This week Mike shares a meal with Rebecca Russell, a performer, director and arts administrator living in Ottawa, Ontario. Rebecca is a Dora Award winning performer who now enjoys her time in arts administration with OrKidstra, an organization that empowers kids from equity-deserving Ottawa communities by teaching life skills through playing and singing music together. Rebecca is also currently directing a brand new musical called One Small Misstep, coming up February 8-9 in the Undercurrents Festival. 

This week on 1000 Meals with 1000 Artists, Mike sits down for breakfast with Kevin Guerette—a musician, theatre performer, and improv enthusiast with a deep passion for storytelling through the arts. Kevin reflects on his journey, from discovering music at a young age to immersing himself in the vibrant world of improv. Over the past two years, he found the perfect blend of his greatest passions in the art form of musical theatre. Mike and Kevin delve into the joys and challenges of growing up surrounded by the arts, Kevin's path to the stage, and how he's now making his mark in musicals across Ottawa.

Mike shares a meal with Andrew Taggart, the former General Manager and Chair of the Board for Blue Canoe Productions. Andrew worked on Blue Canoe from 2006-2018, in a variety of roles and is one of the few people who saw the growth and change of that theatre company for over 11 years. Mike and Andrew share the origins of the theatre company and their thoughts on their time in Kingston creating theatre.

This week Mike chats with Photographer Tolorunlogo Akinrinola (Toloimages.com), they discuss Tolo's art, going from capturing moments in life to portrait photography, event photography and more.

This week is an "on the road" conversation as Mike chats with Actor / Filmmaker Jennifer Gibson and Filmmaker Robert Vaughn. They discuss Jennifer and Robert's careers and what inspired them to create their current film This Time, a film about the power of connection and the importance of being seen as you are. This Time is finishing a tour of free screenings and is starting to make waves a film festivals across North America.

This week Mike chats with Kristen Loreto, an Arts Educator in Ottawa. Kristen is from Timmins, Ontario, where she started in the arts young with dancing, singing, piano and doing summer camps with Lock and Keynote Productions, both as a participant and later as an instructor! Kristen recently choreographed Guys & Dolls for Lost Baggage Musical Theatre in Ottawa, a show Mike directed, and the two discuss her process for choreography, how that differs from teaching and what comes after feeling success after completing a project. 

Mike chats with Angelo Salvatore Leo, a local musician and music entrepreneur who has a consulting business, working with local restaurants to bring in more entertainment and create arts events. The two chat about A. Leo Consulting and Angelo's history with film, visual arts and music. 

This week Mike chats with Sasha Lapointe Lawless a multidisciplinary artist from Ottawa who is currently studying in Montreal. Sasha talks about visual arts, design, film and his current projects as he works towards making a difference and an impact through his art.

This week, Mike chats with Benjamin Rusasa, a cinematographer and director! As a young filmmaker, Benjamin got the chance to create a short film with CBC and with the Ottawa Youth Film Festival! Now he's onto his next project, getting set for a filming weekend right now as he prepares to enter his next short in film festivals next year. 

Mike shares a meal with Zach Porter, an Indigenous Music Producer, sound designer and engineer who mostly supports projects in Ottawa! Mike and Zach discuss all that goes into music producing and the importance of sound in the performing arts. The two also discuss some challenges facing the Ottawa arts scene.