Hello everyone and Happy Family Day! I've got a great interview to share with you today with playwright Nicolas Billon.

Nic’s literary vocation surfaced at the age of six, when he wrote and illustrated a story on index cards about a rampaging robot. He stapled the cards together and sold “Le Robot” to his mother for a tidy profit.

Today, his work is known for its challenging subject matter blended with humour, twists, and deep humanism.

The Elephant Song, Nic’s first play, premiered at the Stratford Festival in 2004; it has since been produced around the world and was made into a feature film in 2014. Several of his other plays, most notably Iceland and Butcher, have had major productions across Canada and internationally.

Accolades include a Governor-General’s Award for Drama, a Canadian Screen Award, and a Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Award.

Nic is a strong supporter of the serial comma and of Caryl Churchill’s adage that “Playwrights don't give answers, they ask questions.”

You can find Nic on Bluesky here: https://bsky.app/profile/nbwriter.com

If you'd like to hear Nic's Before You Go! episode, join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Welcome to Episode 12 of Season 2 of A View from the Box - The Podcast. I'm so thankful to have Kate Martin, who is not only currently performing in but is also associate directing Shakespeare BASH'd's current production "Troilus and Cressida"

Kate Martin is a theatre artist and educator raised in rural Saskatchewan and based in Toronto. Previously with Shakespeare BASH'd, she played Emilia in The Two Noble Kinsmen, Lorenzo in the staged reading of The Spanish Tragedy, Annabella in the staged reading of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, and was the assistant director for The Tragedy of King Lear. Elsewhere, Kate has performed with Young People's Theatre company and Crane Creations Theatre. She has been twice Dora-nominated within Outstanding Ensembles. Kate holds her BFA in Acting from Toronto Metropolitan University.

You can find Shakespeare BASH'd on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shakesbashd/

And you can find Kate at https://www.instagram.com/katemartin___/

If you'd like to hear Kate's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon here: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Welcome to Episode 11 of Season 2 of A View from the Box - The Podcast. I'm so excited to have Natalia Bushnik and Kathleen Welch back on the show to talk about their new Horror Theatre Festival "Dead of Winter"

Founded by Natalia Bushnik and Kathleen Welch in 2021, spindle collective formed through our shared passion in the telling of original, immersive, horror-theatre works. Based in what is colonially known as Toronto, we believe in working collaboratively in the space to create a cohesive world by interweaving storytelling devices and site-specific creation. Pulling inspiration from folklore around the world, we are committed to confronting the uncomfortable.

To learn more about the festival and snag what few tickets remain, click the link here: https://eldritchtheatre.ca/winter/

To hear Nat and Kat's Before You Go! episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Happy Holidays everyone! Welcome to Episode 9 of Season 2 of A View from the Box - The Podcast. Inspired by my appearance on Stageworthy's year end roundup, I wanted to do a little year-end review for A View from the Box - The Podcast! My guest is very special, it's my fiance Kyle!

Kyle has seen 57 out of the 146 shows I've seen this year, and we have a blast! We talk about some of our favourite shows from the year and what it's been like for Kyle to see so much theatre.

We hope that you have a safe and happy holidays, and hopefully you can get out and see a show! See you at the theatre!

Well hello there! And welcome to episode 8 of season 2 of A View from the Box - The Podcast. Today, my guest is Clyde Wagner of TO Live!

Clyde Wagner is the President and CEO of TO Live, one of Canada’s largest multi-arts organizations, which programs and operates three iconic civic institutions in Toronto: Meridian Hall, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, and Meridian Arts Centre. Appointed in 2017, Clyde has overseen the merger of all aspects of the three venues—which include seven theatres and an art gallery—into one entity as TO Live. He established a purpose-driven mission for the organization focused on inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, and has spearheaded a new strategic plan centered on building creative community hubs through TO Live’s venues in downtown and uptown Toronto. Clyde oversaw a historic naming rights partnership with Meridian, Ontario's largest credit union, that included an investment of $30.75 million over 15 years to TO Live—one of the largest agreements of its kind in the arts and culture community in Canada. An internationally accomplished producer, Clyde's previous experience includes Senior Producer, Park Avenue Armory (New York). He was the first Producer and General Manager for Luminato Festival Toronto and served as Executive Producer in charge of all production until leaving the organization to join TO Live. Clyde also founded a mobile tech startup and was an Associate Creative Director for eLUXURY.com, an ecommerce platform owned and launched by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) that was the largest luxury website at the time. Clyde received his MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and his BA from Queen's University.

You can find TO Live on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/TOLivebook

https://www.instagram.com/tolivegram/

https://www.tiktok.com/@tolivetok

If you'd like to see Clyde's Before You Go! Episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Hello everyone! Welcome to episode 7 of A View from the Box - The Podcast! I am thrilled to have been able to chat with one of my favourite performers, Virgilia Griffith.

Virgilia Griffith is an actor based in Toronto. Winner of the Meta Emerging Artist Award for Gas Girls by Donna Michelle St. Bernard. Winner of the Dora Mavor Moore awards for Outstanding Performance for Harlem Duet by Djanet Sears. She was also a Dora Mavor Moore nominee for Outstanding Female in an Independent Division for her performance of Honesty directed by Jordan Tannahill. Selected credits include: Shaw Festival 2025, Blues for an Alabama Sky and Murder-on-the-Lake, Rosmersholm (Crow's Theatre), Three Sisters (Obsidian theatre/Soulpepper Theatre, Our Place ( Cahoots/ Theatre Passé Muraille), Queen Goneril/ King Lear ( Soulpepper Theatre Company), Serving Elizabeth (Stratford Festival), 21 Black Futures (Obsidian Theatre Company/CBC Gem), Contractions (Studio 180), Guarded Girls ( Tarragon Theatre/ Greenlight Arts), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ( Soulpepper Theatre), The Wedding Party ( Crow's Theatre), Other Side of the Game (Cahoots/ Obsidian Theatre), Da Kink In My Hair ( Theatre Calgary/ Nac), Up The Garden Path ( Obsidian Theatre).

If you'd like to hear Virgilia's Before You Go! Episode, you can join my Patreon at: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Hello everyone! Welcome to episode 6 of season 2 of A View from the Box - The Podcast! I'm excited to share with you my conversation with Heather Marie Annis!

Heather is a Toronto based actor, playwright, clown, therapeutic clown and Blue Jays fan. She is Morro of the award winning comedy dup Morro and Jasp and Co-Artistic Director of Up Your Nose and In Your Toes Productions. She will be appearing in Theatre Gargantua's upcoming production of Dissonant Species.

You can find Heather on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/heathermarieannis/

If you'd like to hear Heather's Before You Go! Episode, become one of my Patrons on Patreon: https://patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox