The Firecracker Department with Naomi Snieckus

Latest Episodes:

Colleen Wheeler (with daughter Lily Reynolds) Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the show this week is award-winning actor, producer COLLEEN WHEELER, and her daughter Lily Reynolds! This episode is super special, first because it's our first mother/daughter episode, and second because it was recorded in PERSON, in Colleen's backyard studio in Vancouver! Now, Colleen is originally from Toronto, and now lives in beautiful Vancouver, BC. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a BFA in Acting, and has since performed in over 75 stage productions across Canada, as well as over 50 onscreen roles in film and TV. She voiced Mystique on the animated X:Men Evolution series, was featured in 2018's Tully with Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis, as well as the 2012 feature The Tall Man with Jessica Biel. And so many more!

LINKS:

The Transamorous Trilogy

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/discretion-short-film#/

https://www.instagram.com/artstarkiley/

https://www.instagram.com/transamoroustrilogy/

Instagram: @colleenwheeler123Instagram: @heelfactoryfilm

Twitter: @Colleen_WheelerTwitter: @heelfactoryfilm

Website: heelfactoryfilm.com

The Best Damn Podcast Game Show Ever https://art19.com/shows/the-best-damn-podcast-game-show-ever

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head of Post Production: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Editor: Jennifer Rowley

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Reel Women's Network Spotlight: Farah Merani Jun 29, 2021

Show notes

We have a brand new Reel Women's Network creator spotlight for you AND it's also a firecracker department CORE TEAM MEMBER! Our guest on the show this week is Muslim actor, filmmaker, educator and advocate, FARAH MERANI! Based in LA and Toronto, she is a graduate of the Drama Centre London and has performed in Canada and the US, throughout Europe and in Russia. She has been called by her peers a "revolutionary change maker" in the film industry. Farah heads up the Script Department which hosts a regular script reading series supporting women and non-binary writers.

Some of her TV and film credits include: Shadowhunters, Nikita, Lost Girl, Covert Affairs, Private Eyes and the upcoming feature film, Eat Wheaties!, featuring Tony Hale from Veep and Arrested Development!

In addition to being an actor, she has produced dozens of films with her company, Lifeguard Productions, co-founded a non-profit called Women on Screen, and serves as a diversity and inclusion consultant for film and tv with her former co-chair of the ACTRA Toronto Diversity Committee.

Follow Farah:

https://www.leaninusc.org/farah-merani

https://www.womenonscreen.ca/

www.lifeguardproductions.ca

@screenwmn - Instagram

@ScreenWMN – Twitter

@ScreenWomen – Facebook

@lifeguardproductions – Facebook

@lifeguardproductions – Instagram

Gillian Müller Twitter: @MullerGillian IG: @gillianmuller

Karen Walton Twitter: @inkcanada IG: @helloiwrite

Mika Collins Twitter: @mikacollinz IG: @mikacollinz

Sarah Dollard Twitter @snazdoll

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head Editor: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Writer: Lauren Schell

Editor: Jennifer Rowley

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Georgia Grant Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the show this week is Toronto-based singer and actor GEORGIA GRANT!

We've partnered with Sheridan College's Music Theatre Performance Class of '95 to support their newly created Class of 95 BIPOC Bursary Fund! The new Bursary Fund at Sheridan is to support music theatre and technical production students who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or People of Colour. They have created this fund to help Sheridan in its efforts to dismantle systemic racism and create opportunities for underrepresented members of our community.

Now, since graduating from Sheridan college in 1995 Georgia has made her home on the stage, both in musicals or straight plays. Some of her favourite roles to date include Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Grace Farrell in Annie, Dionne in Hair, Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Lady of the Lake in Spamalot.

In May last year, Georgia was one of the incredible performers selected to participate in the first Firecracker Department Dust-Off, to sharpen up skills for musical theatre firecrackers mid-pandemic!

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head Writer/Editor: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Editor: Jordyn Giddens

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Kelly McCormack Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the show this week is actor, filmmaker, musician and executive producer, Kelly McCormack! Currently, Kelly is gearing up to shoot the Amazon Studios TV re-imagining of the 1992 classic A League of Their Own starring alongside Abbi Jacobson, D'Arcy Carden and Chanté Adams. You've seen Kelly onscreen in Ginny & Georgia, Departure, Letterkenny, Killjoys, A Simple Favor, Carter, The Expanse, and SO much more.

Kelly's latest feature film, Sugar Daddy - which is breathtakingly gorgeous - was written and produced by Kelly. Sugar Daddy explores the ways in which young women are trained to perform femininity, and won Best Feature at the Canadian Film Fest, alongside Kelly winning Best Performance.

Kelly's energy and candor make this episode a must-listen. We talk about the double-edged sword of society's need to label and identify ourselves, we talk about anxiety, nature, workaholicking, and I just had the best time catching up with my friend Kelly.

Kelly McCormack

https://www.instagram.com/kellyandphyllis/

https://twitter.com/kelmccormack

Alok Vaid-Menon

https://www.instagram.com/alokvmenon/

https://linktr.ee/alokvmenon

Allegra Fulton

https://www.instagram.com/cinesylph/

https://twitter.com/allegra_fulton

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head of Post Production: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Writer: Lauren Schell @Laurenschell_

Editor: Jordyn Giddens @jordyngiddens

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Chloe Van Landschoot Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the show this week is queer artist, actor, AND registered nurse Chloe Van Landschoot! When @chlovls isn't dancing or story telling, you can find her working as a nurse in downtown Toronto. Her onscreen credits include the critically acclaimed Canadian feature Jackie Boy and the biopic Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer. Now she stars in the feature film, Lune which is written and directed by another firecracker community member, Aviva Armour-Ostroff.

Lune is making its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival on June 4th and it won the prestigious Micki Moore Award for best narrative feature directed and written by a woman! @tjffgrams

The On Canada Project:

https://oncanadaproject.ca/settlerstakeaction

Chloe Links:

Instagram: @chlovls

Instagram: @lunethefilm

TJFF Links:

Follow TJFF: @TJFFgrams

TJFF Online Festival: https://tjff.com/toronto-jewish-film-festival-2021/

Donate to Mazon Canada

Donate to The Stop Community Food Centre.

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head of Post Production: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Writer: Lauren Schell @Laurenschell_

Editor: Jennifer Rowley

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Sedina Fiati May 25, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the show this week is producer, performer, creator, activist, SEDINA FIATI! Sedina is proudly Black, queer, and deeply invested in artistic work that explores the intersection between art and activism. They're currently the Artist-Activist in Residence at Nightwood Theatre, one of founding collective members of the Black Pledge, and former co chair of ACTRA Toronto's Diversity Committee! Sedina is the creator of the web series Last Dance and producer/star of Super Zee, which they also starred in! Super Zee, which was directed by fellow firecracker and founder of BIPOC TV & Film, Nathalie Younglai AND produced by Firecracker core member and Script department head, Farah Merani! They're also a part of our Social Justice department and have been instrumental in our core team as a workshop leader and social justice advocate.

Follow Sedina

Twitter: @bwheelsheels

Instagram: @bwheelsheels

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head of Post Production: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Writer: Sydney Neilson

Editor: Jordyn Giddens

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Reel Women's Network Spotlight: Marem Hassler May 19, 2021

Show notes

This month's RWN spotlight is on Swiss-Trinidadian actor and filmmaker, MAREM HASSLER! Marem is the co-owner and co-founder of Viscus Film, an award winning avant garde boutique Film company. Her mother is a sculptor, her father a filmmaker, and she began a career in music as a lyricist, songwriter and recording artist. She's produced albums, film scores, commercial jingles, as well as making herself known as an actor on international TV series, commercials and more. She works as active director, writer, and camera AC in LA! Marem is also founder of @thefaceyogachick!

Twitter @HasslerMarem

Instagram @maremhassler

Twitter: @ReelWomensNetw1

Instagram: @reelwomensnetwork

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head Editor: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Writer: Lauren Schell

DONATE IF YOU CAN:

Redemption Paws (Toronto)

https://redemptionpaws.org/donate/

The Dog-Go Project (Mexico/Canada)

https://www.thedoggoproject.org/dona/

Women United for Animal Welfare (Los Angeles)

https://wufaw.org/

DIBS Rescue (Toronto)

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Wendy O'Brien May 12, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the podcast today is casting director WENDY O'BRIEN. She's won a Peabody, three Artios awards and was nominated for an Emmy! She's casted Sons of Anarchy, Mayans MC, You're The Worst, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Prison Break, The Runaways, A.P. Bio (with firecracker Mary Sohn), Stumptown (with firecracker Camryn Manheim), Dave, American Vandal, Mr Mayor… and MORE! She also casted Bad Trip (the new Eric Andre movie on Netflix) and 2020's The Way Back with Ben Affleck. Wendy's also a mother, a rower, a quarantine gardener and an absolute DELIGHT! Listen now!

Sara Stockmann May 04, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the show this week is Producer Sara Stockmann! Sara is the founder of Sonntag Pictures and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science! Sara has produced OVER 25 international feature documentary films. She's received accolades from all over the world, at Cannes, Tribeca, Amsterdam, at the EMMYS AND THIS YEAR'S OSCARS! Sara's films spark debates in society, internationally. She's also a mother, a twin, and an absolute firecracker.

LINKS!

I Hate Suzie https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GX6MziQh41pYSwwEAAAK4

Billie Piper https://www.instagram.com/billiepiper/

Lucy Prebble https://twitter.com/lucyprebblish

Photographer Caitlyn Rouse https://www.instagram.com/caitlynrousephotography/

Core Team member Alissa Abeler https://www.instagram.com/winter_thistle/

Listen to The Daily Fare https://www.thedailyfaremusic.com/

Instagram: @sonntagpictures

Instagram: @7yearsoflukasgraham

https://www.sonntagpictures.com/

https://lukasgraham-film.com/

Oscar Nominated Short "The Letter Room" LA Times review: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-04-01/review-oscar-nominated-shorts-live-action-animation-documentary?_amp=true

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head of Post Production: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!

Ophira Calof Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

Our guest on the pod this week is multi award winning Disabled writer, performer, and producer, OPHIRA CALOF! Ophira's work weaves together music, comedy, and storytelling, centring disability and chronic illness experiences. Ophira's journey is so unique and she is whip smart as well as hilarious. A Second-City-er, a trained opera singer, curator, workshop facilitator, consultant, and keynote speaker, Ophira is BUSY!

We talk about art in accessibility, who you grow up wanting to be in Beauty & the Beast, music, comedy, opera, chronic pain, body neutrality, Tallboyz, performance venue accesibility and more!

Their single, Still Standing, is available online including on Apple Music and Spotify! They co-created the Canadian Comedy Award Nominated sketch comedy revue Generally Hospital, and their solo show, Literally Titanium, was developed through the Buddies in Bad Times Emerging Creator's Unit before premiering at the 2020 Next Stage Theatre Festival.

Twitter: @Ophira_C

Instagram: @ophira.c

Facebook Fan page/website: https://www.ophira.ca/

Head Producer: Winnie Wong @wonder_wong

Head of Post Production: Sydney Neilson @sydney_neilson

Editor: Jordyn Giddens @jordyn_giddens

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.firecrackerdepartment.com and follow us @firecrackerdept!