ALUMNUS PROFILE

This interview was recorded on March 20, 2014, while Michael was on break from rehearsing King Lear at the Stratford Festival.

Photo: David Leyes

Michael, you're entering your 4th year at the Stratford Festival. What productions are you working on?

I'm in three very different plays: King Lear, directed by Antoni Cimolino and starring Colm Feore (Acting, 1980); A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Chris Abraham (Directing, 1996); and The Beaux' Strategem, also directed by Antoni Cimolino and starring Martha Henry (Acting, 1962), Colm Feore and Lucy Peacock (Acting, 1983). It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from the veterans and I still feel as though I’m a rookie here at the Festival!

Describe a typical day of rehearsals.

At the moment, I'm rehearsing King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream. A typical day starts at 10 a.m.; now that we're up from the table, the actors get called for their scenes only. In one day, you may be jumping from one rehearsal venue to another, doing different scenes from different plays. You find out at 6 p.m. what your schedule is for the next day. The key is to stay ahead of the game.

How do you stay on top of things with such short notice regarding the schedule from day to day?

Number one for me is to have a strong sense of my lines and the context of the scene, and to always remember where I am in the play at that given point.

What is it like to have such a long rehearsal period?

It's great, because we have plenty of time to work on various aspects of character development and explore the play in-depth. The coaching staff is also invaluable; they’re always available to help with text, voice and movement. Beyond the director’s eye and my own process, it is great to have a third perspective to help shape the work.

At Stratford, on the Festival stage, we start rehearsals at the end of February and go until the beginning of May, when previews begin. This gives us the opportunity to really soak in the plays and let them marinate. However, it is never as long as one thinks because you are working on two plays – and sometimes three – at the same time, as well as working on understudy roles.

Where are the rehearsals held?

All three shows that I'm in will be mounted at the Festival Theatre, which is a beautiful thrust stage theatre designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch. There are two rehearsal halls that are almost full-scale mock-ups of this stage, complete with balcony. However, it’s only when you get on the actual Festival Stage that you get the full scope of how it truly feels.

It must be thrilling when the production moves from the rehearsal hall to the actual stage?

Yes, it’s unbelievable! And everyone here makes that process so easy. The directors have such a strong sense of what it is to work in that space. Even in the rehearsal room, we're constantly thinking about what our optimal place is in order for the action to move forward and for the actors to be seen and heard clearly. Our challenge is to draw the most drama out of the scenes through movement; you can’t remain static in such a big space. It's very satisfying and a real dream come true to work here.

Performing for longer runs must be gratifying as well?

Yes, you get to see the performances change and grow. People settle into things and new discoveries are made throughout the season, which is a great thing to experience. Especially with Shakespeare, you never get to the bottom of it. There is always more to mine from his words.

Is there a strong family atmosphere at the Festival?

Stratford is a small town and when the Festival is rehearsing and up and running, you see people who work in all areas of the company from wig builders and front of house staff to backstage crew members and stage managers all over town. There is a real energy focused on creating something exceptional. I think everyone here is united in that goal. At this point, everyone is working on their own specific scenes, so we don't see each other much but, very soon, we'll start running shows and that's when things really start to gel. You get to see what the rest of the cast is doing and how all the pieces are coming together.

Was theatre part of your experience growing up, when did you know you wanted to be an actor?

My cousin, Janet Bailey, is an actor and I used to go and watch her perform in various plays around the city and on many TV shows. She showed me that anything was possible and she had a huge influence on me. She has a wonderful imagination and always inspired me to try things.

My mother, who was a teacher, also inspired me. She took me to see lots of theatre when I was a child, growing up in Toronto. My early memories were seeing shows at Young People's Theatre, Harbourfront and Broadway touring productions. Many music concerts as well. I attended St. Michael’s Choir School at the age of six. There, I learned Latin and sang in the choir at Massey Hall. That was my introduction to performing and the stage. I don’t remember being anxious or nervous about it. The magic of the theatre always drew me in and that was probably what got me hooked.

Did you act during your early school years?

I actually started out in film and TV; I was on the television series, De Grassi Jr. High. However, I arrived at a crossroads in my life and wasn’t sure what to do. I got an offer from YTV to become a journalist, but I turned it down because I knew that I wanted to act.

How did you hear about NTS?

I always collected the house programs from the shows that I attended. I often noticed that the actors I admired had trained at the National Theatre School of Canada, so I knew it must be a special place. At one point, I was working at a roastery on the Danforth where many of my fellow workers had graduated from other acting programs (such as George Brown, Ryerson and Humber), and I’d listen to their conversations.

They knew that I was an actor, but I wasn't taking it too seriously at the time. I would ask them what the best theatre school was and NTS was always described as the hardest one to get into. It was also surrounded by a certain aura – it was located in "exotic" Montreal! And that was all so appealing to me. You’d always hear about how many people auditioned to the School, how hard it was to get in and how well-trained the actors were who studied there.. It had a real pedigree.

Do you remember your audition?

Yes. I had no trepidation about at least giving it a shot. I applied and, funnily enough, did Edmund's speech from King Lear. When I got to the audition, however, I remember being very nervous. I auditioned for Perry Schneiderman (then Artistic Director of the English section) and he was very kind; I went through the audition process, which lasted over a few months, and it was very challenging. I remember the audition panel wanting to know about me, what I aspired towards and what jazzed me about theatre and the arts. Just recalling it now is making my heart beat faster!

My experience at the School was so valuable to me; at the time I just had no fear. Sometimes, when you don't have any expectations about things, you succeed.

What are the important elements of your process as an actor?

I think fearlessness is important as an actor. And asking yourself a million questions about whatever you are working on. Finding inspiration from the world around you is so valuable. Music. Film. A coffee shop. A library. A bar. A bit of imagination

I’ve always found that researching the history of a play or musical is very important. Since graduating, the Toronto Reference Library has been invaluable for research. They have everything there and the staff is great. The internet is good, but I am a bit old school and I like to thumb through books. However, as much preparation as you do beforehand, once you hear the words coming out of another actor’s mouth, everything changes and that’s when the real work begins. Listening and playing with your fellow actors: that's the one thing I try to hold onto. Always listening with fresh ears.

What would you have done if you hadn't gone into theatre?

I might've pursued that opportunity at YTV and become a journalist. I've always been quite inquisitive and interested in people’s stories. But I felt there was another element of creativity that I wanted to explore in a different way.

I also think I might’ve become a teacher, like my mother. Education was key in our home. I thank my mother for that and for developing my imagination through reading. I like the idea of being around young minds and sharing what I know.

What role(s) do you dream of playing?

I had the opportunity of playing Othello at Bard on the Beach, in Vancouver, which was a dream role for me. I love Shakespeare and I'd love to play the big, herculean roles that demand a lot of rigor. Macbeth, Coriolanus and Hamlet are all such beautifully written, complex characters that would be so enriching and satisfying to perform.

What are your interests outside the theatre?

I'm a huge film buff. I love film. Thanks to the Internet, you can have access to films from around the world. I'm challenging myself by watching films that I don't usually watch. I’m currently working my way through a world cinema top 50 list.

What advice would you give to young actors starting their careers?

Be true to yourself and determine what you want to do as an artist. And learn about money management.