I have made my choices and I respect yours, just tone down the vitriol...

In doing some online research into arguments on both sides of the abortion debate for a script I am working on I came across pages devoted to people writing about their decision not to have children. These pages were called things like "I Hate Kids" and "No Kids", etc... Now, I understand the need for community and having discussions with people who have made similar choices or have similar views and belief systems. People need reassurance that they are not alone in the wilderness. It's why many people join parenting groups when they have children. However, the vitriol on some of those pages was astounding. I have kids but I would never expect everyone else to have kids. I also expect that there are times when having my kids around is not appropriate but there are times when it is appropriate and someone else's decision not to have children should not mean that they should never have to interact in a situation with children in it. After all, wasn't everyone a child once? Make your choice, that's fine. If you really can't handle kids at all, avoid places where kids are and suck it up when you are in a situation where kids are. Remember, some of those kids will be wiping your butt one day when you are in the nursing home - if they didn't exist you might have some major issues in your twilight years!

Scheduling Nightmares....

Well, I got the Whorehouse Schedule done, and then problems rolled in. Part of it was a miscommunication about available dates from certain people, part of it was a misinterpretation on my part, part of it was people finding new conflicts after the fact. It is what happens with a cast of 31 people and a production team which has two key members working on different shows that run very closely in time to ours. It's a 2000 piece Jig-saw puzzle to begin with so I didn't expect it to be easy. I did expect it to be easier than it was and is.

I am confident that the show will be good and that it will come together, it is just that everyone has to realize that the 'ideal' situation with regards to scheduling is not going to be possible and that we will get it done in a different way. Trust me, if I had my druthers, we would be working chronologically with choreo at the beginning of the rehearsal period and with built in review. That is not in any way possible so I will make it work. I have done shows with kids with schedules that were just as bad so I can make this work!

So, let's hope this current schedule works with no major issues. I am anxious for June when it is the only thing on my plate!

Pain in the Neck...

My seized neck is putting a real cramp in my style. I have been functioning pretty good with it - getting the things done that I needed to get done, but oh it hurts. Luckily I have been able to find positions where I can sleep, but if I shift too suddenly in the night it isn't fun. Leads to me sleeping in a very tense state. I will continue to medicate and hopefully the muscle will relax soon.

Last night I had a great blocking session for Whorehouse. It is picky work fitting together the bits and pieces of the opening sequence, but we got it mapped out and when we revisit it we will add more characterization and colour and choreography to give it more zing! The cast sounds wonderful. I went on Sunday to the music rehearsal just to hear them and they sound so good and it isn't even the whole bunch of them. We will definitely have a great sound - yee haw! It's nice to have a show where all the soloists can sing well and all the ensemble can sing well (indeed, pretty much anyone in this cast could handle a solo and sound terrific). You don't have any weak spots that way! The schedule it almost done and it ain't perfect but it will get the show done and has room for fixing and tweaking. I think we shall be good with it.

Adjudication

A few weeks ago I was asked to Adjudicate the City High School One Act Festival. The adjudicator they had lined up had a family emergency and had to cancel so they were in a bind. It took a bit of doing and a lot of apprehension, but I managed to secure child care and get some materials to prepare myself for the task.

The past three days I watched 17 One Acts prepared by 8 Edmonton High Schools. I got to engage with the larger group, discussing themes and challenges of the pieces and then I got to talk with the individual productions about their strengths and areas of improvement. I was nervous and a little scared. One of the reasons I am back at University is because I want to deepen my background in theatre. My knowledge is highly practical and intuitive. But it was a lot of fun. I think I was able to offer helpful suggestions to all the groups and I think I was able to do it in a positive way. I don't think I sugar coated anything, but I wasn't mean either. I had so much fun. It was so nice to be around teenagers again. There is something about that age, where they are so passionate about what they are doing and eager to improve and do better.

The hardest part was selecting the awards. How can you truly compare one performance to another? The plays are different, the directors different, the actors different. I think I picked the correct two plays to go to Provincials and I think the alternate was the right choice. I saw so many actors with lovely qualities that it was hard to narrow it down. I am glad I got to give feedback in the adjudications so that those that did not get 'an award' knew that they were recognized. It's a lesson learned - the winning is in accepting the challenge to do the show and following through, because it's all apples and oranges. Congratulations to all who took part and thank you for letting me a part of it.

The Importance of How You Sell Your Art...

I had a short but interesting conversation with my mother about The Drowning Girls which is playing at The Citadel. She mentioned in an off-hand way that she didn't think she would like it because she thought the idea of three girls coming out of a bathtub was weird. I stopped her, having seen the show at the Catalyst a few years ago, and told her that I really felt she would like it. I know my mother, I knew the show, it is a good fit. Hopefully she will reconsider and go and see it. But doesn't it say something about what impression the media materials leave with people before they are even an audience? My mother made a decision based on how the show was being sold, even though I know she is someone who would like that show. I don't know, I found it interesting. I hope she goes and sees it now...

Too Busy to Write Anything!

This weekend I was so busy I haven't had time to update anything. We had auditions for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at Walterdale and I have been rehearsing for On The Wire when I wasn't at the auditions. It will be a great show based on the awesome turn-out we had. Tonight I had the Q 2 Q and final dress for On the Wire. It's in great shape especially considering we hadn't run it since Sunday. It will be nice to have an audience to keep us on our toes tomorrow night! 8 p.m. at Fort Edmonton Park - I think there are still a few tickets left!

Train Wreck...

That's all I can really say about my rehearsal tonight. Actually, I can say more. The song is coming along. It totally changed tonight, but it is coming along and I am not worried about anything but the finger snapping! I think we were better in the rehearsal than we thought because it was the weird line screw ups that were messing with our brains (I am using the royal 'us', I think). Anyhow, I would like to think it was not as bad as it felt, but it does mean that I have a lot of work to do. Lines, lines, lines...