Ronnie is one of Canada’s foremost theatre artists, credited with creating some of the world’s most elaborate and provocative puppetry. Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes was formed in 1986, continuously playing to great critical and public acclaim on Canada’s major stages, and as a guest company on numerous international tours abroad.

Among Ronnie’s many awards as playwright, actor and designer, are the 2009 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre and The Herbert Whittaker Drama Bench Award for outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre.

International acclaim has included the Village Voice Obie Award, the GLAAD Award for Outstanding Theater, four Citations of Excellence in the Arts of Puppetry from the American Center of the Union Internationale de la Marionette.

In 2019 Ronnie was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2024 he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre. He is the recipient of the Emmy Award for Excellence in Puppetry.

To learn more and to discover Ronnie’s full professional biography, check him out at johnlambert.ca.

Currently Co-Artistic Director of Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Avery has an extensive resume as an actor both in Canada and beyond.

In Canada, Avery’s performed in Guys & Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard and Little Shop of Horrors.

Internationally, Avery was seen in Man of La Mancha, Candide, Pirates of Penzance and The Pajama Game among many others.

Thanks to Zieglerwealth.com -- and continued thanks to all those who help, and have helped, to keep Life in Stages moving forward since our launch exactly one year ago, I'm thrilled to introduce you to this season's sponsor -- and Life in Stage's first season sponsor, in fact: http://Zieglerwealth.com, owned by Tim Zeigler, contacted me during Season 2 with his generous offer to support the podcast. That he found me without my having to figure out how/where sponsors hide out, is all the more delightful.

Introducing each of my guests is one of the challenges coordinating the roster for Life in Stages. The artists who accept my invitation to sit down and talk about their professional and personal stories represent the finest artists in the country. Each background is rich, varied, intriguing.

Jimmy Mezon is no exception — in fact, his depth and range are nothing short of intimidating. And I’ve had the good fortune to see him play in as wide a range of theatrical styles as one can imagine. There’s nothing he cannot do and, in fact, has not done.

A foundational presence at the Shaw Festival has included roles in St. Joan, The Madness of King George, The Intellectual Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism, Faith Healer, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Pygmalion, Nothing Sacred, The Seagull and Translations.

His performance in Picnic remains a standout for me - a role that played against so many strong, powerful characters that have dominated his stage career.

Film and television credits include Workin’ Moms, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries, Passchendaele, Road to Avonlea and Dieppe.

Joel Greenberg has an announcement to make regarding a third season of Life in Stages.

Welcome to the final episode in Series 2 – but please note that Series 3 is on its way.

This week, our guest host is Jody Howze. I met Jody in the mid-80’s when she was a student in the Theatre Programme at Humber College and I was the Programme Director. After graduating from Humber, Jody performed in several professional productions that I directed.

Our friendship has continued as we’ve followed different paths, and since launching Life in Stages, Jody has provided many insights about the project. At the same time, she has asked many questions that attest to her careful attention to all my guests’ conversations.

Rather than restricting Jody’s comments and questions to our one-on-one chats, I invited her to step into the Host chair for this episode. I can’t think of a more fitting way to conclude Series 2.

Robert Thomson may be among the busiest and most sought-after actors in the country. “May”? Change that to ‘Is”.

His list of accomplishments is as long as it is varied, which is to say that it’s mighty long. Theatre, film, television – he has mastered them all, and his commitment has taken him behind the scenes of projects that are fueled by a passion with no restraint.

In our conversation, you’ll also learn that Robert’s career extends well beyond performing and engages with timely social and political causes. It’s no back handed compliment to add that Robert is among the most Canadian of personalities that I’ve had the very good fortune to have met and to have worked with. Listen to all that he has to say in Episode 26 – this is time very well spent.

Seana is yet one more guest whose professional resume approaches the magnitude of an anthology. It’s entirely accurate to say that she has done just about everything that one can imagine an actor accomplishing. Trained at the National Theatre School, Seana has played every major theatre in the country, has added film and television to her credits, and has achieved star status in a country that too often prides itself as a country with no star system at all. I think that Seana puts a lie to that tiresome boast.