Ross is a theatre activist par excellence. He is an actor, director, and translator, and the founding Artistic Director of Volcano. Volcano specializes in projects that explore compelling social and artistic territories in innovative ways. His over 20 shows for Volcano have earned over 43 Dora nominations, 13 Dora wins and 2 Governor General Award nominations. His shows won “Best of Edinburgh” Award, a Scotsman Fringe First Award (Edinburgh), the NOW People’s Choice Award (Toronto), The Dublin International Fringe Best Design Award and a Chalmers National Play Award. Ross said to PuSh Festival’s Managing Director Roxanne Duncan in her interview Preparing a Century of Song 2016,“The trust that evolves in collaborating with a team over many years is enormous. And because so much of what we do is experimental, and often quite fragile, trust helps us make the right decisions.” I’ve always found him to be kind, helpful and enthusiastic

Seana is one of Canada’s best actresses and one of my favourites. To use the phrase “her credits are too numerous to list” is to use it literally. Here are some: at Stratford, Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth, Portia, Viola, Cordelia, Juliet, and the first female Richard III (2011) and Julius Caesar (2018). Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Grand Theatre, London); Blanche in Streetcar Named Desire (Theatre New Brunswick); Eliza in Pygmalion and Candida (Shaw Festival); Medea and Hedda Gabler (Manitoba Theatre Centre).  She has been awarded three Dora Mavor Moore Awards for her performances in Saint Joan (Theatre Plus), Orpheus Descending (Mirvish/RMTC), and for directing Valley Song (New Globe); a Jessie Richardson Award for Wit (Vancouver Playhouse); and a Genie for Hanging Garden. She has an Honorary MFA in Acting, and Doctor of Sacred Letters from Trinity College, University of Toronto; an Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal; and is a member of the Order of Canada.

During the Second World War (1939-1945) Michael was in a prisoner of war camp for five years. After the war he joined the theatre and began directing and running theatres in Britain. Langham was the second artistic director at the Stratford Festival in Canada from 1956 to 1967, and he directed 38 productions over a 53 year association with Stratford. He was the third artistic director of the Guthrie Theater from 1971 to 1977. He was also director of the Juilliard School from 1979 to 1982, and again from 1987 to 1992. In 1995 he directed two plays for the inaugural season of the Atlantic Theatre Festival in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. I had the good fortune to be directed by him at that Festival in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Years later, Michael was very courteous to have lunch with me and his wife Helen Burns. I told him I was teaching in London, and he replied, “You’re very brave.” We all mourned his death.

Those of us graduating from The National Theatre School of Canada in the early seventies looked up to many actors including Ken Welsh. A 1965 graduate of The School, Ken spent seven years on the Stratford stage playing many roles including Hamlet. That work made a big impression on us. He played at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, where he received the Joseph Jefferson best actor award in 1977. He then made his Broadway debut in The Inspector General in 1978. His career includes a long list of film and TV credits including Twin Peaks, Empire Inc., The Aviator, Stargate Atlantis, Hiroshima. In 2003, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. He won his third of five Gemini Awards in 1990 for his performance as convicted killer Colin Thatcher in the TV movie Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher (1989), the first Canadian production ever to top the US Nielsen ratings. I acted with Ken in the 1970s and recently had the opportunity again in Compton Manor. Ken, you've made a lasting contribution to our arts community.

Jonathan is the first actor I coached. We met in Wolfville, Nova Scotia both being directed by Michael Langham. He was moving to Toronto and wanted some on-camera coaching. Jonathan now has a successful film, TV and stage career and has directed three short films. A good friend and colleague. Congratulations to Jonathan Watton for appearing in Cronenberg's MAP TO THE STARS at Cannes!

Marie-Claire has taken my acting classes, written a successful Ontario Arts Council grant for me, produced a web series I acted in and has been a close colleague for 15 years. An actor, playwright and translator Marie‑Claire Marcotte has been nominated for the Dora, Jessie and SATA awards, and has performed at many Francophone theatres across the country. Co-Founder at She Said Films. Co-Creator of “Running With Violet”. Her plays have been staged by La Troupe du Jour (Saskatoon), at various Toronto festivals, at Zones Théâtrales, and at Théâtre Action’s Feuilles Vives. Her play Peau, published by Éditions l’Interligne in 2016, won Théâtre Action’s Jeanne-Sabourin Prize. Best wishes for continued success.

Teaching at the Yale School of Drama was a terrific experience for me. Both because it was the first on-camera classes ever held at the school and the students were some of the best I've ever worked with. Kathryn Hahn was a member of one of the classes I taught and she was an excellent student. Her very successful career includes - Parks and Recreation, Afternoon Delight, Transparent, Free Agents – as just some of her credits. We send our congratulations to her for her continued fine work.

An actor, comedian and writer based in Toronto. We have done a ton of practice together over the last 15 years. Jill is a serious performer and an excellent student. She practices ‘properly’. “...A kitten at times, while also being as scary as a gargoyle at others”: these are the words Mooney on theatre used to describe Jill (as Shadow in 'Burying Toni'). Jill is a member of the Second City company. She wrote her one person show “No Place” which received NOW Magazine’s “Outstanding Performance”. A hard working woman who has contributed lots to the performing arts scene and we wish her many more years of doing the same.

She attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours, Dean's List) from Ryerson University's Theatre: Performance Dance program and is an alumna of Norman Jewison's prestigious Actor's Conservatory program at the Canadian Film Centre. From our first work together in on-camera acting class at Ryerson to today we have been like minded in practice and theory. Her support and collaboration led to the Tips & Insights book. Lead roles in these features are some of her work: Bordello, Perpetual Motion, Galentine’s Day Nightmare, Charity, Beginner’s Luck. The key to Camille’s success has been the continuing development of her outlook and method of work.

Dwain Murphy took my first mini-intensive in 2013 and he’s followed my work closely since then. Dwain has a successful acting career and his work includes Diggstown, Utopia Falls, The Book of Negroes. Congrats!

Vanessa is a Canadian actor and writer, perhaps best known for playing Michio in The Expanse. When she's not in space, she can be seen on Hudson & Rex, Mrs. America, Designated Survivor, and Murdoch Mysteries. She writes her own one-woman shows including 'In Case We Disappear' which has been successfully put up in Toronto, NYC, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Vanessa and I have been in the acting class practicing for many years and her improvement is evidence of what can be done with deliberate practice. A funny and talented performer – best to you.

Dion took my Intensives and acting classes over a few years. He is one of the most prepared and hard-working actors I’ve known. He practices his craft continuously. Film and stage roles abound. JULIUS CAESAR, Groundling Theatre/Crow's Theatre, Brutus; KING LEAR, Broadway, Cort Theatre, Duke of Albany; THE ROYALE, Soulpepper Theatre, Jay Jackson; RED VELVET, Chicago Shakespeare TheatreIra Aldridge; CORIOLANUS, Red Bull Theatre (Off-Broadway), Coriolanus. SWEET MAGNOLIAS, A FAMILY CHRISTMAS, GIFT, CANADIAN STRAIN, A SCRATCH IN MY SOUL, STAR FALLS, FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES,TIES THAT BIND. Best to you Dion for many more years of great work.

Let’s start with some of his film and TV credits. Awake, The Retreat, Killjoys, The Silencing, Titans, 16 Blocks, Blindness, Bitten, Hannibal. We have been student/teacher, colleagues and friends for over 20 years. A graduate of The National Theatre School Patrick played roles from Shakespeare’s canon at Stratford, Shakespeare by the Sea, Oakville Shakespeare Summer Festival. He was a big part of the successful project Centre for the Arts in teaching at the Film Camp for Teens, running play reading sessions, and assisting the running of the Centre. Patrick is an example of what Canada can produce of high quality and excellence.

I first coached Joslyn over twenty years ago. We have a deep respect for each other’s work and there is a thread that binds us. She comes from big artistic genes and has made her big artistic mark. As a Director at Poor House Pictures she wrote and directed the films The Crack Mansion, The Living Room and The Chickenman and is a reviewer for Blood in the Snow Film Festival. She helped create and acted in two plays: The Stranger and The Invisible City at Toronto’s Fringe Festival. Joslyn appeared in the TV series Man Seeking Woman. A woman with a huge, sensitive heart. Congrats!!

My colleague and friend is one of Ireland’s best designers. Trained with a four-year Visual Art scholarship to the National College of Art & Design, Dublin. Awarded the Richard DiMarco Touring Bursary. Awarded the Robert Smithson Memorial Scholarship at Brooklyn Museum Art School, New York. He designed for the theatre for many years working at The Abbey Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, in the West End and on Broadway. Did art direction on such films as ‘The Field’, ‘Far And Away’, ‘Da’ ‘A Man Of No Importance’ among others. Now a visual artist recognized and sold at all the major exhibitions and galleries in Ireland. Frank has his head on straight and has always put his efforts into his work never trying to become famous. We met and worked on a Centaur Theatre award-winning production of ‘Juno and the Paycock.’ Sláinte chugat Frank!

We remember.

One of Canada’s most prolific TV and film directors George directed episodes for Road to Avonlea, Street Legal, SCTV, Adderley, The Campbells, E.N.G., The Outer Limits, Lonesome Dove, Fraggle Rock and Due South to literally name a few. After graduating from McGill University he taught at the newly formed National Theatre School of Canada. He then joined the National Film Board of Canada where he worked for a number of years. He was an ‘actor’s director’ and if a dispute came up between a producer and an actor George always took the side of the actor. George always assisted emerging talent in the film world and delivered workshops for teens at the Film Camp for Teens at Centre for the Arts. Much loved by all who worked with him - he is now sorely missed.

We remember.

He was my colleague at the drama school at Ryerson University for sixteen years and we acted in a landmark Centaur Theatre production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme.

On April 16 Ian died of cancer and we mourn his untimely death.

Ian was an expert teacher of Shakespeare’s text. Passionate, devoted and a man committed to actor training. His teaching credits are long and varied including the National Theatre School of Canada, the Stratford Festival’s Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre, George Brown Theatre School and more.

An accomplished actor, Ian performed in many of Canada’s theatres. He was invited by Stratford Festival Artistic Director John Hirsch to join the company as an actor in 1984. Over four seasons, Ian appeared in such roles as the Young Collector in A Streetcar Named Desire, Luce in Knight of the Burning Pestle, Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Martius in Titus Andronicus, and Silvius in As You Like It.

He assisted so many actors and his devotion to the work remains in them. We honour his life and work.

He’s made a success in the performing arts here in Toronto in sketch comedy, commercials, film and TV. That alone is worth some trumpets, bunting and banners! Always bright and eager in his work and aware and practices the way of study, work, study. Did it hard with me for seven or eight years. When we had our community arts centre for seven years he participated in the work of Centre for the Arts, appreciated the atmosphere where we weren’t ‘selling anything, and or buying anything’. He liked the collective method that we were building at the Centre. Jameson is well liked and respected wherever he goes in town. Jameson has really followed that hard road from theatre school graduate to known working-actor. An honest man, Jameson brings that to all the performing he does. Long may he continue to do so!!

We remember.

A consummate actor. An actor’s actor. Janet had a long career that included ``The Perfect Storm,'' opposite George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg. Affiliated with the Vancouver Arts Club Theater since …

A graduate of Ryerson Polytechnical Institute Joan became a cinematographer with work featured in over 36 films. She was one of Canada's first woman cinematographers and is the first woman to be …