Tam Mutu: The Guildford School of Acting
Kelli Barrett: University of the Arts
Tom Hewitt: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Paul Nolan: Randolph Academy
Lora Lee Gayer: CMU
Jacqueline Antaramian : Fresno State
Jamie Jackson: Tish
Wendi Bergamini: UC Santa Barbara
Heather Botts: OCU
Melody Butiu: UC San Diego
Josh Canfield: The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Julian Cihi: Tish
Briana Carlson-Goodman: Emerson
Bradley Dean: CMU
Michael Brian Dunn: Point Park
Drew Foster: Julliard
Kira Guloien: Ryerson
Robert Hager: ?
Ericka Hunter: High School?
Denis Lambert: CCM
David McDonald: CCM
Joseph Medeiros: CCM
Pilar Millhollen: CMU
Gary Milner: ?
Spencer Moses: San Diego State
Julius Sermonia: The Canadian Dance Company
Jacob L. Smith: University of Northern Iowa/AMDA
Jesse Wildman: Marymount Manhattan
Just a note about Julius. He took dance lessons at the Canadian Dance Company from the time he was a child through high school. This is not a school. He and his brother, Jason, are incredible actors and dancers, and have spent many seasons at the Stratford Festival, which is an indication of their level of talent. Another longtime Stratford alum in this show is Paul, who like Julius, went to Broadway with the largely Canadian cast of JCS, then was cast in Once. Kira is a fairly recent grad but was cast in her first year after graduation at Stratford and is an extremely talented young actor. Nice to see them join the ranks of the large number of Canadian actors working on both sides of the border.
FYI: The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama is now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. They changed their name in 2011.
It would be nice if Canada had some reciprocity on actors working in both countries - especially at Stratford - a 99% Canadian cast! I can’t help but be annoyed at their few “regional” casting choices. (Don’t they have one Chicago, LA, and NYC actor or something, and their salaries are covered by donors from that city?) - Please know that I am only VAGUELY familiar with that program, so I admit that I may be wrong on the outset.
I don’t know what the breakdown is this season, I’ll take your word for it that it’s 99% Canadian. How many Americans audition? I don’t know. Stratford, like every repertory company, tends to have much of their company return each year. Same with Shaw. I don’t think that this is any particular anti-American thing. It’s not like the CFL where a certain percentage of players MUST be Canadian. 
And I honestly have no idea about any actor’s salary being covered by a donor from their home city. Have never heard that.
Having been involved with theatre in Ontario for many years, I can say that there are definitely Americans who have booked work here but, truth be told, few audition for the productions in Toronto which are locally produced.
My S would LOVE to work in a repertory theatre like Stratford (or actually, IN Stratford). A couple of years ago we saw a 2p Pirates of Penzance and an 8p 42nd Street (on the same day) where the two male leads in both were the same actors. He was fascinated by their ability to not only memorize two shows… but that they were such totally different roles… with different singing styles. And some actors will do a Shakespeare and a musical, or two Shakespeares and a comedy. Such a neat way to work.
@alwaysamom - I am fairly familiar with the Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit markets, and I don’t know that I have ever heard of an actor working across the border. The one exception that I know of is for some of the Casino reviews that cast in New York.
I had a colleague who spent a few seasons as an Apprentice (and then full) Company Member. He was the “guy from Chicago” and each subsequent year had to go to some banquet for donors in Chicago with a few decades worth of Stratford alums.
I love both companies, and think Shaw is in the most beautiful Northern resort town of all time. it is purely jealousy talking…because…you know…I am totally as talented as Des McAnuff.
Those donor events are common with every theatre company that relies heavily on corporate and private donations. Patrons who donate over a certain amount are invited to events like that and there will always be someone there to perform, sometimes two or three actors. The ones I’m most familiar with in Toronto vary year to year and have no particular tie between the performers and the city.
I agree with you about Niagara on the Lake. It’s a beautiful town. We go often as it’s less than an hour from where we live, and we have friends who live there. It’s a nice day trip even in the off-season. If you are up at Shaw or Stratford this year, let me know!
Funny you should mention Des in this discussion, as he has dual citizenship.
Another talented Canadian will replace Jessie Mueller in Beautiful next month. Chilina Kennedy, who was also in the cast of JCS and a veteran Stratford actor, and a new mom!, begins her run, I believe on March 7th.
Wow - you are a wealth of knowledge about Canadian theatre. This is INCREDIBLY wishful thinking, but I saw a Toronto production of William Finn’s Elegies about ten years ago and it has stuck with me. Any idea where it was and who was in the cast?
I do if it was in Toronto in 2007, and it was a terrific production. The show was at the Berkeley St Theatre and the cast was Thom Allison, Stephen Gallagher, Eliza Jane Scott, Barbara Barsky, and Michael Strathmore. It was an Acting Up Stage production and they did a remount of the show in the 10th anniversary season last year, with the same cast other than Michael.
I know that this particular season at Stratford, Donna Feore, the director of The Sound of Music, had trouble finding what she was looking for in a Maria (how do you solve a problem like her, I suppose) after the usual Canadian auditions. She then held auditions in NYC, and subsequently, American Stephanie Rothenberg will play Maria.
I think Americans would have to be pretty proactive to get a job at Stratford or Shaw just in terms of the fact that their audition tour does not generally include American cities, but that’s not to say that it would be impossible–the reciprocal agreement between CAEA and AEA is fairly strong.
Personally, I’d love to be a part of the Birmingham Conservatory at Stratford in the years after I get my degree. I love how the repertory system continues to thrive in Canada. In addition to Stratford and Shaw, I’m always impressed by the work that Soulpepper turns out (and their repertory system is year-round!).