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🎙️ Ep 056 | Kenneth Jay: From Backstage Patience to Onstage Presence
Today's guest is Kenneth Jay, a seasoned Canadian actor with decades of experience across theatre, film, and television. Known for his dedication to craft and his deep respect for storytelling, Kenneth has built a career that bridges continents and philosophies.
In this inspiring and laughter-filled episode, hosts Todd Kramer and Jay Reum chat with Kenneth about the unique discipline of being an understudy, the art of preparation without certainty, and why truth is always at the center of performance. Kenneth shares his journey from Ottawa to Ryerson Theatre School, his surprising connection to Stanislavski's lineage, and how collaboration, language, and identity shape the actor's path.
This conversation is both thoughtful and funny — weaving in the joys, struggles, and revelations of a life lived for the stage. Actors will find wisdom, humor, and a reminder of why we do what we do.
⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Opening 04:20 – Strapless workouts and silliness 07:00 – PunchTrack: a DAW for narrators 11:00 – Introducing Kenneth Jay 13:00 – Kenneth's showreel and career highlights 16:40 – Growing up in Ottawa, moving to Toronto 18:20 – Ryerson Theatre School and Stanislavski connection 23:30 – Why Kenneth chose theatre over academics 27:00 – The first spark: Robin Hood in grade school 30:00 – Falling in love with Shakespeare 35:10 – The joy and craft of understudying 41:00 – Personal truth inside every performance 47:20 – Collaboration, colleagues, and connection 52:00 – Longevity in the acting industry 57:00 – The gift of language and expression 01:01:30 – Identity and performance 01:05:00 – Laughs, stories, and lessons learned 01:10:00 – Advice for young actors 01:15:00 – Closing thoughts with Kenneth
💬 Join the Conversation What resonated with you in Kenneth's story? Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tag us on socials with your takeaways!
🔗 CONNECT & FOLLOW 🎧 Full Podcast & More: https://offstageacting.com/podcast 🤩 Facebook: https://facebook.com/OffstageActing 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/OffstageActing 🌍 Kenneth Jay IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0419612/
💫 TODD: https://linktr.ee/toddkramer 💫 JAY: https://linktr.ee/jayreum
📣 Hashtags #acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife #ToddKramer #JayReum #OffstageActing #KennethJay #Stanislavski #understudy #theatre #actorsjourney #truthinacting
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By Todd KramerToday's guest is Kenneth Jay, a seasoned Canadian actor with decades of experience across theatre, film, and television. Known for his dedication to craft and his deep respect for storytelling, Kenneth has built a career that bridges continents and philosophies.
In this inspiring and laughter-filled episode, hosts Todd Kramer and Jay Reum chat with Kenneth about the unique discipline of being an understudy, the art of preparation without certainty, and why truth is always at the center of performance. Kenneth shares his journey from Ottawa to Ryerson Theatre School, his surprising connection to Stanislavski's lineage, and how collaboration, language, and identity shape the actor's path.
This conversation is both thoughtful and funny — weaving in the joys, struggles, and revelations of a life lived for the stage. Actors will find wisdom, humor, and a reminder of why we do what we do.
⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Opening 04:20 – Strapless workouts and silliness 07:00 – PunchTrack: a DAW for narrators 11:00 – Introducing Kenneth Jay 13:00 – Kenneth's showreel and career highlights 16:40 – Growing up in Ottawa, moving to Toronto 18:20 – Ryerson Theatre School and Stanislavski connection 23:30 – Why Kenneth chose theatre over academics 27:00 – The first spark: Robin Hood in grade school 30:00 – Falling in love with Shakespeare 35:10 – The joy and craft of understudying 41:00 – Personal truth inside every performance 47:20 – Collaboration, colleagues, and connection 52:00 – Longevity in the acting industry 57:00 – The gift of language and expression 01:01:30 – Identity and performance 01:05:00 – Laughs, stories, and lessons learned 01:10:00 – Advice for young actors 01:15:00 – Closing thoughts with Kenneth
💬 Join the Conversation What resonated with you in Kenneth's story? Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tag us on socials with your takeaways!
🔗 CONNECT & FOLLOW 🎧 Full Podcast & More: https://offstageacting.com/podcast 🤩 Facebook: https://facebook.com/OffstageActing 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/OffstageActing 🌍 Kenneth Jay IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0419612/
💫 TODD: https://linktr.ee/toddkramer 💫 JAY: https://linktr.ee/jayreum
📣 Hashtags #acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife #ToddKramer #JayReum #OffstageActing #KennethJay #Stanislavski #understudy #theatre #actorsjourney #truthinacting