Member Since: 2006
What has been your favorite role?
I got to play Santa in the Old Trout Puppet Workshop/NFB production of “Naughty to Nice”. Always fun to sit in recycled rice snow blizzarding about during a 100 year flood in the heat of early summer.
What do you do when you are not performing?
I am a professor at the University of Calgary and also a Co-Artistic Director of the Old Trout Puppet Workshop as well as Education Director of the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry and the Co-Artistic Director of the Festival of Animated Objects – all in Calgary. Maybe I need to learn to let go.
What organization / activity are you involved with or passionate about that people would find interesting?
I think CAMP is kind of interesting…it’s mandate is to provide opportunity to artists ready to start leading and teaching workshops in all manner of puppet and mask, ergo it also provides opportunity for artists seeking to expand their tool box with these skills. Associated organizations: The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry, and Festival of Animated Objects.
What Director would you like to work with?
I like Jim Jarmusch or Wes Anderson…might get to play with puppets more likely if it was Wes…and I will say that like we are on a first name basis just to set the cosmos in motion.
What is your favorite movie and/or TV show?
This is kind of a ridiculous question, kind of like what is your favorite food. It really depends on your mood and situation, are you alone or with someone, in a group or with your kids, exploring recently legal marijuana or not. I will say that when I was 12 my father took me to see Jeremiah Johnson and I desperately wanted to become a “Mountain Man” after that – I guess you could say it’s one of my favs.
As a Performer, what is one thing you wish you would have known sooner?
You don’t need to try so hard.