Lori Distel has been active in the theatre community for many years. As an instructor and youth coordinator for the Cambridge Community Players (CCP), she oversees five youth-based programs, working with children aged 4-18, teaching everything from theatre basics to advanced musical theatre.

In 2004, Lori co-founded NovaStage, a semi-professional theatre company whose mandate was to produce original works from emerging playwrights.

An actor and director, Lori's resume consists of productions such as Sylvia (for which she won a CCP Special Adjudicator's Award), The Mousetrap, Bye Bye Birdie, Godspell and, most recently, she directed and performed in Doubt, A Parable with Cambridge Community Players, which earned five nominations and two awards from the Western Ontario Drama League. Lori was also the recipient of the 2013 Cambridge Cultural Award/Bernice Adams Memorial Award in the category of Performing Arts.
Lori worked professionally as a jazz singer for years, headlining bands such as 'The Lori Distel Trio' and 'Standard Time.' She's trained in vocal music for the past forty years.