Brian Knox McGugan

Brian Knox McGugan ~ (BFA acting U of A ~ actor, director, vocal performer & theatre maker) is a powerful & complex performer born in Calgary Alberta of geologist parents. Dr. Alan McGugan and ...Show More

Brian Knox McGugan ~ (BFA acting U of A ~ actor, director, vocal performer & theatre maker) is a powerful & complex performer born in Calgary Alberta of geologist parents. Dr. Alan McGugan and Dr. June E. Rapson-McGugan. They encouraged him as an artist from the beginning, enrolling him in kindergarten at the then very experimental Allied Arts Centre in Calgary. At the early age of 8 he was thrust upon stage as Dennis the Menace with 1 line that brought the house down. The year following he represented Earl Grey Elementary school, chosen as narrator for a school video documentary under the watchful encouragement of the well spoken Earl Jensen, the school librarian. In younger years, Brian and his mother frequently attended the theatre in Calgary, and in his teens they took many theatre holidays at the Shaw and Stratford festivals in Ontario.Perhaps most inspired by drama teacher Gary Stromsmoe at Western Canada High School in Calgary, whose underground exciting adult approach to high school theatre made it the coolest place to be in school, Brian followed in the creative footsteps of other Stromsmoe disciples such as Michael Green, One Yellow Rabbit, Ikarus, Jason Thompson & David GordonBrian Knox McGugan apprenticed in "The Lark" (Nicol Williamson) & "King Lear"(Len Cariou) at the Citadel theatre Edmonton in the early 1980's, and created acted & produced exciting original performances with his experimental theatre group, "The Acting Gypsies", including the infamous version of Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis", starring Jason Thompson, Michael Charrois & Doug Ferris.Following his graduation from the University of Alberta BFA (acting) program, Brian wrote & performed in his one-man psycho thriller "The Man With The Jelly Mask" from 1989 - 1991, across Canada from Victoria to Toronto, garnering fantastic reviews.As a motion picture actor, Brian's favorite appearances include: Anne Wheeler's "Cowboys Don't Cry", "Prom Night 2", "Danger Bay", "MacGyver", "Highlander", "The X Files", "Bordertown" & "Murphy's Law" to name just a few. From the 1990's until early 2000's, Brian also worked extensively behind the camera on series, features and commercials in several departments, including locations, AD, editorial camera, and as video playback coordinator, learning the movie biz as he earned, and as a volunteer at Rogers community television for over 5 years, Brian created dozens of short videos, crewed, shot and edited many others, and executive produced Linda Darlow's 12 episode Biz-series, "Reel Pro-Files"Cast as Jeff in the short play, "Motifs & Repetitions" at UBC's Brave New Playwrights festival, Brian was so intrigued by this haunting & poetic work of theatre that he then produced, directed & starred in the film adaptation of the work, selling it first to the Bravo Channel & subsequently to the Knowledge Network.Now dedicated solely to his passion & craft, Brian performs in films from large to small, including lead roles in Kevin Tyson's feature "PLUS", Jack McQuistin's "The Interview" & in George Allen's "Franks Case". Nominated best supporting actor, he co-starred with Curtis Caravaggio as SS Brigadefürer Reiner in the WW2 short, "Ghosts of Europe" (winner ~ best international film, 168 festival L.A. 2012). Featured as a supporting lead in Kristian Messere's feature, "Stockholders", then Brian played Mr. Valentino in Christoph Kozitsa's feature "Old Traditions". As a proud member of the Queer community and drawn to work with a deeper sense of purpose, Brian won the outstanding performer award for his portrayal of a Gay Catholic priest in Sophie Romvari's "Sunday Morning", followed by a role in Sophie's second film "Cold Feet". Nurturing emerging filmmakers and the exploding local indy scene is of the greatest importance to Brian, whose work continues with Christoph Kositza's "Rehab" & "Dreg", and as Salavan the wizard in Nikki Wallin's apocalyptic fantasy pilot, "The Children of Pellah"Brian Knox McGugan selectively returns to act in live theatre, (weight lifting for the actor), most particularly as an ongoing company member with 7 Tyrants theatre: "A Good Woman of Setzuan", "Beggars Opera" and in the sold out hit "Judge Dee & the Haunted Garden" 3 times, twice as the title character.He recently completed the Arts Club Theatre's Actors' intensive program in the spring of 2012, led by mentors Dean Paul Gibson, Anthony Ingram, Scott Bellis & Wendy Gorling, and every day continues to raise the bar for both himself and his colleagues with his commitment to excellence, through work & professional study in music, theatre & film. Hide