The 2025 Performer & Artist Apprentices
Introducing our 2025 Apprentices:
Alexa Belgrave – Apprentice Music Director
Pianist/Music Director/Educator Alexa Belgrave has been an active member of Toronto’s music community for almost a decade. Upon completing her ARCT and a degree in music from the University of Toronto, Alexa has created and collaborated on multiple projects spanning across diverse genres and mediums. She most recently released her debut album Let’s Talk under her personal project, Moodset, this past March. As a Music Director, she has worked with Dance Immersion (winning a 2024 Dora for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design for their ’Young, Gifted and Jazz’ project), Nightwood Theatre, Bad Hats Theatre, Musical Stage Company, Sheridan Theatre, Obsidian and more. Alexa currently teaches at Sheridan College, Randolph College and Mayfield Secondary School of the Arts as well as freelancing in various musical roles.
Rielle Braid – Apprentice Artistic Producer
Rielle Braid has worked in Canadian theatre for over 15 years, and resides in Toronto. She attended the University of Victoria, where she studied acting at the Phoenix Theatre. From there, she originated Ocean Rosenberg in the original Canadian cast of Ride the Cyclone, which toured across Canada in multiple provinces, including a sold out run in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille. She played Kate in the Canadian Stage Production of Life After, and Harmony Silver in Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life, a co-production with Musical Stage Company and Outside the March. She was the rehearsal standby for Doctor Madden in Next to Normal at Mirvish. Further, she fulfilled a life-long dream of portraying Bart Simpson in Outside the March’s Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play. Rielle performed as Ms. Lawrence in the Theatre Calgary production of Louder We Get, which was written by her long time friends from high-school, Colleen Dauncey and Akiva Romer-Segal. Rielle has workshopped countless original Canadian works across Canada, and has worked as both a swing and an understudy on multiple productions and tours (Les Belles-Souers, Rent). For film and television, Rielle had an incredibly rewarding experience playing one of the principal characters in the Canadian mockumentary New Eden for Crave TV. Rielle wrote and performed sketch comedy in Atomic Vaudeville, and with her best friend and fellow Ride the Cyclone cast mate Kholby Wardell (Terrible Adults: Rielle and Kholby and the Lost Spirit of Christmas).
During the pandemic, Rielle took a break from theatre and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree (with honors) in Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She also manages a Video Game Lab (Red Bull Gaming Hub) at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Evan Reid – Apprentice Stage Manager
Evan Reid was born and raised in Toronto, ON. Theatre: A Strange Loop (Soulpepper/ MSC/ Crow’s Theatre/ TO Live); Uncovered: U2 and The Rolling Stones (Musical Stage Company); Boy Boy and The Magic Drum (Toronto Fringe Festival); Mary Poppins, Sweeney Todd, Jesus Christ Superstar, In Studio: The Words and Music of Britta Johnson, Happy End (Theatre Sheridan); The Calling (Random Noise Theatre). Training: Evan is a graduate of Sheridan College’s Technical Production program.
Ludmylla Reis – Apprentice Director
Ludmylla Reis is a cultural leader, a theatre director, a filmmaker, and a curator with a BFA in acting and an MFA in directing as well as an independent career in project management and cultural studies. They are currently the Festival Director for The Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times.
In Leadership, they have completed their Metcalf Foundation Internship with GCTC, NAC, and Black Theatre Workshop, and the Co-Artistic Producer at TaaaACTICS. In Theatre, they are a Director, a Stratford’s Langham Workshop Alumni, a Director’s Lab North alumni, a Cultural Dramaturg, a Deviser, and a Professor, having taught at uOttawa’s BFA for Acting and Scene Study classes. Twice nominated for the Pauline McGibbons award as an Emerging Director, they have received Awards from Ottawa Fringe for New Works and Prix Rideau for Best Directing.
Elm Reyes – Apprentice Performer
Elm (he/they) is a theatre and performance artist, Drag King, and arts worker. Recently seen at the Austin International Drag Festival as their alter ego El Experimento and choreographing for Oraculum at Buddies in Bad Times. Alumni to Nightwood Innovators (Nightwood Theatre), Emerging Artist Roundtable (Theatre Gargantua), TENT (Toronto Fringe), and Taking on The World (Soulpepper Theatre).Theatre: Small Gods The Musical, A Workshop (Factory Theatre), Cowboy Tempest Cabaret (MSC), The Last Show On Earth™! (Neptune Theatre), Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Grand Theatre), Downed Hearts (Eastern Front Theatre and Ships Theatre Company), Into The Woods (Dead Name Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Talk is Free Theatre), Trojan Girls and The Outhouse of Atreus (Outside The March and Factory Theatre). Film and TV: Skymed (CBC/Paramount+), Painkiller (Netflix). Training: BFA Acting, University of Windsor.
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The 2025 Performer & Artist Apprentices
Introducing our 2025 Apprentices:
Alexa Belgrave – Apprentice Music Director
Pianist/Music Director/Educator Alexa Belgrave has been an active member of Toronto’s music community for almost a decade. Upon completing her ARCT and a degree in music from the University of Toronto, Alexa has created and collaborated on multiple projects spanning across diverse genres and mediums. She most recently released her debut album Let’s Talk under her personal project, Moodset, this past March. As a Music Director, she has worked with Dance Immersion (winning a 2024 Dora for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design for their ’Young, Gifted and Jazz’ project), Nightwood Theatre, Bad Hats Theatre, Musical Stage Company, Sheridan Theatre, Obsidian and more. Alexa currently teaches at Sheridan College, Randolph College and Mayfield Secondary School of the Arts as well as freelancing in various musical roles.
Rielle Braid – Apprentice Artistic Producer
Rielle Braid has worked in Canadian theatre for over 15 years, and resides in Toronto. She attended the University of Victoria, where she studied acting at the Phoenix Theatre. From there, she originated Ocean Rosenberg in the original Canadian cast of Ride the Cyclone, which toured across Canada in multiple provinces, including a sold out run in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille. She played Kate in the Canadian Stage Production of Life After, and Harmony Silver in Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life, a co-production with Musical Stage Company and Outside the March. She was the rehearsal standby for Doctor Madden in Next to Normal at Mirvish. Further, she fulfilled a life-long dream of portraying Bart Simpson in Outside the March’s Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play. Rielle performed as Ms. Lawrence in the Theatre Calgary production of Louder We Get, which was written by her long time friends from high-school, Colleen Dauncey and Akiva Romer-Segal. Rielle has workshopped countless original Canadian works across Canada, and has worked as both a swing and an understudy on multiple productions and tours (Les Belles-Souers, Rent). For film and television, Rielle had an incredibly rewarding experience playing one of the principal characters in the Canadian mockumentary New Eden for Crave TV. Rielle wrote and performed sketch comedy in Atomic Vaudeville, and with her best friend and fellow Ride the Cyclone cast mate Kholby Wardell (Terrible Adults: Rielle and Kholby and the Lost Spirit of Christmas).
During the pandemic, Rielle took a break from theatre and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree (with honors) in Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She also manages a Video Game Lab (Red Bull Gaming Hub) at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Evan Reid – Apprentice Stage Manager
Evan Reid was born and raised in Toronto, ON. Theatre: A Strange Loop (Soulpepper/ MSC/ Crow’s Theatre/ TO Live); Uncovered: U2 and The Rolling Stones (Musical Stage Company); Boy Boy and The Magic Drum (Toronto Fringe Festival); Mary Poppins, Sweeney Todd, Jesus Christ Superstar, In Studio: The Words and Music of Britta Johnson, Happy End (Theatre Sheridan); The Calling (Random Noise Theatre). Training: Evan is a graduate of Sheridan College’s Technical Production program.
Ludmylla Reis – Apprentice Director
Ludmylla Reis is a cultural leader, a theatre director, a filmmaker, and a curator with a BFA in acting and an MFA in directing as well as an independent career in project management and cultural studies. They are currently the Festival Director for The Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times.
In Leadership, they have completed their Metcalf Foundation Internship with GCTC, NAC, and Black Theatre Workshop, and the Co-Artistic Producer at TaaaACTICS. In Theatre, they are a Director, a Stratford’s Langham Workshop Alumni, a Director’s Lab North alumni, a Cultural Dramaturg, a Deviser, and a Professor, having taught at uOttawa’s BFA for Acting and Scene Study classes. Twice nominated for the Pauline McGibbons award as an Emerging Director, they have received Awards from Ottawa Fringe for New Works and Prix Rideau for Best Directing.
Elm Reyes – Apprentice Performer
Elm (he/they) is a theatre and performance artist, Drag King, and arts worker. Recently seen at the Austin International Drag Festival as their alter ego El Experimento and choreographing for Oraculum at Buddies in Bad Times. Alumni to Nightwood Innovators (Nightwood Theatre), Emerging Artist Roundtable (Theatre Gargantua), TENT (Toronto Fringe), and Taking on The World (Soulpepper Theatre).Theatre: Small Gods The Musical, A Workshop (Factory Theatre), Cowboy Tempest Cabaret (MSC), The Last Show On Earth™! (Neptune Theatre), Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Grand Theatre), Downed Hearts (Eastern Front Theatre and Ships Theatre Company), Into The Woods (Dead Name Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Talk is Free Theatre), Trojan Girls and The Outhouse of Atreus (Outside The March and Factory Theatre). Film and TV: Skymed (CBC/Paramount+), Painkiller (Netflix). Training: BFA Acting, University of Windsor.
The Apprentice Program offers mentorship with The Musical Stage Company to exceptional young-in-craft artists who are under-exposed in the GTA theatre community. Apprentices will learn from our local and visiting artists, receiving opportunities to help build the foundation for their careers. Please note: There is no under-30 age limit.
About the Apprenticeship:
Practical Apprenticeship
- Five phases of apprenticeship
- Career Planning – a rigorous goal setting and artistic strategic planning process designed to help Apprentices gain clarity, direction, and focus for their apprenticeship and future in the performing arts.
- Mentorship – an opportunity to connect one-on-one with mentors/teachers on practical and/or theoretical subject matter.
- Observational – Apprentices will have access to observe Musical Stage Company’s creative processes through a combination of our works in development and works in production and will choose a minimum of one and a maximum of two projects to observe to be confirmed with The Musical Stage Company.
- Leadership – Select apprentices will have the opportunity to put their learning into practice through paid placements in Musical Stage Company’s works in development and/or production, working alongside industry professionals and artists in their area of discipline.
- Reflection – Upon completion of the first four phases, the RBC Apprentices will revisit their Artistic Plan, make adjustments (if needed) and reflect on their experiences and the impact the program has had on them artistically and professionally.
Observational Apprenticeship
- Three phases of apprenticeship:
- Career Planning – a rigorous goal setting and artistic strategic planning process designed to help Apprentices gain clarity, direction, and focus for their apprenticeship and future in the performing arts.
- Observational – Apprentices will have access to observe one of Musical Stage Company’s creative processes through a combination of our works in development and works in production
- Reflection – Upon completion of the first two phases, the RBC Apprentices will revisit their Artistic Plan, make adjustments (if needed) and reflect on their experiences and the impact the program has had on them artistically and professionally.
Past Apprentices
2023-24 Apprentices
郝邦宇 Steven Hao (he/him)
(Apprentice Director)
Enya Watson (she/her)
(Apprentice Performer-Writer)
Shaemus Swets (he/him)
(Apprentice Performer-Writer)
Rachel O’Brien (she/her)
(Apprentice Music Director)
Skye Rogers (she/her)
(Apprentice Choreographer)
Bryn Kennedy (she/her)
(Apprentice Director & Kathleen C. Freeman Development Fund Recipient)
Sarah O’Brecht (she/her)
(Apprentice Artistic Director & Kathleen C. Freeman Development Fund Recipient)
2022-23 RBC Apprentices
Saccha Dennis (she/her)
(Apprentice)
Kaylee Harwood (she/her)
(The Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund Recipient)
Benjamin Kersey (he/him)
(Apprentice)
Sarah O’Brecht (she/her)
(The Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund Recipient)
Tyler Pearse (he/him)
(Apprentice)
Taylor Garwood (she/they)
(Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Winner)
Vinnie Alberto (he/him)
(Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Winner)
2021-22 RBC Apprentices
Avery Jean Brennan (they/them)
(Apprentice Artistic Director)
Alexandra Kane (she/her)
(Apprentice Music Director)
Haneul Yi (he/him)
(Apprentice Music Director)
Kareem Vaude (they/them)
(Apprentice Performer/Writer)
Kaylee Harwood (she/her)
(Apprentice Director, as a part of the Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund)
Maddie Bautista (she/her)
(Apprentice Director, as a part of the Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund)
Matthew Joseph (he/they)
(Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Recipient)
Rosie Callaghan (she/her)
(Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Recipient)
2020-21 Apprentices
Alicia Barban (Apprentice Producer)
Dillan Chiblow (Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Recipient)
Landon Doak (Apprentice Writer/Performer)
Germaine Konji (Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Recipient)
Joey Lau (Apprentice Stage Manager)
Fiona Sauder (Apprentice Director, as a part of the Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund)
Vanessa Sears (Apprentice Director, as a part of the Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund)
Olivia Shortt (Apprentice Sound Designer)
2019-20 Apprentices
Deanna Choi (Apprentice Sound Designer)
Karli Feldman (Apprentice Stage Manager)
Eva Foote (Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Recipient)
Juliette Jones (Music Apprentice, as a part of The Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund)
Tsholo Khalema (Apprentice Director)
Esie Mensah (Apprentice Choreographer)
Kale Penny (Apprentice Performer & Banks Prize Recipient)
Ali Joy Richardson (The Apprentice Director, as a part of The Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund)
2018-19 Apprentices
Brandon Antonio (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Michelle Bouey (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Jen Cooper (Production & Stage Management)
Jonathan Corkal (Music Supervision & Arranging)
Alessandro Costantini (Dramaturgy)
Sabryn Rock (Direction)
2017-18 Apprentices
Fatuma Adar (Songwriting)
Alessandro Costantini (Direction)
George Krissa (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Jeff Lupker (Music Direction & Arrangement)
Lucy McPhee (Stage Management)
Celine Tsai (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
2016-17 Apprentices
Jahlen Barnes (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Deanna Choi (Composition)
Arinea Hermans (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Rob Kempson (Direction)
Michaela Steven (Stage Management)
Aijia Waithe (Performance)
2015-16 Apprentices
Colin Simmons (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Brittany Banks (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
2014-15 Apprentices
Alessia Lupiano (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Graham Scott Flemming (Performance/Banks Prize Winner)
Eden Richmond (Performance)
Sarite Harris (Performance)