Life in Stages with Joel Greenberg

Ian considers himself extremely fortunate to have been able to play leading roles on every major stage (large and small) from coast to coast. A member of both Stratford and Shaw Festival companies, he also played the title role of The Foreigner, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, returning to appear in Studio 180s acclaimed production of Stuff Happens. Ian took his own sketch comedy show, A Collection of British Rubbish, across western Canada and to the Bradford Centre in Boston, where it also received a Broadway option. He is probably best remembered on television for his role as White Sands owner, Simon Tremayne, in the series “Road to Avonlea”. Additionally, he has had major series roles in 7 other series, including Terrence Barnsworth, in “The Associates” and Dr Pierce in “Little Men”. He has also guest starred in over 70 productions, including “Schitt’s Creek”, “The Accused”, “The Arrow”, and multiple episodes of “Murdoch Mysteries”.His film career started with “Equus” and was followed by 18 other features, including “32 Short Films About Glenn Gould”, “Lillies”, “Georgetown” and “The Apprentice”.In his own words, “He lives quietly in Kingston with his family.”

Brenda is a multi-award-winning actor, experienced in theatre, film and television. Among her many stage credits, Brenda includes “The Children” (Belfry Theatre, BC), “Escaped Alone” and “Noises Off” (Soulpepper Theatre), “August Osage County” (Citadel Theatre), “Doubt” (Centaur Theatre) and “Celimare” (Shaw Festival). These are but a very few of the very many.Film and television credits include “Heartland”, “Man Seeking Woman”, “The Firm”, “Wonderland”, “Foolish Heart” and “Cagney and Lacey”. Again, these are but a very few.Brenda has a great deal more to add to this thumbnail sketch, so be sure to listen to her conversation with me during Season 4.

Michael Rubenfeld is a Canadian-Polish theatre artist, actor, playwright, director, and producer whose work bridges North America and Europe, engaging deeply with history, identity, and performance. Born in Winnipeg and a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Rubenfeld has built a wide-ranging career on stages across Canada, the United States, and Europe.Acting credits include the Canadian and US premieres of “Our Class”, “Disgraced”, Angels in America” and “The Comedy of Errors”. He is co-founder of Selfconscious Productions, through which he co-created “The Book of Judith” and “We Keep Coming Back”, I collaboration with Sarah Garton Stanley. Michael was Artistic producer of the Summerworks Performance Festival, from 2008-2016, where he produced and presented more than 300 new works and supported generations of emerging and established artists.Rubenfeld’s practice is defined by a commitment to asking difficult questions about memory, responsibility, inheritance, and belonging, using theatre as a space where personal history and collective reckoning collide.Michael currently lives in Warsaw.

Norm Foster is a highly produced Canadian playwright known for accessible, funny and heartwarming comedies like “The Melville Boys”, “The Foursome” and “On A First Name Basis”. His plays often feature everyday people and relationships. Foster has written eighty-eight plays to date and has been Canada’s most prolific and most produced playwright for decades. In 2016, Foster was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Deb and I met about 25 years ago when we were both working on the Canadian premiere of “The Laramie Project”, the production that launched Studio 180 Theatre. And during its subsequent run the following year, at Buddies, Deb returned to the company. Additional stage credits include “Steel Magnolias” (Capitol Theatre), “The Curious Incident…” (YES Theatre), “Doubt” (BNE Theatre), “The Penelopiad” (The Grand), “”Parfumerie” (Soulpepper) and “Innocence Lost” (Blyth Festival).Film and television credits include “The Boys/ Season 5”, “Murdoch Mysteries”, Station Eleven”, “The Good Witch”, “Cracked”, “A History of Violence”, “This is Wonderland” “11th Hour” and “The Man in the Attic”.Apart from her many professional credits, I can add that Deb has what is, perhaps, the industry’s most infectious laugh.

Lucy just completed her 38th season at the Stratford Festival and was the recipient of the Stratford Festival Legacy Award in 2023.She has played in over 85 productions at Stratford and has performed in approximately 45 Shakespeare plays including Lady Macbeth in last season's Macbeth directed by Robert Lepage. Throughout her 40-year career she has journeyed through the stories of Ophelia, Rosalind, Viola, Portia, Helena, Desdemona, Titania, Beatrice, Volumnia, Queen Elizabeth, Cymbeline, Gwendolyn, Duchess of Malfi, Masha, Mary Stuart, and Satan. She has explored the leading roles in The Goat, Three Tall Women, All My Sons, Private Lives, Hello Dolly!, The King and I, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, Les Belles Sours, her critically acclaimed one woman show, The Blonde the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, and very much enjoyed her 2-year sold-out run of her cabaret Late Night with Lucy at the Studio Theater in Stratford. A 4th generation classical actress, Lucy was born in England, grew up in Montreal and the Eastern Townships, is a graduate of the National Theater School, and has performed across Canada and in New York.

Linda began her professional career at Second City (Toronto) where she performed, directed and conducted workshops. She has appeared in and directed many plays, films and television shows throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Russia and New Zealand.Stage credits include her work with the Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Aquarius, Studio 180 Theatre and Theatre Calgary, among many others.Television includes “Seinfeld”, “Fargo”, “Third Rock from the Sun”, “Everyone Loves Raymond”, “Monk”, “Degrassi”, “Sweet Z” and “Sisters”.Film credits include “Waiting for Guffman”, “Best in Show”, “Cinderella Man”, and 3 “Ernest” movies.Animation credits include “Paw Patrol”, “Thomas the Tank, “Cat in the Hat”, “Madeline” and “Fugged About “It”.Directing credits include Colin Mochrie in “HYPROV” (Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Festival) and a season of “Love It or Lose It”.Linda is probably best known as the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Angel (a campaign that ran for over 26 years) – and for all this (and more) her proudest work-to-date is her fabulous, blended family.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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.

Paul juggles a career as playwright and actor with effortless dexterity. Having trained at the National Theatre School, Paul understands the value of being both on and offstage, although as a playwright it can be fairly argued that he is as present as anyone, maybe even more so. Paul’s capacity to move between classical and new work is further proof of a natural affinity for stages of all kinds. Many seasons at Stratford have included roles such as Bottom, Lancelot Gobbo and Donalbain. Elsewhere, Paul has worked with Factory Theatre (Toronto), National Arts Centre, Centaur Theatre (Montreal), Tarragon Theatre and the Citadel Theatre (Edmonton). Playwright credits include The Gay Heritage Project, High Gravel Blind and Offensive Shadows.