Mental Health Day in Jasper

Well, the Edmonton Fringe was alright after all. Though I haven't added up my final numbers, I don't think I ended up losing any money though I didn't make as much as I did last year. I also closed the show to my biggest house of the festival, filled with an incredibly appreciative crowd of Roller Derby players, including the famed "Roxy Balboa" & "Justin (now going by Dixon) Cider". That said, knowing that we would have a brief window between the close of the Edmonton Fringe and the mid-week preview night in Victoria, I decided the best thing for us was to take a mental health day. And since I had heard amazing things about Jasper, but had never been, I knew that was exactly where I wanted to go. So, after dropping off the fabulous Randi, who joined us in Calgary and followed us to Edmonton to work on the documentary, and Cory's always awesome heterosexual lifemate Tony at the airport for 5 a.m., I packed up the car and a few hours later we were on our way to the mountains.

Now, a "mental health day" should entail no work being done whatsoever, but of course that didn't happen. On our way, we stopped a few times to film some more footage for our Hunt Club Volkswagen Road Trip Diaries, there were plenty of discussions about what/who to film in Victoria and we've started talking about post-production & distribution of the film. But when the scenery around you is so beautiful, is it still really work?

Cory and Natalie had no idea where we would be staying because I wanted to surprise them. Weeks ago I decided I would splurge a bit and ended up with a great deal on a room at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Of course, we couldn't tell anyone Cory was with us, since there was an extra charge for an additional person in the room.

The Lodge was, of course, pretty fantastic. We went swimming in their heated outdoor pool, had a great dinner and enjoyed some free smores by a campfire. It was everything I needed to relax.

The next day we woke up early, said goodbye to our awesome room and made it to Victoria in good time. For the first time, we were all being billeted separately, but fortunately all our places turned out to be really nice. Cory headed off to pick up his girlfriend (and my assistant) Emily from the airport while Natalie and I got ready for preview night.

And the next chapter of our journey continues in Victoria...

Edmonton Fringe Struggles

Last year, producing a show at the Edmonton Fringe Festival was challenging. I'm not afraid of a challenge. I know if I work hard, I can make it happen. And I did. This year, on the other hand, has been downright difficult. Attendance for my show is low, some of the lowest I've had on the circuit, and I'm not sure I'm even going to break even in this town. It was probably naive to think that the high I was riding from Toronto and Winnipeg would continue in Edmonton, but I figure I would probably do as well as I did last year, if not better. All this has left me, and many others, feeling pretty Fringed and Confused. I know there may be a few reasons behind this. For instance, although I absolutely love my venue, it is located in the French Quarters, which is approximately a 25 minute walk from the main Fringe grounds. That may not seem like that much (and trust me, it isn't) but when you can choose a show located a few feet from where you are standing and one that involves a bit of walking... Well, I know which one I would choose. Also, though I don't have an official confirmation on this, I've heard that the festival has almost 30 extra shows this year as opposed to the last, which definitely could have an impact. Of course, this is also my second year in a row in town with what could be considered the "same" show. I'm thrilled some folks have decided to see the show twice, but with the number of shows to see, I completely understand if people want to see something new - even though I still consider this a fairly new version of the play. And finally, as much as I hate to admit it, the reviews stars do matter. Though the reviews for Roller Derby Saved My Soul have been amazing, for some reason the stars don't seem to match up. In fact, in some publications, the review is actually worse than the one from last year, even though my show is, arguably better than it was. But reviews are a post for another day.

Now, if you know me, you know that I have still been working my butt off to promote the show. I've been flyering a good 4 hours a day almost every day on roller skates no less, but I've noticed only a slight jump (approximately 10 new people) in ticket sales every time I do. This leads to many a frustrated feeling, including creeping doubts that maybe the show just isn't that good... Not true, I know, but it can be hard not to take it personally.

In the past few days, I've been actively working at changing my mentality about everything and looking for all the things that make me happy to be at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival. So, without further ado, I am grateful for the following:

• My billet's incredible home, which she is letting us housesit until Saturday. I sleep in my own bed, have access to a great vinyl collection and there's a hot tub!
• Skating everywhere I go - for the first time ever I have officially become and outdoor skater. My billet's place is approximately 10 minutes in either direction from both the main Fringe grounds and my venue. It's been a little scary thanks to the shoddy pavement in some areas, but such a thrill to be arriving at the festival on wheels.
• The poutine at Cafe Bicyclette is to DIE for and worth the trip out there alone. I would have posted a picture but I wolfed it down too fast.
• The French media has been incredible supportive of the show in the last few days with interviews for Le Franco and Le Cafe Show (Radio-Canada).
• My incredible Fringe family for their constant love, support and commiseration. Special shout-outs to Christine Lesiak, Jeff Leard and Gemme Wilcox who are also in my venue.

There are still 3 performances of Roller Derby Saved My Soul left. Please help me make them the best ones yet!

Use the Space, Luke

This post contains spoilers for Roller Derby Saved My Soul. Guys. I love my venue at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Venue 48 - Rutherford School in the French Quarter is a school gymnasium converted into a proper theatre space. I always love performing Roller Derby Saved My Soul in gyms - as I learned last year in the King Edward School - because it adds this extra layer of ambiance to a sports show. Dare I say, it makes it almost site-specific. And I love me some site specific.

So what do you do with a site-specific show? You use the space. I am at floor level and the audience is on risers. This gives me plenty of room to skate around, not only the stage, but around the audience as well. I found a perfect moment in the show to use it.

But doing a show in an old building isn't all tricks and turns. There is, unfortunately, no air conditioning so the venue gets pretty warm. I was dripping buckets by the time I was done today. So, I had an idea, a way to use the venue to connect with my audience some more. Tomorrow, before my next show, I will be buying a case of water and passing it around for Roxanne so anyone who wants to can both play along and cool down. I'm excited to try something new.

Why don't you come play with me?

Are You Ready For This? No, Not Really.

Holy shit. It's mid-August already? After the sheer busy-ness that was the Winnipeg Fringe, Calgary was a much welcome breather. Calgary was probably my smallest festival on the circuit; only 27 shows and nothing starting before 5pm on weekdays. The staff/volunteers are amazing, I met some incredible roller derby peeps and I even had a great opportunity to perform a one-night only in Cochrane. I also got my weakest reviews for the show from the mainstream print media and the rest of my houses were definitely on the smaller side of what I was used to. That said, I did sell out one performance in a 116 seat venue, got a lovely 5 star review from a local blogger, and met up with some local producers who might want to bring in the show next year. So, all in all, the experience was a positive one.

Plus, I got to spend a day in Banff where apparently my ass has never looked better in shorts.

But the adventure continues and after a 3 hour drive, we find ourselves in Edmonton, days before the biggest festival on the circuit. And I... don't feel ready one bit. I feel like I've missed important deadlines, I've got no media coverage whatsoever and my posters and flyers aren't ready yet.

I'm incredibly grateful for my beautiful billet's home, which is offering me an oasis in what I'm building up to be a giant storm. I need to remember to breathe, to stay healthy, and to have fun. I think that last one is the most important one for me right now. This thing I'm doing? These people I'm seeing? This is fun.

If you see me around this week, just remind me of that once in a while, ok?

Ready... Set... Fringe!

Halifax: You Should Go!

Prior to leaving the Edmonton Fringe Festival, a lot of fellow Fringers told me they were looking forward to hearing all about the elusive Atlantic Fringe Festival in Halifax. Probably due to the fact that the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit tends to push west instead of east and travel costs being astronomical at times in this country, it isn't quite on most producers' radars. Quite the feat for a festival that's been around for 23 years now. Here's hoping I can shed some light on this one for you. So should you do the Atlantic Fringe Festival? Short answer: Yes. Yes, you damn-well should.

A few years ago, from the rumblings I heard among many Fringe performers, the Atlantic Fringe seemed to be a bit of a mess. But over the past few years, a new team moved in and, in my opinion, has really made this a festival to be proud of.

Numbers

Let's start with the numbers. Since it's my hometown Fringe, I found it easy to compare the festivals in Ottawa and Halifax. Both festivals had over 50 productions and a similar number of venues (9 for Halifax, 13 for Ottawa). According to the Ottawa Fringe Festival, this was a landmark year for the festival. Overall attendance was 13,500 (growing from 12,100 in 2012) and over $90,000 paid to artists. For the Atlantic Fringe, attendance was a record-breaking 11,600 (an increase of 24% since last year) and $68,727 was paid out to the artists. Though that may seem like a fairly big discrepancy in payout numbers, it should be noted that almost all shows in Ottawa go for $10, whereas some shorter shows in Halifax went for $4 to $8 (I charged the typical $10 for mine). Oh and when it comes to festival fees, the Atlantic Fringe has some of the cheapest on the circuit and they are based on how you customize your production. You get to choose everything from ticket price ($1 to $10), number of performances & number of seats in your venue.  Name me one other Fringe that would let me do 9 performances in a 70 seat venue at $10 per person for under $600.

Oh and at this festival, not only to artists get to see all the shows for free, but the Fringe will actually give the producing company half the ticket value for that seat. So for every artist that saw my show, I got $5. This is an incredible perk!

Reviews

I'll be honest, when the festival first began, I was worried. The Fringe preview/media call was at 7 pm and I was one of 4 shows opening that night at 8pm. For my very first show, I had about a dozen people in attendance: my mom & 3 family members, 3 media/jurors, two people I didn't know who bought tickets, a couple of artists and my volunteer. And that first weekend, the numbers didn't increase all that much. But I lucked out with that first show with media in attendance. I had two solid reviews come out early during the festival. And here's the thing you are guaranteed 2 and could have up to 4 reviews during the run. I got 3. I also want to give a huge shout-out to Amanda Campbell & Kate Watson from The Way I See It Theatre Blog & the Halifax Coast, respectively. They saw and wrote about every. single. show at the Atlantic Fringe. Most festivals require an entire team of reviewers, but these ladies did it all on their own for their respective publications. And somehow, even with their busy (some might say "insane") schedule, they managed to be some of the most positive and gracious people I ever met on the circuit.

Techs

I was worried going in. In every other city, I had two people running my show. One did lights, the other sound. In Montreal, the venue had one technician, but a friend set me up with a stage manager. In Edmonton, you get two techs per venue. Going in to Halifax, I made a mad search for a stage manager, but couldn't find anyone. I contacted the Fringe's technical director and asked him if he thought my venue tech would be able to handle two jobs. He said yes and I headed in, still hanging on to some minor trepidations. I was worried for nothing because my technician at the Museum of Natural History was absolutely brilliant! Calm, professional and tons of fun, Ben would often have my floor taped before I'd even arrive for my call, giving me plenty of time to set up props and check my gear. Honestly, I'd have no problem seeing him right at home as a roadie for a major rock band, because he has that rock n roll spirit at heart. A special shoutout also goes out to Sean in the adjoining venue for saving my show with his MacBook when I forgot mine that one night... (Yes, again.)

Posters and Flyers

For Edmonton, I had 100 posters and 1000 flyers. There I went through all of my flyers and probably could have managed another 500, but posters were another story. Since my posters arrived late, most spaces around the fringe were already occupied and fading into a background of over-saturation. I was lucky to get through 50. Instead of printing up what was left, I brought the leftovers with me to Halifax. The thing is, I could have used more. Turns out you can poster all over the utility poles in town. And trust me, there are a lot of utility poles. Bring a staple gun.

Though surprised at first, most Atlantic Fringe patrons were more than happy to be flyered. I printed 500, which was enough. And yes, flyering totally works in Halifax! For example, I had two people who sat in the front row of my show and absolutely loved it. They came to see me after and told me how happy they were to have run into me earlier in the day. I also made a point of flyering the often sold out line-up of Once More With Feeling (aka the Buffy Musical) since my show revolves around a Buffy fan. I can honestly say I've had nothing but positive experiences flyering at the Atlantic Fringe. Many locals were actually very impressed with my constant hustle.

The Locals

I met some really great people at the Atlantic Fringe. I do want to say thank you to my front of house manager, April, who is a board member and was on the job for the entire run of the festival. I also have to say that the Fringe is very lucky to have Board Chair, Kevin Kindred. This guy was absolutely everywhere! From hosting the opening/closing festivities, as well as the late-night talk show, to attending about 75% of all the productions, volunteering at front of house, participating in the Panel Show, and just making all of us touring performers feel welcome, this guy was beyond amazing. The perfect artist liaison! Oh and I think he also had a full-time job as a lawyer somewhere in there... Seriously, Atlantic Fringe, whatever you do in the coming years DO NOT LOSE THIS GUY!

Overall

My quibbles were minor. Both venues at the Museum of Natural History had shows scheduled at the same time, which was unfortunate since you could hear what was going on in the other room through the door. If this space is used again in the future, I would recommend alternating the schedule. I would also suggest having some sort of festival bar space. I loved the lobby at the Bus Stop Theatre. It was cozy and offered the perfect environment to drink and chat.  If they could get a liquor license that allows them to sell alcohol all the time, instead of simply a half hour before and after shows, you could really have something there.

You can tell the board and staff really care about making this festival the best it can be. When they seemed to have run out of volunteers on a certain day, everyone pitched in. Even Festival Director Thom Fizgerald, who was probably beyond busy, found himself selling tickets at the door. It was pretty awesome to see.

Atlantic Fringe Festival - ****

;)

Edmonton Fringe Wrap-up

 

I must apologize for the lack of blog posts lately, but the Edmonton International Fringe Festival can quickly become all-consuming. First of all, unlike Ottawa or the upcoming Atlantic Fringe Festival, performances begin at noon every single day, which means you often need to be out on the Fringe grounds early if you want to catch a crowd and let them know why they should come and see your show. Somehow with all this work, I also managed to catch 18 shows.

But now that it's over... Gosh. What an experience!

Touring a solo show is, as you might expect, lonely work. Often, I found myself wishing I had a stage manager traveling with me, not because my technicians weren't great (in fact they were stellar!), but both for the company and the extra help. The number of times I've gone rushing off to buy more floor tape or popcorn prop at the last minute because my brain was occupied with other things... Let's be honest, the craziness of opening day never really went away.

Unfortunately, though I made more money at this particular festival than at any other so far, it is definitely not financially viable for me to bring an extra person with me. Not unless it was on someone else's dime.

That said, I love this show and the Fringe so very much. This is hard work for little money and sometimes it does get to the point where I wonder why I am even doing this. But I am living a pretty charmed life. I get to travel and put on shows. I've created a family for myself on this circuit. A rag-tag bunch of people who care for and support each other, often upon the first meeting. We celebrate each other's successes and commiserate in each other's sorrows because we've been there. These are some of the most creative, talented and driven people I have ever met. I love and trust them unconditionally.

I also learned a lot at this festival:

• I am great a flyering line-ups. It's hard, gruelling work at times, but I am really good at talking to people and letting my passion shine through. Oh and it looks pretty awesome when I do it on roller skates. One performer actually stopped me after witnessing me flyer to say "Damn you. Damn you and your charming ways. You just totally charmed that couple. I saw it." I strongly believe that the three hours I spent flyering on the last day of Fringe was a big factor in my sold out show.
• Star ratings matter and the Edmonton Journal review matters the most. I know we all like to think that people are open-minded and reviews don't matter, but when there are over 200 shows at a festival, audiences need some kind of guidance. Unfortunately, although I got 4 star reviews from both Vue Weekly and Global TV, I got 3.5 from the Edmonton Journal. Now 3.5 is not bad and if you actually take the time to read the review, you see that it is incredibly positive (to the point where I wonder how I got 3.5). But there is an abundance of 4, 4.5 & 5 star reviews out there too. 3.5 puts you in the middle of the pack. And every day, the Journal releases a list with just the stars up to that point and no reviews. I've seen many people in line with this list, waiting to get tickets at the box office for the 4 and up stuff with no idea what they were about to see. I've witnessed conversations where folks chose one show above another based solely on the higher star rating. It's not exactly fair, since this is one person's opinion, but there you have it. I guarantee you that that little .5 cost me at least $500 in revenue.
• My new sound design is awesome: It's sexy and polished and really brings the show to another level. A huge thanks to Steven Lafond for that one.
• For someone who has never ever been to the Edmonton Fringe before, I did really well. I have to remember that. My lowest attended show was about 60 people on a Monday at 11pm. Most of the time I averaged 75 and up. I know lots of folks who played to houses of 10 or less.
• I did not budget for taxis. The Edmonton Fringe gives a free bus pass to performers and volunteers. Awesome! Unfortunately, the bus schedule isn't the best during the day and almost non-existant at night. I found myself taking a lot of taxis, which quickly added up.
• The roller derby community really loves this show: I received a ton of great support from the Edmonton roller derby community. They skated with me in the parade, flyered the fringe grounds on roller skates, handed out programs, sold my merch, and came to see the show. I also got reacquainted and received a lot of support from the incredible Hoochie Mama who runs Bad Girlfriend Skates. She sponsored some of my new gear for the show (including outdoor skating wheels), got me some new merch to sell, and made me a mean BBQ dinner. She's actually the reason this show exists in the first place when, way back in 2009, she allowed me to sit in on one of the first Canadian Roller Derby Bootcamps for research purposes. Many of the stories I collected that weekend are still in the show today.
• I need to remember to take breaks and go easy on myself. Often I would get so busy flyering, I would forget to eat. Then I'd eat, but I'd feel guilty if I let a line-up go by. I'd start losing my voice from talking so much, which is terrible when you still have a show to do, and I realized that if I burn out then my entire reason for being here goes out the window.
• Roller Derby Saved My Soul is becoming its own entity. I've hired people to work on a web design, film/edit a new archival video, create a show trailer, ect. Most of my extra money from Edmonton will be going to all these upgrades, which I hope will lead to... what exactly? I need to start making goals/decisions as to what I want to see happen next.

Every festival is different. These are just a couple thoughts that have come to mind while I'm at the airport on my way to Halifax. Who knows what awaits me there?

A Day in the Life of an Edmonton Fringe Performer

Opening day for Roller Derby Saved My Soul *Please note that this probably isn't a typical Fringe performer day. Most performers wouldn't be caught dead waking up at this hour.

7:30 a.m. - alarm rings but I don't hear it

8:30 a.m. - wake up thanks to the sun and have a minor freak out because I missed my alarm

9:00 a.m. - make breakfast for the billets while they double-check my show programs

9:30 a.m. - write part two of my Edmonton Fringe MUST-SEE list, send program to printers, double-check show sound design on my computer, run lines, review choreography

12:30 p.m. - wonder why I'm getting hungry again because I just ate 3 hours ago... oh

12:45 p.m. - coffee instead of lunch

1:00 p.m. - shower

1:15 p.m. - pack my bag for the show tonight: costume skirt, shoes, shorts, t-shirt, socks. Mental note  to buy prop popcorn & booze bottle later today. More flyers and posters. I think I have everything.

2:00 p.m. - waiting for a bus to Fringe grounds. Yay, free bus pass!

2:15 p.m. - still waiting...

2:30 p.m. - ZOMG where is the f'n bus?!?

2:35 p.m. - finally!

2:55 p.m. - quick bite with Tara Travis of Til' Death

3: 15 p.m. - pick up programs and get some actor coaching on character transitions in my show from the divine Ms. Travis

3:45 p.m. - put on roller derby skates and flyer the main fringe box office. Try not to check ticket sales every five minutes

3:50 p.m. - check ticket sales

5:30 p.m. - feeling tired from all the skating and flyering. Meet with Emily Pearlman of Countries Shaped Like Stars. She walks with me to the Liquor Depot to pick up what I will use as a prop bottle in the show.

6:00 p.m. - back at main box office, transfer alcohol out of the bottle, put skates back on and continue flyering

7:00 p.m. - losing my voice, realize I haven't eaten in a while, still 30 tickets available for tonight's show, haven't changed my outdoor wheels to show wheels yet, start shaking... maybe I should stop flyering now. Text message to director: Would you be mad if I stopped flyering?

7:15 p.m. - eat protein bar, change into costume, change wheels

8:00 p.m. - walk half a kilometre to the venue, in costume, dragging two suitcases, a backpack and an additional bag

8:05 p.m. - greet venue tech who says I can't go in until 8:30. No problem! Flyer folks leaving previous show.

8:10 p.m. - realize I forgot to get popcorn. FUCK! Drop everything in front of theatre door and run back to fringe grounds. Cut through a family photo taken in a park, run across the street, jump over train tracks, pass the living statues, through crowd trying to watch the buskers, mumble words of missing props to passing fringe performers who ask where I'm going in such a rush

8:15 p.m. - cut in line in front of a small child in order to get popcorn

8:20 p.m. - run back

8:25 p.m. - arrive at venue, sweating and panting

8:30 p.m. - technician lets me in having no idea what just happened.

8:31 p.m. - chuckle at the opening night "catastrophe" together. Hey, it could have been worse. I could have forgotten my laptop with all the sound cues on it.

8:32 p.m. - realize I forgot my laptop with all the sound cues on it. FUCK! Call billet in a panic.

8:33 p.m. - billet picks up the phone and I blurt out the problem. He's not home and tells the people around him what happened. I try not to yell "Please stop explaining and JUST GO!" He thinks he can get on his bike, go home, and come to the Fringe in enough time...

(Sidebar: Unbeknownst to me, billet was at a friends' home where said friends had just announced their upcoming nuptials in November. They had literally just all raised their glasses for a toast when I called. I ruined the toast and still they were kind enough to offer my billet a drive.)

8:35 p.m. - director texts me that of course I should stop flyering and eat something and sorry she didn't get back to me sooner. I call her back, put her speaker while I am setting up the stage for the show, and crazy laugh/cry at the situation. Venue techs continue being awesome. Local roller derby team volunteer arrives and is also awesome.

8:40 p.m. - billet texts that he has the laptop and is on his way

8:45 p.m. - laptop arrives just as doors are being opened for the audience

8:50 p.m. - we have sound!

8:55 p.m. - dance party backstage to pre-show music

9:00 p.m. - Roller Derby Saved My Soul opens at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival

10:00 p.m. - I need a drink.

************************************************************

Roller Derby Saved My Soul plays until August 25th at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Opening night was reviewed by Vue Weekly and received 4 stars. Get your tickets now!

Nancy's MUST-SEE List at the 2013 Edmonton Fringe (Part Deux)

Oh gosh! What a day yesterday! After running errands all day, I started flyering at around 2:00 p.m., took a brief dinner break and was off to meet local Edmonton derby players from the Oil City Derby Dolls and the Greater Edmonton Junior Roller Derby Association for the Fringe performer parade. Though the junior girls and I skipped the actual parade start which was covered in gravel and train tracks, massive props to the Oil City ladies for going through that anyway! These ladies were flyering machines! I think I might have given out over 400 flyers last night. And while I was already exhausted at this point, I still wanted to see two shows that night: Zack Adams: Zack to the Future and The Show Must Go On. Both shows were great (see them!), but I have to give a special shout-out to Jeff Leard from The Show Must Go On. A midnight show is a difficult thing to do under the best circumstances, but even with my level of exhaustion he had me completely captivated by his story and performance. And I thought a 2 week run of children's theatre was hard... After that though, I headed straight to billet's house to crash. This was Day 1 and I haven't even opened yet... oh boy!

Tonight though, tonight is my night. Tonight Roller Derby Saved My Soul opens at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival! Get your tickets now!

But back to the list. Yesterday, I put up Part 1 of what to see at this very big festival. On to Part 2:

First up, I realize that I forgot to include a show in my list "stuff I missed in Ottawa" so I want to give special mention to the lovely people of Matchstick. EVERYONE raved about this one and I can't believe it slipped my mind. So be sure to check that one out.

I've seen it and can't rave enough about it

Jake's Gift Have you not seen Jake's Gift yet? What are you waiting for? I saw it years ago at the Magnetic North Theatre Festival in the Canadian War Museum on D-Day surrounded by veterans. It's one of the most incredible pieces of theatre I've ever seen. When I plugged it in my Must-See List at the 2009 Winnipeg Fringe, I said "represents everything I adore about performance: a compelling story created with love and passion, told through very simple and truthful means".

Kuwaiti Moonshine Caught this one while performing at Zoofest in Montreal earlier this summer. A very cool story!

Bursting Into Flames Almost forgot to add this one, not because it isn't a good show, but for some reason I always forget the name. Saw it in Toronto at the Fringe a few years back and it blew my mind... Ah yes, this must be why I always forget the title. As always, Martin Dockery is a phenomenal storyteller.

En français I want to give special recognition to the one French show at this year's festival. Go check out La cravate bleu. I've been told you also don't need to have a strong grasp of French to enjoy it. Take a chance!

The Buzz The Buzz The Buzz So many shows that I have heard about; so many incredible performers I want to see again, some more, for the first time. Here's what's buzzing for me.

Circle Featuring the uber talented Christel Bartelse and boasting of a sold out-run at the Winnipeg Fringe this summer, tickets may go very fast for this one.

Complete History of the Moustache/(How I learned to love the moustache) The title alone sells me on this one, but since it features the charming Kristian Reimer that just seals the deal.

Forget Me Not Rob Gee sold out his first show last night. Rob Gee is wonderful and sells out everywhere. There's a reason for this.

From the Prairies, with Love & The Medicine Show Both shows involve the beautiful & multi-talented Sharon Nowlan, as well as Paul Hutcheson & Chris Bange, respectively. Burlesque, magic, vaudeville, cabaret... something for everyone in these.

Gibberish Chris Gibbs. That's all you need to know. Seriously. Just buy the ticket now. The rest of this list can wait.

God Is A Scottish Drag Queen This show has serious pedigree and I have been dying to be in a city where it's been presented for so long now! Finally!

Grim and Fischer My Roller Derby Saved My Soul director told me that my life will be empty if I miss Grim and Fischer. A solid endorsement for a show with serious buzz.

Little Pussy I heard wonderful things about John Grady's Fear Factor: Canine Edition so I'm really looking forward to this one.

Nashville Hurricane ZOMG! Chase Padgett's new show! I missed 6 Guitars and I still regret it (though to be fair I missed it because it was sold out). I'm sure as hell not missing this one.

One-Man Star Wars I talk about Star Wars quite a bit in my show so this one is definitely at the top of my list. I've always been more Sci-Fi than Fantasy, but I'm guessing that his One-Man Lord of the Rings will be an equally good time.

Peter n Chris Explore their Bodies I've seen every single Peter n Chris show. This will be number 4. They are so awesome the Ottawa Fringe basically created the Outstanding Duo award simply because they exist.

Promise and Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austen I had said in Part 1 I wouldn't mention musicals, but I think I have to make an exception for this one-woman tour de force. A huge hit in Winnipeg and I've been looking forward to seeing Penny's work for a while now.

Radio: 30 I don't know much about this show except that it sold out at the Toronto Fringe and everyone I spoke to raved about it. Plus the premise sounds really interesting to me.

Weaksauce I've heard such great things about this one and it sounds like one that will tug at my dorky little heartstrings. Plus, I've really been enjoying his blog.

Yarn Storytelling with music is the pitch I've been hearing. Alex Eddington is an incredible talent, so this probably won't disappoint.

Happy Fringing Everyone!

*********************************************** Nancy Kenny's Roller Derby Saved My Soul opens tonight at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival and runs until August 25th.

Nancy's MUST-SEE List at the 2013 Edmonton Fringe (Part 1)

I am hours away from the launch of the 2013 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival and for once in my life I have nothing to worry about. Yes, there is still plenty of work to do, errands to do, lines to run, and choreography to attempt with new equipment, but everything has been going smoothly (QUICK: everyone knock on wood RIGHT NOW!) It's been so smooth that I've started worrying about how smooth it is. Advance ticket sales are going better than I could have imagined - I've already made back my festival fee - and the roller derby support in town has been incredible. Not only have I received some great sponsorship/help from Bad Girlfriend Skates in Sherwood Park, but members of all three Edmonton roller derby leagues, yes even the junior girls, will be joining me tonight for the Fringe Parade, which starts tonight at 7:30 p.m. near the Kids' Fringe. I cannot wait to try out these shiny new outdoor wheels of mine on the fringe grounds!

But enough about me (sort of). You're here for one reason and one reason only, to find out what you should be seeing at this year's Fringe (or to find out if I put your show on my list). With over 200 productions, that is no simple task. In fact, this festival is so big, I've had to break down my list into a few parts. Part 2 will come out later on.

This list is not the be all and end all of fringe lists and it is based solely on personal preference, what I've seen, and what I've heard about. What you will not find here: musicals, dance and improv. There are some really great acts at this years festival in all three of those categories, but I'm not the one to tell you about them. And I can guarantee that there are some amazing shows that I just don't know about yet. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comment section at the end.

First up: the Ottawa Connection!

When they think "Amazing Fringe Show", I'm not quite sure "Ottawa" comes to mind for the fine folks of Edmonton, but this year they are in for a treat. All the way from our Nation's Capital, you've got 3 (THREE!) incredible fringe shows, all with their own strong pedigree.

Roller Derby Saved My Soul Of course, you simply must see my show first. Not just tooting my own horn here when I say this show has been loved by everyone who's seen it. It's fun, it's lighthearted, I spend half the performance on roller skates. It speaks to that awkward and shy little guy hiding in all of us.But don't just take my word for it.

Countries Shaped Like Stars It's rare for me to see a show more than once, but I've seen Countries Shaped Like Stars three times already, I own the soundtrack and I would definitely go and see it again. Read my impressions after the first time I saw it.

RiderGirl One that I have not seen but that has been taking the Fringe circuit (and Rider Nation) by storm. I'm told you don't have to be a football fan to enjoy this one. Can't wait!

Up Next: the stuff I missed in Ottawa

The Ottawa Fringe Festival is it's own incredible thing. Unfortunately, this year I was incredibly busy and didn't get to see nearly as many shows as I would have liked to. Fortunately, many of these fine fine folks are here in Edmonton as well. These are all productions that had incredible buzz & sold out houses, so you might want to get your tickets now.

Ask Aggie: The Advice Diva How much do I love Christine Lesiak? She is an incredibly funny woman with a quick wit that is sure to make this show quite the experience. From what I've been told, audience members write down questions they want the "Advice Diva" to answer. So think up some good questions and meet me at the show!

Be A Man I was so hoping to see this one in Ottawa, but an accident marked an early end to the run. Fortunately, everyone is ok and the show is here in Edmonton. The preview I saw was incredibly funny and I can't wait to see more.

The Pit Unless you've been living under a rock where no Fringe or anything wonderful ever enters your life, you know who Martin Dockery is. Now he doubles the amazing with the lovely Vanessa Quesnelle. This show completely sold out in Ottawa, so you better start camping out for tickets now.

The Show Must Go On I saw a preview of this show in Ottawa and I was immediately hooked by Jeff Leard's storytelling abilities and character work. I've been dying to see the full performance ever since. I also hear he just got a 5 star review from the Calgary Herald which is pretty darn impressive.

Monster Shout-Out-Out-Out

Monster Theatre was my first introduction to the Fringe life with the Canada Show way back in 2002 and I have adored them ever since. This year Edmonton gets not one, not two, but THREE Monster productions and you should catch them all.

Assassinating Thomson Caught this one in Ottawa, got the painting from the show and I would definitely go and see it again. Bruce Horak is an incredibly charming & personable performer who mixes stories/coincidences from his life as a legally blind artist and the mystery of Tom Thomson's death. Oh and he happens to paint a portrait of the audience while he does it. Bonus: this one is also happening in my venue - Venue 4 Academy at King Edward School.

Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle Pub Honestly, if it wasn't a Monster Theatre show, the poster itself would have sold me on it.  It also brings together two of my favorite people: Ryan Gladstone and Jon Paterson. Not to be missed.

Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII Tara Travis wowed me when I first saw her in The Shakespeare Show. She's an absolute chameleon and this is one show that has been on the top of my list for a few years now. Another one that's been selling out all summer, so get your tickets ASAP.

Venue 4 - Academy at King Edward aka My Venue There are some great great shows happening in my venue. Along with Roller Derby Saved My Soul and Assassinating Thomson, I'm looking forward to the following:

Sex, Religion and Other Hang-ups James Gangel won last year's Canadian Comedy Award for Best Solo Show with this one and it is also directed by the fantastic Chris Gibbs. I've missed this show every time it played in Toronto so I was super excited to find it here.

Tap Me on the Shoulder Nerd girls unite!

Unpossible! Deep down, I'm still a dorky little kid who wants to believe in magic. Don't tell me how it's done, just make me believe. No pressure or anything.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this guide!

Welcome to Edmonton

After 3 nights and two days on the train, I arrived in Edmonton. My old Ottawa pal, Kris Joseph, was up bright and early to meet me. Since then I've had a lovely walking tour of the city and checked in to the Edmonton Fringe in order to get my artist package. I'm doing final tweaks on the sound and costume design, putting together the program, and successfully teched my show. In fact, I would like to give a huge shout out to my venue techs at Venue 4 - Academy at King Edward School for being so awesome.

But despite all that, I am stressing the hell out. My posters and flyers should have arrived last Friday. It is now Tuesday morning and, after multiple phone calls and "guarantees" from UPS, they still haven't arrived. I'm now wondering if I should wait longer or start calling local print shops to do a new batch, which is an expense that I haven't budgeted for. I think I could still do ok without the posters, especially since so many wall spaces around the festival grounds are already taken, but without flyers to promote the show... Is anyone going to come?

This is my first time at the Edmonton Fringe. Roller Derby Saved My Soul is a great show. I just want it all to go well, you know?

What Happens Now?

 Robert S. Donovan via Compfight

Most of the major Fringe Festival lotteries have come and gone and, after applying to Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton, I find myself only accepted into Edmonton. Now, don't get me wrong, I am absolutely thrilled to be taking part in this festival, but it does put a bit of a chink in my summer touring plans for Roller Derby Saved My Soul. I'm also a little nervous about showing up in Edmonton without any kind of advance summer press or reviews.

So what happens now?

Well, while there are still a few Fringe festivals I could apply for - currently debating between Victoria and the Atlantic Fringes; Victoria because it's close to Edmonton and doesn't overlap next year, and the Atlantic Fringe because it brings me closer to home - I've now been setting my sights on festivals and organizations outside the Fringe circuit.

I've got my own list going, and a few applications already in the mail, but this is a fairly new phenomenon for me, so if you have any thoughts or ideas please feel free to share them in the comment section.

We're Going to Edmonton!

Both the Edmonton & Toronto Fringe lotteries were held last night. I didn't get in to Toronto. In fact, much like that time I applied for Edmonton in 2008, I wasn't even selected for the wait-list. With 334 applications and only 53 spots for the Ontario 60 minute slots, the odds, as they say, were ever not in my favour. But Edmonton! Oh Edmonton! How you've decided to be good to me this year! Broken Turtle Productions' Roller Derby Saved My Soul was drawn 6th for the National list.

Getting into Edmonton means that I will definitely be applying for Winnipeg & Calgary Fringes now. Even if I don't get into those other two, Edmonton, who prides itself as the oldest, biggest, baddest Fringe on the Canadian circuit is still a totally viable one-off opportunity.

I've never participated in the Edmonton Fringe before and I can't help feeling a little scared about it all (see: oldest, biggest baddest Fringe comment). I just assume that their audience are these super Fringe connoisseurs who, unlike my über-connoisseur Fringe pal The Visitorium, won't be as enamored by my little show on roller skates. In my head they all wear monocles, look like the Monopoly guy & will tut tut at my Buffy the Vampire Slayer references. ("Do Edmontonians even know what comic books are?" says the girl from the Maritimes.)

Monocle via Compfight

Of course, deep down I know this is silly talk. After all, Edmonton is home to the deliciously named E-Ville Roller Derby League, as well as the Oil City Derby Girls, so you know there will be good company.

(Sidebar - True story for those who've seen the show: back when RDSMS was just an idea in the back of my head, I attended a Roller Derby boot camp in Red Deer, AB. Met a lot of cool cats from the prairies, including a lady with a sword tattooed on her chest. I really did tell her I didn't mean to stare at her boobs and she really did say "If I didn't want people to stare, I wouldn't have gotten one there.")

Paolo Marconi via Compfight

So, all in all, I am very excited for what's in store with #RDSMS. Fingers crossed that more festivals will be coming up as well!

Are You Ready for This?

A couple of days ago, mere hours before opening night, I get a call. "Can you be back in Ottawa on August 6th to meet with the Director of Photography of a major motion picture starring Elisabeth Shue in the hopes of getting a month-long job as a stand-in?"

Uh. Whaa?

This caught me a little off-guard.  Sure, I had heard that they needed experienced stand-ins, but since I was in Calgary, I never thought I would even be considered.

I had hoped The Last Goddamned Performance Piece would have been accepted into the Edmonton Fringe Festival, which would have kept me out West until at least August 22nd.  In between Calgary and Edmonton, I would have visited with my sister in Red Deer.

Since we didn't get into that festival and I had no return ticket home, I was still going to visit family and join the rest of my crew (who have now confirmed work with various other shows) in Edmonton for a bit.

But now?

I checked flight schedules. I called my mom.  I talked to my cast & crew.  If I leave right after our final (Goddamned) performance on Friday, I can just catch the last direct flight from Calgary to Ottawa.

I'm writing this from my sister's place in Red Deer.  I've used my one day off in Calgary to come down and visit her and her new baby.  I'll be heading back soon because I have a show to perform in tonight.

This feels so crazy sometimes, this business.  Can you be consistently available?  Can you drop everything and turn on a dime when a work opportunity presents itself?  I know I can.

Welcome to the wonderful life of an actor!

In other news, Ottawa, I'll see you soon!

It's Been A While...

... since my last blog post. 9 days. That's a while for me. I just haven't been in a good head and body space lately. I've talked about show withdrawal twice before. With the Fools show now closed, it hit me so much harder and longer than before that I figured it couldn't possibly be at the root of the issue. But looking back, I think it may very well have been. When you go from playing all day, everyday to sitting in an office, no matter how great that office job might be, you're going to get blue.

I got more than blue though. Only recently did someone point out that I was being downright nasty to myself. Not cool. Since then, I've been making a lot of positive changes and feeling better.

I'm trying to eat better and I've gotten back into my running routine.

I've also started rehearsals for the Calgary Fringe (with a potential stopover in Edmonton) and I'm excited to be starting rehearsals in Morrisburg on Tuesday for The Amorous Ambassador at the Upper Canada Playhouse.

My show in Morrisburg runs from June 10th to July 4th and we do 8 performances a week (Tues to Sat night & matiness on Wed, Sat & Sun). For those of you who know your Fringe dates, you realize that this means I am not doing a show at the Ottawa Fringe, nor will I be able to beat last year's record viewing of 35 shows (while using an additional 6 time slots to perform in one of my own) throughout the festival.

However, don't count me down and out just yet. I'll be billeting someone and plan on being at the beer tent every night after the show.

Oh... and you may want to keep Sunday, June 20th at 11 pm free for a specific Ottawa Fringe Festival show. Just saying. More details on that soon!

Still Think You're Funny?

It seems like ages now that I was at the Big Comedy Go-To in London (ON). I've been wanting to write a wrap up of the event but I dove right into a school tour with A Company of Fools (which just ended today and is the topic of another blog post) and simply did not have the time. If you want to catch up, you can read all about my first day at the festival here.

That Saturday I slept in for the first time in what felt like ages (even more so now that I've been getting up at 5:30-6 am because of the school shows). Something like 10 or 11. It was bliss. The friend I was staying with had left to go teach an improv class, so I went through my morning routine, grabbed some coffee he was kind enough to have made before heading out, wrote my blog post, and went out for some food.

At 4 pm, I was the first one in line for a panel discussion with many of the performers on what it's like to do what they do. I was so ahead of the pack that I actually helped with the chair set up.

I really enjoyed the panel and I'm glad it's become a regular occurrence at the festival. I don't know how non-artistic people find it, but for me, it makes me feel like I'm not alone. It makes me realize that even the amazing, wonderful, talented people out there who do all this super cool and funny stuff have the same doubts and fears and small bank accounts I do. I had taken some really great notes of this discussion, but unfortunately since my phone was stolen (I've now had it returned, minus the SIM card and everything saved on it), I've lost everything I had jotted down.

Sigh.

Just know that I found it all very inspiring. And I still adore Paul Hutcheson.

I then had dinner with Uncalled For and friends before attending their production of This Is All Your Birthdays. As I said in my last Go-To blog post, I had seen this show previously at the Ottawa Fringe Festival, where it had (justifiably so) won the award for Best Ensemble. When I saw it, there were four guys performing it. This time there were three. And some scenes had changed. It was well worth seeing again. These guys can do no wrong.

That was followed up by some cool sketch comedy from many people I had never met before and then some Improv with Sex T-Rex, Fully Insured, and more Uncalled For.

And then, the big one: The Improv Cage Match hosted by Mikaela Dyke (who I only realized later was in Reflections on Giving Birth to a Squid, which I saw in Winnipeg at the Fringe and is the one who I reviewed with "very strong acting from the lead actress whose name I have unfortunately forgotten" - Glad to know I've now corrected that oversight). The Cage Match (which unfortunately was falsely advertised as I never saw a cage) took almost every performer from the evening, threw them into groups that had never worked together before, and had them compete improv style for the publics affection or elimination. The winning team would walk away with 2 pounds of gummy bears. Oh and honour or something, but really we just all wanted the gummy bears. Yes, I did say "we". Mikeala asked me earlier in the day if I would participate. Since I am crazy, I said yes.

How it all worked: 4 teams all do some short form. At the end, the public votes for the best teams. Top 1 & 2 move ahead. Teams 3 and 4 then compete and the audience decides who stays. I got put into a great group, but our improvs definitely weren't the strongest. We'd always end up in an elimination round, but somehow, thanks to some strong people, we'd end up on top.

We got second place! And gummy bears were shared all around.

I had to leave super early the next day (or more accurately, later that morning) since I had rehearsal in Ottawa in the afternoon. That said, the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, the new friends I've made (including a performer I will be potentially billeting throughout the Ottawa Fringe), the new skills I've discovered I have as a performer, and, of course, the great shows and the passion that goes into creating this festival makes it something that I will probably be supporting for the years to come. You should too.

Oh and if the festival organizer is reading this: next year, more Elvis please!

Oh, The Places You Will Go!

On Friday, I had the privilege of seeing a wonderful little show at the National Arts Centre called Elephant Wake. I'm not going to write a review. However, I will say that I liked it and that it hit me on more than just a cultural stand-point (being from a town divided between French and English lines will do that - though I do wonder how people who cannot speak French appreciated the show?) To me, the show was about loneliness and finding refuge in the past. Though not always perfect, it was beautiful to watch. If you'd like to read a review of the piece, I recommend Jessica Ruano's at the Ottawa Arts Newsletter. I agree with most of what she says. No, what really struck me with this production was where it came from. Elephant Wake was originally created as a production for the Edmonton Fringe Festival in 1995. I've latched on to this little tidbit of information for over three days now. This was a FRINGE SHOW! Now, almost 15 years later, it was being presented at the National Arts Centre, the Cultural Olympiad in Vancouver and even the Magnetic North Theatre Festival next June in Kitchener-Waterloo.

According to the program, it wasn't all sunshine and lollipops for the production. When the show was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe, they were lucky to have 8 to 10 audience members a night. One day, they only had 3 people in the audience. Two people left partway through the show apologizing that they did not speak English. I know many actors who would have canceled a production after that, but Joey Tremblay kept going and performed a one man show for one person. It takes an incredible amount of dedication and integrity to keep going (and I'm sure it didn't hurt that he started winning awards shortly after, guaranteeing a sold-out run for the rest of the festival, but still, he didn't know that.)

I am realistic. This isn't easy and not all shows blossom like this. But what hope this fills me with as I try and create my own work!

Elephant Wake is at the NAC Studio until November 14.

Ultimatums

I've never been a big fan of ultimatums. Not in relationships, in work or in life in general. They're just so... final. As you may know, I've been working on a one woman roller derby show that I would like to tour cross-country next year on the Canadian Fringe Festival Circuit. Applications to the majority of festivals is by lottery. To make touring a tad easier on the performer, an organization called the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals holds their own lottery every fall for the chance to participate in every festival of your choosing. You may or may not get in, but if you do, your entire touring schedule is now secured for the summer, months ahead of most local lottery deadlines.

The only hick? You need to have the cash for every single festival you want to apply to upfront. In my case, a potential 7 city tour, that comes up to almost $5000. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of money lying around (and if you do have that kind of money lying around, we should talk!). If I did, I wouldn't have been emptying out my cupboards of all canned goods since I've come back from China because my bills need paying and groceries seem to be a luxury at the moment.

So, I did the only thing a starving artist can do: I called my mom.

My mom was somewhat open to the idea. After all, I did get a grant from the City of Ottawa to write this piece. I talked to her about the lottery and how if I did not get in there would be no charges on her part. I would then apply individually to the various festivals and try my luck there. And of course she would be getting her money back by the end of the summer once my tour is done. However, my mom may have misunderstood my initial request. She seemed to think all I needed for the tour was $5000. After reviewing my budget plan, which brings expenses closer to the $20,000 mark, she did what all good moms would do. She kinda freaked.

And that's when the ultimatum reared it's ugly head. I've got until March to make this work. March is approximately when you can drop out of most festivals without incurring too much of a penalty.

I'm waiting to hear if I've received some grants that I've already applied for in December and there are new deadlines for other funding opportunities as well, but I'm scared. There is so much in this that involves chance and I've never really been that lucky before. This project means so much to me, but will it sell? Audiences across Canada are fickle. If I knew what they wanted, I'd be the greatest publicist on earth. But I don't know. All I can do is go about on blind faith (with a strong dash of hard work) and pray that it all pays off. My mother does not doubt that a Fringe tour would be a wonderful, soul-fulfilling experience. She just does not want me to go into a 5-digit debt load to accomplish that.

I guess there's no use in worrying about this right now. With my lotto luck, I may not get into a single festival next summer.

No Absolutes - The Life of the Artist

I have some news. I've been avoiding posting this news because I didn't want to overshadow Evolution Theatre's production of Arabian Night. However, since that show is going into it's second week and the wonderful reviews are now pouring in (more on that soon!), I figured it might be a good time to make my announcement. I've finally been cast, after a year of nothing, in a professional theatrical production! Are you doing a happy dance for me? I know I did.

The play is called Shining City. It's directed by John P Kelly (who was just recently nominated for a Capital Critic's Circle Award) and will be taking place at the Arts Court Theatre from November 17 to 28.

On its own, this is a pretty big deal for me, but this is only a preface to what I want to talk about here.

You see, I was also asked by the production company to do the publicity work for the show (which reminds me, I should probably update the website...). Though I find the part I will be playing to be incredibly challenging, it is a relatively small role and I would therefore have the time to dedicate to this side venture. Besides, who would be better at promoting a show than someone who has a vested interest in it's success?

A while back, I had decided that I no longer wanted to handle marketing a show I was performing in. I found it to quite often be a headache and a hassle. I knew when reviewers were in the audience and, when ticket sales were low, I took it to mean I was not doing a good job. This in turn was awkward and affected my work as a performer.

Recently, however, I've come to realize that it's my own insecurity and not my ability to do my work that's the problem. I didn't believe in myself as an actor (and, in the case of Fringe, as a writer) enough. If I didn't fully believe that people should see me in a show, why should I be surprised when they don't?

It was also a form of laziness on my part or, better yet, a sense of entitlement; the 'I just want to be an actor' factor. To be perfectly honest, I don't want to 'just be an actor.' How boring is that? I want to be a creator, an innovator, an artist. I believe that a true artist is one who is well-rounded and well-versed in all aspects of his art. And yes, even the business side can be an art.

The best example I can think of involve the myriad of people I met on the Fringe Festival circuit. No one there does just one task. Everyone works their fingers to the absolute bone and then spends their nights chilling out, enjoying the fruits of their labour. It's beautiful. It's amazing. It's inspiring. It's exactly where I want to be.

My name is Nancy Kenny and I'm an artist.

Nancy's MUST SEE List at the Edmonton Fringe

I will not be at the Edmonton Fringe Festival this year. My journey with No Exit Upstage ended in Winnipeg. That said, since my most popular blog posts of late have been for my MUST SEE LISTS in both Ottawa and Winnipeg and since I have many friends who will be performing at the festival, I thought it would be a good idea for me to throw a plug their way. Since this is suppose to be the largest festival in Canada (we'll know by the end of the run if Winnipeg beat them or not) and I've seen way more shows on tour than I thought I would, my list shall be a tad bigger than the one for Winnipeg. My requirements for this list? That I saw the show and I liked it. Trust me, you can't go wrong if you see anything on this list.

So without further ado, in alphabetical order, Nancy's MUST SEE list at the Edmonton Fringe:

Boat Load I've plugged Jayson McDonald's shows before and I will do it again. Boat Load was my favorite show at the Ottawa Fringe last year. The guy is an amazing writer and performer and this show is the best showcase for all his talent. Do yourself a favour and see it in Edmonton.

CHAOTICA A cool show which turns one woman's life into a board game. Worth it for the tap dance number alone!

Fruitcake Rob Gee has an amazing show that's part spoken word performance and part therapy. The whole thing is hilarious and culminates with a little song and dance that you just won't be able to get out of your head for at least three days. I wonder if the voice of God will still be there? Someone let me know!

Grandpa Sol and Grandma Rosie Saw this touching piece in Ottawa and I hear it's gone through some positive modifications throughout the run. The puppetry work is excellent and Lana gives an incredibly charming performance.

GRIMMER THAN GRIMM To be fair, I saw this show on a special fundraiser night and they allowed, nay encouraged us, to drink throughout anytime someone got maimed or murdered. Drinking games exponentially increase my enjoyment of a show. Who knows, maybe they will serve drinks here too?

Inviting Desire DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW. It's incredibly hot and sexy, but also very beautiful and touching. Hands down my favorite show at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival this year.

Little White Lies My girl, Amy Lester, representing for Ottawa. She had some trouble in Winnipeg which is a shame since she has a decent show that's worth seeing. Most of all, I want her to do well because I absolutely admire her strength and bravery. How many 19 year olds do you know who have the guts to tour a one person show across the country on their own? Oops, sorry Amy! I meant to say almost 21 ;)

More Bange For Your Buck Magic, mystery, and a little Back to the Future thrown in for good measure. Tell Rocky the Raccoon I said hi!

murder, hope A stunning and captivating show by the multi-talented Becky Poole. I love non-linear theatre when it's done well and this show is done VERY well. This is exactly the kind of risky show Fringe Festivals should be all about.

Reflections On Giving Birth To A Squid I saw this show in Winnipeg on a whim without knowing anything about it or anyone in the cast and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. This was a very original show with an interesting concept that never got too hockey or sentimental. I believe this was due to some very strong acting from the lead actress whose name I have unfortunately forgotten. In the spirit of Fringe, take a chance on this show.

Spiral Dive: Episodes One AND Two I was lucky. I got to see both these shows mere weeks apart and therefore got to properly indulge in this slice of epic theatre. The people in Edmonton are even luckier. You are actually able to sit and watch both shows in a row! My only disappointment? Episode Three won't be out for another year.

The Seven Lives of Louis Riel Natasha's absolutely favorite show at the Winnipeg Fringe. More fun than educational!

Unfortunately, this is a list of shows I've seen. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't some other good stuff out there too!

Honorable Mentions: Circumference Though I haven't seen Circumference, I have seen Amy perform before and she is incredibly funny and engaging. I've also heard really great things about this piece, so I did not want to leave it out in the cold.

G-MEN DEFECTIVES Placed in this category since I never got a chance to see it when it was originally performed in Ottawa with a different actor. But how could I not plug the hometown team? Ray and Sterling are two very fun guys and I heard they did incredibly well on the first leg of their tour in Saskatoon. pornStar I didn't get to see this show because it sold out in Ottawa. However, Anne Wyman (Why, man?) was my stage manager in Winnipeg and I had the pleasure of watching her shine in Jayson McDonald's The Last Goddamned Performance Piece in Winnipeg. She is absolutely beautiful. Also, the show is called pornStar. What more do you want?

The Domino Heart I saw a solid non-fringe production of this show in Ottawa a few years ago. I don't know anything about this current incarnation, but I did like the script.

Totem Figures Though I've never seen the show, TJ Dawe's podcast of the play helped me get through some tough times in Winnipeg.

Who's Afraid of Tippi Seagram? Though she never knew it, Colette Kendall was definitely my Fringe Crush in Winnipeg. I really enjoyed The Cockwhisperer (and the fact that my iphone recognized the word as I was trying to tweet it). I love it when she drops F Bombs.

HAPPY FRINGING!