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Congratulations to the Blyth
Festival on the opening of
their 24th Season
PAGE 16. SETTING THE STAGE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1998.
Glen Gould has always been ready to perform
Glen Gould: the name is real,
but it gets lots of attention.
By Allison Lawlor
Growing up on a reserve
outside of Sydney, N.S.,
Glen Gould was always
ready to put on a show for anyone
who would watch.
This summer audiences in Blyth
can see Glen perform' in Wilbur
County Blues by Andrew Moodie.
Glen plays Kevin, a native man
with a dry sense of humour. Glen
said he likes the character but
hopes to expand the types of
characters he plays.
"I'd like to play someone who
isn't native," he said. So far in his
The week before he graduated
from George Brown Theatre
School Jason landed the role
of Bob Ramsey in Yesteryear by
Joanna McClelland Glass.
At 23, Jason Rumley is one of the
youngest members of the acting
company at the Blyth Festival this
season. He is excited to be making
his theatrical debut at Blyth.
"The stage description of Bob
Ramsey is practically me. I'm the
kid next door," said Jason.
Bob Ramsey is a wide-eyed,
eager kid who makes people laugh
throughout the play with his goofy,
naivity.
While Jason is happy to have the
opportunity to play Bob in
Yesteryear, he knows he is going to
have to work hard throughout his
career to avoid being typecast as the
boy next door.
"I think it's a credit to any actor
to play a character who is not like
them," said Jason., "I have to work
so hard to be a jerk, or to be evil.
I'm basically a nice guy."
Jason grew up in Oshawa. He
wanted to be like his father, a
certified mechanic. His dream was
to one day own a machine shop. All
that changed in high school when
his sister suggested he try acting
because he had the ability to make
people laugh.
"I didn't want to do it but
everyone kept pushing me. The
first play I was in was magical, it
changed my life."
Jason continued to act throughout
high school. One night a producer
from YTV came to see a show he
was in, he was impressed and asked
Jason to audition.
Jason's next move was to Toronto
where he appeared as PJ Jason on
YTV. He also made hosting
appearances on TVOntario,
career Glen hasn't played a non-
native character. "I've done a
couple of roles where I've had to
run around in loin cloths," he
laughed.
The grandson of the former
Chief of the Micmac nation Glen
grew up with a deep respect for his
culture. Glen's first
language is Micmac. He spoke
English in school but dropped out
at the end of Grade eight.
It was a strange twist of fate that
landed Glen a role as an extra in a
National Film Board movie based
on the book Justice Denied.
Glen's uncle, Donald Marshall
Jr., is the widely publicized Nova
Scotian man who was falsely
convicted of a murder and spent 11
years in jail.
Glen, along with some of his
relatives got parts in the movie.
Glen liked working on the film and
in the winter of 1991, he
announced to his parents he was
heading to Toronto to try to make
it as an actor.
In Toronto he got his first role
with a native theatre company
called, De-ba-jeh-mu-jia. A year
later his life drastically changed.
He was working at Theatre New
Brunswick with the Young
Company when his parents were
killed in a head-on collision on
their way to see him perform. One
of Glen's sisters was in the car and
survived.
"I draw a lot of strength from my
sister. She is my inspiration."
It took a long time for Glen to
heal emotionally from the tragedy,
but when he did he headed back to
Toronto where he appeared on
MuchMusic and CTV.
"The TV job was fun. But during
my high school years I fell in love
with theatre."
In addition to his role in
Yesteryear, Jason will be working
with the Young Company at Blyth.
After the summer, Jason said he
will most likely return to Toronto
where most of his friends are. But
he has dreams of going on to act in
Jason Rumley: playing the kid
next door in Yesteryear.
television in Forever Knight and
other theatre shows.
In 1996, Glen decided to go west
to Vancouver. There he performed
at the Arts Club Theatre, Firehall
Productions and made a guest
appearance on CBC's North of 60.
In Vancouver, he now works
with Youth Services Canada in an
aboriginal, youth theatre group.
Many of the people he works with
are recovering drug addicts or live
on the street. Glen said he likes
While attending a
performing arts high
school in Toronto,
Michael Blake played Paul for
three seasons on the television
series, Degrassi Junior High.
At 18, he left school for a year to
work as a music reporter on YTV
Rocks! His job was to interview
bands and write music reviews.
Although the job was great, he said
it was stressful working with
people 10 years older.
After years in the acting business
Michael Blake is ready to hone his
skills and go back to school. Only
25, Michael has been acting and
singing professionally for six years.
He will be playing 15-year-old
Gabe in Wilbur County Blues by
Andrew Moodie this season at the
Blyth Festival.
"When I found out they wanted a
15-year-old, I didn't think I fit the
part."
Michael said the role will be
challenging because Gabe is so
much younger, but above all he
said he wants to have fun doing it.
In September, Michael is going
to study acting at the National
Theatre School in Montreal, where
he can get more classical training.
Michael has been performing
since he was a kid. At the age of six
he was singing soprano at Massey
Hall in Toronto.
Last seen in Jacob Two Two's
First Spy Case at Young People's
Theatre, Michael's other credits
include musicals and film: Top
Cops, Due South and a leading part
in the feature-length movie,
National Lamppon's Senior Trip.
The movie itself, he said is horrible,
but the filming of it was fun.
Michael's big disappointment last
Year was not getting a role in Rent.
He got eight call-backs for the
show and thought he had it. Not
Tech crew makes
the magic. work
working with underprivileged
teenagers.
This winter Glen toured Nova
Scotia with Crow's Theatre.
"Everybody asks me if Glen
Gould is my stage name," he said.
"It's not, I was born with the name.
Having the name has helped me.
People say, there's this native guy
his name is..."
Glen's wife and two young
children will be at the opening
night of Wilbur County Blues.
getting the part is one of the
reasons he wants to be in school.
Michael Blake: back to school
Jason Rumley captured first
role while still in school
Continued from Pg. 15 /
This season Matt will be working
with: Colleen Babcock, wardrobe
assistant; Ian Chappell, head
carpenter; Tony Clark, production
assistant; Jennifer Li, props; Doug
Morum, sound; Ken Reckahn,
lighting; Lisa Ruelling, scenic
artist; Ben Sandford, assistant
carpenter; and lighting designers
Bonnie Beecher and Lesley
Wilkinson.
Degrassi star turns to stage