AIM 4 ALL
​All Inclusive Musical Theatre Camp

We are excited to announce our AIM 4 ALL - All Abilities training program in Musical Theatre, and are proud to be partnering with Manitoba Downs Syndrome Society to bring our vision to life!

    -    Led by professional performers and instructors, Brenda Gorlick, Lois Brothers, and Laura Kolisnyk, the Spring Break training camp               runs daily March 31st from 1:00 pm - 5:30 pm and April 1st - 4th from 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
    -    The weekly session will culminate with a showcase celebrating our learning
    -    The program is designed for anyone aged 14+ who is passionate about performing arts and musical theatre
    -    Acceptance is based on an application and Meet 'n Greet group audition process
    -    In person auditions will be held in February & March; we will also be accepting online submissions
    -    Our AIM 4 ALL pilot project has been sponsored by the Manitoba Arts Council's Community Outreach program
    -    Our goal is to create a year-round training program and production company producing all-inclusive musicals
    -    Program fee for the weeklong session is $349.00 CAD

Please share this information with anyone you know would be interested in this amazing opportunity!

Meet Our Team

Lois Brothers

Co-Director

Lois Brothers brings over 30 years of experience as a certified school teacher and over two decades of work in the Winnipeg Film Industry to her role as the lead instructor of The Childrens Acting Center, which was founded in 2004. With a unique blend of expertise in education and the performing arts, Lois has dedicated her career to creating inclusive learning environments, where every student - regardless of ability - can thrive.

As the mother of a young adult with Down Syndrome, Lois has been a passionate advocate for individuals with intellectual disabilities, ensuring their full inclusion in her acting school's programs. Her deep personal connection to the cause, coupled with her professional background in education, makes her uniquely qualified to lead inclusive projects. Lois has consistently worked to integrate students with intellectual disabilities into her regular acting classes, achieving remarkable success in fostering a sense of community and belonging among performers of all abilities.

In addition to her extensive teaching career, Lois is an accomplished actor with numerous film and television credits. She has taught a wide range of subjects, including theatre, and has specialized in working with students facing diverse challenges. Through her studio, she has created numerous films and conducted summer camps where students of all abilities work together to create collaborative art. Her curriculum, which includes scene study, audition techniques, improv, and filmmaking, empowers students not only as performers but as individuals.

Lois is particularly passionate about her upcoming pilot project, which aims to provide a 50-50 balance between neurotypical performers and performers with intellectual disabilities. Through this initiative, she seeks to break down barriers and offer a truly inclusive experience in the performing arts. Lois' leadership, dedication to inclusivity, and hands-on experience make her an ideal candidate to lead this groundbreaking project, ensuring that every performer is valued and supported.

Brenda Gorlick

Co-Director

An accomplished director, choreographer, and performer, Brenda Gorlick has been teaching dance and theatre arts since the early 80's throughout the province of Manitoba and beyond. A graduate of the Professional Program of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Brenda has succeeded in putting her professional expertise to work in a multitude of artistic endeavors. She headed the musical theatre department of the RWB for over 20 years, developing a vital training plan which spawned students who have graduated to the professional stage. In 20004, she initiated StudioWorks Academy, the training wing of Winnipeg Studio Theatre, offering advanced triple threat training to emerging artists of all ages.

As a member of Manitoba Arts Council's Artists in the School program since the 90's, Brenda has initiated dance and musical theatre programs province-wide, bringing triple threat training to communities who have had limited exposure and leaving an incredible mark on their landscape.

A program which she is most proud of is the development of the All Abilities Dancers - a dance training and performance troupe sponsored by Manitoba Possible offered to pre-schoolers, youngsters, and adults. The group has been featured on film in the 2024 documentary - These Four Walls, and at a variety of special events including the World Police and Fire Games, Canada Games, CPAM's Awards Gala and Manitoba Possible's Dancing with Celebrities annual fundraiser. They have also been spotted at Flash Mobs throughout the city.

In 2023, Brenda became the first certified Manitoba teacher in the Dancing with Parkinson's method and has begun a strong partnership as primary instructor with U-Turn Parkinson's Manitoba. Brenda joined forces with artistic colleagues Lois Brothers and Laura Kolisnyk to bring the AIM 4 ALL program to life - a musical theatre program celebrating diversity and inclusivity in partnership with the Manitoba Down Syndrome Society.

Ms. Gorlick is deeply connected to the local performing arts community. She has worked with major arts groups including MOA, WSO, RWB, RMTC, and Cercle Molière. Brenda holds a degree in Theatre from the University of Winnipeg and was invited to create a dance program for the Department of Theatre and Film where she served as professor for nearly two decades.

Ms. Gorlick has directed and choreographed many large-scale projects, including the 1999 Pan Am Games ceremonies, the 2017 Canada Games, and the Arctic Winter Games. Highlights of her theatrical work include Altar Boyz, Strike! the musical and Urinetown. As a performer, she has starred in Rainbow Stage's production of Mary Poppins, Dry Cold's production of Follies and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre's Evita amongst others. Ms. Gorlick has also choreographed for and performed on film, working with such luminaries as Danica McKellar, Shirley Maclean, Jennifer Lopez, Richard Gere, and Brad Pitt.

Brenda serves as a mentor for Creative Manitoba's youth mentorship program, a Board member for the DTRC (Dancer Transition Resource Centre), and has served on the regional committees for CAEA and ACTRA Manitoba.

Laura Kolisnyk

Co-Director

​Laura Kolisnyk is a Winnipeg based performer, choreographer, director, writer, dramaturge, and
educator. An honours graduate of the University of Winnipeg theatre department, she has
performed locally and internationally. Specializing in musical theatre for young audiences, she has spent ten years with Koba Entertainment, working her way up the ranks from touring performer to assistant to the artistic director. Tours with them included performances across Canada, USA, South Korea, The United Arab Emirates, and France.

Locally she has performed with Rainbow Stage and the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. For the Fringe Festival, she has written, produced, directed, choreographed and performed in many shows. She has voiced countless cartoon characters for DACAPO Productions and was the voice director on Balloopoo. She performed as the singer/front person for the funkiest kids band around, The Fun-Key Ducks.

When Laura is not performing she is sharing her passion for performing arts and yoga. As an arts educator, she has over thirty years’ experience. She has been involved in the Winnipeg and Saint James school divisions for over 15 years through Learning Through the Arts, Engaging
Fusion, and The Integrated Arts, and is a regular guest yoga instructor at The Children’s Museum.

Laura is dedicated to making performing arts accessible to all ages, bodies, and abilities. In Jan 2024, she became the second certified Manitoba teacher for the Dancing with Parkinson's program and works regularly as an instructor with U-Turn Parkinson’s. She has taught Musical Theatre, Yoga, and Dance for Inclusion Winnipeg, Manitoba Possible, and Imagine Ability. She was the guest drama instructor for Ck2 Inc, that uses the Arrowsmith program.

Currently she is teaching Musical Theatre and Dance for the Crescent Arts Inclusion Network and Options Pathways Transitions. She has developed programming at The Leaf for toddlers and their caregivers in Music, Dance, Drama, and Yoga and oversees the Creative Arts Academy for preschool children at Shelley Shearer School of Dance.

She has been an instructor at MTYP for over 10 years where she created, directed, and choreographed the Junior Musical Theatre company and “Play Together” a drama class for babies and their caregivers.