Shining Star

Did you know that one of our amazing performers holds the title of 2016 Karaoke National Champion and World finalist? Well, it’s true! Introducing Ellie Ketsetzis, one of our incredibly talented performers who was born for the stage.

Ellie grew up in Ancaster and was interested in theatre at a very young age. Her first time performing on Theatre Ancaster’s stage was in 2000, as a kid in our Main Stage production of Oliver. She didn’t know it at the time, but that performance would be her last performance with Theatre Ancaster for a long time—17 years to be exact. Ellie returned to Theatre Ancaster’s stage in 2017, playing the role of Grace in Annie. But where was she during those 17 years?

It was a long journey for Ellie as she tried to find her passion and voice. Ellie attended Mohawk College for advertising and landed an advertising job shortly after graduation. However, Ellie felt the advertising world just didn’t give her the personal fulfilment she needed. So, trusting her heart, she quit her job and went back to performing. Ellie did seven shows with Hamilton Theatre Incorporated between 2014-2017, before finding her way back home to Theatre Ancaster.

For inspiration, Ellie looks towards some of the strongest female voices of all time. Classics such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Idina Menzel, and Kelly Clarkson are her personal favourites because of their powerhouse voices.

Thinking back on her stage career, Ellie said her favourite role was Grace in Annie because it’s a more serious role and really challenged her – and was nothing like she was used to. Ellie typically played the funny sidekick or the helpful best friend. But Grace had moments of hardship and sadness, which required her to approach the character in a totally different way, a way that completely goes against Ellie’s upbeat and loving personality.

Ellie has been a part of nearly every TA Main Stage show since Annie in 2017, including on-stage in Divas in Concert and Chicago and back-stage for Mamma Mia!. Ellie feels so strongly about the TA community that she continues to bring more and more helping hands into the company, including her friends and her fiancé, who has performed on stage in several TA productions and helped out off-stage too.

So for now, you will just have to wait to see her on stage again.

Written by Dawson Nyffenegger