The Firecracker Department

The Firecracker Department

Award-winning actor Naomi Snieckus (Second City, Disney’s Zombies) is getting real with fellow artists about their struggles, successes, and everything in between. A new episode is out every 2 weeks.

Episodes

April 23, 2025 48 mins

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In this episode, we sit down with powerhouse direc...

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This week, we sit down with the powerhouse that is...

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Join us for an inspiring conversation with the multi-talented Ashleigh Rains! 

Naomi and Ashleigh dive deep into her fascinating journey from classical ballet training at Canada's National Ballet School to her current success as an actress and award-winning producer. You'll hear all about her creative philosophy, how she balances multiple artistic...

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Meet the dynamic Liesl Lafferty, a Jessie award-winning director whose journey from scriptwriter to industry leader embodies creative perseverance. As Head of Firecracker Writing Department, Liesl has transformed countless storytelling dreams into reality.

Her latest ventures showcase her innovative spirit – from co-creating The Writers Lab Canada to producing the Comedy Film Igniter and the Bell Fibe TV1 series "Bagged." With expe...

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Don't miss this heartfelt conversation between our host Naomi Snieckus and Jen Pogue 💫

Jen reveals the challenges and triumphs of her creative journey - from winning a CSA for County Blooms to navigating her cancer diagnosis. Through it all, her resilience, passion, and commitment to community shine through.

This insightful discussion touches on finding your own path, the power of collaboration, and the importance of following you...

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January 29, 2025 68 mins

This week on the Firecracker Department podcast, host Naomi Snieckus teams up with the fabulous Jody Quine from our Vancouver chapter to chat with the incredible Veena Sood!

From feeling a sudden calling at the age of 14, to her early days of Theatre Sports with Keith Johnstone, to her starring role in Children Ruin Everything for CTV, Veena shares inspiring stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and so much creative fire!

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Naomi sits down with the powerhouse duo behind The Writers Lab  - Nitza and Elizabeth!

We dive into their incredible journey of building a space that empowers underrepresented voices in screenwriting. From that first letter to Meryl Streep to the creative chaos of launching a groundbreaking initiative, their story is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose. 

They share the personal sacrifices required, and their unwavering commit...

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Actress and screenwriter Nia Vardalos has received advice and opportunities from some truly unexpected sources. While working the ...

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Janet McMordie is living the ultimate double life: she’s a practicing doctor Read more

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Winnie Jong (Law & Order Toronto, Jane) may now be recognized as a director, but her journey started behind the scenes as a script supervisor. Growing up across the street from a movie theatre, she fell in love with cinema, watching Federico Fellini films and dreaming of directing her own someday. In her chat with Naomi, Winnie recalls how she initially saw script supervising as a detour but soon realized it was anythi...

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Jennifer Liao’s journey from actor to writer and director is fueled by her passion for storytelling. Growing up dreaming of being ...

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In this special episode of Read more

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At 15, actress and singer Mia Bella is carving a solid path for herself in the entertainment industry. Fueled by her passion for h...

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Robin Duke is a comedy powerhouse whose talent spans all mediums. After getting her start on SCTV and transitioning to SNL as the first female cast member hired as a writer, Robin tells Naomi about her mission to write sketches that painted women in different lights and showed their strengths. She talks about how much she loved writing for other people, showing that comedy by women isn’t all about boobs, and the pressu...

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Adeline Bird is the true definition of a multi-hyphenate, unapologetic artist. As an actor, storyteller, director, author, podcast...

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Documentary filmmaker Tasha Hubbard (We Will Stand U...

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From a young age, actress and producer Jessica Matten (Dark Winds) has been focused on creating Indigenous communities to support ...

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The extraordinary Keilani Rose (Shoresy) is embracing the lifelong journey of self-discovery to find her voice as an artist.

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In our kickoff episode for the second season of The Blaze Sessions, Naomi sits down with this season's curator, Jennifer Podemski. As ...

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