Jamie fell in love with the theatre shortly after enrolling as a drama major in the Bachelor of Arts program at the University of Alberta. At this point, he was performing improv comedy with Rapid Fire Theatre on a weekly basis in the evenings, while attending regular classes during the day. He found success auditioning for program-wide productions, and was rewarded with great parts in great projects. Between University and improv comedy, he was surrounded by a rich environment of established artists and eager emerging talent. These figures inspired him to seek out classical training to further his craft, and so he found it in the BFA Acting Conservatory Program, at the University of Alberta.
“The BFA audition was the first real audition I had. Until then I had only small informal meetings, or so they seemed now in comparison. I had never worked so hard on anything up until that point, as I did on that audition.”
Jamie was accepted into the BFA in 2008, where he worked in a close-quarters class of 12 for the next three years. He was taught by premiere instructors in acting techniques and styles, voice and speech, singing, movement, dance, fight choreography, and improvisation. This was where Jamie developed his love for classical, modernist, and contemporary theatre, a passion that would ignite his hunger for work and his eagerness to perform.
“Each role was a puzzle. I wanted to have my shot at all of them, Hamlet, Achilles, Thomas Novachek; I wanted to be the one tasked with dissecting the words, of putting it all together. I wanted the pressure.”
Jamie graduated in 2011 and emerged as a formidable talent in his home city of Edmonton. In his first few years outside of theatre school, he collaborated with some of the most talented companies and artists in the province, as well as many national and international entertainers, and built a name for himself as a treasured emerging actor in Edmonton. He lived and worked there for 4 more years until he finally decided that he had to leave his hometown, and test his mettle in the entertainment capital of Canada, Toronto.
“I accomplished so much in Edmonton, I was terrified to walk away. I was comfortable there, I had my family and friends, my community. But I knew that if I didn’t try, I would regret it for the rest of my life.”
In 2015, Jamie moved across the country to Toronto, where he currently lives and works. Since arriving, he has had the opportunity to meet and work with many top-tier performers and organizations, to “walk the boards” in multiple esteemed venues around the city, and to extend his growth beyond Toronto, further advancing his status as an acclaimed Canadian theatre artist.
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Complete Theatre History:
Upcoming
PETER PAN GOES WRONG | Jonathan/Peter Pan | Citadel Theatre/Arts Club Theatre | Adam Meggido
2020
THE HUNS | Pete | Streetcar Crowsnest Theatre | Marie Farsi and Michael Ross Albert
2019
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE | Spike | Shadow Theatre | John Hudson (upcoming)
2018
ONE NIGHT ONLY: THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL | Ensemble | West-Side Theatre/Kliffer Entertainment | Alan Kliffer
GAME OF CLONES | Ensemble | Kidoons/Wyrd Productions | Rick Miller
2017
CONFEDERATION PART I AND II | Wilfred Laurier and Ensemble | VideoCabaret | Michael Hollingsworth
*Nomination – Outstanding Ensemble – Dora Mavor Moore Awards
*Nomination – Outstanding Supporting Actor – My Entertainment World’s Critics’ Pick Awards
THE NUMBERS GAME | Dutch Schultz | Storefront Collective | Benjamin Blais
2016
THE GREAT WAR | Dave and Ensemble | VideoCabaret | Michael Hollingsworth
*Nomination – Outstanding Ensemble – Dora Mavor Moore Awards
2015
SO VARIOUS SO BEAUTIFUL SO NEW (Workshop) | Ensemble | Tarragon Theatre | Richard Rose
COMEDY OF ERRORS | Antipholus of Ephesus | St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival | Rona Waddington
ROMEO AND JULIET | Mercutio | St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival | Jan Irwin
LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES | Azolan | Sudbury Theatre Cente | Caleb Marshall
ARMSTRONG’S WAR | Michael Armstrong | Theatre Network | Bradley Moss
COMRADES | Vanzetti | 1902 Collective | Elana Post
VENUS IN FUR | Thomas Novachek | Citadel Theatre | James MacDonald
2014
3…2…1 | Clinton | Quiet Things Creative/Blarney Productions | Wayne Paquette
*Nomination – Outstanding Fringe Performance by an Actor – Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards
*Nomination [as Producer] – Outstanding Fringe Production – Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards
TAMING OF THE SHREW | Lucentio | Freewill Shakespeare Festival | Marianne Copithorne
THE GENIUS CODE | Sky Marx | Surreal SoReal Theatre | Jon Lachlan Stewart
EAST OF BERLIN | Rudi | East/West Collective | Simon Bloom
*Nomination – Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards
ROMEO AND JULIET | Mercutio | Citadel Theatre | Tom Wood
A CHRISTMAS CAROL| Young Scrooge | Citadel Theatre | Bob Baker
2013
FLIGHT OF THE VISCOUNT | Viscount James Westerley | Shadow Theatre | John Hudson
2012
SEXUAL PERVSESITY IN CHICAGO | Quiet Things Creative | Simon Bloom
*Nomination – Outstanding Fringe Performance by an Actor – Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards
HAMLET | Hamlet | Media Room | Simon Bloom
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT| Ensemble/Puppeteer | Capitol Theatre | Amanda Bergen
2011
DEATH OF A SALESMAN | Stanley | Citadel Theatre | Bob Baker
ZASTROZZI | Zastrozzi | Surreal SoReal Theatre | Vincent Forcier
THE GERTRUDE STEIN PROJECT | Leon Katz | Studio Theatre | Beau Coleman
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY | Nicholas Nickleby | Studio Theatre
2010
SAVAGE IN LIMBO | Tony Aronica | Studio Theatre | Kim McCaw
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | Claudio | Freewill Shakespeare Festival | Marianne Copithorne
MACBETH | 1st Murderer | Freewill Shakespeare Festival | John Kirkpatrick
PENTHESILEA | Achilles | University of Alberta | Sven Miller
2009
ROMEO AND JULIET | Romeo | University of Alberta | Ron Jenkins
COMEDY OF ERRORS | Gaoler | Freewill Shakespeare Festival | Jeff Page
TITUS ANDRONICUS | Martius | Freewill Shakespeare Festival | Marianne Copithorne
To see Jamie’s full CV, including his film/series, improv comedy and voice credits, click here.
Jamie Cavanagh 