Big Stuff at the Citadel - what are you holding on to?

This weekend, my Mom and I went to Big Stuff at the Citadel Theatre. The show features improvised moments and scenes within a framework wherein actors Naomi Sniekus and Matt Baram tell stories about all their "stuff" (physical) and their "stuff" (emotional and memory). They relate their meeting and tell the stories of their parents who have now all passed away. Throughout the show (and this is the improv stuff), the audience reveals stories about their things. When you arrive at the theatre, there's a notecard on the seat that you write about an object that you have that reminds you of someone close to you. During the show, at key moments, a card is drawn and that audience member is encouraged to tell their story and this is woven into the overall narrative. They also ask questions, like who has been married the longest, which my Mom won at 62 years (she said 62 but remembered later on the way to the car that it was actually 63 years). It was such a lovely show. Very funny both in the planned story and in the quick thinking incorporation of the prompts peppered throughout the show, but is is also touching and heart warming. So it's completely fair to mention that I laughed and I cried and I loved it! As we were leaving my Mom said, "Now that is the kind of theatre I want to see!". 

I've seen Sniekus and Baram before in Toronto in 2013. They are just as quick and in sync today and in a city like Edmonton with such good Improv, they are holding their own with this phenomenal show. It's a must-see!

Big Stuff runs at the Citadel Theatre in the Rice until November 9th. Tickets are $40-$69 and can be purchased here. 

Do You Like Improv?

So when I was in Toronto, my sister took me to an Improv Show at the Soul Pepper Theatre.  The performers were from The National Theatre of the World and I had a great time.  I forgot how fun Improv can be.  You see, I get so busy with my theatre and play-going, that I haven't gone to Improv for a long time.  Which I know is sad, considering I live in the same city as Rapid Fire Theatre.  Now that the kids are getting a little older, I am going to try and make it out to some!

So, for those of you who like Improv, or for those of you who have never gone, I encourage you to check out Improvaganza put on by Rapid Fire Theatre which starts tomorrow and runs until the 29th of June. That's 10 DAYS of Improv! Every year at Improvaganza, Rapid Fire Theatre hosts improvisers from across Canada, North America and beyond. Rapid Fire Theatre hosts the best comedy acts they can find, plus Theatresports matches, radio shows, workshops with amazing artists, and tons of social events too.  It sounds like a lot of fun!

Just a quick post from the road!

Made it safely to Toronto last night after an uneventful plane ride, which my brother-in-law assured me are the best kinds of plane rides! A nice supper and commencement of the visiting with my sister started immediately! It is wet here - raining a lot - and I discovered that I packed optimistically with only one pair of long pants.  Everything else is capris or skirts.  So I will head out to Yonge-Eglinton Centre tomorrow to look for warmer clothes and more socks. I fully intended to be in sandals the whole time! Ha ha ha!

Anyhow, I had a great pedicure this morning while Annemarie was at work and then we met up with friends for supper.  I connected with my university roommate Jackie and met Annemarie's friend Sarah and Sarah's mother Jan.  It was a great, if quick, visit with Jackie who looks as though she has not aged a day since university. She is an actress and has just started rehearsing for her upcoming Fringe show, Mo and Jess Kill Susie.  I wish I were here in July to see it!

After dinner Annemarie, Sarah, Jan and I headed to the Soulpepper to see The National Theatre of the World Improv show Script Tease.  It's a long form improv show where they get two pages of a script from a playwright sight unseen, start the play and then finish it. Before they start they chat with the audience and get details that they weave in with the narrative.  It was exceptional! So much fun and such a high level of performance.  The improv was smart and clever and both improvisers were so connected.  Afterwards they had a talk back with the improvisors, Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus, and the playwright, Guillermo Verdecchia. A very cool evening! I recommend checking it out as every night is different with different plays from seven playwrights.

Tomorrow - Stratford and Tommy! So excited!

A Visit to the Past

Last night I went and watched the Alberta Regional CIG finals at Eastglen High School. I went to cheer on the Westwood Team, as well as to watch the improv as a whole. I also figured that I would see several students from the past - which I did. It was a good night of Improv. Westwood did not win, they placed second, but they played very well. I still find it hard to watch CIG without thinking like a coach and analyzing all the scenes. I think that is why I prefer watching Theatre Sports now, because there is less structure and fewer rules so I don't sit and think about story, and character, and using the suggestion and all that. I did let some of the analysis go, so I got laughs out of the evening. I think that the kids should feel good because they entertained well and I know from experience how hard it is to come second (particularly when you are used to winning). I heard from one of the adjudicators that the team (WIT) was taking it really well and genuinely seemed happy for Harry Ainlay. I hope so because they deserve to feel good about a great night of entertainment.

It was good to see the kids from the past. They made me feel good, because they seemed happy to see me too. That's always nice for a teacher. They make me remember the GREAT THINGS about my teaching career and then I think a little less about the crappy things that went on in those last few years. I always felt bad at the end, because at the time it was so hard to watch WIT play back then. It was all wrapped up with feeling betrayed and bullied. I shall have to go and watch Theatre Sports and Chimprov (if I can stay up late enough) so that I can watch them as mature (?) adults, and separate their improv from the whole high school memory stuff.