Through our BFA Acting program, our students have immersed themselves in a variety of performances, intensive training, and theatrical discipline to expand their versatility and proficiency as actors. Get to know each of them, what they’ve done so far, and what they want to do in the next few years.
Meet the BFA Acting Class of 2021.
Bonnie Duff (she/her)
Bonnie is a Finnish-Canadian theatre artist. She had prior training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England, and is a Teaching Artist at Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. In Vancouver, she has worked with Awkward Stage Productions, Geekenders, Instant Theatre, UBC Improv, and is also an emerging playwright. Bonnie also minored in Anthropology and is a passionate explorer of different cultural definitions of “art”.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Performing in the lead role in The Changeling was an incredible opportunity to suit classical texts to contemporary theatrical needs, and to explore what it means to perform challenging and troubling roles consistently and safely with excitement and joy. I also loved exploring Canadian theatre through performance and academic study!
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
Adapting and performing in re-imagined classical works for the stage. I hope to explore TV/film work in Canada and to work with professional theatre companies across the country. As a writer, I would love to bring Finnish poetry, oral tradition, and texts into the English-speaking theatre world.
Instagram: @duffbon
Twitter: @theduffbon
Geneviève Guimond 楊馨 (she/her)
Geneviève Guimond (楊馨) is a Taiwanese/French Canadian actor and dancer who can speak English, French, and Mandarin. In her first year of living in Vancouver, she was featured in the short film, The Red Moon, directed by Azza Baaziz, which was shown in various film festivals in 2019 (including Prisma Independent Film Awards, Lift-Off Global Network, and won the Diversity Special award at LIFF Lebanese Independent Film Festival). She hopes to continue exploring Vancouver’s film scene.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Leaving.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
Fulfilling my lifelong dream of playing a dead body in a movie/show.
Instagram: @asian.baguette
Holly Collis Handford (she/her)
Holly Collis Handford is a Canadian actor pursuing theatre and film. She achieved her ARCT in Voice Performance (classical singing) from the RCM and loves incorporating music into her work. Holly is also a dancer trained in ballet and theatre jazz. Her acting credits include Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival), Hope in Urinetown (PVRA), and Agnes in Revolt. She said. Revolt again. (UBC).
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Discovering my love for composing music! I began writing songs for our Commedia dell’arte production where, while playing Arlecchino, I sang an original comedic ballad Literally Trapped on an Island and accompanied other performers on mandolin and piano. I have continued to compose music for the theatre ever since.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
I hope to perform with professional theatre companies across Canada and work in Vancouver film/TV. I see myself writing music for Fringe shows, as well as incorporating music and singing as an actor in professional houses. I aspire to perform with Bard on the Beach and the Stratford Festival.
Instagram: @hollycollishandford
Website: hollycollishandford.com
David Lundmark (he/him)
David Lundmark is a Canadian film and theatre actor with a wide variety of skills in both comedic and dramatic roles. Based both in Vancouver and Calgary, he plans to work primarily in film, while still keeping a foot in the theatre industry. UBC credits include: A Dream Play, The Changeling, Problem Child, Isle dell’arte, and The Hot L Baltimore.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Working on Isle dell’arte and crafting an absolutely hilarious character through both improv and scripted moments.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
Bringing my comedic flare into film and TV, and working on projects I am passionate about.
Instagram: @davebobdudepants
Aoife McDavis (she/they)
Aoife is a transgender female actor born and raised in so-called “Vancouver,” who started pre-professional theatre acting at age thirteen. She wrote and directed Person in the Woods for Eternal Theatre Collective’s Square One short play festival and co-starred as Casey in Awkward Stage’s Carry On: A Musical, winning Pick of the Fringe. Her UBC credits include: The Changeling, Dolores, A Dream Play, Isle dell’arte, and Hot L Baltimore.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Playing Dolores in Dolores. It was such a privilege to tell an important story so close to my heart and a wonderful challenge to learn a new accent. I adore two-handers and can’t wait to play another one.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
As a trans woman, I want to give my community more of a voice by telling our stories. I plan on writing more and want more experience in film/TV as I’ve only focused on theatre but had such a blast writing and performing a short film for Naked Cinema.
Instagram: @aoife.mcdavis
Kyle Preston Oliver (he/him)
Kyle Preston Oliver is a South African-Canadian singer, actor, and dancer. Along with his training at UBC, he also spent a year training at The Canadian College of Performing Arts. He has trained as a dancer in both ballet and Broadway jazz. Select credits include: Little Women: The Musical (FCP), My Fair Lady, Fiddler On The Roof, Anything Goes (RCMT), The Music Man (Gateway), and Into The Woods (Urban Arts).
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Performing in my first ever, fully stage play in the role of De Flores in The Changeling. While that was a very educational experience, it also made me realize how much I love and miss musical theatre.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
I wish to get back into musical theatre. And also wish to not have to write anything of my own again for a very long time.
Instagram: @kprestonoliver
Shannon Poole (she/her)
Shannon is a Canadian/Australian actor, who has lived in both Vancouver and Oxford, England. She has studied acting, singing, and dance. Shannon danced at Arts Umbrella from the ages of 5 to 14 and has over ten years of singing instruction. She sang for the Vancouver and Oxford chapters of National Associations of Teachers of Singing. Shannon was inspired to become an actor when she trained at Authentic Performance Academy in Oxford.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Some of my favourite performances at UBC have been Signora Howelone in Isle Dell’Arte, Ensemble in Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. And Denise in Bonjour, Là, Bonjour. These shows really pushed me beyond my comfort zone and increased my confidence as an actor.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
I want a diverse set of experiences through film, TV, theatre, voice acting, and singing. As an actor, I would like to explore more comedic roles and also challenging roles that grow me, not only as an actor, but as a person.
Instagram: @poole_shannon
Website: shannonpoole.com
Erin Purghart (they/she)
Erin Purghart is an interdisciplinary artist who specializes in acting, comedy, dancing and producing. On the side, Erin is also an emerging drag performer, voice actor, and writer. In addition to their BFA in Acting, Erin is professionally trained in eight styles of dance including: ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and contemporary. UBC credits include: A Dream Play, Bonjour, Là, Bonjour, Problem Child, Isle dell’arte, and The Hot L Baltimore.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Writing and starring in my first-ever short film, How Are You?, this past year! It was so fun to bring my own words to life, and the entire process made me fall in love with and want to do more film!
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
As a producer, I plan to continue producing local comedy and theatre shows. As a performer, I see myself doing local comedy, film, voice acting, and both anglophone and francophone theatre. More immediately, once everyone is vaccinated, I will be making my official drag debut with a Pitbull drag performance.
Instagram: @erinpurghart
Charmaine Nomsa Sibanda (she/her)
Charmaine is a Zimbabwean/Canadian theatre and film artist. Her UBC credits include: David’s Redhaired Death, Hot L Baltimore, Isle Dell’Arte, Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again, and Dream Play. She trained with The Company of Rogues Actors’ Studio in Calgary; a Theatre Performance Intensive and Audition program focusing on scene study, text analysis, and professional development. Charmaine is also a singer and trains professionally as such.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Being cast in a 520 show in my first year of the BFA.
What kind of creative work do you see yourself doing in the next few years?
I plan on furthering my training in film acting, featuring in films, and subsequently directing them.
Instagram: @nomsa88
Alain Tahir (they/them)
Instagram: @alain.tahir
Facebook: Alain Tahir
