Great stories for today's kids
experienced storytellers who've toured across Canada and into the USA
Meet HeARTbeat's Owners
HeARTbeat is made up of three passionate artists, who love kids and are pursuing a calling to tell stories that will inspire students and the people who help them grow (parents, teachers & other creatives) to embrace their uniqueness and be the best version of themselves. We believe everyone of us has the power to make the world around us a better place!
Not only do we create, perform and work together, but we're great friends who love to travel, laugh and imagine together.
Melissa Dorsey
Melissa studied music at Rocky Mountain College and then moved on to take acting classes with The Company of Rogues Actor's Studio. During that time, she’s helped start up three new theatre companies, performed six shows with Jubilations Dinner Theatre, composed music for seven of Heritage Park's original musicals, wrote and performed an original show for Fringe Festivals and toured with HOJA all around western Canada. Dorsey has also provided acting & singing coaching for high school productions, facilitated workshops for new works, adjudicated high school play festivals, as well as directed, stage managed, designed and produced over twenty productions around Calgary. Currently, she is teaching private music lessons, dubbing an anime cartoon (showing in Singapore and the UK) as well as performing for her sixth summer at Heritage Park. After working in a church for three years as their Drama/Worship Arts Coordinator, Melissa is excited to be bringing her passion out into the world inspiring kids around the country to discover their God-given talents and pursue a Christ-filled life.
Mark Holmes
Mark has been working as an actor for almost 20 years. After graduating from the Mt. Royal College theatre program, Mark performed at Shakespeare In The Park, Theatre Junction, The Shakespeare Company, and his own company- Corpus Callosum. Within a year from graduating, he was cast as Lance Vader in Disney's 'Honey, I Shrunk The Kids' tv series. Mark moved to Vancouver to continue his pursuit of a career in film and television and has acted in 'First Wave', 'Jeremiah', 'Big Sound', 'Boot Camp', 'Chicks With Sticks', 'Carolina Moon', and others. Recently, Mark has returned to his theatre roots and has focused on children's theatre, working with Quest Theatre and Evergreen Theatre as both an actor and instructor. He has also spent the past 3 seasons as a performer at Heritage Park, and toured with 'Bravehearted Boys', and 'Bravehearted Girls' across Canada. Mark's biggest pleasure has been his involvement with Foothills Alliance Church's worship team. He has acted in and directed numerous weekend skits, and holiday plays. Most notably, Mark performed as John The Baptist this Easter, and Jesus last Easter.
Rebecca Schnell
Rebecca has a BFA in Drama from the University of Calgary. She worked as a Children's Pastor in the midwest USA for 10 years; a ministry that combined her love of children, her devotion to Jesus, and her passion for the arts. Rebecca's taught drama to kids of all ages, in different places over the past 20 years, including Quest Theatre in Calgary. She's worked in Creative Arts ministry, Strategic Leadership and has experience in Communications. Rebecca has toured in Canada as an actor in 'Bravehearted Boys' and 'Bravehearted Girls' with Fun & Faith. She has experience as a theatre director and producer; having led casts of up to 65 children, teens and adults. Producing creative video work both as an camera host and behind the scenes as director is also part of her wheelhouse. Most recently, Rebecca's enjoying adding to new skills to her acting skills with recent training as a voice actor.