Where Did the Money Go?

Since I'm going to be teaching my first Crowdfunding workshop tonight for Theatre Ontario, I can't help but look back on my own campaign success. So what have I done with the 4,445.52$ (after fees) that I raised?

Well, first of all, there were the festival application fees. While I only got into the Edmonton Fringe Festival (708.75$), I also applied to close to a dozen festivals with admin fees ranging from 25$ to 50$. So in festival fees, we're looking at approximately 1000$ so far.

From the practical roller derby side of things, I signed up for skate sessions with the West En Waywards Roller Skating Association, the not-for-profit behind the Rollergettes. Membership, insurance and skate sessions have totaled about 150$ so far.

I also bought a derby gear travel bag, which will be key for touring as I can take it as a carry-on, and some new knee pads for approximately 250$. I will still be using the old ones for the show, but I definitely needed the new ones for skate practice. As my instructor told me, the old ones were good for preventing scrapes and that's about it.

And finally, I went ahead and hired a sound designer for the show. I was first introduced to Steven Lafond during Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety. While that particular show wasn't too heavy in terms of sound design, its companion piece, [boxhead] sure was. Since then, Steven has been working fairly regularly in the Ottawa theatre community. But the design that really sealed the deal for director, Tania Levy, and I, was his absolutely gorgeous work on Ladies of the Lake at the undercurrents theatre festival this past February. We've had multiple chats since then and he just keeps blowing my mind every time. You guys, we're not just talking sound design anymore, we're talking original compositions. Who knows? A Roller Derby Saved My Soul soundtrack could be coming to you in the near future...

Of course, I'm not going to mention how much I'm paying him here, but let's just say this guy is so good that I am probably underpaying.

Well, while this leaves me with money for rehearsal space, dramaturgy and travel expenses, there are always new festivals & production opportunities (perhaps, dare I say, even in Toronto?), as well as a pretty sweet merchandising deal with my pal Uncle Leon on the horizon (he of the original Roller Derby Saved My Soul song). So, just because my Indiegogo campaign is over, does not mean that I am still not accepting donations.

If you would like to contribute to Roller Derby Saved My Soul or to my upcoming production of Dolores at the Ottawa Fringe Festival, please be sure to get in touch by email at info at nancykenny dot ca. Lots of sponsorship opportunities still available for both those productions.

Stay tuned. More updates on the horizon.

Two Places at Once

Though I'm all about Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety these days, this is also the week that all these student films I worked on late last year get their official screening. 

Big shout-outs to the gangs at Humber College and York University. I wish I could be there with you to see how everything turned out. In the meantime, here's the trailer from one of those films, The Sheppard, which premieres tonight at the Bell Lightbox, home of the Toronto International Film Festival.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/39971827 w=400&h=300]

The Shepherd Official Trailer from Tenebre81 on Vimeo.

Can't wait to see the whole thing!

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DOUBLE BILL: Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety and [boxhead] 

Arts Court Theatre  2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON 

April 18th to 28th, 2012 – 7:30 p.m.  Pay What You Can Matinee: Sunday April 22nd – 2 p.m.  (no show on Monday)  Tickets $25, $20 for Students/Seniors  Available by phone by calling Arts Court at 613-564-7240 

BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!

Mary M's Infinite Playlist

I get nervous easy. That's why I keep so damn busy all the time so I don't have to focus on how scared I really am. One of the ways I keep busy with a show looming on the horizon (previews tonight!) is by creating my character a playlist. As in what would my character be listening to right now. I know, it might seem a little weird, but I enjoy it. Now my director has told me I need to have a dance party before the show starts to warm up (which my stage manager has gleefully decided to join me in on), but what does Mary Magdalene listen to during the day?

Here's what I came up with:

And I've been poked and stoked. It's all smoke, there's no more fire, only desire for you, wherever you are.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjC94cKrhHc] I'll tear out every page, I'll give into my rage and if you come back I'll swear you off for good. My chances looking slim when happiness looks grim. I like this dark place the liquor cheap and good.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfthrizXKOM] Who finds the money? When you pay the rent? Did you think that money was Heaven sent?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGgafB0RmE8&w=420&h=315] She looked at him and he felt a spark tingle to his bones. It was then he felt alone and wished that he'd gone straight and watched out for a simple twist of fate.

And of course, it's a little on the nose but:

When You Were Young - The Killers[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff0oWESdmH0] You sit there in your heartache waiting on some beautiful boy to save you from your old ways.

As this is an "infinite" playlist, feel free to leave additional suggestions in the comment section.

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DOUBLE BILL: Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety and [boxhead] 

Arts Court Theatre  2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON 

April 18th to 28th, 2012 – 7:30 p.m.  Pay What You Can Matinee: Sunday April 22nd – 2 p.m.  (no show on Monday)  Tickets $25, $20 for Students/Seniors  Available by phone by calling Arts Court at 613-564-7240 

BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!

Sober Mary

Oh right, I have a blog don't I? I can't believe I've already been in Ottawa for two whole weeks. Rehearsals have been INTENSE. You guys, one person shows are hard! You'd think I already knew this, but nope; Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety has pushed me further in two weeks than Roller Derby Saved My Soul did in all the months of work I ever did on it. And that's as it should be. Every new project should challenge you in new and exciting ways.

So here I am, after some well-needed Easter rest, ready to head back to work. Zombie Jesus may not have risen again this weekend, but Mary Magdalene sure is good to go.

Initial press is very good. Some nice things were said about me in the Ottawa Citizen and on The Visitorium blog (and be sure to check out Kevin, The Visitor's interview with the [boxhead] gang as well!)

I'm going to try and blog a bit more as we go into tech week, but you can probably find out more if you follow me on Twitter, along with the Hashtag #soberMary.

See you at the show, yes?

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DOUBLE BILL: Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety and [boxhead] 

Arts Court Theatre  2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON 

April 18th to 28th, 2012 – 7:30 p.m.  Pay What You Can Matinee: Sunday April 22nd – 2 p.m.  (no show on Monday)  Tickets $25, $20 for Students/Seniors  Available by phone by calling Arts Court at 613-564-7240 

BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!

The Part Chooses You

About two years ago, an incredibly talented director friend (or ITDF) told me over drinks that he had a script that would be perfect for me. I was floored. This is a critically acclaimed, award-winning director whose work I admire very much saying that he wants to work with me. ME! That script? Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety.

Being one of the key members of Evolution Theatre at the time, I immediately approached the company to program it into our next season. It was eventually scheduled for April 2012.  Unfortunately, about a year and a half ago, things changed for ITDF and he had to bail on directing the show. He however insisted that I continue with the project and that I had his blessing to find someone else to direct.  Names were tossed around. Having really enjoyed Twelfth Night at the Ottawa Theatre School, I mentioned Andy Massingham. We had wanted to work together on a project for a while now and, to me, this seemed like a perfect fit.

Andy had wanted to do more directing, but he wasn't sure he would have the time to work on this project. After all, you don't end up with Rideau Award nominations for four separate shows by being "available".  Plus, he wasn't sure he liked the script all that much. So one beautiful summer morning last year, we sat on his porch, script in hand and had a chat. His first question for me: "Why do you want to do this show?"

You mean other than the fact I am dying to perform and the only way I seem able to do so is by producing it myself?

Well, I think it's a great script with a lot of humour and a lot of heart.  If I said to you "homeless alcoholic woman who believes she is the bride of Christ" - hahaha probably wouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind, but Mary M makes me laugh. A lot. (Side note - on the way to NYC I read a few sections of the play out-loud in the car. In less than one paragraph, my friends were hooked.)

But it's more than that. There's a lot of myself I see in this character: East Coast way of speaking (playwright Berni Stapleton is from Newfoundland) - check; troubles with alcohol - check; not having a home and being ok with that - #hobokenny check; filling her bag with free food when it's offered - check; seen as promiscuous even when you're not - check; being so in love with someone you can't be with and spending your whole life waiting for him to come back - check to the check to the double check check.

If you are an actor, have you ever realized that whenever you have a new character to play, no matter how different they are from you, there is always something in there that makes you go "man, I am totally going through that shit in my own life right now." It's almost spooky how that works out.  An acting teacher once told me that you only get the parts that you are meant to play. In essence, you don't choose the parts, the parts choose you.

Mary M is lonely, which is why she overcompensates so much. I get that. Boy, do I ever get that.

He nodded thoughtfully and finally asked me to read. The sun was bright and warm as I read and he stared out at the neighbourhood movie playing in front of us.  The trees frame his street like a perfect natural TV screen and the effect is stunning. By the time I was done, he was quiet for a moment. Finally, he looked at me and nodded some more.  He tells me he's changed his mind. He really does love this script after all.

"We'll make it work."

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Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety by Berni Stapleton Directed by Andy Massingham Featuring Nancy Kenny

Arts Court Theatre 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON

April 18th to 28th, 2012 – 7:30 p.m. Pay What You Can Matinee: Sunday April 22nd – 2 p.m. (no show on Monday) Tickets $25, $20 for Students/Seniors Available by phone by calling Arts Court at 613-564-7240

Hair - It's for a Part

My last haircut was in July 2011. For the first 3 or 4 months, it was just unnecessary, then it was unaffordable (#hobokenny) and finally, I decided to make it work for me. The show I've got coming up with Evolution Theatre - Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety - is about a homeless woman who crashes into an AA meeting. At some point in December or January, re-reading the script, the theme of hair was coming up. At various points in the script, my Mary M mentions never getting gray hair, drying his darling feet with her hair, soaking up his blood with her hair...

(Luke 7.38  She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears began to fall on his feet. She dried them with her hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with perfume.)

I had a chat with the director and said that chances are a homeless woman would not have nice hair and I would like to let mine grow out for the show. He agreed and now here I am with hair that probably hasn't been this long since my high school days. The ends are split and dry and, as I realized during roller derby tryouts yesterday afternoon, get caught in my armpits. And there is A LOT of it. I've always had really thick hair and these days it feels like I'm wearing a sweater on my head. A very shedd-y sweater.

So here I am, about a month and a half from showtime, with hair still growing, and having stopped plucking my eyebrows about a month ago.

Mary Magdalene or Cousin It? The things we do for Art.

In the meantime, I know I'm late on the bandwagon, but this one really made me laugh. Personal favorite: "It's for a part."

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19VhrVyqWZQ]

HoboKenny Rides Again

You know, I have a great job. I really do. But this Blog is not called So You Want To  Be a Civil Servant, now is it? It is therefore with great pleasure and pride that I officially announce to you that I will once again be taking centre stage this coming April for Evolution Theatre in the one-woman show Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety. Yes, Ottawa, I'm coming home!

It's a beautiful, funny and touching script by Newfoundland playwright Berni Stapleton and will be directed by the hardest working man in Ottawa theatre, Andy Massingham.  The whole thing is part of a double-bill that includes [boxhead] by Darren O’Donnell, which will be directed by Alix Sideris and featuring Christopher Bedford and Stewart Matthews.

Check out the Evolution Theatre site for more details on that one and I will be sure to let you know right here when tickets go on sale.

In the meantime, check out this show synopsis and tell me it doesn't sound like the perfect thing for #HoboKenny (which, BTW, I plan on using as the #Hashtag for the show - so go ahead and follow me on Twitter to stay up to date).

Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety by Berni Stapleton Directed by Andy Massingham Featuring Nancy Kenny

Mary Magdalene has spent the past 2000 years in mourning. She’s wandered the earth, lost her jewels and maybe her marbles, and now sleeps on the streets in Toronto. She crashes (literally) into an AA meeting, where she finds the 12 steps to sobriety lead in divergent directions of spirituality, passion, and a really formidable mother-in-law. Mary Magdalene and Adventures in Sobriety, the perfect after Easter treat.

Arts Court Theatre 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON

April 18th to 28th, 2012 – 7:30 p.m. Pay What You Can Matinee: Sunday April 22nd – 2 p.m. (no show on Monday) Tickets $25, $20 for Students/Seniors Available by phone by calling Arts Court at 613-564-7240