About Us - Board Members

Kristy's love of theatre began as part of Unity Composite High School’s drama club. She won Best Junior Actress in grades 8 and 9. Memorable musicals she performed in included Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood, and Leader of the Pack.

Kristy moved to Biggar in 2017 with her husband and two kids. She was very excited to get back to her theatre roots. Her first role back in the theatre was in Little Shop of Horrors, which she first saw performed at Persephone in Saskatoon on a high school drama field trip.

Kristy is in her second year on the board of the Biggar & District Arts Council and she is ready to bring her love of theatre to Castwell's board and have the opportunity to contribute further to Biggar’s thriving arts community.

Kristy
Smith

Trustee (Acting Chair)

Dale Hoppe was born and raised in the wilderness north of Biggar. He has been involved in music and theatre his entire life, from piano lessons and scurrying around backstage in early NCCP plays, to stage crew and lighting, to performing onstage in a variety of roles. Then he married a woman who has been even more involved in music and theatre, and that has led him here.

These days, Dale is a semi-responsible adult. He works as a locomotive engineer for CN, is married to artist and fellow Castwellian, Michaela, and has two evil lizard creatures that society describes as his "children". There are also far too many cats around his home.

"I'm excited to be a part of this new venture. Biggar has such a strong performing arts community, and Castwell and Company will give us an opportunity to build on that and to explore some new directions for people to express themselves."

Dale provides a strong and stable voice to Castwell & Co as a member of the executive.

Dale Hoppe

Vice-Chair

Stephen is a versatile performer in music and theatre, playing guitar and trumpet, singing, acting, and sometimes even dancing. You can also find him up at the sound and lighting boards for events in Biggar.

Stephen lives in Biggar with his three kids and lovely wife Erin. Stephen is a teacher at Biggar Central School 2000, where he shares his love of performing arts by teaching drama, music and other creative endeavours to his grade 5 students. He is also a member of other art-adjacent boards - The Biggar Arts Council and Majestic Theatre board. If he has free time, he is probably itching to play something from his extensive board game collection, read some sci-fi or fantasy novels, or watch a movie with his family.

“I am looking forward to expanding the opportunities of performance in Biggar, we have such a vibrant and exciting artistic community. With Castwell & Company, I am looking forward to experimenting with plays, music performance, and exploring other avenues of artistic expression with a great bunch of community minded people.”

Stephen continues to serve as trustee until he assumes the role of board chair following Castwell's School of Rock production.

Stephen Hadden

Trustee

Erin comes to Castwell & Company with a range of volunteer experience in not-for-profit boards and community theatre.

Together with her husband Stephen and their three gracious teenagers, The Hadden Family spends much of their “down time” throughout the year at the Biggar Majestic Theatre for one wonderful reason or another.

“I am excited to be able to help provide more opportunities for our local folks to try something creative together that builds them up and brings them joy. Whether it’s designing, performing, supporting, or anything in between, I get so excited when I see people finding fulfilment in their roles and coming alive in new and beautiful ways."

In addition to serving as our Treasurer, Erin is an active member of the Grant and Bylaws committees.

Erin Hadden

Treasurer

Allison Thomas

Secretary

Allison Thomas is a relative newcomer to the theatre world, but a long time participant in the performing arts. Her music background started in elementary school and continued throughout high school, where she was an active member of every type of band available to her, from concert band and jazz band to small quartets and choral groups. It was not until a few decades later that her husband Rob shared his love of theatre and acting with her, and eventually persuaded her (with the help of a few wonderful friends) to get on stage in 2022. Since then she has been active in the local theatre community both on stage and off.

In her other life, Allison is a stay at home mom to two kids who both share their parents’ love of music and the arts. She also manages their small farm where they raise a variety of animals, most notably Friesian horses. In her downtime, she enjoys video games, roleplaying games like D&D, and gardening.

“The performing arts are a huge part of my and my family’s lives. As such, I am really excited to help provide more opportunities to showcase all of the amazing performers in our area!”

Allison is secretary for Castwell & Company. She heads the bylaws and policies subcommittee, and plays a vital role in every program and fundraiser we have ever organized.

Michaela was born and raised in Biggar and has been part of the performing arts community since she entered her first Biggar and District Music Festival when she was 5 years old. She performed in her first theatrical production in 1997 as Molly in NCCP’s “Annie” and it inspired a lifelong love of not just theatre but the relationships and feeling of belonging that theatre creates.

Michaela is also a professional visual artist represented in several commercial galleries across Canada. She has led workshops and adjudications, but her real love lies in the flexible, customizable style of guiding that mentorship provides. She is married to fellow Castwellian Dale and is raising 2 brilliant hybrid humans in the hometown she loves, surrounded by extended family.

“I am humbled, grateful, excited, and inspired to be a part of this incredible group of brilliant, talented humans, building something so beautiful. I want to give back to the community that has always supported me, encouraging me to explore, innovate, and lean into my own unique gifts. You all have given me so many opportunities to grow and thrive as an artist. Now, I want to give that feeling of acceptance, that environment of safety, and those opportunities to express yourself creatively, to the little rural community I love so much.”

Michaela Hoppe served as board chair for our first two years as an organization and continues on as one of our trustees this year. As a committed member of the Castwell Team, she is actively involved in the bylaw committee and has played a significant role in several events, such as the Karaoke Cabarets and Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, and is the director for School of Rock

Michaela Hoppe

Trustee

Dani loves the excitement, fun, and synergistic process of building a beautiful play or musical with creative artists, shaping it into a work worth sharing, and then performing it live to audiences. “It feels like the very best kind of magic fused by friendly collaboration!”

Dani has spent years building classroom climates with students that are founded on trust, kindness, and acceptance. In Kindergarten especially, for students to try new experiences and take risks in learning, they first have to feel safe. It is Dani’s hope to build similar environments with the Castwell Trustees. “Castwell’s policies and mission strongly resonate within me, to create a caring and inclusive environment that encourages ALL artists, builds their confidence, provides opportunities for growth and pride, and protects their rights and voices foremost above all other policies and directives.”

Dani has participated on several boards, including school boards, which required critical thinking, problem solving, and the ability to think outside the box to ensure everyone felt included and heard. “Working to support Castwell in our community is a bright light that makes me very happy and I consider it an incredible privilege.”

Dani
Vavra

Trustee