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Jennifer Podemski & Naomi Sneickus believe there’s comedy to be found in trauma show art Jennifer Podemski & Naomi Sneickus believe there’s comedy to be found in trauma

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

In our kickoff episode for the second season of The Blaze Sessions, Naomi sits down with this season's curator, Jennifer Podemski. As a multi-hyphenate artist, Jennifer’s creativity knows no bounds, and she’s committed to highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity when it comes to Indigenous content and shining lights on aspects of the industry that still make her angry in an effort to force change. In this discussion with Naomi, Jennifer shares her views on the importance of grieving, how both grief and comedy exist next to each other, and her desire to bring people together in...

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The Blaze Sessions Season 2 Trailer show art The Blaze Sessions Season 2 Trailer

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

Welcome back to The Blaze Sessions brought to you by the Firecracker Department! Season two is here, and we're thrilled! Hosts Naomi Snieckus (Mr.D, The Madness, The Social, Second City Toronto) and the incredible Jennifer Podemski, ("Little Bird", "Reservation Dogs" and founder of Red Cloud Productions and The Shine Network) have curated inspiring, engaging, and refreshingly honest conversations with women and non-binary individuals at the top of their game in the industry. From sharing insights on their creative journeys to discussing how they're changing the world through their...

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Alana Johnston wants to be the funniest she’s ever been show art Alana Johnston wants to be the funniest she’s ever been

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

For the past few years, performer and writer Alana Johnston has made it her mission to incorporate the theme of self-esteem into her artistic work. As the host of The Self-Esteem Party Podcast (on which this episode was first featured), she’s learned that the things we struggle with in regards to self-esteem might follow us forever, and that’s totally okay. She also shares how her perspective has shifted after some major events occurred in her life in recent years, and how she’s now using her art to work through those traumatic moments.  Through this brave discussion, Naomi and...

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Anne Rab finds bravery in being bold on stage & in life show art Anne Rab finds bravery in being bold on stage & in life

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

Anne Rab’s improv career all started when she met a clown and stumbled into the art form that would change her life. Although it was difficult to make the transition from a city where she had stability and comfort to one completely unknown, she tells Naomi that learned that she didn’t want to play it safe and to make the choice to just go for her dreams.  Now, she carries this outlook through her teachings and thrives off of encouraging people to be comfortable with making mistakes and not worrying about “fucking it up” in her improv classes.  Ultimately, Anne tells Naomi...

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Nadine Antler gives herself permission to do the things she loves show art Nadine Antler gives herself permission to do the things she loves

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

One thing’s for certain about improviser Nadine Antler is that her strength lies in taking care of people.  From studying to be a social worker to putting on a decade-long improv festival and now running her own improv school, Nadine tells Naomi about her desire to help both actors and non-actors through the communication and boundary-setting skills that improv teaches.  But despite committing to help others with this, she reveals that her personal challenge is her inner critic and the disappointment she faces when it rears its ugly head on stage and takes her out of the present...

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Vanessa Matsui is a pro at taking things frame by frame show art Vanessa Matsui is a pro at taking things frame by frame

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

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...

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Inbal Lori has a plan to not have a plan show art Inbal Lori has a plan to not have a plan

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

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...

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Maria del Mar paved the way for all of us with power and passion show art Maria del Mar paved the way for all of us with power and passion

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

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...

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Beatrix Brunschko navigates life with her three “me”s show art Beatrix Brunschko navigates life with her three “me”s

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

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...

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Firecracker Department 2024 Trailer show art Firecracker Department 2024 Trailer

The Firecracker Department - The Blaze Sessions Season 02

Rev up your year with a brand new season of The Firecracker Department Podcast! Let's ignite 2024 with an explosive lineup of captivating conversations. Join our sensational host, Naomi Snieckus, and an array of global artists as they take you on a heart-pounding journey into the depths of creativity and inspiration. But that's not all – mark your calendars because later this spring, we're bringing you The Blaze Sessions, a special mini-season featuring the extraordinary co-host Jennifer Podemski. It's a dynamic duo that will set your imagination ablaze! Each episode promises an electric...

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Our guest this week is Toronto-based actor, writer, producer, mindfulness and meditation coach and teacher LISA BERRY!
 
Let’s celebrate LISA’s Canadian Screen Award Nomination for Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series for playing Notice in Obsidian Theatre’s 21 BLACK FUTURES!  
 
You may recognize Lisa from her recurring roles as "Billie," aka Death, in The CW’s sci-fi-fantasy hit show SUPERNATURAL, as "Cleophas Garroway" in Freeform and Netflix’s SHADOWHUNTERS: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, AND as “Natashia” on CBC and Netflix’s WORKIN MOMS.
 
When Lisa was 17, she was cast in a community theatre production of FAME: THE MUSICAL as Mable Washington, this is where she fell in love with the stage and never looked back. She studied singing, acting and dance at the Randolph Academy College, in Toronto. Back in the day, Lisa made her screen debut in a small role playing the 'theatre manager' in DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION.
 
Lisa was cast as "Tituba" in The Shaw Festival's productions of THE CRUCIBLE.  Then she spent the next decade playing leading roles on Canada's top stages. In twenty seventeen, Lisa won the role of "Penny" in the Canadian Premier of Suzan-Lori Parks' FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS and got a Dora Nomination for Best Actress in a Play.
 
Lisa has 2 movies coming out on Lifetime next month, FALLEN ANGELS MURDER CLUB: FRIENDS TO DIE FOR on April 2 and FALLEN ANGELS MURDER CLUB: HEROES AND FELONS on April 8 both in 2022.
Lisa is a strong advocate for self-care, dedicating her social platforms to promoting mental health Lisa has an Ebook with accompanying audiobook coming out in this month called, LOVE YOU: FALL IN LOVE WITH TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF. And a full-length book coming out at the end of the year called MIRACLES FROM THE MESS. A late bloomer's guide to loving yourself on the inside out. 
 
Lisa leads a mindfulness membership group called THE LOTUS LIFE.  It helps artists who are new to meditation grow through, what they go through. When you join The Lotus Life community, you’ll have access to two of Lisa’s courses at no additional cost.
 
Lisa is producing her first short film called BABY DADDY and Naomi is part of the cast.
 
Twitter: @_LisaBerry

Instagram: @lisaberrylive

https://www.lisaberrylive.com/

LISA BERRY - CSA Nomination
Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series for 21 BLACK FUTURES

More about Lisa’s Book LOVE YOU: FALL IN LOVE WITH TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF and THE LOTUS LIFE go to:
https://www.takeabreath.ca/
 

Podcast Team
Head Producer and Editor: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong
Editor:  Shayne Stolz @shaynestolz
Graphic: Vicki Brier @brier2019

To listen to the podcast: https://linktr.ee/firecrackerdept
 
Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!