Recent Posts
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Jack Burrill Makes Shakespeare Feel Dangerous Again
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.
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The Arts Are a National Defence Strategy
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. Part rant, part cultural history lesson, and part call to action.
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Gabrielle Martin is Programming the World for Local Audiences
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 context.
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Producing Is a Relationship Job with Reid Vanier
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 today’s cultural landscape.
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From Teacher to Director to Theatre Critic with Joe Szekeres
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 of constructive, thoughtful criticism.
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Toronto Theatre Year in Review with A View From the Box and The Cup
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.
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Stephanie Malek
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 artists, and more!
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Kanika Ambrose
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.
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Fiona Sauder
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 production of Peter Pan and growing into a long-standing partnership with Soulpepper, as well as their upcoming production of Narnia.
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Dian Marie Bridge
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 fostering new talent through its influential program, as well as BTW's production of Kanika Ambrose's Our Place at Montreal's Segal Centre for Performing Arts (Studio) from Nov. 19-30.
