Shining Star

Sam Heath

In her years with Theatre Ancaster, Sam has gone from a talented and enthusiastic performer in our youth programs to one of the bedrock members of our community whose contributions in a great many areas make Theatre Ancaster a better, more vibrant place to be.

As a teenager, Sam appeared in the lead roles of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Ariel in The Little Mermaid as part of the ArtSMART program, Theatre Ancaster’s partnership with the HWDSB. These experiences led her into more opportunities with Theatre Ancaster, where she not only continued to excel as a performer, but also began to take on roles behind the scenes to help others shine.

Sam has created set, prop, and costume designs for several Theatre Ancaster shows now, lending a creative spark to every show she touches. She’s also completed a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and History from the University of Guelph, where she has honed her craft as a performer, director, and creator. These days, Sam works in several of our youth programs, helping the next generation of young performers as they learn to love being onstage. Sam enjoys working with our youngest performers in Stage 1: Jitterbugs, where she gets to work with them at the very beginning of their experiences on stage. She loves to see them overcome their fears and shine on stage!

Laura Bottrell, who directs our Stage 1: Jitterbugs program is thrilled to work with her. “Sam has a natural talent for inspiring kids to grow, not only as performers, but as people.”

Theatre Ancaster’s Director of Programming, Sam Frisk, feels that we’re lucky to have somebody like Sam Heath as part of our team. “Sam gives the people around her everything she’s got. Everyone she’s working with ends up feeling valued and appreciated. At the end of the day, she makes sure that not only do we have shows that look good, we have people that feel good about being there.”

Most recently, Sam has worked as the Stage Manager and Costumer for Theatre Ancaster’s fall hit, Legally Blonde. Her limitless patience, endless positivity, and relentless work ethic make her a welcome addition to every production team she joins. According to Lindsay Jones, who directed Legally Blonde, “Sam is the kind of person who jumps into everything wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. She will do it expertly and help others learn at the same time. She delights in sharing her skill, and the entire company benefits from her joy and dedication.”

As Sam takes on even larger roles with us, we are all very excited to see what comes next. We know that it will be spectacular.