CGDC Podcast Channel

Jesse Weafer shines like summer, and tour de splits like an angel…literally.

Jen and Ky have a fun filled evening with Jesse, some strong Gin and tonics, and nachos (because Ky had a hankering for nachos lol) We chat with Jesse about his experience on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, how he sets his wages for freelance teaching or choreographing, and how many tour de splits it took him to book Kinky Boots!

Mr Weafer’s career has taken him across Canada, the US, and onto your television screens. Just some of his credits include: IQ in Hairspray (Original Canadian Cast, the 2007 movie with Johan Travolta, and US National Tour) Hello Dolly (Stratford Festival) We Will Rock You, Kinky Boots, the Wizard of Oz (Mirvish Productions) and So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 3: Top 16. 

Come hang with us, grab a drink (if you’re not driving) and get your weekly dose of musical theatre banter, with beverages. 

Lisa Horner is truly everything and a bag of peanuts. Jen and Ky had not had the pleasure of meeting Lisa before this interview, and when she left, both said…'wow, she’s the shit!’ 

Lisa’s drink of choice was a classic Canadian Cesar. She chatted with Jen and Ky about a little production she’s a part of, called ‘Come From Away’, the importance of talking openly about our mental health, and her cabaret! Lisa’s cabaret, ‘One Night with Lisa Horner,’ is playing December 2nd at Eden United Church in Mississauga, to raise money in order to start ‘The Allan and Susan Horner Mississauga Community Arts Fund,’ in honour of her parents.

Lisa has had a sensational career. She is a two time Dora Award winner with many credits to her name. Just a couple of her credits include: Kinky Boots, Wizard of Oz (Mirvish Productions) Wonderful Town, Gypsy (Shaw Festival) and Grey Gardens (Acting Up Stage Company)

Come hang with us, grab a drink (if you’re not driving), and get your weekly dose of musical theatre banter with beverages. 

This week on Tits and Teeth we are doing something a little different! We had so much amazing content from our guest last week, Nicko Giannakos, that we didn’t even get to talking about his side hustle, Glitz Entertainment, so we are doing a collaboration of sorts. This episode will centre around a different aspect of the performance industry, the entertainment and industrial side!

You will hear from Nicko, but you will also hear from Elisa who is one of the co-directors of A2D2 - Arial Dance Cirque Co. Elisa, along with her two sisters Samantha and Julie, own and operate A2D2 out of Mississauga ON. They provide customized cirque entertainment for corporate clients, committees, and private individuals alike, and it just so happens that our beautiful host, Jen, is a company member in their performance troupe!

Come hang with us, grab a drink (if you’re not driving) and get a special peak into the entertainment side of performance.

The title says it all. The brilliant Nicko Giannakos is a constant sea of verbal diarrhea but within it, there are nuggets of gold! 

We sit with Nicko for what seems like 10 mins but turns into 3 hours, and have such a hilarious time while debating topics and having great conversation. We chat about Nicko’s transition from the ballet world to musical theatre, how more often ‘money’ is making the decisions these days, and managing our own process. 

Nicko has had a full and exciting career. He is a member of the Glitz Entertainment team, and teaches and performs all over Canada. Some of his credits include: three seasons at the Stratford Festival (West Side Story, Evita, 42nd Street) Lord of the Rings (Mirvish Productions), and the North American tour of Saturday Night Fever, that he did alongside Jen and Ky! (Northcore Productions). 

Come hang with us, grab a drink (if you’re not driving) and get your weekly fix of musical theatre banter, with beverages. 

Heather McGuigan is an actor, adventurer, philanthropist, AND just joined the ranks of dope Moms in the business. 

Heather comes baring gifts for this parents-in-the-business episode of Tits and Teeth, Don Julio 1942, so it was quite the tequila filled interview. Jen and Ky get to hear all about what it means to be a parent in this business, how totally glamorous child birth is, and how theatres and new families are collaborating to help make working with a new baby possible. You’ll also get a few stories from Dad’s in the business. 

Heather has worked all over Canada and toured North America with some amazing productions. A few of her credits include two season at the Shaw Festival, a season with The Stratford Festival, North American tours of Mary Poppins, and Saturday Night Fever, and played iconic roles such as Fiona in Shrek (Rainbow Stage & Neptune Theatre) and Mary in Mary Poppins (Neptune Theatre & Capitol Theatre).

Heather is also the founder of ‘HopeTotes’ a Canadian charity that produces gift bags of everyday essentials to women in need across Canada. 

Come hang with us, grab a drink (if you’re not driving) and get your weekly fix of musical theatre banter, with beverages…Mom Jean's edition!

Stephan Dickson is a performer turned choreographer who is a positive force in any room, and runs on the pure philosophy of ‘yes, and.’ 

Jen and Ky recorded with Stephan on a beautiful Monday morning so we drank mimosas, waffles, and pastries! Through lots of laughs we chat about making theatre absolutely inclusive, from patrons seeing the show to actors in the production, how he is establishing himself as a choreographer, and how he’s maintained his positive attitude while being so busy. 

Stephan has performed all across this country but has recently turned to assisting and choreographing. Some of his choreography credits include: Associate Choreographer for Music Man, Rocky Horror Show (Stratford Festival), The Little Mermaid (Capitol Theatre), Rock of Ages (Stage West), and the new Canadian musical, Aleck Bell (Tweed & Company).

Grab a drink (if you’re not driving) and get your weekly fix of musical theatre banter, with beverages.

Stephanie Graham is one of the most dedicated women in musical theatre. She is one of the countries best director/choreographers, she’s an educator, she’s an active member in her neighbourhood, and she still finds time to foster and help the younger generation of our community. Steph, by definition, is a bloody legend!

We drink some delicious ‘Summer Cocktails’ with Steph and chat about what being a director/choreographer really entails, her amazing work ethic, and how Canadian musical theatre can grow in the future.

Just some of Steph’s credits include choreographing Fun Home, and The Wild Party - for which she won a Dora Award (The Musical Stage Co.), The Addams Family and Cinderella (Neptune Theatre) and directing/choreographing Mamma Mia, Shrek, The Little Mermaid and MANY more at the Globe Theatre.

Make sure you have a pen and paper ready, grab a drink (if you’re not driving) and get your weekly fix of musical theatre banter, with beverages. 

We have a few Gin Smashes and chat with Danielle about some of our more hilarious ‘Joe jobs’, the evolution of her career, and making an investment in your heart. Danielle was the winner of the CBC competition ‘Over the Rainbow’ and played Dorthy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (Mirvish Prod. & North American Tour), has played the leads in Beauty and The Beast, All Shook Up, Mamma Mia and many more for Drayton Entertainment, and was just in the new Tim Rice musical ‘From Here to Eternity’ that played at Ogunquit Playhouse. She is literally a dream. Be prepared to fall even more in love with Danielle Wade.

Come hang with us, grab a drink (if you’re not driving), and get your weekly fix of musical theatre banter, with beverages.