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In this week’s episode, I sit down with Hailey Gillis. Hailey Gillis is a Toronto based performer who most recently was a part of the Musical Stage Company’s “Porchside Songs” & “Virtual Uncovered” series as well as Crow’s Theatre’s “Ghost Quartet” live steam. In our conversation today we discuss how she has navigated the pandemic as an artist and how it’s shaped her relationship to performing in the “new normal”, the different pro...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Chris Tsujiuchi. Chris Tsujiuchi is a performer, musical director, accompanist, and cabaret artist. In our conversation today we discuss his experience navigating the pandemic as an artist, his work with the Musical Stage Company as a part of “Porchside Songs”, and the benefits that can be gained through virtual programming with regards to accessibility. We also discuss this year’s “A Very Ch...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Colin Asuncion. Colin Asuncion is a multi-talented performer, baker, marketing manager, and one-third of the Toronto based boy band Asian Riffing Trio. In our conversation today we discuss how he was introduced to the performing industry how he has navigated his relationship with it while also maintaining the other aspects of his career, his experiences performing with Asian Riffing Trio over...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Jeff Follis. Jeff Follis (aka Uropa) is a Vancouver based drag performer, visual artist, and singer originally from Calgary. In our conversation today we dive into the world of drag and discuss it’s rise in popularity over the past several years, how he first began performing as a drag queen and his process of discovering Uropa, as well as his experiences in theatre school and what he has tak...

In this week's episode, I sit down with Kelsey Verzotti & Jacob Sheffield, two multi-talented artists who recently launched SideBiz Studio. SideBiz is an online marketplace that showcases products and services offered by the Canadian arts community. In our conversation today we discuss the inspiration for SideBiz and how the idea was formed, how they took that idea and put it into action, and what they have learned so far through t...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Tara Jackson & Masini McDermott. In our conversation today both Tara Jackson & Masini McDermott share their experiences as black women in the Canadian theatre industry, how the theatre industry puts pressure on people of colour to not “cause a fuss” or be “difficult” in the hopes that they are hired again, as well as the importance of remembering that this isn’t a new conversation or issue bu...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Lauren Ritchie. Lauren Ritchie is a dance educator, choreographer, and host of the Dance Podcast. In our conversation today we discuss the differences between the ways she was taught to dance and how dance educators are teaching their students now, the importance of having a holistic approach to your training no matter what you are training for, as well as her relationship with goals and the ...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Douglas Walker. Douglas Walker is an actor, singer, and dancer originally from Scotland. In our conversation today we discuss how he was introduced to theatre and the path that lead him to pursue it professionally, what he learned from his time in school both as a dancer as well as at the Royal Conservatory of Scotland, and what the main similarities and differences are between theatre in the...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Kalie Hunter. Kalie Hunter is a performer, teacher, adjudicator, and is also one of the owners of Metro Movement in Toronto. In our conversation today we discuss her experiences growing up in B.C. and how she was introduced to the world of dance at a young age, how the dance industry and theatre industry in Canada differ and what each industry can learn from the other, as well as her transiti...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Kira Campbell. Kira Campbell is the Artistic Associate and Production Manager of Stage West Calgary. In our conversation today we discuss how the mindset of “How hard can it be?” has helped shape her career, how she got involved in the theatre world and what she learned from her time in school, as well as what brought her to Calgary and the importance of exploring as many aspects of the theat...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Craig Hall. Craig Hall is the Artistic Director of Vertigo Theatre in Calgary. In our conversation today we discuss how he was not introduced to theatre until university and how this has shaped his career path, what initial aspects of theatre drew him to the theatre industry and the importance of diversifying your skill sets, as well as maintaining an objective view of the types of work you w...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Daryl Cloran. Daryl Cloran is the Artistic Director for the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. In our conversation today we discuss some of the shows that happened this past season including Ring of Fire and The Color Purple, how the Citadel is working to engage new audiences in Edmonton and what they have learned through the process, as well as the importance of not only inviting non-traditional t...

In this week’s episode, I sit down and do something a little different. Inspired by the incredible creativity I am seeing online from the theatre community during the COVID-19 pandemic, I discuss what I have seen and the things I have learned from the countless talented artists I have had the pleasure of watching perform over the past year. I also discuss trends, patterns, and themes I am seeing in the Canadian theatre industry, th...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Zoë Glassman. Zoë Glassman is an Edmonton based actor, dancer, theatre creator, and producer. In our conversation today we discuss the Edmonton theatre community and how it engages emerging theatre artists through festivals such as the Edmonton Fringe, the type of theatre work that speaks to her and how it has shifted her priorities in the industry, as well as both the differences and similar...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Leon Willey. Leon Willey is an actor based out of Saskatoon who most recently starred as Sam Phillips in Million Dollar Quartet at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. In our conversation today we discuss his experiences growing up in British Columbia and what is unique about the west coast when it comes to the arts, how he got involved in theatre and the path that lead him into pursuing a career in ...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Andrew Kushnir. Andrew Kushnir is an actor, director, and playwright with a keen interest in verbatim theatre. He is also playwright-in-residence at Tarragon Theatre, the creative director of Project: Humanity, and his most recent verbatim play Towards Youth: A Play on Radical Hope premiered at Crow’s Theatre this past February. In our conversation today we discuss the importance of relations...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Tara Jackson. Tara Jackson is a Calgary based performer who is currently starring as Celie in The Color Purple. In our conversation today we discuss her time at Berklee and how her training there has as a vocalist has translated into her theatre career, her path into the industry and the importance of determining your own definition of success, as well as what she has learned about herself an...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Matt Mackenzie. Matt Mackenzie is an Edmonton based playwright, the Artistic Producer of Punctuate! Theatre, and the founder of Pyretic Productions. In our conversation today we discuss how he began writing and his time at the National Theatre School, the importance of not only building a strong network of like-minded individuals in the emerging stages of your career but also continuing to fo...

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Lianna Makuch. Lianna Makuch is an actor, playwright, and one of the Artistic Producers of Pyretic Productions. In our conversation today we discuss the Toronto production of her play Blood of Our Soil and what she learned from the experience of bringing her show to another city, the different theatre styles that are present in Blood of Our Soil and how they navigated the piece from both an a...