Parfumerie), Maria (The Government Inspector), and Maria (Twelfth Night).
Lauren is a co-founder of Stage One Theatre in her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, a graduate of the Stratford Academy summer intensive program, and has written and published her first novel, a middle-grade fantasy called Outcast.
Lauren has been a regular instructor with Theatrix’s Lunchbox Theatre, Spotlight Theatre, and spring and summer camps for more than fifteen years, and has directed and written several of Theatrix’s original productions, including: The Snow Queen, The Twisted Tale of Robin Hood, Narnia: The Musical, As You Wish, Human Like Me, The One-Stop Happiness Shop, Clue: A Whodunnit Musical Murder Mystery, Alice in a Winter Wonderland, Charlie and the World of Pure Imagination, Every Christmas Story EVER, Puck: The Pandemonium Tour, Shelved, Stardust, Christmas is Cancelled, and Myths and Mirrors.
Lauren has great faith in her students’ abilities, and her greatest joy comes from seeing them improve beyond what they’d thought possible. In addition to Theatrix, Lauren is kept busy by her active but adorable daughter, Autumn.
Deborah Solberg – Operations Manager
Deborah is a University of Lethridge BA/Bed graduate with numerous acting credits, including: Annie Sullivan in Miracle Worker 1977 and 2005, Viola in Twelfth Night, Rizzo in Grease and Marmee in Little Women.
Deborah is founding Artistic Director of Theatrix Youtheatre Society, which incorporated as a non-profit, charitable performing arts organization in 1991.
- Over three decades, she collaborated with thousands of youth to create theatre as a vehicle to learn confidence and self-expression.
- Deborah produced and directed over 100 productions, from short school touring shows to full scale musical theatre productions.
- She is playwright of over 30 original plays, with a passion for adapting classical children’s literature. (Resource Page)
- Theatrix is a 17-time Theatre BC festival award winner from those shows.
- Young people in Theatrix programs have become professional actors, dancers and singers around the world.
- Deborah is also author of several children’s picture books (https://DeborahJeanSolberg.com).
Deborah passed the Artistic Director hat to Lauren Hillman and is now Operations Manager.
Jayda Grant – Music Director
Instructor for: Senior Productions
Jayda Grant is a music director and pianist working across the lower mainland. She has previously music directed for Theatre in the Country (Sister Act, Anastasia), Delta Player’s (Spring Awakening) and River’s Edge Theatre (Into the Woods, Freaky Friday, Little Women), and has been assistant music director for Align Entertainment (Beauty and the Beast) and Fraser Valley Stage (Legally Blonde). Additionally, Jayda has played piano in orchestras with Theatre Under the Stars (Legally Blonde), and Delta Players (The Rocky Horror Show). She is proud to have received the 2024 Broadway World Vancouver Award for Best Music Direction for Anastasia.
Jayda discovered her passion as a music director after years of performing and playing piano. She hopes to share her passion with students and help them discover their potential. She aims to create a positive and supportive learning environment for students to gain confidence, take risks, and learn from each other.
Ashley Binette – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox Theatre, Summer Camps, Production and Special Event Choreography
Ashley found her love for dance and performing at a very young age. With over 20 years in the performing arts industry, she has earned titles such as National Gold Champion for two consecutive years in dance competitions in Las Vegas and Orlando, as well as National Silver Champion in Portland, Oregon.
Ashley is trained in tap, hip hop, jazz, musical theatre and ballet and has trained with many masters, including Jeni Le Gon, Jason Samuels Smith and Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo (NappyTabs).
She was a backup dancer for Tazneem Tarmohamed, has been featured in television commercials such as Alley Cats, and performed in local productions, including For The Luv Of It, West Side Story and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games Ceremony. Ashley is always eager to share her knowledge and continue to learn in every aspect in the performing arts industry.
Juliana Marko – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox and Spotlight Theatre, Summer Camps, Partnership Classes, Musical Theatre Academy, and Junior Productions
Juliana Marko is a performance artist from Trail BC. She started out in the competitive dance world, and quickly realized her love for theatre when she attended Playhouse North School of Theatre in Calgary AB. Her love for the stage grew when she had the opportunity to train at Black Box Acting Studio in Chicago IL. Juliana has performed across stages in Calgary, Chicago and the West Kootenays in dance, musical theatre and solo performance. She has been teaching ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and musical theatre at Steps Dance Centre (her home dance studio) since 2010. In 2013 Juliana co-founded Triple Threat Experience in Trail BC, and has since directed 8 youth musicals. Juliana also co-founded Avant Garde Cabaret (an annual showcase of West Kootenay performing artists) where she was able to perform original work for 5 seasons.
Stage Credits include A Twist of Murder, Broken, Matt and Ben, Kootenay Housewives The Musical and Rent. Juliana loves seeing the growth in her students from beginning to end. She believes that theatre is for everyone–not just those who want to pursue a career in the performing arts. Juliana recently relocated to Port Coquitlam with her 12 year old son, and is very excited about this new chapter with Theatrix!
Emily Canavan – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox and Spotlight Theatre, Musical Theatre Academy
Emily is an experienced performer and Theatrix alum, where she first took the stage in CATS (2007) and RENT (2010). She is thrilled to now step into a teaching role and continue building the Theatrix legacy of helping young people fall in love with theatre.
Emily has brought a wide range of characters to life across the Lower Mainland, including Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Nancy in Oliver!, and both Mimi and Joanne in RENT – a show close to her heart, which she has had the joy of performing in three separate productions. With a strong classical foundation, her vocal training extends to rock, pop, and musical theatre. She also holds a Communications degree with a focus on film production and directing.
While she stepped away from performing in 2016 to focus on family life and her career, Emily’s love for theatre has never wavered. As a parent, she has watched her two now-adult children grow up immersed in music and performance, and now delights in her four-year-old’s bold, funny, and wholehearted embrace of the arts – often with cast albums and musical movie nights on repeat.
Emily’s approach to teaching is rooted in connection, empathy, and confidence-building. She believes theatre is not just about performance, but about helping young people feel seen, express themselves freely, and learn how to take up space with kindness and self-awareness. She strives to provide a warm, inclusive environment where every child feels supported, encouraged, and excited to explore their voice and their creativity.
Morgan Mans – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox and Spotlight Theatre, Summer Camps, Musical Theatre Academy, and Tiny Troopers Productions
Morgan’s passion for acting is undoubtedly her greatest asset. She started her career locally in Surrey at the age of ten working as a background performer in movies. She began taking classes the following fall to improve herself and work towards becoming a working principal actor. She’s had numerous opportunities working with industry professionals thanks to graduating from Capilano University’s Acting for Stage and Screen Program.
She has continued her acting education in New York City studying at the Neighbourhood School of Theatre. Upon returning, she started a successful small independent theatre company called “Quand Même”, where she produced, directed, and starred in productions. Morgan’s most recent endeavors explore the voice-over community where she continues to hone and strengthen her craft.
Tamika Roberts – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Camps
Tamika has been performing for as long as she can remember and always has had a strong passion for Musical Theatre. Her recent roles have been playing Donna in Mamma Mia!, and Rizzo in Grease. In her first ever production with Theatrix, she played Annie in Annie. In addition to acting, she is a dedicated singer and well-versed in dance. She loves to write songs in her spare time, and is also in a band with some of her friends! Alongside performing, she also enjoys teaching and helping others grow in their confidence and love for the arts. She is grateful for every opportunity to share her love of theatre with audiences.
Oliver New – Instructor
Instructor for: School Programs
Born and raised in Vancouver BC, Oliver New is a multidisciplinary artist working under the alias of Stuck Productions – a homemade enterprise dedicated to communicating through many different mediums to create a unified aesthetic language that can always be traced back to its source. Using a handcrafted and independent approach, Oliver’s work is comprised of movies, public art, photography, performances, writing, painting and sculpture. His most recent project is a print magazine titled “THE TOY CAR”.
Denisa Doftoreanu – Theatre Instructor and Choreographer
Instructor for: Camps, and Choreography for Senior Productions
Denisa has been dancing in all dance genres since she was two, though her focus was on Tap & Musical Theatre. Two of her proudest moments are winning 4th place Sr. Tap Dancer in the World at the 2017 Dance World Cup and Most Promising Performer at the JOEY awards in 2022 for a short film she created.
She did Dance and Musical Theatre all throughout high school where she was in productions such as Chicago and Crybaby and has been a professional dance/theatre teacher & choreographer since she was 17, teaching students from the ages of two all the way to adults. Denisa truly believes in giving each child a chance to shine in class because everyone deserves their chance to be the star and she strives to make her classes a place where kids can feel confident to try new things, grow, and most importantly, have fun!
Emily Martin – Stage Manager and Lighting Designer
Emily Martin has lots of experience on stage, as well as various backstage roles. She has recently finished schooling to become an Educational Assistant through Sprott Shaw College. She has a passion for students and theatre, and she enjoys watching and helping them grow in their abilities and confidence. Emily has performed in multiple original church and school productions, as well as running a middle school drama club for 4 years, and directing two school productions of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe her senior year of highschool. Emily has Stage Managed all of Theatrix’s Junior and Senior Productions since 2022 including Alice in a Winter Wonderland, Into the Woods JR, Stardust, Puck: The Pandemonium Tour, Disney’s Descendants the Musical, Christmas is Cancelled, Giants in the Sky, and Mean Girls High School Version among others.
Yurgen Ilaender – Composer / Entertainer
A German native, Mr. I started teaching at the Maillardville facility in 1982 after the person he was substituting for took another job. With a diploma from Vancouver Community College (with additional training from UBC, University of Calgary and University of Washington), he created his Musical Rainbow based on the Kodaly and Montessori concepts.
Under those streams, children set their own course while the instructor acts as an advisor on such techniques as sequence, rhythm and movement. Yurgen has been a composer for decades of Theatrix original musicals. He teaches throughout the lower mainland and is a popular festival
performer.
