Bryn Kennedy returns to Stageworthy to talk about directing Riot King's production of The Moors by Jen Silverman — a darkly comic Victorian Gothic play about isolation, power, and the cost of giving up community. Bryn shares why this unsettling tale of spinster sisters, a mysterious governess, a mastiff dog, and a moorhen feels urgently relevant in our age of individualism and loneliness.

Beyond The Moors, Bryn and Phil dig into big questions facing Canadian theatre: How do we reach audiences who aren't already theatre people? Why do we struggle to communicate story in our marketing? And what can we learn from Hollywood, fringe festivals, and even church about building community and inviting people in? Bryn also reflects on her work as a director, actor, producer, and marketer — and what she learned about the next generation of theatre-makers while managing Musical Stage Company's One Song Glory program.

This episode explores:

• Why The Moors speaks to our culture of isolation and individualism
• The magic of the BMO Incubator Space at the Theatre Centre
• What Riot King gets right about indie theatre community
• Why we need to stop assuming everyone knows the classics
• What Bryn learned from working with fearless theatre kids
• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Bryn Kennedy

Bryn Kennedy (she/her) is a director, producer, sometimes actor, spreadsheet planner, community builder and life-long learner. As a director, her favourite credits include the upcoming production of The Moors with Riot King, a new interpretation of Vitals by Rosamund Small (Outstanding Solo Performance Nomination, My Entertainment Awards), Beneath the Bed by Gabriel Golin (sold out, site specific run at Toronto Fringe) and new, speculative fiction play JANE by Camille Intson (inaugural Tarragon Greenhouse Residency). She is an alumni of Director's Lab North, Musical Stage Company‘s Apprentice Program and the Stratford Festival Langham Directors Workshop, where she was the recipient of the Jean Gascon Award for Emerging Director at the Guthrie Awards. She has also held assisting positions with prolific Canadian directors Jackie Maxwell (Withrow Park at Tarragon, Ransacking Troy at Stratford), Chris Abraham (Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and Rogers V Rogers at Crow's) and Peter Pasyk (Hamlet at Stratford). She is currently the Assistant to the Artistic Director at Crow's Theatre and Associate Artistic Director at Directors Lab North.

Connect with Bryn Kennedy

🌐 Website: brynkennedy.com

📸 Instagram: @brynkennedy

Get tickets to the Moors: https://theatrecentre.org/tickets/?eid=188037

The Moors runs until April 19 at The Theatre Centre.

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

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In this episode, Phil sits down with Miriam Cummings, a playwright, performer, and educator who creates deeply personal solo theatre. Miriam shares how a tongue-in-cheek suggestion at Canada's National Voice Institute led her to write and perform her first solo show, The One, and how that experience opened up new ways of being vulnerable on stage. She reflects on the protective barriers she built as a young actor after experiencing profound loss, and how solo performance helped her dismantle those walls and get closer to herself as an artist.

Miriam also discusses her second solo show, Wide, which pushed the boundaries of audience participation and co-creation, and how moving from Montreal to BC transformed both her body and her art. As an educator, she believes everyone has inherent presence and that actor training is about uncovering the joy of play we all had as children. This conversation explores grief, presence, the writing process, and the courage it takes to be honest on stage.

This episode explores:

• How a casual suggestion led Miriam to create her first solo show
• The terrifying vulnerability of hearing your own writing read aloud for the first time
• Navigating grief and loss in theatre school and building protective barriers as an actor
• The difference between creating The One and Wide, and the role of movement in Miriam's writing process
• Teaching presence, play, and helping adults reclaim what they loved as children
• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Miriam Cummings

Miriam (she/her) is an artist, actor, and educator who creates on the ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. Playful improvisation that connects breath, body, and voice to image is at the core of Miriam’s practice. She holds an MFA (Performance & Creative Writing) from UBCO and a BFA (Acting) from Concordia University. Based in Tiohtià:ke / Montréal for more than a decade, Miriam performed with local companies such as Repercussion Theatre, Montréal Improv, and co-founded Hopegrown Productions, an incubator for new plays. Her solo performance and research of psychologically safe actor training methods have been selected for residencies in Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia. Miriam has instructed adults across the country for more than a decade, teaching acting, devising, and creative writing classes as Part-Time Faculty at Concordia University and workshops at Sheridan College, Okanagan College, Geordie Theatre School, Tempest Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Rosebud School for the Arts, and more. Miriam offers accessible classes for everyone that boost confidence, creativity, and self-expression through actor training techniques and coaches people one-on-one.

Connect with Miriam:

📸 Instagram: @mcummings___

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

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Creative producer Alexis Eastman joins Stageworthy host Phil Rickaby to explore what it really means to be a creative producer in Canadian theatre. From her early days making work at the Toronto Fringe to her current role supporting artists through long-term development processes, Alexis shares insights into how she bridges the administrative and creative aspects of theatre-making. She discusses her collaborations with artists like Adam Lazarus on shows including Daughter and the upcoming Versus, and how her approach to producing integrates her into the creative process as a true collaborator. Alexis also opens up about how becoming a mother profoundly changed her perspective on producing, the importance of failure in the creative process, and her journey from devised theatre to discovering she's actually a novelist. She reflects on growing up in an evangelical church and how that shaped her artistic practice, the necessity of boredom for creativity, and why long-term relationships between artists and producers lead to deeper, more rigorous work.

This episode explores:

• What a creative producer actually does and how it differs from traditional producing
• The importance of long-term artist support and development in theatre
• How motherhood transformed Alexis's approach to producing and collaboration
• Working with Adam Lazarus on Daughter and the new show Versus
• Why failure and time are essential ingredients in the creative process
• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Alexis Eastman

Alexis Eastman is a writer and creative producer based in Toronto. A graduate of York University's Creative Ensemble program, she learned her producing craft at the Theatre Centre under Ashlyn Rose, where she served as producer from 2018. Alexis works as a creative collaborator integrated into the artistic process from idea through development to premiere and beyond. She has collaborated extensively with artists including Adam Lazarus on Daughter and the upcoming show Versus. Beyond producing, Alexis is also a novelist, having discovered that novel writing is her true creative practice. She brings her experience as a mother and her background growing up in an evangelical church to inform her thoughtful, emotionally intelligent approach to supporting artists.

Connect with Alexis Eastman:

📸 Instagram: @alexis_leanna

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

What happens when three goblins discover the complete works of Shakespeare and decide to stage Macbeth? Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak, the creative minds behind Spontaneous Theatre and the Goblin Empire, join Phil to share the wild origin story of Goblin:Macbeth; from a rushed eight-day creation to becoming a phenomenon at major Canadian theatre festivals. They discuss the challenges of performing in Hollywood-grade silicone masks, the art of caring for audiences while embodying creatures, and how they've managed to sneak improvisation into prestigious Canadian theatre companies like the Stratford and Shaw Festivals.

This episode explores:

• The serendipitous eight-day creation of Goblin Macbeth and performing in expensive silicone masks
• How mask work, clown technique, and bouffon influence the goblins' relationship with audiences
• Sneaking improvisation into mainstream Canadian theatre at Stratford and Shaw Festivals
• The legacy of Keith Johnstone and Loose Moose Theatre Company in shaping Canadian improv
• Why live theatre is the antidote to artificial intelligence and isolation
• And much more!

Guests: 🎭 Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak

Rebecca Northan is a "Jill-of-all-trades": actor, director, playwright, improviser,producer, and sometimes-prop-maker. She is the Artistic Producer of Spontaneous Theatre, known for its audience-centered creations that almost always break the fourth wall. Rebecca has worked across Canada as an actor and director. Most recently she co-created Murder-on-the-Lake for the Shaw Festival, which played to 87% houses in the 2025 season. In 2026, Rebecca will travel to Bard on the Beach, in Vancouver, to direct the Merry Wives of Windsor, and will then remain perform in Goblin:Oedipus. Rebecca, and co-creators Bruce Horak & Ellis Lalonde continue to expand the "Goblin Empire", with several future Goblin projects in the hopper. Rebecca is a Canadian Comedy Award Winner, and has also starred in two Canadian TV series ("Alice, I Think", and "The Foundation"). She also teaches improvisation occasionally, and hopes to someday launch a training facility. Rebecca's hit show, Blind Date, has toured across Canada, parts the US, off-Broadway, and in London & Oslo.

Bruce Horak is originally from Calgary, Alberta where he trained in Theatre and Improvisation at the prestigious Loose Moose Theatre. He has worked professionally in Canada and abroad for over 25 years. He can be seen onscreen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for Paramount Plus as the Chief Engineer, Hemmer. When not creating new works and performing onstage, Bruce devotes his time to painting, composing, and writing.

Connect with Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak:

🌐 Spontaneous Theatre: spontaneoustheatre.com

📸 Instagram: @spontaneoustheatre

📸 Instagram: @rebeccanorthan

📸 Instagram: @brucehorak

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week on Stageworthy, Phil Rickaby is joined by the vibrant and multifaceted Tika McLean. In a conversation that is as funny as it is profound, Tika reflects on her journey from a self-described "shy kid" who once froze during a church solo to becoming a bold, multidisciplinary artist who uses her voice to challenge the status quo.

In this episode:

• The "General Creative" Philosophy: Why Tika refuses to choose just one lane between acting, dancing, and painting.
• Art as Social Commentary: Using satire to address racism and the "distraction economy."
• Navigating the Industry with Disability: The reality of chronic pain, healthcare "sensitivity," and accessibility on stage.
• The K-Pop Connection: How global fandoms and the South Korean idol system inspired her new musical project.
• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Tika McLean

Tika McLean is a performer who uses acting, singing, dancing & painting as creative outlets to express her performance abilities to her audience. She created her one woman (for now) production company, Beyond A Productions, and shares her comedy skits, cover songs and dances on her YouTube channel TIKA! (@tikacreates), & LOVES to perform live! Tika strives to build mutual aid networks in her community through her work with various organizations as an outreach worker for people experiencing homelessness, hosting clothing drives and a portable soup kitchen, and handing out Covid fun packages for people in isolation. She continues to volunteer in her community by mentoring youth & young adults to create their own community initiatives & achieve their career goals. She also is the proud creator of GIVE ‘EM LOVE, an art fundraiser platforming communities experiencing oppression due to stigma, to finally have the opportunity to tell their stories to the world. Tika wants you to know that mutual aid networks are key to creating positive change in our communities.

Connect with Tika:

📸 Instagram: @angry_black_womban 🎥 TikTok: @angry_black_woman 📺 YouTube: @TikaCreates

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Emily Jeffers for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about artistic identity, collaboration, and carving out a sustainable life in theatre.

Emily shares insights into her creative journey, reflecting on the evolution of her practice and the realities of working as an artist today. From navigating uncertainty to embracing curiosity, she speaks candidly about the challenges and rewards of making work that feels both personal and communal. The conversation explores process, risk-taking, and the importance of staying open to change in an ever-shifting theatrical landscape.

This episode explores:

• Emily’s path into theatre and the experiences that shaped her voice
• The balance between artistic ambition and practical sustainability
• Collaboration as a creative engine
• The role of vulnerability in performance and creation
• Redefining success on your own terms
• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Emily Jeffers

Emily Jeffers is an actor, producer, comedian and clown based in Toronto. She has developed her comedic sensibilities through instructors and training from l’École Philippe Gaulier (France), Spymonkey Theatre (UK), the Idiot Workshop (Los Angeles), Second City, Bad Dog Theatre, and Sweet Action Theatre. Emily is known for absurd, physical characters like Bitty-Bat, the Mathemagician, and her drag persona Sheonardo DiCaprio. She has performed at Second City, Toronto Sketchfest, Montreal Sketchfest, the Montreal Clown Festival, Toronto Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. Ever a champion of the ridiculous, Emily also produces the variety shows Tight Five and Sketch Party as well as workshops to support the professional development of clowns and performers in the Toronto community.

Connect with Emily:

🌐 website: www.emilyjeffers.ca

📸 Instagram: @blemilybleffers

📸 Instagram: @bittybatshow

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Virginia Woodall, producer at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival.

With the festival entering its 21st year, Virginia shares the story of how she moved from volunteer to producer, how 164 submissions become a 12-day lineup of 78 troupes, and why sketch comedy deserves recognition as its own artistic discipline.

In this episode:

• The evolution of the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival
• How the programming committee evaluates 160+ submissions
• Why sketch comedy is a distinct art form — not just “theatre adjacent”
• Community-building within the sketch scene
• The role of monthly comedy cabarets
• Why Virginia calls Sketchfest “Comedy Christmas”
• And more!

Guest: 🎭  Virginia Woodall

Virginia Woodall is a producer at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. She's an arts administrator and creative producer with a background that bridges the cultural and corporate sectors (she’s a textbook Libra: very balanced). Drawing on years of experience in comedy, live performance, and festival production, she combines strategic thinking with a deep love for the creative process. Her prior work in corporate sales and marketing helps her build buzz, grow partnerships, and develop organizational growth strategies. Virginia is passionate about creating inclusive, accessible, and joyful arts experiences that support artists and strengthen community.

Connect with Virginia & Toronto SketchFest

🌐 Website: torontosketchfest.com

📷 Instagram: @tosketchfesthttps://www.instagram.com/tosketchfest/

📷 Instagram: @iamvirginiawoodall

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with acclaimed playwright, actor, and screenwriter Anusree Roy about her newest play, Through the Eyes of God, now onstage at Theatre Passe-Muraille. The conversation explores Roy’s evolving artistic process, the deeply personal roots of her storytelling, and her journey between theatre and television writing.

In this episode:

• Writing as an act of witnessing and responsibility
• The emotional and ethical weight of socially engaged theatre
• Navigating the Canadian theatre landscape as a playwright of colour
• Collaboration, trust, and the rehearsal room as community
• Sustaining an artistic life while carrying urgent stories
• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Anusree Roy

Anusree is a two time Governor General’s Award-nominated and four-time Dora Award-winning writer, actor, and director.

Anusree is currently the Co-Executive Producer and writer for the Allegiance S3 (CBC) television series. She has also worked on Interview With The Vampire S3 (AMC), Allegiance S2 (CBC), Transplant S2 (NBC/Netflix/CTV), I Woke Up a Vampire (Netflix), SkyMed (Paramount+/CBC), Remedy (Global TV), Killjoys (SyFy), and Nurses S1 & S2 (NBC/Global TV).

For theatre, Anusree’s plays include: Through the Eyes of God, Sisters, Trident Moon, Little Pretty and The Exceptional, Sultans of the Street, Brothel # 9, Roshni, Letters to my Grandma, and Pyaasa. She is the recipient of the K.M. Hunter Award, the RBC Emerging Artist Award, the Carol Bolt Award and the Siminovitch Protégé Prize. She was the 2018 finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (the largest and oldest playwriting prize for women writing for English-speaking theatre). Currently, she is the commissioned playwright at Tarragon Theatre, writing her new play, 147, 8th Street. Anusree is presently developing a feature film inspired by her audio play, Sisters, as well as directing and premiering her short films, The Birthday Party and God’s Plan (winner of Best Performance & Best Editing at WIFF). She is also an adjunct professor of playwriting at the University of Toronto and a professor of creative writing, teaching advanced drama to MFA students, at the University of British Columbia.

Anusree's playwright residencies include: Nightwood Theatre, Young People's Theatre, Factory Theatre, The Blyth Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille, The Canadian Stage Company and Tarragon Theatre. Anusree spent two seasons as an actor at the Stratford Festival of Canada. She holds a B.A. from York University and an M.A. from the University of Toronto, and most of her plays have been published by Playwrights Canada Press. Anusree was a board member for Playwrights Canada Press for over five years and a juror for the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Michael Than Foundation Award, Toronto Arts Foundation Awards and the George Luscombe Mentorship Award. Her works have appeared in multiple anthologies including: Refractions: Scenes, Refractions: Solo, Love, Loss and Longing: South Asian Canadian Plays, Truth in Play, Dramathemes, TOK: Writing the New Toronto, and Diaspora Dialogues Anthology. Anusree's plays have been taught at the University of Toronto, York University, Ryerson University, Wilfried Laurier University, the University of Calgary, the University of Guelph, the University of Regina, McGill University and the National Theatre School.

Connect with Anusree

🌐 Website: www.anusreeroy.com

📸 Instagram: @writeranusreeroy

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Dienye Waboso Amajor — a Dora-nominated Nigerian actor, writer, and interdisciplinary artist living and working in Ontario. With an academic background in theatre and performance studies and ongoing doctoral research, Dienye’s practice bridges performance, scholarship, and cultural storytelling.

This Episode Explores:

• Dienye’s journey as a Nigerian artist working in Canada
• The relationship between scholarship and performance practice
• Creating work grounded in lived experience and research
• The role of voice — personal, cultural, and artistic
• Balancing academic study with creative practice
• And much more!

Guest:

🎭 Dienye Waboso Amajor

Dienye Waboso Amajor is a Dora Nominated Nigerian Actor, Writer, Performer and Mother who lives and works in Ontario. Dienye holds an MA in Theatre and Performance studies from York University with a keen interest in Pre-Colonial African Theory, Performance and Development. Dienye is a published writer whose work can be found on the online publication She Does the City. In 2022, she developed and debuted a new visual and photographic work titled “Rest” which seeks to prioritize and localize the exploration and imagery of Black bodies in a state of Rest. Dienye is currently continuing her studies as a PhD student in the Theatre Dance and Performance program at York University. She currently works with Suitcase in Point Multi Arts company as the Associate Artistic Director.

Connect with Dienye

📸 Instagram: @sodiandtheboys

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Tim Porter, founding Artistic Director of Tweed & Company Theatre, to talk about what it means to build a sustainable professional theatre company outside of major urban centres.

This Episode Explores:

• Founding Tweed & Company and building a company from the ground up

• Why regional and rural theatre matters in Canada

• Audience relationships outside major urban centres

• Sustainability, scale, and expectations in Canadian theatre

• The difference between serving a community and chasing prestige

• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Tim Porter:

Tim is a performer, writer, and director from Tweed Ontario. As Tweed & Company’s founding Artistic Director, he’s written/directed several full Canadian musicals and directed/performed in countless others. Acting credits include: Nine seasons with Drayton Entertainment performing in countless shows including Buddy the Elf in ELF!, George in the Drowsy Chaperone, six pantos as the Buttons track, Les Mis, Man of La Mancha, Marathon of Hope, Kinky Boots, Singing in the Rain, and many more.; multiple North American tours as Rooney Doodle in CBC’s ‘The Doodlebops’; the original Canadian Productions of ‘Evil Dead: The Musical’ and ‘Cannibal: The Musical’. Tim is also a King Charles the 3rd Coronation Medal recipient, two time Premier’s Award of Ontario nominee and Terry Doyle Memorial Award recipient (Drayton Entertainment). He is honoured to produce quality theatre for Hastings County and Eastern Ontario.

Connect with Tim and Tweed & Company:

🌐 Website: www.tweedandcompany.com 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tweedandcompany/

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Jack Burrill, actor, director, acting coach, and Artistic Director of Unchained Theatre. What begins as a shared nerd-out over Shakespeare quickly becomes a wide-ranging conversation about why these 400-year-old plays still matter - and how indie theatre is often where their most exciting reinventions happen.

This episode explores:

• Founding Unchained Theatre during the pandemic

• Modernizing classic texts without losing their soul

• Performing Shakespeare in small, intimate spaces

• Why indie theatre matters in Toronto’s ecosystem

• Theatre as an irreplaceable live experience

• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Jack Burrill

Jack Burrill is an actor, a director, a writer, teacher and the proud Artistic Director and co-founder of Unchained Theatre. As Jack has taken part in productions that he has both acted in and directed (often at the same time.) Some of Jack’s credits include Denise Shepard (Laramie Project), Wargrave (And Then There Were None), Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night), Titania/Theseus (Midsummer Night's Dream), Falstaff (Henry IV Part 1). And recently Jack will be Claudius in Hamlet. Jack was recently nominated by Broadway World for his performance as Titania/Thesus in Thaumatrope Theatres production of Midsummer Nights Dream. Jack was trained at Centennial CollegeTheatre Arts and Performance program. As well as being trained in both the Grotowski method by Ara Glenn-Johanson and the Michael Chekhov Technique by Rena Polley and Lionel Walsh, with an aspiration to be trained in more of the legendary practitioner’s methods. He hopes to continue his work and research by producing Shakespeare and learning the different approaches to the craft of acting to pass it on to future generations of actors and artists.

Connect with Jack Burrill & Unchained Theatre:

📸 Instagram: @jackieb123_______

📸 Instagram: @unchained_theatre_company___

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this solo Stageworthy episode, host Phil Rickaby takes a deep dive into the idea of “nation-building” — and why Canada keeps getting it wrong. Sparked by post-election rhetoric around pipelines, railways, housing, and AI infrastructure, Phil argues that these are construction projects, not nation-building ones. True nation-building, he suggests, happens through culture — and specifically through the arts.

Drawing on Canadian history, from the Massey Commission to the creation of the Canada Council for the Arts, Phil traces how arts funding was once understood as a form of national defence — a way of protecting Canadian identity from cultural erasure. He contrasts that history with today’s fixation on GDP, ROI, and “bankable” outcomes, and asks what happens to a country when its soul is treated as discretionary.

This episode is part rant, part cultural history lesson, and part call to action — urging Canada to remember that theatres, music, film, and storytelling don’t just entertain us. They define us.

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Gabrielle Martin, Artistic Director of Vancouver’s PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. Gabrielle discusses her unconventional path into arts leadership, the realities of curating large-scale interdisciplinary work, and the responsibility of presenting challenging, global performance within a local context.

This episode explores:

• Gabrielle’s journey into arts leadership and festival direction

• The role of PuSh Festival within Vancouver’s cultural ecosystem

• Curating interdisciplinary and international performance

• Audience engagement and accessibility in contemporary performance

• The realities of producing large-scale work in Canada

• Care, sustainability, and leadership in the performing arts

• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Gabrielle Martin

Gabrielle Martin is a cultural producer and live arts curator practicing transformative experiential design in one of society’s few remaining ritual spaces. Her work prioritizes embodied criticality, imagination, pluralism, and risk. It centres the body, and is framed by social and political urgencies.

Gabrielle has a BFA in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University (Montréal), a Certificate in Dramaturgy from the Centre National des Arts du Cirque (Châlons-en-Champagne), and an MA in Arts and Cultural Management from Rome Business School.

Recently, Gabrielle has participated on curatorial and selection juries for Denmark’s CPH Stage International Days, England’s Horizon Showcase, and Canada’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in Dance. Before joining PuSh in 2021, she worked as Festival Manager with the Vancouver International Dance Festival. Prior to working in arts management, Gabrielle performed over 1,400 shows internationally with Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK – The First Flight and Cavalia, participated in choreographic residencies in Belgium, Sweden and France, and presented her work in the UK, US, and across Canada.

Connect with Gabrielle:

🌐 Website: https://pushfestival.ca/

📷 Instagram: @pushfestival

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with theatre producer and arts leader Reid Vanier for a candid conversation about producing, leadership, and building sustainable theatre ecosystems. Reid reflects on his path into the industry, the realities of working behind the scenes, the theatre scene in Whitehorse, and the evolving responsibilities of producers in today’s cultural landscape.

This episode explores:

• Reid’s journey into theatre producing and arts leadership
• Balancing artistic ambition with organizational sustainability
• Leadership styles within theatre companies and cultural institutions
• Supporting artists while managing limited resources
• The evolving landscape of Canadian theatre production
• Collaboration, trust, and communication in creative teams
• And more!

Guest: 🎭 Reid Vanier

Reid (he/him) is a director and actor originally from Ontario but now based in Whitehorse, Yukon. He was worked on and off-stage at numerous theatres and arts organizations in Canada, including the Stratford Festival and Shaw Festival, and currently serves as the President of the Guild Hall in Whitehorse. Reid is also an award-winning podcaster and comedian.

Selected directing: The Weir, Monty Python's Spamalot, Mustard (The Guild), Fiddler on the Roof (Yukon Theatre for Young People), Matt & Ben (Hot Cousin Productions), An Ideal Husband (KW Youth Theatre), The Real Inspector Hound, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet (Standard Deviation Theatre).

Selected acting: Two Gentlemen of Verona (Yukon Theatre for Young People), Good Night Desdemona Good Morning Juliet (The Guild), The Three Musketeers, Henry V (Stratford Festival), La Persistencia, The Dumb Waiter, On the Harmfulness of Tobacco (Standard Deviation Theatre).

Selected workshops: Klondike: The Musical (The Guild), Body 13 (The MT Space).

Training: University of Waterloo.

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

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This episode explores:

• Joe’s path from community theatre to theatre criticism

• The founding and philosophy behind Our Theatre Voice

• The value of training and mentorship in theatre criticism

• Constructive criticism versus negativity

• Funding pressures and their impact on production choices

• Championing Canadian stories and homegrown work

• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Joe Szekeres

Actor/director for 30+ years in the local community theatre scene in Durham Region. Retired 33-year Catholic school educator. Founder, Editor and Publisher of OUR THEATRE VOICE. I had also written for Onstage Blog (founder: Chris Peterson) until 2020, when COVID hit and Onstage changed its formatting. Chris encouraged me to go out on my own.

Connect with Joe:

🌐 Website: www.ourtheatrevoice.com

📸 Instagram: @ourtheatrevoice

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this special roundtable episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by theatre critics and podcasters Janine Marley (A View From the Box) and Ryan Borochovitz (The Cup / Cup of Hemlock Theatre) for an in-depth conversation reflecting on the past year in Toronto theatre.

Connect with Janine and A View From the Box:

🌐 Website: aviewfromthebox.net

📸 Instagram: @avuefromthebox

🦋 Bluesky: @aviewfromthebox.bsky.social

__

Connect with Ryan and The Cup of Hemlock Podcast:

📸 Instagram: @cohtheatre

🔴 Youtube: @cupofhemlocktheatre2934

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week, Phil Rickaby welcomes Stephanie Malek, performer and producer, to discuss the magic of improvised musicals, the history of Bad Dog Theatre, and the power of finding community through art. Stephanie, who is involved in the show Holiday, an improvised musical, shares insights into the rigorous training required for musical improv, the importance of nurturing other artists, and more!

In this episode:

• Holiday, the Improvised Musical at Factory Theatre

• Bad Dog Theatre, Improv and the community

• The Fandom Show Podcast

• And more!

Guest: 🎭 Stephanie Malek

Stephanie Malek (she/her) is a producer, performer, fangirl, comedian, singer, and all around nerd from Toronto, ON. She is known for producing and performing in the Dora-nominated improvised musical Holiday! An Improvised Musical! She can be found performing at comedy venues around Toronto and the world at festivals such as JFL, New Zealand Improv Fest, and Toronto Sketchfest.

Connect with Stephanie and Bad Dog Theatre:

🌐 Website: baddogtheatre.com

📸 Instagram: @baddogtheatre | @stephanie_malek

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Kanika Ambrose, an award-winning playwright, librettist, and screenwriter whose work spans theatre, opera, and television. Kanika shares her path from writing poetry as a child to becoming one of Canada’s most exciting multidisciplinary storytellers, known for blending sharp social insight with bold, imaginative worlds. She discusses her three plays in production right now: our place, at Black Theatre Workshop, The Christmas Market at Crow's in association with b Current and Studio 180 Theatre and Moonlight Schooner at Canadian Stage, in association with Necessary Angel and Tarragon Theatre.

This episode explores:

• Kanika’s creative beginnings and path to becoming a playwright

• Finding her voice in writing after initially pursuing acting

• How motherhood reshaped her creative life

• Creating space for Black women and Caribbean stories in Canadian theatre

• and much more!

Guest: ✍️ Kanika Ambrose

Kanika Ambrose is a two-time Dora Award winning playwright, opera librettist, and screenwriter.  Her play “our place,” was first produced by Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille in November 2022 and received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for “Outstanding New Play” in 2023. She received a second “Outstanding New Play” Dora in 2024 for “Truth” which premiered at Young People’s Theatre earlier the same year.

Moonlight Schooner Tickets: 🎟️ https://my.canadianstage.com/overview/9330

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Fiona Sauder, co-founder and Artistic Director of Bad Hats Theatre. Known for their inventive, musical, family-friendly adaptations of classic literature, Bad Hats has become one of Toronto’s most celebrated indie theatre companies. Fiona shares the origin story of the company, beginning with a serendipitous brewery production of Peter Pan and growing into a long-standing partnership with Soulpepper, as well as their upcoming production of Narnia.

This episode explores:

• The origins and evolution of Bad Hats Theatre

• How Fiona approaches adapting iconic children’s literature

• Theatre as a space of joy, presence, and shared imagination

• Fiona’s artistic journey from Ottawa to George Brown to Soulpepper

• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Fiona Sauder

Fiona Sauder is a Director, Writer, and Performer from Ottawa, ON. The co-founder, and Artistic Director of Bad Hats Theatre, Fiona is a multi-Dora Award winning artist whose writing has been presented across Canada. Select Directing credits include: Narnia, Alice In Wonderland, (Asst.), Life In A Box, Piper (Bad Hats Theatre); The Wind In The Willows, Holiday Inn (Asst.) (Shaw Festival); Every Brilliant Thing, Bed And Breakfast(Orillia Opera House); A Year With Frog and Toad (Capitol Theatre); Uncovered: The Music of ABBA, The Music of Dolly Parton (Musical Stage Co.).

Connect with Fiona & Bad Hats Theatre:

🌐 Website: badhatstheatre.com

📸 Instagram: @badhatstheatre

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Dian Marie Bridge, Artistic Director of the Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) in Montreal. Dian discusses the legacy of BTW, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year , as one of Canada's oldest Black and ethnocultural theatre companies. The conversation delves into the company's commitment to community service and fostering new talent through its influential program, as well as BTW's production of Kanika Ambrose's Our Place at Montreal's Segal Centre for Performing Arts (Studio) from Nov. 19-30.

This episode explores:

• BTW’s 55th Anniversary and Mission

• The Play Our Place, by Kanika Ambrose

• BTW's Club Zed Festival, featuring work by Black writers

• The Theatre scene in Montreal

• BTW's Artist Mentor Program

• And much more!

Guest: 🎭 Dian Marie Bridge

Dian Marie Bridge is an award-winning writer, director, dramaturge and creative producer who seeks to open spaces, provide platform, enrich community-bridge building. She was previously Associate Artistic Director at Luminato Festival Toronto, Artistic Director intern at Obsidian Theatre, Artist-in-Residence at Necessary Angel Theatre, Founding Artistic Producer of Cric Crac Collective, and 4LargeHeads multi-arts Collective, and a member of Stratford Festival’s Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction. Dian holds a degree in Theatre Arts and Dramatic Literature from Brock University and was enrolled in the University of Minnesota’s Theatre Arts and Dance program (Twin Cities).Previous work includes Our Place; Vierge; Every Day She Rose (BTW), Beloved: A Celebration of Toni Morrison and Black Women Writers; Guided By Starlight; Golden Hour (Luminato Festival Toronto), The Mountain Top (Persephone Theatre), Made In Congo (Theatre Row United Solo Festival), Aneemah’s Spot (Cric Crac  Collective /Motion Live), Geometry; Domesticity; Fuzz; Cotton Comes Home (4LargeHeads Collective)

Connect with Dian and Black Theatre Workshop:

🌐 Website: blacktheatreworkshop.ca

📸 Instagram: @theatrebtw

📸 Instagram: @dianmariebridge

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Aaron Joel Craig (Same Boat Theatre) and Stephanie Hope Lawlor (Rooks Theatre) to discuss their co-production of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House in Hamilton.

This episode explores:

• Reimagining A Doll’s House as a story for 2025 audiences
• The intersection of feminism, capitalism, and personal freedom
• Building independent theatre in Hamilton’s evolving arts scene
• The power of site-specific and intimate performance spaces
• Collaboration between Rooks Theatre and Same Boat Theatre
• Creating sustainability and opportunity for indie theatre artists
• How theatre can thrive outside major city centers
• Turning creative frustration into community impact

Guests:

🎭 Aaron Joel Craig

Aaron Joel Craig (he/him) is a director, dramaturge, designer and performer. His theatre work focuses on questions of identity, power and how to stay hopeful in a difficult world. Some past projects include Test, Your Own Sons and The Conspiracy of Michael, and the national tour of Whale Fall, all with Same Boat, and Henry the Fifth and Waiting for Godot for Redeemer University and, most recently, Hamlet, the inaugural site-specific co-production by Same Boat and Rook’s Theatre. He lives in the East End of Hamilton with his partner, Cath, their two kids, and his probably-too-big record collection. You can find him some days at Last Supper Books, a new independent bookstore on James Street North, which also serves as the home of Same Boat Theatre’s monthly play reading and development series, Dispatches.

🎭 Stephanie Hope Lawlor

Stephanie is an award-winning multi-hyphenate who lives and works in Hamilton. She spends her days crafting artistic community, facilitating space for brave individuals to hone their creative voices, and making theatre with really great people.

Selected Theatre: Hamlet (Rook’s x Same Boat), Rebecca in Whale Fall (Same Boat Theatre in Hamilton, Vancouver, Toronto, then Hamilton again), Eleanor in Never Not Once, Cassandra in One Night Only, Liesl in The Sound of Music (Theatre Aquarius), Mary/Flowers in Mary’s Wedding, Vanda in Venus in Fur (Rook’s Theatre), Snow White (Drayton Ent.), Young Leda in Provenance (Berkeley Street Theatre), Florence in Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (Stage West), KC Downing in My Favorite Year, Wagner/Wrath in Doctor Faustus (RAPA), Mary Snow in Salt-Water Moon (Studio Theatre). In Concert: Don’t Laugh (Unless I’m Trying to be Funny) (cabaret debut), From Broadway With Love, Isabella Tarantella (Brott Music Festival), Stephanie and Shane meet Stephen, Women of Musical Theatre Festival (MAP, 2 seasons). Workshops: Too many to name, for Theatre Aquarius, Young Peoples’ Theatre, Young Street Theatricals, Berkeley Street Theatre, Sullivan Entertainment. Training: Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts (Randolph College), McMaster University.

Stephanie serves as Associate Artistic Director at the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts and Director of Programming for the HCA Theatre School, and is a two-time Hamilton Arts Award nominee and the recipient of the only Innovation - Cutting Edge Gilded Hammer Award for her work in the Hamilton theatre community (2020).

Connect with Aaron & Stephanie:

🌐 Same Boat Theatre: sameboattheatre.com 🌐 Rooks Theatre: rookstheatre.com 📸 Same Boat Theatre on Instagram: @sameboattheatre 📸 Aaron on Instagram: @aaronjoelcraig 📸 Rooks Theatre on Instagram: @rookstheatre

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• Balancing social media and theatre careers
• Authenticity and “brand voice” for artists and theatre companies
• Finding confidence in sharing your work online
• Discovering puppetry through The Wizard of Oz and beyond
• The art of cabaret and creating personal connection on stage
• Writing for young audiences and exploring digital culture through theatre
• and more!

Guest: 🎭 Will Parry

Will Parry (they/he) is an Actor-Singer-Content Creator based in Toronto. Recent theatre credits include Hare in Hare & Tortoise (Carousel Players), Milky White/Steward/etc. in Into the Woods (Koerner Hall), Seán/Donald The Leprechaun in The Wild Rovers (Smile Theatre), Toto in Wizard of Oz: The Panto (Drayton Entertainment), Magician/Demonstrator in Illusionarium (Starvox Entertainment), and Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (SLC Stage). They have also created and performed in cabarets with Theatre Gargantua, Icarus Theatre, and a self-produced virtual cabaret during isolation, Here I Am: A Cabaret. He is a graduate of the St. Lawrence College Music Theatre Performance Program. In addition to being a performer, Will is a Social Media Content Creator. As a creator, Will has collaborated with brands including Fabricland, White Claw, and Freshii with management clients including CBC Kids’ Ukulele U, Koerner Hall, Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy, CGDC, and more!

Connect with Will: 🌐 Website: www.will-parry.com 📸 Instagram: @willxparry 🎵 TikTok: @willxparry

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• Steven’s journey from improv and high school musicals to the Stratford Festival
• Building a company (Puckers) to champion new voices and sustainable theatre
• The need for long-term investment in Canadian plays and playwrights
• Artistic leadership and the challenges of developing the next generation of ADs
• Balancing performing, directing, and leadership
• And much more

Guest: 🎭 Steven Hao

郝邦宇 Steven Hao is an award winning director, actor, writer, and the Artistic Director of Pucker’s, currently based in Tkaronto. In his directing work, there's a huge emphasis put on 'play' that usually guides his staging process and the creative yet efficient application of design. For that reason, his work is often highly sensorial and heavily conceptual: compact with innovative stage pictures and invigorating sound and lighting design. His work can be found across many stages in Ontario, primarily with a focus on new Canadian works. Most recently, Steven appeared in the world premiere of Kat Sandler’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, as well as Salesman in China at the Stratford Festival, and he’s grateful for the continued opportunity to support new play development everywhere he goes. His selected theatre credits include: For Directing: Assistant Director, CRAZE (Tarragon Theatre); Director, Death to the Prometheans (Studio 180); Director, One Song Glory (Musical Stage Company); Director, life and death and life and death and life and death and life. (CCTA/ACMJIS); Assistant Director, Rocking Horse Winner (Tapestry Opera/Crow's Theatre); Director, Ordinary Days (Shifting Ground Collective); Assistant Director, Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre); Assistant Director, Dragon’s Tale (Tapestry Opera); Assistant Director, The Chinese Lady (Crow’s Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre/fu-GEN Theatre); Director, A Perfect Bowl of Pho (Toronto Fringe Festival/Kick & Push Festival); Director, I and You (Precipice Productions); Director, Constellations (Precipice Productions). For Acting: Two Seasons at the Stratford Festival, Anne of Green Gables, Forgiveness, Romeo & Juliet, Salesman in China (Stratford Festival); Pirithous/Wooer, The Two Noble Kinsmen (Shakespeare Bash’d); Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canadian Stage); Cockroach, Cockroach (Tarragon Theatre). Upcoming: Director, Ride the Cyclone (Shifting Ground Collective); Director, Concord Floral (Pucker’s); Performer, Pu Songling: Strange Tales (Crow's Theatre); Third Season at Stratford Festival. Grateful to the entire team front and behind Concord Floral.

Connect with Steven: 📸 Instagram: @steven_haoby 🦋 Bluesky: stevenhao.bsky.social

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• The evolution of Bygone Theatre
• Building immersive, design-driven theatre experiences
• Challenges and opportunities of running an indie company in Toronto
• The role of aesthetics, nostalgia, and storytelling in Emily’s work
• Directing, producing, and writing for small-scale theatre
• Fostering community and mentorship in the theatre scene

Guest: 🎭 Emily Dix

Emily Dix is the Artistic Executive Director of Bygone Theatre, and the lead behind their mixed-use, affordable arts space, The Bridge, located at 379 Adelaide St. W. She has nearly 20 years of directing, producing and design experience in theatre, and has dabbled in film and tv as a researcher, designer and production coordinator. She has a degree in English, cinema studies and drama from UofT, and a paralegal diploma from Seneca College. In addition to running Bygone Theatre for 13 seasons, Emily has worked with companies such as Tarragon Theatre, Crow's Theatre, Theatre 20, Hart House Theatre, and numerous indie companies.

Connect with Emily & Bygone Theatre: 🌐 Website: www.bygonetheatre.com 📸 Instagram: @bygonetheatre | @379thebridge

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• Bringing Daniel MacIvor’s Monster to life in Kelowna
• The creative freedom and risks of solo performance
• Using projection in live theatre
• Building independent theatre outside major city centres
• The importance of community and adaptability for artists
• The joy and discipline of performing across genres—from MacIvor to musical theatre and jazz

Guest: 🎭 Michael Esposito II

Michael is an international actor and singer. Since graduating from the University of Toronto and Sheridan College, Michael has travelled the world performing on six different continents. His most recent work includes Eddie Birdlace in Dogfight and Monster by Daniel MacIvor. Some of his previous work includes Alan Menken’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Jersey Boys, and Disney Cruise Lines. His work in film includes The One That Got Away, Dive Shop, Adult Adoption, and The Avenue. He has been a featured vocalist on Canada's Got Talent and Casino Rama. His album "Night and Day" is available on iTunes and Spotify. Find out more about upcoming shows by following @mespo2 on Instagram.

Monster: A chilling one-person play performed by Michael Esposito II and directed by Angela Quinn.

MONSTER intricately peels back the psychological layers of 16 captivating characters, revealing the haunting core of their individual experiences. With a masterful blend of suspense, wit, and raw emotion, MONSTER beckons you to confront your deepest fears and embrace the profound complexities that define our humanity.

~ A finalist for the Governor General's Award for Drama ~

Connect with Michael: 🌐 Website: kemeproductions.com 📸 Instagram: @monsterplay2025 | @mespo2 🎵 TikTok: @mespo2 🎶 Listen to Michael’s album Night and Day on Apple Music

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• Michael’s path from magician to playwright and director
• Integrating magic into theatre in meaningful ways
• The role of magic design in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• The Hamilton theatre scene and its challenges
• Writing for young audiences and why those stories matter
• The creation of his magic book Synthesis and Secrets
• Developing his new play Love Me Back at Tarragon’s Greenhouse Residency

Guest: 🎭 Michael Kras

Michael Kras is a playwright, director, and magic designer based in Hamilton, Ontario. His plays include the Voaden Prize-winning The Team (Essential Collective Theatre/Theatre Aquarius), No Big Deal (Roseneath Theatre), The Start-Up (Theatre Aquarius/Brave New Works), Love Me Back: A Magic Show (Green Light Arts/Tarragon Theatre Greenhouse Festival) and The Year and Two of Us Back Here (Broken Soil Theatre). He has been an artist-in-residence at Roseneath Theatre, Essential Collective Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, Green Light Arts, Tarragon Theatre, and Caravan Farm Theatre.

He currently serves as the Magic & Illusion Lead for the North American Tour of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Sonia Friedman/Bespoke Theatricals) and previously served as resident magic director for the play’s Canadian premiere with Mirvish Productions. Other magic direction credits include the Canadian premiere of Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage (Canadian Stage), Versus (QuipTake), The Extinction Therapist (Theatre Aquarius), Richard III: A Spectacular Stand-Up Act (Caravan Farm Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), and Franklin’s Key (Pig Iron Theatre).

Michael is an alumnus of the Theatre Aquarius Playwrights Unit, the Caravan Farm National Playwrights’ Retreat, and Directors Lab North

Connect with Michael: 🌐 Website: michaelkrasworks.com 📸 Instagram: @michaelkras

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• How Chloë's approach to playwriting is rooted in character and emotion, stemming from her acting background.
• The challenge of tackling dark themes and how she judges where to stop when exploring traumatic topics.
• Her writing process, which involves working well with deadlines and puzzling pieces together rather than outlining.
• Why she returned to Canada after living in the US and the cultural differences she observed.
• The atmosphere and supportive community of the Kingston theatre scene compared to Toronto.
• The difficulty Canadian plays face in securing a second production after their premiere.

Guest: 🎭 Chloë Whitehorn

Described as "Dorothy Parker meets Neil Labute meets M. Night Shyamalan", Chloë Whitehorn is an award winning playwright, actor, and wearer of black dresses. A graduate of Queen's University's theatre program, Chloë’s work often challenges societal preconceptions and examines the broken bits of ourselves we all try to hide while injecting humor into difficult topics.

Born in California, Chloë's hippie-artist mother raised her in a world of circus artists, puppeteers and activists until moving to Canada where she spent her days figure skating, writing short stories, and developing a love of theatre. Some of her plays include: Madness Lies (TK Fringe 2025), The Fall After Midsummer (TK Fringe 2024, Come Play by The Lake One-Act Festival BEST PRODUCTION 2025), Blood River (Theatre Kingston 2023), Dressing Amelia (Bottletree 2024), The Pigeon (Life With More Cowbell's Top Ten Shows in Toronto of 2018), Love, Virtually (Best of Fringe Toronto 2011), Mourning After the Night Before, Divine Wrecks, and How to Not Die Horribly in a Fire. Productions of her plays have been performed across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Upcoming productions in November include The Fall After Midsummer at the Eastern Ontario Drama League one act festival in Merrickville and Hurricane Tales at the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto. Chloë's current work-in-progress "Admit Two" will be produced as part of Bottletree Productions' studio series in 2026.

Connect with Chloë: 🌐 Website: www.chloewhitehorn.com 📸 Instagram: @chloewhitehorn 🦋 Bluesky: chloewhitehorn.bsky.social

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• The formation of So I guess we're doing this, a theatre company founded by two family physicians in Kenora.
• The themes of community, family, and healing in their original play, Finding Richard Close.
• The challenges and triumphs of a new company performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.
• The state of the theatre scene in Northwestern Ontario and the passion of its artists.
• The company's future vision, including a potential regional tour and their goal of becoming a professional theatre company.

Guest: 🎭 Courtney Stoltz

Courtney is the production manager for So I Guess We're Doing This? Theatre Company, based in Kenora, Ontario. She was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. Her theatre journey there included performing in Northern Lights Theatre's productions of Beauty and the Beast and Robin Hood at the Edmonton Fringe Festival in 2009 and 2010, respectively. She has appeared in numerous productions with Missoula Children's theatre, including King Arthur's Quest, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, and The Princess and the Frog. She attended Foote Theatre School, which culminated in a performance of A Chorus Line and Victoria School of the Arts from grades 10-12. She has recently appeared in TryLight Theatre's productions of My Fair Lady and Holmes and Watson. This is Courtney's first time approaching a show from the production side rather than being on stage, and it has been both fun and educational. When not thinking about theatre, Courtney works in Health Promotion in Kenora, Ontario. She is an avid whitewater kayaker and loves spending her weekends in the summer finding new rapids to challenge her. You also might find her mixing cocktails behind the bar where she works part time.

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• The creative process behind Liz's two fringe shows, which use comedy to explore themes of trauma and healing.
• The personal and surprising history of her fascination with gnomes, stemming from her childhood and the show Fraggle Rock.
• The decision to transition from a multi-cast show (Gnomes) to a solo performance (Liz) to tell a more personal story.
• The unique pressures and catharsis of performing a solo show, especially when the material is autobiographical.
• The founding of her theatre company 9M Theatre, and its focus on a mix of original work and small-scale, intimate productions of Shakespeare

Guest: 🎭 Liz Buchanan Liz is an actor, writer and director in Hamilton who runs a small independent company: 9M Theatre, which puts on a mix of original and modern work in between small, intimate productions of Shakespeare classics.

She has written 3 plays that she has produced at the Hamilton Fringe Festival: 2018's "The Director's Cut", 2023's critical hit "Gnomes: a Traumatic Comedy" and her 2025 follow-up "Liz, a Traumatic Comedy". When she isn't on stage or behind the scenes Liz works part time as a teacher and part time as a Standardized Patient at McMaster University.

Connect with Liz 📸 Instagram: @9mtheatrecompany | @9mtheatre | @gnomeiswheretheartis

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• The development of Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs, from its original idea to its current form.
• Chelsea's collaborative process with director Andrea Donaldson and the cast during rehearsals.
• The strategic use of humor and absurdity to make a serious play more engaging and a unique theatrical experience.
• Her theatre origin story, from writing plays in grade school to her realization that playwriting could be a career.

Guest: 🎭 Chelsea Woolley

Chelsea’s playwriting work includes: Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs (Nightwood Theatre), Paint Me This House of Love (Tarragon Theatre), The Mountain (Geordie Theatre), and The Only Good Boy (Theatre BSMT). Her work has been featured at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., and at the “Shakespeare is Dead” Festival in Belgium. She is the founder of the Mixed-Arts Performance Partnership Program connecting young artists living in precarity to professional mentorship, and co-wrote a script titled, One Day with teens at Red Door Shelter. Chelsea is the Head of Drama at the Canadian Children's Opera Company where she has directed a number of operas including the 2025 production of Dido and Aeneas. Chelsea is the 2025 Tarragon Theatre Bulmash-Siegel New Creation Development Residency Award recipient, and is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Playwriting Program.

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This episode explores:

• The significant impact of a mandated 15% cut to the Canada Council for the Arts.
• The challenge of public perception that the arts are for "elites" and are not relevant to most Canadians.
• The historical context of Canadian-made content being seen as inferior to that of the US or UK.
• The importance of the arts in defining Canadian identity and what it means to be a nation.

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

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This episode explores:

• Virgilia’s path to becoming a theatre artist
• The power of mentorship and the artists who shaped her career
• What it means to bring authenticity and lived experience to performance
• The importance of representation and telling underrepresented stories
• How she approaches the creative process as an artist.

Guest: 🎭 Virgilia Griffith

Virgilia Griffith is a Toronto based actor. Winner of the Meta Emerging Artist Award for Gas Girls written Donna Michelle St. Bernard. Winner of the Dora Mavor Moore awards for Outstanding Performance for Harlem Duet written 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 and a Dora nomination for Iphigenia and the Furies ( On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif). Selected credits include: Three Sisters (Soulpepper Theatre/ Obsidian), Rosmersholm (Crow’s 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), How We Are ( Mikaela Davies and Polly Phokeev Productions), Up The Garden Path (Obsidian Theatre Company).

Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20.

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This episode explores:

• Iain’s journey to theatre leadership
• The role of mentorship and community in his career path
• The challenges of running a theatre company outside major urban centres
• Building partnerships and engaging new audiences in Barrie
• The importance of perseverance, adaptability, and curiosity in theatre-making

Guest: 🎭 Iain Moggach Iain Moggach is an award-winning theatre producer, director, and performing arts educator based in Barrie, Ontario.

Iain was the Artistic Director of Theatre by the Bay from 2018-2024, where he received numerous awards including the Barrie Business Award for 'Young Professional of the Year' in 2019, and the Barrie Arts Award for 'Contribution to the Community' in 2024. Some highlights of his time there include launching the Simcoe County Theatre Festival, expanding the company's Indie Producer Co-op into a national program, and commissioning several world premieres including 'Icemen' by Vern Thiessen, as well as new plays by Chloé Hung and Colleen Murphy.

As a director, Iain has directed professional theatre productions in seven cities across Canada, working in diverse styles including musicals, Shakespeare, contemporary drama, historical storytelling, and world premieres of new Canadian plays. Most recently, his production of Vern Thiessen's 'Bluebirds' at Theatre on the Ridge received tremendous acclaim from critics and audiences.

As a theatre educator and mentor, Iain has developed programs for emerging directors and producers, facilitated workshops for arts organizations, and championed the growth of regional theatre across Ontario. His work reflects a deep commitment to the future of Canadian theatre and to building inclusive, supportive spaces for the next generation of performing artists.

In the last year, Iain has also found himself working as a Consultant; supporting organizations such as the Huronia Symphony Orchestra, the Kingston Theatre Alliance, and Art and Water Cultural Group with strategic growth.

Connect with Iain 📸 Instagram: @imoggach 🌐 Website: www.imoggach.com

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This episode explores:

• The origins of I Don’t Feel Pretty/Chu pas cute and its autobiographical elements
• Using humour to explore challenging personal topics
• The Fringe Festival as a space for experimentation and connection
• Lessons learned from workshopping solo performance
• Building audience trust and creating space for shared vulnerability

Guest: 🎭 Nancy Kenny A proud Acadian originally from New Brunswick, Nancy Kenny is a fluently bilingual (French/English) actor, writer, theatre and film producer, who splits her time between Kjipuktuk/Halifax and Tkaronto/Toronto. She is best known for the award-winning, critically acclaimed plays, Roller Derby Saved My Soul (Canadian Comedy Award nominee - Best One Person Show), and Everybody Dies in December. Nancy is also the executive producer of On the Fringe, a feature documentary about touring the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit. (Winner: Best Documentary Film, 2023 Screen Nova Scotia Awards). Currently, she is working on I Don’t Feel Pretty/Chu pas cute, an absurdist dark comedy set in the fractured mind of an alcoholic on a bender. Through her company, Broken Turtle Productions, Nancy’s focus is in stories that explore the role of women, marginalized genders, and 2SLGBTQ+ people in society. She is particularly interested in new and multilingual works, as well as works that explore our humanity with a darkly comedic bent.

Connect with Nancy: 🌐 website: https://www.nancykenny.ca/ 📸 Instagram: @thenancykenny

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• Evan’s evolution from musical theatre performer to playwright
• The value of personal storytelling and creating space for others
• Navigating imposter syndrome and artistic doubt
• Building a theatre company rooted in honesty, humour, and support
• Why community matters more than perfection in indie theatre

Guest: 🎭 Evan Bawtinheimer Evan Bawtinheimer is a Dora Award Winning Bipolar Playwright from Toronto, ON. He is a graduate of Fanshawe College's Theatre Arts program and Brock University's Theatre Arts program. Patty Picker is his first professionally produced play. Patty Picker premiered at the 2024 Toronto Fringe Festival. It was also nominated for a 2024 Tom Hendry award and Four 2025 Dora Awards, winning one for Outstanding New Play (Theatre for Young Audiences).

Connect with Evan: 📸 Instagram: @evan_bawtinheimer

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• Michelle’s early inspirations and love of musical theatre
• The journey through multiple theatre schools and cities
• How a move to Nova Scotia shifted her career trajectory
• Her experience as a burlesque performer and fundraiser producer
• Making theatre in small communities and the power of local talent
• Lessons in kindness, mentorship, and the importance of joy in the rehearsal room
• Her directorial journey leading to upcoming work at Neptune Theatre
• Thoughts on work-life balance and the future of Canadian theatre

Guest: 🎭 Michelle Langille Michelle Langille is an actor/director born in Antigonish, who currently lives in Sydney Cape Breton Nova Scotia. Michelle studied Musical Theatre at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria BC and Classical Theatre at George Brown College in Toronto.

As a director Michelle just completed directing The Producers (Highland Arts Theatre) and Annie (Savoy Theatre). She is about to start rehearsals for Come From Away as a Diane (Savoy Theatre) then she heads to Halifax to direct her first show for Neptune Theatre, the Wizard of Oz then immediately heads back home to direct Frozen at the Savoy. Michelle was a member of Neptune Theatre’s Chrysalis project working on The Last Wife and Peter Pan. She assisted on the world premiere of Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) a Nightwood Theatre production at Crows Theatre. Her first directing opportunity came with The Penelopiad at Hart House Theatre which garnered a number of Subscriber Choice awards including awards for lighting, set, overall design, favourite supporting actor and favourite director. She was a member of Nightwood Theatre’s Write from the Hip Playwright’s unit (2016/2017) with her play Ten Days which received a second workshop with PARC in 2019.

Favourite performing credits include Mary’s Wedding, Saltwater Moon (Single Thread) A Man Walks Into a Bar (Amblemore) Clique Claque (Pea Green/Next Stage Festival) Gray (Theatre Inamorata) Mamma Mia (The Savoy Theatre), The Sound of Music, Oliver!, Evita, The Wizard of Oz and Beauty and the Beast and most recently as Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show (Neptune Theatre).

Michelle is also a burlesque performer who appears as Honey De Mele and is the current and first chair of the Atlantic Burlesque Festival , the first festival east of Montreal which just finished its second sold out year.

Connect with Michelle: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_langille

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• The inspiration and process behind curating the 2025–2026 Buddies season
• Why queerness is more than representation—it's a creative methodology
• The value of festivals (Rhubarb, Nuit Blanche, Queer Pride) in Buddies' identity
• Longing as a theme: desire, intimacy, revolution, and more
• Highlights from the season including The Green Line, Make Banana Cry, The Herald, and The Begging Brown Bitch Plays
• The importance of unruliness, disobedience, and disrespectability in queer theatre
• The enduring legacy and global uniqueness of Buddies in Bad Times

Guest: 🎭 ted witzel ted witzel (he/him) is a queer theatre-maker and artistic leader from toronto / tkaròn:to. primarily a director, ted is also variously a dramaturg, curator, teacher, writer, translator, designer, and performer. he has worked with theatres and cultural organizations across canada, the uk, germany, and italy.

fusing high-octane performance, rigorous dramaturgy, digital aesthetics, and poetic text, ted’s directing is located at the intersection between the personal and the political, and the (visceral, emotional, intellectual) frictions between them.

ted was a guest curator for the 2023 edition of the summerworks festival and is a member of the theatre committee at the toronto arts council. he recently completed a four-year tenure as artistic associate and laboratory director at the stratford festival, where he oversaw the company’s research and development programs. these included a broad portfolio of new works in development, equity-focused systems change, artist residencies, and a collection of artistic explorations and programs that aim to help imagine the future orientation of the company.

ted holds a masters of arts management from SDA bocconi and an MFA in directing from york university and canadian stage. in 2018, he was selected as an artistic leadership resident at the national theatre school, and was a member of the banff centre’s 2019 cultural leadership cohort. he has been artist-in-residence at harbourfront centre, buddies in bad times (toronto) and institut für alles mögliche (berlin).

Connect with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre: 📸 Instagram: @buddiesTO 🌐 Website: buddiesinbadtimes.com

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This episode explores:

• Aisling's transition from performer to theatre critic
• Her journey from Ottawa to Toronto, and eventually to the Globe and Mail
• The challenges of reviewing peers and staying impartial
• Differences between Canadian and American theatre ecosystems
• The unique opportunities and responsibilities of being a national critic
• Her thoughts on critical integrity, honesty, and theatre as public record
• The importance of documenting Canadian theatre for the future

Guest: 🖋️ Aisling Murphy Aisling ("ash-ling") Murphy is the theatre reporter for The Globe and Mail. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was the senior editor of Intermission Magazine from 2021-2025 and during that time also worked as a staff writer at the Toronto Star and CP24/CTV News Toronto. As a freelance culture writer, she wrote for publications including the New York Times, CBC Arts, the Stratford Beacon-Herald and her hometown paper, the Baltimore Sun. She is an occasional playwright and frequent Swiftie. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two cats.

Connect with Aisling: The Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/aisling-murphy/ 📸 Instagram: @aisling.murph

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• The challenges and steep learning curve of succeeding a 21-year ED at TAPA
• The role and scope of TAPA, from the Dora Awards to mentorship and training programs
• The B Street Arts Hub and its community resources
• annemieke's career journey from Vermont to Toronto and into arts leadership
• The impact of her late ADHD diagnosis and the power of self-understanding
• Her vision for more flexible, sustainable work practices in the arts
• The importance of bridging generational divides in the theatre community

Guest: 🎭 annemieke wade annemieke wade (she/her) is the Executive Director at the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) and a dedicated advocate for inclusivity in the arts. Originally from St. Albans, Vermont, annemieke headed to Ontario for school in 1994 and graduated from the University of Toronto Mississauga/Sheridan College joint Theatre and Drama Studies program in 1998. Once on Canadian soil, she never really left! Despite a brief return home to complete an MBA from Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, annemieke had fallen shamelessly in love with Toronto and became a citizen in 2013.

With over 20 years of industry experience both on and off stage, annemieke champions strategically undervalued communities through programming and engagement that prioritizes diversity and active representation. She previously served on the TAPA Board of Directors (2016-22) and Eligibility Committee (2022-24), was a contributing member of the PGC/PACT contract negotiations working group (2022-23) and currently sits on the TAC Theatre Committee (2023-26). annemieke was recently honoured with a nomination as a Woman of Influence for the 32nd RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards.

Connect with Annemieke: 📸 Instagram: @miekechu11 🌐 Learn more about TAPA: tapa.ca

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In this episode: Ronit Rubenstein, creator and performer of Things My Dad Kept SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/things-my-dad-kept

Alice Lundy, director and producer of The Adding Machine SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/adding-machine

Nam Nguyen one of the writers and performers of Q_uiz Icarus_ SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/quiz-icarus

Sara Mayfield, writer and performer of Who Drinks Mocktails on the Beach?! SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/who-drinks-mocktails-beach

If you value thoughtful conversations about Canadian theatre, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Backers get early access to episodes and help shape future roundtable discussions.

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This episode explores:

• What a Fringe Festival is and how the Toronto Fringe operates
• The 2024 move to a central hub at Soulpepper in the Distillery District
• The return and growth of unconventional venues across the city
• The evolution and merging of the Next Stage Festival into Fringe
• Peer mentorship and producer pods supporting first-time creators
• Why Fringe is vital for risk-taking, experimentation, and community-building

Guests: 🎭 Rachel Kennedy – Executive Director, Toronto Fringe Rachel Kennedy (she/they) is the Executive Director & Co-Lead at the Toronto Fringe Festival. For the last decade, they have had the pleasure of supporting local indie theatre and dance productions as a producer, director and stage manager and arts administrator. Rachel’s love for the arts centres around a passion for advocacy, equity, and bringing communities together through storytelling. Thanks to wonderful collaborators throughout her career, Rachel has learned much about the unique needs of Toronto’s artists and how essential their impact is across the City and beyond. Rachel is thrilled to serve the Toronto Fringe community and can't wait for this summer's Festival (join us July 2-13th!).

🎭 Laura Paduch – Managing Director, Toronto Fringe Laura Paduch (she/her) is the Managing Director & Co-Lead of the Toronto Fringe Festival, a mid-size arts organization that has been a platform for independent performing arts for over 35 years. She is a producer, arts administrator, and advocate, and has had the privilege of serving the Toronto Fringe Festival community since 2018.  Before that, Laura was the General Manager of fu-GEN Theatre Company, and ARC, where she advanced the inaugural joint management initiative. Laura's additional professional experience has included extensive stage and production management, event production, theatre producing, and performance creation. The Toronto Fringe offers a community conduit that enables her to champion mentorship and resource sharing, and re-casting new norms and standards for arts sector workplace practices. She has sat on the TAPA Advocacy Committee, is on the ArtsVote Steering Committee, and the board of directors of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals.

Connect with Toronto Fringe: 📸 Instagram: @toronto_fringe 🌐 Website: fringetoronto.com

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy

Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!Bio, and socials go here

In this episode: Laura Piccinin, co-creator and producer of the new musical Apothecary SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/apothecary

From Regarding Antigone, Dramaturg esi calendar and Assistant Director, Sarah Larmony SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/regarding-antigone

Alicia Payne, playwright and co-prodcer of Justice for Maurice Henry Carter SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/justice-maurice-henry-carter

Writer and performer of Terrible Fish, Montreal’s Caitlin Murphy. SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/terrible-fish

Watch for another Toronto Fringe Extra on Thursday, Next week!

If you value thoughtful conversations about Canadian theatre, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Backers get early access to episodes and help shape future roundtable discussions.

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• The inspiration behind Zeitgeist and its cinematic influences
• The creative process behind developing a play about navigating life in your 20s
• The benefits and challenges of unconventional fringe venues
• Ben’s experience at a creation residency in Zurich
• Thoughts on the shifting pedagogy of theatre education
• The value of Fringe festivals in building a theatre career

Guest: 🎭 Ben Yoganathan Ben Yoganthan is an actor, writer, composer, and director born in Sri Lanka and based in Toronto. Since graduating from Toronto Metropolitan University, he has performed as Hal/Henry V in Driftwood Theatre’s Henry V, Andrei in The Howland Company’s Three Sisters, and Todd Tweedle in Mixtape Project’s Dora-nominated musical Killing Time.

As a composer, Ben has contributed music to Kole Durnford's play ECHO (Edmonton Fringe Festival) and several dance works: Embrasement Synaptique by Zach Bastille (Festival Quartiers Danses), a subject by Alli Carry (Fall for Dance North), and The Skin by Emily Duckett (Kinetic Studio Open Series).

Ben has written two full-length plays: Hunger, which premiered at the Terra Firma Festival at the Theatre Centre, and ZEITGEIST, a workshop production he directed earlier this year and is set to premiere at the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival.

He recently completed a creation residency with Experi Theater in Zurich, Switzerland, where he developed and performed a one-person show. Ben was also selected for an international residency with the Odin Teatret in Ringkobing, Denmark.

Connect with Ben: 📸 Instagram: @off.the.nose

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy

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In this episode: Emma Golden the writer and producer of the true Halifax story, Potato Potato SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/potato-potato

Laura Anne Harris the writer and performer of the raw, tender, and quietly radical, Have Fun Kids. SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/have-fun-kids

Matti Mclean, creator and performer of A Canadian Explains Eurovision to other Canadians SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/canadian-explains-eurovision-other-canadians 

Sashoya Simpson, writer of LULU takes us into a world of Afro-Caribbean folklore, legacy and ancestry. SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/lulu 

Watch for another Toronto Fringe Extra on Thursday, Next week!

If you value thoughtful conversations about Canadian theatre, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Backers get early access to episodes and help shape future roundtable discussions.

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This episode features podcasters: Alison Mullings from Creative Full Time Janine Marley from A View From the Box Alexandra Lean from Being Dramatic Ryan Borochovitz from Cup of Hemlock Theatre Podcast.

This episode was live streamed on youtube on July 17, 7:30pm.

Support Stageworthy If you value thoughtful conversations about Canadian theatre, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Backers get early access to episodes and help shape future roundtable discussions.

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In this episode: Dawna Wightman, playwright and performer in HOODY, an edgy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood for people who have kept their child soul. SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/hoody

Adam Bailey, creator and performer of Adam Bailey: My Three Deaths in which Adam learns that no matter how many times you die - you only live once. SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/adam-bailey-my-three-deaths

Composer and comedian Eli Pasic on Screamin in the Rain, in which he sings his tasteless, original ditties! SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/screamin-rain

Fuschia Boston talks about String of Pearls, an exploration of how a shift of power influences the lives of a theatre company shaping both their artistic journeys and their personal relationships. SHOW INFO AND TICKETS: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/string-pearls

Watch for another Toronto Fringe Extra on Thursday, Next week!

Support Stageworthy If you value thoughtful conversations about Canadian theatre, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Backers get early access to episodes and help shape future roundtable discussions. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In a passionate and thought-provoking monologue, he explores the need for better marketing in theatre, the limitations of current outreach strategies, and the urgency of cultivating a theatre-going audience that extends beyond industry insiders. Phil also shares his frustrations with streamer platforms and their limited contributions to Canadian content, as well as his deep belief in the value of Canadian stories.

Support Stageworthy If you value thoughtful conversations about Canadian theatre, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Backers get early access to episodes and help shape future roundtable discussions.

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Rebecca discusses the evolution of the show over the years, her preparation for returning to Edinburgh and Toronto Fringe for the show’s 10th anniversary, and the realities of crowdfunding and producing as an independent artist. She also reflects on the importance of adapting material in response to live audiences, the sense of community on the Canadian Fringe circuit, and the challenges and joys of international touring.

This episode explores:

• How Confessions of a Redheaded Coffee Shop Girl has evolved over a decade
• The distinct culture and audience vibe of different Fringe festivals (Toronto, Edinburgh, Winnipeg, Edmonton)
• Preparing for the marathon that is Edinburgh Fringe
• Navigating grants, crowdfunding, and financial challenges as an indie artist
• Building an international touring career and the importance of networking
• The excitement of bringing the show to a new generation of audiences

Guest: 🎭 Rebecca Perry Rebecca Perry is an actor, singer, playwright and producer based in Toronto. From Hallmark movies to The Handmaid's Tale, she has appeared in a wide variety of things on film and TV, most recently including Jazz Ramsey: K-9 Mystery and Bluegrass Christmas, and others across Netflix, Crave, Prime, Bell Fibe and more.

Rebecca has performed on stages all over the world. She was part of the international touring cast of Roseneath Theatre's The Money Tree, including a run at the prestigious Smith Centre in Las Vegas, NV. Her solo shows, the multiple award-winning Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl and its sequels, From Judy to Bette and Bond, James Bond: The Songs of 007 have played to sold out houses and audience acclaim wherever they go.

She is excited to celebrate the anniversary of Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl with a run at the Toronto Fringe (Alumnae Theatre) this July, and after beginning her Edinburgh Fringe journey 10 years ago with Confessions... at the Gilded Ballon Teviot, and bringing her last show From Judy to Bette in 2019 to the Gilded Balloon Patter House, it’s a thrill to return back to Gilded Ballon once again for its 40th Anniversary Season in August 2025.

Since that run in Edinburgh in 2015, Perry's shows have toured from top to bottom of the UK, all over Canada, and into both the US and Europe.

Connect with Rebecca: 📸 Instagram: @redheaded_coffeeshop_girl 🌐 Website: rebeccaperry.ca

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This episode explores:

• Javier’s early artistic influences and his pivot from acting to directing
• The founding and philosophy behind Ocho Rojo Theatre
• Creating intimate, high-concept work for small audiences
• His experience directing across Canada and internationally
• Thoughts on diversity, representation, and creative freedom in Canadian theatre
• His recent production of Mary Stuart and the upcoming queer retelling of Romeo and Juliet with The Shakespeare Company

Guest: 🎭 Javier Vilalta Javier is a Mexican-Canadian visual performance creator, stage director, movement choreographer, and translator. He resides in Calgary, where he attended the University of Calgary’s Fine Arts department.

As a stage director and movement choreographer, he has collaborated with companies such as Vertigo Theatre, Theatre Calgary, Sage Theatre, Downstage, Lunchbox Theatre, The Shakespeare Company, CYPT, Jupiter Theatre, Chromatic Theatre, Inside Out Theatre, The Guild Hall, and StoryBook. He has earned two Betty Mitchell nominations for direction and choreography.

In 2005 he co-founded, along with Black artist Norma Lewis, the visual performance ensemble 8ROJO. With this group, he has devised five interdisciplinary creations; with which he has travelled around Canada and as far afield as Mexico, Czech Republic, Sweden, France, Taiwan, UK, and Iceland. With 8ROJO, he was awarded the ‘Innovation in Performance’ award at the 2016 STOFF Festival in Stockholm, Sweden; and he was a finalist for a 2021 Off West End Award in London, UK for Outstanding Production.

He has translated the texts ‘100 Love Poems and a Song of Despair’ by Pablo Neruda and Federico García Lorca’s ‘Rural Trilogy’. He translated and adapted the Mexican modern opera Anjou: The Musical Horror Tale for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS.

Since 2010, he has assessed and developed educational sessions based on body mechanics, movement for the stage and visuals in motion, which he has shared with artists around the world.

Connect with Javier: 📸 Instagram: @javidirector

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• Nicole’s journey from Lagos, Nigeria, to St. John’s, Newfoundland
• How Blank Page brought representation to the stage in St. John’s
• Her new play Beauty Behind the Norms and its exploration of polygamy and womanhood in Nigeria
• The importance of mentorship and amplifying Black voices in Newfoundland’s theatre community
• Her plans for a Black Theatre Festival to support emerging Black playwrights

Guest: 🎭 Nicole Obidiaka

Nicole Obiodiaka is a dynamic business professional, playwright, and arts advocate dedicated to amplifying Black voices. She works at Nasdaq Verafin and is the founder of Centra, a company committed to supporting black creatives & entrepreneurs.Her plays, including Beauty Behind the Norms, Amapiano meets Shakespeare and Blank Page – An African Love Story, have been showcased at festivals such as Women’s Work Festival and St. John’s Shorts.

Beyond the stage, Nicole has produced and written projects for CBC & PictureNL, highlighting Black experiences in Newfoundland and Labrador. She also leads the St. John’s chapter of Nasdaq’s Global Link of Black Employees and serves on the board of St. John’s Shorts and Shakespeare by the Sea Festival board.

Nicole’s work has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies, BBA Award for excellence & leadership, Memorial University Centennial 100 & Afropolitan Canada Youth Leadership Award.

Whether in business or the arts, Nicole is committed to storytelling, leadership, and community impact.

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

• Ethan’s journey into theatre and their early inspirations.
• Their approach to playwriting and character development.
• Their work on recent projects and upcoming shows.
• The importance of community and collaboration in theatre.
• Navigating the challenges of independent theatre production.

Guest: 🎭 Ethan Persyko Ethan Persyko, Artistic Director and Founder of Theatre Ya Knowww (TYK), is a multidisciplinary performance artist creating space for bold, experimental, and care-centered storytelling. Based in Vaughan, TYK blends theatre, film, and movement in collaborative projects that prioritize joy, respect, and collective growth. From fast-paced creative festivals to intimate performance labs, TYK empowers emerging artists to take risks, build community, and reimagine how stories are made and shared.

Connect with Ethan: 📸 Instagram: @breathethan_joshuaa | @theatre_ya_knowww

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• How the Paprika Theatre Festival empowers emerging artists and administrators
• Why Paprika shifted its programming to prevent burnout and better support artists
• The importance of paid training opportunities in building a more inclusive theatre industry
• Amanda and Julia’s creative and leadership journeys
• Highlights and exciting events for this year's Paprika Festival (May 13–17, 2025, at Aki Studio in Toronto)
• How community programming, including a neighbourhood lemonade stand and a pre-prom dance, builds lasting local connections

Guests: 🎭 Amanda Lin

Amanda Lin 林美智 (she/her) is a queer Taiwanese-Canadian multi-disciplinary artist with the goal of using art and storytelling to cultivate compassionate and dynamic communities. She is a member of the Labour in the Arts Collective where she co-hosts free community events for artsworkers. She has worked with companies such as Cahoots Theatre, Single Thread Theatre, Theatre Direct, Why Not Theatre, and Young People’s Theatre. Her first full-length play, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot premiered with Cahoots Theatre in January 2023 and received 6 Dora nominations in the Independent category, including Outstanding Performance for Amanda and Outstanding Production. Amanda enjoys lying on the floor.

🎭 Julia Dickson

Julia Dickson (she/her) is an arts manager, producer, and educator currently based in Tkaronto, the place in the water where the trees are standing. Her practice centres around the idea of creating supportive spaces that prioritize the artists and their working experience, which includes examining the systemic challenges in place within the arts sector and working to remove barriers both for audiences and for artists to experience live performance. Across her practice, she has worked with companies such as 1s1 Theatre, SummerWorks Festival, Why Not Theatre, Studio 180 Theatre, Young People's Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Crossroads Theatre (formerly Shakespeare in Action), and County Stage. On top of her work at Paprika, she is also currently the Managing Producer of ARC. She has a post-graduate certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management from Humber College, and a Bachelor of Education with a focus on Artist in the Community Education from Queen's University. She can always be persuaded to get an ice cream cone.

Connect with Paprika Theatre Festival: 🌐 Website: paprikafestival.com 📸 Instagram: @paprikafestival

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📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

This episode explores:

• Why Ruth describes herself as an “instigator” and how theatre can inspire change
• The value of mentorship and fostering the next generation of theatre artists
• Her return to Newfoundland and how she built a thriving arts career from scratch
• The vibrant and collaborative theatre scene in St. John’s
• Her extensive experience in both theatre and film, and how the two intersect
• Writing her new play If She Runs, an interactive exploration of women in politics

Guest: 🎭 Ruth Lawrence

Ruth Lawrence is an actor/writer/director/producer of film and theatre, based in St. John’s, NL. As a filmmaker, Ruth’s feature films include Little Orphans (Best Canadian Feature, Whistler Film Festival 2020), Hopeless Romantic (2018), and the award-winning comedy feature, Party Pirate, sold-out its opening Gala overnight at the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival in October 2023. Her documentaries A Lot of Love in the Room (2021) and Circus by Komatik (2019) have been featured on CBC Gem. Her latest doc is Finding Grace: A Soul Song (2024). She has directed, written, and/or produced on over 70 short films and webisodes.

She co-founded White Rooster Theatre with Sherry White in 2001 and was its Artistic Director until 2023, producing plays written by women and other marginalized genders. The company expanded its mandate to provide opportunities in the areas of design and production, keeping space for racialized creators. For the company, she has produced over 30 shows, directed Happy Anniversary (co-produced with TODOS Productions) Remnants, and created Other Women Walk. Most recently, she co-wrote and performed in Song Seekers: The Story of Elisabeth Greenleaf and Grace Mansfield. For Opera on the Avalon, she directed Three Decembers and the 2023 premiere of February, based on Lisa Moore’s remarkable novel. For Persistence Theatre, she directed an acclaimed production of Berni Stapleton’s Offensive to Some and is writing a new play, If She Runs, to premiere in their 2025-26 season.

Ruth’s honours include the Joan Orenstein Best Actress Award, the RBC Michelle Jackson Award for Emerging Filmmaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Artist of the Year, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the YWCA Woman of Distinction, a WIFT-AT WAVE Award, the national Leslie Yeo Award for Volunteerism, and the inaugural Ross Leslie Award for her contributions to film and theatre.

Connect with Ruth: 🌐 Website: www.ruthlawrence.ca 📸 Instagram: @ruthlesslawless

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They discuss her early connection to choirs, her work as a singer and actor at Stratford Festival, and the founding of Ground Floor Team, an organization devoted to care-based rehearsal practices and conflict transformation in theatre. Tahirih also reflects on returning to school for vocal pedagogy and the evolving nature of her touring career. This episode explores:

• How classical music shaped Tahirih’s performance journey
• Transitioning from musician to actor in the world of Shakespeare
• The founding and mission of Ground Floor Team and the ARCS methodology
• Touring across Canada with Catalyst Theatre’s The Invisible: Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare
• Her return to school to complete a Master’s in Vocal Pedagogy
• Insights on fostering healthier rehearsal spaces in Canadian theatre

Guest: 🎭 Tahirih Vejdani

Tahirih Vejdani (she/her) is a Toronto-based performer, educator and multidisciplinary artist of Persian and South Indian heritage. With a career spanning over 15 years, she has worked extensively in theatre, music, and television, bringing a deep commitment to storytelling, collaboration, and equity in the arts.

As an actor and singer, Tahirih has performed on stages across Canada and internationally, including the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Citadel Theatre, Grand Theatre, Globe Theatre, Factory Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse Square and Timbre 4. She’s also toured with acclaimed vocal ensembles such as The Nathaniel Dett Chorale and The Elmer Iseler Singers. Her on-screen work includes appearances in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Kim’s Convenience.

In addition to her performance career, Tahirih is a passionate voice educator and choral conductor. She has taught voice at Sheridan College's Bachelor of Musical Theatre program and worked with choirs such as Echo Women’s Choir, Univox, and the Community Music Schools of Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Regina and is currently completing a Masters in Vocal Pedagogy from The University of Essex and The Voice Study Centre.

Tahirih is also a co-founder of Ground Floor Team, an organization dedicated to improving working conditions for artists through mentorship, education, and facilitation. Her artistic practice is grounded in empathy, curiosity, and a drive to build supportive, care-centered spaces both on and off stage.

Connect with Tahirih: 🌐 Website: https://www.tahirihvejdani.com 📸 Instagram: @tahirihvejdani

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy

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• Cole’s path into theatre and his artistic influences.
• The challenges of creating and sustaining theatre work in Canada.
• Insights into his latest projects and what excites him most.
• Thoughts on collaboration and artistic growth.
• Advice for emerging theatre artists.

Guest: 🎭 Cole Hayley

Cole Hayley is a playwright and poet from Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada and an alumnus of Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he received a BA in English and Communications. He was the recipient of the 2023 Playwrights Guild of Canada RBC Emerging Playwright Award, and a two-time winner of the Arts and Letters award. He was a member of the inaugural Poverty Cove playwrights’ unit, the IATI Theatre Cimientos Unit, and has attended both Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal’s Gros Morne Residency, as well as the BANFF Playwrights Lab.

Connect with Cole:

Website: https://www.colehayley.com/

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy

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• How a vivid dream convinced Mariel to become an actor.
• Her experiences in Vancouver’s theatre and film industry.
• Why she chose to return to Saint John to continue her work in the arts.
• The challenges and rewards of directing in a smaller theatre community.
• The importance of mentorship and supporting emerging artists.
• Her insights into casting and helping actors bring their best performances.

Guest: 🎭 Mariel Kathryn Hunter

With a versatile resume in film, television, and theatre, Mariel Kathryn Hunter brings a dynamic blend of production expertise and artistic vision to every project. With credits ranging from casting director to production roles on projects of every scale from commercials and corporate videos to MOWs, documentaries, animated series, broadcast television, short and feature films her diverse industry experience in all stages of production reflects her love of all facets of creating. Mariel has honed her craft across diverse genres over the last decade plus and has taken advantage of any training opportunities available to her to widen her skill sets. She’s worked on projects for Paramount +, MTV, CBC, APTN, and Just For Laughs.

Through her theatre company, Fort Heart Productions, founded in 2017 she has served as Artistic Director and has produced and directed dozens of pieces for stage all while providing training opportunities in the form of acting workshops. As the founder of Bicoastal Casting, Mariel has connected talent to opportunity, most notably for the sci-fi series Revival shot in the Greater Saint John Region. Mariel is looking forward to holding more community oriented events in 2025, including monthly acting workouts.

Connect with Mariel: Instagram: @unknownmariel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marielkathryn

Instagram: @fortheartprods Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fortheartprods

Instagram: @bicoastalcastingnb

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy

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Scott is also a founding member of Silent Protagonist, a puppet theatre company that gained attention with Frankensteinesque at the Toronto Fringe. In this conversation, he shares insights on theatre school, the challenges of independent theatre, and the importance of building artistic community. This episode dives into:

• Scott’s early theatre influences and what led him to pursue acting.
• His experience in multiple theatre schools and how training shaped his career.
• The evolution of Sing for Your Supper and its role in supporting new playwrights.
• Why Toronto’s theatre community needs more development opportunities before production.
• His work with Silent Protagonist and the art of puppetry in theatre.
• His experience in voice acting, including People Watching.
• The emotional impact of the pandemic on artists and why we need bold, fearless creativity.

Guest: 🎭 Scott Garland

• Actor, Playwright & Theatre Creator
• Former Curator of Sing for Your Supper
• Founding Member of Silent Protagonist
• Voice Actor in People Watching

Connect with Scott: 📸 Instagram: @scottdontgotthegram

Support Stageworthy If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy

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Graham discusses his latest play, Truck, a powerful exploration of automation, AI, and the future of labour, opening at Factory Studio Theatre in Toronto on March 26-30, 2025. He also shares insights on his career in journalism, his experience with vision loss that led to the CBC podcast Shortsighted, and the challenges of making theatre in Canada. This episode dives into:

• Graham’s journey from punk rock journalism to theatre.
• The impact of AI on creative industries and writing.
• The financial realities of producing independent theatre in Canada.
• And Much more...

Guest: 🎭 Graham Isador

Graham Isador is a writer based in Toronto. Called a "master storyteller" by the Toronto Guardian, his works has appeared at VICE, GQ, and The BBC. In 2024, Isador wrote and hosted "Short Sighted" for the CBC, a podcast documenting his experience with vision loss. He is currently a staff writer with The Globe and Mail.

Selected television writing credits: Sight Unseen (CTV, The CW), ONE Championship (Amazon Prime) Select Theatre Credits: Situational Anarchy (Pandemic Theatre), WHITE HEAT (English Theatre Berlin), Take d Milk, Nah? (Rumble Theatre), TRCUK (Factory Theatre)

Connect with Graham: 📸 Instagram: @presgang 🌐 Bluesky: @grahamisador.bsky.social 📝 Read his work at The Globe and Mail

Tickets for Truck Factory Theatre – March 26-30, 2025: Get Tickets

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Stay tuned to the end of the episode for some thoughts from Phil Rickaby on the ending of Stageworthy.

Bio

Director, dramaturg and playwright Peter Hinton-Davis has worked across Canada with many theatre companies. He has been the Associate Artistic Director at Theatre Passe Muraille and the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto, Artistic Director of the Playwrights Theatre Centre in Vancouver, the Dramaturg in Residence at Playwrights' Workshop Montréal, and Artistic Associate of the Stratford Festival. From 2005 to 2012 he was Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre English theatre, where he created a resident English theatre company, with actors from across the country, and programmed the NAC's first season of Canadian plays.

His own plays for the stage include Façade, Urban Voodoo (written with Jim Millan) and a trilogy of three full length plays entitled The Swanne -- George III: The Death of Cupid (2002), Princess Charlotte: The Acts of Venus (2003), and Queen Victoria: The Seduction of Nemesis (2004). Eleven years in the making, all three plays premiered under his direction at the Stratford Festival. In 2006, he co-created with Domini Blythe, and directed the solo work, Fanny Kemble, about the life of the famous British actress and abolitionist.

www.peterhinton.ca Instagram: @peterhintondavis

They also discuss the reality of running an indie theater company, balancing day jobs with their artistic aspirations. From the excitement of pub nights where show tunes reign supreme to the challenges of staging ambitious productions, they reveal the collective spirit that powers their endeavours. They also discuss a new musical in development, "Statistics," a production intertwining the personal and the historical, where academic pressure meets the remarkable story of Rosalind Franklin.

Bio

Founded in the spring of 2022, Shifting Ground Collective is Toronto’s newest home for emerging musical theatre voices. Their work spans developmental processes for new Canadian musicals, concert and cabaret programming, and full-scale productions of beloved musical theatre favourites – all with a focus on spotlighting the next-generation of great Canadian musical theatre talent. Shifting Ground has quickly developed a following and network that has positioned them to shape the future of the Canadian musical theatre sector, and was named one of the top 10 Breakthrough Artists of 2023 by the Toronto Star.

shiftinggroundcollective.com Instagram: @shiftinggroundcollective

www.stevenmayoff.ca Instagram: @steven_mayoff

Tickets and Info, Dion: a Rock Opera: www.coalminetheatre.com/dion

Embark on a behind-the-scenes journey with me as we examine the craft of adapting Shakespeare for today's audiences. We contrast the festival stage's grandeur with the intimacy of smaller productions and dissect the professional growth that comes from long-term engagement with Shakespearean drama. Moreover, the conversation turns to survival—both of the actor during an arduous theatre season and the creative spirit during the pandemic. We shed light on the birth of the SuddenSpark Collective and its aspirations, offering an inspiring look at the resilience and creativity of theatre professionals in unprecedented times.

Bio

Emilio Vieira is an actor/ creator currently working on Shakespeare BASH'd's Two Noble Kinsmen, playing at the Theatre Centre from January 25 to Feb 4, 2024. Emilio is about to embark on his 7th season with the Stratford Festival playing Antonio in Twelfth Night, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Richard Dazzle in London Assurance. Other credits include: Richard II, Grand Magic, Richard III, The Miser, Coriolanus, The Tempest, Napoli Milionaria!, Tartuffe, Macbeth, All My Sons, Bunny (Stratford Festival); The Three Musketeers (RMTC); Towards Youth: a play on Radical Hope (Crow's Theatre); Tartuffe, Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Titus Andronicus (Canadian Stage); february: a love story (Sudden Spark Collective/Globus Theatre); Cymbeline (Shakespeare BASH'd). Emilio has appeared on HBO's Titans and some indie projects you haven't seen. He continues to voraciously audition for film and television without much success. During the pandemic, Emilio, and his creative collaborator Ellen Denny launched Sudden Spark Collective, a company aimed at producing heartwarming stories as soup for the pandemic soul. Their two projects, february: a love story, and Above Ground Floor had successful digital debuts with great acclaim. Both went on to stream with Stratfest@Home, garnering international attention and meriting them an interview with Tom Power on CBC's Q. Emilio is a proud graduate of York University's Acting Conservatory and studied under the direction of Martha Henry and Stephen Ouimette at the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre.

He loves dogs, hugs, mint chocolate and cricket!

Instagram: @emiliovieira

Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

The conversation also turns to the resilience of actors amid the pandemic, sharing her own tussle with COVID-19 that brought unexpected twists to a production in Sudbury. The episode wraps with a heartwarming glimpse into the enduring marriage Deborah and her husband Oliver Dennis, as they juggle the scales of professional ambition with the weight of family life. Their story is a masterclass in harmony, a dance of mutual support and understanding that keeps the show going, long after the applause fades.

Bio

Deborah Drakeford is a proud member of ARC, having been a Resident Artist for the past 18 years. Deb assumed the role of Co-Artistic Producer of ARC in July 2020. She has performed in many ARC shows, including A Kind of Alaska, The City, Bea, Moment, Pomona, Human Animals, Oil, Gloria, Martyr and upcoming, Rockabye.

Deb has been lucky enough to work across Canada from BC to PEI.

Other fun credits include Redbone Coonhound (Tarragon Theatre), Doubt (BNE Productions), Shirley Valentine (Thousand Islands Playhouse and Capitol Theatre), The Penelopiad and The Importance of Being Earnest (Grand Theatre), Portia’s Julius Caesar (Shakespeare in the Ruff), Innocence Lost, Great Expectations, Waiting for the Parade and A Christmas Carol (among others) (Soulpepper), Hedda Noir (Theatre Northwest) Rabbit Hole, Same Time Last Year and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Sudbury Theatre Centre). Deb has been Dora nominated 11 times (individual and ensemble).

She has also done tv, film, and voice, most recently appearing in HBO’s Station Eleven and recording the audiobook The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields.

Deb holds a BEd and teaches for YPT, Soulpepper and for the TDSB. She makes her home in Toronto with her lovely husband, actor Oliver Dennis, and their two amazing kids, Charlotte and Philip.

arcstage.com Instagram: @arcstage

Keith Brown www.absolutemagic.ca Instagram: @keithhbrown

Jess Gorman Instagram: @jra.gorman

Tim Murphy Twitter: @timcmurphy

Sarah Ivanco Twitter: @IvancoSarah

Kendall Savage www.kendallsavageclown.com Instagram: @kendall_savage_clown

Georgia Findlay Instagram: @_georgiathejungle

Evan Bawtinheimer Twitter: @MrEvanRussell

Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Have you ever wondered how the world of customer service operates or what causes customer rage? We're diving into these topics too, unearthing the tactics deployed by call centers to hinder customer goals and sharing personal anecdotes about our own experiences. Plus, we'll be talking about our audio drama project, from its inception in a humble basement to a full-fledged production. Our conversation with Kevin and Jill continues as they share their journey of creating the character Akbar and the nuances of casting for an audio drama.

Finally, we delve into our guests' personal journeys and their love for theatre and filmmaking. Kevin and Jill share their childhood experiences that shaped their passion for storytelling and discuss the role of imagination in their work. They reflect on making audiences laugh and the joy that brings them. If you've ever been curious about the world of audio dramas or the joy of creating something that truly engages and entertains - this episode is for you. Tune in and take a peek behind the scenes of this exciting medium.

Bio

Kevin Shea wrote the fiction podcast "Feedback: a comedy of impeccable service," the experimental play "Consumption Patterns," and, with Wade Bogert-O'Brien and Scott Christian, the musicals "Hero & Leander," "A Misfortune," and "Teresa." He is Editor-in-Chief of The Kevin, which publishes sporadic essays on arts and culture.

thekevin.substack.com Twitter: @sheakm Instagram: @sheakm

Read Kevin's essay about writing Feedback: https://thekevin.substack.com/p/on-feedback

Jill Harper is an award-winning theatre director and dramaturg, and the co-founder of Cue6 Theatre. Selected directing credits: Cue6 Theatre’s "Dry Land" (Globe and Mail’s Top 10 Theatre shows of 2018); "pool (no water)" (Dora Awards for Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble); and "Byhalia, Mississippi" (as a part of a 7 city World Premiere Conversation); "Detroit" (Coal Mine Theatre) "White Heat" (English Theatre Berlin); "Consumption Patterns" (Next Stage Theatre Festival); "Meet Cute" (Roseneath Theatre) – Dora nomination for Outstanding Direction; "Hazardous Materials" (Equity Library Theatre Chicago); In fall 2023 Jill and Cue6 released the narrative podcast "Feedback" by Kevin Shea which reached #5 on Apple podcasts' Fiction podcasts chart

www.cue6.ca Instagram: @cue6theatre

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Lowen gives us insight into Sex T-Rex's hit show Swordplay, discussing its physical comedy and evolution over time. Later, we explore the origins of D&D live. Also in the discussion we explore the evolving role of gender identity in their performances, and hear their thoughts on working in a theatre troupe over a long period of time, and how that can be like being part of a family, with all that that entails

Don't miss out on the latter part of the episode where we discuss the fascinating world of puppetry and producing in the film and TV industry. It's a jam-packed episode you wouldn't want to miss!

Bio

Lowen Morrow is a trans masculine theatre and filmmaker, physical comedian, actor, improviser, and puppeteer based in Toronto. They are a core member of comedy company Sex T-Rex: winners of over two dozen awards including 2x Just for Laughs' Best Comedy and Second City's Outstanding Comedy awards. Lowen has toured Canada, the US and parts of China with Mermaid Theatre and was awarded the Honourary My Theatre Award for excellence in puppetry. Recently they played the titular character in Tarragon Theatre’s Orphan Song, workshopped a new production of Pinocchio with Bad New Days, and were featured in Featured Creatures’ upcoming film, Dead Lover set to debut next year. Currently they are producing and performing in Swordplay a play of Swords with Sex T-Rex and directing an improvised show for young audiences with Bad Dog Theatre called Captain Galactic as part of Bad Dog's Comedy on Queen Festival. Coming up they will be co-producing and curating Blockbuster Week- an improvised comedy festival with Bad Dog Theatre and are about to enter pre-production for their short film, Mothballs.

sextrexcomedy.com Twitter: @lowenmorrow Instagram: @lowenmorrow

Tickets to Swordplay: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/swordplay-a-play-of-swords-at-comedy-on-queen-street-tickets-751784566877

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Venture with us as we examine the journey of creating a new Christmas musical in the era of COVID. We highlight the importance of human connection and family traditions during the holiday season and how the pandemic inspired the focus of our musical. Discover how the limited number of original Christmas musicals opened up an opportunity for us to contribute to new holiday traditions. We also share our personal experiences with theatre and Christmas, including our sources of inspiration for the songs in the musical.

The final part of our conversation provides insights into the business side of theatre production, which is often overlooked. Our guests share their experiences with fundraising, balancing creativity with business, and the challenges they faced along the way. We also talk about their collaborative journey in adapting the novel "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" into a musical, highlighting the importance of audience engagement and maintaining the dramatic force of the show. Tune in for a captivating look into the creative and business aspects of theatre production, and get ready to be swept away by the holiday spirit!

Bio

Katie Kerr is the Program Manager for the inaugural season of The Nation Centre of New Musicals at Theatre Aquarius. She is also a producer of Boldly Productions. Her professional theatre career spans over a decade, performing in theatres from coast to coast. Theatre credits include: 8 seasons at the Charlottetown Festival, The Grand, Drayton Entertainment, Theatre Aquarius, and Western Canada Theatre. From staples like Anne of Green Gables to new works like Come From Away, Katie continues to make her mark on Canadian music theatre with the world premiere of Chris, Mrs. She has her degree from Sheridan College and has been active as a writer and director for years.

As a musician, Matthew Stodolak has been active as the Music Director at Canada’s Wonderland and a keyboard player for a number of productions at Drayton Entertainment and Theatre Aquarius. He is a Producer at Boldly Productions, and the Founder Boldly Media marketing agency. Prior to this he was the Digital Marketing Manager of the Toronto Star and currently is a Professor of Marketing at Seneca College. He holds a Masters of Teaching from the University of Toronto and Bachelor of Music from McMaster University. He currently sits on the University of Toronto Alumni Association Board of Directors.

www.chrismrs.com Instagram: @chrismrsmusical

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We also talk about Amaka's journey to joining the production as assistant director, and the thrill and challenge of bringing a theatre production to life. From a short piece to a full-scale production, the evolution of a play is indeed a labor of love. The value of versatility and embracing multiple passions in the theatre world are also discussed. Our conversation takes an intriguing turn as we explore the art of creating distinct character voices in a new play, and the significance of representation and diversity in theatre. Hear how theatre provides a platform for young children of colour to explore their identities and see themselves represented on stage.

Finally, Alicia and Amaka share their journeys in the theatre world. Amaka shares her passion for movement, and Alicia, her interest in voice training and dialect coaching. They also discuss the importance of storytelling and representation in the theatre world, especially for Black individuals. Hear about the Alicia and Amaka's early encounters with theatre, the power of storytelling in shaping our identities, and the role of education in promoting diversity and inclusivity in theatre.

Bio

Alicia Richardson is an African-American actor/writer and voice coach originally from Boynton Beach, Florida. She came to Canada for the affordable tuition, then she got health care and figured…why fight it? Now she’s a Permanent Resident livin’ that sweet (but sometimes sour) artist’s life in Toronto. Her body of work spans television, film, theatre, and voice-over. Alicia is PUMPED to have the world premiere of her Theatre for Young Audiences play, Sweeter, a co-pro from Cahoots Theatre and Roseneath Theatre slated for production in December 2023 in Toronto.

Instagram: @leesheelovesyou

Amaka Umeh is an award-winning English theatre performing artist of Nigerian descent who enjoys puns, sweets, and adventures. A graduate of the Musical Theatre Performance Program at the Randolph Academy for Performing Arts, she explores the provocative, liberatory, and transformative powers of investigating truth through imagination and pretense while wrestling with the limitations of the spoken word as a vehicle for communication and understanding. Their work has been generously recognized with a Dora Mavor Moore Award, a Toronto Theatre Critics Association Award, and two MyEntertainmentWorld Critics’ Pick Award nominations.

Instagram: @yesamaka

Tickets and Info for Sweeter: https://www.cahoots.ca/production/sweeter

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Emily's story is not just about her. It's about the compelling fusion of circus and theatre, and how this marriage of disciplines has culminated in her solo show. This episode is an exciting journey through the world of multidisciplinary art, where reality seems to merge with magic, embracing the weird and the unique. We also discuss the liberating world of clowning and its transformative impact, offering an escape into a realm filled with laughter and freedom.

As we move deeper into the world of theatre, we discuss the challenging balance between production and performance, particularly as artists age. Emily, a circus performer on the verge of turning 40, shares her insight on this matter, defying ageist norms and emphasizing the importance of diversity and opportunities for all artists, regardless of age. Additionally, we shed light on the creative process of crafting a theatrical production. We dive into how audience feedback shapes a show, and the delicate balance between artist intention and viewer interpretation. Join us as we uncover the power of empathy in art and its ability to create a powerful, visceral experience for the audience.

Bio

Emily Hughes is a multidisciplinary artist/creator using circus as a physical language to communicate through theatre, film, dance and installation. She is a classically trained actor, Pochinko clown, baby hand balancer, and has been performing as a professional aerialist for over 20 years. Parallel and intersecting with her solo work, she is also the co-Artistic Director of Hercinia Arts Collective, a non-profit performance company dedicated to collaboratively created circus through a multidisciplinary lens.

www.emilyhughes.ca Instagram: @inverted.traveller

Goodbye, Esther: https://www.emilyhughes.ca/projects/goodbye-esther

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Immerse yourself in the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from fringe to large-scale theatre productions. Christine and Tara share their experiences of developing their characters and the evolving dynamics of their roles. Discover the crucial role of imagery in theatre, particularly how it captures audience attention, and the differences they've experienced working with larger teams and funding.

Lastly, we talk about their mentoring experiences in the French theatre circuit and their exciting new project, the Lost Sock Rescue Society. This innovative project aims to challenge our culture's bias against unmatched socks by creating an immersive and interactive experience. Plus, get a glimpse of their upcoming play, the Stepsisters, and their aspirations for its future. Tune in for a rollercoaster of emotions, a dash of humour, and a healthy dose of inspiration.

Bio

Christine Lesiak is an Edmonton / amiskwacîwâskahikan-based theatre artist, teacher, director, and artistic director of Small Matters Productions. She holds a BSc in Physics, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Drama. She specializes in integrated & collaborative creation, audience experience design, interactive comedy, and physical storytelling. She is co-creator of and performer in Small Matters’ nine full-length shows, including the interactive comedy hit, “For Science!” (2018-23), she premiered her new show “The Space Between Stars”, a radical adaption of “The Little Prince” in February 2023. “The Spinsters” premières November 2023 at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby B.C. She is a frequent collaborator with the Edmonton-based companies Catch the Keys Productions, artistic associate with Toy Guns Dance Theatre, and director of the Play the Fool Festival of clown-theatre and physical comedy.

smallmatters.ca Instagram: @smallmattersp

Tara Travis is an Actor, Voice Actor and Puppeteer known largely for her work on stage, notably solo works Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Who Killed Gertrude Crump? (with Monster Theatre) The Unfortunate Ruth, and Searching for Dick: A Paranormal Comedy. Voice actor on comedy podcast Phantom Signal, narrator of numerous audiobooks, and voice maker for video games, animation, web series and YouTube-ey things galore. She wiggles dollies, and likes to make art.

www.taratravis.com Instagram: @taratravisartist

The Spinsters dates and tickets: https://smallmatters.ca/shows/the-spinsters/

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Fasten your seat belts as we journey with Stephen and Aaron to their Vancouver Fringe Festival experience. Hear firsthand about their adventures as a performing duo on a fringe that's not home and how it exposed them to new ideas and performers. Tag along as they explore Vancouver and the thrill they felt in discovering they've nailed the city's details in their play.

As we wrap up, prepare for an enlightening discussion on the insights they've gathered from performing their play, the significance of feedback, and how their bond has shaped Whale Fall. Learn how Vancouver has influenced their play and how sound is used as a tool to connect with audiences. Lastly, we reflect on Whale Fall's themes and its transformation into a cautionary tale. This episode offers a captivating journey of creativity, teamwork, and transformation that promises to leave you inspired.Bio, and socials go here

Bio

Stephen Near is a writer and educator living in Hamilton. He is a graduate of York University (BFA), the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (B. Ed) and the MFA Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph. Stephen is a member of the Playwright’s Guild of Canada and an alumnus of both the Sage Hill Writing Experience and the Banff Centre. Last year, he was named the inaugural Writer-In-Residence for the Cotton Factory in Hamilton. His writing has appeared in a variety of online and print publications and his plays have been produced at a variety theatres and festivals, principally by the company that he co-founded, Same Boat Theatre. He is a proud husband, father and unabashed geek who is (still) obsessed with comic books and role-playing games. stephennear.com Twitter: @SNear23 Instagram: @stephenisnear

Aaron Joel Craig (he/him) is a director, dramaturge, designer and performer. His passion for developing new work with artists in Hamilton led to the founding of Same Boat Theatre, alongside playwright Stephen Near. His theatre work focuses on questions of identity, power and how to stay hopeful in a difficult world. Some past projects include Test, Your Own Sons and The Conspiracy of Michael, all with Same Boat, and Henry the Fifth and Waiting for Godot for Redeemer University. He recently completed work on a masters degree at Wycliffe College/University of Toronto, exploring the intersections of spirituality and the arts.. You can find more about that work @saltcellararts. He lives in Hamilton’s East End with his partner, Cath, their two kids, and his probably-too-big record collection.

Instagram: @aaronjoelcraig

Tickets to Whale Fall at the Red Sandcastle: https://www.ticketscene.ca/series/1137/

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But the drama doesn't stop there. Join us as we contrast her experience directing The Drowning Girls with The Elephant Man, two riveting productions with starkly different challenges. Discover the importance of dialogue, the dynamics of actor-director relationships, and the delicate art of handling heavy themes from a director's point of view. Tatum's insight into theatre as a mirror to society, and a tool to evoke emotion and address difficult themes, is both enlightening and inspiring.

Lastly, we journey into Tatum's acting world. Drawing from her experience in the movie IT and her memories of Tim Curry's mini-series, Tatum shares her perspective on acting and its power. Hear about her reprisal of the Wicked Witch of the West in a lost episode of Sesame Street and how her idol, Margaret Hamilton, continues to inspire her. This episode, filled with compelling discussions on theatre, horror, and the transformative power of storytelling, is a masterclass in the art of stagecraft. Buckle up for a fascinating exploration that will leave you spellbound.Bio, and socials go here

www.wrentheater.com Instagram: @tatumlee77

Tickets to The Drowning Girls at Red Sandcastle: https://wren-theatre.ticketleap.com/the-drowning-girls/dates

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We then move on to examine the exhaustion and solitude that comes with writing a solo show and the celebration of rediscovering the supportive theatre community. Megan draws upon her theatre background to breathe life into her narratives, reminding us of the power of storytelling and performance. We also delve into her experiences with the TNL Youth theatre program and how it revealed a creative dimension within her that she hadn't previously explored.

In the final segment, we explore the realities of pursuing a career in the performing arts, looking at the highs, the lows, and everything in between. From economic constraints to the priceless support of her parents, Megan reflects on how these factors have influenced her journey. We highlight the significant role of Ruth Lawrence in the Newfoundland theatre scene and Megan's career, discussing mentorship, career progression, and the art of infusing humour into darker subject matter. Join us for a refreshing conversation that bridges theatre, storytelling, and queer identity.

Bio

Meghan Greeley is a queer writer, editor, performer, and director originally from Corner Brook, NL. Her poetry, prose, and scripts have been published in The Stockholm Review of Literature, Ephemera, Metatron's ÖMËGÄ project, Riddle Fence, Humber Mouths 2, The Breakwater Book of Contemporary Newfoundland Drama (Vol. 1), and the Playwrights Canada Press anthology Long Story Short. As a playwright, she was a 2016 nominee for the RBC Tarragon Emerging Playwrights Prize and was later a resident of both the Tarragon Playwrights Unit and Nightwood Theatre’s Write from the Hip program. Her stage plays have been produced across Canada. Her play Hunger, published by Breakwater Books, was shortlisted for the BMO Winterset Award. Her short novel Jawbone is forthcoming from Radiant Press in Fall 2023. She is currently the Artistic Director of White Rooster Theatre.

Twitter: @meghangreeley Instagram: @meghan_greeley

Jawbone: https://radiantpress.ca/shop/p/jawbone

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We then pivot our spotlight to the importance of queer stories and how comedy can be an influential tool for expressing significant themes and messages. Grums expounds on their play, 'Scum & Manifesto', and how it strives to challenge the gender binary and empower its audience. As we delve deeper into the conversation, we also touch on the rise of anti-trans and anti-queer rhetoric, emphasizing the crucial need for representation and understanding in our current socio-political climate.

Our compelling chat doesn't stop there. Grums opens up about their personal journey, from understanding their gender identity to coming out as trans. They share intimate details about their 'found family' from the fringe tour and the solace they found within these relationships. We also discuss the necessity to educate children on gender diversity, challenging traditional 'sex ed' narratives. So, get ready for an engaging conversation that explores theatre, queer stories, and the power of self-identity. All the world's a stage, and we invite you to share ours in this episode.

Bio

Grumms (they/them) is a queer, transgender theatre artist from Treaty 6 Territory. Over the past decade, Grumms has created a body of original queer work and toured it around the world, including across Canada, US, UK, Europe, and Australia. They are the co-creator of SCUM: a manifesto, Girl in the Box, Pack Animals, and Creepy Boys. With Something in the Water, Grumms has toured around the world performing to queer audiences young and old. Grumms is the recipient of the 2022 RBC Outstanding Award in recognition for their contribution to the queer and trans community across Saskatchewan. Outside of self-creation, Grumms also works as a director, puppeteer, and video artist. Next up, Grumms is writing a new TYA puppet musical in collaboration with indie music icon, Rae Spoon, premiering and touring across the prairies in early 2024.

www.scantilygladtheatre.com Twitter: @scantilygladsk Instagram: @scantilygladsk

Something in the Water at Next Stage: https://fringetoronto.com/next-stage/show/something-water

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Thriving in the world of performing arts is no easy feat, a truth we uncover as we draw intriguing parallels between the theatre and stand-up comedy. Liza enlightens us about the ephemeral nature of these arts, and the fascinating process comedians undertake – rehearsing, refining, and reworking a joke until it achieves its full comedic potential. This process mirrors the artistry in theatre, where resources are meticulously combined to create something truly captivating.

We also discuss Liza's inspiring journey from Associate Producer at Soulpepper, to the Curator and Manager at Theatre Centre Cafe Bar to an Associate Artistic Director at the Theatre Centre, underscoring the significance of creating inviting spaces and adapting creatively during challenging times like the current pandemic. We also highlight the upcoming Comedy is Art Festival at The Theatre Centre. So, come along on this riveting journey that takes you behind the scenes - into the heart and soul of art, laughter, and authentic human connection.

Bio

liza paul is a storyteller, comedian, curator 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 (improv conservatory + 2017 bob curry fellowship program) and is the co-creator of pomme is french for apple (best of fringe 2012, toronto), which has also played in winnipeg, edinburgh, and new york city. She has worked with Soulpepper theatre company, anitafrika! dub theatre, bCurrent theatre, and the watah theatre, and is Associate Artistic Director at The Theatre Centre.

Comedy is Art tickets: https://theatrecentre.org/event/comedy-is-art-2023/

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In this episode we talk about the challenges theatres faced during the pandemic, the decline in subscription audiences, and the pressing need to attract diverse viewers. With the rise in streaming services, we also discuss how to keep theatre relevant and make it a habit for people. We explore the risks and rewards of programming daring works and the need for the stage to reflect the diversity of the audience. Listen in for an enriching discussion on the future of theatre subscriptions, audience engagement, and a whole lot more!

Bio

Joshua Chong is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter and performing arts critic with the Toronto Star. His work can also be seen in the Globe and Mail, The Whole Note Magazine, The Dance Current, Intermission Magazine and Opera Canada Magazine. Joshua has earned two Youth Journalism International Awards for his criticism and a John H. McDonald Award for his investigative journalism.

Too white, too old, too well-to-do: why Toronto theatre companies need to appeal to broader audiences https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/too-white-too-old-too-well-to-do-why-toronto-theatre-companies-need-to-appeal/article_dee3ddf9-79d5-5b0b-86c1-0017de63b6e3.html

Twitter: @joshualdwchong

Phil's thoughts on the article: https://philrickaby.substack.com/p/toronto-star-too-white-too-old-too

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Our discussion takes a fascinating turn as we explore the potential of horror in theatre, drawing from the traditional presentations of horror in the theatre before film took the reins. Taylor shares her insights on how live audience, coupled with light and sound manipulation, can escalate the thrill of the genre. We also delve into the interesting challenge of staying one step ahead of the genre, and the excitement it brings. On a more academic note, we delve into Taylor's theatre course at Western University, where she scrutinizes the history of theatre in Toronto, addressing critical questions of representation and identity.

As we navigate towards the tail end of our conversation, we cast the spotlight on Taylor's doctoral research on the Blythe Festival. We delve into her process of selecting pivotal moments from the theatre's history to focus on and explore the tragedy of plays that have never seen the light of day. Taylor underscores the importance of ensuring the accessibility of these unpublished plays, shedding light on their often overlooked value. We round off our conversation by addressing the evolution of theatre and its potential to challenge audiences, inviting them to revisit and re-imagine their relationship with this age-old art form. We hope you'll join us for this enlightening exploration of Canada's theatre scene, the thrill of horror on stage, and the intriguing intersections of art and academia.

Bio

Taylor Marie Graham is an award winning playwright, librettist, director, theatre scholar and educator from Cambridge Ontario. She joined me to talk about her play Corporate Finch, which rounds out a summer of performances with a run at IMPACT Fest in Kitchener, Ontario. In this conversation we talk about the unusual origin of Corporate Finch, taking the play to festivals around Ontario, and her how her academic practice and her artistic practice compliment each other. Here’s our conversation.

taylormariegraham.com Twitter: @taylormarie_g Instagram: @taylormarie.graham

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As we navigate through the mechanics and origin of asses.masses, you will also find yourselves questioning prevalent stereotypes about the humble donkey. Commonly misconceived as stubborn and unsmart, our fascinating exploration of the donkey as a symbol of labor initiates insightful discussions about digital labor and its implications today. Coupled with the intriguing concept of game show mediation and audience involvement, this episode will certainly broaden your understanding of performance art, digital labor, and animal symbolism.

Our discussion extends beyond the boundaries of performance, delving into the debate over video games as an art form. You'll be immersed in the collaborative process of game development and storytelling as we dissect the structure of Asses Masses and its influence from other famous titles. We also reflect on the changing attitudes towards art consumption and its impact on the reception of such innovative works. As we conclude, you'll be left with a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of game development, the symbolism of labor, and the power of audience engagement in redefining performance art.

Patrick Blenkarn is an artist working at the intersection of performance, game design, and visual art. His research-based practice revolves around the themes of language, labour, and economy, with projects ranging in form from video games and card games to stage plays and books. His work and collaborations have been featured in performance festivals, galleries, museums, and film festivals, including the Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires, the Humboldt Forum (Berlin), Festival of Live Digital Art (Kingston), STAGES Festival (Halifax), Banff Centre for the Arts, Risk/Reward (Portland), SummerWorks (Toronto), rEvolver (Vancouver), RISER Projects (Toronto), and the Festival of Recorded Movement (Vancouver). In 2020, he was nominated for Best Projection Design at Toronto’s Dora Awards. In 2022, his work with Milton Lim, asses.masses, received the National Creation Fund from the National Arts Centre of Canada.

Patrick has frequently been an artist in residence at galleries and theatres around the world, including The Arctic Circle (Svalbard), the Spitsbergen Artist Center (Svalbard), GlogauAIR (Berlin), Fonderie Darling (Montreal), Malaspina Printmakers (Vancouver), Skaftfell Center for Visual Art (Iceland), VIVO Media Arts (Vancouver), and The Theatre Centre (Toronto).

Patrick is also the co-founder of and a key archivist for videocan, Canada’s video archive of performance documentation, and one half of Guilty by Association with Cole Lewis. He has a degree in philosophy, theatre, and film from the University of King's College and an MFA from Simon Fraser University.

patrickblenkarn.com Instagram: @patrickblenkarn

Milton Lim (he/him) is a digital media artist, game designer, and performance creator based in Vancouver, Canada: the traditional, unceded, and occupied territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

His research-based practice entwines publicly available data, interactive digital media, and gameful performance to create speculative visions and candid articulations of social capital. This line of inquiry aims to reconsider our repertoires of knowledge aggregation and political intervention in the contemporary context of big data and algorithmic culture. Often cheeky and audience/participant driven, his work challenges standard performance traditions including duration, linearity, and repeatability. Milton holds a BFA (Hons.) in theatre performance and psychology from Simon Fraser University.

He has created works for and performed in various international festivals and venues including PuSh International Performing Arts Festival (Vancouver), CanAsian Dance Festival (Toronto), Carrefour international de théâtre festival (Quebec City), IMPACT Festival (Kitchener), Seattle International Dance Festival, Risk/Reward Festival (Portland), Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires, artsdepot (London), Battersea Arts Centre (London), New Theatre Royal (Portsmouth), Strike a Light Festival (Gloucester), Hong Kong Arts Festival, soft/WALL/studs (Singapore), and Darwin Festival.

Performance credits include The Arts Club’s The Great Leap, Gateway Theatre’s King of the Yees at Canada's National Arts Centre, and Theatre Conspiracy’s award-winning immersive show: Foreign Radical at CanadaHub (Edinburgh Fringe). Milton's media artworks have been presented at the Vancouver Art Gallery, San Francisco State University, F-O-R-M, VIVO Media Arts Centre, and The New Gallery. In 2016, he was awarded the Ray Michal Prize for Outstanding Body of Work at the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards.

He is a co-artistic director of Hong Kong Exile, an artistic associate with Theatre Conspiracy, a co-founder and key archivist with the videocan national archive, an infrequent Sessional Instructor with Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts, one of the co-creators behind culturecapital: the performing arts economy trading card game, and a founding member of Synectic Assembly—an Artificial Intelligence focused art collective. Upcoming: Milton is part of an 18-month Artistic Leadership Residency with the National Theatre School (Canada); his work on the asses.masses video game project recently received the prestigious National Creation Fund and premiered in Buenos Aires in February 2023; along with Patrick Blenkarn, he will be doing a self-directed residency in South America (February-April 2023) as well as continuing work with Darren O’Donnell, Alice Fleming, and a dedicated group of young people at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin over the next few years.

www.miltonlim.com Instagram: @miltonlim

About asses.masses: Labour, technophobia, donkeys, and sharing the load of revolution: asses.masses is a long form participatory performance that follows the epic journey of unemployed asses as they navigate the perils of a post-Industrial society in which they’ve been made redundant.

At its core, asses.masses is a custom-made video game designed to be played on stage by a live audience. Brave spectators take turns each night stepping forward from the herd to seize the means of production and become the player. There are no instructions. It is up to the audience and their self-elected leaders to make decisions and play out their version of the game.

Cheeky, political, and best described as Animal Farm meets Aesop’s Fables retold by Franz Kafka, Karl Marx, and Sonic the Hedgehog, asses.masses puts the control(ler) in its audience’s hands and asks them to discover the space between the work that defines us and the play that frees us.

www.assesmasses.work

Tickets to asses.masses at the Theatre Centre: https://theatrecentre.org/event/asses-masses-23/

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Immerse yourself in the artistry of live theatre as we explore the relationship between the performer and the audience, and how breaking the fourth wall transforms the viewer's journey. Ryan reveals his knack for creating scenes of chaos through the smallest of moments and how Best Bard Bits is the embodiment of this talent. We'll also dive into the importance of supporting independent creators, and the crucial role experts play when firearms are used onstage.

In this enlightening episode, we’ll also address the creative and logistical challenges Ryan faced when producing his one-man show. Hear about his unique concept of being buried alive on stage and the suspense it created for the audience. We'll also discuss the magic of live theatre, the power of theatre experiences, and how to market them effectively.

Bio

Primarily a writer and actor, Ryan M. Sero is always seeking ways to be creative and to help others create, too. Since graduating from Redeemer University in 2008, he has worked in the arts primarily in Hamilton, but has found his way almost across Canada, and a little bit into the US.

He co-founded Make Art Theatre in 2010 and became the sole artistic director in 2014, using his position to further the voices of Hamilton's theatre community. One of his most satisfying achievements has been to bring live theatre to the Supercrawl Festival.

Ryan is a member of the Mohawk tribe, as well as having Scottish ancestry.

makearttheatre.weebly.com

Best Bard Bits Sept. 22 & 7PM Gage Park, NW corner, Hamilton, ON Tickets are Pay What Its Worth at the park.

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From a casual chat about their first experiences in theatre to a captivating discussion about how audience feedback and critical reviews helped shape their production, this talk is a rollercoaster ride. Deborah heartwarmingly recounts her return to the stage after a long hiatus, crediting an encouraging Grade 8 teacher for sparking her public speaking confidence which eventually led her to craft her own play. On the other side, David speaks passionately about his vision for the show and how his knee-jerk reaction to the script was instrumental in shaping the final production.

Finally, we pull back the curtain on the making of her, scheduled to run at the Red Sand Castle Theatre from September 6th to 10th. Discover how Deborah's personal inspirations breathed life into the script, and how David finessed his directorial magic to bring Her to the stage. Be prepared to be swept off your feet as we navigate through the meticulous and iterative process of creating a play. So take a seat, get comfortable, and prepare to be captivated by these brilliant minds of the Canadian theatre scene. It's a performance you won't want to miss!

Deborah Shaw

Since graduating from Theatre Humber, Deborah has been involved in many productions in Toronto as an actor, stage manager and costumier. Creating and performing in her own work has been a particular joy. She was a founding member of Carpe Dinero (commedia dell’arte), as co-director, co-writer and performer. Deborah has also been the Entertainment Director for the Pirate Festival, and she debuted the role of Susan in the world premiere of the Samuel French Inc. Canadian Play Contest winner, A Year In The Death Of Eddie Jester, by T. Gregory Argall. Always expanding her performing interests, Deborah launched into bellydancing with Arabesque Academy, where she regularly performed as one of the Arabesque Earthshakers. She was also the costumier and backstage manager for Arabesque Canada under Artistic Director Yasmina Ramzy. Deborah recently created her own unique style of dance fusion in her show Raqs Macabre, for which she is the producer, writer, choreographer, costumier and dance artist. The Fringe Festival made it possible for her.—Deborah’s second completed playscript—to receive a full staging while other works and ideas have impatiently waited their turn.

zippysaidproductions.com Instagram: hertheplay

David Agro

David and one-person plays have a history together. His professional debut performance, for Heresy 3 Productions at Brock Centre for the Arts, was as Andrei Vukhov in Judgement— the first Canadian production of Barry Collins’ harrowing full-length solo drama. David continued to develop his acting and directing skills at the Shaw and Stratford Festivals, where he had the immense good fortune of learning from many of his theatre heroes. A diverse range of experiences in the Toronto area eventually led to his most recent projects— adapting, directing and performing condensed solo versions of plays which have made a lasting impression on him, including Judgement, The Dresser, Bent, Hosanna and The Elephant Man. Exploring the possibilities in solo pieces has become a consuming interest. When presented with the opportunity to make his first foray into The Toronto Fringe Festival as dramaturg and director of Deborah Shaw’s original one-actor drama, David felt right at home being part of the company of two that breathed life into her. He recently presented a newly-revised version of his own one-person show, Bedrooms of the Nation.

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In this inspiring dialogue, we dig deep into the revolution of theatre writing in the era of social media. Janine provides a unique perspective on how she uses TikTok for her reviews. We also discuss the shifts in theatre writing's landscape and the hurdles encountered while promoting shows. Rounding off our discourse, Janine uncovers her future plans, her commitment to propelling the theatre industry, and her passionate love affair with theatre.

In this enthralling discussion, Janine and I venture through her journey into directing and writing in the theatre world. We also dive into the vibrant and electrifying experience of attending fringe festivals around the globe. Janine shares her strategies for tackling the challenge of fitting meals into the busy schedule of a theatre reviewer and her delightful experiences of connecting with internet friends in-person at these festivals.

Bio

Janine Marley is an independent theatre reviewer born in Kingsville, Ontario and has been a Torontonian since November 2020. She holds Honours BA and MA Degrees from the University of Windsor in English Language and Literature with her studies primarily focused on theatre. She began acting at a young age and continued acting in productions until 2018. After graduating, she became a theatre practitioner co-founding Paper-Knife Theatre Company in Windsor, Ontario, as well as working for The Edge Productions in Windsor and Groundling Theatre Company in Toronto. She started her blog, A View from the Box, as a personal project to share her passion for theatre. Now that she lives in Toronto, she is turning that passion into becoming a reliable resource for all things live performance including theatre, dance, opera, and music.

aviewfromthebox.net Twitter: @AVuefromtheBox Instagram: @avuefromthebox Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

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Throughout this fascinating discussion, we delve into the art of theatre criticism, with Sumi sharing his unique approach to crafting reviews that respect the artist's intent and captivate the reader without revealing too much. He also opens up about the particular challenges of reviewing shows that don't immediately ignite a strong reaction, and how his attendance at thousands of performances has shaped his writing skills. As he navigates the new landscape of theatre criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic, Glenn discusses how he has had to lean on the opinions of trusted colleagues when personal attendance isn't possible.

Looking to the future, this episode explores how the pandemic has impacted the arts and the struggle to find reviewers, along with the potential of filmed stage shows and the necessity for accessibility and financial support in theatre. As Sumi reflects on his role in Toronto's diverse theatre milieu that encompasses remarkable artistic leadership, comedy and music collaborations, you'll gain invaluable insights into the world of theatre criticism. Join us for an enlightening conversation on the future of theatre, and an exploration of the vibrant theatre scene in Toronto.

Bio

Glenn Sumi is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor who recently launched the theatre website So Sumi. Until December 2022, he was a writer and editor at NOW Magazine for 25 years, where he wrote about theatre, comedy and film.

www.goaheadsumi.com Twitter: @glennsumi Instagram: @sosumiig

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Previous work and credits: She has choreographed musical theatre (Shrek, Dora the Explorer, Hair, Seussical the Musical, The Little Mermaid, Fame, Little Women LOT/FirstActProd) and children's touring theatre (Little Red Theatre). She has choreographed music videos for Juno award winning Splash n' Boots and with production company Yeah! Films for Canadian bands Seaway and Pin Up. Her work has been shown at festivals like Fever After Dark with Jerome Bobb and Bazaar. She has taught dance, musical theatre and scene study with several different Toronto based companies including York University and Ryerson School of Performance Summer Intensives. Her work with the bold indie theatre company, Echo Productions, has given her the chance to choreograph stories like, Bonnie and Clyde, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dog Sees God and Charles Manson: Son of Man. She has performed contracts in Newfoundland, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Yukon Territory and has toured across the United States (Hair National Tour-Starvox Ent.), Europe (Hair European Tour), Maritimes Canada (The Great Big Boo) and South America (Norwegian Cruise Line). In 2018, she launched her independent dance company, Dance Fachin with their premiere work, Worldly Women. Worldly Women is a story about the different kinds of oppression women face around the globe. The show won the prestigious Jury's Choice Award (Ottawa Fringe) and Patron's Pick Award (Island Fringe). In early 2019, she performed in the first regional production (since it's run on Broadway) of An American in Paris with Arizona Broadway Theatre. There she was in the female ensemble, singing, dancing and en pointe. She has been dancing in various music videos with MMEntertainment including Jassa Dhillion's video PYAR HOGYA which has over 17 million views.

www.dancefachin.com Instagram: @dancefachin

Tickets to The Fourth R at Edinburgh Fringe: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-fourth-r-tickets-665219107257

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lindseymiddleton.ca Instagram: @lalalindseym

Kathleen Welch is a director, performer, and writer based here in Toronto. She is thrilled to be working with such an incredible team to bring this strange and beautiful play to life. Recently, Kathleen has been working on SAMCA, a play which she co-wrote, composed the music for, and acts in. This project is ongoing and she is looking forward to bringing it to Toronto audiences soon. Kathleen's favourite past directing credits include The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine and 12 Angry Jurors. She is also currently writing a new play, Bluebeard's Wives.

Instagram: @kathleen.welch

Suddenly Last Summer

Riot King is back with another exciting, site-specific production! Don’t miss the limited run of ‘Suddenly Last Summer’ by Tennessee Williams presented at Sorry Studios. Named one of Williams’ most poetic plays, ‘Suddenly Last Summer’ is a strange and unnerving Southern Gothic play that explores mental health, repressed desires, and the lengths a dysfunctional family will go to keep dark secrets hidden. Williams’ play uncovers the frightening and disturbing realities that can hide behind what is seemingly beautiful.

Tickets and Info: www.riotking.com/suddenly-last-summer Twitter: @riotkingto Instagram: @riotkingto

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Twitter: @cassiemuise

God Catcher re-imagines the myth of Arachne. Arguably the most talented weaver of all time, Arachne was vengefully turned into the first spider for beating the goddess Athena at a weaving contest.

godcatcher.com Twitter: @godcatchermt Instagram: @godcatchermusical

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summerworks.ca Twitter: @SummerWorksTO Instagram: @summerworksto

Michael Caldwell (he/him) is a choreographer, performer, curator, artistic director, producer, and arts advocate, based in Tkaronto, Canada. 


Garnering critical acclaim, his choreography has been commissioned/presented throughout Canada at major festivals, in traditional venues and in site-responsive and community-engaged contexts. Michael’s most recent choreographic work responds to the 'site' in as many ways as can be conceived, and subverts traditional modes of viewing. He recently premiered ‘Two x 30’ - a large-scale performance/sound work as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto's Year of Public Art, and is currently working on two collaborative multidisciplinary performance projects. Caldwell is a two-time K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation Artist Award finalist. 


Michael has performed/collaborated with over 55 of Canada's esteemed performance creators/companies, working internationally and performing across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His performances have earned him two (2) Dora Mavor Moore Awards for outstanding performance in dance. 



Currently, Michael serves as Artistic Director at SummerWorks in Tkaronto, and as Programming Advisor for Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal, in Nova Scotia. Most recently, as Creative Director: Programming at Generator, he led the reimagination of the overall governance structure of the organization, moving towards a co-leadership framework. Previously, Michael played a pivotal role in the growth and development of Fall for Dance North, serving as Executive Producer for eight years. He has also previously guided projects with CanAsian Dance, Dusk Dances, Older & Reckless, and Kaeja d’Dance’s ‘Porch View Dances’. In addition, he acts as a consultant with various arts organizations and as a mentor to many emerging artists/curators in the Tkaronto arts community.

 With a bachelor’s degree in film/art history from Syracuse University in upstate New York, and professional dance training at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Michael now serves as President of the Board of Directors at The CanDance Network

Instagram: @mahkemahke

Born and raised in Tkaronto, Morgan Norwich (she/her) is an arts administrator, creator and producer, who brings to SummerWorks over ten years of experience in non-profit theatre, with a specific focus on performing arts festivals and partnership building. For four years, Norwich served as Operations & Partnerships Coordinator at Theatre Alberta, where she managed membership data and ongoing partnerships. During this time, she also participated in a multi-phase adaptive change and capacity-building program led by EmcArts in the U.S. to help address complex challenges and transform their practices. In addition to her most recent role as Development Manager at Toronto Fringe, Morgan has worked with The Rhubarb Festival and SummerWorks in a variety of roles over the years. For ten years, she and playwright Johnnie Walker created and produced new works as Nobody’s Business Theatre. Their most notable project, Redheaded Stepchild, appeared at SummerWorks Festival in 2010. Written and performed by Johnnie and directed by Morgan, the show toured festivals across North America, and was published in 2016 by Playwrights Canada Press. Morgan continues to perform as a founding member of BoylesqueTO, Canada’s premiere “Boylesque” troupe, where she emcees under the stage name Balonia Wry.

Instagram: @morgannorwich

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Twitter: @rebajesse Instagram: @rebajesse

Keeping The Moon Meet Luna, named after the Roman Goddess of the moon. She’s a Scorpio, who loves The Baby-Sitters Club, Taylor Swift and moon pies. This is her story. But it could also be her mother’s. As she transitions through the phases of the moon, Luna journeys to discover herself, her complicated relationship with her mother, and what she keeps hidden from others. There will be one ASL performance of this show. Tickets are 12$- There is one show that is 2 or 12$ ( so 6$ per ticket ) We open July 20 at 6:15pm.

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Jeannette Lambermont-Morey has directed for theatres across Canada and the United States, from the Stratford Festival (8 seasons), to the Virginia Stage Company (twice); including such theatres as The Citadel (Edmonton), The Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa), Atlantic Theatre Festival (Nova Scotia), Manitoba Theatre Centre (Winnipeg), Festival Players (Prince Edward County), Theatre Aquarius (Hamilton), the Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque), Talk is Free Theatre and Theatre by the Bay (Barrie), Theatre on the Ridge (Port Perry), the New World Theatre Project/Perchance Theatre (St. John’s, NFLD), YES Theatre (Sudbury); and Toronto area theatres, Factory Theatre, Canadian Stage, Harbourfront Centre, The Guild Festival Theatre, and The Toronto International Fringe Festival, etc.

She has worked extensively in college and university theatre programs as a director and instructor. Jeannette was Artistic Director of the New World Theatre Project in Newfoundland 2012/13 and served as Executive Director of the Shakespeare Globe Centre of Canada from 1999 to 2015. As a director/dramaturge, Jeannette has developed a number of works by up-and-coming Canadian and American writers in various stages of development -- most recently The Beloved by Wesley Colford, at the Highland Arts Theatre in Cape Breton.

Jeannette is currently Artistic & Managing Director of Xchange Theatre Works in St. John’s, NL.

Michael Manning is a Toronto based actor, director, choreographer, and writer who is incredibly excited to debut his first play in the Toronto Fringe! He is currently studying Theatre Performance at the George Brown Theatre School located out of the Young Centre for the Performing Arts and will be returning in September for his third year. Prior to George Brown, Michael attended the University of Toronto and contributed to multiple award-winning student productions.

Misha Sharivker is a Toronto-based actor and producer who is currently training at the renowned George Brown Theatre School. At any given moment, Misha can be found scrolling through an extremely niche TikTok feed or complaining that he’s hungry.

Instagram: @the.elan.collective

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www.absolutemagic.ca Twitter: @keithhbrown Instagram: @keithhbrown

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www.michaelrossalbert.com Twitter: @michaelralbert Instagram: @michaelralbert

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www.adamfrancisproulx.com Twitter: @AdamFProulx Instagram: @adamfproulx

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Jacob Willis (he/him) is a Toronto-based actor, theatre creator, and filmmaker, originally hailing from the cold depths of Edmonton, AB. He is a recent graduate from the BFA acting program at Toronto Metropolitan University and is the Executive Producer for Parlous Theatre. Jacob strives to create unique and innovative theatre experiences, with much of his work often merging different performance disciplines and theatrical genres. The last thing he created was INSERT CLOWN HERE, a play he created alongside collaborator Kendelle Parks and will be presenting at the Toronto Fringe (July 2023). Before that, you can catch him in "A Midsummer Nights Dream" and "Clowns Doing Shakespeare" with Panoply Collective at Kew Gardens (June 2023) In his limited spare time, Jacob enjoys: watching movies, playing D&D, eating bread, and petting dogs.

Kendelle Parks is a Black Canadian actor and theatre artist based in Toronto, Ontario. She is a recent graduate from the BFA acting program at Toronto Metropolitan University. As an actor, she aims to bring her personal intersectional worldview into flawed characters in complex environment. As a writer, she is interested in the use of language to shape stories and create worlds. She is deeply interested in works that expand what theatre can and ought to be, including dismantling and re-envisioning classical works and common story tropes. Recent Acting credits include The First Stone (Great Canadian Theatre Company/ New Harlem Productions), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Tottering Biped theatre), Hookman (TMU/Soulpepper), and Untamed (TMU/ Tarragon)Bio, and socials go here

linktr.ee/parlous.theatre Instagram: @parlous.theatre

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linktr.ee/duhdumduhdum Instagram: @duhdumduhdumproductions

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www.samchaulk.com Instagram: @sammchaulk

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Recently: directed The Other Place for Talk is Free Theatre. Played Mrs. Lovett in Talk is Free's Sweeney Todd in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Was part of Musical Stage Company/Yonge Street Theatrical's RETOLD at the Toronto Reference Library.

www.tracymichailidis.com Instagram: @tracymichailidis

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Carolyn has also translated “Cross Sea” by Kyungseo Min from English/Korean to French/Korean. The play telling the story of two women’s experiences as comfort women during the Japanese occupation of Korea.

As an actor, some TV/streaming credits include Lola (Grandma) in the Nickelodeon reboot of the children’s show “Blue’s Clues & You!”, Madame Z in the award winning French series “Meilleur Avant”, “ABROAD” a bilingual Tagalog-English sketch comedy series and, voices on various animated series such as DreamWorks’ “Pinecone & Pony” and PBS Kids’ “Work It Out Wombats”. Some Theatre credits include: Uncle Vanya (Crow’s Theatre), Three Women of Swatow (Tarragon Theatre), Calpurnia (Nightwood/Sulong), Through the Bamboo (Uwi Collective) and Miss Orient(ed) (Teesri Duniya Theatre). When Carolyn is not on the theatre’s stage or front of the camera, she is most likely performing her original songs from her four albums or doing song writing collaborations with musicians around the globe.

Carolyn is the assistant director for Tarragon Theatre's Paint Me This House of Love.

Instagram: @thecarolynfe Twitter: @TheCarolynFe

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kyliethompsoncreative.com Twitter: @itskyliethomps1 Instagram: @kyliethompsoncreative

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www.cassvanwyck.com Twitter: @classvanwyck Instagram: @classvanwyck

Bone Cage Tickets: https://www.theassemblytheatre.com/bonecagebycatherinebanks

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Tickets to Blood Offering: https://plainstage.com/events/blood-offering

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www.smallmatters.ca www.christinelesiak.com Instagram: @smallmattersp

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www.parryriposte.ca Twitter: @PRPtheatre Instagram: @margo_thespian

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Rachel Mutombo is an award-winning actor and writer. She is an acting graduate of John Abbott College’s Professional Theatre program as well as the National Theatre School of Canada. As a freelance writer, Rachel has had essays and articles published by CBC, Intermission Magazine and ByBlacks.com. Her first full length play, Vierge, was awarded the first place prize in Infinitheatre's annual playwriting competition. Vierge is premiering at Factory Theatre in Toronto in April 2023.

www.rachelmutombo.com Twitter: @rachel_mutombo_

Natasha Mumba is a Zambian born, Toronto based multi-disciplined artist. She is a graduate of the Acting program at The National Theatre School of Canada as well as the previous Apprentice Artistic Director at Factory Theatre through the generous support of the Metcalf Foundation. She recently had the pleasure of being a Directing Fellow at Why Not Theatre’s ThisGen program, as well having the pleasure of developing her skills in dramaturgy at The Pan-African Dramaturgical Lab hosted by South African company Vrystraat. Her directing credits include; Driftwood Trafalgar: Balance; Factory Theatre: Lady Sunrise (Assistant Director); YPT: The Water Gun Song and Cassius; Studio 180: Gone to see a Man about a dog.

Instagram: @tashamum

Tickets to Vierge: https://www.factorytheatre.ca/shows/vierge/

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www.punctuatetheatre.com Twitter: @PunctuateTheatr Instagram: @punctuatetheatre

Details and Tickets for First Métis Man of Odesa: http://www.punctuatetheatre.com/first-mtis-man-of-odesa-202223

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www.genevieveadam.com Twitter: @FavourZeeBrave

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www.creativetwist.ca Instagram: @creative.twist

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www.pencilkitproductions.com Twitter: @PencilKitProd Instagram: @pencilkitproductions

Buy tickets to I Love the Smell of Gasoline: https://ots.sumacpages.com/sumac/sumac_start_new_session.php?package=ticketing4&userfolder=..%2FORG%2Fnativeearth

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www.thechekhovcollective.com Twitter: @chekhovcollect Instagram: @thechekhovcollective

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Stephen Near is a writer and educator, as well the co-founder and playwright-in-residence of Hamilton’s Same Boat Theatre. Stephen was last on the podcast in June, 2022.

Emily Dix is a theatre artist and photographer and the Artistic Executive Director of Bygone Theatre. Emily was on the podcast in August, 2019.

Laura Piccinin is a playwright and performer, as well as a dancer and aerialist. Laura's most recent appearance on the podcast was in June, 2022.

Adrianna Prosser the artistic producer at Eldritch Theatre, and general manager at the Red Sandcastle theatre, as well as a storyteller and social media maven. Adrianna was last on the podcast as part of the indie theatre roundtable in February, 2022.

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Other plays include Me Happy (co-written with Matthew Mackenzie/Summerworks Festival), Stopheart (Factory Theatre) Genetic Drift (Pi Theatre/Boca del Lupo) My Tom (Railtown Lab Series), Scout’s Honour (Radio Play/Imago Theatre) and C’mon, Angie! (Touchstone Theatre/Leroy Street Theatre) which was hailed as “visceral, important, life-changing theatre.”

Amy Lee was also the Head Digital Writer for the CBC drama Strange Empire, which won a Gracie Award (Women’s Alliance Media) for Best Website in recognition of its interactive Storytelling. Amy Lee is currently developing an original play, Women Do Not Go on Strike, with Odd Stumble Theatre, as well as co-writing multiple projects with her husband/fellow writer Omari Newton. They include: Blackfly, an adaptation of Titus Andronicus, originally commissioned by Repercussion Theatre and recently supported by CCA’s Digital Now, as well as an adaptation of Dante’s Inferno for re:Naissance Opera. Amy Lee & Omari’s audio drama Doubletree, commissioned by Factory Theatre, was recently presented on iTunes and Spotify as part of their You Can’t Get There from Here, Vol. 2 series.

Twitter: @amyleelavoie

Omari Newton is an award-winning professional actor, writer, director and producer. As a writer, his original Hip Hop Theater piece Sal Capone has received critical acclaim and multiple productions, including a run at Canada’s National Arts Center. Omari and his wife, fellow professional playwright Amy Lee Lavoie, received a Silver Commission from The Arts Club Theatre to co-write a new play: Redbone Coonhound. A bold and innovative satirical comedy that confronts instances of systemic racism in the past, present and future. Omari co-directed the first in a series of rolling world premieres at The Arts Club Theatre in October of 2022. The play is set to open at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, followed by a run at Imago Theatre in Montreal. The husband and wife duo have also just completed "Black Fly," a satirical adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus that centers on Aaron and Lavinia. Newton’s work in Speakeasy Theatre's production of Young Jean Lee's The Shipment earned him a 2017-2018 Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor, as well as a nomination for Best Direction. He has recently completed directing critically acclaimed productions of "The Mountaintop" by Katori Hall, and "Pass Over" by Antoinette Nwandu. Notable film & TV credits include: Lucas Ingram on Showcase’s Continuum, Larry Summers on Blue Mountain State and lending his voice to the Black Panther in multiple animated projects (Marvel). Most recently, Omari has a recurring role as Nate on Corner Gas (the animated series) and a recurring role as Corvus of Netflix’s hit new animated series The Dragon Prince.

Twitter: @omariakilnewton Instagram: @omariakilnewton

Redbone Coonhound Out for a walk in their West End neighbourhood, Mike and Marissa—an interracial couple—meet a dog with an unfortunate breed name: Redbone Coonhound. This small detail unleashes a cascading debate between them about race and their relationship that manifests as a series of micro-plays, each satirizing contemporary perspectives on modern culture.

Through its hard-hitting comedic elements, Redbone Coonhound explores the intricacies of subtle and overt polemics of race, systemic power and privilege in remarkable, surprising and hilarious ways.

A wild and subversive journey back through history and into the future.

Redbone Coonhound reveals deep fears, rage, insecurities and, ultimately, hope.

Tickets and Info: https://www.tarragontheatre.com/redbone-coonhound/ Twitter: @tarragontheatre Instagram: @tarragontheatreto

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www.andrewgcooper.com Twitter: @AndrewGCooper22 Instagram: @andrewgcooper22

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amandamlin.wordpress.com Twitter: @mandamlin Instagram: @amandaalin

Tickets to Between a Wok and a Hot Pot: https://www.cahoots.ca/production/between-a-wok-and-a-hot-pot

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www.lunchboxtheatre.com Instagram: @bronwynsteinberg

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www.dauntlesscitytheatre.com Instagram: @tristevietops

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www.robkempson.com Twitter: @rob_kempson Instagram: @rob_kempson

Tickets to ARC's Martyr: https://www.nativeearth.ca/shows/martyr/

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aycarambatheatre.com Instagram: @yuliecampos

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Instagram: @pretty_funny_kendall_savage_

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The James & Jamesy Performance Society creates multi-award winning theatrical performances typified by extended characters, rich emotion, and fantastical trips of the imagination. Their shows are investigations in participatory theatre that merge physical comedy, clown, and dance to create theatrical environments where audiences feel invited and compelled to participate.

Since 2012, James & Jamesy shows have sold over 80,000 tickets and been performed over 750 times across Canada, the United States, and the UK. Their accessibility and wide appeal is evident by numerous 5-Star reviews and 20 Best-of-Fest awards. Regarded as “Fringe legends” (Montreal Gazette), “Fringe stalwarts” (Winnipeg Free Press) and “One of the most popular fringe duos ever” (CBC), James & Jamesy have firmly claimed a place in the ranks of contemporary Canadian theatre.

www.jamesandjamesy.com Twitter: @jamesandjamesy Instagram: @jamesandjamesy

O Christmas Tea tickets and more at ochristmastea.com

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As a creator and artist, I work in dance, theatre, and with orchestral ensembles across the continent. I have been nominated for and won several awards, endowments and grants, and more importantly, I have been fortunate to collaborate with notable artists and audiences across the globe, from Toronto, Vancouver, New York, LA, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Edinburgh Sydney, and Tokyo, and continue to bring together the influences of my wellness and artistic practices to positively affect both.

www.matthewromantini.com

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Twitter: @indritk Instagram: @indritk

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Twitter: @josephzita Instagram: @josephzita

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Check out Gay for Pay, co-written by Curtis and Daniel Krolik at Streetcar Crowsnest, Nov. 16-27.

Twitter: @Alanis_Percocet Instagram: @gayforpayproductions

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Dauntless City Theatre is dedicated to bringing site-specific performances to non-traditional spaces. This summer, Dauntless presents This Earth of Majesty an adaptation of Richard II by William Shakespeare, directed by Kate Werneburg.

www.dauntlesscitytheatre.com Instagram: @dauntlessto

Kate Werneburg is originally from Ottawa, ON, which is on the unceded and traditional territory of the Algonquin Nation. Niagara-based, she is a queer settler. She brings social justice work along with artistic and administrative experience to her work with Dauntless. Highlights in theatre: Carousel Players, Dauntless City Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick, The Nearly-World Famous Dufflebag Theatre (bilingual troupe), Ergo Arts Theatre, A Company of Fools, The Great Canadian Theatre Company, Elizabeth - Darcy. Journalism: She Does The City, Intermission Magazine. Poetry: The Quilliad.

Twitter: @KateWburg Instagram: @katewburg

Suchiththa Wickremesooriya is a multi-disciplinary Sri Lankan actor and educator who has recently been drawn to multi-sensory theatre as well as physical theatre. As an educator, he holds a M.A in Musical Theatre Performance and is the Associate Producer, Education for Shakespeare in Action. He was most recently seen in Bend it Like Beckham in its North American premiere in Toronto and in a Summerworks presentation of Deaf-integrated Theatre techniques. Other Select Credits include Ariel in The Tempest (Citadel Theatre), Fakir in The Secret Garden (Theatre Calgary) and Ifty in Pocket Rocket (Lost and Found Theatre). Since Covid19 hit, he's been involved in several Workshops both on and off Zoom including Sweeter, Sister Warriors, Leopards and Peacocks, Off the Beaten Path, and many other new works in progress.

Twitter: @SuchiththaW Instagram: @SuchiththaW

Eric Benson is a Toronto-based actor. He was a core member of Halifax's DaPoPo Theatre from 2005 - 2013, and was part of the Stratford Festival's director mentorship programme in 2011 and 2012.

Chi-Chi Onuah is a Canadian-Nigerian actor, mover, and singer. She studied Devised Theatre (B.A.) at York University in Toronto. Some of Chi-Chi’s notable credits include: Bianca (Othello) and the Ensemble (Coriolanus) for the 2x OnComm and special OneOff award-winning web series, The Show Must Go Online (Rob Myles).

Most recently, Chi-Chi Onuah was featured in CBC Arts about Netflix & Shondaland’s “The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience” in Montréal.

chichionuah.com Twitter: @chichionuah Instagram: @chichi.onuah

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A Toronto-based theatre artist and cabaret performer, Ryan has performed #KanderAndEbb at the Stratford Festival (with digital appearances from John Kander and Chita Rivera); We Will Rock You for Magnus Theatre; Starry Notions for Toronto Fringe; Hedwig in Hedwig & the Angry Inch at the Capitol Theatre; and Piragua Guy in In The Heights for We Are Here. An Artist-in-Residence at Buddies in Bad Times from 2014 to 2016, Ryan is also an Associate Artist at lemonTree Creations, where the work has included Lydie-Anne in Lilies; Or, The Revival of a Romantic Drama; the development, premiere, remount and national tour of dance-theatre hybrid MSM [men seeking men]; and the world premiere of Private Eyes (in association with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario).

Currently one of the two 2022 Neil Munro Directing Interns at the Shaw Festival and Assistant Director for Damn Yankees, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Gem of the Ocean, Ryan’s work as a director includes Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley for Theatre New Brunswick; 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for Vanier College Productions at York University; Cock-Tales with Maria for Tapestry Opera; MacArthur Park Suite: A Disco Ballet for Summerworks; and Little Pretty & the Exceptional for Factory Theatre (asst to Brendan Healy). An alumnus of Randolph Academy’s Triple Threat program, Ryan is a graduate of Generator’s Artistic Producer Training program, a member of the 2019 co-hort of Director’s Lab North, the 2017 Factory Theatre “Factory Foremen” intensive program, and the 2016 Obsidian Theatre Mentor/Apprentice Program.

Ryan is proudly serving a second term on the national council of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and has shared stages and screens with artists such as Taylor Mac, Todrick Hall, Liza Minnelli, Billy Stritch, Debbie Reynolds and more.

ryanghinds.com Twitter: @ryanghinds Instagram: @ryanghinds

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fundyfringefestival.com Twitter: @FundyFringeFest Instagram: @fundyfringefest

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Dr. Kathleen Gallagher: A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Distinguished Professor, and Director of the Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Toronto, Dr. Kathleen Gallagher studies theatre as a powerful medium for expression by young people of their experiences and understandings. She has published numerous books and articles at the intersection of youth, theatre, and the social world. Her most recent works include the 2020 edited collection, _Global Youth Citizenry and Radical Hope: Enacting Community-Engaged Research through Performative Methodologies _and the 2022 monograph Hope in a Collapsing World: Youth, Theatre, and Listening as a Political Alternative    

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Instagram: @georgiagfindlay

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https://natbushnik0.wixsite.com/spindlecollective Twitter: @spindletheatre Instagram: @spindlecollective

Kathleen Welch is a writer, performer, and composer from Toronto. She is passionate about new works and loves creating projects with people she cares about. She previously wrote the music for Just Across the Causeway by Natalia Bushnik with whom she later co-created the play Samca. Some favourite past roles include Catherine in Widow's Wedding Dress, Mrs. Forthright in False Claims, and Clara in Fermata. Kathleen is currently in an original children's musical of The Three Little Pigs and is working on her first album, Greasy Girl. When not not performing she can be found drinking wine, eating pasta, and cuddling her cat Athena.

Brendan Kinnon is a Toronto based actor and director who is passionate about contemporary theatre and producing new Canadian plays. They are the Founder and Creative Director of Riot King: Art Market - an artist hub producing experimental theatre and arts-community events. They are also the Communications Manager for Theatre of the Beat - a touring social justice theatre company starting conversation to inspire change. Brendan has worked internationally and across the country as an actor, but has focused much of their work on building the arts community in southern Ontario. When not on stage or sending emails you can find Brendan working away in their garden or strolling around the many wonderful parks of Toronto!

www.riotking.com Twitter: @riotkingto Instagram: @riotkingto

SAMCA Winner of the 2022 Hamilton Fringe New Play Contest, Spindle Collective and Riot King present 'SAMCA', a contemporary, horror folktale by Natalia Bushnik ('The Bathtub Girls - Critic's Choice 2017 Hamilton Fringe') and Kathleen Welch. Combining original music written by Welch, movement theatre, and design, 'SAMCA' shares the story of two sisters, Miha and Prava, and the horrors that happen in the woods at night. Tread lightly...for the woods can hear you.

Tickets: https://boxoffice.hftco.ca/event/866:609/

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http://aaronchihojan.wixsite.com/home Twitter: @afatchineseboy Instagram: @afatchineseboy

Porch Light Theatre https://www.industrypresents.com/porchlight-theatre Tickets to House Key Project: https://boxoffice.hamiltonfringe.ca/event/866:605/

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Twitter: @Vikkivelenosi Instagram: @businessownerbymistake

2 Robs, 1 Cup: What Happens When You're Done Eating Shit? Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/2-robs-1-cup-what-happens-when-youre-done-eating-shit

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www.stevenelliottjackson.ca Twitter: @MinmarGaslight Instagram: @minmar_gaslight

Neta J. Rose is a proud Ashkenazi Jewish queer non-binary actor based in Toronto/Tkaronto. They are a founding member of Create! Youth Theatre, in Scotland, now entering its 13th year.

Neta's stage credits include: Henry G20 (Luminato),The Omnibus Bill (TACTICS), The Bonds of Interest (Odyssey), The Penelopiad (Hart House), Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night (Foxtail - UK), Heart of a Dog (Nowadays Theatre/Next Stage), and 1184 (Phoenix Arts/Aga Khan).

They are also a poet and essayist whose writing has recently been published in Salty Magazine and in the Pandemic Poetry chapbook by Buddies in Bad Times.

Instagram: @neta.j.rose

The Garden of Alla LA, 1921. "Alla Nazimova" (née Marem-Ides Leventon), prolific film pioneer, broadway darling and proud bisexual invites company to her home, "The Garden of Alla", enticing them with her plans to make Oscar Wilde's highly controversial "Salome" into a dazzling, big-budget film. Recruiting her "husband," Charles Bryant to direct, and lover, Natacha Rambova for the opulent costume/set designs, the landmark movie will get made amidst the the trio's romances and trysts - but at what cost, as religious lobbyist William B. Hays concocts a strict code of ethics that Hollywood studios must obey, threatening freedom of creative expression and true art?

Tickets: fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/garden-alla

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stephennear.com Twitter: @SNear23 Instagram: @stephenisnear

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Play by Steven Elliott Jackson Directed by Tanisha Taitt

Tristan Claxton

Tristan is a Toronto based actor and earned a BFA in acting from the University of Windsor and an MA in classical performance from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in the U.K.

Instagram: @tri_axton

Jamar Adams-Thompson

Jamar is a Jamaican-Candian actor and storyteller. Hailing from Mississauga, Ontario he holds a BFA-in Acting degree. He is constantly looking for new chances to tell exceptional stories. Film Credits Include: Flee The Light, Black Liberators WWII, and Kubrick. Catch Jamar next as James Chaney in Cahoots Theatre's, Three Ordinary Men

Instagram: @jamaremery

Jack Copland

Jack is a Toronto-based actor, writer, educator, and producer. His long list of acting credits includes principal voice over (Total Drama Island), repertory theatre (Theatre on the Ridge), and internationally screened independent films (Pink Rabbit). Jack also writes and produces projects with his production company Rainy Day Films. In his free time, Jack volunteers as an instructor and assistant director with the Young People’s Theatre. Graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business and the George Brown Theatre School.

jackcopland.com

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Instagram: @lpiccinin

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In 2016, John performed Mark Leiren-Young's, controversial play, "Shylock" at UNO, Canada’s festival of solo work. "SCREWTAPE", John’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ "The Screwtape Letters", garnered him a Best Actor nomination in 2015 from the Ottawa Capitol Critics’ Circle. His performance of "A Christmas Carol" earned him a second such nomination in 2016, the only non-Ottawa actor to be nominated two years running.

Twitter: @bythebookprodu1 Instagram: @bythebookproductions Tickets to CIVILIZED: https://ottawafringe.com/shows/civilized/#showtimes_list

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Santiago is the Artistic Director of TODOS Productions, an organization that seeks to promote, produce, and support work of under-represented artists in Newfoundland and Labrador. ​ He is the Artistic Associate for Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre in Halifax, NS and General Manager for Neighbourhood Dance Works in St. John’s, NL. He is a proud member of The Quilted Collective, whose first anthology, Us, Now, has been published by Breakwater Books in 2021.

www.sguzman.ca Twitter: @santiguzjan Instagram: @santig1

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Over the past eighteen years, she has had a wide influence within the Albertan theatre community, with experience in site-specific theatre, dance theatre, multimedia performance, television, musicals, and a wide range of classical and contemporary theatre. Performance highlights include the acclaimed Fado: The Saddest Music in the World (JAYMAC Outstanding Production Award) at the Firehall Arts Centre in Vancouver.

Recent directing credits include Hummm (Climate Change Theatre Action/ New Harlem Productions); Orange Skies (Tarragon Theatre’s Young Playwright's Unit); and the multidisciplinary theatre piece, Threshold (The Lobbyists collective/2021 Chinook Series).

Natércia is an associate producer with Dora Award nominated manidoons collective having recently supported the sold-out production of esteemed playwright Yolanda Bonnell’s White Girls in Moccasins, in co-production with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.

Natércia is currently developing her first full-length play, Michener Park, alongside renowned Chilean author, playwright and activist, Carmen Aguirre.

As a community advocate, Natércia spearheads and contributes to grassroots initiatives regularly. She is a strategic planner working with institutions and companies exploring equitable practices, such as Musical Stage Co. and Outside the March.

Natércia is the incoming CAEA representative for the Alberta North/N.W.T region.

Intstagram: @natercia_napoleao

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Instagram: @crystallee.__

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Twitter: @fannystage Instagram: @fannydeedee

SMASHCUT: Int. Changing Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzb0Ops7qmA

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Among other things, Stefan is the founder of a creative StartUp Digital Dream Society. Stefan is alumnae of Directors Lab at The Lincoln Center in New York, and fellowship recipient of International Theatre School at University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

His work has been featured in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Star, and in many online publications.

Twitter: @DzeparoskiS

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www.rapierwit.com Twitter: @RapierWitCombat Instagram: @Rapierwit

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SELECT CREDITS: Winter of '88, co-producer (Nowadays Theatre, NNNNN); Love at 752, producer (ft. on CBC); Swim Team, producer (Nowadays Theatre, NNNN); Drink of Choice, Producer (Toronto Fringe 2019 Patron's Pick), Cooking for Grief, Producer (Vancouver Fringe Festival)

The Artistic Director, Sarah Marchand, is secretly quite shy, despite friendly exteriors. As she continues to learn, Sarah is passionate about making indie theatre producing more accessible: if someone as bad with numbers like her can become a producer, you can too.

www.sarahmarchand.com Twitter: @sarahamarchand Instagram: @sarahamarchand

www.almamattersproductions.com Twitter: @almattersprod Instagram: @almattersprod

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misterbrendanhealy.com

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www.nautankibazaar.ca Tickets: whynot.theatre/work/immpermanentresident

Himanshu Sitlani is a thespian, originally hailing from Mumbai. Foraying his way into theatre as an actor, he progressed on to other creative aspects and worked as a Stage Manager and Producer over the years with QTP and Akvarious. He co-founded Le Chayim Theatre Productions in Mumbai in 2006 where he eventually made his directorial debut in 2013. Since immigrating to Toronto Canada, Himanshu’s been immersed in supporting the creative arts, working as Patron Services Manager at Factory Theatre, while penning down his ideas towards his goal of creating a bridge between creative artists in Canada and India eventually co-founding Nautanki Bazaar in 2019. In 2021, he wrote and performed in the virtual show “Stories of a Dish’ that was presented at the Mississauga Multilingual Fringe Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe, The Little Lion Theatre Festival in London UK, The Tata Literature Live Festival in Mumbai India and the Next Stage Theatre Festival in Toronto.

Twitter: @himy316 Instagram: @himanshu.sitlani

Neha Poduval is a trained actor, with several feathers in her creative hat, having performed in various theatre plays, corporate films and TV shows across India. A post-graduate in Acting from the reputed Film and Television Institute of India, she continued her association with the performing arts since moving to Canada. In January 2021, she launched her YouTube Cooking Channel “Mustard Tempered Dreams” where she shares her love for food with easy to make Indian and global vegetarian recipes.

Neha is also a certified Yoga Teacher and has been teaching Yoga across various studios, community and senior centres in Toronto.

Instagram: @mustard_tempered_dreams

Miquelon Rodriguez is a sound designer, composer, radio play mixer & editor, digital content creator, actor, and an emerging arts leader based in T'karonto. He was the Apprentice Artistic Director at Factory Theatre from 2017-2019, under the mentorship of Nina Lee Aquino, and co-curated Pan-Asian works over two seasons at Soulpepper through the Tiger Bamboo Festival and the Shen Development Series. He is an Artistic Leadership Resident with the National Theatre School of Canada and has worked with a multitude of artists and companies across Turtle Island.

Twitch: www.twitch.tv/troysteel Twitter: @djtronix Instagram: @troysteel

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Stephen Near is an actor & writer working in Hamilton. His plays have been performed across Canada at various theatres and festivals including the Ottawa Fringe, the Toronto Fringe, the Hamilton Fringe, New Ideas, and Summerworks. He is a graduate of York University (BFA), the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (B. Ed) and the MFA Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph. He is a member of the Playwright’s Guild of Canada, the Theatre Aquarius Creator’s Junction and Playwright’s Unit and an alumnus of the Sage Hill Writing Experience and the Banff Centre. Stephen is co-founder and playwright-in-residence of Same Boat Theatre in Hamilton. Stephen was named one of the inaugural Writers-in-Residence at Hamilton’s Cotton Factory and is a staff writer for the Hamilton arts and culture blog Beyond James.   stephennear.com Twitter: @SNear23 Instagram: @stephenisnear   Carolyn Fe is a late-blooming Filipino-Canadian, tri-lingual Actress (English/French/Tagalog), Singer-Songwriter and former contemporary Dancer-Choreographer. Some Theatre credits include: Calpurnia (Nightwood/Sulong), Hilot Means Healer (Cahoots), Through the Bamboo (Uwi Collective) and Three Women of Swatow (Tarragon). At an age when her peers have long established themselves, Carolyn’s continuous pursuit of artistic evolution adds a new instrument to her art as an Emerging Playwright and Writer supported by Montreal's Teesri Duniya Theatre’s Fireworks Playwrights’ Programme, The Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and, Toronto’s Nightwood Theatre, Factory Theatre's Foundry Programme for Playwrights, Cahoots Theatre. Some TV/streaming credits include Lola (Grandma) in the Nickelodeon children’s show “Blue’s Clues & You!” and Madame Z in the award winning French webseries “Meilleur Avant” and the upcoming sketch comedy series "Abroad" on Omni Channel in Spring 2022.

Carolyn-fe.com Twitter: @TheCarolynFe Instagram: @thecarolynfe

Kristen Zaza is a writer, composer, and performer based in Toronto, Canada. She is currently producing the second season of her award-winning audio drama podcast, On a Dark, Cold Night.

www.kristenzaza.com Twitter: @kristen_zaza Instagram: @kristen_zaza

Genevieve Adam is a graduate of the George Brown Theatre School in Toronto and the East15 Acting School in the UK. Her first play Deceitful Above All Things premiered at SummerWorks in 2015 and won several accolades including Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Production, and Best Emerging Artist. It was remounted at the Factory in association with The Storefront Theatre in February 2017.

Subsequent plays include Bedsport (Newmarket National Play Festival), New World (Future Theatre Festival), Anatomy of A Dancer (Next Stage 2019), The Boat Show (Lost Souls’ Collective), and If The Shoe Fits, which won second place in the Toronto Fringe 2019 New Play Writing Contest.Her most recent play Dark Heart was named one of the top theatrical productions of 2018 by the Toronto Star.

Genevieve is also the poet behind the whimsical #haikusoflockdown series on Twitter.

Twitter: @FavourZeeBrave

Michael Ripley, 54, was born in Alberta but has spent most of his adult life in Ontario. He currently lives in Whitby with his wife and two sons. When Michael isn’t writing, performing or designing he spends inordinate amounts of time typing and immediately deleting long responses (which he never posts) to mean people on social media. He also eats far too many wine gums and watches not nearly enough basketball.

www.talentedmr.ca Twitter: @TalentedMr Instagram: @talentedmr

Jess McAuley is a Brock University graduate (theatre studies, honours) with a passion for devised theatre, writing, and pushing the bounds of adventure on stage. She is also one of the co-hosts of The Introvert’s Guide To…

Twitter: @mcauleyjes Instagram: @itsjessmcauley

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brucedow.com Twitter: @DowBruce Instagram: @dowbruce

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www.mateochavezlewis.com Twitter: @MChavezLewis Instagram: @mateochavezlewis

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In their spare time Lisa practices yoga, plays video games, reads way too much, and hangs out with their hamster, Eleanor Waffles.

Twitter: @lisa_a_alves Instagram: @lisa_a_alves

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redsandcastletheatre.com Instagram: @redsandcastletheatre

The Assembly Theatre provides independent and emerging artists with affordable performance space, and is always actively seeking new modes of outreach in order to better prioritize its use by under-represented and marginalized artistic communities. Co-artistic Directors Luis Fernandes and Cass Van Wyck keep the vision clear and the community thriving.

www.theassemblytheatre.com Twitter: @assemblytheatr_ Instagram: @assemblytheatre

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freeflowdance.com Twitter: @DanceTheatreCo Instagram: @freeflowdancetheatre

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www.lauren-allen.net Twitter: @lesmis456 Instagram: @lesmis456

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Instagram: @moylesmeticulousminis

The Boundless Library The Boundless Library is a groundbreaking way to experience stories. Told across multiple formats and from varied perspectives, each of our transmedia experiences stretch what stories can be. Through complex and interactive narrative forms, our stories might span multiple timelines — or even multiple realities! One fragment of a story might come to you in an exquisitely crafted package filled with unusual relics; another might come as an unnerving audio recording; and a third may come as a digital research dossier.

www.theboundlesslibrary.com Instagram: @boundlesslib Twitter: @boundlesslib TikTok: @theboundlesslibrary

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Jacqui immigrated to Canada in 2011 and now resides in Ottawa, where she is the Co-creator of The Origin Arts and community centre and the Creator of 8th Generation Performance. With both of her companies, Jacqui has created numerous community engaged theatrical storytelling productions, including IT IS GOOD - 2018, VALLEY OF STONE - 2017, THE HOTTENTOT VENUS - UNTOLD - 2016

Her most recent theatre performance was in THE OMNIBUS BILL by DARRAH TEITAL, Tactics Theatre festival 2019, directed by Esther Jun and THE DROWNING GIRLS at the GCTC 2018, directed by Bronwyn Steinberg.

Twitter: @generation8th Instagram: @jacqui.dutoit

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Julia Dickson (she/her) is an arts manager, educator, and producer currently based in Toronto. She currently works as the General Manager of the Paprika Festival, with Young People’s Theatre as an Artist Educator, and with Single Thread Theatre Company as their Artistic Producer. Previously, Julia worked with Studio 180 Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, and the Festival Players of Prince Edward County. Julia has a post-graduate certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management from Humber College, and a Bachelor of Education with a focus on Artist in the Community Education from Queen’s University.

About Paprika Paprika Festival is a youth-led professional performing arts organization. Paprika runs year round professional training and mentorship programs that culminate in a performing arts festival of new work by young artists. Paprika generates opportunities for young artists to lead their own creative process with the support of their peers and professional mentors.

paprikafestival.com Instagram: @paprikafestival Twitter: @paprikafestival

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www.sunnydrake.com Twitter: @sunny_drake Instagram: @sunny_drake

About CHILD-ish Following sold-out showings at SummerWorks in 2019 as a theatre play, Sunny Drake brings you the CHILD-ISH web series, shot at Toronto playgrounds. The virtual event will also digitally tour around the world.

Virtual Tour Dates and more: https://www.sunnydrake.com/creations/child-ish-web-series

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Maev Beaty is a critically-acclaimed actor, writer and voice-over artist. She has originated roles in 23 Canadian premieres (Hannah Bunny, Kate Hennig’s The Last Wife, Michael Healey’s Proud and The Front Page, Judith Thompson’s Palace of the End, Sharon Pollock’s Angel’s Trumpet); co-writing and starring in award-winning theatre (Secret Life of a Mother, Montparnasse, Dance of the Red Skirts); performing in ensembles of epic theatre endeavours (Sheep No Wool/Outside the March/Convergence’s Passion Play, Nightwood’s Penelopiad, Volcano’s Another Africa, TheatreFront’sThe Mill); and interpreting lead classic roles across the country and over five seasons at the Stratford Festival (The Front Page, King Lear, She Stoops to Conquer, School for Scandal). She is a Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award winner, three-time Dora Award winner and twelve-time Dora nominee in both performance and writing, referred to as “the excellent Maev Beaty” by the New York Times. Her film debut (Mouthpiece) was a Special Presentations Opening Film at 2019 TIFF.

maevbeaty.com Instagram: @maevbeaty Twitter: @maevbeaty

Debashis Sinha’s creative output spans a broad range of genres and media, from solo audiovisual performance projects on the concert stage to the interior spaces between two headphones. Driven by a deep commitment to the primacy of sound, Sinha has developed his creative voice by weaving together his own experience as a 2nd generation south Asian Canadian, his training with master drummers from various world music traditions, a love of electronic and electroacoustic music and technology, and a desire to transcend the traditional expectations of how these streams might intersect and interact.

debsinha.com Twitter: @sinhadeb Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/debsinha

Necessary Angel Theatre Company is one of English Canada’s most vital original creation and touring organizations. The company has a history of innovation and risk taking and engages theatre artists from a variety of disciplines in the creation of new work. An influential and original presence on the national and international theatre scene for over 40 years, the company has produced more than 60 productions, including 30 world premieres and 11 North American premieres. Work created by Necessary Angel has been nominated for and has won Governor General’s Awards for Drama, Chalmers Awards for Outstanding New Play, and numerous Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

www.necessaryangel.com Twitter: @necessaryangel

The Great Fire: https://www.necessaryangel.com/the-great-fire

2021 marks the 10th anniversary of Red Sandcastle, and brings a new look and new management: long time renter with Red Sandcastle, Eldritch Theatre‘s production and artistic team, Eric Woolfe and Adrianna Prosser, join the Red Sandcastle team as Managing Director and General Manager and will act as Caretakers of the Castle.

Adrianna Prosser Adrianna is a Theatre Erindale + Sheridan College Alumnus and award winning storyteller. She joined Eldritch Theatre as their Marketing Monster and Artistic Producer in 2016, marketing and producing Dora award winning shows such as The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy and Space Opera Zero! _as well as adding new programming such as children and adult Dungeons and Dragons camps _Sword and Sorcery School, and online digital theatrical experiences during the COVID-19 theatre blackout.

Adding a new layer of support for artists at Red Sandcastle Theatre, with her digital marketing expertise; Adrianna has been teaching digital marketing storytelling at Centennial College since 2017 to both their Arts Management and the Museum Management program, and has been a guest lecturer for Humber College. As well as leading Eldritch Theatre’s marketing, Prosser has led digital marketing for the City of Toronto’s museums, Festival Players, Groundling Theatre, Theatrefront, GhostLight, and many more.

Eric Woolfe Eric is an actor, playwright, puppeteer and magician, and the Artistic Director and founder of Eldritch Theatre which has been horrifying audiences since 1999 using puppetry, live actors, and parlour magic. His work for Eldritch Theatre includes Dora award winning and nominated works such as Space Opera Zero!, The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy, Frankenstein’s Boy, Madhouse Variations, _and _The Babysitter.  He is resident Dark Arts Professor at Eldritch Theatre’s Sword and Sorcery School, where he is head Dungeon Master and writer of Dungeon and Dragon adventures for the young and young at heart.

Some of his other theatre credits include Old Man and the River (Theatre Direct), The Comedy of Errors (Humber River Shakespeare), The Glass Menagerie, Ghosts (Touchmark Theatre) Rocket & the Queen of Dreams, (Roseneath Theatre). Little Shop of Horrors (Canstage), and Timon in Disney’s The Lion King.

Rosemary Doyle Rosemary founded the Red Sandcastle Theatre in 2011, after being in theatre for 80% of her life and counting. Currently she is the Artistic Director of Theatre Kingston in Kingston, Ontario her home-town.  Notable roles created by Rosemary include, Jane in My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, (Fringe, Mirvish), and A.L.P. for Finnegans Wake (Grand Theatre, Tarragon). Doyle has won seven 24 hour playwriting contests. This love of instant creation inspired her to create the Thousand Monkeys Playwriting Festival  and her Play in a Week Camp that creates a play from nothing to full production in 5 days. Because of her love and talent for creation, she has been referred to as the “patron saint of indie theatre” a nickname she works hard to live up to, even in the government funded theatre world she is navigating now. Rosemary actively acts, directs, builds and designs sets and costumes and, of course, writes plays. We call her our Red Queen Emeritus.

redsandcastletheatre.com Instagram: @redsandcastletheatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedSandcastle

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Mark's first play, Stag and Doe, premiered at the Blyth Festival in the summer of 2014. The play has received several other professional productions: Neptune Theatre, Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Lighthouse Festival Theatre, Upper Canada Playhouse, Festival Players of Prince Edward County, Theatre Orangeville, and others. Stag and Doe made its international premiere at Teatr Powszechny, Lodz, Poland in 2019 where it continues to run in rep.

As an actor, Mark has performed on stages across the country. Mark grew up on his family's farm near Glencoe, Ontario. A graduate of the University of Toronto and Sheridan College, he now lives in Stratford.

Twitter: @markjdcrawford

Chase the Ace at Festival Players of Prince Edward County: https://www.festivalplayers.ca/chase-the-ace

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Paul Sun-Hyung Lee https://stageworthypodcast.com/62-paul-sun-hyung-lee/

Siobhan Richardson https://stageworthypodcast.com/70-siobhan-richardson/

Philip Akin https://stageworthypodcast.com/152-philip-akin/

Helen Knight https://stageworthypodcast.com/216-helen-knight/

Diana Tso https://stageworthypodcast.com/51-diana-tso/

Tanisha Taitt https://stageworthypodcast.com/210-tanisha-taitt/

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Emerjade Simms is a Jamaican-Canadian actor and storyteller. She is a graduate of the Acting program at the University of Windsor and holds a BFA degree. Emerjade is also a 2016/17 graduate of the Mechanicals program at Factory Theatre. In her career as an actor so far, she has worked with many wonderful people and companies. Select theatre credits include Peter Pan (Bad Hats/Soulpepper), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian/Nightwood), Wounded Soldiers (4th Line), The Bird Killer (Let Me In). Television credits include Forbidden, Fear They Neighbor, See No Evil and Paranormal 911. Emerjade enjoys napping in her down time and thanks her family for inspiring her daily.

Twitter: @emerbabe Instagram: @em.er.jade

Alia Ettienne is a theatre writer, actor, performer and facilitator from Toronto, ON. Ettienne is of Afro Caribbean descent which often influences her performances and writing. Initially, she studied Performance at Sheridan College, moving on to explore Creative Writing and Arts Marketing. Her first solo piece, YellowZoned, premiered in The 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival, remounting in Hamilton,ON on two separate occasions. This led to her being featured in Hamilton’s View’s Magazine. Her creative wellness program, Chill N Do Art, has been running for a total of four years. This workshop series then inspired her to start the Creative Coping Kits Initiative, which attracted the attention of Toronto blog She In The City. Currently, she is most focused on The Creative Coping Kits Initiative, and writing her second full length piece Allow For Release: The Xiety Complex.

www.aliaettienne.com **Instagram: @**its_aliaj

Victoria Urquhart is a queer, triple-invisibly-disabled neurodiverse artist hailing from Caledon, living and working professionally as an actor, director, artistic director of the Spur-of-the-Moment Shakespeare Collective and all around creator in theatre and film across Toronto and Ontario. Favourite credits include acting in Chloe Whitehorn's Dressing Amelia, directing Theatre Orangeville's 2019 TYA production of Treeboy and the fringe production, _The Girl In The Photograph. _Tune in to find her playing Vivian in the debut episode of Web of Darkness on T&E this spring.

Twitter: @gnitenet Instagram: @g_nitenet

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www.ucheamaartist.com Instagram: @ucheama89 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uamaartist

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Erin Jones is a writer, actor, playwright and emerging director. She has performed in theatre and independent films across the GTA. She supports performing arts behind the scenes with publicity, articles, newsletters, social media, grant writing, governance, photography, director hiring committees, and Respect in the Workplace committees.   

Her short story script Lovingly Yours, Olive was recently featured in the Toronto Fringe Next Stage Community Booster Series.  She also recently directed Exit:  An Illusion with Shadowpath Theatre Productions.

Time Limits Dropped on Easter Sunday

Wonder Jones Productions is a collective of talented artists who are willing to take risks and explore new forums to keep theatre alive!  Our team is comprised of talent across Canada. Opportunities are not limited by how individuals self-identify.  Our collective represents our community. 

"Time Limits Dropped on Easter Sunday" was inspired by family memories and the regret of not having the opportunity to get to know a loved one.  It was especially written for the Digital Toronto Fringe Festival.

wonderjonesproduct.wixsite.com/timelimitsdropped Instagram: @timelimitsdroppedeastersunday

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stevenpgriffin.ca

Black Deer In Blizzard blackdeerinblizzard.squarespace.com Instagram: @blackdeerinblizzard

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Instagram: @megsventures

Gwyneth McFall-Gorman is an American-Canadian actor, vocalist, and playwright. She was born in Connecticut in 1997 and is currently working as a theatre professional in the Toronto area. Gwyneth has been building her career as a stage actor and playwright since 2017, and she’s found early success in the film industry - above and below the line. She has a particular passion for re-imagining classics, and she believes strongly in the efficacy of the Performing Arts and its Creatives in their ability to create an accessible and equitable world by amplifying diverse human experience.

www.gwynethmcg.com Instagram: @gwengorman.eh

Black Deer in Blizzard Set in a crumbling news station in a small town, Black Deer in Blizzard (BDIB) is about Beverley Campbell, a young, future Anderson Cooper wannabe, who has the interview of a lifetime mere minutes away. It’s exactly what she needs to escape her small-town position and reach Big City success. But when Beverley discovers the famous artist she booked is an imposter, she must decide if her ambition is worth compromising her friends, town, profession, and the truth. Premiering in the 2021 Hamilton Fringe, BDIB explores the biases shaping news media and the destructive consequences of blind ambition.

blackdeerinblizzard.squarespace.com Instagram: @blackdeerinblizzard Tickets: https://boxoffice.hamiltonfringe.ca/event/866:25/

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Porch Light Theatre on Instagram: @porchlighttheatrehamilton

Transcript available at: https://stageworthypodcast.com/294-karen-ancheta/

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He has spent most of his career working in the Theatre across the country. This is his 7th season at Stratford where he is playing Bottom in A Midsummer's Night Dream, opening the new Tom Patterson Theatre Parking Lot under a tent. He also played the title character in the 2018 Stratford hit Coriolanus directed by the World Renowned Robert Lepage, and was in the top 10 shows of 2018 in the Washington Post and The Globe & Mail and more. 

In addition, he spent four seasons at The Shaw Festival where he played Tom in The Glass Menagerie and received a My Entertainment World Best Actor Award for his work in An Octoroon and a Dora Award & Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Actor for his work in Master Harold and the Boys. 

He has also worked at Soulpepper Theatre where he toured with Kim's Convenience across the country, and also played Othello at The St. Louis Black Rep, and many other companies across the country. He is a Resident Artist with The Actors Repertory Company (ARC). Online: Check out his new web series on YouTube called Private Idiots.

Instagram: @dre373 Twitter: @andresills373

Private Idiots Instagram: @privateidiotsseries Twitter: @Privateidiots

Listen to Chewing Scenery: https://anchor.fm/chewing-scenery

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/292-sandi-becker/

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www.spacespacerevolution.com Instagram: @businessownerbymistake

Artist-Bosses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/artistboss

Transcript available at https://stageworthypodcast.com/291-vikki-velenosi/

Phil's Patreon: https://patreon.com/philrickaby

Brad Fraser's Memoir, All The Rage, is available now at your favourite bookseller.

bradfraser.net Twitter: @fraser_brad

All the Rage: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/665321/all-the-rage-by-brad-fraser/

Transcript available at https://stageworthypodcast.com/290-brad-fraser/

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Breanna Maloney (she/her) is an actor, writer and indie theatre producer based in and around Toronto. Coming from a background in movement and devised theatre, her current practice focuses on the research and exploration of shame, grief and the healing process through use of dialogue and movement. Recently, Breanna has contributed writing to Tall Tale Theatre's Night Terrors podcast, the Windsor-Essex Nature Poetry and Environmentalism zine and The Tank NYC's_ Rule of 7x7_. Breanna is a co-founder of Skipping Stones Theatre, a Toronto-based, independent collective whose mandate is to explore stories through the lens of mental health and neurodiversity. Breanna is a graduate of East 15 Acting School (MFA) and the University of Windsor (BFA). Recent credits include: Imposter's Sin Room (Hamilton Fringe, 2021), A Christmas Carol (White Mills Theatre), Hamlet(s) (Skipping Stones Theatre) and Crave (Pure Carbon Theatre).****

www.breanna-maloney.com Twitter: @bree_maloney Instagram: @bree_maloney

Sarah Marchand is an award-winning performer, producer, and founder of Alma Matters Productions. She has worked in television (The Handmaid’s Tale, The Umbrella Academy), and theatre extensively. Select awards include: The Hnatyshyn Foundation's Emerging Artist Grant (Best Actress in English Theatre), The Second City’s Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award (nominated), and the Carolyn and Richard Renaud Grant for Acting. She received her BFA in Acting at Concordia University and her MA in Performance Studies at the University of Toronto. Sarah recently completed Nightwood Theatre's 19-20 Young Innovators Program and is currently a participant in the Women in Film and Television (WIFTV) Actor Career Mentorship program under the guidance of Carly Pope.

Select Recent Credits: Winter of ‘88 (NNNNN) Nowadays Theatre, 2020 Next Stage Festival (Performer/Co-Producer), Swim Team (NNNN) Nowadays Theatre, SummerWorks Performance Festival (Producer/Assistant Director), Drink of Choice (Toronto Fringe Patron’s Pick) Produced by Alma Matters Productions.

In keeping with her creative mandate, Sarah’s work continues to produce and create works that explore mental health, intersectional feminism, queerness, and body image.

www.sarahmarchand.com Twitter: @sarahamarchand Instagram: @sarahamarchand

www.almamattersproductions.com Twitter: @almattersprod Instagram: @almattersprod

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/289-sarah-marchand-and-breanna-maloney/

He is the host of the Good Morning Mrs. Strawberry podcast and recently launched his own independent toy company CUBE BOY COLLECTABLES.

Twitter: @shaneadamczak Instagram: @shaneadamczak

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/288-shane-adamczak/

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instagram: @ratkingcole.jpg tiktok: @ratkingcole twitter: @deathsparkle

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/287-joey-odael/

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Caroline co-wrote Single Thread Theatre Company’s immersive production of Ambrose in 2015 and she is currently writing her first play, Survivors, supported by Studio 180 and Workman Arts. She is passionate about mental health awareness and the environment.

www.carolinetoal.com Instagram: @toalbooth Twitter: @caretoal

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/286-caroline-toal/

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www.SiobhanRichardson.com Instagram: @fighteractress YouTube: www.youtube.com/actorsr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiobhanRichardsonFighterActress/

Nicole Winchester is a storyteller, a narrative designer for live-action and tabletop roleplaying, and an ‘international larper of mystery.’ A co-founder of Fair Escape Studios where she produced two sold-out immersive evenings of vampire intrigue, she has written for Green Ronin Publishing, Pseudonym Productions, John Wick Presents, the Toronto Star, and more. Currently studying Social Work at York University, Nicole’s latest work is “Heather was right: The real curse in The Blair Witch Project is the mediocre white dude,” an essay in Transgressive Horror launching today, April 27th, on Kickstarter.

www.nicolewinchester.com Twitter: @noizangel Instagram: @noizangel Fair Escape Studios: fairescapestudios.com Transgressive Horror by Ghost Show Press https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ghostshowpress/transgressive-horror

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/285-emotional-bleed-in-theatre-a-conversation-with-siobhan-richardson-nicole-winchester/

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Selected Acting Credits include: The Paper Bag Princess (StoryBook Theatre); Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Twelfth Night, DiVerseCity (The Shakespeare Company); Gutenberg the Musical! (Lunchbox); A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Skin of Our Teeth (Rosebud); US (The Globe Theatre);The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe, Fortune Falls, The Circle (ATP); [Title of Show] (Birnton Theatricals); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare by the Bow); Journey of a Lifetime (Quest Theatre); Spring Awakening (ACT) Film/TV: Fargo, Wynonna Earp, Mutant World, The Dorm, Forsaken, Klondike.

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/284-daniel-fong/

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Recent Directing credits include Mary’s Wedding _at the Citadel Theatre, _Actually _at Alberta Theatre Projects, and Sherlock Holmes and the Raven’s Curse at Vertigo Theatre; For Chromatic Theatre (我的名是张欣恩 (Gimme Chance Leh), Winners and Losers, Cowboy Versus Samurai); fu-GEN Theatre (Mixie and the Halfbreeds); Workshop West Theatre (Beyond the Darkness); Pape and Taper Theatre (Timmy, Tommy, and the Haunted Hotel); and Lunchbox Theatre (Let the Light of Day Through). _She was selected as part of the 2020 Michael Langham Directors Conservatory at the Stratford Festival.

chromatictheatre.ca Instagram: @chromatictheatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chromatictheatre

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/283-jenna-rodgers/

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Playwriting credits include HEXEN, The Order of the Poor Ladies, Kill Time Before Time Kills You, and There is Violence and There is Righteous Violence and There is Death; or The Born Again Crow, most recently performed in partnership with Gwaandak Theatre in Whitehorse. Her latest play, Hucksterland: The Musical, is in development with the support of Chromatic Theatre’s inaugural BIPOC Playwrights Unit. She wrote and performed in Betch-A-Sketch at the St Ambroise Montreal FRINGE Festival, and was the assistant director for Gender? I Hardly Know Them’s HTTPEEPEE this summer, marking her entry into sketch comedy. She has performed in the Revolution They Wrote: Feminist Short Works Theatre Festival, the Montreal Anarchist Theatre Festival, and Sage Theatre’s Ignite! Festival. You can hear her in the Alberta Queer Calendar Project’s Without You by Elena Belyea, in the role of Andrea, wherever you get your podcasts. She also plays bass guitar in the band Pope Joan. Her work tends towards themes of metaphysics, class struggle, magic, and joy.

www.thumbsupgoodwork.com Instagram: @thumbsupgoodwork

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/282-caleigh-crow/

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www.chelseaharaburda.com Twitter: @ChelseaHarabur1 Instagram: @chelseaharaburda

Ryan Percival Ryan Percival is a Toronto-based creator who specializes in back projection shadow and stencil art, as well as site specific show creation. After graduating the York University Devised Theatre program, he jumped right into show creation and film work, directing 2 shows at the Toronto Fringe Festival, featuring a guerrilla marching band in a bar setting combined with solo storytelling, as well as it’s Hamilton Fringe Festival grandfather, The Teeny Tiny Music Show (R.I.P Baltimore House). Ryan also Stage managed Phil Rickaby’s solo prophecy The Commandment at The Toronto Fringe Festival, and served as Dramaturg for Glass Wall Theatre’s Hamilton Fringe Debut, For Eden, an intimate site specific installation piece about youth homelessness in Hamilton. Ryan and his company, Attention Deficit Drama, are delighted to be collaborating with Chelsea Haraburda and Glass Wall once again for our new show, Vagabond, premiering at this year’s Hamilton Fringe Festival Digital showcase. Ryan also loves cooking, bad movies, and adorable animal videos on Youtube.

Instagram: @obi.ryan.kenobe

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Alongside Nancy Tam and Daniel O’Shea, he runs A Wake of Vultures, a performance collective working across sonic, visual, and theatrical disciplines, who recently released an online miniseries called K BODY AND MIND, a mash-up of 90s cyberpunk anime aesthetics and minimalist theatre.

Conor's work has increasingly incorporated explorations of science-fiction and videogame aesthetics, and he frequently collaborates with a variety of independent companies, including Theatre Replacement, Hong Kong Exile, and members of the Progress Lab consortium. In 2019, he was named Siminovitch Prize Protégé by Maiko Yamamoto and James Long. In 2021, he joins the writing team of a new video game studio, sunset visitor 斜陽過客.

conorwylie.ca Instagram: @awakeofvultures

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Instagram: @Yvonneaddai

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Joella Crichton is an actor for stage and screen. She holds a BFA in Acting from York University. Joella is passionate about her Caribbean heritage and is the nine time Queen of Carnival here in Toronto. She has been nominated for her work on stage and loves the theatre!

Alongside her many years experience in theatre, film and television, Joella also works to develop equality, diversity and inclusivity in these fields. She has created and worked on initiatives such as the Bechdel Bill and Share The Screen.

Twitter: @joellacrichton Instagram: @joellacrichton

Sedina Fiati

Sedina Fiati is a Toronto based performer, producer, director, creator and activist for stage and screen. Proudly Black and queer, Sedina is deeply invested in artistic work that explores the intersection between art and activism, either in form or structure or ideally both.

Upcoming projects: Switching Queen(s) (devised street performance), Last Dance (a web series).

Sedina is also a Principal with BIPOC Executive Search, working on equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives and the current Artist-Activist at Nightwood Theatre. Sedina was the co-chair of ACTRA Toronto’s Diversity Committee and 2nd VP of council for Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.

Twitter: @bwheelsheels Instagram: @bwheelsheels

The Black Pledge

The Black Pledge is an open call for positive, lasting change in live arts spaces across Canada, so that they truly reflect the beautiful mosaic tapestry of our nation. Our mission is to foster greater inclusion and awareness surrounding the needs of underserved communities in the Arts, especially the Black community. We stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples and other communities of colour seeking equity, while retaining our Black-centric advocacy.

www.theblackpledge.ca Twitter: @BlackPledgeCa Instagram: @BlackPledgeCanada Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBlackPledge/

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A director, creator, and dramaturg, Kendra Jones graduated with Distinction from the MA Text & Performance at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London, and holds a BA(Hons) in Theatre Performance from the University of Winnipeg where she has also been guest faculty. Favourite directing credits include Simon Stephens’ Sea Wall, Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis (Theatre By the River), a site-specific interpretation of Tim Crouch’s I, Malvolio (impel theatre), Watching Glory Die (Love2 Theatre), Drunk Enough To Say I Love You, Seagulls (selardi theatre), Clever Little Lies (Assistant director to Steven Schipper, RMTC,) and Richard II (workshop Assistant Director to Christopher Brauer, Zone41). Kendra is also a creator of original work, including Dear Mama, Tonight at Eight, Autel, and her adaptation of Marlowe’s Edward II. She writes about contemporary performance from an academic perspective on her blog; this writing focuses on the performer-audience relationship and the ethics of performance, and has been published by CBC Manitoba, Common Ground Publishing, Brunel University, and the Humanities Education Research Association. In 2020, Kendra’s site-specific production of Tim Crouch’s I, Malvolio toured to ShakespeareFest in Winnipeg to critical acclaim, and her direction of Love2 Theatre’s production of Judith Thompson’s Watching Glory Die ran in February 2020 at the Grand Canyon in Toronto, receiving accolades from audiences and critics alike for its inventive staging and visceral interpretation of the script.

www.kendrajones.net

Twitter: @impeltheatre Instagram: @impeltheatre

Blythe Haynes

BLYTHE HAYNES (she/her) has had a varied career with many stops along the way. From her first gig at ten months old in a LOTTO 64 commercial, she went on to obtain her BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta. Blythe has called Toronto home for some time, where she is an actor, award winning voice artist and producer. She is a co-founder and co-artistic director of Gangway! Theatre Co., a Toronto-based collective focused on exploring feminism, Canadian history, and mental health through an intersectional lens. She is also a co-founder of the History Actor Department at Black Creek Pioneer Village, where her interest in site-specific theatre was born. Blythe regularly lends her voice to podcasts, including the award winning Six Stories, Told At Night and Campfire Radio Theatre’s Woods Ferry, and has received two PARSEC awards for her voice work. She was recently on the producing team of the Judith Thompson lead Watching Glory Die at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she created and hosted a podcast to accompany the production.

Twitter: @**HaynesBlythe Instagram:** @blythe_haynes

An Acorn: Instagram: @forest_acorn Tickets: http://www.kendrajones.net/impel-theatre?fbclid=IwAR3cudc3vLPauwMfmxRjSfbFl5sZlduS8gZJDERN5gu_Arjv75fgvMK8zrU

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Instagram: @theatrefoolscap Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theatrefoolscap

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Recently, Keith's campaigns have sold over $400,000 worth of tickets to virtual events. He's also the leader of the Arts Marketing Mastermind group.

Keith studied theatre in Montreal and is the founder of the website Stratford Festival Reviews and The Performers Podcast.

Twitter: @FestivalReviews Instagram: @keithtomasek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeithTomasek

Arts Marketing Mastermind Group: https://keithtomasek.com/arts-marketing-mastermind/

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lauren-allen.net socialthelaway.com Twitter: @lesmis456 Instagram: lesmis456 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialthelaway/

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Instagram: @lilrobmakesthings Mx at the Cultch: https://thecultch.com/event/mx/

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www.tsholovisions.com Twitter: @tsholovisions Instagram: @tsholovisions

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Kyungseo writes and performs stories that remove her audience from reality, transporting them into a realm where a single word or gesture can slow down the heartbeat, making the audience stop in their seat and feel what is underneath the banalities of the everyday. 

www.kyungseomin.com Twitter: @kminminpow Instagram: @minminpow

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Jasmine was born in T’karonto (the place in the water where the trees are standing), where from an early age she was immersed in arts based education. An alumni of the Claude Watson Arts Program, Jasmine studied Music, Art, Dance and Theatre for nine years. She majored as a dancer for four years, training and competing in ballet, jazz and modern. In high school she majored in Theatre, where she was president of the Arts Council. Her time spent in extracurricular shows and performances led her to continue her post-secondary training in the Theatre Performance: Acting Program at Ryerson University, graduating with a BFA. Jasmine has worked extensively as a performer in Theatre and Film/TV. She is a director, performer, educator, movement coach, community facilitator, and producer. Jasmine has engaged with audiences across Canada in repertory festivals, independent theatres, site-specific spaces, regional theatres and outdoor venues. She has worked with leaders in film, opera, music, theatre, and media, such as: Atom Egoyan, Aria Umezawa, Lido Pimienta, Hawksley Workman, Ins Choi, and Amanda Parris. She has taught at Studio 58 Langara College, McGill Schulich School of Music, the Paprika Festival, Festival Players Academy, Canadian Stage, Cahoots Theatre, and the Children’s Peace Theatre. Jasmine is the recipient of the Gina Wilkinson Award for Female Directors, the Stratford Festival Jean Gascon Award, a Toronto Harold Award, and is a Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee.

www.msjasminechen.com Instagram: @hausofchen

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www.brendakamino.com

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Polly’s Dammit, Jim! was an award-winner at three different fringe festivals over three years running, picking up the "Low Tech" award at the Orlando Fringe in 2018, the "Spirit of the Fringe” award at the Ottawa Fringe in 2019. and “Best of the Fringe” at the 2020 Hartford Fringe. Polly was also invited to present Dammit, Jim! as a featured event for Algonquin College’s National Addictions Awareness Week in 2019. The Orlando Fringe was also the site for the World Premiere of Polly’s newest show last year (about her “Weird Al” Yankovic fandom), POLLYWOOD. 

. Here at home, Polly has participated in the Toronto Storytelling Festival at the Drake Hotel, BRAVE: The Festival of Risk and Failure at the Harbourfront Centre, and several other monthly storytelling events around the city (But That's Another Story, DARE Storytelling, Witty Women).  

Twitter: @pollyesthergems Instagram: @pollywoodproductions FB: facebook.com/DammitJimPollyEsther  Patreon: patreon.com/pollyesther

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www.laurapiccinin.com Instagram: @lpiccinin

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Instagram: @dannydontdance

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Twitter: @artysadie Instagram: @sadiediamorphine

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B’atz’ Recinos was born and raised on Turtle Island with mixed Maya roots from Iximulew (Guatemala). A creator, performer, advocate, and Harold Award recipient for the performing arts of Tkaronto. Their commitment to equitable and diverse practices within the arts has led them to speak at YouthREX and several other panels and publish articles with NOW, Intermission Magazine, and contribute to The Director’s Lab book published by Playwright Canada Press. A trained facilitator, B’atz’ has delivered various workshops on diversity, inclusion, art and self-care with youth, artists, and communities across Ontario. Their extensive experience in the performing arts led them to found Creative Mafia.

Instagram: @chwenkan

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www.kitoko.ca Instagram: @kitokomai Twitter: @Kitokomai

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www.howardjdavis.com Twitter: @hauidavis Instagram: @hauidavis

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/260-haui-aka-howard-j-davis/

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Twitter: @camilove90 Instagram: @camilove90

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Twitter: @emerbabe Instagram: @em.er.jade

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As an actor, Carolyn Fe has been gracing the stage and camera in various theatrical productions, TV and movie spots since 2005! Her theatrical appearance was in Dora Award Winner’s, Audrey Dwyer, play called “Calpurnia” in 2018. With sold out shows and thrilling reviews on Carolyn Fe’s, she was awarded for 2018 Best Supporting Actress by the esteemed Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award for her role as Precy, in Calpurnia. This brought on the opportunity for Carolyn Fe to take on a recurring role as Lola (Grandmother) to Josh De La Cruz in Nickelodeon’s “Blues Clues and You”.

carolyn-fe.com Twitter: @TheCarolynFe

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Twitter: @sarahrankin03

www.fundyfringefestival.com Twitter: @fundyfringefest

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Twitter: @monicaogden12 Instagram: @monicaogden12

K.P. DENNIS is a black, non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist, producer, director, and activist. They were the 2016 Youth Poet Laureate of Victoria and are currently the artistic director of COLORQODED, QTI2POC arts collective. In 2017 they were the recipient of the VACCS Community recognition Award and just finished a cross Canada tour with their critically acclaimed shows, Monica vs the Internet & LUBDUB. In February 2020 they released a chapbook entitled Growing Pains, available for purchase on their Instagram @wild.womxn, and are currently working on two new plays, The Cowboy Church & the Arena of Life in residency with the Belfry Theatre, and 100 YT GUYS IN AN HOUR in residency with Tremors Festival (Rumble Theatre) and the Belfry Theatre Incubator Program.

Instagram: @starboi.dennis

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Ken teaches improv, clown and public speaking at The Second City.

You can catch Ken on TBS’s People of Earth as Jeff The Grey, and on Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy as Herb.

www.thekenhall.com Twitter: @thekenhall

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She is the Founder/Artistic Director of the experimental theatre company IFT (It’s A Freedom Thing Theatre) Theatre and also recently directed the critically acclaimed plays: Trout Stanley (Factory Theatre), Here are the Fragments (The Theatre Centre/The ECT Collective), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Soulpepper) and Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape (Obsidian/Soulpepper).

Mumbi is also the recipient of a Toronto Theatre Critics Award, an Artistic Director’s Award (Soulpepper), a Pauline McGibbon Award , a Mallory Gilbert Protege Award, a Harold Award, and has been twice nominated for the John Hirsch Directing Award.

She is a graduate of Soulpepper Academy, York University and University of Toronto as well as Obsidian Theatre’s Mentor/Apprenticeship Program.

Twitter: @mumbitindyebwa

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https://aaronchihojan.wixsite.com/home Twitter: @afatchineseboy Instagram: @afatchineseboy

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Twitter: @tashastrilchuk Instagram: @natashakstrilchuk

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She produces, writes and acts in her theatre company, It’s All Relative Productions which has mounted three Winnipeg Fringe Productions. Her 2018 show, One Date City, received glowing reviews and four stars from the Winnipeg Free Press. Her Winnipeg Fringe play, Filter This, landed her on Virgin Radio’s Top 100 Fascinating Manitobans of 2017. In 2018, she mentored under Mel Marginet, artistic director of Theatre By the River. She is a member of an Emerging Creators Unit that specializes in devised theatre for Manitoba Theatre for Young People under the guide of Andraea Sartison and Rick Chafe.

Reba is a strong advocate for more inclusion and diversity in theatre.

Twitter: @rebajesse Instagram: @rebajesse

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Instagram: @spencerstreichert Spencer Streichert on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0xexfIK2DDtWEQBWQ9XVN6

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Twitter: @VelvetDuke Instagram: @thevelvetduke

Personal Demon Hunter: Divine & Conquer

Velvet Wells (he/him) returns as motivational guru Velvet Duke to be your Personal Demon Hunter.

Through personal stories of Black Joy, conversations and improvised songs, Velvet is a master at working through the things that haunt us in a funny, accessible, interactive way.

Date: Thursday, July 30 @ 9pm EDT/ 6pm PDT

Instagram: @pdhdivineconqur Tickets (by donation): https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/personal-demon-hunter-conquer-divine-tickets-110577235488

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Twitter: @LandonWalliser Instagram: @LandonWalliser

The Women’s Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenscompanyregina/ Instagram: WomensCompanyRegina Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheWomensCompany

Twitter: @JoylynSecunda Instagram: @joylynsecunda Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joylynsecundaproductions Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLqd2m6tM9JvXcTGAgTAbw/

Recent work has taken her into the realm of site specific theatre creation. Kelly has worked in collaboration to create One Small Drop, inspired by the textile workers of the Imperial Cotton Company and In Sight investigating the effects of a stroke and perception at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Her most recent site-specific collaboration, HERE, took Kelly to Barton St in Hamilton to explore gentrification and change in that neighbourhood.

Recent designs include: Pantalone’s Palace and Top Girls (Brock University) Waiting Room (Tarragon Theatre), Quiver (Nightwood, Theatre Aquarius Studio), Rukmini’s Gold (Toronto and Hamilton Fringe), Commercials for Hamilton (Hammer Theatre/Staircase), Sanctuary Song (Theatre Direct – NAC), The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh (Roseneath)The Old Man and the River (Theatre Direct) Queen for a Day – set (Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts), Midsummer Night’s Dream –costume (Citadel Theatre),Sound of Music – set (Drayton) and Between the Sheets (Nightwood).

www.kellywolf.ca

He received his training in the BFA Performance program at Ohio University, as well as two years at the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival where he served for six years a text and acting coach and is currently in his tenth season as an actor.

Twitter: @starringeb Instagram: @storyforge

www.ghostlight.ca Twitter: @GhostLightca Instagram: @ghostlightca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ghostlightcanada/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwRcAAaXC8de2u9wQ5NkWjQ

Holly’s first long form theatre piece, A Woman’s Guide to Peeing Outside premiered at the Montreal Fringe in June 2017. The piece has since been performed all over North America.

In 2017, Holly Brinkman started collaborating with S.E. Grummett, a talented playwright, puppeteer, clown, and digital arts creator. Their idea to create a show that discusses gender, dating, and the patriarchy through the framework of girl guides and cub scouts became the wild vaudeville-esque show Pack Animals.

Pack Animals premiered at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival August 2nd, 2018 to critical praise and resounding success. It reached further success on a North American tour in 2019 (Orlando, FL; London, ON; Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Edmonton).

Holly Brinkman and S.E. Grummett (aka Brinks and Grumms) continue to create together and are constantly adding to the Pack Animals world with a Christmas special and an upcoming sequel, Pack Animals to the Rescue.

Instagram: @packanimalscomedy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/packanimalscomedy/ https://www.facebook.com/peeingoutsideadventures/

www.skeletonkeytheatre.com Twitter: @skeletonkate

www.siobhanrichardson.com Twitter: @fighteractress Instagram: @fighteractress

Jon studied theatre at Grant Macewan University in Edmonton, where he began his association with director Kenneth Brown. Jon has co-produced, performed in, designed and/or directed dozens of shows with his theatre company, RibbitRePublic.

Jon has performed in various theatre and festivals across North America including The Centaur Wildside Festival, Canoe Theatre Festival, Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Mayfield Dinner Theatre, Vertigo Mystery Theatre, Zero Gravity Circus, Orlando Fringe Festival, Fresno Rouge Festival and, most recently, Off-Broadway’s Soho Playhouse.

Jon is also a stilt-walker, stage manager, poster designer, and Winnipeg Jets fan.

Instagram: @jon.paterson

Fringe Live Stream

FringeLiveStream is a group of artists dedicated to providing a platform for live performances. Showcasing live, FringeLiveStream, and unjuried content, with artists receiving 100% of donations. FLS also provides a voice for underrepresented artists through their AUC Performance Series.

http://www.fringelivestream.com/ Twitter: @Fringelive2020 Instagram: @fringelivestream

Transcript at https://stageworthypodcast.com/239-jon-paterson/

Chris’ work has been nominated for five Dora Awards in the General Theatre category, and has been shortlisted twice for the Toronto Arts Foundation Awards. In 2006 both Chis and Laura won Harbourfront Centre’s inaugural FreshGround commissioning award.

His most notable works include Romeo/Juliet REMIXED (Toronto and Philadelphia), STATIC (World Stage Festival) and AWAKE (Next Stage Festival). Other work with Mullin include the CBC Radio drama, The Tunnel Runners, and the short film, AWAKE.

He sits on the Board of the Playwrights Guild of Canada and serves as the Contracts Chair. He is also on a number of other theatre boards.

Outside of theatre, Chris is also very active in national politics. In 2015, Chris ran in the federal election as the Green Party’s candidate in Toronto-Danforth, advocating for the cultural issues he is passionate about. His campaign resulted in the best showing for the Green Party in the GTA and surrounding area, and was recognized as one of the strongest campaigns run nationally.

Twitter: @christolley

Laura Mullin is a playwright, director and producer, and the Co-Artistic Director of Expect Theatre and The Spark Collective. She graduated from York University with a bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre before forming Expect and Spark with Chris Tolley. She has created and produced several highly acclaimed productions with Tolley that have toured nationally and internationally.

Selected writing and directing credits: Romeo/Juliet Remixed (5 Dora award nominations, winner of Outstanding Choreography), EXPECT/ Spark; Tunnel Runners, CBC Radio; STATIC, Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage Festival; AWAKE, Next Stage Festival; AWAKE The Short Film; Rapid Eye Movement & To The Kid That I was, Nuit Blanche; One Sleepless Night, International Festival of Authors; Allowance (in development); Burusera, Watermark Theatre (national 21 city tour & to be published in the Playwright’s Guild Short Play Anthology); History of Visual Sources (short story).

Awards & Commissions: Toronto Arts Foundation Award (short listed 2009 & 2013); Harbourfront Centre’s inaugural Fresh Ground Commissioning Award; Dora Award nomination for Outstanding Production for Romeo / Juliet Remixed (General Theatre category), Ontario Arts Council’s Creator’s Reserve from Nightwood Theatre (2013) and Crow’s Theatre (2015) for Allowance, Watermark Theatre Commission of Burusera for Canada 300’s national tour (2015).

Twitter: @expectlaura

PlayME

Expect Theatre has created an exciting new initiative that celebrates the best of Canadian Indie Theatre on a national and international scale. The project helps raise the profile of Canadian playwrights by highlighting new works through a series of podcasts, making it accessible to audiences worldwide.

PlayME is transforming the way we experience Canadian theatre, by taking a bold and innovative approach to disseminating plays. The podcast features distinguished actors, and focuses on current and relevant scripts geared to the growing “on-demand” audience.

Expect’s Artistic Directors, Laura Mullin and Chris Tolley are spearheading this project, in partnership with organizations such as The Toronto Fringe Festival and the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

http://www.playmepodcast.com/ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/arts-culture/playme/ http://expect.org/ Twitter: @expecttheatre

Twitter: @rebeccaperry21 Instagram: @redheaded_coffeeshop_girl Facebook: facebook.com/confessionsofaredheadedcoffeeshopgirl

David Kingsmill hails from London, England, but now lives and works in Toronto. He is a writer, musician and online media producer who has worked on a wide variety of shows and productions. He has travelled all over Canada, England and Scotland with Rebecca Perry Productions, as musician and stage manager. He has composed music for various Shakespeare productions by Dauntless City Theatre in Toronto, and his two-man musical, Out of the Lens, co-written with Nicholas Cave, was featured in Musical Works in Toronto. He created his own superhero for the musical cabaret Mr Millennium: Issue #1 – and even had the character’s origin story drawn up as an 11-page comic! He is established in the board gaming industry, and worked for Snakes & Lattes for over 4.5 years, mainly teaching games. He runs the solo board gaming Twitch stream and podcast Once Upon a Die.

Twitter: @uponadiepodcast Instagram: @onceuponadiepodcast

www.carlyheffernan.ca Twitter: @carlyheffernan Instagram: carly.heffernan

Twitter: @eveleigh_lucy

Toronto Fringe https://fringetoronto.com/ Twitter: @Toronto_Fringe

www.frannymcb.com Twitter: @franny_mcb Instagram: franny_mcb

Michael Ross Albert Michael is the author of several plays including Miss (FringeNYC; Unit 102 Actors Company); The Farmers Lit the Fields on Fire (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); The Grass is Greenest at the Houston Astrodome (FringeNYC, published by Applause in Best American Short Plays 2014-2015); and Karenin’s Anna (Toronto Fringe Festival, “Outstanding New Play,” — NOW Magazine), as well as the 2018 Toronto Fringe hit, Anywhere and the 2019 Fringe hit The Huns, which was to travel to the Brighton Fringe, until that festival was postponed.

http://michaelrossalbert.com/ Twitter: @michaelralbert Instagram: michaelralbert

Cass Van Wyck Cass is an actor and producer, one of the co-creators of the new works series, Open Open Open, and one of the forces behind Toronto’s Assembly Theatre. Cass was part of the cast of The Huns.

Twitter: @classvanwyck Instagram: classvanwyck

Please consider supporting The Assembly Theatre. Due to the current mandated closure and the multiple cancellations of shows and events, The Assembly Theatre is taking a significant financial loss and is struggling to stay afloat. This is a very difficult time for all of us societally, and in the arts community, independent theatre is uniquely vulnerable. GoFundMe Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-assembly-theatre-covid19-help

www.teiyakasahara.com Twitter: @teiyakasahara Instagram: teiyakasahara

www.mariawodzinska.com Twitter: @Maria_Wodzy Instagram: mariawodzinska

Oliver Jane (“they/them”) Oliver is a Toronto based multi-disciplinary artist, devised theatre director, and theatre producer. Canadian-born, US-raised Oliver Jane began creating and producing original works in Philadelphia starting in 2013. Oliver currently resides in Toronto where they dedicate themself to creating immersive installations and theatrical experiences to address the questions that nag Oliver throughout their daily life. To date, Oliver’s work walks a delicate line between clown, dance, performance art, art-installation and ritual experience. In Philadelphia Oliver has presented work part of Between A Boat and Green Place at Bartram’s Garden, Four Weeks in January, FringeArt’s Scratch Night, INVISIBLE RIVER, and SoLow Fest. Original works include The Gathering of the Mother Moth People; an exploration of ritual and spiritual pursuit guided by some widely naïve clowns (1fiftyone Gallery, 2015), and David & Oliver: Mystic Masters; a collaboration with playwright David Jacobi about their collective experiences as students of metaphysics (SoLow Fest, 2016). Oliver has been Assistant Director for a variety of projects with the Pig Iron Theatre Company (www.pigiron.org), including PayUp! (2013), I Promised Myself to Live Faster (2015), and SWAMP is On (2015), and for director Hinako Arao on her project Milky Way. As a performer Oliver has appeared in Surge Protector (MFA Thesis 2016), David & Oliver: Mystic Masters (2016), Mad Forest (d. Alex Torra, 2014), 99 Breakups (Pig Iron Theatre Company, 2014), The West (d. Alex Bechtel, 2013), and Dinner With Madness(Goat Howl, 2018). Oliver graduated summa cum laude from Drew University with a BA in Theatre Studies, and is a graduate of the inaugural class at the Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training and completed a Master’s Degree in Devised Performance at the Pig Iron School/University of the Arts in 2016.

www.oliverjane.com Instagram: olivia_oliver_yoga

www.goathowl.com Instagram: goathowltheatre

Featured Theatre Many theatres and theatre companies that have shut down their productions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of these companies are in desperate need of help to ensure that they can keep their doors open once the current crisis is over, and many are turning to crowdfunding in order to do that. In the coming weeks Stageworthy will highlight some theatres and theatre companies that need your help.

Red Sandcastle Theatre The Red Sandcastle is a 50 seat Storefront theatre, in which Anything is Possible! The Red Sandcastle Theatre was created as a place where our theatre community of artists and audiences could get together and share what we do best: tell stories together. Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 outbreak, the Sandcastle has had to shut its doors. The funds will go toward the rent and bills associated with the Red Sandcastle Theatre. GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/life-support-for-the-red-sandcastle-theatre

Featured Theatre Company Many theatres and theatre companies that have shut down their productions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of these companies are in desperate need of help to ensure that they can keep their doors open once the current crisis is over, and many are turning to crowdfunding in order to do that. In the coming weeks Stageworthy will highlight some companies that need your help.

The Assembly Theatre Due to this current mandated closure and the multiple cancellations of shows and events, The Assembly Theatre is taking a significant financial loss and is struggling to stay afloat. This is a very difficult time for all of us societally, and in the arts community, independent theatre is uniquely vulnerable. GoFundMe Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-assembly-theatre-covid19-help

www.stageworthypodcast.com Twitter: @StageworthyPod Instagram: stageworthypod Facebook: https://facebook.com/StageworthyPod

Jonathan Sconza Jonathan is a Toronto based performer, voice actor, clown, improvisor and D&D player. He has performed in an award winning production of The Stranger (DLT), has starred in every production of The Secret Sessions Movie Experience since its inception (Anchorman, Casablanca, Shaun of the Dead, The Princess Bride, and Ghostbusters), and played Sam Catelli in the Inch of your Life Trilogy. You can catch him hosting late night comedy shows such as Bad Improv and Beer Beer Comedy Show. He is the co-founder of Nose Bros, a clown, improv and sketch duo. He is also a co-founder and associate producer of The Theatre Circuit (A theatre company devoted to producing new, Toronto-centric work). In addition to his theatre credits, Jonathan has also voiced animated characters in Gary and His Demons, (CBC Comedy) and in Dog and Pony (Discovery Kids) He was a Worlds Biggest Improv Tournament semi-finalist, holds a national gold medal from the Canadian Improv Games, an intermediate actor combatant certificate (with distinction), and a Hnatyshyn Award nomination.

Bad Improv April 9, 2020 The Imperial Pub Tickets $5 at the door Doors at 7:30, show at 8 Sign up to play at the door.

Artists; Uche Ama (Female 1), Christopher Bautista (Male 1) and Christopher Parker (Male 2) perform this contemporary piece delivered through a fusion of spoken word, satire, soulful dialect and musical vocals. Audiences will enter a realm of private truths and leave with an understanding of what it means to be Black, proud, and ready.

The Negroes are Congregating has already received international acclaim, having been programmed by Théâtre de l’Usine (Geneva, Switzerland); Black Theatre Network Conference (Memphis, TN); Halifax Fringe (Halifax, Nova Scotia); SummerWorks Performance Festival (Toronto, Ontario) and selected ‘Best of The Fest’ Award at The Atlanta Black Theatre Festival (Atlanta, GA). Tickets can be purchased at www.passemuraille.ca. This production is a Theatre Passe Muraille Production in association with Piece of Mine Arts.

Created and Directed by Natasha Morris an award winning playwright whose work has been presented in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She is the founder and executive director PIECE OF MINE Arts, a platform for Black play creators to showcase work-in-development, featuring over 150 artists since 2013. Natasha is the recipient of several accolades including SummerWorks’ New Performance Text Award, The Black Canadian Awards’ Leadership Certificate, and the Ontario’s Leading Women Building Communities Certificate. She credits local companies b current, anitafrika dub theatre, and Obsidian Theatre for her invaluable artistic training. The Negroes are Congregating originated out of development and excerpt presentations during the Piece of Mine Festival in 2016 at Toronto’s Palmerston Library Theatre.

Troy De Four (Producer) is an award-winning producer whose experience started in regional theatre and is recently producing professional productions. Troy De Four is the executive producer of Scores in The City Musical Productions (Toronto, Ontario). Troy has recently been a participant of Obsidian’s 2018/2019 Playwrights Unit and has received grants from the OAC and CCA for his development of new Canadian libretto’s focused on stories centralizing characters of the black-Canadian and pan-African diaspora. Past producer credits include; Jesus Christ Superstar, The Full Monty, Jekyll & Hyde The Musical, CHESS, TOMMY and more.

Uche Ama (Performer – Female 1) is a graduate of the St Clair College Music Theatre Performance program. Some previous credits include; Obeah Opera (Luminato Festival2019), Rosencrantz: Drunk Hamlet (Dauntless City Theatre), Oya/Ahosi/Buffalo: Lukumi: A Dub Opera (Watah Theatre). She is honored to be a part of this production.

Christopher Parker (Performer – Male 2) received his Master of Music in Literature & Performance at Western University while studying under renowned Canadian baritone Theodore Baerg. He made is professional debut in the Canadian premiere of Choir-Boy (Centaur Theatre) by Oscar-winning writer Tarrell Alvin McCraney which won Best PACT Production at the 2019 Montreal English Theatre Awards. Since then, he has participated in the workshopping of new productions with Obsidian Theatre, Tapestry Opera, and The Musical Stage Company. Christopher is elated to make his Toronto stage debut in The Negroes are Congregating before flying to Halifax to perform in Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre)

Christopher Paul Bautista (Performer – Male 1) was born in Dallas, Texas. While playing Santa Claus in his kindergarten class, and seeing his Grandmother Shirley look on with a smile, he fell in love with performing. Following September 11th, he joined the military and went on two deployments with the US Marine Corps. Christopher then attended and graduated from the University of Southern California, where he studied English Literature, Theatre, and Film. It was while studying at USC, after attending a performance of Tennesee Williams’ Glass Menagerie that Christopher rekindled his passion with acting. His striking appearance, strong presence, and distinct voice make him a memorable addition to theatre, television, and film productions. Christopher’s recent credits include; Sound and Fury; (Shakespeare in Action), Fences; (Grand Theatre), Timothy Findley’s The Wars; (Grand Theatre).

When: Performances run from February 29 to March 14 at 7:30pm, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm

Previews: Feb 27 at 7:30pm, Feb 28 at 2:00pm for previews, and every performance has a part-of-show discussion as a part of the 90 minutes.

Where: Theatre Passe Muraille (Mainspace Theatre), 16 Ryerson Ave, Toronto, ON Price: Tickets range from $17 – $38, with “pay what you can” options.

www.pieceofminearts.com Instagram: pieceofminearts Tickets: https://www.passemuraille.ca/19-20-season-shows/the-negroes-are-congregating/

The Negroes Are Congregating

The Negroes Are Congregating poses an unapologetic and impolite perspective about the ongoing effects of racism in Canada and around the world. Delivered through a fusion of spoken word, satire, and soulful dialect, audiences are invited to experience raw truths up close and personal – leaving them with an understanding of what it means to be Black, proud, and ready.

Each performance will include audience discussion.

www.pieceofminearts.com Instagram: pieceofminearts Tickets: https://www.passemuraille.ca/19-20-season-shows/the-negroes-are-congregating/

Episode Transcript: https://stageworthypodcast.com/natasha-adiyana-morris/

www.alandilworth.com Twitter: @alandilworth1

The Events by David Greig Music by John Browne Directed by Alan Dilworth Cast: Raven Dauda and Kevin Walker

Written in response to the politically motivated mass shootings in Norway, The Events has been described as “…a solemn, searching and ultimately very moving play…” and “ an extraordinary new work…strangely uplifting…”.

www.necessaryangel.com Twitter: @necessaryangel

Note: in this episode, 2004 is given as the year of Utoya shootings, however this event actually occurred in 2011.

Transcript: https://stageworthypodcast.com/alan-dilworth/

Lauren is also a social media marketer, and the creator of Social Media the L.A. Way.

lauren-allen.net socialthelaway.com Twitter: @lesmis456 Instagram: lesmis456 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialthelaway/

Transcript: https://stageworthypodcast.com/lauren-allen/

Twitter: @shaista_latif Instagram: shaistalatifmakes

How I Learned to Serve Tea A participatory workshop on the politics of capacity and resource sharing, How I Learned to Serve Tea explores dynamics of power through acts of hospitality with artist-facilitator Shaista Latif.

“Assessing the language of invitation and hosting, and how it translates into action is how I learned to serve tea. A hyphenated existence, my life is my work, my work is my life. Some people can categorize and separate but those of us who are marginalized can’t afford to do so. Sometimes I wonder if our work has had to evolve into critical interrogation out of necessity? If we lived in a decolonized world what would we be making? Who would we be serving? I think we are all capable and deserving of knowing and living ourselves into these answers. This workshop invites participants to reflect and confront on who gets to have a seat at the table.” – Shaista Latif

Tickets: http://progressfestival.org/programming/how-i-learned-to-serve-tea

Twitter: @mateolewis Instagram: mateo.lewis

Casimir just got fired, his phone’s not working and his shoes are falling apart. Caroline wants to dance, sing karaoke, and forget about the weight of the world for just one night. They are engaged… for now. Casimir and Caroline is a play about love in the cold atmosphere of modern capitalism. We follow these ultra star-crossed lovers, as they navigate clingy co-workers, sketchy best friends, questionable HR representatives, the playboy boss, that powerhouse from the Montreal office and those beautiful few who might actually possess an ounce of wisdom. They all desperately long for something more. None of them can say what that might be. But at least their lives look #goals on Instagram.

CASIMIR AND CAROLINE, European playwright and novelist Ödön von Horváth’s 1932 tragicomedy, is one of the most frequently staged plays in the modern German repertoire, but until now has never been staged for a North American audience. It seems to be on the mind, however, with its recent shout out in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story (Thank you Adam Driver)! After nearly five years in development, The Howland Company is proud to present the North American premiere of this new adaptation of a modern classic by company member Paolo Santalucia with Dr.Holger Syme and The Howland Company, based on an original translation from German to English by Dr.Holger Syme. The play will be directed by Paolo Santalucia and will run at Crow’s Theatre’s East End arts hub Streetcar Crowsnest this January 14th to February 9th, 2020.

More about the Adaptation & Production: Moving from the original beer hall setting in Octoberfest to a glitzy Toronto roof-top corporate party that quickly deteriorates as the drink tickets run out, this new adaptation takes its cue from Horváth’s insistence that the play takes place ‘now’, and explores Horváth’s distanced but faithful, unflinching but sympathetic portrayal of ‘people as they are’ in Toronto 2020.

“CASIMIR AND CAROLINE cares little for decorum,” says director Paolo Santalucia, “It relentlessly reminds us that we’ll never be rich enough, happy enough, or important enough to satisfy our desires. And when faced with the disappointment of falling short, it laughs at how outrageously we try to prove everyone otherwise.” Read more about the show here.

This 10-person ensemble will feature Howland Company members Alexander Crowther (Pure – CBC/WGN America, The Glass Menagerie – The Grand Theatre), Hallie Seline (The Wolves – Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre, Winner of the Outstanding Ensemble Award – Toronto Theatre Critics Association), James Graham and Cameron Laurie (Punk Rock – Howland Company, Outstanding Ensemble Award – Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominated), joined by six more of Toronto’s most exciting performers: Michael Ayres (Bang Bang – GCTC, What I Call Her – In Association/Crow’s Theatre), Michael Chiem (Asking For It – Thousand Islands Playhouse, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Shakespeare in Action), Veronica Hortiguela (NOW Magazine’s Breakthrough Toronto Stage Artist, Dry Land – Cue6 Theatre), Shruti Kothari (Three Seasons at The Stratford Festival), Kimwun Perehinec (The Watershed – Porte Parole/Crow’s Theatre), and Caroline Toal (Selfie, To Kill a Mockingbird – Young People’s Theatre).

Rounding out the creative team is award-winning set and costume designer Ken MacKenzie, lighting designer and Howland Company member Jareth Li, with sound design by Jeremy Hutton and original composition by Evan MacKenzie.

howlandcompanytheatre.com Twitter: @TheHowlandCo Instagram: thehowlandcompany Tickets: https://tickets.crowstheatre.com/TheatreManager/1/login?event=214

Save the Date Does saying “I Do” to someone new mean saying “I Don’t” to each other? For better or for worse, the sisters have to negotiate what their relationship will look like now that there is a third person in the mix. Can they survive this new chapter of life without the person who has always been by their side? Can they still be Morro and Jasp?

www.morroandjasp.com Twitter: @morroandjasp Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morroandjasp/ Youtube: http://youtube.com/morroandjasp Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/next-stage/show/morro-and-jasp-save-date

The Solitudes

Eight women follow the thread of history and the bloodlines that brought each of them to this land, to this moment in their journeys towards home. Is home a house? Is home a “homeland?”

Their offering: eight recipes for transforming our solitudes and an invitation to sit at the table.

Inspired by the women of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Solitudes is a provocative, humorous, and visually charged experimental performance that conjures the many forces of separation that have overtaken our lives.

This is a protest. This is an act of claiming space. This is a call to action: because a house can be invaded, but home can never be taken away.

www.alunatheatre.ca Twitter: @alunatheatre Instagram: alunatheatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlunaTheatre Tickets: https://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/whatson/theatre.cfm?id=10830&festival_id=0

Alia is also a member of the Tita Collective, who present their Fringe hit Tita Jokes at the 2020 Next Stage Festival.

Also: check out the Tita Collective’s podcast: Chika Chika with the Titas.

www.aliarasul.com Twitter: @aliarasul Instagram: aliarasul

Tita Collective Twitter: @tita_collective Instagram: tita.collective Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/next-stage/show/tita-jokes

Chicka Chicka with the Titas: http://thesonarnetwork.com/chikachika/

Instagram: helenight02

Victoria Urquhart Victoria Urquhart is a Toronto-based actor and director from Caledon. She is also a graduate from the University of Windsor’s 2010 B.F.A. Acting Program. This training has helped her to develop a focus on marrying Physical Theatre Practices with Classical Text. This fascination, combined with her leadership and organizational skills developed through working six consecutive summers at a residential camp have led her to a passion for directing, and the creation of The Spur-Of-The-Moment Shakespeare Collective in Toronto. Through the SOTMSC, she has directed, produced, and sometimes performed in several community projects, including the Shakespeare-On-The-Subway Project, several sessions of Shakespeare-In-Hospitals, and JULIUS CAESAR PROJECT, garnering 4 N’s from NOW magazine at the 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival. Other theatre credits include: Waiting for Alonzo with Empty Box Theatre (2015), Teach Me with Newborn Theatre, and Macbeth with Hart House Theatre.

Heart In Hand at Shakespeare-In-Hospitals’ Family Reunion Gala!

Grab a drink at the bar, enjoy some sweet and savoury eats and put your picture on our family tree as we extend the SOTMSC family with a final performance of the 2019 Program’s show, Heart In Hand:

How will you choose your family if your family doesn’t choose you? In the last flashes of a mother’s life, we see the hopeful imaginings of her family’s choices to move forward when she is gone. Brought together by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, Amsterdam Brewery and the Spur of The Moment Shakespeare Collective, this funny and touching piece has toured to rave reviews from patient, staff and family audiences across Toronto and the G.T.A.

For a financially accessible gala we offer tickets on a sliding scale. Arts Worker and Student Tickets are available for the cost of $18 ($19.89 with processing fee). Folks who wish to donate more with their ticket to help those who cannot afford full cost can do so on our ticketing site: http://shakehospitals2019.bpt.me/

www.spurofthemomentshakespeare.com Twitter: @shakespur Instagram: @shakespur

Heart In Hand at Shakespeare-In-Hospitals’ Family Reunion Gala!

Grab a drink at the bar, enjoy some sweet and savoury eats and put your picture on our family tree as we extend the SOTMSC family with a final performance of the 2019 Program’s show, Heart In Hand:

How will you choose your family if your family doesn’t choose you? In the last flashes of a mother’s life, we see the hopeful imaginings of her family’s choices to move forward when she is gone. Brought together by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, Amsterdam Brewery and the Spur of The Moment Shakespeare Collective, this funny and touching piece has toured to rave reviews from patient, staff and family audiences across Toronto and the G.T.A.

For a financially accessible gala we offer tickets on a sliding scale. Arts Worker and Student Tickets are available for the cost of $18 ($19.89 with processing fee). Folks who wish to donate more with their ticket to help those who cannot afford full cost can do so on our ticketing site: http://shakehospitals2019.bpt.me/

www.spurofthemomentshakespeare.com Twitter: @shakespur Instagram: shakespur

Select credits include To A Degree! An Orwellian Musical Comedy (Elia Pasic) Six Stories, Told At Night (Gangway! Theatre Co.) Canticle of Light (Missed Metaphor Productions), The Polar Bear Prince (Gangway! Theatre Co.), Mary’s Wedding (Toronto Fringe Festival), In His Name (Canadian History Project), The Skylar Neese Story (Discovery Channel), various episodes of Campfire Radio Theatre and Six Stories, Told At Night (PARSEC Award winning audio-drama podcast, KT Bryski Productions).

Twitter: @haynesblythe Instagram: blythe_haynes Watching Glory Die (the podcast): https://podcas

Michael is a recipient of a Harold Award, a distinguished honour for members of the Toronto independent theatre community. He is also an accomplished musician and singer-songwriter. He directed the first SideStream Cycle, Shrapnel, which represented his directorial debut with the company.

The Wager Inspired by true events, The Wager is award-winning Theatre Gargantua’s bold and irreverent investigation into the strange things that people believe. Climate change deniers, anti-vaxxers, creationists, in-your-face-fact-defying-politicians, and yes, flat-earthers; beliefs held by a surprising number of intelligent humans, beliefs that not only defy logic, but could be threatening our existence on the planet. Now more than ever, the stakes could not be higher.

theatregargantua.ca Twitter: @TGargantua Instagram: TheatreGargantua Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheatreGargantua Tickets: https://theatregargantua.ca/the-wager/

Shakespeare in Action Shakespeare in Action was established in 1988 by Artistic Director, Michael Kelly. We continue to bring Shakespeare to young people across Ontario through innovative programs and critically acclaimed theatre productions.

Shakespeare in Action is a diverse theatre company that aspires to enhance the arts and education through exploring and performing Shakespeare’s plays. We are dedicated to fostering literacy, enhancing creativity and promoting speech arts by making the language and stories of Shakespeare accessible and relevant to young audiences, their families, and the community. Shakespeare in Action seeks to inspire audiences of all ages to discover Shakespeare’s universal truths in our everyday world, showing the influence classical theatre has within our communities.

Shakespeare in Action presents Sound & Fury, At Artscape Weston Common, Nov. 16 – Dec 7. Music, dance, and spoken word collide in this sharp, bold, and accessible world-premiere of Shakespeare’s most haunting play, MACBETH. Inspired by the sounds and poetry of 90s era hip hop music and performed by five diverse and dynamic actors, SOUND AND FURY is Marcel Stewart’s smart and imaginative adaptation that bursts with rhythms and lyrics, putting a contemporary spin on this classic story of bloody ambition.

www.shakespeareinaction.org Twitter: @shakesinaction Instagram: shakespeareinaction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shakespeare.Action/ Tickets: https://www.shakespeareinaction.org/mhha/

For a decade, Tanisha was an artist and director with the award-winning Children’s Peace Theatre, an organization that uses the arts to teach children and youth about the creation of peace through justice. As a longtime anti-VAW activist, Tanisha spent seven years as Producer of V-Day Toronto/One Billion Rising Canada — part of the global movement to end violence against women and girls, during which time she directed 11 of its productions. Known by her peers for her fierce commitment to inclusion and racial/cultural representation in the performing arts, she is also an anti-oppression educator and facilitator who has written over 30 essays about race, power and equity both within and outside of the theatre industry.

Twitter: @t_taitt

www.cahoots.ca Twitter: @cahootstheatre Instagram: cahootstheatre

Twitter: @colinasuncion Instagram: colinasuncion

Uncovered: Stevie Wonder & Prince

Prince credited Stevie Wonder as a “role model.” Wonder said that Prince “took music to a whole other place.” These friends, sometimes collaborators, and groundbreaking icons inspired each other and the world.

The Musical Stage Company’s 13th annual signature concert spotlights hit songs from two hugely influential artists with wildly imaginative arrangements by music director Reza Jacobs. Featuring Canada’s most celebrated performers, UnCovered is a one-of-a-kind ‘unmissable’ event.

www.musicalstagecompany.com Twitter: @MusicalStageCo Instagram: musicalstageco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicalstageco Tickets: https://musicalstagecompany.com/production/uncovered2019/

www.hollywyder.com Twitter: @hollyiswyder Instagram: hollyiswyder

Drink of Choice Winner of the 2019 Toronto Fringe Patron’s Pick, Drink of Choice returns at Factory’s Studio Theatre. You play the Customer. The drink you choose will decide the Bartender’s story. A create-your-own-adventure semi autobiographical piece, Drink of Choice examines sexual identity, especially the often overlooked and misunderstood conceptions of being asexual.

Twitter: @choicedrink Instagram: choicedrink Tickets: https://www.factorytheatre.ca/what-s-on/drink-of-choice/

Shakura is a Toronto based actor and playwright. Most Recently, she appeared in Mirvish Productions’ presentation of Dear Evan Hansen, and appears in Factory Theatre’s Trout Stanley.

Twitter: @shakooks

Trout Stanley It’s the eve of twins Sugar and Grace Ducharme’s 30th birthday and the 10th anniversary of their parents’ deaths, the local Scrabble Champ Stripper has gone missing, and mysterious drifter Trout Stanley arrives looking for love…and a lake. Experience the wild, touching, and hysterically funny play that took New York by storm from Governor General’s Award-nominated playwright and novelist, Claudia Dey, returning to Factory’s Mainspace 14 years after its Toronto premiere at Factory. A story of Northern Proportions, Trout Stanley is about the secrets that bind us and finding love wherever you can. And snails.

www.factorytheatre.ca Twitter: @factorytoronto Tickets: https://www.factorytheatre.ca/2019-20-season/trout-stanley/

Natasha has played Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Segal Centre, Theatre Aquarius), Brigid in A Boy Called Newfoundland (Theatre Smash), and Roberta in The Railway Children (Mirvish/Marquis). She was nominated for a Dora Award for her portrayal of Bastian in The Neverending Story (Roseneath Theatre) and won a Dora Award for Get Yourself Home Skyler James (Roseneath Theatre), a solo show that toured high schools in the Greater Toronto Area. Natasha had a recurring role on the Canadian television show Bomb Girls. Most recently, Natasha was part of the 2014-2015 National Arts Centre’s English Theatre Ensemble, where she played Alice, in Alice Through the Looking Glass and Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest.

As a director, Natasha facilitated and directed This Is Your Script, a collective creation for Paprika Festival for youth between the ages of 17 and 21. She directed Cowboy Mouth, by Sam Shepard and Patti Smith, as part of The Playwright Project in May 2013. She was the assistant director for Micheline Chevrier on the Montreal debut production of the Governor General Award winning play, If We Were Birds and for Sarah Stanley on the debut of Beatrice and Virgil at the Factory Theatre. In 2014, Natasha directed The Secret Garden of Lido Pimienta, a theatrical concert commissioned by SummerWorks.

Natasha has been part of Nightwood Theatre’s Write From the Hip program for Emerging Playwrights and Theatre Passe Muraille’s Upstarts Unit for Emerging Theatre Creators. She performed her solo show, We Lived in a Palace at the 2008 SummerWorks Festival. She produced her first full-length play, The Peace Maker, directed by Jennifer Brewin, as part of the 2013 Next Stage Festival.

Twitter: @natashasama Instagram: natashagreengrace

The Election

During the 2015 Federal Election, a group of theatre artists and makers volunteered for local campaigns. They knocked on doors, phoned voters, and tried to make sense of national stories on a local level while documenting their experience. These personal accounts provided fodder for the new Canadian play The Election, by Natasha Greenblatt and Yolanda Bonnell, in collaboration with the company.

In 2019 The Election sparks urgent dialogue just as Canadians take another swing at the ballot box. Exploring the realities of Indigenous, Settler and Newcomer experience with the political process, this play asks: Do we have a voice and does that voice count?

Following the wildly successful run of The Public Servant, Common Boots Theatre delivers a provocative and hilarious investigation of how Canadians engage in democracy.

The team of six actors (Augusto Bitter, Rachel Cairns, Joelle Peters, Anand Rajaram, Rose Stella, and Courtenay Stevens) take on over 35 characters. Woven throughout the chaos of the federal election are the personal stories of people struggling to make a difference within their own communities and families.

www.commonbootstheatre.ca Tickets: https://www.passemuraille.ca/tickets/

Set in the spring of 1934, SOMETHING FOR THE BUOYS follows a starry-eyed sailor named Jimmy (Roberto Sapienza) who wants nothing more than to find his true love. Accompanied by Larry (Thomas Finn), his womanizing best pal, he sneaks ashore and enters the wonderful world of New York City. Of course, Jimmy immediately stumbles upon his true love. But between a big-time Broadway offer and a cranky captain with an Alka-Seltzer addiction, will Jimmy sail into the sun and live happily ever after before the final curtain? Who Knows! SOMETHING FOR THE BUOYS takes its cue from past classics such as Anything Goes and On The Town, saluting Golden Era theatre giants such as Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, while keeping things fresh through clever lyrics, innuendo, and unexpected twists and turns.

SHOW DATES: October 9-20, 2019 LOCATION: George Ignatieff Theatre | 15 Devonshire Pl., Toronto, ON BOX OFFICE: sapling.simpletix.com | ADMISSION: $20-$40

www.saplingproductions.com Instagram: saplingtoronto

www.bygonetheatre.com Twitter: @BygoneTheatre Instagram: bygonetheatre

Instagram: SFTB_musical

SFTBmusical

Jennifer Walls Jennifer is a performer producer, and voice-over actor. As a musical theatre performer she has played leading roles in a wide variety of musicals including RENT, Beauty And The Beast, The Wizard of Oz and number of Canadian premiers as well as the Dora Award nominated original musical review Off-Broadway, On Stage. She was also a finalist in the CBC hit show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

As a voice actor she has voiced recurring characters on a number of animated series’ including PBS’ Peg+ Cat and Amazon’s Creative Galaxy and is currently the voice of Family Jr.

Jennifer is also the director of Hart House Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show.

www.jenniferwalls.com Twitter: @jeni_walls Instagram: jeniwallsto

Chris Tsujiuchi Chris is a graduate of Sheridan College's Musical Theatre Performance program. Performance credits include Fulgens and Lucres (PLS), Recurring John, Paradises Lost (SummerWorks Festival), and Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (Lower Ossington Theatre and T3 productions). Musical Direction credits include A Misfortune (Next Stage Festival), HAIR (FirstAct Productions), One Song Glory '10 '11 & '12 (ActingUp Stage), A Joyful Noise (co-composer/lyricist, Smile Theatre), Mickey & Judy (Toronto Fringe), and bare: the Canadian Premiere (WatersEdge Productions). Chris has also worked as an accompanist and teacher at Sheridan College, Randolph Academy and George Brown College. He has toured extensively with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale as a singer and with Sharron Matthews as an accompanist/arranger (Sharron's Big Broadway Show, Jesus Thinks I'm Funny, GOLD, Full Dark). He can also be seen in his biannual "Chris-terical" series of cabarets at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.

www.christsujiuchi.com Twitter: @ChrisTsujiuchi

www.harthouse.ca Twitter: @HHTheatre Instagram: hhtheatre Tickets: https://tickets.harthouse.ca/

above: A cross-city adventure with a retro Italian flavour that takes participants from a midtown area to locations they have likely never explored before.

below: A downtown adventure in the underground areas of Toronto where performers emerge from the crowds.

In 2014, DLT presented the first, award-winning version of The Stranger at the SummerWorks Performance Festival. Sold out editions have run around the world including in India and Europe and DLT brought two new versions back to Toronto in 2015 and 2016. The Stranger 2.0 continues The Stranger tradition of an immersive and interactive theatrical experience in which the city becomes the stage and the audience becomes the protagonist. Designed for two audience members at a time, this 75 to 90-minute journey thrusts participants into a secret world. By following "strangers" into streets, alleyways and undisclosed locations, the downtown is transformed into an urban labyrinth and participants find themselves at the centre of an unfolding narrative that blurs the lines between reality and fiction.

“DLT is dedicated to exploring new possibilities of audience engagement and further pushing the agency of each spectator in their own adventure. We are incredibly excited to continue this with The Stranger 2.0: above & below,” says Daniele Bartolini, Artistic Director, DLT. “In 2.0, Toronto audiences are invited to embark on a voyage across the city and will experience the next level of immersive and audience-specific theatre with a digital VR interaction developed by the boundary-pushing team at toasterlab."

The Stranger 2.0 kicks off Close Up (Primo Piano) - a new season of shows and events by Bartolini with Executive Producer Thomas L. Mallon and DopoLavoro Teatrale, community sponsor Villa Charities Inc. and in association with Istituto Italiano di Cultura. The Close Up (Primo Piano) season features an exciting lineup of site-specific and immersive programming including a Christmas production, a new play that addresses the issues faced by parents who work in the arts, and a festival featuring contemporary site-specific Italian theatre. More details about the season will be announced in the coming weeks.

About DLT Founded in 2006 in Florence, Italy by Artistic Director Daniele Bartolini and based in Toronto since 2012, DLT is an international company dedicated to innovation and experimental multi-disciplinary artistic practices. The audience has always played a pivotal role in DLT’s work and they have continuously explored the relationship between artist and spectator. DLT productions have grown from theatre shows and installations to fully interactive, urban-immersive creations designed to give audience members an active role inside a dramatic structure. DLT presented their first fully immersive creation Midway Along the Journey of Our Life at the SummerWorks Performance Festival in 2013. Other recent works include The Ugly Mess That Happened in St. Catharines at the 2016 In the Soil Arts Festival, the critically acclaimed Off Limits Zone presented at the 10th Anniversary Luminato Festival, the immersive dining experience Leonardo’s Last Supper and the 2019 Dora nominated If on a Christmas Night.

About The Stranger 2.0 Written and directed by Daniele Bartolini Assistant Director and Production Manager: Raylene Turner Produced by Daniele Bartolini, DLT, Istituto Italiano di Cultura Executive Producer: Thomas L. Mallon Community sponsor: Villa Charities Virtual reality scene produced and developed by toasterlab with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

Tickets: General - $50 each, VIP - $90 each (VIP experience contains secret content) Dates: September 18th - 29th, 2019 Times: Weekdays: 5pm – 9:10pm (shows start every 20 minutes) + VIP @ 9:30pm Weekends: 3pm – 7:10pm (shows start every 20 minutes) + VIP @ 7:30pm

Location: Starting point for The Stranger 2.0: above is a secret location around in Midtown west. Starting point for The Stranger 2.0: below is a secret location around the downtown core. Tickets holders will be notified by email of the exact meeting point 24 hours before their show time.

www.dltexperience.com Twitter: @dltexperience Instagram: Dopolavoroteatrale Facebook: http://facebook.com/dltinteractivetheatricalexperience

TheStranger2.0

Amber (Claire Renaud) and Tom (Tony Ofori), finding their way as freshmen at Princeton, spend a night together that alters the course of their lives. They agree on the drinking, they agree on the attraction, but consent is foggy, and if unspoken, can it be called consent? Anna Ziegler investigates gender and race politics, our crippling desire to fit in and the three sides to every story.

Playwright ANNA ZIEGLER is an award-winning playwright whose widely produced play PHOTOGRAPH 51 (starring Nicole Kidman) won London’s 2016 WhatsOnStage award for Best New Play. It was selected as a “Best of the Year” by The Washington Post and the Telegraph.

In 2017, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Manhattan Theatre Club and The Geffen Playhouse premiered her play ACTUALLY, and The Roundabout Theatre Company produced THE LAST MARCH. Her play THE WANDERERS won the 2018 San Diego Critic’s Circle Award for Outstanding New Play and BOY was nominated for the 2016 John Gassner Award by the Outer Critics Circle.

Director PHILIP AKIN has been acting and directing for over 40 years. In 2000, he was a founding member of Obsidian Theatre, Canada’s leading black theatre company, and has served as its Artistic Director since 2006. Award include the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (2018), William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life ( 2014) and the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, Silver Ticket Award for Outstanding Contribution (2010). Dora Nominations for Best Director in the General Theatre Division 2008, 2011, 2012 (winning in 2012 – Topdog Underdog), two nominations in 2017 (winning in 2017 for Master Harold…and the Boys)

www.obsidiantheatre.com Twitter: @obsidiantheatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Obsidian-Theatre-Company-214760735208818/

www.hgjewishtheatre.com Twitter: @HGJewishTheatre Instagram: hgjewishtheatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HGJewishTheatre/

Tickets: https://www.hgjewishtheatre.com/2019-2020-Actually.html

www.kendrajones.net Twitter: @impeltheatre Instagram: impeltheatre

Emily Dix is a Toronto based theatre artist and photographer. She has been directing, producing and designing for theatre for over 10 years, and is the Artistic Executive Director of Bygone Theatre. Recently, she launched a new initiative, the Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition (TITC) which she runs as Founder and Executive Director. She also works as a freelance photographer, specializing in theatre and live events.

www.emilydix.com Instagram: emilydixphotography

Bygone Theatre www.bygonetheatre.com Twitter: @bygonetheatre Instagram: bygonetheatre Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bygonetheatre

The Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition The Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition is a place for small local theatre companies to connect and support each other's work. By connecting, sharing resources and helping to promote each other's shows, we can all grow together. The primary objective of the TITC is to assist Toronto's independent theatres in growing their network and audience bases.

www.thetitc.ca Twitter: @thetitc Instagram: the.titc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheTITC

In this episode, host Phil Rickaby sits down with two solo performers, Janelle Hanna & Laura Anne Harris to talk about performing solo shows and touring Fringe Festivals.

Bad Baby Presents: Rules Control the Fun Lark & Whimsy’s second production, Bad Baby Presents: Rules Control the Fun, written and performed by Janelle Hanna, directed by Briana Brown and stage managed by Erin Vandenberg, premiered at the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival. The play features Hanna’s clown character, Bad Baby, and beautifully explores failure and vulnerability.

www.larkandwhimsytheatre.com Twitter: @Lark_and_Whimsy Instagram: lark_and_whimsy Edmonton Fringe Tickets: https://tickets.fringetheatre.ca/performances.php?eventId=601:3056

Destiny USA When Laura moves from Toronto to Syracuse, New York, she wasn’t expecting to be residing in Trump’s America. Gaining her first job as a relay operator for the deaf and hard of hearing reveals the hidden humanity of the American people.

www.lauraanneharris.com Twitter: @lauraanneharri1 Edmonton Fringe Tickets: https://tickets.fringetheatre.ca/performances.php?eventId=601:3045

After last summer’s NNNN Much Ado About Nothing, Dauntless City Theatre returns to Berczy Park to delight city audiences with All’s Well That Ends Well, starring Chanakya Mukherjee (The Men in White, Much Ado About Nothing) and Liz Der (Crave) as the unlikely lovers Bertram and Helena.

Ranging over walks, hills, gardens, and the famous dog fountain, All’s Well is an intriguing societal and political comedy. One of Shakespeare’s “problem plays”, All’s Well tackles passionate desire, consent, trickery, and toxic masculinity. This play asks: how well do we really know the people in our lives? What are each of us capable in pursuit of our deepest desires? As our relationships deepen, the passions we discover can drive us apart as well as bond us together. Through a comedic lens, All’s Well asks us to sit in the discomfort and problematic spaces that open up.

All’s Well builds on Dauntless’ legacy of queering, subverting, and transforming the Bard, featuring a cast reflective of the city of Toronto. Including live music, and costumes suggesting the sumptuousness of Renaissance Florence and The Court of The Sun King, All’s Well That Ends Well aims to be Shakespeare for people who think they hate Shakespeare. Follow the action through the full 90 minutes from space to space throughout the park, or enjoy a scene while walking a dog, out with kids, or on a lunch break. Join All’s Well That End’s Well for a play that will make you think, that will delight your senses, and that at the end will leave you cheering for all the right reasons.

All’s Well That Ends Well Berzcy Park at Front St and Church St Pay What You Can Friday and Saturday 7:30pm Saturday and Sunday 1:00pm No performance Friday August 9th

www.dauntlesscitytheatre.com Twitter: @DauntlessTO Instagram: dauntlessto Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dauntlessTO/

Twitter:@dylantrowbridge
Instagram:dylantrowbridgeyyz

Every Brilliant Thing is a one-of-a-kind, interactive theatrical event, starring renowned actor and comedian, Gavin Crawford, that engages its audience in thrilling and original ways. At once profoundly funny and deeply moving, Every Brilliant Thing chronicles a young person’s quest to unearth every magnificent thing about being alive. “Heart-wrenching, hilarious…one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop” -The Guardian.

www.festivalplayers.ca
Twitter:@FestivalPlayers
Instagram:festivalplayers
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FestivalPlayers
Tickets:https://festivalplayers.ca/events/every-brilliant-thing/

False Claims traces the despicable schemes of Dennis—a devious, layabout nephew who poses as his late aunt’s husband in order to collect her life insurance money!

DATES: Limited run of only 9 performances.
Friday August 2nd, 8pm - Opening Night!
Saturday August 3rd, 8pm
Sunday August 4th, 2pm
Tuesday August 6th, 8pm - PWYC Charity Fundraiser
Wednesday August 7th, 8pm
Thursday August 8th, 8pm
Friday August 9th, 8pm
Saturday August 10th, 8pm
Sunday August 11th, 2pm - Closing

TICKETS:
https://falseclaims.simpletix.com/

CAST & CREW:
WRITTEN BY Eli Pasic
DIRECTED BY Blair Haynes
FEATURING Isaiah Thomas Kolundzic, Kevin Forster, Heather Dick, Kevin Hare, Melissa Taylor, Zachary Groombridge, Kathleen Welch and Judith Fiore
DESIGNED BY Emily Dix
PRODUCED BY Isaiah Thomas Kolundzic, Emily Dix
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS Blythe Haynes, Eli Pasic
STAGE MANAGED BY Jeremy Pearson

Instagram: FalseClaimsTO
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/falseclaimsfarce/

You Want it What Way?
“You Want It What Way? A Boy Band Tale” is a sketch comedy dance show all about boy bands. We dance and sing to all of the hits and perform hilarious sketches that poke fun at all the absurdity that comes with being in a boy band. You’ll dance, laugh and sing your Justin Timberlake loving hearts out.

www.youwantitwhatway.com
Instagram:boybandtale
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/youwantitwhatway
Tickets:http://hamiltonfringe.ca/shows/you-want-it-what-way/

The Promised Land
The Promised Land at the Hamilton Fringe is a comedic homage to 1940s film noir, filled with fast-talking fellas and femme fatales, an ingenue, or two, and a wisecracking former hobo; all inhabiting a world of loose morals and suspicious intentions.

Tickets: http://hamiltonfringe.ca/shows/promised-land/

The Second of Two Fringe 2019 Roundup episodes. On each of the Saturdays of the Fringe, we gather a group of performers together to talk about their shows, their Fringe experience so far, and what shows they've loved, and more.

Monica Ogden
Monica vs. The Internet: Tales of a Social Justice Warrior
Instagram: socialjusticewarriorfringe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicavsTheInternetShow/
Twitter: @ragesweater
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/monica-vs-internet-tales-social-justice-warrior

Shane Adamzack
The Ballad of Frank Allen
weepingspoon.com
Instagram: weepingspoon
Facebook: https://facebook.com/weepingspoonproductions
Twitter: @weepingspoon
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/ballad-frank-allen

Carlyn Rhamey
The ADHD Project
www.squirrelsuit.ca
Instagram: TheADHDProject
Facebook: https://facebook.com/SquirrelSuitProductions
Twitter: @SquirrelSuitT
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/adhd-project

Madeleine Brown
News Play
Instagram: PrairieFirePlz
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PrairieFirePlz
Twitter: @PrairieFirePlz
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/news-play

Recorded 9:30AM, July 13, 2019

Sarah Joy Bennett is an actor, writer and designer. She is a member of Keystone Theatre, which creates original works in the style of silent film, and with them has toured Canada with their shows The Last Man On Earth and Gold Fever.

Other past projects as a co-creator include Theatre Sasa’s puppetry-based The Pressed Fairy Book, and Power Of Flight’s original musical The Ballad Of One-Eyed Jack. She has also performed with Classic Theatre Festival, Odyssey Theatre, Brookstone Theatre, and Metaphysical Theatre. As the burlesque performer Cherry Temple, she has been featured in international burlesque festivals, and at Le Tambour Royal Theatre, in Paris.

Her writing work includes Postcards (CBC Radio, Out Front), and Trophy, a Summerworks Festival installation for which she was part of a team of writers and storytellers.

Ginette Mohr

Ginette is an award-winning performer, director and playwright. Her twenty-year career in the performing arts has galvanized her love for live experiences and direct contact with people. Driven by curiosity, she works to motivate a more conscious and compassionate community through the creation of imaginative, participatory theatre.

She has created theatre with companies that include: The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Neptune Theatre, Young People’s Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick, Drayton Entertainment, Theatre Direct, Theatre Aquarius, The Quickening Theatre, Keystone Theatre, and The Second City. Ginette recently directed and co-created Snack Music and Table Top Tales with SNAFU Dance Theatre.

Night Feed

As an exhausted new mother nurses in the dark of yet another night, her apartment comes to life; possessions possessed with the demons of fear, self-doubt and anxiety, a chorus of objects and body parts. You know, standard parenting stuff.

Fringe veterans-turned-mothers Sarah Joy Bennett and Ginette Mohr return to Toronto Fringe with CLUNK Puppet Lab, turning their brand of imaginative storytelling to tackle motherhood, injecting a healthy dose of the bizarre and surreal to make sense of “the most meaningful time of your life”.

www.nightfeed.ca
Instagram: nightfeedplay
Twitter: @nightfeedplay
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nightfeedplay
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/night-feed

The First of Two Fringe 2019 Roundup episodes. On each of the Saturdays of the Fringe, we gather a group of performers together to talk about their shows, their Fringe experience so far, and what shows they've loved, and more.

Kaho Koda
Decaying Tongue
website: https://www.humanburrito.com/
instagram: humanburritoproductions
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanburritoproductions/
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/decaying-tongue

Monica Ogden
Monica vs. The Internet: Tales of a Social Justice Warrior
Instagram: socialjusticewarriorfringe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicavsTheInternetShow/
Twitter: @ragesweater
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/monica-vs-internet-tales-social-justice-warrior

Sarah Joy Bennett
Night Feed
Instagram: nightfeedplay
Facebook: https://facebook.com/nightfeedplay
Twitter: @nightfeedplay
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/night-feed

Shane Adamzack
The Ballad of Frank Allen
weepingspoon.com
Instagram: weepingspoon
Facebook: https://facebook.com/weepingspoonproductions
Twitter: @weepingspoon
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/ballad-frank-allen

Carlyn Rhamey
The ADHD Project
www.squirrelsuit.ca
Instagram: TheADHDProject
Facebook: https://facebook.com/SquirrelSuitProductions
Twitter: @SquirrelSuitT
Tickets: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/adhd-project

Recorded 9:30am, July 6, 2019

Michael Ross Albert is the author of several plays including Miss (FringeNYC; Unit 102 Actors Company); The Farmers Lit the Fields on Fire (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); The Grass is Greenest at the Houston Astrodome (FringeNYC, published by Applause in Best American Short Plays 2014-2015); and Karenin’s Anna (Toronto Fringe Festival, “Outstanding New Play,” — NOW Magazine), as well as the 2018 Toronto Fringe hit, Anywhere.

Along with the Storefront Theatre, Michael produced the sold-out world premiere production of his play Tough Jews in the heart of Toronto’s Kensington Market. The production was nominated for 6 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, including Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Production.

His play Starfishes opened Off-Broadway at the Theatre at Dance New Amsterdam and is included in Best American Short Plays 2010-2011. It has since been performed across the United States and Canada.

Michael received an MFA in Playwriting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. Michael is an associate member of the Dramatists Guild of America, and a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

The Huns
The morning after a break-in at a tech company, three co-workers assemble for a conference call to discuss the burglary. What starts as a civilized, professional meeting swiftly devolves into a brutal showdown that puts everyone's careers-- and their hopes for future happiness-- in jeopardy.

STREETCAR CROWSNEST: GULOIEN THEATRE
345 Carlaw Ave.

Friday July 5, 9:30pm
Saturday July 6, 6:15pm
Sunday July 7, 8:30pm
Tuesday July 9, 7:30pm
Thursday July 11, 5:30pm
Friday July 12, 10:15pm
Sunday July 14, 4:00pm

Instagram:OneFourOneCollective
Twitter:@OneFourOneCo
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/onefourone/
Tickets:https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/huns

Mark Brownell is a Toronto-based playwright and co-artistic director of the Pea Green Theatre Group with his wife, Sue Miner.

He is the author of a number of plays, including Monsieur D'Eon is a Woman, which was nominated for a Governor General's Award. His libretto for the opera Iron Road won a Dora Mavor Moore Award and he was nominated for a Dora for his 2006 play, Medici Slot Machine.

Three Men on a Bike
From the company that brought you the award-winning Toronto Fringe smash hit Three Men in a Boat. Based upon the further writings of Victorian author Jerome K. Jerome. Pea Green Theatre Group proudly presents Three Men on a Bike! (Being the further adventures of three Victorian gentlemen as they embark upon a disastrous bicycling trip to the continent.) Not to be missed!

Three Men on a Bike
Tarragon Theatre Mainspace
Thu 4th Jul 6:15 pm
Sat 6th Jul 10:00 pm
Mon 8th Jul 8:45
Wed 10th Jul 5:45 pm
Sat 13th Jul 8:00 pm
Sun 14th Jul 2:00 pm

Directed By: Sue Miner
Adapted for the Stage By: Mark Brownell
Featuring: Matt Pilipiak, Victor Pokinko and David DiFrancesco
Period Costumes By: Nina Okens
Period Music By: J. Rigzin Tute

peagreentheatre.com
Twitter:@Montmorency3Men
Tickets:https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/three-men-bike

The Tita Collective, an all Filipina collective of multidisciplinary artists in Toronto, will present Tita Jokes as part of the 2019 Toronto Fringe FestivalJuly 3 - 14 at the Tarragon Theatre. They sing, they dance, and they’ll make you snort-laugh halo-halo through your nose!

Tita Jokes is a musical sketch comedy spectacle to remember. The show revolves around the Filipinx people in their lives such as aunts, moms, daughters, and partners. Tita Jokes reveals their struggles and heartaches, but also how they cope through comedy and songs.

Tita Collective are an all Filipina collective composed of award-winning playwrights, comedians, musicians, dancers, theatre makers and actors. They explore different mediums to tell the stories about the Filipinx diaspora.

Directed Tricia Hagoriles, Tita Jokes is created and performed by Ann Paula Bautista, Belinda Corpuz, Isabel Kanaan, Ellie Posadas, Alia Rasul, and Maricris Rivera. The Music Director is Ayaka Kinugawa and Stage Manager is Justine Cargo.

In addition to Toronto Fringe, Tita Collective will also appear at TAWA Festival May 27 and 28 at Bad Dog Theatre, Celebration of Filipino Heritage Month at Earl Bales Park on June 1, and Notorious’ Music Comedy Festival on June 14 - 15. Tita Collective will host a workshop called “Powered by Community” on May 23 at Artscape Daniels Launchpad.

Tita Collective is Ann Paula Bautista (Disenchanted US Tour), Belinda Corpuz (Prairie Nurse), Isabel Kanaan (CBC’s Air Farce), Alia Rasul (Generally Hospital), and Maricris Rivera (A New World Being Born). Tita Collective won the 2019 Steamwhistle Producers’ Pick at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival and were named as part of “19 Asian Millennial Women You Should Know” by Cold Tea Collective.

Twitter:@tita_collective
Instagram:tita.collective
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/titacollective
Tickets:https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/tita-jokes

Tita Jokes
July 3 - 14, 2019 at Toronto Fringe
Tarragon Theatre, Mainspace
30 Bridgeman Avenue

Thursday July 4, 8:30PM
Saturday July 6, 4:45PM
Sunday July 7, 1:15PM
Tuesday July 9, 9:45PM
Wednesday July 10, 8:00PM
Friday July 12, 4:00PM
Sunday July 14, 6:00PM

Kaho Koda is a Japanese theatre creator located in Toronto. Her recent credits include Koki Mitani's University of Laughter (Translator & Director) and Shakespeare's Richard III (Lighting Designer). She is delighted to present her first play Decaying Tongue (Writer & Director) at the Toronto Fringe Festival 2019.

Sachi Lovatt is an actress originally from Ottawa. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the UK, where she earned her MA in Professional Acting. After three years in England, she now calls Toronto home and is a proud member of both Equity and ACTRA. Recent credits include The Handmaid’s Tale and narrating the Alarm of War trilogy into audiobooks. Being half Japanese and half British, Decaying Tongue holds a special place in her heart.

Decaying Tongue
How do you answer the question “where are you from from”? Aya navigates through life as she experiences culture shocks between her two worlds: Japan and Canada. Will she find peace with her constantly evolving identity? Decaying Tongue explores clash of cultures and what it means to find your footing with a diverse background in the 21st century.

Randolph Theatre
5th July 4:15pm
7th July 8:00pm
8th July 2:15pm
11th July 10:45pm
12th July 4:30pm
13th July 1:00pm
14th July 5:15pm

www.humanburrito.com
Instagram:humanburritoproductions
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/humanburritoproductions
Tickets:https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/decaying-tongue

Get Better
Life changing concussions aren’t just for football players. What happens when a busy perfectionist bumps her head too many times? Get Better is a quirky, and dark look into the emotional journey of recovering from a minor traumatic brain injury. Using narrative and physical theatre, "Get Better" reveals the uncomfortable truths about living with invisible injury. This mostly true story explores how this common injury effects relationships, and identity.

Tarragon Theatre - Solo Room
Thursday July 4th - 7:45 PM
Saturday July 6th - 10:15 PM
Monday July 8th - 5:45 PM
Tuesday July 9th - 3:15 PM (relaxed performance)
Wednesday July 10th - 8:15 PM
Thursday July 11th - 6:15 PM
Saturday July 13th - 10:15 PM
Sunday July 14th - 4:30 PM

Instagram:buzzkillcreations
Facebook:https://facebook.com/buzzkillcreationsTO
Tickets:https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/get-better

John Wamsley is a gay, Indigenous actor, dancer, and choreographer born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario. Since graduating from the Theatre and Drama Studies program at Sheridan College and the University of Toronto, he has been fortunate enough to work both on and off stage developing a passion-project entitled off my chest., which was presented at this year's Dark Crop Performance Festival. John's recent credits include the sold out run of the Fringe 2018 Patron's Pick, Everyone Wants a T-Shirt!, Private Harris in The Grand Theatre's production of Timothy Findley's The Wars, and participation within the 31st annual Weesageechak Festival. John is currently the Communications Manager for the Paprika Festival, and continues to do graphic and video design for several theatre companies in the GTA. He also works in a restaurant… typical.

Bryn Kennedy has been an actor ever since she can remember, but found her passion for directing in high school when she lead a production of ‘night Mother at the Sears Drama Festival, winning an Award of Excellence in Directing and Producing. Since then, Bryn has continued this journey, taking Directing with Richard Rose at Tarragon Theatre and as a member of Nightwood Theatre’s Young Innovators Unit. She is also an arts educator and is growing her experience as an arts administrator with companies such as SOULO Theatre, Rabbit in a Hat Productions, Binocular Theatre and Nightwood Theatre. Her directing credits include, Jean Anouilh’s Antigone(co-director Rachel VanDuzer, UTMDC), Overtones, Beneath the Bed (Erindale Fringe Festival), Happy Family (Toronto Fringe Festival), Selections from Vitals (Paprika Festival Directors’ Lab), Reasons to be Pretty (RTBP Collective), Vitals (Theatre Born Between) and A Bear Awake in Winter (Assistant Director, Canadian Stage Workshop and Next Stage Theatre Festival with Binocular Theatre). She is a graduate of the joint Theatre and Drama Studies Program at Sheridan College and University of Toronto earning an Acting Diploma and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree. Her special skills include baking, knitting and finding a way to mention her recent haircut in almost any situation.

BENEATH THE BED
Written by Gabe Golin
Directed by Bryn Kennedy
In the aftermath of a trauma, a young child meets a monster living under their bed and together they discover through searching the stars that this too will pass. An exploration of childhood and imagination, grief and loss, Beneath the Bed is a twisted tale exploding with music, wit, heart, and joy.​

SHOW DATES:
Thursday, July 4 – 7:00 p.m. – Performance 1
Friday, July 5 – 8:00 p.m. – Performance 2
Saturday, July 6 – 2:00 p.m. – Performance 3
Sunday, July 7 – 2:00 p.m. – Performance 4
Monday, July 8 – 7:00 p.m. – Performance 5
Tuesday, July 9 – 8:00 p.m. – Performance 6
Thursday, July 11 – 8:00 p.m. – Performance 7
Friday, July 12 – 2:00 p.m. – Performance 8
Friday, July 12 – 8:00 p.m. – Performance 9
Saturday, July 13 – 3:30 p.m. – Performance 10
Sunday, July 14 – 2:00 p.m. – Performance 11

www.theatrebornbetween.com
Twitter: @tbornbetween
Instagram: theatrebornbetween
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theatrebornbetween
Tickets:https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/beneath-bed (on sale June 6)

Natalia Bushnik and Robin Luckwaldt are ​KAIROS Theatre who present their award-winning, touring show, 'The Bathtub Girls' (Critics' Choice - Hamilton Fringe, 2016; Official Selection - Twin Cities Horror Festival, USA, 2018) in Toronto, in the Assembly Theatre's 2019 curated season, May 21st - June 1st!

'The Bathtub Girls' is a fiction inspired by the first documented case of sibling matricide in Canada. Two sisters, encouraged by their friends, drown their mother in the bathtub of their family home. We join the girls in their irreconcilable waking nightmare of survival and atonement, which began long before we arrived, and which we have no power to stop. When the water stills, the door’s broken down, the body carried away, who do we punish? Who do you judge?.

“A dark but compelling piece of theatre” ​- CBC
“Gripping storytelling”​ - City Pages, Minneapolis
“Truly phenomenal”​ - Fringe Review

Directed, Written, and Performed by Natalia Bushnik and Robin Luckwaldt
Sound / Set Design by Phoebe Wang
Lighting Design by Waleed Ansari
Promotional Trailer by William Innes : https://youtu.be/xUKPop7ccgI

https://kairostheatrecollective.com/
Instagram : @kairostheatre

Kiran Friesen is an actress and writer, known for Bruiser (2000), The Unusual Suspects (2012) and First Round Down (2016).

Theatrically, she has enjoyed a number of strong Shakespearean roles such as Gertrude (Hamlet), Lady M (Macbeth), Desdemona (Othello) and Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet), not to mention a smattering of other theatrical wonders and oddities (see resume).

She wrote, produced and performed her play "Peeler" for the Toronto Fringe Festival to rave reviews.

Kiran is appearing in Cement Factory and NightShift Theatre's production of George F. Walker's Risk Everything at the Red Sandcastle Theatre from May 14 - 25, 2019.

www.cementfactorytheatre.ca
Twitter: @CementTheatre
Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4207407

Judith is a playwright, director, actor and professor of theatre at the University of Guelph, and the Artistic Director of RARE Theatre Company. She is the author of 15 published plays, many of which are performed all over the world. They include The Crackwalker, Lion in the Streets, Perfect Pie, and Palace of the End. Her play Who Killed Snow White will premiere at the 4th Line Theatre in August, 2018. She has directed and co-created four plays with artists with exceptionalities including Body and Soul, Sick, RARE, and Borne Most recently, she wrote the play Wildfire specifically for 7 performers with Down syndrome, all of whom had appeared in Rare. She wrote two feature films, Perfect Pie and Lost and Delirious, several TV movies and many radio plays. She has twice won the Governor General's award for playwriting, as well as the Toronto Arts Award, a Dora Award, the Susan Smith Blackburn Award, and the Amnesty International Award for Freedom of Expression. She is honoured to have the privilege of collaborating with performers with exceptionalities.

Welcome to my Underworld

In Soulpepper’s fifth partnership with RARE Theatre Company, Canadian theatre pioneer and two-time Governor General award-winner Judith Thompson directs and dramaturges the World Premiere of Welcome to my Underworld, taking the Tank House theatre stage by storm from May 9th to May 25th, 2019 with a preview performance at 8pm on May 8th.

In Soulpepper’s fifth partnership with RARE Theatre Company, Canadian theatre pioneer and two-time Governor General award-winner Judith Thompson directs and dramaturges the World Premiere of Welcome to my Underworld, taking the Tank House theatre stage by storm from May 9th to May 25th, 2019 with a preview performance at 8pm on May 8th.

Welcome to my Underworld is a beautiful odyssey that erupts with heightened, illusory and playful language, as it follows Willow, a 10-year-old girl, as she gracefully weaves from one unique story to the next in search of her truest self.

Nine blazing hot works written and performed by new Canadian dramatists have been woven into one spectacular play. Each playwright brings their own gate-crashing ideas and compelling characters who have never been seen on our stages until now.

“What I love about RARE is that our plays cut through the artifice of so much common theatre, they aren’t ripped from the headlines but they do hold a mirror up to our society” says RARE Theatre’s Executive Director, Nick Hutcheson.

Join the riveting performers Bilal Baig, Nikoletta Erdelyi, Radha S. Menon, Grace Thompson, Maddie Bautista, Samson Brown and Carolyn Hetherington as they dive fearlessly into their particular Underworld. What each piece has is the joyous discovery of a unique self, whether it be gender fluid, queer, proudly disabled and Roma, non-human, wounded, or an elder; in the face of social oppression they are unafraid to roar: This is Me. I am Here. Deal with It.

Accompanying director Judith Thompson on this journey is Irish and Anishinaabe from Nipissing First Nation composer, Olivia Shortt, award-winning choreographer, Monica Dotter, and set designer, Brett Haynes. RARE Theatre is thrilled to welcome emerging lighting designer, Sharmylae Taffe-Fletcher to the RARE family.

“I am beyond honoured to be collaborating with these nine superb emerging playwrights; as a playwright myself I was lucky enough to ride on the crest of the wave of Canadian nationalism in the early eighties, and to see that work valued not only in Canada but all over the world. Now it is my privilege to present to you the theatrical voices of Canada now; voices that will change the way we see this country and ourselves.” says RARE Theatre’s Artistic Director, Judith Thompson.

With humour, honesty, rich writing and dynamic performances by an all-star cast of emerging and seasoned Canadian artists, Welcome to my Underworld is a theatrical experience that will thrill and entertain.

RARE Theatre Company and Soulpepper Theatre Company present
Welcome to my Underworld
Written by Bilal Baig, Maddie Bautista, Samson Brown, Simone Dalton, Nikoletta Erdelyi, Carolyn Hetherington, Ellen Ringler, Radha S. Menon and Grace ThompsonDramaturged and Directed by Judith Thompson
May 8 – 25, 2019
Starring Bilal Baig, Maddie Bautista, Samson Brown, Nikoletta Erdelyi, Carolyn Hetherington, Radha S. Menon and Grace ThompsonChoreography by Monica DottorMusic by Olivia ShorttSet Design by Brett HaynesLighting Design by Sharmylae Taffe-FletcherStage Management by Jenna Borsato
Tankhouse Theatre, Young Centre for the Performing Arts
50 Tank House Lane,
Toronto, ON M5A 3C4

www.raretheatre.org
Twitter: @rare_theatre
Instagram: raretheatre

Pregnancy Pact is a pop-rock musical which tells the story of a group of teens who make a pact to become single mothers together. The 15-year-old Maddie is devoted to her three best friends and they are to her. So, when Brynn gets pregnant, the friends all plan to have children, raising them together and living a dream. Inspired by the 2008 news story of the Gloucester pregnancy pact that took the world by storm, Pregnancy Pact provides a unique chance to examine the intense journey this kind of decision creates.

www.edgeproductions.ca
Twitter: @3dgeproductions
Instagram: the.edge.productions
Tickets to Pregnancy Pact: https://www.edgeproductions.ca/store/c3/Toronto_Tickets.html

gangwaytheatre.com
Twitter: @gangwaytheatre
Instagram: gangwaytheatreco

Miriam Goldstein
Miriam is a theatre director and producer based in Windsor, On. She is the founding Artistic Director of The Edge Productions, now entering its ninth season. Miriam’s work as a director focuses on underrepresented human experiences. Miriam is a graduate of the Ward Acting Studio in New York, NY where she studied the Meisner Technique, she holds a certificate in Shakespeare in Performance and Contemporary Acting from the Royal Academy of Drama in London, UK, and a Bachelor of Art in Drama from the University of Windsor. Miriam’s most recent large scale project (as of summer, 2018) was an all-female production of Henry V by William Shakespeare which focused on deconstructing gender in performance and the construct of theatre itself, putting women in roles that have historically been barred from them. This performance toured Ontario and also performed, pro-bono, in Grand Valley Institute for Women. After Pregnancy Pact (May 2^nd-19^th), Miriam will be directing The Clockmaker by Stephen Massicotte and 4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane.


www.miriamrgoldstein.com
Instagram: mirigc87

Blythe Haynes
Blythe is a Toronto-based actor and Producer. She is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Gangway! Theatre Co. Blythe holds a BFA from the University of Alberta in Acting. Gangway! Theatre Co was co-founded with writer KT Bryski to explore female voices and develop Canadian content. Previous to the founding of Gangway! KT and Blythe jointly proposed and established the “History Actor” museum theatre program at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Their partnership culminated in the original podcast release of Six Stories Told at Night (written by KT Bryski, performed by Blythe Haynes and funded by the Ontario Arts Council), for which it won a PARSEC Award in 2017. Six Stories debuted as a theatrical production at the Toronto Fringe Festival 2018, and was short listed for the Best of Fringe. AfterPregnancy Pact (May 2^nd-19^th), you can see Blythe in An Atlas, A Necktie and Other Concerns at Toronto Fringe and in the next co-productions with The Edge Productions – The Clockmaker by Stephen Massicotte in 2019.

Twitter: @haynesblythe

#ShakesbeersShowdown is where Toronto’s hottest indie theatre companies face-off in a battle of winner-takes-all, loser-drinks-most, as contestants cold read scenes from Shakespeare’s notoriously-hard-to-read First Folio.

The rules are simple: if you screw up, you drink!

The winner is crowned the revered Shakesbeers Showdown Heavyweight Champion (complete with championship belt), and the losers…get a lot of beer.

All funds raised go towards the 2019 Shakespeare-In-Hospitals Program, set to launch this fall.

Twitter: @shakespur
Instagram:@shakespur
Tickets: https://www.nowtickets.ca/events/92921282/shakesbeers-showdown-revenge-of-the-5th

Victoria Urquhart
Victoria Urquhart is a Jack of All Trades: She writes, directs, acts, sings, dances, and is eager to learn. As a performer first and foremost, she constantly looks to define and explore the perspectives of performance and audience. She especially enjoys the works of William Shakespeare, and Viewpoints, which is what led her to found many projects in the collective. A recent graduate of the University of Windsor Acting Program, she brings creativity and insight to the Spur-Of-The-Moment Shakespeare Collective.

Twitter: @gnitenet
Instagram: @gnitenet

Steve Fisher
Winner of the 2016 Nathan Cohen Award for excellence in theatre criticism in the short form category, and a 2015 National Magazine Award nominee for his arts and culture coverage with Torontoist, Steve has been covering arts and entertainment in Toronto (and Canada) for over fifteen years. He is the top all time contributor at Torontoist, having written more than 1,200 posts in various capacities, including Contributing Editor, Listings Editor, and Urban Planner. Other outlets he has contributed to include Now Magazine, Post City, The AV Club, and CBC Music.

Originally from Ottawa, where he studied Drama at Canterbury High School For the Arts (and played on the national medal winning improv team), Steve holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Theatre (and a Diploma in Acting) from Ryerson University. When not seeing shows 5-6 times a week, Steve also works as a Training Coordinator at Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship YORK, home of Toronto’s Naval Reserve unit; as a boatswain in the Royal Canadian Navy, he has been commended and decorated.

Twitter: @gracingthestage

Ted has acted, directed, written and/or composed for every major theatre in Canada and around the world, including such great cities as New York, London and Tokyo. He is a proud graduate of The National Theatre School Of Canada, and a founding member of Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre. Arguably best known for co-creating one of the most successful plays in Canada's history, "2 Pianos, 4 Hands," Ted also wrote the hit musical Evangeline (Citadel Theatre, Charlottetown Festival). Recent film and TV appearances include Orphan Black, Reign, Carter and Farenheit 451 for HBO. Over the course of his career he has been the recipient of numerous awards including five Doras, a Gemini, a Sterling, a Merritt and a Chalmers.

Hand to God

HAND TO GOD, a blasphemous black comedy, with puppets, written by Robert Askins, was the most produced play in the 2016-17 American theatre season with 13 productions staged across the country. (Says a lot about the state of the States!) Mitchell Cushman (The Aliens) returns to the Coal Mine to revisit a play about a satanic sock puppet he directed at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in 2017.

In a quiet Texas town, recently widowed Margery is tasked with running the church puppet club. Attended grudgingly by her teenage son Jason, he finds solace in Tyrone, his homemade puppet. That is until Tyrone turns fiendish causing doors to slam, lightbulbs to burst and his head to spin around Exorcist-style. Is it…the devil? HAND TO GOD tackles all the big themes: death, depression, alcoholism, sexual repression, emotional guilt, religious hypocrisy and crafting.

Twitter: @coalminetheatre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coalminetheatre
Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/752042

Anne is a Toronto based actor, and Artistic Director of Leroy Street Theatre. She received her Bachelor of Drama from Bishop’s University in 2006, and just last year, successfully navigated a year of training with New York’s prestigious Circle in the Square Theatre School. In the interim, Anne has been living and working in Vancouver, BC. Some favourite roles include Connie Dayton in Come Blow Your Horn (OLT), Ann Deever in All My Sons (OLT), Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Beach House Theatre); May in Fool For Love (High Horse Theatre Productions); Constance Ledbelly in Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet (BU) Viola in Twelfth Night (BU).

Instagram:annevanelle

C'mon Angie
In the pre-dawn hours following a one-night stand, Angie and Reed spend a fraught morning confronting questions related to intimacy, consent, and sexual assault. As the two characters uncover the truth of what happened the night before, a major gap between their understanding of the situation - and the meaning of consent - is revealed. Told with humour, heart, and unflinching honestly, C'MON ANGIE! dramatizes a difficult and all-too familiar situation, resulting in what the Vancouver Sun calls, "a thoughtful and provocative contribution to cone of the most compelling issues of our time."


www.leroystreettheatre.com
Twitter:@leroysttheatre
Instagram:leroy_street_theatre
Tickets:https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4089866

Poised to join the ranks of Toronto’s favourite indie theatre spots, Blood Pact Theatre, in association with The Storefront Arts Initiative, announces the Grand Opening of a brand-new venue: GRAND CANYON. Located in the lively Junction neighbourhood, GRAND CANYON will serve as a new vibrant hub for multidisciplinary artists to play, explore and share.

GRAND CANYON is owned and operated by Blood Pact Theatre’sBri Proke and Bryce Hodgson, who have been praised as “excellent storytellers bringing unique, fresh voices to the Canadian theatre scene” (NOW Magazine). The Storefront Arts Initiative continues as a collaborating company to several indie productions after being suddenly forced to shutter the doors of its flagship space in 2017. The partnership between Blood Pact and Storefront Arts is a tried-and-tested recipe for success, with the two companies having partnered on such hits as Kill Your Parents in Viking, Alberta(Storefront Theatre, 2016), and After Wrestling (Factory Theatre, 2017). The partnership gained praise from critics and audiences alike, with NOW Magazine stating, “Toronto is the lucky site of the world premiere of this collaboration between these young, vibrant indie companies”. Blood Pact Theatre most recently won over our cold dead hearts with graveyard comedy No Clowns Allowed (Assembly Theatre, 2018), and also shot their first feature film, Shark Week (written and directed by Proke, starring Hodgson) which is due to hit the festival circuit later this year.

Blood Pact Theatre is committed to providing accessible, inventive, and original work to the community. By opening GRAND CANYON, Blood Pact is extending this effort to provide a safe space for artists to create and collaborate. This versatile ex-mechanic spot boasts high ceilings and ample space to fit artists of all kinds. GRAND CANYON can be rented as a theatre performance venue, movie theatre, concert hall, rehearsal space, workshop venue, pop-up shop, bathtub; you name it, we’re ready to accommodate it.

GRAND CANYON will open its doors to the public on Saturday, April 06, 2019 with a Grand Opening Fête! This is a FREE EVENT and open invitation to the entire community to meet, mingle, and pitch their ideas while enjoying live music and libations. GRAND CANYON is proud to present special performances by indie rock cuties Sundae, and a late-night dance party with DJ Valeroo!

Join us for this special milestone in the Toronto indie theatre community!

GRAND CANYON
Grand Opening Fête!
Saturday, April 06, 2019
Doors at 8:00pm
2 Osler St (Dundas & Dupont, NW corner)
This is a FREE event!

www.bloodpact.ca
Instagram: bloodpacttheatre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloodPactTheatre/
Opening night Party Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/305252730161436/

Scarred Leather is a supernatural Western by Adrianna Prosser that sends you back in time to Canada in 1842 when ghosts walked with you and your gun holster, "You can’t beat Death, and you sure as hell can’t cheat Death, but one day you might see plain what Death truly is…” starring Adrianna Prosser (Theatre by the Bay, Canada: Story of Us) and Caroline Concordia (Paro Caro, Web of Lies), with Jason Martorino (The Handmaid's Tale, Bad Blood), and Phil Rickaby (The Commandment), dramaturgy by Eric Woolfe (Eldritch Theatre).

Adrianna Prosser
www.adrianna-prosser.com
Twitter: @adriannap
Instagram: adriannaprosser

Jason Martorino
www.jasonmartorino.com
Twitter: @jasonmartorino
Instagram: jasonmartorino

Caroline Concordia
www.carolineconcordia.com
Twitter: @careovision
Instagram: careovision

Scarred Leather
by Adrianna Prosser
Costumed staged reading of a supernatural Western.
"You can’t beat Death,
And you sure as hell can’t cheat Death,
But one day you might see plain what Death truly is…"
-Red Anna, memoirs dated November 12, 1840.
Starring Caroline Concordia, Adrianna Prosser, Phil Rickaby and Jason Martorino

Waltzing With Puppets
by Chloe Whitehorn
When searching for the man of your dreams, why would you marry the man in your nightmares?
Directed by Victoria Shepherd
Starring Brianna Riche and Matt Jensen
Aurelia Adams (Stage Manager), Liam Stewart (Lighting Designer), John Stuart Cambpell (Composer/Sound Designer), Alexis Chubb (Set Designer), Brent Shepherd (Master Carpenter)

Sweet Mama and the Salty Muffins
by Ciarán Myers
A workshop production.
A child goes missing. Another grows up her in shadow. A husband has failed. The 27 club looms large. And the music is hotter than hell.
Directed by Kendra Jones
Performed by Liz Whitebread, Michelle Jedrzejewski, Renée Strasfeld, Ara Glenn-Johanson.

www.whiskeygingercollective.org
Twitter: @WhiskeyGingerC4
Instagram: whiskeygingercollective
Facebook: www.facebook.com/whiskeygingercollective/

Lianna is a second generation Ukrainian Canadian theatre artist. Lianna has enjoyed a diverse career working as an actor, creator, instructor, and artistic producer. Her main artistic ventures have been as an Artistic Associate and Producer with Pyretic Productions. Lianna has managed audience outreach and communications for several Edmonton arts festivals. And she co-founded, manages, and teaches at a children’s summer theatre camp, Spark! Youth Camp, which provides affordable arts education to youth in Edmonton’s Alberta Avenue Community. She is the playwright and principle performer in Blood of Our Soil, which won the ACUA-URDC Award (2018), the inaugural Rena Hanchuk & Yaroslav Kitynskyy Artist Award (2018), and was nominated for four Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards (Edmonton's premiere theatre awards), including Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Production. Lianna was recognized as a Top 30 Under 30 Artist by the Alberta Council for Ukrainian Arts. Lianna is a graduate of the BFA Acting Program at the University of Alberta.

Twitter: @liannamakuch

Blood of Our Soil
Blood of Our Soil is the story of Hania, a Canadian woman, who often reflects on fond memories of summers spent with her beloved Baba. After a chance discovery allows her to gain new insights about her Baba’s struggles during WWII, Hania is compelled to gain a deeper understanding of both her personal and cultural history. Hania’s search for answers brings her to the edge of the ongoing war in Eastern Ukraine. Here she meets the people and sees the places touched by war, and finally confronts the truths of her Baba’s past.

Blood of our Soil was nominated for four Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, gives voice to the people whose lives have been affected by the frozen conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Europe’s current “forgotten war,” where current Russian aggression has killed more than 10,000 people, and displaced millions. The play is inspired by the experiences of the playwright’s grandparents who fled Ukraine during WWII, and the true accounts of people interviewed in conflict zones in Eastern Ukraine.

Pyretic Productions
www.pyreticproductions.ca
Twitter: @Pyretic_Prod
Instagram: pyretic.theatre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PyreticProductions/
Tickets: http://www.tarragontheatre.com/show/blood-of-our-soil/