Our MITE-Y Mentors
Janice Cruddas (she/her) is MITE's Artistic Director and founder. Her original work, project ARC (Action, Responsibility, Choice), toured elementary and junior high schools for 8 seasons (until COVID-19 hit), raising over $30,000 for various groups like Doctors Without Borders and Phoenix Youth. It is the recipient of a Nova Scotia Human Rights Award, among others.
A graduate of Dalhousie University, Janice's theatre experience includes Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar (Dal), lead roles in A Chorus Line (MSVU), New Canadian Kid (tour), and Champlain's Feast, work with StorySong Express, and children's programming with Halifax Public Libraries. She has written and directed three original family shows for the Atlantic Fringe Festival, including J-Tel Presents...Canadian Folk Songs Super-Hits Sound Explosion (Fringe Hit 2009) and is a member of CANSCAIP and the Writer's Federation of Nova Scotia. She has taught summer theatre sessions at The Conservatory and the Leica Hardy School of Dance and has delivered workshops in theatre games and improv for NSHEA, Halifax Public Libraries, HalCon, and Summit Academy. Her musical, The Kerplunk in the Kingdom, was commissioned by the Children's Wish Foundation for their 2010 Princess Tea Party.
Janice began MITE to service her own creative children and their friends in their imaginative play, sociability, focus, and growth. She continues to be honoured to work with the inspirational people she shares time, effort, creativity, and fun with every week, every season. (photo - Amelia Cruddas)
Sherry Lee Hunter (she/her) is an actor, Master Teacher of Physical Theatre and was the founder, performer and director of the award winning touring company, Jest in Time Theatre. Select Jest credits include tours across Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Alaska. Jest performed for Queen Elizabeth, did three National CBC TV Specials, starred in The International Beckett Festival as well as performing plays by Sam Shepard, and other notable playwrights. Sherry Lee's select performances as a principal actor include Leslie Nielson's TV series, 'Liography', and on stage at Neptune Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, Ship's Company, the Atlantic Theatre Festival and the Atlantic Fringe Festival with her one woman play 'Alone' among others.
She has taught Physical Theatre/Mime to children, teens and adults for 35 years including Neptune Theatre's PPTP, PERFORM in the Schools, the National Theatre School, Acadia and Dalhousie Universities and privately. Her highly engaging style of teaching is inspired by her late mentor, Tony Montanaro, who believed in developing and encouraging each individual student's personal style of theatre and expression. Her teaching is a process whereby students learn to create imagistic Physical Theatre and explore their own self-expression. It’s engaging, fun and creatively stimulating, moving each student toward honesty, vulnerability and utterly captivating performances. (photo by Paul Darrow - Toronto Star)
MITE would not exist were it not for people who volunteer their time!
MITE-Y big thanks to our consistently smiling, caring and capable weekly,
backstage and/or technical volunteers from this or past years:
Caz Kavanaugh, David Marko, Amelia Cruddas, Nikki Garnhum, Sylvie Babineau, Paula Arruda, Gina Alexander,
Christian Ensslin, Cassie Kent, Tamara Sharkey, Emma Cruddas, Audrey Barrett, Peter Jennegren,
Josh Cruddas, Dawne Smith-Sliming, Kathleen Robson, Mike Robson,
Sandi Bond, Christina Hoyt, Tobbi Dyer, Tanya Freeman, Carol Rapier, Anne O'Hearn,
Gisa Hynes, Joanne MacLennan, Jim Cruddas, Liz Mackay, Shelayne Hanson,
Patty MacLeod, Emily Coll, Matt Valardo, and Issac Romkey.
Several members (or former members) of MITE have gone on to stage,
film or teaching careers with well-known companies such as
Neptune Theatre, Theatre Arts Guild,
Saints Alive! Theatre Society and Dartmouth Players.
As we watch many of our members grow and move on to other projects -
theatre-related, social justice-related - wherever their spirits lead them - we treasure
happy memories of each person who has ever been part of MITE!
And we love the excitement of bringing new challenges to the
great people who continue to join us!
Once MITE-y, always MITE-y!