Alumni Stories

Our Alumni: A World of Opportunities

What do our students do with a degree from DART?

Read about our alumni in the news at this link: brocku.ca/miwsfpa/dramatic-arts/category/latest-news/alumni

We are collecting stories about our alumni to give you an idea of the futures you can build with DART.
Share your news with the Department by filling in the form by clicking the button found at the bottom of this page.

Graduate spotlight

Deanna Jones graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Theatre degree in 2002.

“At Brock University, I gained a well-rounded knowledge of theatre, from theatrical design to playwriting, from all things technical to critical theory, theatre history, acting, directing, collaborative creation, dramatic literature and more. Most of all, through my experience at Brock I began to find my own voice as an artist and bonded with peers, professors and instructors with whom I could collaborate and share inspiration.

Faculty at Brock inspired my postgraduate studies with One Yellow Rabbit (Canada), Philippe Gaulier (France), and the SITI Company (USA). Then several Brock classmates and I formed our own theatre company in St. Catharines, Suitcase in Point, and began to craft our own work. To date, I have participated in the creation of more than 15 new Canadian plays. We’ve been featured in Canadian Theatre Review, showcased at multiple national festivals, and produce In the Soil, a multidisciplinary arts festival in downtown St. Catharines every April. These are among the achievements that all stemmed from my studies at Brock in the DART program.

I am incredibly thankful for my time spent at Brock University. It has formed me as an artist and a collaborator, and is the base of my life as a theatre creator.”

Marcel Stewart holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the Department of Dramatic Arts. Stewart graduated from Brock University in June 2007. At Brock, he learned how to write, direct, and produce, gaining confidence in his craft.

Marcel is a theatre artist whose performance practice is rooted in the research of what stories have been told, how they have been told and by whom. The freedom to ask questions and responsibility to propose change is what inspires Marcel. Through theatre Marcel holds a mirror up to the world and reflects on his position in it, offering the chance for all those who experience his craft to do the same. He is constantly exploring new ways of telling stories, currently on screen through film and television. Most recently he co-wrote the short film, Chance Encounter: https://vimeo.com/282092101.

Sarah Argue graduated from the Brock University Dramatic Arts program in 2006. This alumna has been touring across Canada with her crew of unique characters sharing shows about compassion, enjoying the little things in life and the power of choice. On Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 she received the Faculty of Humanities Distinguished Graduate Award. More about her company, Rock the Arts, can be found at: rockthearts.ca.

Kenneth Bi graduated with Honors in Theatre/Film from Brock University in Canada in 1992. He returned to his native Hong Kong in 1994 and began his film career on Teddy Robin’s 1995 feature, Hong Kong Graffiti. In 1998, he line-produced Slow Fade and garnered a Hong Kong Film Awards nomination for Best Original Film Score for Fruit Chan’s The Longest Summer.  For more information about his career see Wikipedia, Internet Movie Database, and his website.

Kate Trotter graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Dramatic Literature, First-Class Standing, in 1975 and the National Theatre School of Canada in 1978. A celebrated actress of theatre, cinema and television, she was presented with the “Distinguished Alumni Prize for the Humanities” on March 31, 2012 at Brock University. For more information see her YouTube DEMO REEL , her entries in the Internet Movie Database and Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia (last updated 2009), and the article published by The Brock News.

After DART!

“The solid foundation I gained at Brock afforded me the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in dramatic literature and theory at the University of Guelph, and the National Theatre School of Canada. I am now in my ninth season in the ensemble at the Shaw Festival, and my academic studies have greatly enriched and informed my work as an actor.”

~ Julia Course, class of 2005

“Since graduating, I have completed an MA at the University of Toronto, started my own theatre company and collaborated with ensembles including Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Canadian Stage, and Crow’s Theatre. The Praxis concentration taught me to balance theory and practice, and allowed me to experience for myself the intellectual and creative potential in this way of working.”

~ Spencer Charles Smith, class of 2011

“Thanks to the practical and theoretical framework I gained in Drama in Education at DART, I became the performer, director, education and touring manager, artistic consultant, specialized arts teacher and Toronto District School Board educator that I am today. The professors, students and atmosphere at Brock sparked my creativity and nurtured my confidence.”

~ Brittany Knight, class of 1999

“The honours BA I received from DART, in conjunction with professional equivalent experience, gave me full entry to a joyous life in the profession of lighting design and in academia, with full rank at a major public university.”

~ Robert A. Shakespeare, class of 1973

Alumni news

DART alumni, send us your stories, adventures, and achievements, or just let us know where you are in the world.
They will be a great inspiration to current students and faculty alike.