Deborah Tennant

Singing Lessons Division Head;
Singing Lessons

Deborah Tennant has been a professional performer in the fields of music theatre, drama, film and TV for over 30 years. Her portrayal of Sister Berthe in the Mirvish production of The Sound of Music was praised as “wonderfully droll” by the Toronto Star’s Richard Ouzounian. She has played Mother Abbess, Sisters Margaretta and Sophia, and Maria in other productions of SOM over her career, including The Stratford Festival where she also appeared in Inherit the Wind. Deborah has acted and sung across Canada, from Vancouver to Halifax. She was a company member at the Manitoba Theatre Centre for 2 seasons, appearing in The Man Who Came to Dinner, Paper Wheat, A Tale of Two Cities, Sister Mary Explains It All to You and Bedroom Farce. Other favourite roles include Marilla in Anne of Green Gables and Eulalie Shinn in The Music Man for 1000 Islands Playhouse; Ruth in Blithe Spirit and Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance for Sunshine Festival Orillia; and Mrs Higgins in My Fair Lady, Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast,and Yente in Fiddler on the Roof, all for The Capitol in Port Hope. Deborah has created roles in several new plays, including Act of Creation for Magnus Theatre; Team on the Hill by Dan Needles for Theatre Orangeville; Vickie Parker in Swing Dance for Theatre Gravenhurst; and Darla in The Philanderess for the Toronto Fringe, which won Patron’s Pick and the Second City Comedy Writing Award. Deborah also has an extensive film and TV resume, including Little Mosque on the Prairie (CBC), Cheetah Girls (Disney),Princess (Disney), Martha Behind Bars (CBS), Sensitive Skin (Showcase), Crawford (CBC), Anne with an E (CBC/Netflix), Shazam!, White Lie (shown at TIFF), and the recurring roles of Professor Frame on Private Eyes (Global), and Marcie (Patrick’s Mom) on Schitt’s Creek (CBC/Netflix). Deborah has worked as a Casting Assistant for theatre, including Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia!, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, Come From Away, and Dear Evan Hansen. Deborah has taught in the Triple Threat Program at Randolph College for over 20 years and is a Coordinator for the Vocal Division. She helped develop the Music Theatre Presentation curriculum and brings a unique approach to song analysis based on her experience as an actor and a singer.