The More the Merrier with donna g

With the cost of living these days, do you ever feel like rebelling? Director Isabella Cesari and I discuss Low Pay? Don’t Pay! , a play about just that. Written by Nobel Prize-winning playwright Dario Fo, the production runs from September 25 to October 6, 2024, at Alumnae Theatre (Mainstage) 70 Berkeley Street Toronto, Ontario 416-364-4170 https://alumnaetheatre.com/ My coverage of the 2024 Toro...

#TIFF24 coverage #TheSwedishTorpedo + Canadian films at TIFF in a segment by Heidy M of www.hyemusings.ca I had the chance to chat with director Frida Kempff and the star of her new film 'The Swedish Torpedo', Josephin Neldén . It’s a biopic about Sally Bauer, the first Scandinavian to swim the English Channel, and it's premiering at TIFF 2024. Afterwards, you'll hear from frequent...

Director Beza Hailu Lemma and producer Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media) join me to talk about their short film ALAZAR set in rural Ethiopia. A family grapples with Faith amidst the reality of a devastating drought in this beautifully photographed landscape drama. Then from Wireless Theatre Limited : A FUNNY OLD BUSINESS Starring: Richard Rycroft, Karen Bartholomew, Jan Haydn Rowles, Reuben Anderson, Tre...

The focus today is film festivals. Up first, I'll be speaking to poet, playwright, oral storyteller, Shalan Joudry , whose beautiful short film, ' Welima'q ' will be screening at this year's Toronto International Film Festival . Shalan identifies as L’nu (Mi'kmaw) and European settler. Later in the show, I'll be joined by Martha Cooley , Executive Director, and Lisa Hal...

From a Greek amphitheatre in Scarborough, Ontario, to a chateau in France today's show takes us on a journey through history, mystery, magic, and madness. Helen Juvonen and Tyler J. Seguin , co-artistic directors of Guild Festival Theatre , discuss their new production, ' Isle of Demons ' based on a play by Robert Chafe about the real-life Marguerite de la Roque, a 16th century French...

Actress ('Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial,' 'American Horror Story') and screenwriter Megan Davis and I discuss her short film 'Hemorrhage,' which premiered at the 22nd Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto. The film focuses on a young couple's drive across several state lines seeking safe grounds for the legal termination of a pregnancy. Then, director Tamara Scherbak and...

The focus of this show is women in film, more precisely those behind the lens and scenes of The Female Eye Film Festival . Up first is my chat with festival founder Leslie Ann Coles about the growth of the festival and some of the films that will bescreening July 18-21. Afterwards, we'll segue into my brief chat with Ilse Moreno , the director of the short film " The Canadian Dream," A...

10 shows share WHY you should go see them at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Which one(s) will get your bum in their seat(s)? PLAYLIST LAL: 'Dead Happiness' Calypso Rose: :Soca Tempo'

Brian George, a self-described 'sit down comedian,' joins me to talk about his journey into acting and the series 'Roll With It' (Bell Fibe TV1), which is going into its second season. Then, I'm joined by tmtm fan and supporter Gordon G., who shares a few queer classic film recommendations for Pride. PLAYLIST 'Heat' by SOCA CYPHER (Legacy 24 K, Eko, Jenelle Ross, Noelle...

This episode is all about 2SLGBT+ audiobook memoirs you can grab on the Libby app. First up, we've got "Baggage" by Alan Cumming, and then "Naturally Tan" by Tan France from Queer Eye. Next, we'll slide into Saeed Jones's "How We Fight for Our Lives," followed by "Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw" by Eddie Ndopu and Schuyler Bailar's "He She...

I've got interviews with Nigerian-Italian (and now Canadian) singer, songwriter, and actress Sonia Aimy , who will be launching her brand new album 'Light/Imole' at the legendary El Mocambo right here in Toronto on June 14th (one night only!) I'll also be playing some tracks from Sonia's album. Then I'll chat with co-directors Neil Diamond and Catherine Bainbridge about the...

Today's special guests are actor and playwright Djennie Laguerre, writer and editor Neil Armstrong, street photographer Gun Roze, singer-songwriter Gyles, and two-time Juno nominee jazz vocalist Alex Bird. Djennie and I chat about how she learned to be true to herself, her Haitian heritage and her work. We also discuss her new play (a work-in-progress) about Black women, mental health and the...

I fell in love with Dalton Harris after seeing him in Kim Longinotto and Frank Murray Brown 's documentary " Dalton's Dream ." If you're Jamaican you will understand the phrase "mi spirit tek 'im." I know films are edited to share a certain perspective, but I trusted experienced documentary filmmaker Kim Longinotto with Dalton Harris's story. I've seen her f...

Have you heard of John 'Daddy' Hall, the Canadian centenarian who was part First Nations and part Jamaican, fought in the War of 1812, and was rumored to have more than 20 children? Actor, singer, dancer, Daren A. Herbert joins me to talk about playing this legend in Audrey Dwyer's Come Home-The Legend of Daddy Hall at Tarragon Theatre. Have you heard about the gayest family in Canada,...

My interview with spoken word poet, writer, LGBTQ+ activist, and mother, Staceyann Chin , and director, Laurie Townshend . Staceyann is the subject of Townshend's documentary, "A Mother Apart" which recently screened at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival last month, where it garnered the 3rd place spot in the Audience Favourite category. The film will next screen at I...

Mexican director Laura Plancarte shares her reasoning behind making the collaborative documentary "Mexican Dream" with her subject, Maria Magdalena. The film screened at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Then, focusing on the Upper Canada Choristers (UCC), I interview composer and conductor Laurie Evan Fraser, and Jacinto Salcedo, a tenor and coordinator of UCC's La...

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival Coverage: interviews with director, Jennifer MacArthur (FAMILY TREE) and co-directors, Jeff Orlowski-Yang and Sarah Keo (CHASING TIME). FAMILY TREE : North Carolina’s sustainable forestry movement is a rare gesture towards community-based climate action. Seen through the stories of two Black families who fight to preserve their land and generati...

The Art Gallery of Ontario workers are on strike. I'm joined by OPSEU Local 535 members,Mark Thornbury and Meagan Christou to talk about workers' demands. Please note: my outreach to AGO representatives were not responded to at the time of this recording. Revisiting Anna Magnani with James Quandt, film writer and former Senior Programmer for TIFF Cinematheque. This is an edited version of...

Izad Etemadi (Writer, Actor, Persian) joins me to talk about playing multiple characters in Rose Napoli 's Mad Madge A Nightwood Theatre production in association with VideoCabaret . Staged at The Theatre Centre in Toronto. Mad Madge Credits: Written by Rose Napoli Directed by Andrea Donaldson Starring: Rose Napoli, Karl Ang, Wayne Burns, Izad Etemadi, Farhang Ghajar, and Nancy Palk Set, Costu...

Award-winning Mexican-Canadian playwright, Christine Quintana and I discuss her work El Terremoto (World Premiere) at Tarragon Theatre, March 26 – April 21, 2024. Spoke word by Amani (I Am an artist, My Life) Poetry by Ashley Obscura (Ambient Technology) Music by Haviah Mighty (Wishy Washy)

Author, m. nourbeSe philip on her seminal work Zong, celebrating its 15th anniversary, plus we reminisce about her as well-received children's book, Harriet's Daughter. John Galway, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Toronto Irish Film Festival is back to showcase the feature films at this year's festival. Note: I'm a member of the shorts program jury so we didn't discuss...

Featured Guest, Neil Armstrong, journalist, writer and editor shares some of the books on his shelf for this #BHM #AfricanFuturesMonth focussed edition of The More the Merrier with donna g.

Street-based photographer, Gun Roze and I discuss past shows, his spotlight in Spectaculum Magazine, and his latest project, reimagining the male nude. Photo: Gun Roze at "Backstage" opening. Source: Instagram @gunroze7

Arts and culture writer, Heidy M ( hyemusings.ca ) and cinephile Gordon G are back on the show. We chat about recent films and a classic that will make you wary of cats.

Welcome to 2024. The first show of the year features Sistah Lois (pronounced 'Loyce'), activist and edutainer, and my mentor from my early days in radio at CIUT 89.5 FM. In this chat we discuss what community means to her, life lessons (those lived and those learned from the ancestors), and her future ventures. Photo of Sistah is courtesy of her Instagram @sistahlois