The Firecracker Department with Naomi Snieckus

Latest Episodes:

Elaine Overholt Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

Our guest today is singer, voice & performance coach ELAINE OVERHOLT! She has worked with SO many incredible performers and is an incredible performer herself! From John Travolta, Zac Efron and Michelle Pfeiffer on Hairspray, to Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, and Queen Latifah for the Oscar-winning 'Chicago'.

She's also worked with Shawn Mendes, Jim Cuddy, Alannah Myles, Jully Black, Jackie Richardson, and Megan Fox. As a Broadway coach, Elaine trained the lead singers for 'Hairspray', 'The Producers', 'Mamma Mia', 'Kinky Boots' and so many shows of Mirvish Productions.

On her TV series "Big Voice" (OWN Network), Elaine took gifted but 'untried' singers, put them in a 6-week boot camp, culminating in their "dream" performance.

SO! MANY! THINGS! Elaine is amazing, and this episode is our most musical episode yet!

Follow Elaine on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bigvoicestudios/

https://www.instagram.com/elaineoverholt

Follow Elaine on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/bigvoicestudios/

https://www.facebook.com/elaineoverholt

Train with Elaine!

https://www.elaineoverholt.com/

Elaine's Big Boice Vocal Warmup and Workout:

https://apple.co/3aL2Mnl

Jo Vannicola Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

Our guest today is Emmy award winning actor, author, advocate, screenwriter, beautiful human, JO VANNICOLA! Jo has been acting in the industry for years, most recently in Slasher, Street Legal, Stonewall, and Being Erica. They sit as the chair of outACTRAto, the LGBTQ+ committee at ACTRA Toronto, and is the founder of Youth Out Loud, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness about child abuse. Jo's memoir, All We Knew But Couldn't Say, was released in June 2019, and was shortlisted for the nonfiction Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in 2020! We talk about pronouns, their social justice work, creating during pandemic times, toxic positivity and so much more.

Follow Jo @joannevannicola on IG and Twitter!

Trashed the short film: https://www.facebook.com/Trashedthefilm/

All We Knew But Couldn't Say: www.allweknewbutcouldntsay.com

Slasher on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/80105452

Youth Out Loud organization: www.youthoutloud.ca

Link to Working With Queer Performers Guidebook: https://www.actratoronto.com/working-with-queer-performers/

Link to Queer Your Stories PSA: https://youtu.be/163zfH1go8s

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.firecrackerdepartment.com

Reel Women's Network Spotlight: Andrea Evans Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

In November, we announced our partnership with Reel Women's Network, a new online streaming service that showcases films, series, documentaries, podcasts, and digital content created by women filmmakers and content creators. Our second Reel Women's Network Spotlight guest is two-time Emmy Nominated Actor, Documentary Filmmaker, ANDREA EVANS! She has starred on four different soap operas on three different networks.

Andrea is the Executive Producer of the documentary "Rocking the Couch". It's hard hitting documentary revolving around the Hollywood "casting couch," featuring emotional interviews and a true #metoo story. The documentary is streaming on Amazon Prime and, of course, Reel Women's Network!

See Andrea now on Amazon Prime's THE BAY!

Follow Andrea!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/andreaevansprod

Follow Reel Women's Network!

Twitter: @ReelWomensNetw1

Instagram: reelwomensnetwork

FB: ReelWomensNetwork

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

Emily Schmidt Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

Our guest this week is TV writer EMILY SCHMIDT! Emily was the Writers' Assistant for Netflix's "Girlboss," staffed on the Netflix multicam "No Good Nick"and an on-set joke writer for Kay Cannon's "Blockers." When she's not writing or trying to write, Emily is usually watching "The Golden Girls" and baking!

She's currently writing for a new series on FOX called 'This Country," led by Jenny Bicks & Paul Feig! It's a mockumentary comedy based on a British series, following a pair of cousins as they go through their daily lives in "idiosyncratic surroundings." The half-hour series also stars Seann William Scott, Aya Cash, and Taylor Ortega, and was actually FOX's first pickup of the 2021-22 season!

Follow Emily

https://twitter.com/emilyrschmidt

https://www.instagram.com/emilyrschmidt

https://emilyschmidt.substack.com/

Stream No Good Nick, Blocker, and Girlboss on Netflix anytime!

Subscribe to our newsletter at www.firecrackerdepartment.com

Nainita Desai Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

This week on the podcast, our guest is sound designer and composer Nainita Desai!

Nainita's worked on documentaries, film, tv, commercials, musicals, video games... her credits are amazing and so is she! She's the first composer we've had as a guest!

She has scored countless BAFTA, Oscar, Emmy acclaimed productions including 2020's FOR SAMA. Her most recently released project is the Sundance Doc Audience Award winning THE REASON I JUMP, an immersive film exploring the experiences of non speaking autistic people from around the world. It just came out this past Friday, along with the first single and music video! You can follow the film @reasonIjumpfilm to hear the music and find out where you can watch.

Over 95 percent of composers are men, and we need more Nainitas!

Follow Nainita Desai on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nainitadesai

Follow Nainita Desai on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nainita_desai/

Watch The Reason I Jump: https://thereasonijumpfilm.com/

Support Action For Sama: https://www.instagram.com/actionforsama

Listen to Nainita on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/6yyzlTFjuZqptozK4Q9wHO

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

Daniela Kelloway Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

Our guest on the pod this week is one of my favourite people, DANIELA KELLOWAY! Daniela runs CLUTCH PR in Toronto and is an amazing publicist. We spoke when she was just starting her amazing new Book & Brunch event series, co-founded with her sister Zuzanna! She hosts these awesome events with - you guessed it, books AND brunch, and it's now in FORTY CITIES!

Follow Daniela @thekelloway, @clutchpr, & @booknbrunch

Daniela's Website: www.clutchpr.com

Book n Brunch: www.booknbrunch.com

Gift Cards for the holidays at: https://www.booknbrunch.com/gift-cards

Upcoming Events:

Page Turners Book Club~ Be a Mensch: Unleash Your Power to be Kind and Help Others - December 9th

https://www.booknbrunch.com/events/224

Page Turners Book Club~The Chocolatier by Jan Moran- December 17th- https://www.booknbrunch.com/events/219

Virtual Book Club: Year of YES- December 18th -

https://www.booknbrunch.com/events/225

Mary Sohn Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

Our guest on the podcast today is actor, writer, MARY SOHN! You've seen Mary on TV in Teachers, Comedy Bang Bang, Superior Donuts, Bajillion Dollar Properties, Work in Progress on Showtime, and A.P. Bio on NBC. You may remember her from the Work in Progress panel we hosted back in July, with Abby, Celeste, Kate, and Mary herself!

Stream A.P. Bio on Peacock!

Stream Work in Progress on Crave or Showtime!

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

Reel Women's Network Spotlight: Crystal Chappell Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

We're officially launching a monthly Spotlight Series with the Reel Women's Network!

Our first Reel Women's Network Spotlight guest is Emmy winning actor and producer Crystal Chappell! Crystal, along with Linda and Jessica Hill, launched the Reel Women's Network in April of this year. She's a longtime soap star and the creator and star of the Emmy-winning Venice the Series! It debuted in 2009 and Season 7 will be filmed next year. She was such a delight to speak with, and I'm so excited to start sharing these stories with you all!

Crystal Chappell's social handles:

Twitter and Instagram: @CrystalChappell

Facebook fan page: CrystalChappell2009

Reel Women's Network social::

Twitter: @ReelWomensNetw1

Instagram: reelwomensnetwork

FB: ReelWomensNetwork

Firecracker Aftershow: Molly McGlynn Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

This week Veronica Martin joins Naomi, Emily and AJ to chat about Molly McGlynn's Episode. They discuss her confident approach to directing, hiding the internal chaos and how to identify and normalize failures. Enjoy!

Catch up with firecracker core members Naomi @Naomi Emily @emchurchill AJ @atotheje and core member Veronica Martin the newest Firecracker Aftershow now! If you haven't yet heard this week's episode yet, listen now wherever you find podcasts!

Molly McGlynn Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

Our guest this week is writer, director, Molly McGlynn! Molly has directed a ton of TV, from Speechless and Bless This Mess on ABC to Grownish on Freeform, Workin Moms and Bad Blood for Netflix, the Emmy-nominated web series How To Buy A Baby! Her first film Mary Goes Round, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017, was nominated for AND won a bunch of amazing awards!

Molly also worked with BIPOC TV & Film to create a Booster Grant using the stipend from her TIFF residency, so congrats to the recipients Aisha Evelyna and Maya Bastian! We can't wait to see what you both create!

Follow Molly on Instagram @mollymarymcglynn

Follow Molly on Twitter @therealmollymcg

Amanda Crew Fundraiser Story: https://www.instagram.com/amandacrew

Project Heal Donation Link: https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/3030276

Learn more about Project HEAL

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Firecracker Department with Naomi Snieckus

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected