Stuart Gilchrist

Stuart Gilchrist, now retired, continues his commitment to philanthropic projects and brings a diverse array of experience in the media and performing arts. Throughout his career, he was directly involved in many television and radio programs, the most notable being in the realm of children's programming as the creator of Canada's longest-running and most beloved series, Mr. Dress-Up. He was also personally invited by Fred Rogers to produce a series of his television programs in Pittsburgh, PA.

After a successful career at the CBC, Stuart was invited to develop the Communications Department for various community colleges. Many of the programs continue to educate and inspire generations of young producers, writers, directors and administrators today.

Stuart has served on the Board of Directors for Smile Theatre, Theatre Beyond Words, Niagara Historical Society and Museum, The Pumphouse: Visual Arts Centre in Niagara On the Lake, Toronto Civic Garden Centre and St. Clement's School.

Alanna Balicki

Alanna's vibrant energy engages art in all of its forms: she has studied drama and children's literature overseas in England, acting by audition in Halifax, and directing and dramaturgy in Ottawa. With a BA in theatre, she has over twelve years practice developing and teaching creative programming in residential camps, private and after-school environments with numerous companies. She shares tremendous joy for youth and education; and thus founded and developed Dancap Production's Cool Cap Club: a free program offering young theatre lovers affordable Broadway-style theatre.

Since 2006, Alanna has worked with DramaWay (www.dramaway.com) as an assistant and volunteer, and engaged adults of all abilities. Now she is a program facilitator for LeadershipWorks, WigglyWorks and PlayWorks, as well as assistant for many DramaWorks programming.

Involved with Centauri Summer Arts Camp since 1996, Alanna has facilitated 11-day sessions as Program Director for the multi-arts adventure, "Quest for Atlantis"; long-form improv troupe, "Zen of Comedy;" and gorilla improv, "The Improv Experiment." She feels privileged to return in summer 2011 to facilitate 30 days of programming for 9-14 year old directors and 13-18 year old improvisers.

Alanna's relationship with Suitcase Theatre began in 2009 when participating in the "How to Create A Puppet Musical" week certification program and later as intern. Alongside supporting Suitcase Theatre's team, she engages "The Friend Ship" audiences in themed drama and puppet-making workshops.

Lucie Grys

Lucie Grys' foray into producing and writing took a unique path. With a degree in Cultural Anthropology and Art History from McGill University, she spent numerous years in the museum world: teaching, organizing and marketing world-class exhibitions.

Following her passion for people, food and culture, Lucie was asked to join the production team to launch a new Food Network show called sugar. From there, she went on to write for and produce a number of top-rated programs for both Food Network and HGTV. Her experience in lifestyle television coupled with her interest in people, places and cultures creates a compassionate approach to story-telling.

In addition to her work as a producer, Lucie has written for and edited various arts-based and trade magazines. Her works has appeared in Style at Home Magazine, The Globe and Mail and The National Post.

Lucie's background in production, budget management, public relations, fundraising and strategy planning are all wonderful assets she shares with Suitcase Theatre.

Hildy Stollery

Hildy Stollery is acclaimed for her curriculum-related school programs and as a keynote/after-dinner speaker who weaves together contemporary and traditional material. Reviews in Canada, U.S.A., Denmark and the Netherlands have applauded her "warm stage presence", "beautiful voice", "expressive face", and "captivating sense of humour along with a touch of magic."

She has told stories and discussed storytelling on CBC radio and television, CJRT radio and TVO. She has performed at conferences, venues and festivals across the United States and Canada and was most recently a part of Scotiabank's NUIT BLANCHE in Toronto.

Having performed in more than 1,000 schools, historical sites and libraries across Canada, she co-founded the Canadian Association of Storytellers for Children, a non-profit organization which promotes storytelling as an art form and an educational/public health tool.

Hildy has recently retired from the teaching faculty at the University of Toronto, The Institute of Child Study, Faculty of Education and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/UT. She now freelances as a storyteller, dramaturge and arts-in-education consultant.

She enjoys collaborating with a variety of creative thinkers and performers. She is eager to be a part Suitcase Theatre.

Doug Price
www.dougprice.ca

Doug is thrilled to be a part of the wonderful Suitcase Theatre team. Since he was six years old, Doug has been wrapping his life around as much theatre and music as he can handle. A graduate of Sheridan College's prestigious musical theatre performance program, he has performed in theatres across the country. Selected credits include Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma (Grand Theatre), Urinetown, 110 in the Shade (Theatre Sheridan), Anne of Green Gables (Globe Theatre), Les Feux Follets (Charlottetown Festival), Forever Plaid (Thousand Islands Playhouse), West Side Story (Theatre St. John's), and Oh What A Lovely War (Soulpepper Theatre).

Doug also actively writes music, and in December 2009, presented his first song cycle featuring his original music at the Upstairs Berkeley Street Theatre. In November 2010, he presented his second evening of original music entitled, Music Makes Me: A Wave of Doug Price Music. The show involved over 60 performers and musicians and played to a sold out house. Doug is a 2006 Top 20 Under 20 winner in Canada and has been accepted into the Berklee College of Music in Boston for composition.

Daniel Brereton

Daniel Brereton is an ordained minister in the Anglican Church of Canada. Having served congregations throughout southern Ontario, Daniel has worked closely with people of all ages from toddlers to seniors. He is currently an associate priest at All Saints Kingsway which serves as a rehearsal and performance venue for Suitcase Theatre. Daniel has been involved in several mentoring programs for young people including Ask and Imagine (a residential youth leadership initiative) and PFLAG (an international organization dedicated to advocacy, support and education for gay and lesbian persons, their families and friends).

Daniel has been involved in the ministry of spiritual direction for a number of years, assisting individuals and groups to discover the sacred in the context of their personal and collective lives. Deeply interested in how the stories we live and tell convey profound spiritual truths, Daniel has

collaborated on several media projects - including a docu-drama on an organization that reaches out to the disenfranchised, and a series of inspirational vignettes for television, highlighting teachings and practices for the cultivation of a spiritual life. In his spare time he is working on a doctorate in theology, focussing on spirituality and narrative.

An actor in community theatre, a student of dance, a creative writer and an avid theatre-goer, Daniel is excited to be part of the vision and work of Suitcase Theatre.