Shael On Stage

Shael Risman has spent much of his life performing as a singer, pianist, actor, and director. Influenced by artists including Billy Joel, Elton John, Joe Jackson, and Elvis Costello, he has performed extensively as a solo musician and with various bands, most recently The DAWGS, a popular Durham Region-based group. His musical appearances have included Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts’ Live in the Plaza, Whitby’s Sounds of Summer, and solo performances at Whitby’s Celebration Square.

Shael’s theatrical journey began at the Leah Posluns Theatre School, studying under mentors including Rose Dubin, Lewis Baumander, and Tom Diamond. He has acted and directed extensively with Whitby Courthouse Theatre, Oshawa Little Theatre, and Ajax Community Theatre, earning a Thea Award for his portrayal of Ira Drew in It’s Only a Play. His directing credits include Next to Normal, Rabbit Hole, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and A Doll’s House, Part 2. A former Artistic Director of Whitby Courthouse Theatre (2018–2020), Shael now shares his experience through Stage Door Acting Studio, teaching and coaching adult actors in scene study, auditions, and performance.