✨ 2024 ✨
- Went to Costa Rica on my first family trip in over a decade.
- Fell in love with the most giving, supportive and caring partner. I love you so much, @oliverrnorton
- Worked on the feature film Vicious for two months as Dakota Fanning’s acting double.
- Went to Vegas with @jennbinnie
- Booked a principal role on Cross.
- Adjudicated three dance competitions.
- Booked lead roles in three short films.
- Went to NYC twice.
- Went on our first trips as a couple.
- Witnessed two special friends tie the knot @xnatashasimone@alex.fairlie
- Booked an actor role on Shoresy.
- Multiple auditions from the same casting directors.
- Began a choreography contract at York U for Kinky Boots.
- Performed with two contemporary dance companies.
- Finally moved into my new apartment.
- Endless gigs.
Some great highs and some difficult lows, but I’m walking into 2025 knowing who has my back and wants the best for me when I’m growing and thriving. I’m super thankful for my supportive corner and the beautiful relationships I have.
Thank you for the lessons and every thing that was brought into my life last year, both good and bad. I can’t wait for what magic the universe has in store for 2025. ✨
2023 was the beginning of the rest of my life.
- Learned some skills.
- Booked a role on Pradeeps of Pittsburgh with @meganhilty as my scene partner.
- Spent more time with family than I have since I was 18.
- Shared my story of how I survived an abusive relationship and what happened to me. The validation and support I received from you all changed my life.
- Booked my first voice dubbing gig.
- Went to New York, thrice.
- Grew closer to some amazing ladies.
- Danced my life away.
- Met @raminkarimloo twice and had several great life chats.
- Booked an ACTRA short film during a double union strike.
- Saw thirteen Broadway shows.
- Booked an Equity contract for one of my favourite shows.
- Took lots of classes and workshops.
- Therapy
- Met great new friends.
- Intimacy directed a musical.
- Put myself first for the first time in a very long time.
- Cut out things and people that do not serve me or have my best interests.
- Self love.
- 🐱🐱
Can’t wait for the rest of my thriving era (the rest of my life). ✨
Kiss today goodbye, and point me toward tomorrow. 🎼💃
I can’t put into words how much A Chorus Line and this cast meant to me. I couldn’t be more proud of them and the vulnerability, dedication and trust they brought to this process. Thank you for your inspiration at a time when the world is in such desperate need of it. This show with its depth, honesty and artistry is truly the kind of work I connect with. Seeing my work on stage as both a director and choreographer was exhilarating and reaffirmed that this is always what I was meant to do with my life. You don’t get these feelings with every contract, and I don’t take it for granted.
What we did for love. ❤️
📷 Ivan Ceria
A fresh Oz adventure begins tonight! Cheers to Taryn Wichenko onstage and Kristen Pepper behind the movement for The Wizard of Oz. Have an amazing opening! 💚🌪️
I had the honour of directing the newly relaunched Confidential Musical Theatre Project’s production of Anything Goes! A show where the cast meets each other an hour before opening, they don’t know who each other are playing in advance and the show is kept a secret from the audience. A truly unique and magical experience where I casted online and created a costume design, choreography and show/character notes that were all communicated individually to each actor for their own rehearsal process. I have never seen such a well done, smooth and polished Confidential before, which is a testament to the cast, creative and the producers. Thank you @vitabellaentertainment for this wonderful experience. With Anything Goes, anything went that night and I definitely had “hot pants” for it. ✨
Director - @k.pepps
Musical Director - @pianosteve88
Assistant Director - @officialghudson
Photography - @sam.moff
Producers - @paulinaluciani@mrzacmansfield@vitabellaentertainment
Meet our director for October’s Confidential Musical Theatre Project! 🔎 Read all about her down below and don’t forget to get your self-tape submissions in before September 14! Tickets are on sale in our link in bio with a reduced price for early ticket buyers.
Kristen is an Equity/ACTRA director, choreographer, intimacy director, dancer, actor and singer with a BFA in Dance with Specialized Honours from York University. She is an Equity Councillor for the Ontario region and the Chair/Council Liaison of The Respectful Workplace Taskforce and the Council Liaison of the Directors, Choreographers, Fight and Intimacy Directors Committee. Her creative credits include: Choreography for Thunderor: The Musical, Joseph… Dreamcoat, Hooked, Saucy Jack… Space Vixens, Villains: An 80s Musical Cabaret, Show Choir and Cabaret, Direction for There Is No Maybe and Consent Talks, and Choreography and Intimacy Direction for Kinky Boots. Selected theatre: Apache Dancer in Joseph… Dreamcoat, Dance Captain/Ensemble in Anne & Gilbert (Island Theatre Festival), Magician in Illusionarium (Starvox), White Light Follies (High Society Cabaret) and DJAA in Fall For Dance North (Lua Shayenne Dance Company). Film/TV: Murdoch Mysteries, Shoresy, Cross, Vicious, The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, Mayor of Kingstown, Dark Side of the Ring, An Unexpected Killer, Killer Affair, Deadly Deception and Pan American Games Opening Ceremony with Cirque du Soleil. Up Next: Kristen is directing and choreographing A Chorus Line at York University and is the Intimacy and Ethics Director of Riversong Players.
The nineteenth season of Murdoch Mysteries premieres October 6th on CBC and CBC Gem. Catch this little showgirl living her best life on the third episode of the season. What a treat it was to be on Canada’s longest running television show and be in the room (studio) where it happened. ✨
#actor #cbc #canadiantv
What, like it’s hard? 💅🏻
Over the last eight months, I have had the privilege of serving on Equity council. This role is definitely what you make of it and I jumped in headfirst joining five committees including as the Council Liaison of the Directors, Choreographers, Fight Directors, Intimacy Directors committee and the Respectful Workplaces Task Force. This week, as the recently elected Chair of the Respectful Workplaces Task Force, I pitched a joint program from the two committees to my fellow councillors that will shift our industry and create a change in our culture regarding harassment, accountability, leadership and standards. It passed and I couldn’t be more proud of my committees and thrilled.
What a different life and trajectory I have now where I and my lived experiences can help shape and better our industry and prevent harassment of other theatre professionals. How lucky am I?
Something you hate. Something you need. Something you love... Mark your calendars, kids. Vicious releases October 10th on Paramount+ just in time for spooky season. 🪦
I had the adventures of a lifetime working on this film in Ottawa for several months last year. This film is wild - get ready. Thank you @smythcasting@1d_studios@bryanbertino & @dakotafanning
#actor #horror
As June comes to an end, I had the privilege this month of playing a different kind of showgirl on Canada’s longest running TV show for several days. It was an honour to be a part of the legacy and be on set with some of the country’s most accomplished actors. All the while working on Equity projects and choreographing in my trailer for Thunderor: The Musical, a show I’ve been working on for the past several months that opens this week at the Toronto Fringe.
My career and I have always beaten to our own drums. While it’s sometimes lonely and unnerving to not see the roadmap ahead or not have peers on the same track, there’s something very liberating about making your own path and possibly paving a way for future artists who also can’t be defined by one discipline or medium.
📷 @diamonddancersentertainment
