My hope is that listening to this podcast has felt like eavesdropping on a good conversation — one where you picked up some advice on staying creative and got inspired by the incredible projects these talented guests are working on. As we wrap up Season 1, I want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to every guest who joined me: Phil Rickaby, Bruce Dow, Vikki Velenosi, Matt Murray, Mary Francis Moore, HAUI, Sarah Hime, Laura Anne Harris, and today’s guest, Dorothy Dittrich. I’ve learned so much from each conversation, and I’m so grateful that each of them said “yes” to being part of this experiment with me. Podcasting is something I never thought I’d do — like posting on social media, it pushes me out of my comfort zone — but I’m glad I’ve been braver this year by following my curiosity. I hope to be back with Season 2 in 2026! If you’d like to help keep these conversations going, you can support the podcast at ko-fi.com/alexandralean — any amount truly helps. My conversation with Dorothy took place back in May, and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you. Dorothy is an award-winning playwright, composer, and sound designer from Nanaimo, BC. Her play The Piano Teacher won the 2022 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama and the Jessie Richardson Award. Her other works include The Dissociates, Lesser Demons, Family Channel, If the Moon Falls, and Two Part Invention. She also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the sung-through musical When We Were Singing, which received multiple Jessie and Dora nominations. You can catch The Piano Teacher at Thousand Islands Playhouse from October 10 – November 2, 2025 — don’t miss it!

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🎭 Being Dramatic - Episode #7 | Sarah Hime on Alice Is Fine, Filmmaking & Finding Your Voice In this episode, I sit down with Toronto-based actor and filmmaker Sarah Hime to talk about her powerful short film Alice Is Fine, her journey as an artist, and what it means to create something deeply personal. Sarah shares her experience writing, co-producing, and starring in Alice Is Fine, a film that explores the frustrating reality of gender bias in healthcare and the struggle to have one’s pain taken seriously. We also reminisce about the time Sarah was part of a staged reading of my musical Mimi and the Music way back when, her love of singing, and the challenges of navigating how much of ourselves we share in our creative work. 💡 Support Independent Art!

• Watch Alice Is Fine and consider leaving a tip: https://www.sarahhime.ca/filmmaking.html
• Check out Sarah’s work and coaching: https://www.sarahhime.ca/about.html
• Visit my website: https://alexandralean.wordpress.com/
• Grab some cool designs from my new Redbubble store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/musicalandi
• About the 'Being Dramatic merch' - This design is for the bold, the expressive, and the ones who refuse to shrink themselves to fit someone else’s comfort. Inspired by the Being Dramatic podcast, this merch supports independent Canadian artists, filmmakers, singers, and creatives. Wear it as a reminder that your passion, your emotions, and your voice are not a flaw—they’re your power.
• Like this T-shirt - https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Being-Dramatic-If-you-say-I-m-too-much-go-find-less-by-musicalandi/169600938.WFLAH

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation! Don’t forget to rate, review, and share if you enjoyed this episode. 😊

In this podcast series, Being Dramatic, I, Alex Lean, do the most dramatic thing I could possibly think of: I talk to someone I don’t know about stuff I care about. (Cue the gasps!) On this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Haui™, an award-winning mixed-media artist who’s redefining what it means to bridge art and activism. We dive into his groundbreaking work, from directing operas to creating immersive installations, and explore how creativity can be a radical act of courage and connection.

About the Guest: Haui™ is an award-winning mixed-media artist celebrated for his cross-disciplinary work in theater, dance, opera, film, and visual arts. His projects, like the feature film MixedUp and the immersive installation Private Flowers, challenge traditional boundaries and engage themes of race, gender, and sexual orientation. As the youngest director in Canadian Opera Company history, his libretto Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White premiered to critical acclaim, showcasing a fully diverse creative team and emphasizing collective progress within the African diaspora. Haui™ has collaborated with major institutions like the Canadian Opera Company and CBC, and his work continues to inspire and provoke. He’s a Chalmers Arts Fellow, a recent artist-in-residence in Guelph, and will be heading to the Watermill Center in 2025. Basically, he’s the kind of creative powerhouse who makes the rest of us want to step up our game.

About the Host: Alexandra Lean is a playwright, artist, and professional over-thinker who’s made it her mission to talk to creatives about things she cares about. (It’s called Being Dramatic for a reason, folks.) Her work includes Nobody’s Idol (2013), Ghosted: The Musical (2019), and the haunting Witch. As a songwriter and storyteller, Alex is all about embracing the messy, magical, and deeply human parts of creativity. This year, she launched a monthly series on social media sponsored by the Canadian Play Outlet and Playwrights Guild of Canada, where she dives into the world of plays and the people who write them. With a deep passion for theatre and storytelling, Alex’s creative journey is all about finding connection, courage, despite of all the chaos along the way. Because let’s face it: life’s too short to not be dramatic.

Subscribe to Being Dramatic wherever you get your podcasts, and join the conversation on social media.

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Welcome to another engaging episode of Being Dramatic, hosted by Alexandra Lean, an award-winning playwright, independent producer, and songwriter. With a passion for storytelling and musical theatre, Alexandra brings her unique perspective to each episode, exploring the creative processes behind musical theatre. About the Host: Alexandra Lean is a graduate of Brock University’s Theatre program and recipient of the ‘F. Janet Doleman Prize in Playwriting’. Her notable works include musicals such as Nobody’s Idol and Ghosted: The Musical, showcased at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Alexandra's dedication to theatre is evident through her self-produced staged readings and her recent work on Witch (2023). Her mission is to inspire others in their creative journeys, emphasizing that even the tiniest sparks of artistic expression can ignite profound healing and comfort for the soul. Episode 4's Guest is Matt Murray This episode features Matt Murray, a Toronto-based book writer, lyricist, and playwright. Matt has an impressive portfolio, including co-writing musicals like Grow and Maggie: The Musical, as well as several Ross Petty holiday pantomimes. His work extends to plays such as Myth Of The Ostrich and The Time Capsule. Currently, Matt is working on a new adaptation of The Wizard of Oz for the Canadian Stage Company’s holiday panto. Episode Highlights: Join Alexandra and Matt as they delve into the drama and artistry of making musicals. If you enjoy the episode, consider supporting the podcast by leaving a tip https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/being-dramatic Listen now to explore the vibrant world of musical theatre with Alexandra Lean and her insightful guest, Matt Murray!

• Understanding the Role of a Book Writer: Matt explains his role in musical theatre, focusing on crafting the story and characters that unfold between songs.
• The Journey of Creating Musicals: Discover the time and dedication involved in writing musicals, with insights into Matt's projects like Grow and Maggie: The Musical.
• Exploring Musical Structures: A discussion on different types of musicals, including book musicals versus sung-through productions like Les Misérables.
• The Hero's Journey in Musicals: An exploration of how traditional narrative structures apply to musical theatre.
• Collaborative Creativity: Matt shares how he met his collaborators and developed ideas for his musicals. Thanks for listening.

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Welcome to Being Dramatic, a podcast where your host, Alexandra Lean, follows her curiosity and challenges her social anxiety by talking to creatives from all walks of life. In this episode, Alexandra sits down with Vikki Velenosi, a storyteller, self-worth coach, serial entrepreneur, and fighter of the status quo. Together, they dive into a conversation about business, the arts, and how to challenge the status quo – all with dramatic flair. If you enjoy the episode, consider leaving a tip to help keep the podcast going: Tip Here Connect with Vikki Velenosi:

• Website: Space Space Revolution
• Instagram & TikTok: @VikkiTiiVii

Connect with Alexandra Lean:

• Instagram: @thevirtualplaywright
• Website: alexandralean.wordpress.com

Thank you for listening! I truly appreciate my small but mighty group of cool, smart, and funny listeners – you’re the best!

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Episode Title: Being Dramatic with Bruce Dow

Description:

In this episode, we sit down with Bruce Dow, a multi-talented actor, and creative who has transitioned into a fulfilling career as a therapist. We delve into the connection between mental illness and performance, exploring how his illustrious career in theater shapes his understanding of mental health today. From stage lights to therapy sessions, Bruce shares insights on balancing creativity and well-being.

My name is Alexandra Lean and I am trying my hand at podcast hosting and following my curiosity in the hopes of connecting with people I wouldn't normally connect with. It is a way to overcome my anxiety about talking to people, especially people I don't really know.

Links & Resources: Bruce Dow's website: https://brucedow.com/ Alexandra Lean's website: https://alexandralean.wordpress.com/being-dramatic/ Resources: https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resources/ Donate: https://ko-fi.com/alexandralean

Call to Action: If you liked this episode and feel like supporting us, you can donate or leave a tip. Any funds received help us keep the podcast running smoothly. Thank you so much in advance for listening and for your support! Link: https://ko-fi.com/alexandralean

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Join me, the host, Alexandra Lean, as I speak to creatives like me who dare to make drama. Whether it be on the page, a stage, a screen or maybe even a canvas. I am driven by my own curiosity to explore every avenue of expression, I’ve decided to try a podcast. It seems like everyone’s got one these days, so why not me? Plus, this is my way of tackling social anxieties—by diving into one-on-one conversations with fellow creatives. This page is currently under construction, but stay tuned as we dare to make drama together!

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