Kelly Holiff always had two dreams in life – to help people and to act. She had the chance to combine these two passions by playing Joanne in Fallen Rock Theatre Company’s production of Rent.

Kelly Holiff as Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast.

Fallen Rock’s mandate is to bring quality theatre to Toronto, provide emerging artists a place to showcase their talents and to give all the funds it raises to important causes.

The company has raised more than $350,000 in the past nine years. This year, the Pediatric Oncology Group of Toronto (POGO), a group that makes sure all Canadian children with cancer have equal access to treatment, is the company’s cause, as it has been for the past six years.

Holiff said that she likes that the profits go to POGO because the group doesn’t get as much attention as larger charities do. POGO focuses not only on the children with cancer, Holiff said, but also their families.

She said that she has gotten close to everyone at POGO, and also everyone she works with at Fallen Rock.  “They’re like my second family,” Holiff said. “The people have grown, and the family has grown.”

After a friend told Holiff about Fallen Rock, she decided to audition for Beauty and the Beast, its 2008 production. She didn’t think she was right for any of the parts, but she ended up playing Mrs. Potts. She had a role in Fallen Rock’s 2010 production of The Putnam County Spelling Bee, but she said the part of Joanne is the most exciting one she’s had so far.

“I’ve always wanted to be in Rent,” she said. “The opportunity presented itself and I jumped on it.”

After Holiff graduated from the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts,she worked in productions for several theatre companies, and while she enjoyed her involvement with them all, she said there’s something different about Fallen Rock.

“There’s nothing like Fallen Rock,” Holiff said. “It changes your life. It’s just magical. If I can be involved every year, that’s the goal.”

Holiff said that it was amazing to get 15 people in a room singing  Seasons of Love, a song from Rent, and she hopes that translates to an amazing experience for the audience.  

Holiff said seeing the show won’t only be enjoyable for people who are already fans of Rent, called “Rent-heads.”

Fallen Rock was started by young lawyers, who Holiff said are passionate about theatre. She said that she respects them because they’re helping her do what she’s always wanted to do.

“I’ve always wanted to help people by doing what I’m best at, and that’s what I get to do at Fallen Rock,” Holiff said.

This summer, Holiff will be playing Tracy, the main character in Hairspray, at the Port Hope Festival, and she will be producing a benefit concert for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in September, in memory of her grandfather.

Fallen Rock’s production of Rent will running at the Bathurst Street Theatre, 1736 Bathurst St. until June 18. For tickets call 416-978-8849 or www.uofttix.ca.  For more information about Fallen Rock Theatre Company, go to www.fallenrock.ca.