Honourary Patrons
Gary Slaight 
David Mirvish
Neve Campbell
Gregory Hines

The Corporate Players
George Curtiss Randolph Jr.
Lawrence Axmith
Elaine O'Neal
Tanya Schneider

Board of Directors
[currently being updated]

Advisory Board

George C. Randolph Jr., President and Founder,

Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts

Ron Singer, Artistic Director Emeritus,

Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts

John D McKellar, C.M., Q.C.

David Mirvish C.M., O.Ont

Tracey Flye, Choreographer

Stephanie Gorin, Casting Director

Carrie Sager, Founding President & Director - Publicity,

FLIP Publicity & Promotions Inc.

Gary Slaight, President & CEO, Standard Broadcasting Corporation Ltd. & Standard Radio Inc.

Tara Young, Choreographer/Director,

The Little Mermaid, The Music Man, Showboat (Broadway)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Corporate Players

George Curtiss Randolph Jr., President and Founder
George Randolph has over 25 years of international dance performance and education experience in Canada, Europe, and the U.S. His expertise has been leveraged as an adjudicator for many dance festivals across Canada and as a member of the Toronto Arts Council’s dance grants panel.

Currently, George is President of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, which he established over 16 years ago and through which he continues to nurture Canada’s performing arts talent. He devised the academy’s unique Triple Threat™ program that trains aspiring performers for careers in stage, TV, and film.

From 1985 to 1992, George presided over the Randolph Dance Theatre, the leading professional dance studio in Canada. There, he developed an exceptional resident and guest dance faculty culled from local and international talent. His studio attracted world-class dancers Karen Kain, Rex Harrington, and Evelyn Hart, among others, who would drop in to hone their skills in the studio’s professional ballet classes. In addition, prominent musical theatre/jazz/hip-hop choreographers such as Tracey Flye, Donna Feore, Danny Austin, and Shawn Byfield studied directly with George.

George produced and directed four international dance extravaganzas, The T.O. Hot Shoe Show, at Toronto's O'Keefe Centre (now The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts). The shows featured prima ballerinas Karen Kain and Evelyn Hart; members of the New York City Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Desrosiers Dance Theatre, Toronto Dance Theatre, and the American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov; and a finale choreographed by Tony Award winner Michael Peters (Dreamgirls, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Beat It videos).

As well as choreographing numerous videos, commercials, and feature films, George was the dance coach for Whoopi Goldberg and Gerard Depardieu in the film Bogus directed by Norman Jewison. His own acting credits include supporting roles in Foreign Nights, a Toronto International Film Festival selection, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, directed by George Clooney. He also appeared as a principal actor in Deacons for Defense opposite Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker and the late iconic actor and civil rights activist Ossie Davis.

During the summer of 1984, George represented the U.S. as a Professor of Jazz at the world renowned Internationale Academie De Danse in Cannes, France. During this time, he also appeared as a guest soloist at Paris’ famed Lido cabaret club.

George first came to Canada in 1980 as a principal dancer with Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. He performed with the company for two years, touring four continents. There he worked with one of Canada’s most respected contemporary choreographers Brian Macdonald.

From 1977 to 1980, he was a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, performing at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He had the privilege of being coached by Alvin Ailey on the ballet Hard Times Blues, which Ailey also choreographed. George also worked with choreographer Talley Beatty, a protégé of modern dance innovator Katherine Dunham.

Born and raised in Red Bank, NJ, the home of Count Basie, George received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, where he was a member of the Military Honor Society.

Lauren Randolph, Financial Aid Officer 
She joined the Randolph Academy in 1997 after a lengthy career in rhythmic gymnastics as an athlete and a coach for Team Canada. Lauren was the Managing Director of the Randolph Academy for 12 years and conceived and developed the well-respected Randolph Kids program.

Elaine O'Neal, Director of Communications/College Admissions
Prior to joining RAPA in October 2007, Elaine O’Neal served as Communications Specialist for VLPR, a public relations agency serving the arts and entertainment and hospitality industry. Before that, she was Communications and Development Director for Soundstreams Canada, a groundbreaking new music concert and festival series. Elaine hails from New York where she held several senior communications positions, including executive speechwriter, with Viacom and NBC. Elaine developed her writing and editing skills at publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Elaine’s own background in the arts includes directing, producing, and performing in theatrical productions.  Elaine holds a B.A. in English and Economics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Tanya Schneider, Director of Student Services
An entertainment professional of twenty years, Tee works as a liaison between students, faculty and administration to encourage open lines of communication and unbiased treatment of the student body. She also provides resources to students related to housing, health, welfare and special needs in addition to mentorship on a variety of industry related questions and concerns. Tee has a B.A. in theatre from the University of Ottawa and an M.F.A. in acting from York University.

ADVISORY BOARD

George Randolph
President & Founder

Tracey Flye
Tracey Flye is a director and performer with credits spanning over 100 productions and has taught at colleges and workshops across North America. She is currently choreographer of Kiss Me Kate and Evita at the Stratford Festival. Other Stratford credits include: Romeo and Juliet (movement), West Side Story (assistant choreographer). Elsewhere: Choreography: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Boys in the Photograph (Mirvish/MTC); The Drowsy Chaperone, Fiddler on the Roof (MTC); Frog and Toad (Citadel); Cabaret (Saidye Bronfman); As You Like It, Pélagie (CanStage); Smokey Joe’s Café (Stage West Calgary); West Side Story (Joop Vanden Ende, Amsterdam); eight Ross Petty pantomimes. Associate choreographer of Peggy Sue Got Married (London’s West End), assistant choreographer of Mamma Mia! (Toronto, U.S. national tour), associate director of We Will Rock You (Toronto, South Africa, international tour). Film/TV: Triple Sensation, Christmas Dreams (CBC); Angel Square (Anne Wheeler).

Stephanie Gorin
Stephanie Gorin is an Emmy-nominated casting director based in Toronto.

John D McKellar, C.M., Q.C.
Mr. McKellar was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1959 and appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1973. Since his call, he has practiced law with the firm now known as WeirFoulds LLP and for many years was its Chairman. He has been a member of numerous charitable and not for profit board of directors including The Canada Council for the Arts, (member of the Executive Committee), The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto (Past President), and Toronto Arts Productions (Past President). He is now a member of the Board of the Ontario Arts Council Foundation, The Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (Secretary), Tarragon Theatre (Treasurer), Off-Centre Music Salon (Past President), and The St Lawrence Centre For The Arts. He is also Chairman of GBSP Centre Corporation, a joint venture of George Brown College and Soul pepper Theatre to build a Performing Arts Centre at the Distillery district in Toronto.

Mr McKellar was appointed a member of the Order Of Canada in 1995 being described as a "lawyer, volunteer and impresario".

David Mirvish C.M., O.Ont 
David Mirvish is a Toronto-based theatrical producer who has produced shows in Toronto, across Canada, in London, England and on Broadway.

He began his career as an art dealer. The 'David Mirvish Gallery' held regular exhibitions in Toronto between 1963 and 1978 of new works by artists from Canada, the United States and England. The Gallery was and still is a frequent lender to international exhibitions at museums and galleries throughout the world.

As an art dealer, David Mirvish served as Secretary to the Art Dealer's Association of Canada and as a member of the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board (1983-1986). In 1994, he was the recipient of the Toronto Arts Award for the Visual Arts, and has recently completed a term as a member of the Board of Trustees of The National Gallery of Canada.

David Mirvish owns and operates two theatres;
THE ROYAL ALEXANDRA THEATRE in Toronto (purchased in 1963) and
THE PRINCESS OF WALES THEATRE in Toronto (opened in 1993).

THE PRINCESS OF WALES THEATRE is believed to be the first privately-owned, free standing legitimate theatre to be built anywhere in North America in over 30 years. Mirvish Productions, a company formed by Mr. Mirvish in 1986, produces live theatre for these and other venues throughout Canada, the U.S.A. and England. In 1982, David and Ed Mirvish purchased and refurbished the venerable THE OLD VIC THEATRE in London, England. It was sold to THE OLD VIC THEATRE Trust in 1998.

Mr. Mirvish has produced and presented many plays and musicals, including the following:
- CANDIDE (Olivier Award for Best Musical, West End)
- TOO CLEVER BY HALF (Olivier Award for Best Drama, West End)
- SPOILS OF WAR starring Kate Nelligan (Toronto and Broadway)
- INTO THE WOODS (London Evening Standard Award winner as Best West End Musical)
- Tomson Highway's DRY LIPS OUGHTA MOVE TO KAPUSKASING (Toronto)
- Lynda Barry's THE GOOD TIMES ARE KILLING ME (Off-Broadway)
- The first North American appearance of The Berliner Ensemble performing THREEPENNY OPERA and THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
- The Toronto engagement and world-tour of the English Shakespeare Company's epic staging of THE WAR OF THE ROSES
- The first North American appearance of Berlin's acclaimed theatre company, The Schaub¸hne, performing Henrik Ibsen's HEDDA GABLER
- LES MISERABLES (Toronto, Canadian Tour and Montreal bilingual company,co-produced with London's Cameron Mackintosh)
- MISS SAIGON (The Canadian Premiere and inaugural production at the Princess of Wales Theatre, co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh)
- The Gershwin Musical Comedy CRAZY FOR YOU (Toronto)
- The WHO'S TOMMY (Toronto and Canadian National Tour)
- Tennessee William's THE GLASS MENAGERIE starring Shirley Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland
- Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN starring Judd Hirsch (Toronto)
- The World Premiere musical JANE EYRE (Toronto)
- The North American Premiere of JOLSON: THE MUSICAL (Toronto)
- The multi-award winning Canadian Premiere of RENT (Toronto and Canadian Tour)
- 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS (Toronto, Off-Broadway, Birmingham and Canadian and American tours)
- The critically acclaimed season at The Old Vic in 1998, headed by director Sir Peter Hall, included such plays as WASTE, THE SEAGULL and WAITING FOR GODOT, with a company that included Felicity Kendal, Michael Pennington, Ben Kingsley and Alan Howard.
- THE NEEDFIRE (World Premiere, Toronto)
- CHICAGO (Canadian Premiere, Toronto)
- ART (Canadian Premiere, Toronto)
- THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (World Premiere, Toronto)
- MEMORY OF WATER (North American, Toronto)
- THE LION KING (Canadian Premiere, Toronto)
- MAMMA MIA! (North American Premiere, Toronto)
- DAME EDNA (Canadian Premiere, November 2000, Toronto)
- STONES IN HIS POCKET (North American Premiere, January 2001, Toronto)
- A FLEA IN HER EAR (February 2001, Toronto)
- THE DRAWER BOY (April 2001, Toronto)
- THE FULL MONTY (Canadian Premiere, May 2001, Toronto)
- PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED (Worldwide Premiere, August 2001, London, England)
- SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (September 2001, Toronto)
- SYNCOPATION (Canadian Premiere, January 2002, Toronto)
- ZADIE'S SHOES (March 2002, Toronto)
- BLAST (June 2002, Toronto)
- ARTURO BRACHETTI (Canadian Premiere, September 2002, Toronto)
- CONTACT (Canadian Premiere, November 2002, Toronto)
- WINGFIELD ON ICE (December 2002, Toronto)
- MAMBO ITALIANO (January 2003, Toronto)
- CHICAGO (September 2003, Toronto)
- SCARAMOUCHE JONES (October 2003, Toronto)
- THE ADVENTURES OF A BLACK GIRL IN SEARCH OF GOD (October 2003, Toronto)
- THE PRODUCERS (December 2003, Toronto)
- COPENHAGEN (January 2004, Toronto)
- THE HOLLOW CROWN (February 2004, Toronto)
- HAIRSPRAY (Canadian Premiere, May 2004, Toronto)
- THE LAST EMPRESS (Canadian Premiere, August 2004, Toronto)
- THE RAT PACK (North American Premiere, September 2004, Toronto)
- A COUPLE OF BLAGUARDS (Canadian Premiere, November 2004, Toronto)
- DA KINK IN MY HAIR (January 2005, Toronto)
- WICKED (Canadian Premiere, March 2005, Toronto)
- WE WILL ROCK YOU (North American Premiere, May 2005, Toronto)

Boards/Committees
- Board of Advisors Opera Atelier (Toronto).
- Member of The Society of London Theatres (England).
- Member of The League of American Theatres and Producers (New York).
- Board of Directors of the Toronto French School, the Toronto Theatre Alliance, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the United States.
- Served on the Advisory Committee on a Cultural Industries Sectoral Strategy (ACCISS), with the Ontario Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Recreation, as well as the Tourism Sectoral Strategy Steering Committee (1994).
- Institute for Modern and Contemporary Art (IMCA) Honorary Board of Directors (1999 & 2000)
- Board of Governors for Trinity College School. (Toronto, 2000 - 2003)
- Ganaraska Festival Theatre - Distinguished Patron (2001)
- Theatre By The Bay - Honorary Patron (Barrie, Ontario, 2001- 2003)
- Toronto Arts Council - Arts Advisory Panel (Toronto, 2001)
- The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame - Honorary Advisory Board (Toronto, 2002-)
- Canadian Unity Council - Board of Governors (Toronto, 2002-)
- Royal Ontario Museum - Trustee, ROM Board (Toronto, 2002-)
- Member of Board of Directors ù- Toronto Board of Trade (Toronto,2002-2003)

Awards/Honourary Degrees
- Brenda Donohue Award for outstanding contribution to the Toronto theatre community (1990).
- Mayor's award as 'Friend of the City of Toronto' (1994).
- Fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Music (1995).
- Member of the Order of Canada (1995).
- Honorary Doctorate from the Faculty of Applied Arts at Ryerson Polytechnic University (1996).
- Montblanc de la Culture Award for Arts Patronage in Canada (1998).
- Honorary Doctorate from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario (May,1998).
- Mr. Mirvish and his father Ed Mirvish were honoured with a special Olivier Award in London for their 15-year contribution to London theatre (1998).
- Along with his father, named 'Tourism Persons of the Year' by Toronto Tourism (1998).
- Recipient of the first Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts Award of Excellence in the Arts and Education (March, 1999).
- Presided at Citizenship and Immigration of Canada ceremonies to swear in new citizens (1999).
- Recipient of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology 'Thomas DeGaetani Award', along with Ed Mirvish, for their contributions to the advancement of the arts.
- Marketer of the Year - American Marketing Association, Toronto Chapter (2000).
- Member of the Order of Ontario (2001).
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Ontario Museum (July 2002- June 2005).
- Honorary Doctorate from York University - Fine Arts Department, Toronto (June 2002).
- Reel Black Awards - Black Film & Video Network - Toronto (October 2002).

Carrie Sager 
Carrie Sager is the Founding President and Director of Publicity FLIP Publicity & Promotions Inc.

Carrie Sager graduated from McMaster University in 1986 with an honours degree in English and Drama. Before founding FLIP in 1991 she worked in publicity at Theatre Collingwood, the Royal Ontario Museum, Equity Showcase Theatre and Aids Committee of Toronto. As Director of Publicity at FLIP Carrie has worked with virtually every theatre company in Toronto. She has sat on the board of directors for the Toronto Theatre Alliance and Mammalian Diving Reflex; the advisory committee for the 12 Alexander Street Project, the Dora Mavor Moore Awards Large Theatre Division Jury, the Performing Arts selection committee for the Toronto Arts Awards; and in 2002 she won a Harold Award for her contribution to the Toronto Theatre Community.

Currently, FLIP is working with the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, Smart Talk Women's Lecture Series, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre Company, Cirque du Soleil, Nightwood Theatre, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de MontrÈal.

Ron Singer
Artistic Director Emeritus
Ron Singer trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama(London,England), Neighborhood Playhouse and HB Studios (NY) and at the Michael Shurtleff Studios (Los Angeles). As a professional actor, Singer has performed in feature films, TV series and commercials. Singer has directed more than thirty professional theatre productions, serving as Director of Actors Workshops (Stratford), Artistic Director of Young Companies (National Arts Centre, Ottawa), the first Artistic Director of Young People's Theatre (Toronto), and Associate Director (Toronto Arts Productions, St. Lawrence Centre). In television, Singer assisted the director of the award- winning ABC series, Barney Miller, and was the director of a documentary special for Group W Cable TV (Los Angeles).At Expo '67 in Montreal, Singer was Assistant Head of Theatre. He has also served as Assistant Head of Productions (National Arts Centre), Executive Director of Group W Cable TV (Channel 10, Los Angeles), Producer of Citypulse News (CITY-TV, Toronto), producer for TV production development (Solnicki Productions, Toronto), Production Co-ordinator on Double Your Money quiz show (Rediffusion TV, London, England) and Vice-President of the Entertainment Division (Seabaco Group, Toronto and Moscow). For Seabaco/SAV Entertainment, Singer recently completed a thirty month consultancy in Canada, the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe where he was engaged in the development of major entertainment projects.

Five of Singer's plays for young people have been produced across the country. He has also worked as entertainment critic (CFRB Radio and Standard Broadcast News), arts and entertainment reporter (CBC Variety Tonight). Director of Research for the Sadat mini-series (Columbia Pictures Television, Los Angeles) and Casting Director for Funny Farm (CTV).

Ron Singer is now Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theatre at York University and over his 32 year tenure at the University, he held positions as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Director of the Graduate Program in Theatre (two terms) and Chair of the Department of Theatre (two terms).

Presently, Singer is one of the Executive Producers of the critically acclaimed series Life's Little Miracles. He was one of the Executive Producers and co-creators of the series Class Act, which showcased the trials and tribulations of those trying to break into the world of show business and the rigors of their training at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. Singer is also the Artistic Director at the Academy. Additionally, Singer is Exec Producer and Producer on Med Students plus 2 new Series presently in production, "Heartbeats" and "Trauma Team".

Ron was Artistic Director of The Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts from  1992 to 2009.

Gary Slaight
President and Chief Executive Officer, Standard Broadcasting Corporation Limited and Standard Radio Inc.

Gary Slaight was born in Edmonton, Alberta on February 15, 1951.  He obtained a

B.A. in English from the University of Western Ontario.

Gary began his career in 1973 as Media Estimator for McLaren Advertising.  During

the next two years, he held the position of Promotion Manager at both Quality

Records and at WEA Records.  From 1977 to 1982, he held several positions

at a Toronto radio station, Q107, including Account Executive, Program Director

and Vice-President and General Manager/Program Director.

Following this, Gary became President and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Radio Inc. in 1987 responsible for all of its radio stations, Integrated Media Sales and Source Source. 

In 2000, Gary assumed his current position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the largest privately-owned multi-media company, Standard Broadcasting Corporation Limited which includes, besides broadcasting, a retail marketing services company. He continues to hold his position as President and Chief  Executive Officer of Standard Radio Inc. which now has 51 radio stations  and 2 television stations across the country.  It has equity interest in Milestone  Radio Inc. (30%), Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc. (30%),and Martz  Communications Group (25%); and owns a minority equity interest in Maplecore  and Puretracks, Inc.  In addition, it has a 25% equity interest in Sirius Canada,  Inc. which has launched its service in December 2005.

Gary is actively involved in the industry and is a staunch supporter of Canadian

music talent. Not only did he create the National Songwriting Contest as well as

the Homegrown Contest, which is still running on stations across Canada, but he

also created the Canadian Radio Music Awards.  Gary was named Broadcast

Executive of the Year in 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1998. In 2004, he received

the Outstanding Community Service by an Individual Broadcaster award at the

Canadian Association of Broadcasters.  Gary was inducted into the Canadian

Music Industry Hall of Fame in March 2005.

He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Music Council, Sick

Children's Hospital Foundation, Gilda's Club, Toronto's Walk of Fame, Moontaxi

 and Maplemusic.  He is also on the United Way Leadership Giving Committee.

Tara Young, Choreographer/Director