The Dream Project: The Creators

Kevin Fox - Composer

Kevin is an arranger, clinician and freelance vocalist who is currently a member of Grammy-winning ensemble The Swingle Singers. He was a founding member of Juno-nominated vocal band CADENCE, and contributed his voice to countless projects and ensembles, including the Nathaniel Dett Chorale and Autorickshaw. Kevin has conducted workshops at MusicFestCanada, SoJam (North Carolina), and events acrossOntario, encouraging singers and non-singers alike to explore the endless possibilities of the human voice. His vocal arrangements are sought after worldwide by vocal groups and music educators, and his compositions have been featured in the Driftwood Theatre Group’s summer Shakespeare productions since 2002.

Thoughts about the original 2004 production:

“We were so proud of the work we did back in 2004–the concept was strong and the music was fresh.  I especially loved the fact that we were approaching, for the first time, a full-on a cappella musical, which had never been done before inCanada.  But as with all fledgling projects, we didn’t have the time or resources to see the music realized exactly as we’d envisioned.”

Thoughts about the next steps:

“Having another opportunity to put it all together is extremely exciting for us, and this time we intend to learn from the experiences of the first production in order to present a spectacle unlike anything ever seen by the Shakespeare-loving public.  This will include expanding the scope of the music, such as adding backing tracks, which will help the performers immensely and add a much bigger and fuller sound experience for the audience.” 

Tom Lillington - Composer/Musical Director

Tom Lillingtonis a Toronto area vocalist, pianist, arranger and composer. He was a founding member of the renowned Nathaniel Dett Chorale, and has sang with Hampton Avenue, The Canadian Chamber Choir, and Retrocity. His bass voice can be heard singing in many recordings, jingles, soundtracks and sound installations including The Spirit House at the ROM’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. He began collaborating with Driftwood Theatre in 2002 with  Kevin Fox, and has also composed three projects solo for Driftwood – King Lear, The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night.

Thoughts about the Dream project:

“I’m very much looking forward to fully realizing the richness and depth of the music originally conceived, with the help of expanded resources and the luxury of a wider timeline in which to cohere the original elements and to integrate new layers and nuances.”

D. Jeremy Smith - Director

For Driftwood Theatre: Jeremy is Driftwood’s founder and Artistic Director/General Manager. He has directed, performed in, designed and painted over 25 productions for the company.

Theatre Credits (selected): A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Odyssey (The Grand Theatre), Sherlock Holmes, The Hobbit (Assistant Director, The Grand Theatre), Eight Ball (Humber River Shakespeare), Cadence: Live Concert (a capella ensemble CD release concert & North American tour), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (Sansanus Productions), Pélagie (Assistant Director, Canadian Stage/National Arts Centre). Dragon in the Rocks (Production Designer, Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus), Scenic Artist for Onegin, West Side Story, Wolf’s Court, Italian Straw Hat, Don Quixote (Scenic Artist, The National Ballet of Canada), The Clockmaker, Molière, Wild Mouth, The Dishwashers (Scenic Artist, Tarragon Theatre), Intern General Manager, Canadian Stage, 2002-03.