In the season two finale episode of Being Dramatic, host Alex Lean sits down with award-winning Canadian actor, comedian, and improviser Ken Hall. They discuss Ken's journey into the creative arts, which began in his late twenties and thirties as a way to navigate severe anxiety, depression, and physical challenges like scoliosis. Ken shares how improv, clowning, and meditation transformed his life, helping him embrace vulnerability, quiet his inner critic, and find a profound sense of belonging on stage.

The conversation also dives into Ken's notable television career, including his roles in TBS's People of Earth and Netflix's The Umbrella Academy. Ken reflects on the realities of working with intensive prosthetics, the thrill of guest-starring on Conan, and his philosophy on fame, which centres on making others feel seen, heard, and valued.

Being Dramatic is a podcast where host Alex Lean follows her curiosity and talks to creatives about their careers, how they keep going, and the wisdom and inspiration they’ve gathered along the way.

This episode’s guest is a lawyer and producer who works in entertainment, sports, and immigration through her boutique firm, Quantum Law Group, supporting artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and innovators across Canada and beyond.

Our guest today is Sheetal Maya Nanda.

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On this episode of Being Dramatic, Toronto creative Alexandra Lean sits down with Judy Reynolds — Writer, Director, Lyricist, and self‑proclaimed Ambassador of Joy. They dive into creativity, the story behind Tall Poppy Productions, her show The Bees Knees, and the many projects that keep her inspired.

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For the first episode of the second season of this podcast I decided to follow my curiosity about making new musicals by talking to composer-lyricist, singer/songwriter, dramaturg, Kevin Wong.

His musicals include: Recurring John: A Song Cycle; STAR!(ving): A Collection of Songs; Polly Peel (with Julie Tepperman); Out of Stock; Drama 101 (with Steven Gallagher); In Real Life (with Nick Green); Believers (with Ali Joy Richardson), Take Me Back (with Amir Haidar); and Soft Magical Tofu Boys. Kevin streams online concerts weekly on the streaming service Twitch (twitch.tv/kevinywong). He is a member of the vocal group Asian Riffing Trio (with Chris Tsujiuchi and Colin Asuncion), is currently part-time faculty at Sheridan College, and is a three-time winner of the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Tom Hendry Dan School of Drama & Music Award for New Musical. As of 2023, he is the Creative Lead on the Musical Stage Company’s UnCovered concert series. Most recently, he can be heard on his albums Small Ways to Move and Covers (available on streaming services everywhere).

Being Dramatic is hosted by Alex Lean. I am here out of curiosity about creativity and a desire to connect with those who make scenes or music on the page and on the stage (or screen but in this episode the stage). I am hoping by stepping ever so sheepishly out of my comfort zone and into the spotlight I can inspire others to be brave and resilient and follow their heart. I also have a lot of questions.

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My hope is that listening to this podcast has felt like eavesdropping on a good conversation — one where you picked up some advice on staying creative and got inspired by the incredible projects these talented guests are working on. As we wrap up Season 1, I want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to every guest who joined me: Phil Rickaby, Bruce Dow, Vikki Velenosi, Matt Murray, Mary Francis Moore, HAUI, Sarah Hime, Laura Anne Harris, and today’s guest, Dorothy Dittrich. I’ve learned so much from each conversation, and I’m so grateful that each of them said “yes” to being part of this experiment with me. Podcasting is something I never thought I’d do — like posting on social media, it pushes me out of my comfort zone — but I’m glad I’ve been braver this year by following my curiosity. I hope to be back with Season 2 in 2026! If you’d like to help keep these conversations going, you can support the podcast at ko-fi.com/alexandralean — any amount truly helps. My conversation with Dorothy took place back in May, and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you. Dorothy is an award-winning playwright, composer, and sound designer from Nanaimo, BC. Her play The Piano Teacher won the 2022 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama and the Jessie Richardson Award. Her other works include The Dissociates, Lesser Demons, Family Channel, If the Moon Falls, and Two Part Invention. She also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the sung-through musical When We Were Singing, which received multiple Jessie and Dora nominations. You can catch The Piano Teacher at Thousand Islands Playhouse from October 10 – November 2, 2025 — don’t miss it!

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🎭 Being Dramatic - Episode #7 | Sarah Hime on Alice Is Fine, Filmmaking & Finding Your Voice In this episode, I sit down with Toronto-based actor and filmmaker Sarah Hime to talk about her powerful short film Alice Is Fine, her journey as an artist, and what it means to create something deeply personal. Sarah shares her experience writing, co-producing, and starring in Alice Is Fine, a film that explores the frustrating reality of gender bias in healthcare and the struggle to have one’s pain taken seriously. We also reminisce about the time Sarah was part of a staged reading of my musical Mimi and the Music way back when, her love of singing, and the challenges of navigating how much of ourselves we share in our creative work. 💡 Support Independent Art!

• Watch Alice Is Fine and consider leaving a tip: https://www.sarahhime.ca/filmmaking.html
• Check out Sarah’s work and coaching: https://www.sarahhime.ca/about.html
• Visit my website: https://alexandralean.wordpress.com/
• Grab some cool designs from my new Redbubble store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/musicalandi
• About the 'Being Dramatic merch' - This design is for the bold, the expressive, and the ones who refuse to shrink themselves to fit someone else’s comfort. Inspired by the Being Dramatic podcast, this merch supports independent Canadian artists, filmmakers, singers, and creatives. Wear it as a reminder that your passion, your emotions, and your voice are not a flaw—they’re your power.
• Like this T-shirt - https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Being-Dramatic-If-you-say-I-m-too-much-go-find-less-by-musicalandi/169600938.WFLAH

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation! Don’t forget to rate, review, and share if you enjoyed this episode. 😊

In this podcast series, Being Dramatic, I, Alex Lean, do the most dramatic thing I could possibly think of: I talk to someone I don’t know about stuff I care about. (Cue the gasps!) On this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Haui™, an award-winning mixed-media artist who’s redefining what it means to bridge art and activism. We dive into his groundbreaking work, from directing operas to creating immersive installations, and explore how creativity can be a radical act of courage and connection.

About the Guest: Haui™ is an award-winning mixed-media artist celebrated for his cross-disciplinary work in theater, dance, opera, film, and visual arts. His projects, like the feature film MixedUp and the immersive installation Private Flowers, challenge traditional boundaries and engage themes of race, gender, and sexual orientation. As the youngest director in Canadian Opera Company history, his libretto Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White premiered to critical acclaim, showcasing a fully diverse creative team and emphasizing collective progress within the African diaspora. Haui™ has collaborated with major institutions like the Canadian Opera Company and CBC, and his work continues to inspire and provoke. He’s a Chalmers Arts Fellow, a recent artist-in-residence in Guelph, and will be heading to the Watermill Center in 2025. Basically, he’s the kind of creative powerhouse who makes the rest of us want to step up our game.

About the Host: Alexandra Lean is a playwright, artist, and professional over-thinker who’s made it her mission to talk to creatives about things she cares about. (It’s called Being Dramatic for a reason, folks.) Her work includes Nobody’s Idol (2013), Ghosted: The Musical (2019), and the haunting Witch. As a songwriter and storyteller, Alex is all about embracing the messy, magical, and deeply human parts of creativity. This year, she launched a monthly series on social media sponsored by the Canadian Play Outlet and Playwrights Guild of Canada, where she dives into the world of plays and the people who write them. With a deep passion for theatre and storytelling, Alex’s creative journey is all about finding connection, courage, despite of all the chaos along the way. Because let’s face it: life’s too short to not be dramatic.

Subscribe to Being Dramatic wherever you get your podcasts, and join the conversation on social media.

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Welcome to another hopeful and inspiring episode of Being Dramatic! This week, host Alexandra Lean sits down with the incredible Mary Francis Moore, Artistic Director of Theatre Aquarius and a trailblazer in the Canadian theatre scene.

Mary Francis Moore has made a significant impact on stages across Canada and internationally as an award-winning director, actor, playwright, and dramaturg. Since becoming Artistic Director of Theatre Aquarius in 2021, she has championed groundbreaking initiatives, including the National Centre for the Development of New Musicals. Mary is also the co-writer of the hit play Bittergirl and its musical adaptation, as well as the musical Maggie with Johnny Reid. In this episode, Mary shares her passion for nurturing new works, the importance of inclusion and mentorship in the arts, and how programs like The Dreamcatcher Project and Voices of Young Women are shaping the next generation of creatives.

About the Host: Alexandra Lean is a playwright and artist whose work includes Nobody’s Idol and Ghosted: The Musical. With a deep passion for theatre and storytelling, Alexandra’s creative journey inspires others to embrace the healing power of artistic expression. Don’t miss this insightful conversation about leadership, creativity, and the evolving landscape of Canadian theatre!

For more information about Mary Francis Moore and Theatre Aquarius, visit theatreaquarius.org.

Connect with us: 🎭 Follow Alexandra on social media 🎧 Subscribe to Being Dramatic for more inspiring conversations

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