Joshua Semchuk has been involved in Shumka for years, even before he was part of the company. Growing up, he watched his parents (Orest and Jennifer Semchuk) dedicate their time to Shumka. He was one of the first students at Shumka School of Dance in 1989 and danced in the company for a short time.

After going to school for theatre and film, he was asked to help out backstage with Shumka’s shows in the early 2000s and has been a part of the magic backstage ever since, helping with lighting, sets, and just about everything else.

“Everything leads to the moment the curtain goes up. Shumka has always had those extra elements like music production, the elaborate costumes, then they brought in set design. The production aspect just keeps growing and the audiences want to see those aspects.”

Josh is involved with Shumka with more than theatre production. He worked alongside other people to create bylaws for the new Shumka Board, which now consists of dancers, alumni, and community members. And as part of the Bottom Line Productions team, Josh works on marketing and communications for Shumka and its many programs.

For your ongoing involvement, donations and support of Shumka, thank you, Josh.