Alumnae Theatre's 100th Season, and 30th New Ideas Festival

I am extremely excited to share that I am directing the world premiere of Ciarán Myers' new play Sweet Mama and the Salty Muffins as part of the New Ideas Festival at Alumnae Theatre. 

More on the play later...but before that, the festival are looking for volunteers! Alumnae are now in their 100th season, fuelled by members and volunteers, bringing new work to the stage. 

Stage Managers review this link  

Actors review this link for auditions
 
Rehearsals will begin January 30th and thereafter for the productions March 7-25. There are a plethora of ages, genders, types, etc to audition for across staged readings of longer works in development, and full productions, so plenty for actors to chew on. This is a non-union opportunity, but a great group of people. All auditions are for all plays, actors are grouped by age and gender so that directors can sit in on the groups relevant for their casting needs.

I am specifically looking for a female performer over 30 (really anywhere over 30 works, if it is the right person!) for a demanding one-hander that will be in full production. 

review. Musik für das Ende @ Soundstreams

I'm a pretty massive supporter of theatrical experiences that blur the lines between genre and play with audience expectations, so when I learned of Soundstreams' production, conceived by Chris Abraham and Zack Russell around the music of French Canadian composer Claude Vivier, I was intrigued. Vivier's compositions are chilling and unexpected. Any theatrical experience created surrounding these would definitely be unique and challenging. 

The production, staged in The Crow's Theatre main space, is in the round, with banks of audience along each of the 4 sides, with a cavernous space in the middle, reaching up to the heights of the flexible theatre space. The physical space is used to great effect, with many objects and lights descending from the heights of the room, and with superb lighting design to transform and bring the audience into the experience of the performance. It opens with a monologue in which Vivier returns home to find his door open; slowly the seemingly linear story blips out of line, and we realize that some of the references were outside of what we thought were the main story. The sound design throughout this first section is clever, amplifying certain everyday sounds and providing a glimpse into what the world might sound like to a composer, the rhythm and metre of every day sounds standing out in a chorus of relation to one another. 

From here, the piece moves into the performance and staging of Vivier's own compositions Glaubst du an die Unsterblichkeit der Seele, and Musik für das Ende. The vocal performances are outstanding, and initially the staging, with Vivier intervening, as if watching this in a dream, is very engaging. However, for me, the latter parts of the staging, with the singers moving around the space singing to one another, despite beautiful vocal performances and stunning lighting design, was lacklustre. Rather than showcasing the beautiful singing and hypnotic nature of the composition, it seemed to drag, and ultimately detract from the engagement the audience could have with the music. 

Definitely worth seeing and experiencing, but I think that the shape of the production could benefit from a re-think to ensure it does not lose the momentum of the first two section. 

Belated Thoughts. On performing the female experience.

It has taken me awhile to formulate these thoughts, but recent events (both theatrical and otherwise) have re-invigorated these musings in my head. Toward the end of last year's theatre season, I saw two pieces of theatre which, on some terms, were expressions of the experience of being female. They took completely different forms both stylistically and formally, but at their base, they were about female experiences in society, specifically modern, Western, middle-class society. 

Now far be it from me to tell someone how to share their experiences. I fully believe that a creator must create what moves them, and what they need to express, in hopes of engaging with an audience. And in the case of both of these productions, critical and audience responses were overwhelmingly positive. And yet for me, both left me feeling a bit . . . absent. I didn't feel engaged, or moved, or challenged. So little so that despite my personal mantra of documenting every performance I see, I didn't bother. I didn't even start. My busy summer continued, and i was working on a show, so had every reason to disengage from my reflective over-thoughtful tendencies, but now as autumn has overwhelmed us and my projects have dried up, I am once again thinking about these experiences. Why did I feel so disengaged by them when so many others championed them? 

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I think it is the formal expression of these experiences in a theatrical form that although it pretends to new and modern approaches, in the end results in a traditionally structured, beginning/middle/end, linear story, in which the experiences are shown in a defined manner. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that I wasn't feeling empty or absent, but actually frustrated. Frustrated that although female creators were given the opportunity to produce work that speaks to the female experience, the form of this work fit the "mould", if you will, of the same work that is produced in this country day in and day out. The kind of work that although mildly interesting, doesn't challenge our ideas or our comfort. How frustrating to see that this seems to be the kind of work a woman needs to make to get produced at even a moderately sized stage in Canada. 

There are a number of AD spots opening up in this country at the moment, for probably the first time in the better part of my adult life. This is extremely exciting as it means there is the chance for us to finally do something different. I sincerely hope that we can manage to diversify the voices, not just at face value, but in the actual form and content of the work that is created, nurtured, and produced. So that 10 years from now, we can celebrate the invaluable role art plays in this country rather than lament the continued slow and agonizing death of the art form we all need. 

review. Waiting for Trudeau @ Winnipeg Fringe

Winnipeg playwright Raphael Saray has penned a delightfully absurd interrogation of the modern obsession with celebrity. We see a number of characters who morph and change, jump into alternate realities, with a playful yet serious (though laughing out loud) commentary on how we spend our time and attention. I was a huge fan of the referee, who jumped in to police content and action to meet specific (if absurd) criterial. 

This was so much fun. Glad I got to catch it. 

review. The Places We Go @ Winnipeg Fringe

This was a delightful piece of whimsical theatrical storytelling. Making use of a large projection screen, the company used cartoon style drawings which were projected, and then had a live actor interacting in shadow with the projected scenes, all while telling the beautiful story of a young girl's desire to help bring her mother home. It almost took the form of a live action storybook, complimented with subtle sound design to create the various spaces. The company also provided an ASL interpreter, which was a great addition to support conveying the story to multiple audience members. 

My only quibble would be that there was a song mid-way through which just felt a little out of place with the style of the rest of the piece. 

review. Anomie @ Winnipeg Fringe

Winnipeg playwright Wren Brian delves into the depths of existential thought, with a play that merges concepts from Genet's The Maids, Sartre's No Exit, and Beckett's Waiting for Godot to place 2 unnamed characters in a void, looking for an escape. Director Eric Rae situates the audience in the midst of this void, making use of the flexible space of the platform gallery to create two circles of space that the 2 actors move deftly between. By immersing us in the world, the urgency of their desire to remember (and to escape) becomes more prevalent. The piece could have used a little more nuance in its presentation, just to help the audience move through this nothingness and remain engaged with the actors. Also, for me, the introduction of concepts of love to the script felt a little out of place compared with the larger questions of connection and memory. 

The production is not perfect, but definitely an opportunity to see some exciting new writing, performed by young performers and with a new directorial voice. 

review. Fragments @ Winnipeg Fringe

This is a review, but in some ways it really isn't. Lara Rae's beautiful epic poem about womanhood, history, friendship, and death is a superb piece of writing. It takes a little getting used to the style, but for those willing to follow and play (and armed with a mild working-knowledge of Greek mythology) the poem follows an immense journey over millennia. 

The story centres around two women: Lara and Catherine. Although this is an epic poem, its story is one of real and hard truths, specifically Lara's experiences as a transgendered woman, and Catherine's experiences as a woman with brain cancer. Rae's treatment of both topics is highly symbolic, which might turn some off (for me this was a real treat; why not use poetry to help us deal with the most challenging issues of our time?!). Heightened times call for heightened language. 

The deeply personal nature of the story affected me more than I expected. Catherine in this story is a very old friend of mine; Lara's beautiful ode to this astoundingly talented and loving human awoke tears in me, at the thought that the world will ultimately lose her. It truly did break my heart, as this hard truth means that there are thousands who will never know her brilliance, her humour, her talent. 

I think the presentation, although simple, could have been even simpler; at times Rae got up to get papers from a desk....this wasn't needed. Her cadence and presentation of the story was so powerful that she certainly did not need to get up. She had us hanging on her every word. The one thing lacking in the poem was a hint as to how (or why?) Lara's character is also dying, just to tie the story of millennia, the cycles of existence, together. 

This is a truly beautiful piece of writing. Go see it. 

review. On Love @ Winnipeg Fringe

Local companies play on Theatre & Two Dogs bring us Mick Gordon 1990's verbatim play about Love, On Love. Verbatim plays aren't my favourite style, to be fair, and this early example holds many of the problems I find with the technique -- primarily, what is the intent of this collection of stories? why are these people telling them now? 

The performances of the cast are strong, bringing to life gender-blind characters of a variety of ages. Notable are Ross McMillan's performance with Ian Bastin of an older couple telling their kids about how they got together, and Dora Carrol's beautifully crafted monologue about the man who saved her. That said, the performances can't save this script.

I spent a little time hoping that Davis Plett's beautiful video work that we see during the pre-show, or the delightful music would make their way back in to the performance, but they did not. 

Overall some great performances by local actors, but not a script that will stick with me. 

review. LovelyLady Lumps @ Winnipeg Fringe

Lana Schwarcz' one-woman show is a delightful mix of stand-up, puppetry, and classic storytelling, which relays her experience with breast cancer. Funny and heartfelt, Schwarcz is a compelling and engaging performer; you want to watch her, feel with her, laugh with her. The show's construction makes for a quick 60 minutes, although for me, a bit bringing an audience member onstage detracted from the otherwise delightful energy of the piece. The clever use of projection to change spaces and illustrate experiences was a great addition as well.

Definitely worth seeing. 

30 for 30

My brilliant and wonderful friend, S.K. Clarke, has embarked on a project for her 30th birthday called "30 for 30", where she invites people to share stories of love. 

I am honoured to contribute a short story called "Breathing". Please check it out, along with all the other beautiful stories of love here on her website. 

review. Help! I'm An American @ Winnipeg Fringe

Performer D.K.Reinemer's solo sketch comedy show strings together a number of scenes which to be honest, I struggled to tie back to the title aside from their relationship to American stereotypes. He starts off on a mildly political foot with cute (if predictable) jokes about wanting to find a wife to move to Canada, and needing to stop in Winnipeg to make his career, after which he dives in to the sketches. Rather than comment on those stereotypes, the sketches seem to sit in them comfortably. There is heavy audience participation, which in the show i watched was only partly successful, and I'm sure that was frustrating, although he did hold it together and keep the energy up. 

The best sketches were those where music was involved, allowing Reinemer to improvise off suggestions from the audience. 

There is definitely an audience for this, but I'm not it. I could see my dad loving this show, however. 

review. Desdemona: a Play About A Handkerchief @ Winnipeg Fringe

Desdemona is Pullitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel's imagining of the Othello story, giving us her view of what the Shakespearean heroine might have gotten up to when she's not seen in the play. It wrestles with ideas of female sexuality and the agency women in differing classes have over their bodies, their sexuality, and most importantly; their futures. 

This production is a good effort from the 3 performers. The accent work isn't perfect, but more notably the pacing of the performance was off. In order for the play to really sparkle, there needs to be a quick-witted snappy back and forth between the women, so that once the reality of Desdemona's fate sets in toward the end, it can come as a shock to the audience. The production moved too slowly in the beginning, meaning that the cold realization lacked in its potential impact. 

Definitely a great script, that still makes us think, so worth checking out!

review. What Would Emma Goldman Do? @ Winnipeg Fringe

Deejay Dayton's What Would Emma Goldman Do? has an interesting premise: anarchists seducing capitalists on New Year's Eve with various plots to take down their opponents. Unfortunately, the premise doesn't flesh out into a story, and instead we see a few related scenes, unravelling backward through time, but in the end, wonder what the point was. 

The opening night performances were a little stiff, but Erin Essery stood out for some nice comedic timing. 

review. Josephine @ Winnipeg Fringe

Tymisha Harris is an outstanding performer. From the first moment we see her in a tight spotlight behind an old-style microphone, you know that you're in for a treat. Through the play, Harris embodies Jazz legend and activist Josephine Baker, telling us the story of her life, including some frank analysis of the misogyny and racism she encountered, but doing it all through the charm with which a true trailblazer reflects on her life. "these things happen" she quips, and it is true. 

The production uses the full stage of MTC to great effect, making use of the lighting grid to paint some delightful spaces, and even coming out for a little audience engagement, which had a great effect. 

My only quibble is with the script itself; running just over an hour, I felt it could have used a little dramaturgy to trim to the point of the story, and feel a bit less like a Wikipedia entry about Baker's life. The source material is great, and the performer is outstanding; it is just a few tweaks to the text from my perspective. 

It sold out on opening, so make sure to get there early if you want to buy tickets, it will keep selling out. 

review. Otto & Astrid Eurosmash @ Winnipeg Fringe

What fun! Brother and Sister duo Otto and Astrid are back again. I'd encountered them in short outdoor stage performances but hadn't before caught the full act, so was excited to finally see them fully in action. The new show centres around their new dance hits they've written to make some money after their failed art rock album. The pair banter hilariously throughout, but the show really picks up when they perform the rock opera telling the tale of their rise from orphans living in a squat in Berlin to international "superstars". Loads of physical comedy highlights throughout, and of course, some damn good music (with questionable lyrics). 

Definitely worth seeing, loads of fun and a great night out; but get your tickets early. 

review. Almost A Stepmom @ Winnipeg Fringe

Writer and performer Keara Barnes shares a deeply personal story in her one woman show Almost A Stepmom. Embodying a total of 5 (five!!) characters with distinct voice and physicality, she shares her true life experiences of moving to Ireland and falling in love. Her work as an actor is really great, however despite a great story, the script itself feels a touch over-written, and could benefit from a bit more simplicity in the telling of it. The show falls in the trap of the one-person performance where the actor moves in physical spaces back and forth to talk to themselves, which is really too bad; the material, and the performer are stronger than that. Toward the end of the play, Barnes' writing shifts stylistically to us hearing only half a conversation, and smoother transitions between characters, and that is when it really begins to work. 

Overall a strong performer, and good story, but it could use a bit of direction and dramaturgy. 

thoughts. Ghosts

It isn't like I'm not used to the ghosts that live inside plays. Ghosts of previous productions, and even ghosts of our social interaction with plays. Hell, my MA thesis was a performance of the ghosts that stop us from understanding Sophocles' Antigone. But there is something different about 4.48 Psychosis; it is the ghost of Sarah herself, and more importantly, the ghost of her suicide before the play premiered that permeate the pages, and the reception, and the reviews. it is almost impossible to find a review of the play that doesn't talk about it, and ours have been no different.

And yet I believe that the play is so much more than Sarah's suicide note. The density of the language, the cyclical references, the images and ideas that later become words; each breath, space, and sound so specifically chosen to achieve a specific artistic result. Our work on the play has been filled with discovery of just how intricate the text really is, and the result has been a production which is about the audience feeling things, not the actor. The production creates a space in which we ask the audience members to exist within this mind, amongst these bewildered fragments, for a short period of time, and demand that they empathize with how challenging this must be to deal with on your own, in hope that this will help begin to break down the stigma of mental health and open up our ability to talk to one another about the way we're feeling. 

It isn't easy watching, and we are fully prepared that for some audience members, it may be overwhelming. This is okay. We aren't offended if you feel you need to leave. In fact, we're deeply honoured that our work is able to move people, and hope that you will take advantage of one of the support networks listed in our program for Toronto or Winnipeg, or that you'll reach out to your own support system. 

No one has perfect mental health. The sooner we all admit to ourselves that our mental state does not define us any more than a physical state does, the sooner we can all begin to properly help one another move forward. 

I believe that Sarah left us this play unaware that it would be her last. It is unfortunate that it was, but we should not read 4.48 Psychosis as an intentional final note to the symphony. It is one of many movements, and the symphony is left unfinished.  We feel her humour, her power, her life force every day when the words are spoken aloud. 

'Please open the curtains.' 

[4.48 Psychosis has 2 more Toronto Shows - July 14 at 5:15pm and July 15 at 2:45pm, then moves to Winnipeg from July 19-30. Full show times and ticket links available at www.theatrebytheriver.com. Thank you to all who have joined us to listen, share, and think so far.]

review. Blink's Garden - Fat Blue productions @ Toronto Fringe (KIDS VENUE)

Blink's Garden is a charming and compelling story about a young girl's efforts to build a community. Performed primarily by children (with support from their adults) the show presents a lovely story about what happens when we feel "the grass is greener on the other side" and the lessons we learn. The story is told through music and song, which is beautifully rendered live on stage by a trio of musicians, with the whole cast singing beautiful harmonies. The staging is playful and lacks polish, but that is the essence of its charm; it is clearly several families coming together to tell a wonderful story. 

The Winnipeg-based company are here for their first Toronto Fringe, and this should definitely make your list for young theatre-goers; it will spark some great conversation with them afterward (which, after all, is the point of theatre!). Winnipeg readers, watch for them at Winnipeg Fringe, too! 

Check out their Facebook page for all remaining show dates and times in Winnipeg & Toronto. 

4.48 psychosis by Sarah Kane - Trailer

Beautiful trailer filmed and edited by Alana McNeill, with audio by John Norman. Featuring Elizabeth Whitbread. 

Catch us at Toronto Fringe July 5-15 and Winnipeg Fringe July 19-30.

processing 4.48

How does one approach a text as dense, poetic, emotionally charged, and seemingly disjointed as 4.48 Psychosis?  There is an energy seething through the text, and it would be very easy to rest on cliche or the first impression of the play. Sure, it is about a person experiencing psychotic episodes, but that feels entirely simplistic. What drives this person to act? What has sparked these experiences and thoughts? Most importantly, how can an actor justify an act which is so inconceivable to anyone not in a suicidal state? 

My wonderful collaborator, Liz Whitbred, and I began to meet back in April. We met once or twice a week, simply to read and talk about the play. At times, our sound designer, John Norman joined us as well. The goal of these sessions was to start from a purely academic standpoint, to unearth what exactly is going on in this play. This would enable us to approach it on its own terms, without imposition. It was a tough go at first, with more questions than answers, but as we continued reading, and discussing, questioning and analyzing, the clear story of this individual's experiences came to life, and the narrative of the play became apparent. That isn't to say that I think we've discovered  the "Right" way to tell this story, but we have found a way that speaks to us, and that we hope will speak to audiences. 

So, since April, we have primarily met sitting down, reading the words of the play, and really allowing the thoughts to inhabit Liz' mind and body. We embark Sunday on creating the physical and choreographed landscape of the play, which we've almost entirely avoided to this point. Our highly academic approach may seem unusual (and counter to what many other directors may do) however in order to make sense of the text, and ensure no imposition, we felt it useful. Once analysis was done, we simply read the script over and over again, and began replacing live voices with those which would be recorded. We tried reading in public spaces and private ones, which really called to light moments in the text where she is crossing a line, and often when she is choosing to do so. 

And now, we will create the physical score and add it all together. We have the voices recorded, and the brilliant John Norman is piecing the final audio score together for us while we create the physical score. 

More to come as we begin to sew the pieces together!