About Lights Up

Hilary is originally from London, UK where she worked as a singer in Musical Theatre for over 10 years, Hilary is passionate about providing theatre opportunities to children that contribute to their growth not only in performance skills but in all areas of their lives. Running theatre programs in Vancouver since moving here on 2006, Hilary has unique experience and skills to help each student find their inner star. Hilary has produced shows for our students in some of Vancouver’s finest theatres including the Queen Elizabeth and The Orpheum.

Mike is our office superstar and spends a lot of his time keeping everything running smoothly across our programs. Originally from the UK, he moved to Canada in the mid 2000’s and started Lights Up with his wife Hilary. He also paints some beautiful sets and is prop master extraordinaire! Mike thoroughly enjoys working with children and is proud to be involved with providing these great experiences to our youth.

At the age of 5, Lisa sat in the audience of the Jubilee Theatre in Calgary, mesmerised by the production of “Cats!” playing out in front of her, and instantly knew where she wanted to be. Eventually, Lisa graduated from the Studio 58 Theatre Program at Langara College, and acted on the professional stage. Favourite roles have been in shows for young audiences; Interacting with children after the shows, she experienced first hand the power of theatre to create moments for learning and connection.

Lisa holds a B.Ed. from SFU. She has led Professional Development workshops for BC school districts, and has teamed up with teachers throughout the province to create core curricular units that incorporate drama. She is a multi-Gold Medalist RCM Speech Arts and Drama teacher. At Lights Up, Lisa leads a team of teachers in sharing our passion for the performing arts with kids all over the Lower Mainland.

Billie heads up our after school program division as well as running our Vancouver Westside schools (amongst a million other things!). She believes that students should be themselves and, when it comes to performing, always remember that the audience wants them to succeed. In high school, Billie sang for the Queen of England during one of her royal visits. If she were to randomly sing any song out loud it would be “I’m Still Standing”, by Elton John.

Billie trained in New York before returning to Vancouver to share her passion for musical theatre with young people.

Karyn is very active in Vancouver and beyond as a singer, director, adjudicator and music instructor. She teaches voice and piano at her home studio, Vocalis Music and recently directed/music directed Shrek, Jr and Dear Edwina, Jr. At the University of British Columbia, Karyn earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance and a Master of Music in Opera. She also earned Diplomas in Musical Theatre from Grant MacEwan College and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Karyn is a proud member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and is an advanced Royal Conservatory of Music Teacher. Karyn is delighted to be a part of the Lights Up team!!

Two time Leo award nominee and Vancouver based actor, producer and artistic director, Lindsay Drummond has worked in theatre, film and television for over 15 years. 

Lindsay graduated from The School Of Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University with a BFA in Performance and also earned a Diploma in Theatre at Capilano University. She is Co-founder and Co-Artistic director of TigerMilk Collective Theatre and is an executive producer with East Van Entertainment Inc. 

As an actor Lindsay can be seen in several commercials, television and independent films projects but some of her career favourites are Jessie nominated “Greenland” by Nicholas Billon produced by TigerMilk Collective, “Literally” the series produced by Boldly Creative Agency and the Leo award winning series “The Drive” produced by East Van Entertainment. 

Lindsay has worked for Lights Up Musical Theatre since 2010. She is always amazed at its creative growth and is looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the company. Lindsay continues to develop her career as a producer, writer and actor. 

Diana has been teaching Drama at Lights Up for a number of years. She is also a local film/ television/ voice over/ theatre actor. In 2014 she graduated from the Acting for Stage and Screen program at Capilano University. Since then, she has performed in a number of plays and commercials. From 2017 to 2019, she started a short film production company called: Pancake Laundry Monday and two of her films made it into film festivals in the U.S.!  While working at Lights Up, Diana enjoys getting the kids to share as many ideas as possible to enhance the scene or story. She also enjoys adding the odd Buffy or Friends reference wherever it fits.

Diana works extensively teaching at our after schools programs, she also is the School Director at our Vancouver Eastside location.

Madeleine Humeny is a multidisciplinary performer and creator based in “Vancouver”. Having grown up in competitive arts streams as a child and adolescent in Medicine
Hat, training daily in dance, opera, clown, and theatre, it was a no brainer for her to follow her obvious path to The Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria. After graduating
successfully in 2017 with honours, as well as winning the inaugural scholarships for Outstanding Creativity and Peer Citizenship, she worked closely with Atomic Vaudeville, The Greater Victoria Shakespeare Company, Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People, and Intrepid Theatre. Since finding her footing in Vancouver in 2022, Madeleine has shifted more into the world of comedy. She can be found on stages with Queerprov, The Improv Centre, Instant Theatre, and through her own company, Espoused Productions, which produces the monthly variety show, The Maddie and Ivy Hour. Madeleine also works in music production, comedy punch ups, puppetry, props construction, and is currently writing and producing two television shows. She is also infamously short-winded, and doesn’t have a tendency to overelaborate even a little on what is supposed to be a “short bio”. Concision is key, folks.

Haley is a multi-faceted performer and educator in the Vancouver area, with a passion for teaching youth in creative and fun ways! With a degree in Musical Theatre, and a Bachelor’s of
Performing Arts, Haley has had many years of education and performance experience that she brings into her classes. For the past 10 years, Haley has been teaching dance, theatre, acro,
voice, acting, and choreography, and is now pursuing her education degree to become a secondary teacher. In her classes, Haley aims to create a safe space for all students, to help
build them up to reach their potential, and to support fellow instructors to create impactful performances! Lights Up is an amazing company, and a great place for students to grow. She
looks forward to creating with you!

Julia is an actor, singer, and performer with a life-long love of musical theatre. She is a recent graduate from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting, and is incredibly excited to continue venturing out into the world of theatre and teaching post-graduation. Julia loves sharing her passion for theatre, music, and art, which has led her to many amazing teaching opportunities including UBC Camps, Queen’s Academy of the Arts, Place des Arts, local elementary schools. She has had the privilege of learning from many incredible teachers in her life and is very excited to continue the cycle and impact young lives with the gift of Arts Education at Lights Up! You may recognize Julia from her many times on stage at UBC Theatre, or more recently, from her performance as Cherry Sundae in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (CTORA Productions.)

Ameena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from The American University in Cairo, Egypt. In the summer of 2018, she worked as a Set Painter with the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company on their productions of Othello and Two Noble Kingsmen in Thousand Oaks, California. For over four years, Ameena has been a drama instructor at the Helen O’Grady Drama Academy, where she has guided young actors through developmental drama. She has also performed in various plays, including Tartuffe by Moliere and These Shining Lives.

Chantal Dobles Gering (they/she) is a performance artist, dancer, and filmmaker, practicing on the stolen and unsurrendered lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh (Vancouver Canada).Chantal graduated from UBC with a BFA in Acting from the Theatre and Film Department. She has been teaching musical theatre, creative dance, and drama to ages 3-12 for the past 7 years, guiding students to express themselves through song and dance in a safe and playful environment. Outside of class you can find Chantal going on hikes by the river, writing their next film script or snuggled up with their dog Ladybug.

L started her artistic journey through her hands in painting, drawing and writing. As she got older, her artistry reached through her hands and into her body where she fell in love with dance. Then, her artistry grew so much it overflowed out of her mouth through words and song. L has the absolute privilege to explore as an artist on the unceded traditional territories of the xwməθkwəyə̓ m, Sḵwxw̱ ú7mesh and səlilwəta! Nations where she resides, as well as the Secwepemc Nations where she grew up. L believes there is no greater gift than sharing love through art with a community. She believes that art is for the whole world to experience and will do everything in her power as an artist to help everyone have equal opportunity and access to it.

Kyla Kay Actor is originally from Melbourne, Australia, where she began performing at the age of 3. She trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, and Acrobatics, graduating from The Dance Factory and The National Theatre School in Melbourne. Over the years, Kyla has built an impressive stage career, performing in productions such as Into the Woods, Seussical, Annie, The Wizard of Oz, and Oliver, with her favourite role being The Witch in Into the Woods.

Kyla’s skills reach beyond the stage, with several film and television credits, and she remains actively engaged in the Vancouver film industry.

With over 15 years of experience teaching musical theatre to children, Kyla is passionate about creating a space for kids to explore, play, and grow. She believes that theatre is a wonderful way to build confidence and foster a love for singing, dancing, and acting.

Kyla is thrilled to join the Lights Up team and is excited to help students develop their skills in the performing arts.

Emma del Carmen Abbott is a Latinx artist from Edmonton Alberta, Treaty 6 Territory. It was there where she found herself on stage at eleven years old, as the Evil Stepmother in her elementary’s production of Cinderella. Since then, her heart has taken her to many stages, including two post-secondary theatre programs (MacEwan Theatre Arts and Studio 58). Credits include: Cinderella (Into the Woods, Studio 58), Ensemble (East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast, Theatre Replacement), Ariel (The Tempest, Studio 58), Rhonda/Co-Creator (Girlhood 4 Dummies, Studio 58). Emma has now found a home here in “Vancouver”, on the unceded and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She’s excited to continue pursuing her passion for theatre and music (bonus if she can do both at once!) as well as creating her own work, in hopes of sharing the love she carries with anyone willing to listen.

 Emma’s journey with Lights Up began as an acting and singing instructor for their summer camps in 2024. Her favorite parts were the connections she made with the kids and their collaborations in creating their own characters to make the script together. 

Jennifer is a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and diligent educator whose love for the performing arts and English has inspired her to utilize her skillset as an actor, singer and dancer to guide the development of children and teens. Originally from Toronto, Jennifer moved to Hong Kong when she was 5, and is happy to call the city home. Her dedication to the arts inspired her to pursue her career in the performing arts, ultimately driving her to the United Kingdom, where she trained classically at Guildford School of Acting and continued her career as an actor and drama teacher. With a decade of experience as a drama educator, Jennifer is thrilled to be stepping into a managerial position with Lights Up. Her experience living abroad has instilled in her a drive to succeed at whatever she pursues, and she would be thrilled to share this mindset with young future performers.

Originally from Alberta, Vanessa has been involved in theatre all her life and has always had a passion for both performing and teaching. Growing up in a community-based theatre, she fell in love with the arts from a very early age and her passion has only grown. Vanessa is a Capilano University graduate with a diploma in Musical Theatre and also works leading theatre classes in preschools. When not performing or teaching, Vanessa loves to partake in anything creativity-related including photography, writing, and art. She is very passionate about the potential that the arts has to facilitate change and growth in our world and is always inspired by the passion from the students at Lights Up!

Ellie has been involved in musical theatre since they were 8 years old, and has had the pleasure of sharing their love of song and dance with young artists for several years.

They are a graduate of Capilano University’s Musical Theatre Program, and hope to eventually earn their Masters in performing arts. Ellie loves teaching all ages, and is especially passionate about helping disabled and neurodivergent kids feel safe and supported in order to have fun and explore the art of theatre! Outside of class you might find Ellie tap dancing, roller skating by the beach, or tucked at home watching cartoons!

 Olivia is a Vancouver Based Film and TV actor.  Raised on Bowen Island, Olivia discovered her passion for Theatre attending drama classes at six years old, and loves to help other young people do the same! Since graduating the Capilano University Acting for Stage and Screen program in 2019, Olivia has worked regularly in both feature Film and Network TV in Vancouver and Toronto. 

Olivia has experience in trauma informed care, offering 1:1 support, and developing care and inclusion plans for neurodivergent children. She is passionate about making the arts an accessible, confidence building experience for all young people.

When Olivia is not acting or teaching, she enjoys painting, writing, and horseback riding. 

I was originally born in Mexico, but moved to Canada at 5 years old. Since I was little, I was obsessed with storytelling, movies, and performance, and that passion has only grown as I’ve gotten older. I’m a filmmaker with a few short films under my name, and I’ve recently finished studying at Thompson Rivers University, with a major in English and minor in Theatre. Through the past few years, I’ve learnt a ton about acting and directing, both from class work, and hands on experience.

While working a summer job at Rivertown Players (a Theatre For Young Audiences theatre troupe) I discover how deeply fulfilling a job teaching theatre is! The kids were so eager to learn, play, and experience storytelling. I am eager to continue this kind of work at Lights Up, by teaching kids the joy of creativity and collaboration!

Lauren discovered her passion for dance at nine years old and hasn’t stopped since. With over eight years of training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, acro, tap, and musical theatre, she has improved her skills at top studios and conventions across North America, including Tmilly Studios, Brea Space, Millennium Dance Complex, and Harbour Dance Centre. Lauren has completed multiple RAD ballet exams, performed at community events like the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival, and spent the past five years teaching and assisting dance. She is passionate about inspiring confidence and creativity in students.

Forrest had been with Lights Up since he was a kid, as a student, assistant teacher and teacher. With lights up he’s been a part of many performances and performed in some well known musicals like Fame, Thoroughly Modern Millie and West Side Story.

Forrest is a versatile performer with a dance background in Jazz and ballet, a theatre background in Shakespeare and he is a circus teacher and performer outside of lights up. Forrest is also a dancer for the local group Geekenders which puts on a variety of nerdy shows throughout the year.

Lily was born in Bulgaria and moved to the North Shore when
she was 5. Lily is an assistant teacher at Lights Up North
Vancouver. She first began working with Lights Up during the
summer of 2019 where she enjoyed teaching arts, crafts and
games to the students. We are now lucky to have Lily teaching for us in our after school programs and every Saturday, where you can find her in all of our
classrooms helping to keep the students happy and safe.

Lily is very artistic and studied Metal work and now works
making creative signs at ‘Innovative signage’.

Lily loves painting and her favourite food is Mac and Cheese.

Taylor has loved being able to bring her education and experience in film, tv, and theatre to her students at Lights Up! She graduated from a Theatre Performance and Creation program in 2014 in Alberta and moved to Vancouver to pursue her passion of performing. She has appeared in a number of theatre productions as well as short films on Amazon Prime and has even written and starred in a few shorts with her sketch comedy group, Pancake Laundry Monday that have appeared in festivals in the U.S.!

Angie McLeod discovered her love of performance arts at the ripe old age of 5, when she played Baby Jesus in her kindergarten’s Nativity play. When she grew up, she learned the art of Acting for Stage and Screen at Capilano University and embarked on a life of piracy on the high seas – I mean, of sharing her love of theatre with the world! You may recognize her from The World Famous Lumberjack Show at Grouse Mountain, or the Christmas Pantomimes at Deep Cove Stage, or when your ship was attacked by pirates. Pirates? No, I never said pirates, you made that up. Angie loves the energy and creativity that children have and it is her favourite thing in the world to help them flourish on the stage.

Bella is currently a senior High School student hoping to pursue a career in the film industry. She has taken classes similar to those offered at Lights Up since she was six years old and has always had a passion for the Arts. She has done 6 Productions within her high school’s performing arts program, taking on roles in acting, sound tech, and management.

Lu Ella has been joyfully training at Lights Up since 2017 and is also currently training in the Half-Day Professional Training Program in Musical Theatre at Arts Umbrella. Lu Ella finds her greatest happiness when she is on stage and enjoys helping and supporting others to find that same freedom in performance. It brings her great pleasure to work with young children and is grateful for the opportunity to assist classes at Lights Up. Lu Ella aspires to
combine her love of musical theatre performance and working with young children and become a Musical Theatre Instructor and Early Childhood Educator.

Tristan started her musical theater journey at age 12 when, once upon a time, she was a Lights Up student. She has since received professional training in multiple theatrical disciplines and triumphantly returned as an instructor.

She is a proud member of Capilano University’s Acting for Stage and Screen program, where she continues to perform, write, and play. Tristan’s goal as a teacher is to help her students embrace their creativity and inner artists, fostering a place for safe, creative expression and fun! When not in a studio or classroom, Tristan can be found hiking through a forest, lost in a book, or baking cupcakes. 

Anna is a dancer, actor, and singer who was born and raised in Vancouver! She discovered her love for the stage when she performed in her first musical, Grease, at 10 years old! She is also a recent graduate of Capilano University, holding a diploma in Musical Theatre.

Anna is incredibly grateful to the teachers in her life who saw her potential and fostered her passion, and she hopes to do the same for her students!

Originally from Alberta, Katie has been immersed in the performing arts for over 20 years. Starting dance at 2 years old she has trained in various styles including Musical Theater, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Hiphop, Tap, Heels and more! 

Katie feels lucky to have the arts in her life as it has taken her to many places where she has met so many wonderful people. She graduated from Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario and went on to complete a pre-professional training program called The Bridge Movement in New Jersey. She currently trains at a Harbour Dance Center program in Vancouver. 

Katie strongly believes that the performing arts are an important means for people to express themselves and connect with others and that this is particularly true for children.  She is very excited to join the Lights Up Team and share her love of dance with young artists.

Shir has been in Lights Up since 2019 and has been an assistant since 2021. She has been in the performing arts since she was 3 and loves anything musical. She’s been working with kids for 5 years, plays multiple instruments, and is in 2 choirs. She realized her love for musical theatre when she was 9 and joined Lights Up soon after. Shir loves to watch the kids grow together during rehearsals, and getting to know all of them is her favorite part of the job. In her free time Shir likes to read, play music, and hang out with friends and family.

Iris has been a Lights Up student since 2016 and assisting since 2021. She discovered her passion for theatre around the age of 6, when she realized she wanted to act as well as dance and sing, and she found Lights Up a year later. She is also currently enrolled in her school’s Drama, Theatre and Choir programs. She has performed in musicals such as Guys and Dolls, Frozen, and Newsies, and her favourite role she’s played was Donna in Mamma Mia. Iris feels so much joy seeing the kids find their confidence onstage and she is so grateful for the chance to connect with them individually throughout the terms. When Iris isn’t in a theatre, you can find her reading, crocheting, playing the clarinet or listening to one of her many playlists. 

Sean is a Vancouver based Actor working mostly in TV/Film. He started singing at a young age and loves to share and create a space for anyone to freely express their craft through song, dance and acting! Sean graduated from Capilano University’s Musical Theatre Program and has trained in various styles of dance including Ballet, Jazz and Tap! Sean loves to teach and wishes to inspire his students so that they can have the confidence to dream anything!

Jess is studying musical theatre at Capilano University. She attended Lights Up for 10 years and played Shrek for her final show with Lights Up as a student at the summer internsive 2023! She continues to do both film and musical theatre. She always loved to sing since a young age and when her sister started Lights Up she quickly joined and fell in love with theatre.

Natalie is an actor, creator and comedian who has returned to Vancouver after receiving her BFA in Drama at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Since graduating she has continued her passion for theatre, having performed in a variety of plays both in Vancouver and in New York City. Natalie co-founded the stand up comedy troupe Woman Stand Up in NYC, and continues to write comedy shorts. Natalie remembers when she was first introduced to the wonders of theatre at a very young age, and since then, had always dreamed of being a performer. She hopes she can recreate that same wonderment in her students, and inspire them to reach their goals and dreams!

Bailey has been apart of the Lights Up community since she was only eight years old, where she sparked her love for musical theatre. Since then she has been involved and has trained with other companies such as Theatre Under the Stars and Arts Umbrella, and has been in musical productions such as The Little Mermaid, Mean Girls, Guys and Dolls, and Into the Woods. Bailey’s experience goes beyond just things on stage, she has also directed, choreographed and written a handful of shows at her high school. She hopes to study musical theatre abroad post-secondary and later go into education to become a drama teacher.

Valeh Ashraf has a Bachelor of Music, Jazz Studies and an Advanced Diploma in Vocal Jazz from Thompson Rivers University and Humber College respectively. She has over 6 years of experience with plays and musical theatre at the Kelowna Actor’s Studio and is currently repped by Principal’s Talent for Film/TvV and Commercials. She loves Musicals and finds music is the way to build bridges that words can’t. She’s so excited to work with all the kids this term and hopes you enjoy the show!

Sola has been in love with dance since before she can remember and after joining lights up at around age seven, discovered that there were even more ways to express herself through singing and acting. As well as an interest in film, art, and writing poetry, Sola is passionate about supporting and educating kids and deeply enjoys bonding with them over theatre. Outside of her lights up company classes you can find Sola binging SNL sketches or making mini figurines out of popsicle sticks.