When Artistry meets Quirkiness... Jabberwocky by The Old Trout Puppet Workshop at Theatre Network...

There's no Alice in Jabberwocky but there are A LOT of white rabbits! Jabberwocky is the latest show created by the Calgary-based Old Trout Puppet Workshop currently being presented at Theatre Network. It has all the hallmarks of the other shows I have seen from them (Ignorance, Famous Puppet Death Scenes) - the quirkiness, the off-centre humour, a bit of darkness, lots of twisted whimsy, and above-all the ridiculously well-done and out-of-the-box props, sets, and puppets.

It's a story far removed from the original Jabberwock, so don't go expecting Alice, but there is an incorporation of some familiar iconography and they certainly make use of the text of the poem itself. You can see the inspiration. The story is more about life and the pursuit of happiness and purpose. I'm not one for giving a synopsis, so it's best to just go and check it out. I promise you won't get lost and there will be lots of humorous surprises along the way.


If you've seen an Old Trout show before and enjoyed it, you should go because this will definitely appeal to you and there are some new approaches that will keep you entertained. If you haven't seen one before, see it, because it's kind of cool that we have this kind of company in Alberta producing this kind of work and I think you will find it entertaining.

Jabberwocky runs at Theatre Network until November 26,
Click here for more information and tickets.

A few good shows in the road ahead...

It's a good problem to have - good for me, good for the city - a whole bunch of theatre to see!

This Friday I will finally get to see Jersey Boys with Broadway Across Canada. I've heard the show is awesome so I am looking forward to it. I have prepared myself to hear a lot of swearing and some great music!

I'm also very, very, very excited about Hadestown which starts this weekend at the Citadel. We've been working so hard on it, and hearing snippets of the live music and imagining what the mind-blowing cast we have will do with it (several are Broadway Alums and the ones I have seen previously in Canada are seriously amazing performers). Every day I peek in the theatre and the set looks incredible and I just can't wait. I'll be there on Opening but I am thinking I might not wait until then so I'm looking to see if I can go on Saturday or Sunday night. I will likely take Gibson as our current joint-obsession with Hamilton tells me he will probably really like the show.

Next week I am also taking in John Ware: Reimagined presented by Workshop West Playwright's Theatre. It's a new work, which always appeals to my playwright heart, and about a real Albertan historical figure and it promises to shed light on parts of our history many of us might not know much about.

After the Opening Night of Hadestown on Thursday, I will end the week with Jabberwocky at Theatre Network. It's the World Premiere of a new work by The Old Trout Puppet Workshop. I've previously seen Ignorance and Famous Puppet Death Scenes and really like their work, so I am looking forward to seeing a new work from them.

Other than that, I am trying to figure out how I can squeeze in Little Women: The Musical by Foote in the Door Productions. I'm hoping to shuffle a few meetings to make that work as there are a lot of great people working on that show. Hopefully I can get things sorted out fast because I understand they are selling really well and I might be out of luck for tickets if I don't figure it out quickly!

Anyhow, it's a good problem to have... so much theatre to see!

The Aliens are all around us...

Took in The Aliens by Annie Baker at Theatre Network this past week. It's a very introspective piece with silences and pauses but don't let that scare you off. Director Taylor Chadwick has made sure that the pauses are present and engaging, not simply waiting for the next thing to happen. The action is meticulous and purpose driven, pulling us in. It focuses on KJ (Chris Cook) and Jasper (Evan Hall), two 30 something misfits who hang out in an alley behind a coffee shop. Enter Evan (played with wide-eyed wonder and a delightful awkwardness by Michael Vetsch), a 17 year old coffee shop worker who encounters them and forms a connection with them, entranced by their seeming wisdom and coolness as compared to his relative inexperience. Although KJ and Jasper are failures by most modern standards, they do not see themselves that way and neither does Evan. Their purposeless lives have purpose if only to them. They are here in this alley for a reason even if that reason is just to hang out together in silence. They see themselves as geniuses even if the rest of the world does not. The chemistry an interaction between Hall and Cook is tight. They understand these guys and they make them work by making them human, not stereotypes. It's a deft, unusual portrait of the less than ordinary, which points us to think more about those in our world who do not stand out, who seem to exist on the margins. We get to see them as Evan does - as inspirational, as heroes, as artists and as geniuses.

The Aliens runs to October 22nd at the Roxy on Gateway.

A Series of Anti-Heroes...

Sometimes theatre lifts you up and makes you leave inspired and joyful... sometimes the people on the stage are a cautionary tale about what 'not to do'... I had a little streak of theatre that was more the latter.  So odd that it all clumped together.

The first was The Supine Cobbler presented by Maggie Tree. Excellent direction and acting, a terrific soundscape, and a really cool concept allowed for some laughter as the Western trope was played to the max in the most unusual of circumstances - the waiting room of an abortion clinic. I would have liked to have seen the concept applied to a more compelling situation as there never really seemed any obstacles to the outcome and the whole play seemed to serve more as public therapy. I left no more or less shaken in my belief that legal, safe abortions must happen but that they are not something to be rejoiced about. And there were attitudes expressed by the characters that bothered me: a trio of women laughing gleefully about 'not becoming a mother' (one twice in one year); and a defiant response to the question about using birth control, "sometimes it just isn't convenient". I personally don't judge those who've had to make that choice as I presume they have their reasons and that's good enough for me, but this play kind of made me want to...

Then I saw Gordon at Theatre Network.  It's in the tradition of those films where everyone is bleeding at the end of the film and the survival of anyone past the credits is questionable.  Filled with a quartet of unlikable people it was hard to really connect.  Again, the production itself hit all the markers - well cast and well acted with great gory effects in a perfectly constructed half-derelict kitchen. The soundscape seemed off as it wanted us to prepare for something funnier than the play actually was. I will admit, I had trouble with the script.  Lots of short cut scenes - written more like a movie than a play - which chopped up the momentum. A play like this needs to feel like an impending train-wreck and although it ends in a terrible place, complete with blood and an uncertain future, it never quite earned it. Too much lag, and not enough charm written into the characters leaving the actors with little to work with outside the ugly. I think if you are into that kind of Quentin Tarantino aesthetic, this would totally appeal to you - but I needed a little more.

Finally, there was Wish at Northern Light Theatre. This one is more complicated.  Certain aspects of it were fascinating and again, like the other two shows, it was very well executed. Up to about 2/3 of the way I was completely drawn in - I liked the story of the child of deaf parents finding teaching sign to be his calling and that leading him to teaching a gorilla to sign and developing a real connection with the animal.  It's tied up in animal rights and the concept of informed consent and it started several interesting thought progressions.  There are many layers. It takes a truly disturbing turn, however, when the relationship between the man and the gorilla becomes physical. I couldn't handle it. I shut down in the audience. It felt like pedophilia. I could find no justification.  I might have been okay with it if there was something in the play's ending that supported my feelings, but I might have been too shut down at that point to recognize it. There were more troubling things said in the talk-back but as they lived outside the play, I won't comment on what they were. However, I do know that those things said made it even harder for me to appreciate the show. It's hard for me, because there were so many well done things in this show: brilliant physicalization of the gorilla by Ainsley Hilliard; a complicated look at communication; committed acting and a beautiful looking production.

Theatre is so individual and each show does something different. They can't all make you feel happy, I get that. I have thought about all those these shows and the issues they raised several times since seeing them, so perhaps they did accomplish their goals...

Looking Ahead to April for #yegtheatre

April bring with it Auditions for Chess, the show I am directing for Walterdale Theatre. So I had to take a little time to look ahead and plan my theatre options.  There are quite a few good options but fortunately not as many as the past two months.  Rehearsals make it hard for me to see stuff!

Anyhow, here are a few things I am looking forward to:

Northern Light Theatre's The Passion of Narcisse Mondoux: Narcisse Mondoux (played by the always excellent Brian Dooley) retired Master Plumber, sets out to woo the recently widowed Laurencienne Robichaud — at her husband's funeral. This is a co-production with L'Uni Theatre and will alternate between performances in English and French - how cool is that?! I'll be taking in the English show for sure, and I hope to fit in the French version. 

The Citadel Theatre's Other Desert Cities: A sharp, smart comedy-drama about family secrets unearthed. When I read this script a few years ago I wished I could be in it - it's so well-written and unwraps in a way that stabs you in the gut (playwright: Jon Robin Baitz). It's also incredibly current as the family has liberal/conservative (democrat/republican) divides complicating the parent-child relationships. 

Mayfield Dinner Theatre's Hair: Let the sun shine! I imagine this is going to be a groovy show, filled with peace and love. I've been enjoying the shows at the Mayfield this season and am looking forward to their take on the Age of Aquarius! 

The Citadel Theatre's West Side Story: I've been walking around the office snapping my fingers and singing Tonight and America.  I think I am ready to see this show! I was also blown away by the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program Cabaret a couple of weeks ago and can't wait to see this group of extremely talented triple-threat actors onstage in the Maclab. I'm particularly looking forward to Melanie Piatocha singing Somewhere. 

Walterdale Theatre's Glengarry Glen Ross: Mamet. There it is.  More f-bombs per page than any play has a right to. A strong cast of some of my favorite actors.  It opens next week and I am really looking forward to seeing it.  It may not have the Alec Baldwin speech from the movie, but I've watched that a few times in preparation so I think I'm good! 

Theatre Network's Gordon: Brian Dooley as a grumpy old man with criminal intent.  I think that works for me. I'll be interested in seeing the contrast with Narcisse Mondoux and I willbe book-ending the month of April with Dooley! Should be fun! 

Well, this week you could/should go see... A Picasso or The Realistic Joneses...

Well, those are my recommendations..

Shadow Theatre's A Picasso is a wonderfully sharp, funny, intelligent piece about Picasso in Paris during World War II. It's themes centre around censorship and art as a political weapon and compromising values in the face of the horrific power of the Nazis. Julien Arnold as Picasso and Alana Hawley as a German cultural attache go toe-to-toe in this two-hander. I saw the play at the Fringe a few years ago with Shannon Blanchet and Arnold and loved it then. This remount is just as sharp and the new dynamic between the actors makes it worth seeing a second time. A Picasso runs to April 3rd at the Backstage Theatre.

In the Roxy Performance Series, Wild Side Productions presents The Realistic Joneses. I did't know what to expect and I think that is the best way to see this show, because it is truly unexpectedly and unpredictably funny. Two couples, both Joneses, live on the same street and deal with illness and each other. You will laugh out loud and you won't see it coming. It's absurd and realistic at the same time. The cast (Belinda Cornish, Robert Benz, Amber Borotsik and Jesse Gervais) is stellar. The Realistic Joneses runs to April 3rd at C103.

Two Plays about prisons - Armstrong's War and Kiss of the Spiderwoman

Last week I took in Two One Way Tickets to Broadway's Kiss of the Spiderwoman at La Cite.  I was familiar with source material, having seen the movie and the stage play many years ago, but was not familiar with the musical.  There are differences, clearly, as it is a musical but the base of the story is the same.  I liked the music.  It's lush and full, and Greg Caswell, as Molina, gave a layered and subtle performance which is a challenge as I think the tendency might be to go over the top. Caswell and Todd Hauck (Valentin) had a nice chemistry with each other and each did good service to their solos.  It was fascinating to see such a male-heavy show and to cheer inside at how well they all handled it.  I also really liked the set, with it's skateboard-like prison cells.  The movable units gave a great flexibility of blocking and although there were a few moments at the beginning when I wasn't worried about them colliding, they seemed to know exactly what they were doing. 

And then on the weekend, I saw Theatre Network's Armstrong's War in the new Backstage Theatre Space.  It's about a more metaphorical prison, but a prison none-the-less.  I was quite moved by the show about the injured soldier (Jamie Cavanagh) and the wheelchair bound 12-year-old pathfinder (Eva Foote) who has come to read to him.  Both actors were excellent and each in their own way brought me to tears. Having seen Cavanagh onstage a few times over the last year, it was great to see his flexibility in this damaged and guilty character.  Foote is a bit of a miracle onstage, never do you doubt her sincerity of action, she even blushes on cue.  The play itself is an interesting piece that deals with post traumatic stress, injury, and the idea of the value of human life vs. the quality of human life.  There's a lot of reading from books and stories and I think that the actors handled that well - keeping it active - but I worried about all the reading creating a barrier to engagement.  With lesser actors I think that could happen. 

A fine weekend of theatre. 

Ups and Downs... Last week in Edmonton Theatre

It's weird to look back to the last week.  It was such an up and down in Edmonton Theatre and for me personally.  The weekend saw the close of SHOUT! and I was riding a high that comes from performing for audiences that are laughing and enjoying the show you are doing.  So many strangers smiling and complimenting me after the show.  Your friends will always love it (or at least tell you they do), but when strangers stick around to say nice things you tend to believe them. A quick Strike (like, amazingly quick) and the show was packed up until the summer when we remount it for the Edmonton International Fringe.  We left ebullient with plans for a cast get together in a couple of weeks.

Then the week started.  I planned my theatre week.  It was to be Cheerleader on Wednesday, Circle Mirror Transformation on Thursday and dress rehearsal of Venus in Fur on Friday - what a fabulous line-up.  When I woke up Tuesday morning to my radio alarm I heard people reminiscing about the Roxy Theatre.  I thought, "What a cool way to promote the theatre for their 40th season!", then I woke up for real.  A fire.  The Roxy Theatre was on fire and completely destroyed.  I was in shock. Having just produced a show, I knew exactly what went in to that and where the artists involved in Cheerleader would be at emotionally.  I couldn't fully imagine what it would have been like to have woken up to the news.  And Theatre Network had a tremendous amount of programming to complete.  What would happen to that?  What would happen to Nextfest? What about the city as a whole?  We are in dire need of more mid-size and smaller theatre spaces and here was another one lost. I could offer my condolences to Theatre Network, but all I really wanted to know was, "How can I help?"

And that is what it seems everyone else was seeking.  The tremendous show of support of the greater Edmonton theatre community was and continues to be inspiring.  Freewill Players, still recovering from their challenges last season, offered a portion of the proceeds from their upcoming fundraiser to aid Theatre Network.  Rapid Fire Theatre offered up proceeds from one of their upcoming shows. The Artistic Directors and Executive Directors of Edmonton's theatre community got on the phones and started looking at the calenders to try and figure out how to help Theatre Network keep their programming for the rest of the season.  People shared and shared and shared the Canada Helps Donation page and people donated and are continuing to do so. I heard today that the U of A is hosting a reading of Cheerleader on the Timm's Centre Mainstage on Sunday evening.

So from high, to low to high again... it's been a very interesting week. Tonight I will be attending Circle Mirror Transformation at Shadow Theatre because the other thing I know we have to do is to keep going to local theatre. And I remain ready to help in any way I can should Theatre Network put out the call.

Pulled In Another Direction...

Last night I took in the Opening Night of The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble by Beth Graham at Theatre Network. On the surface, the play is about children dealing with their aging parent who is struck by early onset Alzheimer's Disease.  More specifically, it is about the middle child, Iris (played by Clarice Eckford), and her struggle to help her mother deal with the disease on her own terms.  To that end, we spend a lot of time with Iris as she tells the story very pointedly from her perspective. She even warns us that the story will be told through her filter as storyteller.  What that results in is vibrant characters in the form of the loud and brassy older sister Sarah (Patricia Zentilli), the withdrawn and tension avoiding younger brother Peter (Jason Chinn) and the warm, beautiful and wise mother Bernice (Susan Gilmour). Iris' filter exaggerates the good and the bad in each of them.

There are many wonderful things with this production. Zentilli is terrific as the outspoken and opinionated older sister, Chinn finds a way to make his limited dialogue worth every syllable, and Gilmour is the mother everyone wants - wise, sad, and poised. Perhaps she is idealized a little by Iris, but Gilmour gives her a realness that is truly moving and heart-breaking.  It is Iris that feels a little lost, but maybe that was the point? Her every insecurity is on display as she narrates and reveals what she is feeling about the awkwardness of the situation she is placed in.  Her desire to avoid the ugliness of the situation but still respect her mother almost made her shrink amidst the larger than life personalities of the other characters, so much so that she sometimes appears to be drowning. My challenge as an audience member was connecting to Iris because I think I would react so very differently to the situation than she does.  In some ways I was horrified by what she 'goes along with' even though she doesn't seem to want to.  It's always the challenge with a first person narrator - the audience member can only relate as far as they can relate to that speaker.  I know from the many sniffles in the audience that there were many people who were completely engaged.  Perhaps they were more like Iris than I am, or maybe because I haven't been in that situation I am meant to seek to understand better what it might really be like to be Iris.  Let's hope I never have to find out first-hand..

Fatboy... Hard to Describe... Harder to Stop Laughing...

I took in the ridiculous and excessive Fatboy by John Clancy (not to be confused with the author of The Hunt For Red October) directed with controlled abandon by Dave Horak and presented at Theatre Network by the Edmonton Actor's Theatre. This is not a show for the faint of heart. It's rude, and bawling and lusty and violent and irreverent and full of more curses per minute than any of show I have seen in my life. I will admit, at first I wasn't sure what I was watching.  The show starts with a belligerent bang of a shouting match between Fatboy (Frederick Zbryski) and his extremely buxom wife, Fudgie (Melissa Thingelstad). It's over the top - not in a Broadway musical kind of way - but in a nightmarish, twisted circus of lechery and violence.  Once acclimatized to the phenomenal patter of cursing interspersed with cries for Sausages!! and Pancakes!! I just held on and went for the ride. They are joined by a multitude of characters played brilliantly by Ian Leung, Tim Cooper and Mathew Hulshof.  The entire cast is incredible.  This kind of piece only succeeds with 100% commitment to the choices and, boy, do they commit.  There were so many times while watching that I marveled at how good they all were.  The world was so complete and there was never a glimpse of the real person beneath the white pancake make-up on their faces. It was as though they had been doing this show for years.  Zbryski's patter is both frightening and hilarious. Thingelstad is marvellously brash.  It's all complimented by a delightfully tilted and distressed set designed by Scott Peters and costumes that are whimsical and macabre designed by Melissa Cuerrier.

The tale is a twisted reinterpretation of the scandalous Ubu Roi (1897) by Alfred Jarry - famous for opening and closing on the same night and causing a riot in the theatre. A comment on the excess of our world, and on the inherent selfishness of humankind, particularly those in power.  It's a little mind-blowing at the end.  I am personally not quite as cynical as the play is in it's final moments.  I can't see the world quite in the way that is suggested by the wrap up.  What can I say? I'm an idealist. But after the roller coaster of violence and ridiculousness is over, the closing comments are what you'll be talking about with your friends for hours afterwards. Depending on where you sit on the spectrum of political and social belief, I think you will come away from this with a completely different reaction. It's really whether you can see Fatboy in Kim Jong Il or perhaps  Rob Ford or your Next-door-Neighbors or even yourself that will tell just how you see the world.

I'd say this is a must-see for those that can handle the language and violence (the violence is all very comical, but for the faint of heart...).  If you are an Edmonton theatre aficionado you simply
have no excuse.  If you are a drama student at either of the two Universities I would be appalled if you missed it. It's a masterclass. Give yourself permission to laugh, and buckle-up for the ride!

Photo credit: Ryan Parker

3 Nights - 3 Shows - Is this a great city for Theatre, or What??!?

I had a great, but crazy week.  The front half was leading up to Opening Night of Mary Poppins.  The week prior to Opening is the busiest in my calendar so it was kind of nice to actually be able to catch the show.  I usually don't as I am a little brain fried, but I think I am getting the hang of it because I felt up to going.  I took Gibson, because it is the kind of show you want to see with a kid. It was fabulous!  I was way up in the back and the sound was crystal clear and the show itself read wonderfully.  I think this is the kind of show that works well from anywhere in the house, but particularly so from a little further back because the dance numbers are so grand. I particularly loved SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC... and Step in Time, but really the whole show is so much fun.  It was wonderful seeing some of my favorites like Susan Gilmour, Kate Ryan and Kendra Connor along with new favorites Blythe Wilson, and Andrew MacDonald-Smith.  The whole cast is a wonderful ensemble and as the piece has a lot of moving parts they seem to work as one being to make it be magical.  It was also kind of cool to hear Gibson singing songs from the show the next morning at breakfast.

Friday I took in something very different.  I have a great husband who is the kind of guy that will say, "Isn't there a show you wanted to go to? Go!" So I headed out to Theatre Network for Little One.  It's a 180 degree turn from Poppins, the story of two adopted siblings who have very different beginnings resulting in very different beginnings.  It's a tangled story of guilt and tragedy.  It also speaks to love not always being enough to heal the wounds from an early traumatic childhood.  A script that leaves us with questions, not necessarily a bad thing, but not necessarily satisfying.  I think it was supposed to stir up stuff. Jesse Gervais, as the normal, good child, is particularly good in the present looking back.  Amber Borotsik is chilling in both present and past.  You can see why this girl grew into this woman. I was reminded of my grandfather telling me once about neighbours who had fostered children over the years and about one boy that they tried hard to help, but that there was something unfixable about him, no matter what they did.  I can't remember what happened to that boy, but I can't imagine it was good. Another thing that struck me was how much responsibility was placed on and felt by the older adopted sibling.  It was a terrible responsibility.  Something that he shouldn't have had to bear.

Finally, Saturday night, I took in the U of A Drama 457 final project, Welcome to Thebes in the Second Playing Space.  A modernized retelling of Greek myths weaving elements from Antigone, Lysistrata and Hippolytus but also commenting on current global situations.  It was cool to see several of my past classmates onstage telling this story and to see how much they have grown as actors.  Although the first act was a little slow due to the exposition required, it was overall a thought-provoking piece, and the second act moved much more quickly and was more satisfying.  I thought about many things - child soldiers, western-world arrogance, economics vs. empathy.  Replace Athens with the U.S. and Sparta with Russia and you have the situation in Syria.  So, despite being rooted in Greek mythology, it was actually very current, making me think more about what it takes to rebuild a country after war.  We are spoiled in our safe little Canadian cities.

Above all, the three shows in three days made me once again think about the depth of the theatre offered within our city.  These were just a few of the shows I could have seen, as there are also shows on at Shadow Theatre (Queen Lear) and Mayfield Dinner Theatre (Death Trap).  The key is having time to go and see them!

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!

Pig Girl - Hard to Watch, Important to Think About

The other night I took in Pig Girl at Theatre Network.  I am not one to shy away from shows with difficult and challenging topics, as I like theatre that leaves me with a pang in my heart and thinking for days.  The topic is the abduction and murder of marginalized women in the Vancouver area by Robert Pickton and the impact on their families. Although Pickton's name is never mentioned, it's pretty clear that he is the model for the Killer (Randy Hughson).  It's a tough piece to watch for many reasons. The topic itself is not very palatable.  In real time we watch the Killer assault and prepare to kill Dying Woman (Nadien Chu), this is itself is very hard to watch as it is graphic and unrelenting and ever present.  Side by side with that we watch the frustrated Dying Woman's Sister (Elinor Holt) plead for help from the Police Officer (Brian Dooley) over the many years of her sister's disappearance.   It challenges everyone sitting in the audience about how much they care about these lost women.  It's very clear to me that playwright Colleen Murphy is angry and this comes through in her play very clearly in her representation of Police Officer.  I think this was what was hardest for me.  As the figure of authority, Police Officer represents all of society, and the anger leveled at him in this script is palpable.  As he appears uncaring and annoyed at the persistence of the Dying Woman's Sister it says something about the world as a whole.  Initially, when I left I was ticked off at that portrayal as I thought that the play actually was dehumanizing the police, making them more monstrous than the actual killers. I know RCMP officers and they truly care about the people they work with, most of whom are marginalized like the Dying Woman.  But then I started to think about it and why I was so angry.  In this play, the Police Officer is all of us.  The Police Officer is those of us who read the horrifying stories in the newspaper and are appalled, but distanced. We feel sad, but we are thankful that this is not our world.  We might hold our children closer and use the Dying Woman and Killer as a cautionary tale, but we do not do much more than that.  I am not sure where to go further though. We can think more of these lost women as humans who did not deserve what happened to them no matter what their life choices.  We can think more about their families who have lost precious daughters and sisters and mothers.  We can give money to the organizations that help protect those women (you can do this right in the lobby of the theatre). Beyond that, I am not sure what else we can do, because there will always be monsters in the dark that take the shape of humans and prey on those least able to help themselves...

My First Sterlings!

This Monday night I attended the 26th Annual Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards which celebrate professional theatre in Edmonton.  I have never gone before, but have known many who do and who have been nominated but I never quite felt that it was something I would feel at home at.  Boy, was I wrong! I was delighted to know at least half of the people in the room, if not more, and to regard those people as friends. That was a delightful surprise.  So why go this year? I went this year because I have seen so many shows this year that I actually felt invested in them. Doesn't that sound weird?  But it's true, having sat in those audiences watching those performances and seeing those effects and production elements, I wanted to celebrate the nominees and the winners.

Everyone looked fabulous.  I am not just saying that.  Edmonton's theatre community is phenomenally good looking.  It is hard to pick a best dressed, but there were some amazingly gorgeous women there.  I wish I had pictures (and if I find some I will post), but my favourites for most stunning include Kristi Hansen, Lora Brovold, host Amy Shostak, Melissa Thingelstad, Shannon Blanchet, Erika Noot, Sarah Van Tassel, Jessica Peverett, and Liz Nicholls.  There were many, many more, but those ones stand out for me.  It was a a beautiful night all around!  The men looked good too, but it's harder for me to list those.  Not only good looking, this is also a community of truly nice people.  I was sitting with my friend, Catherine, and as we would see someone go up or walk by, we would comment on how nice they were.  Either she or I would lean in, "She's such a lovely person", or "He's a sweetheart."  It shouldn't be surprising to me that these talented people are also so generous of spirit, but it was something I noticed when we were all in the room.

I am not going to list all the nominees and winners. You can find that here. I'd rather talk about the evening as a whole!

I loved the authenticity of the winners in their responses to their wins.  Melissa Thingelstad's acceptance speech touched me deeply.  She carried this joy about what she does and that poured from her with good humour and honesty.  I want to feel the way she does about what I do. I will be striving for that this year.  I also loved Ellen Chorley's tickled pink gushing about her wins.  It was lovely to see her celebrating with a spirit of immense gratitude and surprise. Kudos to her, the hardest working person I know out there! Matthew Hulshof was a delight and his speech was a wonderful tribute to the joys of TYA.  Jesse Gervais was just ridiculously funny.  There were jokes about puppies in commercials, Baby Jesse, and fathers who'd disown daughters if they forgot to thank them.  We were treated to fantastic musical performances by Julian Arnold, Kendra Connor, Jason Hardwick, Eric Wigston, Garrett Ross, Maddie Knight and John Ullyatt. There were a lot of wonderful authentic moments.

It's interesting, because although I might have voted for different winners in certain categories, it hit home for me the whole 'it's an honour to by nominated' because as I looked at the nominees for all the categories I could see why each one of them was up there on the list.  Initially I thought there were some curious omissions (e.g. Michael Peng in An Accident, Lorne Cardinal in Where the Blood Mixes) but then I thought, "But who would they replace?" The lists overall were strong and it is a testament to the depth of Edmonton's theatre community that we have this kind of playing field. So I could celebrate those who won, knowing that there was a level of excellence and while I might have chosen differently, comparing theatre is always going to be apples to oranges so it's best to let the accountants do their work and leave it at that.

That said, I was overjoyed at Theatre Network's Let The Light of Day Through winning Best Play and best New Work.  How wonderful to have a New Alberta Work win best play.  As those of you who read my blog know, this was the show that blew me away this season, so it was my emotional favourite.  It was also the winner of the APC last year so we at APN are extremely proud of how well it's done.  It's nice to have something you champion do so well! A wonderful end to a wonderful evening!

I hope to see as much theatre this season so that I can go as informed next year!

The Magic is in the Unwrapping... Let the Light of Day Through at Theatre Network

I saw a play last night I wish I had written.  This happens every once in a while when I go see a new work.  I marvel at the work the playwright did.  I wonder, "How will I ever know how to do that?" That's how I feel about Collin Doyle's new play Let the Light of Day Through now playing at Theatre Network.  The script is so elegant and tight and funny and honest and it feels effortless as we experience it.  I don't want to say too much, because much of it's brilliance comes in the way the story is unwrapped.

We start in the now of Chris (Lora Brovold) and Rob (Jesse Gervais), a couple in their thirties and then swoop along with them as they portray each other's parents and co-workers and themselves when they were younger.  We experience their growing relationship thinking we know how it will go because we have already met them in an older form.  It begins with a lot of laughter. A LOT of laughter.  Brovold and Gervais have great chemistry and play off each other so well, always staying real as they take us from hilarity to sadness. Each of them shows a flexibility that is impressive as they veer from point to point in time and space and character.  In one night of theatre I had some of my biggest laughs and destroyed a myriad of tissues with my crying. Now that's a play.  The set (Cory Sincennes) and lighting (Scott Peters) seem simple at first, but there is much more there than first appears.  For the lighting, it is about what is hidden in the shadows and what is shown in the light and for the set, it is about what is hidden behind those walls. Director Bradley Moss has worked well with all these brilliant components creating a piece that will make you laugh and break your heart and finally give you peace.

Where the Blood Mixes at Theatre Network - Humanizing the Issue

Saturday night I took in Where the Blood Mixes at Theatre Network.  I needed to take a little time before I wrote about it though, because I was challenged by the piece. Overall it was a very thought provoking night of theatre, but I had to balance my reaction as a theatre goer with my reaction as a human being.

As a theatre goer, It was challenging for me because there are many beautiful artistic things about this production that I appreciated, but it was also flawed so I was frustrated by it dramatically.  The images of the skeletal creatures floating above Cory Sicennes' gorgeous set were magic and combined with Dave Clarke's sound design conceptually the production was exceptionally strong.  Lorne Cardinal, as the angry and frequently drunk Floyd, is brilliant.  He is such a  phenomenal talent - a true Canadian treasure.  His moments of realness in both anger and shame were heart-breaking and so very, very real.   My major issue, however, is with the script. Individually, the scenes are well-written and poetic, sometimes funny, sometimes angry and often sad, but as a whole, the structure of the piece was confusing.  To me it felt like it was and should have been Floyd's story, but the trailing bits of the other characters diminished the whole of that.  A song in the middle, though beautiful, felt misplaced and kind of stopped the flow of momentum.  Many emotional reveals were just yelled, despite them being things that the characters have been unable to talk about for years.  I wanted more layers, more levels, more interesting choices.  I don't know... it confused me as a whole. I know... because I write, I get caught up in things like arc and character journeys and "who's story is it?" - perhaps it wouldn't bother someone else as much.  The rest of the audience did not seem to mind as there was a healthy 2/3 standing ovation. But I really had to sit there to think about what it was trying to say.

Now that I have had a few days to think, as a human being I appreciated what this play tries to do - put a human face on those that suffered and continue to suffer from the effects of residential schooling and also point out a direction for moving forward from it.  Floyd becomes much more than just a drunken, broken man.  His breakdown at the reunion with his long lost daughter is grounded in emotions of shame, fear, and loss that everyone could understand.  It has been a hard year for me trying to understand and learn about a lot of the topics touched on in the play, but I felt that this is where the play succeeds.  Floyd's greatest pain is that he feels that he has failed his child, and it is the forgiveness granted that allows him to move forward.  It made me realize how important forgiveness is in being able to heal and move forward from the past.

At least that is what I got from it.

Diving into my 2013 Theatre Goal!

Now that I have got the show cast, and we are starting rehearsals, I can dive into my theatre/arts goal for the year.  January is always a slow month to start as there just isn't much on.  I did catch Songs for a New World on the 2nd, but now I really get going.

This weekend I am going to catch Tania Alvarado and Mile Zero Dance at the Timm's Centre and Free-man on the Land at Theatre Network.  Those are nested between Basketball and rehearsal but it should prove to be a great arts filled weekend.  I am also currently trying to figure out what I will get to at the Canoe Festival.  I plan on catching the new version of The Tudor Queens and am looking forward to seeing the show in a venue with better sight lines.  I loved it at the 2011 Fringe and have heard a lot about their rehearsing for this new production so I am keen to see it again. I really want to see White Rabbit Red Rabbit, but it will mean finding someone to take either my Del Barber or Jeremy Fisher tickets off my hands.  I don't want them to go to waste! Either way, I am seeing something great!

In any case, this feels like a Here We Go! Weekend. I got my seat belt on!

A New Year - Filling in the Calendar!

In the spirit of getting out of holiday mode I spent time yesterday and today filling in my calendar.  I am pretty booked up already for January with Spelling Bee and a workshop for one of the From Cradle to Stage new plays.  I booked tickets to Free-man on the Land at Theatre Network and Evie's Waltz at Shadow Theatre.  I have tickets to a couple of music events at the Arden Theatre and to Tania Alvarado/Mile Zero Dance.  Throw in rehearsals and basketball and I am a busy girl. I am trying to hit Sunday matinees for shows because they are a little easier to manage in my schedule. The cool thing about the ticket prize that I won is that I am going to shows I might not have gone to, and although not all of them are my cup of tea, I feel more engaged and challenged as a theatre goer. Case in Point: I am pretty sure that I have no idea what is coming my way with Free-man on the Land.  I am prepared for an adventure! Evie's Waltz sounds like it will explore some of the same themes of three of the scripts I am currently working on and has the phenomenal Coralie Cairns in it so it's a little more up my alley.

Tonight I will kick off my theatre year by seeing Three Form Theatre's Songs for a New World at La Cite. It's one of my favorite musicals - a song cycle - with fabulous music and I am interested in seeing what this young group has done with it.  

What's going to be your first play of the new year?  What are you looking most forward to seeing?  I'm curious to know...

Next!

Well, we wrapped up the show this weekend.  It was a great experience overall, with some crunchy bits on the production side.  That came through at the Post Mortem and I am trying to put that crappy night behind me. It's too bad that it had to play out like that. It made me think a lot about my commitment to Walterdale (which is sad) but it is hard to work so hard and feel unappreciated and (worse) resented for the work that you do. I luckily have a little video of a snippet of the show to watch to cheer me up and make me remember what I loved so much about the experience of doing this show.  I made some great connections and have plans to work with some of the cast and team again in the future. I am chairing the From Cradle to Stage One Act Festival, but I am more tentative about it now.

And now, onto the next adventure!  This week is jam packed with Christmas fun!  Two times two Christmas concerts at the boy's school (2 dress rehearsals and 2 evening performances), With Bells On at Theatre Network and the cleaning of my house will take over my life this week.  I have to go shopping in there sometime too. It's a good thing the kids are still in school so I can theoretically get some of this done.

I am also diving headfirst into Spelling Bee.  I hope to reread the script at least 5-10 times before auditions. The audition sign-ups are amazing and I am excited to get to those auditions so I can can this thing.  It's such a terrifically silly and fun show with fabulous music and just looking at the audition sheet makes me giddy.  Such great singer/actors on that page! I am looking forward to asking them to be ridiculous!

At this point I have seen or been involved in 56 Theatrical Events this year, and With Bells On will make it 57.  I also have plans to see some shows at The Snow Globe Festival and Oliver! at Festival Place, so I think I will hit 60. This surpasses my goal of 40 shows, so I am very, very pleased with myself.  I will have to re-evaluate for next year!

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!