Nova Scotian Janet MacEwen always knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. Weekly voice lessons, dance/drama classes and 3 High School musicals later, her first summer job was working Front of House @ The Charlottetown Festival where she first met the great Alan Lund. After graduating from Dalhousie University's Theatre Arts Program, Janet went on tour, but not before forming her own theatre company. She produced and company managed Another Theatre Company productions for 4 years. During this time period Janet also toured Musical Theatre revues like Alan Lund's "MEET THE NAVY" and Theatre For Young People productions like, "NEW CANADIAN KID". She sang in the John Alphonse Big Band and various Jazz combos, modeled, and did TV commercials, and apprenticed and worked as a make-up artist for the C.B.C and C.T.V. After moving to Toronto in the mid-80's, Janet found herself in Musical Theatre full time and grateful to be studying voice with Cornelius Reid's protégé, David Dunbar. Her first Ontario job was playing Claire in Jim Betts' STAGE FRIGHT (Huron Country Playhouse). Other roles include: JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL... (National Arts Centre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Another Theatre Company), PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES - Prudie (Ch'town Festival, National Arts Centre, Grand Theatre London, Centaur Theatre & Nat'l Tour), PAL JOEY - Linda (Theatre Calgary), SWEET CHARITY - Frenchie (Rainbow Stage), MAMA MIA - Donna/Rosie us (Toronto Company). Canadian regional theatre premieres include: SUDS - Marge (The Danforth Music Hall), EVITA - The Mistress, LES MISERABLES - Fantine and CATS - Grizabella @ Neptune Theatre. During the run of EVITA Janet met Alfie Zappacosta who began hiring her as a session singer back in Toronto. This led to Janet's year as an Account Executive in the advertising world where she hired V.O. actors, produced radio spots and print ads, wrote ad copy and kept deadlines. Janet also was the BackStage Co-ordinator for C.B.C. Toronto's "Ralph Benmurgi's Friday Night" and was Asst. Floor Director for the first U.S. televised NHL Skills Competition in Pittsberg. Starring in the world premieres of A MATTER OF HEART- the Music of Stan Rogers (Theatre Orangeville), DADS IN BONDAGE (Factory Theatre), VICTORY (Neptune Theatre), FIREWEEDS (The Red Barn), and Leslie Arden's THE HOUSE OF MARTIN GUERRE (Best actress Dora Award nomination) instilled a pride in Canadian works. Two years of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - Mrs.Potts (Toronto Company) led to an exciting year in the BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Broadway Company w/Tony Braxton, Andrea McArdle and MeeshacTaylor followed by two years of playing 'Mrs. Potts' in the U.S. National Tour of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. While living in New York Janet had the privilege of studying with Cornelius Reid and Craig Carnelia and working with the great Marvin Hamlisch, Nicholas Hytner, John Guare and Jonathan Price on SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. For CanStage, Janet originated the roles of Alex (in the Leslie Arden workshop of MOLL) and Dr.Gibbons et al (in the workshop of OUTRAGEOUS) and was the producer and company manager for Script Lab's CANADIAN MUSICAL THEATRE WEEK new workshop of FIREWEEDS (in which she also played the role of Paula). Janet has played Marilla Cuthbert in ANNE OF GREEN GABLES @ Stage West Mississauga and @ The Ch'town Festival where 2 years ago she was also featured in CANADA ROCKS. In March 2008, Janet was proud to perform the monologue "The Flood" in The VDay 10th Anniversary of THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES. Janet has been a member of the teaching faculty of The Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto off and on for the last twelve years and she has recently accepted a position on the Advisory Board of Toronto's newest theatre company: A Lovely Little Theatre Company

Other Career Highlights

• Singing the Canadian National Anthem in 5 part Blue Grass harmony on the final Opening Day game for the BlueJays in Toronto's Exhibition Stadium.
• Singing a Big Band duet with Denny Doherty in a CBC New Year's Eve Super Special.
• "For the first time ever, Disney's Beauty and the Beast Broadway smash hit musical will be coming to Philadelphia, and Janet MacEwen as "Mrs. Potts" will be featured in The 80th year of 6ABC/Boscov's Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day Parade - the highest rated local television event in the Delaware Valley, carried live by ABC's Good Morning America, live from the parade site Thanksgiving morning!" - and she got run over by the float. No, I'm not kidding.