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<\/a>Oliver Webb Wilkinson (BA \u201925) performed alongside fourth-year Dramatic Arts students and members of Peregrine Theatre Co. in \u201cMementos,\u201d which explores themes of hope and amidst life\u2019s challenges. From left are Megan Mastantuono, Simon Bell, Webb Wilkinson and Maddox Keller.<\/p><\/div>\n
Studying theatre at Brock, with a Concentration in Performance, allowed Webb Wilkinson to explore themes of identity through creativity and playfulness.<\/p>\n
\u201cFailure doesn\u2019t exist in DART; if things don\u2019t work, you try something else. What I will remember is the sense of play and lack of judgment in classes,” he said. “Trial and error is part of making theatre, we learn from things that don\u2019t work.”<\/p>\n
Through Brock co-op opportunities, Webb Wilkinson worked every summer at professional theatre organizations, including Crane Creations Theatre Company as Artistic Producer, Pirate Life Theatre as a performer and recently Theatrix Costume House in Hamilton as an intern.<\/p>\n
These experiences gave Webb Wilkinson a sense of what his future workplace would look like and allowed him to benefit from professors who are theatre makers and learn from professionals like DART\u2019s Head of Wardrobe Bobbi Pidduck, who works in wardrobe at the Shaw Festival.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s school theatre at a professional calibre, and there is nothing like a mainstage at Brock,\u201d Webb Wilkinson said.<\/p>\n
In the DART 2023 mainstage production of A Vampire Story<\/em><\/a>, Webb Wilkinson played his first role as a male character, and said the creative team led by Director Gyllian Raby were completely open to his interpretation of masculinity.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was an incredible and affirming moment for me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n