正品蓝导航


Feature Story

From Mount A to the Main Stage

Tricia Black ('09) on her career in the entertainment industry
By: Ren茅e Belliveau ('17)

From the start, Tricia Black鈥檚 ambition was clear.

鈥淚鈥檝e always known I wanted this career. That I wanted to act, to be in films, and TV, to direct 鈥 I wanted to do it all,鈥 says the award-winning actor, writer, and comedian.

Nevertheless, her path was far from linear. Coming to 正品蓝导航 from Quispamsis, NB, Black took advantage of the flexible degree options to explore her diverse interests.

鈥淚 did theatre, history, and music, because I couldn鈥檛 decide what I wanted to do,鈥 she says.

But it was beyond the classroom that her trajectory began to take shape. Black鈥檚 engagement in extracurricular activities played a pivotal role in her eventual success. She was a member and President of the Garnet and Gold Society and ran Black Tie Productions, a former musical theatre society that focused on smaller productions.

She was also a member of the inaugural cast of Presents the Improv, started by her friend Justin Colette (鈥08), who has gone on to perform on Broadway and is currently part of the National Touring Cast for Beetlejuice. Black also worked at Live Bait Theatre and at McSweeney鈥檚 Dinner Theatre in Moncton, NB.

鈥淩unning two theatres, learning how to make a budget, how to get a grant 鈥 I had a great education, but it was the stuff I learned outside of the classroom that really shaped my career.鈥

For Black, Sackville was the ideal place to try new things.

鈥淚t's such a small community, but there鈥檚 so much to do,鈥 she says. 鈥淭he community is super supportive of students and there are so many ways to get involved. That鈥檚 what helps you grow as a person, and I think that鈥檚 why my time at Mount A was so memorable and impactful.鈥

After graduation, Black and Collette moved to Chicago to study at the renowned Second City 鈥 an improvisational comedy institution that has nurtured some of the world鈥檚 best-known comedians, including Canadian icons Eugene Levy, Martin Short, and Catherine O鈥橦ara.

鈥淚t was an incredible experience,鈥 she says, noting how they immersed themselves in Chicago鈥檚 vibrant comedy scene to learn as much as they could from watching others on stage. 鈥淚t was the best comedy education possible.鈥

After a brief stint back in Sackville, Black finally settled in Toronto.

Tricia Black and Clare McConnell at Second City Toronto

Since, she has worked as a writer, actor, and cast member at Second City Toronto, tried her hand at musical comedy, and had supporting roles in shows like Kim鈥檚 Convenience, Baroness von Sketch Show, Pretty Hard Cases, and What We Do in the Shadows. She also serves as Creative Director of the Tweed & Company Theatre.

In short, she has done a bit of everything.

鈥淚 think it makes you a stronger performer if you can learn any and all aspects of the industry,鈥 she says.

Black now boasts four Canadian Screen Award nominations, with two wins for Best Supporting Performance in a Web Program or Series for her work on Band Ladies and for Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series for Summer Memories.

She admits her success wasn鈥檛 effortless.

鈥淚t was a lot of work and working a lot of jobs, sometimes three at a time,鈥 she says. 鈥淏ut if you really want to be in this industry, you need to have the drive and the energy, because it鈥檚 tough.鈥

And yet, she can鈥檛 imagine doing anything else and looks forward to seeing where her career takes her next.

鈥淢y goal is to get something made that is in my voice,鈥 Black says. 鈥淚 feel like there aren鈥檛 a lot of people who look like me, or who have had the same experiences as me, being represented in film and TV, so in that respect, it鈥檚 important for me to put my voice out there so that a kid like me in New Brunswick can see me and go, 鈥極h wow! You can make it!鈥欌