Apple Picking...

I am headed off to New York City for the next little while.  Look how casual I was about saying that...  A good friend of mine is getting married on the weekend so I am heading down to celebrate with her and her fella and have stretched the trip out a bit so I can see some shows. I have never been before and since Broadway is like Mecca to theatre people (particularly those who do musicals) I am so excited!  I have a great travelling companion, also a NY Newbie and we are excited to take on the city! Anyhow, I am doubtful I will blog in my absence as I am leaving my computer behind, but I will fill you in when I get back.

Today is packing for me and also getting the boys ready for school.  I don't have much time when I get back so the plan is to have it all ready before I go so that first day is taken care of. That's the plan, anyhow. Today is buying shoes and labelling school supplies... If I am lucky I will also find a better travelling purse...

My mind is full of what I might see (the online listings for Broadway shows looks so gooooood) and my general travelling stress (I am better in familiar places), but we are going to play it by ear and I think all will be well!  I am hoping it's not a crazy time for the city so we might get some deals and see some good stuff!

And So Another Fringe Ends...

Well, I wrapped the Fringe up today with 3 more shows bringing my total to 21 for the Festival.  I think that is pretty close to last year and I felt I saw enough but not too much.  I got a great variety and didn't make any major missteps in picking.  I am getting better at parsing through the program for the opening weekend and then keeping my ear to the ground for the rest of the week.  Word of Mouth was a good thing to listen for!

Of the 11 days of Fringe I saw shows on 9 days, so I will be adding that number (not 21) to my theatrical goal for the year, bringing my current total up to 38! I am 2 away from my goal.  I think I will have no problem surpassing that since I won that season prize and we still have Rock of Ages in the Broadway Across Canada tickets and two Walterdale shows.  I think next year I will be upping my goal!

Anyhow, today I started with The Colander Gals.  I was blown away by how tight it was.  They made me so very happy.  The house was very full.  The cake was yummy.  The harmonies were tight and the laughs kept coming.  I was very pleased with it and so proud to have been a part of it.

Then I headed to the Fringe Village and saw Spare Change.  It was a tight little piece about panhandlers and perception and homelessness.  I am still not sure about whether I will give money to panhandlers, but it does give you pause in how you think about the people you see who are obviously homeless.  The key message is that they are still human and we seem to forget that.

Then I had a nice visit in the Beer Tents - first with the cast of Spare Change, most of whom I know from Walterdale, and then with friends Lindsey and Sarah who I also know from Walterdale (and other theatre experiences).

I ended the Fringe with perhaps my favourite show of the Festival.  Favourite implies personal choice and opinion and this one is wrapped up with pride and memory as I worked with the actress a few years back and I was blown away by how mature she is now as an actor, but I saw Gruesome Playground Injuries and it was so lovely.  It made me cry. I was also extremely impressed by the direction.  The transitions were electric and the design was spot-on.  It was a perfect final show for me.

This ends what is apparently a record breaking Fringe.  I know I had a good time.  Can't wait until next year!

Final Days of Fringe 2012...

Despite the 14+ rating on Son of a Dwarf! we decided to take the boys to see it.  I had seen all the three previous Fringe shows from this group and had a chat with the Director about content and felt that they could handle the inappropriate humour.  Other than the 'bad words' (which they already know and know they are not to use them themselves) and a few sexual innuendo (which went right over their heads) there was nothign worry about. It was a perfect fit.  We have raised our children with an appreciation for the inappropriate - sorry about that... Anyhow, the show was much fun!  Gibson was instantly quoting lines and retelling parts of the show to me as we walked back to the car. He also felt the goat was a particularly good actor. Oliver agreed that the choice was a good fit.   I have said it before, but this group does the best job of merging film and theatre. One show left - today at 1 p.m. at the Garneau Theatre.

I am off to enjoy my last day of Fringe starting with The Colander Gals at 2 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church.   I am excited to see how the show has matured over the course of Fringe.  It's been a while since I have seen the ladies. Hope to see some of you there - we can sit together!

Afterwards, back willing, I plan to head to the Fringe site to catch a few more shows. I think next year I will need to invest in a cushion or lumbar roll or something. This week has been a challenge for me.  First time ever.  I should probably get in better shape - strengthen the back muscles to prepare for Fringe! Maybe someone can put together a Fringe Training Program! on DVD!

Hold-Overs Announced

If you didn't get your fill of Fringe shows this past week, you can catch a few special ones at the Holdovers next weekend.  I am pleased to see that many of the Word of Mouth shows made it on that list.  I will not be able to make any of them as I will be in NYC that weekend.  I saw most of the ones on that list that I wanted to with the exception of Reefer Madness.  I am really sad I didn't get to that one, but my back needed the rest last night and Mark needed the night out.  There are other Fringe shows I will not have gotten to that I wish I could have but you only have so much time! I did my best...

My plan for tonight is to take the whole family to Son of a Dwarf! at the Garneau.  If I feel up to it I might abandon them and head back to the village for another show.  On Sunday I will be seeing The Colander Gals and then I have tentative plans for Spare Change, Threads and Gruesome Playground Injuries.  This is contingent on my back and the availability of tickets! So far I feel like I have had a pretty good Fringe... I think I am up to 16 or 17 shows and if I get to all the ones I have planned for the rest of the weekend that will take me to 20-21... that's pretty good for me! And, hey, at $15 bucks a pop that's about $300.  

Artist's Forum on Risk at the Fringe - A Review

Someone reviewed the Fringe Artist's Forum I participated in on Risk in a Fringe show (How Far is Too Far?).  You can read it here. It is an interesting read.

Friday at Fringe Finished Fast!

I raced to the site, after dropping off Gibson at camp, and got there just in time to catch The Gooble Portrait.  It was a fun show (aimed at younger audiences) and was very impressive in it's concept and design.  The production was sophisticated in a way that I appreciate.  Too often I find that children's theatre is not done well or else is over-simplified and dumbed down.  This was clever, smart and magical without being over the heads of the kids.  I am glad I caught it.  If there were a design category for Fringe shows - this one would definitely win it!  The way they create the painting effects is  really cool. I then headed to Walterdale Theatre for 7 Ways to Die (stopping for a green onion cake on the way).  7 Ways is a sweet little mask play about love and death and it was a nice show for a Friday afternoon.

I am off this evening as Mark has requested a night out to hear our friend Richie's band perform at BoDiddly's and since I have been out for the last 8 nights I guess it is only fair. My back is also in a bit of pain from sitting through so many shows so I will medicate and rest up for tomorrow and the marathon final Fringe day - Sunday!

Loose Lips...

Here are some more Word of Mouth recommendations - some are repeats, but that just tells you I heard them from more than one person! Here they are in no particular order except for the first two.

Loon - this is the most often heard show on the grounds when I ask the question
Apocalypse: A Period Piece - 2nd most frequent
Gruesome Playground Injuries
Reefer Madness
Spare Change
A Kind of Alaska/Victoria Station
Medicine
Fools for Love
Essay
Progressive Polygamists
Finding Nymma
Mojo Mickeybo
Sexual Perversity in Chicago

I heard a lot of the same shows mentioned.  I find it interesting which shows I am NOT hearing about, which I would have thought would have been up there based on things like reviews and # of stars and all that. Food for thought!  I do like that there is a real mix up there.  Some are local, some are not, some  are funny, some are serious, clown shows, mask shows, plays and musicals - it's all there!