Board of Directors

Jon played Bob Cratchit in SSP’s first production, A Christmas Carol. Since then, he has been either an actor or director in almost every SSP show. His musical, Gentlemen of Fortune, opened in Lunenburg in 2006. In 2008, working with Dave Brumwell and Hank Middleton, Jon wrote and performed in Glimpses, an historical musical revue. In 2011, Jon directed his original English farce, Nothing like a Quiet Weekend. He has written two children’s stories, a musical (The Caterpillar Tales, based on Alice in Wonderland), and two one-act plays (Lines of Communication and Moving Parts). Outside the theatre, he enjoys golf and playing music.

John and his wife lived and worked in Ottawa for many years before retiring to the South Shore a few years ago. In Ottawa, he had a professional career in IT and then in residential renovations. In parallel, John has been active in community and small professional theatre for more than 40 years in numerous backstage roles including carpenter, stage manager, technical director, production manager, Board member and lighting designer/technician. With SSP, he is primarily a Lighting Designer. Over the years he has designed lighting for almost 200 shows in the Ottawa area, ranging from large Broadway musicals to small shows in intimate venues. Locally, he has worked on all SSP shows since 2017.

Dianne is originally from Kitchener, Ontario and spent 9 years living in Vancouver BC while working as a senior IT leader in the financial services industry.  She and her husband recently retired and moved to the South Shore to be closer to family here and in Ontario.  An avid theatre goer, she volunteered for Bard on the Beach (Vancouver Shakespeare Festival) for several years.  Since moving to Nova Scotia, she’s been active in the Bridgewater Curling Club and the Seniors’ College Association of Nova Scotia (SCANS) as a member and in leadership and technical support roles as well as enjoying the community.  When not volunteering, she enjoys traveling across North America with her husband in her RV and kayaking.

A New Brunswick-born air force brat, Ruth returned to the East Coast after a 20-year stint in the Northern Ontario mining industry, making the beautiful South Shore of Nova Scotia her home. Ruth loves being Nana to five grandchildren. Past volunteer work includes serving as Treasurer of the Bridgewater and Area Performing Arts Society, Show Secretary of South Shore Horsemen’s Club, a Red Cross Therapy Dog handler, and being involved with several school and sports activities. She is honoured to volunteer as Treasurer for South Shore Players alongside her husband – musician and teacher, John Bird.

Jared St. Croix, the newest addition to our Board of Directors, brings over two decades of diverse IT experience to SSP. His background spans software development, IT management, operations, and cybersecurity, with roles at Metrolinx, NCR, Norton Rose LLP, RCMP, and various government levels. Jared’s expertise in managing events and high-stakes projects is complemented by his passion for theatre. He has contributed to stage productions both behind the scenes and as an actor, and his musical talents on ukulele and guitar have graced live shows. With his unique blend of technical expertise and love for performing arts, Jared aims to enhance SSP’s digital presence while supporting our mission to bring quality theatre to the community.

After retiring from a major oil and gas company in Calgary, Jean moved to Burlington Ontario. There she discovered her inner desire to perform by joining the Burlington Footnotes, a senior performing troupe.  Jean performed with an ensemble dance group and a vocal group performing Broadway musicals at their annual “Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance” production. After moving to Nova Scotia in 2019, Jean was thrilled to discover the South Shore Players. “Though calling myself a golfer would be a stretch, I enjoy golfing in the summer.”

Involved with music since he was a toddler, ‘Birdie’ attended the University of Portland, Oregon, studying clarinet and composition. His accolades include Best Song from the Nova Scotia Theatre Festival, and the Lescarbot Award for contributions to the artistic life of the Liverpool area. He has worked with Neptune Theatre, Winds of Change Theatre Group, and CBC Radio Drama. John is also a past and present member of several bands and groups in Nova Scotia. His contributions to South Shore Players include music arranging and playing in the pit orchestras. He shares a love of the arts with his wife, Ruth, SSP’s Treasurer.

Sheilagh spent 30+ years as an Administrative Assistant at the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax. After retiring in 2013, she relocated to ‘Martins Riviera.’ She made her theatrical debut in 2015 as a Lady of Avonlea in the South Shore Players’ production of Anne of Green Gables. Upon discovering there was an opening on SSP’s Board of Directors, she volunteered her services and was welcomed with open arms. Sitting on a Board was new to Sheilagh, but many years of clerical experience allows her to star in her leading role as SSP’s Communications Director.