KEV
WOOD
Bachelor of Theology
(B.Th.) (Arts/Bible),
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) (Drama),
Master of Visual and Performing Arts (M.V.P.A.) (Theatre)
General Profile
(Below you can also read Kev's Artistic and
Speaking/Preaching Profiles.)
(Kev performing (his original choreography to) "Moses" at the Winnipeg Fringe
Festival (July 25/04))
By God's enablement, Kev Wood has had an active life.
Born into a Christian family, Kev was the fourth born of five children. Throughout his life Kev has channeled his energy into playing sports, being involved in the local church and community, and leadership.
During Kev's time of ministry as a 16 year old staff at Inter Varsity's Ontario Pioneer Camps in 1984 one Camp Director commented that he hadn't seen somebody with so much leadership potential come along in many years. Only a few weeks after completing the intensive five week Leader-In-Training (L.I.T.) program Kev was invited to be a member of the Senior Staff team, two years before people were normally appointed.While in high school, with there normally being a maximum term of office of one year, Kev is likely the only person to have served for three years in a row on Inter-School Christian Fellowship's (I.S.C.F.'s) Ontario Executive.
In Kev's senior year at Tyndale College one faculty member commented that Kev was likely the only person to ever have served on the Student Council for four (consecutive) years. Kev served as the President of the Student Body during his third year.
In 1993 Kev served as Camp Director at Christian Horizon's Camp Horizons, four days after turning the minimum age for a camp director of 25.
From his experience playing nine sports Kev has learned much about performance. While and after playing on three varsity teams in college, he instructed and coached sports for eight years at the adult recreational and college varsity levels. Kev has been a nationally certified coach in three sports and has also been a provincially certified volleyball referee.
Kev has a total of 18 years of experience in lay and professional leadership, management, teaching and consultation in college, camping, developmental services and the local church.
Kev Wood brings an exciting and successful approach to motivating, teaching
and leading. He is currently an Adjunct Faculty member at Providence
College in Otterburne, Manitoba where he serves as Instructor in Mime and
the Director of Providence's Arts Camp.
On August 12, 2000, Kev married Becky Read
Artistic Profile
Kev Wood has acquired knowledge and skill in Mime, Musical Sign Language, Drama and other areas of the arts from training and experience.
Kev began signing songs (Musical Sign Language) when he
worked at Ontario Pioneer Camps in 1985. Since then he has been signing at different
venues throughout North and Central America and Europe. In the past he has
been asked to teach Musical Sign Language (The Wood Method) to
both adults and children.
After graduating from Tyndale College (formerly and during Kev's time there it was Ontario Bible College) in 1991 with a Bachelor of Theology in Bible and Arts, Kev joined Steadfast, a dramatic arts ministry team from Tyndale, that same fall. When the group recessed for the summer Kev auditioned for and joined 4 Crying Out Loud, a Christian performing arts troupe founded and led by Bruxy Cavey.
Kev has also received training as a Mime that has included an emphasis on the Classical style of and training from the legendary French Mime Marcel Marceau. In June, 1994 he received an invitation for a personal (1:1) two week course in Classical and Expressive Mime at the Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Academy of Performing Arts in Cambridge, Ontario. Kev has also trained with Mimeistry International where he has studied under Todd and Marilyn Farley, Mimeistry's co-founding directors. Todd and Marilyn both studied at Marcel Marceau's International School of Mime in Paris. At a workshop near Toronto in 1994 Todd Farley invited Kev to study at the Mimeistry school in Pasadena, California, that became a reality in the fall of 1998 when Kev studied in Pasadena for six weeks in the Journeyman (second year) class. More recently Kev has attended workshops taught by Marcel Marceau in New York City ('99 (2 weeks), '00 (1 week)) and Ann Arbor, Michigan ('99 (1 week)). In October, 2004 Kev will begin formal training under Gregg Goldston out of New York City. Gregg is respected by and has performed with Marcel Marceau.
In April, 2002 Kev graduated with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a major in Drama, from Providence College. He is planning on beginning a Master of Visual and Performing
Arts with a major in Theatre this July.
In addition to serving as From The Top's Minister-at-Large and Team Pastor, Kev is the founding Director of The From The Top Academy and has taught Mime and Musical Sign Language (The Wood Method) to church, school, camp, mission and other groups. He is a qualified and experienced instructor.
Ministry opportunities have had Kev perform and/or teach in nine Canadian provinces (all but New Brunswick), approximately 35 U.S. states, Mexico, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Kev has choreographed over 60 Mime pieces and has interpreted over 60 songs in Musical Sign Language.
Both of these photos are from when Kev
& Becky presented "People Need The Lord" at Northview Community
Church in Toronto, April, 2001
Click here to see a larger version of this photo of Kev performing Joseph's Song with Spencer Nicholson in Atlanta during the '96 Summer Olympics.
References
Not only does Kev use the medium of mime effectively to communicate spiritually significant issues, Kev is, himself, a deeply committed Christian. Kev does not perform for applause, but uses mime as a vehicle for honouring his Lord and Saviour.
Noel Churchman
Christian
Horizons
Elmira, ON
Your presentation was a very real blessing.
Dave Balik
Headmaster, Heritage Christian Academy
Decatur, AL
The range of communication by way of mime, musical sign language, (multi-projector) slide shows and drama is a refreshingly creative helm in our people's ability to worship. Kev's performances are always warmly welcomed and consistently communicate spiritual truth in a powerful and memorable way. His presentations are sincere and authentic and are filled with passion and effort. Kev's passion to serve Jesus Christ and to minister to people is easily read in the sincerity in his face every time he delivers his message. Kev's presentations are profoundly spiritual and inspiring and are an effective contribution to our worship experience.
Rev. Roy Sommerville
Pastor, Queensway Baptist Church
Toronto, ON
Thank you so much for your presentation of Moses at our Time of Refreshing. It was so well done! I know that each and every person there must have been truly challenged to cast aside their personal fears and insecurities and simply give themselves to God to use. Your skillful mime spoke to us powerfully and unforgetably!
Belinda Burston
Manager of Services and Supports, North District, Christian
Horizons
Huntsville, ON
Mime artist Kev Wood, known for his work with From The Top, was part of an International Teams outreach project at the Atlanta Olympics. "He always drew crowds and tugged at heartstrings, with his mime and musical sign language pieces", [Lynne Ellis, BC Director of Scripture Union,] noted.
(excerpt from [Vancouver] Island Christian Info
[newspaper], August, 1996)
Kev Wood, a mime artist from Toronto, performed a number of heartwrenching, and some side splitting pieces, that always drew crowds.
Lynn Ellis
BC Director
Scripture Union
Brentwood Bay, BC
(excerpt from article in Scripture Union News, September, 1996
referring to Kev's ministry in Atlanta during the Olympics)
What people are saying about Kev
as a teacher?
