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When we gave notice to bargain the Independent ProductionAgreement VIPAW last spring, we knew it was going to be a toughround. We had been following the negotiations between theCanadian Film and Television Production Association VCFTPAWand the other unions and guilds and the news was not promising.The producers’ trade association had set an aggressive tone,playing the technical unions off against one another, bullyingthem into concessionary deals. They were saving us for last,hoping that an established pattern of rollbacks, particularlywith our branch in British Columbia, would soften us up.They tied other unions up in bargaining for 18 months. We gavenotice that we would not bargain beyond the expiry of the IPA.Only when the Union of British Columbia Performers VUBCPWrejected the engagers’ outrageous proposals, did the CFTPAagree to give us bargaining dates, consenting to begin negotiaTtions on October 23 for an agreement that would expire onDecember 31.With 160 proposals on the table, we were given 15 days at thetable to negotiate the IPA that we will all have to live with until2010. Even the CFTPA conceded that getting a deal on timewas going to be a challenge.ACTRA was well prepared. We had reached out to the memTbership through focus groups to create proposals written bymembers, put these proposals into enforceable language andassembled a strong negotiating committee.

We were prepared to answer ridiculous demands for deep cutTbacks that would have set performers back 15 years. We were preTpared to make the case for a fair and reasonable industryTstandardincrease for performers’ pay and to argue for the improvementsto the contract our members had told us they required.But there was a fly in the ointment. The CFTPA negotiatorsweren’t consistent. They weren’t reasonable. And they wantedthe internet for free.Which gets me back to John Lennon.Because the internet is what’s been happening to our industrywhile we were busy making other plans. The internet is everyTthing we’ve ever done, everything we’re doing now and everyTthing we are going to do.

“The CFTPA negotiators weren’t consistent. Theyweren’t reasonable. And they wanted the internetfor free.”

Read the news. Steve Jobs. Bill Gates. The CEO of Motorola.All the studios. The kids in the cyber cafés. Folks in the street.They’re all saying the same thing. The internet is everything.As the internet replaces familiar distribution models,

2 ACTR A TORONTO PER FORMER S

“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”John Lennon

ACTRA’s strike demo outside the offices of the CFTPA. Photo: Peter Baker

businesses built on those models areunder intense pressure to adapt. Thereis a lot of flailing around and gnashingof teeth. The Hollywood studios arelike a bunch of angry, frighteneddinosaurs as they try to come to termswith the digital world.It is good advice to stay out of tight placeswith dangerous animals U places like thebargaining table. Which explains ourapproach to bargaining and the internet.Because the internet is the past, presTent and future of everything we do, itis vital that we set good terms for therecording and use of performances inthe digital frontier. We cannot affordto make a bad deal on this stuffbecause performers will have to livewith this deal for a long time to come.All the work that migrated to DVD onsuch terrible terms for creators is set to

migrate again to the net. The studioswant to keep their dragon’s hoard ofDVD earnings and watch it growthrough exploitation on the internet.Whether we like it or not, we find ourTselves on the front line of the mostimportant battle performers will fight inthe next 25 years. It is as big a fight as theoriginal fight for television rates, as thefight for residuals, and it is bigger thanthe continuing fight for a fair share ofDVD revenues.

As I write this, we are five weeks into thefirst strike in our union’s 64Tyear history.On February 9, the producers walked outon negotiations with us for the thirdtime and our industry struggles asHollywood withholds work from Canadain an effort to extort a bad deal. This isn’tgood business practice or even real capiTtalism at work. It is exploitation and

brute economic force in the service ofgreed. The claws of the dinosaurs aresharp. They hurt.

Such work as there is continues onlybecause of ACTRA’s interim agreementstrategy, allowing productions to conTtinue during the strike so long as theymeet our pay demand. The legality ofthese agreements Vand of our strikeitself W is being challenged by theCFTPA in the courts, in an effort toshut the industry down completely. Allin all, the situation would seem to begrim. And yet...

For the first time in 10 years, performersacross Canada are sending the same mesTsage to engagers. Our brothers and sisTters in UBCP have refused to knuckleunder to the Hollywood studios. In midTFebruary, they left their bargaining tableto join us at ours.

President’sMessage

SPRING 2007 3

ACTRA’S FIRST-EVER

STRIKEby Karl Pruner

“Because the internet is the past, present and future of everything we do, it is vital that we set good terms forthe recording and use of performances in the digital frontier.”

Bargaining team members Ron White and Alberta Watson in a tense period of bargaining during IPA negotiations. Photos: Kim Hume

Other unions have suffered internal diviTsions under the pressure ACTRA is nowfacing, yet our unity is becomingstronger. Many of our brothers and sisTters in other unions and guilds are frightTened at the prospect of a protractedwork stoppage. Their jobs are on the linewith ours and in their anxiety to get backto work, some will inevitably blameACTRA for their troubles.

“Other unions have sufferedinternal divisions under thepressureACTRA is now facing, yetour unity is becoming stronger.”

This is why the leaders of DGC andIATSE and NABET are invited toattend our bargaining sessions, toobserve our deliberations and negotiaTtions. In spite of their frustration withthis dispute and their eagerness for aresolution, they understand the issuesand ACTRA’s position.Most importantly, they have heard our

repeated proposals to move the internetissues off the table into a side committeeso that everybody can get back to work.This has been our position from thebeginning.It took six years to reach an agreementwith the National Film Board on internetterms and after six years, negotiationswith the CBC are still continuing. TheCFTPA’s notion that we could concludea deal on the internet in 15 days wasnever realistic.During one of the last round of talks,the producers took eight hours negoTtiating with themselves to prepare aproposal on the internet. We offereda counter proposal, which theyignored, preferring to resubmit theirinitial proposal formally so theycould catch planes and send a pressrelease. This seems like a manipulaTtive manoeuvre but I think the realproblem is much simpler. In the end,I believe that they just didn’t havesufficient consensus in their ownroom to have a dialogue with us.

The IPA negotiations werehijacked by the sudden arrival ofthe future. Our plans had tochange because life happened.Because the net happened.

Suddenly, we were asked to bargain theterms that will govern how all performTers are to be paid in the future. Or else.

“Give us the net for free,” said theengagers,” or else there will be noAmerican work.” “Give us the net forfree,” said the engagers, “or we willattack your union and the validity ofthe contract in the courts.” Moreclaws. More teeth. We bargainedpatiently, working for a fair settlement.During the strike we fought to keepproductions up and running whileworking out the terms of a fair and reaTsonable deal. And we got one.ACTRA’s firstTever strike ended onFebruary 21 after six weeks.

continued on page 21

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Top Photo:Peter MacNeill and Eric Peterson listeningintently to ACTRA’s team during the last dayof talks before negotiations broke down inDecember.Photo: Kim Hume

Left:Karl speaking to a packed members’meeting on ACTRA’s strike at Isabel BaderTheatre at the end of January.Photo: Jag Gundu

5

performersThe magazine from ACTRA Toronto

Spring 2007 • Volume 16 • Issue 1

PUBLISHERLyn Mason Green

[email protected]

EDITORChris Owens

[email protected]

EDITORIALCOMMITTEELyn Mason Green, Kim Hume, Dan Mackenzie,

Chris Owens, Karl Pruner, Brian Topp

DESIGN and LAYOUTErick Querci

[email protected]

ADVERTISING SALESKaren Cowitz

[email protected] 416T461T4627

CONTRIBUTORSPeter Baker • Judy Barefoot • Lynne Boni

Dave Broadfoot • Barbara Chilcott • Joy CorionFerne Downey • Jag Gundu • Tracey Hoyt • Kim HumeShawn Lawrence • Dan Mackenzie • Lyn Mason Green

Laura McKelvey • Freda MerrittTGambrill • Tereza OliveiroChris Owens • Karl Pruner • Kimberly Samnang

David Sparrow • Carol Taverner • Brian Topp

PLEASEADDRESS EDITORIALCORRESPONDENCETO:

Performers Magazinec/o ACTRA Toronto Performers

625 Church Street, Suite 200Toronto, ON M4Y 2G1

Fax: V416W [email protected]

JOINTHETEAMIf you’re an ACTRA Toronto member or apprentice and want

to write an article, contribute original artwork or photos,we’d love to hear from you.

Send an email to [email protected].

Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing.

THENEXTCOPYDEADLINE ISMay 1, 2007

The magazine invites members to submit notices of births,marriages, obituarites and letters to the editor. Article submisT

sions must be sent via email [email protected]. Wereserve the right to edit or omit any material for length, style,

content or possible legal ramifications.

Performers Magazine is published three times a year by ACTRAToronto Performers. The views expressed in unsolicited and

solicited articles are not necessarily the views of ACTRAToronto Performers, its council or this committee.

Publications Mail Agreement number 40069134ISSN 1911T4974

www.actratoronto.com

On the cover:Kris HoldenIRied

photographed by Kim Hume.

Contents2 President’s Message ACTRA’s firstTever strike

by Karl Pruner

6 ACTRAAwards inToronto a profile of our nomineesand an introduction to our new voice award by Tracey Hoyt

10 Wendy Crewson: Culture Champion an interview with ACTRAToronto’s 2007 Award of Excellence recipientby Ferne Downey

12 VictorMark Lutz wrote and stars in the television movie about thetriumph and tragedy of Olympian swimmer Victor Davis.

14 Members’ News ACTRA’s CRTC lobby, the Archives Project,the end of Blue Man Group in Toronto, the Gemini and Genieawards, Shaw and Vidéotron threaten CTF and more

17 Many thanks to our generous sponsorsof the ACTRA Awards in Toronto 2007

18 ACTRAToronto’s Fall Conference highlights

23 Status of theArtist appears to be Status Quoby David Sparrow

26 InMemoriam • Welcomenewmembers • Announcements

30 ACTRAToronto council and staff listings

6 10 12 14 18ACTRAAward winnersMaria Del Mar, Gordon Pinsentand Wendy Crewson.Photo: Jag Gundu

A Victory for VoiceThe newACTRAAward foroutstanding voice performanceby Tracey HoytVoice acting requires great talent and skill U whether themedium is narration, radio drama or animation.ACTRA Toronto member Adrian Truss, a gifted voiceactor and series regular on the animated series RubyGloom, Erky Perky, Totally Spies and Atomic Betty, felt itwas high time that The ACTRA Awards recognized thetalented voice actors, “who not only specialize in it butexcel at it here and abroad.”Adrian wrote a letter to the editor of PerformersMagazine,and later voiced his concerns in an article. The responsewas positive. Finally, as a member of the ACTRA Awardscommittee, Adrian spoke up.

His efforts U and those of other likeTminded members Upaid off. 2007 will be the inaugural year for the ACTRAAward for Outstanding Performance U Voice at theACTRA Awards in Toronto.

In the fall of 2006, ACTRA Toronto members nominatedvoice performers for the first time in the awards’ fiveTyearhistory. In early January of this year, the voting juries, madeup of ACTRA performers, narrowed each performancecategory down to five nominees, and the finalist jury,including highTprofile voice performers,made their decisions.

On February 23 at The Carlu, ACTRA members andstaff will celebrate and applaud the efforts of the 15 talTented nominees for the ACTRA Awards including, atlong last, the voice award.

There could very well be some extra hooting and hollerTing for this new award, so be sure to warm up your voice.

TwoTtime Gemini Award nomineeTracey Hoyt acts with her voice agood deal of the time. Currently, shehas recurring roles on the animatedseries 6Teen, Delilah & Julius and Boband Margaret. Tracey has also voicedhundreds of commercials for radioand television.


ACTRAToronto’s 2007Award of ExcellenceWendy Crewsonsee our profile of thisCanadian culture championon page 10.

AwardnomineesACTRA Award forOutstanding Performance – Voice

Len Carlson, Atomic Betty (posthumous nomination)

Ellen-Ray Hennessy, Di-Gata DefendersTajja Isen, Atomic Betty

Ron Rubin, Erky Perky

Adrian Truss, Jane and the Dragon

ACTRA Award forOutstanding Performance – Female

Martha Burns, Slings & Arrows

Maria Del Mar, Terminal City

Deborah Grover, 11 Cameras

Martha Henry, At The HotelKristen Thomson, Away From Her

ACTRA Award forOutstanding Performance – Male

Chris Bolton, Rent-A-GoalieWilliam Hutt, Slings & Arrows

Don McKellar, Monkey Warfare

Gordon Pinsent, Away From Her

Michael Therriault, Prairie Giant:The Tommy Douglas Story

The ACTRA Awards in Torontotook place Friday, February 23, atThe Carlu in Toronto. The AwardsGala was hosted by PatrickMcKenna. Paul O’Sullivan was thescriptwriter. The awards show feaTtured a performance by ACTRAmember and singer AmandaMartinez. The ACTRA Award statTuette is by Adrienne Alison. Manythanks to the generous sponsors ofThe ACTRA Awards in Toronto2007 Vsee page 17W.

The winners of the award in eachcatergory have been highlighted.

ACTRAAward forOutstandingPerformanceU VoiceLen CarlsonAtomic Betty posthumous nomination

Len Carlson’s longacting career forfilm, TV and stagestarted in Seattle,Washington andincluded principalacting roles rangingfrom The Verdict,Race For The Bomb,The Henry Ford Storyand The Deejay, forwhich Mr. Carlson

received an Emmy nomination. As a highTly soughtTafter male voice in bothToronto and New York, he appeared inmore than 2,000 animated cartoonepisodes juggling as many as eight differTent characters per show. His vast body ofwork also included directing and voicing300 animated shows for CBSTTV’sCaptain Kangaroo, The UnderseaAdventuresof Captain Nemo and several episodes ofDisney Channel’s The Raccoons. Voice aniTmation credits include Beetlejuice,Carebears, Racoons, Roboroach, Beyblade,Berenstain Bears and his ACTRA AwardTnominated Atomic Betty. Mr. Carlsonpassed away in 2006. His agent RichardMenich says, “I think Len felt his job wasnever quite done until he’d made youlaugh.” He is much missed by friends andfamily.

Ellen-Ray HennessyDiMGata Defenders

In the past 30 yearsof her career,a c t o r / d i r e c to r /teacher ElleyTRayHennessy has perTformed in morethan 180 theatricalproductions acrossCanada, the U.S.and Europe withmultiple awardsand nominations

for acting and directing. Ms. Hennessyplays Mme. Liezelle in DiMGataDefenders, who she describes as “A crazy,witchTy, psychic, morphic thing thatnever dies. She predicts the future, andshe’s possessed.” Recent voice creditsinclude Spider Riders, The Very GoodAdventures of Yam Roll in Happy Kingdom,Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs,Rolie Polie Olie, Sons of Butcher and thevoice of the Nicorette monster. Ms.Hennessy is a soughtTafter voice instrucTtor and is creating a voice school.“There’s a real need for animation teachTers. It’s a very specific form, very differTent from the rest of our working body.”She recently directed an animation proTduction in Berlin, Germany, and justcurated the gala for the InternationalInterior Design Show.

Tajja IsenAtomic Betty

With such a strongTvoice industry inCanada, 15TyearToldTajja Isen takesgreat pride in thisnominat ion forACTRA’s new voiceaward. She landedher first voice roleas ‘Sister Bear’VBerenstain BearsW atage 10. Since then,

she has voiced lead roles for more than20 animated series, including AtomicBetty, Jane and the Dragon, Disney’s Jojo'sCircus, Weird Years, Time Warp Trio andMeteor. Ms. Isen can be heard singing thethemes for seven animated series and hasreleased an album with KOCH VU.S.W forAtomic Betty. She won the Young ArtistAward for Best Voice Performance twoyears in a row. Ms. Isen also appeared onstage as Young Nala in Disney’s The LionKing. Currently, Ms. Isen is combiningher classical piano training, singing andwriting talents to launch her own popTrock album with production set to beginearly in 2007.

Ron RubinErky Perky

WinnipegTborn vetTeran actor, writer,and voiceover perTformer Ron Rubin’sversatility and rangeis recognized throughTout Canada and theUnited States. Hefeels extremely forTtunate and honouredto be among thosenominated for the

first ACTRA Award for outstanding voiceperformance. Over 25 years, Mr. Rubin’svocal characterizations on countless aniTmated series include principal roles in theEmmy AwardTwinning Beetlejuice, AngelaAnaconda, XMMen, Flying Rhinos, KrattsKreatures, Sailor Moon, C.O.P.S., PoliceAcademy,Avengers and the recentCareBears“Big Wish” Movie. Current animated projTects include Friends and Heroes, Harry andHis Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, CaptainFlamingo, DiMGata Defenders and ErkyPerky. Mr. Rubin studied acting at theNeighbourhood Playhouse, has appearedwith Second City and toured NorthAmerica as a featured standTup performer.

Adrian TrussJane and The Dragon

Actor/writer/direcTtor Adrian Truss’seclectic career hasincluded live perTfo rmances wi thSecond City andepisodes of SCTV.He helped form theinfamous improvtroupe IllustratedMen which touredthroughout North

America and staged a highly successfulproduction of Waiting For Godot atCanStage. Trained at Ryerson TheatreSchool, Mr. Truss has written and directedseveral stage plays including Dragonhead,Retribution and Tale of the Scorpion whichwere well received in both Toronto andLos Angeles. He has also written episodicTV VPuppetsWhoKillW and for the last threeyears has written the wellTreceivedACTRA Awards in Toronto. In voice, Mr.Truss has performed original roles in manyhighly popular animated series includingBob and Margaret, Mischief City, AtomicBetty and the Emmy AwardTwinning RoliePolie Olie among many others. He is nomiTnated for his work on Jane and theDragon, aNelvana/Peter Jackson’s WETA Studio coTproduction.

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SPRING 2007 7

ACTRAAward forOutstandingPerformanceU MaleChris BoltonRentMAMGoalie

Chris Bolton starsas Cake in RentMAMGoalie which he coTwrites with GraemeManson. Thrilled tobe nominated, hesays, “It made merealize we’re doingit right. This is anensemble nominaTtion for sure. I playthe straight man to

a bunch of lunatics. So long as I can keepfrom laughing...” Shooting for the secondseason began in February, and in thespring, Mr. Bolton is one half of a twoTman team cycling 5,000 kilometres inRace Across America raising funds for

the Sick Kids Foundation. GeorgianEntertainment, Chris’ production comTpany with ACTRA member ChrisSzarka, has a number of projects in theworks. RentMAMGoalie was profiled in theFall 2006 issue of Performers Magazine.

William HuttSlings &Arrows

Ac to r / d i r e c t o rWilliam Hutt’sextensive, awardTwinning career hasincluded appearTances on Broadway,London’s West Endand across Canada,the U.K., Europe,Australia, and theU.S. He is bestknown for his work

at Stratford, from which he recentlyretired. Upcoming, he will be appearing inthe sequel to H2O, Trojan Horse. Pastawards in film and television include JamesTyrone in Long Day’s Journey Into NightVGenie AwardW, Sir John A. Macdonald inThe National Dream VGenie and ACTRAAwardsW and Bernard Shaw in The FirstNight of Pygmalion VPrix Anik AwardW. He isa Companion of the Order of Canada, was

the first recipient of the GovernorGeneral’s Lifetime Achievement Award,Eng l i sh Sta ge , and rece ived theShakespeare Globe’s Sam WanamakerAward for contribution to Elizabethan andJacobean theatre. Mr. Hutt believes it’stime Canadian actors stood up for what isnecessary in the recent IPA negotiationssaying, “Listen folks, I do enough of thisVperformingW for the love of it, but there’svery little of that left.”

Don McKellarMonkeyWarfare

Don McKellar isthrilled to be nomiTnated by his actorpeers. “How cool!And particularly soin this case, withMonkey Warfare. Asmany ACTRAmembers know,when you commityourself to a smallfilm, the recogniT

tion it receives Vif anyW is often more satTisfying than what you can eke out ofthose bigTmoney gigs. Thank you.” Mr.McKellar has won Genie awards for eacharea of his work: acting, writing and

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directing. Recent acting credits include Slings & Arrows, thevoice of Jack in the animated series Odd Job Jack and the upcomTing miniseries The Englishman’s Boy based on Guy Vanderhaege’snovel. He won a Tony award with Bob Martin for The DrowsyChaperone, now playing on Broadway and soon to appear inLondon’s West End. Selected acting and writing combo creditsinclude Twitch City, The Red Violin, ThirtyMTwo Short Films AboutGlenn Gould and Highway 61. Mr. McKellar is currently busywriting screenplays, including an adaptation of Jose Saramago’snovel Blindness.

Gordon PinsentAway From Her

Ca n a d i a n icon Gordon Pinsent is wellknown and loved by Canadian audiences forhis decades of work in theatre, film, televiTsion and radio as an actor, writer and director.Mr. Pinsent earned high praise for his recentmadeTforTTV movie Heyday!, which hewrote, directed and performed in. Mr.Pinsent played Billy Pretty in the criticallyTacclaimed feature The ShippingNews, MorleyCallaghan in the miniTseries Hemingway vs.Callaghan and Al Purdy in Yours, Al. Hestarred in the ‘60s CBC television series

Quentin Durgens, MP and wrote and starred in the 1972 film TheRowdyman, which CBC’s Life & Times’ profile of Mr. Pinsent calls“a turning point in Canadian film, and in his career.” Mr. Pinsent’smany honours include ACTRA Awards, ACTRA’s John DrainieAward, the Earle Grey Award, Genie and Gemini Awards, as wellas honourary doctorates from Queen’s University, P.E.I. Universityand Memorial University, Newfoundland. He is a Companion ofthe Order of Canada. He received ACTRA Toronto’s inauguralAward of Excellence in 2003.

Michael TherriaultPrairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story

Star of Stratford, Broadway and TorontoMirvish Productions, Michael Therriaulthas already won a Soeul Drama Award forhis portrayal of Tommy Douglas in PrairieGiant. “I’m shocked and honoured to benominated. It’s an honour to be nominatedby your peers. That means more than anyTthing, I think.” Of Tommy Douglas, hesays, “He’s an important person in historyto take pride in. We have to honour ourheroes. He did so much for our country.”Mr. Therriault played Gollum in Toronto’s

theatre production of Lord of the Rings, and will be in London toreprise the role there. He earned a Dora Award for his work asLeo Bloom in Toronto’s version of The Producers. He’s appearedin Stratford and on Broadway in Fiddler OnThe Roof. Upcoming,he’s in The Englishman’s Boy with coTnominee Don McKellar.

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TheACTRAAwardNomineescontinued on page 22

SPRING 2007 9

ACTRAAward winners Maria Del Mar and Gordon Pinsentwith ACTRA Toronto’s 2007 Award of Excellence recipientWendy Crewson.

Photos: Jag Gundu

ACTRAAwards host Patrick McKenna. ACTRA member and singer Amanda Martinez.

Daughter of ACTRAAward Nominees Martha Henrywinner Len Carlson, Corinna Carlson. and William Hutt.

Presenter Shirley Douglas. Nominee Ellen-Ray Hennessy.


Wendy Crewson has anamazing résumé on both sidesof the border U she is greatlyrespected for her complexsoulful portrayals and her

earthy, wicked sense of humourkeeps her very real.

VApparently, she is also quite agood kisser.W What we also

adore about Wendy is she’s notafraid to put her money whereher mouth is U sticking up for

actors, sticking it to theCRTC, moderating panels withher own brand of feisty grace,taking ACTRA’s position toOttawa. I talked to Wendy

about beginnings...

Wendy

Crewsonphotographed

onthesetof

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JagGundu.

Ferne Downey: October 2003, you rockedthe world of Canadian television. Your devasMtatingly moving performance as Jane Doeearned you a Gemini Award. You rose to thestage in your glamourous white gown andplanted a big juicy kiss on CBC anchor IanHanomansing. Then you went on to give arousing speech asking audiences to stay tunedto homegrownTV, ‘We have a sea of talent outthere and I’m looking at it.’And the place wentinsane! What inspiration moved you to stirthings up that night?Wendy Crewson: Poor Ian was so terTrified when I went up to kiss him U thestricken look on his face. Didn’t they callhim ‘Ian Handsome ManTsing’ U MaryWalsh told me that. It was fun. I thinkit’s very important in our Canadianindustry that we recognize each otherand our talents. Part of being Canadian isto underplay all that we do, and especialTly as a Canadian actor, there is somethingabout us that is so willing to downplay,dismiss, set aside our accomplishments.We really see it as a little distasteful, youare not supposed to trumpet your own Uit’s not in good taste.There’s a great story about Bill Hutt’sparents coming to see the first show hedid at Stratford, and he said, ‘you couldtell who my parents were because theywere the only two that didn’t stand up toapplaud.’We fight the CRTC for some piece ofour cultural voice and are dismissed outof hand.

Then we have the whole American culTtural giant overshadowing us. Look at theGeminis, how maligned they are… youpick up the papers and ‘Oh dear,’ says allthe press, ‘here come the boring oldGeminis again,’ and you just want to buryyour head and go ‘Oh!’ I can’t stand theidea that we can’t just celebrate our own.Before those Geminis I read JohnDoyle’s column who said, Enough of allthis worrying about our ratings... I’m notinterested in TV ratings on the Geminis,I’m interested in us celebrating ourselvesin this industry. If we don’t nobody elsewill. That wasn’t exactly what he said, hewas more succinct, but when I read it apenny dropped. And I thought, damn it,we’re supposed to be having fun here. Weneed to stand up and applaud each otherfor the fabulous work that we do.

FD:What tipped you into pursuing acting asa career?

WC: You know, I had a sort of epiphanywhen I was about four. Mom was dropTping off some food for a potluck at ourlocal United Church and all the womenwere in the kitchen. I was crossTeyed andwore huge, pink, catTeye glasses. I wasbig and tall with these big glasses, I’m allmouth and skinny hair and I walked intothe church gymnasium in the late afterTnoon and the light was streaming in U itwas really beautiful U and I walked up onthe stage by myself, looked around andthought, ‘Wow, this is nice, I like theview from here,’ and I started to imagine

things. Honest to God, I knew rightthen, ‘I want to be an actress.’ It’s neverchanged. I remember my mother lookingat me like, ‘Alright, dear, or teaching…teaching is always a good profession,’ andI thought, ‘Nay, I’m going to be anactress.’

“And I thought, damn it, we’resupposed to be having fun here.We need to stand up and applaudeach other for the fabulous work

that we do.”

FD: You graduated from Queen’s Universityand then went off to England to the WebberDouglas Academy. How did you get so smartto realize that England might be a good placefor technical training?WC: The National Theatre School wasin Montreal and my parents lived inMontreal and I didn’t want to go backhome to live!FD: In 1984 you received the Best ActingPerformance in a Continuing Role inTelevision for your work as Kate in HomeFires.AnACTRAAward for your first seriesis an auspicious beginning.WC: Yes, an ACTRA Award. The origiTnal ACTRA Award U The Nellie U sitsproudly in my living room.


WendyCrew

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SPRING 2007 11

Wendy CrewsonCulture Champion

An interview with the winner of ACTRA Toronto’s 2007 Award of Excellence

by Ferne Downey


Mark Lutzas VictorDavis inVictor.Photo courtesy ofIndian GroveProductions.Photo: Ken Woroner

1982 . Guayaqu i l , Ecuador. The Wor ld SwimmingChampionships. Canadian Victor Davis is appearing in his firstmajor international competition. As the other swimmers limberup, Davis shadowboxes an unseen opponent, letting loose a flurTry of punches. He is the last to take his position on the starterblocks. When the pistol sounds, he explodes into the water.Four lengths of the pool later, he emerges as the new WorldRecord holder of the men’s 200Tmetre breaststroke.During his career, Davis won 29 national titles and 16 internaTtional medals. He captured a gold medal at the 1984 SummerOlympics in Los Angeles. He became a member of the Order ofCanada and was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall ofFame. Tragically, only a few months after his retirement, VictorDavis died in Notre Dame Hospital, Quebec, the victim of ahitTandTrun driver. He was just 25 years old.On March 26, CBC will air a twoThour movie, Victor, based onthe life of this remarkable athlete written by and starringCanadian actor Mark Lutz.Mark has done what many actors only dream about: he haswritten a starring role for himself in a story he has longed totell; he has sold a screenplay and had it produced; he has paidhomage to a childhood hero and created work for fellowCanadians. Not bad for a first attempt.

Before he became an actor, Mark spent many years pursuing hisown dreams of swimming glory, competing from the age of six.His swimming career included an appearance at the OlympicTrials. It would remain an unfinished chapter, however, due tochronic shoulder problems and several surgeries. “My body gaveout before my heart did.”As a performer, Mark has appeared in more than 40 filmand television shows. You may have seen him on ER,Friends, Power Play, Earth: Final Conflict or as a regular on theWB series Angel. But for many years, he has wanted to creTate his own work and tell Canadian stories. “They alwayssay write what you know, so having spent 15 years waterTlogged in a pool, swimming was something I knew about.”Initially, he thought of writing “a sort of fictionalizedRocky in the pool,” and then, he turned to childhood swimhero Victor Davis. “Here’s an amazing journey of a kid fromGuelph, Ontario, who had a lot of knocks against him, interms of finances and a broken home, wrong side of thetracks, hyperactive, not the best student, and then hereaches the pinnacle of Canadian sport. In the early ‘80s itwas like a new beginning in Canadian athletics. He was sortof on the cusp of people discovering that, hey, we can winin something besides hockey.”


Victor

SPRING 2007 13

For the past seven years, Mark Lutz’s life has been consumedby telling the story of Canadian Olympic champion

Victor Davis.

‘I think it’s all within yourself.Whatever you want.Whatever satisfies you.Personally, being second or third doesn’t satisfy me. I have to be the victor or

I’m not going to be satisfied.’– Victor Davis

by Chris Owens

Canadian stars demand action from the CRTCStars were out in force for ACTRA’s news conference inOttawa at the start of CRTC hearings into the state of overTtheTair television in November last year. Toronto membersWendy Crewson, Fiona Reid, Sonja Smits and R.H. Thomsoncalled on the CRTC to impose spending requirements on priTvate broadcasters to stop the disappearance of Canadian draTmas. ACTRA wants broadcasters to spend 7Z of advertisingrevenues on Canadian dramatic television shows and to broadTcast the shows in real primetime U Sunday to Thursday,7T11 p.m. The news conference was widely covered in printand television, and led to Sonja writing an article for TheOttawa Citizen. ACTRA returned to Ottawa in earlyDecember to make a full presentation to the CRTC.A transcript of ACTRA’s presentation is available athttp://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/transcripts/2006/tb1204.htm.

Rolling: Archives projectAdrienne Clarkson, Ernie Coombs, June Callwood, DouglasCampbell, Susan Douglas, William Hutt, Charmion King,Barry Morse, Jan Rubes, Ruth Springford, John Neville. TheBen Lennick Archives at ACTRA Toronto videotaped interTviews with these and countless other stars capturing theirthoughts and stories on performing, their careers, the industryand ACTRA. These treasured records are now being transTferred to media that won’t deteriorate. And to build the libraryand continue recording ACTRA’s and actors’ oral history,councillors Theresa Tova and Wayne Robson have begun capTturing new interviews using our very own Gordon Pinsent stuTdio. If you’re interested in assisting with the archives project,contact Wayne [email protected] orTheresa [email protected].

No more Blue Man GroupThe stage show Blue Man Group shut its doors inJanuary after just over a year’s run in Toronto. ACTRAToronto and the United Steelworkers joined the BlueMan Coalition, established by Equity, IATSE and theAmerican Federation of Musicians, to pressure theNewTYorkTbased worldwide production to honour ourprofessional theatre community and negotiate unioncontracts for its performers, musicians and stage techTnicians. Blue Man was expected to play Toronto indefiTnitely, but announced in September, 2006, that itwould be closing in January, 2007. It’s a bittersweetconclusion U the closing represents a successful boyTcott, but the boycott’s unions and supporters wouldhave preferred union contracts and a longTrunningshow.

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The band in June 2005 at the Blue Man Group protest.

Jan Rubes AdrienneClarkson

Photo courtesyCBC Still Photo Collection

Wendy Crewson and Sonja Smitsspeaking to media after ACTRA’sCRTC news conference.Photo: Jonathan Hayward

Genie Award nominations for Toronto membersCongratulations to the ACTRA Toronto members who earned Genie nominaTtions. Because our film industry is so successful in Quebec, many of the nomiTnated films are QuebecTbased, and thus many of the nominated ACTRA memTbers come out of ACTRA Montreal. Congratulations to all ACTRA membernominees. The Genie Awards were presented by the Academy of CanadianCinema and Television on February 13. ACTRA Toronto nominees are:

Performance by an actor in a leading roleColm Feore, Bon Cop, Bad Cop

Performance by an actor in a supporting roleHugh Dillon, Trailer Park Boys: The MovieRobert Joy,Whole NewThingStephenMcHattie,Marice Richard / The Rocket VwinnerW

Performance by an actress in a supporting roleEmily Hampshire, Snow Cake

Gemini Award winnersCongratulations to all ACTRA Toronto members who wonGemini Awards. The Geminis were held in October andNovember, 2006.Winners in performance categories Valphabetical orderW

Martha Burns Slings &ArrowsMaury Chaykin AtThe HotelSusan Coyne Slings &ArrowsGavin Crawford and Shaun Majumder, with ACTRA Newfoundland & Labradormembers Cathy Jones and Mark Critch This Hour Has 22 MinutesWendy Crewson The ManWho Lost HimselfSean CullenWhatWere They Thinking?Linda Kash AtThe HotelJudah Katz Canada Russia ‘72k.d. langWords to Music: The Canadian Songwriters Hall of FameRon MacLean CBC’s Hockey Day In CanadaTom McCamusWaking UpWally: TheWalter Gretzky StoryMark McKinney RobsonArmsPaul Soles Terminal CityKsenia Solo renegadepress.com

Winners in directing and writing categoriesJames Allodi Vdirection Naked JoshWSusan Coyne, Bob Martin, Mark McKinney Vwriting Slings &ArrowsW

Production categoriesGisèle Corinthios Vwith Marie McCann, Pat Ellingson, Ericka EvansWGisèle’s Big Backyard: Here, There and Everywhere

Viewers’ ChoiceAwardMarilyn Denis CityLine

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Crewson receives ovation at NDP conventionWendy Crewson spoke to an Emergency Resolution on ACTRA’s strike at the Ontario NDPconvention at the end of January and received a standing ovation for her efforts. UnitedSteelworkers National Director Ken Neumann introduced the resolution that recognized therole of film and television in our culture, that professional performers deserve to be paid fairTly for their work, and that asked for the Ontario NDP’s support for ACTRA’s strike. The resTolution passed and the Ontario NDP called on the Canadian Film and Television ProductionAssociation to reach agreement with ACTRA and resolve the strike.

Martha Burns won a Gemini Award for her roleas Ellen in Slings & Arrows. Photo courtesy Rhombus Media. Photo: Ken Woroner

Colm Feore was a Genie Award nomineefor his role in Bon Cop, Bad Cop.Photo courtesy Park Ex Pictures. Photo by Attila Dory

Top-10 Canadian films for 2006Good luck finding these films in the theatres, but if they domake it to a multiplex near you, go and see these great Canadianfilms!In alphabetical order.Away From HerCongoramaUn Dimanche À KigaliThe Journals of Knud RasmussenManufactured LandscapesMonkeyWarfareRadiant CitySharkwaterSur La Trace D’Igor RizziTrailer Park Boys: The MovieCanada’s TopTen films are chosen by a 10Tmember, nationalpanel of filmmakers, journalists, programmers, and industryprofessionals convened by the Toronto International FilmFestival Group VTIFFGW. www.tiffg.ca.

CMG makes donation in support of ACTRA’s strikeThe Canadian Media Guild’s VCMGWNational Executive Committee votedunanimously to donate [5,000 to theActors’ Fund in support of ACTRA’sstrike. Lise Lareau, CMG’s NationalPresident advised ACTRA of the donationduring the third week of ACTRA’s strike.

CMG is the union representing 6,000 members who work inthe Canadian media. ACTRA supported CMG during the CBClockout in the summer of 2005 and joined their picket line onseveral occasions during their sevenTweek lockout.www.cmg.ca

Shaw, Vidéotron jeopardize CTFIn December, Shaw Communications, followed by VidéotronLtée, announced they would immediately withdraw their supTport from the Canadian Television Fund, VCTFW, jeopardizingthe most important source for greenlighting Canadian drama,comedy, documentaries and kids’ shows.Globe and Mail TV columnist John Doyle wrote on January 30:“It’s really rather simple. Cable companies in Canada exist in aprivileged, protected position that allows them to make vastamounts of money, and now some want to renege on their regTulatory responsibility and thus crush CanadianTmade TV.”Parliament’s Heritage Committee began hearings on the CTFin early February, and the CRTC’s new Chief Commissioner,Konrad von Finckenstein, announced a task force to look intothe CTF after Shaw and Vidéotron’s complaints. Both compaTnies have resumed their monthly CTF contributions.ACTRA has been a strong supporter of increased funding forthe CTF and spearheaded a successful fight against impendinggovernment cuts in 2003.

AFBS announces new benefits programAfter much consultation with members, AFBS has launched anew insurance benefits program. You should have alreadyreceived a booklet previewing the new benefits called Options &Decisions. This publication contains information on the newplan and outlines choices for members and decisions membersneed to make immediately. The new insurance program is effecTtive from March 1, 2007. The most important change is thatseven classes of insurance coverage have been compressed intothree levels: bronze, silver and gold. See Ferne Downey’s articleon AFBS’ new insurance plan in the Winter 2007 issue ofInterACTRA Vp. 7W. Read your mail and contact AFBS with anyquestions.V416W 967T6600 1T800T387T8897 [email protected]

U.S. company funds CanWesttakeover of Alliance AtlantisAlliance Atlantis Communications is embroiled in controversyonce again as CanWest Global Communications’ announced itis buying AAC with U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs footTing 90Z of the [1.5 billion deal that includes AAC’s 13 specialTty cable channels.The AAC takeover falls close on the heels of another giantmedia takeover in Canada U the purchase of CHUM byCTVglobemedia.Both deals will be examined by the CRTC. The CHUM purTchase leads to ownership of multiple TV stations in a singlemarket; the AAC deal tests Canada’s foreign ownership limitsof telecommunications companies.ACTRA lobbies against further media concentration and therelaxing of foreign ownership rules. Both weaken our alreadythreatened cultural sovereignty and lead to reduced opportuniTties for Canadian programming.

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Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent in Sarah Polley’s filmAway From Her, one of Canada’s top-ten films of 2006.Photo courtesy Capri Releasing

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Do We Have Your Money?Attention all performers who have earned royalties,residuals and use fees under an ACTRA agreementVfilm, TV, documentary or commercial productionW.

Have you moved and not kept a current address withACTRA? Are you holding on to an uncashed cheque from

the ACTRA Performers’ Rights Society VACTRA PRSW?If you answered “Yes” to either of these questions,

ACTRA PRS may be holding an unclaimedresidual payment for you.

For information, please visit the ACTRA PRSsection of www.actra.ca, or go to

www.actra.ca/actra/control/prs_payments,to see a list of performer names under

ACTRAPRSNKAPayments to see if your nameor a performer you know is listed.

If it is, contact ACTRA PRS atV416W 489T1311 or [email protected].

We’d be happy to hear from you and arrange for payment!

Many thanks to the generous sponsors ofThe ACTRAAwards in Toronto 2007

PlatinumSponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze SponsorsACTRAPerformers’Rights Society, Barna-Alper Productions,Cavalluzzo Hayes Shilton McIntyre & Cornish LLP,City of Toronto Film & Television Office, Dufferin Gate Productions,Grant Thornton LLP, Rhombus International, Unionville Insurance

SupportersJam Talent Management, Manulife Financial, Ooh La La Couture,OAZ, PLAYBACK, Ricochet Water, Thistle Printing,Toronto Film Studios, Writers Guild of Canada

FriendsAMI Artist Management, Fountainhead Talent,Gary Goddard Agency, New Leaf Flowers & Gifts

The Fall 2006 session of the ACTRA Toronto Members’Conference drew hundreds of members for a fullTday ofworkshops and master classes. The fall conference is theone conference each year held on a Saturday, andACTRA Toronto has been offering unique sessions forchild performers and their parents so that kids canattend without missing school. For the first time, kidsgot their onw Master Class, to work on auditions. Hereare highlights from some of the workshops.

Nailing the Part: Casting forTVActor Jennifer Wigmore moderated a panel includingShaftesbury Films producer Suzanne French, casting directorMarsha Chesley and producer Jamie Paul Rock to provide helpto actors on the casting process and how to ‘nail the part.’The difference between now and 10 years ago is the lack ofwork, which has increased the competition level, not just foractors, but for casting directors.Most of the actors will be off book, so bear that in mind, thoughit’s okay to bring the sides in with you. Don’t count on the readTer to help you out. It's not their audition, it’s yours. The safestthing to do is say “Line,” and it's okay to ask to start again.Be careful of asking questions before you start. While the sidesaren’t the whole picture, you’ve had to do a lot of work toanswer questions for yourself about what happened before,where the character is emotionally, and you want to show thepreparation you did. If it’s wrong but done well, that will stillimpress them.Just because you didn’t get it doesn’t mean you didn’t make animpression. They may have liked you, but felt you didn’t fit.The CD may have said “They’re reading for this part, but I alsothought they’d be good for this other part.” before you evenget in the room. They may cast you elsewhere in the project orkeep you in mind for others. A good audition will be rememTbered and is never a waste of time.Don’t rewrite, ever. If you get sides that have a little interchangethat doesn’t involve your character, perse, don’t cross it out andskip it, it’s there for a reason. And don’t reTwrite words or jokes orleave things out. If there’s a writer in the room, they can tell if diaTlogue isn’t working, they don’t need you to tell them that. It willmean more if it’s bad dialogue, and you make it work anyway.The audition is not a scavenger hunt for props. Never, everbring a gun, even a fake one, to an audition. The audition isabout what you look like, what you sound like, and can you actand connect.A self tape won’t get you the part, but it may get you a callbackVfor ACTRA members, there’s the Gordon Pinsent studio thathas a camera, great sound and great lights U all for free.WA headshot should be a headshot Vno preference for colourover b/w, though colour seems to be prevalent these days.W Somany submissions are electronic now, and they come in as athumbnail, so if you’ve got a bodyTshot, your head is minusculeand they usually won't take the time to click on it.Marsha doesn’t like to get eTmail or faxes, but doesn’t mindpostcards or phone messages, just don’t expect to get her onthe phone for a response.Jamie doesn’t want postcards, it’s just more mail. He loves it whenagents call and offer him tickets to see their clients in a show.

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Child performers attending the Master Class for Kids:Great Auditions session at the October conference.

Photos: Jag Gundu

Bruce Hunter, Fab Filippo, Luba Goy and Gordon Paynter in From Sketch to Screen.

Neil Whitely at the OctoberMembers’ Conference, sendinga letter on Status of the Artist to

his MPP.

Peter Keleghan speaking tomembers at the conference plenary

about ACTRA’s plans to start acredit union for artists.

Photo: Kim Hume

Mirror, MirrorOlder actors, people of colour, people with disabilities… arethey seeing themselves on TV? Are Canadian screens inclusive?Producers Shernold Edwards VEpitome PicturesW, Laura MilikenVBig Soul ProductionsW, Sadia Zaman VVision TVW, SarahCrawford VChumW and actor/producer Tonya Lee Williams tackTled these questions in a lively workshop.

What is diversity?It’s a synonym for people of colour but it also includes age, genTder, socioTeconomic backgrounds, aboriginal peoples.The panel discussed how broadcast mergers such as CTV buyTing Chum can threaten diversity. Will distinct programming beretained? Homogenization becomes a greater risk. TheCanadian Association of Broadcasters reports that aboriginalpeople and those with disabilities are underTrepresented and it’sbecause of societal attitudes and lack of understanding

How are productions that do includediversity achieving that?North/South did open casting calls, went to high schools and creTated a multicultural canvas. They found incredible young actorsand knew they would flourish if given the opportunity. Itrequires more outreach, building talent pools of diverse groups.Chum, Global and Vision are on track to be the next leaders tocommission the next show for a diverse person.

Advice to performers• Go to the film festivals• Educate yourself in this business• Know what the broadcasters want• Pitch to the programming executive• Get a business card and a website• Every person you meet is an opportunity• Get yourself on film/video so people can see it

Useful websites Jor find these through the LINKS page onwww.actratoronto.comwww.torontoartscouncil.orgwww.arts.on.ca/scripts/index.aspwww.canadacouncil.cawww.telefilm.gc.cawww.nsiTcanada.cawww.wift.comwww.lift.on.cawww.canadianactor.com

The Background on BackgroundCasting agent Zameret Kleiman, talent agents Tricia andMelissa Lee and performers Stephen Graham Simpson andACTRA Extras Chair Shereen Airth shared their advice andexperiences. Jack Newman moderated.Some advice: always show up on time, have the properwardrobe with you on set, and be diverse in your look. Considerhaving multiple agents, though avoid being contacted by twoagents for the same production. Preference of engagement forbackground performers means Full Members are consideredfirst, then Apprentice members, then ACTRA Extras. Makesure your agent knows that you are an ACTRA Extra, so youshould be called before the cash extras.

Advice for Background Performers• Be on time, with wardrobe• Be accessible on your phone numbers• Have upTtoTdate photos with your agent• Don’t cancel at the last minute• If you are going to be late, call your agent to explain why• Work together with different categories of actors• Don’t believe or share onTset rumours• If you have health problems bring what you need to

look after yourself Vfood, medication, waterW

FebruaryMembers’ ConferenceThe February 2007 members’ conference included several newfeatures: an earlyTbird breakfast session with a star, a panel withthe nominees for our newest ACTRA Awards category U voiceperformance, and a new allTday workshop. Breakfast withKenneth Welsh started things off for the early bird conferencegoers. The allTday stream, Idea to Screen, offered a writers’ bootcamp with Rick Green, Diane Flacks and a clinic on how topitch your project. Auditions 201 continued with popular hostDavid Gale and actors Wayne Robson, Rick Howland, JenniferPodemski and Cayle Chernin. The Master Class with a Directorfeatured Little Mosque on the Prairie director Michael Kennedy.With Respect to Swords and Guns featured experts in theseareas showing us proper technique and safety.

Mark your calendarlearn • network • connect • actupcoming dates for ACTRA Toronto Members’ Conferences atVictoria College, University of Toronto

Wednesday, June 27, 2007Saturday, October 20, 2007

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Producers Sarah Crawford (Chum), Sadia Zaman (Vision TV) andShernold Edwards (Epitome Pictures) of the Mirror, Mirror panel exploring diversity on television.

Nathaniel Stephenson and his motherat our Just for Kids workshop.

ACTRA TorontoStewards at workUnder the Commercial Agreement,internet ads are a separate paymentAd agencies and companies know that contractingfor the internet requires additional payments forthe performers, but too often ads shot for radio ortelevision are just posted without payment or conTtracting for web use. Our eagleTeyed staff andstewards with the help of performers and agentsare catching unauthorized web ads and pursuingpayments on behalf of performers. Recently, addiTtional performer payments including I & R andlate fees were pursued and collected for web adsby more than five engagers totaling almost[90,000.

Not so fastTwo versions of a fast food television commercialaired within the same broadcast cycle but didn’tcomply with the editing provisions in theCommercial Agreement. Commercial Stewardsfiled a successful grievance collecting more than[20,000.00 in session and residual payments forseveral performers.

Weather hazardsA threeTday campaign by a U.S. advertising agencywas shot in torrential rainfall, high winds andfreezing temperatures Our members wererequired to perform long hours in intolerable conTditions. ACTRA acknowledged the difficultweather situation faced by production, but littlewas being done to ensure performers were keptsafe and warm. In addition to demanding immediTate consideration for our members, ACTRAToronto found the agency to be in violation ofmultiple working condition provisions and colTlected [3,000.00 in fines.

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This Bud’s For YouBy Shawn Lawrence, ACTRA Toronto’s Ombudsman

Since my last column, many of the issues I havedealt with have been regarding upgrades, visibleminority status, late payments, cancelled memberTships and disciplinary action. New issues includedanswering questions about the Ontario’s governTment’s plan to introduce Status of the Artist legisTlation. The government was going to deal with thisin their last legislative session and didn’t. We arestill hopeful that they will address it sometime thisyear. I spoke with a member who was convinced

that an A.D. was badTmouthing him to casting agents and preventinghim from getting auditions. Unfortunately, the incident happened twoyears prior to his contact with me, and there was no real proof, so therewas nothing I could do. I’m best able to help when people contact me ina timely manner. I was able to resolve a problem an agent was havingwith coverage from AFBS. Bob Underwood, as always, took my call andresolved the problem. I’ve also had a couple of requests for help frommembers from other branches. I’ve tried to assist them but suggestedthey look into establishing an ombudsman position in their branch. In allcases, I have done my very best to assist the members, unfortunately notalways to their satisfaction and I have suffered a few flesh wounds!However, I’ve survived so far. Until next time, I wish you work!

contact Shawn Lawrence at 416T928T2278 ext. 6604

CCoorrrreeccttiioonn: Last column, I mentioned ACTRA PRS had disbursed [10.3 million. Iwas mistaken. That was ACTRA PRS’ previous year’s collections.Overall performer disbursements are much higher: ACTRA PRS hasissued an impressive [35 million on behalf of performers in the last fiveyears. Kudos!

morenewsMore news and ACTRA Toronto Committeereports atwww.actratoronto.com www.actra.ca

ACTRA strike news Highlights of IPA Terms of Settlement www.actra.ca/actra/control/hotnews1?category=hn&id=10558

An update on FilmPortwww.actratoronto.com/home/filmportupdate.html

Send a letter to your MPP for Status of the Artistwww.actratoronto.com/ccp/soa_06.asp

President’sMessagecontinued

SPRING 2007 21

We did very well indeed.We bargained the largest wage increaseACTRA members have had since 1999,and achieved fair terms on the internet.The new IPA has the three pillarsACTRA was seeking to resolve the strike.

PAYA fair wage increase of 9Z over threeyears plus 1Z into benefits

INTERNETCanadian producers pay 3.6Z of any interTnet revenues from first dollar U the firstclean, unqualified residual in our agreeTment. We got a ‘waitTandTsee’ status quofrom the U.S. studios with the undertakTing they'll track internet revenue and payretroactively when we finalize terms withthem in 24 months.

PEACEAn end to the litigation and a stronger,clearer negotiation protocol for the nextround of talks.

More information on the IPA terms ofsettlement is posted on www.actra.caand www.actratoronto.com. I wasproud to be a part of such an exceptionalbargaining team. Your negotiators andyour National Council are recommendingacceptance of these terms.

There is nothing inevitable about thefuture of the global film and televisionindustry. We have the capacity to deterTmine our own future if we use our collecTtive strength to good advantage and takeaction to improve the terms and condiTtions under which we work. One thing is clear. We do not have theoption to stand still or go to sleep whilethe industry is undergoing a major change.We were making other plans and then…life happened. Now let’s embrace it. Let’slive it as fully as possible.

Our cause is justOur cause is just. Artists,

performers and unions fromaround the world have showntheir support for ACTRA’s

position in this strike.

See all the support for ACTRAwww.actra.ca/actra/control/feature21

In solidarity,Karl Pruner

ACTRA’s FirstIEver Strikecontinued from page 4

Top photo:ACTRA Toronto President Karl Pruner in a media scrum onJanuary 8 following ACTRA’s news conference announcing ourfirst-ever strike.Photo: Jag Gundu

Above:Sonja Smits and Lorne Cardinal speaking to media on the firstday of ACTRA’s strike.Photo: Jag Gundu

Left:Shereen Airth at ACTRA’s strike demo. Photo: Peter Baker

ACTRAAward forOutstandingPerformanceU FemaleMartha BurnsSlings & Arrows

Martha Burns wona Gemini Award forher role as EllenFanshaw in Slings &Arrows. Originallyfrom Winnipeg, she’sknown for her leadTing roles at theStratford and ShawFestivals. Ms. Burnsis a recipient of theBarbara Hamilton

Award for excellence and professionalTism in the performing arts, as well as twoDora Awards for Trafford Tanzi and TheMiracle Worker and a Genie Award forLong Day’s Journey Into Night. She is afounding member of Soulpepper TheatreCompany and has worked extensively asan instructor for Soulpepper’s youth outTreach programs as well as George BrownTheatre School and Ryerson TheatreSchool. Film credits include Siblings,Jerry Cicorritti’s The Life Before This, theshort film Hindsight and Francois Girard’sSilk. Upcoming, she plays Mary Miller inH20 II: The Trojan Horse.

Maria Del Mar Terminal City

In Terminal City, a10Tpart TV series,Maria Del Mar playsKatie Sampson, awoman with breastcancer who becomeshost of a reality TVseries while she’sundergoing cancertreatment. It’s atough role, and she’searned accolades for

her performance. Next, Ms. Del Mar willbe off to Uruguay for the premiere of a BillMarks comedy, 14 Days in Paradise. For anactor accustomed to dramatic roles, thefilm gave her “a chance to be my silly self.”She’s excited by her ACTRA Award nomiTnation. “Yay! A completely and entirelyCanadian crew and cast. That was themost rewarding.” Maria is known for herroles in JAG, 24, Monk, The Practice, Frasier,Blue Murder and Street Legal.

Deborah Grover11 Cameras

Deborah Grover isenjoying her ‘characTter years.’ She playsthe chain smokermother Gladys in 11Cameras, and her sonis in Iraq, workingfor the securityforces. 11 Cameraswas shot on webTcam. Ms. Groversays it’s “One of the

most amazing things I’ve ever done. Agift. A great character part on the screen,and I got to work with these wonderfulyoung actors.” Ms. Grover played themother of the murdered young woman inAtom Egoyan’s Where The Truth Lies.Other credits include appearances onThis Is Wonderland, Jeff Ltd., The MurdochMysteries with Peter Outerbridge. and asmall independent film that did very wellon the festival circuit, Six Figures. Ms.Grover started out in theatre and recentcredits include the twoThander SexyLaundry and a bilingual play, Beau Gestes &Beautiful Deeds.

Martha HenryAt The Hotel

Martha Henry is arevered stage perTformer, and a multiTaward winning filmand television actor.In Ken Finkleman’sAt T h e Ho t e l ,s h e plays LucyKnowlton, the ownerof the celebrated andmysterious ChateauRousseau hotel. “I

loved doing it. I adore Ken Finkleman. He’sone of the most original minds.” Wellknown for her many years at the StratfordFestival, Ms. Henry is also a respecteddirector with credits such as Richard II andthe premiere of Timothy Findley’sElizabeth Rex. She has won five GenieAwards for The New Comers, The Wars,Dancing In The Dark, Mustard Bath andLong Day’s Journey Into Night. She has threeGemini Awards, and a Gemini nominationfor her performance as the mother of thePrime Minister played by Paul Gross inH20. She is a Companion of the Order ofCanada and recipient of a GovernorGeneral’s Award. Most recently, Ms.Henry starred in Retreat From Moscow atTheatre Calgary. Upcoming, she’s directingOf Mice and Men at Stratford.

Kristen ThomsonAway From Her

To be an ACTRAAward nominee,Kristen Thomsonsays she “was blownaway. It’s an incredTible award. It’saffirming, in termsof the work thatone’s doing.” Ana w a r d T w i n n i n gactor, Ms. Thomsonhas two ACTRA

Awards for her performances in the shortfilm I Shout Love and the film adaptationof the awardTwinning oneTwoman playshe also wrote, I, Claudia. In Away FromHer, Ms. Thomson plays the noTnonsense nurse Kristy, who befriendsGordon Pinsent’s character, Grant, as hevisits his AlzheimerTafflicted wife. “Ifound it imaginative and emotionallyengaging to play someone so straight up.”Currently writing a new play, Ms.Thomson’s other film credits includeDeepa Mehta’s adaptation of CarolShield’s novel The Republic of Love, Flower& Garnet, The Matthew Shepard Story andThe Law of Enclosures.

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In early January, Minister Di Cocco’s SubTcommittee’s report on Status of the Artist was spotted on their website. This report received no announcement, no news release, and is not linked from the Culture Minister’s website. Though the subTcommittee’s recommendations could be termed vague, they largely reflect the measures ACTRA Toronto has been fighting for. www.macac.on.ca/forums/ReportPDF/macac_eng_web_Dec_6_06.pdf

Status of the artist is a category of legisTlation and programs that would improvethe economic and social status of artists.While Canada VfederallyW has recogTnized this important initiative, labourfalls within provincial jurisdiction. Since1988 only Quebec and Saskatchewanhave enacted SOA legislation. TheOntario Liberals promised to bring inSOA legislation during their first term.That was in June 2004, and as of March2007, no progress has been made.ACTRA has been to the OntarioLegislature to lobby for this issue onthree occasions. The Minister ofCulture, Hon. Caroline Di Cocco, hasrepeatedly promised there will beaction, yet so far… status quo ante.ACTRA has lobbied Queen’s Park alongwith other arts groups requesting thatthe following five agreedTupon ideas beused as a foundation from which tobuild:Protection for Child PerformersWhile ACTRA has many safeguards forchildren working under our IndependentProduction Agreement, some child perTformers in Ontario work without theseterms. Protect all child performers underthe law.

Career Transitioning and TrainingPerformers are not entitled to EmploymentInsurance VEIW or EITfunded provincialtraining programs. Provide equal access tosuch programs for artists.Dignity for Older ArtistsMany older performers are without penTsions, health benefits or affordable housTing. Income averaging, inclusion underEI and support for more housing wouldprovide security and dignity for artists.Income AveragingProvincial income tax averaging wouldrecognize that artists’ incomes fluctuatefrom year to year. Collective BargainingACTRA insists that any new legislationin the area of collective bargaining mustfirst do no harm to the rights of artistsunder existing agreements. Create a stakeTholder committee to discuss this issuewith strict timelines for legislativeaction.The heart of SOA legislation is to proTvide artists with the legal tools to enjoy asafe and dignified life before and afterretirement. The time has come for theLiberals to fulfill their election promiseby recognizing the special status ofartists in Ontario.

Email the Minister of Culture, the Hon. Caroline Di Cocco,

at [email protected] withyour desire to see Status of the Artist

legislation in Ontario.

David Sparrow servesas ACTRA TorontoCouncil's ExecutiveMember at Large. Anactor for more than 16years, he has appearedin film and TV roles,commercials, and hasvoiced both cartoons

and radio spots. As a writer, David is currentTly in postTproduction on his first feature,Teddy Bear, coTwritten and produced withACTRA member Yuval Daniel and shot underACTRA Toronto's TIP Agreement.

Ontario artists are still waiting for legislation by David Sparrow

ACTRA would like to see all child performers receive basic protections under the law.

SPRING 2007 23

ACTRA Toronto President KarlPruner joined other arts unionsand the Ontario Federation ofLabour at a Queen’s Park newsconference in December callingon the government to take actionon its promise of Status of theArtist legislation in Ontario.

“They always say write what you know so havingspent 15 years waterlogged in a pool, swimming wassomething I knew about.”In 2000, Mark was able to arrange a meeting with Victor’s father,Mel Davis. Mark’s brother, Steve, also a serious swimmer in hisyouth and now a lawyer, accompanied him. Steve drafted anagreement and the two presented it to Mel. They didn’t have anymoney to offer but they made it clear that they were willing todo whatever it took to tell Victor’s story. Mel responded to theirdetermination and passion by signing the twoTyear agreementwithin half an hour. They then spent the next five or six hourstalking. “Mel was really great. From the moment we walked inthe door, he was very welcoming. I cannot say enough greatthings about him. He was generous to a fault, accommodating,frank about his son and he didn’t pull any punches.”Almost two years of research and interviews followed. Marklearned that there was a distinct advantage to knowing your subTject. “The more I showed that I knew what I was talking about,the more comfortable they felt and the more forthcoming theywere.” At a certain point, the information he was gatheringbegan to repeat itself and he knew that it was time to start writTing. He wrote all day, every day and late into the night for threesolid months. The first draft was well received, albeit with a few surprises. “I’dsent it to a producer on a topT10 show in L.A. and he said, ‘Dude,I like this. I’m very interested in making this movie. There’s onlyone thing I would change: you’ve got to make him from Texas,make him a cowboy.’ And I said, ‘Well, it’s a true story.’ Then hesaid, ‘Listen, we make him from California, a California surferTboy.’‘Uh, it’s a true story.’ ‘I got it: we make him a brash kid from NewEngland, Boston or something, you know?’ Finally, I said, ‘Dude...It’s a true story!’ And he said, ‘You mean, a trueTtrue story?’ ‘Yeah.’‘Aw, dude, you’ll never sell it down here.’ He loved the story but thefact that it was Canadian somehow made it ‘unmakeable’.” It certainly wasn’t unmakeable in the eyes of Canadian producerBernie Zuckerman. He saw its potential right away and commitTted himself to the project, teaming up with Gemini AwardTwinTning director, Jerry Ciccoritti. On the set, each actor was given acopy of the ‘director’s bible,’ a collection of notes written byCiccoritti outlining his thoughts on the story and welcomingperformers to expand and contribute to them. The first note inthe bible is: ‘This is not a sports movie. I have no interest in makTing a sports movie. This is a movie that investigates the question:what makes a hero?’ When Mark read that, it confirmed thatCiccoritti was the right man for the job.While conducting his interviews, Mark was told a story aboutVictor Davis that stuck with him the entire time he penned thefirst draft. It goes something like this: some friends were pickingDavis up at a university hospital and when they arrived, theywere surprised to find him in a water treadmill swimming with aseal. “What kind of person says, ‘I’m going to get in this poolwith this wild animal, I don’t know if it’s going to bite me orwhat, but I’m going to get in the pool and swim with it andmimic its motions and see if I can learn anything from it? Whothinks like that?” Mark wrote the seal scene into the script.Zuckerman told him, ‘We can’t afford to spend a day of shootingwith you and a seal and a water treadmill U you’ll have to lose it.’But, Mark was determined and each time he turned in a newdraft, he would sneak the seal scene back in. Finally, Ciccoritticame to the rescue. “Jerry hated to lose the scene but he alsoagreed that it would be too expensive to shoot, so he came up

Victor


Mark Lutz as Victor Davis.Photo courtesy of Indian Grove Productions.Photo: Ken Woroner

Mark Lutz as Victor Davis, Ron Lea as swimming coach Clifford Barry.Photo courtesy of Indian Grove Productions. Photo: Ken Woroner

Canada's Victor Davis celebrates his goldmedal win at the 1984 Olympic games inLos Angeles. Photo courtesy Canadian Press/Canadian Olympic Committee.Photo by Ted Grant

Victor continued from page 13

with the idea to have someone tell it as astory U and, I’ve got to say, it’s one of myfavorite scenes in the film. AdamVMacDonaldW and Jeff VMalloryW knockedit out of the park.” According to Mark, stepping onto the setfor the first day of principal photographywearing two hats U as the writer and leadactor U was one of the most challengingaspects of the project. “Taking nothingaway from anyone who worked on thefilm in any capacity, they were coming toit, at the most, within the last year and Ihad already spent four or five years comTmitted to the story. It was difficult to letgo on that first day and let everyone elsetake the reins. My head was definitelysplit U cleaved down the middle.” As thedays went on, he found it easier to let go,to focus on his acting and enjoy the conTtributions of the firstTrate cast and crew.“I’d been carrying an enormous responsiTbility, selfTinflicted to a certain extent, todo it right. I mean, there are people wholost their son, their brother, their grandTchild, their best friend, their swimTbuddy. It was important to tell the storyright and as accurately as possible andnot to try to canonize the guy or waterthings down.”

What about the physical challenge ofplaying a worldTclass athlete? Mark hasbeen a swimmer and scuba diver for mostof his life, but to play Victor, he literallytransformed his body. He began his workwith a trainer in San Diego who used‘active release therapy’ to alleviate hisshoulder problems. It was a painful butultimately successful process. Betweenthe gym and the pool, he worked out anaverage of three hours a day, every day,for five months. He also hired a personaltrainer/body builder who knew all aboutmanipulating your body to get it down toits lowest fat content while retaining asmuch muscle mass as possible. And hedidn’t stop there. During the shoot, asdemanding as it was, he still ran for atleast half an hour before going to set andthen hit the gym at the end of the day.“It’s amazing the discipline you can haveknowing you’re going to be walkingaround in a Speedo for 20 days.”Just before shooting the film’s first swimTming sequence, Mark stood on a starterblock and led the other actorTathletes ina raucous cheer, their voices bouncing offthe tiled walls. He then produced a botTtle of water taken directly from the USCOlympic pool, site of Davis’ swims durT

ing the ‘84 Games and poured it into theEtobicoke Olympium, ceremoniouslyblessing their undertaking and connectTing history with the present.

“It’s amazing the discipline you canhave knowing you’re going to be walkMing around in a Speedo for 20 days.”

At a time when our film and televisionindustry is under siege and our stories areincreasingly in danger of being lost, MarkLutz has accomplished a rare feat: he hasbrought a Canadian hero to life from thepage to the screen. Watching Lutz’sprogress over the years, the meticulousresearch, writing the screenplay, finding aproducer and director, pounding hisbody into peak condition and taking onthe starring role, Victor Davis may notbe the only hero of this story.

Victor airs March 26 at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Chris Owens is editor ofPerformers Magazine. Hehas a role as journalistDave Stubbs in Victor. Heplays hockey in Toronto.

Victor

SPRING 2007 25

jcorion

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Patricia Rideout1931I2006There are so many wonderful things Ifeel and remember about my dearestfriend Pat. We met in the early 1950s asstudents at The Royal Conservatory ofMusic VTorontoW where our friendshipbegan and grew throughout the years.We performed together in manyCanadian Opera Company and CBCopera productions and concerts, and Patwas always the consummate artist. Thethings I will treasure the most are thetimes we spent together at her cottage,New Year’s Eve at her home, and wakingup to the aromas of her fabulous brunches.Pat was always there for me throughsome tough times in my life and I willalways be grateful for all her love andcaring. “Best Friends” forever. Miss you!Angela Antonelli

InMem

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Mavor Moore1919I2006

Excerpted from Dave Broadfoot’s tribute deliveredat the memorial for Mavor Moore at the University ofVictoria Faculty Club, January 6, 2007.

When I left North Vancouver for Torontoin 1952, I obtained an onTcamera auditionat CBCTTV. The chief CBCTTV producerwas Mavor Moore. He and his motherDora had an annual satirical revue calledSpring Thaw. I appeared in that SpringThaw and in 10 different productions ofthe show in the years that followed. Mavor organized his life so that he wasable to produce and direct Spring Thawevery year. Under his guidance, each newshow became more exciting, better writTten, better costumed, better everything,with writers such as himself and others,from Wayne and Shuster to Pierre Berton,

composers from Godfrey Rideout to Raymond Jessel and Marion Grudeff. We were all very lucky. Watching Mavor direct and produce, I learned to become adirectorTproducer. In fact, everything I learned from Mavor, I used until the day Iretired. Mavor persuaded Gratien Gélinas, the multiTtalented theatre giant of Quebec, to letus use the theatre he was in charge of, La Comédie Canadienne. Our show had neverplayed Montreal. At the end of the opening night performance, we had taken 11 curTtain calls. Then Mavor walked on stage, and the crowd went wild. But the only reasonMavor had come on stage was to publicly thank Gratien for letting us use the theatre.Then Gratien decided to come on stage. The crowd went absolutely crazy. Just when it seemed that Mavor might finally be on the brink of some time off, he wasdragooned, or browTbeaten, or bullied or bulldozed into creating for Toronto the St.Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts. Getting that centre up and running was ahuge challenge. The Mayor of Toronto, who must remain nameless, was not a theatrefan. Fortuantely, it wasn’t long until Mayor Lamport retired. One can’t help but hope that we will continue to produce those creative artists whocan relate directly to their fellow Canadians the way Mavor did, with all of his playsand sketches and books and operas from Abracadabra to Louis Riel and his individualsongs and musicals and festivals. I never lost touch with Mavor. Nor did I lose my respect for his amazing attributes:his hard work, his talent, his dedication and his humanity.

Mavor Moore’s family, with the assistance of Jim Betts and Script Lab, are commencing preTproduction for ashow of the words and music of Mavor Moore: The Last Best Spring Thaw. The show will be sometime in lateApril or early May. The family is calling for reminiscences and memories of Mavor to be sent [email protected] or by mail to Mavor Moore Memorial, 312 Wright Ave., Toronto, ON,M6R 1L9. http://mavormoorememorial.spaces.live.com

In MemoriamIvor Barry, Peter Brierley, Dennis Doherty, Norma Edwards, Thomas Gillie Fenwick, Celia Franca,William Martin Keen,

Charmion King Vsee page 32W, Frank Mullen, Jackie Rae, Donald Zale

Patricia Rideout performing in The Art of Fugue, 1963.Photo courtesy CBC Still Photo Collection. Photo: Albert Crookshank

Percy Saltzman1915I2007Percy Philip Saltzman died quietly in his sleep on January 15. In hiscareer, he did more than 9,000 weather forecasts on television andradio and conducted more than 1,000 interviews for CBCTTV,CTV, Global, CityTV and others. He used no notes orteleprompters, relating his forecasts entirely from memory. At theend of each performance, he tossed his chalk into the air. He was amember of the Order of Canada and was inducted into theBroadcast Hall of Fame. He served as President of ACTRAToronto.ACTRA member and CTV News Anchor Lloyd Robertsonremembers Percy Saltzman: “He was the original. The first TVweatherman. The first host of a national colour television breakfastmagazine show, CTV Canada AM. And he was the first human faceon television in Canada XSeptember 8, 1952Y. He had a great senseof humour. He was a very passionate man, full of life, a character.We worked together covering the moon landing in 1969. I askedPercy what it would be like to toss a piece of chalk if one were onthe moon, and he said ‘It’s all magic you know, Lloyd. Television isall magic’.”

Lister Sinclair1921I2006Lister Sinclair will be remembered as the allTknowing voice ofCBC radio’s Ideas. He had several careers in broadcastingbefore his Ideas role began. He was a founding member ofACTRA and active in radio in its heyday, before televisioncame along in the ‘50s. Lister wrote, directed and acted inradio plays, working with such radio legends as John Drainieand Andrew Allan. He was prolific, writing more than 700radio plays in all. He hosted The Nature of Things, appeared onFront Page Challenge, Wayne and Shuster and Morningside. In 1971,Lister won the award ACTRA instituted in John Drainie’sname, recognizing his contribution to Canadian broadcasting.His contributions would continue for decades. In addition tohis radio work, he performed and wrote for television, eventuTally becoming a CBC executive before going back to writing,performing and producing programs. Lister Sinclair was namedan Officer of the Order of Canada in 1985.

InMem

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SPRING 2007 27

Photo courtesy CBC Still Photo Collection.

Photo courtesy CBC Still Photo Collection.

Rebecca AddelmanAnousha AlamianAllan Matthew AlexanderAngelGlen AnthonyJanae ArmoganCrystal AshDylan AuthorsAndrew BadaliChristy BattellSerge BennathanJamie BlochDaneen BooneHannah BrigdenBrock Andrew StephenNicholas BrownJason BrownNicholas CastelVanderburghAntonio CayonneLisa ChangPaul Chaput

Blake ChorleyOlivia ClarkLindsay ColeMika CollinsFrank CoxTO'ConnellAndrew William CraigTricelle CummingsArnold D'JuliusDennis D.Kyle DaddEdward DaranyiTenika DavisMelinda DelormeJason DerosseNicole DivinalMichael DufaysCandace EdwardsPhillip L EnsDean EpifanoAngelica EscuderoDylan EverettAbigail Falle

StacyTAnn FequiereMichael FerfoliaRebecca FissehaKatherine FloresSiera FlorindoJ D FortuneInessa FrantowskiAlyssa FraserLindsey FrazierShamus FynesGail GabrielleTye GnassAna GoljaEli GoreeMandi GoslingNadine GravisWihse GreenIngrid HaasD.Shon HendersonJoni HensonAllison HoggChristine Horne

Ryan HorwoodHerb IrvingSarah JacksonVanessa JamesDani JazzarBrent JonesMiranda JonesPaulette M JosephTabitha KeastJustin KellyBob KerrRobert James KinarMary KitchenDaphne KostovaAniela KuryloPerry KwanTroy LangstaffLaura LawsonSophie LemayPatricia LeungRichard LittleTaunya Lucas

Darryn LucioSarah MachinTGaleOrville MacielAlexandra MacleanPamm MalcolmChelsea P MandersMicheline MarchildonJeff MargolisQuinn MartinWarren McallisterJane McclellandSandy McmasterLaytrel McmullenTony MediciMuriel MillerGeorge MolnarAngelica MontesanoJoan Barbara MooreKaren MuseyLaura NasonDanya NearonThyrza OgiamienBridget OgundipeSabrina PaganelliKevin ParkinClaude PayneLukas PenarAmanda PerreiraBridget PerryRyan PersaudRichard S PetersClyde Phillips SrAdrianne Elise PieczonkaSebastian PigottBianca PisciolaAri PollackAllyson PrattHolly PrazoffJasmine Ramirez

RachaelTLea RickardsJessica RimmerMarc RobillardJames RogersJoanne RukiangeMarina SalsaBianca SantosFrank SchiavonePeter Wm SchoelierChristopher SeivrightKaitlind ShawEvan SteingartenAaron SternConroy StewartAlisha StrangesChristina TheSierra AlexandraThomsonSinjin ThorpeTerry TompkinsPuja UppalChantal VachonNick VezirisUrs VilligerRachel VroomDavid WaddletonDeanna WalesXin WangDavid Gordon WardBrittany WatsonHorace A WatsonAri WeinbergLaura WhalenShannon WhelanLawrence J WilifordEllen WongScott YamamuraNorman YeungDale Yim

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Jorja Rae LardyACTRA member Edie InksetterTLardy and her husband Stephanne Lardy are thrilled toannounce the safe arrival of their first child Jorja Rae Lardy on November 8, 2006, in Sechelt,British Columbia.

Alexander William SzarkaACTRA members Michelle Nolden and Chris Szarka are delighted to announce that AlexanderWilliam Szarka is in the house. Born January 11, 2007, Alex weighed in at just under 8 lbs. and 22inches long.

John and Nancy wedJohn Connolly and Nancy Kenny are happy to announce their elopement and marriage in LasVegas, September 12, 2006.

We Made a Baby II, The SequelAnne Marie Scheffler and Dave Libbey are proud to announce a new brother for Nathan. Bornon January 29, 2007, Jake Robert Mark Libbey weighed in at a modest 9 lbs. 1 oz. Lights, camera,action and push! And scene! The casting for this family is complete.

Welcome new members

FYI — AC

TRAPeopleYouShouldKnow

SPRING 2007 29

ACTRA Toronto Council

WHO’S WHOPRESIDENT Karl Pruner V1, 2W [email protected], ext. 6611PAST PRESIDENT, ACTRA’S NATIONAL PRESIDENT Richard Hardacre V2W [email protected] VICEIPRESIDENT, FINANCE Austin Schatz V1, 2W [email protected], ext. 6607VICEIPRESIDENT, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Heather Allin V1, 2W [email protected], ext. 6610VICEIPRESIDENT, INTERNAL AFFAIRS Theresa Tova V1, 2W [email protected], ext. 6605VICEIPRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS Lyn Mason Green V1, 2W [email protected], ext. 6603VICEIPRESIDENT, MEMBER SERVICES Eric Murphy V2W [email protected] MEMBERIATILARGE David Sparrow V1, 2W [email protected]

Joanna Bennett V2W [email protected] Borbridge V1, 2W [email protected] Collins V2W [email protected] Devine V1, 2W [email protected] Downey V1, 2W [email protected] Ellwand V2W [email protected] Fiore V1, 2W [email protected] Macniven V1, 2W [email protected] Nelles V2W [email protected] Pearson V2W [email protected] Rao V2W [email protected] Ricossa V2W [email protected] Robson V2W [email protected] Marie Scheffler V1, 2W [email protected] Graham Simpson V2W [email protected] White V2W [email protected]

Legend: 1 U ACTRA National Councillor; 2 U ACTRA Toronto Councillor

Shereen Airth, Apprentice Chair [email protected], ext. 6621Peter Lukashel, Apprentice ViceIChair [email protected], ext. 6616Bob Grant, Apprentice Secretary [email protected], ext. 6617Ed Pzytula, ACTRA Extra Chair [email protected], ext. 6620Paul Anthony, ACTRA Extra ViceIChair [email protected] Robertson, ACTRA Extra Secretary lrobertson@ actratoronto.comTheresa Tova, Children's Advocate [email protected], ext. 6605Jani Lauzon, Diversity Chair [email protected], ext. 6618Sheila Boyd, AccessAbility Task Force Chair [email protected], ext 6619Shawn Lawrence, Ombudsman [email protected], ext. 6604

Visit the ACTRA Toronto website at www.actratoronto.com!

IF YOU HAVE APROBLEM...ACTRATORONTO STAFF ISHERE FOR YOU.ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATIONTel: 416T928T2278 or tollTfree 1T877T913T2278 [email protected] www.actratoronto.com 625 Church Street, 1st floor, Toronto, ON M4Y 2G1

COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT INTERPRETATIONSJudy Barefoot VManagerWTel: 416T642T6705 Kelly Davis VStewardWTel: 416T642T6707Cathy Wendt VStewardWTel: 416T642T6714

COMMERCIAL AUDITION CALLBACK INQUIRIESClaudette Allen Tel: 416T642T6713

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COMMUNICATIONS AND ORGANIZINGDan Mackenzie VManagerWTel: 416T644T1506Joy Corion VWeb Communications CoordinatorWTel: 416T642T6747Kim Hume VPublic Relations OfficerWTel: 416T642T6710Norm MacAskill VOrganizerW Tel: 416T642T6711

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIONKaren Ritson VDirectorWTel: 416T642T6722

INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION AGREEMENT (IPA), CBC TV & RADIO, CTV, CITY-TV, GLOBAL & TVO AGREEMENTS

Eda Zimler VManagerWTel: 416T642T6717Indra Escobar VSenior AdvisorWTel: 416T642T6702Clare Johnston VSteward, CBC, IPAWTel: 416T642T6738Barbara Larose VSteward, IPA, CoTop, Student FilmsWTel: 416T642T6712Noreen Murphy VSteward, IPA, Animation, Digital, DocumentariesWTel: 416T642T6708Richard Todd VSteward, Audio Code, CBC, Global & IPAWTel: 416T642T6716Karen Woolridge VSteward, City TV, CTV & IPAWTel: 416T642T6709

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Tasso Lakas VTIP CoordinatorWTel: 416T642T6733

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MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT DUES & PERMIT PAYMENTSContact: Membership DepartmentTel: 416T928T2278Dan Mackenzie VManagerW

Welcome new members

FD: What was your impetus to go to theStates? WC: It was one of those moments thathappen in your life and you suddenly go‘Oh, my God, I see clearly now.’ I’d doneHome Fires for all those years with proTducer Bob Sherrin and he was doing amovie about a con artist named BetsyBigley VLove and Larceny, CBCTTVW. I’mgood friends with Bob, I liked him and Iremember going into Bob’s office all veryexcited about this movie. I’m in thisplaid flannel muumuu thing and I said,‘So, the Betsy Bigley story, I really want achance at this.’ I had a little campaign allworked out and Bob sort of listened,‘Well, Wendy,’ he said, ‘What part areyou thinking of?’ What part am I thinkTing of? I’m thinking of Betsy Bigley, I’mthinking of the lead. His questionbrought my world crashing down and Iwent away with my tail between my legs.I decided right then and there that if Iwanted to get parts in Canada, I’d betterget myself down to the U.S. and getmyself some work and get it together andreally sort of push it. I moved down toNew York right after that meeting.FD: I have terrible stories of friends from the‘80s who couldn’t get an audition at CBC teleMvision in Toronto for a project shooting inCanada but could get the audition in L.A. forthe same role. WC: Absolutely, and I heard it right outof the casting agent’s mouth that I needTed to get a bigger name in the States if Iwanted to get these leading parts atCBC. And everybody in the States was soenthusiastic U you went in for an audiTtion, they couldn’t believe somebodycould act.FD: What brought you back to Canada?WC: Perry Zimel. When Sue Rodriguezcame up, he called and said ‘This is agreat project.’ He had just become myagent. He sent me the script and someresearch. I was so bowled over by her. Istarted reading about her, ‘Oh, wasn’t sheborn in Hamilton too, wasn’t she thesame age as I was, hadn’t she moveddown to the States and married anAmerican?’ I thought ‘I know thiswoman.’ As Meryl Streep said, ‘She livesin me. I know her, I understand.’ And Ithought, ‘I have to do this story.’ Youcome in and audition like everybody elseand then you hope and pray. But I startTed preparing for it way before I heard I’dgot the job. I thought, ‘Because if I getthis job, I’d better be ready. I’ve told

them I can do it.’ And then I get up toFredericton and I’m working with allthese people that I know and underTstand, in a place where I feel so comfortTable, it was really all those elements thatgave me that great momentum, that bigboost to do something.FD: Do you have any favourite projects. Youhave quite a big body of work.WC: Ferne, I have a big body of workbecause I am paranoid and because Itake everything, anything that comesdown the pipe! Lot’s of people don’t andthey have a very select and lovely body ofwork and I’ve got a lot of things that I’dnever want anybody to see… ever. FD: But you have some favourites?WC: Oh, sure, I have my favourites. JaneDoe, Sue Rodriguez, Louise Arbour. Ireally liked Lorraine Evanshen in TheMan Who Lost Himself. My Canadianmovies are my favourites. You know,everybody goes, Air Force One… not oneof my favourites, Santa Clause, no, not atall, Bicentennial Man U I don’t think so.Just let me say right now, I don’t think so!FD: Is there anything you had hoped I wouldhave asked you that I didn’t?WC: I have so much admiration for theartists that we have here in Canada and Ihave seen some riveting performancesrecently that have inspired me. I feel forTtunate to be part of this group U everyTbody’s maturing into their talent and ithas been really, really remarkable U espeTcially the women. Martha Burns in theplay Mathilde was breathtaking; VickySnow in the Walter Gretzky Story… justfantastic! Cynthia Dale in South Pacific.God Almighty! I was just knocked out atthe skill of that woman! Sheila McCarthy,everybody just thrills me. I can’t wait togo see the girls do whatever the girls aregoing to do next: Fiona Reid, SusanCoyne, Rachel McAdams, Allison Pill. I always feel there is a tremendous kindof support and empathy, considering howtiny this place is, and how few jobs thereare. And truly, that’s the difference. I feellike I’ve come home.

Ferne Downey is aToronto Councillorand ACTRA’s NationalTreasurer. She coTchairsthe ACTRA Awardscommittee and is smitten by WendyCrewson.

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Wendy Crewson, Culture Champion continued from page 11

Wendy Crewsonselected credits

ReGenesisAway From HerThe Robber BrideThe Man Who Lost Himself VGemini AwardWHunt For Justice: The Louise Arbour Story VFIPA D’or Biarritz AwardWNiagara Motel24At The End of the Day: The Sue Rodriguez Story VGemini AwardWSex TrafficPerfect Pie VZIFFT International Film Festival AwardWBetween StrangersSuddenly NakedBetter Than ChocolateThe Many Trial of One Jane Doe

VGemini Award, Manitoba Motion Picture Blizzard AwardW A Killing SpringDue South VGemini AwardWGetting Married in Buffalo JumpHome Fires VACTRA AwardW

Special HonoursGemini Humanitarian AwardWIFTTT Crystal AwardACTRA Toronto’s Award of Excellence

Wendy Crewson as Dr. Anne Packard and Dennis Haysbert as President David Palmer in 24. Photo courtesy Global Television.

WendyCrew

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SPRING 2007 31

As Lorraine Evanshen and David James Elliott as Terry Evanshen in The Man Who Lost Himself.Photo courtesy CTV.

Kisser Crewson at the 18th AnnualGemini Awards with her Gemini forBest Performance by an Actress in aLeading Role in a Dramatic Programor Mini-Series for The Many Trials ofOne Jane Doe.Photo courtesy Academy of Canadian Cinema &Television. Photo by Kodak Canada EntertainmentImaging / Narvali Digital Photography

As Jane Doe in The Many Trials of One Jane Doe.Photo courtesy Muse Entertainment

As Sue Rodriguez in At the End of the Day: The Sue Rodriguez Story.

Photo courtesy Barna-Alper Productions.Photo by Ava V. Gerlitz

Speaking to media following ACTRA’s2004 election news conference to putculture on the federal election agenda.

Charmion King! What to say about Charmion King? That shewas a queen? Many certainly would say so U I among them. Shewas the best of friends to me and an everTpresent help in timeof trouble.We met in the late ‘40s when she was on tour in a revue calledThere Goes Yesterday. The company was in Toronto for theChristmas break and I was just back from England for my firstChristmas at home in several years. For some inexplicable reason, the stage manager did not comeback to resume the tour, and as I had just finished a show inLondon in which I was both ASM and understudy, I was able toreplace him. So, some 50 years later, these are a few things thatI vividly recall about Charmion.I know that she performed in 21 productions at the CrestTheatre between 1954 and 1962, the most significant to herfuture life being The Madwoman of Chaillot. Kate Reid, BarbaraHamilton and I were the supporting females. Who shouldappear among us and unknown to any of us, but a dashing,attractive young buck whose name we were told was GordonPinsent. Very shortly, it became obvious that vibrations hadbegun to simmer between the Madwoman and the Newcomer.We began to cluck about like overly protective mother hens aswe all knew that Charmion had been badly hurt on a previousoccasion and none of us wanted to see a repeat performance. Well, so much for our concerns. Today’s Gordon and LeahPinsent bear witness to that!As for me, I shall sorely miss those telephone calls: “Hellodarling, It’s Charm. Are you alright? I worry when you don’tanswer the phone.”

Love to you, dear one, from all of us.Barbara Chilcott

ACTRA Toronto Performers625 Church Street, 2nd floorToronto,ONM4Y 2G1

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Charmion King’s career spanned almost 60 years. Though sheappeared in countless film, television and radio shows, the Grandedame of Canadian Theatre always returned to the stage. “There is anexcitement in live theatre that doesn’t exist in other media,” she toldthe Toronto Star in 1986. Born in Toronto, Charmion began hercareer at The Crest Theatre. She worked at the Stratford Festival,on Broadway and, most recently, with the Soulpepper TheatreCompany. She will be dearly missed by her daughter, Leah, and byher beloved husband of 44 years, actor Gordon Pinsent. At therequest of the family, donations in lieu of flowers may be made tothe Actors’ Fund of Canada.

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