Live at the Gargoyle

Jillian Willems is a Winnipeg-based director, choreographer, performer, and Artistic Associate for friends of the theatre, The Village Conservatory.

On this week's podcast, Andrew asks Jillian about her life in theatre and her latest role in Dry Cold Productions' Manitoba premiere of Merrily We Roll Along, running from May 22-26, 2024 at the RMTC Tom Hendry Warehouse.

Elio Zarillo and previous podcast guest Sharon Bajer have teamed up to write the show The Outside Inn, a "transformative dark comedy about the mess that makes us human," with performances at the Prairie Theatre Exchange from May 7 - 19, 2024.

On today's podcast, Andrew interviews Elio, and the production's director, Annie Valentina.

Elio is a theatre artist, educator and consultant based on Treaty 1 territory, whose play Volare premiered at PTE in the spring of 2023.

Annie is a theatre artist and multidisciplinary storyteller based in Kjipuktuk/Halifax. An alumna of Dalhousie University's theatre program, Annie's primary focus and passion is in new work development - whether as a dramaturg, director, producer or playwright.

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This episode was recorded on April 22, 2024

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A blended family ready to tell the world about their story, Trish Cooper and Sam Vint will be premiering their play, The Comeback, at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre April 24 - May 18, 2024.

A theatre graduate from the University of Manitoba, Trish has worked as an actor and writer in Winnipeg and Toronto.

Erin McGrath is a director, actor, and educator based in Winnipeg. Originally from New Brunswick, Erin has been living in Winnipeg since 2005. Currently, she serves as the Artistic Director of Winnipeg Studio Theatre, which will present "Miss Shakespeare" this fall with an all-female team.

On this week's episode, Andrew invites local Arts and Culture reporter and reviewer, Ben Waldman, to step onto the stage and discuss his experiences with theatre.

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This episode was recorded on February 26, 2024

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Kevin Klassen is a playwright, actor, dramaturge, director, and the artistic associate for Echo Theatre. Currently working on a play about Bram Stoker, Henry Irving, Dracula and more, Kevin is active in Winnipeg's acting community. With over 88 roles under his belt, Kevin is getting ready for yet another audition season in 2024.

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This episode was recorded on January 31, 2024

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Tori Popp is the festival manager for the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

Hope McIntyre is an award-winning playwright with multiple titles to her credit, a director, and is currently an associate professor at the University of Winnipeg. She was the founding Artistic Director of Sarasvàti Productions, a company dedicated to social change that she helmed for 22 years.

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This episode was recorded on November 20th, 2023

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We Quit Theatre is a Winnipeg-based Canadian performance collective made up of Dasha Plett and Gislina Patterson. 

The works they’ve made vary widely in style and form, but share a fundamental interest in the space of play between the real and performed self, a destructive impulse toward the canon, and a constant challenge of the expectations of form. 

Heather Witherden is a stand-up comedian, an MC, as well as a Burlesque performer. Fun Fact: Heather is Andrew's first cousin! Featured on CBC Radio’s, "So You Think You’re Funny", Heather broke into Winnipeg's comedy scene in 2006. While she doesn't have a stage name for her comedy sets, she goes by Your Mom Kathy while performing burlesque with Divine Femmes Burlesque.

Ellen Peterson is a playwright, dramaturg, actor, visual artist and teacher. Her most recent plays, The Brink and The Eight Tiny Reindeer of the Apocalypse premiered at Prairie Theatre Exchange and Theatre Projects Manitoba. She was also commissioned by the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre to create a stage adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, Sense and Sensibility, which premiered in 2018.

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This episode was recorded on October 24th, 2023

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Kevin Ramberran is a founding member and producer of Club Soda Improv Troupe and The 28th Minute Theatre Company. Like many theatre creators in the city, Kevin wears many hats. He is an actor, a director, a podcaster, and a restauranteur.

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This episode was recorded on September 7th, 2023

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Ginny Collins works for The Schroeder Foundation as Director of Communications by day, and has developed some amazing theatrical work on her own time. She has worked for Manitoba Film & Music, the United Nations Development Program in Namibia and the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation. Ginny is also the recipient of the 2019 Manitoba Book Award for Best Play.

Paul De Gurse is a musical professional based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Musician, educator, and administrator, he does it all. He is a managing director at The Village Conservatory, a company member of Outside Joke, and a co-host of Monkeys and Playbills, a podcast about Broadway musicals that had fewer than 100 shows before closing. No bio or description can truly do Paul's talent and experience justice.

Connecting to our last episode with Duncan Cox and Sharon Bajer, Paul is the music director for their musical, Afterlight, playing until October 1, 2023.

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In the nightly search for her missing husband, an elderly insomniac, Wanda, encounters a 500 year old suicidal vampire, Razvan, whom she invites into her history museum of a home. At its core, this is a story of universal truths about life and death, and the long road that unfolds between them. Afterlight is a darkly comedic and whimsical new musical about the unlikely romance that develops between two souls desperate to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

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SEPTEMBER 21 TO OCTOBER 1, 2023

Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain

Pauline-Boutal Hall
340 Provencher Blvd.

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Sharon Bajer & Duncan Cox are two of Winnipeg’s battiest theatre dwellers who have co-written a brand new vampire musical premiering here in Winnipeg at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain later this month.

Sharon Bajer is an actress, director, playwright, acting teacher, and Manitoba's first-ever certified intimacy coordinator. She is also the founder of The Keep Theatre Company, a co-producer of Afterlight alongside Walk&Talk Theatre Company.

Duncan Cox, who you may recognize from our third episode with Walk&Talk, "Theatrical Alchemy", is a musical artist who works primarily as a composer/lyricist focusing on the genres of folk, rock, storytelling, and musical theatre. You may also have seen him play Depression in 'Breaking Up With Me' on our very stage earlier this spring, or as Roger in 'Rent' at Rainbow Stage this summer.

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In the nightly search for her missing husband, an elderly insomniac, Wanda, encounters a 500 year old suicidal vampire, Razvan, whom she invites into her history museum of a home. At its core, this is a story of universal truths about life and death, and the long road that unfolds between them. Afterlight is a darkly comedic and whimsical new musical about the unlikely romance that develops between two souls desperate to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

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SEPTEMBER 21 TO OCTOBER 1, 2023

Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain

Pauline-Boutal Hall
340 Provencher Blvd.

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Gwen Collins is an actor and devised theatre artist here in Winnipeg. She plays a key role in One Trunk Theatre as the Co-Artistic Producer and Artistic Associate. She's been a frequent collaborator having co-created Stage Frights, 204FM, Mission Potluck and I Dream of Diesel. She also has extensive touring experience having travelled the province in PTE Munsch tours, Greenkids shows, the RMTC rural tour and for MTYP.

One Trunk Theatre is Manitoba’s company for new, interdisciplinary theatre. Created in 2012, it has been a place to conduct theatre alchemy- mixing the ingredients and tinkering with the process in pursuit of new results- a new discovery of what theatre, and by association the human experience, can be.

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Recorded on August 3rd, 2023

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Sarah Luby is a classically trained vocalist, actress, and filmmaker who lives in Winnipeg, MB. In addition to her creative work, Sarah self identifies as a person with invisible disability and an advocate for accessibility and inclusion in the arts.

With a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba in vocal performance, Sarah has worked with a variety of local companies such as the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Manitoba Opera, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Dry Cold Productions, Rainbow Stage and Sarasvàti  Productions. Her latest theatrical roles have been Rapunzel in RMTC's "Into the Woods", and Antigone in Sick and Twisted's world premiere of "Antigone-The Musical"

In addition to her work as a performer, Sarah has experience behind the camera in multiple capacities such as Script Supervisor and working with continuity on set.

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Recorded on August 1st, 2023

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By day, Mel Marginet is the Publisher at Great Plains Press, a Winnipeg publishing company committed to telling the stories of the people and places that make this part of Canada so special.

By night, Mel is a Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Theatre by the River.

She has performed in many theatre productions around the city including but not limited to Meet Me At Dawn, A Man Walks Into A Bar, Cock, Bull, Lungs, Tender Napalm, and The Cherry Orchard.

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Recorded on July 2, 2023

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Local writers and theatre lovers, Armin Wiebe & Lynne Martin take the stage for this week's episode.

Armin is regarded as one of the pioneers of humorous Mennonite writing in English, and has taught Creative Writing at Red River College.

After studying opera, earning 2 degrees in English literature, raising 3 children, living in 4 countries and 8 distinct cultures, and pursuing 6 career paths, Lynne returned to her first love—playwrighting.

Brought together by friends and life experience, this duo has a number of stories to tell.

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Recorded on July 4th, 2023

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Originally from the Dauphin, MB area, Charlene Van Buekenhout is an actor, director, writer, and beginner language learner bringing the Michif language to Winnipeg stages.

Co-founder and Artistic Producer of Winnipeg's own Echo Theatre, Charlene expanded on what was originally a university group participating in Fringe. After a few years, she wanted to continue working on theatrical productions under the the title. It was a vehicle for her to try and keep working as an actor–but it developed into so much more.

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Recorded on June 28, 2023

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Scott is a Winnipeg-based lighting designer and consultant who has worked at theatres across Canada. Since 1995, he has designed over 150 shows for various companies from Shakespeare in the Ruins to The Stratford Festival.  Scott is a member of ADC-IATSE Local 659 and a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School, and has many stories of his times behind the scenes of some great shows.

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Recorded on May 18, 2023

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Theatre has many facets. You have writers. You have composers. You have directors and actors.

What really helps in a large production? A talented stage manager/production manager and a technical/musical director.

Monique Gauthier and Jacob Herd make up the other 2/4 of JHG Creative, who you heard from in Season 2, Episode 2.

Moe studied theatre at the University of Manitoba and has been stage managing, acting, designing, and directing for several years. Jacob graduated from the Brandon University School of Music and has performed, recorded, and toured with a number of bands on a multitude of instruments including saxophone, keyboards, guitar, and bass.

This team of promising young theatre creators have a spectacular show premiering on our stage May 25 - June 8. Breaking Up With Me will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. Make sure to check it out!

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Recorded on May 6, 2023

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Teachers by day, independant theatre creators by night, Connor and Cuinn Joseph make up half of JHG Creative – an independent theatre company based in Winnipeg, MB. Without having much personal experience with musical theatre, the soundtrack of The Book of Mormon skyrocketed Connor and Cuinn's interest in the multidisciplinary artform. Since then, they have created a number of theatrical works including Understudies, The Standoff, and The Cause, which received the Harry S. Rintoul Award for Best New Manitoba Play at the 2019 Winnipeg Fringe Festival and was the runner-up for the Digital Adams Prize for Musical Theatre at Toronto Fringe Festival.

Now they are the writer (Connor), composer (Cuinn), and co-directors of Breaking Up With Me. A brand new pop-punk musical having it's world premiere on the very stage we recorded this podcast on. These ambitious and creative brothers sure know how to make a good show.

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Recorded on April 22, 2023

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On March 31, 2022, The Gargoyle Theatre took to social media to announce its horrible news–that after a wonderful inaugural show, the doors had to close. The winter of 2021-2022 was brutal, leaving physical scars to the theatre and mental–even emotional–scars on the team running it. To open up the second season of Live At The Gargoyle, Andrew Davidson speaks one-on-one with you, the listener, to say why we left and that we are back!

We have a lot in store for you this season, and you won't want to miss it.

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Recorded on April 16, 2023

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Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Lara Rae has made her mark in the Canadian comedy industry. A television and radio writer, she has been nominated 3 times for a Canadian Comedy award and once nominated for a Gemini Award for her work on Little Mosque on the Prairie. She moved from Toronto to Winnipeg and helped to found the Winnipeg Comedy Festival in 2002.

Her creatives works span farther than just television and radio, so Andrew dives deep into Lara's past and her accomplishments. She has done so much in her lifetime that it was hard to contain this interview into just one episode. 

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Recorded on March 4, 2022

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Brian Drader has had an amazing creative journey as a writer, dramaturg, actor, teacher, and artistic administrator – and he is the current Executive Director of the Manitoba Association of Playwrights. Andrew asks Brian about a number of his creative works including The Fruit Machine and his engagement as dramaturg for Cirque du Soleil’s MJ ONE at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Brian worked for 13 years as the Director of Playwriting at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal, and now helps to teach and support Manitoba playwrights. He also offered dramaturgical support to writer and artistic director of PTE, Thomas Morgan Jones, for his show 'A DANCE TO THE END OF THE WORLD' presented by Prairie Theatre Exchange.

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Recorded on March 1, 2022

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He participated in over 80 professional productions in Canada and across the U.K; He holds a master’s degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has studied in Edmonton, Toronto, and The Stratford Festival; He has been teaching voice and theatre for over a decade and has participated in the development and creation of dozens of new works; Over the past fifteen years, his work has been featured across  Canada and the UK; He has had the pleasure of working alongside such companies as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, MacEwan University, CTP Toronto, Royal MTC, PTE, MTYP, Rainbow Stage, MCMA, and Le Cercle Molière; Is there anything Simon Miron CAN'T do? Simon discusses his educational history, his theatrical history, and talks about current projects on the go, including Inhibition Exhibition: Embracing Shadows, which will have a live screening at the historic Crescent Fort Rouge sanctuary on March 30, 2022. Tickets can be purchased from their website.

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Recorded on March 1, 2022

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Noah Boonov, Gennevieve Bourdeau, Zanifa Rasool, Sarah Struthers are 4/5 members of the fourth-year honours Devised Theatre class at the University of Winnipeg. All with different theatrical backgrounds, this group of students come together to perform a show created within the class and directed by Claire Borody. In this episode, we get a bit of background from each of the students, and information about the Devised program and the upcoming show, Truth Reconfigured, running from March 23-26 at 7:30 pm CST, live-streamed. Make sure to reserve your tickets on the University of Winnipeg's website!

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Recorded on March 3, 2022

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This episode includes a combination of our first round of talkbacks, which took place after the evening performances of our inaugural show – Sonja and Richard. The show was written and performed by Steven Ratzlaff, performed by Marina Stephenson Kerr, and directed by Bill Kerr. 

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A comedy, of sorts, set in an Amsterdam hotel room and a Winnipeg private girl’s school. Two teachers clash over relationships, identity, and freedom.

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Recorded on February 9, 10, 11 and 12, 2022

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Director, playwright, and educator, Cairn Moore has been heavily invested in Winnipeg's theatre community. She teaches at the University of Manitoba, she runs the Actor's Studio at Prairie Theatre Exchange, and has worked with groups like Sarasvati Productions(and Sarasvati's FemFest), Scirocco, and Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. Currently in the midst of writing "Born Ready – An Actor's Guidebook".                                                                     

Recorded on January 13, 2022                                                                                                

Daniel Thau-Eleff is a playwright, performer, founder and artistic producer of Moving Target Theatre Company and has worked as an actor, assistant director and stage manager with many of Winnipeg’s theatre companies. The plays he creates can be called “personal-political”, meaning they deal with themes of human rights, peace and social justice through individual struggles, mixing documentary elements into fiction. Daniel loves to help out in his community and help others using theatre. 

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Recorded on November 25, 2021

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Winnipeg born and raised, Reid McTavish is an extremely talented and creative individual. This deep dive into Reid's theatrical educational background goes through his experience as a student and a paid performer. Rather than painting the theatre world as magical and perfect, Reid walks us through the mental and emotional rollercoaster that is working as a swing. Isolated, lonely, trapped – these are just a few things Reid felt in the industry that he almost left completely. 

| This episode talks about mental health and briefly discusses a suicide attempt, addictions, and sexual assault. If any of these topics are triggering for you, please take care of yourself and either skip this episode or listen, knowing that you have supports in a number of places. |

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Mental Health Resources: Manitoba

Manitoba Suicide Prevention & Support Line (24/7) - (toll free) 1-877-435-7170

Klinic Crisis Line (24/7) - 1-888-322-3019

Sexual Assault Crisis Line (24/7) - 1-888-292-7565

Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services (24/7) - 1-866-367-3276

Rose Coloured Apocalypse envisions an expanded view of theatre and a more conscious, caring, and connected world. Eric Rae, the founder, artistic director, (and the only person in the company), has a large educational background in theatre. Spanning from his time at the University of Winnipeg to getting his masters in Nice, France, Andrew speaks with him about his previous projects and where Rose Coloured Apocalypse is hoping to go. 

In this inaugural episode of Live at the Gargoyle, we introduce you to The Gargoyle Theatre's owner, Andrew Davidson. Bob Armstrong, a full-time freelance writer and playwright, interviews Andrew about the theatre and what is in store for its future.

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Join Andrew Davidson, New York Times Bestselling Author and Owner of The Gargoyle Theatre, as he interviews local Winnipeg theatre creatives about what it takes to bring a show to life, but also talking about theatre and what makes it such an important creative medium.