Stageworthy – Details, episodes & analysis

In this final episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby talks with theatre and opera director, playwright and educator, Peter Hinton-Davis. In addition to his work work as a director, playwright, and educator, from 2005-2012, he took over as the artistic director of English theatre at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, shaping how Canada conceptualizes its national theatre. He is currently directing Coal Mine Theatre’s Dion, running until March 3 at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre.

Stay tuned to the end of the episode for some thoughts from Phil Rickaby on the ending of Stageworthy.

Director, dramaturg and playwright Peter Hinton-Davis has worked across Canada with many theatre companies. He has been the Associate Artistic Director at Theatre Passe Muraille and the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto, Artistic Director of the Playwrights Theatre Centre in Vancouver, the Dramaturg in Residence at Playwrights' Workshop Montréal, and Artistic Associate of the Stratford Festival. From 2005 to 2012 he was Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre English theatre, where he created a resident English theatre company, with actors from across the country, and programmed the NAC's first season of Canadian plays.

His own plays for the stage include Façade, Urban Voodoo (written with Jim Millan) and a trilogy of three full length plays entitled The Swanne -- George III: The Death of Cupid (2002), Princess Charlotte: The Acts of Venus (2003), and Queen Victoria: The Seduction of Nemesis (2004). Eleven years in the making, all three plays premiered under his direction at the Stratford Festival. In 2006, he co-created with Domini Blythe, and directed the solo work, Fanny Kemble, about the life of the famous British actress and abolitionist.

www.peterhinton.ca Instagram: @peterhintondavis

In this episode, Shifting Ground Collective founding members, Joshua Kilimnick, Shannon Murtagh, and Colette Richardson join me to unpack the story behind their latest production, "Merrily We Roll Along." Their journey reflects not just the highs and lows of the creative process, but also the resilience and enthusiasm needed to bring a classic Stephen Sondheim musical to Canadian audiences, all while nurturing new talents and weathering the storms of the pandemic.

They also discuss the reality of running an indie theater company, balancing day jobs with their artistic aspirations. From the excitement of pub nights where show tunes reign supreme to the challenges of staging ambitious productions, they reveal the collective spirit that powers their endeavours. They also discuss a new musical in development, "Statistics," a production intertwining the personal and the historical, where academic pressure meets the remarkable story of Rosalind Franklin.

Founded in the spring of 2022, Shifting Ground Collective is Toronto’s newest home for emerging musical theatre voices. Their work spans developmental processes for new Canadian musicals, concert and cabaret programming, and full-scale productions of beloved musical theatre favourites – all with a focus on spotlighting the next-generation of great Canadian musical theatre talent. Shifting Ground has quickly developed a following and network that has positioned them to shape the future of the Canadian musical theatre sector, and was named one of the top 10 Breakthrough Artists of 2023 by the Toronto Star.

shiftinggroundcollective.com Instagram: @shiftinggroundcollective

From an early encounter with a circus camp as a child, Emily Hughes delved into the world of theatre and circus, fusing both worlds in her performances and creations. As an introverted artist with an electrifying presence on stage, Emily tells us about her upcoming solo performance, Goodbye Esther, a production that brilliantly captures complex emotions associated with mortality. We get close and personal, exploring the roots of this enchanting play and how Emily has navigated the exhilarating yet daunting world of solo performance.

Emily's story is not just about her. It's about the compelling fusion of circus and theatre, and how this marriage of disciplines has culminated in her solo show. This episode is an exciting journey through the world of multidisciplinary art, where reality seems to merge with magic, embracing the weird and the unique. We also discuss the liberating world of clowning and its transformative impact, offering an escape into a realm filled with laughter and freedom.

As we move deeper into the world of theatre, we discuss the challenging balance between production and performance, particularly as artists age. Emily, a circus performer on the verge of turning 40, shares her insight on this matter, defying ageist norms and emphasizing the importance of diversity and opportunities for all artists, regardless of age. Additionally, we shed light on the creative process of crafting a theatrical production. We dive into how audience feedback shapes a show, and the delicate balance between artist intention and viewer interpretation. Join us as we uncover the power of empathy in art and its ability to create a powerful, visceral experience for the audience.

Emily Hughes is a multidisciplinary artist/creator using circus as a physical language to communicate through theatre, film, dance and installation. She is a classically trained actor, Pochinko clown, baby hand balancer, and has been performing as a professional aerialist for over 20 years. Parallel and intersecting with her solo work, she is also the co-Artistic Director of Hercinia Arts Collective, a non-profit performance company dedicated to collaboratively created circus through a multidisciplinary lens.

www.emilyhughes.ca Instagram: @inverted.traveller

Goodbye, Esther: https://www.emilyhughes.ca/projects/goodbye-esther

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In this, the 300th episode of Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby presents a retrospective of some of his favourite episodes from the past 5 years. There have been so many conversations that it would be impossible to present all of the favourites, so we've narrowed it down to 6: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Siobhan Richardson, Philip Akin, Helen Knight, Diana Tso, and Tanisha Taitt. You'll find links to the full episodes of the selected episodes below.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee https://stageworthypodcast.com/62-paul-sun-hyung-lee/

Siobhan Richardson https://stageworthypodcast.com/70-siobhan-richardson/

Philip Akin https://stageworthypodcast.com/152-philip-akin/

Helen Knight https://stageworthypodcast.com/216-helen-knight/

Diana Tso https://stageworthypodcast.com/51-diana-tso/

Tanisha Taitt https://stageworthypodcast.com/210-tanisha-taitt/

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Neurodiversity & Mental Health in theatre, a conversation with Alia Ettienne, Emerjade Simms, and Victoria Urquhart.

Emerjade Simms is a Jamaican-Canadian actor and storyteller. She is a graduate of the Acting program at the University of Windsor and holds a BFA degree. Emerjade is also a 2016/17 graduate of the Mechanicals program at Factory Theatre. In her career as an actor so far, she has worked with many wonderful people and companies. Select theatre credits include Peter Pan (Bad Hats/Soulpepper), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian/Nightwood), Wounded Soldiers (4th Line), The Bird Killer (Let Me In). Television credits include Forbidden, Fear They Neighbor, See No Evil and Paranormal 911. Emerjade enjoys napping in her down time and thanks her family for inspiring her daily.

Twitter: @emerbabe Instagram: @em.er.jade

Alia Ettienne is a theatre writer, actor, performer and facilitator from Toronto, ON. Ettienne is of Afro Caribbean descent which often influences her performances and writing. Initially, she studied Performance at Sheridan College, moving on to explore Creative Writing and Arts Marketing. Her first solo piece, YellowZoned, premiered in The 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival, remounting in Hamilton,ON on two separate occasions. This led to her being featured in Hamilton’s View’s Magazine. Her creative wellness program, Chill N Do Art, has been running for a total of four years. This workshop series then inspired her to start the Creative Coping Kits Initiative, which attracted the attention of Toronto blog She In The City. Currently, she is most focused on The Creative Coping Kits Initiative, and writing her second full length piece Allow For Release: The Xiety Complex.

www.aliaettienne.com **Instagram: @**its_aliaj

Victoria Urquhart is a queer, triple-invisibly-disabled neurodiverse artist hailing from Caledon, living and working professionally as an actor, director, artistic director of the Spur-of-the-Moment Shakespeare Collective and all around creator in theatre and film across Toronto and Ontario. Favourite credits include acting in Chloe Whitehorn's Dressing Amelia, directing Theatre Orangeville's 2019 TYA production of Treeboy and the fringe production, _The Girl In The Photograph. _Tune in to find her playing Vivian in the debut episode of Web of Darkness on T&E this spring.

Twitter: @gnitenet Instagram: @g_nitenet

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Uche Ama is a Black queer performer, actor & vocalist born on the indigenous land called Tkaronto. She is passionate about cathartic art that intrigues and makes you ask questions. A 2019 Dora nominated graduate of the Music Theatre Performance program at St Clair College and an alumni of  'Broadway Theatre Project', her previous performances include 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre & CBC Arts),The Negroes Are Congregating (Piece Of Mine Arts) & Obeah Opera (Asah Productions).

www.ucheamaartist.com Instagram: @ucheama89 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uamaartist

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Erin Jones wrote Time Limits Dropped on Easter Sunday especially for the digital Toronto Fringe Festival.  As a playwright, she is taking an anti-oppressive stance and is focused on exploring and developing untold stories in Canadian history that represent BIPOC folx with dignity.  She is thrilled and humbled to have had talented and supportive people in her world. 

Erin Jones is a writer, actor, playwright and emerging director. She has performed in theatre and independent films across the GTA. She supports performing arts behind the scenes with publicity, articles, newsletters, social media, grant writing, governance, photography, director hiring committees, and Respect in the Workplace committees.   

Her short story script Lovingly Yours, Olive was recently featured in the Toronto Fringe Next Stage Community Booster Series.  She also recently directed Exit:  An Illusion with Shadowpath Theatre Productions.

Time Limits Dropped on Easter Sunday

Wonder Jones Productions is a collective of talented artists who are willing to take risks and explore new forums to keep theatre alive!  Our team is comprised of talent across Canada. Opportunities are not limited by how individuals self-identify.  Our collective represents our community. 

"Time Limits Dropped on Easter Sunday" was inspired by family memories and the regret of not having the opportunity to get to know a loved one.  It was especially written for the Digital Toronto Fringe Festival.

wonderjonesproduct.wixsite.com/timelimitsdropped Instagram: @timelimitsdroppedeastersunday

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Steven Griffin is a Canadian filmmaker and theatre creator. He is currently based in Toronto. He has directed numerous projects, including short films that have seen screenings at the Boston Shorts Film Festival, Toronto Arthouse Film Festival and Kingston Canadian Film Festival. His theatre work has been shown at the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival, Toronto Queer Theatre Festival and soon to be the Hamilton Fringe Festival. His style revolves around the still and the deliberate, based firmly in an art history background and trusting that the decision to not do something within a frame is just as important as the choice to do something.  

stevenpgriffin.ca

Black Deer In Blizzard blackdeerinblizzard.squarespace.com Instagram: @blackdeerinblizzard

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Megan Legesse will be playing the role of Katrina in the production of Black Deer in Blizzard. Some of her credits include Lion Womxn (Summerworks 2018), The Breath Between (Summerworks 2019) as well as numerous acting work within the York University’s Acting Conservatory. She comes from a family much obsessed with the world of news and storytelling, which is one of the many reasons she is especially excited to dive into the plot of Black Deer in Blizzard. With all the time the pandemic has given her, she has been dusting up on her poetry skills, rewatching every Pixar film, and exploring the lovely world of face masks.

Instagram: @megsventures

Gwyneth McFall-Gorman is an American-Canadian actor, vocalist, and playwright. She was born in Connecticut in 1997 and is currently working as a theatre professional in the Toronto area. Gwyneth has been building her career as a stage actor and playwright since 2017, and she’s found early success in the film industry - above and below the line. She has a particular passion for re-imagining classics, and she believes strongly in the efficacy of the Performing Arts and its Creatives in their ability to create an accessible and equitable world by amplifying diverse human experience.

www.gwynethmcg.com Instagram: @gwengorman.eh

Black Deer in Blizzard Set in a crumbling news station in a small town, Black Deer in Blizzard (BDIB) is about Beverley Campbell, a young, future Anderson Cooper wannabe, who has the interview of a lifetime mere minutes away. It’s exactly what she needs to escape her small-town position and reach Big City success. But when Beverley discovers the famous artist she booked is an imposter, she must decide if her ambition is worth compromising her friends, town, profession, and the truth. Premiering in the 2021 Hamilton Fringe, BDIB explores the biases shaping news media and the destructive consequences of blind ambition.

blackdeerinblizzard.squarespace.com Instagram: @blackdeerinblizzard Tickets: https://boxoffice.hamiltonfringe.ca/event/866:25/

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Karen is a Hamilton-born Filipina- Canadian multidisciplinary artist She’s an original member of the Hamilton 7 and just finished a project with Kwentong Bayan Collective lcpcomicbook.com for myseumoftoronto.com as a storytelling facilitator and Decolonise Your Ears Festival with redbettytheatre.org directing/outreach. She is co-founder of Porch Light Theatre dedicated to the development of youth emerging and professional theatre/storytelling artists. Through Porch Light Theatre, Karen has been working with an incredible team on a site-specific audio story show called Tin Can Telephone at the Hamilton Fringe. She is currently working on The Garden Project 2021 in partnership with Industry and urging people to DONATE OR APPLY here: https://www.industrypresents.com/garden-project Currently, Karen is working with openheartartstheatre.com with Conversations Around The Table, Fertility Monologues with Light Echo Theatre. Karen is a recent recipient of a City of Hamilton Arts Award 2021.

Porch Light Theatre on Instagram: @porchlighttheatrehamilton

Transcript available at: https://stageworthypodcast.com/294-karen-ancheta/

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