INCLUSIVE DRAMA CLASSES
Giving students a place to be exactly who they are through
dance, music and drama classes!
At The Travelling Stage, we encourage participants to take up space, use their voice and be who they are. The focus of our performance classes is on increasing self-esteem, building self-confidence and cultivating a sense of community. We pride ourselves in the quality of our dance, music and drama classes and we strive to make a significant impact in the lives of everyone who walks through our doors by providing an inclusive environment.
The Travelling Stage Studio recognizes the unique abilities and valuable contributions of our participants, teachers, employees and families. Everyone is welcome and everyone belongs. We strive to cultivate an authentic and inclusive community to be proud of, with relationships that continue to build over time.
Toni Grates, Founding Director
Toni Grates is the Founding Director of The Travelling Stage, a company she launched 24 years ago with a big dream, a hand-made poster, and a laundry basket full of props. Since then, she has dedicated her career to creating and advocating for accessible arts opportunities for young people, blending her passion for creativity with a deep commitment to community connection.
Toni is a multidisciplinary artist whose career includes work for YTV and CityTV, along with numerous credits as an actor, director, and writer on stages throughout North America. In addition to her work with The Travelling Stage, she is a sessional instructor at Brock University in drama and dance with the Faculty of Education.
Toni also leads The Travelling Stage’s Far North Community Engagement Initiative in remote communities of the Northwest Territories. Developed in close collaboration with local consultants, elders, and school superintendents, the initiative focuses on amplifying Northern voices and supporting arts education that reflects and celebrates the stories, traditions, and creativity of the region.
In recognition of her leadership and dedication to the arts, Toni has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Durham Catholic District School Board and the 2024 Business Achievement Award from the Whitby Chamber of Commerce. She is also a finalist for the Chamber’s 2025 Business Person of the Year Award.
She credits her high school drama teacher, Mr. Jim Finan, with inspiring her to pursue the path she’s on today.
She holds a BA in Theatre from York University, a diploma in Musical Theatre from the Randolph Academy, a postgraduate certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School of Writers, and a Master of Education with a focus on Arts Education from the University of Toronto.
At the heart of her work is a steadfast belief in the transformative power of arts education and its ability to build connection and belonging. Toni strives to lead with compassion and creativity, supported by an extraordinary office and teaching team equally committed to making a meaningful impact. Above all, she takes immense pride in her role as a mother to her two sons, ages 10 and 15.
Our Toni Grates, Whitby Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Award Winner, 2024
Tanya Cochrane
Studio and Community Program Coordinator
Meet Tanya, our Program Coordinator with an exceptional knack for organization, meticulous attention to detail, and a genuine commitment to outstanding customer service. With experience coordinating over ten youth productions, show choirs, and a wide range of theatre classes and workshops with The Travelling Stage, Tanya ensures every production runs seamlessly from start to finish. Her strong project management skills, passion for the arts, and dedication to young performers help create positive, lasting experiences for students and their families alike.
Fatima Melo
Accounts Coordinator
Fatima’s passion for drama began at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School in Pickering, where she first met The Travelling Stage’s founder, Toni Grates, in grade 9. By grade 12, Fatima was Toni’s campaign manager during her run for student council — and more than 30 years later, she’s still managing Toni’s campaigns!
Fatima is well known in Durham Region for her larger-than-life performances in The Travelling Stage Adult Production Program. Over the past three seasons, Fatima has delighted audiences with roles like Miss Hannigan and, most memorably, as the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz — complete with a wig no one saw coming and a New York accent no one will ever forget. Her unexpected comedic flair and fearless approach to every role make her a true Travelling Stage audience favourite.
While studying at York University, Fatima also built a successful career in the corporate sector. With 20 years of experience as a Client Manager in Banking and Insurance and 15 years as an entrepreneur, she brings a strong business background to her work. Today, she combines her passion for the arts with her professional expertise as a valued member of The Travelling Stage team.
Kate Raposo
Studio and Community Support
Possessing a Specialist in Cinema Studies and Minor in Art History from the University of Toronto, Kate has always held a deep passion for the arts and accessible education. With a strong background in film production and post-production, stepping into the world of theatre has been new and exciting. She is happy to be a part of the team at The Travelling Stage to help facilitate fun and educational classes for Durham Region. In her free time, Kate loves listening to and playing music, reading, watching movies, going on forest adventures, and hanging out with her cat, Moomoo
Elizabeth DeGrazia
Teaching Artist
Hailing from Nebraska, Elizabeth holds a Performance Degree from The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. For the past four years, she has been a part of our Summer Intensive Faculty, sharing her remarkable talent and dedication with our young performers.
Elizabeth made her Broadway debut as Blanche Ingram in Jane Eyre, a role featured on the original Broadway cast recording as well as on her own album, One Love One Lifetime. She went on to play Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera on both Broadway and in Toronto. At the Stratford Festival, she appeared alongside Cynthia Dale as Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes.
Her extensive work in musical theatre also includes performances with Toronto Operetta Theatre in productions such as The Mikado, The Gondoliers, Kismet, and The Student Prince.
Christina Bernicky
Teaching Artist
Christina has been dancing from a very young age, training and performing across Ontario in a variety of styles. During her time at Brock University, she led the school’s dance group to multiple awards, solidifying her passion for choreography and leadership in the arts.
A certified and award-winning teacher with the Durham Catholic District School Board, Christina brings her dedication and creativity into both the classroom and the studio.
She has proudly served as the Resident Choreographer for The Travelling Stage since the launch of its production programs, playing an integral role in shaping numerous youth performances. Christina is excited to be part of this year’s creative team and looks forward to continuing to share her love for the arts with the next generation of performers.
Noah Webster
Teaching Artist
Noah Webster is a theatre artist and educator who believes in the collaborative and devised processes of creating performances together. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from York University, where he graduated with a specialization in Devised Theatre, where he learned different aspects of theatre, such as writing and directing to producing, movement, and acting.
With The Travelling Stage, Noah has worked on a wide range of productions and programs, including The Lion King Kids, Finding Nemo Kids, Shrek the Musical Jr, Mean Girls (High School Edition), and The Jungle Book Kids. He’s also helped develop original plays with students through the company’s Theatre Arts programs, led summer arts camps that combine dance, drama, and visual arts. Noah also teaches at local elementary and private schools, where he puts on year-end drama performances that he builds with the school through The Travelling Stage.
Beyond his work with The Travelling Stage, Noah has performed and directed with companies across Durham and the GTA, including Oshawa Little Theatre, Ajax Community Theatre, and Theatre on the Ridge. His roles have ranged from actor and assistant director to stage manager and creative team member for community and fringe productions.
Noah believes that when students take ownership of their creativity, they grow in confidence and connection. He loves helping young performers discover their voices, work as a team, and experience the joy of creating theatre together.
Carolyn Goff
Teaching Artist
Carolyn Goff grew up studying ballet and jazz before turning to a professional acting career at age 16. Her work spread over areas of commercial, film and TV before returning to the stage in 2015. Carolyn’s passion for character development has always centred around movement. Relying on her dance training, Carolyn’s process has always begun with how one moves throughout the world based on background and relationships. A mother of two children, Carolyn has always loved working with kids and watching them as they discover the world around them through creative expression. She spends her creative time directing and performing for The Borelians in Port Perry and her professional time working as a Realtor with Royal Le Page Frank.
Brenna Barton
Teaching Artist
Brenna Barton is a dedicated and passionate dance educator with a lifelong love for movement and performance. With 18 years of dance experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to her teaching. A graduate of the Centennial College Dance Performance program, Brenna continues to deepen her knowledge and craft by attending dance workshops and teacher conventions, staying current with industry trends and teaching methods.
She specializes in jazz, hip hop, tap, and musical theatre, bringing energy, creativity, and heart to every class. Brenna believes in the power of dance as a tool for self-expression and confidence building, and is committed to creating a positive, inspiring space where students can grow not only as dancers but as individuals.
Benjamin Thomas
Teaching Artist
Benjamin Thomas (he/him) is a Toronto-based actor, theatre artist, and educator with a passion for working with young people. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada (2019) and holds a BA from York University, specializing in English and Community-Engaged Theatre.
Benjamin has worked with theatres across the country, most recently performing in The Grove Theatre’s 2025 summer season. His screen work includes appearances on Murdoch Mysteries (CBC) and the upcoming feature film Trust Me, I’m a Doctor (currently in post-production).
As an arts educator, Benjamin has led workshops and programs in schools and communities across Ontario, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories, often focusing on projects with Indigenous youth and underserved communities. His teaching is rooted in building confidence, creativity, and connection through storytelling and ensemble work.
Isabelle Blanusa
Teaching Artist
Isabelle (or Izzy) is an artist and educator in the Durham region. A graduate of Bishop’s University with a BA Honours in Classical Music and a BA Honours in Drama, she has gained a strong foundation in acting and vocal performance through many hands-on experiences with artists from across Canada. Isabelle combines her passion for music and theatre with a creative, fun, and engaging learning style. She believes in the power of the arts to inspire confidence, collaboration, imagination, and joy in performance and in everyday life.
Nicole Savage
Teaching Artist
With over three decades of enchanting young hearts through musical theatre, Nicole is excited to collaborate with The Travelling Stage to create musical magic. Nicole has produced several musicals during her 31 years as a music educator and is currently a Music Director with Oshawa Little Theatre. Highlights with OLT include Elf: The Musical, Joseph and The Technicolor Dreamcoat and Shrek.
Nicole’s love of music and musicals began at the age of seven when her formal piano lessons began. Not long after, her grandparents took her to see the musical Cats and that one event was life-changing. Between finding opportunities to see the newest musical stage productions and teaching herself to play a variety of new instruments, Nicole has always made music a part of her everyday life
More about our dance, music and drama classes
Our adult acting classes are currently full, but we are accepting a waitlist!
For years our Travelling Stage Studio community talked about how much fun it would be if we offered adult acting classes. Each year we tried, but not enough adults registered for us to offer the program. That all changed in late 2022 when a very brave group of adults now affectionately known as the ‘OGs’ took to the stage. The final presentation was such a success that our adult acting classes are now full with a waitlist! Be sure to join our mailing list if you’d like to receive info on our next session.
“Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.”
— Willem Dafoe, American actor
Do you have a young performer who only wants to participate in drama classes without the singing and dancing?
We’ve got you covered! The Travelling Stage offers straight drama classes for ages 5 and up. These programs focus on embodying character, finding voice and everything in between. Our drama classes are rooted in improvisation and an approach known as collective creation (also known as devised theatre). There is no large-scale production at the end of this program, but we do host an in class open house where students showcase some of their work.
Capturing moments of creative expression: Our stage in frames!
What our Families and Participants Say