"Alice, herself, beautifully played by the blond-haired, high-spirited Jade Douris-O’Hara, is a character of light and tremendous vitality...(during intermission Douris-O’Hara doesn’t take a break; she welcomes little girls to have a picture taken with her.)"

- Elissa Bernard, NS Reviews, Alice in Wonderland (2024)

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Jade Douris-O’Hara is a Halifax-based actor, choreographer, director, and Shakespeare coach whose career spans classical theatre, musical theatre, film, and television. She is an actor, through-and-through: curious, hardworking, collaborative, and happiest when there’s a good story to tell and a room full of people figuring out how to tell it together.

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Born and raised in Toronto, Jade moved her entire life to Halifax in 2019 to join the leadership of Shakespeare by the Sea, alongside her husband and longtime creative collaborator, Drew Douris-O’Hara. Jade is Artistic Associate and founding Studio Director of The Studio, the company’s year-round theatre training program.

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Over ten seasons with Shakespeare by the Sea, Jade has played Juliet, Ophelia, Helena, Phoebe, Portia, Olivia, Marc Antony, and many other roles across the canon. She has worked across Canada with Neptune Theatre, Shakespeare BASH’d, Theatre Aquarius, Matchstick Theatre, Dauntless City Theatre, Keep Good Theatre/HEIST, Gale Force Theatre, and Shakespeare at Play. Her Neptune credits include The Wizard of Oz and Come From Away, with Little Women and the role of Meg March to come in 2027. Her work with Matchstick Theatre has travelled to Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre and will continue to the National Arts Centre in 2027.

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She is also a nine-time veteran of SBTS’s signature Unrehearsed projects, in which actors perform Shakespeare with no rehearsal—sometimes swapping roles mid-performance. The work has become a particular specialty, demanding an almost absurd command of Shakespeare’s text, quick thinking, and a genuine love of theatrical chaos.

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"Jade Douris-O’Hara...played both Romeo and Juliet as though she would be submitting her performance for Tony Award consideration. Jade should really add “Shakespeare Wizard” to her resume."

- The Way I See It Reviews, The Unrehearsed Romeo & Juliet (2025)

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On screen, Jade has a recurring role in Season 2 of Everybody’s Meg, as a principal on Trailer Park Boys: Jail, and on According to Kids. She is a ten-time Merritt Award nominee, nominations for Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role, and Outstanding Ensemble.

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As a choreographer, Jade’s work is playful, purposeful, and often a little cheeky. Her work as a choreographer and Shakespeare coach has naturally led her toward directing, and she makes her directorial debut in 2027.

 

Jade is trained as an intimacy director and has extensive understudy and standby experience. She works hard, communicates clearly, and prides herself on being the kind of colleague you want beside you in a rehearsal room—or in a dressing room.

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Outside the theatre, Jade is a classic eldest daughter, dog person, committed Diet Coke drinker, and lifelong Taylor Swift fan.