Acclaimed Canadian stage actor Peter Fernandes is making his directorial debut at this year’s Shaw Festival, with a remount of the play Sleuth. This Tony Award-winning show, and later Oscar-nominated film, is a work that both has a lot of love for the mystery genre, and picks apart many of its tropes. Peter joins Tom in the Q studio to talk about why he wanted to take on this project, and how it feels to wear the director’s hat.

Country musician Owen Riegling went from playing the local pub in his hometown of Mildmay, Ont. for his buddies, to hitting the stage at iconic venues like the Grand Ole Opry and Massey Hall in just a couple years. His new album contends with that feeling of hitting the stratosphere, while also missing home — and the people who make it home — at the same time. He sits down with Tom Power to talk about what his own small town means to him and his music.

In a long-awaited catch-up, singer, songwriter and actor Josh Groban stops by the Q studio to talk about his upcoming album Cinematic. The record is a tribute to the iconic soundtracks of some of his favourite films, from The Lion King to James Bond. He tells Tom about his touching collaboration with his father on the record, what it was like to play Sweeney Todd on Broadway given his lifelong love of Stephen Sondheim, and his spontaneous cameo at this year’s Oscars.

On their new song Had It, Toronto indie-rock trio Dumb Crush tell the story of a modern-day guy who’s dealing with the pressures of hyper-individuality and the feeling of never being good enough. Owen Hooper, a bass player and singer in the band, joins Tom to talk about the inspiration behind the song, and how the band feels about the constant pressure to maximize your potential.

Arkells are at a stage of success where they can easily sell out large amphitheatres across Canada. But with their new record Between Us, the band has chosen to do something different with the tour: city takeovers. Instead of booking large venues for one night, the boys are spending multiple days in Canadian cities, playing smaller stages and more intimate shows. Arkells frontman Max Kerman and guitarist Mike DeAngelis tell Tom Power why they wanted to replicate what it felt like in the early days, and what both they and the fans get out of small, up-close-and-personal shows.

When Alberta filmmaker Jody Wilson was working on visual effects for CSI Miami, she didn’t know the Hollywood gig was also laying the groundwork for her future in filmmaking. From The Avengers to The Last of Us, her on-set observations all came in handy when she finally decided to make her own feature film, The Bearded Girl. It’s a coming-of-age story with a twist and, as Jody tells Tom Power, its extremely niche main character is what makes the story universal.

For nearly 40 years, Ziggy Marley has built a legendary career across music, writing and philanthropy. Now, the eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley returns with Brightside, his ninth studio album, which was produced entirely by him and his brother Stephen. He chats with Q’s Tom Power about what happens when he records with instruments tuned to a lower frequency, the spiritual place he seeks out when he makes music, and the first song he ever dedicated to his late father.

Best known for her tapestries and textile paintings, Paulina Constancia’s latest series, MOMents, reflects the early days of motherhood, celebrating the small, special moments that happen when you become a parent. Speaking with Q guest host Gill Deacon, Paulina gets into her own experience as a mother, why she urges parents and caregivers to stay present, and what it’s like being a self-taught “naïve” artist.

Riz Ahmed is an Oscar and Emmy-award winning actor and rapper, known for pushing for more nuanced portrayals of South Asians, and especially Muslims, on screen. In his most recent projects, he’s shaking the foundations of British cultural mythology by taking on two roles that have long been definitive for white actors: James Bond and Hamlet. He joins Tom to talk about his new series Bait, where he plays an actor chasing the role of 007, and why he wanted to strip down Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy into something more contemporary for his film Hamlet.

After winning the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for a second time, Jeremy Dutcher decided to do something he’s never done before: score a film. He composed music for the Canadian thriller At The Place of Ghosts, which follows two estranged Mi'kmaq brothers who become haunted by a malevolent spirit and must reunite to face their demons. Jeremy sits down with Tom Power to discuss the importance of keeping language alive, and what it was like working with film director Bretten Hannam.

During the pandemic, Kashus Culpepper learned to play the guitar on YouTube, and soon enough was performing covers for his fellow sailors in the United States Navy. Now, after sharing some of his covers online and moving to Nashville, Kashus’s soulful blend of Southern sounds has caught the attention of music veterans like John Mayer and Elton John. He joins Tom Power to talk about his unique journey to becoming a full-time musician, touring with Darius Rucker, and his debut album Act 1.