MEET COMEDIAN MAX ROSS, MC EXTRAORDINAIRE!

I had the pleasure of seeing some great comedians perform last weekend at Toronto’s Danforth Comedy Festival (3 more shows this weekend) and one of the stand-outs was the MC of the show at Socap Comedy Theatre (Danforth & Broadview), MAX ROSS. He’s a brilliant stand-up comic himself but he stepped up to the mic and kept the energy in the room high throughout the night and the attention on the guest acts.MC’ing is an under-appreciated (and under-respected) role during a night of comedy. Most comics don’t like the responsibility of holding a show together – keeping the audience entertained between sets and paying attention to what’s going on on stage, and revving them up again if a comedian bombs. Last Friday evening Max kept the room buzzing so I was thrilled when Max agreed to share his thoughts on comedy and how he came to the spotlight…..

Max, congrats on your appearance at the Danforth Comedy Festival. As MC for the first show I saw, you created an ideal environment for each of the comics who took the stage – that’s a tough and under-appreciated job. Do you prefer MCing or doing stand-up sets?  Thank you for the compliment! MCing takes a lot of skill and experience. Of course, I prefer doing longer stand-up sets over MC’ng, but I do enjoy hosting. You are correct though, MCing is very underappreciated because the job of an MC isn’t to be the funniest comedian. Your priority as an MC is to set the tone of the show by going on stage with positive energy, getting to know the crowd and hyping all the acts the audience will see on the show. I’ve been to shows in the past where the MC was low energy and didn’t warm up the crowd, causing the show to be uncomfortable and not fun for the crowd and the comedians, so a good MC makes a big difference.
The other reason why I enjoy MCing is because you never know what kind of crowd you’ll have, so when you do crowd work, you need to constantly improvise and adapt to the situation to keep the show interesting and fun. Plus, when I’m improvising on stage, I can think of new material that I can work on later at other shows.

Have you participated in other comedy festivals such as the Danforth Comedy Festival? And if so, how was that experience?  Yes, I have. In 2019, I was part of the Burbank Comedy Festival in Burbank California, and in 2022, I did Just For Laughs Toronto “Best of Absolute Comedy” at Absolute Comedy Club, Toronto. Both festivals were a lot of fun, and I would do it again. As a former military paratrooper, do you equate performing on stage and making people laugh to the thrill (and fear?) of dropping into a conflict zone by parachute?  It can be. It’s quite a thrill but can be a little nerve-recking. Obviously, these are two different types of fears (public speaking and dying from jumping out of a plane…), but I enjoy the adrenaline rush of both. I used to be scared going up on stage, and I still get nervous on occasion, but I just keep reminding myself to have fun up there and enjoy the moment.  Parachuting in the army was fun too… though over time, I’ve hurt my knees and back from bad landings. (Veterans Affairs believes my body pain was not service related…) Having a Polish background, have you drawn on your family and culture for your humour or do you just enjoy the great food?  I love talking about my Polish background on stage. I don’t know many Polish comedians in the city, so it’s nice to be able to represent my culture. I grew up in an immigrant household, so my upbringing was more unique than the regular Canadian. And yes, I also enjoy great Polish food!

Have you been inspired by any other comics (past or present) and if so, who in particular did you relate to or want to emulate?  There are many comedians who sparked my interest in stand up. Eddie Murphy was my favourite and watching his first special “Delirious” inspired me to write material and eventually trying it out.
Other comedic inspirations: George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Paul Mooney, Jim Carrey, Louis CK, David Letterman, Norm Macdonald, Patrice O’Neal, Russell Peters, Bill Burr, Robin Williams, Dave Attell, Gilbert Gottfried. Over the years, I discovered more comedians who would inspire me to get better. These comedians include Tom Segura, Andrew Schulz, Hannibal Buress, Nate Bargatze, Chris Distefano, Mark Normand, Godfrey.

Any advice for aspiring comedians out there?  A great Canadian poet by the name Aubrey Graham once said, “You only live once”. If comedy is something you’re passionate about, take a chance and try it out.  Statistically speaking, your first time on stage will probably be awful. That’s just how it is… but keep writing, go to open mics, and meet other comics in the city. Eventually you’ll figure it out and get better at writing and performing… or not… Welcome to showbiz, baby!The best advice I got when I was starting out was by Juno Award-winning comedian Dave Merheje (as seen on Mr.D, Ramy, Just for Laughs). All he told me was to just have fun. Comedy is supposed to be fun, so you shouldn’t feel stressed or overwhelmed doing it. Just keep reminding yourself in your head that this is fun.

And what’s your next big stand-up gig – where can we see you?  Follow me on Instagram @maxrosscomedy as I post show dates there!  I also post content on TikTok and YouTube @maxrosscomedy Keep an eye out for Max appearing in your local club…or on the BIG stages of comedy festivals.  And if you want more great laughs this weekend, check out www.danforthcomedyfestival.com for shows at Socap (tonight, Friday Aug.11) and The Don on the Danforth (2 shows) Saturday night.

MEET FUNNY LADY SIMONE HOLDER!

Canadian comedian SIMONE HOLDER performed twice during the opening weekend of the Danforth Comedy Festival (in Toronto) and I was lucky to be in the audience for both shows. Having been in the comedy biz since the late 70s both as performer and artist manager/agent, you could say I’m a little jaded having seen/heard just about every joke in the universe but I thoroughly enjoyed Simone’s sets, finding fresh and relatable situations and observations thanks to her witty writing.

I introduced myself to Simone and found an intelligent and engaging conversationalist willing to share insights into her career and, sadly, her challenging quest for stage time and acceptance in a predominantly male environment. Back when I was running a national chain of comedy clubs and booking comedians into them and other indie venues across the country and the States, it was all about the boys – in fact, I can only recall Marla Lukofsky being the one woman making somewhat of a living doing stand-up back in the 80s and being accepted as one of them by the fellas. Forty years on and little has changed. Thanks to exposure during the Danforth Comedy Festival (this coming weekend there are 3 more shows featuring women), we’ll get to meet and laugh along with more hilarious women, but in the interim, I asked Simone to share her thoughts on stand-up as well as her personal journey and here’s what she told me….

Simone, congrats on your appearance at the Danforth Comedy Festival. Seeing you on that first night of the Fest, I was struck by your unique material as well as your delivery. Where do you find inspiration for your observational material – family? Friends? Situations you’ve personally experienced?  Thank you so much! I find inspiration mainly from my own experiences and occasionally from those of family and friends. Much of the material that I perform on stage has happened to me or is me using my inside voice outside. Until I started performing stand-up, I hadn’t realized that the way I process trauma is the same way I create bits…I try to find the silver lining, pull the humour out, or put a funny spin on a difficult situation to process it and to make it make sense. 

Have you participated in other comedy festivals such as the Danforth Comedy Festival or is this your first fest experience?  Yes, prior to the Danforth Comedy Festival, I have performed at other comedy festivals. My very first festival was the “Crack Up Festival” held in Ottawa, Cornwall, and Pembroke in March 2022. Since then, I’ve performed at:

    • Portland Maine Comedy Festival (Portland, Maine, USA, August 2022)
    • Canadian North Arctic Comedy Festival (Iqaluit, Nunavut, October 2022)
    • Dirty Bird Comedy Festival (Ottawa, Ontario, November 2022)
    • Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest (NYC, USA, June 2023)

I gather it took you many years to finally embrace the funny and work on becoming a stand-up comedian – tell me about that journey and what finally prompted you to go “all in” with a stand-up career?  I had dreamed of performing stand-up since I was 15 years old. I was too afraid. I was painfully shy as a kid and could barely speak up in school. I also knew that my parents would not approve. It was just a dream. I had such a great love of the art that I immersed myself in it: I watched hours and hours of comedy specials. When I was old enough and when could afford it, I went to shows by myself to examine how each comedian performed their craft. I knew it wasn’t easy, that making it look effortless and off-the-cuff, took hours and years to master.
I realized that I could make people other than my family and friends laugh at two most inopportune moments…at my parents’ funerals in 2014 and 2018. I delivered the eulogies at each of their funerals. I had people howling at some of the funny stories I shared about them. At first, I thought that maybe they were just being nice, but the laughter was genuine, and it really helped us all get through the pain.
In 2019 at age 52, I decided that it was now or never. I was tired of being afraid. The desire to do stand-up had been gnawing at me for close to 40 years. I was still scared but finally ready to something about it. I threw myself into the craft with a six-week course at Absolute Comedy taught by Ottawa-based actor and stand-up comedian Pierre Brault. It was time to learn the basics: how to structure a joke, how to deliver it, how to create a punch line for a funny premise. The moment I stepped onto that stage I knew. I heard angels singing. I loved the feeling and was totally comfortable. The shyness just melted away. I couldn’t wait to go back every week. A showcase at a local club for family and friends happened at the end of the course. I haven’t looked back since. Since that night I’ve had many amazing experiences thanks to stand-up. At times I wonder what could have been had I not waited so long to start. My late father had a saying, “Everything in its time.” I believe that I started at the right time.I read that when watching Eddie Murphy’s “Delirious” TV special as a teenager, you were bitten by the comedy bug – what was it about Eddie that inspired you?  That’s true! Although I loved comedy for as long as I could remember, I think watching “Delirious” was the first time that I saw a young person doing stand-up. Up until that time, all the well-known comedians that I knew were old (to 15-year-old me) already-famous men (Bill Cosby, Bob Hope, etc.). I saw that “regular” people could do this. It was a defining moment for me.Any advice for other aspiring female comedians out there? And have you encountered any gender-biased resistance by club bookers and how do you counter that?  My advice is to just do it. Don’t let anyone intimidate you or scare you out of the game.  Unfortunately, I have had some gender- and race-biased experiences. Thankfully these things do not happen to me often…but they do happen.
There’s still the myth that “women aren’t funny”. Where men are given the benefit of the doubt that they are funny, I’ve had to prove myself over and over and over to be considered for some gigs. It took some competition wins and a few high-profile gigs to get them to finally take me seriously and respect me as a comic.
With some audiences, I’ve seen eyes glaze over or arms cross when I hit the stage and I hadn’t even opened my mouth. I’ve seen them laugh easily at male comics and refuse to laugh at my stuff. Once, after a show in a small town, some of members of the audience ignored me completely but thanked and spoke with the other male, white comics, despite me standing right there next to them. It was insulting and humiliating. I try my best to not let these aggressions deter me. What’s your next stand-up gig – where can we see you?
My next few gigs are in Ottawa!

  • August 11-12, 8:30pm, Laugh Lounge (Byward Market, 61 York Street, Ottawa)
  • August 25-26, 8:00pm, Yuk Yuk’s Ottawa West (downstairs at Biagio’s Italian Kitchen, 1394 Richmond Rd, Ottawa)
  • August 30-31, 8:00pm, Yuk Yuk’s Ottawa West (downstairs at Biagio’s Italian Kitchen, 1394 Richmond Rd, Ottawa)

You can find my schedule and social media here: https://simonecomedy.ca/link-in-bio/

Thank you for your candor and philosophies on women-in-comedy, Simone. And I can’t wait to see you again on stage making everyone laugh along with you. If readers want to check out other funny ladies, visit www.danforthcomedyfestival.com for show information this Friday and Saturday Aug.11 & 12.

DANFORTH COMEDY FESTIVAL – NIGHT 2

Saturday night and another great line-up of comedy, this time at the Comedy Bar on the Danforth, near Victoria Park. It was nearly a full house for the second night of the brand new Danforth Comedy Festival and I was thrilled to be introduced to headliner Nathan Macintosh who blew the roof off the place!

First off, MC Azfar Ali (below) warmed up the already pumped crowd, spritzing with several individuals who were very into the show. He set the tone perfectly for all the comics and maintained the high-energy in the room throughout the entire night.Azfar first intro’d Simone Holder (below) who I had seen the previous night at a different venue. She did not disappoint, unleashing a series of stories on being a “lady of a certain age”, sex and life seen thru the eyes of being single. Simone rocked it!Then Akeem Hoyte-Charles (below) took the stage – well, he actually “took” the room. His fast-fire commentary on being the best boyfriend in the world had the ladies swooning and the guys a little nervous…LOL. Imagine Kevin Hart meets Eddie Murphy and you get the  idea how talented this guy is.Next up, Luke Lynndale (below) who had the crowd laughing in recognition when discussing the pro’s and con’s of supermarket self check-outs and the dilemma of shopping when there are no carts available. And his bit on socializing in the dog park, well…if you have a dog, you’ll understand completely.Then came the big guy! Nathan Macintosh knocked it out of the park. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a stand-up’s set so much, applauding and cheering, begging for an encore. Nathan is the real thing. I ran Yuk Yuk’s Komedy Klub back in the 80s and always loved discovering brilliant comedic talents over the years, and seeing Nathan headline was like the first time watching the acerbic delivery of New Yorker Ritch Shydner (true comedy fans should recognize that name).

Tonight, Sunday Aug.6 I’m heading back to the Comedy Bar to see another cool line-up with headliner Efthimios Nasiopoulos – perfect for Greektown! Hope to see you there.

For show line-ups, dates & times, visit: www.danforthcomedyfestival.com
Follow your favourite comedians via Instagram:
@nathanmacintosh
@adventures_of_azfar
@_simonecomedy_
@akeemgramz
@lukelynndale
@comedynuggets

DANFORTH COMEDY FESTIVAL LAUNCHES WITH A GREAT NIGHT OF LAUGHS

Last night (Fri. Aug. 4) the first annual Danforth Comedy Festival (Aug 4-6 & 11-12) launched with two rockin’ shows at Socap Comedy Theatre (Danforth & Broadview) and Comedy Bar (Danforth & Main). I attended the Socap showcase featuring some of the funniest stand-up comics I’d seen in years. The fest’s first showcase “The Best Stand-up Comedy Show” was MC’d by Max Ross (pictured below) who grabbed the audience from the get-go with his observational humour, and kept the show running smoothly throughout the night.Max intro’d the first act, Vishal Ramesh (pictured below), whose understated personal reflections on the immigrant life had the crowd laughing and nodding in agreement as they recognized versions of themselves.I was looking forward to seeing Simone Holder (pictured below), who won last year’s “Prove You’re a Comic” contest.  The audience loved her and it didn’t hurt that she had a slew of fans who came out to support her. Simone was a hard act to follow but Sandra Battaglini (below) proved unstoppable, the audience was almost in tears with her high-energy, quick fire comic jabs. Made me wish I was Italian, too!After Sandra, it was Glen Foster‘s turn to light a fire under the audience seats. He ignited a slow burn, taking the predominantly 20 to 30-something audience through the “wonderful world of wokeness” sharing his views on life and culture from a decidedly mature POV.Mary Kennedy (below) then took over the stage and she killed it. A professional comic for over 23 years, you may have seen her acting on tv, film or  theatre, too. Originally from Boston, she just flew in from LA for the festival.MC Max kept the energy high throughout the night, introducing the final comedian with flair and a flourish – the handsome Akeem Hoyte-Charles (below) who many recognized from his appearances at Just For Laughs. Born in Montreal on Valentine’s Day, the audience gladly showed the love to Akeem as he closed out the night.And if that wasn’t a hot enough line-up, Festival founder and established stand-up Luke Lynndale himself dropped in for a killer, energy-filled set mid-show, thanking the audience for their support. Bravo, Luke, and congrats on launching the festival with a bang!So that was last night’s show…tonight I’m off to the Comedy Bar at 2800 Danforth (just E of Main) to see another great line-up featuring Nathan MacIntosh…see you there.Details of shows, tickets, directions:  www.danforthcomedyfestival.com
Follow all the comedians on Instagram: @maxrosscomedy  @vishalanegondyramesh  @_simonecomedy_  @sandrabattaglini  @fosterfunnycomedy  @mkennedycomedy  @akeemgramz  @lukelynndale  @comedynuggets  @danforthcomedyfestival

 

MEET LUKE LYNNDALE, A REAL STAND-UP GUY & FOUNDER OF THE DANFORTH COMEDY FESTIVAL

Thanks to an introduction from “That Canadian Guy” comedian Glen Foster, I recently connected with LUKE LYNNDALE, a fellow stand-up comic and the Founder of a brand new comedy festival taking place over 2 weekends next month (Aug.) on Danforth Avenue in Toronto’s Greektown.

The Danforth Comedy Festival line-up of exciting and hilarious comedians includes many who you might have seen on Canada’s Got Talent, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Conan, Comedy Central, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as Just for Laughs, Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Halifax Comedy Festival, CTV Comedy Channel, and CBC Comedy. See full line-up, shows dates and times at www.danforthcomedyfestival.com I recently spoke with Luke to learn about his roots in the comedy scene, his Comedy Nuggets comedy agency and, of course, this inaugural laugh fest spanning two weekends in August….

What first drew you to a career in comedy? Did you start off studying to become a medical professional, accountant, stockbroker, auto mechanic?  My father was a professor at McGill University in Montreal and saw a posting for a comedy competition. I went and won $50. I was hooked! In university, I studied mathematics but I didn’t have any specific direction. Later, I did lots of work as a digital product manager.

You first worked as an improviser – what propelled you into stand-up comedy?  Well, actually, I started in standup. In Montreal, I did standup for two years before moving to Toronto to take courses at The Second City. Then, I did both for two years before taking a long break from comedy. I started back doing improv in 2010 and standup back in 2017.

How did you become a finalist in 2020’s Comedian of the North competition? And what is that contest all about?  I first competed in the Comedian of the North competition in 2019, when I didn’t place. I went back in 2020, and finished third. The competition is in Thunder Bay, ON. It no longer runs but was produced by Incidents Comedy – Miki Hughes and Carole Cunningham.You’ve worked in the States in festival and club environments – how do US audiences differ from Canadian ones?  For me, I haven’t found many differences at all. My material isn’t Canada-specific, except for one or two, so most of material works well in either country.

You created Comedy Nuggets, an agency/promoter securing gigs in clubs and corporate venues for fellow comics, and most recently founded the Danforth Comedy Festival here in Toronto that launches August 4th and runs for 2 weekends. What drives Luke to succeed in such a capricious business? First, I want a great show for both performers and audience. I’m a performer first, so I want there to be lots of audience and good audience – those ready to laugh and looking for a good time. This inaugural Danforth Comedy Festival means lots of balls in the air…how good a juggler are you?  In my corporate life, I worked at times as a project manager. So, juggling and prioritizing are strengths. I don’t get stressed. I do my best, make decisions and go with it.Who are the comedians (or shows) we should look out for at the Fest? Any improvisers or stand-ups we’ve never seen before but should?  This is a loaded question because they should all be seen or else they wouldn’t be in the festival. Some of our headliners are Nathan Macintosh, who is a Canadian living in New York City, has been on late night TV. He’s a favorite in Toronto. We have two Greek headliners –  Efthimios Nasiopoulos and Manolis Zantonos, both hilarious and must-see. We also have Rob Haze – one to watch. On the improv front, we have HERE: The (Improvised) Musical. They are a duo from Columbus, OH – Tara DeFrancisco Rance Rizzutto, ask the audience for suggestions and then create a 45 minute musical, all improvised.

For all details, venues and ticket information, log onto www.danforthcomedyfestival.com and follow the Fest on Instagram @danforthcomedyfestival or Facebook.com/danforthcomedyfestival

 

MEET RAVEN DAUDA, MULTI-TALENTED, MULTI-AWARD WINNING ACTOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR…AND TAEKWANDO EXPONENT!

Whew…what else can I saw about this amazing woman?! I met Raven Dauda over ten years ago when producing/directing a special web series during the Toronto Int’l Film Festival, and have followed her career throughout her stage and screen projects that include…take a big breath….the following TV series: Sue Thomas F.B.Eye, Odyssey 5, The Firm, Rookie Blue, Orphan Black, Heroes Reborn, Suits, Designated Survivor, Murdoch Mysteries, and The Umbrella Academy. She has had recurring roles in Star Trek: Discovery, Annedroids, Saving Hope, Falling Water and Utopia Falls. She also provided her voice for the revival animated series Clifford: The Big Red Dog. Raven has appeared in feature films such as Gossip (2000) and Bulletproof Monk (2003), and on stage in her Dora Award-winning one-woman play Addicted, which was based on her own past struggles. And the kudos keep on comin’ – she recently portrayed Angela McManus in Five Days at Memorial for which she receive the 2023 ACTRA Award.I recently spoke with Raven about her most recent award and she shared her thoughts on missing the presentation ceremony (she was busy filming at the time), her career, and her challenges and triumphs…

First, let me congratulate you on your recent ACTRA Award win. How exciting was that? Now that Covid is in the rear-view mirror as far as public gatherings, were you there personally to receive the award?  Thank you so much. Wow! Yes, it was so very exciting and quite the honour to receive the 2023 ACTRA Award for my portrayal of Angela McManus in Five Days at Memorial. I was (unfortunately) unable to attend the award ceremony in person because I was (fortunately) filming in Ottawa at the time. However, it was still a very, very special day, because although I wasn’t able to walk the red carpet, I was able to bring the red carpet to work. And so, I got dressed up in a fabulous red dress before I had to shoot my scenes, and was lucky enough to have help taking the most gorgeous pictures  … and it just became a very festive and lovely time on set. We were able to get everyone together to take a group picture too (see below). It was so much fun and truly a perfect way to honour the day and commemorate my win. I’m still vibrating from it all!You’ve received multiple awards throughout your 25+year career – does it still feel special when you’re rewarded for your work?  Oh yes…absolutely! Each and every time it feels incredibly special. Yes, we all know that we don’t do our work for the accolades and awards. We as artists, I feel, are driven by our innate desire to create and express and tell stories. I am deeply touched and honoured by the fact that my peers and our amazing community continue to support and celebrate my work and contributions to this world. It feels so special because each time is different. Each time is its own sacred individual project and moment. Each time is like the first time – in fact it is the first (and only) time for that particular project and role. I have a very special place for my awards in my home, where I am able to see them daily and reflect upon how incredible my career is, and how grateful I am for this artistic community that every now and then lets me know that I’m doing something right … and to keep on going!

You’ve worked on some of TV’s most popular shows (Star Trek: Discovery, Saving Hope, Orphan Black, Designated Survivor) – is there any one role that you enjoyed more that the rest or that challenged you beyond your comfort zone?  My career has truly been extraordinary in that time and again I have had powerful and often profound opportunities and roles that have challenged me as an artist, and have helped me to grow in ways consciously and subconsciously that I’m still reaping the benefits of to this day. These roles that have challenged me – whether it was playing Charmaine in the theatrical smash hit Da Kink In My Hair or playing psychotherapist Dr. Lauren Halstrom opposite the incomparable Tony Goldwyn in The Hot Zone: Anthrax, I have experienced many moments that have pushed me beyond my comfort zone and have been extremely rewarding. However, I would have to say that playing Angela McManus in Five Days at Memorial has been one of the most challenging and life-changing roles for me in that it asked of me to dig deeper and to expand my heart and ability as an actor in ways that I hadn’t before. And for that I am forever thankful and particularly proud of the work that I did on that extraordinary show.You’ve also done voice-over work for the popular kids animated series, Clifford the Big Red Dog – how did you enjoy that process?  Working on Clifford The Big Red Dog was a total hoot! Actually, it was a hoot and a half! Soooo much fun! It is such an iconic show. Clifford The Big Red Dog means so much to so many. For me, I can’t think of Clifford without thinking of beloved actor John Ritter. And so being a part of that educational legacy meant a lot to me in many ways. I’m a huge fan of educational programming for children that is dynamic and fun. I’ve been blessed to work on other such shows as Team Top Wing where I played Rhonda Rhino. Working on Clifford was great because the characters were so much fun. I played Mrs. Clayton the librarian and she had this quirkiness about her that I just loved. I also got to sing in that role and anything where I get to sing is a treat for me. But I think what was the icing on the cake during that job was working with animation royalty, Alyson Court. I’ve known Alyson since high school and she was already a rock star for starring in animated shows like Beetlejuice and X-Men, but now she is also one of the top animation casting/directors in the biz and her knowledge and experience in animation is pure gold. Working with her on CTBRD was so very special because it was so rewarding to reconnect with her and work with her in that capacity. And trust me when I say I learned a heck of a lot from her. Of her career and what she does, I am so proud and deeply inspired.

You have a very impressive theatrical resume – do you prefer stage or screen, or do you embrace both equally? I think I embrace both stage and screen equally. Both of them are very different mediums and artistic art forms that have different things to offer and various challenges, benefits and ways of working within those mediums. Working in both stage and screen has taught me very different things about myself and my acting, and how I adjust my performance for both mediums and how I reach the audience at the end of the day. So for me, they are each their own different, distinct, unique animal, if you will, and at this stage in my life, I love and appreciate them both equally because they feed me and inform me and help me to grow in diverse ways.You’ve previously developed stage and screen projects that involve writing, directing, acting, producing…gasp!….yourself. What’s the best (or worst) part of doing it all yourself?  The best part I guess of doing it all yourself is that it really shows you what a megalomaniac you are…LOL! But seriously, it makes evidently clear what your thought process, values and biases are. It shines a big ol’ spotlight on what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses… and there is something so great in that. For me it helped me to understand myself in a very intimate way.By cutting out the middleman and just doing it all in-house if you will, I find creating a project becomes more of a meditative thing, it becomes something a bit more intimate and internal and you really gotta be organized and self-disciplined. However, on the flipside, since you are doing “it all” needless to say it can be very stressful. I think the greatest thing that it’s taught me is that we actually can’t and don’t do it all on our own. We cannot do any of these artistic works on our own. It’s a communal sport. It’s all about community. And therefore, you need that village, that beautiful artistic village to help raise it and to help bring your visions and creative projects to light. And so even if it’s called a one-man show or a one-woman show… it’s not. And that’s a beautiful thing… and so because of creating my own pieces I now value even more on a whole other level, the opinions, abilities and gifts of others when they choose to collaborate on projects with me. And lemme tell ya, I cannot wait to create some more goodies – so stay tuned!

I know you’re also a brilliant designer (I’ve seen your stunning jewellery) – with all the showbiz projects you’re currently involved with, do you still have time to design and craft your treasures?  Thank you for that compliment. You know, I miss making jewellery and creating my art in that way. I don’t have as much time as I did before. Every now and then I knit little projects when I’m on set. I have this dream of having a fashion show of my works. Maybe one day. In the meantime, I like to create some simpler things like bath soaps and oils. Things that I use every day on myself. I make a lot of homemade treasures and magical potions that I’m constantly testing on myself or giving to friends… cause hey, sometimes friends are the best guinea pigs.What’s up next for Raven Dauda?  What’s up next for Raven Dauda? Well, I’m actually bringing back my Dora Award winning show Addicted. It’s going to be touring in Halifax at The Neptune Theatre March 12th – 24th 2024. (https://www.neptunetheatre.com/box-office/addicted) and it will also be playing in Costa Rica in February at The Teatro De La Tierra (more details to come on that performance shortly). So in the meantime, I am currently tweaking the script, making some adjustments, and delving into the piece again from this other space and place in my life… and it’s quite extraordinary. It’s surreal and humbling to be revisiting this piece, a little bit older, maybe somewhat wiser, and with a different perspective on what addiction, recovery, sobriety, mental health and holistic living is. I’m also working on other shows that I can’t go into right now, but that I’m being called to write and create from a different perspective and it’s quite exciting.There’s a short film that I’m really proud of called The Pros and Cons Of Killing Yourself. (https://www.ravisteve.com/project-04) Hopefully we’ll be able to catch it in festivals soon, but in the meantime there’s a great trailer and info about it on the website. And there’s also a fun series that I am a part of that films in Europe. It’s called Spellbound. We have done the first season and we’re about to start work on the second season. (https://deadline.com/2023/04/spellbound-cbc-hulu-zdf-france-televisions-tween-witchcraft-drama-1235314465/) In it I play Ginger Jones – who is a bit of a kooky witch – and she is just too much fun. No exact date just yet as to when it will be airing, but when it does, it will be a good one to watch with the kids!

And if all this is not enough, Raven is a Taekwando expert, too.  When she attained her first-degree Black Belt, Raven commemorated the occasion with a tattoo of a black star on her right wrist. To earn that Black Belt, Raven chose to break concrete with the “hammer fist” technique which she completed with her right hand. Ouch!

Now you know a little more about Raven, I hope you’ll follow her on social media – Facebook.com/RavenDauda or on IG: @ravendlightworker.

Photo credit: headshot top of story courtesy of Tim Leyes

CAROLE POPE BRINGS “ROUGH TRADE: THE ART OF ROCK” THEATRICAL PROJECT CLOSER TO LAUNCHING

Legendary rock icon, Carole Pope, has been very busy over the past few years working on a passion project that will bring the story of her brother Howard, also a musician, as well her legendary Canadian band Rough Trade to the musical stage. She’s currently promoting a new round of funding that will move the production forward and closer to staging. Two years ago I spoke with Carole about another project, the single “World’s a Bitch” an impressive collaboration with Church of Trees, Rob Preuss & Jordon Zadorozny, that was released mid-Covid crisis and which received worldwide airplay and streaming. She hinted at the new musical and now I’ve managed to reach out to her online for an update and a quick chat about “Rough Trade: The Art of Rock” ….Carole, this project has been brewing for many years and is based largely on the life of your brother, Howard, a New York-based musician who died of AIDS in 1996. As an activist and longtime icon of the LGTBQ+ community, why is this story so important in 2023?   This story is still relevant because HIV AIDS is still an issue. People need to have their stories told to help them heal. We just went through the COVID pandemic which triggered a lot of people who went through the AIDs pandemic.

Rough Trade is such a ground-breaking band in Canadian music history and is still gathering new fans. Do you think this theatrical project will inspire and encourage a younger generation to not only embrace the original philosophies of your music but also remind them that AIDS has not disappeared, and we are all still vulnerable?   Rough Trade’s music is as relevant today as it was in the eighties. It will speak to a whole new audience. Many of the issues I wrote about in the eighties are still being dealt with:  censorship, sexuality, corrupt government, and freedom of expression. HIV/AIDS is a pandemic we’re still dealing with. Over the past few years, you’ve workshopped and refined the material, and performed live concerts featuring the music that will become the soundtrack – will you continue to hold workshops after this round of funding? And do you already have musicians/actors attached to the project?   We are looking for funding for two more workshops, one in New York this fall and another in Canada. We have several people attached. Chilina Kennedy is playing me, Robert McQueen is directing, and Debra Barsha is the music director.

If funding is generated to complete Rough Trade: The Art of Rock musical, when would you like to present the first show and where? Hopefully here in Toronto.   We’ll present the first show wherever a theatre and producer(s) commit to making it happen.

If you would like to contribute to the production, please log onto:  https://gofund.me/02d1d8f9

You can also follow Carole and the project at:  http://www.carolepope.com
IG: @carole_pope
Twtr: @carolepope
And Facebook.com/pages/Carole-Pope/138723746204488

INT’L FILMMAKER ALEX PROYAS LAUNCHES STREAMING PLATFORM FOR SHORT FILMMAKERS AROUND THE WORLD

Yes, I admit it – I am a film junkie! Growing up in the bush in Australia back in the 60s & 70s, I didn’t get to the cinemas in the big cities as often as I wanted to; I did, however, get to see Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen which changed my life – I had to be…needed to be…a part of the cinema world. Thank goodness for the local library (Kalamunda, just outside of Perth WA) where I devoured all the books on film stars, filmmaking and the history of Hollywood (years later, I taught Film History at a film school here in Toronto so all that geeking out paid off in the end). Back then everything was all about Hollywood, Tinseltown, the centre of the film industry universe. But now, thanks to everything being online, the biz has changed…well some of it has. There are still barriers for emerging writers, directors, producers to get their work shown in cinemas or on tv – it’s all about the $s and access to the suits. Sure, there is a global market for film with active film communities in just about every country – ever heard of Nollywood? Nigeria is second only to Bollywood (India) for annual production output leaving Hollywood in the dust but people still think California is the place to conquer professionally.
For the past few years, I’ve become so homesick for Australia that I’ve searched for Aussie-based platforms for films and tv series that we just don’t get up here in North America, apart from the odd Indigenous show (eg: Mystery Road, Total Control), thanks to channels such as APTN in Canada and PBS in the US. Every time I clicked on videos or film industry news broadcasts, I always got the geo-blocked message on screen: “not available in your territory”. Urgh! Isn’t the world wide web supposed to give us access to stuff from around the world?? Then I discovered VIDIVERSE, a streaming platform out of Australia created by award-winning filmmaker ALEX PROYAS (pictured below) best known for directing I, Robot, The Crow, Dark City and numerous music videos including those by Sting, Mike Oldfield and one of my fave Down Under bands Crowded House with whom I worked when they toured Canada.Alex realized there was a huge online opportunity for indie short filmmakers whose work is often the stepping stone to feature work and big-time careers. He knew he could make a difference when he launched Vidiverse and saw the audience numbers grow exponentially along with a  loud buzz within the film community – there was suddenly a greater respect for short films, especially those in the specific horror/thriller/chiller genre.  I became a member and have spent many hours viewing a variety of shorts – some make me laugh, some scare the bejesus outta me, others illuminate issues I’ve not had to confront up here in Canada.  I knew I had to talk to this talented filmmaker to learn about his decision to step up and kick open the doors for all who share his passion….

Alex, you’ve enjoyed much success throughout your career as a filmmaker, director and writer, both critically and at the box office, so why get into the streaming biz with Vidiverse?  The mainstream of film is broken right now – and less accessible to brave new voices than ever before. I wanted to encourage indie filmmakers and more importantly filmmakers who are attempting to build a new way forward. I was writing and directing my own short films and I found the only place I could share these films was on YouTube, a site that pays a pittance to anyone who doesn’t have millions of subscribers or views, and where great work is at the mercy of the algorithm and can get lost, buried beneath so much rubbish. What hope is there for up-and-coming filmmakers if they have nowhere to showcase their work, so they can continue to create? Vidiverse is my attempt to change that.What excites me about your streaming platform is that it’s not geo-blocked here in North America like most, if not all, of the Aussie platforms (incl. the tv networks and festival outlets). How did you manage that?   I feel that to improve the situation for indie filmmakers it needs to be a global effort. We don’t just want to showcase Australian filmmakers to Australian audiences. Vidiverse is evidence that across the world there are unique, rich, unheard stories from filmmakers that deserve to be shared globally. We simply can’t claim to champion indie filmmakers if we’re limiting their potential audience. A few of our films are blocked in some territories due to existing licenses already arranged by the filmmakers, but these are very few indeed.Many of the films listed on the site maybe “cool” but are definitely outside of the norm (or “genre” films) and would probably never make it into traditional cinemas – why is it important to support and champion these films?   We are about diversity in film. Whether that be in style, content, structure, ethnicity or culture. Filmmakers grow and learn and change. When you provide a platform for their work, they can build their fan base, they can earn money, they can develop their unique style of filmmaking and ultimately add more value to their own brand. Nothing changes if nothing changes and by highlighting different films, we open up an industry that is trapped in a cycle of using the same actors, filmmakers, directors, stories, etc, told from the same perspectives. It’s a monopoly of sorts, that is almost impossible to break into without the finance and the connections. Vidiverse is about building an alternative.

Since its inception, I’ve seen more and more indie filmmakers add their films to Vidiverse, how did you reach out to them and convince them this was the most ideal & targeted platform for their projects? And how difficult is it to curate specific genres or subjects?  I, fortunately, have very committed followers, many of whom are filmmakers themselves, and it was with their help that we initially launched Vidiverse and secured our first lot of submissions. Additionally, blogs like yours, podcasts, social media, etc. are how we generate further submissions. In terms of ‘convincing’ filmmakers it’s the most ideal platform, I’d say that little convincing was necessary. We offer a place for them to showcase their work and generate potential financial return to put back into their craft. It will also increasingly function as a way for them to build their own individual brand – we are ‘creator-centric’, we don’t boost individual videos like Youtube – we are about encouraging and rewarding those filmmakers who have a body of work on Vidiverse. On top of that, our contract is non-exclusive. We don’t want to limit our filmmakers and if they want to share their work on other sites and streamers, we won’t deny them the potential opportunities they might find through those sites. Though I hope they will increasingly view Vidiverse as the best possible way to showcase their work. Again, at the heart of Vidiverse is the desire to improve the situation for all indie filmmakers, and though we have a long way yet to travel I hope we’ve already shown we can and will succeed.Like the “big boys” (Netflix, Prime, etc,) Vidiverse plans to help finance and produce projects for indie filmmakers in the future. How difficult is it currently for filmmakers to get their projects from page to screen Down Under?  Hugely difficult. Funding for shorts is almost non-existent, or out of reach for most filmmakers. Here in Australia, we are very much an entire industry built on the indie model – we don’t have studios here, and the number of streamers or TV concerns that are in a position to finance content are limited and often produce extremely conservative stuff for mass consumption. It can be difficult to engage investors for anything challenging and ground-breaking, even in the ultra low budget indie world of Aussie movies. Australia has some incredibly talented filmmakers with great ideas but it’s a long road to improve it. But this can all be applied to the larger indie world – as I say, the model is pretty much broken worldwide. A good film is always a kind of miracle, every film has odds it’s trying to beat – but in Australia a good film is a very special kind of even more rare miracle. We need to pull together as filmmakers, and build our own alternative model – one that services the artists as well or better than the commerce.Your website’s “Hope” page says…We want to represent the broadest spectrum of voices possible. What we lack in deep pockets to stream the mass-market and narrow-minded, we make up for with embracing the open-minded, the challenging, the brave, the original.  What advice can you offer to indie filmmakers around the world who want to showcase their work on Vidiverse, and are there any specific submission protocols for doing so?  The only submissions requirement is that the submitter owns all rights to the film. In terms of advice: get out there and make something! It’s films made with passion and dedication that capture our hearts. You don’t need to have lots of money to make a great film, you just need to work at your craft. And make the films you want to see, not the films you think others want to see. Creating with that mindset will give you more clarity in your decisions, and no doubt create a better film than if you made it with the hope of external praise. Just start, make a film, and keep making them no matter what anyone tells you, whatever negative criticism you might get. Passion is all you need.
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Thanks, Alex, good luck as you build your portfolio of short films produced by talented filmmakers from around the globe. And a big THANK YOU for being such a patron of the artform and emerging fellow filmmakers. So, attn all filmmakers around the world – if YOU have a project that needs to be seen by audiences, why not reach out with a submission?

You can follow Vidiverse and select films and filmmakers to view here: https://www.vidiverse.com/

And follow Alex and Vidiverse on all social media platforms @vidiverse

AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKER MARA JEAN QUINN LOOKS FORWARD TO RELEASING HER UPCOMING FEATURE FILM “ANDAMOOKA” AROUND THE WORLD

Being an Aussie stuck thousands of miles away from home, I’m always excited to discover music, films, tv shows, literature and art from Down Under, thanks to YouTube, Vimeo and other platforms. After my two-month odyssey trekking around the outback and the big cities last year, I’m even more passionate about arts and entertainment coming out of Australia. There’s a wealth of independent Australian films being made and, joy-of-joys, lots of women filmmakers with successful careers and being given the respect they are due. One such filmmaker is writer, director, producer and actor MARA JEAN QUINN (below), to whom I was introduced by my Brisbane mate, Marilyn C. Bromley.I dug around online and discovered what a multi-talented busy lady Mara Jean is!  But like indie filmmakers around the world, the toughest part is finding the funding to complete the film and secure distribution – she is currently at that stage and is eager to find that last injection of $s to get her film Andamooka into cinemas.

Andamooka is a feature-length road movie about a city woman whose life falls apart just before she turns 30. She goes to the outback on a quest to spend her birthday with her best friend in tiny opal mining town Andamooka. It paints an honest picture of womanhood, the pain of things not working out and the disconnected nature of city life. The film was shot on location in Western Queensland, Northern Territory & South Australia.I recently asked Mara Jean to share stories from the set, how she got the film made, who helped her and, of course, the challenges of being an indie filmmaker in Australia…..

Mara Jean, you’ve had quite the career journey since starting in theatre in 1999, then as a film actor in 2006 as well as doing some modelling along the way. Since then, you’ve written, directed, produced…even worked in wardrobe. How have all these skills worked to your advantage now that you’re producing your own films?  Having an understanding and interest in all the areas of the film means I have compassion and a basic grasp of what different departments are dealing with – this helps with communication and being able to really flavour the film. I think the most original work comes from sharing the weirdest and most honest parts of yourself. So if I can take a look at different areas of the film in an active way, I can colour the film and in the end like it more! In saying that I am very collaborative and love having input from other artists.  Doing all these roles has been both an exploration of the medium and a necessity. Having to do difficult things out of pure necessity, I have realized I am capable of substantial output. I still go through moments of thinking things are too hard for me and impossible to achieve, but I chip away and get there in the end. I think everyone is far more capable than they believe!What inspired the story of Andamooka? It looks like a very personal and soul-searching journey from the city into the outback that you may have experienced yourself.  I was in denial for ages that it wasn’t based on reality, but it is. I went through a tough time personally and I’d wanted to do an outback trip for years. Though, unlike the brave protagonist “Alex” I never wanted to do it alone. I did a number of solo trips in different parts of Australia and the world in my late teens to mid-20s, so I suppose this was a factor in writing a female lead solo journey film.You spent a couple of months working with just a crew/cast of 3…talk about indie/guerilla movie-making. How the hell did you manage all that on such a tiny budget?  I suppose it was treated like any sort of travel on a shoestring budget, the only difference was, we had a camera and a sound recorder and we shot scenes every second day or so. We were careful with our spending. We only paid for accommodation one night on the whole trip. That night we just really wanted walls, a roof and a washing machine! We free camped most of the time, as well as staying with different friends along the way. The hospitality we were met with was so heartwarming and the public facilities were great. The three of us have all been in the Arts for a long time, which unfortunately means we’re all used to living well below the poverty line. I think the sacrifices made to live a life of freedom and chasing dreams are worth it.  The lucky thing also was that we were all in a place in our lives where we could step away and just hit the road for a few months without any income. Were you given help and shelter by the locals as you travelled throughout Queensland, Northern Territory, NSW and South Australia? I understand you filmed on Traditional (Indigenous) lands – did that require specific sensitivities and/or were your “hosts” helpful and contributed to certain events in the script?  We were met with incredible hospitality by everyone. We filmed five scenes with Indigenous Australians – all of these were written with the talent themselves.   At the time of shooting, we got permission from some Traditional Owners to film on their sites, and since then we have gained retrospective permission to show all sites in the film. We had to remove some due to no-photography zones. The process of gaining permission to show sacred and non-sacred sites from the Traditional Owners has been mind opening and rewarding. We took the permissions to the next level gaining the blessings from the local people of all areas shown in the film, almost every shot! (Below, Sound Recordist Anthea Hilton and Director of Photography Danni Ogilvie on location)One of the greatest learnings early on in the trip was that Australia is actually made up of hundreds of nations all with their own languages and dialects, culture, art, song, knowledge, laws and protocols. We are essentially the United Nations of Australia! Seeing the Indigenous languages map (pictured below) gives a great visual to this perspective. This understanding was both inspiring and really devastating. Experiencing the depth and vitality of these cultures in the Outback made us reflect on what is often an absence of this culture on the East Coast. Living without the visibility of Aboriginal people or culture feels like living a lie, as though it never existed. It’s a hollow and unjust way to live, acting as though “Terra Nullius” was accurate. Being around different local languages and culture adds depth and understanding to a place, so on parts of the East Coast, where this is invisible, we are really missing out on a level of connection to country that has existed for over 60,000 years.I think we are in an exciting time in Australia where people are waking up, confronting truths about our ugly history. Aboriginal people are at the forefront in the Arts. People want to consume this art, and if they don’t, they just haven’t discovered the magic of it yet.

You recently acted in the zombie killer kangaroo feature film “The Red”…was this where you met your cultural advisor and producer, the brilliant Indigenous actor Aaron Pedersen? And how did you convince him to come on board with Andamooka?  Yes! I first met Aaron on the phone when I was in the production team. We had great rapport straight away. I ended up auditioning for a role and acting alongside him and other amazing actors such as Terminator’s Michael Biehn. One day between takes, I told Aaron about my dormant project Andamooka, a pain in my heart, as it had sat untouched for over two years. It was a simple conversation and he took a look at the teaser. A few months later I was at my editor’s house in Sydney, just down the road from his place, and I realized I wanted him in the room. I wanted his take on the film and his input. I called him and asked if he’d like to come and see it, and if he liked then there was a role as a producer for him. I was nervous about how he would respond to the film and that he might have to let me down gently. Fortunately, he loved the film, jumped straight in, and was a great influence on the storytelling as well as many other hurdles in post. Aaron Pedersen (pictured below in the award-winning Mystery Road tv series) is not only a brilliant actor, but he’s an incredible story teller and human being. I bloody love Aaron and it is such an honour to work with him!Funding is always a major issue when completing film and tv projects and I understand you self-financed filming. How difficult has it been raising $s to finish post-production of Andamooka? Have the various gov’t-run funding organizations assisted or are you hoping to remain completely independent from all the red-tape, relying strictly on private funding?  It has been by far the most stressful, frustrating and restricting element. I did attempt to get government funding from a range of bodies, but because we had lots of volunteers on the film they cannot give us any funding. There is a huge gap in State and Federal government funding for indie films – most of the people I spoke to within these places are well aware of this and wish it wasn’t the case. Luckily one of the funding bodies wants to start supporting indie films and Andamooka has become a prototype for them. We’ve both been learning and figuring it out as we go. They have given us a small grant which has been really helpful. Initially in pre-production I did reach out to a few government agencies but was met with a lack of enthusiasm and pretty much flat out “no’s”. I don’t like pushing people to work with me. I have an enthusiasm requirement or I’m not interested. We have been lucky that some fantastic people have given in kind support as well as some deferred payment plans, such as Nicole Thorn who has done an amazing job editing the film, without her there’d be no film. We recently ran a fundraiser that resulted in AUD$11.5K raised, mostly from family and friends, so the team is super grateful to all those people. Amazing what a community can achieve when they rally to support the Arts.

I am also extremely privileged to have generous parents: I was able to borrow money from them this year allowing me to work on this project full time for the last four months. Asking for help was an emotional process as I am usually proudly independent. I have had to get used to living in debt and carrying the stress of taking financial risks. I’ve also spent half the year sleeping on couches whilst working on the film in Sydney.

So how can film fans help?   Please donate to our online fundraiser at https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2E9q000000EkNL
We are also looking for a distributor, a sales agent and all the things I am still learning about that make a film have a life!

And once completed, will you be submitting Andamooka to all the film fests around the world? What are the dream fests where you’d like to see your film showcased?  We hope to tour world film festivals, have a selected cinematic release, and house the film on a streaming platform. And we hope to premiere at the inaugural SXSW Sydney in October this year.  Andamooka is a universal story and almost everyone who has seen it has felt a strong connection, so the more people we can show, the more souls we will touch. It would be cool to end up in places like Toronto, Berlin, Mexico, New York, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand.You can follow Mara Jean’s creative journey via:  https://www.facebook.com/andamookafilm and instagram.com/andamookafilm
And thanks to DoP Danni Ogilvie for photos from the set.

EXCITING NEW READ FOR FANS OF HORSE-RACING!

Growing up in Australia, I was aware from an early age how important horse-racing is to the country, along with cricket and footy. Every year on the first Tuesday of November, the entire nation shuts down and listens to or watches the run of the Melbourne Cup, one of the World’s richest turf races. The legendary Phar Lap mesmerized the country back in the late 20s and early 30’s before dying mysteriously in the U.S.; I had the opportunity to see him (well, his skin really) preserved and on display in a shrine-like case in the big state museum in Melbourne (pictured below)Since moving to Canada, I’ve followed racing and the annual quest for the Triple Crown so it’s no secret I am a huge fan of the late, great Secretariat, and have had the honour of meeting his equally legendary jockey, Ron Turcotte. When I learnt of the new book, The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty by author Curtis Stock, I knew I had to read it and with a little bit of luck, have the opportunity to interview the author for my entertainment column in The Rider (Ontario’s “voice of the horse”) newspaper. Talk about great timing – 2023 is the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown victory.Yes, fifty years ago, Secretariat, a horse so powerful and fast that many of his records still stand today, completed his historic Triple Crown campaign – his win was so popular with race fans that many winning $2 tickets were never surrendered to claim winnings. Secretariat’s rider was Ron Turcotte who grew up as one of 14 children in the small town of Drummond, New Brunswick, noted for its timber industry not horse racing! Four of Ron’s siblings – Noel, Rudy, Roger and Yves – followed their older brother onto North American racetracks and into the winner’s circle.This new 360 page book is the story of the family’s journey from their little corner of the Canadian woods to the pinnacle of the thoroughbred racing world. Each Turcotte found outstanding success, collectively winning a staggering 8,251 races for purse earnings just shy of $60 million. But the jockey’s life takes a toll; each brother was in a never-ending battle to maintain his riding weight, while Noel, Rudy and Roger constantly fought the bottle. And then came the losses, the injuries and the crushing heartbreaks: the unlikely triumph of one of horse racing’s greatest families was not without tragedy. Drawing upon over 30 years of reporting and interviews, author Curtis Stock takes readers on an unforgettable ride through the major players and race days of thoroughbred racing. (author Stock, pictured below)Part biography and part oral history, the book is a true underdog story and a sure bet for any sports fan. The 25th chapter, in particular, is an exciting telling of Secretariat’s Triple Crown campaign, each race written from a stride-by-stride perspective. It will leave you breathless!I asked Curtis about the process of writing his book and he was kind enough to share the following with me….

Apart from the obvious successes enjoyed by the Turcottes in the horse-racing world, what inspired you to write this biographical story, warts and all?  It was simply a fascinating story of five brothers from Drummond, population 700, out of a lumberjack town all being jockeys and all very successful. And then the tragedies that followed.

Did the family endorse your book and open up to you with tales from childhood to the winner’s circle?  Yes, the family (pictured below) was very accommodating. I spent three days in New Brunswick with Ron three years ago. At that time, I also visited Rudy who was in a group home in Grand Falls, New Brunswick. I also talked extensively with Rudy when I tracked him down in Florida and before he came to Alberta. Yves, lives in St. Albert which is a suburb of Edmonton where I live. He was extremely helpful. We spoke at least once a week. I met Roger many, many times when he rode in Alberta.  Noel was the only jockey I never met.How long did the research for the book take? Were you given full access to the racing industry’s archives, news footage and historical reportage (much of which I’m sure you wrote yourself!)?  The research and writing took 3 years but I actually started thinking of writing this book 20 years ago and I began accumulating their histories. I went through countless statistics at that time. Daily Racing Form manuals and archives from the stories I had already written as a sports writer with the Edmonton Journal for some 30 years and when Roger and Yves rode here in Alberta. So, yes, a lot of the information came from one-on-one interviews from that period.

You previously joined a syndicate that was successful with running winners – how did that feel, being on the other side?  I have owned shares of horses for some 30 years. Not many but usually with a group of friends. I currently own one horse, a three-year-old, that is just getting started with five friends. I covered horse racing for the Edmonton Journal for about 25 years so I was inside, as you say, for a long time. As for being on the inside, there is nothing more thrilling than watching your own horse run.

So 11 Sovereign Awards plus numerous other sports writing awards and kudos – is there any other writing goal(s) to which you aspire?  I have no future plans at this time. I would like to see the book become a movie. There was a very successful movie on Secretariat, the greatest horse of all time but nothing on the Turcotte family.How can fans follow you on social media?  Follow me on Twitter: @CurtisJStock

(Pictured below – Ron in wheelchair alongside the statue of him aboard the great Secretariat, located in Lexington, Kentucky)Thank you to Firefly Books who kindly sent me a preview copy. The book is available from Amazon and Indigo Books for $35.00 (ISBN: 9780228104247)