Let's Talk About Birth

As some of you may already know, I'm in a play that opens Friday night (August 14th) called Birth by Karen Brody. It's a wonderful little project that has often been dubbed the "Vagina Monologues of Birth." It features myself and seven other lovely Ottawa actresses: Chantale Plante, Natasha Jetté (my partner in crime), Heather Archibald, Kate Drummond, Corinne McDonald, Miriam Westland, and Robin Guy (who organized this whole shindig and also directed the piece). The show explores the range of experiences that modern day women have as they birth their babies. All the stories are true, and are told through a combination of monologue and action; each actor tells the story of one character, but also becomes the characters in the other stories. For a great preview of the show, please check out the Ottawa Arts Newsletter.

The production is being done as a fundraiser for the International Breech Conference, which is being hosted here in Ottawa this October. For more information about the Conference and why it's so important, please visit the website.

Tickets can still be purchase in advance online or from one of the cast members. You can also buy your tickets at the door, however it's more expensive to do so (though it's for a fundraiser so maybe that's a good thing).

There are only FOUR performances - Friday, August 14th at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, August 15th at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, August 16th at 7:30 p.m. All performances take place in The Amphitheatre at St. Paul's University - 223 Main Street.

I hope to see you there!

Nowhere But Up (or Bathroom Wall Wisdom)

I've been home for almost two days now and it's taken me a little while to put my thoughts together enough to recap my Winnipeg Adventure.  It seems like such a whirlwind went by and yet, at the same time, I almost felt like we'd been there forever.  I miss it already and a part of me wishes I was in Saskatoon right now, but this is not "the" show.  This was the learning experience. Producing my own fringe show was something else entirely.  All in all, I probably spent as much money on this show as I would have on one year of university tuition.  I can absolutely guarantee you that I worked harder and learned way more out in the field than I ever did striving for a piece of paper with a couple letters attached to it.  I found strength I didn't realize I had, I made friendships that I know will last, and I gained incredible insight about myself as a person and as an artist.  Plus, I noticed that I also have a pretty wicked sense of humour.

Recently, an absolutely beautiful lady said to me that I am the most optomistic person she knows.  At first, I didn't exactly believe her.  Afterall, anyone who knows me intimately knows that I am incredibly moody and swing from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other multiple times on a daily basis.  However, after thinking about it, that doesn't mean I'm not optimistic.

I probably had the most poorly reviewed show at the Winnipeg Fringe (which I've masochistically now linked here in their entirety for your viewing pleasure):

1 Star from CBC Manitoba

1 Star from the Winnipeg Sun

2 Stars from the Winnipeg Free Press (with a nice comment about my performance, but she spoils the ending of the play...)

1 Star from Ignite 107

and

D+ from Uptown Magazine (scroll all the way to the bottom and wow D+ isn't even a passing grade!)

Personally, I don't think anyone would blame me if I came home licking my wounds, pulling my hair out at my bank balance, moping around for a bit, ect.  But I really don't feel that way.  In fact, if anything, these reviews now give me something to work on.  When the Ottawa Fringe Festival ended, I knew that there were things about this show that I wanted to fix, but I couldn't figure out what.  Though I believe a lot of what was said about my show was bullshit, there were some parts that rang true and now I know where I need to go.  If anything (and this is going to sound a little sick), Ottawa was too nice to me.

As we packed up the set on our last day there, I took a look around the washroom in our venue.  The walls are covered in various forms of graffiti which I typically barely acknowledged, but this one caught my eye:

So, I fell off the ladder in Winnipeg and hit every rung on the way down before smashing into the ground below.  That's ok though, because I've got nowhere else to go now but up.

See you next year, Winnipeg.

Flyer Her? I Hardly Even Know Her!

Since I can't count on the reviews to help bring in the crowds, I am left with two options: flyers and word of mouth.  Now, word of mouth requires having an initial audience to see your show and spreading the word around. When we arrived in Winnipeg, we tried to set up a volunteer appreciation show.  I would have loved to have one early on in order to fill the venue, but unfortunately all they had left was this coming Friday (which, don't get me wrong, is fine because the volunteers need to be appreciated; I just wish it would have been earlier). So, that leaves us with the flyers.

The often undisputed "God" of the Fringe, TJ Dawe wrote a one man show entitled Totem Figures, which he toured on the circuit last year.  I didn't get to see it when it was in Ottawa, but someone was kind enough to point me to a podcast of the piece.  Part 2 has a really great bit about touring the Fringe for the first time and the gruelling task of promoting your show through flyers.  A big thank you to the friend who forwarded this to me.  I find hope in it.

Flyering is an art form in and of itself.  Some veteran performers have mastered the art of the quick pitch.  For example, jem rolls can be heard saying: "I'm British and say things that make you laugh." Wham, bam, thank you, mam.  Others have reviews they can push.  Gemma Wilcox got a double-whammy this year and can simply throw a "5 Stars from the CBC and the Winnipeg Free Press" out with her flyers.

For me, it's a little more difficult.  First of all, no one knows me here, so I am not a familiar face.  Second, my show can't really be summarized in ten words or less (Hell, I had trouble coming up with 60). Third, I don't have a star rating I particularly want to throw out there. And finally, I've never done this before.

So, I sought out professional help.  And who's more professional that a former psych nurse? The affable Rob Gee had these tips for me:

• Don't flyer people coming out of a show.  They are probably in a rush to go somewhere or still digesting what they just saw.  You will not have time to speak to them and will basically waste a flyer.
• Do flyer people waiting in lines.  They have nothing better to do than listen to you.
• Have at least three variations of your pitch so that the people at the back of the line hear something different from the people in front of them.
• Take a break every once in a while.  Remember, your priority is to your show.  Don't burn yourself out with flyers.

Other good pieces of advice that I picked up:  know which page in the program your show is on, wear sensible shoes, plan which lineups you will attack ahead of time.

My pitch usually turns into a long conversation.  At first I felt guilty about "wasting time."  Then I realized that I actually enjoyed these talks and that people would probably be more likely to remember me by them.  We all have our methods.

Over the weekend we drained our first batch of flyers and ordered more.  Fortunately, the fine people at Industry Images had them ready for pick-up by 11am on Monday.  I've pretty much been flyering non-stop from noon to showtime every single day.  I'm starting to run into a lot of the same people now.  I'm tired and it was recommended that I don't do any flyering today.  Personally, I haven't seen it result in higher attendance numbers so far, so I didn't argue.  That said, I've got 5 more shows and a whack of flyers to get through so I will probably jump back into it later tonight.

Un p'tit coup de coeur...

The Pitch

Our houses (or attendance) have been great for No Exit Upstage. According to the Ottawa Fringe Festival, we're well above average almost every night. As a local and somewhat well-connected performer, I've been blessed with a leg up on all the touring companies because I have the "friends and family" factor in my favour. That said, we have two shows to go and I really want to pack the place. This is where "The Pitch" comes in. Touring companies are experts in pitch. They have to be. Oftentimes they may be complete unknowns arriving in a city for the very first time. Since media coverage is somewhat lax here in Ottawa (and thanks to Jon P for making a little plea about this after his amazing performance of House last night), they almost solely rely on word of mouth. But how do you get word of mouth if no one is attending your show? Well, you bring a big stack of flyers and you find people at the beer tent, waiting in line to see a show, or coming out of one. And then you pitch. This will be an incredibly important activity once I hit the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in July.

I do consider myself and Arts Marketing person, so this should be a breeze, right? Unfortunately, I actually get a bit tongue-tied. It's much easier to promote someone else's show than my own. I've seen some awesome veteran fringers like Jem Rolls and Gemma Wilcox who have their pitches down to a science. I think Jem's is now down to something like "I'm British and say funny things that make you laugh." Brilliant. Short. Sweet. To the point.

What can I say?

"It's an absurd, existential and somewhat masturbatory comedy about two cohabitating Thespians trapped in their own private version of Sartrian Hell."

"Did you just say your show has masturbating lesbians?"

"... Maybe?"

Seriously though, I'm grateful for the feedback I've been getting from audience members about the show because it's given me the chance to see how others would view the piece. Lots of cool and catchy key words have come out of those discussions. My favorite so far has been "it's kinda like their in the Twilight zone."

If you see me around the Fringe today (and you will), stop and chat for a second. I'd love to test out my pitch on you.

****************************** No Exit Upstage - ONLY TWO PERFORMANCES LEFT! Directed by Ken Godmere Featuring Nancy Kenny & Natasha Jetté

The Ottawa Fringe Festival runs from June 18 to 28, 2009.

All No Exit Upstage performances take place in Venue #3 – Studio Leonard Beaulne Thursday June 18 – 9:30 PM (2 for 1 performance) Saturday June 20 – 11:00 PM Sunday June 21 – 2:00 PM Wednesday June 24 – 6:30 PM Saturday June 27 – 8:00 PM Sunday June 28 – 3:30 PM

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. You also need the $2 Fringe Pin to get in to all performances. Advanced tickets and discounted multi-show Fringe passes are also available.

Guide to Marathon Fringing (7 Steps)

To date, I have seen 22 shows with 4 more schedule on my viewing agenda for the night. I have already beaten my record from last year of 21 (all while being a performer, mind you). My goal for this year's festival is a whopping 40. I have a good coach and a VIP pass, so I think I can make it. Marathon Fringing is not for everyone because it is a very difficult and physically demanding sport. However, for those of you think you have the stamina and are up to the challenge, here are some helpful tips to set you on your way:

1. Know your program schedule - Otherwise known as the Marathon Fringer's Bible, it is your guide to making sense of this very intense time in your life. I know some people go extreme hard-core and use spreadsheets and other such technical marvels. For myself, I'm a bit old fashion - different coloured pens and some highlighters. Review the schedule daily and keep it with you at all times. (The bonus of using a spreadsheet is that you have it on your computer. I am currently on my third Fringe program and had to redo my schedule a few times - ROOKIE MISTAKE!) That said, stay flexible. You never know when I show might run over or under.

2. Pack a bag - The weather in Ottawa has been crazy in the last little while. It can be blisteringly hot during the day and frigidly cold at night. I have now gotten into the habit of packing tights, a scarf and a sweater for those cold evenings in the Beer Tent. You should also consider bringing an umbrella and sunscreen. In addition, don't forget a bottle of water (the aforementioned tent does not have bottled water on the menu) and perhaps a few snacks (the food in the tent is absolutely delicious but pricey!) Other items to take into consideration: a camera (for all Fringe photo contests and flickr group), a watch (or other time piece), your program, Fringe pin, any passes you may have, some pens and note paper, perhaps a book to read in between shows (or when no one is around at the tent because you are insane and showed up incredibly early), and cash. Oh, my bag also includes show flyers and a big roll of tape... and then people wonder why my bag is so heavy.

3. Wear sensible shoes - You will be doing a lot of running around. It's no time to showcase your fancy footwear. Heels will just get demolished in the grassy knoll of the Beer Tent. BONUS: All this running around is great exercise, especially when you are also carrying around a 15 pound sack (see above). 4. Go easy on the beer (or learn to chug) - Guess which one I prefer? You can take the girl out of New Brunswick... Seriously though, you will probably have a very limited time between each shows - time that should not be wasted on such things as "eating" and "drinking". However, if you absolutely insist on being "fed" and "hydrated" learn to chug it back and eat as you run. 5. Know your limits - On Sunday, after performing in one show and then attending 5 more, I was just too tired to attend an 11 pm performance. Watching so many shows in a day gets to be exhausting and, frankly, if I want to make it to 40, I still have to pace myself. I am actually quite thrilled when I find out a show is only 30 to 45 minutes because it gives me a greater rest period in between. It also permits me to forgive a few flaws in presentation because I don't feel like my time was wasted. [SIDE NOTE: In what I have seen so far, cool little short plays include The Squatter Heart, Inclement Weather, The Tribulations of a Failed Vigilante, The Beer Tent (the play not the location), and, of course, No Exit Upstage]

6. Have Fun! - If you are not enjoying yourself and are simply doing it out of some misplaced pride in wanting to "see the most shows" (which granted can be a great motivator for starters) then you're just not going to make it. The Ottawa Fringe Festival is an event that I absolutely look forward to every year because of the incredible people I get to meet (like summer camp!) and the fantastic theatrical presentations I get to witness. It is pure joy for me to be involved. I don't want to be anywhere else right now.

7. Don't try to beat me - Seriously, don't. You'll just hurt yourself. Listen kids, I'm a professional. I've been training all year for this on a steady diet of 4 shows a week for almost a year. You don't have a prayer.

Happy Fringing!

****************************** No Exit Upstage - ONLY TWO PERFORMANCES LEFT! Directed by Ken Godmere Featuring Nancy Kenny & Natasha Jetté

The Ottawa Fringe Festival runs from June 18 to 28, 2009.

All No Exit Upstage performances take place in Venue #3 – Studio Leonard Beaulne Thursday June 18 – 9:30 PM (2 for 1 performance) Saturday June 20 – 11:00 PM Sunday June 21 – 2:00 PM Wednesday June 24 – 6:30 PM Saturday June 27 – 8:00 PM Sunday June 28 – 3:30 PM

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. You also need the $2 Fringe Pin to get in to all performances. Advanced tickets and discounted multi-show Fringe passes are also available.

So You Want To Produce A Fringe Show? Money Saving Tips

I unfortunately did not get selected to be one of the frequent bloggers throughout the Ottawa Fringe (though some other cool people were), but I figured that does not stop me from commenting on my own site (and perhaps showing a certain someone that he totally should have picked me! :p). An article this morning in the Ottawa Citizen (with quotes from yours truly) gave me the perfect amount of motivation to elaborate on a related topic that's been running through my head: How to afford your Fringe Festival Experience.

So you want to produce a Fringe show? Congratulations! You've now joined the ranks of the awesome. For those of you out there who want to self-produce, the Fringe offers one of the most safe and inexpensive opportunities to do so. That said, just because it is inexpensive does not mean that it is cheap. There are a lot of upfront costs that need to be factored before the ticket sales (often your only source of revenue) come pouring in.

First up, the main expense that you simply cannot avoid: the Fringe Festival fee. This can range anywhere from $500 to $800 per festival and are due at various times at the end of the year (between September to January in the year prior to the festival). This gets you your venue, box office staff, technical personnel, and fringe publicity. However, having this money up front does not guarantee you a spot in your festival since the selection process is by lottery. If you don't get in, you can still participate if you Bring Your Own Venue (BYOV), but on top of the festival fee, you'd also have to rent a venue and pay for your own technical staff.

Now, let's say you were lucky and won a spot through the lottery. How else can you save money? Well, my first suggestion would be to write your own show. Through producing with Evolution Theatre, I have found that our largest expenses come in the form of venue rentals and playwrights royalties.

Second, keep it small. I'm not saying you will make a lot (if any money) off of the Fringe, but the least number of hands you have in your pie the less cherries you have to hand out... or something like that. It also helps if everyone wears many hats (because frankly hats are cool). I'm the producer, the writer, an actor in the show and I handle all our media efforts. My director is also the stage manager, the production designer, and has done an awful lot to help me dramaturgically. My fellow actor handles all our design work and our company website. Oh and we also managed to get her photographer husband to do some awesome publicity photos.

Third, and I'm not sure I even need to mention this, but get everything you can for free. All rehearsals for my show have taken place in my living room. It helps that I have no furniture. The majority of our set pieces belong to Natasha, but for the rest we've discovered that many big box stores have customer satisfaction policies... What I'm basically saying is buy, don't break, return, travel to your next touring destination (which, would you look at that, also has the same big box store with the same customer satisfaction policy), and repeat. Just don't lose the receipt, ok? Also, Value Village and the Dollar Store are your best friends.

Fourth, traveling your show will probably take up the biggest chunk of your budget. Fortunately, most Fringe cities will help you find a billet to accommodate you for free throughout the festival. You have no clue where you might end up, but at least you didn't have to pay for it. I can't really assist you with cheap ways to travel since it depends on the destination, but I can tell you it helps if your old roommate (the one who still likes you) works for any of the major aviation organizations in the country.

Fifth, try and budget how much money you are going to spend on other people's shows at the Fringe. A lot of touring companies work on a password system and may be willing to exchange complimentary tickets to their show if you offer them some to yours. I know that I, especially if I happen to be in one of the bigger venues at the festival, prefer having bums in seats rather than play to a half-empty house. Or you can decide to billet a fellow performer and receive a VIP pass which gives you access to all the shows. Now that the set is finally moved out of my living room, I am more than happy to offer someone my pull-out couch. Besides, this way I get to meet like-minded individuals from across the country.

Finally (and this is a tough one for me), when the money actually does start coming in, try not to spend it all at the beer tent on hookers and beer... wait, what? What do you mean the Ottawa Fringe Festival didn't get the hookers this year? Oh fer cryin' out loud! Sigh... alright, well don't spend all your money on beer at the beer tent. Though spending money on this Beer Tent is quite acceptable.

If you have any other money saving tips that I have not elaborated on here, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. See you at the Fringe!

Nancy Kenny's No Exit Upstage, opens with a 2-for-1 admission price Thursday, June 18 at 9:30 pm and plays in Venue #3 - Studio Leonard-Beaulne.

What Do You Do?

As I mentioned in my last post, I really enjoyed my company's production of Mark Ravenhill's pool (no water) at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. I saw it again today as I filmed archival footage and felt that it had now found it's groove. Most of my previous nitpicks are now gone and I am proud of the work the cast and crew are doing. What I am saying is that it's a solid show, both funny and despicable at the same time, and it is well worth seeing. Unfortunately, that's not quite the case.

Attendance for the show is definitely not where I would want it to be (though to be fair, I would want sold out houses every night, so let me rephrase that to attendance is not where I expect it to be, which would be at least 50% attendance in a 70 seat venue). As the Marketing Coordinator for the show, this is a hard fact for me to accept. The cast and crew have done their part in producing a good show and it is my responsibility to put bums in seats. Though I've worked my ass off, I'm not sure what else I can do. Our budget is incredibly small and I've exhausted many a free publicity avenue: we're in free listings all over town and on the web; our website has been updated; our facebook group and event listing includes photos and reviews; posters and flyers are out... Unfortunately, while we've been able to get some fantastic reviews from the online community (including a new one from (Cult)ure Magazine), the mainstream media have yet to pick us up. Unlike many a theatre centre, Ottawa only has two (sometimes three) active theatre critics. While one made it out to opening night and told me personally that he enjoyed the show, he also informed me that he would not be writing a review since there was "no room" in the paper for it. This is a big blow for a small company like ours which requires all the coverage we can get to raise awareness of our work outside the theatre community.

So, I've decided to call for help from all my arts marketing friends in the blogosphere. How do you do it? Do you have any inexpensive (ie. free) suggestions I could use in order to push ticket sales?

I look forward to any advice you might have. In the meantime, because I like them so much, here's another production shot from pool (no water).

Come to the Pool

This is going to sound very biased, since it's about a show my company, Evolution Theatre, is putting on, but those who know me know that I just wouldn't be saying anything if I hated it, so here goes: I'm not a theatre critic, but I know what I like and pool (no water) at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre is a great show!

Seriously, I don't think I've seen anything like it in Ottawa for quite some time. Though the stage set-up is reminiscent of Third Wall's Empire Builders, that's pretty much where the similarities end.

It's a show performed by a Group. The actors work well together to spin a tale of jealousy and ego and artistic integrity.

If you've ever felt jealous of someone who keeps doing better than you and wished you could spit out all that anger and disappointment and resentment at them, you will relate to this show. If you've ever taken a photo and posted it on facebook only to have the subject tell you to take it down immediately, you will relate to this show.

I'm not saying that it was all perfect. Opening night was the cast's first time with an audience and I had pacing and volume issues, however these will correct themselves throughout the run. But it was beautiful, enjoyable, funny and disgusting all at the same time. It made me feel something and that was wonderful.

The Canadian premiere of Mark Ravenhill's pool (no water) runs until May 16 at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre Studio - 1233 Wellington Street (corner of Holland and Wellington). For more info about the play or to check out showtimes, visit Evolution Theatre's website: www.evolutiontheatre.ca - Order tickets by calling 613 236 5196

Sulu and I

Allow me a little moment here to fully dork out. I have a few secret "shames" (quotation marks because I'm not ashamed of them at all, though others tend to be). These include such things as ABBA, video games, professional wrestling, comic books, and anything Star Trek (and all other SciFi by extension). Well, yesterday, thanks to the National Arts Centre, I got to fully geek-out at their Sci-Fi Spectacular with the NAC Orchestra. In what I consider to be an absolutely brilliant marketing move, the NAC sought out local bloggers and not only gave them free tickets to the show, but also the chance to meet the evening's narrator, George Takei (Mr. Sulu himself!) I think this is a fantastic idea since it gives the NAC an incredible web presence and shows that they are open to new media in order to attract an audience. The show was really good though everyone was wondering when George Takei would show up. Suddenly, the lights went out and there was that ever familiar hum... of course he would BEAM in! I got to chatting with a few others in Blogger Row (the very last row of the NAC balcony seemed to be set aside solely for us - no worries though, we still got an incredible view). I demonstrated my ultimate dorkdom when I pointed out that Mr. Takei wasn't narrating the text from the original Star Trek, but the one for The Next Generation. You see, in the original series, Kirk would say "it's five year mission" and "where no man has gone before" whereas Picard updated the mandate to "it's continuing mission" and made it more PC with "where no one has gone before." Contrary to what you may be thinking, I was respected for my knowledge.

After the show, Blogger Row was ushered into the NAC Salon for a private meet and greet. I have to say that Mr. Takei was a very warm and genuine individual. I could listen to him speak all day. For those who are curious, apparently his character will be coming back to Heroes in the new season. Though we were pressed for time (a fan line was quickly growing outside the Salon), he was kind enough to sign my ticket stub and pose for a photo. Though I don't have the photo yet, here's my stub.

A big thank you to the NAC and @jcovert for organizing all of this. You can still get your very own glimpse of Sulu with one more performance by the orchestra tonight at 8 p.m. It's well worth it!

Big Comedy Go-To - Part 2

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was in London (ON) during the Big Comedy Go-To. When I mentioned Chris Gibbs' show, The Power of Ignorance, I forgot to say that I didn't know what I had just watched... if you've seen this production, you know that this is a very funny compliment. Although it's not that funny now that I have to explain it...

Saturday started out with a decent production of Morris Panych's 7 Stories by London's Passionfool Theatre. Many of the festival shows were taking place in front of the 7 Stories set at The ARTS Project. It was nice to finally see how it was being used.

Highlight number one on Saturday was a panel discussion with 7 or 8 of the festival performers, which was moderated by producer Jayson McDonald (who deserves a big pat on the back and maybe a beer for putting this whole thing together). The panel was great because it revealed to me that people whom I consider to be incredibly amazing and talented performers are still scared shitless and think all their work is going to suck. So I guess you never get over that, huh? Damn.

Highlight number two occurred when The Circus came to town. Yes, a real circus with a clown (only Morro, rhymes with sorrow, made it out in one of the bravest and most endearing pieces of theatre I've seen in years) and juggler and the magic of Siegfried and Roy in their comeback special. Seriously, I can't believe someone would want to miss this!

Even Elvis made it out to the festival and he's dead. What's your excuse? Elvis was my highlight number three. And I'm not just saying that because I got a scarf with his sweat on it either.

I followed that up with some more improv (and my previous comment still stands) and a solid night of stand-up comedy from many of the performers. Basically, if I liked your show, I also liked your stand-up routine.

Wow, and the festivities weren't even over yet.

On Sunday, I was exhausted but saw my friend's show, He Ain't Heavy in the afternoon. This was a great new work that had one of the biggest houses at the festival. For those of you who missed it, I believe they are remounting it for the London Fringe Festival in June, which I am annoyed to say overlaps with the Ottawa Fringe Festival.

Then I stuck around for Paul Hutcheson's, Third Time Lucky. Apparently, Paul (or M. Hutcheson if you're nasty), who's shows tend to be quite explicit had promised his parents he wouldn't perform in London again in order to avoid "embarrassing" them with his material. However, he couldn't pass up the chance to participate in the festival so they came up with a compromise: a nice clean show. Paul is a giant manic ball of energy who does not fail to entertain. He reminds me of a dirrty muppet (yes, two Rs). I could watch him read the phone book (note to Paul if you're reading this, maybe I found the concept for your next show - I'm sure it would please your folks). Fortunately, I won't have to though as he is bringing his piece On Second Thought to the Ottawa Fringe.

Ah but it wasn't all good. I saw some absolutely terrible sketch comedy too. Feel blessed you will never have to know the meaning of Cake Farts.

Everything did end on a high note, however, with some really good sketch comedy thanks to Fully Insured (who really should update their website) and The Cody Rivers Show. I had seen Fully before in late December, but this time was even better than before. Perhaps it has something to do with their opening act. I can't even begin to describe Cody Rivers. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, but I know that if I get the chance, I will see it again.

So there you have it folks: my recap of the first annual Big Comedy Go-To. It was impossible to see absolutely everything, but I sure tried. This whole thing was an amazing, quality experience and I look forward to seeing it around for many years to come.

A Pre-Fringe Experience

I'm currently in London (ON) smack dab in the middle of the Big Comedy Go-To, a brand spanking new festival that includes sketch, stand-up, improv, theatre and musical comedy on the menu at three different venues over the weekend. Though I'm primarily here to support a friend, it's an awesome opportunity for me to mix and mingle with plenty of talented artists who often make the rounds of the Fringe Festival Circuit. A full-festival pass is ridiculously cheap ($50) and allows me to see everything... and so far I pretty much have. The festivities began on Thursday night with Jimmy Hogg's Like A Virgin, a new piece which he plans to tour this summer... so new that this was in fact his first public performance. I drove into town about 15 minutes prior to curtain. I didn't think I would make it, but I am definitely glad I did. Jimmy is an incredibly hilarious and charismatic performer. He had a small but very appreciative crowd, as you can see from this review. For those of you in Southern Ontario, I highly recommend you make the trek down to the newly renovated Arts Project on Sunday at 6 p.m. To all my Ottawa friends, have no fear! You will get your chance to see Jimmy at the Ottawa Fringe Festival this June. I know I'm really looking forward to seeing it again once it's had some time to develop.

A real stand-out performance for me came shortly after with Nile Seguin's Fear of a Brown Planet at the Black Shire Pub. This guy was amazing (and he's from Ottawa). His show is a bit of a long form stand-up routine, which can often be hit or miss. However, Nile delivers a smart and witty performance that made the hour just fly by. Every joke was solid and when he was done, I still wanted more. If you ever hear that this guy is doing a show in your area, drop whatever you are doing and go see it. You will not regret it. He is also doing a show on Sunday at 6 p.m.

That said, not everything is amazing. I saw some improv which was just alright. Improv is such a tricky art form. It is really difficult to do well and I have the utmost respect for those who attempt it. I found the main problem with what I saw was that people often didn't know when to just end the scene and so they'd just keep going once the joke had peaked or they'd just go for the tried and true guy on guy action, because gay-ness is funny. Then again, if I see it done again tonight, who knows, it will be completely different and may be the best thing I see all weekend... That's the beauty of improv and theatre festivals in general: you never know what you're going to get.

So that was Thursday. On Friday, I caught The Power of Ignorance by Chris Gibbs and TJ Dawe. The show was great but I was completely distracted in the venue by people coming in and out, chairs being moved around in the room above us, and staff coming by our table to take food and drink orders (um, no I'm not hungry I'm watching a play!). The turn out for this show was also incredibly low (in fact, I heard the show that came before, Who's Afraid of Tippi Seagram? had to be canceled due to nobody showing up) which was unfortunate. Really low numbers, meaning four, for Rob Salerno's Fucking Stephen Harper too. I don't know if this had something to do with the hockey playoffs or perhaps a general lack of awareness of the Big Comedy Go-To (unless you're on Facebook, it's hard to find an online schedule). Things picked up for the London favorite, The Boneyard Man though.

I've got to head out and see more shows today, but I will leave you with the schedule in case you're in the area. Come and support your local artists. They're doing some really good stuff! I'll post more later on if I manage to find another internet connection.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2009

ARTS PROJECT 2PM Passionfool: 7 Stories 90m $18 4PM Panel Discussion FREE 6PM The Circus Show (Siegfried & Roy - The Comeback/Morro's Sorrow/Steve Seguin) 75m $15 8PM Passionfool: 7 Stories 90m $18

LONDON MUSIC CLUB 6PM Rob Salerno: Fucking Harper 35m $8 6PM Chris Gibbs: Power Ignorance 75m $10 7PM Theatre Nemesis: Which is Better? 45m $8 7.30PM Who’s Afraid of Tippi Seagram? 60m $10 8.30PM Prop Knucks/Project G-Force/ Approximately 3 Peters 90m $15 8.30PM Matt Martin: King Alive/Sexual Tyrannosaurus/You Are Awesome 90m $10

BLACK SHIRE 7.30PM STAND-UP: Your Tax Dollars at Play 90m $10 10PM STAND-UP: The Big One 120m $15

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2009

ARTS PROJECT

2PM Josh Cottrell and Aaron Youell: He Ain’t Heavy 60m $10 4PM Paul Hutcheson: Third Time Lucky 60m $10 6PM Jimmy Hogg: Like A Virgin 60m $10 8PM Alex Eddington: Tired Cliches 60m $10

LONDON MUSIC CLUB 6PM Four Lb. Beauty Pucks/Good Game 60m $10 7.30PM Cody Rivers/Fully Insured 90m $15

BLACK SHIRE 6PM Nile Seguin: Fear of a Brown Planet 60m $10 7.30PM STAND-UP: Open Mic 60m PWYC 10.30PM CLOSING NIGHT PARTY!

Tell Me What You Want and I Will Make It So

Yes, I'm a Star Trek nerd. I'm also a big stinking liar (though not about the Star Trek thing - you never lie about the Trek). You see, not a day goes by that I don't bitch and complain about being stuck doing some form of administrative theatre work, be it marketing, front of house, stage management, finding sponsors or even writing. I complain because I keep saying I don't want to do any of those things. I just want to ACT. It's been at least a year and a half since I've been in a show where I didn't need to have any other care except to show up and be an actor. I even did script analysis and wrote the English press release for the awesome short film I shot this past summer. I am getting really sick of it.

The thing is, I'm totally lying. I love being involved in the performing arts in any way possible. I also love having some form of control over the product that I'm putting out (and yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is a product - and hee, I said "put out" and giggled because I'm 12). I love the rush I get from small victories like selling a t-shirt, an ad space, or, better yet, solidifying a donation. And most of all, I love realizing that I am really good at something (or a lot of things, actually, as the case may be).

People tell me all the time what I great job I'm doing (and please don't stop, because I love hearing it and it makes me work harder!) and I've always kind of brushed it off. I mean, is it really that hard to show up early, coordinate 5 volunteers into position, sell some merchandise, and, oh yeah, smile? Apparently so. Then again, I think it's the smile part that people have trouble with. I never do, not at the theatre. That's how I realized I was lying. I just love being at the theatre so damn much, I can't help but smile. And that makes my job incredibly easy.

Can't you feel it? There's beauty and excitement in what we do. We're creating something, something so big no individual could ever accomplish it all on his own. The show doesn't begin and end with the actors on stage. They are but one small piece of the puzzle. And if any of the other pieces (including the audience) are missing, the picture is incomplete. Whether you're selling a ticket, writing a press release, showing someone to their seat, contacting a potential donor, calling the show or performing in it, you are important.

So I will keep working behind the scenes and in I will keep sitting in front of them to ensure that the magic keeps happening.

That said, I really wouldn't mind if someone would like to cast me in something (and let me focus on doing just that) like, now. Or tomorrow. You can cast me tomorrow, too, if that works for you.

60 Words

60 freakin' words That's all I have to tell you all about my upcoming Fringe show and why you should see it.

And right now, I feel like I have nothing.

sigh

I think it's easier to write a whole damn play than 60 words about the play. And I'm suppose to be some kind of marketing expert?

Hopefully sleep brings perspective...

Join the Evolution!

For those of you who may not know, I am a founding member, as well as the Director of Communications for an independent theatre company in Ottawa named Evolution Theatre. This past week, we have finally launched our new website, which I encourage to visit frequently, as content is constantly being updated: www.evolutiontheatre.ca This past year has proven to be very fruitful for us. We have been honored with multiple award nominations through the Rideau Awards, the Capital Critics Circle, the Golden Cherries and the Ottawa Xpress. Our production of Daniel MacIvor’s This Is A Play sold out its run at the Ottawa Fringe Festival and was remounted as part of an evening of one-acts, in which we collaborated with two other local, independent companies. CBC Radio’s Alvina Ruprecht favourably reviewed our productions and called us “an important contribution to the professional theatre scene in Ottawa.”

We were also thrilled to be chosen as one of the companies to receive Production Mentorship under the tutelage of the Great Canadian Theatre Company. This mentorship program will gives us the opportunity to produce the Canadian premiere of Mark Ravenhill’s pool (no water) in the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre’s studio space in May of 2009 (Tickets on sale now!), as well as increasing our skills in various administrative areas of the Theatre. We are at an exciting stage in our development as a professional theatre company in Ottawa.

This past December, our company finally became recognized as a registered charity. As you can imagine, this was very joyous news indeed. pool (no water) is our most ambitious and expensive endeavor yet. We have applied for grants through the various levels of government, but have yet to receive any funding. With projected funding cuts all around to the arts, this then leaves us with the option of soliciting sponsors and donations from individual patrons and businesses.

We need your help. Currently, we’re trying to raise $5000. A donation as small as $25 can help us cover up to 3 hours of rehearsal space in city owned community centres; $100 buys costumes or set pieces; $2000 covers our technical time and staff in the theatre.

If you can’t afford to give, how about volunteering some of your time? Those interested should send an email with which areas of the theatre they are interested in working in to volunteer@evolutiontheatre.ca

If you would like additional information on the company and our upcoming productions, I encourage you to visit our brand new website, once again, at www.evolutiontheatre.ca. Online donations may be made by clicking the "Donate Now" button. A list of giving categories and rewards will be included on the site soon, but if you would like to know more now, please do not hesitate to contact me directly via email: comm@evolutiontheatre.ca

Thank you for your support!

Nancy