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PAL Canada Executive Officers |
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Chris Marston
President
 Chris Marston was Executive Director of Canadian Actors' Equity Association when he retired in 1995. He spent twenty-five years in all with Equity, serving in a variety of senior positions. The negotiation of the Association's collective agreements and representing it and its members' interests to various levels of government and a variety of national and international organisations were among his many responsibilities. Prior to that he worked for MacLean-Hunter and The University of Toronto Press. He describes himself as a life-long cultural bureaucrat, but insists that does not necessarily make him a bad person.
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Jane Heyman
Vice President
 Jane Heyman has worked in professional theatre in Canada and England as an awarded director, stage manager, actor and acting teacher for over 30 years. She helped found WestCoast Actors and the Women in VIEW Festival, and served on the West Coast Advisory Committee of Canadian Actors' Equity Association for many years and was National Councillor from 1991-2000. She is the 2003 recipient of the UBCP "Sam Payne Award" for humanity, integrity, and the encouragement of young talent, and the CAEA "Larry McCance Award". Jane co-chaired the PAL Vancouver Steering Committee and is currently the Vice President Internal of the Board.
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Hazel Walker
Secretary
 Actively involved in the music industry for over 40 years, Hazel Walker is an accomplished jazz vocalist, vocal coach, and music industry consultant. She recorded a critically-acclaimed jazz CD, I Have Dreamed in 2000 and a jazz Xmas CD in 2006. Ms. Walker graduated with an Honours Diploma from the Humber College music program followed by a BA in Sociology and Labour Studies from the University of Toronto. Utilizing those credentials, she spent 16 years on the Executive Board of the Toronto Musicians' Association, including 3 terms as Secretary-Treasurer attending to the needs of over 5500 members. She has also served on the Advisory Committee of the Humber College Music Program. Ms. Walker is a long time member of ACTRA and the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.
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Peggy Mahon
Treasurer Peggy Mahon is an actress, singer, teacher, and a recipient of two Canada Council grants and a TORGI award for best narration - fiction. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School and the Girrior School of Music in Halifax, and studied Commerce at Dalhousie. She was National Treasurer of ACTRA Performers' Guild from 1991-2000, and VP Finance of ACTRA Toronto Branch for 10 years, during which time it went from near-bankruptcy to an operating surplus. She is currently a Governor of the ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society, chairs the Audit Committee, and serves on the Investment and Benefits Committees. She has just joined the alumni board of the National Theatre School of Canada as its treasurer. Peggy served on the original PAL Board as Treasurer for 5 years. |
Dominic Clarke
Executive Officer without Portfolio
 Dominic T. Clarke is a graduate of Cambridge University, England, where he obtained both an M.A. and an LL.M. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1988, and to the Bar of Ontario in 1992. At Blaney McMurtry, Dominic practices principally in the area of insurance litigation encompassing both coverage and defence matters. His practice specializes in commercial general liability, directors' and officers' liability, and commercial property policies. Dominic is a frequent lecturer to professional bodies and has published articles on insurance and litigation related topics.
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Board Of Directors |
Linda Huffman
Elected Director
 Linda has been an actress and arts administrator for thirty years. Originally from Toronto, Linda fell in love with the prairies in 1976 and hasn’t wanted to leave since. While living in Winnipeg she was Chair of the Equity Advisory and Theatre & Dance Officer with the Manitoba Arts Council. Currently living in Edmonton, she has been General Manager of The River City Shakespeare Festival for the past five years. Acting credits include work at the Citadel Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, Theatre Network, Prairie Theatre Exchange and the Manitoba Theatre Centre.
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John Banks
Past President
 John Banks, an administrator and former real estate representative, has co-produced two theatrical productions at the National Arts Centre, and was associated with the Stratford Festival in the 1980's, providing up-dated text and lyrics for Brian Macdonald's Gilbert & Sullivan productions. He currently serves as Vice President and Secretary of the Canadian Ditchley Foundation and, for this work, was awarded an OBE in 1997. He has been President of the Gallery Stratford and served on the Executive of the Friends of the Stratford Public Library and Friends of the Stratford Festival. John is President of PAL Stratford and has served on the Board of PAL Canada since December 1999.
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Brian Gromoff
ACTRA RepI have been an actor in theatre, film, television and radio since 1962. Performing in England, Canada and the USA. I have directed in England, Canada and the USA. I have taught at 3 Universities, The University of Alberta in Edmonton, the University of Calgary and the University of Texas at Austin. I have been on the National Council and Executive of Equity (CAEA). I have been on the ACTRA National Council as Vice-President, Treasurer and President and am the National Councillor for Calgary. |
Allan Macmillan
AF of M Rep
 Allan Macmillan is currently the Secretary for the Toronto Musicians' Association, Local 149, A F of M. He is a pianist, composer, and music arranger/orchestrator, and conducted horns/strings recording sessions for The Guess Who, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Lou Reed, Grand Funk RR, etc. He was music director for the original Toronto production of Jacques Brel at the Bayview Playhouse. He was managing partner at the former Nimbus 9 recording and music production facilities in Toronto. Allan is a former director of CAPAC, was Senior Business Rep for T.M.A. – 1987-95 and 1998-99, and was elected to T.M.A. Board of Directors in 2000. Allan hopes to re-retire one of these fine days.
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Andrew Scorer
CAEA Rep
Andrew Scorer was in the first plays of Theatre Passe Muraille in 1968-70 and since then has acted in more than 100 shows. He has had six major Shakespeare roles to date. Andrew created, directed and performed Bycykla – a performance art cabaret on bicycles and received a Dora nomination for The Seaford Tapes. He received a Canada Council grant in 1977 to take a workshop with Grotowski’s company in Poland. He had a principal role in two films by Mike Hoolboom – Kanada and From Home, and three films by Cynthia Roberts including Bubbles Galore. He helped create original shows with The Fred Victor Centre, The Company of Sirens, and Caravan Stage Barge as director, writer, or workshop leader. He sings baritone with The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir which recently made a CD of Xmas music.
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Vivienne Muhling
PAL Toronto Rep
In 1946 actor and stage manager Vivienne Muhling was elected vice-president of Northern British Equity. In Toronto, 1952-62, her career developed to include PR for the performing arts and several seasons producing folk and jazz concerts and special theatre events. Then, in New York, she concentrated on PR and management projects. Back in Canada as Communications Director of AGO in 1972, she was lured to the fledgling alternate theatre scene at Factory Theatre and Passe Muraille. As "Avid Entertainments", she won a DORA for her production of Indigo, opened PR Projects, a performing arts PR company, and served on the Board of the now defunct Performing Arts Publicists Association. Vivienne was on the PAL Board when the ground was broken for PAL Place, where she now lives and serves on the PAL Toronto Board. |
Gary Vermeir
PAL Halifax Chair
 Gary Vermeir is currently the Branch Representative of ACTRA Maritimes, a position he has held for thirteen years. Prior to his work for ACTRA, he spent fifteen years as a performer, writer and director - appearing with such theatre companies as Neptune Theatre, Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia and Mulgrave Road Theatre, and in numerous television and film projects. Gary and his wife Angela continue to write and have created scripts for numerous animated childrens' shows. Gary has served on the PAL board since its inception under our first chair, the late and much beloved David Renton. Gary and Angela live in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with their two children.
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Christina Smith
PAL Calgary Rep
Christina Smith arrived in Calgary in 1986 from Toronto and joined the Calgary Olympic Arts Festival as Special Events and Promotion Manager. For the next 12 years she fundraised and consulted for various organizations in the Arts and healthcare. Christina joined the Canadian Cancer Society Alberta/NWT Division in 1998. Along with her team in Revenue Development she has developed strategic plans, introduced new fundraising activities such as Direct Response, Major Gifts, and a $15,000,000 capital campaign for two Cancer Support Centres. She has been the recipient of an Alberta Multicultural Grant in support of Professional Development and is one of two Honorary Lifetime members of the Calgary General Hospital's Nursing Alumnae Association. |
Wayne Niklas
PAL Winnipeg Rep |
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Palingenesis - Fall 2005