"Woah! Slooooooow Down There Lady!" - What my body is telling me...

We were returned to the audience last night after our 10 day hiatus and it was a fabulous show.  The emotional energy in the space was the best and other than a few issues with mics, it was another awesome show.  So pleased and proud.  A friend of mine, who has seen almost 50 shows this season, was there and she related the following on FB:


"I just had the best experience I've had all season at the theatre. And since I've seen nearly 50 shows, that's saying something.  I laughed a tonne, I wept for the pain of childhood. And I was blown away by the incredible performances - on stage and off.  Congrats, Kristen Finlay and the rest of the 'Bee' participants - you are all T-A-L-E-N-T-E-D!!"

She's also someone who wouldn't just say that to be nice, so I was very touched by her post.

I hope that people make it out.  It has been selling really well though, so I recommend getting tickets in advance.  But I have lost count of the number of people who tell me they can't believe it's a community theatre production, and these are people who see a lot of theatre.  I think the community aspect is merely in that we are a community of players, friends as well as performers, many of whom will be life-long friends after this.  I think there are quite a few people in this cast who on the basis of their training and talent should be working in theatre. There are people in this cast that are just as good, if not better, than some professional actors I have seen over the last few years.   I feel honoured to have been able to direct them.

For my really good friends, I really do not want to hear you say to me next week or the week after that, "Oh I wanted to make it, but I missed it." Even thought I am not onstage myself, I am so very proud of this, that I will be a touch disappointed if you don't try harder.

Anyhow, tonight I must stay home.  I am glad that I went last night and saw it again with an audience, but I wasn't feeling well then and it has gotten worse today.  It's that bone-aching exhaustion thing that tells me I really need time off, and since I want to be up for Closing Night, I figure I better rest now.

Photo Credit: Janine Hodder

Some Other people's thoughts on things I think alot about...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2008/aug/26/inthepastmonthive

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/21852/rsc-seeks-greater-involvement-with-amateur

http://susan-oncemorewithfeeling.blogspot.com/2010/01/professionalamateur.html

Interesting thoughts from people on professional vs. amateur. The whole debate in theatre reminds me when I was a teacher and I would be frustrated because we were supposed to be professionals, but because we were also in a union the aspects of contracts and working to rule meant some teachers didn't necessarily approach the work as a professional but more as though it were just a job. I think that how you approach the work of theatre can be the same thing. If your approach is to attempt a level of excellence (whatever that would be for you) it is very different than if you just do the minimum.

There's a Sign Across the street...

...from Walterdale Theatre that says something about the Varscona offering Professional Theatre all year round and it makes me pause. I don't pause in an "us and them" way, but in a way that wishes that all artists, whether paid or not, could recognize that it is the work, not the compensation, that matters. I have seen wonderful theatre on both professional and amateur stages. I have seen some not-so-wonderful theatre on both types of stages as well. I also know that a lot of the amateur actors and designers and directors that I have worked with go to and pay for a great deal of professional theatre.

Last summer, Trevor Schmidt wrote a piece in Theatre Buzz ( http://www.theatrealberta.com/documents/Summer_2009_newsletter.pdf page 10) about how theatre in New Zealand worked. He talked about how there was no separation between professional and amateur theatre, that sometimes you got paid and sometimes you didn't and that was how it worked. He said more than that, but I liked the idea that people just respected each other as artists and didn't judge or rate the legitimacy of the art based on whether you get paid or not. I know that I work just as hard and strive for the same level of quality in my performances whether I am paid or not. If I do get paid, I am happy, to be sure, but I don't value one more than the other. That's the way it should be. Art is art. Now I am sure that the Varscona is merely trying to highlight what they do and applauding people who support and appreciate professional theatre. I am pretty sure that the sign is not meant to be malicious in any way. I just hope that they realize that since they are right across the street from a Community Theatre, that many of the people who do their work there might feel slighted by the sign rather than encouraged to attend.

Fringe Experience

Well, the Fringe is over. It was definitely worth doing but it was a totally different energy from any other shwo I have done. I did close the run out with a sprained ankle (just for fun!) so that affected my last show. I actually think it was one of my best of the run so I am thankful for Ibuprofen and Adrenalin for keeping the pain down while I was onstage. All this talk of juried shows and the "professional" vs. "amateur" debate that I have been reading continues to swirl in my mind. I am concerned for a change that might be made that wouldn't take into account everyone's perspective. It's the Libra in me. If a change is made I want it to be fair. Besides, when I went through the Fringe program I saw plenty of "professional" names. They want it to be more fair --> maybe Trevor Schmidt shouldn't have 3 shows in. Don't bounce someone with one show when there were people with 2 or 3 in there. Why couldn't he step aside for One Yellow Rabbit or Teatro de la Quindicina? Why is it the new/amateur companies who are willing to take their own financial risk to try to make Art that are being asked to step aside? And what is my action? Do I boycott the pro-shows? Do I continue to write letters that don't get published? I just want the Fringe to continue to have something for everyone (both audience and performers).