Stageworthy

Jacklyn Francis has been making theatre in Canada for more than three decades, and in this conversation she brings the kind of hard-won perspective that only comes from years of navigating the industry's rhythms, disappointments, and genuine joys. In this episode, they talk about what it really feels like to work at a major festival like Stratford, the art of understudying, the strange grief that follows closing night, and much more! Guest: 🎭 Jacklyn Francis Jacklyn Francis is a proud Canadian stage and screen actor whose career spans more than three decades across theatre, film and television. She most recently starred as Alice in Sexy Laundry, at the Drayton Festival Theatre. A longtime member of the Stratford Festival company, her Stratford credits include Forgiveness, As You Like It, 1939, Hamlet-911, Henry VIII, Julius Caesar, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Changeling, Pride and Prejudice and Richard III. She has also performed leading roles at theatres across Canada, including the Citadel Theatre, Canadian Stage, Blyth Festival, Thousand Islands Playhouse, The Sudbury Theatre Centre, The Globe Theatre, Equity Showcase, Shakespeare in The Ruff,  Buddies in Bad Times, Theatre Northwest, Resurgence, Shakespeare by the Bay and appearances at The Toronto Fringe. On screen, Jacklyn’s recent credits include HBO’s Welcome to Derry, NBC’s Brilliant Minds and Ruby and the Well, alongside appearances in Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, Flashpoint, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Missing and Our Hero. A graduate of George Brown Theatre School with additional professional development at the Banff Centre/Citadel Theatre, Jacklyn is a recipient of the Jean A. Chalmers Apprentice Award and the Tanya Award in recognition of excellence at the Stratford Festival (in 2018, Jacklyn was the first actor ever to win this award) Connect with Jacklyn 📸 Instagram: @jacklynjax Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve Can't commit to monthly support? Leave a one-time tip here: ko-fi.com/stageworthyRead transcript

In this episode Curtis Campbell joins host Phil Rickaby to talk about AI in the theatre. In the lead up to this summer's Toronto Fringe, it was noticed that a number of shows were using AI generated posters, which sparked a discourse on social media about whether Generative AI should be used in the Fringe and beyond. This conversation spread to the Edinburgh Fringe, where AI generated posters were also seen. In this episode Curtis and Phil talk about AI, its use in the arts, and whether AI should be embraced or avoided. Note: in this episode, Curtis mentions a video that Phil published about his poster creation process. That video can be found here. Guest: 🎭 Curtis Campbell Curtis Campbell is a writer and theatre artist. Some previous credits as a writer and director include Katherine Is Not A Communist, Imp, BETR With Bevan and Color Me Pablo. His novel Dragging Mason County was be published by Annick Press in 2023. His plays Gay For Pay with Blake & Clay and Blake & Clay's Gay Agenda were Fringe hits. Connect with Curtis 🌐 website: campwrites.weebly.com 📸 Instagram: @curtisdangcampbell Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve Can't commit to monthly support? Leave a one-time tip here: ko-fi.com/stageworthyRead transcript

About this episode Sara Farb is a veteran of the Canadian theatre stage, having made her debut at the age of 9. Now she's bringing the role of Fanny Brice to life in Shaw Festival's Funny Girl. In this conversation, Sara joins host Phil Rickaby to reflect on the show, writing for the theatre, and what keeps her going. This episode explores What it takes to perform a show like Funny Girl Joining the Shaw Festival for the first time Performing on Broadway in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child That time she almost gave up the theatre to become a copywriter. And much more! Guest: 🎭 Sara Farb Sara is an actor and writer. She wrote the book for the musical Kelly v. Kelly with Britta Johnson (music and lyrics) which premiered at Canadian Stage and Musical Stage Company in 2023; the show is a recipient of the Tom Hendry award and multiple Dora nominations. With Britta, she also co-wrote the Dora-nominated short musical He Is Coming. She wrote the book for the new musical Way Out There with Anton Lipovetsky (music and lyrics) which makes its premiere at YES! Theatre/Theatre Sudbury in spring of 2026. Her play, R-E-B-E-C-C-A, which she wrote and starred in, premiered at Theatre Passe Muraille. She is currently working on a new musical with Aaron Jensen (music and lyrics) about the forgotten female creator of the creature from Creature from the Black Lagoon. As an actor, Sara has performed on Broadway, in seven seasons at the Stratford Festival, and all over Canada. She is currently starring as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl at the Shaw Festival. Connect with Sara 📸 Instagram: @farb.sara Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve Can't commit to monthly support? Leave a one-time tip here: ko-fi.com/stageworthyRead transcript

About This Episode: What happens when a self-described field mouse - someone who jumps at a cat's sneeze - decides to write a horror play? You get Passed Down, a one-person horror show about a woman who inherits her great aunt's house and discovers she may have inherited a little more than just the property. Performer, producer, director, and grant writer Madelaine Rose joins Phil to talk about bringing this solo horror play to the Halifax Fringe Festival, and why choosing the kitchen as the setting for a haunted house story was a deliberate and unsettling choice. This episode explores: The origins of Passed Down - from a 24-hour Toronto Fringe playwriting contest to a full 60-minute solo horror show The challenge of producing, acting, and writing your own Fringe show - and how Madelaine learned to compartmentalize and set a hard deadline on revisions Emotional safety in the rehearsal room - why the theatre industry has historically been better at getting actors into emotional scenes than getting them out again The biggest mistake artists make when writing grant applications (hint: they forget the boring stuff) And much more! Guest: 👻 Madelaine Rose Madelaine Rose (she/they) is a performer, producer and all-around creative. They are the current co-chair of outACTRAto, and the inaugural chair of the ACTRA National Progress Pride Committee. As a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community her mandate as a producer is to create the type of art she wishes to see in the world, art which creates space for more leading, and diverse roles for women, gender non-conforming, and queer artists. Their work as a theatre creator and filmmaker has been showcased and recognized from coast to coast, and around the globe. They are co-founder of Sigh No More Productions, and the Solo’d Out Theatre festival, and they can be seen acting in such award-winning works as The Perfect Bite (Secret City Adventures/ Netflix), My Best Friend’s Date (Sigh No More Productions), and The Heist… Almost (Sigh No More Productions). Connect with Madelaine 🌐 Website: www.madelaine-rose.com 📸 Instagram: @rose.madelaine 🎥 TikTok: @rose.madelaine Get Tickets: Passed Down at Halifax Fringe Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve Can't commit to monthly support? Leave a one-time tip here: ko-fi.com/stageworthyRead transcript

About This Episode: Sharry Flett has spent 34 seasons at the Shaw Festival - long enough to have watched the company evolve through three artistic directors, raise a daughter who appeared on its stages, and welcome back former students she once coached as the people now directing her. In this conversation with host Phil Rickaby, Sharry reflects on what keeps drawing her back to Niagara-on-the-Lake, and what it felt like to walk into rehearsals for Wind in the Willows and find Fiona Sauder, André Morin, and fight director Jack Davidson Rennie - all artists she had mentored at George Brown College, now in positions of leadership. This episode explores: What it was like for Sharry to be directed by three former students she had coached at George Brown College; and how she navigated that full-circle moment Playing Rat in Wind in the Willows: how the original Kenneth Grahame book shaped her approach to the character Why performing for children demands complete honesty and commitment; and how that discipline serves actors in any room The Shaw Festival under three artistic directors: Christopher Newton, Jackie Maxwell, and Tim Carroll, and how the ensemble ethos has remained constant through each Sharry's path from medicine to music to theatre, including the moment picking up a flute sent electricity through her arm The importance of teaching; and what Sharry gains from students when she brings Shaw's language alive in the room And much more! Guest: Sharry Flett SHAW 2026: Funny Girl, The Wind in the Willows; 34th season. FOR THE SHAW: Anything Goes, May I Have The Pleasure?, My Fair Lady, The Secret Garden, The Apple Cart, The Clearing, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Everybody, Cyrano de Bergerac, Man and Superman, Me and My Girl, Uncle Vanya, The Philadelphia Story, Enchanted April, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Come Back Little Sheba, Maria Severa, Age of Arousal, Sunday in the Park with George, The Little Foxes, Getting Married, The Magic Fire, Major Barbara, The Autumn Garden, Floyd Collins, Misalliance, Rebecca, Joy, The Seagull, Hedda Gabler, Berkeley Square. (Selected Credits) ELSEWHERE: leading roles in theatres across Canada, including Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew, Miranda in The Tempest, Stratford Festival. FILM/TELEVISION: Grey Gardens, Shades of Black, Full House with Sharry Flett, Jane of Lantern Hill. AWARDS: Gemini nominations (best actress), War Brides and Suicide Murders, CBC; Paul Reynolds award, Shaw Festival; Tyrone Guthrie award, Stratford Festival. TEACHING: Shaw Festival, National Theatre School, George Brown Theatre School, Queen’s University, University of Toronto, Brock University. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve Can't commit to monthly support? Leave a one-time tip here: ko-fi.com/stageworthyRead transcript

About This Episode: Christopher Gaze is the founder and artistic director of Bard on the Beach, Vancouver's beloved outdoor Shakespeare festival now in its 37th season. In this conversation, Christopher talks with Phil about how a $35,000 co-op startup in 1990 grew into one of Canada's largest theatre companies, drawing 80,000 people a season to a pair of tented stages in Vanier Park overlooking English Bay and the mountains beyond. This episode explores: How Bard on the Beach began in 1990 with $35,000, a Canada Council Explorations Grant, and a company of 27 co-op members The influence of mentor Douglas Campbell: his force field in the audition room, his wilderness years, and why his name is on Bard's second stage Programming a season: from Douglas casually suggesting Twelfth Night over the phone to today's collaborative circle of senior theatre practitioners Goblin Oedipus, Antigone, and how Christopher was famously wrong about Goblin Macbeth (it sold out before opening night) And much more! Guest: 🎭 Christopher Gaze Christopher Gaze is best known as the Founder and Artistic Director of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, which celebrates its thirty-seventh season in 2026. He hosts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s popular Tea & Trumpets series and also their annual Traditional Christmas concerts. Connect with Christopher Gaze: 📸 Instagram: @gazechristopher 📖 Buy The Road to Bard (Harbour Publishing) 🌐 Website: bardonthebeach.org 📸 Instagram: @bardonthebeach Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve Can't commit to monthly support? Leave a one-time tip here: ko-fi.com/stageworthyRead transcript

About This Episode: Director Ming Hudson joins Phil Rickaby to talk about bringing Antigone to Bard on the Beach in Vancouver - a production seven years in the making, created collaboratively with playwright Kate Besworth. It's a minimalist, intimate reimagining of a 2,500-year-old story about a woman who does the right thing even when told not to, and Ming shares how it came together from a literal bonfire in rural Nova Scotia to the thrust stage at Bard. This episode explores: How a seven-year collaboration with playwright Kate Besworth shaped this bold, minimal production of Antigone The "arrow" model of non-hierarchical directing and why Ming loves saying "I don't know" Making her Bard on the Beach directing debut after years as a performer with the company The Edmonton Fringe, the Edinburgh Fringe, and why fringe festivals are essential to Canadian theatre ecology What D&D has taught Ming about vulnerability, play, and building stronger creative relationships And much more! Guest: 🎭 Ming Hudson Ming (she/her) is a Vancouver based artist who pays rent on the lands stolen from the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. For over 20 years, she has worked as a freelance performer, collaborative director, devised theatre creator, independent producer, and teaching artist on the West Coast, across Canada, and abroad. Her specializations are in physical theatre and the creation of new work as a collective ensemble. A graduate of the Creating Theatre and Performance program at LISPA (now arthaus.berlin), Ming also holds a MA in Ensemble Theatre (Rose Bruford), and a BFA in Acting (UVic). Ming has worked for: Bard on the Beach, Zee Zee Theatre, 25th Street Theatre, The Arts Club, Studio 58, SFU, UBC, Dell'Arte International, UVic, vAct, Two Planks and a Passion, TheatreOne, Chemainus Theatre Festival, CCPA, Gwaandak Theatre, Green Thumb Theatre, Theatre Replacement, Atomic Vaudeville, Firehall Arts Centre, Boca del Lupo, Concrete Theatre, and Kaleidoscope Theatre. She has also created eleven new shows, which have been performed in five different countries. Connect with Ming 🌐 website: www.minghudson.com 📸 Instagram: @hudsonfx Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: Tim Carroll has been the artistic director of the Shaw Festival for a decade, and in that time he's reshaped the festival's mandate, expanded its reach into the community, and built a company culture grounded in playfulness, humility, and genuine artistic ambition. This episode explores: How Tim balances directing two major productions, Heartbreak House and Amadeus, in a single season, and why Tom Rooney is at the centre of both The economics of theatre: why even one of Canada's largest festivals relies on donations for half its income, and how a small-audience show can be as valuable as a sellout musical Why Tim abolished the Shaw Festival's mandate and replaced it with a mission; and what that difference actually means in practice How working at Shakespeare's Globe with Mark Rylance shaped every aspect of Tim's directing philosophy, from shared light to trusting the unexpected And much more! Guest: 🎭 Tim Carroll im Carroll currently serves as Artistic Director of The Shaw Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake, a position he's held since 2017. Carroll may be best known for his years as Associate Director at London’s Globe Theatre, in particular for his productions of Richard III and Twelfth Night, starring Mark Rylance, for whose Broadway run in the 2013-14 season he was Tony-nominated and Mark Rylance won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor. Carroll worked with the English Shakespeare Company before serving as the artistic director of the Northcott Theatre in Exeter. Carroll also served as the artistic director for the Kent Opera, and he is a founding member of the experimental theatre group the Factory in London. Carroll’s directing work has spanned not only the Globe but the globe, from theatres in Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and Canada! Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: Ryan McCollom is a Toronto-based theatre content creator behind the popular TikTok and Instagram account Plates and Playbills, and he's on a mission to get more people through the doors of indie and smaller professional theatres across the city. What started as personal documentation of his own growing love of theatre has evolved into a platform dedicated to closing the gap between the big Mirvish productions most people know and the rich, underserved world of indie and community theatre that most audiences don't even know exists. This episode explores: How Ryan went from cooking videos during COVID to becoming one of Toronto's most visible theatre content creators The difference between being a theatre critic and a theatre commentator and why Ryan is careful about that line Why the Stratford Festival was the wake-up call that made Ryan realize theatre needed younger audiences now What indie theatres could be doing on social media to reach new audiences without spending a dime Canadian cultural cringe in the performing arts: why audiences wait for American or British validation before embracing homegrown work And much more! Guest: 🎭 Ryan McCollom Ryan is a Toronto-based content creator dedicated to making theatre more accessible and approachable for new audiences while also encouraging seasoned theatre-goers to explore smaller professional companies and indie productions. While his coverage primarily focuses on the Toronto theatre scene, Ryan also documents his travels and the productions he experiences around the world, sharing an honest perspective as an everyday theatre fan. Connect with Ryan: 📸 Instagram: @platesandplaybills_ 🎥 TikTok: @platesandplaybills_ Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: Peter Fernandes is many things at once: an award-winning actor, a magic and illusions designer, and now a first-time director at one of Canada's most celebrated theatre festivals. In this conversation, Peter joins Phil to talk about what it's like to make your directing debut with Sleuth at the Shaw Festival, a mystery that demands the same sleight-of-hand thinking Peter has honed as a magic practitioner. The terror of stepping into a new role, the joy of being trusted with it, and the surprise of discovering how much his illusion work shaped his directorial instincts. This episode explores: Directing Sleuth at the Shaw Festival as a debut; and why pure excitement quickly turned to terror How magic and illusions design shaped Peter's approach to staging a mystery Hosting the Dora Awards while being nominated for one (and which one was scarier) The case for taking comedy - and musical theatre - as seriously as any other art form And much more! Guest: 🎭 Peter Fernandes Peter Fernandes is an award-winning theatre creator based out of Toronto. As a performer, select credits include One For the Pot, One Man Two Guvnors, The Importance of Being Earnest, Damn Yankees, Charley’s Aunt, Christmas Carol, The Russian Play, Brigadoon (Shaw); Fat Ham (Canadian Stage) Bidding War, The Master Plan, Fifteen Dogs (Crow’s); Almost a Full Moon, Peter and the Starcatcher (Citadel); Rose, Father Comes Home From the Wars, Alligator Pie, Incident at Vichy, The Just, Marat/Sade, The Dybbuk, Spoon River, Tartuffe, The Crucible, Idiot’s Delight (Soulpepper); Vietgone (RMTC); Romeo & Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love & Information, Twelfth Night, King Lear (Canadian Stage); Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company); You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! (MTYP); Onegin (NAC/Musical Stage); Passing Strange (Musical Stage/Obsidian). Creative credits include: Director, Sleuth (SHAW) Associate Director - Wights, Octet, A Strange Loop (Crow’s), Assistant Director - Sherlock Holmes and the mystery of the Human Heart, Witness for the Prosecution (Shaw) Magic Consultant - Bremen Town (Tarragon) Trident Moon (Crow’s), Snow in Midsummer (Shaw), Illusions Assistant - Fat Ham (Broadway), The Witches - workshop (UK) Connect with Peter: 🌐 Website: peterfernandes.ca 📸 Instagram: @pjrfernandes Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: Playwright and writer Natalie Kaye joins Phil Rickaby to talk about her wildly ambitious new musical, 1920s Walking Around in a Dream, playing at the Toronto Fringe Festival. The show is a screwball comedy set in an imagined 1920s Jazz Age Chicago, and it's a retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, translated not into modern English, but into the heightened, slang-drenched language of the Jazz Age. It's a project Natalie has been quietly nurturing for at least a decade, and hearing her describe its journey from a single translated sonnet to a fully staged musical is genuinely thrilling. This episode explores: How a single translated Shakespeare sonnet launched a decade-long project Why A Midsummer Night's Dream and the Jazz Age are a perfect match Silent film, vaudeville, and the Marx Brothers as creative inspirations The challenge of writing dense, heightened language that audiences can actually follow What it means to finally relinquish control and trust your cast and director And much more! Guest: ✍️ Natalie Kaye Natalie Kaye (she/her) Playwright. Natalie is an award-winning playwright and a published poet. She is also a dancer, choreographer and aerial silks performer. A graduate of York University and the University of Toronto, Natalie has a Masters' in Drama. She has worked in theatre as a producer, director, playwright, actor and dramaturg. Her one-act play, Mood Swings, won first place in the Pat the Dog's 24-hour play contest. The play was workshopped by Pat the Dog in February, 2014 and received a full production at Toronto Fringe in 2016 where it was called "beautiful" "well-executed" and "poetic" by Mooney on Theatre. Her short plays, Universe Inc. and A Toast were produced by Newborn Theatre at the Odds and Ends Festival. She is a member of the Vault Creation Lab's writer's group. She co-wrote #1 Clown Comedy With Victor & Priscilla at Toronto Fringe in 2025. Connect with Natalie Kaye: 🌐 Website: unspokentheatrecompany.weebly.com 📸 Instagram: @unspokentheatrecompany Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: As the Toronto Fringe Festival prepares to launch, Phil Rickaby gathers four of Toronto's most dedicated theatre content creators (Janine Marley from A View from the Box, Ryan Borochovitz from The Cup Podcast, Alexandra Lean from Being Dramatic, and Ryan McCollom from Plates & Playbills) for a lively live stream preview of the 2026 festival. Together they dig into what makes Fringe such a unique and exciting event, share their personal histories with the festival, and break down what their coverage will look like across podcasts, written reviews, and social media throughout the run. This episode explores: Each panelists Toronto Fringe Top 5, must see shows, plus a wildcard selection largely based on title alone. A breakdown of how each content creator covers Fringe, from roundup podcast episodes and daily written reviews to short-form TikTok recaps Practical tips for navigating venues, surviving the heat, eating on a budget, and planning your Fringe days geographically And much more Connect with Janine Marley, Ryan Borochovitz, Alexandra Lean, and Ryan McCollom: 🎙️ Ryan Borochovitz: The Cup Podcast 📺 Youtube: @cupofhemlocktheatre2934https://www.youtube.com/@cupofhemlocktheatre2934 📝 Alexandra Lean: Bad Reviewer and Being Dramatic ✒️ Bad Reviewer: badreviewer.substack.com 🎙️ Being Dramatic: https://open.spotify.com/show/04EUsQsiw1wrUMNLjdqDmy 📸 Ryan McCollom: Plates and Playbills on Instagram 🤳 Instagram: @platesandplaybills_ 📹 TikTok: @platesandplaybills_ 🌐 Janine Marley: A View from the Box ✏️ Website: aviewfromthebox.net 📹 Tiktok: @aviewfromthebox 📸 Instagram: @avuefromthebox Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: In this episode, Phil sits down with Marla Torgerson, a Calgary-based singer-songwriter and classically trained vocalist who has written and performs her debut theatrical work, Sinner, a one-woman musical tragic comedy about growing up in the evangelical Bible Belt of central Alberta and the long, often painful process of leaving fundamentalist religion behind. What starts as a conversation about a show becomes a wide-ranging, deeply personal discussion between two people who have both done the hard work of deconstructing their faith and are still finding new layers to unpack. This episode explores: How Marla went from singer-songwriter and opera graduate to writing her debut solo theatrical work over eight years The specific moment that cracked open her deconstruction, and why she frames Sinner as breaking up with white Jesus rather than religion broadly Why evangelical culture treats men and women differently, and how the Proverbs 31 woman ideal is actually a subversive power structure The prosperity gospel, megachurches, and why Marla argues that being rich is evidence of a lack of faith And much more! Guest: 🎤 Marla Torgerson Marla Torgerson is a Calgary-based singer-songwriter, performer, writer, and comedienne. Originally trained in classical voice, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and has performed throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, and South Korea. Her work combines soaring vocals, sharp humour, and deeply personal storytelling. Drawing from her experiences within North American evangelical culture, Marla creates work that examines faith, identity, belonging, and transformation with honesty, nuance, and compassion. Outside of theatre, she works professionally as a vocalist and songwriter, having been a background vocalist for legends like Sarah Mclachlan, and lived and recorded in Nashville, Tennessee alongside Grammy winning musicians, Marla has built a career that spans music, comedy, and live performance. SINNER. is her debut solo theatrical work. Get tickets to SINNER: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/sinner-musical-tragicomedy-about-breaking-white-jesus Connect with Marla: 📸 Instagram: @sinner_the_musical 🎥 TikTok: @Sinnerthemusical Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About this episode: Chris Cracknell is a Hamilton-based composer, musician, performer, and web series creator who has channelled a pandemic-era creative crisis into something genuinely extraordinary: a non-canonical musical adventure called Pookumhura Mistress of B-Roll, playing at Theatre Passe-Muraille as part of the Toronto Fringe's Musical Theatre Hub. The show draws on Chris's nearly two decades as a World of Warcraft player, but don't let that fool you into thinking you need to know anything about the game. At its heart, this is a show about how people use online spaces to find community, explore identity, and connect with each other across the divides that increasingly define our world. Chris and Phil dig into the origins of the Pookumhura web series, which Chris created as a way to climb out of pandemic-era depression one tiny creative act at a time. What started as the bare minimum (taking a gummy and ad-libbing awkward conversations with in-game NPCs) eventually snowballed into a full eleven-episode season and then a stage musical. It's a story about the power of low-stakes creative momentum, and the surprising places it can take you. Guest: 🎮 Chris Cracknell Chris Cracknell, a former webcomic artist and fixture of the Hamilton music and theatre communities has employed his talents in a wide variety of productions. He has performed in such diverse roles as Doctor Frank N. Furter in the Waterdown Village Theatre's 2012 production of "The Rocky Horror Show" and Mr. Kurlansky in the 2017 film "Chewed" by Mike Trebilcock and far too many Hamilton Fringe Festival productions to list. Tickets to Pookamhura: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/non-canonical-musical-adventure-pookamhura-mistress-b-roll Connect with Chris: 🌐 Website: www.pookplay.ca 📸 Instagram: @pookamhura Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

Read transcriptAbout This Episode: What would happen if a newly elected Premier of Ontario was forced to live on minimum wage? That's the provocative (and deeply funny) question at the heart of Minimum, the political satire written and performed by Victoria Sullivan. After winning Best in Venue at the 2025 Hamilton Fringe Festival, Victoria is bringing the show to Toronto Fringe, and the timing couldn't feel more apt. Victoria is an actor, playwright, and producer based in Hamilton, working under the banner of Be Victorious (and sometimes the Intergalactic Federation of Space Beers - it's a long story). She holds a master's degree from TMU, where her Dante-inspired thesis project Daniel T's Inferno Latte became a critically lauded Fringe hit. With four consecutive Fringe runs under her belt, she knows what it takes to make a show land; and she's ready to find out how Toronto audiences respond to political absurdism in the current climate. This episode explores: How the experience of moving to Toronto and working for minimum wage sparked the idea for Minimum Why Victoria chose a fictional premier over the actual Premier and what creative freedom that decision unlocked Returning to a show with the same cast but a new director, and what that reinvestigation revealed The changing landscape of Fringe marketing - from flyering lineups to social media ads - and what actually works And much more! Guest: 🎭 Victoria Sullivan Victoria Sullivan is an award-winning scriptwriter, producer and actress who currently resides in Hamilton, Ontario. Victoria completed an MFA in Scriptwriting and Story Design at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2023. Her thesis project is a female-led, television adaptation of Dante’s Inferno, with a modern-day interpretation of the entry requirements into Hell. Victoria produced and starred in a stage adaptation of Danielle Tea’s Infernal Latte on Tarragon Mainstage for the Toronto 2023 Fringe Festival to rave reviews and critical acclaim. She has co-written and produced It’s Always Hazy in Hamilton for the 2024 Hamilton Fringe Festival and wrote, produced and starred in Minimum for the 2025 Hamilton Fringe Festival, both of which won ‘Best in Venue’ at the Player’s Guild of Hamilton. Victoria is passionate about astronomy, the environment, animal rights and has an avid green thumb. She is currently entrenched in a war with fungus gnats over her indoor plants. Her favourite planet is Saturn. Get tickets to Minimum at Toronto Fringe: https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/minimum Connect with Victoria 🌐 Website: www.spacebeers.ca 📸 Instagram: @vicsullivahttps://www.instagram.com/vicsulliva Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

Read transcriptAbout This Episode: Kathleen Welch is a playwright, composer, director, and actor, and one of the founding members of The Spindle Collective; the Toronto-based company making some of the most compelling horror theatre in Canada right now. She joined Phil to talk about Siofra, Spindle Collective's latest show, which opens at the Red Sandcastle Theatre on June 17th. Rooted in the Irish mythology of changeling babies, Siofra is the second in a trilogy of folklore-inspired horror plays that Kathleen has written with Spindle Collective co-founder Natalia Bushnik. The conversation moves through the rich terrain of folklore and what makes it such fertile ground for original storytelling — from Romanian demons to Germanic winter witches, and now to the west of Ireland in the 1860s. Kathleen talks about the collaborative writing process she and Natalia developed during COVID, why writing with a trusted partner makes all the difference, and how Siofra surprised even its own creators when the humor started emerging in rehearsal. Kathleen also talks about the Dead of Winter Festival, the horror theatre festival she and Natalia launched in partnership with Eldritch Theatre, why genre theatre is a powerful way to bring new audiences into the room, and what she believes makes horror such a naturally feminist form of storytelling. This episode explores: The mythology of Irish changeling babies and how it shapes the story of Siofra How The Spindle Collective was born during COVID from a shared love of folklore and horror The Dead of Winter Festival: what they learned in year one, including surviving a polar vortex Why horror is uniquely suited to feminist storytelling and bringing new audiences to theatre And much more! Guest: 🎭 Kathleen Welch Kathleen Welch is a playwright, composer, director, and actor. She is a founding member of spindle collective, which focuses on the creation of horror theatre and dark folklore epics. With Natalia Bushnik, she co-wrote and composed the music for their Dark Mother Trilogy, made up of the plays SAMCA, síofra, and spilleHOLLE. SAMCA received numerous grants and accolades and, for its Toronto production, Kathleen was nominated for a Toronto Theatre Award for her role as Prava. Kathleen and Natalia recently completed their full-length version of spilleHOLLE after the ten minute version won “Gold” at the Grand River 10-minute Play Contest. Apart from their trilogy, spindle collective also created Dead of Winter: The Toronto Horror-Theatre Festival in association with Eldritch Theatre. The festival had a sold out run this past winter and will continue as an annual event! Kathleen's play, Bluebeard's Wives is currently being developed by spindle collective with guidance and support from The Vault Creation Lab. Apart from her work with spindle, some select credits include performing as the Creepy Musician in Eldritch Theatre’s production of The Strange and Eerie Memoirs of Billy Wuthergloom, directing Riot King’s Dora Award winning production of Suddenly Last Summer, and composing the music for Just Across the Causeway (a radio play supported by the CBC Digital Strategy Fund). Kathleen holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Windsor and is passionate about multidisciplinary theatre and plays that feature dangerous, amoral womxn. Learn about Siofra and buy tickets: https://natbushnik0.wixsite.com/spindlecollective/about-3 Connect with Kathleen and the Spindle Collective 📸 Instagram: @spindlecollective Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: What do we really know about our dads — and what have we never been able to say out loud? Taylor Trowbridge joins Phil to talk about her new solo show Dads, playing at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Part stand-up, part storytelling, part audience game, the show invites people to sit with the full range of their experiences with their fathers: the funny, the complicated, and the quietly unresolved. Taylor and Phil dig into the generational forces that shaped so many dads — wartime trauma, boomer expectations, the rigid masculinity that made emotional connection difficult — and how those patterns echo forward into all of us. Taylor also shares how her brother Dylan is directing the show, why the family collaboration just makes sense, and what it was like to turn questions about her own dad into a piece of theatre. This episode explores: What Dads is — and why Taylor wanted to build a show around audience interaction, games, and stand-up The generational and emotional weight fathers carry, and how masculinity shapes the father-child relationship Working with her brother Dylan Trowbridge as director, and why no chemistry test was needed Tool for Rebellion: Taylor's verbatim theatre piece on incel culture, the Toronto van attack, and the limits of empathy And much more! Guest: 🎭 Taylor Trowbridge Taylor Trowbridge (she/her) is an actor, educator, and award-wining playwright. As an actor, she has performed for theatre companies such as Canadian Stage, The Shaw Festival, Nightwood Theatre, Bard on the Beach and SummerWorks Festival, and for TV shows such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Upload, SKYMED, Orphan Black, Murdoch Mysteries and Copper. Taylor’s documentary play Tool for Rebellion was part of Studio 180's IN DEVELOPMENT program in 2022 and 2023 and received the Equity Showcase Cayle Chernin Award for Theatre. Her new play DADS – a playful, interactive solo show – will be at Toronto Fringe from June 30th to July 12th. Get Tickets to DADS: http://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/dads Connect with Taylor: 📸 Instagram: @taylorbluetrowbridge Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

Read transcriptAbout this episode: Stephen Drover has directed Macbeth before; twenty years ago, the day after it closed, he wanted to do it again. Now, as both adapter and director for Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, he's finally getting that chance. In this rich conversation, Stephen talks about approaching Shakespeare not as a sacred text to be served but as a living collaboration, asking not what the words inherently mean but what meaning is being created in this specific theatre, for this specific audience, right now. The conversation covers the challenge of stripping away cultural baggage around the witches, to building a post-environmental dystopia as the world of the play, to why Stephen leans into the brutal, blood-soaked reality of the play rather than sanitizing it for comfortable consumption. He also reflects on how becoming a parent has changed the way he receives Macbeth's deeply embedded anxieties about children and grief. This episode explores: Approaching Shakespeare as a collaborator rather than a proprietor — and what that means in practice for this production The concentric rings of Stephen's career: actor to director to artistic director to dramaturg How a late diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD illuminates why theatre suits his brain so well New play development at the Arts Club and the 'one size fits one' philosophy And much more! Guest: 🎭 Stephen Drover Stephen is a dramaturg and director originally from Newfoundland and presently based on the lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples (Vancouver, British Columbia). He holds a BFA in Theatre from Memorial University of Newfoundland, an MFA in Directing from the University of British Columbia, and an MA in Theatre Theory and Dramaturgy from the University of Ottawa. Since 2018, he has served as Head of New Works and Professional Engagement at Arts Club Theatre Company, where he leads the commissioning and development of new plays. His dramaturgical work there includes projects such as Forgiveness (Hiro Kanagawa), Redbone Coonhound (Amy Lee Lavoie & Omari Newton), and The Cull (Michele Riml & Michael St. John Smith). For Bard on the Beach, he has worked as a production dramaturg for Harlem Duet, he adapted the script for their celebrated production of Julius Caesar, and he directed Hamlet in 2024. He is a four-time recipient of a Jessie Richardson Award for directing, has worked as a director or dramaturg on over 60 professional theatre productions across Canada, and has published research on Shakespeare adaptation process analysis in Shakespeare Bulletin. Stephen has taught and directed at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Douglas College, Neptune Theatre School, and the University of British Columbia. He sits on the board of LMDA Canada. 🪶 Check out MacBeth at Bard on the Beach: https://bardonthebeach.org/whats-on/macbeth/ 📸 Bard on the Beach on Instagram: @bardonthebeach Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: What happens when an engineer decides to write a play? If you're Rymn Wadhwa, you end up with one of the most inventive premises at this year's Toronto Fringe Festival. Assembly Sϋggested follows two women building an IKEA chair (and maybe, just maybe, a relationship ) guided by an instruction manual that gets increasingly, wonderfully absurd. It's a debut play with a deceptively simple setup that promises real emotional depth. This is Rymn's first play, first Fringe, and first podcast interview, and it's a conversation full of warmth, honesty, and real excitement about what theatre can do. If you're heading to the Toronto Fringe this year, Assembly Sϋggested is one to put on your list. This episode explores: The ingenious premise of Assembly Sϋggested and how a friendship became the blueprint for a play about building and breaking things How Rymn's engineering mindset and chess background shape the way she structures drama — including charting emotional highs and lows in spreadsheets How such a personal play evolved into something with no villains, only two people with different needs Creating Original music for the play, and suiting it to the performer And much more! Guest: ♟️ Rymn Wadhwa Rymn is a Toronto-based playwright, artist, and engineer interested in structure, performance, and the narratives we build around everyday events. Her debut play, Assembly Sϋggested, premieres at the 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival. Connect with Rymn 🌐 Website: assemblysuggested.com 📸 Instagram: @assemblysuggested Get tickets (starting June 3): https://fringetoronto.com/fringe/show/assembly-suggested Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

About This Episode: Chantel Winters is a Toronto-based actor, playwright, and producer who has built a career by refusing to wait for permission. In this conversation with host Phil Rickaby, Chantel talks about how the realities of the audition grind pushed her toward making her own work. The conversation also digs into & Other Concerns, the film adaptation of the 2019 Fringe hit An Atlas in a Necktie and Other Concerns, how it evolved from a pandemic Zoom project into a short film now available for free on CBC Gem, and what Chantel learned about producing for screen along the way. She also speaks candidly about the shift from non-union to union work, the exhaustion of self-tape culture, the state of diversity in Canadian film and theatre, and why, despite everything, theatre will always be her first love. This episode explores: How the audition grind pushed Chantel toward playwriting and producing her own work What producing outside of Fringe taught her about ticket sales, venue costs, and the gap between expectations and reality The evolution of And Other Concerns from Toronto Fringe to a short film now streaming free on CBC Gem How Eartha Kitt inspired her play, Dear Ms. Kitt. And much more! Guest: 🎭 Chantel Winters Chantel Winters is an actor, playwright and producer born and raised in Toronto. Select theatre credits include: 'Honey Never Spoils' Toronto Fringe 2025; 'Good People' Bloor West Village Players; 'An Atlas, a Necktie & Other Concerns' Toronto Fringe 2019; 'Professionally Ethnic' Summerworks 2017. Now Magazine named Professionally Ethnic one of the outstanding ensembles of the season. She recently re-mounted her one-act play, 'Dear Ms. Kitt' under Hard-Bitten Productions. Chantel’s first film producer credit for the short, ‘& Other Concerns’ based on the Fringe hit, is now available on CBC Gem. Connect with Chantel 📸 Instagram: @chantel.winters Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, SteveRead transcript

Read transcriptAbout This Episode Blythe Haynes returns to Stageworthy for a wide-ranging conversation with host Phil Rickaby about indie theatre, artistic process, community, and the evolution of a Fringe hit into a feature film. Blythe reflects on how Toronto’s theatre scene has changed since the pandemic, why she believes artists need spaces to experiment and fail, and what Canadian theatre can learn from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe model. The conversation also explores the challenges of sustaining indie work in Toronto, the importance of artistic community, and how Blythe’s own understanding of her career shifted during the lockdown years. They also discuss the journey of An Atlas, A Necktie, and Other Concerns — the acclaimed 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival production that eventually became the filmed adaptation And Other Concerns, now streaming on CBC Gem. Blythe shares what it was like adapting the theatrical piece into film, acting while serving as a producer, and working within the unusual constraint of keeping the story confined to a single room. The episode also touches on rehearsal room culture, emotional safety in performance, outdoor theatre disasters, the realities of producing independent work, Gangway Theatre’s long-developing project Digital Divergence, and Blythe’s growing interest in playwriting and collaborative creation. This episode explores The state of Toronto indie theatre post-pandemic Why Fringe in Canada functions differently than Edinburgh Building artistic community outside traditional theatre spaces Turning An Atlas, A Necktie, and Other Concerns into a film Emotional safety and accessibility in rehearsal rooms Performing The Drowning Girls outdoors in near-hypothermic conditions The importance of process over product in artistic work and much more Guest: 🎭 Blythe Haynes BLYTHE HAYNES (she/her). Actor, Theatre Maker & Co-Artistic Director Gangway! Theatre Co. Blythe holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Alberta, but calls Toronto home, where she is an active member of the community. For Gangway she is currently working on their play Digital Divergence, a design first creation process centring on who we are in different mediums. For her solo projects, Blythe is developing her play Uplifting Stories for Seniors, which won Second Place Winner of the Toronto Fringe 2025 24 hour Playwriting Contest. An active member of Showing Up For Racial Justice, her art practice has come to involve work with grassroots community advocacy, melding together direct action and art; she was a co-producer/performer of the political play reading community event 8 Men Speak (The Theatre Centre, 2024); Favourite performances: The Drowning Girls (Guild Festival Theatre), An Acorn: a text for performance (impel Theatre/Oldham Coliseum) and the play-turned-short film & Other Concerns (dir. Sabina Olivia Lambert), which debuted at the Big Apple Film Festival (NYC) and the Female Eye Film Festival (Toronto) in 2024, and Available Now on CBC Gem. Honourable mentions: She has had the opportunity to work on two Thomas McKechnie projects - 12 Letters from Your Lover, Lost at Sea (zietpunktheatre), and was an anti-capitalist worm in Life and death and life and death and life (dir. Steven Hao). Blythe is an AMY Project Board Member, and also works with the project Anchoring Accessibility (with lead artist Leslie Ting, Dr. Jessica Watkin and Macy Siu) - which “works to find ways through practice-based research to support artists in the sector to develop relational and pragmatic approaches to accessibility and confidence by creating creative tools (the protocol) and educational materials.” Watch & Other Concerns on CBC Gem: https://gem.cbc.ca/canadian-reflections Connect with Blythe 📸 Instagram: @blythe_haynes Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: Playwright, director, and theatre maker Susanna Fournier joins Phil Rickaby fresh from rehearsal to talk about take rimbaud, her ambitious new production at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in association with the Howland Company. Inspired by Arthur Rimbaud's iconic prose poem A Season in Hell, the play is a decade-plus labour of love that explores what it means to be a young artist crashing into the hard realities of the industry — and what happens when you refuse to take the path of least resistance. Susanna and Phil dig into the state of Canadian theatre with refreshing candour: the fear of artistic risk, the pressure to program safe and familiar work, and what it costs artists, emotionally, financially, and creatively, to keep showing up. From graduating the National Theatre School and navigating the post-theatre-school identity crisis, to collaborating with director ted witzel and the Howland Company across twelve years of drafts, workshops, and rewrites, Susanna reflects on what it means to grow up inside a play; and what it takes to finally let it become what it needs to be. This episode explores: What take rimbaud is, and why Rimbaud's A Season in Hell still feels urgently relatable to artists today The culture of artistic risk-aversion in Canadian theatre and why safe programming may be slowly destroying the art form Why theatre may actually become more essential, not less, in a world where AI is replacing on-screen performers The millennial anxiety baked into the play, and what twelve years of drafts taught Susanna about herself as an artist And much more! Guest: ✍️ Susanna Fournier Susanna Fournier is an award-winning Canadian playwright, theatre maker/director, and educator. Her play texts include: The Empire Trilogy (The Philosopher’s Wife, The Scavenger’s Daughter, Four Sisters), take rimbaud, PYPER, Next Time I Die, HEART/BODY, Always Still the Dawn, and antigone lives*. Her work centres on form-as-meaning and holistic dramaturgies. As an educator, she is the Artistic Director at Armstrong Acting Studios where she shapes performance pedagogy for beginner to master-level actors. She’s taught and lectured at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Creative School, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Randolph College, and Cawthra Park Secondary School. Connect with Susanna Fournier: 🌐 Website: www.susannafournier.com 📸 Instagram: @_susanna_f Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: Lisa Marie DiLiberto, Artistic Director of Theatre Direct, joins Phil Rickaby for a wide-ranging conversation about one of Canada's most enduring theatre companies for young audiences. With the company approaching its 50th anniversary in 2026, Lisa Marie shares how she's been preparing to honour that legacy — from digging through decades of archives to planning a celebration at the Canadian Theatre Museum that will feature five decades of performance. Lisa Marie traces her own journey from training in classical acting at George Brown Theatre School and clowning with Philippe Gaulier in Paris, through founding her own company Fixpoint Theatre, to taking the helm at Theatre Direct in 2019. She speaks candidly about the realities of sustaining an arts career in Canada, the value of collaboration over competition between theatre companies, and how COVID reshaped, and in some ways reinvigorated, the work she wanted to do. This episode explores: Theatre Direct's history, mission, and preparations for its 50th anniversary season in 2026 Lisa Marie's path from George Brown Theatre School and Paris clown training to founding Fixpoint Theatre and leading Theatre Direct Why Theatre for Young Audiences is vital - and how to reach kids who didn't choose to be there Site-specific and participatory theatre as a strategy for engaging young audiences and navigating gatekeepers And much more! Guest: 🎭 Lisa Marie DiLiberto Lisa Marie is the Artistic Director of Theatre Direct Canada, formerly Artistic Director and founder of FIXT POINT Arts and Media, and co-creator of The Tale of a Town, a site-specific theatre and media project that has toured to every province and territory in Canada. She is a Dora nominated Director and the co-creator of Main Street Ontario an animated series now airing its second season on TVO. Ms. DiLiberto holds a Masters of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies from York University where she is currently pursuing her PhD. Past posts include Playwright-in-Residence at Theatre Passe Muraille, Associate Artistic Director at Jumblies Theatre, and Education & Audience Development Coordinator at Canadian Stage. Lisa Marie is an Artistic Advisor for the National Arts Centre and a graduate of George Brown Theatre School and École Philippe Gaulier in Paris, France. She is an advocate for artist caregivers through Theatre Direct’s initiative Balancing Act and the proud mom of two wild children. Connect with Lisa Marie & Theatre Direct 🌐 Website: theatredirect.ca 📸 Instagram: @theatredirect Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: What happens when a sports medicine physician rediscovers her inner theatre kid during a global pandemic? In this episode, Phil sits down with Dr. Janet McMordie, a physician, actor, podcast host, and Team Canada Paralympics doctor, for a genuinely surprising conversation about what it means to pursue two very different callings at once. Janet shares how Second City's free online improv classes for healthcare workers during COVID cracked open a creative life she'd tucked away during years of medical training. From community theatre up north to landing an agent at a showcase, her path back to the stage has been anything but conventional — and she's leaning into every messy, joyful step of it. Now Janet is producing and starring in a remount of Rosamund Small's acclaimed play Vitals at Factory Theatre (May 2 - 10), directed by Alaine Hutton. She opens up about what it's like to hire yourself when the industry won't, the humbling surprise of discovering that the script is only 10–20% of the show, and why she believes theatre - real humans breathing the same air - is exactly what the world needs right now. This episode explores: How pandemic improv classes reignited Janet's lifelong love of performance What it's like to navigate the identity of being both Dr. McMordie and an actor Producing Vitals at Factory Theatre — finding funding through small businesses when grants fall short Being a Team Canada physician at the 2024 Paris Paralympics The politics of sport, the politics of theatre, and why artists can't just 'stay in their lane' And much more! Guest: 🩺 Dr. Janet McMordie Dr. Janet McMordie is a Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician with specialty training in Women’s Sexual Health. She completed medical school, family medicine residency, and sport medicine fellowship at McMaster University. She holds a diploma in Sports Medicine from the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM) and is a member of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH). Dr. McMordie is an Associate Medical Director with Odyssey Medical Inc. She also provides medical consulting and surgical/medical device hand doubling services to the film industry. She has extensive theatrical credits including the upcoming remount of VITALS at Factory Theatre, Theatre by The Bay, Mariposa Arts Theatre, The Second City and Antic Theatre. Select film/tv credits include Doc (Fox), Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), and Two Brothers (OutTV). Through her independent podcast Second Act Actors, recently nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award, she has facilitated over 200 in-depth interviews exploring identity, resilience, and transformation. Connect with Dr. Janet McMordie: 🌐 Website: www.janetmcmordie.com 📸 Instagram: @janetmcmordie 🎙️ Podcast: Second Act Actors Get tickets to Vitals at Factory Theatre (May 2 - 10): https://purchase.factorytheatre.ca/EventAvailability?EventId=52402 Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: What does it mean to move with intention? For Alexis Milligan, movement is everything — every breath, every blink, every shift of weight tells a story. As the Resident Movement Director at the Shaw Festival, Alexis works at the intersection of physical storytelling, design, and performance, helping actors inhabit their roles from the inside out. In this episode, Phil and Alexis dig into what movement direction actually is, how it differs from choreography, and why getting rehearsal corsets and headpieces into the room early can mean the difference between injury and artistry. But Alexis's work extends well beyond the rehearsal hall. She is the creator and director of the Groundbreaking Theatre of Medicine program — an accredited continuing professional development program through the University of Toronto that brings performing arts skills directly to physicians, surgeons, and healthcare providers. The research is unambiguous: when patients feel heard and seen by their doctors, their outcomes improve. Alexis is building the bridge between those two worlds, using theatre games, movement exercises, and the transferable skills of the performing arts to fill critical gaps in medical education. Alexis also opens up about podcasting — both as the host of Finding Creativity and as the host of the Shaw Festival's own Let's Get This Shaw on the Road podcast. She and Phil share a candid conversation about the realities of building an audience for niche arts programming, the importance of pulling back the curtain for audiences, and why Canadian theatre needs to get louder about the value it brings to communities. This episode explores: What movement direction is — and how it differs from choreography The physical challenges of period costuming and why rehearsal corsets matter from day one Emotional bleed, the actor's cool-down, and the practice of 'taking off the mask' How the Theatre of Medicine is using performing arts skills to improve patient outcomes and physician well-being The power of pulling back the curtain to build new and loyal theatre audiences And much more! Guest: 🎭 Alexis Milligan Canadian actor, movement specialist and director Alexis Milligan practices and teaches a diverse range of work from theatre and film to movement direction and puppetry. Currently, she is the resident Movement Director at the Shaw Festival, host of the “Let’s Get This Shaw on The Road” podcast, and the director of the ground-breaking Theatre of Medicine program, created in partnership with the Canadian Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Alexis is a much sought after teacher and arts educator. Her unique approach blends the arts and science by sharing knowledge through experiential learning - which simply means learning through doing. She holds a diploma in Classical Performance from George Brown Theatre School, a diploma in University Teaching from Renaissance College, and a master’s in interdisciplinary studies, combining the performing arts, communication, education, and neuroscience, from the University of New Brunswick. She has served as a consultant for the Canadian Medical Protective Association and has sat on the steering committees for the Canadian Network of Imagination and Creativity and the Atlantic Centre for Creativity, as well as host of the “Finding Creativity” podcast. Alexis is a regular guest teacher at NYU Tisch School for the Performing Arts, The Verbier Festival, The European Association of Urology (TIP Program), Dalhousie University School of Nursing, and University of New Brunswick, School of Nursing. Connect with Alexis Milligan: 🌐 Website: www.alexismilligan.com 📸 Instagram: @milligan.spike 🎙️ Podcast: Let's Get This Shaw on the Road 🎙️ Podcast: Finding Creativity Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: Logan Robbins is one of those rare theatre artists whose work sits at the intersection of science, storytelling, and a deep love for the natural world. As the artistic director of the Unnatural Disaster Theatre Company in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Logan has built a practice rooted in environmental themes, puppetry, site-specific work, and creating space for emerging artists to find their footing in the professional theatre world. It's a conversation full of warmth, curiosity, and genuine passion for what theatre can do. Phil and Logan cover a lot of ground - from the origins of the Unnatural Disaster Theatre Company and what sustainable theatre actually looks like in practice, to Logan's unusual path from aspiring marine biologist to professional puppeteer. Along the way, they get into the magic of making inanimate objects breathe, the Grogu effect on public perception of puppetry, and a surprisingly relatable detour into dyscalculia. This is also a conversation about community, what it means to build one, how Halifax's independent theatre scene functions with limited space, and why Logan started not one but two puppet festivals in the same year. If you've ever felt the inexplicable joy of watching a puppet come to life, this episode will remind you exactly why that feeling matters. This episode explores: How the Unnatural Disaster Theatre Company was founded and what sustainable theatre means in practice Logan's journey from zookeeper and marine biology student to professional puppeteer and theatre maker The magic of puppetry and why breath is the key to bringing any object to life The Halifax theatre scene: independent companies, the Bus Stop Theatre, and Neptune's growing role as a community hub Launching the Objective Puppet Test festival and the Atlantic Festival of Puppetry Arts And much more! Guest: 🎭 Logan Robbins Logan “Lo” Robins is a queer environmental theatre maker, puppeteer, director, producer, stage manager, science communicator, and Artistic Director of The Unnatural Disaster Theatre Co. He is based in the Moolipchugechk region of Mi’kma’ki (colonially known as Herring Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada) and has performed around the world in theatres, on glaciers, and everywhere in between. In the summer of 2025 Logan performed as a puppeteer from Southern Spain to the Arctic Circle with “The Herds”- an international climate action project by The Walk Productions. Logan is passionate about devised theatre, mask, puppetry, and outdoor site-specific theatre that connects audiences to the natural world. As a theatre maker they believe that prioritising collective creation and community care are key to creating art that forges pathways of empathy towards others, ourselves, and the planet. Connect with Logan and The Unnatural Disaster Theatre Company 🌐 Website: www.unnaturaldisaster.ca 📸 Instagram: @unnaturaldisastertheatre 📸 Instagram: @loganrobins Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell! Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Thank you to my Patrons: Chris, Georgia, Heather J, Tanisha, Aisling, Cassie, Heather, Jeanette, Steve

About This Episode: Bryn Kennedy returns to Stageworthy to talk about directing Riot King's production of The Moors by Jen Silverman — a darkly comic Victorian Gothic play about isolation, power, and the cost of giving up community. Bryn shares why this unsettling tale of spinster sisters, a mysterious governess, a mastiff dog, and a moorhen feels urgently relevant in our age of individualism and loneliness. Beyond The Moors, Bryn and Phil dig into big questions facing Canadian theatre: How do we reach audiences who aren't already theatre people? Why do we struggle to communicate story in our marketing? And what can we learn from Hollywood, fringe festivals, and even church about building community and inviting people in? Bryn also reflects on her work as a director, actor, producer, and marketer — and what she learned about the next generation of theatre-makers while managing Musical Stage Company's One Song Glory program. This episode explores: Why The Moors speaks to our culture of isolation and individualism The magic of the BMO Incubator Space at the Theatre Centre What Riot King gets right about indie theatre community Why we need to stop assuming everyone knows the classics What Bryn learned from working with fearless theatre kids And much more! Guest: 🎭 Bryn Kennedy Bryn Kennedy (she/her) is a director, producer, sometimes actor, spreadsheet planner, community builder and life-long learner. As a director, her favourite credits include the upcoming production of The Moors with Riot King, a new interpretation of Vitals by Rosamund Small (Outstanding Solo Performance Nomination, My Entertainment Awards), Beneath the Bed by Gabriel Golin (sold out, site specific run at Toronto Fringe) and new, speculative fiction play JANE by Camille Intson (inaugural Tarragon Greenhouse Residency). She is an alumni of Director's Lab North, Musical Stage Company‘s Apprentice Program and the Stratford Festival Langham Directors Workshop, where she was the recipient of the Jean Gascon Award for Emerging Director at the Guthrie Awards. She has also held assisting positions with prolific Canadian directors Jackie Maxwell (Withrow Park at Tarragon, Ransacking Troy at Stratford), Chris Abraham (Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and Rogers V Rogers at Crow's) and Peter Pasyk (Hamlet at Stratford). She is currently the Assistant to the Artistic Director at Crow's Theatre and Associate Artistic Director at Directors Lab North. Connect with Bryn Kennedy 🌐 Website: brynkennedy.com 📸 Instagram: @brynkennedy Get tickets to the Moors: https://theatrecentre.org/tickets/?eid=188037 The Moors runs until April 19 at The Theatre Centre. Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this episode, Phil sits down with Miriam Cummings, a playwright, performer, and educator who creates deeply personal solo theatre. Miriam shares how a tongue-in-cheek suggestion at Canada's National Voice Institute led her to write and perform her first solo show, The One, and how that experience opened up new ways of being vulnerable on stage. She reflects on the protective barriers she built as a young actor after experiencing profound loss, and how solo performance helped her dismantle those walls and get closer to herself as an artist. Miriam also discusses her second solo show, Wide, which pushed the boundaries of audience participation and co-creation, and how moving from Montreal to BC transformed both her body and her art. As an educator, she believes everyone has inherent presence and that actor training is about uncovering the joy of play we all had as children. This conversation explores grief, presence, the writing process, and the courage it takes to be honest on stage. This episode explores: How a casual suggestion led Miriam to create her first solo show The terrifying vulnerability of hearing your own writing read aloud for the first time Navigating grief and loss in theatre school and building protective barriers as an actor The difference between creating The One and Wide, and the role of movement in Miriam's writing process Teaching presence, play, and helping adults reclaim what they loved as children And much more! Guest: 🎭 Miriam Cummings Miriam (she/her) is an artist, actor, and educator who creates on the ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. Playful improvisation that connects breath, body, and voice to image is at the core of Miriam’s practice. She holds an MFA (Performance & Creative Writing) from UBCO and a BFA (Acting) from Concordia University. Based in Tiohtià:ke / Montréal for more than a decade, Miriam performed with local companies such as Repercussion Theatre, Montréal Improv, and co-founded Hopegrown Productions, an incubator for new plays. Her solo performance and research of psychologically safe actor training methods have been selected for residencies in Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia. Miriam has instructed adults across the country for more than a decade, teaching acting, devising, and creative writing classes as Part-Time Faculty at Concordia University and workshops at Sheridan College, Okanagan College, Geordie Theatre School, Tempest Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Rosebud School for the Arts, and more. Miriam offers accessible classes for everyone that boost confidence, creativity, and self-expression through actor training techniques and coaches people one-on-one. Connect with Miriam: 📸 Instagram: @mcummings___ Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: Creative producer Alexis Eastman joins Stageworthy host Phil Rickaby to explore what it really means to be a creative producer in Canadian theatre. From her early days making work at the Toronto Fringe to her current role supporting artists through long-term development processes, Alexis shares insights into how she bridges the administrative and creative aspects of theatre-making. She discusses her collaborations with artists like Adam Lazarus on shows including Daughter and the upcoming Versus, and how her approach to producing integrates her into the creative process as a true collaborator. Alexis also opens up about how becoming a mother profoundly changed her perspective on producing, the importance of failure in the creative process, and her journey from devised theatre to discovering she's actually a novelist. She reflects on growing up in an evangelical church and how that shaped her artistic practice, the necessity of boredom for creativity, and why long-term relationships between artists and producers lead to deeper, more rigorous work. This episode explores: What a creative producer actually does and how it differs from traditional producing The importance of long-term artist support and development in theatre How motherhood transformed Alexis's approach to producing and collaboration Working with Adam Lazarus on Daughter and the new show Versus Why failure and time are essential ingredients in the creative process And much more! Guest: 🎭 Alexis Eastman Alexis Eastman is a writer and creative producer based in Toronto. A graduate of York University's Creative Ensemble program, she learned her producing craft at the Theatre Centre under Ashlyn Rose, where she served as producer from 2018. Alexis works as a creative collaborator integrated into the artistic process from idea through development to premiere and beyond. She has collaborated extensively with artists including Adam Lazarus on Daughter and the upcoming show Versus. Beyond producing, Alexis is also a novelist, having discovered that novel writing is her true creative practice. She brings her experience as a mother and her background growing up in an evangelical church to inform her thoughtful, emotionally intelligent approach to supporting artists. Connect with Alexis Eastman: 📸 Instagram: @alexis_leanna Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: What happens when three goblins discover the complete works of Shakespeare and decide to stage Macbeth? Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak, the creative minds behind Spontaneous Theatre and the Goblin Empire, join Phil to share the wild origin story of Goblin:Macbeth; from a rushed eight-day creation to becoming a phenomenon at major Canadian theatre festivals. They discuss the challenges of performing in Hollywood-grade silicone masks, the art of caring for audiences while embodying creatures, and how they've managed to sneak improvisation into prestigious Canadian theatre companies like the Stratford and Shaw Festivals. This episode explores: The serendipitous eight-day creation of Goblin Macbeth and performing in expensive silicone masks How mask work, clown technique, and bouffon influence the goblins' relationship with audiences Sneaking improvisation into mainstream Canadian theatre at Stratford and Shaw Festivals The legacy of Keith Johnstone and Loose Moose Theatre Company in shaping Canadian improv Why live theatre is the antidote to artificial intelligence and isolation And much more! Guests: 🎭 Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak Rebecca Northan is a "Jill-of-all-trades": actor, director, playwright, improviser,producer, and sometimes-prop-maker. She is the Artistic Producer of Spontaneous Theatre, known for its audience-centered creations that almost always break the fourth wall. Rebecca has worked across Canada as an actor and director. Most recently she co-created Murder-on-the-Lake for the Shaw Festival, which played to 87% houses in the 2025 season. In 2026, Rebecca will travel to Bard on the Beach, in Vancouver, to direct the Merry Wives of Windsor, and will then remain perform in Goblin:Oedipus. Rebecca, and co-creators Bruce Horak & Ellis Lalonde continue to expand the "Goblin Empire", with several future Goblin projects in the hopper. Rebecca is a Canadian Comedy Award Winner, and has also starred in two Canadian TV series ("Alice, I Think", and "The Foundation"). She also teaches improvisation occasionally, and hopes to someday launch a training facility. Rebecca's hit show, Blind Date, has toured across Canada, parts the US, off-Broadway, and in London & Oslo. Bruce Horak is originally from Calgary, Alberta where he trained in Theatre and Improvisation at the prestigious Loose Moose Theatre. He has worked professionally in Canada and abroad for over 25 years. He can be seen onscreen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for Paramount Plus as the Chief Engineer, Hemmer. When not creating new works and performing onstage, Bruce devotes his time to painting, composing, and writing. Connect with Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak: 🌐 Spontaneous Theatre: spontaneoustheatre.com 📸 Instagram: @spontaneoustheatre 📸 Instagram: @rebeccanorthan 📸 Instagram: @brucehorak Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, Phil Rickaby is joined by the vibrant and multifaceted Tika McLean. In a conversation that is as funny as it is profound, Tika reflects on her journey from a self-described "shy kid" who once froze during a church solo to becoming a bold, multidisciplinary artist who uses her voice to challenge the status quo. In this episode: The "General Creative" Philosophy: Why Tika refuses to choose just one lane between acting, dancing, and painting. Art as Social Commentary: Using satire to address racism and the "distraction economy." Navigating the Industry with Disability: The reality of chronic pain, healthcare "sensitivity," and accessibility on stage. The K-Pop Connection: How global fandoms and the South Korean idol system inspired her new musical project. And much more! Guest: 🎭 Tika McLean Tika McLean is a performer who uses acting, singing, dancing & painting as creative outlets to express her performance abilities to her audience. She created her one woman (for now) production company, Beyond A Productions, and shares her comedy skits, cover songs and dances on her YouTube channel TIKA! (@tikacreates), & LOVES to perform live! Tika strives to build mutual aid networks in her community through her work with various organizations as an outreach worker for people experiencing homelessness, hosting clothing drives and a portable soup kitchen, and handing out Covid fun packages for people in isolation. She continues to volunteer in her community by mentoring youth & young adults to create their own community initiatives & achieve their career goals. She also is the proud creator of GIVE ‘EM LOVE, an art fundraiser platforming communities experiencing oppression due to stigma, to finally have the opportunity to tell their stories to the world. Tika wants you to know that mutual aid networks are key to creating positive change in our communities. Connect with Tika: 📸 Instagram: @angry_black_womban 🎥 TikTok: @angry_black_woman 📺 YouTube: @TikaCreates Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Emily Jeffers for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about artistic identity, collaboration, and carving out a sustainable life in theatre. Emily shares insights into her creative journey, reflecting on the evolution of her practice and the realities of working as an artist today. From navigating uncertainty to embracing curiosity, she speaks candidly about the challenges and rewards of making work that feels both personal and communal. The conversation explores process, risk-taking, and the importance of staying open to change in an ever-shifting theatrical landscape. This episode explores: Emily’s path into theatre and the experiences that shaped her voice The balance between artistic ambition and practical sustainability Collaboration as a creative engine The role of vulnerability in performance and creation Redefining success on your own terms And much more! Guest: 🎭 Emily Jeffers Emily Jeffers is an actor, producer, comedian and clown based in Toronto. She has developed her comedic sensibilities through instructors and training from l’École Philippe Gaulier (France), Spymonkey Theatre (UK), the Idiot Workshop (Los Angeles), Second City, Bad Dog Theatre, and Sweet Action Theatre. Emily is known for absurd, physical characters like Bitty-Bat, the Mathemagician, and her drag persona Sheonardo DiCaprio. She has performed at Second City, Toronto Sketchfest, Montreal Sketchfest, the Montreal Clown Festival, Toronto Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. Ever a champion of the ridiculous, Emily also produces the variety shows Tight Five and Sketch Party as well as workshops to support the professional development of clowns and performers in the Toronto community. Connect with Emily: 🌐 website: www.emilyjeffers.ca 📸 Instagram: @blemilybleffers 📸 Instagram: @bittybatshow Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Virginia Woodall, producer at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. With the festival entering its 21st year, Virginia shares the story of how she moved from volunteer to producer, how 164 submissions become a 12-day lineup of 78 troupes, and why sketch comedy deserves recognition as its own artistic discipline. In this episode: The evolution of the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival How the programming committee evaluates 160+ submissions Why sketch comedy is a distinct art form — not just “theatre adjacent” Community-building within the sketch scene The role of monthly comedy cabarets Why Virginia calls Sketchfest “Comedy Christmas” And more! Guest: 🎭  Virginia Woodall Virginia Woodall is a producer at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. She's an arts administrator and creative producer with a background that bridges the cultural and corporate sectors (she’s a textbook Libra: very balanced). Drawing on years of experience in comedy, live performance, and festival production, she combines strategic thinking with a deep love for the creative process. Her prior work in corporate sales and marketing helps her build buzz, grow partnerships, and develop organizational growth strategies. Virginia is passionate about creating inclusive, accessible, and joyful arts experiences that support artists and strengthen community. Connect with Virginia & Toronto SketchFest 🌐 Website: torontosketchfest.com 📷 Instagram: @tosketchfesthttps://www.instagram.com/tosketchfest/ 📷 Instagram: @iamvirginiawoodall Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with acclaimed playwright, actor, and screenwriter Anusree Roy about her newest play, Through the Eyes of God, now onstage at Theatre Passe-Muraille. The conversation explores Roy’s evolving artistic process, the deeply personal roots of her storytelling, and her journey between theatre and television writing. In this episode: Writing as an act of witnessing and responsibility The emotional and ethical weight of socially engaged theatre Navigating the Canadian theatre landscape as a playwright of colour Collaboration, trust, and the rehearsal room as community Sustaining an artistic life while carrying urgent stories And much more! Guest: 🎭 Anusree Roy Anusree is a two time Governor General’s Award-nominated and four-time Dora Award-winning writer, actor, and director. Anusree is currently the Co-Executive Producer and writer for the Allegiance S3 (CBC) television series. She has also worked on Interview With The Vampire S3 (AMC), Allegiance S2 (CBC), Transplant S2 (NBC/Netflix/CTV), I Woke Up a Vampire (Netflix), SkyMed (Paramount+/CBC), Remedy (Global TV), Killjoys (SyFy), and Nurses S1 & S2 (NBC/Global TV). For theatre, Anusree’s plays include: Through the Eyes of God, Sisters, Trident Moon, Little Pretty and The Exceptional, Sultans of the Street, Brothel # 9, Roshni, Letters to my Grandma, and Pyaasa. She is the recipient of the K.M. Hunter Award, the RBC Emerging Artist Award, the Carol Bolt Award and the Siminovitch Protégé Prize. She was the 2018 finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (the largest and oldest playwriting prize for women writing for English-speaking theatre). Currently, she is the commissioned playwright at Tarragon Theatre, writing her new play, 147, 8th Street. Anusree is presently developing a feature film inspired by her audio play, Sisters, as well as directing and premiering her short films, The Birthday Party and God’s Plan (winner of Best Performance & Best Editing at WIFF). She is also an adjunct professor of playwriting at the University of Toronto and a professor of creative writing, teaching advanced drama to MFA students, at the University of British Columbia. Anusree's playwright residencies include: Nightwood Theatre, Young People's Theatre, Factory Theatre, The Blyth Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille, The Canadian Stage Company and Tarragon Theatre. Anusree spent two seasons as an actor at the Stratford Festival of Canada. She holds a B.A. from York University and an M.A. from the University of Toronto, and most of her plays have been published by Playwrights Canada Press. Anusree was a board member for Playwrights Canada Press for over five years and a juror for the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Michael Than Foundation Award, Toronto Arts Foundation Awards and the George Luscombe Mentorship Award. Her works have appeared in multiple anthologies including: Refractions: Scenes, Refractions: Solo, Love, Loss and Longing: South Asian Canadian Plays, Truth in Play, Dramathemes, TOK: Writing the New Toronto, and Diaspora Dialogues Anthology. Anusree's plays have been taught at the University of Toronto, York University, Ryerson University, Wilfried Laurier University, the University of Calgary, the University of Guelph, the University of Regina, McGill University and the National Theatre School. Connect with Anusree 🌐 Website: www.anusreeroy.com 📸 Instagram: @writeranusreeroy Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Dienye Waboso Amajor — a Dora-nominated Nigerian actor, writer, and interdisciplinary artist living and working in Ontario. With an academic background in theatre and performance studies and ongoing doctoral research, Dienye’s practice bridges performance, scholarship, and cultural storytelling. This Episode Explores: Dienye’s journey as a Nigerian artist working in Canada The relationship between scholarship and performance practice Creating work grounded in lived experience and research The role of voice — personal, cultural, and artistic Balancing academic study with creative practice And much more! Guest: 🎭 Dienye Waboso Amajor Dienye Waboso Amajor is a Dora Nominated Nigerian Actor, Writer, Performer and Mother who lives and works in Ontario. Dienye holds an MA in Theatre and Performance studies from York University with a keen interest in Pre-Colonial African Theory, Performance and Development. Dienye is a published writer whose work can be found on the online publication She Does the City. In 2022, she developed and debuted a new visual and photographic work titled “Rest” which seeks to prioritize and localize the exploration and imagery of Black bodies in a state of Rest. Dienye is currently continuing her studies as a PhD student in the Theatre Dance and Performance program at York University. She currently works with Suitcase in Point Multi Arts company as the Associate Artistic Director. Connect with Dienye 📸 Instagram: @sodiandtheboys Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Tim Porter, founding Artistic Director of Tweed & Company Theatre, to talk about what it means to build a sustainable professional theatre company outside of major urban centres. This Episode Explores: Founding Tweed & Company and building a company from the ground up Why regional and rural theatre matters in Canada Audience relationships outside major urban centres Sustainability, scale, and expectations in Canadian theatre The difference between serving a community and chasing prestige And much more! Guest: 🎭 Tim Porter: Tim is a performer, writer, and director from Tweed Ontario. As Tweed & Company’s founding Artistic Director, he’s written/directed several full Canadian musicals and directed/performed in countless others. Acting credits include: Nine seasons with Drayton Entertainment performing in countless shows including Buddy the Elf in ELF!, George in the Drowsy Chaperone, six pantos as the Buttons track, Les Mis, Man of La Mancha, Marathon of Hope, Kinky Boots, Singing in the Rain, and many more.; multiple North American tours as Rooney Doodle in CBC’s ‘The Doodlebops’; the original Canadian Productions of ‘Evil Dead: The Musical’ and ‘Cannibal: The Musical’. Tim is also a King Charles the 3rd Coronation Medal recipient, two time Premier’s Award of Ontario nominee and Terry Doyle Memorial Award recipient (Drayton Entertainment). He is honoured to produce quality theatre for Hastings County and Eastern Ontario. Connect with Tim and Tweed & Company: 🌐 Website: www.tweedandcompany.com 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tweedandcompany/ Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby speaks with Jack Burrill, actor, director, acting coach, and Artistic Director of Unchained Theatre. What begins as a shared nerd-out over Shakespeare quickly becomes a wide-ranging conversation about why these 400-year-old plays still matter - and how indie theatre is often where their most exciting reinventions happen. This episode explores: Founding Unchained Theatre during the pandemic Modernizing classic texts without losing their soul Performing Shakespeare in small, intimate spaces Why indie theatre matters in Toronto’s ecosystem Theatre as an irreplaceable live experience And much more! Guest: 🎭 Jack Burrill Jack Burrill is an actor, a director, a writer, teacher and the proud Artistic Director and co-founder of Unchained Theatre. As Jack has taken part in productions that he has both acted in and directed (often at the same time.) Some of Jack’s credits include Denise Shepard (Laramie Project), Wargrave (And Then There Were None), Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night), Titania/Theseus (Midsummer Night's Dream), Falstaff (Henry IV Part 1). And recently Jack will be Claudius in Hamlet. Jack was recently nominated by Broadway World for his performance as Titania/Thesus in Thaumatrope Theatres production of Midsummer Nights Dream. Jack was trained at Centennial CollegeTheatre Arts and Performance program. As well as being trained in both the Grotowski method by Ara Glenn-Johanson and the Michael Chekhov Technique by Rena Polley and Lionel Walsh, with an aspiration to be trained in more of the legendary practitioner’s methods. He hopes to continue his work and research by producing Shakespeare and learning the different approaches to the craft of acting to pass it on to future generations of actors and artists. Connect with Jack Burrill & Unchained Theatre: 📸 Instagram: @jackieb123_______ 📸 Instagram: @unchained_theatre_company___ Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this solo Stageworthy episode, host Phil Rickaby takes a deep dive into the idea of “nation-building” — and why Canada keeps getting it wrong. Sparked by post-election rhetoric around pipelines, railways, housing, and AI infrastructure, Phil argues that these are construction projects, not nation-building ones. True nation-building, he suggests, happens through culture — and specifically through the arts. Drawing on Canadian history, from the Massey Commission to the creation of the Canada Council for the Arts, Phil traces how arts funding was once understood as a form of national defence — a way of protecting Canadian identity from cultural erasure. He contrasts that history with today’s fixation on GDP, ROI, and “bankable” outcomes, and asks what happens to a country when its soul is treated as discretionary. This episode is part rant, part cultural history lesson, and part call to action — urging Canada to remember that theatres, music, film, and storytelling don’t just entertain us. They define us. Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Gabrielle Martin, Artistic Director of Vancouver’s PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. Gabrielle discusses her unconventional path into arts leadership, the realities of curating large-scale interdisciplinary work, and the responsibility of presenting challenging, global performance within a local context. This episode explores: Gabrielle’s journey into arts leadership and festival direction The role of PuSh Festival within Vancouver’s cultural ecosystem Curating interdisciplinary and international performance Audience engagement and accessibility in contemporary performance The realities of producing large-scale work in Canada Care, sustainability, and leadership in the performing arts And much more! Guest: 🎭 Gabrielle Martin Gabrielle Martin is a cultural producer and live arts curator practicing transformative experiential design in one of society’s few remaining ritual spaces. Her work prioritizes embodied criticality, imagination, pluralism, and risk. It centres the body, and is framed by social and political urgencies. Gabrielle has a BFA in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University (Montréal), a Certificate in Dramaturgy from the Centre National des Arts du Cirque (Châlons-en-Champagne), and an MA in Arts and Cultural Management from Rome Business School. Recently, Gabrielle has participated on curatorial and selection juries for Denmark’s CPH Stage International Days, England’s Horizon Showcase, and Canada’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in Dance. Before joining PuSh in 2021, she worked as Festival Manager with the Vancouver International Dance Festival. Prior to working in arts management, Gabrielle performed over 1,400 shows internationally with Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK – The First Flight and Cavalia, participated in choreographic residencies in Belgium, Sweden and France, and presented her work in the UK, US, and across Canada. Connect with Gabrielle: 🌐 Website: https://pushfestival.ca/ 📷 Instagram: @pushfestival Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with theatre producer and arts leader Reid Vanier for a candid conversation about producing, leadership, and building sustainable theatre ecosystems. Reid reflects on his path into the industry, the realities of working behind the scenes, the theatre scene in Whitehorse, and the evolving responsibilities of producers in today’s cultural landscape. This episode explores: Reid’s journey into theatre producing and arts leadership Balancing artistic ambition with organizational sustainability Leadership styles within theatre companies and cultural institutions Supporting artists while managing limited resources The evolving landscape of Canadian theatre production Collaboration, trust, and communication in creative teams And more! Guest: 🎭 Reid Vanier Reid (he/him) is a director and actor originally from Ontario but now based in Whitehorse, Yukon. He was worked on and off-stage at numerous theatres and arts organizations in Canada, including the Stratford Festival and Shaw Festival, and currently serves as the President of the Guild Hall in Whitehorse. Reid is also an award-winning podcaster and comedian. Selected directing: The Weir, Monty Python's Spamalot, Mustard (The Guild), Fiddler on the Roof (Yukon Theatre for Young People), Matt & Ben (Hot Cousin Productions), An Ideal Husband (KW Youth Theatre), The Real Inspector Hound, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet (Standard Deviation Theatre). Selected acting: Two Gentlemen of Verona (Yukon Theatre for Young People), Good Night Desdemona Good Morning Juliet (The Guild), The Three Musketeers, Henry V (Stratford Festival), La Persistencia, The Dumb Waiter, On the Harmfulness of Tobacco (Standard Deviation Theatre). Selected workshops: Klondike: The Musical (The Guild), Body 13 (The MT Space). Training: University of Waterloo. Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

In this episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby sits down with Joe Szekeres, founder of Our Theatre Voice, for an in-depth conversation about theatre criticism, community theatre, and why live performance still matters. As Stageworthy enters its tenth year, this discussion reflects on the changing landscape of Canadian theatre journalism, the responsibilities of reviewers, and the importance of constructive, thoughtful criticism. This episode explores: Joe’s path from community theatre to theatre criticism The founding and philosophy behind Our Theatre Voice The value of training and mentorship in theatre criticism Constructive criticism versus negativity Funding pressures and their impact on production choices Championing Canadian stories and homegrown work And much more! Guest: 🎭 Joe Szekeres Actor/director for 30+ years in the local community theatre scene in Durham Region. Retired 33-year Catholic school educator. Founder, Editor and Publisher of OUR THEATRE VOICE. I had also written for Onstage Blog (founder: Chris Peterson) until 2020, when COVID hit and Onstage changed its formatting. Chris encouraged me to go out on my own. Connect with Joe: 🌐 Website: www.ourtheatrevoice.com 📸 Instagram: @ourtheatrevoice Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: In this special roundtable episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by theatre critics and podcasters Janine Marley (A View From the Box) and Ryan Borochovitz (The Cup / Cup of Hemlock Theatre) for an in-depth conversation reflecting on the past year in Toronto theatre. Connect with Janine and A View From the Box: 🌐 Website: aviewfromthebox.net 📸 Instagram: @avuefromthebox 🦋 Bluesky: @aviewfromthebox.bsky.social __ Connect with Ryan and The Cup of Hemlock Podcast: 📸 Instagram: @cohtheatre 🔴 Youtube: @cupofhemlocktheatre2934 Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week, Phil Rickaby welcomes Stephanie Malek, performer and producer, to discuss the magic of improvised musicals, the history of Bad Dog Theatre, and the power of finding community through art. Stephanie, who is involved in the show Holiday, an improvised musical, shares insights into the rigorous training required for musical improv, the importance of nurturing other artists, and more! In this episode: Holiday, the Improvised Musical at Factory Theatre Bad Dog Theatre, Improv and the community The Fandom Show Podcast And more! Guest: 🎭 Stephanie Malek Stephanie Malek (she/her) is a producer, performer, fangirl, comedian, singer, and all around nerd from Toronto, ON. She is known for producing and performing in the Dora-nominated improvised musical Holiday! An Improvised Musical! She can be found performing at comedy venues around Toronto and the world at festivals such as JFL, New Zealand Improv Fest, and Toronto Sketchfest. Connect with Stephanie and Bad Dog Theatre: 🌐 Website: baddogtheatre.com 📸 Instagram: @baddogtheatre | @stephanie_malek Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Kanika Ambrose, an award-winning playwright, librettist, and screenwriter whose work spans theatre, opera, and television. Kanika shares her path from writing poetry as a child to becoming one of Canada’s most exciting multidisciplinary storytellers, known for blending sharp social insight with bold, imaginative worlds. She discusses her three plays in production right now: our place, at Black Theatre Workshop, The Christmas Market at Crow's in association with b Current and Studio 180 Theatre and Moonlight Schooner at Canadian Stage, in association with Necessary Angel and Tarragon Theatre. This episode explores: Kanika’s creative beginnings and path to becoming a playwright Finding her voice in writing after initially pursuing acting How motherhood reshaped her creative life Creating space for Black women and Caribbean stories in Canadian theatre and much more! Guest: ✍️ Kanika Ambrose Kanika Ambrose is a two-time Dora Award winning playwright, opera librettist, and screenwriter.  Her play “our place,” was first produced by Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille in November 2022 and received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for “Outstanding New Play” in 2023. She received a second “Outstanding New Play” Dora in 2024 for “Truth” which premiered at Young People’s Theatre earlier the same year. Moonlight Schooner Tickets: 🎟️ https://my.canadianstage.com/overview/9330 Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Fiona Sauder, co-founder and Artistic Director of Bad Hats Theatre. Known for their inventive, musical, family-friendly adaptations of classic literature, Bad Hats has become one of Toronto’s most celebrated indie theatre companies. Fiona shares the origin story of the company, beginning with a serendipitous brewery production of Peter Pan and growing into a long-standing partnership with Soulpepper, as well as their upcoming production of Narnia. This episode explores: The origins and evolution of Bad Hats Theatre How Fiona approaches adapting iconic children’s literature Theatre as a space of joy, presence, and shared imagination Fiona’s artistic journey from Ottawa to George Brown to Soulpepper And much more! Guest: 🎭 Fiona Sauder Fiona Sauder is a Director, Writer, and Performer from Ottawa, ON. The co-founder, and Artistic Director of Bad Hats Theatre, Fiona is a multi-Dora Award winning artist whose writing has been presented across Canada. Select Directing credits include: Narnia, Alice In Wonderland, (Asst.), Life In A Box, Piper (Bad Hats Theatre); The Wind In The Willows, Holiday Inn (Asst.) (Shaw Festival); Every Brilliant Thing, Bed And Breakfast(Orillia Opera House); A Year With Frog and Toad (Capitol Theatre); Uncovered: The Music of ABBA, The Music of Dolly Parton (Musical Stage Co.). Connect with Fiona & Bad Hats Theatre: 🌐 Website: badhatstheatre.com 📸 Instagram: @badhatstheatre Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Dian Marie Bridge, Artistic Director of the Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) in Montreal. Dian discusses the legacy of BTW, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year , as one of Canada's oldest Black and ethnocultural theatre companies. The conversation delves into the company's commitment to community service and fostering new talent through its influential program, as well as BTW's production of Kanika Ambrose's Our Place at Montreal's Segal Centre for Performing Arts (Studio) from Nov. 19-30. This episode explores: BTW’s 55th Anniversary and Mission The Play Our Place, by Kanika Ambrose BTW's Club Zed Festival, featuring work by Black writers The Theatre scene in Montreal BTW's Artist Mentor Program And much more! Guest: 🎭 Dian Marie Bridge Dian Marie Bridge is an award-winning writer, director, dramaturge and creative producer who seeks to open spaces, provide platform, enrich community-bridge building. She was previously Associate Artistic Director at Luminato Festival Toronto, Artistic Director intern at Obsidian Theatre, Artist-in-Residence at Necessary Angel Theatre, Founding Artistic Producer of Cric Crac Collective, and 4LargeHeads multi-arts Collective, and a member of Stratford Festival’s Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction. Dian holds a degree in Theatre Arts and Dramatic Literature from Brock University and was enrolled in the University of Minnesota’s Theatre Arts and Dance program (Twin Cities).Previous work includes Our Place; Vierge; Every Day She Rose (BTW), Beloved: A Celebration of Toni Morrison and Black Women Writers; Guided By Starlight; Golden Hour (Luminato Festival Toronto), The Mountain Top (Persephone Theatre), Made In Congo (Theatre Row United Solo Festival), Aneemah’s Spot (Cric Crac  Collective /Motion Live), Geometry; Domesticity; Fuzz; Cotton Comes Home (4LargeHeads Collective) Connect with Dian and Black Theatre Workshop: 🌐 Website: blacktheatreworkshop.ca 📸 Instagram: @theatrebtw 📸 Instagram: @dianmariebridge Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Aaron Joel Craig (Same Boat Theatre) and Stephanie Hope Lawlor (Rooks Theatre) to discuss their co-production of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House in Hamilton. This episode explores: Reimagining A Doll’s House as a story for 2025 audiences The intersection of feminism, capitalism, and personal freedom Building independent theatre in Hamilton’s evolving arts scene The power of site-specific and intimate performance spaces Collaboration between Rooks Theatre and Same Boat Theatre Creating sustainability and opportunity for indie theatre artists How theatre can thrive outside major city centers Turning creative frustration into community impact Guests: 🎭 Aaron Joel Craig Aaron Joel Craig (he/him) is a director, dramaturge, designer and performer. His theatre work focuses on questions of identity, power and how to stay hopeful in a difficult world. Some past projects include Test, Your Own Sons and The Conspiracy of Michael, and the national tour of Whale Fall, all with Same Boat, and Henry the Fifth and Waiting for Godot for Redeemer University and, most recently, Hamlet, the inaugural site-specific co-production by Same Boat and Rook’s Theatre. He lives in the East End of Hamilton with his partner, Cath, their two kids, and his probably-too-big record collection. You can find him some days at Last Supper Books, a new independent bookstore on James Street North, which also serves as the home of Same Boat Theatre’s monthly play reading and development series, Dispatches. 🎭 Stephanie Hope Lawlor Stephanie is an award-winning multi-hyphenate who lives and works in Hamilton. She spends her days crafting artistic community, facilitating space for brave individuals to hone their creative voices, and making theatre with really great people. Selected Theatre: Hamlet (Rook’s x Same Boat), Rebecca in Whale Fall (Same Boat Theatre in Hamilton, Vancouver, Toronto, then Hamilton again), Eleanor in Never Not Once, Cassandra in One Night Only, Liesl in The Sound of Music (Theatre Aquarius), Mary/Flowers in Mary’s Wedding, Vanda in Venus in Fur (Rook’s Theatre), Snow White (Drayton Ent.), Young Leda in Provenance (Berkeley Street Theatre), Florence in Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (Stage West), KC Downing in My Favorite Year, Wagner/Wrath in Doctor Faustus (RAPA), Mary Snow in Salt-Water Moon (Studio Theatre). In Concert: Don’t Laugh (Unless I’m Trying to be Funny) (cabaret debut), From Broadway With Love, Isabella Tarantella (Brott Music Festival), Stephanie and Shane meet Stephen, Women of Musical Theatre Festival (MAP, 2 seasons). Workshops: Too many to name, for Theatre Aquarius, Young Peoples’ Theatre, Young Street Theatricals, Berkeley Street Theatre, Sullivan Entertainment. Training: Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts (Randolph College), McMaster University. Stephanie serves as Associate Artistic Director at the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts and Director of Programming for the HCA Theatre School, and is a two-time Hamilton Arts Award nominee and the recipient of the only Innovation - Cutting Edge Gilded Hammer Award for her work in the Hamilton theatre community (2020). Connect with Aaron & Stephanie: 🌐 Same Boat Theatre: sameboattheatre.com 🌐 Rooks Theatre: rookstheatre.com 📸 Same Boat Theatre on Instagram: @sameboattheatre 📸 Aaron on Instagram: @aaronjoelcraig 📸 Rooks Theatre on Instagram: @rookstheatre Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Will Parry, actor, singer, and content creator based in Toronto. Known for his work as a musical theatre performer and social media consultant for artists and theatre companies, Will shares insights into how creatives can better express their authentic selves online while building stronger connections with audiences. This episode explores: Balancing social media and theatre careers Authenticity and “brand voice” for artists and theatre companies Finding confidence in sharing your work online Discovering puppetry through The Wizard of Oz and beyond The art of cabaret and creating personal connection on stage Writing for young audiences and exploring digital culture through theatre and more! Guest: 🎭 Will Parry Will Parry (they/he) is an Actor-Singer-Content Creator based in Toronto. Recent theatre credits include Hare in Hare & Tortoise (Carousel Players), Milky White/Steward/etc. in Into the Woods (Koerner Hall), Seán/Donald The Leprechaun in The Wild Rovers (Smile Theatre), Toto in Wizard of Oz: The Panto (Drayton Entertainment), Magician/Demonstrator in Illusionarium (Starvox Entertainment), and Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (SLC Stage). They have also created and performed in cabarets with Theatre Gargantua, Icarus Theatre, and a self-produced virtual cabaret during isolation, Here I Am: A Cabaret. He is a graduate of the St. Lawrence College Music Theatre Performance Program. In addition to being a performer, Will is a Social Media Content Creator. As a creator, Will has collaborated with brands including Fabricland, White Claw, and Freshii with management clients including CBC Kids’ Ukulele U, Koerner Hall, Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy, CGDC, and more! Connect with Will: 🌐 Website: www.will-parry.com 📸 Instagram: @willxparry 🎵 TikTok: @willxparry Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes Steven Hao, actor, director, and artistic director of Puckers Theatre Company. Currently in his second season at the Stratford Festival, Steven shares his journey from Victoria, BC, to the national stage, performing in acclaimed productions like Anne of Green Gables, Forgiveness, Salesman in China, and Romeo and Juliet. This episode explores: Steven’s journey from improv and high school musicals to the Stratford Festival Building a company (Puckers) to champion new voices and sustainable theatre The need for long-term investment in Canadian plays and playwrights Artistic leadership and the challenges of developing the next generation of ADs Balancing performing, directing, and leadership And much more Guest: 🎭 Steven Hao 郝邦宇 Steven Hao is an award winning director, actor, writer, and the Artistic Director of Pucker’s, currently based in Tkaronto. In his directing work, there's a huge emphasis put on 'play' that usually guides his staging process and the creative yet efficient application of design. For that reason, his work is often highly sensorial and heavily conceptual: compact with innovative stage pictures and invigorating sound and lighting design. His work can be found across many stages in Ontario, primarily with a focus on new Canadian works. Most recently, Steven appeared in the world premiere of Kat Sandler’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, as well as Salesman in China at the Stratford Festival, and he’s grateful for the continued opportunity to support new play development everywhere he goes. His selected theatre credits include: For Directing: Assistant Director, CRAZE (Tarragon Theatre); Director, Death to the Prometheans (Studio 180); Director, One Song Glory (Musical Stage Company); Director, life and death and life and death and life and death and life. (CCTA/ACMJIS); Assistant Director, Rocking Horse Winner (Tapestry Opera/Crow's Theatre); Director, Ordinary Days (Shifting Ground Collective); Assistant Director, Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre); Assistant Director, Dragon’s Tale (Tapestry Opera); Assistant Director, The Chinese Lady (Crow’s Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre/fu-GEN Theatre); Director, A Perfect Bowl of Pho (Toronto Fringe Festival/Kick & Push Festival); Director, I and You (Precipice Productions); Director, Constellations (Precipice Productions). For Acting: Two Seasons at the Stratford Festival, Anne of Green Gables, Forgiveness, Romeo & Juliet, Salesman in China (Stratford Festival); Pirithous/Wooer, The Two Noble Kinsmen (Shakespeare Bash’d); Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canadian Stage); Cockroach, Cockroach (Tarragon Theatre). Upcoming: Director, Ride the Cyclone (Shifting Ground Collective); Director, Concord Floral (Pucker’s); Performer, Pu Songling: Strange Tales (Crow's Theatre); Third Season at Stratford Festival. Grateful to the entire team front and behind Concord Floral. Connect with Steven: 📸 Instagram: @steven_haoby 🦋 Bluesky: stevenhao.bsky.social Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Emily Dix, artistic executive director of Bygone Theatre and the lead behind their mixed use affordable arts space, The Bridge. Emily shares the company’s journey from its beginnings in classic theatre to its evolution into original Canadian works that blend vintage aesthetics with contemporary themes. She discusses her creative process, the importance of atmosphere and design, and the challenges and rewards of running an independent theatre company. This episode explores: The evolution of Bygone Theatre Building immersive, design-driven theatre experiences Challenges and opportunities of running an indie company in Toronto The role of aesthetics, nostalgia, and storytelling in Emily’s work Directing, producing, and writing for small-scale theatre Fostering community and mentorship in the theatre scene Guest: 🎭 Emily Dix Emily Dix is the Artistic Executive Director of Bygone Theatre, and the lead behind their mixed-use, affordable arts space, The Bridge, located at 379 Adelaide St. W. She has nearly 20 years of directing, producing and design experience in theatre, and has dabbled in film and tv as a researcher, designer and production coordinator. She has a degree in English, cinema studies and drama from UofT, and a paralegal diploma from Seneca College. In addition to running Bygone Theatre for 13 seasons, Emily has worked with companies such as Tarragon Theatre, Crow's Theatre, Theatre 20, Hart House Theatre, and numerous indie companies. Connect with Emily & Bygone Theatre: 🌐 Website: www.bygonetheatre.com 📸 Instagram: @bygonetheatre | @379thebridge Support Stageworthy: If you love the show, consider supporting on Patreon: patreon.com/stageworthy Patrons get early access to episodes, participate in conversations about topics to cover, and more. With three backer levels: $2, $7, and $20. Subscribe & Follow: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podchaser | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio 📺 Watch on YouTube – Like, subscribe & hit the notification bell!