Life in Stages with Joel Greenberg

Mark was the first guest to join Life in Stages. That was two years ago, so it’s time to check in now that theatre has returned to its normal challenge of daily survival. When we spoke the first time, Mark had just become the Artistic Director of Studio 180 Theatre. In our conversation we didn’t discuss our family connection: Mark is married to Jessica, my older daughter. We weren’t being coy by omitting that detail, since I’d met Mark more than ten years before he and Jess found each other. And as two of the five founding members of Studio 180, Mark and I already had a steady working relationship.Back to this episode, the final one in Season 4. This is a much more give-and-take conversation than most preceding episodes. And it’s a welcome opportunity to share the studio with Mark and Mike as we bring Season 4 to a close.NOTE: Season 5 is already scheduled to record, so standby for another series of conversations beginning early Fall.

Paul and I first met when we were working on “The Overwhelming” JT Rogers’ play about the Rwandan genocide. Subsequently, we worked together again on “Stuff Happens” and “The Normal Heart” – all Studio 180 Theatre productions. In addition, Paul’s work as actor, director, fight director and fight captain has taken him across the country. Among his acting credits, Paul includes “As You Like It”, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”, “Sense and Sensibility”, Shakespeare in Love”, “The Audience” and “A Few Good Men” for the Manitoba Theatre Centre. At the Stratford Festival, Paul performed in “Macbeth”, “Amadeus”, “The Country Wife” and “Twelfth Night”.Paul directed “Witness for the Prosecution” for MTC and “La Chanson de l’Elephant” for Cercle Moliere.Paul lives and works in Winnipeg.

Award-winning actor, singer, director, theatre creator, and educator, Bruce Dow (AACE, ACTRA, AEA, CAEA, SAG-AFTRA) (http://www.brucedow.com) is best known for five featured roles on Broadway, twelve seasons in leading roles at the Stratford Festival, and award-winning performances in Toronto and Washington, D.C. During the pandemic, Bruce returned to university to study Intercultural Psychotherapy and Multi-Faith Psychospiritual Therapy, earning a Master’s Degree in Psychospiritual Studies. Now in private clinical practice as a Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO), Registered Counselling Therapist (NSCCT), and Certified Psychospiritual Therapist (CASC-ACSS), he works through Consonance Psychotherapy Services (https://consonancepsych.com) and is verified by Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca). Bruce’s current research explores not what we do, but how we engage with ourselves in the doing. His recent workshops in safe and effective use of Self have been presented at Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of the Arts, Fanshawe College, STAPLES Canada, Community Counselling of London, and The Presbytery of East Toronto. Bruce is represented by Christopher Oldfield, Oldfield Management (https://www.oldfieldmanagement.com) @brucedowrp. 

Jordan Pettle has been a professional theatre actor, director and teacher for over 30 years. Since graduating from the National Theatre School in 1994, he has worked on stages across the country in both contemporary and classical work,. He has appeared in over 25 productions for Soulpepper Theatre and spent 4 seasons at the Stratford Festival. In Toronto, he has worked for Canadian Stage, Coal Mine, Tarragon Theatre, Studio 180 Theatre, Outside the March, Mirvish Productions, Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and Young People’s Theatre, among others. He has appeared in many television/film productions (Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Murdoch Mysteries, Suits, Kim’s Convenience, Titans, American Woman, etc.).  Over the past 15 years he has also taught and directed at George Brown Theatre School, Soulpepper, Wexford Collegiate for the Performing Arts, Randolph Academy and Toronto Metropolitan UniversityIn 2024, he co-created a theatre/baseball camp with Lisa-Marie DiLiberto at Theatre Direct. He is a rep baseball coach and spends his summers on baseball diamonds across Ontario. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Shannon, and their two sons, Sammy and Avi. 

Anthony studied at UBC and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts.His film, television and theatre credits speak to a career moving between all areas. On film, Anthony has worked on “Astronaut”, “The Two Mr. Kissels”, “Charlie Grant’s War” and  “The Atom Spies”.Television roles include “Murdoch Mysteries”, “Tracker”, “Wind at My Back”, “Women if Windsor”, “Top Cops”, “Counterstrike”, “Street Legal”, “Friday the 13th” and “SCTV”.The stage, where Anthony is most strikingly represented, includes 36 productions at the Shaw Festival, “Serious Money”, “The Crucible”, “Pygmalion” and “Saint Joan”, among them.Stratfor Festival credits include “Comedy of Errors”, “Misanthrope”,  and “Coriolanus”.Elsewhere, Anthony has worked with Theatre Aquarius (“Spider’s Web”), Drayton Festival (“Wizard of Oz”, “Run for Your Wife”), Vancouver Playhouse (“Fallen Angels”) and the Manitoba Theatre Centre (“The Audience”).Anthony joined the company of “Stuff Happens” when the production moved to the Royal Alex – it marked our first time working together.

Ian considers himself extremely fortunate to have been able to play leading roles on every major stage (large and small) from coast to coast. A member of both Stratford and Shaw Festival companies, he also played the title role of The Foreigner, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, returning to appear in Studio 180s acclaimed production of Stuff Happens. Ian took his own sketch comedy show, A Collection of British Rubbish, across western Canada and to the Bradford Centre in Boston, where it also received a Broadway option. He is probably best remembered on television for his role as White Sands owner, Simon Tremayne, in the series “Road to Avonlea”. Additionally, he has had major series roles in 7 other series, including Terrence Barnsworth, in “The Associates” and Dr Pierce in “Little Men”. He has also guest starred in over 70 productions, including “Schitt’s Creek”, “The Accused”, “The Arrow”, and multiple episodes of “Murdoch Mysteries”.His film career started with “Equus” and was followed by 18 other features, including “32 Short Films About Glenn Gould”, “Lillies”, “Georgetown” and “The Apprentice”.In his own words, “He lives quietly in Kingston with his family.”

Andre trained at George Brown College and the Birmingham Conservatory (Stratford Festival). Since entering the profession, he has worked equally onstage and on screen.Stratford credits include “Macbeth”, “The Winter’s Tale”, “King Lear”, “Coriolanus” and “The Tempest”. At the Shaw Festival, Andre performed in “The Glass Menagerie”, “Sex” and “An Octoroon".Beyond the festivals, he has worked with Obsidian Theatre (“Ruined”, “Shakespeare’s Nigga” and “Master Harold…and the Boys”.On television and in film, Andre’s work has included “Private Idiots”, “Slumberland”, “Kim’s Convenience”, “Suits”, “Rookie Blue” and “Dan for Mayor”.Andre and I worked together on the Studio 180 Theatre production of “The Overwhelming”.

Brenda is a multi-award-winning actor, experienced in theatre, film and television. Among her many stage credits, Brenda includes “The Children” (Belfry Theatre, BC), “Escaped Alone” and “Noises Off” (Soulpepper Theatre), “August Osage County” (Citadel Theatre), “Doubt” (Centaur Theatre) and “Celimare” (Shaw Festival). These are but a very few of the very many.Film and television credits include “Heartland”, “Man Seeking Woman”, “The Firm”, “Wonderland”, “Foolish Heart” and “Cagney and Lacey”. Again, these are but a very few.Brenda has a great deal more to add to this thumbnail sketch, so be sure to listen to her conversation with me during Season 4.

Gord is an actor, playwright and filmmaker. He has performed from San Francisco to Rwanda, including 9 seasons at the Shaw Festival. Among his favourite productions are “Oedipus Rex” (Stratford Festival), “Hamlet” (Necessary Angel), “The Runner” (the award-winning one man show). As the naked Ukrainian plutonium dealer, in Michael Healey’s “The Innocent Eye Test”, Gord won the Dora Award.Recent screen appearances include Stephen Kings’ “Chapelwaite”, a leading role in the indie film, “Last County” and his series regular role in NBC’s “Transplant”.Gord’s filmmaking credits include “Goodness in Rwanda” and an adaptation of his stage play, “Pond Life”. As a founding member of ARCA – Artists for Real Climate Action – he has written and directed several short films for their campaign about climate crisis.Gord considers himself lucky to live in downtown Toronto, to grow his own hot peppers and to have his lovely wife, two beautiful sons and a very large dog.

Michael Rubenfeld is a Canadian-Polish theatre artist, actor, playwright, director, and producer whose work bridges North America and Europe, engaging deeply with history, identity, and performance. Born in Winnipeg and a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Rubenfeld has built a wide-ranging career on stages across Canada, the United States, and Europe.Acting credits include the Canadian and US premieres of “Our Class”, “Disgraced”, Angels in America” and “The Comedy of Errors”. He is co-founder of Selfconscious Productions, through which he co-created “The Book of Judith” and “We Keep Coming Back”, I collaboration with Sarah Garton Stanley. Michael was Artistic producer of the Summerworks Performance Festival, from 2008-2016, where he produced and presented more than 300 new works and supported generations of emerging and established artists.Rubenfeld’s practice is defined by a commitment to asking difficult questions about memory, responsibility, inheritance, and belonging, using theatre as a space where personal history and collective reckoning collide.Michael currently lives in Warsaw.

Allegra is a trilingual, award-winning actor. Stage credits include “Julius Caesar” (Canadian Stage), “Tout Comme Elle” (Luminato Festival), “The List” (her solo show with Nightwood Theatre), “Geometry in Venice: (Crows Theatre), “The Comedy of Errors” and “The Odyssey” (Stratford Festival) and “The Crackwalker_ (Persephone Theatre).Among many films, Allegra has performed in “Strange But True”, “The Shape of Water”, “John Q”, “The Law of Enclosures” and “”32 Short Films About Glenn Gould”. Television viewers will have seen Allegra in “Cardinal”, “Schitt’s Creek”, “Fargo”, “Degrassi: the Next Generation”, The Associates” and “Robocop”.Movies of the Week features have included “Riding the Bus with My Sister”, Two Against Time”, “Dirty Pictures”, Black and Blue”, “Ms. Scrooge” and “Critical Choices. 

Norm Foster is a highly produced Canadian playwright known for accessible, funny and heartwarming comedies like “The Melville Boys”, “The Foursome” and “On A First Name Basis”. His plays often feature everyday people and relationships. Foster has written eighty-eight plays to date and has been Canada’s most prolific and most produced playwright for decades. In 2016, Foster was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Michael’s jam-packed resume is itself a testament to the many stages in a professional actor’s life. So, having Michael join me in conversation is precisely what I’d aimed my podcast to include.Selecting from among the many, many credits will provide a snapshot – our conversation will offer much more.Film and television credits include “Chucky” (regular guest star), “Fellow Travelers” (recurring role), “Guillermo del Toro presents THE VIEWING”, “Designated Survivor”, “Alaias Grace”, “Hemlock Grove” (series regular), “Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town”, “The Tommy Douglas Story” (title character) and “The Newsroom”.West End and Broadway credits include “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Tin Pan Alley Rag” and Fiddler on the Roof”.Stage credits include many seasons at both the Shaw and Stratford Festivals, “The Importance of Being Earnest” (Neptune Theatre), “Jitters” (Manitoba Theatre Centre), “The Producers” (Mirvish Productions), “Billy Bishop Goes to War” (Orangeville Theatre), “She Loves Me” (Drayton Festival), “Peter Pan”, “Pericles”, “The Seagull” and “Oscar Remembered (Stratford Festival), “Rope”, “Brigadoon”, “Wait Until Dark” and “Anything Goes” (Shaw Festival).I worked with Michael in the Studio 180 Theatre/Musical Stage Company production of “Parade”.

Deb and I met about 25 years ago when we were both working on the Canadian premiere of “The Laramie Project”, the production that launched Studio 180 Theatre. And during its subsequent run the following year, at Buddies, Deb returned to the company. Additional stage credits include “Steel Magnolias” (Capitol Theatre), “The Curious Incident…” (YES Theatre), “Doubt” (BNE Theatre), “The Penelopiad” (The Grand), “”Parfumerie” (Soulpepper) and “Innocence Lost” (Blyth Festival).Film and television credits include “The Boys/ Season 5”, “Murdoch Mysteries”, Station Eleven”, “The Good Witch”, “Cracked”, “A History of Violence”, “This is Wonderland” “11th Hour” and “The Man in the Attic”.Apart from her many professional credits, I can add that Deb has what is, perhaps, the industry’s most infectious laugh.

Jim is a multi-talented writer-performer-director with more than 50 years of professional experience. I first saw Jim in the original Toronto production of “Godspell”, and soon after I was working with him on a series of original musical revues: “Tonight at 8:30…9 O’Clock in Newfoundland (Series 1, 2 and 3), I’ll Tell You Mine…If You Tell Me Yours”, “The Moose that Roared”. For these, he was writer, composer, performer – not EGOT, perhaps, but pretty damn close in Canadian terms. Playwriting credits include, among many others, “The Mystery of Oak Island Treasure” (Chalmers Award), Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Dora Award). Jim’s original musicals include “Colours in the Storm”, “Thin Ice” and “Dancer” (A Musical in Ten Furlongs – Marek Norman, Composer). Interspersed with many more projects, Jim has also taken on roles as producer, director, artistic director and Founding President of both The Guild of Canadian Musical Theatre Writers (1982-88) and The Group of Several (1982-87).

Lucy just completed her 38th season at the Stratford Festival and was the recipient of the Stratford Festival Legacy Award in 2023.She has played in over 85 productions at Stratford and has performed in approximately 45 Shakespeare plays including Lady Macbeth in last season's Macbeth directed by Robert Lepage. Throughout her 40-year career she has journeyed through the stories of Ophelia, Rosalind, Viola, Portia, Helena, Desdemona, Titania, Beatrice, Volumnia, Queen Elizabeth, Cymbeline, Gwendolyn, Duchess of Malfi, Masha, Mary Stuart, and Satan. She has explored the leading roles in The Goat, Three Tall Women, All My Sons, Private Lives, Hello Dolly!, The King and I, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, Les Belles Sours, her critically acclaimed one woman show, The Blonde the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, and very much enjoyed her 2-year sold-out run of her cabaret Late Night with Lucy at the Studio Theater in Stratford. A 4th generation classical actress, Lucy was born in England, grew up in Montreal and the Eastern Townships, is a graduate of the National Theater School, and has performed across Canada and in New York.

David has spent as much of his career onstage as he has in front of cameras. Stage credits include “The Nether” (Studio 180 theatre/Coalmine), “The Boy in the Moon” (Crows), “Noises Off” (Soulpepper), “Doubt” (Canadian Stage), “Frost/Nixon” (Vancouver Playhouse/ Canadian Stage), “Amadeus” (Citadel Theatre), “The Trials of Ezra Pound” (Stratford Festival) and “Nothing Sacred” (Winter Garden Theatre). Film and television roles have included “Burden of Truth”, “Designated Survivor”, “Saving Hope”, “Flashpoint”, “Republic of Doyle”, “The is Wonderland”, “Cold Squad”, “The Spiral Staircase” and “Street Legal”. Far too many credits to include them all here – best way forward: listen to my conversation with David and you’ll learn far more than any list of credits can provide.

Linda began her professional career at Second City (Toronto) where she performed, directed and conducted workshops. She has appeared in and directed many plays, films and television shows throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Russia and New Zealand.Stage credits include her work with the Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Aquarius, Studio 180 Theatre and Theatre Calgary, among many others.Television includes “Seinfeld”, “Fargo”, “Third Rock from the Sun”, “Everyone Loves Raymond”, “Monk”, “Degrassi”, “Sweet Z” and “Sisters”.Film credits include “Waiting for Guffman”, “Best in Show”, “Cinderella Man”, and 3 “Ernest” movies.Animation credits include “Paw Patrol”, “Thomas the Tank, “Cat in the Hat”, “Madeline” and “Fugged About “It”.Directing credits include Colin Mochrie in “HYPROV” (Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Festival) and a season of “Love It or Lose It”.Linda is probably best known as the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Angel (a campaign that ran for over 26 years) – and for all this (and more) her proudest work-to-date is her fabulous, blended family.

Tom has been a member of the Stratford Company for 12 seasons. Additionally, he has performed in “Someone Else”, “The Seagull” and “The Wedding Party”, at Crows Theatre, Hairspray, both in Toronto and on Broadway, “Hamlet” at the National Arts Centre, Robert Lepage’s “Romeo et Juliette”, “I Am My Own Wife”, at the Vancouver Playhouse, and “Tartuffe”, at Canadian Stage. On television and in film, Tom can be seen in “This is Wonderland”, The Day After Tomorrow”, “Under the Banner of Heaven” and Guillermo del Toro’s “Cabinet of Curiosities”.Tom has just completed a highly successful run in Michael Healey’s new play. “Rogers V. Rogers” and in the 2026 summer season at the Shaw Festival, “Amadeus” and “Heartbreak House” will be added to his considerable resume.

Bringing this season to a close, Mike becomes host to Joel -- and this is their 3rd conversation, which makes sense since we are in Season 3 -- how the podcast has developed, is developing, will continue to evolve PLUS the reality of stepping down from Studio 180 Theatre after 20 years as Artistic Director and, altogether, 50 years in the professional theatre world. Regrets? Triumphs? Dreams? Tune in and listen to Mike and Joel jostle, challenge and underline the pure pleasure of podcasting.

Judith is the author of more than a dozen plays, all produced in Canada and many  translated and produced internationally. She has written two produced films and  two television films, plus many radio plays. Judith lists among her many awards two Governor General Awards, a Toronto Arts  Award, a Dora Award and a Chalmers Award, The Epilepsy Ontario Award, the  Susan Smith Blackburn Award and The Amnesty International Freedom of  Expressions Award  In addition, she is an Officer of the Order of Canada as well as a member of the  Royal Society. For over 30 years, Judith has taught theatre at the University of Guelph.

A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Susan has appeared in  leading roles in theatres across the country, including The Royal Manitoba Theatre  centre, The Citadel, The Banff Centre, The Stratford Festival, The Shaw Festival. As a founding member of Soulpepper Theatre Company, she appeared in Don  Carlos during the company’s inaugural season. Among other Soulpepper  productions were her own adaptations of Platonov, Betrayal, A Chorus of  Disapproval and The Winter’s Tale. On the small screen, Susan has appeared in such series as Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle, CBS’s Ransom, HBO Canada’s Less than Kind, and recurring roles on  CTV/Hulu’s Cardinal and Global TV’s Departure. As though this isn’t enough, and it isn’t, Susan is the renowned co-creator and co-writer of the internationally-acclaimed mini-series Slings and  Arrows. In 2017, Susan was awarded the Order of Canada. (And there’s a lot more to add, so please check out Susan’s professional history.)

Evan has been a leading player across various stages and screens in Canada and  the United States for 30 years.  As a longtime member of both the Stratford and Shaw festivals, he has played ‘Sky  Masterson’ in Guys & Dolls, ‘Mercutio’ in Romeo and Juliet, the title role in  Pericles, ‘Stanhope’ in Journey’s End, ‘Jack” in The Importance of Being Earnest.  Musical theatre credits include his Dora Award-winning performance in Fun  Home, as well as starring roles in We Will Rock You and Dear Evan Hansen. In film and television, Evan has been seen in Under the Banner of Heaven,  Murdoch Mysteries, Holly Hobbie, and his Canadian Screen nominated  performance in Departure.

I first saw Barbara in a Toronto production of The Dining Room. I was completely  taken with her performance, her warmth, her clarity. I hoped that I would have  the opportunity of working with her, and in 2006 we finally did get to work  together — The Arab-Israeli Cookbook provided the opportunity. And I’ve  followed her career since then. Theatre audiences will know Barbara from her performances in A Doll’s House  (Belfry Theatre, Victoria), Calendar Girls (Royal Alex, Toronto/MTC, Winnipeg),  Half Life (Tarragon Theatre, Toronto), Criminals in Love/Escape from Happiness  (Factory Theatre, Toronto). Film and Television audiences will recognize Barbara from Learning to Love Again,  Skinwalkers, Hyper Cube, The Boys, Murdoch Mysteries, Best Laid Plans, Little  Mosque on the Prairie and Wonderland. 

Brad is among the most produced and prolific Canadian playwrights. Born in  Edmonton, he won his first playwriting competition at the age of 17. He hasn’t  stopped writing since. Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, which premiered at  Alberta Theatre projects PlayRites in 1989, after being developed by Workshop  West (Edmonton), launched an international career with productions that  followed in Toronto, New York, Chicago, Milan and London. The play has been  translated into many languages and has recently been produced in Athens, Sao  Paulo and Buenos Aires. The film version, Love and Human Remains, won Brad a  Genie Award in 1994 for Best Adapted Screenplay. Poor Superman, Martin Yesterday, Snake in Fridge, Cold Meat Party, True Love Lies  and 5 @ 50 followed – as have many, many more. Brad’s two musicals are Outrageous (composed by Joey Miller) and Prom Night of  the Living Dead (composed by Darrin Hagen).Do yourselves a favour and check out Brad’s complete professional history - you  can find him at www.Bradfraser.net.

Drew’s tally of theatre, film and television credits is daunting, and this thumbnail  sketch barely scratches the surface. Fourteen seasons at the Shaw Festival include roles in The Devil’s Disciple, The  Playboy of the Western World, Cavalcade, The Front Page and Cyrano de Bergerac.  Elsewhere, and right across the country, Andrew has performed in Cymbeline and  Richard III (Stratford Festival), Blithe Spirit (Neptune Theatre, Halifax), Stuff  Happens (Studio 180 Theatre/Mirvish Productions), The Philadelphia Story (MTC,  Winnipeg) and Travesties (Vancouver Playhouse). Andrew’s film and television appearances include Fahrenheit 451, Lizzie Borden,  Untitled History Project, Virgin Suicides, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Night Before,  The Morning After, Anne with an E, Designated Survivor, 12 Monkeys, Orphan  Black, Trailer Park Boys, Missing, Degrassi: the Next Generation and The  Associates. 

Many of my guests have discussed the paths they followed through careers both  linear and pin-ball like. Allan Stratton begins by stating that he was raised by a  single mom in Bruce County, Sarnia and London. He has lived in Manhattan, Montreal, Vancouver and Switzerland — but mostly in  Toronto. Allan began his professional life as an actor, moved on to playwriting (I ‘met’ Allan  by directing his very successful play, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii — we didn’t meet  at the time, and it’s likely that until reading this, if he does read it, he won’t have  known that our separate paths crossed), and then he spent a few years as head of  an arts school. Since 2000, Allan has been a novelist. His books have won awards and have been  published in over 20 countries — look him up to get the full picture.

Ben is in his 50th year as a professional actor. And as weighty as this is, his family  history that is equally striking. To take nothing away from Ben, himself, his lineage traces back to his maternal  grandparents, Sir Lewis Casson and Dame Sybil Thorndike. Ann Casson and Douglas Campbell are his parents. And his ‘inheritance’ extends to his siblings, of  course. Back to Ben: his career began in England, where he trained at the Bristol Old Vic  Theatre School. He returned to Canada to play Troilus at the National Arts Centre.  Thereafter, Ben spent 14 seasons at the Shaw Festival, 10 seasons at Stratford, 4  with the National Arts Centre and 2 with Theatre Plus, in Toronto. In addition, Ben  has played in theatres across the country, and he has appeared in various  Canadian television series and TV film specials. 

Jon and I met in the early 90’s at the University of Waterloo where he was among  the students who, years later, performed in The Laramie Project, the play that  launched Studio 180 Theatre. Following his training at the National Theatre School of Canada, we worked  together again on Our Class. Many seasons followed at the Stratford Festival,  where he continues to perform. Among his many festival credits are Henry VIII,  The Music Man, Orpheus Descending and Hamlet. Elsewhere, Jon has worked at the Blyth Festival, Canadian Stage and Soulpepper. Law and Order: Toronto, Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries and Nikita  represent some of Jon’s tv and film work.

Paul juggles a career as playwright and actor with effortless dexterity. Having  trained at the National Theatre School, Paul understands the value of being both  on and offstage, although as a playwright it can be fairly argued that he is as  present as anyone, maybe even more so. Paul’s capacity to move between classical and new work is further proof of a  natural affinity for stages of all kinds. Many seasons at Stratford have included  roles such as Bottom, Lancelot Gobbo and Donalbain. Elsewhere, Paul has worked  with Factory Theatre (Toronto), National Arts Centre, Centaur Theatre (Montreal),  Tarragon Theatre and the Citadel Theatre (Edmonton). Playwright credits include The Gay Heritage Project, High Gravel Blind and  Offensive Shadows. 

Among the country’s most versatile actors, Nora has performed in every style, just  about everywhere in Canada.  Listing many of her theatre credits will illustrate her range: Measure for Measure  (Arts Club, Vancouver), John (Company Theatre, Toronto), For the Pleasure of  Seeing Her Again (Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon), The Matchmaker (Stratford  Festival), The Heiress (Shaw Festival), The Stone Angel (Canadian Stage), Hello,  Dolly (Citadel Theatre, Edmonton). Nora’s work in film and television has included Son of a Critch, Cardinal, Saving  Hope, Orphan Black and The Associates.

Matthew has worked in both opera and theatre for the past 20 years. Born in  Canada, Matthew has spent much of his professional life in Europe, where his  theatrical work includes the French-language premieres of Dancing at Lughnasa,  by Brian Friel, Nightingale and Our country’s Good, by Timberlake Wertenbaker.  His translation of Fernando Krapp Wrote Me This Letter, by Tankred Dorst, was  among his first projects as Artistic Director at Canadian Stage. (He continued as  Artistic and General Director until June 2018.) After spending 3 seasons as Resident Director at the opera studio of the Paris  Opera-La Bastille, he was appointed Director of the Atelier du Chin, in Colmar,  France. Numerous opera productions include Larmes de Couteau and Alexandre  Bis by Bohuslav Martinu, Lucia di Lammermoor (Oper Frankfurt), and Die Trilogie  dee Frauen (Staatsoper Hamburg). Matthew was named Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French  Ministry of Culture in July 2008.

Multi award-winning actor, Rosemary’s resume is its own mini-series. The range of  her theatre, television and film credits is more than this brief snapshot can fairly  provide. I first saw Rosemary at the Centaur Theatre, in Montreal, where her performance  in Wit stays with me still. Raw, uncompromising, visceral — all these words barely  convey the power she brought to the stage. Additionally, she has performed in  Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Tartuffe, King Charles III, Fallen Angels and A  Streetcar Named Desire. Television performances include Fellow Travellers, Street Legal, Orphan Black, This  is Wonderland and The Road to Avonlea. Total Recall, Twins and Dreamcatcher are  but a few of the many films in which Rosemary has performed.

Ronnie is one of Canada’s foremost theatre artists, credited with creating some of  the world’s most elaborate and provocative puppetry. Ronnie Burkett Theatre of  Marionettes was formed in 1986, continuously playing to great critical and public  acclaim on Canada’s major stages, and as a guest company on numerous  international tours abroad. Among Ronnie’s many awards as playwright, actor and designer, are the 2009  Siminovitch Prize in Theatre and The Herbert Whittaker Drama Bench Award for  outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre.  International acclaim has included the Village Voice Obie Award, the GLAAD  Award for Outstanding Theater, four Citations of Excellence in the Arts of Puppetry  from the American Center of the Union Internationale de la Marionette. In 2019 Ronnie was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2024  he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime  Achievement in Theatre. He is the recipient of the Emmy Award for Excellence in  Puppetry. To learn more and to discover Ronnie’s full professional biography, check him out  at johnlambert.ca. 

Currently Co-Artistic Director of Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Avery has an  extensive resume as an actor both in Canada and beyond. In Canada, Avery’s performed in Guys & Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, Hairspray,  Sunset Boulevard and Little Shop of Horrors.  Internationally, Avery was seen in Man of La Mancha, Candide, Pirates of  Penzance and The Pajama Game among many others.

Thanks to Zieglerwealth.com -- and continued thanks to all those who help, and have helped, to keep Life in Stages moving forward since our launch exactly one year ago, I'm thrilled to introduce you to this season's sponsor -- and Life in Stage's first season sponsor, in fact: http://Zieglerwealth.com, owned by Tim Zeigler, contacted me during Season 2 with his generous offer to support the podcast. That he found me without my having to figure out how/where sponsors hide out, is all the more delightful.

Introducing each of my guests is one of the challenges coordinating the roster for  Life in Stages. The artists who accept my invitation to sit down and talk about their  professional and personal stories represent the finest artists in the country. Each  background is rich, varied, intriguing. Jimmy Mezon is no exception — in fact, his depth and range are nothing short of  intimidating. And I’ve had the good fortune to see him play in as wide a range of  theatrical styles as one can imagine. There’s nothing he cannot do and, in fact, has  not done. A foundational presence at the Shaw Festival has included roles in St. Joan, The  Madness of King George, The Intellectual Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and  Socialism, Faith Healer, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Pygmalion, Nothing Sacred, The  Seagull and Translations. His performance in Picnic remains a standout for me - a role that played against so  many strong, powerful characters that have dominated his stage career. Film and television credits include Workin’ Moms, Frankie Drake Mysteries,  Murdoch Mysteries, Passchendaele, Road to Avonlea and Dieppe. 

Joel Greenberg has an announcement to make regarding a third season of Life in Stages.

Welcome to the final episode in Series 2 – but please note that Series 3 is on  its way. This week, our guest host is Jody Howze. I met Jody in the mid-80’s when she  was a student in the Theatre Programme at Humber College and I was the  Programme Director. After graduating from Humber, Jody performed in several  professional productions that I directed. Our friendship has continued as we’ve followed different paths, and since  launching Life in Stages, Jody has provided many insights about the project. At  the same time, she has asked many questions that attest to her careful  attention to all my guests’ conversations.  Rather than restricting Jody’s comments and questions to our one-on-one  chats, I invited her to step into the Host chair for this episode. I can’t think of a  more fitting way to conclude Series 2.

Robert Thomson may be among the busiest and most sought-after actors in  the country. “May”? Change that to ‘Is”. His list of accomplishments is as long as it is varied, which is to say that it’s  mighty long. Theatre, film, television – he has mastered them all, and his  commitment has taken him behind the scenes of projects that are fueled by a  passion with no restraint. In our conversation, you’ll also learn that Robert’s career extends well beyond  performing and engages with timely social and political causes. It’s no back-handed compliment to add that Robert is among the most Canadian of  personalities that I’ve had the very good fortune to have met and to have  worked with. Listen to all that he has to say in Episode 26 – this is time very  well spent. 

Seana is yet one more guest whose professional resume approaches the  magnitude of an anthology. It’s entirely accurate to say that she has done just  about everything that one can imagine an actor accomplishing. Trained at the  National Theatre School, Seana has played every major theatre in the country,  has added film and television to her credits, and has achieved star status in a  country that too often prides itself as a country with no star system at all. I  think that Seana puts a lie to that tiresome boast.

I’ve known Allen for more than 20 years, but until we met recently, I had no  idea that, in addition to being Artistic Director at both Young People’s Theatre,  Toronto, and the Prairie Theatre Exchange, Winnipeg, his career as an actor  was his principal focus. As another guest who came up through the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre  School, Allen reinforces the fact that this was a first-rate training ground. And  as he discusses the path he followed, a path that is as geographical as it is  developmental, we travel from the West right across the country with  substantial stops along the way. Finally, it’s Toronto that has claimed Allen as  one of its own, and I know that you’ll find our conversation both engaging and  revealing. 

Anyone fortunate enough to have seen “Blind Date” has already met Rebecca  Northan, although speaking with her is an altogether calmer experience than  watching her interact with an audience. Speaking with her from Edmonton,  where she was on tour with “Goblin: Macbeth”, I learned that clown work is  merely one of many skills that Rebecca has developed throughout her career.  Second City, in Toronto and on tour, was her opportunity to refine both her  writing and her audience engagement chops. And as an actor, i.e., one who  can actually learn others’ lines of dialogue and create a character without a  red nose, Rebecca is as committed and focussed as she is when she is  creating her own work and, by extension, her own world.

Tom has as varied a resume as any actor you are ever likely to encounter. In  fact, when we first started our conversation, I said that I felt an urgency to  cover enough ground to fairly represent him. Tom’s easy manner removed any  concern I may have had. We talked soon after he had returned from Ottawa, where he was performing  in “Salesman in China”, the same production that premiered at the Stratford  Festival this past season. Back home, where he is always happy to spend  time, Tom discussed the early influences that helped to shape both his  dreams and his approach to the work that would define his professional life.  He pays special tribute to many of the people with whom he has worked and  from whom he has continued to learn.

Maria began her career (and her life) in the United States. But once she had a  taste of life in Canada, both personal and professional, Toronto soon became  her home base. And I met Maria when we worked together on a production of  “Lend Me a Tenor”, at Theatre Aquarius – and that was probably about 30  years ago. Maria has worked in every medium and she has criss-crossed the  performing landscape with an enviable agility.  Our conversation ranges from early influences in Chicago and at the Stratford  Festival. Maria discusses the perennial artist’s challenge with finding a  balance between work and family – and the added challenge of career when  the family is grown and no longer the daily focus. So, a chatty segment of  today’s conversation might be titled Life After Active Parenting. 

Nancy is originally from Winnipeg, studied at Queen’s University and then  trained at The National Theatre School, in Montreal. She was among the first  members of the Young Company at the Stratford Festival, which soon led to  the creation of Soulpepper Theatre Company, of which Nancy is a founding  member. (She continues to represent the Founding Members on the  Soulpepper Board.) Nancy has worked across the country, although her base continues to be in  Toronto. Anyone who has attended theatre in the city has seen Nancy in many  productions in many venues. Nancy has worked in film and television,  although she is quick to point out that at almost 6-feet tall, casting directors  have tended to overlook her.

Jonathan and I met at an audition. I didn’t cast him, but I knew that I wanted to  work with him one day. Before I had that opportunity, I saw My Own Private  Oshawa, his revelatory solo play about his escape to Toronto and his life as a  young gay man finding his way. The Normal Heart and My Night with Reg are recent plays that, finally, allowed  us the shameless pleasure of working together. Jonathan has much more to  fill in between arriving in Toronto and working with Studio 180 Theatre – tune  into this episode and listen as Jonathan guides you through the path that he  created for himself.

Morris’s recollection of how discovering theatre transformed him is both  moving and chuckle-worthy. Like so many of my guests, he underlines that, for  him, the work is a necessity. For survival, sure, but much, much more than  that: Morris makes it clear, without having to say it literally, that he cannot be  doing anything else with his professional life. Playwright, director, actor – Morris works, and has worked, across the country  and beyond. His more than 100 theatre and opera productions are balanced  by an enviable body of plays, many of which have received national and  international productions. Morris is the recipient of the Governor General’s Award for Drama – in 1994 for The Ends of the Earth and in 2004 for  Girl in the Goldfish Bowl.

Jessica is my older daughter, so let’s get that on the table and move on.  Jess discusses her college years at McGill, where she focussed on Political  Science and Women’s Studies. But it was her passionate involvement with  both theatre and music – strictly extracurricular – that defined four years  spent on a student-driven campus, where she was inspired by like-minded  friends.  Theatre school in New York followed and the exploits of surviving that city  reveal a tenacity and resilience that have served her well. Jessica discusses  her move back to Toronto, the ways in which the two cities are so different,  and how she came to be a permanent member of Studio 180 Theatre. At the  same time, we discuss a career apart from any family connection and the  opportunities that being a central member of an indie theatre company can  offer. In Jessica’s conversation, you’ll hear how actors’ careers demand  flexibility and how they discover skills that they’d never explored while in  theatre school.

Ted is among our guests who has accomplished just about everything one can  imagine a theatre artist achieving. As an actor, a musician, a writer, and more  recently a producer, Ted demonstrates the widest possible range with an  inexhaustible energy to match. In our conversation, he discusses the projects  that have brought him a very public profile.  Ted goes further and reveals that seeing his name on a West End marquee  yielded results that he couldn’t have imagined. He exposes aspects of his  career and personal life that, as our producer said, are not the items that one  adds to a professional resume or theatre programme bio. For all this, I know  that you’ll respond to Ted’s honesty and lack of bravura just as I did.