Meet Our Staff!

Claudia Staines Managing Director   My first word was “Da”. My second word was “rehearsal”. I feel energized being in a theatre like no other place, and feel so lucky to work in this profession, and in this lovely little village. Many thanks go to all the staff of SFT for their outstanding efforts and great achievements in helping me produce and present what we believe will be wonderfully entertaining plays and concerts in 2010. Thanks also to the Board of Directors for their contributions, many & varied and usually unremarked, to help keep a great theatre company rolling along in good times and challenging times. Boundless love and thanks to Jeffrey who is uprooting his life without complaint so that I may follow my dream.

Fay Linn Administration and Memberships Fay signed on with SFT in October 2003, and brought her invaluable expertise and organization skills to SFT administration. From entering show information into our box office software, to managing daily sales accounting entries, to keeping track of our Memberships to organizing, training and scheduling Box Office staff, Fay keeps the SFT admin area humming! Fay is also kept busy with her three children and is an active member of the Stirling community. To inquire about any area of Administration, email admin@stirlingfestivaltheatre.com

Joanne Hartman Group Sales Joanne is the Group Coordinator (aka Group Chick) here at the Theatre, and has been organizing theatre parties with the SFT since August 2000. Some shows are booked by tour operators from Toronto, Ottawa, Peterborough, Kingston, Montreal, New York state and many cities in between. Others are booked by groups of mostly retired people who have made Stirling Theatre a regular part of their yearly day trips. Joanne says: It's great to see the same people year after year; I think it's the best part of my job. I want people to have a great time so I strive to make that happen anyway I can. Of course believing the shows we present are truly fabulous makes that easy. In her other life, Joanne is Betty Vette, featured vocalist with the popular rock 'n roll group Freddy Vette and the Flames. To inquire about Group Sales, email tickets@stirlingfestivaltheatre.com

Kim Whiteman House Manager and Marketing Kim has been with the Stirling Festival Theatre since 2004 as House Manager and now is House & Facility Manager and Promotions & Distribution Coordinator. Kim enjoys coordinating and managing Dinner Theatre, special events, Hall Rentals, scheduling and overseeing the Volunteers and Junior Ushers, and House Managing. Distribution has Kim visiting many towns and cities promoting the theatre by distributing brochures wherever she goes. Marketing emails should be directed to marketing@stirlingfestivaltheatre.com

Charlotte Danford Sales Associate I love my job here at SFT. I  have a Wonderful Family..... an awesome Husband Sam, 5 great daughters - Erin, Justine, Ragan, Madison, and Paige - a terrific son-in-law Jeff, and the Most Perfect grandson, Jack. Thank you to them for accepting my new love... working here with everyone at The Stirling Festival Theatre. I look forward to seeing you.

Bev Cusson Sales Associate I work in the Front Office greeting customers, selling tickets, memberships, gift certificates, theatre classes, answering phones as well as many other office procedures. I am an animal lover, environmentally conscientious, intuitive, energetic and love to walk, laugh and spend time with my husband. Did I say animal lover? I look forward to another great year at the SFT.

Dave Vanderlip Technical Director I graduated from the Technical Theatre Program at Sheridan College in 1990. Since then my journeys have taken me to the Muskoka Festival, the Blyth Festival, Opera Hamilton, the Lighthouse Festival, the Kawartha Lakes Summer Playhouse, Tarragon Theatre, Necessary Angel and the University of Toronto at Mississauga. I have been resident at the City of Brampton Theatre Office, Stage West Mississauga and the City of Mississauga. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Stirling Festival Theatre.

Donna Moorman Properties Master, Wig Wrangler, ASM I have been with the Stirling Festival Theatre for twelve years and have been backstage for so many shows that I have lost count! Properties is also a fun job, every show has a different props list and there is always the challenge of making something to look like the prop that you need. A good example is a food prop. Only when necessary is real food used on stage! I really like to make food props and masks. Wigs are also fun and my biggest challenge would have to be the twenty two wigs that I made for CATS.

Darrell Nelham Assistant Technical Director  Hailing from the cold plains of Manitoba, my wife and I came to the Belleville area, looking for our next challenge in life. Luckily, at the same time, the Stirling Festival Theatre was looking for someone to fill the Assistant Technical Director’s boots. Relying on “MacGyver” like skills to help  problem solve, I’ve become the “fix-it” man and, I hope, a decent assistant to the Technical Director. I’m looking forward to the continued challenge and great adventures to come working for the Theatre.