
Soulpepper is pleased to have the five finalists chosen from a national selection process to as members of the Academy: Will Dao, Varun Guru, Annie Luján, Shaquille Pottinger, and Kiana Woo.


Take a moment to click into these artists profiles to get to know them and personal work. Soulpepper looks forward to sharing their work with you in the future, including on stage in King Lear.
Following the successful return of the program in 2021 the Soulpepper Academy continues to develop and grow to support the needs of the next generation of leaders in Canadian theatre. The Academy will focus on the member’s disciplines while exposing them to a variety of theatre making skills. This intake will provide training in Acting & Performance and Directing. Varun Guru, Annie Luján, Shaquille Pottinger, and Kiana Woo will take to the stage alongside some of the most celebrated Canadian artists in Soulpepper’s production of King Lear, while Will Dao joins Directors Kim Collier and Weyni Mengesha as an Assistant Director on King Lear and Queen Goneril.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Soulpepper Academy aims to develop highly skilled theatre artists who are equipped to make significant contributions in rehearsal halls and to the cultural landscape of Canada. Under the guidance of Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha and the new and returning faculty members including d’bi young anitafrika, Ins Choi, Kim Collier, Ravi Jain, Gregory Prest, Lorenzo Savoini, and Guillermo Verdecchia, the five vibrant emerging artists will gain hands-on professional theatre experience through Soulpepper’s Mainstage programming, and will further develop their artistic voice with original creations throughout the 24-week paid training program. The Academy curriculum will be taught through rehearsals, classes, studio intensives, and workshops, with more exciting Canadian and international instructors to be announced.
TERM STRUCTURE
TERM ONE — June to October 2022
Split time between rehearsals/performances of King Lear and studio classes including a focus on growing the personal artistic voice.
TERM TWO — October 2022
Includes a focus on new play creation through the development and performance of short (5-10 minute) solo works.
TERM three — November to December 2022
Includes the rehearsing and staging of a final showcase created by the ensemble.
If you would like to be notified of other artist training opportunities, including The Training Room and The Academy, please sign-up below:
The Soulpepper Academy is supported by RBC Emerging Artists Project, and the generosity of Sylvia Soyka and the Kingfisher Foundation. Thank you!
Lead Support for the Soulpepper Academy

Additional Support for the Soulpepper Academy


