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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. 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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