Heap and Pebble... Magic on Ice...

I caught Northern Light Theatre's 6.0 How Heap and Pebble Took on the World and Won last night at the Westbury Theatre.  I always like it when I can catch a NLT show because you never know what you are going to get.  There is nothing truly predictable and this show was no exception.  It's hard to describe, but it is a lot of sequined fun with two excellent performers (indeed, I cannot think of any two others in Edmonton than Jesse Gervais and Amber Borotsik to pull this off) and a serious undertone. It's well directed, surprising, athletic and artistic - really, everything a good original ice dance routine should be - and a good theatre adventure. I am still trying to figure out exactly what it means.  The show tackles a few different things - global warming, pursuing a dream, achieving excellence, moving on when your world changes - but it gives no easy answers.  For some this show would be totally about the environmental implications.  For me, it was more about the death of a dream and surviving and rebuilding.  Don't get me wrong, even though I came out thinking deeply, it was a laugh filled show with some phenomenal movement!

I was also excited to read up about the rest of the Northern Light season.  I have season's tickets this year so I will be seeing them all.  It looks like I will be in for some more surprising and unpredictable shows throughout the year. I can't wait!

Dinner and a Show - Packrat Louie and Jack Goes Boating at Shadow Theatre

Went for dinner with AM tonight saw Jack Goes Boating at Shadow Theatre (Varscona). We started with our wonderful meal at Packrat Louie where we shared wine and talked of many things. We ended the meal with yummy desserts (we don't always have dessert, but it seemed impossible to resist). I had the Lime and Lemon Meringue and AM had the Chocolate Pistachio Tart.  So, so, so good.

After supper we walked down to the Varscona and settled in for Jack Goes Boating.  It was a quirky little comedy which we both quite liked.  I really, really enjoyed Garrett Ross as Jack.  I have seen him onstage three times in the last few months in three very different roles and I am very impressed with his ability to create complete and convincing characters.  There is something that he does internally that really makes you believe that he is these different people.  He has a subtlety to his work that I have quite enjoyed. The whole cast (Shawna Burnett, Frank Zotter, and Mabelle Carvajal) works as a tight ensemble.  It's not a 'big ideas' play, but the four of them commit so well to creating and belonging in the world of the play, that you really care about what happens. The ending, in particular, is oh so satisfying.  The simple set is used well and the transitions from scene to scene maintain a sense of character and follow-through that was very elegant.  The script itself is written in a very cinematic style (realistic dialogue, short scenes, moments like snapshots) and they did a great job making it work on a stage. Anyhow, we liked it. It runs until November 25th, so you have a week to catch it!

First Day of Painting - The Misanthrope at Walterdale

So I started painting The Misanthrope today.  It was primer day and the walls are high.  When I got to the theatre, the set looked like this:

A few hours (read: 5 hours) passed and a lot of painting was done with two fabulous helpers and when I left the set looked like this:

I have a lot to do.  More wall treatment on Thursday and Friday and hopefully I start the floors by the weekend.  There is also furniture.  I am recording the progress so that I can see all the steps involved!

It is going to mean a lot of hours at the theatre for me - since I am in the show, too - but it's home!

Looking for a Few Good Plays - Stage Struck! 2013

CALL FOR ENTRANTS

Stage Struck! 2013

Edmonton’s winter drama festival

What: A regional adult one-act play festival
When: February 22 & 23, 2013
Where: Walterdale Playhouse

Is there a one-act play you always wanted to produce? Need an outlet for your own new play? Would you like a first run of your Fringe show? We’ll provide the venue, the audience and the adjudication, you provide the talent!

Winning play goes to the provincials in High River May 17,18,19, 2013.

* Entrants must be based in the City of Edmonton.
* Any scripted play, previously published or new, between 10 to 60 minutes in length, is eligible for production.
* Entry fee $50

For more information or to request a registration package,

contact Mary-Ellen Perley at 780-481-3716 or email at mperley@shaw.ca .

Entries being accepted now. Only 9 spaces available!

Submission deadline is December 17, 2012

A Broadway Weekend at Home!

Since the snow came, I have taken the chicken's approach to the world and have stayed inside.  I figured out exactly when I HAD to leave the house and it doesn't happen until today at 2:45 p.m. when I go get the boys from school and take Gibson to swimming. It has been a good week for laundry and it is a good thing that Tuesday was Cheap Tuesday at Safeway so I didn't need to go out for anything. Please don't hate me...

Anyhow, tonight I venture out for the first of my two Broadway shows! I am revisiting Next to Normal at The Citadel tonight with a bunch of friends.  After seeing it two weeks ago it has haunted me.  I downloaded the soundtrack from iTunes and listened a lot to it.  I am looking forward to seeing it live again and sharing it with my friends.

Tomorrow night I will be seeing the Broadway Across Canada show Rock of Ages at the Jubilee Auditorium.  I am expecting a fun rock based show with many recognizable tunes and a lot of big eighties hair. I didn't see the movie, so this will be totally new for me in terms of story. It looks like it will be a noisy, rock concert of a show! I also get to see the friends that we go with (we buy the season's tickets and it makes for 3-4 nights out in the season with a couple we like to hang with!).

Anyhow, tonight kicks off a weekend full of musical theatre and great company - can't beat that!

AUDITION! I'm Directing for ELOPE - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

AUDITION NOTICE - ELOPE

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Music and Lyrics by William Finn; Book by Rachel Sheinkin

Conceived by Rebecca Feldman

Production* dates: May 12 – June 1, 2013

Director: Kristen M. Finlay

Music Director: Sally Hunt;

Choreographer: Jake Hastey

Auditions:
Sunday, January 6th – 1 to 6 p.m.
Wed, January 9th – 7 – 10 p.m.

Callbacks:
Sunday, January 13th – 1 – 6 p.m.

Location: La Cite Francophonel; Suzanne Lamy Thibaudeau Room; 8627 - 91 Street

Description of the Show: The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups.

Casting Requirements: Please note: because adults play the kids in this show, no ages are posted because it just doesn’t matter! All characters are played by adults (16+).

Chip Tolentino - C3 - B4 (Tenor).Former champion, going through puberty.
Logainne Schwartandgrubenniere - C4 - D5 (Soprano).Youngest, awkward.
Leaf Coneybear - A2 - G4 (Baritenor).A second alternate, ADD, happy to be there!
William Barfee - Eb3 - Bb4 (Tenor). Health issues, combative, spells with his foot.
Marcy Park - B3 - E5 (Soprano/Mezzo). Over-Achiever, talks to God.
Olive Ostrovsky - Vocal Range: B3 - F#5(Soprano). Shy and lovely, misses her parents.
Rona Lisa Perretti - C#4 - Ab5 (Soprano). Spelling bee hostess, former champion.
Vice Principal Douglas Panch - Stuck in his life, obsessed with Rona.

Mitch Mahoney – E3 - A4 (B4) (Tenor). Looks like a bouncer, Comfort Counselor.

Ensemble/Cameos:

Schwarzy’s Dads – Carl Dad and Dan Dad; Leaf’s Mom, Dad and Siblings; Olive’s Mom - C#4 - Ab5 (Soprano), Olive’s Dad, Jesus

Audition Requirements:

• Vocal – 20 - 40 bars of a musical theatre piece. Please select a comic piece which shows off your voice and demonstrates your ability to show character and tell a story while singing. You will be asked to indicate what song you will be singing prior to audition. Please bring sheet music with piano accompaniment OR Karaoke (without vocal) track on a CD. We will have a skilled accompanist there to play for you. NO ACCAPELLA.

• Acting - Reading from the Script/Improvisation exercise

• Dance - Movement will be handled at Callbacks.

• Performers will be booked in groups of 4-5 to accommodate acting requirements

To book an audition time, please email Kristen M. Finlay at smeep22003@yahoo.ca

or phone 780-406-1256. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

ELOPE is Ensemble for Lyrical Operetta Productions Edmonton - http://www.elopemusicaltheatre.ca/

Elope is a Community (Amateur) Theatre Company

Fabulous Weekend in Jasper - Christmas in November at the JPL to celebrate AM's Significant Birthday!

This was a legendary weekend! I spent it in beautiful Jasper at the Jasper Park Lodge during Christmas in November.  I was there with 7 other wonderful women and we were all there to celebrate a significant birthday of my friend AM. I am still in recovery.  So much good food and drink, dancing, cooking and baking tips, mixology and make-up, shopping, silliness and great conversation.  Here are some highlights:

First, the women I was with were great people to be around! Here is a picture of some of them and one of the bears we had a lot of fun with.  I am going to scan our fancy photo with Santa, but I don't have it yet.

Second, the food was amazing!

Third, great sessions! My favorite was mixology with Micah Dew as he was very entertaining and we got samples of all the drinks he made and I found a few new favorites!

Fourth, JASPER - the Lodge itself is all about luxury, and the views are spectacular.  There is something in the air that revives you even after a late night of eating, drinking and dancing!

Fifth, Gangnam Style - our theme song of the weekend.  We were captured on film and it was tweeted by presenter Julie Van Rosendaal who was great fun and hung out with us following the dance at the after party.

This is a weekend of luxury and it isn't something that I can afford to do all the time, but if you have a special occasion, or want to have a fun weekend with some of your friends and want to enjoy the food and environment of the Jasper Park Lodge, I recommend.  You feel special all the time and if anything, you have to tell yourself to restrain yourself.  The Lodge does Christmas in November every year and there are three packages of varying length and it is so worth it!