Sarnia Famous

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Mia Abate. We nerd out about musicals, her evolving career path, and we talk about food, a lot; in fact, you should probably have a snack before listening to this, just in case. Mia has a way with words and simultaneously exudes youthful vigor and sage wisdom and she’s also just super fun to talk to. On with the show.

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Chris Molyneaux. We chat about what music school auditions are like, the importance of diversifying as a musician and Chris shares a super incredible story about how not being afraid to put yourself out there can really pay off. Chris’ light burns bright in everything he does, and I know you will finish this episode feeling just as inspired as I di...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Andrea Hughes Coleman. We nerd out about alphabetizing and spreadsheets, the beauty of live music, and of course she tells me stories of her hilarious improv escapades. Theres also an epilogue of sorts added at the end where on a different day, Andrea tells me all about the fabulous spreadsheet she has created for the Imperial Theatre. Andrea has a...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Jan Walker-Holt. We chat about paying your dues as a director, why one should maybe understand emojis if they doing improv, and how much fun cameo roles can be. Jan is warm, matter of fact, and is living proof that blondes and character actors have more fun!  On with the show.

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Trevor Morris. We chat about how the set is like an extra actor with its own part to play in a show, his controversial opinion about Disney, and about his true passion: set building. Trevor speaks so highly of his peers its hard not to be instantly fond of the guy. Before we start, I should say there is one b-grade swear in here so shield your chil...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Darryl Heater. We talk about how theatre began an easy credit and evolved into so much more, what its like to hand pick a costume from the Stratford collection, and how he and friends are super successful at playing videogames to raise money! This blew my mind. Darryl was so patient with my relentless questioning about the videogame thing and was so...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Paul Skuza. Paul is a passionate dude who speaks highly of his family, music, and fitness. We chat about how his music career evolved from being rock star musician to a rock star thespian, the joys of playing the heel in a show and what his exciting future theatre plans look like. On with the show.

Happy Canada Day theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Jonathan Lawrence. Jonathan is self reflective, empathetic, and easy to relate to. We talk about how his experience playing a man playing a woman on stage gave him a tiny glimpse into how culture shapes women’s perspectives of their own bodies, how dungeons and dragons has taught him to roll with the punches of life, and we even chat a bit abou...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Shane Davis. My conversation with Shane was a little form of therapy for me; we talk about being an extroverted introvert, an ongoing theme on the show, and he shares some excellent advice for social anxiety which I have actually taken to since speaking to him. Shane is a great listener, a natural people person, and shares with me about his 20+ yea...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is my better half from Wizard of Oz, Hilary Dutourgeerling. Hilary and I talk about what its like to play your dream character and the pressure that goes into honoring both your childhood dreams and those of others. We also talk about how she has honed her craft with singing and improv classes and the types of classes she would like to do in future. H...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Julie Cushman. Julie and I chat about characterization and how some roles have stuck with her over time, how to distance yourself from difficult content as an actor, and she shares with me a varied and vast assortment of shows it sounds like we should all check out when we get a chance. Julie is warm and high energy in an inspiring and contagious wa...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Rachel Giacomin: voice coach extraordinaire. Rachel walks me through her calling as a voice coach, including the wide variety of clients she assists and the even more varied reasons they require her assistance. She also talks about being in a choral group and how some towns are just more into it than others. Rachel is sincere, genuine, and clearly i...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Valerie Schmidt. Val is a funky, tatted, altruistic babe with maybe a bit of a mischievous side.  We chat about the unique and surprising way keyboards are used in theatre productions, how being on the keys grants her access to parts of the theatre process not everyone is privy to and finally she gives me a brief insight on her work with the medical...

Happy Friday theatre lovers. This week’s guest is Brent Wilkinson. Brent is a kind, modest, natural ideas guy who is super easy to talk to. We chat about his work as a creative writer for radio, how that links to his theatre experience, and I learned that Brent is a master, albeit a modest one, of Simpsons voices as well as many others. On with the show!

Happy Friday…..book lovers?!?! This week we gonna spice things up a little with the multi-talented Katelyn Shortreed. Katelyn is a fellow librarian, music teacher, and recently she has written, illustrated, and self published a series of books. Mini Melody Explores is not only children’s fiction but a music resource with immense potential. When Katelyn first told me about her book series I immedia...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Frank Brennan. Frank is warm and naturally funny without meaning to be, intelligent and obviously passionate about music and his career. We talk about his 31 years as a teacher, what it was like to compete in music festivals with his family when was younger, and we even talk about what types of books he likes to read which made my heart extra happy...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Jeff Mantha. Jeff is animated, goofy, and a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic. We chat about how he sacrifices his body for the art of theatre and how films, and in particular classic films, have shaped his personality especially his natural urge to mimic certain actors. This episode is a, uh, a little sweary. I tried to bleep it out, but I would s...

Happy Friday theatre lovers, this week’s guest is Lee Bazeley fresh from the run of Fox on the Fairway at the Imperial. We talk about his penchant for purchasing instruments he can’t play, how Ruth “bullied” him into getting involved in the theatre, his awkward one-on-one audition for Beauty and the Beast. Lee is a self-proclaimed nervous dude but to me he was super chill to chat with. 

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This week’s guest is Kip McMillan who couldn’t be more likeable and genuine if he tried. Kip and I chat about his journey from hard rock bands to theatre musicals, why its important to be open to the expertise of others, and along the way he warmly and enthusiastically sings the praises of his peers. O

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Brittany Jenkins who constantly blew my mind with her sage like wisdom, she is truly erudite beyond measure. She opens up about how meditation has helped her through dark times, she provides a unique perspective on the incorporation of various art mediums in the theatre space, and finally she drops some interesting behind the scenes deets that may s...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is the triple threat Liv Gogas. Liv is another extremely talented and gorgeous woman to be on the show who surprised me with her insecurities. If you are out there listening and identify as a chubby nerd like me, know that even the most gorgeous and shapely ladies have insecurities too. We also chat about funny theatre mishaps Liv has experienced mostl...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is Cassandra Lynn Smith and we chat about how movies and television have formed us throughout life in positive and negative ways, and what a movie marathon looked like to her as a kid, and she reminisces on being a basic white girl in the 90s. Cass is naturally funny, eloquent, relatable and just extremely easy to talk to. Oo! Warning there are a coupl...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is the funky, hilarious and down to earth Shauna Nelles. I did my best to try and shield you from my cackle laughter but Shauna is so dang funny and there’s only so much a girl can do. We talk about how theatre can lift us up and help us through the tough stuff, how society has shaped women and the way we perceive ourselves, and she shares a few storie...

Happy Friday theatre lovers! This weeks guest is the bubbly Taylor Hartwick. We talk about her dream roles and how singing comes naturally to her, but also about how that bubbly personality is really only half of who she really is. 

Happy Friday theatre lovers! Today’s guest is the talented Henri Canino and she reminds us that historically theatre has more than purely escapism and entertainment, it’s a potential space for the marginalized to be represented and ultimately feel seen, as well as a format to inspire change and critical thought. We also talk about lifting other women up and fighting our own impostor’s syndrome, ho...