Tag Archives: Winnipeg

Melanie Doane: Singer, Songwriter

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Melanie Doane, Interview, Podcast, Keith Tomasek An accomplished singer, songwriter, musician, and performer Melanie Doane has appeared on Broadway and stages across North America.

Melanie Doane has released seven albums & written and performed many chart topping singles (“Adam’s Rib”, “Goliath”, “Still Desire You”, etc.).

Her music has been featured on hit television shows such as Brothers and Sisters, Being Erica, Flashpoint, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

As well as performing, Melanie uses the ukulele to introduce young children to musicianship. She’s following in the footsteps of her father, J.Chalmers Doane, a celebrated music education legend.

Doane’s relationship to music is intertwined with her sense of community. Her parents love of, and respect for, music and it’s place in the family home, has infused Melanie with a truly collaborative spirit.

Links from the Podcast
Melanie Doane.com
J. Chalmers Doane
Burton Cummings
The National Theatre of Great Britain’s “War Horse.”

Melanie’s music video “The Stupider I Am.”

Ukulele in the classrom

Melanie on the TV show I produced “Open Mike with Mike Bullard.”

Sandy Jobin-Bevans: Actor, Improvisor

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Actor, improviser and writer Sandy Jobin-Bevans discusses his journey as an actor – everything from his early days at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival to his invitation to audition for TV’s “Saturday Night Live” and more.

Sandy has won multiple awards at The Canadian Comedy Awards. He trained and performed at Toronto’s Second City and was a founding member of the improv group Slap Happy, the first Canadian ensemble ever invited to perform at an international improv festival in Amsterdam.

I first met Sandy when he was with the Winnipeg-based improv group The Brave New Weasles.

The group consisted of Ken Cuperas, Sandy Jobin Bevans, Matt Kippen and Ron Moore.

Here’s a program from the group’s first Fringe show.

These days Sandy is busy working as an actor and writer.

In the podcast we discuss his path to success: he left Winnipeg, where he was a big fish in a small pond, and arrived in Toronto with nothing but talent and dreams.

Links in the Show
Royal Flush Improv at The Blyth Festival
The Winnipeg Fringe Festival
Second City
Penn Jillette talks about Dean Martin on The Nerdist Podcast
Bill & Sons Towing
Dave Thomas’ Production Company
Life With Boys – YTV
Deal With IT – W Netowrk

Jay Brazeau: Actor

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How many people can say they’ve worked with Mordecai Richler and Pattie Mallette, Justin Bieber’s mother?

They are just two of the people who’ve worked with Jay Brazeau.

Jay’s an accomplished stage and film actor, with a long list of credits. He’s appeared in numerous TV shows but fantasy-action fans recognize him from his appearances on “Stargate Atlantis.”

Mordecai Richler cast Brazeau in “Duddy,” a musical based on Richler’s “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.”

He’s won a Pittsburgh Press Critic’s Award for his performance as Cyrano and critical acclaim for his portrayal of Edna Turnblad in the Toronto and Vancouver productions of “Hairspray.”

We talk about all of the above, but I was particularly interested in Jay’s work with the creative, animated film makers in Winnipeg. Jay was the male voice in animated short film “The Big Snit,” which was nominated for an Oscar award and voted number 25 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by animation professionals.

The Big Snit by Richard Condie, National Film Board of Canada

Links in the Show
Stargate Atlantis
Rick Chafe