judges & host

DEAN DEFFETT is a four-time BroadwayWorld Award nominated theatre maker from Toronto with over a decade of professional experience as a director, actor, and writer. Dean is a graduate of Wexford School for the Performing Arts, and Sheridan College where they received their Bachelor Degree of Musical Theatre Performance. Other education includes studying both Voice and Musical Theory through The Royal Conservatory of Music, and direction for the stage at The Brechtian Directors Workshop in Hamburg Germany.

Select performance credits include We Will Rock You, Rocky Horror (Magnus Theatre); The World Goes Round (Gravenhurst Opera); Pure 90’s (Stage West Calgary); Summerland, The Fence, CHOIR (Edge of the Sky); Der Weltenwandler, Songbook: Brian Adams (AIDA). Select Direction credits include CHOIR (Edge of the Sky) Cinder-ELLIE {BroadwayWorld Award Nomination}, The Lion of Oz {BroadwayWorld Award Nomination}, A Christmas Carol (Tweed&Co). Upcoming: Blackbird (Talk is Free Theatre). Above all Dean is an impassioned educator for young artists prioritizing finding voice and individuality through performance.

In a career spanning 25 years, Jacqueline has performed across Canada, from multiple seasons with The Charlottetown Festival to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and everywhere in between. She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario in Voice Performance.

Very selected credits include:  Rachel in Two Pianos, Four Hands, educator and choral conductor (including a spin at Carnegie Hall with DCINY), composer of two musicals, an oratorio, and numerous choral selections which can be found on Sheet Music Direct and Sheet Music Plus. Jacqueline is an avid distance runner and Registered Yoga Teacher, and she combines all her passions in Yoga for Singers, a workshop for vocal health and mindfulness.

Jacqueline lives on a farm in Eastern Ontario, where she raises chickens, milks cows, makes cheese, and sings to make her gardens grow.

JONATHAN STAHL is a New York-based Director, Choreographer and teacher. Although he started as a performer, his career now mostly consists of directing and choreographing—everything from Ballet to Broadway and from Denver to Dubai.

His approach to theater is centered around one key principle: telling the story. He believes in the transformative power of storytelling and strives to create productions that engage and resonate with audiences.

Drawing from his background as a performer, he approaches directing and choreography with the same dedication and honesty. Jonathan understands the importance of connecting with audiences and evoking emotions through the theatrical medium.

One pivotal moment that shaped his career was the opportunity to direct and choreograph the musical NINE at Westchester Broadway Theater. It garnered rave reviews and generated significant buzz within the regional community.

For more about Jonathan, please visit jonathan-stahl.com or #fromballet2broadway on Instagram.