West Side Story – Creative Team
DIRECTOR – Michael Scholar
Michael is Artistic Director of November Theatre, producers of The Black Rider (Arts Club); Hard Core Logo (PuSh Fest); Ana (Hive 3); ILSA Queen of the Nazi Love Camp (Medicine Show Theatre, NY); and Baby Fat (La MaMa, NY). Directing credits include The Lightning Thief (Story Book Theatre), As You Like It (Studio 58); Uncle Vanya (Medicine Show Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Colonial Theatre); Humanity and No (Persephone Theatre); I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change (Arts Club); Indian School (ASU); Fat Pig and Lungs (Mitch and Murray Prod.); and Midsummer (Globe Theatre).
CHOREOGRAPHER – Jennifer Lynch
Jennifer (She/Her) is an award-winning performer, teacher, and choreographer based in Vancouver BC. Select theatre credits include: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Mamma Mia! (Chemainus), West Side Story (CTORA), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Beauty and The Beast, Mamma Mia! (Arts Club Theatre Company), Reflections on Crooked Walking (Firehall Arts Centre), Al Wasl Plaza Core Dancer (Dubai Expo 2020), Nutcracker (Caravan Farm Theatre), and West Side Story (Theatre Under The Stars – 2016).
MUSIC DIRECTOR – Sean Bayntun
A descendent of Ukrainian, Austrian, and British immigrants, Sean grew up, and currently resides, on the ancestral and unceded lands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples (Burnaby).
Having grown up in his father’s piano studio, Sean made his orchestral debut at 16 with the White Rock Symphony, and at 18 performed as a soloist with the VSO. He received his BMus from UBC and MMus from Rice University (Houston) on full scholarship studying with Dr. Jon Kimura Parker, who encouraged him to explore genres beyond classical music.
Returning to Vancouver in 2006, Sean began music directing and playing in bands, and has co-written several albums and has more than 30 theatre productions worth of experience so far.
He currently represents 20% of Leisure Club (indie rock/pop) and 50% of DAñSE (improvised electronic dance). Recent theatre includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sister Act (TUTS), Oliver (Gateway), and Heathers (Studio 58).