firecracker

With her wealth of experience as an actor, writer, improviser, and now a director, Vanessa Matsui always finds time to look back and thank her younger self for having the gumption and bravery to take chances. By stumbling through her experience creating, writing, directing, and acting in the award winning series Ghost BFF, Vanessa tells Naomi about how she learned to just keep going and follow through on her impulses in every role she played. She also recounts the discovery she made that all roads were pointing to her beginning to direct, and how much she loves that it allows you to access a different part of yourself. Naomi and Vanessa also have an enlightening conversation about the importance of looking back at your younger self and taking the time to grieve the dreams that didn’t come to fruition, before moving forward into the future. And although her fear and anxiety may take over in certain moments, Vanessa always reminds herself of the great advice she received when directing her first feature film Midnight at the Paradise: just take things frame by frame.

Growing up in Israel, the multi-faceted Inbal Lori always knew she would be in the arts and fully embraced the holy trinity of acting, writing, and directing. But amidst her love for creation, she tells Naomi that before she moved to Berlin, she suffered when she played parts that she didn’t write because she wasn’t in control - even though she never had a “plan” in life. Little did she know that when she arrived in Germany, her love and passion for improv would take over her life and teach her how to work within a structure but also profoundly let go and play. As she began immersing herself in the world of improv and created her own school, she realized the power of improvising stories that are thought-provoking to an audience and exploring the depths of human emotion through this free-flowing art form. Inbal quickly became a leader in the world of Impro internationally as a teacher and performer. While she never had a concrete plan, Inbal tells Naomi how the most freedom comes from existing in your own story and allowing life to take you where it leads.

Maria del Mar has never let fear hold her back from anything in her extensive career and expansive life. As a young actress with a passion growing up in Ottawa, Maria took a chance and moved to Toronto to fake it ‘till she made it, with roles on incredible shows like Frasier, 24, and Hudson & Rex. The more Maria took chances, the more life presented her with opportunities to try new things and learn from everyone she’s worked with. She tells Naomi how she vowed to always remain open to everything in life, and how there’s no such thing as perfection - which has become all the more significant given the difficult years she’s faced. But although she has been thrown many challenges, Maria is embracing the spirit of hope and dancing the salsa with life, allowing it to lead her where she’s meant to go and enjoying the journey along the way.

Beatrix Brunschko, aka Trixie, dives headfirst into every twist and turn of her incredible career.
She's not just a director of the stage and screen – Trixie's a founding member of Theatre
Bahnhof, a professor at the University of Hamburg, and the go-to guru for all things improv.
Starting from the wild passion that birthed a theatre company to her game-changing improv
workshops, Trixie's all about creating spaces where creativity runs wild and shakes things up for
everyone – even our curious host, Naomi. She reveals her "say yes to everything first"
approach, taking life as it comes. And in this chat with Naomi, Trixie peels back the curtain on
her fascinating journey, where she juggles being a character, an actress, and, most importantly,
herself in every scene and life experience. Join us for this enlightening convo that unravels the
magic behind Trixie's "yes-to-it-all" philosophy, proving that embracing your various selves can
create real-life magic along the way.

Jennifer Holness is not only a force to be reckoned with, but she is a beacon of change in the industry. An award-winning filmmaker and the co-founder of Hungry Eyes Media (with her partner Sudz Sutherland), she is the first ever recipient of the Firecracker Department's Red Point Award, going to women over 50 who are still creating incredible content and leading the way in out community. After a life-changing health scare in her early twenties, Jennifer learned to go forth confidently in the direction of her dreams to direct and produce, and never look back. Throughout her incredible career, she shares with Naomi and Amanda how she is able to fully immerse herself in a story to help spark change, and how centering on a theme helps her pinpoint what the story will transform into. She also acknowledges that despite her increasing drive to change the world, she needs to be able to take care of herself and her family. And through the trials, stress, and pressure, Jennifer is still able to live a life that is full of joy.

With a career spanning decades and a multitude of incredible roles in beautiful shows, it’s no wonder actor Wendy Crewson is one of Canada’s brightest and most beloved stars. With credits like Air Force One, Good Sam, Pretty Hard Cases, she is also known as a staunch advocate for ACTRA and FilmOntario and for the role she’s played in helping change the landscape of the industry. But, Wendy says she’s learned the most important person to stand up for, ultimately, is herself. She tells Naomi and Amanda about how much she loves to celebrate her own accomplishments and those of her fellow actors (she still gets excited about award nominations), especially when it comes to the next generation. She also shares that even after all these years, nothing will ever beat the rush of going into an audition room. Wendy Crewson has courage to wear an orange formal gown to a casual event, to stand up for what she believes in and above all, to be herself.

In the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Mary Young Leckie had one of her infamous lightbulb moments, which inspired her to produce such amazing shows as M.V.P and the brilliant and award- winning film Maudie. With an immense passion for telling Canadian stories and steadfast activism throughout her career, Mary reveals she has an unwavering belief in all of the stories she tells. She also details the determination she has found to push through the sometimes-long journeys to produce her work. She shares how reaching out within the artistic community can fuel you, why we should always forgive those who have wronged us and how often the best way to wind down is to belt it out with a rock ‘n roll choir at Carnegie Hall.

Juggling a work-life balance is difficult for many of us, but perhaps even more so for the multi-hyphenate extraordinary talent that is Jennifer Podemski. As she has navigated her career through acting, writing, directing, producing and showrunning (with her beautiful film Little Bird coming up), not to mention her companies The Shine Network and Red Cloud Studios she has learned a few valuable lessons along the way. She tells Naomi and Amanda about how the art of fear management and the importance of celebrating the “little wins” have helped guide her through various iterations of her career. She also speaks to the freedom of owning your own artistic work, and how important it is to adapt the way we tell Indigenous stories so they are no longer extractive, but instead allow the community to maintain agency over their collective experience. Even though she’s achieved success on a global scale, Jennifer will always be thankful for the creativity her grandmother fostered in her, and how she sometimes just takes jobs to be able to spend some quality time with her equally gifted sisters, Sarah and Tamara.

Sheila McCarthy’s résumé truly reads like an adventure book with twists, turns and surprises that makes her one of the most versatile and unique artists in our community.  From playing a maid in The Littlest Hobo to her profound performance as Greta Loewen in Sarah Polley’s Oscar award winning movie Women Talking, her command of the screen is unlike any other - and really makes Naomi and Amanda wonder why she doesn't yet have the Order of Canada. Despite her prolific career, even Sheila has experienced moments of doubt and fear. She shares how jumping around various mediums and always reinventing herself has helped her push through. That, plus a memory of Liza Minelli peeking behind the camera and giving her some magical advice that she’s held on to ever since. Catch this inspiring and motivating discussion with one of our industries best of the best.

Whatever Adrienne C. Moore is selling - we’re buying! As the unpredictable drug squad detective Kelly Duff on Pretty Hard Cases, with some other pretty big roles under her belt (hello, Orange is the New Black!) we’d assume Adrienne had achieved GOAT status. But she proudly proclaims that she’d rather just keep striving for it than have already reached it. After a successful career in marketing, Adrienne tells Amanda and Naomi how she learned how to think of herself as a product and work within her own acting wheelhouse to make the shift into acting. And although she’s a self-branded genius, she does make mistakes - and admits she is just as honest about them as the successes she’s had. And let’s not forget how she not only got “camera ready” for this interview in 3 min flat AND she continues to forge a path for BIPOC creatives to be accommodated on set. Yes - the word “unstoppable” comes to mind!

Grace Lynn Kung has reached a milestone in her life and career - being number one on the call sheet for the very first time as Marissa Wong in the new crime dramedy Wong and Winchester - and she’s celebrating every moment!. The road to get there hasn’t been easy, but Grace tells Naomi and Amanda how she finds that tuning in to her vulnerability and authenticity helps feed into the various roles she’s played - both onscreen and off. She also divulges how we often use age as an excuse to stop listening to people, reminds us how important it is to reclaim your body and mind for yourself first and foremost, and how important it is to live life freely without labels. But maybe best of all, this intense, intellectually inspiring conversation ends with Naomi and Amanda getting an impromptu cartoon voice acting session from Grace. What does your pet's voice sound like?

We know Meredith MacNeill as by-the-book, yet frazzled detective Sam Wazowski on Pretty Hard Cases and for her absurd and hilarious comedic sketches on Baroness Von Sketch Show which she wrote and starred in….but the truth is - she’s more than just the wild roles she plays on screen. The depth that she carries through her work comes from recognizing the truth of her life and how she sees the world. She shares with Naomi and Amanda that part of her comedic  process involves cozying up to her best friend: failure. From her upbringing in Halifax to performing on stages in the UK, Meredith held hands with her inner voice and her fearlessness to help her achieve her dream to fly.

Oh, and if you think perimenopause and chin hairs suck - she’ll definitely convince you otherwise.

The incomparable Amanda Brugel should truly be recognized as an artistic chameleon. With her seamless ability to transition from comedy to drama - in roles like Karina Duff on Pretty Hard Cases and Rita Blue and then effortlessly to her work on The Handmaid’s Tale - Amanda is constantly reinventing herself and breaking away from the proverbial “box” that many actors seem to fall into. But her successes haven’t come without setbacks, and she tells Naomi how she’s learned to be open about her struggles throughout her life, and also to take time to appreciate the little “delights'' that appear. She shares that one of the most valuable muscles for her is the one that helps her recognize the victories in her life, big or small. And, even though she knows life is a never ending journey, Amanda is learning to always show up as herself, and learning that no matter what role or struggle she may face, she can always find a way to Brugel-ize it.

Every first Sunday of the month, I talk to a past guest about what’s going on with them now! For the January Spark Chat, I caught up with actor ASTRID VAN WIEREN, currently of Come From Away on Broadway! We talk about how you can do anything for 6 weeks, being a friend to yourself, being terrified of the gym, accountability, dodging people as a sport, fitbits, falling off a routine, and more.

Follow Astrid Van Wieren on Twitter @astridvanwieren and on instagram @astridvw2020.

Look out for February’s Spark Chat with Kat Barrell to be released as a podcast episode soon! 

Join us on Instagram on the first Sunday of every month for a new chat with a new guest.

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Our guests (plural!) on the podcast this week are coming to you LIVE from the launch of our LA chapter at the Impro Theatre in Los Angeles!  We hosted a fierce panel of LA comedians led by Naomi @snieckus, including Alana Johnston, Madi Goff, and Katie Thomas, in front of our first-ever live firecracker audience!

This hilarious panel of ladies talk candidly about building your own reputation, Mary Tyler Moore, complaining vs self deprecation, feminism, elbows and more! AND we promise it doesn’t start with "What's it like to be a WOOOMAN in COOOMEDY?!?" ...because BLHSNCLVRPJGJPERVMS!