Twins take different paths to theatre careers

As twin sisters, Kesinee and Joelle Haney have shared many things their life—including a passion for musical theatre. This month, the two will also share the experience of graduating together with BFA degrees in theatre. However, each sister took a different path to come to UVic and their own separate paths through the theatre program.

Joelle applied to UVic’s theatre department right out of high school. “It was a no-brainer for me to go into theatre. I knew people who were already in the program and I had heard good things.”

Kesinee, however, spent a year at the University of Calgary before deciding that kinesiology was definitely not her calling. Needing a break and a chance to recharge, she came to Victoria to visit her sister. “I basically fell in love with the campus. I knew on the plane ride home to Calgary that I would be applying to UVic. I realized that my love of performing, my love of theatre far surpassed my interest in becoming a doctor or a teacher…. I will only be young once, and so if I was going to pursue a career in something as competitive as theatre, I wanted to do it while I was still flexible and not tied down… and resilient.”

The UVic theatre program was also exactly what Kesinee felt she needed to pursue her new career choice. “I wanted a degree, not just a diploma. I felt that its well-roundedness and breadth of information would suit me well for where I was in my life.”

While both sisters began with an interest in the acting specialization, Joelle’s direction turned to applied theatre after taking a class with Dr. Warwick Dobson. Applied theatre uses dramatic skills for teaching purposes, building a sense of community or changing society. As she was also active as community volunteer and political activist, Joelle found what she didn’t know she was looking for. “I realized that my passion for acting and my passion for making change in the world could both be fed in this one program. It was love from then on.”

Kesinee excelled in the acting specialization, performing in five mainstage productions over four years, including the title role in Yerma and playing Feste in Twelfth Night. In the 2008 production of Dark of the Moon, the twin sisters actually played twin sisters on stage. Many of Kesinee’s roles took advantage of her amazing voice and her love of singing, with local media commenting on her “commanding presence.” “My biggest joy is singing,” says Kesinee. “I started singing before I could talk, and it helps me get through each and every day.“

Now that she’s graduating, her voice is opening up more doors. This spring, Kesinee auditioned for three of England’s top schools for musical theatre and gained acceptances to the Guildford School of Acting and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, as well as being wait-listed for Arts Educational Schools London.

“I’ve accepted my place at Mountview and start in September. After graduating, I hope to break into the musical theatre world in London’s West End and hopefully sustain a living performing in theatre. That would definitely be my dream.”

Joelle’s dreams are for her hometown. “Right now I’m enjoying working at a pre-school. I want to continue working with children and get a culture of applied theatre, and “Theatre in Education” (TIE) started here in Calgary. I’d like to go back to school for a master’s in education or applied theatre and eventually, hopefully, make a bigger dent in the world of TIE.”

Of their years here at UVic, they both have absolutely no regrets. “The professors and staff here take a vested interest in your success both academically and personally,” says Joelle. “Applied theatre has opened up a world of opportunities for me. At this point it is very exciting that I have so many paths to choose from and such a wealth of ideas and skills.”

Kesinee agrees. “I have the theoretical and practical knowledge I need and am extremely happy in my choice. I learned more about myself than I ever thought I would in a few short years. To be an honest actor, you have to be honest about yourself. I am closer to the adult I want to be because of my four years at UVic. The support from the whole department, the performance committee and my fellow students helped me go further than I could have on my own.”

Come this fall, the sisters will be separated again. “I have been with her my whole life and she really is my best friend,” says Kesinee. “It will be strange being away from her, but I think it will be a good move for both of us, and she’s always welcome to crash at my place in London!”