Stageworthy

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 matt...

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...

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 — an...

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 cont...

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 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...

About This Episode: In this special roundtable episode of Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by theatre critics and podcasters Janine Marley ( A View From the Box ) and Ryan Borochovitz ( The Cup / Cup of Hemlock Theatre ) for an in-depth conversation reflecting on the past year in Toronto theatre. Connect with Janine and A View From the Box: 🌐 Website: aviewfromthebox.net 📸 Instagram: @a...

About This Episode: This week, Phil Rickaby welcomes Stephanie Malek , performer and producer, to discuss the magic of improvised musicals, the history of Bad Dog Theatre , and the power of finding community through art. Stephanie, who is involved in the show Holiday, an improvised musical , shares insights into the rigorous training required for musical improv, the importance of nurturing other a...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby welcomes Kanika Ambrose , an award-winning playwright, librettist, and screenwriter whose work spans theatre, opera, and television. Kanika shares her path from writing poetry as a child to becoming one of Canada’s most exciting multidisciplinary storytellers, known for blending sharp social insight with bold, imaginative worlds. She...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby welcomes Fiona Sauder , co-founder and Artistic Director of Bad Hats Theatre . Known for their inventive, musical, family-friendly adaptations of classic literature, Bad Hats has become one of Toronto’s most celebrated indie theatre companies. Fiona shares the origin story of the company, beginning with a serendipitous brewery produc...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Dian Marie Bridge , Artistic Director of the Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) in Montreal. Dian discusses the legacy of BTW, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year , as one of Canada's oldest Black and ethnocultural theatre companies. The conversation delves into the company's commitment to community service and...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby welcomes Aaron Joel Craig (Same Boat Theatre) and Stephanie Hope Lawlor (Rooks Theatre) to discuss their co-production of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House in Hamilton. This episode explores: Reimagining A Doll’s House as a story for 2025 audiences The intersection of feminism, capitalism, and personal freedom Building independent theatre in Ha...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby welcomes Will Parry , actor, singer, and content creator based in Toronto. Known for his work as a musical theatre performer and social media consultant for artists and theatre companies, Will shares insights into how creatives can better express their authentic selves online while building stronger connections with audiences. This e...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby welcomes Steven Hao , actor, director, and artistic director of Puckers Theatre Company . Currently in his second season at the Stratford Festival , Steven shares his journey from Victoria, BC, to the national stage, performing in acclaimed productions like Anne of Green Gables , Forgiveness , Salesman in China , and Romeo and Juliet...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by Emily Dix , artistic executive director of Bygone Theatre and the lead behind their mixed use affordable arts space, The Bridge. Emily shares the company’s journey from its beginnings in classic theatre to its evolution into original Canadian works that blend vintage aesthetics with contemporary themes. She discusses her...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by actor, singer, and producer Michael Esposito II . Michael discusses the challenges and rewards of mounting Daniel MacIvor's solo play, Monster , which he is producing and performing in Kelowna, B.C. He shares the creative process of integrating projections and music into the show to make it feel more like an immersive &qu...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by Michael Kras , playwright, director, and one of Canada’s busiest magic designers. Michael has designed magic and illusions for theatres across the country and is the resident magic and illusions lead for the North American tour of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child . He also joins the Tarragon Theatre’s Greenhouse Residen...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by Chloë Whitehorn , who is currently based in Kingston, Ontario. Chloë, a former actor, discusses her journey to becoming a prolific writer, focusing on themes of women's rights and mental health. She talks about how her plays—which include The Pigeon , Blood River , and Fall After Midsummer —are driven by characters and t...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Courtney Stoltz , the production manager for a new community theatre company in Kenora, Ontario, called So I guess we're doing this . Courtney shares her journey from actor to production manager. She provides a look into the theatre scene in Northwestern Ontario and the experience of taking their original play, Finding Ri...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Liz Buchanan , a Hamilton-based actor, writer, and director who is also the artistic director of 9M Theatre . Liz shares her journey as a playwright and performer, focusing on her two Hamilton Fringe shows Gnomes A Traumatic Comedy (2023) and Liz A Traumatic Comedy (2024). She discusses her long-standing fascination with...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by playwright Chelsea Woolley . Chelsea discusses her latest play, Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs , which is being produced by Nightwood Theatre. She shares the fascinating, eight-year journey of the play's development, from its original concept to a workshop production with theatre students, and the challe...

About This Episode: In a solo episode of Stageworthy, host and producer Phil Rickaby discusses the looming threat to Canadian theatre and arts due to government funding cuts. He reflects on the recent mandate that all government departments, including the Canada Council for the Arts, must find 15% in savings, which will result in significant cuts to arts programs. Phil explores why the arts in Can...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Toronto-based actor Virgilia Griffith , who is currently appearing in two shows at the Shaw Festival: Blues for an Alabama Sky and Murder on the Lake . In this conversation, Virgilia discusses the unique demands of each production and how they complement one another, keeping her acting practice fresh and present. She shar...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by Iain Moggach , former Artistic Director of Theatre by the Bay in Barrie, Ontario. In this thoughtful conversation, Iain shares his journey from actor, administrator, and ultimately artistic director, reflecting on what it means to build theatre outside of a major city centre. He speaks to the unique challenges and opport...

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy , host Phil Rickaby is joined by Nancy Kenny , an actor, writer, and producer whose latest show, I Don’t Feel Pretty/Chu pas cute , will have readings at the 2025 Halifax Fringe Festival. In this warm and insightful conversation, Nancy shares the deeply personal inspiration behind her show, the balance between humour and vulnerability in storytelling, a...