Beau Dixon on Working With Lakefield College School Musical Theatre Students

Over the past few months, Lakefield College School has been very fortunate to have award-winning Musician, Actor, and Playwright, Beau Dixon join our program as our Musical Director. Beau has worked with the top theatre companies in the country (Stratford, Shaw, Tarragon, Soulpepper Musical Stage Co.) and we are so grateful to have our students benefit from his vast professional experience as they built their performance skills. It has been an incredible opportunity for our students to learn from one of Canada's best artists.

Students in the Musical Theatre co-curricular are preparing for a hybrid live performance on March 10, 2021 (to be released to the LCS community on March 26). Students will perform 12 dances, 5 solo songs, 6 short monologues and a virtual choir performance. These performances have all benefited from the guidance offered by Beau who has shared his skills and expertise to help our students hone their musical and artistic crafts. The students performing solo pieces also worked with Beau in the Grove Records co-curricular where they have learned about songwriting, recording, and producing under Beau’s tutelage. 

This week, we sat down with Beau to ask him about his experience working with our students. 

A: What interested me in working with the students at LCS was ultimately my relationship with LCS Faculty Geoff and Rachel Bemrose. I've known them for about ten or fifteen years. We started working together at St. James Players. In fact, we've done many musical projects together. I'd do anything for those two. Their commitment towards educating youth in arts and entertainment is inspiring. We need more people like Geoff and Rachel. I wish I had role models like them when I was younger. Their type of guidance and encouragement would have inspired me to pursue the arts at a much younger age. So, when they asked me to be a part of the LCS program I didn't hesitate to jump on board. 

A: Musical theatre is beneficial because it's fun and challenging! Theatre helps us investigate human behaviour. It teaches us to interact with other humans. It forces us to explore our emotions without the risk of failure or embarrassment. It makes us feel good because we're participating in a group effort. It's one of the most athletic things we can do without breaking into a sweat or suffering a concussion. Honestly, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to be involved in a musical! The experience is bigger than life. 

A: My main goal was to inspire the students. I'm dead inside if I'm not educating and inspiring others. My purpose in life is to entertain and educate. I truly believe that's my responsibility and contribution as an artist. So, to do it in an environment where it's supported by great staff in a school that's close to home...I feel very blessed to have been given the opportunity. 

A: I hope LCS students take away from their experience with me a better understanding of themselves. I hope they discovered a talent that they didn't think they ever had. I hope their experience with me motivates them to pursue music and/ or acting – whether it's for their own pleasure or they pursue it as a career. I just hope they walk away smiling, knowing that they did something they thought they could never do. I want them to be excited about learning and taking a risk. Oops...You asked for just one thing! That was three or four.. Oh well! 

A: Every moment is special with these students. They're all so humble and talented. But there was this one student who was very shy and only considered herself a dancer, but she wanted to try singing for the first time. I started to play and told her to sing along. Her voice was beautiful. I couldn't believe she had never taken vocal lessons or sang before. That was a very special moment. I hope she never stops singing. I hope none of these students stop singing.

A: Don't ever kill the arts. Because once it dies. We die. There should be music and theatre in every school across the globe. Life is better with music. 

We are so grateful to have been able to welcome Beau into our school over the past few months. His impact on the students he worked with can be seen in the incredible performances they have prepared. We can’t wait to see their final production. Stay tuned to see clips of the performances this month!