2002/2003/2004 Artists in the Schools
Roster. Ontario Arts Council
Stephen La Frenie
Stephen La Frenie has been performing mime & physical theatre for twenty four years and teaching for the last twenty-two. His training includes acting, with Gary Pogrow in Vancouver, B.C. Physical theatre at Ecole Jacques Le Coq in Paris and The Mime School Unlimited. He has also studied mime with Tony Montanaro and clown with Dean Gilmour.
He toured with the Mime Company Unlimited and with his own show and workshop series from 1982 to 1984. He founded the Graphic Mime Theatre in 1985 and has since developed the most comprehensive and unique mime & physical theatre program being taught in schools across Ontario today. Stephen has found fulfillment in teaching young people to realize their potential: to bring about an awareness of themselves as individuals and thus the unique perspective that they bring to their environment.
As Artistic Director of Graphic Mime Theatre from 1985 to 1997, he directed twelve shows, produced nineteen, and seven school tours. Graphic Mime Theatre received generous support from the Metro Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and two play development grants from the Laidlaw Foundation as well as financial support from numerous corporations and private donors. He has personally received seven Arts in Education grants from the Ontario Arts Council.
Stephen has written 15 plays and shows as well as being a regular sketch routine contributor for Manna Productions over the last ten years. He has performed live and on television with various companies such as Nelvana Productions, Noddy Productions, Manna Productions, The Canadian Opera Company, Cirque Soleil, Meta-Physical Theatre, Theatre LMNOP, and The Subtonic Monks. He has traveled with his work across Canada, to Spain, Australia, France, Hungary, Jamaica, and the U.S.A.
His most recent appearances have included touring with Meta-Physical Theatre’s production of "Fool’s Gold" which received critical acclaim in Edmonton and the immensely popular Faustwork Mask Theater production of "The Mask Messenger" which has toured across Canada.
Subjects: Mime, Physical Theatre, Clown, Commedia Dell'Arte, Text, Movement, Storytelling, Mask, Mask Making, Stage Combat (Unarmed), Karate, Improvisation, Drama, Storytelling, Non Verbal Communication (Body Language.)
2002/2003/2004 Artists in the Schools
Roster. Ontario Arts Council
2000 – O.I.S.E. University of Toronto
1981 - Present - Private & Master Classes. Secondary, Elementary Schools. Across Canada and in Australia.
1994 - 1997 - Artist In The School Roster - Arts in Education. Ontario Arts Council
1989 - 1994 - Ellen Case Associates - Non Verbal Communication & Presentation Skills.
1989 - 1996 - Acting Teacher. - School for Experiential Education -Etobicoke Board of Ed.