WELCOME TO
THE HIGHLAND ARTS THEATRE

ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
(they/them)

Wesley J. Colford is a Dora and Merritt Nominated playwright and theatre artist from Cape Breton who currently resides in Sydney, NS where they operate as the inaugural Artistic & Executive Director of the Highland Arts Theatre (or HAT). They studied theatre performance at Sheridan and George Brown College and spent eight years working in Toronto’s independent theatre scene, working as a writer, director, actor, and producer for multiple companies, as well as box office manager for Tarragon Theatre. Their plays have been produced in three provinces and have won national awards, been published, and adapted for film. Under their leadership, the Highland Arts Theatre has produced more than 100 mainstage theatrical productions in the past ten years and been nominated for Dora, Merritt, Excellence in Business, and Nova Scotia Music Industry Awards. They are a recipient of a 2015 Vital Award, the 2016 Jack Yazer Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal, and have been nominated for “Business Person of the Year” from the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards. They were recently honoured as one of the Globe & Mail’s “Canadian Arts Heroes of 2020” for their work developing the HAT’s bold new funding model, Radical Access.

GENERAL MANAGER
(she/her)

INTERIM EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
(any pronouns)

Chris Tsujiuchi is a three-time Dora Mavor Moore Award–nominated music director, performer, accompanist, vocal coach, educator and honorary Cape Bretoner.  As a performer, Chris's credits include Bad Hats'  Narnia, Hairspray, Cape Breton for Dummies (Highland Arts Theatre), Box 4901, Recurring John (SummerWorks Festival), Little Shop of Horrors, Billboard in Concert: 2000, Chris Tsujiuchi's Big Gay Cabaret (Capitol Theatre Port Hope), An Incomplete List (Toronto Fringe) and The Rocky Horror Show (Hart House Theatre).

Music direction credits include Jack and the Beanstalk (Highland Arts Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Neptune Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Highland Arts Theatre/Savoy Theatre), A Strange Loop (Musical Stage Company/Crows/Soulpepper/TO Live), Escape to Margaritaville (Theatre Calgary), Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats/Manitoba Theatre for Young People), Parade (Toronto Musical Concerts), The Last Five Years (YRG Productions), Onegin (Musical Stage Company/National Arts Centre/Arts Club Theatre Company Western Canada Tour), and the Canadian premiere of bare (WatersEdge Productions).

Chris has served as an accompanist and teacher at Toronto Metropolitan University, Sheridan College, Randolph Academy, and George Brown College. He has toured extensively with Sharron Matthews and can also be seen performing in Asian Riffing Trio (aka ART) and his own "Chris-terical" series of Cabarets.

HEAD ELECTRICS
(he/him)

Ken Heaton (Lighting Designer, Theatre Electrician and Technician) has been actively involved in theatre for over 45 years.  Ken has designed the lighting for almost every show and event at the Cape Breton University's Boardmore Playhouse for more than 25 years, working and collaborating with a range of groups from student productions to professional touring groups. 

Ken is presently the Resident Theatre Lighting Designer and Head of Electrics for both the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and at the Highland Arts Theatre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, responsible for much of the hands-on technical work (hanging instruments, programming the light board, etc.) that would be the work of the lighting crew in a larger theatre. 

Ken has created lighting for various productions at many other venues throughout the Maritimes, small and large, with many diverse theatre groups including Made With Purpose, the St Anne’s Bay Players, New York’s Yara Arts Group, Acadia Drama Group, Musicadians, Bells of Baddeck, and the Zuppa Theatre Co. 

Ken's lighting designs have toured with productions internationally, reaching at times as far as New Zealand. Recent lighting designs include pretty much everything produced at the HAT since 2014, including the recent productions of 'Cabaret', and 'Samqwan' (for which Ken was nominated for a 'Robert Merritt Award' for Lighting Design).

If you don't find Ken in a theatre, try looking on a sailboat somewhere out on the Bras d'Or Lakes.  He'll probably be there... 

SOUND TECHNICIAN
(he/him)

Nolan is a Sound Technician for the Highland Arts Theatre, and has found his home behind the mixer since August 2024. After graduating from the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology, he has worked in the sound department for film and TV, done live sound all over the province, and almost every HAT show since he started here. 

CO-FOUNDER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER
(she/her)

Hilary is a co-founder of the Highland Arts Theatre, and served as Assistant Artistic Director from 2014 to 2017. She continues of be a close collaborator at the HAT. A graduate of George Brown’s Theatre Conservatory Program, and a Certificate Holder in Art & Design Studio Skills from OCAD U. She has worn nearly every hat at the HAT, onstage and off; from season programming, patron services, and 4 AM set painting, to lighting, directing, and performing. Currently she operates out of Toronto as the HAT's Lead Graphic Designer. The posters you see pouring up the stairwells are nearly all her designs! You can find Hilary’s artwork for the HAT as well as other personal works/commissions on Instagram @hilhob !

INTERIM PRESIDENT (CHAIR)
(he/him)

Board member since 2020, Peter has worked as graphic artist, an illustration painter and muralist for more than 50 years.

He served on the founding board of the AIDS Coalition of Cape Breton; the board of the Open-Door Homeless Shelter as Chair for most of his 13-year tenure. In 2014 concluding 28-active years, Peter served on the boards of several entities of what became known as Pride Cape Breton, serving as Co-Chair and Chair.

Peter is a donor to the Highland Arts Theatre and represents the HAT as a CBC Information Morning Party Liner.

INTERIM VICE-PRESIDENT
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Board member since 2025, Adam is an award-winning musician and actor and has sat on several boards of arts organizations across Cape Breton Island.

INTERIM SECRETARY
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Board member since 2025. Patricia has worked as a freelance editor for 25 years under the business name Power-Play Editing. She served on the national executive council of the Editors’ Association of Canada for six years (2015-2021) as the organization’s director of volunteer relations. She looks forward helping the HAT grow and prosper in the years to come.

INTERIM TREASURER
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Board member since 2026, Beverly originally started her love of the Arts as a dancer in Doris MacDonald's Dance School on the Northside.

She has been involved in several organizations including several Hockey Associations, the United Church Board, Berwick Gala days, and the Orphanage Board for CBRM.

She fell in love with the HAT right after its first production of Wakowski Brothers and has been attending productions every since.

INTERIM BOARD MEMBER
(she/her)

Board member since 2026, Nancy has lived in the Sydney area for most of her life and has had a varied career including a decade practicing law, teaching the paralegal program at Island Career Academy, operating her own floral design and decoration business, and the NS Department of Justice where she spent 10 years managing the Sydney Justice Centre.  She was acting Director for  DOJ's Court Services for 2 years until her retirement in 2024.

Theatre supporter and occasional performer her entire life, and has been a grateful HAT patron since the day it first opened its doors.

INTERIM BOARD MEMBER
(he/him)

Board member since 2026, he has practiced orthopaedic surgery for 33 years and has been Chief Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, for the Eastern Zone, Nova Scotia Health Authority. He has served as the Associated Dean of Cape Breton University Medical Campus since 2023

Recreational interests include many musical pursuits. He serves as organist at his local church, President and member of the Cape Breton Chorale, and member of a Healthcare Professionals band (Couldn’t Stand the Heat). This band supports the community for many fund-raising activities.

INTERIM BOARD MEMBER
(he/him)

Board member since 2026, Gilbert is a Red Seal Line Technician who moved to Fire Service 37-years ago and retired as Deputy Chief of Operations with the CBRM Fire Service.

Gilbert was a founding member and former Chair of the Zone-1 Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team for the Nova Scotia Fire Service. He is a certified Executive Chief Fire Officer, an 8th degree Black Belt Master in Uechi-Ryu Karate, a certified yoga instructor, a Level-2 Reiki Practitioner and a student of Jin Shin Jyutsu and Oigong.

Since the conception of the Celtic Colours International Festival, Gilbert has worked Head of Security of the Festival Club.

INTERIM BOARD MEMBER
(he/him)

Board Member since 2026, Mahesh Prabhu has spent a lifetime travelling and learning culture around the world — quite literally. From luxury resorts in Mauritius to cruise liners crossing the Atlantic, Bollywood and diverse theatre marathons in between, and cookery shows that took him across continents. 

In 2022, he and his family moved to Cape Breton. Since then, Mahesh has been part into the local theatre scene, local TV shows, and being an island hospitality ambassdour professional. When he's not on stage, he's giving back as a member of the Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership Immigrant Advisory Table, championing newcomers finding their footing in this beautiful corner of the world.

Equal parts chef, hospitality professional, storyteller, community builder, and Bollywood magic, Mahesh brings flavour, flair, and just a little dramedy to everything he touches.