#PaulGross

What actor Paul Gross loves about Stratford

Wild Hog Country Market

“I am a carnivore. I love cooking, and I love dead animals (but not in an RFK Jr. way). The meat at Wild Hog is fabulous. I’ll load up my cart with all sorts of unbelievable steaks, chucks, ribs—you name it—and fresh produce before heading out of town to my place in Cobourg with my wife, Martha. They also have a good café—not that I need any more coffee after pounding back-to-back cups at 5 a.m.” 2785 Line 34, Perth East, wildhog.ca

T. J. Dolan Trail

“I have a terrier—or terror­er, as I like to say—who always needs to go out. He’s indefatigable. A few years ago, I started a habit of running my lines while dragging him around the picturesque T. J. Dolan Trail that winds around Lake Victoria and through a graveyard. At the time, I was growing my hair and beard out for King Lear, and I looked insane, yelling at a dog in iambic pentameter. Hikers would stare at me. They still do, even though the lines for Godot are more decipherable. I don’t stop to do much explaining.” Entrance located off John St. N.

What actor Paul Gross loves about Stratford

Fanfare Books

“I’m so glad people have continued supporting independent bookstores even in the age of Amazon—they’re too special to lose. Fanfare Books is almost 60 years old. It has creaky wooden floors, and the atmosphere is wonderful. No one bothers you while you’re browsing, but the staff are quick with a recommendation if you ask for one. It’s the kind of place where I could end up sitting in an armchair and leafing through a whole book. They have lots of plays and books on the craft of acting, but I read more fiction. I recently picked up Virginia Evans’s The Correspondent on a staff member’s suggestion and loved it.” 92 Ontario St., Stratford, fanfarebooks.ca

Canadian Tire

“Canadian Tire is the world’s all-time greatest store. It has some sort of ESP that knows how to make me compulsively buy stuff. I go in for two things and walk out having spent $200. I used to use a little handheld basket, but now I know myself: I need the big cart. My dad had a one-piece snowsuit from there that he called his bunny suit. I inherited it, and I still wear it every winter. I’m sad the fake money is disappearing, but that’s okay. I’m learning to accept change.” 1093 Ontario St., Stratford, canadiantire.ca

Gallery Stratford

On June 22, Provocation Ideas will present Illuminating Passion, a high-energy benefit evening at Revival House. That night, acclaimed artists and community voices will show off their unexpected creative talents, offering audiences a rare glimpse into their lives beyond the spotlight. 

Set to hit the stage that night are Paul Gross, David Keeley, Marcus Nance, Laura Condlin, Ann Baggley, Lucinda Jones and several others. The event will be hosted by multi-Gemini Award-winning actress Sheila McCarthy and local wedding officiant Chris Blake.

“Through live performances that defy expectations, audiences will experience artists who, through choice or circumstance, have developed alternative talents beyond their mainstay vocations,” festival officials said in a media release.

Along with the performance, this fundraising evening will feature a live auction of one-of-a-kind experiences, including Stratford cultural packages, and offerings from local businesses and artists. Proceeds from the night will help fund future Provocation Ideas Festival programming.

“This is an evening about artistic risk and discovery,” said the producer of Illuminating Passion, Don Shipley. 

“We’re inviting performers, and audiences, into a space where the unexpected can happen. It’s about revealing the creative impulses that often remain hidden, and celebrating the courage it takes to share them,” Shipley added.

Illuminating Passion is about the joy of creative reinvention, said the festival’s founding director, Mark Rosenfeld.

“It’s also a vital fundraiser that helps us continue to present bold, accessible programming, creating a public space where ideas, art and community come together in meaningful ways,” Rosenfeld added.

The performances and auction run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m, with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. Dinner will be available for purchase from the Revival House starting at 5 p.m. Tickets for the event are $75 and can be purchased online at zeffy.com.