A great way to launch LIFE IN STAGES is with our first guest,  Mark McGrinder. Mark and I met in 1990 at the University of Waterloo – he was entering first year and I was newly arrived as the Chair of the Drama Department. Over the next four years we spent a lot of time together in class and in rehearsals. Jump to 2002, eight years after he graduated, and Mark and I, along with three other UW alumni, met to consider a large project that could include many UW alum who were still carving out performing arts careers. A year later we produced the professional Canadian premiere of The Laramie Project. What we couldn’t have known then is that this would become the launch of Studio 180 Theatre. Mark, a founding member 21 years ago, is now the company’s current Artistic Director. I can’t think of a better first guest for this first episode. ---- NOTE: please consider supporting the running cost of this podcast by going to: patreon.com/lifeinstages And you can find us on: Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/lifeinstagespodcast/ Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/lifeinstagespodcast/