About Me

Jillian Schock attended The Canadian College of the Performing Arts (CCPA) in Victoria, BC, following graduation from her high school in Saskatchewan. The multidisciplinary program further developed her voice, acting, and dance training. She completed an Enriched Diploma in Performing Arts between the years of 2011-2013. Jillian’s attraction to co-creating sparked when she worked on two performed projects: an original show in conjunction with Atomic Vaudeville, and a devised physical theatre adaptation of The Little Prince, directed by Treena Stuble. 

Jillian spent the years of 2013-2015 in Rosebud, Alberta, at the Rosebud School of the Arts (RSA). Here, she earned two more diplomas: an Open Studies Diploma, (a diversified marriage between a technical and performance-based course) and a diploma in Acting. A highlight was playing the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by David Snider. While at Rosebud, Jillian had an amazing opportunity to co-create a production of The Masque of the Beauty and the Beast, under the direction of Calgary's Old Trout Puppet Workshop, Peter Balkwill. Jillian was lucky enough to see National Theatre's acclaimed production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time while on a study trip in London, England. She also participated in a physical theatre workshop with the movement directors of the piece, Frantic Assembly.

Some professional credits through these years include: Rosebud Theatre’s Main stage productions of The Wizard of Oz, directed by Morris Ertman in which she was the Jitterbug and dance captain; and choreographing, acting, and puppeteering in the TYA show, Jack’s Giant Adventure, directed by Adam Furfaro; both RuBarb Productions, Singin’ in the Rain, and Shrek the Musical, in which she acted the popular ‘Gingy’ and assistant music directed under Evie Coop-Sawatzky in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. 

Upon finishing her formal education, she instructed at RuBarb School for the Arts. In Alberta, Jillian had the joy of participating in a devised theatre intensive with Gerry Trentham, and professionally stage managing a devised performed production of the original Canadian musical, Take my Hand: A Folk Musical directed by Deanne Bertsch. Through these formative experiences, Jillian fell in love with co-creating to bring stories to life.

She moved to Toronto, Ontario in early 2016. She continued to study, taking workshops and multidisciplinary courses, including: Meisner sessions with Cindy L. Macaulay, Shakespeare workshops with Christopher Weddell and Iam Coulter, clowning workshops with Chloe Payne and Adam Paolozza, voice-over workshop with Elley Ray, voice with Jill Fillion and Bella Canto, as well as dance at Metro Movement, City dance Corp, and The Underground Dance Centre. Meeting and training with other artists led to Jillian working on independent projects such as: We should do Something, by Geoffrey Tyler, The Little Match Girl, by Robertson Wickins, both the original cast and remount of High Society Cabaret’s, A Portrait of a Scandal as the aria singing, narrating maid, Matilde. These projects gave Jillian a thirst to create her own work for herself and to share with her fellow comrades. 

One year after moving to Toronto, Jillian was inspired by a story that needed to be told. She began researching, writing, and having conversations on the subject of emotional abuse. In the fall of 2017, she reconnected with her previous acting coach from CCPA, Christopher Weddell, who mentored her in writing her first play. Her vision is to create work for herself and other artists, combining multiple voices and different artistic expertise in storytelling through devised practices. The piece uses merriment of theatrical elements from inception to tell the visceral story of the unseen.

During the pandemic and following years of 2020, she set her focus on finishing her script. In 2021, she was able to host the first two invited virtual readings of her developing work. Both were highly successful in feedback. She completed the three-act script in the early months of 2022. Jillian is currently setting up the first in-person devising of the piece. 

Nearing the end of writing her script and still in the throes of the isolating pandemic, Jillian began her professional voice-over career in the early days of 2022 to satiate her hunger for both acting and playing with her voice once again. She quickly became a voice talent for Spinmaster Toys. Jillian is elated to be utilising her voice and performing skills to create with others. She can also be found for hire on Fiverr.