Days of Sand...

We have entered the time of year I like to call the Days of Sand. This is because from now until about October I will be finding sand in everything. There will be sand in my couches. There will be sand on my floors. There will be sand in the washing machine and dryer. There will even be sand in the beds (on occasion - although since Gibson doesn't nap so much anymore it will be greatly reduced). I will sweep several times a days to no avail. My car will have a bunch of sand in the back seat and on the floor. The worst will be the feeling that I am covered in sand, that it is on my face and in my hair (and it might be). I imagine that a sand facial is not the best kind, but that is what I will be getting.

Switching Hats

I am currently Assistant Directing one of the One Acts at Walterdale Theatre. I am fitting in the time commitment 'when I can' so I shall miss a few rehearsals. It is hard to do two shows at once, and with Cinderella starting up in mid June I will be going straight from 2 shows to 2 shows. I think I only have about a week of overlap until I am done to just the one Fringe show so late June shall feel like a bit of a relief, I think. I am also hopeful that my director will work around my hectic schedule with the knowledge that after July 12th I am hers and hers alone. It is strange to switch from show to show and keep the focus. Acting and Directing are different and you have to be in a different place and you have different permissions for sharing ideas in each role. I like doing both, but I really have to separate the different projects.

A Fun Night in Spruce Grove!

Last night I went out to Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove to watch an evening of One Acts. It is the first year that they have done this evening and it was a wonderful night of theatre. My good friend, AM, directed one of the shows (This is a Play) so I had to go and I was so pleased that I did. I haven't had a laugh out loud evening of theatre like that in a long time. There have been a few chuckles at shows, but every thing I have seen in Edmonton has been too restrained or contrived when it should have been more. In any case, 3 of the four shows were better than most of the pro shows I've seen out there and the remaining one was still good, but you could tell one of the actors was a little inexperienced and self-conscious on stage. I still enjoyed it, but not as much as the rest of them. A stand-out of the evening was Elizabeth Marsh... she just has this incredible charisma on stage... really, really, smart actress. AM says she wants to find a script where Elizabeth and I play sisters... that would be so much fun! I hope she gets looking!

I was also surprised at how quickly I got out to Spruce Grove. It always felt so much farther away in the past. Maybe I could do a show out there....

I'm a Fairy....

Godmother! I received an email to day offering me the part of the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella for this year's Fringe. It is a theatre for Young Audiences show (TYA) so it will be the first show that I can have both my boys come to. I hope they are ready! Woo Woo!

This means that I will not be able to be Stage Manager on my friend Magnolia's show. I am torn about that, but I cannot do two shows and the whole parenting/family thing. Not 2 Fringe shows, in any case. It would be too, too crazy. I am not sure which is the best choice. Like any good dilemma, both choices are pretty evenly matched (in a good way). I am doing the Cinderella thing though, because I auditioned for it before I knew about the Stage Managing. I figure that's fair. I let life choose for me.

In any case, it is something to look forward to and based on the audition it will be a nice comic role. I wonder if I can wear my wedding dress again.... Hmmmm....

Parenthood Blues...

It's a real struggle trying to do this job. You do what you think is right and you find things working for you at home and then you find out it isn't working at school. You want to be able to send your kid out into the world and have them function the way they do when you are around... but they don't, not always, not with my kid.

I am at a loss. Other than attending school with him, I am not sure what I can do.

When it rains....

It pours?

A week ago I was feeling like I didn't have much to challenge me artistically. BABY, although fun to go to, isn't really stretching many of my performance muscles and that was basically all I had on the go. However, this week I auditioned for a Fringe show (TYA - Cinderella - a show the boys could go to if I got in) and I got an email requesting help from Trading Stages (Walterdale's One Acts). I am cleared to help out on the One Acts. that will fill a few more nights a week. The Fringe show wouldn't start rehearsing until after BABY is done, so if I get that it will also keep me busy. Getting in that would also mean I wouldn't audition for Children of a Lesser God at Walterdale. It is the first show of the 50th Season. I can't see doing a Fringe show and rehearsing another show at the same time. So let's wait and see.

A Little Music on a Sunday Afternoon...

This afternoon I went to the Winspear for a Pro Coro Canada concert. It was a fundraiser I think, but you had to buy an additional ticket for a reception and art auction following the concert. My mother got the tickets because Laurie Hawn, M.P. was singing with the celebrity choir. I haven't been to hear much in the way of choral music and it sounded like a lovely afternoon. It was good. I was surprised, however, at how empty the Winspear was. This is a phenomena I have noticed in Edmonton. I have been to a number of exceptional events (and been involved in them, too) and have noticed small audiences. There is a tremendous amount of good art happening in this city... why aren't there people in the seats? Is it the ticket prices? Well, some of the things I went to were very reasonable and some were very expensive so it is hard to tell. Is there too much to do? That's possible, because there always seems to be a lot to do and see in the What's On. But if that is the case, why do some people lament a lack of culture in the city (I'm talking to you, Babiak)? Bottom line: You want a city with good cultural events, then you have to go to them. And you might just have to pay for the ticket. It's probably worth it, from what I have seen.