Lauren Hillman – Artistic Director
Instructor for: Productions, Lunchbox and Spotlight Theatre, Camps
Lauren Hillman is an actor, writer, director, and all-around creative artist from Vancouver, B.C. She received her BFA in Acting from the University of Windsor in 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 has been working as a theatre instructor and director of youth productions over two decades. She is a co-founder of Stage One Theatre in her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 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 ten 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, and Alice in a Winter Wonderland.
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 currently writing her second novel about the origins of Neverland and raising an active but adorable one-year old.
Deborah Solberg – Operations Manager
Deborah is founding Artistic Director of Theatrix Youtheatre Society, which incorporated as a non-profit, charitable performing arts organization in 1991.
- Over the last three decades, she collaborated with thousands of kids to create shows 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 for over 30 original plays, with a passion for adapting classical children’s literature.
- 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 has passed the Artistic Director hat to Lauren Hillman and assumed the role of Operations Manager.
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.
Stef Delisimunovic – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox Theatre, Spotlight Theatre, Classes, Summer Camps
Stef is thrilled to share her love mofusical theatre with everyone at Theatrix. She discovered her love of performing at a young age which led to her pursuing her passion at Lindbjerg Academy, Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, and various community theatre groups. In 2019, she graduated from Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
Recent credits include: Astrid in Once Upon a Fairytale (Capricorn Productions) Oolie/Donna Understudy in City of Angels (RCPA), Pure Mind in More Light (RCPA), and Emma in Confessions of a Grocery Clerk (Capricorn Productions).
Sevan Kochkarian – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox Theatre, Summer Camps, Production and Voice
Sevan Kochkarian is a lyric coloratura soprano from Vancouver BC. Sevan began her musical journey at the age of 8 when she was enrolled in piano lessons and joined the Vancouver Children’s Choir. At the age of 11 she started her private voice lessons and started dance classes at Precision Dance Academy. In her teenage years she studied at Vancouver Academy of Music with an Emphasis in Opera before heading to McGill University getting her bachelor’s and Master’s in Opera and Voice performance. Sevan has been seen performing all over Canada and Europe. Some of her roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Morgana in Alcina, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Mabel in Pirates of Penzances, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Rita in Rita, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Paquette in Candide and many more. Opera Canada has written two reviews on her hailing her voice: “Beautiful and sings with a huge range of emotions” and claiming to have played her characters with “Sensitivity, and nuance and a true feeling of desire”. Sevan also studied at the Vancouver Acting School + Railtown Actors Studio for 5 years and is with Premiere Talent Agency doing TV and Film work. In addition to Opera, Sevan also has a huge passion for Musical Theatre and has performed in countless productions across the country. Her roles include Eponine in Les Misérables, Natalie Goodman in Next to Normal, Ariel Moore in Footloose, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Mayzie La Bird in Seussical, and more.
While she still is performing, Sevan is eager and excited to share her knowledge with the next generation of performers and hopes to inspire them to pursue their dreams in performing.
Juliana Marko – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox Theatre, Summer Camps, and 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!
Morgan Misic – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox Theatre, Summer Camps, and 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.
Jonathan Gagne – Theatre Instructor
Instructor for: Lunchbox Theatre, Summer Camps, and Productions
Jonathan Gagné is an award wining tenor with great talent who completed a master’s degree at McGill University. He was the lead singer and co-composer of a rock band named Noēsis, who came out with an album in 2016 (distributed worldwide). In his operatic career, he has the honour of singing with many professional opera houses as a soloist. He also sings in different types of events and is praised for his versatility (sacred music, opera, musical, etc.)
At the Opéra de Québec, he sang the roles of “André Nault” (Louis Riel) and “Borsa” (Rigoletto). With other houses, he has been “The Philistine messenger” (Samson et Dalila) at the Opéra de Rimouski, as well as the “First priest” / “First armoured man” (Die Zauberflöte), and “Ruggiero” (La liberazione di Ruggiero) at Opera McGill. As for sacred music, the young tenor sang as a soloist in both Bach’s Magnificat and first Christmas Cantata under the baton of maestro Dany Wiseman. In recent years, he performed the role of “Abdallo” in Nabucco at the Opéra de Québec and sang as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Anima Musica in Montreal. He also was one of the soloists of the “Brigade lyrique” during the 2019 Festival d’opéra de Québec.
Recently, Jonathan made his debut as “Rinuccio” in a critically acclaimed Gianni Schicchi by Puccini with Opera Mariposa in Vancouver, and also sung a “Lippo Fiorentino” loved by the audience in Opera McGill’s production of Street Scene by Kurt Weil.
In April 2022, he was the featured opera singer in a wildly successful variety show named “Les Carnavals du monde” at the esteemed “Théâtre Le Capitole” in his hometown of Québec City.
Last year, the young tenor was “Tamino” in The Magic Flute with the Crescendo Opera Society, as well as “Strephon” in Iolanthe with the North Shore Light Opera Society. Furthermore, he was critically acclaimed as the “Cowardly Lion” in The Wizard of Oz on the Granville Island Stage in Vancouver.
While still being an active performer, Jonathan has great passion towards teaching and is eager to have a positive and meaningful impact on the next generation of artists.
Emily Martin – Stage Manager
Emily Martin has lots of experience on stage, as well as various backstage roles. She is currently studying to become an Educational Assistant at Sprott Shaw College. She has a passion for students and theatre, and she is hoping to watch and help 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. Most recently she stage managed Theatrix’s original production of Alice in a Winter Wonderland.
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.
