The More the Merrier with donna g

A collection of three interviews from 2023: Doctor and playwright Suvendrini Lena on the Palestinian play, Rubble, Tamas Wormser on the Jewish doc, Shalom Putti and Bernardo Ruiz on his doc El Equipo about the "disappeared." Music: Peace is the only way by Lenka Lichtenberg and Roula Said

Enjoy this all-music episode as we move towards the end of 2023😊 Bahamadia, 'I Confess' Jill Scott, 'Easy Conversation' Kindred the Family Soul, 'Surrender to Love' Melanie Durrant, 'Let Me' LAL, 'One Way' Jade Elektra, 'A Little Bit of House' Njako Backo and Kalimba Kalimba, 'Family' Okavango African Orchestra (Juno Award winners), 'Bil...

Please note : All samples played are limited to those available via Toronto Public Library using the Libby app. No copyright infringement intended. Mature subject matter, listener discretion is advised. AUDIOBOOKS 'Tatouine', Jean-Christophe Réhel 'A Dream of a Woman', Casey Plett 'Chinkstar', John Chan Simpson 'Kameleon Man', Kim Barry Brunhuber 'God Loves Hair...

Theatre legend, Philip Akin joins me to talk about his directing take on The Lehman Trilogy at Canadian Stage + Jérémie Abessira, Executive Director of the European Union Film Festival, and I chat about the is a year's festival. Music by Alex Bird and the Jazz Mavericks (Where the Blackbird Sings), Lady Laistee (Ooh, Child) and Amai Kuda et les bois (Better Way).

My chat with Tapestry Opera's Michael Hidetoshi Mori about directing the 60 minute opera "Rocking Horse Winner" based on D.H. Lawrence's short story. Runs until Nov 12 at Crow's Theatre, 345 Carlaw. Music on the show includes works from Rocking Horse Winner composer and librettist Gareth Williams and Anna Chatterton; Nathaniel Dett Chorale (Listen to the Lambs cd), and soprano,...

Kirk Cooper joins me to talk about The Durham Regional International Film Festival + arts and culture writer Heidy M of hyemusings.ca and cinephile, Gordon G and I share our TIFF2023 faves.

#TIFF2023 coverage continues... I never dreamed that I would ever get the chance to interview Hiam Abbas , let alone meet her director daughter, Lina Soualem . But it happened this year, and it's one of my moments of gratitude. "Gaza Mon Amour" was my favorite film at TIFF2020, and I've long admired Hiam for her work in films like "Satin Rouge," "The Syrian Bride,"...

Toronto International Film Festival coverage with directors Hanna Slak (Not a Word) and Sara Margrethe Oskal (The Tundra Within Me). TIFF DESCRIPTIONS Not A Word : On a barren island, a mother and son confront years of silence and misunderstandings in writer-director Hanna Slak’s formidable fourth feature film starring Maren Eggert, scored by Amélie Legrand, and shot by Claire Mathon.-Dorota Lech...

At first, I was turned off by the subject matter of Designer $hit but after watching it and chatting with director, Saffron Cassady, I think this is a topic that's not only important, but also a film that's immensely watchable. Infusing humour, animation and pixelation into her film, Saffron minimizes the ick factor and eases viewers into empathizing with her personal struggle and learn ab...

"In present-day Karachi, a medical student struggles to keep her family together while being stalked by forces she can’t entirely understand." -Norm Wilner, TIFF programmer I'm joined by director Zarrar Khan and producer Anam Abbas to discuss their film In Flames and their fresh interpretation of genre films. TIFF has public screenings which most of you are familiar with, however, ther...

I reconnect with director/writer Carolina Marcowicz ( CHARCOAL TIFF '22) about the world premiere of her film, Toll (Pedágio) , which tells the story of a Brazilian mother ( Maeve Jinkings ) willing to commit crimes to pay for expensive conversion therapy for her gay son ( Kauan Alvarenga ). September 8, 9, 16 at Scotiabank Theatre. I'm joined by South African director Ian Gabriel ( Forgiv...

Canadian Bobby Del Rio (actor, writer, tv host) joins me to talk about his arts activism, his move to LA and his solidarity with striking colleagues in SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild Of America. The second part of my show is a focus on the work of spoken word artist, (motivational speaker and event organizer) Dwayne Morgan from BHM2023 presentation by brick yard ( brick books ) Spoken Word: d’bi.youn...

Luis Fernandes , Co-Artistic Director and Booking Manager for The Assembly Theatre and I chat about the origins of his love of comic books and graphic novels and the August 12th edition of Comic Books Live!!! featuring Patrick Jenkins' Tales From Phantom City, described by the event page as a " neo-noir psychedelic journey revolving around a mysterious cat amulet of supernatural power. &#3...

Helen Juvonen of Guild Festival Theatre and I discuss why she chose to direct a play, set in the early 20th century, about three women murdered in their bathtubs by their bigamist serial killer husband, and the power of humour in the telling of the macabre tale from the women's perspective. On www.ciut.fm Music and Spoken Word by : Malika Tirolien (Rise), d'bi young (Gawdess), Pearl Cleage...

Canadian audiobook memoirs available from the Toronto Public Library , plus a YA treat from Drew Hayden Taylor. Music by Mosa Neshama, Blaxam, Chet Singh and Tribe Called Red

Theatre performer, director, & cabaret artist Ryan Hinds chats about his dream come true: being a cast member of Midsummer Night's Dream, Canadian Stage 40th production in High Park; Dave Stevenson of Emissions Records and Sardé Hardie of Photon Films chat about punk films screening at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema's Long Hot Summer Series and a one of screening at Innis Town Hall theatre...

5-Minute Fringe Showcase : 10 productions from the Toronto Fringe Festival each have approximately 5 minutes to share why you should see their show. Four days in and 2 shows have already sold out their entire run! The Fringe has launched some big shows: will any of these go on to bigger success such as da kink in my hair or The Drowsy Chaperone ?

Alphonso King Jr aka Jade Elektra joins me for the hour. From Florida to New York to Toronto, Alphonso King Jr and his drag persona, Jade Elektra has LIVED! A Black, gay man, and drag queen, Alphonso has some stories to tell, including being invited into the legendary House of LaBeija by house mother herself, Pepper LaBeija! Make sure you're sitting comfortably for what's to come! Music: B...

Cameryn Moore and I chat about Muse at Toronto Fringe Festival and Heidy M and I talk about theatre in Toronto. Music by Alex Bird and Blaxam

Kirk Cooper (Filmmarket Access) in Cannes 23 + fan Gordon G reflects on the passing of Glenda Jackson

A selection of audiobooks by 2SLGBTQ Canadian writers. These books are available via the Toronto Public Library using the Libby App. Check your local library to see if they are available there. If possible, please support these authors by purchasing their works from an indie sales agent. CONTENT WARNING : Mature themes and language. References to depression and un-surviving. If triggered, please v...

Soprano, Neema Bickersteth on her title role in the reimagining of Scott Joplin's Black opera Treemonisha , running June 6-17th (Opening Night June 10th) at St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Bluma Appel Theatre. Toronto Jewish Film Festival coverage with directors, Eli Gorn and Tamás Wormser. Eli and I talk about his doc, Burning Off The Page about the extraordinary Celia Dropkin who wrote Yidd...

My chat with Andrew Murphy about films and the business of @insideoutfestival Plus music by Daúde (pronounced “Dah-ooh-gee”), @amaikudaetlesbois, Andrea Menard @andreamenardmusic, Alex Bird @alexbird007, #DioneTaylor, dub poetry by @dbiyounganitafrika and #ChetSingh and poetry by Indrani Amirthanayagan. #TheMoreTheMerrierWithDonnaG #BlackWomenBehindTheMic #BlackWomenInCommunityRadio #BlackWomenInC...

Latin connections, with Jacinto Salcedo , Upper Canada Choristers Co-ordinator of Latin American Chorale ensemble, Cantemos . The ensemble is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Plus, director Bernardo Ruíz on El Equipo his documentary about the formation of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, their mentor, Doctor Clyde Smith, and the continued search for human rights in global cases of the &#...

Back-to-back interviews: Gaukur Úlfarsson director of Soviet Barbara: The story of Ragnar Kjartansson in Moscow screening at Hot Docs (Did you know that the American soap Santa Barbara became a mega hit in Russia when the curtain fell?!); Gun Roze discusses his 2 shows in the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival and his process (did you know mistakes can lead to new techniques?); and acclaimed...