If You Happen To Be In Singapore...

A WORLD PREMIERE! Some of you may remember my first adventure to Kitchener-Waterloo (I sure seem to talk about this place a lot, don't I?) with my play Buds through She Speaks - a celebration for International Women's Day. Prior to that, Buds also received and Honorable Mention from the InspiraTO Festival in Toronto.

Well, after all that and some new edits, Buds will be receiving it's World Premiere production in Singapore (yes, Singapore) as part of the SHORT+SWEET Festival from July 8 to 12, 2009. (Scroll way down to find my name.)

I, of course, will not be in attendance, but I wish the cast and crew all the best. I hope someone will take pictures!

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Buds By Nancy Kenny July 8-12, 2009 - 8 pm Flexible Performance Space, LASALLE College of the Arts

Directed by Sarah Cheng Cast: Amesh Kumar, Elizabeth Tan, Natalie Bala & Kishan Kumar Singh Even when you’re hungover, the Taste Buds still have to go to work.

The Bigger Fear

Generally, writing a play does not scare me. Not to belittle the job of the playwright (because there is a tremendous amount of work involved), but I can just write something and, if someone decides they like it and want to produce it, I can just sit back and enjoy the show. It doesn't matter if I've revealed a part of myself in the lines or not because no one really sees me in the words. They now belong to the actor speaking them. The problem, or should I say the paralyzing/gut jarring/appetite destroying fear, occurs when that actor also happens to be me. Maybe it's because I haven't done it in so long (last November and counting). Since appearing in Meta Schmeta, I have had many auditions with zero results. It was one of the main reasons I got back into writing - to create something that I could appear in. That said, it's during these bouts without work that many actors begin to doubt themselves (What am I saying? Actors are always doubting themselves) and I'm no different. I start to think maybe there's a reason I haven't been working in so long. You know those thoughts of maybe I'm simply not good enough... Maybe everyone else has come to the realization I'm not really that great of an actor and I'm just oblivious to it all. Yesterday, I had a talk with a friend who mentioned the mistakes an actor keeps making which prevents them from getting work, but their ego is so much in the way that you can't approach them about it. I couldn't help wondering: is someone somewhere having that same conversation about me and I've just been blind?

My gut tells me that's not the case, so I carry on. And this summer, I'm laying it all on the line - words and voice. I've written a show which I am producing for both the Ottawa and Winnipeg Fringe Festivals (see my Upcoming Appearances page for details). I've been blessed with a fantastic director and an amazing scene partner. These people, I'd like to think, would not be working with me if they didn't believe in the project (they sure as hell aren't doing it for the money). They're faith encourages me and reminds me that I also have faith in myself... somewhere... I think it's near the stomach... I am proud of what we are coming up with in rehearsals and I know already that this production will be ten times better than my last attempt at self-production (live and learn). Success, for me, is just making this happen. I guess I'm on the right track.

Who am I trying to be good enough for anyway?

Asphalt Jungle Shorts - The Twitter Experience

Driving back from Kitchener-Waterloo to Toronto at 1 am gives you plenty of time to think and to rant randomly. (First up, reason number 42 why I am different from my mom and my sister: I happen to like night driving - the roads are quiet and the car is bumpin'!) I can't even begin to describe how wonderful my evening was. Every song on the radio was a song I loved (though some ladies who lunch may argue that I love every song, which is mostly true but besides the point - come on, if you don't love C+C Music Factory, you have no soul!) Some of you may remember my previous adventures in KW. This time around, through some careful scheduling, I managed to be in town for the Asphalt Jungle Shorts, an absolutely wonderful little project of site specific theatre. Basically, you get taken on a trek through town and "witness" approximately 15 short plays on your journey. I had heard about the festival and applied with my own piece, Blind Date. I found out today that there were over 300 applications from playwrights so I feel very privileged to have been included.

My life is just such a beautiful dream and the best part is that I don't ever have to wake up. There is nothing quite like seeing some amazing and inspiring art taking place (and knowing that you played an albeit small part in making it happen) to really recharge your batteries. During one particularly heavy piece in the tour, two people walked up. They were covered in tattoos and scowls and didn't look like your typical theatre audience. I thought they would just walk around, but no, they stood there, and I saw giant grins form on their faces. When someone told them they could come along for the rest of the ride, they couldn't believe it. It was their first time seeing theatre and they were so enthralled, they will come back on another day to catch the show from the beginning. My heart melted. I am so amazed at this community of artists I keep finding all over the world and I am even more thrilled that all of them seem to be willing to let me sleep on their couches if I'm ever in town. And you can bet that I will one day take them up on that offer (especially with the Magnetic North Theatre Festival happening in KW next year!)

For those of you who won't be able to make it out, here is my live Twitter play-by-play of the evening (inspired by the lovely Lois and her frequent Tweets from backstage).

Enjoy!

We start at the Kava Bean Common on Gaukel Street:

@nancykenny - Free parking & french vanilla cappucino - rain or shine site specific theatre goes on

@nancykenny - Wondering if the crazy interview taking place at my table is part of the show...

@nancykenny - Groucho lookalike says something might happen

@nancykenny - Coffee shop argument We begin... I hope

@nancykenny - Aha! Interview is! part of it

@nancykenny - For copyright reasons, not Groucho but Whome

@nancykenny - Off to a great start - cat fight in the street over a clocktower - not a euphemism

@nancykenny - Group stopped by someone trying to figure out her cell camera

@nancykenny - Ah this is the clocktower

@nancykenny - Gosh lots of couples break up on this tour

@nancykenny - Group photo YAY robots!

@nancykenny - If we had chosen left would we get different shows?

@nancykenny - Whome runs all the way around the park to ensure being in the lead. Corny jokes abound

@nancykenny - Random ppl swear at the actors - not part of the show - geez learn to have fun

@nancykenny - Best valley explanation of Othello ever!

@nancykenny - Jaywalking is bad. Heard from Whome: I wish I had a camera for all the fascinating things that did not happen.

@nancykenny - That's what I like to see passerbys staring w/ joy n awe (these are the people I mentioned above)

@nancykenny - Whoa another breakup. Do not come to KW for love - come for the petting zoo

@nancykenny - Whome quote: Marriage is the leading cause of divorce

@nancykenny - Intermission in a bar - my show takes place in a bar! Anticipation!

@nancykenny - Now in the furthest room in the bar. Surprised I have reception. FYI-bar is Rum Runner

@nancykenny - Hmmm Whome has disappeared but a sexy married dragon lady is flirting w/ the bartender...

@nancykenny - My show's great!

@nancykenny - "There's a gay woman trapped inside this strait man's body" HA!

@nancykenny - Whome is back! Woo!

@nancykenny - Programs given at the end so as not to ruin the surprise - they asked me to bow! TY KW! Amazing show! Even the weather complied

@nancykenny - This has been a live tweetorama from the Asphalt Jungle Shorts

Roller Derby Saved My Soul

Give me a girl with some bruises on her butt and that killer look in her eye.

- Uncle Leon and the Alibis

Some of my followers (look at that, I've got "followers" now - ain't I special?) on Twitter and Facebook may have noticed that I was in Red Deer this past weekend attending a Roller Derby Boot Camp, hosted by the Canadian Women's Roller Derby Association. First off, yes, Roller Derby.  Yes, that sport on roller skates.  Yes, it still exists.  It's actually experiencing a pretty strong revival.  We good?  Can I continue?  Thanks!  Now, contrary to what you may be thinking, I haven't suddenly picked up a new sport (though after this weekend, I'm seriously tempted - apparently I'm quite a natural on quad skates). You see, a few months ago, when I began toying with the idea of creating my own work, I was looking for inspiration to hit. I was sitting in my office (Westboro Branch) and noticed a community paper on the seat. I flipped it over and, on the cover, saw something that sent light bulbs exploding in my brain: Roller Derby.

Since that day, I've been avidly researching the game in order to create a one woman show that I would like to tour on the Canadian Fringe Circuit next year. You see, the revival of this sport goes far above and beyond anything you could possibly imagine. Every week, I hear of a new team popping up somewhere across the country and the rest of the world. Even our fair Ottawa is working on getting it's third (yes, third!) team. From the Ottawa league, I heard about the Boot Camp happening in Red Deer. Of all the places in Canada where this weekend was taking place, it happened to be in the city where my sister currently lives... So, I jumped at the chance to go. And I do not regret it. I've now made a ton of connections which will serve me well on tour. You see, every city that has a Fringe Festival also has a Roller Derby team (or two or three or five - Hi Toronto!).

This is a really ambitious project for me, one that really pushes me to my absolute limit. I'm scared like you would not believe, but I am also incredibly excited. As usual, I will be posting my show developments here on my blog. Until then, I leave you with an awesome little music video for Roller Derby Saved My Soul by Uncle Leon and the Alibis. It will give you a good idea of the athleticism and theatricality involved in the sport.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlfCPc1ZhCQ]