Ralph MacLeod graduated from Concordia University’s Theatre Performance program in 1988. Immediately upon completion of his program, Concordia hired him to teach in their Theatre Program and Ralph’s love of teaching was born.
He moved to Halifax in 1990 and began working as a professional actor. He appeared in several shows at Neptune Theatre (Yankee Notions/The Dresser), Mermaid Theatre (Stuart Little), Live Bait Theatre (A Midsummer’s Night Dream) and several others. He has been seen and heard in film (Lifeline to Victory), television, and radio and providing voices in animation (Redwall).
Ralph began improvising in the late 80′s, originally studying Commedia Del’Arte with Perry Schneiderman (National Theatre School). He moved to Halifax in 1991 and began working with several members of the original Street Sense cast and crew in a troupe called, Scriptwreck’d. During his time in Halifax, Ralph taught theatre and improvisation at the Neptune Theatre School.
Upon moving to Toronto, Ralph continued his improv education in such places as Second City and Theatresports. He learned from some of the best improvisers the city has to offer including Bruce Hunter, Frank van Keegan, Sam Agro, and Rob Nickerson, Lisa Merchant, Kevin Frank, Michael Kennard, Allan Guttman and more. He was also a member of the Stand-Ins (with Marcel St Pierre, Rochelle Wilson, Paul Bates, Jennifer Whalen and Gina Sorrell) in the early 90′s and performed four shows a week at the now defunct Big City Improv. Ralph began performing with Bad Dog (then known as Theatresports Toronto) in 1999 and shortly after began teaching.
In 2000, Ralph took over as the Workshop Director and has turned the Bad Dog Training Centre into the second largest improv school in Canada. In addition to performing, teaching, and running the workshops, Ralph also directs and produces numerous shows such as A Night at the Improv, A Twisted Christmas Carol, Hot Doctors in Love, and Weirdos. He has also created such Bad Dog student shows as That Friday Show and Macro Neato, and The Playhouse.
Along with Kerry Griffin and Marcel St. Pierre, Ralph forms the Artistic Team that charts Bad Dog’s future.
Ralph has taught and performed in dozens of corporate events for such institutions as Bell Canada, Xerox, Toastmasters, University of Toronto, Canadian Blood Services and several more.
Ralph’s teaching philosophy is that people learn the most when they are up and involved in the class, so in Ralph encourages his students to get more feedback after class, via email, etc. Classes are fun you’ll laugh a lot. He directs students in class, given them ideas to fix their scene so you don’t struggle. You find out what helps, and then you employ that strategy.
Ralph nurtured me and allowed me to get onstage from a very early point in my training. I’ve always accredited this to really helping me progress. My Theatresports training helped me leaps and bounds more than anything else I’ve done. Thank you, Ralph, for being the person who really raised my confidence.
Lauren Ash Second City Chicago Mainstage
A week ago I finished a 4 day shoot on a TV show called “Cold Blood”. This is the 2nd time in a year that I have landed the lead in a docu drama. I don’t think I would have had a snowball’s chance in hell of landing either of these roles without the skills that I have learned with you and the other fine teachers at The Bad Dog Theatre.
Don Berns
