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They have all found their passions through their lives and OrKIDstra has helped them along the way. Rebecca explains that there are high expectations placed on the kids in the program and they are guided to achieve their goals and to adhere to the time limits put on them. The skills learned, such as time management, are transferable to their life after the program. There are 850 kids enrolled in OrKidstra, in both in-school and after-school programs. If you want to see the OrKidstra program in action, plan to attend their Centretown Hub Holiday Concert on Wednesday, December 18 at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre (355 Cooper St). The show begins at 6:30 p.m. There is no fee to attend the concert, but donations to OrKidstra are always welcome.
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Upon finishing her bachelor’s degree, Lapenat decided to channel her passion into building her production company, Velvet Vernacular. Velvet Vernacular and its debut web series, Joyfully Jaded grew out of Lapenat’s collaboration with like-minded colleague Angelica Toledo. The two self-starters were inspired to produce their own series by other young creatives who “proved that you are capable of creating work yourself without waiting for the phone to ring.”
Lapenat and Toledo double as the on-screen and off-screen stars of Joyfully Jaded, a series that follows the lives of two diametrically opposed female protagonists that, through a twist of fate, are forced to live together. Over the course of the series, characters Joy and Jade endure the mundanities of apartment living as well as the wild absurdities that Toledo and Lapenat’s plot cooks up for them. Developing, performing, and producing an original series, however, was no easy feat.
Having made such strides in just five years, Lapenat doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. When asked about future projects and career plans, she states that she wants to always be creating and participating in “bigger and better things,” and is always thinking of how to “one-up the last project I’ve finished.” Chloe Lapenat’s contact info: chloelapenat.com For submissions to Velvet Vernacular Productions visit: velvetvernacular.com
19 • December 2019
After being accepted to Pace University’s School of Performing Arts, Lapenat began to hone her art form in the cultural epicenter of New York City. Studying under seasoned professionals made for an intense and arduous journey that required mental and physical fortitude, academic diligence, and above all, an unwavering commitment to developing
her skills. Lapenat describes her formative time at Pace as instrumental in not only developing her technique but learning how to successfully navigate the industry. When asked how she thinks she has changed the most over the course of her four-year degree program, Lapenat states that she is only just beginning to learn what she is capable of accomplishing, and that being immersed in New York City has helped her develop a stronger sense of the work she wants to create.
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hloe Lapenat’s New York City success story as an up-and-coming actor, writer, and producer began in her hometown of Ottawa. Before writing and starring in her own original mini-series, Lapenat’s passion for acting and burgeoning talent was fostered at the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama and later, Canterbury High School’s drama program. After years of dedicating herself to formal training, Lapenat’s ambition to become a professional actor inspired her to pursue acting in higher education.
When asked about the biggest challenge she faced, Lapenat shared that grappling with perfectionism was difficult when working within a limited budget. Despite the challenges of creating and producing an original series, Joyfully Jaded was selected for several film festivals this year, a rewarding reception to Lapenat’s first brainchild. Despite the recognition from entertainment institutions, Lapenat states that the most rewarding response to debuting her work is hearing “when someone says they loved the series, they laughed or felt something, that is the biggest reward.”
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skills through learning music together. It’s open to youth between the ages of five to 18. By playing an instrument or singing, and coming together with music, they learn skills like teamwork. They build their self-confidence, their listening skills, problem solving skills, responsibility for taking care of your instrument and this helps OrKidstra kids reach for success in their future careers. OrKidstra is very proud that 100% of the kids in their program have graduated from high school. These kids are now studying biology, commerce, neuroscience, marketing, business and a few are studying music. “Playing an instrument can help the brain grow and develop in very different ways according to some research I have read recently,” says Rebecca.