The name Ron Pederson is well known not only in Canada but far beyond its borders. A talented actor, improviser, award-winning performer, theatre producer, and director, Pederson has worked across Canada with various theatres. For five years, he led Toronto’s improv theatre troupe, The National Theatre of the World. In this article on edmonton-trend.com, we take a closer look at the life and career of this remarkable artist.
Early Acting Journey
Ron Pederson was born in Edmonton in 1978. He entered the vibrant theatre scene at just eight years old. After graduating from high school, he joined the Citadel Theatre School in 1987. In 1991, playwright Stewart Lemoine invited him to join the La Quindicina troupe, marking the beginning of Pederson’s professional career. His talent quickly gained recognition, with audiences and critics alike praising his stage presence. Throughout the 1990s, Pederson collaborated with numerous Edmonton theatre groups and participated in new productions by Stewart Lemoine.
Soon, Ron began taking on diverse projects, ranging from musicals to experimental productions by renowned directors. He played Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and worked with directors such as Robin Phillips, Storch, and Bob Baker. In 1999, Pederson performed at Vancouver’s Drama Theatre.
Theatre Career Development
In 1995, Pederson joined the cast of the legendary improvised soap opera Die-Nasty, performing every Monday night at Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre for eight years. It was in this production that Ron honed his improvisation skills alongside talented actors and guest stars like Mike Myers and Joe Flaherty. In 2002, Flaherty invited Ron to take part in Los Angeles’ The Soap Also Rises, where he performed alongside comedians Fred Willard and Martin Short.
From 2002 to 2005, Pederson became a cast member on Mad TV, earning recognition for his versatility and talent. In 2005, he was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for his work in the show’s tenth season. While working on Mad TV, he also created original sketches for The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. In 2011, Ron won the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Improviser.
Despite his busy career, Pederson frequently returned to Edmonton to perform with La Quindicina in Stewart Lemoine’s plays. His notable performances included a 2004 remake of Shockers Delight!, Time in the Rapids (2005), and Mother of the Year (2009). In 2017, he directed a new version of Shockers Delight!, and in 2018, he played Ernst in Oscar Wilde’s famous play.
During the summer of 2007, Pederson had two supporting roles in The Winter’s Tale and a musical adaptation of Two Gentlemen of Verona at the River City Shakespeare Festival. That same year, he starred in Little Shop of Horrors. In 2009, he played a boy who imagined himself as a wolf in Extinction Song by Ron Jenkins. In 2011, he took on the role of Quasimodo in Hunchback.
In 2012, Pederson co-founded The Theatre Department in Toronto with Daniela Vlaskalic. For the 30th anniversary of Edmonton’s La Quindicina troupe, they staged Lemoine’s play The Exquisite Hour. In the winter of 2014, he starred as sailor Jack Vale in Pith!. The Globe and Mail critic J. Kelly Nestruck praised it as a perfect little comedy that highlights the power of positive thinking.
In 2013, Pederson played Lancelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice at the Stratford Festival. In 2015, he starred in The Best Brothers. Three years later, he became a resident artist at Coal Mine Theatre and appeared in The Wonder Pageant.
Major Achievements
Throughout his career, Ron Pederson has been nominated for six Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, including Best Supporting Actor and Outstanding Performance for Young Audiences. He has also been recognized with Sterling Awards for his performances at Citadel Theatre. In 2018, he won another Sterling Award for his role in No Exit.
Today, Pederson resides in Toronto, where he serves as the artistic director of the improv troupe The National Theatre of the World. The troupe specializes in full-length productions of lesser-known works by various playwrights. In 2023, he returned to Edmonton to play an anxious and inexperienced blind date participant haunted by troublesome friends, an ex-fiancée, and his grandmother in the witty play First Date.
Ron Pederson masterfully embraces every role he takes on. He fully immerses himself in his characters, bringing their emotions and personalities to life. His openness and love for the audience allow him to deliver outstanding performances, delighting fans with new theatrical masterpieces.
