About
Sleeping Giants
Sleeping Giant
noun
: one that has great but unrealized or newly emerging power
-Merriam Webster Dictionary
OUR VISION
To bring quality theatre education and experiences to the people of Cochrane and surrounding areas.
OUR MISSION
To provide accessible theatre classes for young people to help them gain confidence and to foster creativity and critical thinking skills, while inspiring a love and respect for the performing arts.
OUR VALUES
Accessibility:
No one should be turned away from quality theatre training or experiences for due to any physical, mental, or financial barrier.
Agency:
Students will be empowered to make decisions and be the driving force behind any creative works. We believe that young people are capable of incredible things and should be given the space to explore and create.
Quality:
We work towards creating theatre and performances that we are proud of, that combine student's ideas and artistry to create performances that move our audiences.
Managing Director
Jenny is a professional actor, singer and stage manager. She grew up around Cochrane and Bragg Creek, and happily moved back to Cochrane in 2021. She is a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of British Columbia. She is passionate about working with young people and helping inspire them to create and love theatre!
Her professional experience has led her across Alberta, BC, Ontario and Italy, performing and running workshops in schools. She also works as an artist in residence in schools, working with students to create and perform their own plays from scratch in one week. She believes in a full body physical approach to acting, and she continuously seeks out workshops in physical theatre, devising, and clown to enhance her skills in these areas.
Outside of theatre, you can find Jenny on the mats training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, or spending time with her husband, her son, and her adorable puppy.
Meet Our Instructors
Liberty Laferriere - Instructor
Liberty Laferriere is a performing artist and teacher based in Calgary. She graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with her BFA degree in musical theatre in 2019, and since then she has performed, directed, and taught theatre in the US and all over Alberta. Favourite credits: Marianne in Sense and Sensibility (CSTF), Tapscrew in I Was a Rat (CSTF), Meagan Whitehead in White Girl in Danger (Polyphone), and ensemble/Stephanie understudy in Saturday Night Fever (Media Theatre). In Liberty’s spare time, she enjoys gymnastics, weightlifting, reading, and taking care of her pet bunny, Mister Mistoffelees. Find out more at libertylaferriere.com.
Christian Daly - Instructor
Christian is a performing artist and arts educator from Calgary. He graduated from the University of Calgary with a BFA in Drama, playing a part in several productions, both on the stage, and behind the curtain. As an improviser, Christian can be found regularly making things up on the Kinkonauts’ stage since completing their conservatory improv training. As an actor Christian performed in the Canmore Summer Theatre Festival this summer, and acted in Theatre Calgary’s Shakespeare on the Go the summer before. As an educator Christian does residency work by going into schools to make theatre with classes, teaches drama summer camps, acts as the Improvisational Theatre Instructor at his old high school, and formerly ran workshops during his time there for the University of Calgary Improv Club. Away from the world of theatre Christian enjoys spending time with his partner, family, friends, and cat; or catching up on the latest NASCAR race.
Jane Oliphant - Instructor
Jane Oliphant is a local Calgary Actor who loves storytelling! She received her BA in Theatre at Trinity Western University and has since been working as an Actor throughout Western Canada. Jane recently wrapped a tour of “The Wicked Witch of the Wetlands” (Evergreen Theatre) where she sang and danced as Dorothy while teaching kids about the importance of the wetlands. You may have also caught Jane preforming summers at Heritage Park Historical Village, or at Stage West for kids Dinner Theatre. Besides acting Jane is also an educator (teaching students fundamentals of acting/storytelling in schools as well as leading creative camps), a playwright, musician, mover and singer. Jane loves the creativity of her work as well as the many valuable lessons her craft provides (such as honesty, empathy, vulnerability, teamwork and perseverance).
Outside of work you Jane loves to adventure outdoors with her dog Finnigan. They have been training for a race and are excited to compete.