Brenda Gorlick has been involved in the Performing Arts world for over 40 years in many aspects of the business. As a performer, she has acted, sung and danced her way across Canada, the U.S. and parts of Europe including Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the acclaimed Stratford Festival and the Banff Centre of Fine Arts. She received a Women of Distinction Award for Arts and Culture in 2015 and was named to the Wall of Fame at Rainbow Stage in 2014.
Brenda serves as Associate Artistic director for Winnipeg Studio Theatre – a cutting edge professional musical theatre company which has produced hit shows such as Spring Awakening, Altar Boyz and the world premiere of Hersteria! She helms the youth and adult StudioWorks program – a training wing for emerging artists who wish to excel in “triple threat” technique. The troupes have performed at numerous events including Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Words and Deeds Gala, WSO’s Adventures in Music series and the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
Ms Gorlick had the great challenge of creating the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the1999 Pan Am Games, the biggest choreographic event Winnipeg has seen. She also choreographed ceremonies for the 2003 Western Canada Summer Games, 1997 Canada Summer Games in Brandon and was the Performer Liaison for 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.
She has been involved in over 250 productions including every theatre in Winnipeg over the past 35 years. Selected credits include: Hamlet starring Keanu Reeves (Manitoba Theatre Centre), Strike! the Musical (Danny Schur Productions), A Year with Frog and Toad (Manitoba Theatre for Young People), Funny Girl (Winnipeg Jewish Theatre), die Fledermaus (Manitoba Opera Association), Le Train (Cercle Molière) and Altar Boyz & Heathers (Winnipeg Studio Theatre/Prairie Theatre Exchange).
In 2015, Ms. Gorlick appeared as Morticia in Dry Cold Production’s hit – The Addams Family and appeared in both Rainbow Stage productions: the epic Les Misérables and hysterical Sister Act. Selected performer credits include: MTC/Theatre Calgary’s co-production of Evita, Rainbow Stage’s Wizard of Oz in the coveted role of Wicked Witch of the West, Jennyanydots/Gumbie in Cats and the ultimate role of Anita in the Banff Centre’s West Side Story.
In film, Ms. Gorlick portrayed the principal role of Phyllis Flatow opposite Shirley Maclaine in the movie of the week, Hell On Heels: The Mary Kay Project. She acted as Assistant Dance Crew Liaison for Miramax Productions feature flick: Shall We Dance starring Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez , and choreographer for Murdoch Mysteries.
Ms Gorlick has worked as director/choreographer on numerous commercial projects including the the U of M’s Distinguished Alumni Awards, WAG’s Olympus Project, Grey Cup Gala 2015, SMD Foundation Galas, Culture Days Manitoba Flash Mobs, Manitoba Hydro’s Festival of Lights Parades, the Canadian Artistic Gymnastic Championships Gala and the Forks production for Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal Visit.
As an Artist in the Schools, Brenda has created projects throughout the province for over 25 years. She also serves as resident choreographer/instructor for the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities and is part of the Winnipeg Theatre Awards initiative. She has previously held positions with the DTRC (Dancer Transition Resource Centre), ACTRA Manitoba and CAEA. Brenda is a guest professor in dance and musical theatre for the Universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba and a regular mentor for the ACI Manitoba Mentorship program.