Team

Criselda Mierau

Founding Artistic Director

Artistic Director

Criselda Mierau is an accomplished pianist, singer, actress, and choral conductor. She has performed with Tommy Banks, Da Camera Singers, and Edmonton Opera Chorus and conducted award winning performers like Johnny Collins JR, Nora Bumanis, Charlie Austin and PJ Perry. She was also a choral administrator for the 2001 World Track & Field Championships Opening Ceremonies in Edmonton.

A talented accompanist, Criselda has played for auditions, festivals and stage productions, as well as workshops and reading sessions for Lydia Adams, Mac Huff, Linda Spevacek and Marc Hafso. She accompanied the Alberta Honour Children’s Choir under the direction of Linda Beaupre.

Criselda enjoys her work with non-auditioned community groups to the extent that she considers it a life-long passion. Under her 31 years at the helm of the St Albert Singers Guild, the choirs thrived and produced 5 recordings, too many concerts to count and embarked on numerous tours within Canada and Europe.

Acting Out Musical Theatre started in 2008 with Criselda as the original founding director. Many revue-style shows and full-out musical theatre productions later, AOMT continues to enjoy much success under her watchful and playful eye.

Verla Carter (Manager)

Admin, graphic design, general manager, assistant to the executive director

Verla Carter loves music! She comes from a long line of music makers where family get-togethers highlighted gathering around her grandparents converted player piano singing in four-part harmony.

Years of piano lessons, singing, accompanying, and leading choirs have nurtured her soul. This joy and appreciation has been handed down to her children.

Working alongside Criselda Mierau allows Verla to use her administrative skills (honed over many years) and her love of music to collaborate on all the choirs and groups in the AOMT 'family'.

Bart Oleksy (Techie Guy)

Technology Manager, assistant to general manager and executive director

As a computer geek from an early age, Bart loves to tinker with technology and help Criselda wherever he can. This includes website work, QR codes, social media setup, and learning new ways to implement Criselda's vision.

A long-time NAIT instructor in the Digital Media & IT program, 'Barto' also fervently cheers for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Oilers.

Katya Mierau

Writing, Choreography, assistant to the artistic director

Katya grew up singing and dancing and acting from the age of 5 - or perhaps it was really from birth, given that she grew up in a household full of music!

As a teen, she joined AOMT initially as a performer only, but added the position of choreographer and assistant director just a few years later. Now, she's added to her resume as co-writer of The Hammet Hawk!

This group has afforded her unique opportunities to dig up her long-buried dance skills and to better develop her voice in singing, in writing, and in leadership, for which she will be forever grateful.

Working with her mother Criselda in different ways through the years has been an incredible learning experience and she truly could ask for no better mentor or writing partner.

Katya is thrilled to be a part of AOMT and So Noted in any and all capacities and is excitedly anticipating the future of the group as it branches out into more genres and styles, letting her stretch her creative muscles to further heights.

Laurie McDonald

Stage Manager, Head of running crew, Safety advisor

Laurie (she/her) is a St Albert-based children’s librarian, stage manager and self-appointed safety gal (accident forecaster/safety squad leader/accident avoider/safety enforcer/danger eliminator/safety ranger).

Originally from Manitoba, she’s a lifelong lover of reading, music and the theatre. Laurie has enjoyed working with AOMT for over a decade and is looking forward to what Criselda has planned for us in the future!

Roger Thiessen

Assistant Conductor

Roger Thiessen has been involved in music since he was in diapers. As a child, he sang in church choirs and took piano lesson. He was also introduced to Rock & Roll at an early age, listening to 630 CHED (before it was Talk Radio) on the school bus and collecting records with his brother. He took up trumpet in Junior High and played in High School concert & jazz bands. Roger began his college education as a Voice (tenor) major, then switched to Choral Conducting, graduating in 1989. A highlight was singing in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis under Robert Shaw in Roy Thomson Hall. Roger has conducted numerous church choirs and has sung with Pro Coro in Edmonton. Most recently, Roger sang for a season with the St. Albert Singers. Roger has also had a smattering of acting gigs throughout his life. Roger has a career as a Counselling Therapist and teaches as a sessional instructor at St. Stephen’s College. In his spare time, he loves to be active outdoors: walking, hiking & biking in the summer, skiing & snowshoeing in the winter. He is the father of 3 adult daughters and 2 beautiful granddaughters.

Joanna Hodges

Social Media Manager

Joanna has been in theatre since an early age and is delighted to continue to be part of So Noted from afar.

Josephine Herbut

Writer, Assistant to the Artistic Director

Josephine Herbut has been a performer since she can remember. It began with Ukrainian dance, school plays, church choir, and eventually she began performing with AOMT at the age of 12. After several years on stage with AOMT and other organizations within the community, working on shows such as Fiddler on the Roof, Into the Woods, Singin’ in the Rain, & more, Josephine decided to further pursue her dreams by moving to Toronto. There she attended Randolph College for the Performing Arts where she studied voice, music theory, dance, theatre history, and various acting disciplines such as Shakespeare, improv, and film. Upon graduation she was awarded with their Triple Threat Award.

Josephine is passionate about sharing her love of musical theatre with others. She highly values representation of all kinds, and strives to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and included. In her free time, you can find her at the movies with her friends, planning her next worldly travels, or snuggled up at home with her cat, Tevy.

Deb Hamel

Costumes, Sets and more!

Deb Hamel holds a degree in Theatre Studies and has put that - plus her life's experience in this field - to good work for So Noted and Acting Out Musical Theatre.