What am I reading?

Google reader has created a handy little thing called "bundling." It allows you to gather all the feeds you subscribe to on a specific subject and e-mail that list to others so that they can also subscribe.

This afternoon Travis Bedard and I shared our collective theatre blog (and related) feeds and now, for your reading pleasure, I post this link to the 258 theatre blogs that we have found to read between the two of us.

On Stage This Week

Now that my show is up and running I've finally had a chance to get back into the audience and enjoy the work of others. I've seen two shows this week and both of them close this coming weekend, so if you haven't already seen 36 Views and Antigone Undone, now is the time to do so.

36 Views (playing at the Jericho Arts Center) has gotten stellar reviews across the board in its run, both from critics and audience members. Michael Kopsa is pitch perfect as Darius Wheeler, the somewhat shady art dealer and the use of projection with the design is beautiful. I know that in the first few weeks of their run they struggled with very low attendance, but they close this Saturday, so please go see it!

Antigone Undone (playing at the Russian Hall) has also gotten very positive reviews, but is a completely different experience than 36 Views. Seated on swivel chairs in a pit, the audience is surrounded by action: choreographed to 67 minutes of music/sound & projections. The story certainly branches off from the traditional story of Antingone, but what else would you expect from Leaky Heaven? This show closes on Sunday and seating is limited!

You Still Can't Video

You Still Can't, my current show at Pacific Theatre, opened this past Friday night. Today I give to you a two and a half minute video of a scene in act 2 where you get just a hint of the insanity of this show: Disney! Politics! Furniture! Groceries!



Video featuring Alexandra Voicu, Debra Sears, Christie Maxson & Shalyn McFaul

2008/2009 Jessie Nominations

This afternoon I attended the Jessie Nominations Party. It was the second year that I've gone, and I go because its much more fun to hear them read of the list of shows nominated (and sit in my seat playing the "I did see that, didn't I?" game) than it is to read them on the internet later.

A few of my favorite moments:

- The announcers did not know how to pronounce ITSAZOO when announcing their nomination for Costume Design (Small Theatre)

- Celebrating with cast and designers I've worked with over the past two years on their nominations: Ron Reed (nominated for Best Supporting Actor, small theatre), Hamza Adams (nominated for Significant Artistic Achievement - Ensemble Cast, TYA), Drew Facey (2 nominations), Julia Mackey (nominated for Best Actress, small theatre) & Duncan Fraser (nominated for Best Actor, large theatre)

- Meeting @kenjimaeda in person (and on a day he got nominated!)

- Eating cherry tomatos stuffed with bacon?

I really enoyed my time this afternoon but there were a few things that kind of made me go "hmm....."

- For all of Bard on the Beach's 19 nominations, 15 were for the studio stage shows and 4 were for the mainstage.

- Ruby Slippers' Life Savers, which I thought was okay, but didn't love (which seems to be a common response from people I know who saw the show, and the critics) got 7 nominations across disciplines, the second highest in the small theatre category. I didn't think it was that amazing.

- I spent much of the reception recognizing people and then playing the "I think I know who you are" game in my head, but not actually interacting with most of them. Makes me think that Vancouver Theatre needs more social events for folks in the industry to get to know one another.

To see a full list of nominees, visit www.jessies.ca.

Where Have I Been Hiding?

You may have noticed that I haven't written anything in a couple of weeks. Why? Well, I've been in the midst of getting my current show up on its feet. We are in the midst of tech crazyness, but our promotional stills came in today so I figured I'd take advantage of a free minute to post them up here.

Tiffany (Alexandra Voicu), Dave (Mack Gordon), & Sky (Katharine Gauthier)

Norman (Tim Bratton) & Grandpa Tony (Glen Pinchin)

Four Chances Left to see Stop Kiss!

"As undoubtedly Vancouver's hardest working actors on stage right now, the cast of Secretly Women Productions' Stop Kiss not only serve up a powerful and shockingly relevant piece but do so in the tiny confines of the Havana Theatre, on a shoe-string budget and no guarantees of even being paid for their efforts. And that is the real crime here as this is one show that queer and straight audiences alike should be flocking to see it. Not only because of the relevance to recent gay-bashings in Vancouver but because Director David C Jones has managed to illicit such incredible performances from his actors." - Mark Robbins, gayvancouver.net


Saturday night we had a packed house & we are expecting more of the same this week. If you are planning to see the show, but have not yet booked your tickets, stop reading this, pick up your phone, call 604-630-9051 & reserve now!

UPDATE: Check out the mini review from today's Vancouver Courier.

The "To See" List: May

I began April with lofty ambitions and plans to see many plays. Here we are now at the end of the month & I've found that I've failed. Of all the shows I planned to see, I've only seen two. (That said, I have tickets booked to see some of them in May). There have been a number of reasons for this apparent failure.

- One performance which I had tickets to was canceled.
- Volunteer shifts got bumped to May
- I agreed to take on another show (which was on my list to-see) and ended up rehearsing evenings when I'd otherwise have been seeing shows.
- On my rare nights off I was just too tired to go & see something else

Looking ahead to May I've made a new list of shows to see, but I've tried to be a bit more realistic about what I can fit in to my schedule.

That said, here's the list of shows for May:

-John & Beatrice (Pi theatre at the PAL theatre)[attending opening: Weds, May6th]
-Secret World of Og (Carousel theatre at Waterfront theatre) [volunteering Fri, May 8th]
-Dying City (at Little Mountain Studios)
-Les Miserable (Arts Club Theatre at Stanley stage)
-Palace of the End (Touchstone Theatre, Felix Culpa, & Horseshoes and Hand Grenades at PAL)
-36 Views (Tempus Theatre at Jericho Arts Centre)
-Fat Pig (Mitch & Murray Equity Co-op at Performance Works)

Got any other shows you think I should be checking out? Tell me about them in the comments. And if you see me at a show, come say hi!

The Value of To-Do Lists

If lateness is one of my least favorite things, then to do lists are one of my favorite things. I make them everywhere: on napkins, on my computer, on scraps of paper, on the back of my hand... anywhere. My new computer has a great to do list template that you fill in, but it has boxes to check off as things are completed. (See photo at left.) Riding the bus to work in the morning, I can often be found making a list of all the things I intend to accomplish that day.

There are 3 main reasons that I love to do lists:

#1 - When there is a lot to do, a list is more reliable than my brain. This is entirely practical: when I have a lot going on (for example two shows, a job hunt, & a blog to maintain), writing things down is a sure way to remember that they need to be done. I have a pretty great memory for the most part, but ensuring that nothing is missed or forgotten is a key part of my job as a stage manager.

#2- They are a great way to proactively procrastinate. In putting off things I don't want to do, making a list of things I need to do is great. It allows more to still be doing something useful while procrastinating. This was one of the most valuable things I learned in university!

#3- There is nothing as satisfying as looking at a list with every single item crossed off. (confession: I have been known to put things I've already done onto my list, just so I can cross them off.) The sense of accomplishment that accompanies a list with every item finished is fantastic.

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One of my best tools for list making is this note pad from knock knock Novelties.

Friday Arts Quotes: Stop Kiss Edition

From the producers notes in the program for Stop Kiss (opens tonight @ the Havana)

"This play struck a cord with our hearts & simultaneously an innocent face was struck in the city. With that in mind we decided this story needed to be told. It's a love story. Simple as that. Too often we hear of hate crimes that happen & all we focus on is the hate. We world like for you to sit back in this dark space & let us remind you of someone you love, that loves you back... just the way you are."

Timeliness is Next to Godliness

In her recent blog post on auditioning tips, Sabrina Everett gives her number 1 tip:

SHOW UP ON TIME. Seriously. If you can’t show up to an audition on time, what makes me think that you will show up to rehearsals on time? Please don’t waste my time (or anyone else’s for that matter).

And in her discussion of professionalism, BFG85 says:

You know, one really valuable lesson I learned at NYU that I'm fairly certain is taught at all theatre schools is that "early is on time and on time is late." Heck, even Strasberg got that one right. No one likes having their time wasted. This one goes both ways, I don't care who you think you are.

It seems like lateness is a big problem in indie/semi-professional theatre (I can't speak to the large houses, perhaps someone can comment below). As a stage manger, lateness is my biggest pet-peeve. Sometimes, it can arise from miscommunication or misunderstanding of schedules, but more often than not it is something that can be avoided. And must be.

I once had a cast member who was reliant on carpooling to get to rehearsal as she didn't have a vehicle of her own, and she lived over an hour away. When she slept in one morning because she forgot to set her alarm clock, not only had she missed her carpool, but it would now take her almost three hours to get to rehearsal on public transit. With a cast of 15 waiting to work and having to change their plans because of her, the decision to sleep an extra 20 minutes ended up costing a loss of 54-human hours or over 2 days of work (15 cast + 1 director +1 SM + 1 ASM x 3 hours). That is unacceptable.

When you are joining a show for the first time I'd advise planning a route and figuring out how much time it will take according to google maps (or google transit if you are taking the bus). But then add half an hour to that. That will give you a chance to see how long it actually takes you. And then based on that new information, still leave 10 minutes before you think you have to. It is always better to be at the theatre 10 minutes ahead of when you intended than it is to be late because traffic was more backed up than you expected or one bus was full and left you on the side of the road.

I am at the rehearsal hall an hour early getting things set up so that you can do your job. You being 15 minutes late matters. Be on time. Or, as Travis says, PUPPIES DIE.