Photo supplied by Norfolk Musical Arts Festival
A Norfolk County teenager is taking the next step toward a career on the Canadian stage after winning at the provincial level and earning a spot at one of the country’s most prestigious acting schools.
Maggie-Dylan Norton-Shebib recently won first place in the senior Speech Arts category at the Ontario Music Festivals Association provincial competition after qualifying through the Norfolk Musical Arts Festival. This fall, she will move to Montreal to study at the National Theatre School of Canada, where she was one of just 14 students accepted from hundreds of applicants across the country.
Norton-Shebib has participated in the Norfolk Musical Arts Festival since she was 14, competing in singing, speech arts, oboe and school band. Norton-Shebib explained speech arts covers a broad range of things.
She said speech arts gave her the opportunity to develop her acting skills while receiving valuable feedback.
Her acceptance to the National Theatre School of Canada came after a lengthy audition process that included regional auditions followed by a callback weekend in Montreal with 36 finalists from across the country.
Norton-Shebib received the call offering her a place while completing her co-op placement at Lighthouse Theatre.
Although many auditioning students came from large cities, performing arts schools or professional backgrounds, Norton-Shebib said growing up in Norfolk ultimately became one of her greatest strengths.
She credited local organizations, including the Norfolk Musical Arts Festival, Lighthouse Festival Theatre, Simcoe Little Theatre, Young Theatre Players, Art With Heart and Waterford theatre groups, with giving her opportunities to perform, collaborate and grow.
She said working alongside adults in community theatre productions helped prepare her for the collaborative environment the National Theatre School looks for in its students.
Norton-Shebib believes aspiring performers should never let self-doubt stop them from chasing opportunities.
Looking ahead, Norton-Shebib hopes to build her career in Canada, with dreams of performing at the Stratford Festival, returning to Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover and helping create new Canadian productions.
She begins classes at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal this fall, carrying with her the support of a community she says helped make the achievement possible.
Written by Jeremy Hall
