Coincidence? Maybe not...
User Story
By Martin Galba
I couldn't find the location of the studio; the way the whole address system works was totally new to me. I was about to give up when something in the back of my mind told me to look one last time.
I came to Edmonton in 2000 in hopes of pursuing a career in the performing arts. I spoke very little English; I nearly got lost at the Frankfurt airport on the way to Canada.
I attended the University of Alberta ESL program for 12 months and was one of 7 students from a total of 12 students who graduated from that program at that time.
I always had a strong passion for theatre. Back home, in Slovakia, I was the artistic director of a theatre company called Theatre 7. So it seemed logical enough that I'd see how it's done here. I found that there were a lot more opportunities here so I auditioned for a training program offered by Edmonton Musical Theatre, lead by the late Dr. Dasha Goody. Dasha took me in knowing I had very little money to pay for the training. A funny story, actually – I couldn't find the location of the studio; the way the whole address system works was totally new to me. I was about to give up when something in the back of my mind told me to look one last time. I found it! And I can honestly say that if it wasn't for Dasha and the Edmonton Musical Theatre, I would not be here today.
Since then I have performed/produced/directed/choreographed/participated in other ways in around 50 productions. I am a member of the Edmonton Opera Chorus and run my own production company called Two ONE-WAY Tickets To Broadway Productions, which will be producing a Stephen Sondheim production of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in October of this year.
Why Edmonton? Well, my dad's brother lives here, who coincidently immigrated to Canada on the very same day I was born. Coincidence? Maybe not, after all...
