For our premiere episode, we sit down and chat with the artistic leaders of Azimuth Theatre, Morgan Yamada and Sue Goberdhan. we delve into their inspirations, their personal dreams and the work they are undertaking as they take the helm of this amazing company.
Theme by "Just Moe" from Edmonton Alberta for more content from them go to https://m.soundcloud.com/moewaves
Funding provided by Canada Council for the Arts
For more information about the In Process podcast, you can go to AzimuthTheatre.com/Traversing
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
THEME: (00:01):
(Music Begins) Oh Imma trust the whole damn process, for
the record, till we breaking records!
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly, journeys to the sky, Azimuth
inside my grip, always know the way now!
Beauty fill my days now takeit day by day sound couldn't be
prouder cause y'know we alive!
ANDRÉS: (00:23):
Hi, everyone.
Welcome to "In Process" as always I'm yourhost Andrés Moreno, and this is Azimuth
Theatre's podcast, highlighting artists,their artistry, and their process.
Today, I am super grateful to be welcomingtwo people who have believed in me who
have laughed with me, who have cried withme and who keep me going every single day.
(00:45):
My pals, Morgan Yamada and Sue Goberdhan. The two co-artistic producers of
Azimuth Theatre and the fearlessleaders of this wonderful company.
Welcome Pals!
SUE: (00:57):
Thank you!
MORGAN: (00:58):
Oh thanks
ANDRÉS: (00:59):
So nice to have you here.
Thanks for being my first ever guestson the podcast, This is so exciting!
I wanted to start off by just offeringyou a chance to share a little bit
about your story, where you started.
And I know this might be like a bitof a long-winded question,[laughs]
but take your time Morgan,would you like to kick us off?
SUE: (01:17):
Yes!
MORGAN: (01:18):
I Look at Sue to be like you're going now.
[laughs]
Oh gosh.
Okay.
My journey with Theatre.
Oh, the love of my life.
That is not my dog.
But I guess my journey withTheatre, it started when I was
uh I was really shy as a kid.
So my mom decided to like put usin this Theatre camp that was a
musical Theatre camp at horizonstage in Spruce Grove Alberta.
(01:42):
And it was this musical Theatre camp.
And I was really terrified the whole time.
And me and my sister had to sing thissolo together well it was a duet,
I guess it ended up being a solobecause I forgot all of the words
and just lip synced through it.
And my sister sang andbelted her way through.
And then in that moment Iwas like, oh, I like this.
(02:05):
[laughs] Now my sister, doesn't getclose to a stage, but I love it.
So that was kind of the moment that Ican pinpoint being like, oh, this is fun.
And this is like a way to kindof like explore and stretch.
And then from then on, I just kindof like fell into- to more Theatre.
And in high school I waskind of like, oh, this is.
(02:26):
The path that I might go down and then itwas solidified when I started university.
And for me, my journey kindof went the university route.
So I got my BFA at the U of A in acting.
And then just kinda didthe thing from then on.
I was just like, yeah, Iwanna, I want to do things.
So I've just been likeplaying pretend since then
ANDRÉS: (02:48):
still doing the thing, still pretending
SUE: (02:50):
My Theatre journey has been weirdly not Theatre for a lot of it.
I just spent a lot of my lifebeing afraid of Theatre and
like I I auditioned for, okay.
So I guess if we're heading back.
ANDRÉS: (03:03):
Oh lets go to the beginning,
SUE: (03:07):
February 6th, 1993, She emerged.
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (03:11):
Ah yess.....
SUE: (03:11):
Flash forward, you know, many years from then I decided I'm going to
try Theatre out because it seems likea way less hard option than like, I
don't know, like home-ec or something.
So I was like, I'm going to try this.
And then I realized, I love this.
And I saw the show that mademe want to do the thing.
I saw "Nevermore" when I was15 and I was like, "very cool.
(03:35):
This is it.
I will do this now."
But then I auditioned for Theatre Artsat MacEwan many, many years ago, like
fresh out of high school with zeroidea of like what was required to be
successful in an audition like that.
. Did not get it.
It was a horrendous audition,truly did a really terrible
job and that's entirely on me.
(03:57):
But, you know, at that point I wasjust like, okay, so I'm trash at
this and I'm not going to do this.
So then for like fiveyears, I didn't do anything.
I just focused on like arts managementand trying to, you know, figure out
that part of the practice and decidedhow much breach into each side of it.
I wanted to have.
And then, yeah, I started doingTheatre again when my friends from
(04:18):
high school and I, we wrote a musicallike in high school and we wrote it
for seven years and we were like, okay,I think we just need to put this up
because if we don't, what are we doing?
So we put that up and that was thefirst thing I did on stage that I
was like, "okay, I can do this."
I'm an adult and I can do this.
So, yeah.
So then I just kind of searchedto find my, my little niche.
(04:41):
And I don't know if I've foundit yet, but we're on our way,
ANDRÉS: (04:45):
We're pretending every day.
[laughs] And now together as the duothat is , spearheading this wonderful
company what's that journey been like?
SUE: (04:55):
We got these jobs.
Like our contract starteda year ago, October 3rd.
MORGAN: (05:02):
So we just passed our first anniversary
ANDRÉS: (05:04):
Happy Birthday!
[laughs]
SUE: (05:09):
But we started like a little bit before that, like the month before.
And it's been amazing.
Like, it's been really hard,like, you know, it's been
like a steep learning curve.
And its not been what I expected, but Idon't know what I did expect, but like
Morgan and I talk about this all the time.
We just like, I cannot imagine goingdown this path with anyone else, because
(05:33):
you just like found it's so funny.
Cause we just like found like, ifwe imagine that we were not, this is
going to sound terrible, but imaginethat we weren't like whole people and
now we found each other and then webecame one functional human, you know,
MORGAN: (05:51):
[laughs] -it's like, hi we are, we are now one full administrator
[laughs] but I do think it's beensuch a journey in the way of like
finding out what, what our visions are.
And I think it was, it was nice because wedidn't have that steep kind of adjustment
period of what we dreamt this job to beor what we dreamt, like what Az could be.
(06:12):
I think that's one thing that like kindof makes this partnership, such a, such
a wonderful one in my heart is thatlike, we never have a disagreement
on the vision of where we want toget to, it's just, we have so many
strategies on how to get to that vision.
[laughs] So it's about likefiguring out which path we choose.
So I think that's something that's nice.
Is that like the core values that weshare are like in alignment in that way.
SUE: (06:35):
Totally.
Like there's never any questionabout whether or not we agree
on, you know, where we placeimportance you know, uh day to day.
But yeah, what's been cool.
Has been like looking at all thepossible directions we could go.
And then just like finding thelittle bits of Morgan and then the
little bits of Sue that kind ofshow up inherently in those steps.
(06:56):
It's uh, it's been really nice.
ANDRÉS: (06:58):
Awe [laughs] You two are amazing.
SUE: (07:01):
Everyone's great
MORGAN: (07:02):
Everyone's great!
Oh my gosh.
Appreciation station also.
That's what we have on Thursdays.
SUE: (07:08):
Yeah.
Thursdays appreciation station.
We just talk about thethings, we appreciate
MORGAN: (07:16):
That's how you get through all the, all of the...
SUE: (07:18):
-less pleasant parts.
ANDRÉS: (07:19):
Totally and now talking about this partnership, there's
something beautiful you've addedto the, Azimuth legacy, which is
this idea of proudly and process.
MORGAN: (07:30):
Yeah, I, well, I think it's, it's also just selfishly stolen from
the folks who've come before us.
And I think it's just building on, I thinkwe were like reading through the website
on one of our first days and correct meif I'm wrong, Sue, I could be imagining
or dreaming of this experience, but Ithink we're going through like this old,
like the older stuff on the website.
And it was just something that popped up.
(07:52):
It was like, "we are proudly in process"and it was like written in some texts
and it was like, that's just amazing.
SUE: (07:58):
Totally.
MORGAN: (07:59):
We should yoink that.
Put that in.
[SUE:: laughs]
And yoink we did.
[laughs] We sure did yoink that[laughs]But I'm not making fun.
We genuinely did that.
. And then we just realized that like, therewas so much of what we do that doesn't get
celebrated because it's not "complete."
And I say that in air quotes, likeit's not complete or it's not perfect.
(08:23):
And perfection is overrated in my opinion.
And there's just so much work thatgoes into getting to that like perfect
end result that like, it doesn't makesense not to celebrate that journey.
So we just decided that we were goingto try and put a focus on not just, you
know, this like polished end product,but every step of the way to get there
(08:46):
and it kind of goes along with the idea too, that like, if you take care
of people or you, you, you do your bestto, to create environments where people
take the forefront of the work that you'redoing, that the process will follow, and
the product will be amazing, regardless.
Whether it's like.
A pleasing polished piece or it's abeautiful experience for those involved.
(09:07):
Like, I think that's a partof the process as well too.
Yeah It's been a big part of likeredefining what success looks like for us
in terms of, you know, where we want togo with Az and you know, what we, what we
can kind of bring to the table, especiallysince we're like a midsize organization
with like, not the most money.
(09:28):
[laughs] So like, we're tryingto find more ways that we
can still make work happen,
ANDRÉS: (09:34):
Now as artists, because obviously yes, you work together in this beautiful
partnership and this beautiful team.
But as artists, a questionthat I want to ask you is where
do you draw inspiration from?
SUE: (09:45):
As an artist for me, I, I like Theatre that hits me unexpectedly.
I feel like there's like a lot of workthat I don't necessarily see coming.
And what I, I guess what Imean by that is like, I really
love subverting expectations.
I love work that kind of takes whatyou think and gives you a fresh take
(10:09):
on it or gives you, you know, analternate lens to look at it through.
So I'm always inspired byopportunities to do that.
I'm also inspired by like I'ma sucker for an underdog story.
I love underdogs.
I love folks who just like, cannotget ahead finally getting ahead.
And I don't even know that that's theimpetus for telling any story that I
(10:30):
typically tell, but it is something that Ithink helps bring a different perspective
to the work that I'm looking at.
Like if I'm looking at, you know, a storyof, you know, someone opening their own
business or something, I am more likelyto look at the intersections that brought
that person to that place and that kindof inspires the work that I want to see.
(10:52):
Because I think it's just a lotof cultural intersections that we
don't often get to see that I love.
ANDRÉS: (10:57):
That's beautiful.
Thank you.
SUE: (10:58):
Yeah.
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (10:59):
What about you Morgan?
MORGAN: (11:01):
Goodness.
This is such a beautiful question.
And also like thank you for asking it.
ANDRÉS: (11:07):
Thank you , this is such a beautiful gift for me as well.
You know, I get to hear allthese stories from artists that
I admire and friends that I love.
So I really appreciatelike, you being here,
MORGAN: (11:16):
For me, it's the, it's like what, what inspires you?
Right?
That's the base of the question?
I think like Theatre Theatreon the extremes is something
that brings me so much.
joy and extremes in terms of likephysicality or emotion, or just like how
we can kind of push uh, the expectationsbut how we can push expectations of
(11:41):
what's possible both physically andemotionally, but in ways that sustainable.
And I think not pushing forthe sake of pushing, but
pushing because you safely can.
And I think that's why I'm like, so, soexcited by really physical work or work
that's like really gross and like Horror-ylike "Dead Center of Town" with Catch the
(12:03):
Keys is like some of the coolest work.
Cause you're just pushinglike poetic stuff.
And you're also pushing likephysicality and also found space.
Like it's I think reallyat the core of it is.
What can you do?
That's weird and funand also like impactful.
So I think just on the extremes,but doing it like with joy,
(12:25):
total violence, with joy [laughs]
And safely like you mentioned.
ANDRÉS: (12:30):
Exactly, exactly.
Looks like stage combat brain.
That's also like theother half of my practice.
So what is something that'sexciting, both of you right now?
SUE: (12:40):
Hmm.
ANDRÉS: (12:41):
That's a pretty open ended,
MORGAN: (12:42):
honestly, this project is super exciting to me right now and,
and being able to collaborate soactively with you is just a dream.
And, I say that in terms of being ableto have a collective of minds working
on, on a similar pathway, but having likeeveryone's journey adjacent, and us being
(13:03):
able to like expand and, and learn morefrom different folks, I think is like,
what's really filling my cup right now.
SUE: (13:11):
Yeah.
Yeah, this is super exciting.
I love that we get to do thissomething else too, that like,
I've like really rediscovered mylove for it's scrappy Theatre.
I love Theatre that likedefies odds to be made.
You know, I have some friends workingon some projects right now that I
don't know if they're ever goingto see the light of day, but I know
that I think they're brilliant.
(13:32):
Like a good friend of mine, like starteda scream, a scream parody musical.
And he sent me the opening number andI was like, this is SO good.[laughs]
Like, I don't know what has to happenfor me to see this, but I want to, and
there's just so much work like that.
And I'm always so excited to see, like,what's going to come out of the woodwork
(13:54):
because there's just no way to know.
It's it's like the best surprise
MORGAN: (13:58):
on, I think that's such a gift of this time, like, it's
like the great incubation of work.
And I think to jump off what you'resaying its like, there's so much work
that's being developed or in process,like I've never had the chance to read
so many drafts of pieces and like reallysee like how stuff is evolving with
(14:21):
the times and like how , we can be partof creating like relevant Theatre for
the people in our spheres and for thegreater community and for like everyone.
So it's like, there's so many piecesbeing made that like, are just awesome.
As I like clenched the air with
(14:41):
[SIMULTANEOUS:: laughs]
SUE: (14:43):
oh, but it's so true though.
Like, there's just been so manythings that like, I mean, I think
it's, there's two levels, right?
There's like the level of like lookingat it purely at like a script and the
concept and what you're looking at,and then there's the added layer of not
knowing how folks are going to adapttechnologically to make this work happen.
(15:05):
And there's been so many cool diversionsfrom what you'd expect in terms of the
way people present their work throughout,you know, the pandemic, it's been amazing.
Like I've been so inspired and justlike, I'm so excited to see how far
those boundaries can keep getting pushed.
ANDRÉS: (15:22):
I want to go back to something you said, because I've
never heard that term, but the ideaof the great incubator and this idea
that like we as artists, we, we knowwe're survivalists, we will survive.
But the idea that even a pandemichas, has not really stopped us.
We've just found different waysto keep doing what we love to do.
(15:42):
It's it's super inspiring, youknow, it's and it it's like,
we're all doing it together.
SUE: (15:46):
Exactly.
A friend of mine told me this quoteand I don't know who said it, but
they, they were just like, you know,art is the purest form of rebellion.
And I was like, that is so true.
Cause like all of the oddsare like completely against
what it is we want to do.
But we do it anyways
ANDRÉS: (16:06):
And we find ways we find ways.[laughs] So.
This is my favorite question tosteal from a very popular TV show.
But if you could talk to yourself,a younger version of yourself,
[ laughs] Pulls out the picture
MORGAN: (16:26):
Oh Goodness,
ANDRÉS: (16:27):
Or just younger artists who are coming into this wacky career path,
this beautiful enriching path thatthey're about to go on, like, what
would you, what would you give them?
You know, any wisdom or anythingyou want to say to them?
SUE: (16:42):
I always be caught by you know, what I always thought my barriers
were like, when I was younger,I was just like, I can't take up
space because no one's made space.
And that felt horrible for,you know, most of my life.
And like now I'm like old enough and like,I've lived enough to be able to like,
look that kid in the face and be like,bring a bulldozer make your own space.
(17:07):
Like, you're fine.
Everything's going to befine, but just do it yourself.
Don't wait for somebodyelse to do it for you.
So I think that's what,I'd what I tell them.
Also to just like say no more often.
Like, I don't know.
I was always such a like people pleasingkid, and now I'm like, if I don't
(17:28):
want to, I'm not gonna, I shouldn't
ANDRÉS: (17:30):
totally What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: (17:32):
I think like, I think for, for young Morga-do is not
to take everything so seriously.
And I think that's, that's not,everything is high stakes and I think
for a long time, I used to think thateverything had to be perfect like that
this an unachievable goal for perfectionwhen perfection is kind of boring.
(17:57):
So I think it's just like having fun andletting things fall as they, as they will.
And this is also for nowme as well.[laughs] As Sues
eyes are like Mhmm[laughs]
SUE: (18:11):
That's what I'm here for.
[laughs]I'm here to tellnormal time, Morgan that!
MORGAN: (18:17):
I mean, you have done wonders to me already.
ANDRÉS: (18:19):
Again folx two halves of one whole administrator
SUE: (18:25):
One whole administrator
SIMULTANEOUS: (18:29):
[laughs]
AD: (18:31):
Hey pal, enjoying the conversation.
Traversing the Azimuth is a brandnew branch of Azimuth Theatre
aimed at connecting artists with awider community, deepening mutual
understanding, and getting to shareeach artist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out
by going to AzimuthTheatre.com/sponsorshipand sponsor traversing the Azimuth.
(18:54):
Your sponsorship will go straightinto paying more artists to
come and share what it means forthem to be "proudly in process."
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts, for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more information onTraversing, the Azimuth go to
AzimuthTheatre.com/traversing.
ANDRÉS: (19:17):
I also want to highlight another very cool project that I
think is, is, is very exciting tome to see how it's gonna come true.
But can you tell a little bit moreabout the Az-Map and the mentorship
program and kind of what yourvision and your ideas for that are?
MORGAN: (19:34):
Yeah, so Az-map is the Azimuth Theatre mentorship and
apprenticeship program uh, which likewe're piloting, which is super exciting.
What we wrote in our little grant atthe start of our tenure is now here.
[laughs] It's basically just anopportunity to like, have another door
open for Theatre education, really.
I think the basis is Sue and Ihave had doors opened for us, and at
(19:59):
least for me, I can speak for myself.
It's like, I feel like it's myresponsibility as an artist to hold that
door open and invite folks in or notinvite, but like, give them the space.
it's more so to allow for a way of, oflearning that is adjacent or like in
line with our work as artists, whichis like, we really are in a trade.
(20:19):
So I feel like apprenticeship andlearning through doing is so useful.
I think it's a, it's a way to, tobe able to explore in a different
way or explore differently.
And we'll see how it goes.
ANDRÉS: (20:34):
Totally
SUE: (20:35):
Yeah, it's, it's been really cool because like the community
is coming out to support big time.
Like we've a part of this program islike developing shadowing opportunities
for the participants who go through it.
And and it's been really amazing tolike, have all of these companies
in town, reach out to us and say,you know, our doors are open.
Like folks can come shadow on whateverthey want, and these are our schedules
(20:58):
and, you know, we can make something work.
So this tells me two things.
The first thing is that, you know,our community is strong enough to
sustain a program that, you knowembraces emerging artists and
builds them up, inside of itself.
And two is that, the fact that allof these companies are coming out to
play means they recognize the need.
So I think that that just speaksvolumes to like what we can do
(21:22):
outside of Azimuth even, you know,I think it gives folks agency
ANDRÉS: (21:26):
Yeah.
And I think it's a great opportunitytoo, to just offer mentorship.
Like, even if you've gone through schoolor you haven't like any extra mentorship
can be the difference between, beingable to believe in yourself and being
scared to open some doors, because maybeyou haven't been in those spaces before
SUE: (21:45):
Oh totally.
And I think a part of it too, is likethis program, when we talked about like
building it out we talked about how wewanted to make it for folks who have
had barriers in access or who like werenot served by traditional education.
And that's something that we're reallyfinding is that, like, there are folks
who have gone through like traditionaleducational institutions that haven't been
(22:07):
able to make the most out of that timebecause they have, you know, like learning
needs that need to be met or, you know
MORGAN: (22:13):
Or life.
SUE: (22:14):
Yeah.
MORGAN: (22:14):
Life just happens.
Right.
And it's, it's, I think something that,that was beautiful with, with building
the program and as well as like chattingwith people about it is like finding
that sometimes the, the, the dreams youhave, won't be accomplished by one path.
So it's like, where can you find thatturn off of, of being able to be like,
(22:37):
cool, this is the path that I want togo on, but maybe I'll take this little
detour and maybe that will lead it, or, orI'll be able to find a different way in.
And I think that's really whatit is, is like a different
option hopefully, and like also adifferent way to build community.
Because I think like, like what youwere saying Sue it's like, how can
we build with the collective in mind?
(22:59):
Because it wouldn't be possiblefor us to do it on our own.
Like, it would be impossible.
And it really is rooted in the fact ofus being gateways to community, really.
SUE: (23:09):
Totally and like Morgan and I have had very opposite journeys in
terms of how we got to this point.
Morgan's got her BFA, which is amazing.
And I am an alum-not.
I went to school andit didn't work for me.
And life got life was, you know,dictating that I do something else.
And then I did, and I realized that it'sjust that thing, you know, I, if you make
(23:32):
that space, you're going to be able totake it up, but you have to make it first.
And this idea that traditionaleducation is the way to like, make
that space and the way to kindof earn your own legitimacy is...
I think it's outdated.
And I think there's, there's theopportunity for us to, to make it
that much more accessible through,you know, being nurtured by the
(23:54):
people in our community who have allthese amazing skills to offer and
like so many experiences to share.
And there's just so many, there's somuch opportunity that I think we've
been missing out on for far too long.
ANDRÉS: (24:07):
Yeah,
You've kind of touched this a little bit,but I want to ask, we practice for the
most part Theatre as artists and it's anartistic practice that comes with its own
values and it's own systemic judgmentsand, I guess my question is how, how do we
bring new, fresh air into this art form?
How can we bring a sense of explorationinto this art form that we practice
(24:32):
to be able to continue it and bringit forward, you know, into the future?
MORGAN: (24:36):
I think that's a, that's a wonderful question.
And I'm hopeful, I'm hopeful.
I do think there's been like a seismicseismic shift for, for this past year
five years before that, as well aslike the, the, the generation that
has come before us have been likereally pushing hard against like some
systematic barriers or systemic barriers.
(24:59):
But I do think that like what'sexciting or what's inspiring, is
really like, how can we actuallytake care of people and not use them?
So I think that's like a big shift,at least that I am experiencing is
like, it's, it's maybe slow, but it'shappening where it's like, the show
(25:20):
might not always have to go on andbeing gracious with that of, at the end
of the day we're people [laughs] andwe're making art, which is so valuable
and so beautiful, but we can't make art.
If we don't take care of ourselvesand we don't take care of our teams.
(25:40):
So I think that for me is something that'slovely about being like, great maybe we
are more creative with what we can offer.
SUE: (25:50):
Yeah.
I also think too, like something thatis uh, an opportunity that I think we
have to keep emerging folk, you know,coming through our, our communities
and helping them, nurture themselvesinto, professional working artists.
I think it's reestablishingthe, how do I say this?
(26:12):
I think it's about redesigningthe framework for what you should
and should not allow your practiceto take, hold of internally.
Like, I think it's a matter oflike making sure that we're not
letting our art or our, practiceinform your worth as a human.
MORGAN: (26:34):
Hmm.
SUE: (26:35):
Cause that's something that we so often get caught up in for no good reason.
It's such a detriment to so many peopleto see folks, you know, put themselves
through that kind of suffering and forwhat, you know, internally, there's just,
there's, it's not worth the heartache.
So I think it's about, you know,deciding that there are new, more
important boundaries that we need to set.
And I also think it's aboutrethinking what we want the
(26:57):
final product to look like.
You know, because like, you know,we have this, we keep seeing work
that tries to go for this polishedperfect end thing and product.
And while that is important, I, youknow, people want that and they should
there also needs to be space to breathe.
(27:18):
And like, I love the moments inbetween and they find that emerging.
Learn the most in those momentsin between there needs to be
more opportunity that way.
Cause I think that people are soafraid of, opening the doors to
new talent because of this ideaof the perfect final product.
(27:39):
And regardless of who you open yourdoors to, you can get that, but it's
a matter of how you approach it.
Right?
And I think that that's a bigpart of the conversation as well.
ANDRÉS: (27:49):
Mhmm, and I think that's, that's, that's a very important thing to say.
At least, I don't know if it's saidenough, but the idea that we as artists,
we're here to explore and we're here to,to dig and get deeper into these topics.
And sometimes that in itself can bemuch more fruitful and empowering than
(28:10):
the final product, like some of thosemoments in rehearsal can be really what
shapes you as an artist moving forward.
Right.
That's why, like my experiencewith the lobbyists this year was so
fruitful because it was an experiencethat I really felt like the final
product was something that I can lookback on and go, "Hey, I did that."
Whether or not it's something thatI think is beautifully polished,
(28:33):
it's something I worked on.
And it's something that stretchedme years in my, in my path.
SUE: (28:39):
Oh, it makes such a big difference to have that space to play and to
like, you know, and to, to reallytake stock of the time that it took
to get from point A to point B andlike what you did with that time and
like how that informs your practicemoving forward, I think is invaluable
to a person as they build themselvesinto the artists the want to be.
MORGAN: (28:59):
It's also the thing too, where it's like artists, it's it's a lot of
us wear so many different hats, right?
Where like a lot of artists arealso educators and also like
artists do so many things.
[laughs]
But I do think it's, it's also, whatdo we learn from those processes and
what do we give back to the community?
Or like, what do you like take intoother, other things that you do.
(29:22):
And I think that's where the value reallycomes from, is not just like the product,
but it's like the community dissemination.
ANDRÉS: (29:30):
So uh, speaking about, self care, is there something in your everyday life
that you go to to relax, something thatyou love to do when you've had a long day
or, you know, a long week or whatever, andyou go home, what's that one thing that's
going to bring you like true relaxation?
SUE: (29:48):
what do I- [laughs] I know Morgan's answers
SIMULTANEOUS: (29:52):
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (29:53):
Do you?
SIMULTANEOUS: (29:54):
[laughs]
SUE: (29:54):
Yeah I do!
SIMULTANEOUS: (29:54):
[laughs]
MORGAN: (29:54):
What are my answers?
SUE: (29:55):
You're going to cuddle your dog because he's perfect.
You're going to bake.
You also love ramen.
MORGAN: (30:03):
Yes.
SUE: (30:04):
There's going to be a ramen time somewhere in there.
And then you're gonna, you're gonna learnsomething you're going to go and like
learn a new app or like a new skill.
No, honest to goodness.
Morgan learns new things all thetime and I'm so impressed by it.
And she just likes to do it.
I've never seen someone attack an appwith such ferocity and the best part is
(30:25):
like, she'll be exploring it and thenthere's going to be something that's.
I can put my logo onit and she'll lose it.
[laughs] Its the BEST!
MORGAN: (30:36):
That totally didn't happen today.
[laughs]
SUE: (30:38):
The best part is I not only did it happen today, it
happens most days [laughs]
ANDRÉS: (30:45):
[laughs] App of the day.
SUE: (30:50):
Did you did you hear that?
App of the day?
[laughs] That was a thing.
ANDRÉS: (30:54):
Was it?
SUE: (30:54):
When we first started, Morgan showed me a new app every day.
I'm not talking about likea week or like two weeks.
This is like three monthsinto our partnership.
We're still doing app of the day
ANDRÉS: (31:06):
Okay, so this is a funny game now, do you want to guess Sue's?
[laughs]
MORGAN: (31:13):
I love this game.
This is so fun.
Okay.
So I think, okay.
Sue loves loves treats.
Sweet sweet donut deliveries are the best!
Also, if there's any sponsorsfor a stationary box.
So if, if I am the queen of apps, Sueis the queen of stationary supplies it's
(31:39):
not a surprise why we are who we are.
Okay, so Sue gets this like stationarybox every month and then there's a
collection and assortment of differentstickers stickies, pens, and pencils.
And I get a tour, and it fills myheart with so much joy, as well as
like Sue is like the master of creatingbeautiful playlist's, like music is
(32:03):
the thing that like, just like, ughyour heart is full of music and so is
your soul and, and a musical Theatre.
Well, I mean, You inspire me.
And, oh my goodness.
So many things also likeSue just like fills up with
people and also burrito -ing.
SUE: (32:23):
I do burrito a lot.
MORGAN: (32:24):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Getting like all cozy in a blanket.
SUE: (32:28):
Yeah You nailed it.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (32:30):
Wow.
That's a year in.
So, I mean, we'll see, we'll seewhere we're at next year in- [laughs]
MORGAN: (32:35):
We'll just do the whole interview for each other!
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (32:39):
So, Is there anything exciting or new that's popping up that you're
like really excited to explore orthat's bringing you joy right now?
MORGAN: (32:49):
I think like for me, like working on projects with new folks is always like
exciting and, and collectively creatingsomething together is something that
always like inspires me as an artist, likeoutside of Azimuth but also alongside,
I think like there's a project that I'vebeen working on with some of my pals with
Cloudsway dance Theatre with Kunji, andwe're a group of a whole, whole group
(33:12):
of Japanese Canadians, like working ona piece that's about like, mythology
and, and getting to explore like our ownpersonal identities and like how that
kind of fits into like our viewpointsand fits into this myth as well.
So that's something that's like reallyexciting right now is just like being
able to, to create alongside somefantastic folks, but like all coming
(33:38):
in with different practices and seeinghow they collide which is super fun.
So not everybody's an actor there'sdancers and, and dramaturg...
visual artists...
amazing people.
Like it's just like such a wonderful,like mix of folks who have different
(33:59):
practices and seeing how theylike collide is just like magic.
ANDRÉS: (34:02):
Hmm that's beautiful
SUE: (34:04):
Yeah, I think for me like on my own, I've been doing a lot
of writing and like trying to likesee what my next thing looks like.
But I'm working on a movie right now withwith "Edmonton legends, The Debutantes!"
They are the funniest coolestgroup of humans and we're working
on like, it's like a Christmasmovie, but it's kind of scary.
(34:28):
It's called "Spirit of the Season."
ANDRÉS: (34:30):
Oh, all right.
Okay.
I see what you did there.
SUE: (34:34):
[laughs] So we're filming that right now and we're should
be out for next, Chris, not thisChristmas, but next Christmas.
So I'm working on that right nowand I'm really excited about it.
It's a really fun, silly time.
ANDRÉS: (34:46):
Nice.
Ah, we love fun, silly times, you know?
Um, is there a project thatyou've worked on in your life
that you keep going back to?
Because it it's really taught youa lot or like you go back to the
lessons that you picked up then andyou bring them into your new projects.
SUE: (35:01):
Totally.
Oh my God.
All the time.
My writing partner, Matt Graham,he and I wrote a musical not
long ago called "Marnie day."
And you know, we worked really hardon this show and it was just the most
like serendipitous moment, becausewe had just wrapped our like last
thing that we worked on, then liketwo months out, we said, okay, when
(35:22):
we come back together, bring an idea.
And when we got back together, we hadthis same idea having never spoken
about it, or like, like, I don't knowif we talked about it in our dreams.
I don't know what happened,but we had the exact same idea.
So we were like, okay, we have to rollwith this because this is the universe
talking, we are but vessels at this point.
(35:43):
So then we started working onthis show and then we were going
to put it up and we put it up.
But then, you know, direction wise,it took a totally different turn than
what we thought it was going to be.
And that's when I realized Iwas like, this story could take
a million different iterations.
Like it could be so many different thingsand I just want to know what they all are.
(36:06):
So I come back to it all the time becauseit like, it was a practice in patience
just in terms of like taking work thatI was precious with and then just like
ripping it to pieces and putting itback together in an even better way.
And having it be a whole different showby the time I was done with it, you know,
it, it felt so different and so new.
(36:28):
And I was like, there's somuch opportunity sitting here.
I just got to figure it out.
It's it's a puzzle.
So I always come back to that one.
ANDRÉS: (36:38):
Beautiful.
Yeah.
Well, and there'ssomething so great about.
The moment you kind of let go ofyour preciousness in art and you, and
you start working for the project.
SUE: (36:49):
Totally.
And I had always been the kind ofperson who like preached, you know,
like, don't be precious with your work.
Always go back to editingit, edit, edit, edit.
But then that was the projectwhere it was the hardest for me.
Like I had never had it be that difficult.
But it was so worth it, it was soworth it just in terms of how it
informed my practice and how itcontinues to inform my practice.
(37:11):
So, yeah, that's theone that I go back to.
Hmm.
ANDRÉS: (37:15):
Thank you.
What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: (37:18):
So there's this monologue from Henry the Sixth part one..?
SIMULTANEOUS: (37:28):
[laughs]
MORGAN: (37:30):
Yep.
Henry, The Sixth part one,I'm going to sound like I know
what I'm talking about anyway.
So there's this Joan of arc monologue.
It's a Shakespeare monologue.
And I remember my pal, who I wastrying to get into we had like,
we were working on our auditionpieces for the U of A together.
And they slid me this monologue andI was like, "Ooh, this is juicy.
(37:53):
This is lovely."
And I worked on it and I worked on it.
I worked on it.
And like that piece was so integralto like how I approach things because
it was inherently a contradiction.
So it's the first, let me tellyou whom you have condemned.
And it's, it's a wonderful piecebut uh, inherently a contradiction,
(38:14):
and I think it's like that mademe like investigate the play more.
And also it's my like nerdy self.
I was like, oh, I don't like thisplay, but I really like this monologue
so I've kind of for the past, like Ithink it's probably like 10 years had
this idea of, of how to, how to shiftthe play, to work for Joan's character
(38:38):
in, in the scheme of this Shakespeare.
So it's a piece that I keep, likepicking away at picking away at picking
away at and the lovely folks at ThouArt Here, like been helping me along
that journey in the past few years.
And it's been a piece that I just alwaysam excited by, I guess, because it's a
contradiction of like, I love doing likesuper edgy work and super like new work.
(39:05):
And, and I feel like for me, likethat's, what's exciting is because
I don't do the classics very often.
ANDRÉS: (39:11):
Right.
MORGAN: (39:11):
So it's like, how can I make it work for today?
And like, just tear it apart.
Like you're saying, tear itapart and kind of put it back
together again slightly in Iambic
ANDRÉS: (39:26):
and so do you still use it for auditions?
MORGAN: (39:28):
I do.
Yeah.
Something's not broken?
ANDRÉS: (39:33):
Exactly.
We're all the same.
We got like the two or three that it'slike, no matter what, pick it up and go.
MORGAN: (39:40):
Boom!
What can I do in my sleep?
But also with a lot ofcommitment and a lot of effort,
ANDRÉS: (39:46):
Yes!
Sleeping through it, but not in it.
MORGAN: (39:48):
There's so many hours they're in that there's so many hours
it's just like put the hours in.
ANDRÉS: (39:54):
Totally.
So, I mean, now we've gone back andwe've looked at some past projects.
Do you have a project in your futurethat you would dream about finishing or
you dream about doing in the future?
SUE: (40:06):
No pressure, but do you have an Opus?
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (40:11):
What is your Thesis as an artist!
please!
[laughs]
SUE: (40:13):
My thesis as an artist is don't tell me what to do.
I'm not even joking, that's it.
That's it.
That's the artistic statement.
There is a couple of things that I have,like on my heart that I want to get done.
The first of which we are doing Azimuththat I'm very excited about is a project
(40:33):
called "Welcome to the Otherhood."
and it's this experimental.
You know, it's a formula ofa show that, you know, I've
wanted to do for so, so long.
And I kind of pitched it to Morganand we jammed on it for a while
and sounded like the thing to do.
So I think we're going to do it.
So it's essentially it's a, you know, it'sa, it's a project where artists who have,
(40:56):
you know, many other hoods in their ownlives, you know, be it cultural or sexual
or in any, in any sense of the word.
It's, it's a place for artists to kindof bring work that they have kind of in
the hopper that they're trying to refine.
And then we build a little, a littlechunk of the world based on their.
(41:18):
And then there's multiple artists andthen the audience is endowed as potential
renters in the "Otherhood" but asthey go through, it's an immersive, an
immersive experience as they go through.
They have to kind of decide ifthey've been othered enough to
be there, if they've been otheredenough to be able to rent there.
So that's a big part of of the Opus,you know, in my brain right now.
(41:41):
I think it could be really cool becauseno matter where you take it or where you
do it, it's always going to be differentand it's always going to be inspired,
by the community that's right there.
So I think that that's really exciting.
And then I have I have anotherproject kind of like this one.
I have no hopes of doing yet, butone day I'm hoping it happens.
(42:03):
I want it to.
I just wanted to do a piece thatcelebrates West-Indian culture and in
Eastern Canada, because you don't seethe impact that West Indian culture has
on a place until you've gone somewherelike Toronto where, like, you know, I
grew up there and like half of the, myschool was full of Guyanese kids like me.
(42:24):
And then I moved here and I didn't meetanother Guyanese person for five years.
So like the impact that that's had onmy identity and like my relationship
with my culture has been so profoundand who I am and who I'm trying to be.
And I think an exploration of thatis something that I've been really
keen to try and find a way to do.
So those are my two.
ANDRÉS: (42:47):
Beautiful, I totally, yeah, I can, I can, I can definitely connect
to the idea of like what it's like tohave community and then not have it.
And you know what?
The universe is listening so- it'sgoing to happen eventually.
SUE: (43:00):
Let's hope.
ANDRÉS: (43:01):
Yeah.
[laughs] What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: (43:04):
I think like for me, things like shift and change a lot.
Like I feel like have a magpie of, ofskills and also a magpie of interests.
So I think something that like haskind of rung true for me for, for a
while now is like, I just try to dosomething that scares me every year.
So I think that's, that's kind ofthe dream is to keep doing that is
(43:28):
to keep learning and to keep likedoing something that scares me.
Cause inherently it'll belike my focus for that year.
But that's, that's what I got.
ANDRÉS: (43:37):
I love it coming from the person who's like, let's push, let's be scary.
Let's be good.
It's like, yeah.
Let's, let's scare you a little bit.
MORGAN: (43:44):
Hey this- You know, I scare easy though.
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (43:48):
So uh, Sue, I guess next year we can put up "Bye, Bye,
Birdie" starting Morgan Yamada
SUE: (43:54):
well, heck, we got to start writing some grants.
MORGAN: (43:58):
K, well whats yours?
Whats yours
SUE: (44:01):
No seriously what is yours
ANDRÉS: (44:03):
What is mine?
Honestly for a long time, it was this,to be honest, it was something where
I could do a project where I could notonly work on some skills that I want
to, I want to like harness, but alsobe able to connect to other artists.
And like both of you have kindof like shared, be inspired
by other artists, you know?
I think that is like abeautiful gift I have right now.
(44:28):
And uh, to, to take us home, Ithink a very important question.
SUE: (44:33):
Hmm
MORGAN: (44:34):
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (44:35):
is - is there a treat that brings you complete joy?
Something that you can eat that like, nomatter what kind of day you're having you
pop it in your mouth and it brings joy.
SUE: (44:51):
That's a fantastic question.
MORGAN: (44:52):
I love joy questions!
So much.
I've got two.
Okay.
So one, these are both notsweet, which is hilarious.
But one is my mom's tuna bake.
She makes this like tunacasserole and it is so good.
It's just so much cheese and cornflakes and just is like so wholesome.
(45:15):
And it fills your heart.
That's that's, that's that's up there.
And then also, I really lovemiso soup ,miso, like just,
oh, it just like fills my cup.
And it just reminds me of my dad, likeone day when I was like really young, I
stayed home sick from school, and thenhe surprised me by coming home and just
(45:38):
made like, like miso with udon in it.
And it's just like a formative,like comfort food memory.
SUE: (45:46):
That's so sweet.
MORGAN: (45:48):
Yeah.
So it's like Tuna bakeand Miso, just heart food.
ANDRÉS: (45:53):
I love that they're connected to home.
That's beautiful.
Thanks, Morgan.
What about you Sue?
SUE: (46:01):
Oh my gosh.
I was like thinking like commercially,like stuff that I love, but then
you brought up the home connection.
I was like, oh, that's like a whole othercategory of stuff I love but I think, Ooh.
Okay.
So I really love a "Deep and Delicious",like if I'm having like the worst day
(46:23):
and I just like need to like sequestermyself in a room and just be sad about
it for a day, I'm going to have a "Deepand Delicious" and I'm going to enjoy it.
And then I'm going to feel so much better.
I reserve one day out of a calendar yearto like have a "Deep and Delicious" day..
But then like home food, my mom makes mymom makes a lot of really amazing food.
(46:49):
Like she's like the best cook ever.
And like something that I love is likea, this is like a fun little intersection
that I never really figured out.
So where we're from, we have a littlelike steam bun with like filling in it
and we call it that pow, like P-O-W.
ANDRÉS: (47:04):
Ok, Pow!
SUE: (47:05):
But then I saw the like little Disney short called "Bao" and I
was like, it's the same thing.
What the heck its the same thing!
That's what she makes.
So I was like, oh my gosh, like that'sjust a language barrier thing because
my great grandmother was Chinese.
But that's like, all we know about,
ANDRÉS: (47:23):
oh,
SUE: (47:23):
that like intersection in our family, we have no idea of any
other like traces back to that.
But we do know now, like that was maybe
ANDRÉS: (47:32):
a loss in translation.
SUE: (47:34):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (47:35):
That's beautiful
SUE: (47:36):
Yeah!
And it's delicious.
And it's just something thatmakes me think of my family.
ANDRÉS: (47:41):
Awe!
Thank you both so muchfor joining me today.
This has been-
MORGAN: (47:45):
What's yours?
SUE: (47:46):
Yeah, what's yours?
ANDRÉS: (47:47):
oh, Umm-?
MORGAN: (47:47):
Yeah!
You cant just ask joy of people,you have to share in joy [laughs]!
ANDRÉS: (47:53):
Let's see if it shocks anybody.
Definitely
SIMULTANEOUS: (47:55):
Empanadas
[ SUE: (47:56):
laughs] I knew it!
I knew it!
[ laughs]
ANDRÉS: (48:01):
there's just something about them.
And I think, again, itdoes harken back to family.
It harkens back to like theywere my favorite things to grab.
Like you can buy them anywhereon the street, back home.
So it was like just something that was soreadily available that when I lost it, I
really was like, Oh, and then my mom likefigured out how to make them just so that
like, because she knew I was missing themand they were like the first Colombian
(48:26):
food I learned how to make on my own.
So there's a lot of like reallydeep roots to like this little
empanada, but it brings me so muchjoy and I love more than anything.
I love cooking it for other people.
. SUE:: Thank you!
That sounds wonderful.
So we, so we look forward toempanadas at Andrés' house?
Like when and where, I guess you said my place, but yeah.
SUE: (48:48):
Yeah I said your place
SIMULTANEOUS: (48:49):
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (48:51):
Easy.
Friends.
I, again, I'm just going to say,I really am so thankful to you
two for everything you've done.
For being here for sitting down andsharing your thoughts, they're beautiful.
And, and I'm really, reallythankful to have you in my life.
So thanks for joining mein this podcast today.
And everyone out therestay tuned for more,
SUE: (49:10):
Thank you so much!
MORGAN: (49:12):
Also there's such cool people next.
SUE: (49:15):
I know.
You have no idea what you're in for...
ANDRÉS: (49:18):
Its a good season.
SUE: (49:20):
Its a good season!
Indeed.
It is
ANDRÉS: (49:24):
Awesome.
Thanks pals.
MORGAN: (49:26):
Thank you!
AD: (49:35):
The "In Process" podcast is brought to you by the Canada Council
for the Arts and Azimuth Theatre'sTraversing, the Azimuth multimedia branch.
It is our aim to continue to introduceand deepen the relationships between
our community and the artists within it.
To keep this podcast going, go toAzimuththeatre.com/donate to help
with the continuation of this podcast.
(Music Begins) Oh Imma trust the whole damn process, for
the record, till we breaking records!
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly, journeys to the sky, Azimuth
inside my grip, always know the way now!
Beauty fill my days now takeit day by day sound couldn't be
prouder cause y'know we alive!
ANDRÉS: (00:23):
Hi, everyone.
Welcome to "In Process" as always I'm yourhost Andrés Moreno, and this is Azimuth
Theatre's podcast, highlighting artists,their artistry, and their process.
Today, I am super grateful to be welcomingtwo people who have believed in me who
have laughed with me, who have cried withme and who keep me going every single day.
(00:45):
My pals, Morgan Yamada and Sue Goberdhan. The two co-artistic producers of
Azimuth Theatre and the fearlessleaders of this wonderful company.
Welcome Pals!
SUE: (00:57):
Thank you!
MORGAN: (00:58):
Oh thanks
ANDRÉS: (00:59):
So nice to have you here.
Thanks for being my first ever guestson the podcast, This is so exciting!
I wanted to start off by just offeringyou a chance to share a little bit
about your story, where you started.
And I know this might be like a bitof a long-winded question,[laughs]
but take your time Morgan,would you like to kick us off?
SUE: (01:17):
Yes!
MORGAN: (01:18):
I Look at Sue to be like you're going now.
[laughs]
Oh gosh.
Okay.
My journey with Theatre.
Oh, the love of my life.
That is not my dog.
But I guess my journey withTheatre, it started when I was
uh I was really shy as a kid.
So my mom decided to like put usin this Theatre camp that was a
musical Theatre camp at horizonstage in Spruce Grove Alberta.
(01:42):
And it was this musical Theatre camp.
And I was really terrified the whole time.
And me and my sister had to sing thissolo together well it was a duet,
I guess it ended up being a solobecause I forgot all of the words
and just lip synced through it.
And my sister sang andbelted her way through.
And then in that moment Iwas like, oh, I like this.
(02:05):
[laughs] Now my sister, doesn't getclose to a stage, but I love it.
So that was kind of the moment that Ican pinpoint being like, oh, this is fun.
And this is like a way to kindof like explore and stretch.
And then from then on, I just kindof like fell into- to more Theatre.
And in high school I waskind of like, oh, this is.
(02:26):
The path that I might go down and then itwas solidified when I started university.
And for me, my journey kindof went the university route.
So I got my BFA at the U of A in acting.
And then just kinda didthe thing from then on.
I was just like, yeah, Iwanna, I want to do things.
So I've just been likeplaying pretend since then
ANDRÉS: (02:48):
still doing the thing, still pretending
SUE: (02:50):
My Theatre journey has been weirdly not Theatre for a lot of it.
I just spent a lot of my lifebeing afraid of Theatre and
like I I auditioned for, okay.
So I guess if we're heading back.
ANDRÉS: (03:03):
Oh lets go to the beginning,
SUE: (03:07):
February 6th, 1993, She emerged.
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (03:11):
Ah yess.....
SUE: (03:11):
Flash forward, you know, many years from then I decided I'm going to
try Theatre out because it seems likea way less hard option than like, I
don't know, like home-ec or something.
So I was like, I'm going to try this.
And then I realized, I love this.
And I saw the show that mademe want to do the thing.
I saw "Nevermore" when I was15 and I was like, "very cool.
(03:35):
This is it.
I will do this now."
But then I auditioned for Theatre Artsat MacEwan many, many years ago, like
fresh out of high school with zeroidea of like what was required to be
successful in an audition like that.
. Did not get it.
It was a horrendous audition,truly did a really terrible
job and that's entirely on me.
(03:57):
But, you know, at that point I wasjust like, okay, so I'm trash at
this and I'm not going to do this.
So then for like fiveyears, I didn't do anything.
I just focused on like arts managementand trying to, you know, figure out
that part of the practice and decidedhow much breach into each side of it.
I wanted to have.
And then, yeah, I started doingTheatre again when my friends from
(04:18):
high school and I, we wrote a musicallike in high school and we wrote it
for seven years and we were like, okay,I think we just need to put this up
because if we don't, what are we doing?
So we put that up and that was thefirst thing I did on stage that I
was like, "okay, I can do this."
I'm an adult and I can do this.
So, yeah.
So then I just kind of searchedto find my, my little niche.
(04:41):
And I don't know if I've foundit yet, but we're on our way,
ANDRÉS: (04:45):
We're pretending every day.
[laughs] And now together as the duothat is , spearheading this wonderful
company what's that journey been like?
SUE: (04:55):
We got these jobs.
Like our contract starteda year ago, October 3rd.
MORGAN: (05:02):
So we just passed our first anniversary
ANDRÉS: (05:04):
Happy Birthday!
[laughs]
SUE: (05:09):
But we started like a little bit before that, like the month before.
And it's been amazing.
Like, it's been really hard,like, you know, it's been
like a steep learning curve.
And its not been what I expected, but Idon't know what I did expect, but like
Morgan and I talk about this all the time.
We just like, I cannot imagine goingdown this path with anyone else, because
(05:33):
you just like found it's so funny.
Cause we just like found like, ifwe imagine that we were not, this is
going to sound terrible, but imaginethat we weren't like whole people and
now we found each other and then webecame one functional human, you know,
MORGAN: (05:51):
[laughs] -it's like, hi we are, we are now one full administrator
[laughs] but I do think it's beensuch a journey in the way of like
finding out what, what our visions are.
And I think it was, it was nice because wedidn't have that steep kind of adjustment
period of what we dreamt this job to beor what we dreamt, like what Az could be.
(06:12):
I think that's one thing that like kindof makes this partnership, such a, such
a wonderful one in my heart is thatlike, we never have a disagreement
on the vision of where we want toget to, it's just, we have so many
strategies on how to get to that vision.
[laughs] So it's about likefiguring out which path we choose.
So I think that's something that's nice.
Is that like the core values that weshare are like in alignment in that way.
SUE: (06:35):
Totally.
Like there's never any questionabout whether or not we agree
on, you know, where we placeimportance you know, uh day to day.
But yeah, what's been cool.
Has been like looking at all thepossible directions we could go.
And then just like finding thelittle bits of Morgan and then the
little bits of Sue that kind ofshow up inherently in those steps.
(06:56):
It's uh, it's been really nice.
ANDRÉS: (06:58):
Awe [laughs] You two are amazing.
SUE: (07:01):
Everyone's great
MORGAN: (07:02):
Everyone's great!
Oh my gosh.
Appreciation station also.
That's what we have on Thursdays.
SUE: (07:08):
Yeah.
Thursdays appreciation station.
We just talk about thethings, we appreciate
MORGAN: (07:16):
That's how you get through all the, all of the...
SUE: (07:18):
-less pleasant parts.
ANDRÉS: (07:19):
Totally and now talking about this partnership, there's
something beautiful you've addedto the, Azimuth legacy, which is
this idea of proudly and process.
MORGAN: (07:30):
Yeah, I, well, I think it's, it's also just selfishly stolen from
the folks who've come before us.
And I think it's just building on, I thinkwe were like reading through the website
on one of our first days and correct meif I'm wrong, Sue, I could be imagining
or dreaming of this experience, but Ithink we're going through like this old,
like the older stuff on the website.
And it was just something that popped up.
(07:52):
It was like, "we are proudly in process"and it was like written in some texts
and it was like, that's just amazing.
SUE: (07:58):
Totally.
MORGAN: (07:59):
We should yoink that.
Put that in.
[SUE:: laughs]
And yoink we did.
[laughs] We sure did yoink that[laughs]But I'm not making fun.
We genuinely did that.
. And then we just realized that like, therewas so much of what we do that doesn't get
celebrated because it's not "complete."
And I say that in air quotes, likeit's not complete or it's not perfect.
(08:23):
And perfection is overrated in my opinion.
And there's just so much work thatgoes into getting to that like perfect
end result that like, it doesn't makesense not to celebrate that journey.
So we just decided that we were goingto try and put a focus on not just, you
know, this like polished end product,but every step of the way to get there
(08:46):
and it kind of goes along with the idea too, that like, if you take care
of people or you, you, you do your bestto, to create environments where people
take the forefront of the work that you'redoing, that the process will follow, and
the product will be amazing, regardless.
Whether it's like.
A pleasing polished piece or it's abeautiful experience for those involved.
(09:07):
Like, I think that's a partof the process as well too.
Yeah It's been a big part of likeredefining what success looks like for us
in terms of, you know, where we want togo with Az and you know, what we, what we
can kind of bring to the table, especiallysince we're like a midsize organization
with like, not the most money.
(09:28):
[laughs] So like, we're tryingto find more ways that we
can still make work happen,
ANDRÉS: (09:34):
Now as artists, because obviously yes, you work together in this beautiful
partnership and this beautiful team.
But as artists, a questionthat I want to ask you is where
do you draw inspiration from?
SUE: (09:45):
As an artist for me, I, I like Theatre that hits me unexpectedly.
I feel like there's like a lot of workthat I don't necessarily see coming.
And what I, I guess what Imean by that is like, I really
love subverting expectations.
I love work that kind of takes whatyou think and gives you a fresh take
(10:09):
on it or gives you, you know, analternate lens to look at it through.
So I'm always inspired byopportunities to do that.
I'm also inspired by like I'ma sucker for an underdog story.
I love underdogs.
I love folks who just like, cannotget ahead finally getting ahead.
And I don't even know that that's theimpetus for telling any story that I
(10:30):
typically tell, but it is something that Ithink helps bring a different perspective
to the work that I'm looking at.
Like if I'm looking at, you know, a storyof, you know, someone opening their own
business or something, I am more likelyto look at the intersections that brought
that person to that place and that kindof inspires the work that I want to see.
(10:52):
Because I think it's just a lotof cultural intersections that we
don't often get to see that I love.
ANDRÉS: (10:57):
That's beautiful.
Thank you.
SUE: (10:58):
Yeah.
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (10:59):
What about you Morgan?
MORGAN: (11:01):
Goodness.
This is such a beautiful question.
And also like thank you for asking it.
ANDRÉS: (11:07):
Thank you , this is such a beautiful gift for me as well.
You know, I get to hear allthese stories from artists that
I admire and friends that I love.
So I really appreciatelike, you being here,
MORGAN: (11:16):
For me, it's the, it's like what, what inspires you?
Right?
That's the base of the question?
I think like Theatre Theatreon the extremes is something
that brings me so much.
joy and extremes in terms of likephysicality or emotion, or just like how
we can kind of push uh, the expectationsbut how we can push expectations of
(11:41):
what's possible both physically andemotionally, but in ways that sustainable.
And I think not pushing forthe sake of pushing, but
pushing because you safely can.
And I think that's why I'm like, so, soexcited by really physical work or work
that's like really gross and like Horror-ylike "Dead Center of Town" with Catch the
(12:03):
Keys is like some of the coolest work.
Cause you're just pushinglike poetic stuff.
And you're also pushing likephysicality and also found space.
Like it's I think reallyat the core of it is.
What can you do?
That's weird and funand also like impactful.
So I think just on the extremes,but doing it like with joy,
(12:25):
total violence, with joy [laughs]
And safely like you mentioned.
ANDRÉS: (12:30):
Exactly, exactly.
Looks like stage combat brain.
That's also like theother half of my practice.
So what is something that'sexciting, both of you right now?
SUE: (12:40):
Hmm.
ANDRÉS: (12:41):
That's a pretty open ended,
MORGAN: (12:42):
honestly, this project is super exciting to me right now and,
and being able to collaborate soactively with you is just a dream.
And, I say that in terms of being ableto have a collective of minds working
on, on a similar pathway, but having likeeveryone's journey adjacent, and us being
(13:03):
able to like expand and, and learn morefrom different folks, I think is like,
what's really filling my cup right now.
SUE: (13:11):
Yeah.
Yeah, this is super exciting.
I love that we get to do thissomething else too, that like,
I've like really rediscovered mylove for it's scrappy Theatre.
I love Theatre that likedefies odds to be made.
You know, I have some friends workingon some projects right now that I
don't know if they're ever goingto see the light of day, but I know
that I think they're brilliant.
(13:32):
Like a good friend of mine, like starteda scream, a scream parody musical.
And he sent me the opening number andI was like, this is SO good.[laughs]
Like, I don't know what has to happenfor me to see this, but I want to, and
there's just so much work like that.
And I'm always so excited to see, like,what's going to come out of the woodwork
(13:54):
because there's just no way to know.
It's it's like the best surprise
MORGAN: (13:58):
on, I think that's such a gift of this time, like, it's
like the great incubation of work.
And I think to jump off what you'resaying its like, there's so much work
that's being developed or in process,like I've never had the chance to read
so many drafts of pieces and like reallysee like how stuff is evolving with
(14:21):
the times and like how , we can be partof creating like relevant Theatre for
the people in our spheres and for thegreater community and for like everyone.
So it's like, there's so many piecesbeing made that like, are just awesome.
As I like clenched the air with
(14:41):
[SIMULTANEOUS:: laughs]
SUE: (14:43):
oh, but it's so true though.
Like, there's just been so manythings that like, I mean, I think
it's, there's two levels, right?
There's like the level of like lookingat it purely at like a script and the
concept and what you're looking at,and then there's the added layer of not
knowing how folks are going to adapttechnologically to make this work happen.
(15:05):
And there's been so many cool diversionsfrom what you'd expect in terms of the
way people present their work throughout,you know, the pandemic, it's been amazing.
Like I've been so inspired and justlike, I'm so excited to see how far
those boundaries can keep getting pushed.
ANDRÉS: (15:22):
I want to go back to something you said, because I've
never heard that term, but the ideaof the great incubator and this idea
that like we as artists, we, we knowwe're survivalists, we will survive.
But the idea that even a pandemichas, has not really stopped us.
We've just found different waysto keep doing what we love to do.
(15:42):
It's it's super inspiring, youknow, it's and it it's like,
we're all doing it together.
SUE: (15:46):
Exactly.
A friend of mine told me this quoteand I don't know who said it, but
they, they were just like, you know,art is the purest form of rebellion.
And I was like, that is so true.
Cause like all of the oddsare like completely against
what it is we want to do.
But we do it anyways
ANDRÉS: (16:06):
And we find ways we find ways.[laughs] So.
This is my favorite question tosteal from a very popular TV show.
But if you could talk to yourself,a younger version of yourself,
[ laughs] Pulls out the picture
MORGAN: (16:26):
Oh Goodness,
ANDRÉS: (16:27):
Or just younger artists who are coming into this wacky career path,
this beautiful enriching path thatthey're about to go on, like, what
would you, what would you give them?
You know, any wisdom or anythingyou want to say to them?
SUE: (16:42):
I always be caught by you know, what I always thought my barriers
were like, when I was younger,I was just like, I can't take up
space because no one's made space.
And that felt horrible for,you know, most of my life.
And like now I'm like old enough and like,I've lived enough to be able to like,
look that kid in the face and be like,bring a bulldozer make your own space.
(17:07):
Like, you're fine.
Everything's going to befine, but just do it yourself.
Don't wait for somebodyelse to do it for you.
So I think that's what,I'd what I tell them.
Also to just like say no more often.
Like, I don't know.
I was always such a like people pleasingkid, and now I'm like, if I don't
(17:28):
want to, I'm not gonna, I shouldn't
ANDRÉS: (17:30):
totally What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: (17:32):
I think like, I think for, for young Morga-do is not
to take everything so seriously.
And I think that's, that's not,everything is high stakes and I think
for a long time, I used to think thateverything had to be perfect like that
this an unachievable goal for perfectionwhen perfection is kind of boring.
(17:57):
So I think it's just like having fun andletting things fall as they, as they will.
And this is also for nowme as well.[laughs] As Sues
eyes are like Mhmm[laughs]
SUE: (18:11):
That's what I'm here for.
[laughs]I'm here to tellnormal time, Morgan that!
MORGAN: (18:17):
I mean, you have done wonders to me already.
ANDRÉS: (18:19):
Again folx two halves of one whole administrator
SUE: (18:25):
One whole administrator
SIMULTANEOUS: (18:29):
[laughs]
AD: (18:31):
Hey pal, enjoying the conversation.
Traversing the Azimuth is a brandnew branch of Azimuth Theatre
aimed at connecting artists with awider community, deepening mutual
understanding, and getting to shareeach artist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out
by going to AzimuthTheatre.com/sponsorshipand sponsor traversing the Azimuth.
(18:54):
Your sponsorship will go straightinto paying more artists to
come and share what it means forthem to be "proudly in process."
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts, for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more information onTraversing, the Azimuth go to
AzimuthTheatre.com/traversing.
ANDRÉS: (19:17):
I also want to highlight another very cool project that I
think is, is, is very exciting tome to see how it's gonna come true.
But can you tell a little bit moreabout the Az-Map and the mentorship
program and kind of what yourvision and your ideas for that are?
MORGAN: (19:34):
Yeah, so Az-map is the Azimuth Theatre mentorship and
apprenticeship program uh, which likewe're piloting, which is super exciting.
What we wrote in our little grant atthe start of our tenure is now here.
[laughs] It's basically just anopportunity to like, have another door
open for Theatre education, really.
I think the basis is Sue and Ihave had doors opened for us, and at
(19:59):
least for me, I can speak for myself.
It's like, I feel like it's myresponsibility as an artist to hold that
door open and invite folks in or notinvite, but like, give them the space.
it's more so to allow for a way of, oflearning that is adjacent or like in
line with our work as artists, whichis like, we really are in a trade.
(20:19):
So I feel like apprenticeship andlearning through doing is so useful.
I think it's a, it's a way to, tobe able to explore in a different
way or explore differently.
And we'll see how it goes.
ANDRÉS: (20:34):
Totally
SUE: (20:35):
Yeah, it's, it's been really cool because like the community
is coming out to support big time.
Like we've a part of this program islike developing shadowing opportunities
for the participants who go through it.
And and it's been really amazing tolike, have all of these companies
in town, reach out to us and say,you know, our doors are open.
Like folks can come shadow on whateverthey want, and these are our schedules
(20:58):
and, you know, we can make something work.
So this tells me two things.
The first thing is that, you know,our community is strong enough to
sustain a program that, you knowembraces emerging artists and
builds them up, inside of itself.
And two is that, the fact that allof these companies are coming out to
play means they recognize the need.
So I think that that just speaksvolumes to like what we can do
(21:22):
outside of Azimuth even, you know,I think it gives folks agency
ANDRÉS: (21:26):
Yeah.
And I think it's a great opportunitytoo, to just offer mentorship.
Like, even if you've gone through schoolor you haven't like any extra mentorship
can be the difference between, beingable to believe in yourself and being
scared to open some doors, because maybeyou haven't been in those spaces before
SUE: (21:45):
Oh totally.
And I think a part of it too, is likethis program, when we talked about like
building it out we talked about how wewanted to make it for folks who have
had barriers in access or who like werenot served by traditional education.
And that's something that we're reallyfinding is that, like, there are folks
who have gone through like traditionaleducational institutions that haven't been
(22:07):
able to make the most out of that timebecause they have, you know, like learning
needs that need to be met or, you know
MORGAN: (22:13):
Or life.
SUE: (22:14):
Yeah.
MORGAN: (22:14):
Life just happens.
Right.
And it's, it's, I think something that,that was beautiful with, with building
the program and as well as like chattingwith people about it is like finding
that sometimes the, the, the dreams youhave, won't be accomplished by one path.
So it's like, where can you find thatturn off of, of being able to be like,
(22:37):
cool, this is the path that I want togo on, but maybe I'll take this little
detour and maybe that will lead it, or, orI'll be able to find a different way in.
And I think that's really whatit is, is like a different
option hopefully, and like also adifferent way to build community.
Because I think like, like what youwere saying Sue it's like, how can
we build with the collective in mind?
(22:59):
Because it wouldn't be possiblefor us to do it on our own.
Like, it would be impossible.
And it really is rooted in the fact ofus being gateways to community, really.
SUE: (23:09):
Totally and like Morgan and I have had very opposite journeys in
terms of how we got to this point.
Morgan's got her BFA, which is amazing.
And I am an alum-not.
I went to school andit didn't work for me.
And life got life was, you know,dictating that I do something else.
And then I did, and I realized that it'sjust that thing, you know, I, if you make
(23:32):
that space, you're going to be able totake it up, but you have to make it first.
And this idea that traditionaleducation is the way to like, make
that space and the way to kindof earn your own legitimacy is...
I think it's outdated.
And I think there's, there's theopportunity for us to, to make it
that much more accessible through,you know, being nurtured by the
(23:54):
people in our community who have allthese amazing skills to offer and
like so many experiences to share.
And there's just so many, there's somuch opportunity that I think we've
been missing out on for far too long.
ANDRÉS: (24:07):
Yeah,
You've kind of touched this a little bit,but I want to ask, we practice for the
most part Theatre as artists and it's anartistic practice that comes with its own
values and it's own systemic judgmentsand, I guess my question is how, how do we
bring new, fresh air into this art form?
How can we bring a sense of explorationinto this art form that we practice
(24:32):
to be able to continue it and bringit forward, you know, into the future?
MORGAN: (24:36):
I think that's a, that's a wonderful question.
And I'm hopeful, I'm hopeful.
I do think there's been like a seismicseismic shift for, for this past year
five years before that, as well aslike the, the, the generation that
has come before us have been likereally pushing hard against like some
systematic barriers or systemic barriers.
(24:59):
But I do think that like what'sexciting or what's inspiring, is
really like, how can we actuallytake care of people and not use them?
So I think that's like a big shift,at least that I am experiencing is
like, it's, it's maybe slow, but it'shappening where it's like, the show
(25:20):
might not always have to go on andbeing gracious with that of, at the end
of the day we're people [laughs] andwe're making art, which is so valuable
and so beautiful, but we can't make art.
If we don't take care of ourselvesand we don't take care of our teams.
(25:40):
So I think that for me is something that'slovely about being like, great maybe we
are more creative with what we can offer.
SUE: (25:50):
Yeah.
I also think too, like something thatis uh, an opportunity that I think we
have to keep emerging folk, you know,coming through our, our communities
and helping them, nurture themselvesinto, professional working artists.
I think it's reestablishingthe, how do I say this?
(26:12):
I think it's about redesigningthe framework for what you should
and should not allow your practiceto take, hold of internally.
Like, I think it's a matter oflike making sure that we're not
letting our art or our, practiceinform your worth as a human.
MORGAN: (26:34):
Hmm.
SUE: (26:35):
Cause that's something that we so often get caught up in for no good reason.
It's such a detriment to so many peopleto see folks, you know, put themselves
through that kind of suffering and forwhat, you know, internally, there's just,
there's, it's not worth the heartache.
So I think it's about, you know,deciding that there are new, more
important boundaries that we need to set.
And I also think it's aboutrethinking what we want the
(26:57):
final product to look like.
You know, because like, you know,we have this, we keep seeing work
that tries to go for this polishedperfect end thing and product.
And while that is important, I, youknow, people want that and they should
there also needs to be space to breathe.
(27:18):
And like, I love the moments inbetween and they find that emerging.
Learn the most in those momentsin between there needs to be
more opportunity that way.
Cause I think that people are soafraid of, opening the doors to
new talent because of this ideaof the perfect final product.
(27:39):
And regardless of who you open yourdoors to, you can get that, but it's
a matter of how you approach it.
Right?
And I think that that's a bigpart of the conversation as well.
ANDRÉS: (27:49):
Mhmm, and I think that's, that's, that's a very important thing to say.
At least, I don't know if it's saidenough, but the idea that we as artists,
we're here to explore and we're here to,to dig and get deeper into these topics.
And sometimes that in itself can bemuch more fruitful and empowering than
(28:10):
the final product, like some of thosemoments in rehearsal can be really what
shapes you as an artist moving forward.
Right.
That's why, like my experiencewith the lobbyists this year was so
fruitful because it was an experiencethat I really felt like the final
product was something that I can lookback on and go, "Hey, I did that."
Whether or not it's something thatI think is beautifully polished,
(28:33):
it's something I worked on.
And it's something that stretchedme years in my, in my path.
SUE: (28:39):
Oh, it makes such a big difference to have that space to play and to
like, you know, and to, to reallytake stock of the time that it took
to get from point A to point B andlike what you did with that time and
like how that informs your practicemoving forward, I think is invaluable
to a person as they build themselvesinto the artists the want to be.
MORGAN: (28:59):
It's also the thing too, where it's like artists, it's it's a lot of
us wear so many different hats, right?
Where like a lot of artists arealso educators and also like
artists do so many things.
[laughs]
But I do think it's, it's also, whatdo we learn from those processes and
what do we give back to the community?
Or like, what do you like take intoother, other things that you do.
(29:22):
And I think that's where the value reallycomes from, is not just like the product,
but it's like the community dissemination.
ANDRÉS: (29:30):
So uh, speaking about, self care, is there something in your everyday life
that you go to to relax, something thatyou love to do when you've had a long day
or, you know, a long week or whatever, andyou go home, what's that one thing that's
going to bring you like true relaxation?
SUE: (29:48):
what do I- [laughs] I know Morgan's answers
SIMULTANEOUS: (29:52):
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (29:53):
Do you?
SIMULTANEOUS: (29:54):
[laughs]
SUE: (29:54):
Yeah I do!
SIMULTANEOUS: (29:54):
[laughs]
MORGAN: (29:54):
What are my answers?
SUE: (29:55):
You're going to cuddle your dog because he's perfect.
You're going to bake.
You also love ramen.
MORGAN: (30:03):
Yes.
SUE: (30:04):
There's going to be a ramen time somewhere in there.
And then you're gonna, you're gonna learnsomething you're going to go and like
learn a new app or like a new skill.
No, honest to goodness.
Morgan learns new things all thetime and I'm so impressed by it.
And she just likes to do it.
I've never seen someone attack an appwith such ferocity and the best part is
(30:25):
like, she'll be exploring it and thenthere's going to be something that's.
I can put my logo onit and she'll lose it.
[laughs] Its the BEST!
MORGAN: (30:36):
That totally didn't happen today.
[laughs]
SUE: (30:38):
The best part is I not only did it happen today, it
happens most days [laughs]
ANDRÉS: (30:45):
[laughs] App of the day.
SUE: (30:50):
Did you did you hear that?
App of the day?
[laughs] That was a thing.
ANDRÉS: (30:54):
Was it?
SUE: (30:54):
When we first started, Morgan showed me a new app every day.
I'm not talking about likea week or like two weeks.
This is like three monthsinto our partnership.
We're still doing app of the day
ANDRÉS: (31:06):
Okay, so this is a funny game now, do you want to guess Sue's?
[laughs]
MORGAN: (31:13):
I love this game.
This is so fun.
Okay.
So I think, okay.
Sue loves loves treats.
Sweet sweet donut deliveries are the best!
Also, if there's any sponsorsfor a stationary box.
So if, if I am the queen of apps, Sueis the queen of stationary supplies it's
(31:39):
not a surprise why we are who we are.
Okay, so Sue gets this like stationarybox every month and then there's a
collection and assortment of differentstickers stickies, pens, and pencils.
And I get a tour, and it fills myheart with so much joy, as well as
like Sue is like the master of creatingbeautiful playlist's, like music is
(32:03):
the thing that like, just like, ughyour heart is full of music and so is
your soul and, and a musical Theatre.
Well, I mean, You inspire me.
And, oh my goodness.
So many things also likeSue just like fills up with
people and also burrito -ing.
SUE: (32:23):
I do burrito a lot.
MORGAN: (32:24):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Getting like all cozy in a blanket.
SUE: (32:28):
Yeah You nailed it.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (32:30):
Wow.
That's a year in.
So, I mean, we'll see, we'll seewhere we're at next year in- [laughs]
MORGAN: (32:35):
We'll just do the whole interview for each other!
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (32:39):
So, Is there anything exciting or new that's popping up that you're
like really excited to explore orthat's bringing you joy right now?
MORGAN: (32:49):
I think like for me, like working on projects with new folks is always like
exciting and, and collectively creatingsomething together is something that
always like inspires me as an artist, likeoutside of Azimuth but also alongside,
I think like there's a project that I'vebeen working on with some of my pals with
Cloudsway dance Theatre with Kunji, andwe're a group of a whole, whole group
(33:12):
of Japanese Canadians, like working ona piece that's about like, mythology
and, and getting to explore like our ownpersonal identities and like how that
kind of fits into like our viewpointsand fits into this myth as well.
So that's something that's like reallyexciting right now is just like being
able to, to create alongside somefantastic folks, but like all coming
(33:38):
in with different practices and seeinghow they collide which is super fun.
So not everybody's an actor there'sdancers and, and dramaturg...
visual artists...
amazing people.
Like it's just like such a wonderful,like mix of folks who have different
(33:59):
practices and seeing how theylike collide is just like magic.
ANDRÉS: (34:02):
Hmm that's beautiful
SUE: (34:04):
Yeah, I think for me like on my own, I've been doing a lot
of writing and like trying to likesee what my next thing looks like.
But I'm working on a movie right now withwith "Edmonton legends, The Debutantes!"
They are the funniest coolestgroup of humans and we're working
on like, it's like a Christmasmovie, but it's kind of scary.
(34:28):
It's called "Spirit of the Season."
ANDRÉS: (34:30):
Oh, all right.
Okay.
I see what you did there.
SUE: (34:34):
[laughs] So we're filming that right now and we're should
be out for next, Chris, not thisChristmas, but next Christmas.
So I'm working on that right nowand I'm really excited about it.
It's a really fun, silly time.
ANDRÉS: (34:46):
Nice.
Ah, we love fun, silly times, you know?
Um, is there a project thatyou've worked on in your life
that you keep going back to?
Because it it's really taught youa lot or like you go back to the
lessons that you picked up then andyou bring them into your new projects.
SUE: (35:01):
Totally.
Oh my God.
All the time.
My writing partner, Matt Graham,he and I wrote a musical not
long ago called "Marnie day."
And you know, we worked really hardon this show and it was just the most
like serendipitous moment, becausewe had just wrapped our like last
thing that we worked on, then liketwo months out, we said, okay, when
(35:22):
we come back together, bring an idea.
And when we got back together, we hadthis same idea having never spoken
about it, or like, like, I don't knowif we talked about it in our dreams.
I don't know what happened,but we had the exact same idea.
So we were like, okay, we have to rollwith this because this is the universe
talking, we are but vessels at this point.
(35:43):
So then we started working onthis show and then we were going
to put it up and we put it up.
But then, you know, direction wise,it took a totally different turn than
what we thought it was going to be.
And that's when I realized Iwas like, this story could take
a million different iterations.
Like it could be so many different thingsand I just want to know what they all are.
(36:06):
So I come back to it all the time becauseit like, it was a practice in patience
just in terms of like taking work thatI was precious with and then just like
ripping it to pieces and putting itback together in an even better way.
And having it be a whole different showby the time I was done with it, you know,
it, it felt so different and so new.
(36:28):
And I was like, there's somuch opportunity sitting here.
I just got to figure it out.
It's it's a puzzle.
So I always come back to that one.
ANDRÉS: (36:38):
Beautiful.
Yeah.
Well, and there'ssomething so great about.
The moment you kind of let go ofyour preciousness in art and you, and
you start working for the project.
SUE: (36:49):
Totally.
And I had always been the kind ofperson who like preached, you know,
like, don't be precious with your work.
Always go back to editingit, edit, edit, edit.
But then that was the projectwhere it was the hardest for me.
Like I had never had it be that difficult.
But it was so worth it, it was soworth it just in terms of how it
informed my practice and how itcontinues to inform my practice.
(37:11):
So, yeah, that's theone that I go back to.
Hmm.
ANDRÉS: (37:15):
Thank you.
What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: (37:18):
So there's this monologue from Henry the Sixth part one..?
SIMULTANEOUS: (37:28):
[laughs]
MORGAN: (37:30):
Yep.
Henry, The Sixth part one,I'm going to sound like I know
what I'm talking about anyway.
So there's this Joan of arc monologue.
It's a Shakespeare monologue.
And I remember my pal, who I wastrying to get into we had like,
we were working on our auditionpieces for the U of A together.
And they slid me this monologue andI was like, "Ooh, this is juicy.
(37:53):
This is lovely."
And I worked on it and I worked on it.
I worked on it.
And like that piece was so integralto like how I approach things because
it was inherently a contradiction.
So it's the first, let me tellyou whom you have condemned.
And it's, it's a wonderful piecebut uh, inherently a contradiction,
(38:14):
and I think it's like that mademe like investigate the play more.
And also it's my like nerdy self.
I was like, oh, I don't like thisplay, but I really like this monologue
so I've kind of for the past, like Ithink it's probably like 10 years had
this idea of, of how to, how to shiftthe play, to work for Joan's character
(38:38):
in, in the scheme of this Shakespeare.
So it's a piece that I keep, likepicking away at picking away at picking
away at and the lovely folks at ThouArt Here, like been helping me along
that journey in the past few years.
And it's been a piece that I just alwaysam excited by, I guess, because it's a
contradiction of like, I love doing likesuper edgy work and super like new work.
(39:05):
And, and I feel like for me, likethat's, what's exciting is because
I don't do the classics very often.
ANDRÉS: (39:11):
Right.
MORGAN: (39:11):
So it's like, how can I make it work for today?
And like, just tear it apart.
Like you're saying, tear itapart and kind of put it back
together again slightly in Iambic
ANDRÉS: (39:26):
and so do you still use it for auditions?
MORGAN: (39:28):
I do.
Yeah.
Something's not broken?
ANDRÉS: (39:33):
Exactly.
We're all the same.
We got like the two or three that it'slike, no matter what, pick it up and go.
MORGAN: (39:40):
Boom!
What can I do in my sleep?
But also with a lot ofcommitment and a lot of effort,
ANDRÉS: (39:46):
Yes!
Sleeping through it, but not in it.
MORGAN: (39:48):
There's so many hours they're in that there's so many hours
it's just like put the hours in.
ANDRÉS: (39:54):
Totally.
So, I mean, now we've gone back andwe've looked at some past projects.
Do you have a project in your futurethat you would dream about finishing or
you dream about doing in the future?
SUE: (40:06):
No pressure, but do you have an Opus?
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (40:11):
What is your Thesis as an artist!
please!
[laughs]
SUE: (40:13):
My thesis as an artist is don't tell me what to do.
I'm not even joking, that's it.
That's it.
That's the artistic statement.
There is a couple of things that I have,like on my heart that I want to get done.
The first of which we are doing Azimuththat I'm very excited about is a project
(40:33):
called "Welcome to the Otherhood."
and it's this experimental.
You know, it's a formula ofa show that, you know, I've
wanted to do for so, so long.
And I kind of pitched it to Morganand we jammed on it for a while
and sounded like the thing to do.
So I think we're going to do it.
So it's essentially it's a, you know, it'sa, it's a project where artists who have,
(40:56):
you know, many other hoods in their ownlives, you know, be it cultural or sexual
or in any, in any sense of the word.
It's, it's a place for artists to kindof bring work that they have kind of in
the hopper that they're trying to refine.
And then we build a little, a littlechunk of the world based on their.
(41:18):
And then there's multiple artists andthen the audience is endowed as potential
renters in the "Otherhood" but asthey go through, it's an immersive, an
immersive experience as they go through.
They have to kind of decide ifthey've been othered enough to
be there, if they've been otheredenough to be able to rent there.
So that's a big part of of the Opus,you know, in my brain right now.
(41:41):
I think it could be really cool becauseno matter where you take it or where you
do it, it's always going to be differentand it's always going to be inspired,
by the community that's right there.
So I think that that's really exciting.
And then I have I have anotherproject kind of like this one.
I have no hopes of doing yet, butone day I'm hoping it happens.
(42:03):
I want it to.
I just wanted to do a piece thatcelebrates West-Indian culture and in
Eastern Canada, because you don't seethe impact that West Indian culture has
on a place until you've gone somewherelike Toronto where, like, you know, I
grew up there and like half of the, myschool was full of Guyanese kids like me.
(42:24):
And then I moved here and I didn't meetanother Guyanese person for five years.
So like the impact that that's had onmy identity and like my relationship
with my culture has been so profoundand who I am and who I'm trying to be.
And I think an exploration of thatis something that I've been really
keen to try and find a way to do.
So those are my two.
ANDRÉS: (42:47):
Beautiful, I totally, yeah, I can, I can, I can definitely connect
to the idea of like what it's like tohave community and then not have it.
And you know what?
The universe is listening so- it'sgoing to happen eventually.
SUE: (43:00):
Let's hope.
ANDRÉS: (43:01):
Yeah.
[laughs] What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: (43:04):
I think like for me, things like shift and change a lot.
Like I feel like have a magpie of, ofskills and also a magpie of interests.
So I think something that like haskind of rung true for me for, for a
while now is like, I just try to dosomething that scares me every year.
So I think that's, that's kind ofthe dream is to keep doing that is
(43:28):
to keep learning and to keep likedoing something that scares me.
Cause inherently it'll belike my focus for that year.
But that's, that's what I got.
ANDRÉS: (43:37):
I love it coming from the person who's like, let's push, let's be scary.
Let's be good.
It's like, yeah.
Let's, let's scare you a little bit.
MORGAN: (43:44):
Hey this- You know, I scare easy though.
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (43:48):
So uh, Sue, I guess next year we can put up "Bye, Bye,
Birdie" starting Morgan Yamada
SUE: (43:54):
well, heck, we got to start writing some grants.
MORGAN: (43:58):
K, well whats yours?
Whats yours
SUE: (44:01):
No seriously what is yours
ANDRÉS: (44:03):
What is mine?
Honestly for a long time, it was this,to be honest, it was something where
I could do a project where I could notonly work on some skills that I want
to, I want to like harness, but alsobe able to connect to other artists.
And like both of you have kindof like shared, be inspired
by other artists, you know?
I think that is like abeautiful gift I have right now.
(44:28):
And uh, to, to take us home, Ithink a very important question.
SUE: (44:33):
Hmm
MORGAN: (44:34):
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (44:35):
is - is there a treat that brings you complete joy?
Something that you can eat that like, nomatter what kind of day you're having you
pop it in your mouth and it brings joy.
SUE: (44:51):
That's a fantastic question.
MORGAN: (44:52):
I love joy questions!
So much.
I've got two.
Okay.
So one, these are both notsweet, which is hilarious.
But one is my mom's tuna bake.
She makes this like tunacasserole and it is so good.
It's just so much cheese and cornflakes and just is like so wholesome.
(45:15):
And it fills your heart.
That's that's, that's that's up there.
And then also, I really lovemiso soup ,miso, like just,
oh, it just like fills my cup.
And it just reminds me of my dad, likeone day when I was like really young, I
stayed home sick from school, and thenhe surprised me by coming home and just
(45:38):
made like, like miso with udon in it.
And it's just like a formative,like comfort food memory.
SUE: (45:46):
That's so sweet.
MORGAN: (45:48):
Yeah.
So it's like Tuna bakeand Miso, just heart food.
ANDRÉS: (45:53):
I love that they're connected to home.
That's beautiful.
Thanks, Morgan.
What about you Sue?
SUE: (46:01):
Oh my gosh.
I was like thinking like commercially,like stuff that I love, but then
you brought up the home connection.
I was like, oh, that's like a whole othercategory of stuff I love but I think, Ooh.
Okay.
So I really love a "Deep and Delicious",like if I'm having like the worst day
(46:23):
and I just like need to like sequestermyself in a room and just be sad about
it for a day, I'm going to have a "Deepand Delicious" and I'm going to enjoy it.
And then I'm going to feel so much better.
I reserve one day out of a calendar yearto like have a "Deep and Delicious" day..
But then like home food, my mom makes mymom makes a lot of really amazing food.
(46:49):
Like she's like the best cook ever.
And like something that I love is likea, this is like a fun little intersection
that I never really figured out.
So where we're from, we have a littlelike steam bun with like filling in it
and we call it that pow, like P-O-W.
ANDRÉS: (47:04):
Ok, Pow!
SUE: (47:05):
But then I saw the like little Disney short called "Bao" and I
was like, it's the same thing.
What the heck its the same thing!
That's what she makes.
So I was like, oh my gosh, like that'sjust a language barrier thing because
my great grandmother was Chinese.
But that's like, all we know about,
ANDRÉS: (47:23):
oh,
SUE: (47:23):
that like intersection in our family, we have no idea of any
other like traces back to that.
But we do know now, like that was maybe
ANDRÉS: (47:32):
a loss in translation.
SUE: (47:34):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (47:35):
That's beautiful
SUE: (47:36):
Yeah!
And it's delicious.
And it's just something thatmakes me think of my family.
ANDRÉS: (47:41):
Awe!
Thank you both so muchfor joining me today.
This has been-
MORGAN: (47:45):
What's yours?
SUE: (47:46):
Yeah, what's yours?
ANDRÉS: (47:47):
oh, Umm-?
MORGAN: (47:47):
Yeah!
You cant just ask joy of people,you have to share in joy [laughs]!
ANDRÉS: (47:53):
Let's see if it shocks anybody.
Definitely
SIMULTANEOUS: (47:55):
Empanadas
[ SUE: (47:56):
laughs] I knew it!
I knew it!
[ laughs]
ANDRÉS: (48:01):
there's just something about them.
And I think, again, itdoes harken back to family.
It harkens back to like theywere my favorite things to grab.
Like you can buy them anywhereon the street, back home.
So it was like just something that was soreadily available that when I lost it, I
really was like, Oh, and then my mom likefigured out how to make them just so that
like, because she knew I was missing themand they were like the first Colombian
(48:26):
food I learned how to make on my own.
So there's a lot of like reallydeep roots to like this little
empanada, but it brings me so muchjoy and I love more than anything.
I love cooking it for other people.
. SUE:: Thank you!
That sounds wonderful.
So we, so we look forward toempanadas at Andrés' house?
Like when and where, I guess you said my place, but yeah.
SUE: (48:48):
Yeah I said your place
SIMULTANEOUS: (48:49):
[laughs]
ANDRÉS: (48:51):
Easy.
Friends.
I, again, I'm just going to say,I really am so thankful to you
two for everything you've done.
For being here for sitting down andsharing your thoughts, they're beautiful.
And, and I'm really, reallythankful to have you in my life.
So thanks for joining mein this podcast today.
And everyone out therestay tuned for more,
SUE: (49:10):
Thank you so much!
MORGAN: (49:12):
Also there's such cool people next.
SUE: (49:15):
I know.
You have no idea what you're in for...
ANDRÉS: (49:18):
Its a good season.
SUE: (49:20):
Its a good season!
Indeed.
It is
ANDRÉS: (49:24):
Awesome.
Thanks pals.
MORGAN: (49:26):
Thank you!
AD: (49:35):
The "In Process" podcast is brought to you by the Canada Council
for the Arts and Azimuth Theatre'sTraversing, the Azimuth multimedia branch.
It is our aim to continue to introduceand deepen the relationships between
our community and the artists within it.
To keep this podcast going, go toAzimuththeatre.com/donate to help
with the continuation of this podcast.
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