Our first episode in over four months! Why the break? Well you'll just have to listen to the episode and find out. HA! Masters of the tease. 

But really, it's a doozy of an episode where Brie & Nick dig deep into some real talk about physical and mental health, motivation, relocation and the whole thing gets a little vulnerable.

It's not all struggle though. There's life. There's travel. There's a mandatory Maron reference! 

Take a listen & let us know if it resonates with your journey.

Your Key Creative Tips

Comedy, Writing, Improv, Stand-Up, Performing, Pain Management, Depression and Anxiety, Goals.

Brie's Update:

Don't miss the remount of End with a Kiss, this December in Hamilton!

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Chicago's Mary Hynes is an improviser, actor, instructor, stage manager and tall lady. In this episode, Mary reminds us of the importance of leaning into and really living our core values as performers, and human beings. She offers tremendous insight into navigating the unsure waters of the performance industry, including her signature Lean Back.

All wordplay aside, this is a delightful and informative episode featuring Genevieve (Evie) Jones, playwright, actor, director and mom of Daphne. Evie’s located in the Niagara Region, and chats with Nick and Brie about starting out her artistic career in Niagara, spreading her wings beyond the peninsula and her parents, and the reason for her epic return.

Evie provides us with some deep insight into how the pandemic has been helpful to herself and many artists in finding focus, and the now existing struggle to maintain that focus as the world opens back up. 

Writers will appreciate learning more about the process of writing and producing live plays in Canada and the evolution of the artist in motherhood. 

Your Key Creative Tips:

Writing, Playwriting, Parenting, Theatre, Acting, Directing, Performing Arts in Niagara and Halifax. 

Nick's Update: 

• Editing

Brie's Update:

• Self-tapes galore!

RESOURCES:

• The Mural at E.L. Crossley

More from Evie Jones

Website: https://genevievejoneswrites.com/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/EvieJones11 

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Rhiannon Archer is a stand-up comic and instructor, a mom of two little dudes and is currently in school training to become a therapist. In this episode Rhiannon chats with Nick and Brie about her formative years, her ADHD diagnosis, and how it impacted her education and career path and how that path has changed now that better resources are available to assist neurodivergent students.

We dive into Rhiannon’s stand-up comedy career and how she’s been able to keep at it while balancing frustrating hours in the television industry, and now with the demands of school, a part time job, a neurodivergent child and another with Autism, how it will look now that her priorities have shifted. 

An amazing discussion about the impact our teachers have on our lives, how the lens of parenting changes our priorities and how amazing things are possible when we take risks and believe in ourselves. 

Your Key Creative Tips:

Stand-Up Comedy, Parenting, Multi-tasking, ADHD, Neurodivergence, Education.

Nick's Update: 

• Submitted his submission to the Toronto Star Short Story competition

Brie's Update:

• Directing End with a Kiss at Hamilton Fringe 2022

RESOURCES:

• Rhiannon’s Website: http://www.rhiannonarcher.com/

More from Rhiannon Archer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RhiannonArcher 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhiannonArcher1 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/rhiannonarcher/ 

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

In this episode, Nick and Brie chat with Wellesley Robertson III; a circus-artist, breakdancer, improviser, puppeteer, actor… self proclaimed “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Wellesley has spent the better part of the last decade travelling the world performing with various theatrical productions, seemingly falling into one amazing opportunity after the next. 

Join us on this exciting trip around the world and back as we chat with Wellesley about how he got into performing physical theatre, how he takes advantage of his “working vacations” and certainly, since it is an episode of #StrugglePod after all, some of the challenging elements of his performance career - staying connected to his home base of Toronto, navigating international travel and Covid-19 and other fascinating occurrences on his journey around the world again and again.

Fans of theatre, performing arts, circus, improv and TRAVEL will absolutely adore this episode with the ever-gracious, multi-talented Wellesley Robertson.

Your Key Creative Tips:

Performance, Theatre, Touring, Puppetry, Circus, Touring, Unions, Acting.

Nick's Update: Editing his Toronto Star Short Story competition submission. 

Brie's Update: We didn’t get into it this episode, so just visit improvniagara.com for more info!

RESOURCES:

• Robert Lepage: Needles & Opium promo

Follow Wellesley Robertson:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wellesley3rd

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wellesley3rd/ 

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Happy New Year Strugglers!

We’re back with another great episode! This time, Nick & Brie chat with Toronto-based special effects make-up artist and instructor Megan Fraser. Megan takes us through her creative journey, starting in Calgary with papier mâché and glue all over her childhood bedroom floor to, probably a fairly similar floor-situation in present day - except with way more silicone fingers.

It wouldn’t be #StrugglePod if we didn’t chat about some of the more challenging elements of Megan’s artistic undertakings. It’s all part of the package to having a thriving career in film and television make-up. 

Your Key Creative Tips:

Nick's Update: Working on his Toronto Star Short Story competition submission. 

RESOURCES:

•  BOOK: Stats Canada: Satire on a National Scale

More from Megan Fraser: 

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Thanks for listening & #StruggleOn

In this Year in Review episode, Nick and Brie enjoy a host-cast chat about the year that was; what accomplishments we were able to achieve given the colossal mess of a year we all just collectively endured and what struggles (other than the colossal mess) we endured and attempted to overcome.

Thanks for listening this year pals, and feel free to share your wins from 2021 and your goals for 2022!

Your Key Creative Tips:

Writing, Editing, Gamification of work, Planning, Parenting, Improv, Acting, Travel, Pet ownership.

Nick's Update: Finished writing third book / NaNoWriMo - back to editing. 

Brie's Update: Burger commercial, so long as she doesn’t get Covid.

RESOURCES:

• For context, Brie worked as a tour guide at Vimy Ridge and McFarland House.

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Chances are if you've performed comedy in Toronto, you're likely one degree of separation from this episode's guest; Gary 

Rideout Jr., owner of Toronto's famous Comedy Bar & Director of Business Development at The Second City in Toronto. This episode dives into Gary's timeline as a budding comedian-turned-business owner and  tracks the many successes he's had along the way, the struggles that come with taking risks and putting yourself out there, as well as some truly great lessons learned along the way.

With the recent tease on social media announcing the opening of a second Comedy Bar location, on the Danforth, we're thrilled to get to chat with Gary about his journey in Toronto comedy and his excitement for all that's to come. 

This is an episode for comedians and for fans of comedy. You'll see what it takes to create a space for an entire community of comedy artists; how to foster that community and the heights where it can lead. 

KEY CREATIVE TIPS:

Comedy, Writing, Performance, Touring, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Accessibility.

Nick's Update:

Editing again, and prepping for NaNoWriMo

Brie's Update:

Niagara Falls Night of Art, Improv Fallout back at Mahtay Café, Writing Accountability Partner

RESOURCES

Comedy Bar

The Second City

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Alan Belerique (or Alan Bee as many know him) is a live comedy producer, actor, improviser and writer. His production company This Is Not TV has been creating live comedy content for Toronto audiences for the better part of a decade. His show “This is How We Duo” is making its return to live audiences on September 20th at Comedy Bar in Toronto.

Alan takes us on his journey through the world of comedy from his humble beginnings playing Goldilocks in elementary school, to a year spent in the Azores of Portugal, through to the many shows he’s produced both pre and post-Facebook. All throughout, a big part of Alan’s decisions have been based in creating space for community.

His experience is not without struggles and we’re reminded in this episode that there’s a reason they call this show business. We chat with him about finding balance, as Alan also runs his own company outside his career in comedy. It’s often tough to manage both businesses, making time for clients and customers to be happy in both worlds.

Actors, producers, creators and fans of Jason Momoa will greatly benefit from this episode with the hard-working and multi-talented Alan Belerique.

Key Creative Tips:

Producing, Comedy, Improv Comedy, Entrepreneurship, Community, Real Estate

Nick's Update: Editing again! Working on his horror novel.

Brie's Update: Improv Niagara’s live shows, and classes beginning in September. Also ghost tours!

RESOURCES:

• This is How We Duo - Sep 20

More from ALAN BELERIQUE:

• Facebook

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Cathryn Naiker is a comedy writer, podcaster and stand-up comic. Join us as we explore the journey that took Cathryn from googling “How to Write Comedy?” to becoming a professional TV writer, most recently for the CBC’s upcoming comedy series “Son of a Critch” starring comedian and 22 Minutes veteran Mark Critch.

Cathryn gives us some seriously helpful insight in the biggest change she made from writing as a hobby to writing professionally and we chat about how the pandemic has held up some important progress in her stand-up career. 

It wouldn’t be #StrugglePod if we didn’t chat about some of the more challenging elements of our guest’s journey; this time including the financial worries of moving back to Toronto and concerns about weight, health and physical fitness.

Aspiring and working writers, comedians and creatives of all kinds will hugely benefit from this interview with the super talented Cathryn Naiker.

Key Creative Tips:

Writing, Comedy, Stand-Up Comedy, Admin, Screenwriting, Mindset 

Nick's Update: New Struggles = dog ownership! Old Struggles = writing.

Brie's Update: Improv Niagara wins 2021 Readers Choice Award for Best Live Theatre

RESOURCES:

• Seagate Backup Drives

More from CATHRYN:

• Website

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Thanks for listening and #StruggleOn