Actor, Director, Writer
Whistling Fish Theatre Productions 1997-now

Plays and Stage Adaptations
CLARET AND AMBER, 2011
THE REMARKABLE EMILY CARR, 2009
GOLD! THE MUSICAL, 2006
ROCKBOUND THE MUSICAL, 2001
ADVENTURES WITH ALICE, 2006
THE WOMAN FROM CHAILLOT, 2005
CRY FROM THE FOREST, 1994

Born in England and raised in eastern Canada, Susan Shillingford has a BA in English from Ottawa University (1985-89), and a teaching degree from Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia (1989-91). She currently lives on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Susan trained as an actress for one year in Britain at Rose Bruford College, Kent (1969-70) and then for two years (1975-'77) at the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School, Vancouver BC with National Theatre School co-founder, Powys Thomas and voice coach Lloy Coutts. She has performed professionally in a number of theatres in both Canada and the US, including City Stage, Playhouse Theatre, Vancouver, BC; Centaur Theatre, Montreal, Que.; Bathhouse Theatre, Seattle, WA; Red Barn Theatre in Vestal, NY and Mermaid Theatre, Windsor, Nova Scotia.

Susan has directed a number of plays in various settings, including a staged reading of Whistling Fish Stage Musical 'Rockbound' at Dalhousie University in Halifax; followed by 2 staged productions of 'Rockbound the Musical' (2001-Nelson BC and 2003-Sidney, BC), a staged reading of 'Gold!' the musical at Charlie White Theatre, Sidney, BC (2006); her first stage play 'Cry from the Forest' in Ottawa (1994), 'Mapping the Soul' for Acadia University Science Seminar (1996), 'Waiting for the Parade" in Bridgewater, NS (1982), 'Blind Dancers', Acadia University Lunchtime Productions, a musical version of 'Mad Woman of Chaillot', Acadia University Summer Program (1995), and her new one-act adaptation of 'Mad Woman' and 'Adventures with Alice' at St. Margaret's School For Girls, Victoria, BC (2005). She also created the first Victoria Tall Ships Gala Concert - 'Tales and Songs of the Sea' in Victoria, BC at Christ Church Cathedral (2005).

Susan has written and directed two video documentaries; 'Working with Differences' for Carleton University Mediation Centre (1994) and 'In Search of Evelyn Garbary' for Acadia University, first shown at the Halifax Film Festival in 1992.

From 1997-2003, Susan researched and co-created forty-four music travelogue shows for the nationally aired TV series, STEEPLECHASING (Vision TV), filmed in Atlantic Canada ('98-'03).

Since 1997, Susan has been Artistic Director of Whistling Fish Productions which she co-founded in 1997 in Nova Scotia with partner Geoff Noble. She directed a Noh Play (Halifax Fringe 1997) and Kyogen Plays for a 1997-98 Nova Scotia School Tour.

Her play, 'The Remarkable Emily Carr', drawn from Emily Carr's journals, was adapted for the 2010 Discovery Series at the Chemainus Theatre Festival on Vancouver Island.

Susan has recently written 'CLARET AND AMBER', a two-act play featuring an imagined encounter between artist Emily Carr and author, Lucy Maud Montgomery.

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Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Director

For many years, Geoff has been delighting audiences with his warm voice, strong stage presence and poetic lyrics. A prolific songwriter, his music has been featured on television, stage and radio; and his material has been recorded and covered by many artists both in North America, and the UK.

Born in Leeds England in 1950 Geoff started singing at a very early age. After completing high school in Castleford, he went on to receive a teaching certificate in English and Drama at Bretton Hall College, Yorkshire. He then taught High School Drama for 5 years before deciding to focus on his entertainment career full time. Geoff started singing in folk clubs when he was 16. A few years later Geoff worked the Northern Working Men's Club circuit as a lounge style singer. His first love musically, however, has always been folk music and after a few years of Flying to the Moon and being 'Born Free' in very smoky, loud rooms with those for a lust for Bingo, Geoff decided once more to concentrate on performing in folk venues.

Geoff immigrated to Canada in 1978 and has since worked as a songwriter and performer. He has recorded 6 albums of his original music; written the songs and music for 3 full length musicals; been contracted to write promotional songs and music for the BC Government, the NS Government, and the Federal Government (Parks Canada). He has written educational material around the history of BC and Canada that was placed in every elementary school in BC, as well as many other schools across the country.

Geoff has been described by Vision TV as "Canada's Sir Harry Seacombe" although he sings nothing like him. The TV series Steeplechasing, hosted and written by Geoff, aired on national TV in Canada for 5 years. For its last 3 seasons, it was the most popular 'Made in Canada' series on Vision TV, with a weekly audience of over 100,000.

Live performance, however, remains his passion and Geoff has performed at numerous folk festivals, folk clubs, conventions and theatres. After 44 years of performing and writing he is comfortable in front of any audience.

His large repertoire, poetic lyrics, and warm comfortable stage presence always leave his audience happy that they have spent time, sharing some of Geoff's music. This has been endorsed by strong CD sales at his concerts. Geoff's new CD, "Ocean Song," released in late July of 2010, is selling on average, to 30% of his audience. Geoff has a wonderful rapport with his audiences. His beautifully crafted songs are enhanced by his strong voice and relaxed yet dynamic stage presence.

"Geoff has a warm and powerful voice that wraps itself around his songs and presents his audience with a memorable package of musical poetry. There are few singer song writers today who have the capability to enthrall an audience as he does".