Heeyun Park 박희윤 is an actor, singer and creator based in Toronto, raised in Edmonton and born in South Korea. She won both the Dora Mavor Moore Award and the Toronto Critic's Choice Award as Princess Mary in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Mirvish; Crow’s and MSC). Select Credits: WITCH (Soulpepper Theatre), Into the Woods (Koerner Hall), MONEY (WYRD), I Was Unbecoming Then (NextStage), Rosamund (Toronto Fringe), La Bête (Talk is Free Theatre). Heeyun is the composer and co-lyricist for Ye Xian: A Musical Retelling (Bad New Ideas 2024). Training: Acting at National Theatre School of Canada, Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at University of Alberta.

You can follow Heeyun on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/park.heeyun/

If you'd like to hear Heeyun's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Andrew Faiz (Book, Lyrics, Producer) has worked in television and radio, at newspapers and magazines, in documentary film and once was a hotel manager. He has been a public speaker, a lecturer, and a lay minister. Also a janitor and a short order cook. He is an award-winning poet, photographer, journalist, humourist, editor and columnist. Andrew has done a lot of different things for decades. He once had a theatre company. That’s when he first met Kathryn Albertson, in 1989. In between being a journalist, editor and news producer, Andrew wrote and directed the National Film Board documentary, Flemingdon Park: A Global Village. He did a profile of Kathryn Albertson for CBC Radio, which he then turned into a theatre script. Kathryn: As Herself, At Last. It played in Toronto and Winnipeg. Aromas, another one-woman play appeared on Toronto stages a decade ago.

Zahra Faiz is an award-winning musician who has been making and writing music as long as she can remember. In high school, she created and lead a brass quartet. She won awards at the provincial level for brass quartet and solo trombone. Zahra studied piano, composition, and theory at the Royal Conservatory. She did a minor in music at university. No stranger to theatre, Zahra created and performed with McGill Student Improv. She co-founded an all-women’s comedy troupe and was on the founding creative team of the McGill Students Comedy Club. Zahra is thrilled to make her debut as composer for the stage with Kathryn: A Life Almosting. She is also the music director. Upcoming projects include an original show for which she is the book writer, lyricist and composer.

You can find out more about the show and purchase tickets at: https://kathrynthemusical.com/

If you'd like to hear their Before You Go! episode, you can become one of my Patron on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Tita Collective is an all-Filipina collective composed of award-winning playwrights, comedians, musicians, dancers, theatre makers and actors, based in Toronto, Canada. We explore different mediums to tell the stories about the Filipin* diaspora. Individually, Tita Collective are : AP Bautista (Tell Tale Harbour), Belinda Corpuz (Narnia), Ellie Posadas (Scarborough), Alia Rasul (15 Ways My Dad Almost Died), and Maricris Rivera (Short Dances).

You can find them on social media here:

https://www.instagram.com/tita.collective/

https://www.facebook.com/titacollective

If you'd like to hear their Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Nic’s literary vocation surfaced at the age of six, when he wrote and illustrated a story on index cards about a rampaging robot. He stapled the cards together and sold “Le Robot” to his mother for a tidy profit.

Today, his work is known for its challenging subject matter blended with humour, twists, and deep humanism.

The Elephant Song, Nic’s first play, premiered at the Stratford Festival in 2004; it has since been produced around the world and was made into a feature film in 2014. Several of his other plays, most notably Iceland and Butcher, have had major productions across Canada and internationally. 

Accolades include a Governor-General’s Award for Drama, a Canadian Screen Award, and a Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Award.

Nic is a strong supporter of the serial comma and of Caryl Churchill’s adage that “Playwrights don't give answers, they ask questions.”

You can find Nic on Bluesky here: https://bsky.app/profile/nbwriter.com

If you'd like to hear Nic's Before You Go! episode, join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Kate Martin is a theatre artist and educator raised in rural Saskatchewan and based in Toronto. Previously with Shakespeare BASH'd, she played Emilia in The Two Noble Kinsmen, Lorenzo in the staged reading of The Spanish Tragedy, Annabella in the staged reading of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, and was the assistant director for The Tragedy of King Lear. Elsewhere, Kate has performed with Young People's Theatre company and Crane Creations Theatre. She has been twice Dora-nominated within Outstanding Ensembles. Kate holds her BFA in Acting from Toronto Metropolitan University.

You can find Shakespeare BASH'd on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shakesbashd/

And you can find Kate at https://www.instagram.com/katemartin___/

If you'd like to hear Kate's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Founded by Natalia Bushnik and Kathleen Welch in 2021, spindle collective formed through our shared passion in the telling of original, immersive, horror-theatre works. Based in what is colonially known as Toronto, we believe in working collaboratively in the space to create a cohesive world by interweaving storytelling devices and site-specific creation. Pulling inspiration from folklore around the world, we are committed to confronting the uncomfortable.

To learn more about the festival and snag what few tickets remain, click the link here: https://eldritchtheatre.ca/winter/

To hear Nat and Kat's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Kyle has seen 57 out of the 146 shows I've seen this year, and we have a blast! We talk about some of our favourite shows from the year and what it's been like for Kyle to see so much theatre.

We hope that you have a safe and happy holidays, and hopefully you can get out and see a show! See you at the theatre!

Clyde Wagner is the President and CEO of TO Live, one of Canada’s largest multi-arts organizations, which programs and operates three iconic civic institutions in Toronto: Meridian Hall, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, and Meridian Arts Centre. Appointed in 2017, Clyde has overseen the merger of all aspects of the three venues—which include seven theatres and an art gallery—into one entity as TO Live. He established a purpose-driven mission for the organization focused on inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, and has spearheaded a new strategic plan centered on building creative community hubs through TO Live’s venues in downtown and uptown Toronto. Clyde oversaw a historic naming rights partnership with Meridian, Ontario's largest credit union, that included an investment of $30.75 million over 15 years to TO Live—one of the largest agreements of its kind in the arts and culture community in Canada. An internationally accomplished producer, Clyde's previous experience includes Senior Producer, Park Avenue Armory (New York). He was the first Producer and General Manager for Luminato Festival Toronto and served as Executive Producer in charge of all production until leaving the organization to join TO Live. Clyde also founded a mobile tech startup and was an Associate Creative Director for eLUXURY.com, an ecommerce platform owned and launched by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) that was the largest luxury website at the time. Clyde received his MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and his BA from Queen's University.

You can find TO Live on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/TOLivebook

https://www.instagram.com/tolivegram/

https://www.tiktok.com/@tolivetok

If you'd like to see Clyde's Before You Go! Episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Virgilia Griffith is an actor based in Toronto. Winner of the Meta Emerging Artist Award for Gas Girls by Donna Michelle St. Bernard. Winner of the Dora Mavor Moore awards for Outstanding Performance for Harlem Duet by Djanet Sears. She was also a Dora Mavor Moore nominee for Outstanding Female in an Independent Division for her performance of Honesty directed by Jordan Tannahill. Selected credits include: Shaw Festival 2025, Blues for an Alabama Sky and Murder-on-the-Lake, Rosmersholm (Crow's Theatre), Three Sisters (Obsidian theatre/Soulpepper Theatre, Our Place ( Cahoots/ Theatre Passé Muraille), Queen Goneril/ King Lear ( Soulpepper Theatre Company), Serving Elizabeth (Stratford Festival), 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre Company/CBC Gem), Contractions (Studio 180), Guarded Girls ( Tarragon Theatre/ Greenlight Arts), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ( Soulpepper Theatre), The Wedding Party ( Crow's Theatre), Other Side of the Game (Cahoots/ Obsidian Theatre), Da Kink In My Hair ( Theatre Calgary/ Nac), Up The Garden Path ( Obsidian Theatre).

If you'd like to hear Virgilia's Before You Go! Episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Heather is a Toronto based actor, playwright, clown, therapeutic clown and Blue Jays fan. She is Morro of the award winning comedy dup Morro and Jasp and Co-Artistic Director of Up Your Nose and In Your Toes Productions. She will be appearing in Theatre Gargantua's upcoming production of Dissonant Species.

You can find Heather on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/heathermarieannis/

If you'd like to hear Heather's Before You Go! Episode, become one of my Patrons on Patreon: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Eric Woolfe was born the bastard child of an itinerant sideshow contortionist, and a door-to-door alienist. He began his career at the age of eight and three quarters, when a national famine forced him to follow his mother’s twisted feet into show business. Following failed careers as a learned pig tamer, flea circus promoter, and gaffed armless calligrapher, he formed Eldritch Theatre after losing a bar bet. He is now an actor, writer and puppeteer, as well as being a noted spiritualist huckster. He is often visited by the ghost of his beloved miniature schnauzer, Schubert, who offers Mister Woolfe valuable career advice, such as “You should chase more squirrels,” and “You better hide in the basement when there is thunder outside.” Mr Woolfe has my credits, projects and award nominations, but his favourite by far is George A Romero’s maritime western zombie masterpiece, Survival of the Dead.

You can find him on socials at: https://www.instagram.com/ericwoolfe/

If you'd like to hear the hilarious Before You Go! episode with Eric, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Also a Happy Thanksgiving to those of you here in Canada. I'm so thankful for all of you and for your support with everything I do.

If you'd like to help support A View from the Box - The Podcast, you can become one of my Patron on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Makram Ayache is a Governor General Literary Award Finalist and Dora award-winning playwright, performer, director, and producer based in Toronto. His playwriting explores representations of queer Arab voices and aims to bridge political struggles to the intimate experiences of the people impacted by them. Ayache was selected as one of six breakthrough artists in Toronto in the Toronto Star in 2023. His play, "The Hooves Belonged to the Deer" was selected as one of 10 best productions in Ontario in 2023 by the Globe and Mail and won an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for “Outstanding Independent Production” in Edmonton in 2023. Previously, His Governor General nominated play "The Green Line" (Downstage and Chromatic Theatre) garnered four Betty Mitchell Award Nominations, winning two including "Outstanding New Play." Most recently, Ayache has written an adaption of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" titled "A Witch in Algiers" (Shakespeare in the Ruff)m which garnered the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play in 2025. Alongside writing, Ayache directs, most recently directing the development showcase of "Small Gods the Musical” with Theatre Sheridan and Factory Theatre.

Photo by Shane D'Costa.

You can find Makram online at: https://www.makramayache.com/ And on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/m_makram90/

If you'd like to hear Markam's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Andrea has been Nightwood Theatre’s Artistic Director since 2019. Her artistic practice has spanned over 20 years rooted in dramaturgy and directing feminist works. Directing highlights include: Mad Madge (Nightwood VideoCabaret), The Queen In Me (Nightwood, Amplified Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Theatre Gargantua), Betrayal (Soulpepper), Every Day She Rose (Nightwood), Beautiful Man (Factory Theatre), The Taming of The Shrew (St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival), Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) (Nightwood/Crows), Quiver (Nightwood/Buddies), Sequence (Tarragon), Romeo & Juliet (Ruff), Soliciting Temptation (Tarragon), Within the Glass - GG Nomination (Tarragon), Mistatim (Red Sky), The Atomic Weight of Happiness (Theatre Direct), and Montparnasse (TPM). Prior to her time as Artistic Director at Nightwood, Andrea ran the company’s Write from the Hip program for five years and was the Assistant/Associate Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre. Awards: Stratford Festival’s Jean Gascon Award for Direction, nominations for the Pauline McGibbon & John Hirsch Directing Awards. Her projects have received over a dozen Dora nominations and have been awarded Outstanding Performance (Ensemble) & Outstanding Production for And By the Way, Miss (Theatre Direct).

You can find Nightwood Theatre on social media at: https://www.facebook.com/nightwoodtheatre/ https://www.instagram.com/nightwoodtheat/?hl=en https://bsky.app/profile/nightwoodtheat.bsky.social

If you'd like to hear Andrea's Before You Go! Episode, you can become one of my Patrons on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

I'm so excited to have the legendary Brenda Kamino on the show today.

BRENDA KAMINO DIRECTING: Harabogee & Me, (Shakespeare in Action); Restless Night, (Shadowpath) Eminent Domain, Half the Sky (Women at Play 5, 7); UPCOMING: Bachelor Man at Tarragon Theatre for Renaissance Theatre. ACTING – Theatre: Mizushobai (Tableau D’Hote); Carried by the River (Red Snow); Her2 (Nightwood Theatre); Rashomon and Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles (Shaw Festival); Ching Chong Chinaman (fu-Gen); Nisei Blue (Alberta Theatre Projects); dreams of blonde and blue and Bachelor Man (Theatre Passe Muraille); Petra and A Secret Life (Theatre Direct); YPT’s Dora Nominated Naomi’s Road; M Butterfly (Theatre Aquarius); suicide notes (Summerworks - NOW Magazine’s Outstanding Performance); At the End of the Day, her Award winning one-woman Fringe show. Film/TV: Two seasons of CTV’s series Carter, The Glass Castle, (Lion’s Gate), Warigami, (CBC), Lost Girl, Degrassi TNG, Train 48, Forever Knight, Kung Fu, Loser, Zero Patience, Street Legal and Mr. Dressup. Winner CAEA’s LARRY MCCANCE AWARD for her work in diversity. 40 years of advocacy for non-mainstream theatre/film artists.

If you'd like to hear Brenda's Before You Go! Episode, join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

My guests today are Birgitte Solem and Robert Ross Parker of Here For Now Theatre and Hope and Hell Theatre's "Apples in Winter"

Birgitte Solem has worked at theatres across the country, and has spent several seasons over the last twenty years at The Blyth Festival, including performing and co-creating The Pigeon King and as a playwright, debuting her first full-length mystery Resort to Murder, top seller of the 50th anniversary season. She is co-founder of Hope and Hell Theatre Co., starring in Disgraced (Mirvish Entertainment and The Citadel Theatre). With over 30 film and television credits, Birgitte was a series regular on Malory Towers for CBBC, appeared in the recent TIFF award winning short Motherland and for two years was the voice of Volvo Canada.

You can find Birgitte on Instagram at: Instagram

Robert Ross Parker Robert is a NYC based Canadian director, actor, and writer. He is the co-founder of the Obie winning Vampire Cowboys. He has directed all of their productions including Soul Samurai, Alice in Slasherland, Fight Girl/Battle World, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G, and Revenge Song (Geffen Playhouse and Oregon Shakespeare Festival). Other directing credits include Anna Moench’s Mothers (Playwrights Realm) Vietgone (RMTC) Disgraced (Mirvish, Citadel) Fast Company (Ensemble Studio Theatre) the world premier of She Kills Monsters (The Flea) and the award winning Hamlet (solo) (Hope and Hell) which has toured for more than fifteen years playing in the US, Canada and the UK, most recently Soulpepper.

You can find Robert on Instagram at: Instagram

If you'd like to hear the Before You Go! Episode, become one of my Patrons and help keep this podcast going: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

This week, I'm chatting with musician and now playwright Cale Crowe.

Cale Crowe is an Anishnaabe singer-songwriter from Alderville First Nation and has been performing to stages of all sizes for the last 12 years alongside acts like Ron Sexsmith, The Strumbellas, William Prince, Aysanabee, Digging Roots, and countless others. He has released three records of his own music to date: 2015’s Stars & Promises, 2017’s Til You Let Me Go, and 2024’s Burn Blue. Cale is making his playwriting debut in 2025 at The Capitol Theatre with Rez Gas, which was born out of the Theatre’s 2023 Creator’s Unit. You can often catch him performing at various bars, nightclubs, theatres, and festivals across the province.

You can find Cale on social media at: https://www.instagram.com/calecrowe/

If you'd like to hear Cale's Before You Go! episode, subscribe to my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

A mostly Vancouverite but sometimes Torontonian Lili Beaudoin is an actor, improvisor and filmmaker. Some of her notable theatre credits include Juliet in Juliet, a Revenge Comedy, Marie in The Nutcracker at Caravan Farm Theatre, Claudia in I, Claudia at The Arts Club, Mimi/scenographer in Blind Date, Brigid Blake in The Humans at Theatre Calgary, Gracie in Gracie at ATP & Belfry and Miranda in The Tempest at Bard on the Beach. Elsewhere Lili’s voice can be heard in several animated shows such as Beat Bugs, Littlest Pet Shop, Rainbow Ruby, Max Steel and My Little Pony. Lili is the Associate Artistic Director of Tightrope Impro Theatre where she spend most of her weekends strutting her stuff on stage and pretending she knows what she’s talking about. Lili is the honoured recipient of a Betty Mitchell award for Outstanding Performance by a lead Actress in a Drama.

Praneet Akilla is an award winning Indian-Canadian Actor & Producer best known for his leading roles on The CW’s Nancy Drew, Disney Freeform’s Motherland Fort Salem, and Netflix’s October Faction. He is currently the series lead of the Canadian Screen Award nominated medical drama Skymed on CBC Gem & Paramount Plus. Over the last 3 years Praneet has made the successful transition into producing a variety of critically acclaimed short films and digital series with his new production company Akilla Express, focusing on telling unique, genre-bending stories from a Third Culture Global Majority perspective. Most recently Praneet produced and starred in the critically- acclaimed short film “Mom vs Machine” which is currently on the film festival circuit with 6 Leo Nominations (B.C. Film & Television Awards) including Best Short Drama. With stops at Fantasia Film Festival, Whistler Film Festival, Reelworld Film Festival, and Brooklyn Horror Festival- the short film premiered on the Sci-Fi Streaming Platform- DUST in 2023. Praneet also produced a Telus Funded short film entitled Not For Us (Whistler Film Festival Premiere 2023, LA Comedy Film Festival 2023 Best Short film). He is currently in development on a TV adaptation of the celebrated Canadian novel Junie with 100 Dragons Media Inc. and a new comedy horror series called Raksha with funding from IPF & Canada Media Fund. Praneet is a recent graduate of the National Screen Institute of Canada’s Access BIPOC Producers program. Praneet is currently selected as a producer participant in the highly competitive Netflix Diversity of Voices Program as part of the 2025 cohort for emerging BIPOC creators to decision-makers at the Banff World Media Film Festival.

You can find Praneet online here: Instagram

If you'd like to hear their Before You Go! Episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Sanskruti Marathe is an Indian Canadian dancer, actor and writer with a BFA with Honors from York University's Acting Conservatory. Her journey in the arts began with dance, sparking a lifelong dedication to mastering both classical and contemporary forms. For over 17 years, Sanskruti has trained extensively in Indian Classical Dance, completing her Bharatnatyam Arangetram and currently pursuing her Kathak Vishaarad under the mentorship of esteemed gurus. Driven by a passion for connecting communities through culturally informed storytelling, Sanskruti’s work continues to inspire audiences of all ages, bridging the traditional and contemporary to create meaningful artistic experiences. Her notable works include At the End of Kaliyuga, a compelling solo children's theatre production that seamlessly integrates the elegance of Indian classical dance with the expressive artistry of clowning. This production was showcased at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is now scheduled for presentation at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Additionally, she co-wrote Shuth Chondi Hai (The Roof is Leaking), a thought-provoking play exploring the quiet endurance and unspoken sacrifices of Punjabi/South Asian women that hold their families together, which will be presented by Pleiades Theatre at Berkley Street Theatre.

You can find Sanskruti online here: Sanskruti Marathe (@sanskrutis_adaa) • Instagram photos and videos Instagram

If you'd like to hear Sanskruti's "Before You Go!" episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Banafsheh بنفشه is an Iranian feminist artist who performs, writes, and wirghts theatre. She is a co-founder of The Sky is the Limit Theatre, a collective-creation based theatre collective aimed to tell sotries by, for and with people living in the margins. They recently completed a BFA in Performance Creation from Concordia University, where they will be starting their MA program soon to nurture their growing creative inquietude for diasporic and immigrant lives and experiences. Banafsheh is preoccupied with home, memory, dreams, identity, un/changing and relations (blood and otherwise), and all that would happen “if only home [was not] the mouth of a shark” (home, Warsan Shire). Besides theatre, Banafsheh also works as a facilitator with Quebec Writers' Federation's Writers in the Community program.

esi callender is a Black feminist theatre artist and scholar based in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, where they co-founded the theatre collective Sort Of Productions. esi’s research deals with collaboration and solidarity where they live and in their family’s home country Ghana.

You can find them online here: Instagram Sort Of Productions (@sortofproductions) • Instagram photos and videos

If you'd like to hear the Before You Go! Episode with Banafsheh and esi, join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Ben Yoganathan is an actor, writer, composer, and director born in Sri Lanka and based in Toronto. Ben has performed in a range of acclaimed productions, including Henry Five with Driftwood Theatre, Three Sisters with The Howland Company, Behind the Moon at the Belfry Theatre, and the Dora-nominated musical Killing Time with Mixtape Project. As a composer, he’s created music for theatre and dance, including Kole Durnford’s ECHO at the Edmonton Fringe, and works featured at Fall for Dance North, Festival Quartiers Danses, and Kinetic Studio. He’s also written two full-length plays: Hunger, which premiered at the Terra Firma Festival, and ZEITGEIST, which he directed earlier this year and which is set to premiere at the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival. Ben recently completed a creation residency with Experi Theater in Zurich, Switzerland, where he developed and performed a one-person show. He was also selected for an international residency with Odin Teatret in Denmark.

You can find Ben on Instagram at: OFF THE NOSE (@off.the.nose) • Instagram photos and videos

Get all the information you need about Fringe here: Toronto Fringe | Toronto Fringe Festival

If you'd like to hear Ben's "Before You Go!" segment, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Mitch is an actor/comedian who has been making content the past two years but whose roots are in theatre. You've likely seen him on TikTok or Instagram with his wildly funny impressions. Those impressions range from folks in the theatre to your Starbucks barista, and all of them ring true. We talk about all this and more in this fun episode!

You can find Mitch on social media at: mitch wood (@mitchwood_) | TikTok Instagram

If you'd like to hear my Before You Go! Episode with Mitch, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Devin Bell trained in NYC at The Tom Todoroff Acting Conservatory from 2019-2021, since then he’s acted in a variety of films, tv shows, commercials, and theatre. Devin is tremendously excited to be re-teaming with Wren Theatre for their third show together in Dangerous Liaisons.

Jesse McQueen is an actor, writer, and sketch comedian. She is a conservatory graduate of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC and has a dual degree in psychology and English language & literature from Western University. She loves being a part of stories like this one, which put it all to work! She was recently on stage with Wren Theatre in their production of Little Women. Other select past theatre credits include: Rosalind in As You Like It (Stella Adler NYC), June in JUNE (Theatre Passe Muraille at Toronto Fringe), Mackenzie in 36 Juniper (Teatro Circulo NYC), Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet (Daucus Carota NYC), and Andromache in Trojan Women (Stella Adler NYC). She is ⅓ of sketch comedy troupe Cheap Wine, most recently seen at the 20th annual Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival where they won the Audience Choice Award. Select film/TV: The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot (Crave), How Disney Built America (The History Channel), Haunted Museum (Discovery+), The Last Anniversary (The Butler Brothers), Unbecoming (Best Thriller TIWFF). As a screenwriter and playwright, her work has been screened and staged at venues and festivals throughout North America and the UK. She is a two-time Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference finalist. This is Jesse’s second production with Wren Theatre, and she is honoured and excited to be a part of this incredible team telling this iconic story.

You can find Devin on social media at: Instagram And you can find Jesse at: Instagram or http://www.jessemcqueen.com

If you'd like to listen to Devin and Jesse's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

d’bi.young is an internationally acclaimed visionary dub poet, playwright-performer, director-dramaturge, and activist-scholar, who creates, embodies, and teaches critical dub pedagogy. Culminating their PhD in Black womyn’s theatre at London South Bank University, their research centers on the epistemological, ontological, cosmological, ethical, aesthetic, and somatic emancipation of the oppressed self through theatre-making. d’bi.young developed the Anitafrika Method—a nurturant Black-queer-feminist pedagogy of transformation—offering arts practitioners globally, an intersectional framework of knowing, doing, and being. A widely anthologized Siminovitch Playwright Prize finalist, three-time Dora award winner, and founding Artistic Director of Watah Theatre, Spolrusie Press, and Ubuntu Decolonial Arts Centre in Costa Rica, d’bi.young has authored twelve plays, seven albums, and four poetry collections. d’bi.young currently serves as lead faculty in the training programs of Soulpepper and Obsidian theatre companies. Having recently completed a sessional term at UVic’s Theatre Department, their current initiatives include leading the Black Womxn Theatre Digital Archive project, launching Watah Theatre’s new Black Theatre School, and preparing for the 20th-anniversary production of their multi-ward-winning Sankofa Trilogy.

You can follow d'bi.young on Social Media at: Instagram Facebook

If you'd like to hear by Before You Go! episode with d'bi.young you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Vanessa Sears is a Dora Award, Toronto Theatre Critics Award, BroadwayWorld Award and Critic’s Pick Award winning artist. She has starred on stages across Canada including Shaw, Stratford and Mirvish, and made her Broadway debut as an original cast member in ‘New York, New York’. Last year Vanessa starred in the Stratford Festival’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as Juliet, and made her panto debut as the Wicked Witch of the West End. Continuing to try new things that scare her, Vanessa is thrilled to be tackling her first ever solo performance in Nightwood Theatre’s production of ‘Shedding a Skin’ by Amanda Wilkin.

You can follow Vanessa on social media at: Facebook Instagram

If you'd like to hear Vanessa's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Jonathan Wilson is a queer writer and performer here in Toronto. He had a recurring role as Howie on SUE THOMAS F.B.EYE. Past theatre work includes the recent hit GAY FOR PAY at Crow’s theatre Toronto. Past work includes his Dora Award winning performance as Timon in the Canadian premiere of THE LION KING (The Princess of Wales Theatre) and performances in his own play the Governor General’s and Dora nominated MY OWN PRIVATE OSHAWA (Tarragon Theatre, New Yorker Theatre). Jonathan also starred as Ned Weeks in the critically acclaimed Toronto production of THE NORMAL HEART produced by Stdio 180 Theatre.

His current show, "A Public Display of Affection" is currently on stage at the Studio Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest until April 20.

You can find Jonathan on Instagram at: Jonathan Wilson (@jonathanwilson2303) • Instagram photos and videos

If you'd like to hear Jonathan's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Tara Sky is a Queer mixed blood. They do have Indigenous ancestry. They grew up in the theatre world which was very influential to their practice and how they work today. Tara went to an arts highschool (Etobicoke School of the Arts) and furthered their education at the National Theatre School of Canada. They graduated in 2019 and spent the pandemic months doing workshops before heading to Stratford for three years. Is now doing There is Violence and There is Righteous Violence and There is Death or, The Born-Again Crow at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.

If you'd like to hear Tara's Before You Go episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Laura Mullin is a published playwright and writer, a director, producer, and the Co-Artistic Director of the award-winning Expect Theatre. She is also the Co-Host and Producer of CBC’s PlayME Podcast, transforming plays into binge-able audio dramas. She recently wrote the seven-part original audio drama series Tunnel Runners, which she co-created with Chris Tolley and was released in October 2024, which ranked in the top 10 Fiction podcasts on Apple.   Chris Tolley is the co-host and producer of CBC Radio’s PlayME, he’s the co-artistic director of EXPECT theatre, and is the President of the Playwright’s Guild of Canada. Chris has been active in federal politics for close to ten years. He has been on the campaign team for three elections and was the Candidate for Toronto-Danforth in both 2015 and 2019 federal elections. His campaigns garnered national media attention and ha was invited to debate some top Canadian politicians including the former Finance Minister, and the Critic for Democratic Reform.   We talk about their thrilling audio drama “Tunnel Runners” as well as what audiences can anticipate from PlayME’s 2025 season! The 2025 season launches on March 12th!

Become a Patron here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

You can find Rachel online here: Rachel Cairns (@its.rachel.cairns) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Cairns (@rachelcairns.bsky.social) — Bluesky

If you'd like to hear Rachel's Before You Go! episode, join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

You can get tickets for "The Merchant of Venice" here: SHAKESPEARE BASH'd - Home

Want to hear the Before You Go! segment from this episode? Join my Patreon at A View from the Box | Patreon

Arkady Spivak was cited as a 2020 Canadian Arts Hero by the Globe and Mail. He founded Talk Is Free Theatre in Barrie in 2003, and is the company’s Artistic Producer, in charge of both artistic and administrative visions. Since TIFT's founding, Spivak produced 152 works in Barrie and toured nationally and internationally (most recently to New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and Suriname). In 2018, he produced one of the most ambitious theatre experiences in the world, entitled The Curious Voyage. It was a 3-day long journey, in which each patron became the protagonist of their own story, and was transported, quite literally, from Barrie, Canada and London, UK. TIFT is a recipient of Canada’s prestigious Dora Awards for its productions of Sweeney Todd and Assassins. Spivak has served as a grants juror for the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts, and is currently a Juror for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards in a Musical Theatre category and is a Board Member of Tourism Barrie. He has also been a volunteer mentor at Business and the Arts, helping emerging and small-scale companies with organizational development and sponsorship. Spivak is a recipient of the inaugural Barrie Arts Award and a Contribution to Tourism Award. For the past 20 years, Spivak has mentored several young people and emerging artistic leaders. He has also initiated numerous special initiatives with the goal of strengthening the theatre ecology, such as the recent Artist BIG. As the first-of-its-kind initiative for independent artists in Canada, it provides artists with minimum basic income guarantee for three years.

For more info about "Cock" visit: https://www.tift.ca/shows/cock For more info about "For Resting and Breeding" visit: https://www.tift.ca/shows/for-both-resting-and-breeding

If you'd like to hear the Before You Go! segment of this episode, you can become a Patron at A View from the Box | Patreon

Nick is a Dora Mavor Moore, Elizabeth Sterling Haynes, and Tom Hendry award winning playwright and book writer based in Toronto. You might know him from his plays like Casey and Diana, which had sold-out runs at both the Stratford Festival and Soulpepper, or his musicals In Real Life, Dr Silver, or The Last Timbit.  Dinner with the Duchess, a psychological thriller about life in the arts, enjoyed a successful run at the 2019 Next Stage Theatre Festival, and will be produced again as part of the 2024 Here for Now Festival and now is part of Crow’s Theatre’s season.   Nick and I get into the three plays of his which I saw in 2024, along with what audiences can expect from the new run of Dinner with the Duchess at Crow’s.

You can follow him on Instagram at: Instagram

If you want to join my Patreon, you can at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Thank you all for your unwavering support this year, it means the world to me! There's plenty more to come in 2025 as well!

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Phil Rickaby is a writer and performer from Toronto, Ontario. Theatrical works include The Commandment, a solo play about an atheist who discovers that he’s been chosen to deliver a new commandment, has been seen at Fringe Festivals across Canada, and was named Best Solo Show at the 2018 Fundy Fringe, and named as part of Theatre Orangeville's (519) Best of Toronto Fringe in 2019. Phil is also the writer and Performer of The Introvert’s Guide to Life, Leaving the House, Going to Parties, and Having an Okay Time which premiered at the 2022 Fundy Fringe Festival and was named Fan Favourite. Until early 2024, Phil was also the host of the long running Canadian theatre podcast, Stageworthy.

We chat about elvish propaganda, horror stories at Christmas, and all things yule!

You can follow Phil on social media at: twitter.com/philrickaby instagram.com/philrickaby

Want to hear Phil's Before You Go! episode? Join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Pythia is a drag queen and performer based in Montreal, Canada, originally from Greece. She is known for her appearance on Canada's Drag Race Season 2 and RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars.  She has a background in theatre set, costume and makeup design as well as photography and graphic arts. Drag combines her love for fashion, history, pop culture, storytelling and makeup into one, allowing her to create unique experiences through her performances and mystify audiences around the world.

Denim was born and raised in Prince Edward Island and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Intermedia and Cyber Arts from Concordia University in 2023. Drag allows Emerson to combine his passions of performance, fashion, makeup, video, and textile art into one medium. Emerson’s drag persona, Denim, is best known for being on Canada's Drag Race Season 4, showcasing her otherworldly looks and performances. As an autistic trans man, Denim seeks to broaden the boundaries of drag, making it more inclusive for neurodiverse and trans communities. Denim manifested from the hyper-feminine persona Emerson saw as a “gender performance” before his medical transition. Through Denim, Emerson explores identity as fluid, creating something physical and tangible from imposed gender and neurotypical stereotypes.

We chat about what it's like to be on Drag Race, how the two of them started working together, and what we can expect from Orraculum.

You can find them on Instagram at Instagram Instagram

And you can listen to their "Before You Go!" Episode by joining my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Today, we shine the spotlight on Wren Theatre, an innovative independent theatre company making waves with its fresh approach to classic storytelling. This season, they’re bringing to life Louisa may Alcott’s “Little Women”, directed by their visionary creative director, Tatum Lee. With a commitment to compelling narratives and powerful performances, Wren Theatre is more than a company; it’s a creative community. Join us as we delve into the magic behind their latest production and chat with the talented actors bringing the March sisters to the stage, Lizette Mynhardt, Lizzie Moffatt, Karen Scobie and Mari MacDonald.

Check them out on Instagram: (@wrentheatre) • Instagram photos and videos

Listen to their "Before You Go!" segment by joining my Patreon: A View from the Box | Patreon

Matt and Naomi met at the famous Second City Theatre in Toronto and it was love and first laugh. They wrote and performed 5 shows together and then went on to create The National Theatre of the World with MadTV alumnus Ronald Pederson and firecracker, Kayla Lorette. For 10 years they toured internationally and gained multiple Canadian Comedy Awards.

Baram and Snieckus showcases the unique point of view and chemistry borne from being a real life comedy couple who satirize coupledom in all itʼs complicated splendour. Wether they are exploring all aspects of the male/female dynamic with their sketch comedy, improvising spontaneous scenes in front of live audiences, or hosting their completely improvised no holds barred comedy podcast, the story of men and women will be told through a satiric lens, allowing our performers to deliver their own personal experiences, fully heightened and explored in a unique and comedic way.

We talk about how they met, the “Big Stuff” they’ve had to deal with, and the beautifully collaborative process which has gone into making “Big Stuff”

Find them on Instagram at: Baram & Snieckus (@baramsnieckus) • Instagram photos and videos Naomi Snieckus (@snieckus) • Instagram photos and videos Matt Baram (@mattbaram) • Instagram photos and videos

Photo by Dahlia Katz

liza paul is a curator, artistic leader, director and producer who loves laughter, life, music, family, stories, all things bashment, impromptu dancehall-flavoured a cappella street jams, and pum-related non sequiturs. she has trained at the second city’s improv conservatory and was selected to join their 2017 bob curry fellowship program. she is currently the associate artistic director at the theatre centre where she curates the annual comedy is art festival and is working to continue programming as many comedy shows by women of colour as possible. liza also co-directed, co-imagined, co-produced (paul watson productions and why not theatre) and performed MASHUP PON DI ROAD by bahia watson, a travelling bashment circus variety show that hit the streets of toronto for its world premiere in little jamaica july 2022.

We get to talk about Liza’s writing credits, her time at The Theatre Centre and what makes that venue such a pillar of the community, and what to expect from this year’s “Comedy is Art” festival.

Find The Theatre Centre on Social Media:

The Theatre Centre (@thetheatrecentre) • Instagram photos and videos TheTheatreCentre (@thetheatrecentre) | TikTok Facebook

Ilana Khanin (she/her) is a director of experimental new plays and musicals. Her work has been developed and presented at Ars Nova ANT Fest, Prelude, HERE Arts Center, New Ohio, Judson, Governors Island, The Tank, The Brick, Primary Stages, Theaterlab, Dixon Place, Samuel French Festival, and the Center at West Park. She has worked as an associate director for Lila Neugebauer, Annie-B Parson, and Lee Sunday Evans at venues including Playwrights Horizons, Playmakers Rep, Abrons Arts Centre, and Carolina Performing Arts.

Olivia Daniels (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist based in Toronto. As a performer, favourite credits include: Trina in Falsettos (Bowtie Productions), Bobbie Rosenfeld in Bobbie (Theatre By The Bay), Beth in Merrily We Roll Along (New Studio on Broadway), and Maeve in the NYC premiere of Blue Stockings (Tisch StageWorks). Olivia is the co-founder of Artists in Residence, a theatre company created during the COVID-19 pandemic to support artists’ mental health and foster community connection.

In this episode we get to talk about bringing this play to Next Stage, what it’s like to revisit 2006, and the power of experimental theatre.

I Was Unbecoming Then | An Intimate New Musical (@iwasunbecomingthen) • Instagram photos and videos

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Natalia Bushnik, Brendan Kinnon, and Kathleen Welch are my guests for the episode, and we take a deep dive into SAMCA, it's various workshops and productions, and talk about their upcoming performance at Black Creek Pioneer Village.

SAMCA runs September 25 - October 5 and shows are already selling out! Get your tickets ASAP!

Spindle Collective's Social Media: Spindle Collective (@spindlecollective) • Instagram photos and videos Spindle Collective (@spindlecollective) on Threads (2) Facebook

Riot King's Social Media: RIOT KING: ART MARKET (@riotkingto) • Instagram photos and videos Riot King: Art Market (@riotkingto) | TikTok RIOT KING (@riotkingto) / X (2) Facebook

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Make sure you follow Aisling on social media: https://www.instagram.com/aisling.murph https://www.threads.net/@aisling.murph https://x.com/aisling_murph_

And make sure you check out Intermission as well: https://www.instagram.com/intermissionmag https://x.com/intermissionmag Home | Intermission Magazine

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I’m Janine, author of A View from the Box and unabashedly passionate patroness of the arts. This is just a little get-to-know-me episode to give you a little taste of my background, education, theatre career, and how I started A View from the Box.

To check out my site and find my socials and Patreon check out: https://linktr.ee/AViewfromtheBox

You can find my incredible graphic designer, Emily Marley at: @emazingdesing_em on Instagram!

We’ll see you at the theatre!

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