Joel performed with Rapid Fire Theatre from 2008-2020.
For over a decade, Joel was an integral part to the RFT ensemble, as one of our main musicians, a driving force behind Off Book: The Improvised Musical, and an ensemble performer.
He has received one Sterling Award for his work on the children’s musical The Antyssey. He also won the award for Leading Actor in a Feature Film at the Portsmouth (UK) Film Festival for the musical Year After Year.
He was fortunate to be part of the ensemble that travelled to Oslo, Norway, to co-create the improvised found space theatre show Forever Never Always Here with Det Andre Teatret, which has played in Edmonton, Oslo, and Hamburg.
Joel has taken on many different roles in the theatre: Actor, playwright, composer, director, sound designer, fight director, and musical director. He has worked for Citadel Theatre, TheatreCalgary, Workshop West Theatre, and Sage Theatre, among others. He has performed internationally as both an actor and a singer/songwriter; his album Pins on a Map was released in 2012.
Joel holds a Certificate in Acting from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (Hollywood), a Diploma in Acting from Red Deer College, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Alberta, and a Master in Psychotherapy & Spirituality from St. Stephen’s College.
Joel Crichton’s song-writing panache is already irresistible, and is surely one of the great musical theatre voices of his generation.
QUOTES:
“The spritzy interplay of the piano and voice, interspersed with their swirling crescendos in tandem – these rapid changes remind me of the early Regina Spektor…Ben Folds…” – The Sound and Noise
“The strength…comes squarely from his terrific performance which doesn’t weaken or waver for an instant…His wit, his passion and his art have always been striking.” – Red Deer Express
“It makes you a bit breathless to see this kind of risk-taking. How often are you genuinely surprised in a theatre?” – Edmonton Journal