Meet the Director: SHERSTI EDWARDS

My first business card was printed when I was eight years old.

It proudly read: Director Experience Since 1991.

Technically, I was eight. But in my heart? I meant it.

I was part of an authentic Polynesian performance troupe for hire, shining at weddings, school assemblies, conventions, grand openings, all-night grad parties, country clubs, festivals, amusement parks, hotels, retirement homes, corporate events like Hewlett Packard and UTA French Airlines, Club Med, and even the U.S. Navy Officers’ Club. Whew…

And on that little business card, one phrase stood out: Audience Participation. That was always my favorite part. Because real magic doesn’t happen when you stand in the spotlight alone. It happens when you invite someone else into it.

Beyond dancing, I loved the theater. My mom and I would find our way to any production or live performance we heard about. Most of the time I sat in the audience, but sometimes I found myself behind the curtain, performing or directing. No matter where I was, I noticed the theater’s clear objective: Be immersed in the experience.

As a young teen, I discovered Debbie Reynolds and became instantly captivated. I collected her memorabilia, read her books, memorized her performances. One summer in Las Vegas, I begged a family friend to visit her hotel just to see her costumes.

And then, as if scripted, Debbie herself walked around the corner. Starstruck doesn’t begin to describe it. But what stayed with me wasn’t her fame. It was her generosity. She saw a young girl who loved the stage, and she shared it. She chatted, hugged me, took photos, and signed a booklet personally. No charge. No fanfare. She gave me a moment. And I never forgot what that felt like.

People often say I can make things happen when I believe in them strongly enough. What they really mean is this: I don’t just imagine magic, I build the conditions for it to appear.

Our daughter was born, and we later moved to Wyoming. When she was five, a character performer dressed as Merida came to our home after a medical scare to teach her archery and talk about bravery. They bonded. She later attended events where she met Snow White and other princesses, returning to school excited to share stories of playing with “real-life princesses.”

Those moments became core memories. And now? She has come full circle, performing as Merida for her first gig and, more recently, Snow White.

The story continues.

Today, I serve as the Creativity and Inclusion Specialist at a camp in Grande Prairie, designing meaningful, joy-filled experiences for children. I also spent two years performing with Prairie Princess Parties simply for the love of watching little faces light up.

Now, I’ve been given the opportunity to step fully into directing.

My curtain isn’t closing. It’s shifting. I am stepping behind the stage lights to mentor and lead the next generation of performers, youth who will learn not just how to entertain, but how to connect. How to include. How to make imagination feel real.

I’ve spent my life watching how one shared moment can change someone.

And I’ve always believed magic doesn’t belong only on a stage.

It belongs wherever we choose to create it.