Finster Finds

Last night I went to see Red at The Citadel Theatre with my good friend Janine. The play follows two years of Abstract Impressionist artist Mark Rothko's life as he worked on a large mural project with his new assistant, Ken. Together they talk of many things - art, suicide, tragedy, art, selling-out, keeping integrity, art for now, art that is timeless, and in this back and forth is a marvelous play. I did not know anything about it beforehand - at least not specifically. I am familiar with art and the abstract expressionists and I have taken courses on Criticism of Art and Art History so I had a little bit of background. However, I didn't need to know anything. The specific discussions that evolve as their friendship/professional relationship grows are so universal with regards to art that I was locked in. "It's a job. This is about me." says Rothko, and it is, but it is about more than just him. It's about waves of art, the old and the new and the no...

On Wednesday I finally saw Albertine in Five Times at Walterdale Theatre. Although it is not my favorite script I was looking forward to it since I knew the cast was exceptionally strong and I was not disappointed. All the performances were sincere and committed and it was well directed into a lovely piece of theatre. I had some issues with a few of the technical elements but I think that was more difference of opinion than anything else. The set and costumes were wonderful and coherent despite representing a span of 40 years. I wouldn't have thought that possible having seen the set under the work lights, but it all worked wonderfully. I have seen a number of these women before onstage and I was most impressed by the transformation of Amelia Maciejewski into Albertine at 30. I have worked with Amelia (last year's Rabbit Hole ) and know she is a powerhouse but this performance was remarkably subtle and internal. There was so much going on beneath the surface. I was also impres...

This week the New Works Festival opened at the University of Alberta. I was fortunate to be able to direct one of the pieces which is being presented. I attend the University of Alberta as a Special Student in the Department of Drama and have been doing so for the past four years. I had a show in New Works 2 years ago as a Playwright ( Tight Rope ) but the completion of my ADship at Walterdale had allowed me to free up a lot of my time so I applied to direct. I was accepted and overjoyed to find out that I would be directing Bevin Dooley's script, The Playmates . It has been a wonderful experience. I loved working with Bevin and the Production Team as well as the Festival Team. So just for experience I have been blessed. I am also very pleased with the show itself - the script, the cast, my crew, the designers - truly wonderful people to work with. The Festival opened Tuesday Night. I had to wait for Mark to get home so I missed the first piece, a Staged Reading of Fire i...

I was lucky enough to catch a Dress Rehearsal of The Edmonton Opera's The Mikado this past week. I say lucky for a number of reasons. First, because I was unable to make any of the show dates due to schedule conflicts and second because it was delightful! The concept was in many ways the star of the show. Each costume was pitch perfect in the anime/hara-juku interpretation. The cast lived up to how they looked, so this was not style without substance. It was so pleasant to see and hear skilled Opera Performers who could sing well AND act and dance! Who knew?! Ko-Ko was outstanding, but from the tittering school girls of the chorus to the iPad using male chorus to Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum onto Katisha and The Mikado himself, it was all so very well done and so much fun. Hard to pick a favorite moment, but I always love "A Little List" and the careful use of topical references throughout the show was just right! A fun, fun, fun night out! #3 in my year goal for thea...