Magic. That's what's created every time the lights go down and we're transported somewhere else. I've considered myself to be a dabbler in magic all of my theatrical life. To have the opportunity to create, cultivate, and showcase the immense talent in our community, has been a joy.

Having experience with multiple companies in Kingston, I decided to hone what I had learned by going to theatre school at George Brown College in Toronto. My three years there taught me that everything I had learned back home was a starting point, a launch pad to more. In that time I was guided by knowledgeable instructors, who were happy to impart what they knew to make me better.

Upon returning back to Kingston, not only did I return to the stage, I focused more on the creation of the work. And that became more satisfying. So, with that mindset in place, I had the pleasure of being present and involved with some of the great theatre companies in Kingston. Doing everything I could to use what I had been taught, to bring good work to the stage.

When this opportunity presented itself, it was an easy answer to those who asked. Yes. To be able to bring finely crafted, artistically viable, and accessible musical theatre to Kingston summers again is a dream come true. And I couldn't do it without the people who inspired me to do it! My heartfelt thanks to Susan, Jessica, and Mae. The magic is better because of you.

Susan Del Mei is an actor, choreographer and dance instructor in Kingston, Ontario. She is a Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing and began her dance training at the age of 4. She has been a dance instructor since 2005, teaching ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop.

A graduate of the Queen’s University Drama program, she first truly fell in love with theatre in high school while working on their production of “Beauty and the Beast”. She later helped to found a youth theatre company and quickly took on the challenge of participating in multiple productions each year. In 2007 she choreographed her first show, “Seussical the Musical” (Blue Canoe Productions) and never looked back. She continued to work with Blue Canoe as both actor and choreographer on multiple productions including “Into the Woods” (2008), “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Rent” (2009), “Sweeney Todd”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Tick, Tick…BOOM” (2010), “Sweet Charity” (2011), “Anne and Gilbert” (2013) and “Pippin” (2014).

While studying at Queen’s she further honed her choreography skills working with Queen’s Musical Theatre on “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (2010), “City of Angels” (2011), and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” (2012). She worked alongside Tim Fort as choreographer for “Candide” in 2011, and later that year came back to performing herself with local community groups. She continues to return to the place her love for making theatre began, choreographing for RND’s Arts Department musical each year.

Other production credits include “Perfect Pie”, “Proof”, “Santa Claus the Panto”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Bachelorette”, “The Cripple of Inishmaan”, “Les Belles-Soeurs”, “The Tempest”, “The Great Gatsby”, “The Odd Couple (Female Version)” (King’s Town players 2011-2020); “Who Saw Him Die”, “The Glass Menagerie”, (Domino Theatre 2014-2015); “Gypsy”, “the Buddy Holly Story”, “Calendar Girls” (2012-2014, Kinsmen) "Leader of the Pack" (2014, Slackwood Productions), "Mamma Mia", "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" (2018-2019, Meistersingers), "Eve of Confederation", "Matilda" (2017-2019, Bottletree).

Most recently she appeared as “Bread” in The Grapevine Theatre Project’s 2021 production of “Seven” by Ned Dickens, and as “Aphrodite” in their 2022 production of “Harmonia”, directed by Nigel Williams. In the spring of 2023 she choreographed and helped to stage the world premiere of “Lancashire Lass” by Leslie Arden, with the Watershed Music Theatre Festival.

In the rare moments she’s not in the rehearsal hall or at the dance studio, Susan can be found snuggling her 3 kitties, whipping up a crochet project, riding her bike around after her partner or learning to play ukulele.