Through our Bachelor of Fine Arts (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 plan to do in the next few years.
Meet the BFA Acting Class of 2024!
Rachel Angco (She/Her)
Rachel Angco is a Filipina-Canadian artist based in “Vancouver”. She is interested in theatre as an investigation of cross-cultural identity building, with credits ranging from musical theatre and devised experimental theatre to film, commercial and voice-over work. Currently, in a Master of Management at UBC, Rachel thrives in collaborative processes, leading by upholding empathy and integrity.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Having had the opportunity to create meaningful working and personal relationships has been the most rewarding experience of my time here. I am grateful to say I will be graduating from this program with life-long cherished friends, inspirations, and collaborators.
Simon Auclair (He/Him)
Simon is a Vancouver-based actor born and raised in B.C. Recent credits include: John in Concord Floral (UBC), Luke in The Lightning Thief (CTORA), Buddy in We Will Rock You (TUTS), Kirk in Goldfish (Naked Cinema X), and Lucas in Neuroplasticity (UBC Neurosciences OED Resource).
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Being able to frame acting as sculpting in my final year. I would come into Binnings studio space with goals of authentic transformation both in and out of class times. Teasing out new characters became obsession for me this year, and that’s huge when I think about everything I’ve learned here—I am so thankful to have had these performative explorations with my friends and teachers.
Julia Eckert (She/Her)
Julia’s affinity for theatre began with a lifelong love for music, and she continues to be interested in how theatre and film can intersect with the universal language of melodic sound. Julia views theatre as an essential escape from the prison of her self-consciousness and hopes that her work can provide others with an opportunity to flee their own, if only for a thrilling, fleeting moment.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
The highlight of my BFA was the experience of transitioning from playing Bobbie James in Concord Floral to Charlie in TomorrowLove. The characters were so different in so many ways. From age, to status, to objective, and everything in between, they seemed polar opposites. However, finding a way into each and discovering their fundamentally human similarities helped me trust my range as an actor.
Evie Hamilton (She/Her)
Evie Hamilton is a passionate artist who is driven by the desire to explore humanity and connection through storytelling. Evie has completed her training, as well as five productions with UBC. Other notable credits include: Clay and Paper Theatre’s Animal Nature, Crane Creations Theatre’s summer ensemble, and Soulpepper Theatre’s City Youth Academy.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
The highlight of my UBC experience has been spending each day learning from and growing with my incredible cohort. The collaboration that we have fostered makes every day and every lesson a joy, and everything I’ve learned as an artist has been propelled by the constant support and expansive perspective that they offer.
Yi Ming Liu (She/Her)
Yi Ming (she/her) is in her final year as a UBC BFA Acting student. Her recently devised work include The Yoko Ono Cult at What Lab’s ExP and Naked Cinema X. She also appeared in UBC’s productions of Concord Floral (Arthi Chandra), The Wolves (Leora Morris) and The (Un)usual Suspects (Susan Bertoia). She will appear in UBC’s upcoming production of Saint Joan of the Stockyards (Jacob Zimmer).
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
There are too many highlights to count, from Commedia to Shakespeare to training like a soccer team for The Wolves and all the long hours in the studio but the one common factor is the raddest, baddest flock of people I get to work with every day to share these moments with.
Abigail Millson (She/They)
Abigail Millson is a Vancouver-based actor and future director. Her acting endeavours began with competing in the Canadian Improv Games, training at Moving Art and ImprovU; as well as producing shows with Yikes Comedy. Some of her past work includes; The Wolves: #25, Loose Assemblage: Mom, Naked Cinema X: Natalie, Concord Floral: 8/Fox & Tomorrow Love: Lane.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
The Wolves was the acting highlight of my time in the BFA. That show stretched me as an artist & inspired my love for collaborative art making. Travelling to FITS in Romania, witnessing (insane) European theatre has inspired my need to direct & push the buttons of Canadian theatre. Watching my cohort grow & evolve in their own art has taught me more than anything else in the past four years.
Belle Nightingale (She/Her)
Belle Nightingale is a 4th year actor from Kent, England. She began loving acting when she realized it gave her the chance to be someone she usually isn’t. Works include Lennox in Saint Joan of the Stockyards (Jacob Zimmer), Rosa in Concord Floral (Arthi Chandra), Miss White in The Unusual Suspects (Susan Bertoia), and Diana in Pericles (Michael Corbidge). She was also featured in Naked Cinema X.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Moving to Canada has been the biggest dream come true, just getting to see the mountains and the ocean every day never fails to make me happy.
Nico Pante (He/They)
Nico Pante is an artist from “Vancouver” and a founding member of Bleed Through Theatre. He loves creating and telling enrapturing stories. Nico is interested in the absurd and experimental; his work takes form as post-dramatic, clown, and devised performance. Anti-oppressive practices ground his work. Anti-oppressive practices ground his work. Performance is exciting and essential as it has immense connective and transformative possibilities.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Devising and creating with my cohort. The artists I have met—actors, designers, and technicians —have been fundamental to my learning, growth, and creative individuation. My cohort and I began our 2nd year by devising work on a near-daily basis; this propelled me further into establishing a devising practice and following the passion I have for playful and curious work.
Talia Peck (She/Her)
Talia Peck is an actor originally from Eugene, Oregon, who is now based in Vancouver. Her love for storytelling began from a young age through her very-well-put-together childhood YouTube channel and youth theatre. Her most recent work includes TomorrowLove (Rylan), Concord Floral (Forever Irene), Some Old Farce (Tatyana), and helping devise and perform in this year’s Naked Cinema project.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
Being surrounded by the creativity and passion of my friends has been the highlight of my time at UBC. I have learned so much about myself as a person and as an artist through the incredible work of those around me. I don’t think I would be the performer I am today if it weren’t for my peers and the light and laughter they brought to our shared space.
Ripley Twardzik Ching (She/Her)
Ripley is a Singaporean-Canadian actor and BFA graduate. She strives to create unity and empower others to do the same through her work. Recent projects include UBC’s Saint Joan of The Stockyards (Martha), Concord Floral (6 Nearly Wild), The Birds (Hummingbird), and The (Un)usual Suspects (Mr Green), and Bleed Through Theatre’s independent initiative Loose Assemblage as an actor and choreographer.
What was one of the highlights of your UBC experience?
The depth of creative and personal relationships that I’ve formed with my colleagues and dear friends. Witnessing our growth as artists and performers over these short years has been a gift.
