#51 Glenn Davidson / January 4, 2019 by Michael Kruse

Glenn Davidson sat down with the Title Block in August of 2018 to talk old times and design. Among our topics were included the start of the Toronto Fringe Festival and the Poor Alex Theatre Group as well as his early work as an actor and his most recent design work with the Tarragon, Tafalmusik and beyond. Also, if you don’t know what a “golden donut” is, you will have to listen right to the end.

In the production shots below, I have attempted to include all of the credits that we can find, if you know who is featured in the production shots, or the other designers on the project please email us at thetitleblock@gmail.com.

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Links

University of Ottawa theatre program

Maristella Roca

Michael Stevens - NAC

Bob DeMetril

Richard Pilbrow’s Stage Lighting

Sue LaPage

Goodnight Desdemona Good Morning Juliet

The Centre in the Square

Henry V and Mother Courage in rep at NAC, directed by John Wood

Derek Ralston

Joan Orenstein

Loot by Joe Orton at the NAC

Ben Campbell

Edward Atienza

Festival of Classics, Pericles directed by John Wood

Nellie McClung CBC documentary

The Theatre Centre on the Danforth (Now the Music Hall)

Necessary Angel

Autumn Leaf Performance

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

The Piano of Death by Sky Gilbert

Sargent Trowels Legion Hall on Queen St.

SOC - (silent on camera)

Oresteia, libretto by Maristella Roca

Julie Owens (nee bishop) of Theatre Columbus, now Common Boots Theatre with Martha Ross and Leah Cherniak

University of Toronto Drama Dept

Upper Canada Playhouse now Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse

Theatre Columbus’s Melancholia (Durur’s fallen angel)

Michael Simpson

Andy Massingham

Oliver Dennis

The Three Sisters in Banff birthed the Soulpepper

Lazzi

École de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq

The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine by Theatre Columbus written by Robert Morgan, Leah Cherniak, and Martha Ross

Maquette of He Won’t Come In From The Barn by Ted Johns at the Blyth Festival 1994, directed by Paul Thompson, set and costume design by Glenn Davidson, lighting design by Michael Kruse. Photo credit North Huron Publishing.

Paranoia by Theatre Columbus

Cliff Saunders

The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon at Blyth Festival

He Won’t Come In From The Barn at Blyth Festival

Pinocchio by Maristella Roca at Young People’s Theatre 1993, directed by Richard Greenblatt, lighting and sets by Glenn Davidson

Pinocchio at Young Peoples Theatre

Poor Alex Theatre

Roger West

Le Groupe de la Place Royale

Raha Javanfar

Crow’s Theatre

Theatre Smith-Gilmore - there was no 4th company to found Poor Alex Theatre Group

The Augusta Company - Daniel Brooks and Tracy Wright’s company

The Hobbit by Kim Seledoy at Young People’s Theatre, directed by Jim Warren, set and lighting by Glenn Davidson. Costumes and actor credit unknown.

Theatre 2000

Julian Richings, Cheryl May and Gregory Nixon’s Company Flexible Packaging Plant

Hashish by Flexible Packaging Plant

The Fringe Festival

The Palmerston Library

Sneaky Dees

Napalm the Magnificent by David Craig

Sensible Footwear, Alex Dallas, Allison Fields and Wendy Vousden

Lori Hickling

A Chip in the Sugar

Glen Morris Studio Theatre, now the Luella Massey Studio Theatre

Jennifer Brewin

The Alchemical Wedding (Black Theatre) of Hermes Trismegestos by R. Murray Schafer

David Owen film gaffer (head electrician)

John Kelly Cuthbertson

Set-Reset, now Ready Set Recycle

The Tarragon Theatre

Urjo Kereda

Crackwalker by Judith Thompson

Andy McKim

Undercover at the Tarragon

Romeo and Juliet, by Ballet Jorgen, produced by Hong Kong Ballet, sets by Glenn Davidson

Fronteras Americanas by Guillermo Verdeccia

Ectographic Carosel projector

Richard Greenblatt

Rick Roberts

John Stead

Craig Smith, Carpenter at Young People’s Theatre

Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Jackie Maxwell

Martin Zucker, production manager YPT

Maja Ardal

Doctor Dappertutto by Theatre Columbus

Romeo and Juliet by Ballet Jorgen

The Farm Show at The Blyth Festival

Tafelmusik

Alison MacKay

Ontario Arts Council

High Life with Brent Carver

#50 Dana Osborne / December 17, 2018 by Michael Kruse

Designer Dana Osborne, photo by David Cooper

Dana Osborne is a set and costume designer based out of Stratford Ontario. She started out working in some of the top wardrobe shops in the country, including the Canadian Opera Company, the Shaw Festival, and the Mirvish shops when they still owned them. We talk about her transition to design and her work over the last 20 years in Canadian theatre. Find samples of her work at www.danaosborne.ca

To support the show, go to patreon.com/thetitleblockpodcast

Links

Duncan BC

York University Theatre Program

Jason Bendig

Deeter Shurig

Karla Falconbridge

Amy Cummings

Alison Sharpe

Canada’s Wonderland

Peter McBoyle

Norwegian Cruise Lines Performance

Canadian Opera Company

Michael Levine

Hill of bodies show: Igor Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and Symphony of Psalms at COC 1997

Jeff Churchhill bootmaker

Cunning Little Vixon, Canadian Opera Company

Brenda Clark Lion King Mirvish

Mamma Mia, Mirvish

Kelly Sullivan, seamless costumes

Edge Scenic, gone now, with Bratton surving

The Stratford Festival

Doug Lemke

Michael Gianfrancesco

Lorenzo Savoini

April Viczko

Francesca Callow, on Twelfth night

Peter Hartwell, Good Mother

Katka Hubacek

Aaron Felker

Agamemnon, at Stratford, directed by Steven Ouimette, starring Peter Donaldson and Tom McCamus

Daryl Cloran and Theatre Front produced Mojo

Ken Gass at Factory Theatre

Tarragon Theatre

Young People Theatre

The Sarajevo Project, by Daryl Cloran and Theatre Front

Amanda Plummer

Cameron Porteus

Ann Curtis

Richard Monette’s Gigi at Stratford

Ken MacDonald and Morris Panych

Charlotte Dean

Moby Dick at Stratford Festival

Donna Fiore

Charlie Brown at Stratford Festival

Fiddler on the Roof at Stratford Festival at 2013

Allen Moyer

Designer Fabric Outlet, Toronto

Rocky Horror Picture Show, Stratford Festival

King Henry IV Part 1 at the Stratford Festival, directed by Richard Monette

Santo Loquasto

Doug Paraschuk

Dream in High Park

David Latham and the Globe Theatre, Regina

Ruth Smilie

The Grand Theatre, London

The Bellows: From Page To Stage / December 10, 2018 by Michael Kruse

This time on The Bellows we feature a conversation about the genesis and production of Pearle Harbour: Chautauqua, from the spark of an idea to the gathering of the creative team and the final realization in the marvelous 40-seat revival tent installed at Theatre Passe Muraille in October in 2018. A subset of the creative team, creator of the Pearle Harbour persona, Justin Miller, musical director and composer Steven Conway and stage manager Guiseppe Condello discuss the development of a fabulous piece of bouffant theatre and drag performance.

The Bellows Toronto is a collective committed to fostering discussion about all issues concerning theatre production and has existed since 2015. The Bellows is Pip Bradford, Rebecca Hooton, Kevin Hutson, Christopher Ross, and Michael Kruse.

Bios

Giuseppe Condello

Stage Mananger for Pearle Harbour. Guiseppe is a Toronto based stage manager, theatre technician and budding lighting designer. He has managed stages for Canadian Rep Theatre's remount of TOUGH! (2016) and Dreams (2016) by Wajdi Mouawad. As lighting designer, Giuseppe lit the stage for the world premiere of George F. Walker's Damage Done (2016), and more recently, The Beckett Shorts (2017) for director Adam Paolozza. Giuseppe has been Pearle's stage manager since the very beginning, and has become her good luck charm.

Steven Conway

Steven's teaching philosophy is that effectively communicating enthusiasm is the best way to inspire it in others. He is thrilled to have the chance to share his love of music with Rainbow Songs students.

Trained for 10 years in piano and theory at the Royal Conservatory of Music, with a background in choir, musical theatre, and improv, Steven is also self-taught in a variety of instruments, and is constantly seeking new ways to expand his musical vocabulary.

After completing his Master’s degree in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Toronto in 2015, Steven has performed in musical ensembles across the city, and continues to work as a musical director, accompanist, and composer within Toronto’s independent theatre scene.

As a member of the Rainbow Songs team, Steven is eager to facilitate learning, community, and joy through the love of music.

Justin Miller

Artistic Director for Pearle Harbour. Justin is a queer, Toronto-based theatre artist. As a creator, his work explores bouffon, clown, drag, and the writing that can be magnified by those styles. As a writer, he's the author of seven full-length shows in the Pearle Harbour series. As an actor, his work has been called "riveting" (NOW) and "a tour de force" (Stage Door). He has won the Audience Choice Award at SummerWorks; nominations include the Dora Award for Outstanding Male Performance, and Outstanding Solo Performance by My Entertainment World.

Pearle Harbour

An all-American gal who's sweet-as-pie and sharp-as-nails, Pearle Harbour was born on [information withheld], when America was still Great. During the War, she served as a stewardess aboard top-secret bomber missions, including [information withheld], and even [information withheld]!

An accomplished soloist - on the boards and in the sheets - Pearle has played to audiences at The SummerWorks Performance Festival, The Second City, Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, The Theatre Centre, Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Opera5, Videofag, The Comedy Bar, The Wrecking Ball, Pressgang Storytelling, The Gladstone Hotel, and countless cabarets, concerts, and clubs across Canada.

#49 Jamie Nesbitt / October 29, 2018 by Michael Kruse

Jamie Nesbitt_Projection Designer_headshot.jpg

Jamie Nesbitt is a Vancouver based projection designer and we caught up in June of 2018 at the Shaw Festival where he was designing The Hound of the Baskervilles. Jamie and I talk about the start of his career at the end of the slide projector era and the transition to the full integration of video projection into modern Canadian theatre. Find his portfolio at www.jamienesbitt.com

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Links

Studies in Motion by Kevin Kerr at The Electric Company

Robert Gardiner from UBC Theatre

Isadora created by Mark Coniglio

Frost Nixon at Canadian Stage, designed by Patrick Clark

Mean Girls video designed by Finn Ross and Adam Young

Rocky Horror Picture Show, at Stratford Festival

Michael Walton

Arcade Fire tour 2018

QLab

Photon projection software

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe After Effects

Trapcode Particular

The Hound of the Baskervilles, Shaw Festival

Arther Grimshaw, British painter

Dana Osborne

Digital Rights Management in Canada

The Bellows: Unions and Other Associations / October 2, 2018 by Michael Kruse

Its time for another presentation of The Bellows! This time a discussion with stage manager Megan Speakman, stagehand Sally Roberts, and designer Simon Rossiter about unions and associations and how they work to protect the rights of the theatre workers they represent. the conversation took place at Theatre Passe Muraille on September 21st, 2018.

Please support us on Patreon.com

Bios

CHRISTOPHER ROSS

Christopher Ross has extensive experience as a technician, stage manager, and production manager. he has worked in most of Toronto’s independent theatres, and has been a venue technician for the Fringe Festival, the Next Stage Theatre Festival, and the Summerworks performance festival. he is currently the head technician of the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.

MEGHAN SPEAKMAN

Born in Hamilton, Ontario and raised in Jerseyville, Ontario, Megan now works in Toronto as a stage manager. Megan’s theatre credits include Animal Farm, A Moveable Feast: Paris in the '20s. , Oh What a Lovely War (Soulpepper), Stupidhead! (Theatre Passe Muraille); Outside (Roseneath Theatre); One Slight Hitch (Upper Canada Playhouse); Real Estate (Lighthouse Festival Theatre); Dib and Dob and the Journey Home (Manitoba Theatre for Young People); For a Good Time Call Kathy Blanchard (Outside Inside). Megan is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School (Toronto).

SALLY ROBERTS

Sally is currently the head technician of the Downstairs Theatre at the Canadian Stage Company. She is a member of IATSE local 58, where she works as a live events technician specializing in electrics, lighting design and management. Sally started freelancing in the corporate AV and theatre worlds while studying performance production at Ryerson University. Since graduating, Sally has had the pleasure of traveling with The Tenors as the lighting designer on their "Lead With Your Heart" Tour of the US. She has also trained with Coalition Music to develop strong skills in live sound and tour management.

SIMON ROSSITER

Simon is a Toronto-based lighting designer who occasionally designs scenery. He has created more than one hundred and fifty original lighting designs over the last ten years for a diversity of theatre and dance companies throughout Canada, and is the lighting director of the annual Fall for Dance North festival at the Sony Centre and the Next Stage Theatre Festival at the Factory Theatre. He has received two Dora Mavor Moore awards for outstanding lighting design, is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School, and is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

#48 Siobhán Sleath / September 10, 2018 by Michael Kruse

Siobhán Sleath is a Toronto-based lighting designer with a history at our two big festivals, Shaw and Stratford. Siobhán and I chatted in June of 2017 about her early career at Stratford, her work in dance and musical theatre, and her adventure touring to India with Anandam Dance. We lost some names in the audio so follow along with the notes below to make sure you get all of the connections.

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Links

York University theatre program

Brandy Leary with Anandam Dance Theatre

Jennifer Robichaud with Larchaud Dance

Michael Lavine's Die Valkyrie

Kiss Me Kate directed by John Doyle at Stratford Festival

Howell Binkley lighting designer

Jesus Christ Superstar at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York

Souszatzka

Vari*Lite 3500Q

Brenden Fernandes

The Orange Dot by Sean Dixon, directed by Vicky Anderson

John Gzowski

Max Reimer

George Pothitos at the Neptune Theatre

The Addam's Family at Neptune

The Hart House Theatre at University of Toronto

Carrie, the Musical directed by Richard Ouzunian

Richard III, set design by Scott Penner at Hart House Theatre

Wilde Tales by Kate Henning at the Shaw Festival

Kevin Lamotte

Special Pres: 1837 The Farmers' Revolt Panel Discussion / August 20, 2018 by Michael Kruse

William Lyon Mackenzie (Matthew Gin), with help from his assistants Marcia Johnson (left) and Parmida Vand uses his magical deck of cards to explain the relationships in the Family Compact, in 1837: The Farmers’ Revolt at the Blyth Festival. Directe… — William Lyon Mackenzie (Matthew Gin), with help from his assistants Marcia Johnson (left) and Parmida Vand uses his magical deck of cards to explain the relationships in the Family Compact, in 1837: The Farmers’ Revolt at the Blyth Festival. Directed by Gil Garratt. Creative team: Beth Kates, set, projection and lighting designer; Gemma James Smith, costume designer; and Deanna H. Choi, sound designer and music composer. Production stage management: Heather Thompson and Katerina Sokyrko.. Photo credit: Terry Manzo.

A little palate cleanser for the end of the summer. On July 18 2018, at the Huron County Museum, Blyth Festival artistic director Gil Garratt and local historian David Yates sat down with moderator and film director Christopher Spaleta to talk about the history around Blyth's current production of 1837: The Farmers' Revolt. We talked about this play during the episode with designer Rachel Forbes and the production last year at the Shaw Festival. This is more of a historical discussion, rather than one about design, but it is still a great talk about politics and privation and standing up to government, a topic no less germane today than it was 130 years ago.

A special thanks to Beth Kates who coordinated and recorded this event, without whom this presentation would not be found here.

Bios

Gil Garratt

Gil Garratt is a director, playwright, dramaturge, Dora Award-winning actor, and theatre administrator who has worked across Canada and internationally. With a career that has been dedicated primarily to the development of new Canadian plays, Gil has been with the Blyth Festival since 1999.

Gil’s varied and eclectic career as a creator has seen him collaborate with such radical play creation companies as DNA theatre and The Cabaret Company, to such mainstream institutions as The Stratford Festival and The Grand Theatre.

As a performer Gil has literally worked all over the country, including: Theatre NorthWest in Prince George, BC, Centaur Theatre in Montreal, Canadian Stage’s St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto, Shakespeare in High Park, Neptune Theatre in Halifax, the Festival Players of Prince Edward County, Buddies in Bad Times in Toronto, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, to name a few.

Gil is also member of the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada, several of Gil’s plays have received multiple productions, toured internationally, and been translated into French.

David Yates

David is a 28 year history teacher currently at Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton.

Since 2007 his local history column has appeared in The Focus, Goderich Signal Star and other local papers. He is a past President of the Huron County Historical Society.

In 2014, he was a member of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 committee which won the Governor-General’s Award for Community History Programming. Currently, he is a member of the Huron County and the Great War commemorative committee.

Christopher Spaleta

Christopher is a writer, actor and director for independent film, television and theatre. He grew up in Goderich, studied English and Screenwriting in Ottawa, and lives with his wife Maria on a farm in Central Huron. In addition to his duties on the Huron Arts and Heritage network board he is a member of the Rebuilding Oversight and Steering Committee for the reconstruction of the Square in Goderich.

#47 Gillian Gallow / August 4, 2018 by Michael Kruse

Gillian Gallow was a designer right out of the gates. Before finishing her degree at York University, she was already assisting at the Stratford Festival, and had cut her teeth at our favourite summertime haunt: Blyth. Gillian and I discuss her early career and take on design, and her recent work on the Canadian Opera Company remount of the Harry Somers opera Lous Riel. Gillian and I spoke in July of 2017.

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