Finding Out How It All Works...

I'm a bit tired this morning.  I drove to Calgary Saturday afternoon and drove back late last night.  I was there for my second Theatre Alberta Board meeting.  The first meeting was immediately following the AGM this past summer and it was a wee introduction, but this longer meeting was a much better introduction and orientation to what I will be doing on the Board.  I am now Chair of the Governance Committee and I think that will be a good fit for me.  This is the committee that checks in on how we are doing with our very comprehensive 3 Year Plan.  The foresight and scope of the Board and Organization as a whole was very impressive to me.  I have been a fan and member of Theatre Alberta for a long time, but seeing behind the scenes made me more fully realize why the programs and services are so good. The Quality was linked to the amount of work put in to make it that good.

I enjoyed meeting and talking with the rest of the Board Members.  Everyone seems very invested in Theatre and both passionate and sensible.  There were lots of great ideas and sharings going on around the table.  I think this is going to be a great experience for me and I hope that I will be able to contribute in a valuable way!

After the meeting I squeezed in a quick bite to eat with my friend Wanda.  Always good to see and visit with but too short.  I wish I got to Calgary more often so I could see her more.  It was a quick and dirty share about kids and life and all that.  I am hoping that we get a longer visit in November and that we can share some wine (we didn't last night as we both had some driving to do!).

We are cleared for take-off! The Mayfield's Boeing Boeing!

Last night I was invited by my good friend Barb to catch the latest show at The Mayfield. I hadn't been to the Mayfield for quite some time, I think Footloose, and I have always enjoyed myself in the past and Barb is great to have a night out with so I was very happy to go. I didn't know much about the show before I went, but Barb informed me it was a farce and I love a good farce so even better! Of course we stuffed ourselves. I didn't eat hardly anything all day since I knew the buffet was coming and we talked of all thing theatre and in particular Titanic (Barb is directing it). After the terrific meal we settled in for the show. It was so much fun! A true door slamming, crazy mix-up farce set in the 60s with three international stewardesses sharing the same fiance. In the spirit of Lend Me a Tenor and Noises Off! this production embraced the wacky, the larger than life characters, the crazy couch jumping and the aforementioned door-slamming. I really enjoyed it. In particular, the cast consists of 6 well-defined comedic characters and 4 of those are women. The three stewardesses: The American (Kate Ryan), The Italian (Belinda Cornish) and the German (Stephanie Wolfe) are all hysterical in their own way. I will say my favorite was Stephanie Wolfe as Gretchen, primarily because she sold the physical comedy so well. I was laughing so hard I swear I was tearing up. This is not to say the others are not funny, but I couldn't get over her rolling on the floor. It killed me. The guys (Dave Horak and Kevin James) are strong and funny too and how can you beat Leona Brausen as the put-upon maid? I do not think you can. She is golden. It was so clean. The set gorgeous and the tri-colour airline uniforms picture perfect. The only thing that I kind of wondered about was why the guys didn't have french accents. They were clearly supposed to be french and the girls all had their requisite accents, so I wondered. It didn't stop me from laughing and finding it hilarious, so perhaps the choice was made for clarity. It was just something I wondered about. Anyhow, in a city dense with serious drama this is a good show for those who like a belly-laugh. It made for a great night out.

*#10 in my 2012 Theatre goal

New Year's Resolutions

A New Year - 2012

So, first of all, I will work on my weight and fitness. My extended family has a group of us working on this in 10 week chunks. We check in via email and we did one leading up to New Years. I did okay - losing 10.3 lbs and then gaining a bit of that back over Christmas (sigh). I am down 8 lbs from that starting point. I like the 10 week chunks of time and plan to make 10 lbs per 10 weeks my goal. I like the 10 weeks because it means I can 're-new' my plan every ten weeks and not let it get lost in the busy of my life. I do find that I do much worse when I have the kids home so hopefully when they go back to school on Monday I can get back on track. Recovering from Christmas et al has been a challenge.

Second is my theatrical goal. I plan on seeing a minimum of 40 theatre or arts events this year. I actually think that is lower than what I want, but manageable. I have never kept track before so I may find that after this year I will up that total! The way I see it, that is only 3-4 events per month and that hardly sounds difficult! The hardest part will be when I am in rehearsal for Nine, because I know that my instincts will be to stay home on the nights off from rehearsal. This month I am starting out with Beauty & the Beast (Broadway Across Canada), and I hope to make it to the Canoe Festival (Workshop West). Surreal SoReal has Big Shot, and I have my ear to the ground for other shows to see. Next month is a lot more dense but I also have a show opening so I have to get to them when I can! Anyhow, I am excited about this goal!

Third is my writing goal. I want to write more. I am determined to have a script finished to submit to the APN Competition in March. This might just be the matter of choosing which to work on and dedicate time to.

That's enough for goals for now. I also want to sort out what exactly I am doing with my education at the University of Alberta. Something is holding me back from dropping Drama 240, but I am pretty sure I need to as I do not think I can handle 2 classes and I think Drama 409 is a better fit for what I want to get out of the experience. I think I need to sleep on it.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

I spent a little time thinking back to the past year and the theatre I saw and what stood out for me as wonderful moments of theatre in Edmonton. I figured if they resonated with me for so long than they were worth noting. That is not to say there weren't other wonderful moments, these are just those that 'popped' for me in retrospect... I tweeted them one by one and thought I would collate them here for the blog.

In no particular order

* Festus (Chris Bullough), Andrew Aguecheek (John Kirkpatrick) & Sir Toby Belch (John Wright) 'partying' in Twelfth Night - Freewill Players - I have special fondness for the Andrew Aguecheek dance which made tears roll down my cheeks!

* Holding my breath through the entire hour of (Real) Gone (Girl) at The Edmonton International Fringe 2011. This despite having woman have a seizure right behind me. I so wished I had the luxury of time so that I could go and see this show more than once.

* Boygroove produced by Impulse Theatre at the Catalyst - Best Musical of the season! I was blown away by this production. I had seen the show before but the combination of vocals, dancing, excellent direction and outstanding acting chops made this an incredible experience.

* The magic of Penny Plain and Ronnie Burkett at The Citadel. I forgot they were puppets.

* Nicola Elbro in Doubt at U of A (MFA Thesis show at Timm's) - brilliant! She embodied the internal tug of war required for this part. I think I could watch her in anything.

* Singing Sondheim with the cast of A Little Night Music (personal fave) - I will always look back at this show with fond memories, but what a joy to sing Sondheim and in particular singing A Little Death with the lovely Miss Stephanie Wigston was such a gift.

* John Kirkpatrick in How I Learned to Drive at U of A (MFA - Media Room Show) - creepy, and fantastic. Few actors are able to be both creepy and charismatic and play this role. Kirkpatrick was perfect!

* Finally seeing Wicked!!! Broadway Across Canada at the Jube. One of my favorite shows and it took me awhile to actually see it. The Alphaba was amazing. I wore pink to the show but wished I was in green!

* Crying through most of act 2 of Bare at the The Edmonton International Fringe 2011. A 2 hour musical in the hottest venue at the Fringe. I picked the right showing (an overcast 12 noon show) so I escaped the worst of the heat, but these guys did a fabulous job. Kayla Gorman, Sarah Horsman, Matthew Lindholm, Eric Wigston and Jeff Rivet were amazing!

* Going to Rocky Horror at The Citadel with the perfect seat partner, Mommamammoth! Not only was this show done perfectly (Camp done right! Huzzah!), but I took a good friend who was a Rocky-Virgin and it was the best person to be sitting there. Her enthusiasm was infectious and added to the experience. Also, the Citadel's selected audience participation was just the right amount. Inspired!

* Last 10 minutes of This is What Happens Next at The Citadel with Daniel MacIvor. I enjoyed the whole show but it was the last 10 minutes that hit my heart and made me cry. A brilliant performer and a wonderful story.

* Erika Noot as Roxie Hart in Chicago (TwoOneWayTixtoBroadway). There were lots of great things about this show, but Erika stood out as the blonde mercenary Roxie. Tough to please me when I have seen the show 4 other times, but I saw some new things with Erika's performance!

* The Tudor Queens at The Edmonton International Fringe 2011. I didn't know what to expect. I had such a blast. Not sure why Burlesque and Henry's wives were a good fit, but they were!

* Rabbit Hole at Walterdale Theatre. I worked so hard and was so proud of what we built. A true family and an experience I will never forget.

* Death of a Salesman at The Citadel. Truly a wonderful production. Everyone onstage was clearly supporting each other and it was lovely.

* Pieces at The Edmonton International Fringe 2011. I could not ask for more than what this experience was for me. I loved my cast. I loved the response from critics and audiences. It made for a lovely Fringe for me.

The Ubiquitous End of Year Post... My Year in Review

2011 Here it goes. For more detail, of course, you can flip through the whole Blog, but I know that I wrote more sparsely at different times of the year and sometimes my writing was motivated more by the emotional state of my life than the actual events. So a look back seems to bring out the significance in what happened this year.

Theatrical Events:
It was busy in 2011. The first half of the year I wrapped up my tenure as AD of Walterdale. I started the season knee-deep in Rabbit Hole and I think that will always be one of the most satisfying directorial experiences of my life. I had challenges that fed my personal needs. I had a terrific cast, production team and crew. I had to make some tough decisions. I had a script that I really wanted to serve and I think I did that. I also complicated my life by overlapping rehearsals for that show with The Threepenny Opera. I enjoyed doing that show. It too had elements that really made me work. The music in that show was some of the most challenging I have ever sung. Like G & S, Weill is not in my wheelhouse, meaning I had to work. So many fabulous people and it was great to be onstage in the season. I confess, I was trying to find a way to do as much as I could before the end of my tenure. So that led into my first 'real' set design for Village of Idiots. I was more nervous about that than any acting or directing job I have ever done. I worked with the wonderful Linette Smith in a kind of full-circle sort of way (she directed Steel Magnolias which was my second show at Walterdale, but the one where I really knew I was home). The summer meant Fringe and this year I was so happy to re-visit and re-draft Pieces. I was thrilled with the response form both critics and audiences. I can tell you quite honestly that the sounds of sniffling audiences makes me very happy. I also really enjoyed working with my cast and Team. The luxury of doing your own Fringe show is picking the people you want to work with. I was happy with our picks. I was also happy with the new draft as I felt that it was so much closer to the story I wanted to tell. Fall rolled into A Little Night Music at Festival Place. Another wonderful new family and the joy of singing Sondheim. And then I wrapped up the year as Master Painter for Wyrd Sisters at Walterdale. This was a fun challenge as I did not have my mentor, Joan, on hand so I had to solve the painting mystery myself and I also brought my kids on board to be my crew. Someday I see Gibson as having the potential to be an excellent set painter. Oliver might be too, if he gets paid, but I doubt he has the patience for detail work.

Educational Events:
I did Drama 209 first semester and Drama 257 second semester. Drama 209 is the second theatre history course at the U of A and you travel from just after Shakespeare to Ibsen. I really enjoyed it and find that aside from the essays I really love theatre history. Good thing I kick major butt on the exams! Drama 257 is scene study and while I really enjoyed the class, particularly my classmates, it really made me ask questions about what I was doing at University. I haven't fully answered this question but I was frustrated because although I enjoyed the course I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know. It did remind me that I was lazy about some of the character prep work that I could be doing. It also shook up my approach to objectives and tactics because I think I do them a lot more instinctively and less formally and really they are so useful, but it was more like a refresher course than an eye-opener. It is making me re-think my second semester choice. Outside of University I went to Playworks Ink in the Fall and for one very short weekend I was reminded of how much I love writing and how little time I put into it. I have so many plays I need to write. I need to make time for that writing. I don't. I need to.

Personal/Family/All the Rest:
* This year we said goodbye to Smeep, our beloved cat. This was very hard for me. She was a wonderful member of our family. I still expect her to greet me when I come home and the bumps and thumps in the night have no explanation any more. We had her longer than Oliver.
* Oliver and Gibson started basketball and for half a year it took over our lives. Well, mine anyhow. I have a better idea of how it works now and know that it means the Fall will be challenging for scheduling in other activities, but it has been very cool to watch Oliver grow as a player and start to think like a team player and an athlete.
*My cousin Margaret got married and I got to travel on my own to San Francisco/Berkley for a great family reunion - too short, as always.
* I taught my first (hopefully of many) Workshop By Request in Calmar. It was on Giving and Receiving Direction and I had so much fun with this wonderful group who have a fabulous attitude towards what they do.
* I did not gain weight, but I haven't really significantly lost any. This has to change. I am working on trying to streamline my life so that I am doing only the projects I want to do and therefore can have enough to be happy and not too much so that I can't work more on my physical shape. I just don't want that whole diet and fitness thing to take over my life. I think that would depress me and make me want to eat... I did lose 10 lbs in the last 10 weeks of 2011 and have a great support group online with my extended family. So hopefully I can continue this momentum into the new year. I am comfortable with 10 lbs in 10 weeks. It's not crazy. It's realistic.
* I did not write as much as I would have liked. This is also about time. I need to make the time for it. Pieces was a lovely opportunity and I do have a half a draft I was supposed to finish for December 15th to send to Daniel MacIvor. I need to finish that and do more. I must.

It's been a good year.

Cowardly Kiss Theatre Presents Night Time - No Cowards Here!

I took some time to chat via email with Andrea Beca about Cowardly Kiss Productions, Night Time and what is on the horizon for this company in Edmonton. I am always excited when people commit to what they believe in and take risks while enriching Edmonton's theatrical community so the announcement about an entire season from this company was welcome news for me.

Andrea, you are the Artistic Director of Cowardly Kiss Productions. I have seen a few of your shows at Fringes and last year's Bunburying in the regular theatre season. Can you give us a bit of background on yourself and the company and what you have done in the past? Sure! I've been writing my whole life, from my own "radio" show when I was in grade 1 (my mum still has the tapes I recorded - good lord!) to novels in elementary school. I started writing plays seriously when I was around 16, which was also the first year I got involved with Nextfest at Theatre Network. Everything sort of snowballed from there: I went to the University of Alberta and got my BA in English Literature and Creative Writing. I also started working at Theatre Network during my second year of uni, which really boosted my theatre education on so many levels. I founded my theatre company, Cowardly Kiss, that same year and decided to apply for the 2007 Fringe. Between 2007 and 2009, I wrote, produced, and directed four successful plays at the Edmonton Fringe: B, or, Unless You Steal Her Pen! (2007), Sylvie (2008), She Came From Planet X! (2009), and 00:00AM (Zero Ante Meridiem) (2009). In the Autumn of 2009, I moved to Glasgow, Scotland, to pursue my Master's in Playwriting and Dramaturgy at the University of Glasgow. Since returning to Edmonton, I've really expanded Cowardly Kiss: I produced my Master's thesis, BUNBURYING, this past Spring, as well as an experimental Fringe play, (Real) Gone (Girl), and now I'm embarking on producing Cowardly Kiss' inaugural season, which begins on November 4 with Night Time!

What do you see for the future for Cowardly Kiss? I have lots of plans to continue expanding Cowardly Kiss. We have our season, of course, which is comprised of four plays: Night Time (November 2011), The Maids (April 2012), A System of Pulleys (Summer 2012), and Happy Homes, Perfect Children (Summer 2012). We'll soon be branching out to include a bit of short film work - I have a couple of web series in the works, which I'm hoping to start production on soon. Cowardly Kiss will also be offering freelance dramaturgy very soon, from our two resident dramaturgs: myself and Margaret McCall. (Keep an eye on our website for further info.) In the meantime, I'm also nearly ready to introduce something that has been in the works for the last two years: the children's branch of the company. But that's all I'm going to say for now - more soon, I promise!

Which brings us to Night Time... I couldn't find any information in English on the piece - where did you come across it? Well, not much has been written about Night Time, save for a few reviews of the original production, because it's only been produced once in the past. I'm guessing that what you did find was probably written in Selma's native Croatian! Night Time premiered at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe at the Traverse, Scotland's new work theatre. Selma (the playwright) was one my two playwriting mentors at the University of Glasgow. The other was Philip Howard, who was the AD at Traverse for over a decade, so I was extra attached to the play while I was at school. After working with Selma, I really wanted to read something she had written, and I wasn't disappointed.

Why this piece for your company? For Edmonton Audiences? Night Time is such a quiet, beautifully written script. Upon first reading, the story seems simple, almost uneventful, but with an uneasiness looming over every word. The more you read it, the more you uncover about what's really going on, the more complicated it becomes, and the more eerie and haunting the characters become. I chose to put it in the inaugural Cowardly Kiss season for a few reasons: first, it's a script I love and it's a challenge to stage; second, the core of its story is one that audiences from anywhere in the world can identify with; and third, I really wanted to bring something from Glasgow home with me, and even better that it would be a play no one has ever heard of before. I learned so much while studying in Europe, but one of the most striking things I learned was just how many incredibly talented playwrights there are whom we have never heard of in Canada (and vice versa, which is why I forced everyone I spoke to to read some Daniel MacIvor)!

Tell us about the people you are working with. Who have you cast and who rounds out your production team? I'm lucky to be working with an amazing cast and crew! The cast is comprised of Nicole Schafenacker (CHRIS), Brennan Campbell (FRANK), Patrick Errington (THOMAS), and Cody Porter (BOWMAN). Ainsley Hillyard has brought her astonishing choreography to the piece, which was not an element of the original production, but which fits so beautifully with the sparingly written script. And last, but not least, Trent Crosby is our fab stage manager.

Where can people go to get more information on the show and purchasing tickets? The Cowardly Kiss website is always up to date with the latest - www.cowardlykiss.com! You can also find information on the Catalyst Theatre website, which is where the show is being produced - www.catalysttheatre.ca - and you can purchase advance tickets through Tix on the Square - www.tixonthesquare.ca!

Is there any other things that you want people to know about the show? It's such a fascinating piece - even among our cast, we had several different interpretations of the story, so I'm very excited to see how each audience member interprets it. I'd love to warn everyone now that it's 90 minutes long without an intermission, so pee when you get there! (I want you to have the opportunity to be first in line for the bathrooms.) We're actually fully booked for volunteers (yay!), but stay tuned to our website and Facebook page - we have an IndieGoGo campaign coming up to raise funds for the next show of the season, Jean Genet's The Maids!

Thanks so much Andrea. I am looking forward to seeing this show and the other work that you will be bringing to Edmonton this season!

The Snow Globe Festival - Filling the need for Quality Children's Theatre in Edmonton in the Winter Months

Recently I noticed a lot of buzz on Twitter and Facebook about a new theatre festival for children happening this winter. The Festival was called The Snow Globe Festival and was running the week prior to the Christmas holidays in the Avenue Theatre. As a mother of 2 elementary school aged children I have long wished for more theatre programming throughout the year. I get my kids out to the Fringe and have occasionally been able to take them to productions at FTA, The Citadel and Concrete Theatre, but have always wanted more choices for them. And, as they age, I have discovered that I need more variety and options for them. This Snow Globe Festival seemed right up our alley.

I took a little time to ask the festival's creator, Ellen Chorley, some questions.

What is the Snow Globe Festival? Who does is serve and why did you think it would be a good idea for Edmonton and the 118th Avenue area? The Snow Globe Festival of Children’s Theatre is a new Edmonton Festival created and produced by Promise Productions (an independent TYA company in Edmonton). The festival will take place in Edmonton’s Avenue Theatre and will feature student matinees and evening shows of three full length plays and a musical lobby show over five days-Tuesday, December 20, 2011- Saturday, December 24, 2011.

I wanted to a do a festival in the 118th Avenue area because it was really important to me to create both affecting and affordable theatre. I noticed that there a lot of awesome events that happen in Edmonton right before Christmas, but most of them seem to be pretty expensive. The Snow Globe Festival offers affordable tickets so the whole family can attend. It is also is in line with the Arts on the Ave Initiative: "We Believe in 118"- where arts and family oriented events are important. 118th Ave is a great neighbourhood full of people who believe it can be a safe, vibrant area. I wanted to give families and schools in the area a really, fun, affordable festival for the holidays!

Finally, the Snow Globe Festival allows my company Promise Productions, to branch out to producing scripts with bigger casts and production values, as well as take care of 32 artists over four different projects. It's a big challenge and I felt like I was up for it!

Tell us about yourself. Who is Ellen Chorley and what is her background in theatre? In children's theatre? My name is Ellen Elizabeth Chorley and I am a workaholic obsessed with creating theatre.

Indeed she is. Here is an excerpt from her Bio:

Ellen Chorley is the Founder and Artistic Director of Promise Productions and the Festival Producer of the Snow Globe Festival of Children's Theatre. For Promise Productions, Ellen has written, produced and performed in: Cinderella the Wizard (Edmonton/ Athabasca/ Calgary Fringe 2007), The Too Tall Princess (Edmonton Fringe 2008) , The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Edmonton Fringe 2009) and The Tortoise and the Hare (Promise Productions @ FTA 2010) and The Fairy Catcher’s Companion (Edmonton Fringe 2010) as well as writing and producing The Not Evil Stepmother (Edmonton Fringe 2011).

Ellen has written many plays for young audiences including Lost and Fever Pitch (Evergreen Theatre), Mixed Up (co-written with three other writers for Centre Stage Theatre), The Heights of Love (Calgary’s Heritage Park) and two original high school plays The Albright Pact (Central Memorial High School) and Highlands at One Hundred (Eastglen High School).

Along with her work with Promise Productions, Ellen also serves as Artistic Associate for Edmonton's Northern Light Theatre, and between 2005-2010 worked with the Calgary emerging theatre company Mob Hit Productions as Head of Research and Development/ Playwright in Residence. Ellen also is a co-founder of Edmonton’s new theatre burlesque company Send in the Girls Burlesque.

Ellen has worked for the past twelve years as a drama teacher- starting her career as a teaching assistant at Edmonton’s Stage Polaris Academy for the Arts, Foote Theatre School at the Citadel Theatre and Theatre Zocalo. Now, Ellen teaches drama to all ages as a teacher at the Foote Theatre School, as a guest artist for the City of Edmonton, the City of St. Albert, and the City of Fort Saskatchewan, and as an artistic residence leader for Centre Stage Theatre (Calgary), Alberta Opera, and her own theatre company Promise Productions. In the fall semesters of 2009 and 2010, Ellen lead long term drama residencies in high school in Calgary’s Central Memorial High School for the Performing Arts (2009) and Edmonton’s Eastglen High School (2010). In each of these residencies, Ellen wrote and directed full length and tailor made plays for the students she worked with.

Ellen was nominated for the Emerging Artist Award at the Edmonton Mayor’s Evening for the Arts in 2008 and is the recipient of the 2011 Enbridge Nextfest Emerging Artist Award and Ellen was nominated for a 2011 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding Fringe New Work (Award to Playwright) for her script The Fairy Catcher’s Companion. At the Edmonton Fringe 2011, Send in the Girls Burlesque received the first ever Staff Choice Award for their production of Tudor Queens: A Burlesque.

You've written, directed and performed in Children's theatre quite a bit. What draws you to that particular form? When I was six, I told my mother I wanted to be princess when I grew up. Then when I was twelve, I told my mother I wanted to be writer on broadway. Then when I was sixteen I told my mother I wanted to go to theatre school and become and actor. Doing children's theatre has allowed me to do all three.

What are the shows? What should audiences expect to see? Are there any specific age recommendations for the individual shows?
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, adapted by Joseph Robinette When four children- Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are shipped off to country estate to escape wartime London, they stumble upon a magical land in a wardrobe called Narnia. Narnia is ruled by an evil white witch who makes it so it is always winter and never Christmas. What Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy don’t know is that their arrival in Narnia aligns with an ancient prophesy calling for the end of the White Witch’s rule and the return of the King Aslan. This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a true celebration of life. Target Age Group: 5-14 years old

The Fairy Catcher’s Companion by Ellen Chorley
Back by popular demand! After a sold out run at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, Promise Productions remounts their 2010, Sterling award nominated hit The Fairy Catcher’s Companion. The Starling Sisters have been waiting for their father to return home from war, but after two years without a letter, they are beginning to worry. Finally, an official typewritten letter arrives imploring Charlotte and Beatrice’s mother to travel to collect their father. Beatrice and Charlotte are shipped off to live with their stern Aunt Bernadette at Prince Manor- a dark, drafty countryside manor. Charlotte and Beatrice are at their wits end waiting to leave Prince Manor, until they find a peculiar-looking book called “The Fairy Catcher’s Companion” and use it to catch a real-life fairy named Fusser. But could having a fairy friend be more trouble than it’s worth? Target Age Group: 7-12 years old

Miss Electricity by Kathryn Walat

An electrifying, educational and entertaining comedy for all ages! Violet is a normal fifth grader who would much rather be breaking a world record than studying for her geography test. But when the world record attempt goes array, Violet walks home in the rain feeling sorry for herself, only to be hit by lightning, not once but twice! Now Violet isn’t a normal fifth grader anymore, she’s Miss Electricity- a super hero who can control electricity with her thoughts. An off the wall comedy with a great anti-bullying message about finding strength in yourself!Target Age Group: 4-12 years old

The Holiday Half-Time Show Baby, it’s cold outside! So stay inside the Avenue Theatre and let Holiday Half-Time Singers keep you warm and entertained. Enjoy your favourite winter songs before and after every performance at the Snow Globe Festival of Children’s Theatre, and you’ll be back in your seat for another show in no time at all. With voices sweeter than sugar plums, tunes toastier than hot toddies, and music merrier than mistletoe, who could ask for a better way to get ready for the holidays? (Evenings only) Target Age Group: All ages

What can parents tell their children before bringing them to the shows? Are there any special etiquette that they should be aware of? I think it's so great for parents to talk to their children about theatre etiquette! I would say the things to cover are:

- there there are any scary parts, it's just an actor, so don't worry! (and in fact usually the actor on stage playing a scary character also plays a good guy too!)

- make sure you go the bathroom before hand

- unlike watching a movie, watching a play means that actors can see and hear you! so to make the play enjoyable for everyone, try to keep quiet during the show, that doesn't mean that you can react to the play, but it does mean that you probably shouldn't shout "hey look behind you" to an actor on stage

Tell us a little about how people can support the festival. Is it more than just attending? Are there volunteer opportunities? Is there a way for people who want to see a Festival like this succeed to help out?

We need any support you can offer, especially since The Snow Globe Festival is NOT being funded by grants or government funding bodies like AFA or EAC this year.

First of all, anyone can donate to the festival though out IndieGoGo fundraising campaign at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiegogo.com%2FThe-Snow-Globe-Festival-of-Childrens-Theatre&h=dAQEopa5AAQHCGsr8Fz-6fmhIo0zbpejNJPB64Cuz6fIT7A any donations made through this campaign will go directly to the 32 artists working on the shows!

Secondly, you can support us by buying tickets at Tix on the Sqaure by clicking http://www.tixonthesquare.ca/event/subscription/detail/134/ You can buy passes to the festival or singular tickets.

Third, we will be needing volunteer ushers and box office people, so if you are interested in volunteering check our website at http://www.promiseproductionstheatre.com/ or our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ellen.chorley#!/pages/Promise-Productions/134007796617404

Finally, we still have a few student matinees left to fill, so if you think your child's school might like to see one of the shows, you can talk to you principal and have them visit my website http://www.promiseproductionstheatre.com/

Thanks so much Ellen, for answering all my questions. This sounds like a wonderful way to spend time with our kids over the holiday season. I know I am glad to have the option and will be taking my kids!

Theatre as Writing Workshop

Tonight I took in Michel and Ti-Jean at Theatre Network. It was a very well-executed production of George Rideout's play with a gorgeous set, pitch-perfect soundscape and phenomenal acting. The script itself doesn't follow a traditional arc - it's an imaginary meeting between Michel Tremblay and Jack Kerouac - but instead becomes a very cool formula for a lesson in storytelling. I have to recommend this for any writer. I have to. It still has my brain buzzing with ideas about storytelling and character. There's more to it than that. The analysis of Les Belles Souers is the absolute best and should be required viewing for anyone taking a Canadian theatre course. Brian Dooley as Kerouac and Vincent Hoss-Demarais as Tremblay are exceptional actors and have true chemistry together onstage.

I feel lucky to live in this city. I have seen so much good theatre this season and it is only the second week of October!

Why I Love Edmonton's Arts Scene...

Because there is simply so much to see and such different types of theatre. In the past 10 days I have seen 3 very different musicals produced by community and professional theatres (see earlier post) with wide ranging budgets, talents, scripts and themes. I also saw this evening a wonderful new work from Andrea Beca called Bunburying which combined Oscar Wilde and Big Brother and is really hard to explain beyond that except that I simply loved it. Unfortunately for you, it closed tonight... perhaps she will remount it? Last night I went to a fundraising Gala evening put on by JTMF-West for HIV Edmonton. There I saw and listened to Simon-Marc deFreitas (a classical pianist), David Shepherd (a lovely singer-songwriter), 100 Mile House (a folksy trio with stand out music), as well as 3 Trevor Anderson films. I bought CDs for the middle two, because I could and because I think Mark will like them. All this in 10 days.

Now I move into tech week for From Cradle to Stage at Walterdale. I don't have much to do since I am set painter of a very small set, but I did pick up the job of make-up artist as well. I also will be rehearsing for A Little Night Music on the other nights. It never stops.

I am planning on other things to see in Edmonton, and because this city is so busy, I have my choice. I want to see the Mayfield's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and I have tickets to Wicked at the Jube. I also want to see Teatro's When Girl's Collide (hopefully I can fit it in). I also would like to catch Edges, which is being put on by Powerhouse Performance Company. I have my fingers crossed but this is a busy week. Whew! How do the Sterling Jury members manage it all?

Crazy Days Make Me Want to Quit...

Yesterday was a roller coaster ride. So much up and down stuff that it is almost strange to think about it because it feels like a week was packed into the one day. The day started okay, got crappy, got wonderful again, then a rehash of the earlier crap, then pretty good, then grumpy, then some good news, then an out of left field thing that made me go WTF? I wish I could give details, but I can't... so sorry. I can about some of the good stuff. The wonderfulness was the rehearsals for Threepenny. It all of a sudden felt like a show yesterday. Which is weird, because we were missing some key players, but with the people who were away I KNOW they are solid and I could envision them during the run. But for me, it came together. I hope the Director is as happy. We still have a little ways to go, but we have 2 weeks until an audience. It was a nice comfort zone.

Anyhow, days like yesterday some times make me want to say 'to heck with it!' but wise advise from friends prevailed. I cannot live without it and really most of the issues were not really the theatre (although there was plenty of drama). I have taken my deep breaths. Hope I can sleep better tonight. Last night my brain buzzed until 4 in the morning with all the crap from the day.

Interesting talk with my seat buddies in Drama class today. I asked what their favorite shows (best for them - taking into consideration what they personally like and want to see) over the last 2 years were. One said Eurydice and the other sadi The Drowsy Chaperone. I would put both in my top 10, but they were very different. What was your favorite show that you saw over the last two years and why? I am curious what individual people like (as opposed to the masses).

I Don't Know...

It's always hard to evaluate a theatrical experience when you go in with high expectations. The last few shows I went to I really, really, really wanted to be blown away, and although the shows were good, they did not blow me away. There were moments and elements of genius - I will give them that, but I never really believed, and the genius wasn't consistent through the whole show. I'm not naming names, because they were good shows, and maybe it is just me (I know people who saw the same show and were thrilled), or the space, or being tired, or constantly being in evaluative mode instead of experience mode, or having too high of expectations, or wanting it all to be as good as the best moments... I just feel bad when immediately after the show and when someone I know really, really liked it asks me what I thought and I literally cannot really remember anything other than what it looked like. Like we are talking within a half hour of seeing the show. I might as well just look at the pictures. I will keep trying. You cannot keep me out of the theatre. I think next time I need to have a couple of drinks beforehand to let down my personal wall to the whole experience. Maybe that would help?

Is it possible to have too much theatre to see?

Maybe. Or maybe with rehearsals my life is just pretty full. This is the mixed blessing of Edmonton - there is so much to see and not enough time to see it. And sometimes you make the wrong choice and see the wrong thing instead of something that would have been better/different. Anyhow, I have seen a few shows this month and missed a few and rehearsed quite a bit (and oh those are my children), and now I feel overloaded. The most expensive show I saw was one of the furthest from the best. The most inexpensive show I saw was the best I have seen in forever - the rest were scattered in the middle on both price and quality. I missed at least four (The Crucible, Laramie, Legion Blues, and Edward Muybridge) that I wanted to catch and having not seen them I do not know how they were, but reports were good so I feel regret.

Anyhow, those of you who might think there is nothing to do in Edmonton are sadly deluded. There is so much and at times too, too much. I am now gearing up for Much Ado About Nothing, and White Christmas and Beckett's Shorts and those are just the ones I know off the top of my head... no doubt the invites are going to start rolling in and I will have to figure out when and if I can get to them.

On another note - Mark has a cast on his wrist - he may or may not have a broken wrist. He has to wear it for 10 days and then they will re-x-ray and see what it looks like. Not fun. This means he will be in cast for his birthday and with snow and all that we have going on this weekend it will not be fun. Well, we will make do, I guess. It's not the first cast we have dealt with.

A night out...

Last night I went to a friend's birthday party while Mark and the boys went to a Guy Fawkes party. I had fun. It was great chatting with friends I haven't seen in awhile. I stayed out too late and I am tired today, but that's okay.

I also stopped by the theatre on the way and checked in on Much Ado. I saw about a 1/3 of the show and it looks good. Some 'line' calling, but they are almost a month out (3 1/2 weeks) so I was pretty impressed. Not a script onstage! It is physical and fast but not frenetic. The cast is having fun and seem to know what they are doing. That's where I like to see a show 3 1/2 weeks out. I have some props work to get done, before we get too much closer. I need to steal a sword to build the scabbards so I will do that this weekend.

I have had to deal with some drama this week at the theatre. I knew things were running too smoothly. Sigh. I hope it is all resolved, but you never know. Cross your fingers for me. It's nothing major, but it takes my focus away from things I'd rather be doing. It also doesn't seem to be necessary drama - there is nothing to really fix, except hurt feelings and perceptions (which I perceive differently so that makes it even harder). Sigh. I think some people can't do a show without backstage drama. I prefer to leave the drama onstage. Anyhow, things are otherwise running smoothly. The set is almost done and looks lovely. The actors are almost there but for a few lines. The costumes are being sewn. I am working on the props. It will all come together. It always seems to.

A Week to Get Stuff Done...

Boys are in camp this week so I have been getting stuff done. I spent time at the theatre (and will spend more this week) sorting and purging Props with Alli and painting the stage floor (what I could get to, anyways - about 4/5 of it). I also took a couple of big bags of clothes to the Goodwill and a box of baby toys. I will continue to do more of this kind of thing tomorrow. My sis and her husband come to visit Friday and this weekend has birthday events for my niece and my eldest son so I will be busy with family stuff from Friday on. I have to get some birthday presents and a cake...

I am thinking about Camp for the boys for another week since I feel like I am working hard but still have so much more I would like to get done that I haven't gotten to...

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.

Women continue to make less...

The other day was International Women's Day but statistics released indicated that women still make significantly less than their male counterparts. I am happy to say that although the jobs I get people to do are not compensated financially, I still look for the best person for the job regardless of their being male or female. This season, 4/7 of my Directors were female. I didn't really think about that when I was getting people in place. I am happy that it was more about the right person for the job. Next season, I have 5/6 being female. I am waiting to hear back on one position. I think it speaks to the fact that the best person for the job is not necessarily female or male. If you look at the submissions, the submitters were over-whelming female. The first season I think there were only 5 male submitters out of around 20 so that certainly impacted the selection.

I don't know if it happens as often in the paying theatre. Sure there is Marianne Copithorne, but I don't know a lot of other female directors who are directing for the semi-professional and professional theatres. I think Amanda Bergen is directing something in a semi-pro setting, but you don't really hear a lot about female directors.

A few month ago there was an article about female playwrights in the APN newsletter. I looked at a lot of things and still I only have one script in next season written by a woman. I hope to help change the availability of female written scripts! I think it is important. When we hold auditions the women outnumber men at a minimum of 3 to 1. The women outnumber men in the audiences. And yet, I hear disparagement of women's stories or stories with a woman as central figure. People write off 'chick-flicks' and 'kitchen sink dramas' (frequently with women as central figures) as less than the more glamorous male story arcs. Those stories are just as valuable and as important as stories about princes, businessmen, and soldiers and to imply that they aren't is a disservice to women.

Family Outing

The whole Finlay Clan took in The Tortoise and the Hare at the Westbury last night. It was produced by Promise Productions and the Hare was played by a friend from Walterdale. She kindly offered comps for some of her friends with children so I asked for 3 and then it turned out Mark could also go, so I managed to snag him one of the few remaining tickets. We got there early so we had lovely seats and ran into Linette and her niece and we thoroughly enjoyed the show. Gibson had his own 'moment' when he yelled out 'He's a tortoise!' to which the entire audience laughed loudly. Both boys have since recalled several moments they liked from the play. Being of different ages they each responded to different moments. Oliver had a tense moment when he worried that the poisons, referred to in the play, were real. I reassured him that we would be fine and we moved on. It was nice to go out as a family and see a show that was age appropriate and length appropriate. The boys and I saw some stuff at the Fringe and we caught You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Walterdale, but I always feel that there isn't enough for kids, especially young ones.

I looked back... now to the future...

Already there are some things in the works for this year, but I am going to try to control the shape of my year better. Last year was great, but there was a tumble, tumble to it because each project or commitment rolled into the next and I felt like I had no down time. Even when I had a few days off I felt guilty if I didn't work on things I knew were coming up and I want to avoid that this year. Wish me luck.

My resolutions, if you want to call them that, as as follows:

1. Think carefully about what I commit to. I am avoiding taking much responsibility for the fact that it is my 25th High School Reunion (if we have one). I will help but I will not chair. Hopefully I will be able to attend, but I have some things on the table already for the summer so I can't be responsible for anything else. I also planned the first two. I was Chair for the 10th and heavily involved for the 20th (and the only one of the committee actually living in Fort McMurray so you know how that goes). I want to see everyone, but someone else should step up. With theatre I will also have to watch it. Right now I have a crazy February. My fault. I wasn't paying attention. I am going to be more careful about what I commit to for the rest of the year, including when 'my' show for Walterdale will be in the 2010-2011 season. Another part of this thinking carefully is that I will trust my instincts and say 'no' when the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Despite the allure of the project one of the things I have learned is that there will be no shortage of opportunities for me in the future. I don't have to do them all!

2. Fitness. I should set a concrete goal. But really I have to just start. I have let my personal fitness slide because of the chaos of my life (i.e. no time). I turned to crap food too often because I needed a reward and I had no time for a pedicure or a vacation. Bad. Oh well, I am not going to beat myself up about it, because then I will feel bad and want to eat more. Right now (like this minute) I am trying to detox from all the Christmas crap and I am not buying any more. I am also going to start by getting on the treadmill for a minimum of 1 hour a day for 3 days a week. In March I will increase that to 4 times a week and in April I will go for 5 times a week. That's the plan. I am also going to be attempting to reduce the diet coke intake. Already I have increased my water intake (it's not hard to increase from basically zero). In April I will revisit and see where I am at.

3. Writing. I really want to have more time for writing. I am keeping October open so that I can go to Playworks Ink. I missed it the last 2 years and I loved it the year I went. In my busy life that is what I wish I had more time for so I must make time for it... after February is over...

4. Friendships. I think I am pretty good at these, but I do want to make at least one trip to see Wanda and I wouldn't mind a trip to Toronto to see Annemarie and Tina. I feel like I need to make that time.

That's a good list. I'll let you know how it goes!

Second Half of the Decade in Theatre - Move to Edmonton and the Big Changes Happen...

In the summer of 2005 we moved to Edmonton. I will be honest about this. I was very apprehensive about the idea of moving. I was very worried about leaving behind my theatre life in Fort McMurray. I had written my first play and was excited about that and where I could go with that. I knew Edmonton was a great theatre town, but I didn't know what it would be like for me, a non-professional. Would I find avenues for the theatre I needed to do?

Boy, did I ever!

It started with Fiddler on the Roof, an ELOPE show. I still have many good friends from this cast and this is the show that led me to Walterdale. Although the rehearsal process for the show often seemed disorganized and chaotic, it was fun and I reconnected with Brian Bast and met Elizabeth and Jackie and Judy. The show went up in February of 2006 and from there I auditioned for the 2006 One Acts at Walterdale (Lunatic) and suddenly felt at home. I knew from that first show at Walterdale that I had found a place for theatre in Edmonton (joy!).

In the Fall of 2006 came one of my most magical theatrical experiences to date. I was in Steel Magnolias at Walterdale playing my dream role of M'Lynn with 5 wonderful women onstage with me and so many more wonderful people backstage. I met lifelong friends in that show and experienced true honesty on stage and felt that I came so far as an actor. I could be wrong, but if I can give every role what I gave to that one in that production then I will feel that I am serving the play and the audience to the best of my ability.

Then next Spring (2007) I had the honour of having my first grown-up play produced for Walterdale's One Acts. Pieces was directed by Marsha Amanova, who I met during Lunatic the year before. My good friend Anne Marie played the lead and brought a wonderful honesty to the role. I was very lucky.

The next few years seem to tumble from project to project. I joined the Walterdale Board of Directors as Secretary (fall of 2006-2009) so I stayed very involved in things there. In 2009 I took the major step of taking on the role of Artistic Director of Walterdale Theatre Associates. This role scares and thrills me. It's going well, so far!

I have had acting experiences, including Fringes (El Muchacho - 2007 and Cinderella - 2008), ELOPE (Baby - 2008), Horizon (Sky - 2009), and Walterdale (Black Hearts in the Green Room - 2008). I have also been able to direct a few things such as Crimes of the Heart (a fabulous cast and production team at Walterdale - 2008), The Last 5 Years (Round Barn/TOWTTB - a delightful two hander! - 2009), and Sweeney Todd (TOWTTB - a big challenge that stressed me to no end, but which delighted me onstage - I wasn't quite sure I was up to it until I saw it all together - crazy insecurity! - 2009).

I continued to write. I took a playwriting lab through APN in 2007 and this past summer I put that script (From Something) onstage at Interplay in Fort McMurray and at the Fringe. I was director/set-designer/playwright and it was the scariest thing I ever did. I still sting from the lukewarm reviews, but if I just think about the show and audiences I am okay. I had a wonderful group of 3 actors, a stage manager and a sound designer who have become my sisters in spirit (a couple of them already were from past experiences - but this cemented everything). I won a competition for production with Zachary and the Storytelling Stones, a children's play. Kompany! Family Theatre produced the play and it toured the Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton Fringes.

When I looked at my resume I was shocked by how many things I did in 2009. I know that I need to pull back a bit as I head into the next year. I don't want to get over extended but the opportunities are amazing. I know how to say no, but sometimes I don't want to! This next decade will be kicked off with my play Tight Rope produced at New Works at the U of A (I am busy on rewrites for that right now), then a remount of From Something for the ADFA Stage Struck! and then I go into The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which I am directing for Walterdale. I do not know if I will be involved in the Fringe or not. I will have to wait and see. One thing is for sure, there are many, many opportunities for me and no end in sight!