Companion Star Staff
Michael Douglas Jones
Executive Director
michael.jones@companionstar.org
Michael maintains a very active performing and teaching career. In 2004, Michael added Executive/Artistic Director to his titles when he formed the non-profit company, Companion Star Inc, which he manages to produce new music-theater works for the stage. The philosophy behind the company comes from his years of collaboration with composers of new work and in particular his work at the Banff Centre. The company continues development and exploration of the ideas of collaboration between artists and composers to create original works that challenge the boundaries of traditional opera and music-theater.
As a performer, Michael won the prestigious Jessie award for "outstanding performance by an actor in a leading role" for his creation of the Marquis in 120 Songs for the Marquis de Sade (Hannan) in the world premiere co-produced by Modern Baroque Opera and Vancouver New Music. He made his international debut in Sweden, singing the lead role of Director in Kafka's Chimp by Welsh composer, John Metcalf. The production was sung in Swedish, preceded by the world premiere at Banff Music Centre for the Arts and sung in English. He reprised this role in a unique remounting of the opera by Quantum Theatre in Pittsburgh in February 2004 with the Pittsburgh Zoo as the venue.
Chosen by Metcalf for continued collaboration, Michael starred in the 2005 premiere of The Love of a Chair as man's best friend, a dog, in Montreal with performances continuing in Wales and England and produced under an agreement between the governments of Quebec and the United Kingdom. Michael developed his role of the Dog over a 3 year period in collaboration with the composer, librettist and stage director through improvisations in creative workshops. In 2008 he toured the UK with 11 performances of A Chair in Love which included the Buxton Arts Festival and the Wales Millennium Center.
Elizabeth Hulings
Director of Strategic Planning Marketing
elizabeth.hulings@companionstar.org
Elizabeth Hulings is a strategic marketing consultant who has been helping people and organizations see both the forest and the trees for seventeen years. Along the way she has honed her skills at a variety of multi-national corporations and non-profit organizations across the country. Through her consulting firm, Counterpoise, established in 2003, Elizabeth offers her skills as a strategic thinker, seasoned manager and disciplined organizer. She assists both for-profit and non-profit businesses with their strategic planning, marketing, structural and organizational needs.
Elizabeth speaks Spanish and French. She holds an M.A. in Latin American Studies from Stanford University, a B.A. in International Relations and History from Tufts University and Certification I from The Alliance Francaise. She has traveled extensively and has lived in Europe and Mexico.