Stageworthy

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby brings you a special Toronto Fringe Extra episode, featuring interviews with 4 Toronto Fringe Artists, in advance of the Toronto Fringe Festival, running July 2-13 at various locations around Toronto. 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby presents a solo episode. With the Toronto Fringe Festival on the horizon and multiple episodes currently in production, Phil takes a moment to reflect on the state of Canadian theatre, the importance of building audiences, and the challenges facing the industry today. 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. Subscribe & Follow:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes back actor, singer, playwright, and producer Rebecca Perry, marking a full-circle moment as Rebecca was Phil's very first podcast guest nearly eight years ago. Rebecca shares the journey of her acclaimed solo show Confessions of a Redheaded Coffee Shop Girl, which debuted at the Toronto Fringe ten years ago and has since toured internationally, including a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe. 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Javier Vilalta, a Mexican-Canadian interdisciplinary artist, stage director, movement coordinator, translator, and co-founder of 8ROJO Theatre. Based in Calgary, Javier shares his journey through performance, directing, and devising unique and often non-verbal theatre experiences. He reflects on his early challenges as an immigrant artist, the evolution of his creative voice, and his mission to help shape Calgary's cultural identity. 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Nicole Obidiaka, a passionate playwright, arts advocate, and business professional based in St. John's, Newfoundland. Nicole shares her journey from Lagos, Nigeria, to Newfoundland, her work as a playwright amplifying Black voices, and her mission to make theatre more inclusive. She also discusses her play Blank Page, her upcoming work Beauty Behind the Norms, and her advocacy for mentorship and community building in the arts. This episode explores: 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Ethan Persyko, a multi-talented actor, playwright, and theatre creator. Ethan shares their journey in the theatre world, their creative process, and the inspiration behind their latest projects. They also discuss their experience working across different genres and the importance of storytelling that reflects diverse perspectives. This episode explores: 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Amanda Lin and Julia Dickson, the co-leadership team behind the Paprika Theatre Festival, now celebrating its 24th season. Amanda and Julia share the story of Paprika's evolution, recent strategic programming changes to prioritize artist and staff well-being, and the organization's commitment to supporting emerging artists. They dive into how the Paprika Festival fosters professional development, provides paid opportunities, and creates space for experimentation and growth — a vital contribution to the Canadian theatre community. Amanda and Julia also talk about their own journeys into arts administration, their long-standing collaboration, and what's coming up at this year's festival. This episode explores: 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Newfoundland-based actor, writer, director, producer, and self-described instigator Ruth Lawrence. Ruth reflects on a career deeply rooted in community, mentorship, and creative activism. In this rich and thoughtful conversation, she discusses her early theatre influences, why she returned to Newfoundland after studying in Ontario, her passion for mentorship, and how theatre can be a catalyst for social change. 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:

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Toronto-based performer, voice educator, and multidisciplinary artist Tahirih Vejdani. Born in Saint John, NB, and raised in Regina, Tahirih shares the inspiring and non-traditional journey that led her from classical music training in the Prairies to becoming a sought-after artist and educator in Canada's theatre scene. 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:

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Cole Hayley, a theatre artist known for his innovative work and dedication to the Canadian theatre scene. Cole shares insights into his creative journey, the challenges and triumphs of working in theatre, and his latest projects. This episode explores: 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with actor, director, and casting professional Mariel Kathryn Hunter. Based in Saint John, New Brunswick, Mariel has worked extensively in theatre, film, and television, both as a performer and behind the scenes. Mariel shares her journey from Saint John to Vancouver and back, discussing how an unexpected dream pushed her to pursue acting. She also talks about her work in casting, her approach to directing, and why storytelling is essential in regional theatre. This episode explores: 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:

This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with actor, writer, and theatre creator Scott Garland. A fixture in Toronto's theatre community, Scott is passionate about playwriting, dramaturgy, and fostering creative spaces. He was one of the curators of Sing for Your Supper, a monthly play reading series that gave playwrights a chance to hear their work performed. 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:

Stageworthy is back! After a year-long hiatus, host Phil Rickaby returns to celebrate and amplify Canadian theatre. In this first episode of the relaunch, Phil sits down with playwright, journalist, and Globe and Mail staff writer Graham Isador. 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:

In this final episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby talks with theatre and opera director, playwright and educator, Peter Hinton-Davis. In addition to his work work as a director, playwright, and educator, from 2005-2012, he took over as the artistic director of English theatre at Ottawa's National Arts Centre, shaping how Canada conceptualizes its national theatre. He is currently directing Coal Mine Theatre's Dion, running until March 3 at Toronto's Coal Mine Theatre. 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

In this episode, Shifting Ground Collective founding members, Joshua Kilimnick, Shannon Murtagh, and Colette Richardson join me to unpack the story behind their latest production, "Merrily We Roll Along." Their journey reflects not just the highs and lows of the creative process, but also the resilience and enthusiasm needed to bring a classic Stephen Sondheim musical to Canadian audiences, all while nurturing new talents and weathering the storms of the pandemic. 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

Steven Mayoff (he/him) was born in Montreal, lived in Toronto for 17 years and moved to Prince Edward Island in 2001. His fiction and poetry have appeared in literary journals across Canada, the U. S. and abroad. His books include the story collection Fatted Calf Blues (Turnstone Press, 2009), the novel Our Lady of Steerage (Bunim & Bannigan, 2015), the poetry chapbook Leonard's Flat (Grey Borders Books, 2018) and the poetry collection Swinging Between Water and Stone (Guernica Editions, 2019) and the novel The Island Gospel According to Samson Grief (Radiant Press, 2023). As a lyricist, he has collaborated with composer Ted Dykstra for many years. Their musical reimagining of Euripides tragedy, The Bacchae, entitled Dion a Rock Opera, will receive its world premiere at the Coal Mine Theatre in February 2024. www.stevenmayoff.ca Instagram: @steven_mayoff Tickets and Info, Dion: a Rock Opera: www.coalminetheatre.com/dion

This week, as we count down the final episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby talks with the passionate Emilio Vieira, who takes on the role of Palamon in Shakespeare BASH'd unique production of "Two Noble Kinsmen." Together, we explore the thrills and challenges of performing one of the Bard's less frequently staged plays. Emilio reveals the intricacies of making Shakespeare's language resonate with contemporary audiences and discusses the emotional highs and lows his character endures in this tale of honour and forbidden desire. 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

In this episode, Phil Rickaby talks with the outstanding Deborah Drakeford and unpacking the Canadian premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith's "Rockabye." From the first costume fitting that sets the stage for character metamorphosis to the electric anticipation of performing an original rock anthem, this episode is a tribute to the craft. The camaraderie within the Actors Repertory Company, nurtured by director Rob Kempson is palpable as Deborah recounts the collective effort in breathing life into "Rockabye." This is a toast to the ensemble's magic and her own evolution as resident artist and co-artistic producer with ARC. 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

To kick off 2024, Stageworthy host Phil Rickaby convenes a round table discussion of Fringe Festival performers. The months of November and December are when a lot of the festivals on the Canadian Fringe circuit hold their lotteries, and so a lot of performers are planning out their summer touring schedules. In this round table discussion, Phil is joined by Keith Brown, Jess Gorman, Tim Murphy, Sarah Ivanco, Kendall Savage, Georgia Findlay, and Evan Bawtinheimer. These performers share the shows that they will be bringing to Fringe festivals this summer, seasoned touring artists share secrets and tips with artists newer to Fringe touring, and everyone talks frankly about the trials and triumphs of the Fringe experience, spotlighting the excitement and nerves that accompany taking a show on the road. From the logistics of coordinating tours between Montreal and Ottawa to the strategic planning necessary for North America's largest fringe in Edmonton, our guests reveal the behind-the-scenes efforts that fuel their passion for performance. So, whether you're a theatre enthusiast or an aspiring artist, this episode offers a front-row seat to the dreams, doubts, and determination that shape the exhilarating world of Fringe Festivals. 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

What does it take to script an audio drama that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats? What goes into creating compelling characters and casting the perfect voice actors? Join us as we unravel these fascinating aspects of audio drama with our guests Kevin Shea and Jill Harper, creators of the successful project, Feedback. They share with us not just their creative process and the challenges they face, but also their dislikes and likes about traditional radio dramas. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

In this episode, host Phil Rickaby, talks with Sex T-Rex member, Lowen Morrow. Together, we explore everything from the dynamic theatre scene in Canada to the origins of D&D live shows, the joys and challenges of self-promotion in the entertainment industry, and much more. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Get ready for a holiday treat! This week, host Phil Rickaby chats with Katie Kerr and Matthew Stodolak, as they share the behind-the-scenes details of their new holiday musical, "Chris, Mrs.", a delightful fusion of elements from The Santa Clause and The Sound of Music. We also discuss their unique musical backgrounds and how their differences complement each other perfectly in creating a heartwarming musical experience. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Join host Phil Rickaby as he talks with the playwright of Sweeter, Alicia Richardson and Assistant Director Amaka Umeh who enlighten us on the creative process behind the play. Set in 1887 Florida, this magical and surreal tale of a talking mango tree and a 7-year-old black girl tackles themes of black womanhood and growing up black. The origins of Sweeter trace back to an ambitious exercise where Alicia penned seven plays in seven days, with many forming the foundation for her other work, Articulation. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

From an early encounter with a circus camp as a child, Emily Hughes delved into the world of theatre and circus, fusing both worlds in her performances and creations. As an introverted artist with an electrifying presence on stage, Emily tells us about her upcoming solo performance, Goodbye Esther, a production that brilliantly captures complex emotions associated with mortality. We get close and personal, exploring the roots of this enchanting play and how Emily has navigated the exhilarating yet daunting world of solo performance. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Join us as we journey into the realm of theatre with our guests, Christine and Tara, known for their captivating portrayal of Cinderella's Stepsisters. Listen as they share the fascinating inception of their theatre piece, from a casual suggestion by Christine's partner, Ian, to the full-fledged, unique production it is today. Get a sneak peek into the process of creating their otherworldly costumes, described as a "mobile set in and of itself", and discover the backstory of the Stepsisters that breathes life into their performance. 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/ Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Ever wondered about the journey of a play from its birth to the stage? Join us as we chat with Stephen Near and Aaron Joel Craig from Same Boat Theatre about their play, Whale Fall. Listen to their insights on the evolution of Whale Fall, from its inception to performances at Hamilton Fringe and then Vancouver Fringe. Discover the story behind their Critics Pick Award and the successful Kickstarter campaign that propelled their show to Vancouver. Get a glimpse into the emotional response Whale Fall elicited from audiences and the team's thoughts on its future. 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/ Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

This week, we're talking to actor and director, Tatum Lee. Brace yourself as we plunge into the making of The Drowning Girls, her spine-chilling production at Toronto's Red Sandcastle Theatre. A tale of horror, a timeless exploration of societal issues, and a love letter to the stage, this episode unravels the layers of creativity, challenge, and passion that went into the staging of this eerie play. Tatum's childhood fascination with Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West and how it fuels her love for the horror genre make for an intriguing discussion you won't want to miss. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Have you ever wondered how a novel can transform into a theatrical masterpiece? Queer writer, performer, and director, Megan Greeley, joins us to share her fascinating journey of adapting her novel, Jawbone, into a play. We uncover the layers of a young girl navigating platonic and romantic feelings in the absence of queer representation, and challenge the societal taboos around male bonding and physical affection. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Step into the spotlight with Grumms, a queer, transgender artist, as we traverse the stages of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and navigate the world of theatre and performance. Join us on a journey that's as captivating as it is insightful. Grums pulls back the curtain on their award-winning season at the festival and shares the emotional roller coaster that is the month-long experience. They illuminate the mental toll and the comparative nature of the festival, offering a glimpse into a performer's psyche during what's considered the most competitive of the Fringe Circuits. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Ever wondered about the hidden journey a joke takes before it lands with roaring laughter? Join us, as we, together with our exceptional guest liza paul, peel back the curtain on the world of Canadian comedy - an art form celebrated as a societal equalizer yet struggling against underfunding. We delve into the grit and dedication it takes for a comedian to craft a joke, ensuring it not only elicits a laugh but resonates with audiences far and wide. 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/ Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Join us on this rich and provocative journey as we unravel the intricacies of the Toronto theatre scene with Joshua Chong, a seasoned reporter and performing arts critic from the Toronto Star. Our dialogue takes us into the heart of Toronto's performing arts world, uncovering how initiatives like ticket deals and special offers are opening doors for diverse audiences. We look at the struggles and triumphs of prominent companies like the Canadian Stage, Soulpepper, National Ballet, and Mirvish in their quest to broaden their appeal and make theatre more accessible. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

This week, host Phil Rickaby chats with award-winning playwright, Taylor Marie Graham. We take a thrilling deep dive into the heart of her play, "Corporate Finch," dissecting the complexities of its characters' relationship, the chilling plot within the confines of an abandoned factory, and how a 22-hour writing competition was instrumental in overcoming the writer's block that initially haunted her creation process. Taylor gives us her unique perspective on horror on stage, bringing to light the innovative ways she employed the physical space of the theatre to heighten suspense and tension. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

This week Phil Rickaby chats with Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim about asses.masses, a unique theatrical experience that sits at the intersection of video game and theatre. This episode promises to uncover the layers of this innovative game-meets-stage play and will leave you questioning your perceptions of traditional theatrical conventions. Expect to be drawn into a world where the audience becomes the performers, engaging in a live, interactive video game that requires the negotiation of power within the story, all while remaining enjoyable to watch for the non-participants. 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/ Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

This week on the podcast, host Phil Rickaby talks to writer, actor, and friend of the podcast, Ryan M. Sero. We're taking an in-depth look into his upcoming production, Best Bard Bits, and peeling back the curtain on his one-man show. Listen in as we navigate the challenges of writing for theatre, from staging combat scenes to making a silent character intriguing, and the pressure of creating an unforgettable experience for the audience. 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. Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

On this episode, we bring you playwright and performer, Deborah Shaw, and director and dramaturg, David Agro. Together, they are the dynamic duo behind the production of her, shedding light on how they navigated the choppy waters of the pandemic to bring their creative vision to life. 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. Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

In this episode, theatre reviewer Janine Marley from A View From the Box opens up about her transformation from an avid theatre-goer to a well-respected theatre reviewer. Listen in as we explore the intricate elements of theatre reviewing, the magic of fringe festivals, and the extraordinary process of planning for such events. She also sheds light on the difference between merely chattering about a show and scrutinizing it, revealing the mental fortitude required for the latter. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Renowned theatre critic Glenn Sumi lets us behind the curtain, sharing stories of his journey from a university paper writer to a respected voice in Toronto's dynamic theatre scene. With a career spanning from Extra Magazine to Now Magazine, Sumi's candid conversation allows a rare glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of breaking into the theatre writing industry. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

A graduate of the Canadian Dance Company and the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, becoming an artist has been a lifelong journey. She has had the privilege of working with many international entertainment companies, performing in a variety of theatrical productions all across the globe. At the age of 32, she has been to 33 countries and through her travels has made an effort to better understand the world and its inequities. Alongside her artistic endeavours, her passion for climate justice and environmentalism has been ongoing. Over the past two years she was able to complete two courses: "Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities" from Lund University in Sweden and "Political and Moral Foundations" from Yale University. She has participated and volunteered for many climate change and social justice organizations with Friday's For Future, 350 Canada, Not Another Black Life, Stop Highway 413, Every Child Matters, Black Lives Matter, Juneteenth, Banking on a Better Future and Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction. She completed a 6 month mentorship with the City of Toronto, Women4Climate, in which The Fourth R was mentored by climate experts across Canada. Currently, she is in presentation of her theatrical multimedia dance piece called THE FOURTH R: reduce, reuse, recycle, Revolutionize. Since the launch, The Fourth R has been shown 40 times; a cross Canada tour (PEI, Halifax, Edmonton), events (Lion's Club Int., Esperanto Gallery, Swansea studio showing), and a southern Ontario school tour (15 schools, reaching over 5000 students). 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Lindsey Middleton is a Canadian Screen Award nominee. Lindsey is best known for playing Vanessa and co-producing the internationally award-winning web series, Out With Dad, where she won two Indie Series Awards for Best Supporting Actress, and a IAWTV Award for Best Female Performance in a Drama. Lindsey has toured theatre across Canada and Europe and performed in over 50 productions.As a writer, Lindsey is one of the co-creators of the Roku Channel show Just Hysterics, a collective of female-forward comedy sketches, that has been recognized at both Stareable Fest and TO WebFest. Lindsey also co-wrote Unmute and I Love You and It Hurts with Theatre of the Beat; both pieces were commissioned by Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region and her first play Session which premiered at the Paprika Festival. Lindsey is currently writing a new TV show all about her days showing cows at local fairs as well as writing her first novel about her travels to over 30 countries before turning 30. Lindsey is a 2023 Halls Island Artist Residency Recipient.As a director, Lindsey has Associate Directed the sold out run of Legally Blonde: The Musical for Hart House Theatre, and Pippin for Theatre Sheridan. Lindsey produced and directed Best Kept Secret, the 400 person immersive event that marked the grand opening for the Anndore Hotel in downtown Toronto. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Cassie is an experienced artist with credits in theatre, voice over, film and television. She is currently writing her first musical, "God Catcher", which will premiere this summer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. In addition to performing, Cassie has experience as a director, choreographer, and teacher. Select credits include: Nickie in "Sweet Charity", Tina Denmark in "Ruthless", Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family", and the award winning short film, "T-Minus". 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

SummerWorks Performance Festival is a curated festival of theatre, dance, music, live art and interdisciplinary forms, widely recognized as one of the most important platforms for launching new work in Canada.  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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Reba Terlson is a multidisciplinary artist, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg's Theatre Program and the PTE @ PTE program. Recent credits include L'armoire with Cercle Moliere, and One Trunk Theatre's Stage Frights. Reba also produces, writes and acts in her theatre company It's All Relative 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. She has also studied at the Moving Voice Institute, previously known as Canada's national voice intensive. Her latest show Isolation Journals won the Audience Pick Award at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival in 2021. 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. Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

The Élan Collective is a tenacious band of newly-minted theatre artists figuring out how to make art in a post-pandemic world, where the wobbly uncertainties of isolation and virtual distancing now have direct impact on their identities as artists in a live-performance medium. The collective lives to create theatre with momentum. Art that drives change and affects hearts and minds. Élan is the going, launch, setting in motion, or momentum. It's that moment when you finally DO launch yourself off the dock and into the cold lake. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Keith Brown is a World-Class Magician, Speaker, and VIP Entertainer that has inspired wonder in over 22 countries and counting! Most recently performing for the President and First Lady of Iceland. He was chosen Toronto's BEST magician… and he's not even from Toronto! When not touring his show publicly in the summer, Keith can be found entertaining at private and corporate events or helping MBA students and business executives hone their effective communication and presentation skills. www.absolutemagic.ca Twitter: @keithhbrown Instagram: @keithhbrown Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Described by the Toronto Star as “one of Toronto's most exciting playwrights,” Michael Ross Albert is a Dora Award-nominated writer and indie theatre producer whose work has been staged across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. His plays have been produced in professional theatres, international festivals, black boxes, basements, bars, Zoom meetings, conference rooms, and tents in both small towns and big cities. He has an MFA in Playwriting from the Actors Studio Drama School and has taught new play development at the University of Waterloo. www.michaelrossalbert.com Twitter: @michaelralbert Instagram: @michaelralbert Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Adam Francis Proulx is a Canadian theatre maker and puppeteer originally from Northern Ontario. Outside of his own creations, Adam has worked onstage with such companies as Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Sudbury Theatre Centre, Drayton Entertainment, the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, and Walt Disney World Entertainment. Currently he can be seen on Family Jr. in The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy, and on CBC Gem on Lido TV. www.adamfrancisproulx.com Twitter: @AdamFProulx Instagram: @adamfproulx Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Jacob Willis and Kendelle Parks are the creators of Parlous Theatre, a collective that seeks to create new and experimental theatre that centre the voices of and provide opportunities to new-generation artists. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Nicholas Eddie is a performer and theatre creator based in Toronto, Ontario. Productions that Nicholas has been a part of have been nominated for a total of 12 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and have won 5 including Best Production and Best New Play in the Indie Theatre Category. Selected theatre credits include, Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Theatre Rusticle), Clown (Italian Mime Suicide, Bad New Days), Storyteller (The Monkey Queen, Red Snow Collective), Timothy (Freda and Jem's Best of the Week, Summerworks Festival). Nicholas has worked with Bad Hats Theatre in their new play development program to develop a new musical, Amelia, exploring the life of Amelia Earhart. linktr.ee/duhdumduhdum Instagram: @duhdumduhdumproductions Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Sam Chaulk is an actor, singer, playwright, improviser, dramaturg, creator and clown originally from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland. She's been working in theatre and comedy across eastern Canada since 2009, and got her Masters in Performance Creation for Theatre from York University in 2021. During her time at York, she took to bouffon clowning to satisfy her desire to play inside the dark, uncomfortable and undesirable parts of humanity. Thanks to Canada Council for the Arts, she studied the form with Philippe Gaulier. She's using what she learned there to build and perform her new show, Influenced, which will play at The One Night Only Festival on June 9th and at the Montreal and Winnipeg Fringes. www.samchaulk.com Instagram: @sammchaulk Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

For Studio 180: Parade. For Mirvish: Piaf/Dietrich. For Musical Stage Company: Life After (Dora Award), Parade (Lucille), The Light in the Piazza (Franca, at both Theatre Calgary, and Musical Stage Company). During Covid times: Into the Woods (Witch, Talk is Free Theatre, Dora nomination), Divine Interventions (Corpus Theatre). Just before the world shifted, Tracy played Aurora in Eclipse Theatre's inaugural production of Kiss of the Spider Woman at the Don Jail, for which she received a Dora nomination, and she spent the Spring touring Europe with Theaturtle's production of Charlotte: A Tri-Colored Play. She has spent seasons at the Shaw (Mystery of Edwin Drood), Stratford (Fiddler on the Roof, Three Musketeers, The Fellini Radio Plays), and Charlottetown Festival (Anne in Anne of Green Gables, Emily in Emily: A New Musical), and the Atlantic Theatre Festival (Cinderella, Into the Woods, Natasha in Chekhov's Three Sisters). Favorite roles include Sarah Brown at the Segal Centre in Guys and Dolls, Harper in WJT's Angels in America, Jenny in Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Outside the March), and Bella in Lost in Yonkers (Theatre Northwest). A proud graduate of Queen's University, Tracy is also a teaching artist who runs her own private studio and is on the faculty for both The Performing Arts Project and MTCA in New York City. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy

Carolyn Fe is a late-blooming Filipino-Canadian, award winning tri-lingual Actress (English/French/Tagalog), an award winning Singer-Songwriter-Lyricist and a former contemporary Dancer-Choreographer. Carolyn's continuous pursuit of artistic evolution adds new instruments to her creative portfolio as a published Writer and emerging Playwright. Her short stories have been published in magazines and a poem is part of the Toronto Catholic School Commission's curriculum teaching grade 10 and 11 students on the importance of intergenerational relationships. A budding playwright, she wrote her first plays while simultaneously participating in two different 2022 residencies: Montreal's Teesri Duniya Theatre's 2022 Fireworks Playwrights' Programme where she developed “Go Fish!”, a play that was conceived in Tarragon Theatre's Playwright Course with Paula Wing and, Factory Theatre's 2022 The Foundry New Work Creation Group where she adapted her published short story into a play entitled “Still Life in Death”. 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 Support Stageworthy Donate: tips.pinecast.com/jar/stageworthy