Podcasts about Stratford Festival

A new Anne of Green Gables is coming to the stage! We are delighted to present our interview with Kat Sandler, the playwright behind a new theatrical adaptation of Anne, premiering at the Stratford Festival this month. Kat, Ragon, and Kelly talk about the challenges and delights of adaptations, updating beloved stories, and giving yourself permission to “go full cheese” after spending time with Anne.  Go check out Anne of Green Gables at the Stratford Festival!   If you want to get a free logo sticker from us, either leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share your love for the pod on social media!  Send us a photo of your share or review at either our email: kindredspirits.bookclub@gmail.com or on our KindredSpirits.BookClub Instagram. 

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:

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive!On today's episode, we're joined by the incredibly talented dancer, singer, and musician Ryan Desaulnier! Originally from Canada, Ryan began his career performing in a variety of productions for the Stratford Festival before making the move to Australia, where he starred in the musical Evie & the Birdman, written by composer and songwriter John Field. That opportunity led him to work with one of the most beloved children's entertainment groups of all time—The Wiggles, from 2001 to 2007, where he performed on-screen and on-stage as a Wiggly Dancer, provided backing vocals for several albums and portrayed the role of Gallant George in The Wiggles' fifth television series! He was also an occasional understudy for several members of the group. After his time with The Wiggles, Ryan continued collaborating with John Field on various musical projects, started the rock band The Vinyl Edge, and remains active in the entertainment industry today. Now back in Canada, he's still pursuing his passion for performance.

Before we announce the winners of our 2024 Critics' Pick Awards, we're proud to present our annual Nominee Interview Series.   Stratford Festival stalwart Steve Ross not only had the season of his career at the festival this past summer, appearing in Something Rotten and taking on the flashy starring role in La Cage aux […] The post Nominee Interview Series: Steve Ross appeared first on My Entertainment World.

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of "Mick Unplugged." I’m your host, Mick Hunt. Today we have a super exciting guest joining us—Kim Roberts. For those of you who may not know, Kim has an incredible background rooted deeply in her Caribbean culture, which has shaped her journey in ways she’ll share with us today. From her university days, where she helped form strong communities, to her breakout role on the beloved show "Schitt's Creek," Kim's story is as inspiring as it is unique. We'll dive into her favorite roles, including her current passion project at the Stratford Festival, and get into the nitty-gritty of voice acting versus theatrical performance. Kim will also reflect on her experiences facing racial isolation growing up in Canada, and how she found her way into the world of acting, despite early aspirations to become a doctor or lawyer. Stick around as Kim talks about her personal interests, like cooking her favorite curry chicken, and her current and upcoming projects, including a special film debuting soon on Paramount Plus. To top it all off, we'll hear a heartwarming Thanksgiving anecdote and Kim's gratitude for the audience’s continuous support. And there might even be some light-hearted banter about her character’s pet Chick Aletta from "Paw Patrol." So, get ready to be inspired by Kim's perseverance and dedication to her craft, and maybe even pick up some tips on finding success and purpose. Let's jump right in! Takeaways: · Acting is like breathing; it's essential to me. · Mentorship is about sharing wisdom and opening doors. · Cultural identity shapes our experiences and perspectives. Sound Bites: · “Voice acting allows for creative freedom without physical constraints.” · “Emphasizes authenticity by connecting personal experiences with her characters.” Connect and Discover LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kim-roberts-4586508a Instagram: Instagram.com/mskimroberts Facebook: facebook.com/kimmyonline Threads: @mskimroberts X: kimroberts1 Film: All The Lost Ones See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Check out this podcast replay of the SDCF Panel: Art of Collaboration with Shana Carroll, Jesse Robb, and Jessica Stone that we hosted at the Museum of Broadway. They discuss the ins and outs of their creative processes as they collaborated on Water for Elephants, both the finer details as well as overarching ideas about what goes into a productive collaboration on a show. This was a moderated panel with dedicated time for a Q & A. We hosted this panel in August 2024. This video and audio was recorded by Michael Weir supported by the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation. Transcript available upon request. Shana Carroll is Co-Founding Artistic Director of the Montreal based circus company The 7 Fingers. Since its founding in 2002, Carroll has written, directed and choreographed 12 of their touring and/or resident shows, 3 of which (Passengers, Duel Reality, Dear San Francisco) are currently running, and which also includes Sequence 8 at NY City Center and Traces off- Broadway run at Union Square Theatre. Carroll received a Drama Desk Nomination for Choreography and Best Theatrical Experience for their show Traces. Outside The 7 Fingers, Carroll directed Cirque du Soleil's first- ever ice show Crystal, in addition to their performance at the Academy Awards in 2012. Also, for Cirque du Soleil, Carroll was circus choreographer and designer for their shows Iris (Los Angeles) and Paramour (Broadway). Other credits include: Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Recipient); Soul of the Ocean (Moment Factory); Cité Mémoire (Lemieux-Pilon); and the Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies (medieval segment). Prior to directing and choreography, Carroll was herself a trapeze artist, performing for over 20 years in the air with circuses and dance companies around the world, most notably as the original solo trapeze artist for Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco. She also appeared in Cirque du Soleil produced television and film. Now based in Montreal, where she relocated in 1991 to attend l'École Nationale de Cirque, Carroll is originally from Berkeley, California. In 2023, Carroll was inducted into the Ordre of Arts and Letters of Quebec, a distinction honoring those who have contributed to artistic and cultural development in the province of Quebec. Most recently, Carroll was Circus Designer and Co-choreographer of the musical Water For Elephants, first at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and now in its Broadway run at the Imperial Theatre, for which she received a Suzi Bass Award and the Chita Rivera Award for Best Choreography, as well as Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics' Circle nominations in the same category. Jesse Robb's work spans Broadway, Cirque Du Soleil, Momix, Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal, Mirvish Productions, Disney, Cameron Mackintosh, Prime Video, Opera Philadelphia, and more. He is the co-choreographer (alongside Shana Carroll) for the Broadway production of Water For Elephants, which was nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. Jesse and Shana were nominated for Tony, Drama Desk, and OCC Awards and received the 2024 Chita Rivera award for Outstanding Choreography. Jesse is the Movement Director for the North American Touring, South Korean, and Japanese productions of the international hit Les Misérables. He was also the Associate Choreographer for the Broadway, North American Touring, and Austrian companies of the 2017 Revival of Miss Saigon. Regionally, Jesse has choreographed at The MUNY, The Alliance Theater (Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Choreography), The Stratford Festival of Canada, Theatre Calgary, and Ogunquit Playhouse among others. Jessica Stone: Most recently, Stone was nominated for a Tony Award for directing the original Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo, which won 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Stone worked as an actress on and off-Broadway, in television and in film for decades before transitioning to directing. Broadway credits included Anything Goes, Butley, The Odd Couple, The Smell of the Kill, Design for Living, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Grease. Her directing career began in earnest with her all-male 2010 production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She has since been directing all over the country at such theaters as The Old Globe, A.C.T, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Huntington Theatre Company,  Two River Theatre Company, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival among others. Productions include As You Like It, Kate Hamill's Vanity Fair, Barefoot in the Park, Dancing at Lughnasa, Bad Dates, Ken Ludwig's Robin Hood! (World premiere), Ripcord, Bad Jews, Arms and the Man, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Charlotte's Web, June Moon, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Absurd Person Singular, and Kimberly Akimbo (off-Broadway premiere at the Atlantic). She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons.

Why would anyone open a custom motorcycle parts and accessories store in the small town of Stratford, Ontario? Located in Perth County, Stratford is the home of the Stratford Festival featuring Shakespeare productions, and very much a destination for theatre going tourists from around the world.  This is hardly the place I expected to find a wonderful motorcycle shop catering to all kind of enthusiasts and all varieties of motorcycles ... but there it is. I don't think anyone would deny there's a discernible bias toward old school choppers, bobbers, cafe racers and other similar genres. That bias does not prevent Perth County Moto from stocking accessories and apparel for cruisers, dual sports, and other styles.The owners of this most unlikely store are a humble, young couple who absolutely love motorcycles and the community of enthusiasts they not only serve, but socialize and associate with. Jeff and Lindz seem to be building their business on hospitality. Perth County Moto has a great customer lounge area with a coffee bar and ice cream shop. There's always some kind of event going on at PCM whether is the Wednesday bike night, movie night, Moto GP races on the TV, swap meet, annual anniversary party, or other event Jeff has come up with. These folks just want to be with their community.Maybe Jeff and Lindz are brilliant and have figured out how to be successful by starting a business with the least likelihood of success. Maybe they just didn't hear everyone who tried to tell them what a bad idea this was. Regardless, I'm glad they stepped up against the odds, tried something different, and have created one of the coolest motorcycle destination shops in Canada. Great job you two!SMK Helmets is the largest manufacturer of quality motorcycle helmets in the world with  capacity to produce more than 14 million helmets a year. SMK Helmets are available in a wide variety of models with exceptional graphics options. You're sure to find an SMK helmet that fits your needs and expresses your style. SMK helmets are DOT and ECE 22.06 certified for the North American Market. I'll be safe and comfortable this season rockin' an SMK helmet every time I ride!Catch up with me at an event for more information about SMK Helmets or visit https://smkhelmets.com to see the complete line of helmets. You can also follow SMK Helmets on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/smkhelmets/ or https://www.instagram.com/smkhelmetsusa/ for the North American account.Follow Speed & Kolor on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/speedandkolor/ or within the Instagram app, @speedandkolor to get all the latest news and information.Speed & Kolor is also on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQgtch0bqBTGgDRcaFK-4oQ for video versions of each podcast episode.

The Stratford Festival recently announced its casting for the 2025 season, and two Labradorians are a part of it. We hear from them.

The streaming show Danny Will Die Alone Season 2 is now available on Dekko.  Dekko is a streaming service specifically targetting gay men and has over 400 titles available.  Newest up is their exclusive series Danny Will Die Alone.  The series is both engaging and wickedly funny as we venture on a journey through one gay man's disastrous dating life. Danny, the lead character, explores openness, polyamory, sex drive compatibility, gender norms, fisting, and more! The audience is constantly challenged to ponder: will Danny finally find love? Based on his track record, fat chance.   Think of the series as if Jack from Will and Grace and Sex in the City had a baby, raised by Miranda Priestly as a nanny.... Today we talk to the star, writer and creator Jack Tracy, and co-star Jordan Bell. Jack Tracy is a New York based writer, actor, producer, editor, recording artist, and audio engineer.  Following his web series “History”, “Big Law” and “Millennial Memoir” and feature film “Snowflake”, “Danny Will Die Alone” is his first Dekkoo original series.  As a recording artist, he released three LPs and numerous EPs, performing in various Pride festivals and throughout New York City nightlife.   He is also a "dog dad".  Jordan is an actor, singer, and proud Canadian. Trained at the Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts in Toronto, he has performed the classics from Ontario's Stratford Festival to stages across America. His work includes performances in Dear Evan Hansen (Toronto) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz. A key passion: with community-based organizations to empower immigrants and Dreamers. He is a cat dad with a partner.

The streaming show Danny Will Die Alone Season 2 is now available on Dekko.  Dekko is a streaming service specifically targetting gay men and has over 400 titles available.  Newest up is their exclusive series Danny Will Die Alone.  The series is both engaging and wickedly funny as we venture on a journey through one gay man's disastrous dating life. Danny, the lead character, explores openness, polyamory, sex drive compatibility, gender norms, fisting, and more! The audience is constantly challenged to ponder: will Danny finally find love? Based on his track record, fat chance.   Think of the series as if Jack from Will and Grace and Sex in the City had a baby, raised by Miranda Priestly as a nanny.... Today we talk to the star, writer and creator Jack Tracy, and co-star Jordan Bell. Jack Tracy is a New York based writer, actor, producer, editor, recording artist, and audio engineer.  Following his web series “History”, “Big Law” and “Millennial Memoir” and feature film “Snowflake”, “Danny Will Die Alone” is his first Dekkoo original series.  As a recording artist, he released three LPs and numerous EPs, performing in various Pride festivals and throughout New York City nightlife.   He is also a "dog dad".  Jordan is an actor, singer, and proud Canadian. Trained at the Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts in Toronto, he has performed the classics from Ontario's Stratford Festival to stages across America. His work includes performances in Dear Evan Hansen (Toronto) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz. A key passion: with community-based organizations to empower immigrants and Dreamers. He is a cat dad with a partner.

Steven sings some amazing songs and talks about The BareNakedLadies, Trans-Canada Highwaymen, the creative process, blowing up your life, breaking up with your partners, repairing your life, finding freedom working for yourself, being a self starter, zoom shows, Brian Wilson, Yoko Ono, band camp, and getting pelted with mac & cheese. Bio: Over the last thirty-five years, Steven Page has established himself as one of the most recognizable and enduring voices in music. The release of his latest album, Excelsior, shows that he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Since its release, Steven has toured Canada, The US and the UK with The Steven Page Trio, and has performances planned well into 2024. As a co-founder, vocalist and songwriter for Barenaked Ladies, Steven sang and wrote classics like “Brian Wilson,” “If I Had A Million Dollars,” “What A Good Boy,” “It's All Been Done” and many more. With the band, he sold over 15 Million albums and scored multiple Junos, Billboard Music Awards, SOCAN awards, Gemini Awards and two Grammy nominations. After leaving the band in 2009, Steven embarked on a solo career that has produced five solo albums, including 2022's Excelsior, and has seen him tour worldwide, from folk festivals to cabarets and theatres, all the way to packed arenas on his recent string of dates opening for rock legends The Who.  Steven performs in many configurations, from solo to full band with horn section, but, since 2016, he has been playing most often with his pals in The Steven Page Trio, Craig Northey of Vancouver legends Odds on guitar, and Kevin Fox on cello. The trio configuration provides the right amount of portability, intimacy and power to fill just about any venue imaginable. Steven has performed arrangements of some of his best-loved songs from his long career with orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, Symphony New Brunswick and has more symphony shows on the horizon in the next two years. A passionate mental health advocate, Steven has been in demand as a public speaker since 2011, sharing his own story with audiences across North America. In 2018, Steven was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame with his former bandmates in Barenaked Ladies, at the Juno Awards Ceremonies in Vancouver. In 2020, when work on the musical he wrote with playwright Daniel MacIvor for Canada's Stratford Festival, Here's What It Takes, was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Steven began performing weekly livestream concerts over Zoom, Steven Page Live From Home. These Live From Home shows, sometimes selling 1000 tickets at a time, cultivated a tightly-knit community of music fans from all over the world, and kept them feeling connected when it was most needed. Steven continues to perform Live From Home shows on Saturdays when he's not on the road, with the 100th episode planned for early in 2023.  The Governor-General's Performing Arts Awards approached Steven in 2021 about writing a song as a surprise tribute to his friend, Ryan Reynolds, and the result was “Canada Loves You Back,” a song as poignant, humourous and Canadian as the actor it honours. Steven is a frequent collaborator with Toronto's Art of Time Ensemble, made up of some of Canada's best classical, jazz and pop musicians. With them, he released an album of covers, A Singer Must Die, in 2009, and also appears on their Sgt. Pepper and Songs of Leonard Cohen albums. Along with Chris Murphy (Sloan), Moe Berg (The Pursuit of Happiness), and Craig Northey (Odds), Steven makes up a quarter of The Trans-Canada Highwaymen, four lead singers of classic Canadian bands, whose first album of Canadian covers is set to be released in the fall of 2023.

In this episode of The Late Night Restaurant Show, Jay Ashton and Dominic Pedulla welcome Adam Waxman, an influential figure in Canadian media, to discuss the profound legacy of his family and their iconic publication, Dine Magazine. From stories of Adam's own travels and culinary experiences to the three generations of Waxmans involved in the Stratford Festival, the episode paints a vivid picture of their love for food, storytelling, and authenticity. Adam shares insight into the evolving world of food media and how his family's passion for capturing real culinary experiences drives their work. They also explore the future of Dine Magazine, the value of storytelling in the restaurant industry, and the possibility of a print revival, making this episode a celebration of culinary arts, media, and family legacy.

In this episode of The Late Night Restaurant Show, Jay Ashton and Dominic Pedulla welcome Adam Waxman, an influential figure in Canadian media, to discuss the profound legacy of his family and their iconic publication, Dine Magazine. From stories of Adam's own travels and culinary experiences to the three generations of Waxmans involved in the Stratford Festival, the episode paints a vivid picture of their love for food, storytelling, and authenticity. Adam shares insight into the evolving world of food media and how his family's passion for capturing real culinary experiences drives their work. They also explore the future of Dine Magazine, the value of storytelling in the restaurant industry, and the possibility of a print revival, making this episode a celebration of culinary arts, media, and family legacy.

In 1953, Stratford, Ontario opened its first festival under a tent with Alec Guinness speaking the first lines of Richard III. From there, Stratford became the centre of theatre in Canada. Artwork/logo design by Janet Cordahi Support: patreon.com/canadaehx Merch: https://www.ohcanadashop.com/collections/canadian-history-ehx Donate: buymeacoffee.com/craigu Donate: canadaehx.com (Click Donate) E-mail: craig@canadaehx.com Twitter: twitter.com/craigbaird Threads: https://www.threads.net/@cdnhistoryehx Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cdnhistoryehx YouTube: youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx Want to send me something? Craig Baird PO Box 2384 Stony Plain PO Main, Alberta T7Z1X8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chilina Kennedy is known for playing Carole King in the musical Beautiful on Broadway for over 1,200 performances. She also recently originated the Tony-award winning role of Dina on the First Broadway National Tour of The Band's Visit. Chilina's first appearance on Broadway was in 2012 when she played Mary Magdalene in Des McAnuff's Jesus Christ Superstar, which also had successful runs at the Stratford Festival of Canada and the La Jolla Playhouse. Other US credits include the world premiere of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which she originated the role of Phoebe at Hartford Stage and The Old Globe in San Diego (San Diego and Connecticut Outer Critics nominations), the world premiere of A Sign Of The Times as Cindy (Delaware Theatre Company), Binky in the Off-Broadway world premiere of This Ain't No Disco (Dir. Darko Tresnjak/Chor. Camille A. Brown) and Sophie in the 1st US National Tour of Mamma Mia!. Selected Canadian credits include the title role in Ted Dykstra's Evangeline (Charlottetown Festival and original recording), the title role in Ross Petty's Pantomime The Little Mermaid (Toronto Critic's Award), three seasons at the Stratford Festival (three Broadways World Awards) including Maria in Gary Griffin's West Side Story, Eva Peròn in Evita, Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate, three seasons at the Shaw Festival, the World Premiere of The Lord of the Rings (Mirvish), Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Stratford/Toronto), Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (Neptune), and the title role in Mary Poppins (Theatre Aquarius). Chilina is also a singer/songwriter with a debut album What You Find in a Bottle, released in 2015. Chilina has written a new musical Call It Love with Eric Holmes, who is known for being a writer for “The Good Fight” on CBS. Featuring music and lyrics by Chilina, book co-written by Eric and Chilina, and musical arrangements by Rick Fox, Call It Love has been developed in the New York City area by Eclipse Theatre Company (http://eclipsetheatre.ca/). Chilina has worked with Burt Bacharach, guest starred in concert with the TSO, Colm Wilkinson and Jason Robert Brown. You can hear Chilina's voice on CBC's “Celebrate the Seasons” and “Carols for a Cure.” Chilina is a graduate of Sheridan College and the Birmingham Conservatory for classical theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Luisa Lyons chats with writer and composer George Chiang and actor Harriet Chung about the multi award-winning musical Golden Lotus. Based on the influential Chinese novel Jin Ping Mei, Golden Lotus was developed in North America before premiering in Hong Kong in 2014 where it was filmed live. It's now available to stream on Stratfest at Home. Learn about the banned novel Jin Ping Mei, the fascinating international story behind the development of Golden Lotus, how the show became Hong Kong's first original musical, the process of filming, and the surprising rewards of entering the capture of the musical into film festivals. George Chiang is the acclaimed writer of Golden Lotus, winner of the Heckler's Award for Best Original Work in Hong Kong. The feature film adaptation of Golden Lotus has secured over 60 international film awards, including Best Picture at the World Independent Cinema Awards in Edinburgh. As a multi-award-winning songwriter, director, and producer, George's works such as “A World Away (Remix)” have earned accolades like Best Song and Best Music Video. As an actor, George returns to the Stratford Festival this season to perform in Salesman in China.Harriet Chung, born in Hong Kong, is a celebrated performer whose illustrious career includes groundbreaking roles in The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto and Cats in Hamburg. She starred in Golden Lotus, garnering numerous Best Actress awards internationally. Harriet's debut single, “A World Away (Remix)”, won Best Original Song at the Hollywood Gold Awards, and her debut album, A World Away, has achieved critical acclaim. Her performances have earned her multiple Best Music Video awards. Harriet will make her Stratford Festival debut in 2024, performing in Salesman in China, continuing her streak of distinguished contributions to theatre and music.Show Links Golden Lotus: https://goldenlotusthemusical.com/ George Chiang: https://www.georgechiang.org/Harriet Chung: https://harrietchung.com/ Watch Golden Lotus: https://stratford.vhx.tv/golden-lotus-the-musical Support the Show.Filmed Live Musicals is where musicals come home. Use the searchable database to find musicals filmed on stage to watch from the comfort of your living room! Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to the podcast and site content, no matter how much you pledge. Become a Patron today!Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons, an Australian actor, writer, and musician. Luisa holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com and follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Jewelle Blackman is a Dora nominated Canadian actor, violinist, singer/songwriter and playwright.  Born and bred in Toronto, Jewelle has worked extensively in theatre, television and film across North America.  She was most recently seen on Broadway starring as “Persephone” in the Tony and Grammy winning Best Musical HADESTOWN.  The same show where she made her Broadway debut and was part of the OBC originating the role of “Contralto Fate”. While in New York Jewelle performed two sold-out Cabarets at the iconic 54 Below and was the anthem singer at Madison Square Gardens. Canadian credits include the Companies of HADESTOWN, WE WILL ROCK YOU; THE LION KING; CAROLINE OR CHANGE; DREAMGIRLS; CROWNS, and three seasons at The Stratford Festival. She was also the headliner for the Toronto Symphony's 2023 Canada Day Celebration. Jewelle's other show ROOTED: A Musical Poem is also debuting at the Toronto Fringe this year and will be presented Off-Broadway later this summer. Rooted: A Musical Poem "Rooted what does it mean to me? To be stuck in the ground like this tree." A contemporary fable for the ages, ROOTED begs the question what does it mean to be rooted and how does our idea of being rooted change as we grow? With R'n'B, soul, and soaring strings, this musical poem is brought to life in the heart of Central Park.

Jewelle Blackman is a Dora nominated Canadian actor, violinist, singer/songwriter and playwright.  Born and bred in Toronto, Jewelle has worked extensively in theatre, television and film across North America.  She was most recently seen on Broadway starring as “Persephone” in the Tony and Grammy winning Best Musical HADESTOWN.  The same show where she made her Broadway debut and was part of the OBC originating the role of “Contralto Fate”. While in New York Jewelle performed two sold-out Cabarets at the iconic 54 Below and was the anthem singer at Madison Square Gardens. Canadian credits include the Companies of HADESTOWN, WE WILL ROCK YOU; THE LION KING; CAROLINE OR CHANGE; DREAMGIRLS; CROWNS, and three seasons at The Stratford Festival. She was also the headliner for the Toronto Symphony's 2023 Canada Day Celebration. Jewelle's other show ROOTED: A Musical Poem is also debuting at the Toronto Fringe this year and will be presented Off-Broadway later this summer. BOY BOY AND THE MAGIC DRUM The annual Peace Parade has been cancelled and it's up to the self-doubting Boy Boy to save it. Will he figure out the mystery of the rainbow brew in time? This heart-warming, soca-inspired musical is the 2024 Adam's Prize winner, adapted from the children's book "Boy Boy and the Magic Drum" by Machel Montano. Celebrating the sounds of steel pan and the spirit of Trinidad and Tobago in a joyful, family friendly, new show.

On today's episode, I talk to playwright and TV writer Susan Coyne. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Susan studied intellectual history before pivoting to acting. She acted in several seasons of the Stratford Festival (which was formerly known as the Stratford Shakespeare Festival) and then became a playwright. In the early aughts, Susan - along with Mark McKinney and Bob Martin, created the brilliant TV show Slings & Arrows, and over the three seasons won numerous Gemini Awards for writing and acting in the show. Since then, Susan has worked in TV and film both in the US and Canada, and most recently wrote on Mozart in the Jungle and Daisy Jones & the Six. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter. Check out my free philosophy Substack where I write essays every couple months here and my old casiopop band's lost album here! And the comedy podcast I do with my wife Naomi Couples Therapy can be found here!  

The Who's Tommy is back on Broadway for its first revival, 30 years after the original production. And directing this revival is the original director from that first Broadway run, Des McAnuff. While he is known for his work in musicals, he is also quite adept in the works of Shakespeare and other classical works, having been Artistic Director of Canada‘s Stratford Festival. And we will touch on some of his other projects, but today's conversation will mostly focus on three of his standout shows: Tommy and this season's revival of it, the Best Musical smash hit Jersey Boys, and his Broadway debut and first Tony award for Big River. We talk about his penchant for doing musicals that feature pop music scores, and why some people look down on “jukebox musicals.” (03:14) The Dodgers theatrical group and his directing in Canada (08:53) Story #1 - Tommy (25:43) Story #2 - Jersey Boys (36:18) Story #3 - Big River ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I'll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kayla Besse, the Stratford Festival's Accessibility Coordinator describes how they're making performances accessible to as many people as possible.

Mike Feir continues the discussion on Unmade Moves; a collection of seven incredible screenplays that never made it to the big screen. Does having a disability make it harder to say no? Contributor, Fern Lulham, shares how she dismisses guilty feelings to get comfortable with saying no. Nisreen Abdel-Majid is bringing us The Buzz today and she'll be giving us her thoughts on Air Canada, WestJet raising their fees for check-in baggage. Kayla Besse, the Stratford Festival's Accessibility Coordinator describes how they're making performances accessible to as many people as possible. Freelance reporter, Laura Bain, highlights the "All Together Link", a Halifax organization that offers low anxiety, no-cost social gatherings. Content Development Specialist, Jim Krysco, joins us for the Thursday Round Table.

In the thorny thickets of love and desire, how do Shakespeare's characters talk to each other? And what's changed in 400 years? From the Stratford Festival, IDEAS explores the challenges around issues of sex and gender in staging Shakespeare's plays.

As we revealed in our 42nd Street episode the shoes of our wonderful Canadian Bea Arthur Autumn Smith left were just too big to fill for one co-host. So the decision was made to split the co-hosting duties between two wonderful hosts and you've met Maris Lyons and now we are excited to introduce you to our new and other permanent co-host Scott Hurst! Scott is a survivor of 48 years in professional & community  theatre, Scott has earned a living as an actor, singer, dancer, director, writer & producer, and his resume includes seasons at the Stratford Festival, Charlottetown Festival, Blyth Festival, Thousand Islands Playhouse, the National Arts Centre and a side trip to the MDM Theatre in Moscow. A recipient of an Excellence in the Arts award at the 2009 Barrie Arts Awards, Scott is known locally for his extensive work with The South Simcoe Theatre, Kempenfelt Community Players, Talk is Free Theatre, Theatre by the Bay, Huronia Players, and the Orillia Sunshine Festival. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for The South Simcoe Theatre and is helping to develop a training program for actors, directors, singers and production teams. A proud member of the LGBTQ2S+ community, Scott is now considered by some to be a Gay Elder and he's grateful to have lived long enough to achieve that status. 3TY Rob! We are so excited to have Scott on our team and please joy this introductory interview where Mackenzie and Scott discuss Scott's theatrical background and we explore his thoughts on the current musical theatre landscape. Don't forget to leave us a review and share your thoughts on this episode on our social media pages. Follow the links below to reach our pages. ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter

Host Luisa Lyons chats with Sam Boer, co-founder of The Uncommon Folk Collective and one of the composers behind Ursa: A Folk Musical, a theatre-concert hybrid that received its world premier in 2022 as part of the Toronto Fringe NextStage Festival. In this episode, learn about learn about the Uncommon Folk Collective, and delve into the process of developing Ursa: A Folk Musical. Hear about the daunting process of filming the musical for the Toronto Fringe NextStage Festival, and the importance of funding and recording new musicals. Sam Boer is a musician, writer, and theatre practitioner. He and Jake Schindler co-founded The Uncommon Folk Collective: a group dedicated to crafting music-forward theatre experiences. Their first original show, Ursa: A Folk Musical, was praised by The Guardian as a "winning, foot-tapping account of grizzly adolescence" and has been presented through the Toronto Fringe's NextStage Festival, the Stratford Festival's online streaming platform, the Kingston Grand Theatre, and Tweed & Company Theatre. Sam also records off-kilter folk music under the name Samson Wrote. His debut album Pigeon (2019), garnered a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination and led to tours across Canada and Europe.SHOW LINKSThe Uncommon Folk Collective: https://uncommonfolkcollective.com/InstagramUrsa: A Folk MusicalTrailerLive Performance clipsSamson Wrotehttps://samsonwrote.bandcamp.com/album/pigeonInstagramSupport the showFilmed Live Musicals is where musicals come home. Use the searchable database to find musicals filmed on stage to watch from the comfort of your living room! Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to the podcast and site content, no matter how much you pledge. Become a Patron today!Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons, an Australian actor, writer, and musician. Luisa holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com and follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

After the First World War, the Western powers create new borders and carve out spheres of influence, leaders from the Global South fight for self-determination, and the League of Nations and the Communist International are formed. In this series recorded at the Stratford Festival, IDEAS explores five years in the 20th century that have shaped our world today.

Welcome back to the 163rd episode of The Cup which is our a weekly (give or take, TBD, these are unprecedented times) performing arts talk show presented by Cup of Hemlock Theatre. With the theatres on a come back we offer a mix of both reviews of live shows we've seen and continued reviews of prophet productions! For our 163rd episode we bring you a very special review round up episode where we get back to our roots as we reflect on the Stratford Festival's 2023 season. Join Jill, Mackenzie, and Ryan, as they unpack all of their thoughts about what they found to be the eight most memorable shows of the season! TIMESTAMP NAVIGATOR: [00:00:00] – Intro [00:05:29] – Much Ado About Nothing [00:14:59] – Casey and Diana [00:23:52] – Spamalot [00:29:20] – Richard II [00:42:59] – Wedding Band [00:54:53] – Les Belles-Soeurs [01:05:17] – Grand Magic [1:20:59] – Frankenstein Revived [01:41:15] – Sign Off If you missed Casey and Diana at the festival, you're in luck; there are two other ways that you can still catch it! It's coming soon to Soulpepper's 2024 season, running from January 23 until February 11: https://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/caseyanddiana The pro-shot is available for viewing on Stratfest@Home (subscription needed): https://stratford.vhx.tv/casey-and-diana Follow our panelists: Mackenzie Horner (Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast) – Instagram/Facebook: BeforetheDownbeat  Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3aYbBeN  Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3sAbjAu  Jillian Robinson – Instagram: @jillian.robinson96  Ryan Borochovitz – Instagram: @ryanborochovitz [just this once!] Follow Cup of Hemlock Theatre on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter: @cohtheatre  If you'd like us to review your upcoming show in Toronto, please send press invites/inquiries to coh.theatre.MM@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cup-of-hemlock-theatre/support

In 1991, a visit from Princess Diana to the Casey House in Toronto changed the way many in society looked at people dying of AIDS. That's the story that inspired Nick Green to write his latest play, “Casey and Diana,” which had its premiere at the Stratford Festival. Nick tells Tom about the remarkable true story and why he felt compelled to put it on the stage.

This week Jimmy talks with Canadian theatre educator Jeff Marontate. They talk about his 30+ years in educational theatre, his work at the Stratford Festival, and COVID=19's impact on students and theatres. 

Have you ever thought of pursuing a different career or craft? Do you want to try something new; but you're worried that you might lose everything you've already worked hard for? Just take a step and start pursuing it. In this week's episode, Actor/Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Bruce Dow reminds us that nobody likes change. Anybody who can't sit still, and want to do something different is free to pursue it. Slow down, take the pressure off and rest.  Don't be afraid to start all over again. In this episode: We are not unsafe if someone has a belief that is different from my own. The challenges that Bruce experienced during the pandemic led him to pursue psychotherapy. As artists, we are more than what we do; we have to live in the reality of life. The impact of allowing ourselves to rest and unplug from the world to our mental health. SHARE THIS EPISODE >> www.thisischelseajohnson.com/242-2 A little about Bruce: 4 x Dora Award nominee / 2 x winner, Bruce (B) Dow is best known for their five featured roles on Broadway; 12 seasons in leading roles at the Stratford Festival; and for lending their voice to popular animated series like Total Drama Island and Thomas & Friends. During the pandemic, Bruce went back to university to obtain a master's degree in intercultural psychotherapy and multi-faith psychospiritual care. Now a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in clinical practice, Bruce is passionate about using their research to help artists better engage with their lives and careers. Follow Bruce! Instagram: @dowbruce Twitter: @DowBruce Website: brucedow.com

Listen up Queendom! We're joined by Julia McLellan who is currently in the Canadian company of SIX: The Musical as the alternate for Jane Seymour, Katherine Howard and Anne Boleyn. Julia has performed on stages across North America, including three companies of the Tony award winning hit Kinky Boots The Musical-- on Broadway, the Broadway 1st National Tour, and the original Canadian cast. She has had the pleasure of leading shows on some of Canada's most prestigious stages: starring as Val Clark in The Stratford Festival's A Chorus Line, as Persephone in the North American premiere of Mythic, in the original cast of Musical Stage Co.'s world premiere of Kelly v. Kelly, Doralee Rhodes in Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 at the Citadel theatre, and alternating the role of Dorothy Gale on the 1st National tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz.    Her stage career intertwines with her climate activism, as she is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Green Alliance, the national not-for-profit dedicated to bridging the gap between theatre and sustainability.

CHILINA KENNEDY Chilina is known for playing Carole King in the musical Beautiful on Broadway for over 1,200 performances. She also recently originated the Tony-award winning role of Dina on the First Broadway National Tour of The Band's Visit. Chilina's first appearance on Broadway was in 2012 when she played Mary Magdalene in Des McAnuff's Jesus Christ Superstar, which also had successful runs at the Stratford Festival of Canada and the La Jolla Playhouse. Other US credits include the world premiere of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which she originated the role of Phoebe at Hartford Stage and The Old Globe in San Diego (San Diego and Connecticut Outer Critics nominations), the world premiere of A Sign Of The Times as Cindy (Delaware Theatre Company), Binky in the Off-Broadway world premiere of This Ain't No Disco (Dir. Darko Tresnjak/Chor. Camille A. Brown) and Sophie in the 1st US National Tour of Mamma Mia!. Selected Canadian credits include the title role in Ted Dykstra's Evangeline (Charlottetown Festival and original recording), the title role in Ross Petty's Pantomime The Little Mermaid (Toronto Critic's Award), three seasons at the Stratford Festival (three Broadways World Awards) including Maria in Gary Griffin's West Side Story, Eva Peròn in Evita, Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate, three seasons at the Shaw Festival, the World Premiere of The Lord of the Rings (Mirvish), Philia in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Stratford/Toronto), Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (Neptune) and the title role in Mary Poppins (Theatre Aquarius). ​ Chilina is also a singer/songwriter with a debut album “What You Find In A Bottle”, released in 2015. Chilina has written a new musical Call It Love with Eric Holmes, who is known for being a writer for The Good Fight on CBS. Featuring music and lyrics by Chilina, book co-written by Eric and Chilina, and musical arrangements by Rick Fox, Call It Love has been developed in the New York City area by Eclipse Theatre Company with the first Canadian workshop planned for May 2020. Chilina has worked with Burt Bacharach, guest starred in concert with the TSO, Colm Wilkinson and Jason Robert Brown. You can hear Chilina's voice on CBC's Celebrate The Seasons and Carols For A Cure. Chilina is a graduate of Sheridan College and the Birmingham Conservatory for classical theatre in Stratford. WILD ABOUT YOU is a new musical in development, with music and lyrics by Chilina Kennedy and book by Eric Holmes, and directed by Lorin Latarro. Following a well-received industry presentation in March 2023, an album was immediately greenlit, and a first developmental production will be staged in 2024-2025. The album will be produced by Brian Spector, Daniel Edmonds and Michael J. Moritz Jr., and will be released on Broadway Records later this year. Arrangements, orchestrations and music production are by Daniel Edmonds. Additional production and mixing will be by Emmy and Tony-winner producer Michael J. Moritz Jr. The score is infused with original, lyrical pop-folk songs that are memorable, elevated and timeless. The musical was originally developed at Eclipse Theatre Company and was part of the New York Theater Barn New Works Series.

Toronto based Film, TV, and Theatre actor, George Krissa is Baring It All with Call Me Adam. He most recently starred in Hallmark's The Holiday Sitter alongside Jonathan Bennett, making history as the network's first ever LGBTQ+ lead romcom.Now George is coming to New York City to make his cabaret debut at Chelsea Table & Stage on September 23, 2023.In this interview, George is baring it all about:Creating his upcoming cabaret showSinging showtunes with Jonathan BennettHis love for potato chipsCountry MusicLife on the Prairie So much moreMore on George Krissa:George Krissa is a Toronto based film, TV, and theatre actor. Most recently starring as Jason Devito in Hallmarks The Holiday Sitter alongside Jonathan Bennett, making history as the network's first ever LGBTQ+ lead romcom.​As a musician, theatre artist, and actor, George has had the pleasure of performing for audiences across Canada and in the United States. Notable credits also include starring as Rocky in The Stratford Festival's record breaking production of The Rocky Horror Show, Tommy Albright in The Shaw Festival's production of Brigadoon and was the recipient of The Musical Stage Co.'s Banks Prize award for theatre artists.George has appeared on screen in Hallmark's Roadtrip Romance, Lifetime's Trapped with my Husband, CBC's Coroner and Murdoch Mysteries, and Breakthrough Ent.'s The Dwelling.Special Thanks:Dan Fortune, Fortune CreativeTheme Song by Bobby CroninPodcast Logo by Liam O'DonnellEdited by Adam RothenbergConnect with Me:Website: www.callmeadam.comFacebook: @CallMeAdamNYCInstagram: @CallMeAdamNYCMentioned in this episode:GME (Good Morning Entrepreneurs) CommericalI want to tell you a personal behind the curtain story that I may not have fully shared here. For the past two years, I have been part of an amazing community built for and by entrepreneurs called My Sexy Business. We have a wonderful weekly live streaming show called GME (Good Morning Entrepreneurs). As an Associate Producer and Roving Reporter, I can easily say this show is for you, the entrepreneur who is in search of community and getting your questions answered. Our Co-Hosts and Roving Reporters share life experiences that will hopefully make you feel less alone on your entrepreneurial journey. We'd love for you to join us every Friday at 8 a. m. Eastern Standard Time at https://www.mysexybusiness.com/gme

JUST SHORT OF REALITY, 37min., Canada Directed by Matt Alfano, Chad McFadden Just Short of Reality is a series of shorts that are told through the genres of surrealism, silent film and dance. Co-existing in one neighbourhood, seven individuals are presented with adversity and choice in this allegorical tale. https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/AtHome Get to know the filmmakers: The Golden Era, vaudeville, silent film and movement-based storytelling have always inspired both of us from when we were aspiring artists and continues to throughout our professional careers. Dance is a universal language that can be shared by everyone. Physical narrative is a genre that we intend to modernize and reintroduce. It's such an effective, unique and beautiful way to create. We were trusted with the opportunity to develop our series of shorts for the new digital department at the Stratford Festival, You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it's only $3.99 per month. Subscribe to the podcast: https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

The Rebel News podcasts features free audio-only versions of select RebelNews+ content and other Rebel News long-form videos, livestreams, and interviews. Monday to Friday enjoy the audio version of Ezra Levant's daily TV-style show, The Ezra Levant Show, where Ezra gives you his contrarian and conservative take on free speech, politics, and foreign policy through in-depth commentary and interviews. Wednesday evenings you can listen to the audio version of The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid the Chief Reporter of Rebel News. Sheila brings a western sensibility to Canadian news. With one foot in the oil patch and one foot in agriculture, Sheila challenges mainstream media narratives and stands up for Albertans. If you want to watch the video versions of these podcasts, make sure to begin your free RebelNewsPlus trial by subscribing at http://www.RebelNewsPlus.com

Welcome to a special one-off episode of the NDW Podcast! Today, Corrie Shoemaker is joining Huw to discuss Victorians in videogames and how it helped establish common tropes in the Nancy Drew videogames. Corrie Shoemaker, Ph.D. (University of Waterloo) is an author, award winning playwright and professor who specialised in Shakespeare for her M.A. and Ph.D. An Assistant Professor at Thompson Rivers University she researches Canadian Shakespeare, Victorian detective fiction, narrative videogame design and the Nancy Drew series. She was thrilled to work with the Stratford Festival of Canada and Bard on the Beach when researching Canadian identity on the Shakespeare stage for her PhD. Shoemaker has recently completed the manuscript “Speaking of Shakespeare: Conversations with Canadian Artists” and is revising her dissertation for publication. She contributes to the Stratford Festival Reviews website, Marjorie Magazine and has published with Palgrave's Global Shakespeare and the Victorian Review. She frequently presents on Nancy Drew at conferences and is always up for a new mystery. People can reach Corrie on her website Literature With Charm or through her author page on Facebook as C.L.Shoemaker. You can also search out her Nancy Drew publications (among other articles) with Marjorie Magazine on the website. Links are below: Literature With Charm https://corrieshoemaker.wixsite.com/literaturewithcharm Author Page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/literaturewithcharm/ Marjorie Magazine: Nancy Drew Heirloom Histories: Sharing a Good Mystery  https://marjoriemag.wordpress.com/2019/02/19/heirloom-histories-sharing-a-good-mystery/ For The Love of Typewriters: https://marjoriemag.wordpress.com/2019/03/19/for-the-love-of-typewriters/ Follow NDW: Youtube: www.youtube.com/NancyDrewWalkthroughs Instagram: www.instagram.com/ndwalkthroughs Website: www.ndwalkthroughs.ca

We cover a lot of topics in today's After 9; including: Is Formula One racing an actual sport? Kat isn't sure. Plus: The CRA wants Shopify to hand over years of records on Canadian businesses, Canada Soccer may be considering bankruptcy, Olivia Chow has been elected mayor of Toronto, York Region Police recovered a lot of stolen cars, Inflation has dropped again, A new digital offering from the Stratford Festival, and an update on the submersible that imploded near the Titanic wreckage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1991, a visit from Princess Diana to the Casey House in Toronto changed the way many in society looked at people dying of AIDS. That's the story that inspired Nick Green to write his new play, “Casey and Diana,” which just had its premiere at the Stratford Festival. Nick tells Tom about the remarkable true story and why he felt compelled to put it on the stage.

After more than 20 years, acclaimed Canadian actor Paul Gross has returned to the Stratford Festival to tackle the iconic role of King Lear. Paul tells Tom about his lifelong love of the Shakespeare tragedy, how he feels about finally inhabiting the role, and what it's like to step back onto the Stratford stage after his two-decade absence.

Ellie and Haley interview ANDREA MACASAET!  We know Andrea best as the first—and fan favorite—Queen to lose her head in Six.  But before she made her Broadway debut, she racked up some awesome stage credits, like Avenue Q, Heathers and Miss Saigon. Then, during the shutdown, she popped up in Ratatouille the Musical. And she's back on stage in RENT at this year's Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, where she's playing Mimi. Another queen, honestly. Andrea tells us about: ⭐️ Bringing Mimi to a whole new generation of RENT fans at Strat Fest. ⭐️ The best part of connecting with the audience during Six. ⭐️ What it was like doing a show with her best friends—and all the challenges the pandemic threw their way. ⭐️ Her advice for not just kids, but girls who want to be on Broadway someday! Special thanks to Melissa Mae Shipley at the Stratford Festival for helping make this episode happen!  FOLLOW US Instagram @twokidspod ALL OF OUR EPISODES SUPPORT A CHARITY CHOSEN BY OUR GUEST. This episode supports Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS And you can donate here: broadwaycares.org   CHECK OUR OUR WEBSITE: twokidsbroadway.com LISTEN TO ALL OF OUR EPISODES: anchor.fm/twokidsandabroadwaystar Spotify: spoti.fi/40vHhhY Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-kids-and-a-broadway-star/id1534679746 Please like, subscribe and leave a review if you like our show! We'd love to hear what you think, and your reviews help other people find our podcast, too! SAY HI AT twokidsbroadway@gmail.com * All Two Kids & A Broadway Star accounts are monitored by our parents.

The first Jewish woman on the Supreme Court of Canada, Rosalie Abella (or Judge Rosie as many people call her) has left a celebrated legacy as a tireless fighter for equity and human rights. She is in conversation with an old friend, psychiatrist and mental health advocate David Goldbloom, at the Stratford Festival.

Irene gabs away with the fabulous and talented Ladyboss Katrina Reynolds, live from her home in East Vancouver! Katrina is an amazing woman who has an incredible acting career all over Canada and she has performed on BROADWAY not to mention The Tony Awards, The Juno Awards and the TV show The View!  She is  the recipient of multiple theatre nominations and awards and has performed on all the A-list stages across Canada including The Arts Club Theatre Company, The Stratford Festival, and The Shaw Festival performing in incredible musical theatre productions including Jesus Christ Superstar, Rock Of Ages, Dreamgirls, Tommy, Hairspray and others. She is dominating film and television being so "Booked and Busy" appearing in television shows like Schmigadoon, Family Law, Batwoman, Firefly Lane, and Hallmark Movies like The Christmas Waltz and A Godwinks Christmas .  Not only is Katrina an  incredible actress, singer, and dancer, she is also a writer, an upcoming producer and director AND most recently she has added CEO, Entrepreneur and Creative Director with her own thriving business for Film and Television Training called "BOOKED AND BUSY"!! Katrina is my friend and an amazing woman in the arts contributing so much as both a Performer and a Ladyboss! To TRAIN with Katrina at "Booked and Busy" please visit her Website at www.bookedandbusy.ca, Instagram and TikTok for all her contact details. To BOOK Katrina for her Acting and Singing skills please contact her Agent Kim Edwards at the Characters Talent Agency.  To learn more about Katrina Reynolds and her incredible career please visit her personal social media at Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.  Join me in celebrating my friend, Katrina Reynolds!!#ilo_artistseries

Are you an acting coach but can't find a community to guide you? Are you an acting educator who wants to update your teaching skills and knowledge?  In this week's episode, Actor/Painter/Teacher/Activist, Jennifer Wigmore would take us on a journey on how AACE was established to create a community amongst acting coaches and educators in Canada. AACE members share best practices and create standards for performers and workers in the entertainment industry. Together we can make acting training safer and  more empowering for everyone! In this episode: How an unfortunate casting experience evolved into Jennifer's green light to quit acting. How pursuing another artistic passion lead Jen to discover all creative endeavours are drawn from the same well. Just because you're a good actor doesn't mean you're a good teacher; sometimes your acting experience does not correlate into good teaching skills. The conversations about what we need to know as acting coaches and educators have changed so much that everyone needs to update their knowledge about how to create respect based classrooms and how not to hurt people. A little about Jennifer: Jennifer is a multidisciplinary artist in acting, writing, and visual art, and has worked for over twenty years as a professional artist. She has performed in theatre's across Canada including The Arts Club, Citadel Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Theatre Center, Canadian Stage Company and the Stratford Festival. Jennifer has also appeared in numerous television series and films including; Dream Scenario, Christmas as the Drive In, The Winter Palace, Y: The Last Man, Malory Towers, Adult Adoption, Happy Place, Designated Survivor, Anne with an E, Impulse, Killjoys, Suits, Kart Racer, Little Men, and I Was a Sixth Grade Alien. She has just been cast as Chief April Anderson in the highly anticipated series Cross, based on James Pattersons novels, starring Aldis Hodge. She also narrated Todd Babiak's novel, The Spirits Up. She completed her BFA and MFA at OCAD University and continues to work as an acting coach and educator as well as a painting instructor. In addition to being a core member of the activist group Got Your Back, Jennifer is also a coordinator and steering committee member for AACE – The Association of Acting Coaches and Educators. Jennifer is also currently writing her first play called Measure Follow Jennifer! Online: jenniferwigmore.com,  aactingcoacheseducators.com Instagram: @jenniferwigmore @jenniferwigmoreart @aactingcoacheseducators Facebook: Jennifer Wigmore Jennifer Wigmore Art AACE – Association of Acting Coaches and Educators  

Australian born and Canadian artist, Sunny Drake, stops by Playwright's Spotlight. In this episode, we discuss developing the artist within and how to grow as a playwright without formal training, how much involvement the playwright has at a table reading, the benefits of previews, rehearsing in repertory theatre and how to submit as well as breaking down and submitting to residencies. Within the latter, we talk about "good" vs "bad" retreats, matching your work to appropriate residencies in addition to building a case as to why one's work may be more appropriate that the contrary. We also discuss the genre of the radio play, absurdity in playwriting, teaching yourself growth, and the role of humility when it comes to criticism. Sunny is a charming playwright who brings a lot of new information to the Playwright's Spotlight and provides wonderful resources for playwrights of all levels. Sunny Drake is a playwright, theatre creator, performer, and producer. His works have been translated into four languages and presented in over 60 cities across the world for a wide range of audiences. He was the first general manager of Propel Youth Arts (a youth arts development and advocacy group in Western Australia). Currently he is the Emerging Creators Unit director with, which is the world's largest and longest running queer theater. Sunny was commissioned by the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, Playwrights Guild of Canada and ATFC to write the 2019 World Theatre Day message for Canada. He was awarded the inaugural Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize 2019 for having a significant impact on performing arts in Ontario, and was a finalist for the K. M. Hunter Theatre Award in 2018. He was awarded the Playwrights Guild of Canada national comedy award in 2021 for Every Little Nookie, which had its world premiere at the Stratford Festival in 2022. His comedy Men Express Their Feelings was described by the Calgary Herald as an "instant Canadian classic" in 2020.To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below -https://youtu.be/je2TUS-OyPALinks to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - The Arctic Circle - Artist and Scientist Residency Program -https://thearcticcircle.orgBlue Mountain Center -http://www.bluemountaincenter.org/Yaddo -https://www.yaddo.orgStratford Festival (Canada) -https://www.stratfordfestival.caContact information and socials for Sunny Drake -Website -www.sunnydrake.comIG - @sunny_drakeFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/sunnydrake.creationsWebsites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's SpotlightPunk Monkey Productions - www.punkmonkeyproductions.comPLAY Noir -www.playnoir.comPLAY Noir Anthology –www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.htmlJames Elden -Twitter - @jameseldensauerIG - @alakardrakeFB - fb.com/jameseldensauerPunk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                  - @playnoirla IG - @punkmonkeyprods       - @playnoir_la FB - fb.com/playnoir        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductionsPlaywright's Spotlight -Twitter - @wrightlightpod IG - @playwrights_spotlightPlaywriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festivalwww.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.htmlSupport the show

Our International Women's Day episode of Outlook, first in the month of March and all throughout Women's History Month, we're talking with and honouring the intersectionalities of women and race and disability, to name a few. We start the show this week with the unfortunate announcement of the passing of Judith Heumann, so named as the Mother of the Disability Movement. (A fuller tribute to Judy will be included in our next Mixed Bag themed show.) Today for IWD though, we speak with founder and CEO of Superior Description Services, Rebecca Singh, who tells us why she decided to call her company Superior Description and why she works hard to promote and provide the best quality product; in producing audio and image description for blind and low vision users. Of all things possible to describe, for the blind and low vision community. Our guest this week is responsible for setting a high bar for all levels of audio description as paid work with standards for quality in her business and across the expanding Canadian AD landscape. Rebecca has a background in the arts, performing from an early age, going on to act with such parts as one of the aunts in The Handmaid's Tale, Season Four. Singh's experience as a performer brings first-hand knowledge and integrity in the work done through SDS, in developing procedures and best practice suggested guidelines. As a mixed race woman, Singh's known racism firsthand in the entertainment and media industry, and actively works to break down barriers for people of all intersectionalities. This, of course, includes disability and by taking steps to foster an anti-racist environment and incorporating an Indigenous led program, collaborating with arts organizations of all kinds, (institutions such as universities and galleries and Stratford Festival to name a few), this is where companies like Singh's are moving away from white being the default in all things. Along with our guest's sharing as a professional in the industry, Kerry always advocating for quality audio description, Brian rounds out the conversation by sharing his own personal experience with a recent movie night with his friends and their young children, illustrating the point that AD is becoming more common and popular, sparking conversations and the normalization of this aspect of inclusive access to the arts. Check out more on Superior Description Services and the on-the-job work Rebecca's done on media projects of all kinds at the official website: https://superiordescription.com For even more on Singh's own storytelling and performance work: https://rebeccasingh.com Rest in peace Judy Heumann: https://judithheumann.com/the-world-mourns-the-passing-of-judy-heumann-disability-rights-activist/

Paul Alexander Nolan (paulalexandernolan.com)(IG:@paulalexandernolan) who is currently in Parade The Musical on Broadway, is originally from Canada, where much of his career has been spent as a company member of the Stratford Festival. Since moving to New York he's led seven Broadway productions including Jesus Christ Superstar; Once; Doctor Zhivago; Bright Star; Chicago; Escape to Margaritaville and Slave Play. He originated the role of Jim in Slave Play at NYTW, on Broadway and at The Taper in Los Angeles. TV credits include The Code; Madam Secretary and Instinct for CBS. Paul is currently collaborating on a concept album about isolation entitled T+L. 

Legendary Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent died Saturday, February 25 at the age of 92. A native of Grand Falls, Newfoundland, he started acting in the 1940s as a teenager. Pinsent had more than 150 film and TV credits to his name and was a lead player at the Stratford Festival for many years. Among other accolades, he won five Gemini awards and three Genie awards for roles, including 2001's The Shipping News and Sarah Polley's 2006 film, Away From Her. Fellow Newfoundlanders Mark Critch and Mary Walsh who both acted with Pinsent and called him a friend, join host Piya Chattopadhyay to share personal and professional memories of him and to talk about his legacy on and off the screen and stage. 

Paul Alexander Nolan (paulalexandernolan.com)(IG:@paulalexandernolan) who is currently in Parade The Musical on Broadway, is originally from Canada, where much of his career has been spent as a company member of the Stratford Festival. Since moving to New York he's led seven Broadway productions including Jesus Christ Superstar; Once; Doctor Zhivago; Bright Star; Chicago; Escape to Margaritaville and Slave Play. He originated the role of Jim in Slave Play at NYTW, on Broadway and at The Taper in Los Angeles. TV credits include The Code; Madam Secretary and Instinct for CBS. Paul is currently collaborating on a concept album about isolation entitled T+L. 

Are you having a hard time finding the light at the end of the tunnel? This journey can be full of twists and turns and ups and downs and all arounds. It is inevitable. Our realtionship to ourselves and our environment are the very things that will determine how we navigate our journey. Today's episode is there to help us remember ourselves. You are talented, you are worthy and you have the skills to achieve your dreams! You are allowed to have the things you want. This week, Performing Artist and Embodied Mindful Movement Facilitator Julia Juhas will remind us to get curious about ourselves and change how we treat ourselves. Through digging within our thoughts and removing the part of our body that doubts us, we get to the root cause of our issues and eventually attract the things that we want. You are talented, you are worthy and you have the skills to achieve your dreams! You are allowed to have the things you want. In this episode: As creatives, we can't create in a tense body and mind; we need to unlock our hearts so that we can allow our body to process our emotions. Pain is part of life, we just need to develop a healthy relationship with it. Our sympathetic nervous system is only there to help us in a state of emergency, we're not supposed to live there all the time, and I think we tend to; so when we hit a stressful situation, you can't intuitively act because you're already there. The importance of identifying the root cause of our self-doubt and taking accountability of our actions instead of blaming our mishaps to someone else. SHARE THIS EPISODE >> www.thisischelseajohnson.com/228 A little about Julia: Julia is a professional performing artist, Embodied Mindful Movement Coach + Certified Yoga Teacher with over 25yrs experience as a practitioner and guide. She completed her Yoga Teacher training in 2015 at the highly regarded Esther Myers Yoga Studio (EMYS) in Toronto where she currently teaches a variety of classes and workshops. She's also a graduate of Sheridan College's Music Theatre Performance Program.  For over 20 yrs Julia has been performing alongside some of North America's finest, both onstage and on the big screen.  She has performed at the Stratford Festival, Mirvish Productions and in theatres across Canada and the U.S.   In the middle of Julia's career as a professional dancer and music theatre performer, she suffered two devastating events; a rare knee injury and a diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Both impacted her basic functionality of movement and almost ended her career as a dancer. These events inspired Julia to shift her approach to movement and yoga to explore a practice that offers more sustainability, functionality, mobility and longevity. Discovering this profound ability to heal through somatic integration, imagery, breath & embodied mindful movement is exactly what inspired Julia's passion for helping others unravel their tension and pain to live and move with ease. Now, over 10yrs since her diagnoses Julia is living pain-free and guiding others to do the same. She is still performing, dancing professionally + enjoying a very active lifestyle. Most recently she was featured in The Shaw Festivals Production of White Christmas and played Violet in Capitol Theatres Production of 9 to 5. She has also appeared in numerous films and TV shows such as Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiousities which was released this past fall. Julia offers her services as a PTA (physiotherapist assistant) + Embodied Mindful Movement Coach at the Body Science Therapy clinic as well as private/semi-private mindful movement sessions online + in-home through her company Live With Ease. She also offers complimentary yoga practices via her YouTube Channel – Live With Ease which is a wonderful creative outlet for her. It's her way of giving back and being of service to others especially during these unprecedented times.  Follow Julia! Website: Live With Ease Instagram: @juliajuhas  @_livewithease_ Twitter: @juliajuhas Facebook: Julia Juhas

If it's Friday, It's Theater Talk, today Anthony and Peter preview "Curtain Up!", talk about lingering COVID, and touch on the Stratford Festival's season. We also have the latest news after Kaleida Health workers in SEIU 1199 have voted to authorize a strike, should contract talks stall.