Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

P.E.I. actor and theatre director Mike Ross has been obsessed with the Don McLean song American Pie for decades. Now, he’s co-created a stage show about all the hidden meanings behind the generational tune, called Inside American Pie. He joins Tom to talk about why he wanted to make a whole show about this one song, and what he thinks of the riddles and references in the lyrics.

Following her buzziest — and busiest — awards season yet, Chase Infiniti is starring in Hulu’s The Testaments. Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, the TV series is a coming-of-age drama set in Gilead, 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale. Chase sits down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about stepping into Margaret Atwood’s world, what she learned on the set of One Battle After Another, and her love of Grease and K-pop choreography.

When reading classic literature or watching Shakespeare plays, Erin Shields often finds herself drawn to the supporting characters we don’t hear much from — especially the women. In her new play Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, the Governor General’s Award-winning playwright considers what happens when four women who witnessed miracles are finally allowed to speak. She joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about the ridiculous amount of Mary’s in the Bible, and why she’s interested in expanding existing literature with a feminist twist.

Dorothy Grant’s work as a Haida fashion designer combines art, ceremony and history. Her designs have been shown everywhere from runways in Paris and the Oscars red carpet, to legislative halls and prestigious museums. Now, Dorothy is receiving the first-ever Indigenous Fashion Award at the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards. She joins Tom to talk about her approach to fusing traditional Northwest Coast design with high fashion, and her take on who exactly can wear her designs.

Montreal’s Edwin Raphael has opened for acts like Noah Kahan, and earned millions of streams from audiences all over the world. But for his latest project, inspiration struck rather close to home — in his dreams, to be exact. He sits down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about why he wanted to explore the reflections that can come from dreams, and to set up a song called Hymn for a Dragonfly, from his new album I Know A Garden.

Canadian filmmaker Chandler Levack’s debut film I Like Movies was a huge hit, earning praise from folks like Adam Sandler and establishing Chandler as one to watch. Now, Chandler is back with her second film, called Mile End Kicks, that taps into her real-life story as a young music journalist coming up in Montreal. Chandler joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about mining her own life for art, depicting 2011's Montreal, and working with Adam Sandler on her next film.

There’s a very personal story behind P.E.I. singer-songwriter Jenn Grant’s new song, Jim Cuddy Dress. Jenn sits down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about meeting Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo at the 2012 Juno Awards with her late mother, how she honoured one of her final wishes, and all the ways her mother turned some tough times in Jenn’s childhood into adventures.

The Governor General’s Award-winning performing artist Sandra Laronde is bringing her novel She Holds Up The Stars to the stage. The story, about an Indigenous girl who forms an unexpected bond with a spirited horse, is performed using multi-disciplinary elements like a full orchestra, movement and a muscular horse puppet. Sandra tells Tom how she saw her novel as a stage show from the very beginning, why she believes the arts shouldn’t be siloed, and how Indigenous stories can help all Canadians know themselves better.

The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning show Scrubs was special for the way it balanced comedy, satire and surrealism, all while being grounded in a very real story about medical interns at a fictional hospital. Now, as the show returns for a tenth season, Tom talks to main cast member Sarah Chalke about the legacy of the show, her friendships with her castmates, and how it felt to step back into the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital more than 25 years later.

Nashville singer-songwriter Maren Morris is back with a new album, Dreamsicle. It’s her first release after her divorce last year, but it’s not just a breakup record. It’s an examination of the physical, mental and emotional changes that happen after a traumatic personal event. Maren joins Tom Power to discuss Dreamsicle, her 20 years of making music, and the importance of the collaborators on the record.

Or Schraiber and Bobbi Jene Smith are two of the most important names in contemporary dance. They’re also a married couple. Or and Bobbi join Tom Power to tell us how their creative and personal partnership began while they were dancers at the Batsheva Dance Company, how the Gaga dance style influences their work, and their Canadian debut at the National Ballet of Canada, Procession.

You don’t become one of the most successful pianists of our time without a lot of practice. That’s something Lang Lang knows all about. Six years after the release of his celebrated record Piano Book, the virtuoso Chinese pianist is back with a new album, Piano Book 2. It’s designed to inspire people of all ages, levels and backgrounds. Lang Lang sits down with Tom Power at the Glenn Gould piano in our studio to discuss the album, and his life in music. He tells us about the teacher who didn’t believe in him, how he got past that early rejection, and how he found the right people to support him.

What happens when you start to feel anxiety and self-doubt in the middle of chasing your dreams? The Canadian folk trio The Pairs don’t necessarily have the answer, but they are working through these feelings on their new album, Together on a Rock. While their songs don’t come with perfect endings, the stories they tell are incredibly honest and vulnerable. Renée Coughlin and Hillary Watson of The Pairs join Tom Power to set up their devastating new track, Past My Prime.

Greg Wells is a Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and mix engineer who was recently made a Member of the Order of Canada. He sits down with Tom Power to talk about his early days playing in k.d. lang’s band, producing and writing hits for artists like Adele, John Legend, Ariana Grande, Celine Dion and Taylor Swift, and why he’s spent the last few years converting an old church in rural Newfoundland into a community music hub.

Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak are a husband-and-wife duo who lead the acclaimed Montreal rock band The Dears. In the early 2000s, they put a heavy stamp on indie pop music in Canada. Now, they’re celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band with the release of a new album, Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Murray and Natalia sit down with Tom Power to talk about their hopeful new record, their partnership and that very unique time in Canadian music when they got their start.

After years playing U.S. President Donald Trump on the news parody show This Hour Has 22 Minutes, comedian Mark Critch has come up with a few ideas on how Canada should deal with him. He’s just released a new book, Sorry, Not Sorry, in which he argues that it’s time for Canadians to park their apologies and match the president’s bravado with some of our own. Mark joins Tom Power to share his unapologetic look at what makes Canada worth fighting for.

Jacob Collier is heading on tour with his latest album, The Light For Days. It’s a stark contrast to his last project, Djesse — a sprawling eight-year saga built on collaboration and voices from around the world. Now, he’s stripped it all back to just Jacob and his guitar. The musical polymath joins Tom Power to talk about the album, making music alone once again, the magic of his live performances and why human connection is still at the heart of everything he does.

Growing up in Grande Prairie, Alta. and listening to her parent’s old record collection, Tenille Townes has always turned to music to make sense of the world. Now, she’s a Nashville-based singer-songwriter touring with artists like Shania Twain and Miranda Lambert. After going through some major career shifts, she’s back to making music to help her process uncertain times. Tenille Townes joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about her song Enabling, off her new record called The Acrobat.

Dan Levy is returning to TV with his new show Big Mistakes, which follows siblings who get mixed up in an organized crime ring. Dan joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about why family dynamics were on his mind, and how his own lineage has shaped his path in the industry. Plus, he’ll reflect on his early days at MTV, and his award-winning show Schitt’s Creek.

The acclaimed theatre director Nina Lee Aquino joins Tom to talk about bringing Cicadas, a radio play she directed, to the stage, and why she wants to challenge expectations around how we tell environmental stories with this eco-thriller. Plus, Nina opens up about why she believes theatre has the power to make the world a better place — and why she says it’s something AI just can’t touch.