Jennifer Kristine Gillis (born 26 April 1996) is a Canadian singer,
dancer and actress with an extensive resume in musical theatre,
television, singing, radio, recording, and animated voice-over work.
Gillis is most noted for performing in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's CBC
TV reality show Over the Rainbow[1]-a competition to be cast as the
leading role of Dorothy Gale in Lloyd Webber's forthcoming production
of The Wizard of Oz in Toronto, Ontario.[2] Being the youngest
aspiring singer in the competition, she singularly represented her
province of British Columbia and as a result was named the Top 6th
musical theatre performer in all of Canada.[3] Since Over the Rainbow,
Gillis sang the Canadian national anthem "O Canada" for the Prime
Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper on Parliament Hill in Ottawa,
Ontario on Canada Day in 2013. She is a professional Canadian Musical
Theatre Actress performing in roles such as Maria in West Side Story,
Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Beth in Little Women, Millie Dilmount in
Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical, Ariel Moore in
Footloose and more .[4]Gillis was born and raised in Coquitlam,
British Columbia, the older sister of Rachelle Gillis, also an
actress, who has appeared in the Disney XD film Pants on Fire. She was
involved in the performing arts industry from a very young age and at
the age of seven, Gillis was scouted by Carrier Talent Management, a
talent agency in Central Vancouver and began her career as a TV
actress. On screen, Gillis appeared in many television commercials for
toy companies such as Mattel (Barbie, Polly Pocket, and Fur Real
Friends). Gillis then performed animated voice-over work. Gillis
appeared in the TV series Bratz and also did many radio commercials
for companies such as John Casablancas, Newland Homes, The Canadian
Cancer Society, Shaw, and BLT DVD Productions. Gillis attended
Gleneagle Secondary School, concentrating in the performing arts.
Gillis appeared in many of her school's musical theatre productions,
playing such roles as Millie Dilmount in the musical Thoroughly Modern
Millie, Gertrude Mcfuzz in Seussical the Musical,[5] Cindy Lou Who in
How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Ariel Moore in the musical
Footloose. She graduated in 2014.Since the age of six, Gillis trained
with Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts in her hometown of
Coquitlam, British Columbia for over 10 consecutive years, training
and studying musical theatre-singing, dancing and acting. With the
performing arts academy she toured all around Greater British Columbia
performing in many professional productions.Gillis has played leading
roles all across Canada in Professional Canadian Musicals. Roles
include Ariel in Disney's "The Little Mermaid," Maria in "West Side
Story," Beth in "Little Women," Millie Dilmount in "Thoroughly Modern
Millie," Ariel Moore in "Footloose," Miss. Dorothy Brown in
"Thoroughly Modern Millie," Gertrude McFuzz in "Seussical," Diana in
"Anne of Green Gables," Kim MacAfee in "Bye Bye Birdie," Little Red in
"Into the Woods" to name select credits.
dancer and actress with an extensive resume in musical theatre,
television, singing, radio, recording, and animated voice-over work.
Gillis is most noted for performing in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's CBC
TV reality show Over the Rainbow[1]-a competition to be cast as the
leading role of Dorothy Gale in Lloyd Webber's forthcoming production
of The Wizard of Oz in Toronto, Ontario.[2] Being the youngest
aspiring singer in the competition, she singularly represented her
province of British Columbia and as a result was named the Top 6th
musical theatre performer in all of Canada.[3] Since Over the Rainbow,
Gillis sang the Canadian national anthem "O Canada" for the Prime
Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper on Parliament Hill in Ottawa,
Ontario on Canada Day in 2013. She is a professional Canadian Musical
Theatre Actress performing in roles such as Maria in West Side Story,
Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Beth in Little Women, Millie Dilmount in
Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical, Ariel Moore in
Footloose and more .[4]Gillis was born and raised in Coquitlam,
British Columbia, the older sister of Rachelle Gillis, also an
actress, who has appeared in the Disney XD film Pants on Fire. She was
involved in the performing arts industry from a very young age and at
the age of seven, Gillis was scouted by Carrier Talent Management, a
talent agency in Central Vancouver and began her career as a TV
actress. On screen, Gillis appeared in many television commercials for
toy companies such as Mattel (Barbie, Polly Pocket, and Fur Real
Friends). Gillis then performed animated voice-over work. Gillis
appeared in the TV series Bratz and also did many radio commercials
for companies such as John Casablancas, Newland Homes, The Canadian
Cancer Society, Shaw, and BLT DVD Productions. Gillis attended
Gleneagle Secondary School, concentrating in the performing arts.
Gillis appeared in many of her school's musical theatre productions,
playing such roles as Millie Dilmount in the musical Thoroughly Modern
Millie, Gertrude Mcfuzz in Seussical the Musical,[5] Cindy Lou Who in
How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Ariel Moore in the musical
Footloose. She graduated in 2014.Since the age of six, Gillis trained
with Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts in her hometown of
Coquitlam, British Columbia for over 10 consecutive years, training
and studying musical theatre-singing, dancing and acting. With the
performing arts academy she toured all around Greater British Columbia
performing in many professional productions.Gillis has played leading
roles all across Canada in Professional Canadian Musicals. Roles
include Ariel in Disney's "The Little Mermaid," Maria in "West Side
Story," Beth in "Little Women," Millie Dilmount in "Thoroughly Modern
Millie," Ariel Moore in "Footloose," Miss. Dorothy Brown in
"Thoroughly Modern Millie," Gertrude McFuzz in "Seussical," Diana in
"Anne of Green Gables," Kim MacAfee in "Bye Bye Birdie," Little Red in
"Into the Woods" to name select credits.
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