Ep. 63 - Mark McGrinder Returns

Ep. 63 - Mark McGrinder Returns

Mark was the first guest to join Life in Stages. That was two years ago, so it’s time to check in now that theatre has returned to its normal challenge of daily survival. When we spoke the first time, Mark had just become the Artistic Director of Studio 180 Theatre.  In our conversation we didn’t discuss our family connection: Mark is married to Jessica, my older daughter. We weren’t being coy by omitting that detail, since I’d met Mark more than ten years before he and Jess found each other. And as two of the five founding members of Studio 180, Mark and I already had a steady working relationship. Back to this episode, the final one in Season 4.  This is a much more give-and-take conversation than most preceding episodes. And it’s a welcome opportunity to share the studio with Mark and Mike as we bring Season 4 to a close. NOTE: Season 5 is already scheduled to record, so standby for another series of conversations beginning early Fall.

Ep. 62 - Paul Essiembre

Paul and I first met when we were working on “The Overwhelming” JT Rogers’ play about the Rwandan genocide. Subsequently, we worked together again on “Stuff Happens” and “The Normal Heart” – all Studio 180 Theatre productions. In addition, Paul’s work as actor, director, fight director and fight captain has taken him across the country.  Among his acting credits, Paul includes “As You Like It”, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”, “Sense and Sensibility”, Shakespeare in Love”, “The Audience” and “A Few Good Men” for the Manitoba Theatre Centre. At the Stratford Festival, Paul performed in “Macbeth”, “Amadeus”, “The Country Wife” and “Twelfth Night”. Paul directed “Witness for the Prosecution” for MTC and “La Chanson de l’Elephant” for Cercle Moliere. Paul lives and works in Winnipeg.

Ep. 61 - Bruce Dow

Award-winning actor, singer, director, theatre creator, and educator, Bruce Dow (AACE, ACTRA, AEA, CAEA, SAG-AFTRA) (http://www.brucedow.com [http://www.brucedow.com]) is best known for five featured roles on Broadway, twelve seasons in leading roles at the Stratford Festival, and award-winning performances in Toronto and Washington, D.C. During the pandemic, Bruce returned to university to study Intercultural Psychotherapy and Multi-Faith Psychospiritual Therapy, earning a Master’s Degree in Psychospiritual Studies. Now in private clinical practice as a Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO), Registered Counselling Therapist (NSCCT), and Certified Psychospiritual Therapist (CASC-ACSS), he works through Consonance Psychotherapy Services (https://consonancepsych.com [https://consonancepsych.com/]) and is verified by Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca [https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca]).  Bruce’s current research explores not what we do, but how we engage with ourselves in the doing. His recent workshops in safe and effective use of Self have been presented at Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of the Arts, Fanshawe College, STAPLES Canada, Community Counselling of London, and The Presbytery of East Toronto. Bruce is represented by Christopher Oldfield, Oldfield Management (https://www.oldfieldmanagement.com [https://www.oldfieldmanagement.com]) @brucedowrp.

Ep. 60 - Jordan Pettle

Jordan Pettle has been a professional theatre actor, director and teacher for over 30 years. Since graduating from the National Theatre School in 1994, he has worked on stages across the country in both contemporary and classical work,. He has appeared in over 25 productions for Soulpepper Theatre and spent 4 seasons at the Stratford Festival. In Toronto, he has worked for Canadian Stage, Coal Mine, Tarragon Theatre, Studio 180 Theatre, Outside the March, Mirvish Productions, Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and Young People’s Theatre, among others. He has appeared in many television/film productions (Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Murdoch Mysteries, Suits, Kim’s Convenience, Titans, American Woman, etc.).   Over the past 15 years he has also taught and directed at George Brown Theatre School, Soulpepper, Wexford Collegiate for the Performing Arts, Randolph Academy and Toronto Metropolitan University In 2024, he co-created a theatre/baseball camp with Lisa-Marie DiLiberto at Theatre Direct. He is a rep baseball coach and spends his summers on baseball diamonds across Ontario. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Shannon, and their two sons, Sammy and Avi.

Ep. 59 - Anthony Bekenn

Anthony studied at UBC and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts. His film, television and theatre credits speak to a career moving between all areas.  On film, Anthony has worked on “Astronaut”, “The Two Mr. Kissels”, “Charlie Grant’s War” and  “The Atom Spies”. Television roles include “Murdoch Mysteries”, “Tracker”, “Wind at My Back”, “Women if Windsor”, “Top Cops”, “Counterstrike”, “Street Legal”, “Friday the 13th” and “SCTV”. The stage, where Anthony is most strikingly represented, includes 36 productions at the Shaw Festival, “Serious Money”, “The Crucible”, “Pygmalion” and “Saint Joan”, among them. Stratfor Festival credits include “Comedy of Errors”, “Misanthrope”,  and “Coriolanus”. Elsewhere, Anthony has worked with Theatre Aquarius (“Spider’s Web”), Drayton Festival (“Wizard of Oz”, “Run for Your Wife”), Vancouver Playhouse (“Fallen Angels”) and the Manitoba Theatre Centre (“The Audience”). Anthony joined the company of “Stuff Happens” when the production moved to the Royal Alex – it marked our first time working together.