Fernie & Elk Valley Culture Guide Issue 6 - Fall 2017 | Page 19

Photo: Phil McLachlan/The Free Press
FEATURE PERFORMER
Denise Baughan
In her role as local community theatre
champion, Denise Baughan writes,
directs, and performs in a variety of
productions from children’s comedy to
nationally acclaimed drama.
Denise developed her skills through
intense theatre study with a focus on
‘the artist,’ and graduated from the
University of Windsor with a Bachelor
of Fine Arts for acting. She found a
passion for Shakespeare and has fond
memories of performing as Paulina in
A Winter’s Tale. During her studies, she
became involved in Drama Education
and later achieved her Bachelor of
Education through Vancouver Island
University. She particularly enjoys
the process of developing skills with
children and believes that theatre
has a transformative power, building
confidence and creativity through the
shared experience.
In Fernie, Denise created and produced
A Fernie Collective for The Arts
Station, an immersive process which
provided a deeper understanding of
the local community, and resulted in
many connections that she continues
to foster today. She produced an
adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s
Treasure Island, and most recently she
produced The Curse of the Lumberjack
King, a play by Lindsay Vallance. She
is a board member of the Fernie and
District Arts Council and has hosted
a variety of theatre workshops and
volunteered at many events over the
years. She embraces the differences
between acting and directing, and has
channeled the unique skills associated
with each role to help her become a
talented master of the stage.
Starting September 21, Denise will host
a monthly drop-in Improv session with
an emphasis on fun and creativity. No
experience is necessary, and everyone
is welcome. She is also developing a
Christmas show with Sadie Rosgen for
performance in December. Denise lives
in Fernie with her husband, Xavier, their
dog, Ozzy, and cat, Oscar. She works
full-time as a teacher.
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