Talking in the Rain

Tanner Zerr is a Vancouver based actor mostly working in theatre. In this episode we get into what he focuses on when he’s preparing for a show, finding humanity in every role, if actors should connect to their characters to be able to portray them well on stage, how vulnerable acting is and Tanner's feeling responsibility towards the audience. We also get into performing Shakespeare, being present on stage, the feeling of being perceived and how you should respect yourself enough to trust yourself that what you bring to the room is enough. Tanner also explores Shrek's philosophy of 'trust your gut' and how he uses it to portray Shrek on stage. Watch Shrek the Musical April 17th to May 3rd at the Massey Theatre in New Westminister. Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Roan Shankaruk is a composer, performer and artist based in Vancouver, BC. Most recently she has composed an adaptation of the 1922 novella The Fox as an opera. We talk about what about opera speaks to her and how she has evolved into it through musical theatre. She also talks about horror operas and if creating horror has made it less scary for her. We get into The Fox, why she chose the novella and what makes a short story good for adaptations. Roan also talks about her experience with exposure of contemporary operas in education and professional settings as well as obscure operas that she loves. Lastly, we get into Roan's illustrative work, her graphic novels, how she uses albums to create plots and if drawing and composing interact.Watch The Fox April 17th to 19th at The Annex in Vancouver. Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Isak Enquist is a dancer, choreographer, actor and sound designer. He is the co-director of Little Room Productions which will be presenting its first full length dance work, Fall(se) Circ(us), choreographed by Isak. In this episode we talk about sound design and creating a piece of music that can support the artist as they try to share a movement. We also talk about choreographing and discuss Isak's own choreographic language. Isak also gets into improvisation and how important it is to find something you've never found before and dancing for dance's sake.Watch Fall(se) Circ(us) at Roundhouse Community Center on March 21st, 2026 at 7.30 pm.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Chris Lavis is an award winning writer, director and animator. He created Clyde Henry Productions with Maciek Szcerbowski in 1997, and their first animated short Madame Tutli Putli was released in 2007. Their latest work The Girl Who Cried Pearls follows the story of a young man who falls in love with a woman in sorrow. Tempted by greed, the boy must choose between love and fortune. The Girl Who Cried Pearls earned the duo their second Oscar nomination. You can watch the film for free on nfb.ca or on nfb’s youtube channel. In this episode we talk about how the two started working together, how they got into stop motion and if a feature length film is something they're interested in doing. We also talk about holding onto things and and what makes a story personal. Finally we get into how objects can gain meaning from their stories. Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Terrell Edwards is his name and performing is his game. Known for his velvety voice, Terrell Edwards is a singer and songwriter bringing legendary jazz and soul artists back to life. In this episode we talk about the first time he performed on stage and the feeling of belonging he had and how he still feels at home and most himself when he is on stage to this day. Terrell talks about his experience pursuing this career although his parents weren't particularly encouraging at first and how he aims to carry his dad's way of sharing positivity with his performances. We also get into the differences between performing in different venues in different countries while on tour vs. performing on the same stage for three years in Las Vegas. Currently Terrell is on his Unforgettable tour sharing the iconic sounds of artists like Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald as well as his own original music. Listen to find out what's most important to him when writing music and catch Terrell perform in New Westminister on October 25th and Los Angeles on December 6th. More dates and performances at terrelledwardsmusic.comIntro: Hara Noda - Spring Street

Melody Mangler is a burlesque and cabaret performer based in Vancouver, BC. We talk about her love of horror, gore, weird movies and Church's Chicken. Melody talks about some of her acts (including Ode to Church's Chicken), how she gets the ideas for them, the process and how long it takes to take them from conception to stage. We also find out how it doesn't get boring for her doing this since 2003, always creating something new. Melody mentions all her upcoming shows, including Theatre of the Damned where she'll be doing a Midsommar burlesque act and you could be a part of it if you go!Theatre of the Damned October 16th to 20th - tickets & info thebeaumontstudios.comFollow Melody on instagram @melodymangler

Alison Reid began her career in the film industry as a stunt performer and was one of the first female stunt coordinators in North America. She has been directing tv shows and movies for over a decade and her latest work, The Art of Adventure will be premiering at VIFF. We talk about her experience going from stunts to behind the camera and how stunt coordinating and directing actually have a lot in common. Alison talks about how she had the idea to make The Art of Adventure as well as the four years it's taken to bring it from conception to the red carpet. We get into how it seems like people are losing their adventurous spirits and how she hopes this movie can push people to explore more. Watch The Art of Adventure at VIFF on October 7th and 12th.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Mayumi Yoshida is a writer, actor and director from Japan, living and working in Vancouver, BC. We talk about her latest work Akashi, how much of it is real vs. fiction, how the story started out as a play and evolved into a feature film and what translated best from stage to screen. Mayumi talks about the experience of growing up in different continents and how that shaped her sense of home and feeling of belonging. She talks about the nostalgia that comes with moving out and away from home. We also discuss how creating in itself is incomplete and how Mayumi navigates this working in a creative field.Watch Akashi during the Vancouver International Film Festival on October 5th and October 9thIntro: Hazy by OddFish

Brishkay Ahmed is a writer, director and filmmaker from Afghanistan who doesn't want to make a "breaking news" documentary. Her latest work In the Room, a visually stunning, informative, and deeply personal exploration of cultural identity and resilience featuring interviews with five impactful Afghan women. In this episode we talk about Brishkay's curiosity as a child leading to her writing and eventually becoming a writer and filmmaker, how she had more curiosity than hope going into In the Room and left with hope, the making of the movie with a mostly female identifying crew and how transformative this project has been for her. We also get into how Afghani women can be a cautionary tale for women everywhere and the fact that Brishkay isn't ashamed of this fact; despite growing up rejecting her Afghan identity how she is embracing it now. Brishkay talks about the challenges of being a woman of colour in a male dominated industry and how women need to unite with their voices.Watch In the Room during VIFF on October 7th & 10th and during Reelworld Toronto on October 19th.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Jamie is an artist based in Vancouver, BC with a focus on making jewellery in a sustainable and ethical way. We discuss the origins of her brand name Scandinazn, growing up in a mostly white city as a mixed person of colour and how that has played a role in her art. We also get into her creation process from design to the actual craft. Jamie also talks about how fun earrings can make you more approachable to strangers and how she designs by process. Check her work out at different markets in Vancouver and follow her to find out when her next workshop will be.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

The Origin is a rock band from Victoria, BC with Tom Hayward on guitar, Curtis Duggan on bass and Liam Hayes on drums. While the three are making music and getting ready to play more live shows, they are also looking for a guitarist to join them! In this episode we get into how The Origin was formed, what it was like for Liam to join a band with an already established dynamic, how they write their music separately and then work on them together. We also talk about having a consistent voice as musicians vs. exploring different genres and approaches to making music. We discuss our favourite songs of all time and talk a little about tv and film too.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Alexis is a dancer, choreographer, producer and co-artistic director of Belle Spirale. In this episode we talk about her 15 years at Ballet BC and the transitional nature of being a professional dancer, collaborating with other artists and her preference in working collaboratively, how her artistic voice has evolved over the years and supporting local talent. We also get into her newest work being presented within UNIVERSUS, a double bill featuring new work by Alexis herself and Spanish dancer Fernando Hernando Magadan. Alexis talks about how this collaboration happened, their shared feelings of uncertainty about the future reflecting on this work and how hope is necessary.

Candice Weber is a fiber and mixed-media artist working out of Gore Studio in East Vancouver. Mixing her background in animation and fibre-art, Candice bridges the space between technology and traditional work. We talk about how she got started making fibre art, exploring new mediums, being a "completionist" and her mushroom suit. We also delve into Eastside Culture Crawl where people can visit artists' studios so she talks about what she's excited and dreading most about the crawl. Candice also talks about her future plans of workshops!Check out Eastside Culture Crawl from November 14th to 17th, all featured studios are free to enter.Check out Vancouver Tool Library for affordable workshops in different mediums. Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Alina Sotskova is a dancer, choreographer and psyhologist. She is the founder of Voirelia, a contemporary dance company exploring dance, psychology and philosophy. We talk about how intimidating it is to go back to dancing after a long break, Alina working as a clinical psychologist alongside as a dancer and choreographer, positive psychology dance workshops, and getting inspiration from the dance classes she took at community centers. We also get into Future Renaissance, a work in progress exploring the erasure between the lines of humans and AI. Finally, we get into how transformation and transcendence relates to Alina personnally, how scary transformation is and trying to imagine a future that we will not see.You can watch Future Renaissance as part of IndieFest, running from November 15th until the 23rd in Vancouver, BC.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Corey is a storyteller, writer, composer and director. He is a member of the Mattagami First Nations, with French-Canadian and Irish ancestry.We talk about why he started to write, founding Raven Theatre, being the artistic director of Urban Ink and co-creating TRANSFORM festival. The need to tell Indigenous stories and bringing perspectives that aren't being showcased. We get into his work in progress On Native Land as well as a work that has been finished and adapted into a movie, Les Filles du Roi. We talk about identity, and how toxic it s to dissect Indigenous identities. Corey also talks about TRANSFORM festival and the very exciting sounding opening night festivities!You can get tickets for TRANSFORM festival at transformfestival.ca and find where to watch Les Filles du Roi at lesfillesduroifilm.comIntro: Hazy by OddFish

Sarah Lane is a musical theatre actor based in Vancouver, BC. In this episode we talk about Sarah's passion for teaching and learning, letting go of dreams but finding new ones, musical theatre actors being triple threats and getting the strength and courage to actually "do it". We also get into Cats as Sarah is playing Grizabella in the Theatre Under The Stars production of Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber who is the reason Sarah got into musical theatre! Enter the ticket giveaway over at @talkingintherainpod for a chance to win 2 tickets to see Cats!Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Emma Love is an actor, voice actor, audiobook narrator and singer based in Vancouver, BC. In this episode we get into how she got into all the different avenues of performing and creating, adversarial relationships, little ways of safety and routine and how easy it is to miss comfort. Emma talks about her move from New York City to Vancouver and how one is a community while the other one is a market. We also talk about School of Rock and what she would say to Rosalie if she confided in Emma as well as Emma being a "slow cooker" as a human! Go to @talkingintherainpod to enter a giveaway for a chance to win 2 tickets to Theatre Under the Stars' School of Rock and see Emma Love perform as Rosalie! Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Adrienne Hyde is a multi-instrumentalist focusing on early music. We talk about how she started with piano, switched to cello and now plays multiple instruments such as viola da gamba and the lirone and how she tends to be led to discover new things and realize that it's her passion, actually. Adrienne talks about how she has a desperate need to connect with people, thus finding community in New York City during her studies and now in Baltimore where she lives. We hear the tale of the cheese man and learn how Adrienne rediscovered herself in every new city she moved to. Watch Adrienne perform as part of Early Music Vancouver's 2024 Summer Fest on August 8th at 1 pm.Intro: J. S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion BWV 244 57. Komm, süßes Kreuz

Jhoely Triana is a Colombian flamenco artist based in Vancouver, BC. We talk about her journey in finding flamenco, tablao performances, finding community and a support system with flamenco and just how much jaleos (words of encouragement) help in finding oneself. We also get into loving creation and Jhoely's creation "Arboles (trees)", reaching down into something that's deeper than yourself and finding your roots. Flamenco keeps growing and you can be introduced to its wonderful world with the workshops Jhoely is teaching within the CREATE! Arts Festival, on July 28th! Embrace being loud, occupy space and enjoy moving your body!Intro: Live performance of Josè Mercè's "Aire" at Teatro Real de Madrid. Moraito Chico and Alfredo Lagos on guitar.

Vicky Chow is based in Brooklyn, New York. Focusing on contemporary classical music, she brings experimental elements to performances using techniques like playing inside the piano. In this episode we talk about how she felt disconnected from classical music that is taught in schools and connected with contemporary classical work, refiring her passion for piano. We also get into her experience playing Philip Glass' work and if it's nerve-racking or exciting to be playing pieces of which the composer can hear her iteration. We also talk about her tattoos and her dog Lola. (Happy belated birthday Lola!) You can listen to her recordings of Philip Glass' Piano Etudes Book No.1 now and the recordings of Book No.2 will be released this year. Intro: Etude No.20 by Philip Glass

Dave is an award-winning writer who investigates queer themes and writes plays for young audiences that start conversations. His work has been produced across North America and Europe. His latest work, Papa Penguin Play will make its debut with the Carousel Theatre for Young People, in collaboration with Zee Zee Theatre on May 15th, running until June 2nd. In this episode we talk about how this play came into fruition, the autobiographical elements of it and the team that is involved. We also get into how Dave started doing drag, the birth of Peach Cobbla and the drag show that him and his husband Cameron Mackenzie as Isolde N. Barron put on, called Parents are a Drag. Dave also talked about hosting pride with Cameron, 20 minute drag school and how his work went international.Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Bealby Point is a rock band made up of Jack Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Jordan Studer (bass), Zack Yeager (drums) and Clay Dewar (guitar). We get into how the band was formed, where the name Bealby Point comes from, how I accidentally heckled them and their best heckle, how time seems to be a broad concept in their music and the last time they did something fun on a Tuesday. Because whoever did something fun on a Tuesday? If there's anything you should retain from this episode, it's that you shouldn't be scared to reach out to artists you like and start learning that instrument you've been meaning to play! Check out their newest single For Your Time and catch them on tour over British Columbia, Alberta and in Toronto. Check out their youtube channel to know when their new music video comes out and get some behind the scenes on their upcoming tour. .Intro: Hazy by OddFish

“When speaking becomes noise and ignorance becomes silence, we’re left with this disconnection, without a sense of community. Community happens when we feel heard and willingly listen. So, who do you listen to? Who do you silence? Can you listen even when it’s uncomfortable?” - Johnny D. Trinh is an artist focusing on autho-ethnographic performance and spoken word as a primary method in community-engaged art. He is also the artistic director of Vancouver Poetry House, which is presenting the 14th Verses Festival of Words from April 18th to the 27th with the theme of Learning and Remembering. In this episode we talk about Johnny's artistic practices, how important food is to culture and how Johnny got interested in the culinary arts, his start in spoken word, his TED talk and creating a safe space for people. His current project Quiet Kitchen made me cry a little and it might make you tear up as well. Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Cheyenne Rouleau is a playwright, actor and creator from Burnaby, BC. In this episode we talk about her newest work Sunrise Betties, a fictional play inspired by when drug-fuelled gang wars controlled East Vancouver and corruption ran rampant in the local police force. We talk about her experience working with consultants for this play, her writing process, writing for a smart audience, misogyny in the arts, hypervigilance and how much we analyze everything we see, her next work, Fat Joke and the difficulty of writing about yourself.Sunrise Betties will run from Feb 21-Mar 10 at the Russian Hall (600 Campbell Street).Her solo show, Fat Joke, will be premiering at the Cultch this May (Neworld Theatre).Intro: Hazy by OddFish

Montréal based Seán Dagher is a musician who will be leading La Nef (Montréal) and Chor Leoni (Vancouver) during The Return Voyage, a show all about sea shanties, performing February 16th and 17th in Vancouver. In this episode we talk about working for the Assassin's Creed soundtrack, singing with La Nef and Skye Consort & Emma Björling, Seán's "Shanty of the Week" series on youtube, performing in pubs, why he likes performing both solo and with an ensemble and working with Chor Leoni. Find out what it's like to take a road trip with musicians, why Seán cried while performing and catch him perform at Hurley's in Montréal every Wednesday & Thursday and if you live in a different city, hear Seán sing in La Nef's new album of sea shanties Red Sky at Night. Intro: The World’s Most Epic Sea Shanty by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords)

Carly Pokoradi is a Vancouver based artist and creator. We talked about her start in the performing world, the experiences she's gotten from Studio 58, her project Recontextiled, how she's a certified ASL interpreter, Juliet: A Revenge Comedy, the comedy duo she's part of; The Dangerous Janes, skills that are special to her and more!Catch Carly take more than 10 roles in Carousel Theatre's Snow White until the end of December! Intro: Hazy - OddFish

Cameron Wilson is a violinist and composer, his work "A Midnight Clear" will make its world premiere with Chor Leoni in Vancouver. In this episode we talk about how Cameron started playing the violin, his musical inspirations, how he stays creative and the mentally taxing art of composing. We learn about his music taste, his composing process and the differences in creating orchestral versus choral work.

Allyson McHardy is a Toronto based singer/opera artist. We talked about performing in different countries, growing up singing, teaching singing, Handel's Messiah and why Handel is Allyson's guy. (Hint: it has to do with her being an alto/mezzo-soprano.) We talked about a bunch more so listen to find out! Catch Allyson perform in Handel's Messiah on December 8th, presented by Early Music Vancouver and Vancouver Chamber Choir.Intro: No. 1 Symphony, Grave - Allegro Moderato by Handel

Violet Patrich (Ultraviolet Oddities) is a Vancouver based artist creating art by upcycling baby dolls, from baby head planters to eyeball bolos which have been described as both cute and creepy. In this episode we get into her artistic practice; how it began and how it has evolved over time, art as a conversation starter, Eastside Culture Crawl, upcoming projects, Weirdos Market, collaborations, how difficult it is to ask for help, burn out and more! Visit Violet's studio during the crawl or check out her art on instagram @violetpatrichIntro: Hazy by OddFish

Autonomous Apes is a rock band born from a loving relationship between Russian Eternal Depression and 90s Grunge Music. The band that began in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2020 is currently based out of Vancouver, BC and the immigrant trio is made up of Egor Kopshar on guitar and vocals, Justin Wu on bass and Rishabh Gulati on drums. In this episode the four of us get into how Autonomous Apes formed and how the trio met each other, their new single Vancouver Rain, dream venues to play in, hardest part of adapting to Canada as immigrants, Autonomous Vlogs and how the apes are going after the monkeys! Listen to find out what "the grunge triangle" is and get to know the boys! Check out their new single "Vancouver Rain" and its music video, catch them on tour around BC and keep updated with the band over on their instagram @autonomous_apesIntro: Vancouver Rain by Autonomous Apes

Slightest Clue is a Vancouver based post punk/garage rock/dark pop band and I am joined by all four members, Malcolm, Hannah, Sean and Nick. Listen to hear how the band formed, what their creative process is like, if they are lyrics listeners or not, pre and post show rituals, playing in Toronto, what song is forever etched into their brains as well as what they are listening to right now. Check out their instagram @slightestclue to vote for Malcolm's next tattoo and stay updated with upcoming shows and new releases! Intro: Suit Uptight! by Slightest Clue

This episode's guest Miwa Matreyek is an artist who creates an emotional, dreamlike mediation on climate catastrophe an the anthropocene. She uses animation, collage and her own shadow body which culminates in a performance that is emotionally impactful. Miwa is performing two of her pieces "Infinitely Yours" and "The World Made Itself" as part of The Ironworks Series, new to VIFF. You can catch her performance on October 7th but if you can't watch her perform, you can also learn from her as she is also a faculty member at SFU. We talked about the transition into teaching, moving from LA to Vancouver, what inspires her work and more!

Victoria based Sonja Ahlers and I talk about Classification Crisis, a survey exhibition showcasing her 30 years of work in the art world. Catch it at the Richmond Art Gallery until November 5th! We talked about vulnerability in art, getting into new mediums, mail art, zines, collage art, social media and Sonja's creation process. Enjoy! Intro Music: Hazy by Oddfish

Happy 10 episodes! Today's guest is interdisciplinary artist and art educator Amberlie Perkin. She will be leading a clay workshop on July 22nd with the Create Arts Festival. We talked a little about the festival, her workshops, being an art teacher in the public school system, her signature style as an artist and how she found it and some more! Content warning: Mentions of death of family and pets, cancer and grief after the 30 minute mark. Intro music: Hazy by Oddfish.

Yes, gay as in enjoyable and gay as in LGTBQ because The Prom is both! Cadence and I talked about TUTS' The Prom in which they are performing until August 25th. We delved into their experience with TUTS as their first actor who uses a wheelchair, character prep and building a backstory, their experience with Realwheels Theatre Acting Academy, getting back into theatre, slam poetry (you can watch Cadence's perfomance of Preserve>Repair on their instagram) and dancing. Everybody can dance and every body is a dance body! Intro music - Hazy by Oddfish

First time with two guests! In this exciting episode I was joined with actors Jyla Robinson and Thomas Schultes who are in Theatre Under The Stars' Matilda: The Musical. Some of the things we delved into include their characters, preparing for a show that has a couple different versions accessible to them, character research, working with children, doing accents, tech week, dancing and how our fears can stop us from doing what we want to do (which they shouldn't!). After hearing some words of encouragement from Thomas and Jyla, we also found out what shows they'd like TUTS to put on in the upcoming seasons. Intro music: Hazy by Oddfish.

My guest today is Jessica Heafey who you can catch as Jo in Unexpecting until the 21st of May. We talked about preparing for a role which hasn't existed on stage before, researching for a role, acting in French vs English, working in and directing voiceover, We also delved into advocating for safe and inclusive working spaces both in and outside of performing arts.Intro music: Hazy by Oddfish

Rob is one of the two longest standing members of Chor Leoni and he and I talked about his involvement with the choir for 31 years, how the choir and music has helped him on his mental health journey following him being rejected by the church after coming out as gay. This episode has mentions of religious trauma, suicidal ideations and homophobia. You are more than welcomed to come back next episode if these topics can be triggering for you. Please reach out to friends, family or mental health professionals if you are struggling with mental health issues and are having suicidal thoughts. Intro music is Hazy by Oddfish.

I had the pleasure of talking with dancer and choreographer Vanessa Goodman. We started off talking about Graveyards and Gardens which Vanessa described as a “blurred transition of traditional Performance and installation performance.” You can catch it April 12th to 15th at 7:30pm at the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts - presented by Music on Main and SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs. We also talked about what Vanessa calls generative systems, her look on dance and choreo and how she views the body plays a part in her work, We got into her company action at a distance, how she works with sounds and how sounds inspire her and much more. I hope you enjoy!Music used: Hazy by Oddfish

Today my guest is choreographer Joshua Beamish. We talk about his latest work, MOVETHECOMPANY's "Source Amnesia", we get into different challenges he faces when it comes to personal vs. commercial pieces, choreographing work for the stage vs. the screen, founding his company MOVETHECOMPANY and some more. Also thank you to Joshua for coining the term "clarifichanges" which I will now be using all the time now

Today my guest is actor, singer and dancer Steffanie Davis. She is currently playing Mamma Pig in Carousel Theatre's production of Stiles & Drewe's The Three Little Pigs. We talk about her role as Mamma Pig and the production, her experience as Killer Queen in We Will Rock you, acting for children vs. adults, auditions and getting rejected, fat representation in theatre and film and some more.

Today my guest is Winona Myles, a multi-disciplinary artist from the Secwépemc Nation. She grew up performing in both community and professional productions throughout the Lower Mainland. She has also worked as a solo artist, teaches and coaches young singers and actors. She is also playing Girl Angel in Pulitzer winning opera, Angel’s Bone which you can watch at the Annex Theatre as part of IndieFest 2022 from November 25th to 27th. Winona and I talk about Angel’s Bone, her role in the opera as someone whose background lies in musical theatre. We also get into Winona’s experience as a soprano, imposter syndrome and her initiative to bring musical theatre training to Native youth. TW: Mentions of human trafficking and sexual exploitation

Today I have with me, Claire Love Wilson who is a theatre-maker, actor, playwright, musician, and singer-songwriter. Claire and I started talking about the current production they're in, The Café which you can catch until October 22nd at Kafka's Café. We then went into self-producing work, wearing different hats in productions, being an "emotional athlete" and Claire's experimental musical "Morag, You're a Long Time Deid"