DramaWay is now an officially registered charity!
This moment marks a powerful new chapter for our community. What started as a space for creativity and connection has grown into something even bigger: a thriving, inclusive arts community where every individual is valued, supported and celebrated.
Becoming a registered charity allows us to expand our reach, deepen our impact and continue delivering high-quality inclusive arts programming for individuals of all abilities. It strengthens our ability to grow sustainably while staying true to our mission of accessibility, creativity and belonging.
We’re celebrating with a month-long fundraising campaign!
To mark this exciting milestone, we are launching a month-long fundraising campaign in support of our specialized arts programs and our year-end Annual Arts Showcase on June 6th and 7th.
Throughout the month, we will be sharing powerful stories of impact, behind-the-scenes moments from our programs and highlights from the beautiful and vibrant community that makes DramaWay so special.
Our goal is to raise $20,000 in 1 month!
As a registered charity, you can now receive official tax receipts for your donations, making it even easier to support DramaWay in a meaningful way.
With your support, we aim to raise $20,000 in just 30 days to continue building accessible, impactful arts experiences for our performers.
Follow along on social media: Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn
Together, we can ensure DramaWay continues to grow, thrive and inspire for years to come.
To our participants, families, staff and supporters, this is because of you. Thank you for believing in what we do.
Our new chapter starts now ✨
Click here or scroll down to explore our Spotlights and see the impact you help make possible!
SPOTLIGHTS:
April 1st: The DramaWay Story
April 3rd: Alexis
April 5th: Ouriana
April 7th: Jeffrey
April 9th:
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April 25th:
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April 29th:
Click the link beside each date
April 7th: Jeffrey
🎭 Jeffrey once serenaded nearly every girl in his high school with “Angel” by Shaggy and now he’s bringing that same star power to DramaWay! This is Jeffrey’s first official theatre program, but performing is nothing new to him! He leads his band “Country Stars”, puts on birthday shows with his sister Natalie (often directing and casting her as backup) and comes from a family of performers. Fact: His grandfather played guitar with Tony Bennett!
Jeffrey also appeared in the DramaWay PIFF film “I Knead Your Love” and will make his stage debut at Papermill Theatre in June as “The Door to Adventure” in “Wonderland: The Next Chapter”.
Jeffrey’s sister, Natalie Metcalfe is a two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner and Second City alum who created and show-ran Made For TV (Crave), written for the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards, appeared in Abroad (OMNI) and Twisted Metal (Amazon), and performs online with Christian Smith as Christian & Nat, where Jeffrey has even joined improvised sketches like “We’re Going to Rob a Bank!” 🎬Clearly, if there’s a stage (or a camera), this family will find it!
From music to film to the stage, Jeffrey brings energy, creativity and confidence to everything he does and we can’t wait to see him shine!
Help performers like Jeffrey continue to grow, create and take the stage by supporting DramaWay today!
April 5th: Ouriana
Ouriana’s love for theatre began many years ago when she first joined a DramaWay program at ErinoakKids. Even at a young age, she dreamed of being on stage! Since then, she has brought that dream to life time and time again, taking on many roles and embracing every opportunity to perform.
Through the arts, she has discovered a place where she can truly shine, grow and express herself.
Today, Ouriana is flourishing, building meaningful friendships and growing in confidence with each new experience. Her mom has seen an incredible transformation as Ouriana steps into the spotlight, whether she’s singing at the DSAP gala, singing at her church, performing at her own birthday celebrations or sharing her voice with a crowd.
She brings joy, bravery and heart to every performance!
Keep the spotlight on Ouriana and her friends at DramaWay by GIVING today!
April 3rd: Alexis
Over the past two years, Alexis has grown into a confident and creative presence in the DramaWay community, bringing a love for performance to every class she joins.
One of Alexis’s most special moments at DramaWay was stepping onto the stage and performing for the very first time. That experience marked an exciting milestone in her journey, highlighting her courage, growth and passion for the arts.
Beyond the stage, Alexis enjoys expressing herself through painting, cooking and dancing. She also loves exploring the city, from Ossington and Bloor West to Yorkdale and High Park, embracing opportunities to relax, have fun and connect with others.
Alexis is also the muse and inspiration behind her sister’s Instagram account, Classic But Not Common, a space that celebrates her unique style and spirit.
Alexis’s enthusiasm and confidence make her a joy to watch, and we are so excited to see her continue to grow as a performer.
Help Alexis and her DramaWay friends continue to build confidence, creativity and connection by GIVING today at dramaway.com/give
April 1st: The DramaWay Story
As a child, our Founder and Executive Director, Danielle Strnad would perform little skits in her bathtub, using the shower curtain as her theatre curtain. That early love of storytelling eventually grew into something much bigger.
In 1999, Danielle founded DramaWay with just one drama class and five performers, believing that individuals of all abilities deserved meaningful opportunities to explore the arts in a supportive and compassionate environment.
Today, that single class has grown into a thriving charitable inclusive arts organization, supported by a passionate team of artists, educators and advocates. DramaWay now offers a wide range of accessible arts programming from theatre and dance to music and film, as well as accessibility consulting, training and workshops for organizations and industry partners including companies such as Disney. To date, DramaWay has impacted over 10,000 performers and families.
From bathtub stages to professional stages with real theatre curtains, the dream has grown and so has the impact.
As we begin this exciting new chapter, we invite you to help keep the curtains rising for performers of all abilities by GIVING today.
