MEET THE TEAM

IRA PETTLE

A graduate of the acclaimed Second City Conservatory Program, with a Master of Education degree, Ira Pettle is an improv machine. With over 25 years experience performing, producing and teaching theatre, his compassionate demeanour and soul filled authenticity create safe spaces where participants break through barriers and (re)discover their creativity and confidence with velocity. His work truly transforms. Wild animals stop to listen to the sound of his heart beat, and babies almost never cry in his presence. That being said, he is still very skeptical of the colour orange.

ANGIE NOLAN

Angie, a trained thespian and filmmaker, started in TV and film as a teenager when she landed a production assistant job on the long running CBC hit The Beachcombers. 10 years later she woke up from assistant director haze and decided to write, direct and act in a number of her own film & theatre projects instead, including a screening at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.  Angie is recipient of the both the 2018 Women in Film & Television Vancouver’s Spotlight Awards (CA) – Leadership in Education Award and the 2018 Whistler Excellence Awards (CA): Champion of Arts and Culture Award.  Angie is a creative force, always active in Whistler’s growing theatre/improv/film arts community where she writes, directs, acts and teaches. After 14 years as the Whistler Film Festival’s Director of Industry Programming, she is now pursuing all the things that require saying ‘Yes, and”. 

MEGAN FULLERTON

An actor and comedian, Megan was born and raised in Toronto. In 2008 she felt the need to escape honking horns and road rage and since has been drinking kamboucha and hugging trees on the west coast. Appearing in many plays, TV commercials and small films, Megan’s stand up comedy has been featured on CBC radio and the Comedy Network. She has performed and instructed Improv for many years and trained at Toronto’s prestigious The Second City, completing their Conservatory level. She is the co-creator and co-host of the annual Whistler Comedy Showdown.   Her favorite drink sums her up pretty well – a classic gin martini, straight up with a twist.

BRANDON BARRETT

Brandon Barrett is a writer, playwright, performer and award-winning journalist for Pique Newsmagazine. He has performed as a stand-up comic, is the co-creator of Comedy Quickies and is a fixture in Whistler’s improv scene.  When he’s not fooling around onstage, you can find him watching way too much pro wrestling or arguing passionately in favour of putting pineapple on pizza. Perhaps his biggest claim to fame is the time he met Mr. T in a mall. Ask him about his sweet karate scar.

ALLISON HUNTER

Allison discovered the transformational power of arts as a child, on the stage, and has been drawn to the shiny lights ever since. She studied Theatre at York University, then Theatre Performance at Humber College.  She is an Expressive Arts Therapist and uses a variety of art forms in her Whistler practice.  She is working towards her Masters Degree in Expressive Arts at the European Graduate School in Switzerland.  She works with a variety of clients, in both group and individual settings, working with arts to create change.  In her spare time, she collects vintage tongue depressors and “Saved By The Bell” memorabilia. 

TARA O'DOHERTY

Tara, co-founder of Laugh Authority, is known as one of the authorities on funny in Whistler. From her stand up comedy performances, the comedy shows she produces through her company Headwound Productions and her numerous acting performances; laughter follows her everywhere. Tara is Laugh Authority’s relationship manager and also facilitates improv sessions and a five year old once told her she was the funniest person in the world…..so it must be true.

JULIE FARR

Hailing from an “oh so Ontario” family of bankers, lawyers and civil servants, Julie made her first dollars in this world nannying for celebrities, sweeping floors at midnight, and managing a grocery store. Currently she associate produces The Amazing Race Canada, facilitates locations logistics for film and television with Whistler Peak Productions, makes her mommy proud, and feels too legit to quit.

UBC Improv alumni, UBC Creative Writing graduate, Atlantic Theatre Company graduate, and Lucille Ball superfan, Julie dreams of hitting her stride at 70 becoming the next Betty White.

LEITH GAINES

Leith is an US ex-pat (sshhhh) importing an extensive background in event production and arts administration. She’s a pro at managing people and projects through a creative process.  Her love of acting out in front of an audience started about the time she could walk and later morphed into acting in several plays and performing storytelling and perfecting here improv. Since moving to Whistler Leith wears many hats. She teaches art to elementary students, represents visual artists to private collectors, and plans weddings and destination retreats. If it wasn’t for the hats, her head would would barely get through the day.