About Our Programs
INTERDICIPLINARY ARTS ACADEMY
The IA Academy at Garibaldi Secondary provides students with hands-on, immersive learning through the production of theatrical performance, including a full-scale Broadway musical. Students can participate as member of the cast and perform onstage, or as a member of the crew and work with lights, sound equipment or as a backstage hand. Admission to the IA Academy is by audition. After the cast list has been finalized, successful candidates will be contacted with a role offer.​ Students receive their scripts in May and learn their lines over summer break. The first rehearsal takes place on the first day of school.
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The IA Academy runs from September- early December with a two-week run of performances at the end of November. Rehearsals run after school from 3:30pm-6:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays in September and October. In early November rehearsals run Monday-Friday from 3:30- 9:00pm. Performances usually run the last two weeks of November.
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This is an intensive and rigorous program that grants students lots of graduation credits. If a student performs as a member of the production crew, they receive credit for the following courses for a total of 12 credits:
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Musical Theatre
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Theatre Company
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Theatre Production
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If a student participates as a member of the cast and performs on stage, they receive 16 credits for completing the previous courses listed as well as
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Dance Choreography
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Contemporary Music
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​Fees:
Cast fee- $125.00
Crew fee- $90.00
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*It should be understood that no student will be denied the opportunity to participate in the IA Academy due to financial hardship. ​​​
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DRAMA AND DANCE CLASSES
Students can elect to take Drama or Dance from grades 9-12 if they are registered at Garibaldi Secondary. Each in-timetable course will offer 4 credits towards graduation as well as a minimum of two performance opportunities during the year. These might be class productions or variety showcases of student-created work. To register for a drama or dance class, students can choose Drama or Dance on the course selection form for the upcoming school year. This form is given out to all Garibaldi students in the Spring of each school year.
Creative Team
Emily Black
-Artistic Director and Producer,
-Choreographer
Emily graduated with honors from The University of Maine at Presque Isle with her degree in Secondary Education. She also has a degree in English and an Extended Minor in Theatre Performance from Simon Fraser University. She has trained in acting, singing and dancing with the Arts Club Theatre Company, danced for over 10 years learning ballet, jazz, lyrical and acrobatic dance, and worked on the technical crew for Cirque Du Soliel.
Whitney Mullens
Whitney Mullens has been dancing since the age of three. Having an artist as a mother instilled in her an appreciation of artistry in all its many facets.
Whitney received her Bachelor of Arts from Thompson Rivers University. She completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of British Columbia. She has run competitive dance teams all over the lower mainland and is thrilled to bring dance to Garibaldi students. She has been teaching dance, drama and art at Garibaldi for the last four years and is a passionate mom of two.
Set Designer, Costume Designer,
-Dance Team Choreographer
Karrie Hill
-Production Manager
Karrie was trained in England, receiving teaching certificates in ISTD Ballet, Tap and Modern Theatre Dance, as well as a Bachelor of Education and Special Ed Diploma. She directed her own school for several years before emigrating to Canada. Karrie also teaches at the Fraser Valley Academy of Dance.
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Sharmila Miller
Before joining the staff at Garibaldi Secondary, Sharmila received her BFA from UVic. After completing a season with a Kootnies theatre company, she started theatre and film classes for the new independent school in town.
She enjoyed the work in the film class very much and when the opportunity to move back to the coast to work in the film industry came up, she took it. Over the next few years, Ms. Miller worked on many sets and production offices in commercials, television, and film.
Inspired by her time spent teaching in the independent school, she went back to school to get her BEd, in Theatre and IB, from UBC. Upon graduation, she accepted the job at Garibaldi, where she has worked since 2019. Since then, Ms. Miller has furthered her training by completing the Advanced Arts and Entertainment Management program at Capilano University and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.
-Director, Producer, Set Designer
(2020-2024)
