Shining Stars

Each month, we are excited to shine a spotlight on a remarkable member of our Theatre Ancaster family! 

Whether they are volunteers, cast members, production crew, or staff, these individuals play a vital role in our success. Join us in celebrating their contributions and check out our previous Shining Stars below!

Janessa Pudwell

For Janessa Pudwell, musical theatre is so much more than a song and dance. As a choreographer for Theatre Ancaster’s Conservatory Company, Janessa relishes the opportunity to help tell important stories with relevant messages we can relate to and learn from. Working with a talented young cast of burgeoning professionals sweetens the deal.

“I think what stands out to me is the company’s desire to share theatre with the community that is not just incredible voices and performances but also incredible stories,” says Janessa. “We also continue to have such brilliantly talented casts, and they come with so much energy and vision into the projects. […] It’s a very wholesome and fulfilling experience to be a part of, where everyone really just wants to put on the best possible show, and it feels that way from the start of each new project.”

Janessa started working with Theatre Ancaster six years ago as an instructor in our summer camps. She has also taught in our Stage 2: Skill Builders youth program. In 2022, Janessa performed in the Conservatory Company’s debut production of RENT. “The year after I took the role of choreographer in the company with the help of my wife, Tanya, who co-choreographed that show with me,” explains Janessa. “We put on Cabaret that summer. I’ve been lucky to continue to choreograph for the company with Spring Awakening and now with West Side Story.”

This August, Janessa and the rest of the Conservatory Company will be bringing the beloved musical West Side Story to the stage. “I’m so excited to choreograph West Side Story,” shares Janessa. “It’s obviously a huge dance show so the challenge of that is fun for me, and getting to add my own mark or voice to these shows through the choreography is always very rewarding.”

Conservatory Company Director, Nupi Gokhale, is enthusiastic about Janessa’s vital contribution to the production: “As a creative team, we could not have embarked on a project of the magnitude of West Side Story without someone like Janessa. She doesn’t shy away from complicated dance narratives; rather, she embraces each new challenge. I first met Janessa years ago when she was a summer camp instructor. Fast forward many years and Janessa auditioned for the role of Maureen in our first Conservatory production, RENT. We haven’t let her leave since! She brings years of dance experience as a professional dancer, choreographer and now paramedic! She and Tanya make an unstoppable choreography duo!”

Company member Owen Lapsley likewise has a deep appreciation for Janessa’s artistry and work ethic: “Janessa is one of the most driven, project-first people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I still remember, back in the early days of Conservatory’s RENT, hearing her talk about biking all the way up the mountain to get to rehearsals. Three times a week! Her commitment and excellence in contributing to Conservatory shows never wavers. She is also incredibly heartfelt and listens to her actors, whether working with near-professional-dancers, or those like myself who need more than a few runs to get up to speed. She has a unique, innovative style of movement that’s an irreplaceable element in each show she works on.”

As showtime approaches for West Side Story, Janessa will be busy helping the cast transition seamlessly from the rehearsal space to the stage. “It’s important during the rehearsal process that the performers have a clear idea of what the stage will look like, otherwise when you get into tech week on stage, it can lead to a lot more stress for them,” says Janessa. “I try to be very thorough during rehearsals so everyone is as aware as possible about what the scene looks like even though we don’t have any of the actual set or the space of the stage during rehearsals. […] I love our tech weeks in the theatre when everything is coming together. You see the cast lean on each other and how far they’ve all come since day one, and it’s always a really full circle moment for the whole team.”

When Janessa isn’t lending her time and talent to Theatre Ancaster she’s involved with many different dance communities around Hamilton and the GTA. This includes the Hamilton street dance community and Defining Movement Dance studio, where she’s involved with many of the projects they put on through the year. “I love to see artists/art enthusiasts support each other and continue to grow and build these communities together,” explains Janessa. “I love seeing the great community Theatre Ancaster has around them […]. You can see how much care and thought they put into their programs and shows to bring theatre to the community in so many different ways.”