2025 Adjudicators

GAIL HAKALA BIO – PETERBOROUGH
Gail Hakala has led an active professional career as a singer, actor, educator, clinician and adjudicator from coast to coast. Gail holds a Bachelor and Master's degree in Voice Performance and Literature from the University of Toronto. Equally at home in all genres of voice, her passion is evident in her fearless and playful approach to her adjudications.
Gail was a member of the Shaw Festival Theatre Company for nine years and 20 productions. Favourite roles at Shaw include Minerva in Mr. Cinders, Bonnie in Anything Goes, Tinkerbell in Peter Pan and Netta Lake in Cavalcade. Other favourite roles: Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera (Pantages Theatre and the Canadian tour), Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show (Bathurst Street Theatre), Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Sudbury Theatre Centre), and the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella (Stage West Calgary). Gail has also starred on the concert stage with Patty LuPone, Betty Buckley and Mandy Patinkin in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Pantages Theatre). Most recently, Gail was seen as Mr. Bumble in Oliver (YES! Theatre), Mavis in Church Basement Ladies (Victoria Playhouse Petrolia), Mrs. Paroo in The Music Man (Capitol Theatre), Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady and Aunt Eller in Oklahoma (Drayton Entertainment), Mrs. Barry/Mrs. Blewett and in Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival).
Gail was the former Head of Music Theatre and Vocal Discipline at Sheridan College in the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance Program. She has also been the Resident Voice Coach at the Shaw and Charlottetown Festivals and Artistic Director and Advisor of The Toronto Youth Music Theatre Company. Gail is an active member of Canadian Actors Equity, ACTRA, CMFAA and NATS. Gail is thrilled to be coming to Peterborough doing what she loves best, adjudicating singers.