Let’s do this.
Claire Rice
I have been a theatre nerd for as long as I can remember. Everything is a big song and dance when I’m around. That’s one reason children have always responded well to me! I started babysitting at 12, and continued to nanny into my 30s, making strong connections with every family. After graduating Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, I became a drama, music, and dance teacher, as well as a director for children’s musicals.
I have since honed my skills of teaching music and drama for babies, children, and youth. I founded Dramagination - a very creative acting class for ages 3-12 where kids can follow their instincts, gain confidence, and practice their dramatic techniques. Directing full scale musicals with children became one of my favourite parts of my job, fostering a safe space to learn and perform, and creating lasting memories for everyone involved.
I specialize in developing children’s creativity - where children invent characters, stories, and worlds, and I help them to collaborate and turn their ideas into fully realized productions.
I trained in Toronto, and have since worked in this field in New Brunswick, England, Switzerland and Vancouver. I’m really excited to bring my offerings to York Region and beyond!
“Claire’s leadership validated how kids see the world while stretching their minds and skill sets. And the kids never noticed themselves reaching for new skills because they were always playing! ”
My Mission
Decolonization is my main priority.
My language happens to be music and theatre. Through these mediums, I believe we can make changes.
The changes I’m invested in include the following:
Land Back - Turtle Island should be in the care of the Indigenous people, and not in the hands of the Canadian government.
Black Lives Matter - We need to dismantle the white supremacist systems on which our society is built. The voices of Black people have been ignored for centuries and there needs to be more space to hear them. The privilege white people receive needs to be redistributed.
Queer identities - No one should be discriminated against based on gender - including transgender, non-binary, agender, and others - or orientation. Telling stories that are so rarely told needs to be a priority.
Fat acceptance - The oppression and descrimination fat bodies face needs to end, and especially in theatre, there needs to be a reinvention of what it means to be fat on stage.
Disability advocacy - Examining ableism in our communities and in theatre, making space for disabled people, and centring disabled peoples’ stories is a necessity.
CMT’s commitments:
Continuing to listen and learn from Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of colour
Examining white privilege and its role in theatre
Intentionally casting with racial justice as a goal
Intentionally writing (and facilitating writing) with decolonisation as a goal
Prioritising accessibilty for everyone
Decentering whiteness, straight bodies, able-bodied people, cisgender people, and heteronormative stories in classes and creative works
Land acknowledgements for each class
Using correct pronouns for students
Listening without defensiveness to any and all suggestions for how to create a safe space for people who are facing oppression
Crediting influences
No talk of dieting or “good” or “bad” foods or bodies
Naming and challenging theatre tropes about fat people and disabled people
Studying a diverse group of playwrights, musicians, and performers
All of this is accompanied by the understanding that children and youth are PEOPLE first, and need to be treated as such. Young people are capable, creative, and whole. They should be valued not for their potential, but for who they are and what they’re doing right now.
Any suggestions for improvement for my site, my classes, my mission, or what you’d like to see more of in children’s music and theatre classes or theatre itself? I would be so grateful to hear them, and implement changes to the best of my ability.