HomeMy WebLinkAboutSetting The Stage, 1998-06-24, Page 35Passe Muraille's 1998-99
mainstage season.
"It's easier to write for the
theatre now that I have acted.
Whatever I write I want it to be fun
and interesting for the actor."
This spring Michael had a
featured part in The End of
Civilization at the Factory Theatre
in Toronto. The show was
extended because of its popularity.
Michael lives in Toronto.
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SET77NG THE STAGE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1998. PAGE 11.
When you want a good role, write it yourself
Ross Manson went to
university to. become a
doctor, along the way he
changed his plans.
During his years at Mount
Allison University in Sackville,
N.B. he performed in and directed
school productions. He decided the
natural thing to do after graduation
would be to study theatre direction.
Ross chose the University of
London, England where he could
get training that was both academic
and practical. Although Ross liked
London, he decided to return home
after completing his masters degree.
Compared with London's active
theatre scene Canada seemed
culturally unsophisticated.
"In Canada there is more interest
in hockey than there is in theatre,
especially outside of the big cities,"
he said.
After returning to Canada he
spent a summer in Newfoundland
working at the Stephenville Festival
and then two summers at the Banff
Centre for the Arts in the musical
theatre program. In 1986, he moved
to Toronto. Five years later, Ross
spent a year in Germany as a
theatre apprentice. It was an
exchange organized in part by the
Ontario government.
"The experience changed my
career," he said. "Up until then I
had mostly acted in big theatres
across the country. I hadn't done
any experimental work or any
directing."
Shortly after returning to Toronto
Ross started up his own directing
By Allison Lawlor
Audiences can look forward
to something out of the
ordinary when they sit
down in the Garage theatre this
summer to watch Michael Healey
perform in his own play, Kicked.
"You'll leave feeling and
thinking something different than
you're used to," said Healey.
Michael started writing the one-
man show in 1991. He first
performed it in 1996 at the Toronto
Fringe Festival. Since then it has
travelled to Australia and will soon
be performed at the Edinburgh
Fringe. The play is nominated for a
Chalmers Canadian Playwriting
Award.
When Michael is not writing he
is acting. The 34-year-old has a
couple of Dora nominations for
best actor for his roles in The
League of Nathans and Unsettling
Accounts.
Back for his second season at
Blyth, Michael will also be
appearing in Yesteryear by Joanna
Ross Manson: Medicine's loss
is theatre's gain.
company called Volcano. Since
then, directing has become his
pursuit. Acting he said, pays the
rent.
Ross is interested in directing
because it gives him the
opportunity to build projects from
the ground up. He likes to
incorporate different mediums in
the plays he directs. He works with
words, dance, music and design.
This summer Ross is performing
in Yesteryear and Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!
Ross' girlfriend, Kate Alton, is also
in Blyth for the summer. She is a
professional dancer and will be
performing in the Garage Theatre at
the end of the summer.
McClelland Glass and Wilbur
County Blues by Andrew Moodie.
Michael appeared in the 1995
production of Jakes's Place at the
Blyth Festival.
Success hasn't always come
easily for Michael. After
graduating from Ryerson Theatre
School in 1985, finding work was
difficult.
"I looked like a 45-year-old in
my 20s, so it was hard for directors
to cast me."
To try something different,
Michael decided to return to his
hometown of Brockville, Ont., to
write a novel. He quickly realized
he didn't have the patience to write
fiction so he turned his attention to
theatre.
His novel was never published
but he hasn't forgotten about it. He
hopes to use the material in the
book on a future project.
Michael has a lot of new
projects on the go right now. One
project is a CBC radio drama, the
other is a play called, The Drawer
Boys which is part of Theatre
`Hot Flashes' stage
manager gets plenty
of country air
this summer
Lynn McQueen can't wait to
spend her summer outside of the
city.
Lynn will be stage managing
Hot Flashes as it travels
throughout Ontario to different
summer theatres. It arrives at the
Garage, July 24.
In her 10-year career as stage
manager Lynn has worked with
Centaur Theatre, Eastern Front,
Theatre Direct, Neptune Theatre
and others.
She recently moved to Toronto.
Michael Healey: returns to
Blyth as actor, playwright.
Medical career sidelined
by call of the stage