Endings and Beginnings and Judy! Just another weekend...

Another jam packed weekend for me and I didn't even get to a Halloween Party!  On Friday, I took Janine to see Typhoon Judy at Theatre Network.  It was a Guys in Disguise production and a ton of fun.  I learned how to sing by listening and singing along to Judy Garland as a child. I also read several of her biographies and next to Marilyn Monroe, she is celebrity I know the most about due to some strange fan fixations I had in my teens so it was great fun to take the ride through Judy's life in this show.  The script is not complex but it is certainly delivered with a great sense of tribute and homage to Judy!  I was impressed with the vocals (live) and the quality, particularly in the big belt notes where you could hear the work that Christopher Peterson had put in to create the sound of the icon. The only thing I wished was that we were sitting at little round tables with candles in red glass holders and a nice glass of wine.  It seemed to be far more suitable a show for a cabaret setting than a theatre.  But, we had a great time and it was a super way to end the week.

On Saturday The Weir closed.  I worked as FOH Manager and was pleased to see a nice big house show up.  There was something really cool about sitting in the lobby listening to the laughter and the applause from the house. After the show we struck the set, which took awhile since we were a small cast and team and the set was pretty extensive, and then we enjoyed a wee closing party.  It was low key but nice.  This was a great show to be a part of.  I felt challenged by my work and was pleased with the result.  That's the best.

On Sunday (today) The Misanthrope moved into Walterdale.  Just call it a revolving door for me!  Production Meeting, Building Tour and then rehearsal today.  I feel good about a few things in terms of my work in the show, but if anything, today showed me how much more work I have to do!  Good thing we have over a month.  I know I will be fine, I am just a bit of a perfectionist and I am sooooo far from perfect right now. It will come and it is so great to be in the space.  It's always nice when we move into the theatre and get a sense of exactly how big the set actually is.

An Evening of Atmosphere - The Weir

Opening Night for The Weir was a wonderful success.  The house was very full, especially for such a small cast show, but perhaps the play helped as it seemed to be the perfect piece for this time of year.  It's a little spooky but cozy as well and by the end of the play you really get to know the five characters on stage.  My mother commented on how wonderfully defined each of them was and how they seemed to move around the space so naturally, as though they really were in their favorite pub. The weather in Edmonton this week seems to echo the weather in the play and it really felt like we were all gathered in the comforting space of this neighborhood pub, keeping warm from the biting wind outside.

I was very impressed with the performances onstage.  Cody Porter, always a favorite, was at his tip-top best.  He's the kind of actor who can convey so much with a single raise of his eye brow or expression.  He doesn't need to talk but when he does, like in his final story, he can mesmerize the audience.  It was captivating how real all five of the actors were onstage.  Kieran O'Callaghan was delightful and I imagine him driving home to his 'mammy' after the show and Justin Deveau pulled off the awkward single barman so well I wanted to give him a hug and pat his head. I also enjoyed the energies of newcomers to Walterdale, Gavin O'Toole and Gwyneth Kellii.  Gavin embraced the confidence and swagger of the well-to-do Finbar and Gwyneth's Valerie had an undertone of vulnerability that was heart-breaking. All in all, five strong performances combining to create a real world onstage.  I was also surprised to discover how much I was laughing.  When I saw it in rehearsal a week and a half earlier I wasn't focused on the show - more checking to make sure the paint looked right, but on Opening Night I was really struck by the layered humour of the piece.

Speaking of stage, I was so thrilled to receive numerous compliments on the set.  A labour of love and a test of my skills - so it was nice to hear that it all worked. To me it felt warm and inviting and that was what I was going for.

* Photo Credit: Douglas Dollars Stewart
* The Weir marks #47 in my 2011 Theatre Goal

Another Opening! The Weir at Walterdale

I am off tonight to see The Weir at Walterdale.  It is my first official show of the season in terms on ones I have worked on.  I am quite pleased with how it looks and it feels worth all the time I put into it.  You can get a good look at it in the photo in this Gateway Preview Article and you catch a few nice glimpses in the media photos. I caught a rehearsal (Q2Q) but I am really looking forward to seeing the completed show tonight.  I love the atmosphere of Opening Nights.  I am taking Mom along and I think we shall have a lovely time! 

Last night I worked a casino for my sons' school so I am a bit tired. I tried to sleep in but a half dozen phone calls really interfered with the quality of that sleep. The Weir, though, is pretty engaging and only 100 minutes long so I think I will be fine tonight! I look forward to raising a glass with everyone after the show!

Booking Tickets... Giving Some Away... Filling Up the Calendar...

As some of you know, I won a FABULOUS ticket prize this summer from Vue Weekly that meant that I would get to see a lot of great shows this year.  However, I was also unable to use all of them, because of conflicts and being away. I spent a bit of time figuring out the Fall and yesterday gave away 3 pairs of tickets for various events (gotta love FB).  I love that everyone asked if they could pay me, and I loved even more to say "Free for me - Free for you!". It was a nice way to share the prize.  I am sure that in the new year there will be more that I will be giving away, but I only figured out my tickets up to the end of November.

I do get to use some of them myself.  I am looking forward to seeing Poof! The Musical at Capitol Theatre in Fort Edmonton Park and Typhoon Judy at Theatre Network.  I'll also be seeing The Weir at Walterdale Theatre this month. If I can squeeze it in, I will also be going to Ragtime at La Cite - it's going to be a tight fit!  I'm away for two weekends and in rehearsal and working a casino so fitting these events in has actually taken some juggling. I also really, really, really want to go to the Susan Gilmour Cabaret at The Citadel (I Dreamed a Dream), but I am worried I won't be able to get to it.  Too many wonderful things to see, not enough days in the month!

Done for now... Approaching Birthday Weekend!

This weekend is my birthday.  Gibson just had his.  It is also Thanksgiving.  I am not sure what will happen.  I don't know what I want (other than an iPad) or what I'd like to do (a movie - I haven't seen one in a long time that wasn't rated G).  I want to feel celebrated and thought of.   The next few weeks are jam-packed so I would love a little rest before I hit them.  I wish it were as easy to please me as it is Gibson.  All he needed was Lego and a DS game... oh, and cake. I don't even need the cake.

Today I finished the paint job on the set... well, I finished all I can do until I see it under the lights.  I am only worried about one wall (whether I need to do more breakdown on it) so I feel pretty relaxed right now.  I was touched to receive a phone call this morning from Joan Hawkins, who I consider my painting mentor.  She had been out of town until this week and had popped in for some other theatre business and peeked at the set.  She called me just to tell me how great it looked!  This is kind of what Walterdale can be about.  People will take the time to give you a pat on the back when you do good stuff! The only thing she 'mentioned' to me was the wall I had come in that morning to finish.  I will regard myself as a good student in that her checklist was the same as mine.  I am feeling pleased that she approved - she'd tell me if there were issues that I missed. When they do the Media Photos I will link any pictures that give you a good look at the set.  I tend to have a bad colour balance when I try to take a picture in the space.

A Manicure is Wasted on Me... I'm painting a set...

I have been spending the last few weeks painting the set for The Weir at Walterdale Playhouse. This has been a terrific challenge for me.  I have designed a set before and painted it (Village of Idiots), I have been Master Painter before for another designer (Wyrd Sisters) and I have painted on many other sets, usually under the umbrella of a Master Painter, but sometimes I have been pretty much in charge (Nine), but this set really took it up a notch for me.  When Director, Anne Marie Szucs, was putting together her team back in the late spring she asked me if I wanted to be on it.  When Jim Herchak stepped forward as Set Designer I knew that the best place for me would be Master Painter since I know that Jim doesn't paint. It's also a tough position to fill since there are few people who want to take on the responsibility or feel they have the expertise to do it (many paint, but few will master paint...). Also, I figured it would be a good challenge.

The set has certainly proven to be so.  I like it, don't get me wrong, but there are a lot of surfaces and it is, for the most part, a realistic set.  Village was not realistic, and neither were Wyrd Sisters or Nine.  When the set is abstract, you can play with the textures to a large degree.  When it's 'real' you have to make it work.  I have learned a lot.  It's been tough.  My painting mentor, Joan Hawkins, is out of town so I had to mine my memory and experiment a bit to get what I wanted.  I did use a lot of the things she taught me.  The first attempts were not as successful as the later work, but the beauty of paint is that layers will save you.  It was also interesting because I had no reference for colours or textures on the model.  Jim trusted me to figure that out and that has been interesting. I have a few more things to finish up, but I am about 93% there.  I have spent about 40 hours on the deck working so far (more at home on the computer searching for reference images) and I probably have about 6 - 10 more next week to finish up the little details.  It's tough for me because I generally have to work one day and rest one day because of the strain on my back (it doesn't seem to like it when I paint the floor...).  I have had some wonderful help (Thanks Julie, Jenelle, Kent, Elinor and Ruby!) and I have learned a lot.  When I look at it I am really quite proud of what I have done so far.  I hope that I can make the rest of it match what is in my head.

I encourage you to stop by the Walterdale Open House or AGM this Saturday and check it out in person, or better yet, come at see the show in a couple of weeks! 

Walterdale Event - Donor Voted Show

Last night Walterdale held it's Donor Voted Show event, a great event for socializing, supporting the theatre and for getting to have a say in picking one of the shows for next season. As Treasurer I had a couple of duties: taking donations (it was a nicely supported event!) and counting the votes. I was a bit surprised and delighted that The Weir by Conor McPherson was selected. Surprised, because I really thought Dracula was going to win based on the in-house support, and Delighted, because I wanted it to win. I would have been happy with any of the three choices as I think anything that gets the audience more engaged with the theatre is a good thing and there was definitely engagement last night. As well, the vote was close so who is to say that Dracula can't be submitted another year with just as much interest?

Tonight I am hoping to catch The Ladies who Lynch at the Canoe Festival (it all depends on whether I stop writing this blog and get my homework done...). I missed this show when it was presented the first time in town and heard great things about it. It was written by Jason Chinn at the last 24 Hour Playwrighting competition where I wrote Tight Rope and the scene read from it was hilarious in a very dark way. Tomorrow I am hoping to end my rehearsal a half hour early so that I can catch the beginning of the last panel for Canoe Festival. It's right in the Timm's and we are in good shape with Playmates. We finished a 1/2 hour early on Thursday, so it is completely doable if all goes well.