MEET OUR FACULTY
Agnes McCarthy
NAA Director, Voice Instructor, Choir Director
Paul Dingle
NAA Director, Piano Instructor, Collaborative Pianist/Coach
David Dellaire
Voice Instructor & Choir Director
Agnes McCarthy leads a busy life as Director of Sault Ste. Marie’s Northern Arts Academy, providing comprehensive multidisciplinary training for singers with diverse musical interests. She also currently serves as a music specialist with the Algoma District School Board and is an Adjunct Professor of Voice and Voice Coordinator at Algoma University where she teaches private voice as well as Musical Theatre and Elementary Music Methods courses. Agnes began her undergraduate studies in Voice (B. MUS./B. MUS. ED. degrees) at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She then relocated to Montréal to pursue graduate studies in Early Music Performance (M. MUS.) at McGill University. Agnes came to Sault Ste. Marie as part of the Artist in Residence Program at Algoma University and has since served in the capacities of performer, voice instructor, choral conductor and coordinator of the vocal division of the Sault Ste. Marie Music Festival. Her choirs and private students have distinguished themselves by winning numerous national awards, and many have gone on to professional careers. She is in demand as a choral and voice festival adjudicator and clinician across Canada. Agnes has spent her professional career in Sault Ste. Marie deeply involved in the musical life of the community as a teacher and performer. She has collaborated with The Sault Symphony, The Algoma Chamber Players, The Chamber Singers of Algoma, The Algoma Festival Choir and with The Musical Comedy Guild of Sault Ste. Marie as Vocal Director for their productions of Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar.
Paul Dingle brings a lifetime of professional experience to the NAA as a performer, collaborative pianist, conductor, clinician, adjudicator and teacher. Paul originally relocated to the Sault to work at Algoma University. As a Senate Adjunct Professor he teaches music history, theory, popular culture, orchestral and choral conducting, audio arts, piano performance, and is Director of The AlgomaU Choir. Paul is also Organist & Choirmaster at Central United Church, where he runs a choral and handbell program. He began undergraduate studies in harpsichord and early music in England at Trinity College London. Paul completed a Bachelor of Music degree in musicology at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a Master's Performance degree in piano at Brandon University. Upon his return to his native Newfoundland he founded and was Artistic Director and Conductor of the Terra Nova Chamber Players, a professional orchestra specializing in Baroque music. Paul was also a composer and performer in the experimental multimedia group Fusion, an ensemble dedicated to high-technology arts productions involving analog, digital and hybrid synthesis, as well as a contributor to the International Sound Symposium, a biannual festival of new music, art, and dance. Paul’s first recording for CBC FM radio broadcast as a 16 year old pianist was his introduction to the world of audio and recording technology, an experience that has become a lifelong passion. Later studies in recording technology, acoustics and psychoacoustics led to a research interest in the historical interface between music and technology. Paul has spent his professional career in Sault Ste. Marie collaborating in the musical life of the community as a teacher, conductor and performer. He has partnered with The Algoma Conservatory of Music, The Sault Symphony, The Algoma Chamber Players, The Chamber Singers of Algoma, The Algoma Festival Choir, Algoma Fall Festival, The Northland Chorus and The Steeltown Silver Band. His long association with musical theatre includes serving as Musical Director for The Musical Comedy Guild of Sault Ste. Marie’s productions of She Loves Me, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Poppins and A Christmas Carol.
Born and raised in Canada, David Dellaire has a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and an Operatic Stage Directing Diploma, both from the University of Toronto. David ran a London based vocal studio, was a tutor at Morley College, and has performed, conducted, stage directed, musically directed, and choreographed for the following companies: Achord Chamber Choir, Bakelite Big Band, Boy Toy Inc, The Classical Opera Company, The Fourth Choir, Fulham Camerata, LGBB, LGMC, LGSO, London's Transport Choir, National Youth Orchestra, ROH, RVT Choir, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Most recently David performed with Madonna at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv and conducted the Fourth Choir in a production at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
Sandra Forsell
Acting Instructor
Marc Beaudette
Acting Instructor
Ryan Mauro
Acting & Voice Instructor
Sandra Forsell was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie and participated in several shows per year acting with Sault Theatre Workshop, Pull Chain Theatre, Musical Comedy Guild and Sault Opera Society. At 18, she moved to Toronto to finish her last year of High School at Etobicoke School of the Arts. After high school Sandra attended the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal. Upon completion of theatre school, she moved to Toronto where she began work as a professional actor. Sandra has acted in such film and T.V. Productions as “This is Wonderland”, “Covert One: The Hades Factor”, “Flash Point”, “Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures”, “Who is Clark Rockefeller”, “Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster” and “O Negative”. She also had the joy of being in the stage production of “Toronto the Good” at the Factory Theatre written by Andrew Moodie and directed by Philip Akin. Sandra moved back to Sault Ste. Marie in 2012 and has worked as an Actor, Director, and Dramaturg with local community theatre and with Theatre in Motion. In 2019 she and husband Marc Beaudette founded Algoma Repertory Theatre with 24 other theatre enthusiasts. Its mission is to provide entertaining, engaging, amateur theatre in an environment that fosters growth, creativity, and a sense of community. Sandra believes in creating a safe space where with open minds, positive attitudes, and a sense of community students will explore their own uniqueness through play and technique to find their authentic and true voice. She is thrilled to be working with the Northern Arts Academy for the 2022/2023 season.
Born and raised in Sault Ste Marie, Marc began his theatrical studies at the age of 10 with The Royal Conservatory of Music in Speech Arts. At 19, he moved to New York City to study at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in the Acting Studio program. After completing the program, Marc continued his studies in Toronto at The Royal Conservatory, earning his Teaching Certificate. For 20 years, Marc pursued a professional acting career and appeared in many stage productions, film and television roles. In 2011, he returned to his roots in Sault Ste Marie, appearing in numerous productions with various Sault theatre groups. In 2019 he founded Algoma Repertory Theatre along with 25 other local theatre enthusiasts Marc believes in the process, not the product. It is in the hours of preparation that the actor can unlock the secrets of character, story and script. Marc is thrilled to be working with the Northern Arts Academy for the 2022/2023 season, and is eager to pass on the techniques he has learned over the years through the different theatrical philosophies he has had the opportunity to study.
Ryan Anthony Mauro has been performing on stage and in film for over ten years, and is eager to spread the joy of performance to others. Ryan has performed in a number of Sault Musical Comedy Guild productions, including Shrek The Musical (Donkey), and Mary Poppins (Michael Banks). He also starred as Galileo in the jukebox musical We Will Rock You, from SMC Spotlight. He will soon take the stage as Lucas in upcoming The Addams Family Musical production. In 2016 Ryan was introduced to the world of film, television, and voiceover acting and has been working with an agent since then, securing various bookings in film, television, and commercial productions. He auditions regularly for projects Canada-wide. Most recently, Ryan appeared in a Walmart advertisement and had a speaking role in Hotel For The Holidays, set to premiere on Amazon Prime. An alumnus of The Northern Arts Academy, Ryan has studied classical and musical theatre vocals with Agnes McCarthy since 2014, and is a former member of The NAA Advanced Choir. He has also studied acting through Talent Inc. Canada, The Actors Foundry Online, and currently studies privately with William Grossman of Natura Voce Studio. Ryan is a graduate of St. Mary’s College, and is currently studying as a double major in Voice and English at Algoma University, and continues to audition and perform as much as possible.
Lizz McIntosh
Movement Instructor
Keiko Larocque
Online Voice Instructor
Emma Dingle
Multimedia Designer
Lizz McIntosh is thrilled to be back in the Soo to share her expertise in movement with The Northern Arts Academy to spread her love and passion for the performing arts. Lizz grew up studying dance at both Sherry Walsh Academy of Dance Arts and Studio Dance Arts. This love of dance sparked an interest in Musical Theatre—she was a part of many memorable productions such as, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Musical Comedy Guild), The Producers (Musical Comedy Guild), White Christmas (Sault Symphony Orchestra), as well as co-choreographing Annie (Musical Comedy Guild). Lizz attended the University of Windsor to study a double major in Psychology and Disability Studies. After graduating, she also obtained a post-graduate certificate in Paralegal Studies. During her time in Windsor, Lizz was involved in a few different theatre companies including Windsor Light Music Theatre, Cardinal Music Productions and Windsor Dance eXperience. Not only was Lizz performing on stage but also choreographing, working with the costume departments and working as production director.
Recent graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, Keiko Larocque is a young soprano hailing from the small northern community of Chapleau, Ontario. Having curated her own voice studio in her hometown, teaching privately and directing choirs throughout her post-secondary journey has given her an opportunity to pass along the knowledge and experience she has gained through her love of music. Having completed her BA (Algoma University), BMus in Voice Performance and Opera Diploma (WLU), Keiko has studied under the tutelage of Agnes McCarthy, Jennie Such, Leslie Fagan, and Kimberly Barber. Her past roles include Anne Frank in Cecilia Livingston’s Singing Only Softly, Beth in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, and Ollob/Man1 in the world premiere of Borderless (Alaina Viau, Ashley Seward, and Troy DeFour). Other roles in excerpts at Laurier include Violetta (La traviata), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), and Maria (West Side Story). Keiko’s KWSO debut was alongside drag star Thorgy Thor and conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser last October (‘22). For over 12 years Keiko has provided music for Chapleau’s Sacred Heart Parish, and for the past 4 years she has served as a choral scholar for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kitchener. The community of music making is what drives her passion to connect and experience the love she has for the artform with others. Her teaching style is rooted in classical technique, but the exploration of other genres is what keeps learning music interesting and fun. Keiko is a versatile singer and performer, and can offer a variety of singing styles tailored to her student’s goals. She aims to help her students feel comfortable in their voices, and confident in their performance while they explore their instrument. Upon teaching in Sault Ste. Marie at the Northern Arts Academy, Keiko has found such joy in the beautiful music making of the NAA and the kindness and care the studio has for their students and faculty. As an NAA Alumna, it is such a privilege to teach in a place that was so fundamental for her development and growth in the early stages of her learning.
Emma Dingle is a creative force from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She is a fourth year student enrolled in a Bachelor of Global Business and Digital Arts at the University of Waterloo. Outside of her schooling, Emma works as a Graphic Designer and liaises with arts organizations and clients across the North. Emma has been dancing competitively for over 16 years and is a member of the University of Waterloo Competitive Dance team. Certified through the British Association of Teachers of Dancing, Emma enjoys teaching dance and working as a choreographer. As an instructor with Rhapsody Dance Project and an assistant at Remix Swing Dance, she adores sharing her love of dance with her students.