Meet the actOUT! Team!

Faculty Bios

Todd Vercoe, B.A., M.A.

Artistic Director

A lifelong student and teacher of games, play, and theatre, Todd has instructed or lectured in games, play and drama for the Toronto Board of Education, South Korea's Inje University and the University of Waterloo. A graduate of the York University Department of Theatre where he studied directing and playwriting, he earned his Masters Degree at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is the founding Artistic Director of Toronto's Open Mind Productions and was faculty advisor to the R.E.D. Theatre Company of Gimhae, South Korea over ten seasons. Todd's directing credits include: Dark Ages Romance, The Takeover Clause, The Gray Zone and Theatre of the Film Noir. Some of the student productions he has supervised include: Othello, West Side Story, The Crucible and The Importance of Being Ernest. Most recently with actOUT! he directed Les Misérables (School Edition) and She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition. As playwright he has penned The Scheme of Things, Wake Me Gently and most recently Box: The Empathy Project.

Amy Neufeld, B.A.

Originally from Ontario, Amy Neufeld spent ten years in Edmonton Alberta working as an actor, teacher and administrator. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University in English and Grant MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts program focusing on musical theatre, Amy has acted with multiple companies in Alberta, and taught at the Citadel Theatre, for Freewill Players, and for Theatre Prospero. She believes strongly in a learning through play approach to teaching, and absolutely loves to play theatre games! In addition to teaching many classes, she has also written several scripts for her students to perform. She is happy to once again call Kitchener-Waterloo home and looks forward to an exciting new season.

Olga Denisova, B. Econ., B.A., MEDI

A music director, independent music instructor and vocalist, Olga holds an Advanced Diploma from School of Arts (Russia), majoring in piano, choir and conducting, as well as a B.A. with Intense Music Specialization from the University of Waterloo.

Olga has been music director of actOUT!'s performances of Beauty and the Beast JR, Fiddler on the Roof JR, and Disney's The Lion King JR and most recently The show Must Go Online and the Claw. She took the helm as director of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR and is presently the director of Elf The Musical JR.

Music education has always been Olga’s passion and she has taught music since 2013. She has taught at the Ontario Conservatory of Music, the Guelph Academy of Music and the KSM School of Music, to name but a few.

In addition to volunteering as Vocal Ensemble Director at Community Music School of Waterloo Region she has spent a few terms as a Choir Director Assistant in Chapel Choir and the University of Waterloo Community Choir.

Olga’s Motto:100% of Success = 10% Talent + 90% Practice

Helena Ciuciura, B.A., M.F.A

Helena is a KW born creative: she completed her BA in Performance Studies at the Marilyn I Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in St. Catharines Ontario, then moved to London, England to complete her MFA in Acting. There she was in A Winter's Tale (The Globe), worked with ABBA at Mamma Mia the Party, and performed in a series of London based shows with a variety of international directors. Now back in KW she is spending large amounts of time with her doggies after choreographing Elf Jr in 2022 has returned to do Newsies JR.

Jennifer Mogbock, B.F.A., M.F.A.

Jennifer has served as actOUT!'s choreographer since 2017 when she choreographed Elf Jr.,Beauty and the Beast Jr. and Fiddler on the Roof Jr. In 2018 she made her directorial debut with actOUT!'s staging of Disney's Lion King Jr. A few of Jennifer's past acting credits include King John (Stratford Festival), Damages Dangle (Theatre For The New City NYC), As You Like It (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ), and Conviction (ABC). Jennifer has been on hiatus to pursue her M.F.A. at New York University but returns from time to time for ZOOM workshops.

Alex Gouchtchina

Alex was ecstatic to join the actOUT! team and return to her passion for directing and teaching. After spending nine years at art schools in Toronto learning how to act, sing, and dance she started directing in play festivals and putting on her own shows. A student at the University of Waterloo, her love of the creative arts has never left her side. Directing Box: The Empathy Project proved her value through her ability to turn the collective creation to one of actOUT!’s first films. Alex is currently directing our mini-kids production of Willy Wonka KIDS.

Ankita Prakash, B.M.E., M.M.E.

Ankita was extremely excited to join the actOUT! team. She is an engineer by profession but has always had a passion for arts. Apart from work, she is pursuing her interests in dance and volunteering. Having recently moved to Canada, being part of this team has provided her an opportunity to meet new people and help give to the community. After cutting her teeth with actOUT! on The Play That Goes Wrong she stage managed Willy Wonka KIDS and is looking forward to next season.

Yansshi Rughani, B.M.M.C.

Yansshi Rughani is a creative and communication enthusiast hailing from Mumbai, India. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Multimedia and Mass Communications, which fuelled her passion for the industry. Currently, she is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Strategic Marketing Communications at Conestoga College.

Apart from her studies, Yansshi has joined actOUT!, where she can merge her interests in drama and production. This opportunity has been an incredible experience for her, and she is grateful to pursue her passion in such a meaningful way. She is excited to explore new avenues and see where her journey takes her next.

Madie Lawrence

Madie Lawrence is currently a third year student at Wilfrid Laurier University studying under the direction of Guy Few.

Madie has competed as a soloist in many competitions, and holds the title of National Gold Medalist from the Royal Conservatory of Music, as well as the 1st place award from the American Guild of Music, and is an International Music Festival and Competition Gold Medalist.

In addition to trumpet, Madie also has completed the Level 8 RCM exams for theory and piano.

Some of their most recent performance experiences include Mackenzie Music’s “The Wizard of Oz”, Laurier Musical Theatre’s “Fame”, RCM National Celebration of Excellence, and as a member of the Hannaford Youth Band, Laurier Wind Orchestra, and the National Youth Band of Canada. As part of the National Youth Band of Canada, Madeline participated in the world premiere of Cait Nishimura's new piece "Echoes of a Northern Lake".

In the past decade, Madie has performed at a number of venues around the GTA including the Meridian Arts Center (formerly the Toronto Center for the Arts), the Richmond Hill Center for the Performing Arts, Richmond Hill United Church, the Church of the Redeemer, the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, and has recorded at CBC Recording Studios."

Kessem Erez

Kessem Erez is excited to join actOUT! as the choreographer for The Wizard of Oz. Currently pursuing her studies in Community Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, Kessem is a graduate of Randolph College for the Performing Arts. Proficient in a diverse range of dance forms such as ballet, jazz, tap, and acro, she's been involved both onstage and behind the scenes. Other notable choreography credits include Legally Blonde The Musical and High School Musical: The Musical, in collaboration with Laurier Musical Theatre.

Sarah Miller

Summer Camp Coordinator

Sarah Miller is a dramaturg and playwright from Whitehorse, Yukon, in their final year of Theatre Performance Creation Studies at York University, with a specialization in Dramaturgy. Sarah is extremely passionate about providing children with rich artistic education as well as being excited to join the actOUT! team at camps this summer. Currently, they are the Assistant Dramaturg for Tarragon Theatre's national and local Young Playwrights' Units. Past credits include Director for Jordan Tannahill's "Concord Floral" with Yukon Theatre for Young People (2022), Dramaturg for David Yee's "love in the time of werewolves" (Theatre@York 2022), and baker of cookies for the kids at The Heart of Riverdale Community Centre in Whitehorse.