Our Vision
To be a vibrant live theatre community for Sylvan Lake and area
Our Mission
To be an excellent and highly-valued theatre that promotes variety, new Canadian content, and the involvement and development of local
talents and skill sets
Core Values
Inclusion, Innovation,
Collaboration
Meet the Board
Tanya Ryga
President
Tanya moved to the summer village of Half Moon Bay and became an instructor in the Theatre Performance & Creation program at Red Deer Polytechnic for thirty years. She was president of Theatre Alberta, a provincial Arts Service Organization, and a co-creator of three Theatre in Education programs serving five school districts from 1995-2018. For her work in the arts Tanya has been honoured with a Mayor’s Recognition Award and a Women of Excellence Award for community building in central Alberta.
Kathy Bradshaw
Director, Volunteer Chair
Kathy is a 30-year resident of Sylvan Lake with an extensive volunteering portfolio with the many organizations in Sylvan Lake. Her service includes Festival Manager & Treasurer - Jazz at the Lake Festival Society, Treasurer - Sylvan Lake Municipal Library Board, Treasurer -Communities in Bloom, Leader, Deputy Director - Girl Guides of Canada and Assistant Coach for both Minor Soccer and Minor Baseball.
Kathy’s 25-year career has been largely within a financial capacity, both financial and cost accounting, in the oil and gas industry, with a focus on construction and manufacturing. Her developed skills include writing and presenting requests for federal and provincial grant funds, as well as the post-receipt reports required.
Delaine Engebregtson
Secretary
Delaine has worked with marginalized people for most of her career, Currently, she is an addictions counsellor in a concurrent disorders’ treatment program in Ponoka. She is also working on her Master of Counselling degree. Delaine enjoys volunteering and has sat on library boards, a chamber of commerce, and has volunteered at animal shelters, libraries, breast exam clinics, food banks, and at her son’s schools. Having moved to Sylvan Lake in 2020, she was unable to volunteer to meet new people. The activities offered by Sylvan Lake Theatre have allow her to do just that.
Nikki Bystrom
Treasurer
Nikki has lived in the Sylvan area for almost 30 years and moved into town 3 ½ years ago. She works in a Family Law Office in town, and coaches figure skating with the Sylvan Lake Skating Club. Over the years, she has served on many boards volunteering as the secretary/treasurer for the Benalto Agricultural Society and for the 1290 Cadet corps in Red Deer. For several years, she was a director at Padnoma Support Services, which is an agency that provides support for people with developmental disabilities. She has volunteered at a crisis pregnancy centre and spent many hours helping with the Shadow Riders 4-H club. Volunteering on boards has provided her with the opportunity to meet many great people with interesting stories and has been very fulfilling. Hopefully, it has also allowed others to continue to enjoy activities and access experiences that would not be possible, but for the many volunteers who contribute their time.
Norene Cawthorn Reaume
Director, Fundraising Chair
Sylvan Lake has been home to Norene for 54 years. A member of the Archives Society of Alberta and as president of the Sylvan Lake Archives Board she researches and creates weekly posts about local history. Norene is an active member of Storytelling Alberta and Central Alberta Theatre. After volunteering and serving on business and community councils for decades, she has experienced first-hand the empowerment and civic pride culture can bring to a community. She is very excited and dedicated to help Sylvan Lake become an arts and cultural hotspot.
Aaron Vanderweg
Director
Aaron is a graduate of the Red Deer College and Humber College Theatre Arts programs. He spent ten years in Toronto training, acting, writing, directing, devising, and facilitating the creation of new work which was presented at many prestigious theatres and festivals in and around Toronto. Having just returned to his hometown of Sylvan Lake, he was welcomed onto the Sylvan Lake Theatre Board and to spearhead the playwriting program Write it! Aaron works for Treehouse Youth Theatre specializing in performance creation, for Red Deer Players running the Breaking Cover series, and is currently performing in one play, plus directing another for Central Alberta Theatre.
Zoe Smibert
Marketing Officer
Zoe Smibert is a Chartered Accountant by day and tech/audio/arts enthusiast by night. Zoe works in the renewable energy industry. Zoe grew up in Sylvan Lake and recently made a comeback. She is thrilled to be involved with the vibrant local theatre community.