Stageworthy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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