2026 Adjudicators

Melissa Morris is an actor, singer, musician, musical director, composer, director, playwright, and educator. She is a double graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston, with a bachelor’s in music and drama, and a master’s in cultural studies where she researched verbatim musical theatre.

Melissa’s career as a performer has taken her across North America and the Caribbean, where she has had the pleasure of working at Chemainus Theatre, Drayton Festival, Theatre Orangeville, Port Hope Festival, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Stirling Theatre, Upper Canada Playhouse, Orillia Opera House, Gravenhurst Opera House, Theatre Collingwood, Theatre Kingston, and on a cruise ship. She was Resident Musical Director/Composer at St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival for 10 seasons and has musical directed at different companies in Canada and has directed several operas for Toronto City Opera. Some feature roles include playing Annie Kenney in the world premiere of Leslie Arden’s new musical, Lancashire Lass, and her one-woman musical about Mary Pickford- Sweetheart by Dean Burry. Melissa composed music for the Off-Broadway hit Evil Dead the Musical, which has had productions all over the globe.

After teaching at Queen’s University and Sheridan College, Melissa became a faculty member at Capilano University where she teaches voice, acting, musical theatre courses and music theory. Melissa runs her own private vocal studio online, where she coaches singers and actors of all ages. She is delighted to adjudicate for the Kiwanis Festival and support and encourage young artists.