Bringing this season to a close, Mike becomes host to Joel -- and this is their 3rd conversation, which makes sense since we are in Season 3 -- how the podcast has developed, is developing, will continue to evolve PLUS the reality of stepping down from Studio 180 Theatre after 20 years as Artistic Director and, altogether, 50 years in the professional theatre world. Regrets? Triumphs? Dreams? Tune in and listen to Mike and Joel jostle, challenge and underline the pure pleasure of podcasting.

Judith is the author of more than a dozen plays, all produced in Canada and many  translated and produced internationally. She has written two produced films and  two television films, plus many radio plays. 

Judith lists among her many awards two Governor General Awards, a Toronto Arts  Award, a Dora Award and a Chalmers Award, The Epilepsy Ontario Award, the  Susan Smith Blackburn Award and The Amnesty International Freedom of  Expressions Award  

In addition, she is an Officer of the Order of Canada as well as a member of the  Royal Society. 

For over 30 years, Judith has taught theatre at the University of Guelph.

A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Susan has appeared in  leading roles in theatres across the country, including The Royal Manitoba Theatre  centre, The Citadel, The Banff Centre, The Stratford Festival, The Shaw Festival. 

As a founding member of Soulpepper Theatre Company, she appeared in Don  Carlos during the company’s inaugural season. Among other Soulpepper  productions were her own adaptations of Platonov, Betrayal, A Chorus of  Disapproval and The Winter’s Tale. 

On the small screen, Susan has appeared in such series as Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle, CBS’s Ransom, HBO Canada’s Less than Kind, and recurring roles on  CTV/Hulu’s Cardinal and Global TV’s Departure. 

As though this isn’t enough, and it isn’t, Susan is the renowned co-creator and co-writer of the internationally-acclaimed mini-series Slings and  Arrows. 

In 2017, Susan was awarded the Order of Canada. 

(And there’s a lot more to add, so please check out Susan’s professional history.)

Evan has been a leading player across various stages and screens in Canada and  the United States for 30 years.  

As a longtime member of both the Stratford and Shaw festivals, he has played ‘Sky  Masterson’ in Guys & Dolls, ‘Mercutio’ in Romeo and Juliet, the title role in  Pericles, ‘Stanhope’ in Journey’s End, ‘Jack” in The Importance of Being Earnest.  Musical theatre credits include his Dora Award-winning performance in Fun  Home, as well as starring roles in We Will Rock You and Dear Evan Hansen. 

In film and television, Evan has been seen in Under the Banner of Heaven,  Murdoch Mysteries, Holly Hobbie, and his Canadian Screen nominated  performance in Departure.

I first saw Barbara in a Toronto production of The Dining Room. I was completely  taken with her performance, her warmth, her clarity. I hoped that I would have  the opportunity of working with her, and in 2006 we finally did get to work  together — The Arab-Israeli Cookbook provided the opportunity. And I’ve  followed her career since then. 

Theatre audiences will know Barbara from her performances in A Doll’s House  (Belfry Theatre, Victoria), Calendar Girls (Royal Alex, Toronto/MTC, Winnipeg),  Half Life (Tarragon Theatre, Toronto), Criminals in Love/Escape from Happiness  (Factory Theatre, Toronto). 

Film and Television audiences will recognize Barbara from Learning to Love Again,  Skinwalkers, Hyper Cube, The Boys, Murdoch Mysteries, Best Laid Plans, Little  Mosque on the Prairie and Wonderland. 

Brad is among the most produced and prolific Canadian playwrights. Born in  Edmonton, he won his first playwriting competition at the age of 17. He hasn’t  stopped writing since. 

Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, which premiered at  Alberta Theatre projects PlayRites in 1989, after being developed by Workshop  West (Edmonton), launched an international career with productions that  followed in Toronto, New York, Chicago, Milan and London. The play has been  translated into many languages and has recently been produced in Athens, Sao  Paulo and Buenos Aires. The film version, Love and Human Remains, won Brad a  Genie Award in 1994 for Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Poor Superman, Martin Yesterday, Snake in Fridge, Cold Meat Party, True Love Lies  and 5 @ 50 followed – as have many, many more. 

Brad’s two musicals are Outrageous (composed by Joey Miller) and Prom Night of  the Living Dead (composed by Darrin Hagen).

Do yourselves a favour and check out Brad’s complete professional history - you  can find him at www.Bradfraser.net.

Drew’s tally of theatre, film and television credits is daunting, and this thumbnail  sketch barely scratches the surface. 

Fourteen seasons at the Shaw Festival include roles in The Devil’s Disciple, The  Playboy of the Western World, Cavalcade, The Front Page and Cyrano de Bergerac.  

Elsewhere, and right across the country, Andrew has performed in Cymbeline and  Richard III (Stratford Festival), Blithe Spirit (Neptune Theatre, Halifax), Stuff  Happens (Studio 180 Theatre/Mirvish Productions), The Philadelphia Story (MTC,  Winnipeg) and Travesties (Vancouver Playhouse). 

Andrew’s film and television appearances include Fahrenheit 451, Lizzie Borden,  Untitled History Project, Virgin Suicides, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Night Before,  The Morning After, Anne with an E, Designated Survivor, 12 Monkeys, Orphan  Black, Trailer Park Boys, Missing, Degrassi: the Next Generation and The  Associates. 

Many of my guests have discussed the paths they followed through careers both  linear and pin-ball like. Allan Stratton begins by stating that he was raised by a  single mom in Bruce County, Sarnia and London. 

He has lived in Manhattan, Montreal, Vancouver and Switzerland — but mostly in  Toronto. 

Allan began his professional life as an actor, moved on to playwriting (I ‘met’ Allan  by directing his very successful play, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii — we didn’t meet  at the time, and it’s likely that until reading this, if he does read it, he won’t have  known that our separate paths crossed), and then he spent a few years as head of  an arts school. 

Since 2000, Allan has been a novelist. His books have won awards and have been  published in over 20 countries — look him up to get the full picture.

Ben is in his 50th year as a professional actor. And as weighty as this is, his family  history that is equally striking. 

To take nothing away from Ben, himself, his lineage traces back to his maternal  grandparents, Sir Lewis Casson and Dame Sybil Thorndike. Ann Casson and 

Douglas Campbell are his parents. And his ‘inheritance’ extends to his siblings, of  course. 

Back to Ben: his career began in England, where he trained at the Bristol Old Vic  Theatre School. He returned to Canada to play Troilus at the National Arts Centre.  Thereafter, Ben spent 14 seasons at the Shaw Festival, 10 seasons at Stratford, 4  with the National Arts Centre and 2 with Theatre Plus, in Toronto. In addition, Ben  has played in theatres across the country, and he has appeared in various  Canadian television series and TV film specials. 

Jon and I met in the early 90’s at the University of Waterloo where he was among  the students who, years later, performed in The Laramie Project, the play that  launched Studio 180 Theatre. 

Following his training at the National Theatre School of Canada, we worked  together again on Our Class. Many seasons followed at the Stratford Festival,  where he continues to perform. Among his many festival credits are Henry VIII,  The Music Man, Orpheus Descending and Hamlet. 

Elsewhere, Jon has worked at the Blyth Festival, Canadian Stage and Soulpepper. 

Law and Order: Toronto, Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries and Nikita  represent some of Jon’s tv and film work.