Meet the creative team

Clark Harris | Writer & Composer

Clark is excited to be part of Theatre By The Bay's greatest season yet. Bravo to Larissa Mair and company for all of their hard work and dedication over the years! Clark has worked as a writer in film and television with credits including the Canadian classic, Mr. Dressup. He also had the good fortune to write the children's shows for Toronto's majestic castle, Casa Loma from 1993-2005. Please check out his website at www.clarkharris.com for upcoming productions.

Larissa Mair | Director

Born and raised in Barrie, Ontario, Larissa Mair co-founded Theatre by the Bay in 2001 with her husband, Nick Baillie. She is deeply committed to bringing affordable, professional theatre to downtown Barrie and to mentoring young actors and technical crew. Larissa is extremely proud of the many wonderful Shakespeare productions and musicals produced by Theatre by the Bay and thrilled that to be heading into our TENTH SEASON!   She is very excited for the 2011 line-up of William Shakespeare's The Tempest as well as the Young Company production of Treasure Island (The Pirate Musical) by Clark Harris.

Larissa Mair has been involved in the arts on many different levels for over 20 years. She heads her own casting company in Toronto called Larissa Mair Casting & Associates and has a great team of people working for her. Larissa cast the critically acclaimed show  The Bridge for CBS & CTV and the feature The Corridor.  Some of Larissa's upcoming projects are: Wipeout for Global, a new series for Family Channel called What's Up Warthogs, the new CBC comedy series Insecurity (which started airing in January 2011) where she was the Toronto Casting Director, co-casting the feature film Foxfire (Directed by Laurent Cantent) which will air in 2012. She is thrilled about casting the upcoming series called Life With Boys created by the co-producers of Hannah Montana and a series for History Television called It Happened Here.

Thank you to all the incredible sponsors, the volunteers and our members for all their support and time. Special thanks to our Board of Directors for their hard work in helping bring such high quality theatre to our community. And last but not least, theatre cannot exist without its patrons. Thank you for supporting and attending Live Theatre!

Ryan Laplante | Assistant Director

Ryan is overjoyed to be working with Theatre by the Bay during its 10th Anniversary Season. He is a recent graduate of Queen's University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Drama (Honours). He was also one of the co-founders of Vagabond Theatre Company: the first non-professional Shakespearean Repertoire Company in Canada. As a Director: Titus Andronicus (Blue Canoe Productions); Richard III (Vagabond Theatre Company). As an Actor: Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night and Midsummer Night's Dream (TBTB); Cinderella: A Holiday Pantomime (TIP); Romeo and Juliet and The Merchant of Venice (Vagabond Theatre Company); Jesus Christ Superstar and The Pirates of Penzance (KCP); Woyzeck (QD Productions).

Ryan would like to thank his family for their love and support. He also has to thank his Fairy Godmother Larissa for introducing him to professional theatre, a gift so great he will treasure it forever. Last but not least he has to thank everyone he will be working with this season. There are many laughs to be had, both in rehearsal and (hopefully) from the audience!

Nick Baillie | Production Manager

Nick started his acting career in Montreal and now resides in Toronto. He produced his first play in 1996 with Paradigm entertainment in Montreal. Nick co-founded Theatre by the Bay in 2001 with Larissa Mair, and was the General Manager for four years. Nick splits his time in Montreal and Toronto, and Los Angeles and continues to work as a Consulting Producer for Theatre by the Bay.

As an actor, Nick has appeared in numerous stage productions such as Fool for Love by Sam Sheppard, The Shadow Box by Michael Christopher and the critically acclaimed Canadian play Fortune and Men's Eyes. For Theatre by the Bay, Nick played Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as Paris in Romeo and Juliet. Nick has appeared in many TV shows and films over the past 10 years, such as The Dead Zone with Anthony Michael Hall, All the Good Ones Are Married with Daryl Hannah, Durham County II, and Degrassi: The Next Generation. Nick is currently producing and starring in a feature film called Claddagh in Montreal which is due out in 2011.

Nick is very pleased that Theatre by the Bay has become so successful in Barrie, and looks forward to many more exciting years in the new Downtown Theatre.

Carla Tucker | Choreographer

Carla has been teaching dance for over 20 years in such cities as Toronto, Hamilton and Barrie. She has choreographed many musicals including Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof, Seussical the Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar and Big, the Musical (which she received the THEA award for Best Choreographer). Carla has been honoured to be the choreographer for all of Theatre By The Bay's Young Company shows.

Currently, she is a dance educator in the Barrie area as well as an elementary school teacher for the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board. Her company, Moving Art, is growing in its 9th year and she loves being able to help people discover their passion for the arts. Carla looks forward to working with everyone on such an exciting project!!

Edwina Douglas | Musical Director

Born in Maryland and singing ever since,  Edwina sports ARCT's in both teaching & performance. Adjudication, private voice lessons, accompaniment and live performance are her cup of tea.  Edwina has directed numerous music productions over the years and was the creator of Bravado!

December 2010 found Edwina music directing Theatre By the Bay's Roxx the Holidays & she now happily marks her sixth season with Theatre By the Bay's Young Company in their summer 2010 production of Treasure Island. Current music directing projects include Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (KCP) and 13 (Moving Art). Edwina also loves to perform, forming Marmalade in September, 2006, and loves the collaborative role she plays as director/singer/keyboardist within this unique vocal team.

Jill Laplante | Costume Designer

Jill is very happy to be back with Theatre by the Bay to help celebrate their 10th anniversary. She previously designed Beauty and Beast, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Tinkerbell's Summer Adventure. She is looking forward to once again working with the young company to help bring to life their characters in Treasure Island.

In the past she has enjoyed working with Moving Art and Kempenfelt Community Players. She would like to thank her family and friends for all their support and enthusiasm.

Paul Boken | Lighting Designer

Paul is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to be a part of Theatre by the Bay. Paul graduated with a BFA from Ryerson University where he majored in Theatre Production; Paul has also received post graduate Certificate in Architectural Lighting Design from Ryerson University. Theatrical Lighting design credits include: Assistant Lighting Design for A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, Lighting Design for Treasure Island and Robin Hood (Theatre by the Bay). Lighting Design for Mass Exodus (Ryerson School of Fashion) Lighting Design for Deathtrap (South Simcoe Theatre). Other credits include Technical Director for Romeo and Juliet and As You like It (Theatre by the Bay).

Paul is currently working for Mulvey and Banani International as an Architectural Lighting Designer, recent architectural projects include: Windsor Casino expansion, Renaissance ROM, Bay Adelaide Centre, Telus (25 York Street), Peace Bridge (Buffalo) Dubai Marina, (UAE) and Doha City Center (UAE).

Emily Alkema | Stage Manager

Emily is excited and grateful for her first opportunity to work with Theatre by the Bay this season. She has been deeply involved in the arts her whole life as an actress, singer and writer, and her passion for storytelling shines through in her endeavours to make every show run smoothly. She worked as a producer for various plays and concerts during her high school career, and often multitasked with backstage positions and roles onstage. She's looking forward to her first summer with the company, and helping bring the story of Treasure Island to life.

Brenda Thompson | Dresser

Brenda is happy to be back with TBTB for her third season creating costumes and having fun backstage keeping things on track in the costume department. Brenda is also a board member of Kempenfelt Community Players and has been the lead set designer/scenic artist for about 10 years now.

She recently designed the sets for Alice in Wonderland and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as well as playing the part of one of the wives in the production. Her day job is with the Maclaren Art Centre coordinating the VanGo in the school programmes. She is blessed to be married to Barry and is a mother and grandmother to three awesome children as well. Life is good!