Biography
“Through my art, I strive to better understand myself and others by listening with an open heart and responding from the depths of my own. I risk putting myself ‘out there’ trusting in my intuition to guide me. To allow you to see my vulnerability, share my dreams, admit my fears or joyously celebrate my successes takes faith and courage. To choose to be ‘me’ and to speak my truth, not knowing how you will respond, is the risk I take each time I bring a human being to life in a role. I share my authentic self and speak my truth in the hope that my art will inspire and touch your heart.”
Helen Tansey, Sundari Photography Inc.
Joy, Vitality and a Touch of the Re-DICK-ulous!
A vivacious & versatile performer, voice over artist, director, writer and Designated Linklater Voice teacher, Heather brings energy, joy and a touch of humour to all that she does.
"I have learned to expect exacting preparedness, boundless energy and a willingness to try anything that informs the role. Heather's sense of fun never overshadows her professionalism. She certainly is not afraid to explore the darker aspects of the human experience and brings a zest and joy to her rehearsal and performance that is a pleasure to support." Marianne McIsaac - Director (Old Love), Actor, Acting Coach
She has worked across Canada performing in, directing or producing more than 80 shows and is a highly sought-after voice over actor whose engaging voice creates feelings of trust, respect, and inspiration. Working from her professional home studio, Heather has experience in Commercials, Animation, Video Games, Dubbing, Documentaries, Narration, Audiobooks, Accents and Dialects, and Improvisation.
When not working on film, television, commercials or voice projects, she loves the live, moment-to-moment interaction with an audience that is an essential part of acting on the stage. When directing, she carefully and respectfully interprets the world imagined by the playwright through lighting, sound, music, sets and costumes so that she and her actors can delve deeply into the text and bring ‘real’ human beings to life.
In 1989 Heather founded the Sirius Theatrical Company (Toronto) to explore a diverse range of approaches to performance outside of the traditional theatre structure. From the seed of a dream, Heather built the STC into a flourishing organization. As a part of the Toronto theatre scene for 30 years, the STC mentored emerging artists, offered professional voice and acting training, and produced critically acclaimed multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural performance pieces that integrated acting, dance, photography, music, visual art and spoken word.
Heather and the STC were the recipients of several cultural grants to develop new works including: the Government of Canada Canadian Heritage 1812 Commemoration Fund (Forgotten Voices); the City of Toronto Cultural Hotspot Signature Partnership program (My Lakeshore, My Home); and the City of Toronto Culture Division - TO Live With Culture program (Tapestry of Dreams/Dreamweavers). In 2013, Heather and the STC were presented with the GEM of the LAKESHORE Award - Culture & Recreation for their work in “promoting arts and culture in the Lakeshore/Mimico community of Toronto”. Heather, herself, received the Lakeshore Arts organization’s Impact Award in 2015 in “recognition of making continuous positive change and using the arts to engage and strengthen” the Lakeshore/Mimico community.
As a writer, Heather has been published in two anthologies and is the winner of the Joseph Smrdelj Short Story Contest 2017.
Heather’s work is rich, instinctual and vibrant with a touch of the Re-DICK-ulous!
voice over
Video Game - Ms. Holmes: The Adventure of the McKirk Ritual | Jane | Big Fish Games
Audio Books - Various | Narrator | Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Fairy Tales - Audio Book | Narrator & Character Voices | Independent Productions
Voice Over - Slide Show | Narrator | City of Toronto
theatre
False Claims | Linda (Lead) | False Claims Collective | Toronto
Electra | Clytemnestra (Lead) | Newmarket National Play Festival | Toronto
Leaves Beneath The Trees | Julia (Lead) | Newmarket National Play Festival | Toronto
Knickers! | Barb (Lead) | Upper Canada Playhouse | Ontario
Halfway There | Rita (Lead) | Globus Summer Theatre | Ontario
Old Love | Molly (Lead) | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Toronto
Jewel (One Woman Show) | Marjorie (Solo Lead) | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Toronto
Borne and Razed (Musical) | Patricia (Lead) | Newmarket National Play Festival | Toronto
The Diagnosis | Dr. Jacobi (Lead) | Newmarket National Play Festival | Toronto
Forgotten Voices | Henrietta / Director / Playwright | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Toronto Tour
Who Am I This Time? | Doris (Supporting) | Tarragon Extra Space | Toronto
StreetHearts | Lucy (Lead) | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Toronto
Same Time Next Year | Doris (Lead) | Kawartha Summer Theatre | Ontario
Towards Zero | Kay (Lead) | Kawartha Summer Theatre | Ontario
Talley's Folly | Sally (Lead) | Sudbury Theatre Centre | Ontario
The Mousetrap | Molly (Lead) | Sudbury Theatre Centre | Ontario
The House of Blue Leaves | Bunny (Lead) | Banff Festival | Banff, Alberta
film & television
Fireworks (Short) | Theresa (Lead) | R.U. Productions
Resident Evil: Apocalypse | Scientist (Actor) | Constantin Films
Prom Night III | Sarah's Mom (Principal) | Prom Night III Productions
Talk To Me (MOW) | Kathleen (Actor) | Pebblehut Productions
Wild Card - A Felony for Melanie | Reporter (Actor) | Busek II Productions
Paranormal Investigators (Pilot) | Mrs. Swindon (Principal) | Crazy Shirt Productions
The Judge - 7 Episodes | Attorney (Principal) | Variety Artists Productions
Scales of Justice - Regina vs. Pappajohn | Nurse (Actor) | CBC Productions
No Man's Grave (Short) | Jennifer (Principal) | R.U. Productions
End of War (Short) | Farm Wife (Actor) | Pangaea Pictures
directing
Buried | Premiere | Newmarket National Play Festival | Toronto
Written in Stone | Premiere | Newmarket National Play Festival | Toronto
Earth Tourist (Clown) | Premiere | Chandelier Factory Productions | Toronto
Forgotten Voices | Premiere | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Toronto Tour
My Lakeshore - My Home | Premiere | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Toronto
The Art of Listening | Canadian Premiere | Southern Mirror Productions | Toronto
La Santé C'est Pas Sorcier | Theatre for Young People | Waterwood Productions | Ontario Tour
Once On This Island (Musical) | No Strings Theatre | Toronto
Into The Woods, Jr. (Musical) | No Strings Theatre | Toronto
L'invitation au Châteaux | Asst. Director | Théâtre Français | Toronto
Les Fridolinades | Asst. Director | Théâtre Français | Toronto
Le Ciel de Lit | Asst. Director | Théâtre Français | Toronto
The Copetown City Kite Crises | Theatre for Young People | Golden Horseshoe Players | Ontario Tour
The Peacemaker | Theatre for Young People | Golden Horseshoe Players | Ontario Tour
vocal coaching
Richard III, A Midsummer Night's Dream & Saltwater Moon | Show Coaching & Linklater Workshop | Shakespeare by the Sea Festival | St. John's, Newfoundland
The Lear Project | Shakespeare Text Coaching & Linklater Voice Workshops | Peterborough Theatre Guild
Forgotten Voices | Rehearsal Coaching & Pre-Show Warm-ups | Sirius Theatrical Co.
Sirius Theatrical Company (10 Years) | Linklater Voice Workshops & Private Coaching for Actors, Singers, Storytellers, Musicians
dramaturgy & writing
Earth Tourist | Dramaturge | Chandlier Factory Productions | Comedy (Clown) - One Act
My Lakeshore - My Home | Dramaturge | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Site Specific, Multi-disciplinary & Multi-cultural Performance Piece - 2 Hours
Here We Are | Co-Playwright | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Dramatic Comedy - One Act
Forgotten Voices | Playwright | Sirius Theatrical Co. | Period Drama - War of 1812 - Full Length
Dinner at Le Papillon Bleu | Playwright | Drama - One Act | Published
Colour Therapy (Short Story) | Author | 1st Prize Winner - Joseph Smerdelj Short Story Competition | Published
Ritual (Short Story) | Author | Published
training
Voice Over Training | Comprehensive Voice-Over Training Program | On The Mic Voice Over School | Vancouver, Canada | Michael Daingerfield (Commercials/Narration), Noel Harrison (Commercials), Kendall Cross & Giles Panton (Commercials), Dale Wolfe (Documentary/Television & Corporate Narration), Diana Kaarina, Ingrid Nilson, Erin Mathews (Animation), Jason Simpson, Jesse Inocalla, Cole Howard (Video Games), Brian Doe, Jesse Inocalla (Dubbing), Heather Brown (Audiobooks)
Linklater Voice | Teacher Designation | Kristin Linklater Voice Centre | Kristin Linklater, Andrea Haring, David Smukler, & Chrisine Berg
Acting - Shakespeare | Shakespeare & Co., Lennox, Mass. | Tina Packer & Dennis Krausnick (Acting), Tori Rhoades & Kristin Wold (Movement), Susan Dibble (Dance), Michael Toomey (Clown), Melissa Baroni & Dave Demke (Voice)
Directing | Assistant Director Internship | Théâtre Français de Toronto | Under former Artistic Director, John Van Burek, Denise Filiatrault & Réné Lemieux
Michael Chekhov Technique | Michael Chekhov Canada | Rena Polley, Lionel Walsh & Peggy Coffey
Acting - Film & Television | Maruska Stankova (National Film Board of Canada), Bernadette Jones
Acting - Master Coaches | Robert Barash, Marie Mumford, Samantha Langevin
Banff School of Fine Arts | Master Drama Program - Summer | Paul Draper (Dance & Movement), Howard Dallin (Acting) , Denise Ferguson & Timothy Monich (Voice)
Heather's Corner
latest news
- Due to Covid-19 all coaching will be done online.
- Fall classes will be announced in September.
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