[Covid] made me sensitive to think and see beyond the obvious. It made me face fear and transform it. It made me want to come back to theatre to take the space that for years has been only been given and allowed to a certain sector of the population. It made me want to work towards taking on more leadership roles in our community. It made me sensitive to the work that needs to be done in order to achieve equity

I was given some incredible opportunities to film performances for online streaming. Highlights being a Christmas concert for Stratford Summer Music filmed at the beautiful Knox Church in downtown Stratford, and filming my cabaret “Voice of a Preacher’s Son” on the Stratford Festival stage for their upcoming series “Up Close and Musical” for stratfest@home

All I know of work in the theatre is coming together with a common, tangible purpose – to serve up a story that the audience can connect with. To share a piece of ourselves in the process and finishing the night with appreciation, there’s no other better job in the world.

Something else this pandemic has taught me is the fact I’m committed to this life of the artist in my soul and in my body. It’s the only thing I’ve ever really wanted and trained for. Now that I’m in the thick of my career, it’s going to take a lot more than a pandemic to get me to turn the corner and do something else.

I use the word ‘reflection’ or in French we use the word ‘ressourcement’: the idea of returning back to sources of inspiration. Covid has given us a lot of time to reflect, to take stock, and to contemplate and replenish our creativity as much as we can.

We’ve been glued to our phones, tablets, tvs, screens, books, and honestly, I’m not entirely ungrateful for that, if only because I have a feeling, once things are deemed safe enough, that people will truly want and appreciate the access to shared experiences again in live performance.

The uncertainty facing our industry has cast a big, looming shadow over my writing desk, and my focus has been even more scattered than it usually is. But once I really got going, the act of writing was very pleasurable.

Nothing can replace live theatre. There is a sanctity to what we do as theatre artists. People gather together to experience things that can’t otherwise be experienced – not unlike what happens in a church or synagogue. There’s an elevation, a nobility, and a feeling of sanctuary.

I am looking forward to all the new discoveries and the re-discoveries of theatre because let’s face it – when things were being performed in the amphitheater by daylight or moonlight many, many moons ago, that was the only lighting plot we had. We can’t let our advancements and concepts now surround the piece and the people get in the way, we can’t let this happen. We need to find new discoveries to do things in live performance.

I love the fact Hal Prince said theatre should spark curiosity. I think curiosity is the thing we need to build bridges in this time. When you can start to cultivate that in yourself with people who have radically different sets of beliefs than you do, you can be curious about them. You can begin to open doors and make those connections

Realistically it’s more like three to five years before theatre will come back. The majority of these theatre companies will produce less shows, smaller shows, less rehearsal time. They’ll be looking to pare down their costs because many of these companies are not supported by the government or external funding. They still have to continue paying their overhead and their staff to run so many areas.

“To be honest, everyday is a new day of discovery of what interests me and how I enjoy spending my time. Live theatre will be back. It will be different, but it will be back … I think that the best way to ride out this crisis is to continue working on your craft. It’s about staying ready and being flexible. And no matter what you are doing to make a living, never stop the imaginative work of the actor.”

“To the recent theatre graduates please jump on Digital Theatre train and educate yourself about technology and the creative opportunities it offers. On-line reality will be our reality for some time, and we must not let it disappear as an art form.”

“My advice (and the advice of many of the artists/actors I’ve interviewed) to aspiring actors is to STAY THE COURSE. Develop other skills if you are able during this time – a working knowledge of another language, perhaps?”

“There is this moment just before the final piece of production is added and I, as a producer, standing in the dark looking at the stage witnessing something new coming to life. Looking at all the people gathered there for the purpose of creating a new world. That belief that the new worlds are possible and that we can make them happen is something I strongly believe in…Nothing will ever be able to destroy that.”

“The break has allowed us time to ponder our place in society, our responsibility to the events happening around us, especially with regard to BIPOC conversations and inequities. There’s no going forward without more inclusivity and real change in all areas of production.”

“I’ve always tried to use anytime away from work to soak up whatever the world around me has to offer – so that I have raw material to use when I come back to work. I would think this is the perfect time for that – it’s an extraordinary time … and the theatre and work will come back.”

“I never get tired of being in the same room with a bunch of people who are all there for the same reason. They’re there to tell the story and together, in that big, beautiful room, Covid will never destroy my love of performing and telling a story.”

“The fire of creativity in me is burning hotter than it ever has…I was, somehow, able to preserve an ember to carry forward. I never really know quite how, but I know that I have an undeniable drive to survive. My creativity is at the centre of that flame.”

“Our show is particularly hit because of our direct contact with the audience’s clothes!!! Its been a hard one to pivot with. This is us doing the best we can and finding some joy and bringing some joy to “Sistering” in the process. Producing this reading has been like producing a play underwater…”