Compact Theatre
Dalia Gesser's Resumé
Dalia entertained audiences from 1980-2000, under the name Compact Theatre, with her delightfully original one-woman children's shows combining mime, mask, clown and circus skills. With the auspices of Prologue to the Performing Arts she toured throughout Ontario performing for schools, libraries and many other types of venues until 1992. During that time, she organized workshops and classes in the disciplines of creative drama, mime, mask, clown, and circus skills. After relocating to the Greater Kingston Area in 1992, Dalia set up a management division and continued to perform her one-woman shows, as well as teach theatre arts workshops, with great success. In 2000 she began channeling her interests and energies primarily towards teaching and directing theatre arts. Most of her arts/education programs, until 2015, has been focused on elementary schools but she has brought her theatre arts specialties to many adults from students of Queen's U. and St. Lawrence College to various community groups. For the last eight years Dalia has been specializing in programs for seniors and intellectually challenged adults. Dalia’s other passion is writing non-fiction short stories and brings her appreciation of storytelling to all her theatre arts workshops. Dalia has been the recipient of many Ontario Arts Council grants including 'Creative Artists in the Schools', ‘Artists in Education’, 'Artists in the Community/Workplace' and 'Artists in the Community & Schools Projects' grants. Beginning in 2019, Dalia has been presenting, 'Writer's Talks', and running 'Story Sharing with Dalia' programs in person, through conference calls and virtually. In these sessions, she reads some of her published works about family, pets, interesting people in the community and invites the audience/participants to share their life experiences.
Published & Online Short Stories:
2024 Vista Magazine - May issue 'Dora & Sam'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2024 The Senior Paper - March issue 'Anxious Moment of Disorientation'
Published by The Senior Paper
2024 Vista Magazine - March issue 'Gracia & Ed'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2024 Vista Magazine - February issue 'Keeping Emily Safe'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2023 Vista Magazine - November issue 'The View from Above'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2023 Vista Magazine – September issue ‘Summer Travels with the Family’
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2023 Chicken Soup for the Soul: All You Need is Love ‘Happily Ever After’ – republished
Published by Chicken Soup for the Soul LLC
2023 Threads Cultural Conversations 2023 – ‘My Ukrainian Roots’ – Video Story
Saskatchewan Open Door Society
2022 Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Christmas 'Our New Christmas Tradition'
Published by Chicken Soup for the Soul LLC
2022 Vista Magazine – October issue 'Broccoli Anyone?'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2021 Vista Magazine – October issue 'My Cousin Rona'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2021 Vista Magazine – May issue 'My Baby's Mother'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2020 Kingston Life Magazine - Nov./Dec. issue 'Tales from a Taxi' – 5 Short Stories
Kingston Publications, Postmedia
2020 Vista Magazine - July issue 'Saidie's Fishheads'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2020 Vista Magazine - May issue 'My Favourite Piano Teacher'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2020 Vista Magazine - February issue 'Musical Love'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2019 Montreal Writes - November issue 'Consequences'
Published by www.montrealwrites.com
2019 Vista Magazine - August issue 'Biting Off More than I Could Chew'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2019 Vista Magazine - July Issue 'Algonquin Park'
Published by Seniors Association Kingston Region
2018 Kingston Life Magazine - Sept./Oct. issue 'Tales from a Taxi' - 4 short stories
Kingston Publications, Postmedia
2017 Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and the Unexplainable 'Happily Ever After'
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC
2017 Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Dog Really Did That? 'My Comical Security System'
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC
2012 Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can't Believe My Dog Did That ‘My Roadie’
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC
2011 Chicken Soup for the Soul: Oh Canada ‘A Small Start to Something Big’-
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC
2009 Conscious Women: Conscious Relationships ‘The Man of My Dream’
compiled by Darlene Montgomery - Lifedreams Publishing
2006 Conscious Women: Conscious Mothers ‘If He Were a She’
compiled by Darlene Montgomery - White Knight Books
Writer's Talks/Conference Calls, Zoom & In Person Story Sharing Programs: Adult Centres Description Length of Program
2019 - - Reading some of her published - 30 Min. - 1 hour sessions
Carveth Care Centre works, sharing anecdotes
Conservatory Pond Ret. Res.
Fairmount Home
Kingsbridge Retirement Community
Kingsdale Chateau
Place Kensington
Providence Manor Home
Royale Place Retirement Res.
Senior Centre Without Walls (SCWW)
- different centres in Ontario and B.C.
Senior Association of Kingston
S. Frontenac Community Services
Toronto - Council On Aging
Diner's Club
Waterford Retirement Residence
Westmount One Senior Residence
Arts/Education:
Adult Education Theatrical Discipline Length of Program
2019 - Theatre Games, Mime, - 'Artists in Communities
Place Kensington Retirement Residence Song, Original Use of and School Projects'
Royale Place Retirement Residence Props, Imagination Games grant 25 - 30 Weeks
Waterford K. Retirement Residence Story sharing - 1 hour sessions
2018
Alzheimer Society of Kingston
Conservatory Pond Retirement Residence
Fairmount Home
Place Kensington Senior Residence
Royale Place Retirement Residence
South Frontenac Community Services
- Senior Day Program
Westmount One Senior Residence
2017
Alzheimer Society of Kingston - Singing, Theatre Games, - 1 hour workshops
Arbour Heights Long Term Care Residence Mime, Original Use of Props - 8 week program
Carveth Care Centre & Storytelling - 'Artists in the
Community & Primary Health Care Community/Workplace'
- Gananoque - Seeley's Bay grant 25 - 30 Weeks
Conservatory Pond Retirement Residence - 'Artists in Communities &
Hildegarde Centre Schools Projects' grant Rosewood Retirement Residence 25 - 30 Weeks Royale Place Retirement Residence
2016
H'art Centre – Intellectually Challenged Adults - Dance, Creative Drama, Mime - 1 year Artist-In-Residence
Providence Manor Seniors' Home - Creative Drama, Mime,Storytelling - 1 hour classes
Rideaucrest - Seniors' Home - 11 week program
St. Lawrence Place - Seniors' Home
Trillium Retirement Residence
Waterford Retirement Residence
2015
H'art Centre - Seniors' Wksp. - Creative Drama, Mime, Storytelling - 6 week workshop
Fairmount Home/Seniors in the - Creative Drama, Mime, Music - 'Artists in the Community/ Community & Storytelling Workplace' grant - 14 Weeks
2005 – 2015
Frontenac County Childcare Workers - Creative Drama - half day workshops Librarian Ass. Of Eastern Ontario - Mime - 2 day workshop Queen’s U. Teachers Candidates - Circus - half day workshops
Queen’s U. Teachers as Artists - 6 week courses
St. Lawrence College - 8 wk. private mime lessons
Kingston Region Schools: 1992 – 2015
Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board: Archbishop O’Sullivan - Creative Drama - 1 hr.-16 day programs
Ecole Catholique Cathedrale - Mime - 10 wk. lunch hour programs
Holy Name Catholic School - Mask - 'Artists in Education' grants -
John XXlll Catholic School - Circus 7 week programs
Mother Teresa Catholic School
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Cath. S.
St. Patrick Catholic School
St. Paul Catholic School
St. Peters Catholic School
Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario:
St. Edward Catholic School
Limestone District School Board:
Central P.S.
Centreville P.S.
Centennial P.S.
Collins Bay P.S.
Ecole Lundy’s Lane
Ecole Module de l’Acadie
Ecole Sir John A. Macdonald P.S.
Elginburg P.S.
Enterprise P.S.
Frontenac P.S.
Glenburnie P.S.
Harrowsmith P.S.
J.E. Horton P.S.
John Graves Simcoe P.S.
J. R. Gordon Sinclair P.S.
James R. Henderson P.S.
Lancaster Drive P.S.
Lord Strathcona P.S.
Loughborough P.S.
Perth Road P.S.
Prince Charles P.S.
Polson Park P.S
Rideau P.S.
Storrington P.S.
Sydenham P.S.
Tamworth P.S.
Truedell P.S.
Winston Churchill P.S.
Upper Canada District School Board:
Addington P.S.
Escott P.S.
Frankville P.S.
Lansdowne District P.S.
Linklater P.S.
Rideau Centennial P.S.
Sweet’s Corners P.S.
South Crosby P.S.
The Stewart School
Thousand Islands Elementary School
William Hiscocks P.S.
Community Groups - Creative Drama - half day workshops
Cataraqui Town Centre - Circus
Childbirth Kingston ‘Baby Fair’
First Night Kingston 2000 Girl Guides & Sparks
5678 Dance Studio Kingston Frontenac Public Library
Gananoque Festival of the Islands Montessori School
March Break/P.A. Day Programs - Creative Drama - 1-5 day workshops
Anthea Morgan’s Day Care - Circus
Cosmic Adventures
Dreams in Motion Performing Arts S.
Gananoque Recreation Centre
Mulberry (Waldorf) School
Queen’s After Hours Day Care
Rideau Lakes Township
Upper Canada Academy of Performing Arts
After School Programs - Creative Drama - 10 week programs
Battersea Studio
Perth Road P.S.
Seeley’s Bay Fire Hall
Theatre Five
Summer Camps - Creative Drama - half day - 5 day workshops
Gilmour Point Day Camp - Circus
Just for the Love of It
Lancaster Drive Day Camp
Not So Amateur Amateurs Buskers Camp - Mime & Circus - 7 yrs. + (2010 – 2016)
Maple Crest School Day Camp
St. Lawrence College-Summer School of Music
1980 - 1992
Schools, libraries & community groups -Mime, Mask, Clown, Circus - half day workshops
in the Greater Toronto Area -Creative Drama 2 - 'Creative Artists in the Schools' programs
Performing/ Directing
1985 - 2015 - Drama, Mime, Dance & Circus H'art Centre – Summer performance
Nathaniel Rankin, international award winning magician/circus artist
Schools, children and seniors' community groups
1980-2000 - Compact Theatre Performed 3 original one woman children's
shows:‘Petal the Clown’, 'Petal’s Circus’,
‘Maskerade’, under the auspices of
Prologue to the Performing Arts until 1992
Self-managed 1992-2000.
1979/80 - Tandem Mime Company Mime duo: toured schools in Quebec & B.C.
Performed at the 2nd Canadian Mime Festival.
1978 Canadian Mime Company Performed adult/children mime & clown shows.
1978 CBC tv “The Garden & the Cage” Performed mime and mask work in various scenes.
Training
1995 Self taught Tightrope walking
1979 Self taught Unicyclist, stilts
1979 Naomi Tyrell (from Paul Gaulin Mime Co.) Mime
1977/78 Canadian Mime School Mime, mask, clown and drama
1975-77 Purchase University, N.Y. Dance major
1975 Lynda Skye Modern dance
1974/75 Les Ballets Jazz Jazz dance
1974 Banff School of Fine Arts Dance major
1973/74 Lionel Kilner Modern dance
1973 U. of Vermont Summer Program Ballet & jazz dance
1967-73 Les Grands Ballet Canadiens Ballet
