She had her first break as an Actress when she was promoted from a minor role to the lead in a Stratford Festival production of the musical Happy New Year in 1979, after original lead Virginia Sandifur was forced to withdraw due to illness. She also later played the lead role in a production of Medea, directed by John Neville at Halifax's Neptune Theatre, and played Nancy Blake in a 1985 production of The Women at the Shaw Festival.