Shining Stars

Erin Bree Pierce and Danielle Desjardins

Erin Bree Pierce, a long-time fan favourite of the Theatre Ancaster stage, will join Theatre Ancaster newcomer (sort of), Danielle Desjardins, as mother-daughter duo Donna and Sophie, in Mamma Mia!

Audiences will remember Erin Bree as Fiona from Shrek: The Musical, Miss Hannigan from Annie, and many stand-out performances in our Spring Musical Concerts, to name a few.  She also directed The Music of Michael in 2012 to standing ovations and rave reviews, and served as Vocal Director for several Theatre Ancaster shows.  

Danielle is a (relative) newcomer to TA – having only appeared in Hairspray in 2012, but she is not a newcomer to performing.  Her favourite role was Ariel in The Little Mermaid at Brantford College Institute (BCI) High School, which is not only a well-loved role, but also a challenging one since it’s the lead role in the show.  Another highlight was her performance in We Will Rock You at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls. She also has Choreographer and Costume Designer to her credits.

These two talented ladies began their journey into musical theatre from different disciplines. Danielle began as a competitive dancer and at age 12, was surprised to discover she could sing. She then followed her passion, majoring in musical theatre at St. Clair College in Windsor. Danielle is currently pursuing a career in the arts.

Erin Bree, on the other hand, began taking singing lessons at age 9, after she witnessed a live vocal performance. She found herself wanting to sing more than anything else in the world. When she reached high school, she watched a production of Les Misérables, and fell in love once again. Erin Bree would go on to major in theatre at the University of Western Ontario. Erin Bree is a certified vocal instructor – inspiring the next generation of performers. 

When asked about their upcoming roles in Mamma Mia!, Danielle and Erin Bree said they felt a deep emotional connection to their characters. Erin Bree feels that out of all the roles she has played, she has the closest connection to Donna. Donna is free-spirited and hard-working, which echoes Erin Bree’s life mantra. Danielle says that Sophie feels like the perfect character for her. Like Sophie, she is bubbly, determined, and fun-loving.

“It’s got a fabulous cast, with lots of newcomers and a great directing team,” says Erin Bree.

“It’s going to be fun,” Danielle says. “There’s so many incredible set pieces and costumes… Theatre Ancaster always shoots for high quality.”

The cast will be sure to have you singing along to the classic tunes of ABBA and dancing in the aisles!  Don’t miss it!

Written by Dawson Nyffenegger