Derek Ritschel

After graduating theatre school Top of Class from Humber College Theatre in 1995, Derek quickly found success in the Toronto TV/Film scene landing a reoccurring role on the CBC television show Sesame Park and in movies such as Silent Hill, Deadly Wake, Glitter, Men With Guns, Blackheart and guest performances in TV shows such as Traders, DOC, Queer As Folk and True Crime Scenes.  

After 12 years of TV/Film Derek chose to return to his first love, the theatre. His first audition was for Lighthouse Festival Theatre for the play Heatwave. What followed was a 22-year collaboration and mutual growth. Starting as an actor Derek quickly expanded his repertoire to include directing and writing for the Lighthouse stages. Then in 2009 a successful application to the Canada Arts Council resulted in an Associate Artistic Director posting which quickly turned into Derek being named the Artistic Director of the Lighthouse Corporation in 2010. 

Since that time Derek became one of the most influential artists in the history of Lighthouse Festival and now carries the title as the longest serving AD (14 years) in Lighthouses’ 46-year history.  

Derek directed 32 Main Stage Lighthouse productions, ranging from drama, to comedy, to mystery and full-scale musicals; and has written and premiered three of his own original plays there; which have subsequently gone on to be translated into both Polish and Spanish. In total, he has directly participated in close to 1,100 Lighthouse Festival performances in some capacity. 

During his time as Artistic Director, Ritschel added a community production for local amateur actors to work in tandem with professional artists in the offseason and becoming the largest company fundraiser, introduced the One Act Play Festival, expanded the Play Development program which strictly focused on original Canadian scripts, overseen considerable technical improvements for the theatre’s in Port Dover, Simcoe and Port Colborne locations, witnessed the most successful seasons in the theatre’s 46-year history, and made significant ambassadorial efforts by expanding the theatre’s participation in other community groups and events both locally and nationally. 

Two of his biggest achievements as a Canadian theatre artist is welcoming both Showboat Festival Theatre in Port Colborne and Simcoe Little Theatre in Simcoe to the Lighthouse family by reaching out to their respective boards of directors and bringing each company under Lighthouse Festival management for their survival and the expansion of live theatre in Southern Ontario. 

Upon stepping down as the AD of Lighthouse, the Board of Directors, the incoming AD Jane Spence and Derek agreed to continue the positive collaboration in the establishment of a Director in Resident posting for Derek to continue to be a resource and contributor to the Lighthouse brand each summer season. 

With more free time Derek has decided to return to the world of TV/film where his journey began. It is with great enthusiasm that Derek returns to his roots and is looking forward to the exciting world of TV/film.