First Exposure to Hawksley... Late to the party, but drinking the punch!

Last night my husband and I took in closing night of The God That Comes, the one man show by Hawksley Workman at the Citadel Club.  I will be honest, I know there were a lot of people going because it was Hawksley Workman and they have been long-time fans, but I was going because I had heard about the show from the Calgary theatre season last year.  I had never really heard Hawksley before (other than maybe a couple of times on the radio - but I couldn't swear to it).  Since the show opened last week I had heard great things both at work and via twitter and FB so I was very anxious to see it.  I was also looking forward to the bottle of wine that came with the VIP table I had purchased way back in August!  Anyhow, last night was really cool.  A re-telling of the Bacchae in a way that was very sexy, humorous, and musically compelling.  It was laugh out loud and so clever and Hawksley Workman's story-telling with music was always invested and engaging.  What a great night. Very happy that the VIP Table came with 2 CDs and we already opened one to listen to on the drive home. I plan to look into some more of his music...

This was not my only theatrical adventure this weekend, on Friday I took in the dress rehearsal for Clybourne Park at the Citadel.    I laughed (a lot) and a cried (curse you guys for hitting me in the heart!).  So good and I can't wait to see it again with a packed house! I can't say how much I love this script and this cast and production feel just spot on. It's so honest and true to life and so very funny and it's safe to laugh at the things you wouldn't if you were actually in the room.  In this world of political correctness and "us and them" it's so incredibly relevant.

This week I want to catch The Bronte Burlesque and The Elevator Project, and we open Clybourne Park, so it's going to be a busy one!

What's On in Edmonton - aka - Stuff to See!

Theatre in Edmonton is really getting kick started this weekend, so if you are looking for something to see, there are a lot of options.

Hawksley Workman is wrapping up The God That Comes at the Citadel Theatre this weekend.  Tickets for Friday and Saturday are few, but you might be able to grab ones for tonight (better run the show starts at 8 p.m.) or tomorrow night.  Twitter has been abuzz with great comments about the show, so I am looking forward to it.

At Theatre Network, the highly successful A Bronte Burlesque opens tomorrow night.  Putting this show on a bigger stage with better sightlines is going to make it even better.  It sold out it's run at the Fringe two years ago so I expect a healthy turn-out for this. 

Also at the Citadel, Clybourne Park starts it's previews this weekend.  Its the Tony, Pulitzer and Olivier award-winning script by Bruce Norris and its biting wit seems so relevant in today's world of political correctness.  Whether you always feel like you put your foot in your mouth or you are always seeing others stepping over the line, you will find yourself on stage somewhere on the spectrum.

Workshop West's Canoe Fest also starts up this weekend.  A variety of options for you to choose from.  I'm hoping to check out the Elevator Project, but there are a lot of really cool choices on the festival schedule.

Over at Fringe Theatre Adventures, Kaybridge productions is presenting The Frequency of Water. Written by Carol Murray-Gilchrist, The Frequency of Water was the Sterling Award Recipient for Best New Play a few years ago, and is directed by Maralyn Ryan.

So there are a lot of options to get you started.  Now that it's been a little nicer out, there is no excuse to stay home - so don't, don't stay home - see a show!

Gearing up for Hawksley and Clybourne!

It's very busy at work right now.  I know, I know, there's a recent rejection of the word busy, but I work in a place where the pace goes up and down depending on what is on the go and right now we are busy.  A big part of my job is putting together the Playbills for each of the main stage shows and about 2-3 weeks out is when those tasks heat up.  We have two shows opening up in the next 4 weeks so I am both proofing and collecting right now, in addition to coordinating Opening Night Invitations for the first one, Clybourne Park, which opens on January 30th.  The second one, Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craigslist Cantata opens on February 5th. So yeah, it's.... busy...

However, that's not even the next show in the building.  In our Beyond the Stage Series we have Hawksley Workman and The God That Comes opening tomorrow night.  I'm really excited for this show.  It won a couple of Betty Awards last season (Calgary's Sterlings) and made top ten theatre lists in Toronto and Vancouver.  I have never seen Hawksley Workman before but have friends (whose opinion I trust) who are die-hard fans so it all adds up.  Back in August, when I heard this show was coming I bought a VIP table right away and now I am so very glad I did.  With the way the tickets have been selling I would have been paying a lot more for not as great seats and no bottle of wine and CDs (there are a few nights with VIP Tables left... I highly recommend - they are the best seats in the house and you get the aforementioned wine and CDs).  Anyhow, I will have to do some waiting because I clearly wasn't thinking in August when I bought the tickets... for Closing Night... I might have to go earlier and see this one twice... hmmm...

After that it will Clybourne Park and Craigslist. This is clearly a great January for me.  All three of these shows really appeal to me.  They are current, edgy and very different.  Clybourne's read through was hysterical and the way it attacks the politics of speech and political correctness and assumptions about race and culture is brilliant.  I am excited to see it with all the bells and whistles.

In any case, I expect a few weeks of long days and then a very brief breath until I get to work on Mary Poppins!