The Performers Podcast

Entertainment Weekly has called him one of the 100 most creative people alive today. Best known for his international hit show "MacHomer," Rick has performed in five languages on five continents. We discuss his latest multi-media show "Boom" and the Stratford Festival's role in launching the project and what Rick did when they decided to abandon it. Rick also shares the story of how he met & collaborated with Robert Lepage one of Canada's most honoured theatre artists

I first met Dave Martin in 1997 when he was doing a character named "Glue Guy." It was an edgy bit that helped propel him into the ranks of a comedian's comedian.

These days he performs across Canada and hosts the "Guilty Pleasures" podcast. Prior to that he co-hosted "Anything Goes" with Daren Frost on SiriusXM.

Dave has performed at the Just For Laughs festival and on CBC Radio's The Debaters.

We discuss, among other things, preparing for a dream gig at Massey Hall, the comedians who helped him hone his act and finding love online.

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Christmas is for kids so each year at this time we go see some holiday theatre. This year we saw "Shrek The Musical" at the Grand Theatre in London and "The Little Mermaid" at the Dunfield Theatre Cambridge. Young Cole hosts this special, holiday theatre podcast.

Mark A. Rayner is an award-winning writer of satirical and speculative fiction. Mark shares his experiences with publishers and self-publishing. In the past Mark struggled with his weight and he candidly discuss confronting such a personal issue in his writing. Win one of Mark's books here.

Neil Barclay has been acting at The Shaw Festival for over 20 years. In the interview Neil and I discuss John Abbott College and the National Theatre School

Johanna's YouTube, GoPro video "Momhead" was an overnight sensation, receiving 2,400,000 views in a few days. We discuss the steps that led to its success. The YouTube, GoPro video was featured on BuzzFeed, and subsequently Johanna was interviewed by major international news organizations.

Shortly after the video went viral Stein landed a deal to write a sitcom pilot for CBS.

The pilot is being produced with Will Arnett, and will be based on Stein's book "How Not to Calm a Child on a Plane."

I first met Johanna Stein when we were both performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Fetsival. We talk about how the Fringe was a launch pad for her career.

We also discuss the creative process that led her from doing stand up comedy to motherhood and then writing a book which served as the foundation for the viral video.

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Elyse's fiction has won a Gold National Magazine Award and has been short-listed for the Trillium Book Award and the Toronto Book Award. She's also written two feature films that were produced and has two more in development. Among other things we discuss why Elyse dropped out of high school at a time in her life when she was, in her words, "a crazy, hormonal, freaked out teenager."

Kat uses a variety of techniques including singing voicemails to herself, writing on receipts and endlessly researching the origin of words. She also told me that she finds it tough to write in a quiet room, preferring to be around busy people & sounds, which help her focus. Naturally Kat was a charming and willing participant in the interview, immediately putting me at ease. Kat's grace and calmness belie the complex path to her achievements, and in speaking with her it became clear that she's destined to do even greater things

Steve performed at a variety of theatres including Chicago Shakespeare theatre, The Canadian Stage and the Neptune Theatre. But Steve began acting later in life, after dropping out of Western University, and Sheridan College's sports medicine programs. He would study at Brock University and the National Theatre School of Canada before finally choosing a life on the stage. Steve was an actor on the verbatim theatre piece "London Road" at the Canadian Stage. We discuss how it felt rehearsing with an ear piece….listening to the real voice of the character he played, in his ear.

Peter wrote the play "I'll Be Back Before Midnight" Canada's most widely produced play that has grossed over 40 million world wide. We discuss Peter's journey from the U.K. to London, Ontario, his first box office hit "The Donnellys" and his other work in theatre and film.