Are you ready for the wedding of the year? ARC is back with their upcoming production of Sam Holcroft’s A Mirror. Jonelle Gunderson is taking on the role of Mei/Bride in this intriguing production. We get to talk about her history with ARC, her roles on the big screen, and what audiences can expect from A Mirror.

1. Could you please introduce yourself to my readers and tell us a bit about your role in “A Mirror”?

Hi! My name is Jonelle Gunderson, I’m an actor working on ARC’s current production of A Mirror in the role of Mei/Bride. She is ex-military and currently finds herself working in The Ministry of Culture in a totalitarian regime where the government controls what you read and write. 

2. Your resume is stacked with film and TV work along with an extensive theatre career. What keeps you coming back to the stage?

Oh my gosh what a generous way to frame this question. The honest answer is that I never feel like I’m doing enough of either, but certainly moving between the two makes me more agile. Theatre makes me a better actor, without a doubt. It’s more rigorous, demanding, and stretches the muscle in a completely different way. That being said, I think the other part of this question is that to be an artist now means diversifying in every way you can. I have lots of hustles that keep my small family and I afloat, and I’m so grateful that theatre continues to be one of them.

3. This is your second time working with ARC. What do you enjoy most about working with this company?

It’s actually been longer than that! I admired ARC’s work for years before they hired me as an actor (I volunteered tearing tickets, and was hired as a social media manager for their production of Oil). They’ve seen me through some major life moments; Oil was amongst the last shows to be performed in Toronto before the pandemic’s lockdown, Gloria was somehow staged in-between rolling lockdowns in 2022, and now, A Mirror is my first show back since having my son. The reason I come back is 100% the people, and the demanding material they engage with. They choose scripts that are compelling, current, and make people think. They’re also deeply committed to engaging with themes in an honest and educated way, part of a show’s process is their ‘Open Room’ — the company spending a week of research with community collaborators, prior to rehearsal. I continue to learn so much from this company. They’ve also been so generous, releasing me from rehearsals early here and there so I can pick up my kiddo from daycare. The best!


4. A Mirror sounds like a pretty twisty and intricate play. What has been your favourite discovery working on this production thus far?

It’s a real dance… the scenes move in and out of humour and danger in a way that I think will be really interesting to experience live. Subtle shifts in performance move the tone from drama to comedy. It’s also pushed me as an actor – Mei is a completely new (and like you said, intricate) kind of character for me. She’s straight lines, percussion and stillness. Until she isn’t 🙂 And that has called me to grow in new ways. I think she has totally transformed into a different person, by the end of the play.

5. What are you the most excited for audiences to experience with A Mirror?

I think A Mirror speaks to the current moment, without being directly about the current moment. It also takes care of its audience (and players) in such a unique way; always re-engaging the listener by changing the game, and surprising you with a new character, or layer. There’s also a couple satisfying twists (!) which I think experiencing for the first time will be fun… maybe shocking. There is live music. A company of big-hearted fools. And a wedding. What else could you ask for?

I want to thank Jonelle for taking the time to answer my questions! A Mirror runs at The Assembly Theatre from March 10 – 28. For more information and tickets, visit: https://arcstage.com/happening-next/a-mirror/

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