Samantha Machado and Arne MacPherson chat writing, directing, and what they love about theatre.

About the Artists:

Samantha Machado is an emerging writer and theatre creator. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she is a graduate of the University of King’s College. Since 2022, she has been a member of the PTE/MAP playwriting unit. Her writing has been published or is forthcoming in SNAPline, As Alive Journal, and Awfully Hilarious: Period Pieces and her short plays have been performed at the National New Market Ten Minute Play Festival.

Arne MacPherson is a Winnipeg-based theatre maker, theatre educator, on-camera performer, and film-maker. Some of the theatre productions Arne has directed are: How It Ends (Sick + Twisted), The Threepenny Opera (Sick + Twisted/AA Battery), Hamlet (The Bunchback’d Toads), Deserter (Moving Target), Sargent and Victor and Me, Stretching Hide (Theatre Projects Manitoba), Head, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest (Shakespeare In the Ruins), Harvest, Magical Mystery Munsch (Prairie Theatre Exchange), The Walworth Farce, Such Creatures (Incompletely Strangled). He directed five disability cabarets for Sick+Twisted.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Thomas Sill Foundation in making this podcast possible.

All the world’s a stage, and Tracey and Jen are amazing players.

About the Artists

Jen Gieg is a South African-Canadian actor from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Currently studying in the Honours Acting program at the University of Winnipeg, prior to they acted in many shows with the Black Hole Theatre Company at the University of Manitoba. Credits include Unity 1918, Arcadia, Scorched (BHTC); and A Work In Progress (Crosswalk Productions). Other than theatrical work, she has also had some small roles in films, and sings with the Winnipeg chamber choir Nuovoce. She is incredibly excited and deeply honoured to be mentored by one of her personal acting inspirations, Tracey Nepinak, as a part of It Takes Two at ViC. Her next upcoming production is The Drowning Girls at the University of Winnipeg from February 13-17, 2024, where she will be playing Bessie.

Tracey is a member of Peguis First Nation (Treaty One Territory) living in Winnipeg. She graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a B.A. Honours Theatre, and has worked professionally since 1993. Recent theatre and film credits include: Yaga (Belfry Theatre); The Secret to Good Tea (RMTC); Honour Beat, (world premiere, Theatre Calgary); A Short History of Crazy Bone (world premiere, TPM); The War Being Waged, (PTE); Acting Good (Kistigan Productions/Buffalo Gals.); Burden of Truth (Eagle Vision).

Life is a cabaret, old chums: come to Joyce and Rochelle’s cabaret!

About the Artists:

Joyce Jugo (she/her) is a theatre artist and emerging creative, based in Treaty 1 Territory. A proud Canadian-Filipina growing up on power ballads and belted musical theatre hits, Joyce lit her passion for performing in voice lessons at age 6. She later received additional training through the University of Winnipeg Theatre - Acting Stream and with Rise Musical Theatre Company. Currently, Joyce seeks to explore entrepreneurship, on-stage artistry and performance storytelling in the medium of cabaret. Joyce’s recent credits include: Fame (WST) and Rent (Rainbow Stage).

Rochelle Kives is a graduate of the Sheridan Musical Theatre Performance program. She has trained in many different vocal styles including classical, Broadway, and pop vocals since the age of 10 and was the vocal teacher at School of Rock Winnipeg. Select theatre credits include: Rent, Ma-Buhay (Workshop Presentation), The Hockey Sweater, Little Shop of Horrors, Miss Saigon, South Pacific (Rainbow Stage); Into the Woods, Calpurnia (NAC/RMTC); 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother (WJT); where.are.you.from (RMTC); A Year with Frog and Toad (MTYP); South Pacific (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra); Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Prom (Dry Cold Productions.) She is co-founder and producer of the world vocal group Unique3, who travel as featured guest artists on various cruise lines around the world.