REVERBERATIONS

A year in review, the 2011 edition

2012-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

Looking back at 2011, the first thing that comes to mind is ouf. By late December, I hit my fortieth mark, that is I worked on 40 professional productions since 2004 (though from 2004-2008 I was working only very part-time as I was still a student). 2011 has been a year of change as I've continued to learn to cut back and better manage my time (e.i. learn to take time off) which can be tricky when working on fifteen shows a year. This past year, I went from being resident stage manager/props master/production manager to simply doing a better job as production manager. This single title suits me much better and it's allowed me to do other things, like go to Montreal for a festival, start writing again (and applying for grants), start singing and performing again (one wedding, one fundraiser and one audition), garden and get back to having a somewhat normal life (in my new home!).

In keeping with my old tradition, here's my year in theatre and books:

2011: A year of plays:
The Year of Magical Thinking
Feu la mère de Madame et Un bain de ménage
Le Sortilège
Laboratoire Gestes
Strawberries in January
Bifurcate Me
This is a Recording
Little Martyrs
St-Carmen of the Main
Les Étoiles d’Angus
The Shadow Cutter
Les Fridolinades
Gatineau by Night / Implosion
The Middle Place
Autopsie de Biscuits Chinois
Rearview
La Femme du boulanger
Lavender Railroad
Live From the Belly of a Whale
Les papillons de nuit
Adieu Beauté
The Fourposter
521 847 984
Mademoiselle de Paris
Écume
Frères d’hiver
39 Steps
Les z’aventures de Zozotte
Salt Water Moon
Sauce Brune
Les Outardes
Dreams of Whales
Taram
Whispering Pines
...And Slowly Beauty
The Father of the Daughter of Time Motion Study
Sauce Brune
Déverbération et SlamOutaouais
Le Cubicule
Oliver
Three Sisters
Dragon Glouton
Ti-Jean de partout

2011: a year of paper (mostly plays):
La Femme du Boulanger - Marcel Pagnol
Another Home Invasion - Joan MacLeod
Ce qui meurt en dernier - Normand Chaurette
The Sentamentalist - Johanna Skibsrub
The Drowning Girls - Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson, Daniela Vlaskalic
Comrades - Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson, Daniela Vlaskalic
The Pochsy Plays (Pochsy’s Lips, Citizen Pochsy, Oh, baby) - Karen Hines
Mom’s the Word - Linda A. Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard, Deborah Williams
Possible Worlds - John Mighton
The Russian Play (USSR + Mexico City + Essay) - Hannah Moscovitch
Poèmes épars - Gaston Miron
Age of Arousal - Linda Griffiths
Félicité - Olivier Choinière
Player One: What is to Become of Us - Douglas Coupland
Porc Épic - David Paquet
Afterimage - Robert Chafe
Le plan américain - Evelyne de la Chenelière et Daniel Brière
MacBeth - Michel Garneau
Hotel Pacifique - Fanny Britt
Generous - Michael Healey
Les pieds des anges - Evelyne de la Chenelière
Half Life - John Mighton
Tarmac - Nicolas Dickson
Rimbaud - Jean-Bapitiste Baronian
Mademoiselle de Paris - Michel Normandeau
Don Quichotte - Miguel Cervantes
The Darling Family - Linda Griffiths
Place Vendôme août 1944 - Alain Houpillart
10 Days on Earth - Ronnie Burkett
My Name is Red - Orhan Pamuk
Where the Blood Mixes - Kevin Loring
The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest - Stieg Larsson
Snow - Organ Pamuk
The Aspidistra Code, From Both Hips, Howie the Rookie, Made in China, Crestfall - Mark O’Rowe
Debris, Osama the Hero, After the End, Love and Money - Dennis Kelly
The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood
Scotstown - Fabien Cloutier
Enquête sur le pire - Fanny Britt
Cinémassacre - Boris Vian
Titanica - Sébastien Harrisson
La Petite poule d’eau - Irène Mahé et Claude Dorge
Chaque jour - Fanny Britt
The Weir, St. Nicholas, This Lime Tree Bower, The Good Thief, Rum and Vodka - Conor McPherson
“Pig” - Simon Boulerice
Low in the Dark, The Mai and Portia Coughlan - Marina Carr

Untitled

2011-12-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

Stand still

2011-12-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

I find myself singing most days...

Author's intentions

2011-09-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

In recent months, I've been translating much more. On top of all the freelancing and occasional pro bono work that I do for various small Ottawa arts organizations, I've had the opportunity of translating two plays, one towards French that will be produced later this year and the other towards English for subtitles, to be presented this fall.

As translation is taking up a larger portion of my time, I've started thinking about my practice and looking to improve my skills, by reading books on translation and being critical towards the translations that I read. I recently stumbled on what seemed to me to be a bad translation and this was confirmed when I compared it with the original. Now of course the translator claims that their work is also an adaptation, though really, all translations are adaptations/interpretations, but I think, unless you are doing a full on adaptation of a piece (in which case take off the mention of it being a translation), you need to stay true to the tone, rhythm and intentions of the original text.

While reading a book on the elements of translation, I stumbled upon some words of advice (Michael Hamburger): "To me it's not so much a question of liberties but of whether the translator is trying to impose himself on the text or whether he is trying to render the text. In order to render the text one must take liberties, but there is a difference between somebody who simply uses the text as a springboard for his own exercises and inventions and somebody who is thinking primarily in terms of the text he's translating."

Sure at times, when translating for the stage I come up with catchy dialogue and witty lines, but if it doesn't serve the author's intentions and style, I either write it down for a personal project or forget it altogether. What maddened me in the above mentioned piece is that the translator was way too present and I feel like the use of the term adaptation was used too loosely to justify these choices. And in my opinion, these "clever" add ons, rather than enhancing the text, have actually slowed down the rhythm and drawn out the action (of an already slow text). When I translate, I have the responsibility of putting aside my personal style and inserting myself into another author's brain. This is one of the reasons why I love translating drama because I get to try out someone else's writing style and at times it's a huge challenge, but at the same time, I've learned a lot about constructing dialogue. With only five plays under my belt (3 French; 2 English), and being far from being an experienced translator, I've just leaned a lot in terms of what not to do. Or at least about where I fit into the various schools of thought.

Karma

2011-09-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

As an atheist, I obviously don't believe in god, however, having been raised a catholic, other than feeling a deep sense of guilt in any situation (as small and ridiculous as it may be, there is always guilt), another thing that has strongly marked me is the idea of being a good samaritan/neighbour.

I believe in science although at times this means accepting that for the time being we are without an answer or that our answer is the right one until there is a paradigm shift, and in which case we'll have to restructure the way in which we perceive the world. Mainly though, in adhering to a scientific view of the world, I am a strong believer in cause and effect, aka what the Indians call Karma. My actions in the world, however small they will be, will bring about a reaction, sometimes as equally small, other times larger.

For those who know me, I am the production manager for a local theatre company. Which means that for any given production, I manage from 10-20 people. My sense of catholic guilt comes in real handy here because how I see it is that if anything in the production fails, if anyone is unhappy with the process, it's my fault, I wasn't doing my job. This is, yes, I am aware, a lot of self-inflicted stress that is not healthy or necessary. But as I said, I blame the catholic upbringing. Damn guilt. This also means that I try to be extremely attentive to the people around me, I try to help them when possible, though only they could tell you how effective I am. And I try to be nice with everyone I deal with, even if it's someone over the phone. I go out of my way to be nice. I don't actually try to, it's just my professional personality.

For the current show I am working on, which opens in a week and a half, many things were late. Until last week, move in week, we didn't have a structure for our set. We were planning on using TV trusses, and our various plans were failing. I was stressing, looking at alternatives, losing sleep. But thank my lucky stars, late Tuesday afternoon I got the call that saved the show. A company in town could rent them to us, with a twenty percent discount, and I'd be able to pick them up the following day.

On Friday, I went shopping with my carpenter, we needed to buy some plywood. And because we were late on this front as well, instead of getting it delivered to our shop, we decided to get the wood cut in store and carry it in my car. Once paid and cut, we realized that my hatchback was too small. We were stuck on the curb with five sheets of plywood, trying to figure out what to do, who to call, so that we could get it back to the theatre. Now I had been eying all the minivans and trucks passing by in the parking lot, and thinking: come on people, seems to me we look desperate enough that one of you might want to help us... and what do you know, within five minutes of sitting there and making calls, a friendly man offered to help us as he had two hours to spare. So just like that, another good action came our way.

So now thanks to the kindness of strangers, and a whole lot of good karma, I now actually have a full set in the theatre, and it's looking good.

Rivière

2011-05-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

Je suis née dans une rivière.

Non, ce n’est pas vrai.

Mais dire que j’ai grandi dans une ville qui n’existe plus n’est pas intéressant.

Une ville qui bien malgré elle a été amalgamée, fusionnée, exploitée.

Qui a maintenant disparue.

Les bois de ma jeunesse ont été urbanisés.

Le sauvage remplacé par des maisons de banlieue, les unes aussi plates que les autres. Unifamiliale à deux voitures, un enfant et demie, et un arbre plaqué en avant.

Cette ville ne me parle pas. Ne me parle plus.

Alors je suis née dans une rivière.

Une rivière à deux noms, à troubles d’identité, mais une rivière pareille.

Et ce n’est pas la frontière qui détermine son nom, mais plutôt la langue.

Ma mère, irlandaise de la vallée,

a accouché de moi les deux pieds sur le bord du rivage.

En naissant j’ai plongé dans l’eau

pour rejoindre les barbottes et les mollusques.

Mais mon père, le franco-errant,

m’a vite repêché et ramené à la maison familiale.

Nous habitions, tous les six, deux soeurs, deux parents et un frère,

dans un quartier, qui,

jadis comptait que des chalets d’été.

Nos plages de schiste argileux était, à l’époque,

une destination populaire

pour les gens visitant/habitant la capitale nationale.

Jeune, je regardais ces vieux chalets en m’imaginant ces gens de fin de siècle - noir et blanc (comme la télé que nous avions encore chez nous) - assis sur les vérandas colorées de mon quartier, baignant dans le soleil et regardant les diamants étinceler sur notre rivière.

J’ai grandi à deux minutes de cette rivière.

J’aurais pu la voir de mon entrée si ce n’était pas pour le petit bois qui se trouvait au bout de ma rue :

Blueberry Point, ou pointe aux bleuets, un bois que je ne traversais jamais

de peur de me faire enlever par les sorcières qui rodaient toujours les bois de mon quartier, Wychwood (ou plutôt Witchwood pour l’enfant que j’étais).

Donc j’arrivais toujours à la rivière par un petit détour,

mais quand j’y arrivais, j’y restait longtemps.

Au printemps, je n’avais pas à me déplacer.

La rivière se rendait jusqu’à moi.

Ma maison a été construite sur un ruisseau asséché,

et à chaque printemps, ou avec chaque grande tombée de pluie,

cette rivière inondait notre cave, nos vies.

Quand je fuguais, c’est à elle que je courrais.

Elle a été le centre de ma jeune vie,

l’hiver pour y patiner,

l’été pour faire ricocher des roches et parfois même pour m’y baigner -

Malgré qu’après peu cela n’a plus été possible. Merci pollution.

Je suis née dans une rivière, une rivière à deux noms,

Une rivière à rapides,

qui trace la frontière entre l’Ontario et le Québec,

qui a été créée par le retrait des glaciers et le séchage d’une mer.

Je suis née dans cette route intérieure qui mène de l’est à l’ouest

et qui se jette dans le fleuve.

Adulte, je suis en éternel printemps, elle ne cesse de m’envahir, de m’habiter, et quand je pleure, c’est ses larmes que je pleure.

Duo-tang rouge

2011-05-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

Ch-t’attendais. Ton autobus était en r’tard, ou quoi?

J’veux pas qu’les autres arrivent pis qu’y nous voient.

Faque, tient. Prend. Ayoye, dépêche-toi.

J’ai pas toute la journée.

C’est tout dans l’zip-lock.

Tu peux le compter, c’est tout là. J’te jure.

Ben oui en cennes noires, des cinq pis peut-être deux dix, mais j’pas sûre.

Non. C’était pas pour t’faire chier. J’te jure.

Quesse-tu veux. J’pas riche moi pis j’avais quoi, douze heures, un peu plus pour le trouver.

C’est la semaine prochaine mon allocation.

Pis c’est à ce moment-là que je l’ai mon beau billet.

Faque compte.

Ta gueule pis compte. Ayoye. On a pas longtemps.

J’ai dût le prendre de mon pot de margarine,

celui dans l’quel je mets tous les sous que je ramasse.

Ça m’prend du temps, mais j’m’achète une botte gauche.

Arrête de rire pis compte niaiseux.

Ma mère m’a dit que si j’arrive à ramasser la moitié du prix,

a m’aiderait à payer l’aute moitié.

Pour la botte droite, tsé.

Des docs. Aie. C’est-tu pas beau des docs.

Celle qui monte jusqu’ici. Noir, gloss. Hot.

C’est tellement grunge.

J’aurai finalement l’air d’une toffe.

Ah ouain, tu dis ça maintenant, mais quand tu la sentiras,

ma botte gauche,

frapper tes couilles,

j’pense ben que t’as trouveras moins drôle.

Ta gueule,

c’est pas parce qu’on est pove,

que je dois ramasser mes propres sous,

c’est parce que ma mère, a veut me responsabiliser.

Pour être quelqu’un de responsable dans vie.

Pas comme toi tata.

Faque tu vois, j’t’ai pas menti. Tu l’as ton deux piaisses.

M’en fou si c’est incommodant, pis si t’en perds, too bad.

T’avais rien qu’à le garder dans ton zip-lock.

Maintenant donne-moi mon duo-tang rouge.

Donne-moi mon crisse de duo-tang rouge.

C’était ça la deal.

Tu peux ben l’dire au prof que j’ai sacré.

J’m’en fou.

Mais tu dis rien à propos de ça. Cette deal. À personne.

Donne. Donne. DONNE!

Oua-oua-ouain... S’il te plaît.

T’es ben trop fin.

Euh...

Une dernière p’tite chose...

Ché pas, mais euh, peux-tu la changé ma note.

Genre la ligne au milieu de ton gros E, ça s’enlève, non?

Un C c’est un peu moins pire.

Ben oui, j’ai oublié de mentionner ça au moment d’la deal.

Mais si tu veux pas que je dise à tout l’monde que t’as un kick sur Samy, tu serais mieux de l’faire.

Oké. C’est pas vrai. J’ferais pas ça.

J’pas bitch quand même-là.

C’tune joke.

Mais s’il te plaît, fait ça pour, pour une amie. Une friend.

J’le sais que c’est seulement un test pratique, cet examen d’compréhension écrite, que ça sera pas dans mon bulletin,

mais j’ai honte.

Tu comprends. J’ai honte.

J’en ai jamais eu de E, moi.

Jamais d’la vie.

La pression des amis qui sont bollés dans toute, pis les soeurs parfaites.

C’est trop.

Faque j’peux pas avoir cette tâche dans mon duo-tang rouge.

No-non, un C c’est ben correct.

Faut quand même être raisonnable.

Merci, han, t’es vraiment quelqu’un de bien.

Ce que tu viens de faire, j’l’oublirai jamais...

Ceramics

2011-03-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Earlier this winter, seeing as we were missing a visual artist for our lobby for an upcoming show, I suggested to my boss that I fill the space with my own exhibit. I was expecting her to come up with another artist, but she accepted. Not knowing if she would change her mind (not that she does, it's just that I could quite believe it) I checked in with her on this topic about a week later. Nope. The exhibit was still mine.

Might I add that unlike sane people who offer to pull off an exhibit in a matter of weeks (4 in my case, from start to finish), I have chosen to create everything from scratch. This is completely a "carte blanche" as it is a complete work in progress, I started working pretty much at the same time as the performers who will be presenting theirs at the end of the month.

This is probably one of the most challenging moments of my career as I am not a visual artist (or rather, I am neither experienced nor trained visual artist and I'll be lucky if anyone purchases one of my works... ) and everything about this exhibit stresses me because if I am putting myself out there I want to make sure that it's my best.

Lately, I've been neglecting all of my other work to try to put together this exhibit. However, this is equally one of the best moments as I get to create 100% without strings attached. And it is nice for once to be working on something whose outcome is fully dependent on me.

My point of departure for this exhibit were the ceramics that I saw in Istanbul last summer and will include photos, paintings, multi-media and ceramics.

I've been documenting my process along the way. Here are a few pictures, just to give an avant-goût.

photographs

the rusty looking tube is actually a prop for Les Étoiles d'Angus

and none of the above paintings look anything like that anymore.

ceramics or fragments from our lives

inédit

2011-03-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

I few months ago I applied to this fabulous writing residency with the CEAD (Centre des auteurs dramatiques). I first got to know this organization in 2007, when I interned with them for a month. Since then, I have been following their activity and secretly wishing to become a member, though having sat in on one of their reading committee's discussions, I know that I am nowhere near ready to submit myself as a candidate. So when I heard that they were accepting one non-member author from French Canada for this playwriting residency from the ATFC (Association des théâtres francophones du canada), I of course jumped at the opportunity of applying. Along with filling out all the paperwork, I wrote a letter of intention to one of the dramaturgs that I had met in 2007, who was the one accepting the application, and crossed my fingers for the next month and a bit.

March 1st rolls along and I get an email. I read it and am not surprised to find out that I was not accepted. I was up against some pretty well known playwrights. I move on. Focus on other projects (like how great the ERP is and on my upcoming openings and exhibit...). But then yesterday, I get another email. This time again from the ATFC. Another call for another playwriting thing. I look at the dates and although it conflicts with one of my tech weeks, I still want to apply. I respond back. Ask what is needed for me to submit my candidacy. And the immediate response I get back is: it's yours, book the dates, you'll be our Ontario representative. For the next little while, all that came out of my mouth were fragments of words making no sense at all. You know, the abahgahbah whahdahgahbah type. Once I got over being stunned, I moved to analyze the situation, because, I do that.

And then I realized that it all comes back to that month long internship with the CEAD and that I have my 24 year old self to thank because the person offering me this amazing opportunity was none other than the other dramaturg that I interned with, in fact, he's the one that I mostly interned with. And I must have, at some point, in my shy-naive-young-inexperienced way, impressed the right person. Or maybe my application for the CEAD's residency (for which he was CCed) wasn't all that bad after all.

I am more than excited about this upcoming experience as it is a "rencontre d'auteurs" and part of the 10th Festival du Jamais Lu (which will be hosted by none other than Jean-Marc Dalpé!). Along with participating in round table discussions, I'll be sharing my own inédit work and doing writing exercises.

For all the rejection letters I have ever received, time and time and time again, and then some, moments like these make all of it completely worthwhile.

création

2011-03-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

I realized, just last week, how much I really love working at l'Espace René-Provost.

Most of you don't know this space. Mainly because it is in Old Hull. Also because it is only since last year that Théâtre de l'Île has been giving it regular programming, last year being the pilot year, with only three or four projects happening there, and this year it has had its first full on programming, 8 events taking place within the regular season (and you can count on at least that much next season, if not more). Last year although I assumed the role as production manager for the space, I was only filling the position until we figured out what we were doing with it. Now the position is mine and I have a role in shaping what goes on there.

I realized how much this space is important, last week, during opening night of one of our Carte Blanche series. The notion of a carte blanche is that my company gives money to an individual and/or a group, a small enough cachet, for them to create a piece. We give them a space to rehearse in, tech elements, publicity and three performances in front of an audience. It is often thought of as the first step in a process. We do not limit ourselves to theatre related performances. Last week, two exceptional women, who have both performed on our mainstage (one from the professional component, the other from the community one), as actresses, gave two amazingly brilliant performances as singers. Opening night was pretty much sold out, the second night did fairly well, and on closing night, we had to add a few chairs to the house because we wanted to fit in as many people as possible (and we had to turn some people down). I was touched and inspired by this experience, the two performers came up to us (me and the A.D.) expressing such gratitude because of the opportunity we gave them to have complete liberty as artists, and some audience members wanted to propose their own cartes blanches. It's great to see that the idea of a Carte Blanche is catching on. Quickly.

Also, what makes this space amazing is that we have a fabulous, and I mean fabulous, lobby that acts as a gallery space. I invited a young artist to exhibit his work in our space. He attracted some thirty people to his vernissage alone on opening night. So the place was just bustling that night, and following nights, with this crazy dynamic energy.

And it was in that initial moment, on opening night, that I realized how much I really love my job. That I truly want to invest in this space and see more happening in it, draw in all sorts of audiences.

That being said, we have another Carte Blanche series happening from the 31st of March until April 2nd. And I get to take part in it, for once, as an actual artist, as I will be exhibiting some of my work (all new, for this exhibit... ) in the lobby.

L'Espace René-Provost is located in Old Hull, at 39 Leduc (one bus will take you there from downtown in less than 15 minutes... either octranspo or STO... it really is that close).

PRIX RIDEAU AWARDS ANNOUNCE 2010 NOMINEES

2011-02-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

space

2011-02-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

I made it. I managed to see three different shows this weekend, at three different spaces and in two different languages, plus, one of the three I actually saw twice (because I was tied to it). This feels like a weekend of accomplishments. Not only on a personal level, but also because I feel like theatre in this region is coming into its own. We've shown, this past weekend, that not only are we able to showcase emerging work but also create it, and in many different venues simultaneously. This is hopefully a testament (yes a continual one, but hopefully now a communal one, but maybe I'm the only one projecting so far in advance and in both official languages... but lets hope not) of what this region is going to be in years to come, a ground for new and innovative creations.

During this weekend, I overheard talk about space. Why would an artist/technician/what have you, want to stay here. Why not Montreal, Toronto or even Vancouver. It would seem like Ottawa-Gatineau, of all places, is a boring city, easy forgotten. When I was living in Vancouver, I was surprised with how many Ottawa-born-educated artists there were out there. At a time, it would seem that Ottawa was a place that one left as soon as possible. And in the past four-five years it would seem that people, those who were foolish enough to leave in the first place, are finally coming back (with training and/or experience) and others, who have no previous ties to this place, are settling down. What I like about this region is that it is a place of becoming, and because of this, we show an openness, a willingness to try and fail, learn, educate (ourselves and others), grow... especially grow. Right now, if given the opportunity, I don't think I would want to be anywhere else because all I see are endless possibilities.

In other news, I am currently developing two art exhibits. One in which I will be inviting artists to create in an open space environment, where visual artists will be performing and painting all in one, and another, which I am most excited about, and which I really need to stop dreaming about and actually start working on, where I will be exhibiting my work. As a theatre artist/translator, I can't think of another place where I would be allowed to wear so many hats simultaneously.

I think that along with being a bilingual artistic community, we also build our strength upon being multi-disciplinary, of being able to tap into different spaces all at once.

emerging

2011-01-29T20:48:00.000-08:00

As I was sitting down for a drink with a friend last night, after catching a show at Undercurrents, the conversation turned to theatre or more specifically, to the current situation of theatre in this city. There is a sense of excitement, both from the standpoint of the artists and the audience members. There is just so much new work to see, in both English and French. I'm loving it and trying to soak in as much as possible!

Currently (spanning the period of the last week of January and the first week of February), in the Ottawa region alone, along with the regular main stage productions, there is a large amount of emerging/independent work being produced and showcased. Along with the already mentioned Undercurrents festival at the GCTC, which runs from Jan 26-Feb 6, there is the Laboratoire Gestes, an initiative of Théâtre du Trillium's (La Nouvelle Scène), and Le Sortilège, a Planète Sauvage production (l'Espace René-Provost) (for which I am PMing), both of which run from Feb 3-5.

Across Canada, more or less during this same time, there is the PuSh festival (Vancouver), The High Performance Rodeo (Calgary), Pivot Theatre Festival (Whitehorse), The Canoe Festival (Edmonton).

It would seem that as we are emerging from the darkness of winter, audience members from across the country and the city are more open to independent theatre that is, more often than not, produced by emerging artists and companies. A coincidence. I think not.

À bout de souffle

2011-01-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a while that I've been thinking about exhaustion in the arts and more specifically, in the arts administration and production side of the arts (and even more specifically, in theatre). Not only am I thinking of this because of my own direct experience, and my recent move to decrease my work load, but also because I have seen a large number of my peers faced with the same exhaustion.

Many of us may have gotten into this field because of efficiency, our ability to solve problems, manage budgets, be organized and organize others. But there comes a time when there is too much. Or rather not enough. Not enough time, not enough resources and especially not enough human resources. And because of our "take on" personalities, quite often we will take on a large amount of the responsibility.

I have seen some amazing stage managers, production managers, arts administrators and even designers burn out, quite the field, thus leaving the community, because of exhaustion and the never ending overload of work that every day needs to be done.

We work in a domain that is typically not 9 to 5 and this means that rather than having flexibility in our schedule, being able to sleep in until 10 and move in an organic environment, we are often overworked, stressed, on tight deadlines, always on call, and our work overlooked. We make it seem easy, as if everything just falls into place. But it doesn't. And there isn't, unless it is a big budget show, a ton of people working behind the scene. We work for ten, but get the salary of one (if even that).

With that, there is the added stress of not knowing if there will be someone else to replace us should we choose to work elsewhere, change careers, take time off, or should we be sick. The main problem with not working 9 to 5 is that it is easy to fall into the trap of working 12-15 hour days, of not taking a day off, of not answering the phone when someone calls with a problem.

Why do it then?

Because we believe in the arts. Because when we do our job right, on opening night, a full house gives the production a standing ovation. Because we are contributing to something larger than ourselves.

I am personally trying to set boundaries, catch the problem early on, not answer my phone on my day off unless I know it's not for work, read emails on said days off, but not necessarily answer them and focus more on my art (and that is another issue, many artists take on the role of arts administrators and so as to fill a gap, earn a steady income, etc).

I think exhaustion in the field of arts administration/production needs to be addressed, not only within our own artistic community but also within the greater community. What can be done to recognize the work of these individuals, increase their resources (monetary and human) and take away some of the burden that lies on their shoulders and increase awareness in the community about the type of work that goes into creating an individual event.

A year in review, the 2010 edition

2011-01-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

Although I took two wonderful months off this past year for traveling and cottaging, 2010 proved to be a rather busy year as I worked on ten productions, had a few teaching experiences, translated and became the communications coordinator for the Prix Rideau Awards. As great as all this was, it also meant not having as much time to actually go see shows, especially ones that I, J. or close friends weren't involved in. Here's a look back at my year in terms of books and plays.

A year of plays:

Disponibles en librairie

Woyzeck

Les Médecins de Molière

High Life

L’Illustre Théâtre

Mrs Dexter and her Daily

Carte blanche : Sortilège et Animal Chic

The Bus Driver’s Handbook to Far-Flung Destinations

Assoifés

À la défense des moustiques albinos

La Trappe

Ciels

Sonate d’automne

Airport Security

5 clés

Le Magasin Général

Someone for Everyone

Romeo and Juliet

The Turn of the Screw

Hamlet Machine

Vimy

Chemin de la Mecque

Afghanistan

L'Inconsolable

A year of books:

Les âmes morte - Nicolas Gogol

Beyond Therapy - Christopher Durang

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - Winifred Watson

Les enfants terribles - Jean Cocteau

L’exécution - Marie-Claire Blais

La Mandragore - Jean-Pierre Ronfard

The Autograph Man - Zadie Smith

Marion Bridge - Daniel MacIvor

Au retour des oies blanches - Marcel Dubé

Le passé antérieur - Michel Tremblay

Summer of my Amazing Luck - Chris Craddock

Equus - Peter Shaffer

Here on Flight Path - Norm Foster

Trout Stanley - Claudia Dey

Nikolski - Nicolas Dickner

Panique à Longueil - René Daniel Dubois

Demain matin Montréal m’attend - Michel Tremblay

And Up They Flew - Martha Ross

Bonne fête maman - Elizabeth Bourget

Sexy Laundry - Michele Riml

The Fly Fisher’s Companion - Michael Melski

The Love List - Norm Foster

Through Black Spruce - Joseph Boyden

Bone Cage - Catherine Banks

Vigil - Morris Panych

Les Beaux dimanches - Marcel Dubé

Les Fleurs du Mal - Charles Beaudelaire

La Cousine Germaine - Carl Ritchie, trad. Danielle Proulx

Feu la mère et Bain de Ménage - Georges Feydeau

Je suis une mouette (non ce n’est pas ça) - Serge Denoncourt

La Liste - Jennifer Tremblay

Any Night - Daniel Arnold & Medina Hahn

Rouge Gueule - Étienne Lepage

Candide - Voltaire

Ciels - Wajdi Mouawad

Mademoiselle Bonsoir - Boris Vian

La Reine des garces - Boris Vian

Hello -- hello - Karen Hines

To the Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf

The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner

Gargantua - François Rabelais

Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger

Afghanistan - Véronique-Marie Kaye

Le Chemin de la Mecque - Athol Fugard

Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

Mightnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

Poésies, Une saison en enfer, Illuminations - Arthur Rimbaud

Pantagruel - François Rabelais

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami

La Sorcière de Portobello - Paulo Coelho

L’Arbre des tropiques - Yukio Mishima

Les Dromadaires - Fanny Britt

Cabin Fever - Carl Ritchie

Les Hommes qui n’aimaient pas les femmes - Steig Larsson

L’Hiver de force - Réjean Ducharme

St. Urbain’s Horseman - Mordecai Richler

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlo Ruiz Zafón

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

The Complete Stories of Truman Capote

Wishing everyone all the best this upcoming year!

identity

2010-12-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

Although I wasn't able to stay for the entirety of today's round table on professional playwriting in franco-ontario, I was there for the discussion on the current situation (issues and challenges). Right now the practice is seen as going through a bit of a crisis as on one side there are not enough playwright and on the other, not enough companies to produce new texts. One of the questions that we tried to tackle was defining the franco-ontarian playwright.

The answer to this question might at first seem obvious: a francophone playwright in Ontario. By using the words of the question, you can come by the answer (common language, space and practice). But it's not that easy.

There are playwrights, who were born and raised in Ontario, who now live in Montreal, the rest of Canada or even abroad. Some of these people still contribute to the milieu, others have moved on. There are those who were born and raised and still reside, these ones are included without a doubt. But then there are those who were born elsewhere, and came to Ontario to write. Some stayed and Ontario has become their adopted province. They are another obvious group to be included in the definition. But what about those who were of passage, but while they were here contributed largely to the community. Do we include them while they are here and exclude them afterwards, or include the work they did while here... And then there is the category of authors (and artists) who reside in greater Gatineau, who come from Quebec, the maritimes or the prairies, but who work, for the most part or half the time, in Ontario.

In addition, on the artistic front, there were those of us present at this morning's round table, who belong to the "emerging" category. We have had small, isolated experiences in playwriting, given the means and the time, perhaps we could eventually achieve great things, but we have yet to leave our mark. If lucky, we've had our work (one, maybe two...) produced or workshopped, but we are far from being published, household names or part of the franco-ontarian repertoire. Do we want to be playwrights, yes, of course, but is it our actual reality? We're working on it...

I was glad to see that I am not the only one who is struggling with the question of identity. The question of identity is one I come back to often in this blog. Artistically, as presented here, in order to make a living in theatre, my reality is that I wear many hats (PM, props, translation, and so forth), linguistically, my identity is dual as I was brought up and still live in both languages, and spatially, I am just as confused, especially since daily I go from one province to the other and have now lived and contributed artistically to three different provinces.

In a way I have come to accept that my identity involves plurality and is a particularly individual thing, however, when we weren't collectively able to stop at a definition of what a franco-ontarian playwright is, it became evident that I am not the only one faced with this ongoing question of split or unsettled identity. And is this our new way of culturally defining ourselves? In which case, how do we identify the collective (say, like in the case of this morning, you want to bring together the professional playwrights of franco-ontario, how do you go about doing this)? If we are in era in which we are beyond labels, because each individual needs to be considered as a separate entity, how do we collectively advocate for better funding, work opportunities, how do we develop our art, especially in an extremely communal art form and knowing that there is strength in numbers? Do we need to force ourselves to return to the pre-post model, where roles and space and politics were more clearly defined? Or do we accept the current ambiguities even if it means working in the dark, removed from our "peers"?

writing...

2010-12-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

I was recently invited to take part in a round table on franco-ontarian dramaturgy, as one of 15-20 professional playwrights in the province. I was surprised by the invitation. Me. A playwright? A translator of theatre, yes! But playwright, I don't know? Maybe they have me confused with someone else?!

Like many people, I've written a play. Well, maybe two if you consider the fact that I have two plays with a similar theme and lead character, but everything else, form and content (for the most part) is quite different. So I've written two plays. And sure, version one of the play was workshopped professionally when I lived in Vancouver, but pre and post workshop versions have yet to be staged (I should probably do something about that... though no company has shown any interest in it).

And of course I have ideas for other plays, either adaptations or full on creations, but I have a bucket full of excuses that prevent me from writing (too busy, tired, lazy, uninspired, scared, work best on deadlines, you get the picture?!)

And although I write, it seems that until I am actually produced, I'll be reluctant to call myself a playwright, let alone a professional playwright. Though the fact that I am recognized as one by my peers is at once valorizing and inspiring (I might just get started on a play right after this post). In any case, if I can, I'll try to contribute to the discussions (as an "emerging" playwright) this coming weekend and hopefully come away with much food for thought on the state of francophone dramaturgy in this province.

reviewing...

2010-11-18T20:26:00.000-08:00

I tried to write this post in English, but when I am outraged (and in this case what I feel is akin to such a state) my language of expression is French. Google translate it if you’re curious about my opinion on this matter.

Récemment, j’ai commis l’erreur de lire une critique. En fait, je ne sais pas si nous pouvons même appelé ça une critique, bref, c’était des mots, qui parlaient d’une pièce. Le sens était vague, peu réfléchi, ne portait pas grand commentaire sur quoi que ce soit. Ça m’a frustré car j’en vois trop de même. Le rôle de la critique ne doit pas se faire à la légère, et ce n’est pas un travail que n’importe qui peut faire.

Je veux lire une critique qui est informée, non seulement à propos de la pièce mais aussi par rapport aux gens impliqués, au contexte de la pièce, du contexte de création, aux symboles qu’on retrouve sur scène, sur l’interprétation du metteur(e) en scène, des moments touchants, l’utilisation de l’espace et des éléments scéniques. Oui souligne ce qui a marché ou pas, mais donne moi plus, et pas seulement ce que tu as reçu dans ton dossier de presse et sur une recherche peu approfondie sur le web.

J’en ai marre des gens qui disent des bêtises, qui réussissent à se faire passer pour une critique, mais qui n’ont aucun sens de la responsabilité qu’ils ont envers les artistes et la communauté. Le rôle de la critique n’est pas simplement de remplir des pages de journaux ou de l’internet ou des ondes, mais de faire avancer en quelque sorte la pratique, de porter une réflexion sur la pratique et l’état de notre art. Ce n’est pas suffisant de recracher ce que n’importe quel membre du public pourrait formuler. C’est une question d’intelligence et de style. Je m’attends à ce que la personne qui critique puisse se considérer comme spécialiste. Donc peut-être que j’avance des principes élitistes, mais franchement avec l’advenu de l’internet (et voilà que moi aussi je m’en serve comme plateforme) n’importe qui peut écrire, publier, et se passer pour une autorité sur le sujet. Être critique ne signifie pas uniquement assister aux soirées premières dans nos meilleurs complets, commenter sur les “grands noms” qu’on y trouve, prendre un verre et une bouchée et ensuite partir et écrire un texte sans valeur. Ça demande beaucoup, tellement plus.

J’ai remarqué que dans cette ville, les critiques internet sont souvent des gens qui veulent aussi faire “partie” de la communauté artistique. Je ne crois pas qu’il réalisent le problème éthique que cela soulève. Même si j’ai la formation et l’expérience pour être critique, je n’imaginerais plus jamais en publier (car j’en ai fait lorsque j’avais une carrière d’académique, mais maintenant que j’ai choisi la pratique, oublis ça) car je fais partie du milieu et je compte trop d’amis qui produisent des trucs. Je n’ai pas l’oeil extérieur qui est requis. Et crois moi, c’est tentant, tellement tentant, de le faire pour montrer ce qu’est une bonne critique réfléchie à côté de ce n’importe quoi qui se fait publier en ligne. Je ne dis pas que tous les critiques de la ville n’ont aucune valeur, mais je dénonce surtout les critiques mal formées qui se trouvent surtout publiées en ligne (soit sur des blogs, et ça ça me dérange moins puisque c’est un truc personnel, ou bien dans des magasines qui sont diffusées sur le web).

Il est mon opinion qu’on ne devient pas comédien sans une formation quelconque et sans une compréhension approfondie de notre instrument, et cela devrait être la même chose pour la critique.

Je suis offusquée en deux temps. Premièrement en tant qu’académique, qui comprend la théorie du théâtre et l’histoire du milieu, et deuxièmement en tant que praticienne, qui travaille à créer de façon professionnelle, qui contribue de façon active à sa communauté et qui côtoient des professionnels qui mettent autant d’énergie et d’effort dans leur oeuvre, et qui crois que ce genre de critique est du n’importe quoi qui n’avance en aucune façon mon art. Oui, je pourrais me contenter de la réponse: “mais je peux l’ignorer, ” mais pour le public qui ne connais pas nécessairement la différence, je ne peux pas me taire. Voilà mon mot, ma critique d’une pratique que je pense à trop de laisser-aller.

singing...

2010-11-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

This summer I'll be returning to my first love. Singing.

Singing was the initial reason why I even got into theatre in the first place. I wanted to be a singer. Throughout high school I trained as a classical (slash musical, though more the former) singer. I took weekly lessons, sang in recitals, at the EX one year, competed in competitions and was part of the Opera Lyra teen choir (shortly lived choir, I was there year 2 out of 2, but that year we did perform for Chrétien's xmas party for ambassadors and foreign diplomates, quand même). However, circumstances were that after my final year of high school, I stopped singing except for at the occasional family wedding and funeral (3 weddings and 2 funerals and one centennial bday, so six times in the past ten years...). The last time I sang in public was two years ago at my grandfather's birthday.

I was at first hesitant when a friend of my sister's asked me to sing at her wedding. This is the first time a non family member asks me and as the years progress I've been singing less and less. I am my worst critic. I've lost the crazy confidence that I had in my teens (I would volunteer to sing at school assemblies, in front of over 500 students... you wouldn't catch me dead doing that again). After weeks of hesitation, I finally accepted, or rather my sister's friend didn't wait for my response and just figured I'd eventually cave and accept and so emailed me her song choice. Crazily enough, I am excited. I have an excuse to vocalize and bug my upstairs neighbour. I have until June to be up to get back in shape. This is my first "professional" gig (my fee being a meal and inviting a guest.... )!

acting...

2010-10-29T20:09:00.001-07:00

I've always had a love-hate relationship with stage managing. I'm a natural, but my heart's not fully in it.

My first experience with it was in my introduction to theatre class in first year of University. Peter Froehlich's class. The year was 2000 and I was seventeen, fresh out of high school. I was new to theatre, having only performed in the occasional school play and with a background in singing (my dream was Broadway... that soon changed!) One of our assignments that first term was a group project. In groups of 6, 8 or 10, students had to assume various roles and produce a scene from one of the plays studied that term. My group consisted of Mr. Gauthier, who obviously took on the role of the director, I'm pretty sure Di Gaetano was also in my group, as one of the actors, and I fell into the role of the SM. It was my first experience SMing. I was good at it, but remember vowing then and there that it was not to be a career choice.

In 2004, while finishing up my undergraduate degree, I was offered my first ever professional contract with a local company. I was excited, however, I was to take on the role of tour SM for a TYA show that would tour Ontario and Quebec. I accepted because I was eager to launch my professional career.

I then moved to Vancouver where I focussed on my academic and non SM career in theatre. I thought I had moved on. Gained experience in dramaturgy, education, writing. I blame Wajdi Mouawad for my return to SMing. Two leading Vancouver companies were going to coproduce Tideline and I wanted to be part of the project. They accepted me on board, however, only as ASM (my first Equity contract). It was a fabulous project, but word got out and I was offered more SM contracts. A well known and respected director offered to write me an amazing reference letter if I wanted to work for Bard on the Beach. I kindly declined and refused any other contract SM contract while in Vancouver.

I thought that was enough, but my move back to Ottawa proved to be a tricky one. I faced many months of unemployment and finally caved, and desperately I took whatever work in theatre I could get. Production assistant/ASM for one project, and then I landed the jackpot, PM/SM/props for a theatre company that produces 6 shows a year. Plus I was being offered contracts from other companies. What I have realized is that there is always a shortage of Stage Managers. Everyone starts off as wanting to be an actor and there is so much competition, if only more people wanted to be stage managers....

Stage managing launched my professional career and has provided a stable income for me for the past year and a half, but I fell that it is finally time to move on. Fully move on. I am finally acting on a decision that I made ten years ago and that I have made repetitively during my career: I will no longer be accepting SM contracts. There. I said it.

Hopefully by making this statement public I will be more likely to keep to my decision. Fingers crossed, time won't act against my heart's desire!

when work is play and play is play, all life is a play

2010-10-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

As an artist, October and November are two of my busiest months. This happens every year, but as time advances, they also seem to be getting busier. Here's a listing of how I plan to spend my time during the next month and a half.

October 19-November 6, Romeo and Juliet, NAC

Going to see this classic performed by the NAC's English Theatre Company and graduates from NTS. Seeing as J. is also part of this company (though not part of this production), we get to enjoy comp. tickets!

October 21-30, Écume, La Nouvelle Scène

Règle d'art, I always try to check out what is produced by the four resident companies of La Nouvelle Scène. Théâtre du Trillium, under Anne-Marie White's direction, is probably Ottawa's most experimental theatre company. I truly hope that I'll be able to find time for this one!

October 28-30, Carte blanche in Dance: Entre Nous, Espace René Provost

The idea of a carte blanche is that an individual artist or group of artists are given free reign to create a piece in their given domain. My job, as Production Manager is to provide them with assistance throughout the process, find a technician and lighter to work with them, and oversee tech week. This is my first experience with Dance and already I am learning how important it is to have a proper floor.

October 27-November 7, The Turn of the Screw, Laurier House

I am definitively not missing this fabulous production in which Patrick Gauthier, Kris Joseph and Kate Smith are involved, and neither should you!

November 10-December 12, Le Chemin de la Mecque, Théâtre de l’Île

A play by Athold Fugard that is loosely inspired by the South African fringe artist Helen Martins. Along with attending rehearsals as stage manager (take down blocking, five lines, do line runs, create schedule, and lists), I act as production manager (organize people, organize meetings, organize time, organize and assist with move, help colleagues when needed, do what’s needed for the job), and props person (make or find props.... Value Village is my key store).

November 11- December 5, Vimy, GCTC

I wouldn't (couldn't?) miss this production for anything. Although J has been acting professionally since graduating from Studio 58, this is his first experience acting on an English main stage. I have tickets for opening night and later on in the run. I sure am proud!

November 23-27, Laboratoire de mise en scène: Les Dromadaires, Espace René Provost

A play by Fanny Britt. Story of a blind date that is pretty much interrupted by past and potential future. Three directors are given the same script, designers and space, and fifty hours to work with their actors on a thirty minute show. The directors’ job is to work with actors in this exploration of mise en scène. As production manager, I’m there from the beginning of the process (auditions, first reads, and check ins, pretty much monitoring everyone's process) and help organize the framework around each individual mise en scène and around the whole project, right until the day after closing.

November 29-Dec 10, Afghanistan, Théâtre la Catapulte

A TYA play written by Véronique-Marie Kaye. A story about a boy and a girl, an unborn child and war. As the English Subtitle translator, my work was completed earlier this fall when I submitted my final draft. Now, if needed, it will be to translate a sentence here or there (as this is a new creation changes might come about from the rehearsal process), approve certain changes made to subtitles, or clarify certain passages.

In the upcoming month and a half I'll also be beginning the rehearsal process for Feu la mère and Bain de ménage (two of Feydeau's one act plays that will be produced later in January), continuing to translate when contracts arise and learn more about my role as Media/Communications coodinator for the Rideau Awards. All I can say is, ouf! If I can manage this, up next, the universe!

off-book

2010-10-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

As J. continues his first week of rehearsals I am once again reminded of the differences between the two communities. I guess I have spent too much time in one to remember what it is like in the other.

In the English theatre community in this country, not only is the rehearsal process shorter and more condensed, but the actor's work only begins when rehearsals do. An actor learns his/her lines as the rehearsal process progresses and may only be completely off book by the beginning of tech.

As for the French community, quite often do we require the actors to be off book by the time we start staging the play. Of course the script is not far away, as the actor is still required to take down blocking, but it is expected that movement should not be restricted by the text. We have a saying, you learn your text early to then forget it so as to be able to fully appropriate it. It is common for actors to call for lines during the rehearsal process (which makes taking down blocking, as a stage manager, quite a skill as you need to be closely following the script while jotting down blocking) but, in my experience, once you hit tech week, actors have to pretty much figure it out on their own.

It's strange, especially in Ottawa, to think that two linguistic entities that both create theatre can have two completely different ways of approaching process.

the working actor

2010-10-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year. Everywhere I go, people are talking about Christmas. Summer vacation seems like it was last year already and we are all now working until the next big holiday.

At work today I was dealing with the issue of Christmas vacations. Should my actors, for an upcoming show, get 14 or 17 days off (an interruption in the rehearsal process). And later tonight, when J. got home from rehearsal, he announced that this year he'll be getting the grand total of three days off for Christmas.

It's clear that we don't work under the same union. What's better, to give actors a break for the holidays and possibly having a harder time picking up from where you left off before the break, or charging onward, at a normal speed, even if it means missing out on a large part of the holidays?

He is currently working an equity contract, which requires him to be available 6 days a week, from 10am-6pm. For the duration of his contract, he receives a weekly salary regardless of hours worked. He cannot accept other contracts during work hours in the period for which he is hired.

The actors that I work with are hired on an hourly basis. They sign a contract for 110 hours. For the most part it is understood that I will have to work around their busy schedules, allowing for teaching, tv gigs, and what have you. The actors must approve my schedule before the rehearsal process. Depending on the project, we'll rehearse at most five days a week, 4 to 6 hours at a time, sometimes during the day, others at night.

Guess I'll have to make my own plans this coming holiday season... anyone want to go out of town with me?!

La Sagouine

2010-10-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

La Sagouine, by Antonine Maillet, is a monument in Canadian theatre history. First created in 1971, this one woman show has been performed over 2000 times by Viola Léger. Earlier this week, when my grand-mère was visiting from Maillardville (BC), I happened to mention that the upcoming play at Théâtre de l’Île featured Viola Léger and right away she knew who I was talking about. This is surprising as my grand-mère is not really a theatre goer. However, it goes to show the extent to which La Sagouine and Viola have spoken to Canadians across the nation (and I say Canadians as the play has been performed in English and French). As for Viola Léger, along with performing the same role for the past 40 years, she has had an extremely impressive career. In 1971, she managed to have a career as a regional artist (in New-Brunswich, which had even less cultural infrastructure than Ottawa), she was appointed to the senate in 2001, is an officer of the Order of Canada and of the Order of New-Brunswich, won countless awards and medals, has received countless honorary degrees, has a foundation to her name and continues to act at the ripe age of eighty.

As I sit across from this actress during rehearsals I am reminded of the colourfulness of the spoken language as it rolls off the tongue and of the beauty of age and the importance of play.

owl house

2010-09-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

This coming week I begin rehearsals for Le Chemin de la Mecque, Caroline Duret and Jean-Michel Ribes adaptation/translation of Athol Fugard's Road to Mecca. This play is inspired by the life story of Helen Martins, an outsider artist from South Africa. She used cement, glass and wire to create sculptures of animals and people, which she placed all pointing East. I'm really excited about this project because once again I am working with the very talented Julie Giroux who is a most fabulous set designer whose designs are usually in themselves a work of art and who will be using Martins work at the Owl House as inspiration (therefore also using cement, glass and wire in the actual set!!).

Le Paradis

2010-09-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

Je reviens de deux mois de pause. C'était un petit luxe que j'ai décidé de me payer car j'arrive à la fin de mes vingtaines et puis soit j'ai été à l'école, sans emploi ou avec trop d'emploi. J'avais voyager quelques fois, mais jamais pour une longue durée. Alors j'ai décidé de partir avec mon sac à dos et mon conjoint et de voyager à travers l'Europe. J'espérais que ce temps me permettrais de réfléchir à la direction que je veux donner à ma vie. Cette pause est arrivé au bon moment car je me trouvais épuisée et fatiguée et puis je ne pouvais pas continuer à ce train-là. Donc durant ces deux mois (2 semaines au chalet et cinq semaines en voyage), j'ai arrêté de penser au théâtre. Je voulais me concentrer sur d'autre chose, prendre goût à d'autre chose. Ça m'a aidé à gagner une nouvelle perspective, à m'enrichir d'histoires et de cultures.

Par contre, je n'ai pas pu m'empêcher de revenir à mon métier et à ma passion lorsque nous sommes arrivés à la fin de notre voyage, à Paris. Lorsque je bouquinais, j'ai trouver des pièces de théâtre que nous n'avons pas dans nos librairies. Je me suis limitée à trois, mais vu la taille de leur rayon j'aurais pu remplir tout un sac à dos. Ensuite, j'ai trouvé la version électronique du Pariscope et puis je l'ai consulté pour voir s'il y avait une pièce que l'on pouvait voir durant notre séjour. Je me suis arrêtée à une annonce. Je connaissais rien de la pièce, mais l'affiche me semblait intéressante. Je la montre à J. qui m'apprend que la pièce en question a été écrite et mise en scène par quelqu'un qu'il connaissait (lorsque J. étudiait à Studio, Jean-Paul Wenzel a été invité en 2006 par le festival PuSh et par Studio pour faire la mise en scène d'une de ses pièces, Six Miniature Tragedies). Tout de suite on a réservé des places.

5 Clés, de a été présenté au Lucernaire, un espace qui comprend un cinéma, un restaurant et trois salles de spectacles pour le théâtre. C'est un peu comme le fringe à l'année longue car chaque soir les différentes salles présentent 3 différents pièces et les équipes ont 15-30 minutes pour installer leur spectacle. Donc en moyenne, si on fait les math, neuf spectacles sont présenter dans ce lieu par soir. C'est vraiment quelque chose. La pièce qu'on est allé voir était présenter dans une salle où l'on devait monter plusieurs escaliers pour s'y rendre, dans une salle appelée Le Paradis. Comme la pièce que j'avais vu en 2006, 5 Clés rassemblait des courtes pièces indépendantes et entre-liées. J'ai bien aimé le spectacle mais je n'oserai pas en faire la critique.

Après le spectacle, Jean-Paul et sa conjointe et collaboratrice Arlette nous ont invité pour un verre. Ils étaient chaleureux et intéressants et j'aurais voulu rester plus longtemps à leur écouter parler de leurs projets et à échanger des idées.

Ça a été la façon parfaite de finir ce beau voyage et nous préparer pour un retour à notre vie courante.

sub(ti)tle

2010-07-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on the English translation of a play. However, a lot of what I am doing for this contract is new to me. Although I've translated two and a half plays (Écran de fumée, pppaaaiiixxx and about 75% of Beyond Therapy - which I stopped working on when I found out we didn't receive funding to produce the play), they have always been French translations of English plays. I resisted translating towards English because I wasn't sure how competent I would be. I feel like I understand the musicality of French, I can write dialogue from joual to a French that is soutenu. I consider having 4-5 different levels of French, depending on who I am speaking with (Franco-Ontarians, Québécois, version Radio-Canada, France, and the Anglo trying to speak French) whereas I only have one oral English. Accents and structure vary very little in accordance to who I am talking to. I've often translated documents from one language to the next and never thought twice about what language I was going to. But a play is different. Or so I thought. Also, what is new for me is that this time I'm translating for subtitles. Which is in itself it's own sub-genre of translating.

I've done a first version of the translation where I translated literally each line, understanding the subtleties of the language and of the author's construction, and now I am trying to understand how a good subtitle is constructed. I am looking into what are the basic principles for translating for subtitles (I figured that by starting with everything translated into English, I can then easily modify the text to fit the specific needs/requirements of subtitling). By a simple google search, I found a website that goes over these principles and I'm checking in with the theatre company to make sure that these are things they want.

I don't know if it was just the text, or if I was avoiding something that I knew I would enjoy, but the play almost translated itself. It seemed almost too easy. I just needed to show up every day in front of the computer to type out the words as they would flow from my fingers.

So, here's the "subtle" portion of this blog post: if you're looking for a translator of drama, look no further. English to French/French to English, no problem. And I also translate for subtitles!

A.A.

2010-07-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Back in April I wrote a short post on the Rideau Awards, which highlighted the fact that this yearly Awards event seeks to bring together Ottawa-Gatineau's theatre communities in a co-celebration of our art.

Today Theatre Ontario's blog came out with an entry on the benefits of Arts Awards, called Long Live The Doras! I am taking on great interest in what is going on in Toronto as I have recently accepted to be part of the Prix Rideau Awards steering committee (as media coordinator) and I am sure that the issues that they are dealing with will most likely come up here in Ottawa (juror selection, nomination process, rules permitting shows to be jugged, criteria, categories, etc).

Although there is always room to improve, whether it be for the Doras that are over thirty years old, of for the Rideau Awards, that just celebrated their 3rd year, peer assessed Award Ceremonies are important because 1) they do highlight artistic achievements 2) (and most important, in my opinion) they bring together the theatre community in a collective celebration. I think this is especially important in Ottawa seeing as often it is the only time when the two communities come together (though I am hoping we'll find more opportunities to collaborate).

One thing that I would like to push, whether it be through the various steering committees I sit on, or simply through my own work and connections, is to get more people out to see shows in the other language, to see how the other half lives. And perhaps eventually share experiences and strengths with each other.

high

2010-07-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

Last night was opening night. I cannot remember the last time I was so marked by an event. I was proud and happy and excited. It truly was amazing.

This opening marks the beginning of a new season, both for the theatre and for my work at the theatre. I am now making my way into year two and still constantly learning and discovering a ton of things. It also marked the beginning of my summer vacation, well in a sense, as I am taking a leave of absence from the theatre so as to be able to travel abroad this summer (as well as work on a few little projects), thus marking a temporary end to crazy hours spent working on props, arranging production meetings and sitting through rehearsals. In addition to these beginnings, the playwright was present in the audience, which always makes those involved in the production a little nervous as we hope to honour the script (rumour has it that he LOVED the show). And finally, the audience seemed to have so much fun watching the performance and was wowed at every scene change and at the overall aesthetic choices of the production. I do not think that I have ever worked so hard at a production. Working tirelessly 12-15 hour days for weeks on end just so that the show would come together. And I was not alone in this effort as my whole production team gave so much of their time and energy and worked together to pull off this production. And then to sit in the audience and just look around at people's reactions was simply so amazing (plus my actors did an AMAZING job). Although those around me heard me complain for weeks on end about how tired and drained I was, I have never been so proud of an end product as with this show.

I can only hope that everyone in the city gets a chance to see it. For I truly believe that it deserves sold out houses all summer long.

La Cousine Germaine will be at Théâtre de l'Île until August 28th. Do you and me a favour and go see it.

the ups and downs

2010-07-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I was pretty much at my peek of self doubt. I would drag my feet around the apartment and mumble over and over again, but what am I doing with my life. It seemed as if everything that I had tried for, applied to, set my mind to either failed or was rejected. And it seemed like I was caught in this pattern for months. Apply apply apply, fail fail fail. Pick ego up and apply apply apply, fail fail fail. Through the roughest parts, I was considering a career change, a PhD, moving to a cabin in the woods, anything that would get me out of this rut. I've been down this road before. What artist hasn't. Isn't most of what we do self doubt? Or is it just me? My reasonable, better halves (both inner and outer...mostly outer though), told me that this phase would pass (easy for him to talk, he was getting offers left right and centre). In due time. Things would look brighter. Which made me want to drag my feet around the apartment even more. I waited. For waiting seemed like a possible achievement. I tried to be proactive. Waited. Continued to apply apply apply, fail fail fail. And then I came home one evening after having worked over twelve hours, tired and covered in paint, dragged my sorry ass to my computer and discovered in my inbox not one, but two rays of hope. People wanted to work with me. And for things for which I hadn't even applied. I felt validated and wanted and wonderful, had a spring in my step even. In the past few weeks, more such emails have come in (as do the rejection ones for things that I've applied for, but for now they don't matter as much). Success. For now. If only I could bottle the excitement of getting an email from someone who values my work so that I could take it as an antidote during that other self-doubt period.

Lessons learned: If you don't apply you're actually more likely to succeed, good news and bad news comes in clumps, which means that this is a manic business. Deal with it. And finally, better halves are, well, better.

more from my sewing machine

2010-06-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

elvis et le pape du pop

2010-06-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

Comme le suggère la photo du dernier affichage, le mur d'inspiration de La Cousine Germaine, cette production agence les images d'Andy Warhol, la musique Elvis Presley et Las Vegas. Et disons que c'est vraiment cette approche que nous avons abordé pour tout (décor, éclairages, costumes, accessoires...).

Eh bien, depuis avoir commencé les répétitions au mois de mai, j'ai l'impression de constamment être en rapport avec des rappels de cette pièce. De me faire suivre par Andy Warhol, Elvis, Vegas... et même la Cousine Germaine. Laissez-moi expliquer.

Entre la première lecture et le début du travail de table, il y a eu une belle petite pause de cinq jour et durant ce temps, je suis descendue à Toronto visiter une amie. Lors de mon séjour, on a décidé d'aller au AGO. Tout allait très bien jusqu'à ce que j'entre dans la galerie d'art contemporain. Et c'est alors que je tombe sur la série d'Elvis qui a été réalisé par Warhol.

Ensuite, quelques jours plus tard, à mon retour en ville, je passe devant le Musée des beaux arts et constate que leur exposition pour l'été est sur le Pop Art, qui prend pour départ, évidemment, l'art d'Andy Warhol. Lorsque j'aurai un moment de libre, je ferai sûre d'aller visiter l'exposition!

Récemment j'écoutais la radio et dans la section actualisé, l'annonceur a parlé du fait qu'on allait sortir un nouveau Mr. Potato Head, cette fois, un hommage au King.

Deux semaines passées, j'essayais d'organiser mes retrouvailles du secondaire et un de mes anciens camarades de classe a offert d'accueillir du monde chez lui, par contre, il ne pouvait pas discuter des détails tout de suite (cette discussion avait lieu par courriel) car il était à Vegas pour la fin de semaine.

Et finalement, la journée des retrouvailles à eu lieu et je m'apprêtais à partir, par contre, une fois encore, je fut arrêtée par ce qui se disais à la radio. C'était la traductrice de la pièce, La Cousine Germaine, qui parlait de la pièce et de l'autre production (la seule autre) qui aura lieu a Québec cet été.

Et suite au tremblement de terre d'hier, le seul refrain que j'ai en tête c'est : I'm all shook up, Mm mm oh, oh yeah, yeah! Sans arrêt.

Alors je ne sais pas si c'est parce que je suis maniaco du détail que je remarque tous ces trucs et que j'ai trop de temps à "réfléchir" entre coup de pinceau, mais j'ai comme l'impression qu'Elvis est toujours vivant et qu'il essaye de me dire de quoi (ne serait-ce qu'un gros Merde pour la première!)

pop art

2010-06-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

The wall of inspiration for this summer's show,

La Cousine Germaine,

as put together by the director.

paint pants

2010-05-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

pppaaaiiixxx

2010-05-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

pppaaaiiixxx will finally be presented in a public reading. This is my French translation of Darren O'Donnell's pppeeeaaaccceee, which was commissioned a few years ago by Vancouver's Théâtre la Seizième.

If you are in Vancouver on June 12th, make sure to check it out for me. The very lovely Anita Rochon, who is currently artist in resident at La Seizième, will be directing the reading.

For more information, check out Théâtre la Seizième's website.

in between

2010-05-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

My favorite time is when I am between projects, that time between opening night and first read. Sometimes it's a few days, others over a week, and always it is a time to refocus energy. In the in between time, I get to visit out of town family and friends, to read in larger quantities, and actually work on my own art. I am lucky that my day job is in theatre and I do get to be creative in prop making, however, I find that I am happiest when working on my own projects. And so my goal for next little while is to find ways to make the in between time a constant time, a time that I revisit at least on a weekly or bi-weekly basis rather than when it can conveniently work into my schedule.

fabric

2010-05-03T11:09:00.001-07:00

For the past two years, my family has been helping me increase my collection of fabric (fat quarters). The reason behind this is that I want to make things. I'm still working on this.

So far I have made a made a few change purses (gifts), and a printer cover and my goal is to make cushion covers and eventually a quilt. I started my cushion cover project in December and they have remained unfinished since then (see below).

Yesterday, for the theatre's upcoming show, La Trappe, I spent the afternoon and evening making cushion covers. Once the show is open, I think I'll try to get back to my own sewing. As it truly is nice to be able to show off a finished product.

paint

2010-04-23T13:59:00.001-07:00

In my own paintings, the ones I did once upon a time to fill the walls of my apartment, I always go for the abstract (see 2nd image) as I lack skill and training. I never know in advance what I will paint and am always surprised at the end result. I have cupboards full of canvasses that have not make the cut and that are waiting to be repainted over (some for the 50th time). I always dread props that require painting. I am however rather proud of my latest one, a sign for La Trappe (see 3rd image), which was painted, not stenciled (though I did draw an original outline). Needless to say, a skilled person could have probably done this in less than two hours, it took me two days.

co...quoi?

2010-04-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the Rideau Awards, one of the few events of the season that looks to bring together both linguistic theatre communities in Ottawa as it was a co-lingual event. It's great to see that finally there is a place for these two to exchange and at least get to know each other. A really great initiative that here on will only make stronger ties.

As those who have read the press releases and responses and blogs and what have you will note that the three major winners of the evening were The Syringa Tree, L'honnête homme/un one woman show and Countries Shaped like Stars. This goes to show that A) one woman shows really work! (first two plays) B) devised theatre leads to great performances (plays two and three). So you know what you have to do to be nominated and win next year!

On another note, my head was spinning at the end of the night from switching from one language to the next and at one point in the evening I made the mistake of introducing myself as Liza. That's right. Liza. Yark. You see many of my francophone peers call me that name (as for them an S between two vowels becomes a Z and this rule is so deeply anchored that they have difficulty pronouncing my name as it should be) and I have learned to answer to it. I get it, most francophones mispronounce my first name as the anglophones flub my last name (I thank my parents for this). But mispronounce it myself, now that just goes to show how my head was really spinning with all the language shifts during the evening. Nonetheless it was a great evening of celebration!!

Review

2010-04-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

In recent months, I have been questioning the role of the theatre critique within our cultural context. As a practitioner is important that the productions with which I am involved get good reviews. It's a badge of honour, especially if your contribution is mentioned. These reviews are sought out, cut out and shared through social media. As a theatre historian, when digging through company archives, especially when looking at productions that were not documented by video and photo recordings (pre-everyone but my grandmother owns a camcorder era), a critique can often shed light on the mise en scène and on audience reception. But as an audience member, very rarely do I seek out reviews. Which is strange, because I used to be somewhat of a review junkie, having many sources where to find reviews on pieces. Now, I might read a piece that someone I know has written, but I have to admit that since moving to Ottawa (and I do not know if this is a critique of the region or simply a new set of habits that have come from being within a "new" environment), I have yet to read a review before seeing a performance. And even then, few are the ones I have read and most often I find myself making a meta-critique of the piece rather than feeling enlightened.

And so I wonder, who is the audience of the theatre critique and what influence does a positive review have on getting bums in seats, because as a practitioner this is my biggest concern. For example, I recently worked on a production that received great reviews from all possible sources, and yet night after night, this positive feedback from the reviewers did not seem to add to the house size. How do theatre reviews really contribute to the artistic landscape? And what is the actual value of a good review?

yellow

2010-03-31T13:11:00.001-07:00

building sets in the backyard

red

2010-03-30T20:42:00.001-07:00

hats from the theatre

stage management

2010-03-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

In two weeks from now I'll be returning to the classroom in the context of the 2010 Festival Théâtre Action. When living in Vancouver, I was a regular in the classroom, either TAing at UBC (1st and 2nd year classes) or traveling all over the province giving drama workshops (giving over 200 workshops in three years, to kindergarden to grade 12 students). It's been nearly two years since I last taught. I have been missing it quite a lot and so I am very excited to be one of the chosen educators for the festival. The subject of my workshop: stage management.

Stage management is an area that I inadvertently got myself involved in. My first experience was in my intro to theatre class in first year, a scene of Brecht's A Three Penny Opera, and the rest is, well, history. As either an ASM or SM, I have been involved in 15 productions (two at U of O, two as "profit" shares, and nine professional). The bulk of my experience has happened since my move back to Ottawa in late 2008 (9 out of 15). I have not studied to be a stage manager, not even one course while in University, so the entirety of my experience has come from watching others and creating tools that best suit my needs and those of the production.

This three hour workshop, which will be presented twice to about twenty high school students at a time, has made me have to stop and think of what I actually do as a practitioner. With my academic background, I don't just want to present how I do things, but actually check out textbooks, leading practices and what the unions say about it. I have already planned one trip to the university library and have started gathering up material and thinking of ways to mix up the learning experience and make it interactive.

I can't wait!

the company

2010-03-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

In case you hadn't already guessed the subject of secrets and surprises, my very own John Doucet will be part of the 2010-2011 NAC company, which means that he will be performing in Vimy, a coproduction between the GCTC and NAC, and in Saint Carmen of the Main, a NAC and CanStage coproduction.

Ottawa Theatre: A Decade in Review (suite et fin)

2010-03-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

B This is the Francophone follow up to Jessica Ruano’s Decade in review which covers the Anglophone community in Ottawa.

____

1999 signified not only the end of a millennium for Ottawa's Francophone community, but the beginning of a new era in which they would have their own performance space. La Nouvelle Scène brought under its roof Ottawa four professional theatre companies: Théâtre la Catapulte, Théâtre du Trillium, Théâtre de la Vieille 17, and Vox Théâtre. This end of decade is also marked by the arrival of two new artistic directors, Joël Beddows (1998, Catapulte) and Sylvie Dufour (1998, Trillium).

The decade of 2000-2009 is one of arrivals and, as you'll quickly learn by reading the rest of this, of departures, quite often of the same people. With their dynamism and unfaltering energy, these people have helped to shape Ottawa theatre and to bring it to the next level of professionalism.

In 2000, La Vieille 17 creates its play Maïta, a play that will lead to the company's international success (with it being translated and presented by its actors in English and Spanish) and that will once again prove why this company is a leader in children's theatre. A breathtaking performance (for which I am partial as it is one of the subjects of my thesis) that is still touching audience's today as it is still touring. Other productions that stand out are Épinal (grand public) and Le grand voyage du petit rocher (Théâtre jeunesse). Robert Bellefeuille, who had been artistic director of the company since it was first created in 1979 steps aside in 2006 to make way for Esther Beauchemin (playwright of Maïta). Bellefeuille remains involved in the company as artistic associate on various projects.

In 2000, Le Groupe des deux (indie francophone company of Ottawa) created its first show, JeuXness, which was part of the fringe festival. During the past decade, this company has created four original creations. Its most recent, INC, won the award Coup de Coeur at the 2008 Rideau Awards. In October of 2009, G2 held a press conference during which they unveiled their "Manifeste du créateur" which shared their plans for the upcoming years.

Under Joël Beddow's leadership, Théâtre la Catapulte becomes recognized nationally for the quality of its productions, the innovation of its mise en scène and its dedication to the future generation of its creators. Both its adult and youth productions travel across the country and are awared prizes during this period (notably Le Testament du Couturier, Cette fille-là, L'hôtel, Société de Métis, Rage, Le Projet Rideau). 2010 marks a new direction in the company as Joël Beddows will be succeeded by Jean Stéphane Roy.

With Sylvie Dufour as artistic director, Théâtre du Trillium positions itself as a company starts producing comtemporary plays with a specific interest in mise en scène. During this time she establishes the Laboratoire de Mise en Scène. The Trillium also tries its hand at touring its productions, notably during the summer "sous le chapiteau." In 2008, Sylvie Dufour leaves Le Trillium to replace Gilles Provost as head of the Théâtre de l'Île, Gatineau. She is replaced by Anne-Marie White. 2009-2010 is the first season that each of these artistic directors program.

Vox Théâtre continues to produce mainly theatre for young audiences that is inspired by fairy tales. In 2003 it produces Brecht's Les Sept Péchés Capitaux. Long time collaborator of the company, Marie-Thé Morin, is named co-artistic director of the company in 2008.

Théâtre Dérives Urbaines, a company established in the Outaouais for over twenty-five year and currently under the direction of Catherine Rousseau, presented a cycle of plays called Les morceaux d'amour. Six plays were created and presented to audiences, with each one bringing more and more success to this company. Gino, Le Dernier morceau d'amour (the final play in that cycle) was presented in 2010.

Gestes Théâtre, under the direction of Diane Bouchard, has existed since 1985. This puppet based company presents works for young audiences. And in recent years has made headlines with its play L'Effet réel des poluants sur les animaux imaginaires (a play that was first created in 2006 and that is still currently touring).

2007 marks the appearance of a second indie company with Stéphane Guertin's Création In Vivo. This company is notably recognized for its much acclaimed TYA production La Pluie de Bleuets.

2007 also marks the arrival of Wajdi Mouawad as artistic director of the NAC. This is both welcomed and an indication of change. The DTR fund (fond de développement du théâtre en région, which was created in 1983 by Jean-Claude Marcus, a fund which granted money to French Canadian theatre companies outside of Quebec) is disolved by Mouawad and replaced by a playwrights' residency. Three playwrights French Canada are chosen to be part of a play development residency.

In 2001, Paul Lefebvre arrived at the NAC and became Denis Marleau's assistant. It is during this same year that the first Festival des Théâtre en régions was held. This festival was predecessor of what later became Zones Théâtres, a biannual festival that is held in Ottawa bringing together Canada's Francophone regional theatres (2001, 2005, 2007, 2009). Throughout the years, although faced with cuts, this festival brought together some of Canada's bests. 2009 marks the departure of Paul Lefebvre, who accepted a dramaturg position at the CEAD in Montréal.

In 2009, Théâtre de la Vieille 17 and Vox Théâtre celebrated thirty years of existence; Trillium celebrated its 34 years; and La Catapulte celebrated seventeen years. Across the river, Théâtre de l'Île celebrated 33 years of existence. These five companies are well anchored in the community and are bound to continue making interesting work during the next decade.

2009 represents a year of firsts and hopefully foreshadows an "esprit" of collaboration between Ottawa's two linguistic communities. It is the year of Rideau, though rather of tearing down rather than of putting up (Rideau, curtain.... ah forget it.) It is during this year that Théâtre la Catapulte, in association with Magnetic North Theatre Festival and Zones Théâtrales, presented its Rideau Project Rideau, a bilingual evening that brought together six twenty minute pieces in the downtown core (4 pieces were in English, 2 in French for MNFT; 2 pieces were in English, 4 in French for ZT). This initiative did a lot to bring the two communities together and I believe that this is furthered by the fact that we now, since the 2009-2010, share a common award (Prix Rideau Awards), which means at least one major get together as a large family per year.

...

2010-03-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

I just witnessed my first performance where an audience member adamantly booed during the curtain call. Que dire... It's the first time I have witnessed such a vocal reaction and I find myself at a loss for words. I am quite frankly perplexed.

next week's opening

2010-03-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

NOUVELLE SÉRIE DE SOIRÉES CARTE BLANCHE À L’ESPACE RENÉ-PROVOST DU 25 MARS AU 3 AVRIL 2010

Gatineau, le 12 mars 2010. – La deuxième série de soirées Carte blanche présentée à l’Espace René-Provost se déroulera du 25 mars au 3 avril 2010, du jeudi au samedi, à 20 heures. Six artistes y présenteront des facettes moins connues de leur compétence artistique.

Le Théâtre de la Planète sauvage invitera son public à retrouver son cœur d’enfant et à se laisser prendre par la magie. Il présentera un spectacle de marionnettes pour adultes, soit la pièce Le Sortilège de Guillaume Perreault. L’auteur signera la mise en scène également. Les interprètes seront Stéphanie-Kym Tougas, Guillaume Cyr, Bruno Paradis, Jean-Moïse Martin et Jean-François Lapierre. La prestation prendra un caractère original. En effet, la production n’est pas encore achevée. Les interprètes et les artisans viennent de compléter une première phase de création, dont la confection d’une douzaine de prototypes de marionnettes de diverses dimensions. Ils désirent maintenant, dans le cadre des soirées Carte blanche, essayer différents tableaux de l’œuvre devant un auditoire qui, de son côté, sera appelé à vivre une nouvelle expérience : voir un spectacle en devenir! La pièce traite de magie, de pouvoir et d’illusion. Un roi, entouré de ses conseillers, règne en tyran. Un grand mystère plane depuis plusieurs années sur son royaume. Un bon matin, à son réveil, Sa Majesté reçoit une révélation qui va l’amener à vivre une transformation importante. Le Sortilège, un conte épique, fantastique et grivois!

De son côté, le comédien, écrivain et musicien Mehdi Hamdad livrera une prestation solo qu’il décrit comme étant comiquement sérieuse. Le texte qu’il a écrit renferme beaucoup de contenu et de profondeur, mais il est en même temps empreint d’une certaine légèreté dans le ton. Le personnage qu’il interprétera a pour nom « Animal chic ». À l’écouter, c’est un grand gagnant. Mais au fur et à mesure qu’il s’exprime, on voit apparaître des fissures dans l’image qu’il s’est fabriquée. Derrière sa façade de super champion ornée de multiples artifices se dessine sa vraie nature : un clown parvenu, un diable bien-pensant. Le public assistera alors à un dénuement humaniste sans réponses toutes faites, à un dévoilement de soi sans exhibitionnisme, mais avec toute la richesse poignante de la vie en vrai. S’accompagnant à la guitare, le comédien ponctuera son spectacle d’interludes musicaux, la musique prenant la relève pour exprimer ce que les mots ne peuvent rendre. Mehdi Hamdad présentera une pièce réaliste dans le sens qu’elle accueille dans son ampleur les plus grandes joies et les plus grandes tristesses. Tout le monde va s’y retrouver!

Les billets, qui coûtent 15 $ pour les adultes, 12 $ pour les aînés et 10 $ pour les étudiants, sont en vente au Centre culturel du Vieux-Aylmer (120, rue Principale), du lundi au vendredi, de 9 h à midi et de 13 h à 20 h, et les samedis et les dimanches, de midi à 16 h; au Théâtre de l’Île (1, rue Wellington), du lundi au samedi, de midi à 20 h 30; à la billetterie de la salle Jean-Despréz (25, rue Laurier), du lundi au vendredi, de 8 h 30 à 11 h et de midi à 16 h, ainsi que le jour du spectacle, à la porte, dans l’heure qui précède la représentation.

Il est également possible de se procurer des billets en composant le 819 243-8000.

words words words

2010-03-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

three blind mice

2010-03-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

I'll be starting rehearsals on Monday on the sixth and final production of the Théâtre de l'Île's 2009-2010 season. The play chosen is La Trappe, René-Daniel Dubois' translation of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. Although knowing the play by its reputation (longest running show in history), I only recently read it for the first time. And I was rather taken aback. This is it? The play? I was expecting something along the lines of a Feydeau or The Birdcage. Though of course it is an Agatha Christie and I read many of her murder mysteries in my youth (The Orient Express, And Then There Were None, etc). So I am not surprise by what I read, it was very much an Agatha Christie, but this still does not explain how the play obtained such a reputation. Seeing as it is the longest running show in history, I was expecting some sort of a wow factor.

In the Théâtre de l'Île's thirty-some odd years of existence, this Spring will be the third time that The Mousetrap is mounted. Along with being the longest running show in history, it's probably one of the most produced plays world-wide (this Spring it will be produced in Gatineau, Perth, Montreal, and those are only the few places that I know of, I didn't even have to google to find that information out). And once again, I can't help but think, really. Really? In reading the play, I don't see what the interest is in staging it. Like a Beckett play, the stage directions and scenic elements are quite precise. (Side parenthesis, I like Beckett and I understand why his work is produced, though Beckett's work will be more interesting once copyright no longer dictates staging).

Am I missing something here? Is The Mousetrap's twist ending that makes it a blockbuster or is it that in its nearly 70 years of existence this play has become a cultural reference, dinner party conversation? The play that people who don't see theatre have seen? Is it the 20th century Shakespeare?

secrets and surprises

2010-03-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today I ran out of a building screaming. Well okay, I gently shut the door behind me, calmly walked, with a quick step, to the side of the road while holding my cell phone and then screamed. High pitched, annoying sounding. And then I almost started crying. But I managed to hold back those tears. It was an emotional afternoon. It was a good afternoon. Something most amazing has happened to a very special person and I can't say anything to anyone, and so, by not being specific, I hope that I can share the joy with others and slightly share this secret with you. It was a proud moment, a surprise to us all. And so very very awesome. Can't wait to actually share this information!!

opening with a twist

2010-03-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

I am only days away from opening. Usually, as rehearsal stage manager, I hand the show over to the performance stage manager (following the cue to cue), I take a few days off and when I return to the theatre for dress rehearsal Tuesday, I return only as production manager. Which means that by opening night, the following evening, my job is done (or rather until the show closes) and I get to enjoy the production sitting in the audience.

I work in a small theatre. We do not have an ensemble of actors, but rather an ensemble of production staff. We have a house carpenter, set designer, costume designer, communications officer, I fill the role of rehearsal SM, PM and props, and my counterpart fills the role of performance SM, lighting and sound design.

So far, I have replaced my counterpart in running the show at least once per production (4 so far). It makes sense as I know the productions better than anyone else and I have grown to somewhat understand how the booth works (though every now and again I have a moment of panic and worry about deleting the programming or having to deal with an unexpected issue... which so far has only been a worry and not a reality, knock on wood!).

When replacing the production SM, I get the same jitters that I used to get 5 minutes before going onto stage for a play or when TAing or going for an interview. These are my performance jitters. My hands clam up, start to shake, as do my legs, I feel nauseous, and just want to get it over with. This is possibly one of the reasons why I prefer process over performance, in process mistakes are welcomed, while as in performance, people are counting on you to get it right. After maybe fifteen minutes into the show, I usually ease into things and start enjoying myself.

Mathieu Charette, who is my counterpart at the theatre, is actually directing our upcoming production, L'Illustre Théâtre. Therefore, in order to allow him to have a proper opening night, I am staying on a little longer as SM and running the show that night. Gulp! I can't remember the last time that I really ran a show for opening night. Opening is usually already a big night because it is the first time a live audience sees the production. Already, as PM, opening night is a time of excitment and little jitters. Here's hoping that one set of jitters cancels out other one.

Wish me the mot de Cambronne : Merde!

L'Illustre Théâtre runs from March 10th - April 11th at Théâtre de l'Île

tech tech boom

2010-03-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

I am in tech week again. Big surprise? I think not.

During the past year, I am almost always on the verge of having a show open. In fact, during the past eleven months, I have assisted in the opening of eight shows and before the month is over I will have opened two more. Let me correct that, in the next twenty days. What I am doing blogging?

About a year ago, I was working on my fourth and final Equity show. And since then I have only worked in French, under UDA. Which made me wonder, as I am approaching that one year anniversary, why the sudden change (other than that's where the offers are coming from...)? I have gone from working only one production at a time, for a given three to four week time, to almost always having three to four productions on the brain, and yet I am happier. Here is what I have concluded:

- In my current situation, there are no 10 out of 12s. I currently work in a city-funded theatre. We have access to the theatre 2.5 weeks before opening. Therefore things are not rushed. And seeing as I am P.M., rehearsal S.M. and props person, this is much needed as regardless, there is never enough time! I abhor 10 out of 12s and tend to find 7 out of 8s to already be too long. It is inhuman to expect a person to be able to concentrate, let alone stay alert during that amount of time. Even 6 hour days are looked upon as being long. That's my kind of process. Now if only we could include two hour naps mid-day and I would be in heaven!

- Rehearsal periods tend to be longer (though with pretty much the same amount of time to rehearse). Seeing as actors sign a contract for a given amount of hours, a producer can choose to concentrate the hours in a short period of time (but why would they?) or spread them out. This gives the production time to breath. I have become used to a six week rehearsal period and dread anything less. It also allows people to have other contracts while working. Smart!

I thought there would be more, but alas no, it all comes down to time. Time makes the whole difference. When you spread out the process over a longer period of time, people are happier, easier to work with and more creative. It definitively makes my job easier and enjoyable!

Molière, or how we connect

2010-02-26T19:23:00.000-08:00

This week I went to the opening of Les Médecins de Molière, Théâtre la Catapulte's most recent production that is on until March 6 (in Ottawa, at La Nouvelle Scène). Although not involved in this production, I find myself talking about it to pretty much anyone and everyone. First of all, because of its artistic and comedic merit (I can't remember the last time that I had so much fun at a show). But also, mainly, because I feel somewhat strangely connected to this production.

To begin with, four of the six actors are graduates of the University of Ottawa, of either my year or within a few years of me. Also, I've worked on shows with each of these four people (Anie and Pierre back in 2004 during La Meute, my professional debut, and Chanda and Vincent this past year at Théâtre de l'Île, Le Désir and Les Sept jours de Simon Labrosse, respectively).

Also, this show opened exactly two weeks before the show that I am currently working on (L'Illustre Théâtre) opens. At first glance this might not seem like much, but wait, you'll see. Jean Stéphane Roy directed Les Médecins de Molière and is one of the three actors who will be performing in L'Illustre Théâtre. Jean Stéphane directed L'Illustre Théâtre back in the mid-nineteen nineties, when the play was first created.

Both Les Médecins de Molière and L'Illustre Théâtre are loose adaptations of plays by Molière, each use portions of Le Médecin malgré lui (one scene in particular is repeated in both plays).

Now I don't want to give it away, and so you'll have to see both shows, but certain scenic elements are also repeated (and by pure chance might I add as the director of L'Illustre Théâtre has yet to see Les Médecins de Molière).

If that has made you curious about these productions, Les Médecins de Molière will be presented at La Nouvelle Scène until March 6th. L'Illustre Théâtre runs from March 10th-April 11th at Théâtre de l'Île.

The Three Cs

2010-02-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I was chatting with the A.D. of a local company and the conversation turned to, well, theatre (though I also think that that is where it started off as well). What marks this conversation is that it turned towards English Canada and her interest in exploring more translations of contemporary pieces. And seeing as I am fully bilingual, have lived in Vancouver for almost four years, and have seen and read many plays, she has asked me to advise her on which plays to present to her reading committee and to possibly schedule in the company's upcoming seasons.

I am really excited by this news! I have already started researching (and e-mailing agents for scripts)! Though the tricky thing is that I must keep on reminding myself that I can't really just suggest my favorites as it has to fit into the company's profile/mandate (accessible theatre that is mainly based in comedy (though comedy here is understood as the general genre, not limited to sidesplitting summer theatre), so nothing too political, experimental...).

So, my question to you is, do you have any plays to suggest? They must fit the following criteria: Canadian, contemporary, and comedy.

off stage right

2010-02-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Zzzzzzzz

2010-02-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

Today's schedule :

8-10am: Catch-up e-mails for work (and one blog entry).

10-11am: Photocopies and bus (I live in Ottawa, work in Hull. Getting places takes time).

11am-12:30pm: Production meeting for La Trappe.

12:30-3:30pm: Rehearsal for L'Illustre Théâtre.

3:30-5pm: Translation of Beyond Therapy.

5-6pm: Supper.

6-8pm: Revisiting the cues of Disponibles en librairie (first time running show on my own, last night was watch and learn night).

8-10pm: Showtime for Disponibles en librairie.

10-11pm: Bus ride home.

11pm- : Check daily e-mails. And sleep.

The sound of success

2010-01-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

At home. Focussed on work. Searching in paper dictionaries and online references. Wondering if these words in sentences make sense, sound natural, sound right. My attention is fully diverted to my project.

When all of a sudden, from across the room, hands are rubbing against one another between the tips of knees. A well known sound. A happy sound. The sound of success. Every few days, weeks, months, I am pulled from my work by this sound, that I have come to label the happy dance. Not my own, but just witnessing it makes me happy. It's the sound of success, of pure joy, representing only good things (an audition, a visit, an extra hockey game or a gig). A simple combination of actions, brief in time, that should I happen to be out of the room I would otherwise miss. Enthusiastically, I chime in my usual "What, what!"

These are the moments that make life unmistakably worthwhile.

Untitled

2010-01-25T11:15:00.000-08:00

I am not a fan of titles. In my essay writing days, I would only come to name a piece after the conclusion was written.

In my everyday life, when people ask me what I do, what I am, I struggle to put a name to it. I do... lots. Plenty. I'm a multi-disciplined artist, but even artist is too specific. And I sometimes wonder if it is right. Is calling myself an artist too specific?

When reading programs or the about section on people's blogs or facebook pages, I am amazed (and sometimes surprised) at how people name themselves. So and so is a this, a that, and an award winning spectacular spectacular. And then I wonder, says who? There is no title police or royalty to regulate and attribute titles, so who says that your choice is the right one? What if I view you as none of those things, or as only two out of twenty?

I could call myself a visual artist, photographer, seamstress, writer, scholar, actor, designer, wedding singer, barista, etc. because I have dabbled in these domains and I enjoy or have enjoyed them all in the past (even the wedding singing). But that doesn't seem quite fitting. I do not feel that I can lay claim to these titles. I think therefore I am, but that doesn't necessarily mean that that projection of myself resonates outside of my being.

So is it profession that helps with title choosing, that makes it more real? And in some cases I think, sure, saying you're a teacher, a social worker, or what have you is pretty obvious. Your profession quite often is related to what you do, to what you have studied. But not everything is so black and white. So is it recognition within the community, and that too is problematic since what are the boundaries of this said community and how is it determined who fits into this community in the first place? And say you have directed a play, just one, and to make this easier, say you got paid for it, but that is the only directing of your career, do you still have right to that title?

Is a title to be claimed by the individual or to be recognized by the collective? Or both? Is it best to simply be untitled? Or to pick the two best ones and allow them to change throughout the years?

Reverb-ber-ber-rations

2010-01-21T21:10:00.000-08:00

When I first started this blog, I was at the end of year one of my MA in theatre and I was living in Vancouver. Writing this blog became a creative outlet that allowed me to forget comps, thesis, classes and research. It allowed me to look at theatre as a lived experienced rather than something to dissect. I mostly wrote in response to performances that I would see. Now, almost two years since graduating from UBC and currently living in Ottawa, I find myself mostly writing in response to the experiences I live as a theatre artist.

When I first chose the title of this blog, I was paying homage to a play by Spiderwoman theatre, Reverb-ber-ber-rations, that I had come to know in one of my classes at UBC. It was chosen because A) Spiderwoman theatre is a company that was created by three sisters (and I am one of three); B) One of the sisters is named Lisa; and C) (now for the more important, less narcissistic reason) this company weaves together stories that explore what it is to grow up. Storyweaving is an important element of their theatre as it explains how you come to fit in the world.

"Storytelling starts at the kitchen table, on your parent's lap (...) Storytelling begins there, about who you are... Then it continues from there about who you are in the family, of where you are as a tribal member, as part of that particular nation; then where that nation is in the community; and where that community belongs in the world." (Muriel Miguel)

Storyweaving is to interconnect stories, fragments of stories with words, song, music, dance, images to create a tapestry of interlaced design.

The origins of this blog comes out of that. About this desire to communicate about this communal activity that I have taken part in as an audience member and that I continue to participate in as a creator, through fragments, bits and pieces of lived experience that are tainted by much more than the experience itself.

These fragments are poems, stories, images, copy-pasted articles, what have you. An echo within an echo, a tribute to storytelling through storytelling, bits and fragments of life's experiences.

Disponibles en librairie est maintenant...

2010-01-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

beyond my cultural references

2010-01-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

I've recently have begun translating Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy, well, sort of. I am attempting to start translation, but first I have to research all of the cultural references of the play. So far there are 43 references that either have to do with American movies, quotes and slogans, figures and organizations and products from the 1970s and 80s. My current task is to reach each of these references to see if it is possible to find a French language equivalent (Notes from Underground easily becomes Les carnets du sous-sol) or to understand the reference (Gary Gilmore or David Berkowitz, both American criminals of the late 1970s) so as to better inform my choices when actually translating.

Thankfully I can simply google these references to understand them. But audience members who were born in the 1980s, especially a francophone audience, will most likely not be researching these references while watching the play.

Which makes me wonder a few things. Why would someone want to put up this play? It's funny. Characters really eccentric. And even though I get the references I still get the play. So I guess that is enough. So why would a playwright request that a play be limited to an era, a time capsule of references that need to be wikipedia-ed in order to resonate with an audience?Especially since the references, at first sight, do not seem to further the action of the play.

covered in glue

2010-01-10T19:18:00.000-08:00

As previously discussed in my last post, these days I have been focusing my attention on books and bookbinding. Along with shelving nearly 1400 books onto beautiful bookshelves that were designed by J. G. and built by D. L., I thought I would simplify part of my job as props master (what is the appropriate term in English? In French it is accessoiriste) by ordering a book cover from a local bookbinder. When ordering, I asked for a decorated cover (ornementé). What I got is the cover on the left, what I wanted was something more like the cover on the right (a cover I made a few days later). I can't wait to show this new cover off in rehearsal tomorrow! This was my initiation into gold embalming.

Paper

2010-01-05T05:12:00.000-08:00

It would seem that paper is the recuring element in all of the shows for which I have done props this past year (A Guy Named Joe, Le Désir, Le Malade Imaginaire, Les Sept jours de Simon Labrosse, Disponibles en librairie). Each and everyone had paper elements that were written into the script, dictated by the author rather than being an element of design that is dictated by style (such as in the work of Bretta Gerecke).

In an age of technology, I have to admit that I still prefer paper. Going to a papery is so much more exciting than going to the Apple store to check out new gadgets. I can spend hours looking at textures, patterns, and products. My other great interest is books, new, used, in someone's home. Though I don't go as far as smelling the book that I have in hand, I still like to consider myself as one who is fond of books. And so I think it's only appropriate that for the play that I am currently working on, Disponibles en librairie, my task is to research bookbinding and to find the material necessary for this craft.

Not only does the play require over one thousand old-style hard covered books (generously loaned to us by the city's private collection!), but the reproduction of a small bookbinding studio. And so in researching for the play, I went to a bookbinding workshop here in town (Canadiana Bookbinding Ltd) where I was shown how to carry out this very sensual art. My love of books and paper has just reached new heights.

2009: A year in review

2009-12-31T10:59:00.000-08:00

Last year, my love of making lists had me post a review of my life in books and theatre. I enjoyed keeping track so much that I've decided to make it a yearly tradition.

A Year of Theatre :

Nacre C
Buried Child
Krum
Les Monologues du Vagin
Je voudrais me déposer la tête
L’Honnête Homme - un one woman show
Le Dragon bleu
Carmen
Bioboxes
Rage
Henry V
Skydive
The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan
Fear of Flight
Countries Shaped like Stars
Inclement Weather
Le Désir
Cercles polaires
Les Sept jours de Simon Labrosse
Le Grand voyage de Petit Rocher
Le Projet Rideau
Route 1
Arabian Night
Au bout du monde
Le Malade Imaginaire
Cartes blanches (Pain; Malade)
Elephant Wake
L’Illusion comique
Hedda Gabler
To be straight with you

A Year of Books:

Le Pendule de Foucault - Umberto Eco
The Secret Agent - Joseph Conrad
The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga
Procès ivre - Bernard-Marie Koltès
Et la nuit chante - Jon Fosse
Hiver - Jon Fosse
Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
Middlemarch - George Elliot
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Dìaz
Life & Time of Michael K - J.M. Coetzee
La Chartreuse de Parme - Stendhal
Murder Hope of Womankind - Oscar Kokosohlea
Awakening - August Stramm
The Protagonist - Georg Karsin
Methusalem - Iran Goll
Le Désir - Michel Marc Bouchard
The Wolves - Alfred Brush
The Guardian of the Tomb - Franz Kafka
Squire Blue Boll - Ernst Barlack
My Left Foot - Christy Brown
La Grimace - Heinrich Böll
Look at the Harlequins! - Vladimir Nabokov
Les Sept jours de Simon Labrosse - Carole Fréchette
Cercles polaires - Michel Ouellette
Widdershins - Charles de Lint
The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings - Edgar Allan Poe
Away - Jane Urquhart
Mrs Dalloway - Virginia Woolf
The Book of Negroes - Laurence Hill
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum - Heinrich Böll
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway
Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood
East of Berlin - Hannah Moscovitch
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley
Saturday - Ian McEwan
Les Villes invisibles - Italo Calvino
Mao II - Don Delillo
Terra Amata - J. M. G. Le Clézio
In the Skin of a Lion - Michael Ondaatje
Soifs - Marie-Claire Blais
The Book of Evidence - John Banville
La Trape - Agatha Christie
Disponibles en librarie - Marcel-Romain Thériault
The Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie
Naked - David Sedaris
Nicholas Nickleby, vol. 1 - Charles Dickens
Les Feluettes - Michel Marc Bouchard
L’Illustre Théâtre - Marie-Louise Nadeau
Soie - Alessandro Barrico
The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje
Le Procès - Franz Kafka

Disponibles en librairie

2009-12-12T15:12:00.001-08:00

The poster and rehearsal set of Disponibles en librairie.

Mise en scène by the lovely Magali Lemèle.

Featuring Benjamin Gaillard and Annie Lefebvre.

Le Wrecking Ball Ottawa 2009 Leçons de Lecture: With a Little Help from My Friends

2009-11-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

Le Wrecking Ball Ottawa 2009

Leçons de Lecture: With a Little Help from My Friends

ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY

Monday, November 16, 2009

Box Office opens at 6:30pm

Show starts at 7:30pm

Saint Brigid’s Centre, 314 St. Patrick St. (at Cumberland)

Pay-What-You-Can (no advanced sales) – proceeds to Les Prix Rideau Awards

The Wrecking Ball swings in Ottawa once again! Following last year’s sensational pre-election event, this one-of-a-kind co-lingual soirée of political theatre returns to the nation’s capital, in tandem with other wrecking balls swinging through cities across Canada this month.

This time around, we’re inspired by Yann Martel www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca to offer a few reading suggestions of our own. With a little help from our friends, we’ll consider what it really takes to win the hearts and minds of Canadians. And with our colleagues in BC now staring down the barrel of 92% cuts in provincial arts funding, we are spurred to step up to the plate and prove once again the power of art to affect political change.

This year’s writers, directors and performers include Ritallin, Benjamin Gaillard, Mélanie Rivet, Pierre Brault, Laurie Fyffe, Kris Joseph, Patrick Gauthier, Sonja Mills, Norman Armour, Waneta Storms, Kate Smith, Nick di Gaetano, musical guest Glenn Nuotio and fresh from the national slam in Victoria, the Capital Slam Poetry Team. And many more of your local favourites!! (we just don’t know which ones yet…)

About The Wrecking Ball
The Wrecking Ball was founded in Toronto in November 2004 to address a nagging imbalance: too much theatre in our politics, not enough politics in our theatre. There have been eight Toronto Wrecking Balls cabarets to date, and the October 2008 edition saw the WB go national – Wrecking Balls were staged simultaneously in ten cities across the country, in advance of the federal election. An unprecedented mobilization of artists and art lovers.

Writers are given no more than two weeks to come up with material that reflects the current state of affairs. They are free to write on whatever topic they wish: the global, the national, the local, the very local. The plays are then cast and staged at the last minute, and this immediacy is what makes the Wrecking Ball the rollicking theatrical nerve ending that it is.

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Le Wrecking Ball Ottawa 2009
Leçons de Lecture : With a Little Help from My Friends
UNE SEULE PERFORMANCE
Lundi 16 novembre 2009
Billetterie ouvre à 18h30
Le spectacle commence à 19h30
Saint Brigid’s Centre, 314, rue St. Patrick
(coin de Cumberland)
Libre participation aux frais (aucune vente à l’avance) – au profit des Prix Rideau Awards
Le Wrecking Ball retentit de nouveau à Ottawa! Suite au succès sensationnel de l’événement pré-élection de l’année dernière, cette unique soirée co-lingue de théâtre politique est de retour à la capitale nationale, en tandem dans avec d’autres Wrecking Balls qui retentissent ailleurs au Canada ce mois-ci.
Cette fois, nous nous inspirons de Yann Martel www.quelitstephenharper.ca pour offrir nos propres leçons de lecture. Avec un peu d’aide de nos amis, nous tiendrons compte de ce qu’il faut vraiment pour gagner les coeurs et esprits des Canadiens. Et avec nos collègues en Colombie-Britannique qui font face à une situation précaire avec un taux de réduction de 92% du financement des arts au niveau provincial, nous sommes incités à relever le défi et de prouver une fois de plus le pouvoir de l’art pour susciter le changement politique.
Les dramaturges, metteurs en scènes et interprètes de cette année comprennent Ritallin, Benjamin Gaillard, Mélanie Rivet, Pierre Brault, Laurie Fyffe, Kris Joseph, Patrick Gauthier, Sonja Mills, Norman Armour, Waneta Storms, Kate Smith, Nick di Gaetano, le musicien invité Glenn Nuotio et revenant tout juste du slam national à Victoria, Capital Slam Poetry Team. Et un plus grand nombre de vos favoris locaux!! (c’est juste qu’on ne sais pas encore lesquels ils seront...)
À propos du Wrecking Ball
Le Wrecking Ball a été fondé à Toronto en novembre 2004 pour traiter d’un déséquilibre tenace : notre politique est trop théâtrale, et notre théâtre n’est pas assez politisé. À ce jour, il y a eu huit cabarets Wrecking Balls à Toronto, et pour l’édition d’octobre 2008 le WB est devenu un événement national – des Wrecking Balls ont été présentés simultanément dans dix villes à travers le pays, avant les élections fédérales. Ce fut une mobilisation des artistes et des amateurs d’art sans précédent.
Les dramaturges ont pas plus de deux semaines pour trouver les thèmes qui reflète l’état actuel des choses. Ils sont libres d’écrire sur n’importe quel sujet qu’ils souhaitent : le global, le national, le local, le très local. Ensuite, la distribution et la mise en scène de la pièce sont faites à la dernière minute, et c’est cet esprit d’urgence qui fait du Wrecking Ball la terminaison nerveuse théâtrale exubérante qu’il est.

www.thewreckingball.ca

Contact: Judi Pearl

613-565-1689 / cell: 613-322-3087 / judi@sleepingdog.ca

(a little side note: that's my French translation!)

Vote vote vote

2009-10-30T07:22:00.001-07:00

Be part of what everyone is talking about, vote for Ottawa’s Next Stage: The Blossoming Of Ottawa's Theatre Scene.

what others are saying:

Vote Now, Vote Daily, Tell A Friend: Yes, There is a method behind this madness

A Call to Action

Ten Reasons to Vote

The Popular Vote

For a good cause

2009-10-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

(Taken from the OTN-RTO's website)

Do you care about Ottawa professional theatre?

Do you want to help the Ottawa Theatre Network and the Great Canadian Theatre Company make a lasting contribution to Ottawa professional theatre?

Here’s you chance! It will only take a few minutes of your time. We promise.

The Ottawa Theatre Network, with the support of the Great Canadian Theatre Company, has a great opportunity to secure $10,000 – $50,000 for a project that will make a lasting contribution to the growth of Ottawa professional theatre.

You can help by taking a few minutes to cast a vote.

This is what you do:

Step 1: Read our Aviva Community Fund Proposal, by clicking here.

Step 2: Support us, by clicking on the large blue “cast a vote button” on the right hand side of the screen.

Step 3: Register. It only takes seconds. You provide an email address, a password, and a screen name. If you want, you can ask that they not send you any other emails, other than the initial registration email — just uncheck the boxes under “notifications.”

Step 4: Vote each day! Return to our fund proposal page everyday and vote again.

Step 5: Email a friend and ask them to vote.

If we can get enough votes, we will advance to the semi-finals and a second round of voting will take place. When we make it through to the finals, a panel of judges will assess our proposal.

Because there will be twenty-five finalists and because the fine folks at the GCTC will be handling the nuts and bolts of the proposal, we know we have a great shot at securing the funding when we make it to the finals.

We can only make it to the finals with your help!

So please show your support for Ottawa professional Theatre and vote! If we can make it to the semi-finals on this first round, we won’t need to vote again until December!

Be a part of Ottawa’s renaissance: Vote now, vote daily, tell a friend.

P.s. You don’t need to live in Ottawa to vote!

Social networks

2009-10-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Last September 19th was the closing night party for Zones Théâtrales. It was a great event as not only was it marking the end of the festival and of the Rideau project, but it was a time for many people in the community to come and hang out together. It felt like a really awesome house party (with video games happening in the corner and some body painting going on in another). I am not usually one to sell myself, I would rather people find out my merit by having worked with me and judged it first hand, but lets just say that thanks to J. and to some very good wine, many people had the opportunity of finding out what I am up to and what my competences are.

I lately have been cursing the universe for constantly handing me SM and PM work even when I don't ask for it, and as much as the organizational part of my brain really enjoys it, I have been longing to do more translation and dramaturgy for theatre. In recent weeks, because of that night, four people have asked me to collaborate with them in those capacities.

And so today I am taking the time to finally thank the universe and to praise such social gatherings that bring together like minds.

In other news, today I caved and joined twitter, the social network of the now.

Nymphettes

2009-10-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

As I finish sewing up my final cushion (last one of six), I start thinking of all of the different props I have found and made since becoming an "accessoiriste" some months back. I would have to say that up to date, the oddest thing that I have had to make were the nymphette for Odyssey Theatre's A Guy Named Joe. (now technically they should have fallen into the category of puppets, and therefore shouldn't have been my responsibility, but what is done is done and there is no need to complain about things that we cannot change).

For those who did not see the show, the nymphets were blow-ups dolls that were danced around stage.

They were the bane of my existence for the entirety of the run (as along with being props person, I also acted as ASM, but I'll get to that later).

The initial idea was to fill the dolls up with helium, so in the Odyssey office, while everyone else (Jillian and Laurie F.) was working, I was calling up sex shops to see A) what their pricing was; B) if they thought filling up dolls with helium could actually work; C) the size of dolls (to this one clerk asked, the size of what precisely...). I found out that A) dolls sell from $ 29.99 to up to $ 300; B) after much consultation (and calling party places too) helium was a no go; C) dolls height start at 4 feet.

When shopping for dolls, I was kindly reminded that they were non-returnable (and was probably stared at on my way out of sex shop as I was carrying three boxes).

We rehearsed some time with one of the dolls, but it was decided that it looked too much like a blow-up doll and not enough like a nymphette (which seemed obvious as that is precisely what it was) and so my new job was to add a personality to the dolls, i.e. go shopping for them. As if they were life-size barbies! Not only did I have to give them a personality, but I was instructed to cover the mouth hole. So away I went, taping over the face and painting it back on with acrylic paint (all while at rehearsal... since I was also ASM and needed to know the show), adding blond wigs and value village dresses to the blow-up dolls. At every chance possible, the actors found ways of laughing at me and my misery.

The three complete makeovers were carried out and before we even made it to the theatre one of them sprang a leak. I spent hours blowing the doll up and placing my ear to it, trying desperately to find the leak. I taped over every possible seam. But still it deflated.

We moved into The Gladstone and by the time we opened, number two had followed 1's trend. So throughout the first part of the show, I ran back stage, as ASM, blowing up nymphets (which each had its own place backstage, SR, C and SL.... no.... they couldn't all be in one area) hoping that if I blew them up regularly I could ensure that each was ready when time for them to be on stage.

The show ran for three weeks and by the end of that time I had such good lung capacity. I probably could have won contests.

so close...

2009-10-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I realized that I might have time off in November, between opening and my next set of rehearsals (Nov 8-22). Right away I started searching on the expedia and air-canada websites. I must add that lately I have been feeling rather grounded seeing as I haven't flown since January. This is a bit of a big deal since I had been flying rather regularly since 2004, every 1 to 2 months, and so it had just become a lifestyle. Now although I have a bit more money in my pocket (flying is not cheap), I kind of miss going to the airport, passing through security, watching cheesy movies and waiting to see if my luggage has come for the trip. So you can imagine how excited I was, momentarily. That night I couldn't sleep as I was imagining the many voyages that I would be making in those few days!

However, as could be expected, something came up, a contract was offered and I accepted. I truly am a sucker for work. My travel plans will have to wait until the xmas holidays, when I definitively will have some time off to travel!

Starts with M

2009-10-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

The other day I was prop hunting for the Théâtre de l'Île's next show, Le Malade Imaginaire. The much desired prop: an oversized syringe. I had done my homework and saw online that Malabar carries different varieties of this unusual object. Great! All I had to do was get to Merivale Road. Nothing complicated. I had been there a few times this year (all you can eat sushi at Sushi Kan, smoked meat sandwiches at Grand Central New York Deli and strawberry picking, all on Merivale). Just to make sure that this Aylmeroise didn't get lost, I googled the directions and briefly looked over them. I started out late morning, taking Riverside Road from Bank and then, continued on Riverside Road for quite a while. The 16 minutes that the trip was supposed to take went by. I was no longer anywhere near where I imagined I should be. I was surrounded by fields and the occasional barn. I thought that perhaps I would eventually meet Merivale. Well instead, I eventually was in Manotick. Not quite where I wanted to be. Maudite M. I turned back and retraced almost every step and 45 minutes later I was finally driving into Malabar's parking lot. Il était pas trop tôt! Ten minutes later (after having looked in every single corner of the store and having asked for "help", something I hate doing) I was walking out of Malabar's empty handed. Although they are one of two locations for this store (the other bing in T.O.), they do not carry the same items as their website. I finally just ordered the bloody thing from a costume place from the States when I got home. Although I was a little reluctant to do so (because of the Belize experience), I figured that paying half the price that Malabar online was offering was well worth it (now it remains if the prices were in Canadian or American... at this point I no longer care!)

Belize

2009-09-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, J. came in with an armful of mail among which was a large envelop in my name. The country of destination of said package: Belize. At first I was wondering if it was from a contest that I had applied to (I am a contest junkie... if it can be had for free then I will apply for it!) or if a friend of mine who is getting married in the next year had submitted my name to a mailing list. I rip open the envelop and obviously what falls out is a resort brochure. No letter. Just the brochure. I sit starring at this elegant brochure.

And then it dawns on me. I had sent away for this brochure back in February or March when I was doing props for A guy Named Joe. There was a scene in the play when one of the characters has a hotel clipping. It's a good thing that I found another alternative to the clipping because this resort was five months late in sending out their brochure.

Déjà vu

2009-09-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Something strange happened to me tonight when driving home from rehearsal. First let me point out that although J. and I went ahead and bought ourselves a car this past spring, it is rare that I use it. J. and I tend to give each other a hard time every time the other one wants to use it. We are trying to be green even though we have convenience at our finger tips. So usually if I have the car it is A) raining like it's nobody's business; B) I have to be at two rehearsal spaces within the same day; or C) which is the most likely reason, I have props with me and they are either too heavy or too numerous for me to depend on my regular mode of transportation. My regular mode, or rather modes, are bike and bus. I once tried walking, but that too over an hour.

So, tonight as I was driving home I had a strange impression that I was reliving a moment from the past. A not so distant past. In fact I was reliving a moment from this morning.

This morning I took the car because I had to pick up slide projector number 7 from a friend who kindly offered to lend it to me. Not knowing its size and being late this morning I too the car. Tonight, for rehearsal, because of said projector, I also took the car to transport it from my place to the theatre.

Here is the strange bit, while driving both times I was listening to Q on CBC radio 1. I didn't catch much of it this morning because I didn't have far to go. However tonight, when in Hull I was able to catch the end of Margaret Atwood's discussion with Jian. Really phenomenal woman. And then by the time I get to Kent, near Florence street, the next guest comes on the air: Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche. And that is when it happens. Earlier today, twelve hours before, I was driving on Kent street, heading home, near Florence, and was listening to the exact same interview. Wierd. It goes without saying that I changed the station, but nonetheless was surprised that twelve hours earlier, to the minute, I was exactly in the same spot doing the same thing.

2009-09-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

As I am translating someone else's blog I find myself revisiting my own. One that in the past year I have mostly neglected. I had been finding it harder to write since having been done my thesis as I wasn't writing every day and mostly I was just making up excuses to myself.

This week involved the opening of Simon Labrosse. It seems that I pass a sign of relief every time a show opens. My role as props master, stage manager and production manager pretty much come to an end and for a few days, I have one less project to think about. I say for a few days because as of next week I will be thinking of the last show our the theatre's season (opening May 12) as there will be auditions for it in less than a month and I am meeting the director next week to set up dates for the auditions and talk about, well I am not sure what.

This week's challenge in searching for obsolete objects was assisting in finding 7 projectors for a labo de mise en scène. One was found in my basement (supposedly it is a collector's item as it has an integrated screen... almost like a tv screen) and two thanks to the Ottawa Theatre Network (ahhh.... modern technology, how could we connect without you).

Today I got to take part in my first Festival Zones Théâtrales activities, two chantiers: Le bout du monde (a play that will be presented later this fall by Théâtre du Trillium) and Traces (a piece that will be mounted as part of Théâtre la Seizième's 2011-2012 season). Tomorrow I finally get to see Le Grand Voyage de Petit Rocher, a play that I have been looking forward to seeing for quite some time as it's Théâtre de la Vieille 17's first production since Maïta and my thesis looked at this company's children's theatre. Also, I get to see Le Projet Rideau, as I am no longer the SM for Cercles polaires (no time!)

Proud to be bi

2009-09-14T10:05:00.001-07:00

As I was sitting down for drinks with the cast and crew of Simon Labrosse, the director admitted that when she first met me she thought I was an Anglophone. And so I answered, well I am, kind of. No, no, she replied, "I thought you were English, so I spoke really slowly to you." One of the actors cheered in, me too, but you've got great French." Well thank you, that's because I am a Francophone, sort of. I am sure I have ranted on this subject numerous times. I can never be French or English enough except in the eyes of other bilinguals.

When living in Québec, I spent much of my time traveling to Ottawa, either for University, work or to hang out with friends. And now that I am back in the region, I seem to cross over into Québec from Ontario just as much as before (for work, friends, or family). I move from one province to another one language to the next with such fluidity that I am always taken aback when others separate the two.

I have recently joined the Steering Committee for the Ottawa Theatre Network as their French (bilingual?) connection!

Les Sept jours de Simon Labrosse

2009-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Les sept jours de Simon Labrosse : une comédie pleine de rebondissements présentée du 16 septembre au 18 octobre 2009 au Théâtre de l’Île

Gatineau, le 24 août 2009. – C’est une comédie vivante et pleine de rebondissements qui lancera la saison automnale au Théâtre de l’Île. La pièce intitulée Les sept jours de Simon Labrosse sera présentée du 16 septembre au 18 octobre 2009 du mercredi au samedi à 20 h et le dimanche à 15 h.

Simon Labrosse est un jeune chômeur qui ne ménage aucun effort pour intégrer le marché du travail. S’adressant directement au public, il l’invite à le suivre dans ses démarches pendant sept jours. Assisté de son vieil ami Léo, un type maladivement négatif, et de Nathalie, une fille obsédée par son épanouissement intérieur, il présente des tranches de sa vie. Grâce à la plume fine et drôle de l’auteure Carole Fréchette et de la brillante mise en scène de Kira Ehlers, les personnages que côtoie Simon sont à la fois comiques, colorés et touchants.

Simon déborde d’imagination dans sa recherche d’un emploi. Chaque jour, il invente un nouveau métier et part à la rencontre de gens pour leur proposer mille et un services qui peuvent paraître loufoques et superflus au départ, mais qui sont en réalité tellement nécessaires sur le plan humain. Son but : aider les autres à sortir de leur petite vie limitée. Malheureusement, sa « clientèle » ne semble pas prête à « acheter son produit », parfois parce qu’il est trop cher. Pour d’autres personnes, même si elles sont conscientes des bienfaits reliés à ses propositions, elles ne veulent tout simplement pas dépasser les limites qu’elles s’imposent. Confiné alors dans sa solitude, Simon nous livre l’intimité de son histoire d’amour à distance.

À sa première lecture de la pièce, la metteure en scène Kira Ehlers est tombée sous le charme de Simon. « C’est un véritable explorateur qui a conservé toute la vivacité de sa curiosité d’enfant. Il veut apporter des choses nouvelles. Il souhaite donner un sens à sa vie, tout en aidant les gens à trouver une direction à leur propre existence. C’est un personnage fort attachant et le public s’y reconnaîtra. Qui n’a pas connu un jour ce blocage existentiel : qu’est-ce que je fais ici sur cette terre? Que dire maintenant de ces jeunes de 30 ans qui ne savent toujours pas ce qu’ils veulent faire, même si les chemins à emprunter sont nombreux? Simon, lui, tout en s’amusant, veut s’assurer de prendre le bon. »

La distribution de cette production professionnelle est composée de Sébastien Lajoie, Vincent Poirier et Catherine Rousseau.

Les sept jours de Simon Labrosse, un spectacle divertissant qui parle d’amour et du besoin d’exister dans le monde!

Les billets, qui coûtent 25 $ pour les adultes, 22 $ pour les aînés et 10 $ pour les étudiants, sont en vente au Centre culturel du Vieux-Aylmer (120, rue Principale), du lundi au vendredi, de 9 h à midi et de 13 h à 20 h, et les samedis et les dimanches, de midi à 16 h; au Théâtre de l’Île (1, rue Wellington), du lundi au samedi, de midi à 20 h 30; à la billetterie de la salle Jean-Despréz (25, rue Laurier), du lundi au vendredi, de 8 h 30 à 11 h et de midi à 16 h; ainsi que le jour du spectacle, à la porte, dans l’heure précédant la représentation.

Il est également possible de se procurer des billets en composant le 819 243-8000.

Seven days

2009-09-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

I started this week unsuspecting that it would turn out this busy. Saturday night was the cast party for Le Désir, after a two month run, this party was a sure sign that summer was finally coming to an end. Seeing as the party was in Aylmer, I spent the night at my mom's. Sunday, while I was in the house that I grew up in, looking for prop material, I uncovered my old stamp collection, which made me think : A. I was a geeky kid who took part in geeky clubs such as le club des philatelists B. is the term penpal a thing of the past C. what is the price of domestic stamps? Monday was the démontage of Le Désir and although I was only responsible for props, it seemed to have taken a good portion of the day to sort through and put things away. The rest of the day was spent shopping for props for Les Sept jours de Simon Labrosse and in the evening a rehearsal for Le Malade Imaginaire. Tuesday was moving day : set in for Les 7jrs and set out for Le Désir. Once that was done, I continued prop shopping. In my regular life I tend to keep shopping to a minimum so I find it funny that one of my job titles requires me to go out and shop for stuff. So while I was out, one of the items on my list was to find a ghetto blaster, which made me realize that it is relatively impossible to find ones that play cassettes and CDs are on their way out, but records are on their way back in? Rehearsal in the evening. All week long I had been telling everyone that I would get back to them on Wednesday so Wednesday was a day of more running along. I stopped off at Théâtre de l'Île to check up on the putting together of the set, at La Nouvelle Scène to drop off a package, went with John to Arts Court, did more shopping and then had rehearsal in the evening. Thursday involved much of the same, except that I also had meetings pertaining to Route 1 and I started translating the website for the candidate of the district of Aylmer. Friday, this morning, was an early morning rehearsal. So early in fact that I had a terrible mishap. The coffee that I was so looking forward to having exploded all over the counter while I was away from the machine. And to my horror that was the last of the coffee. And the more I tried to clean up the more I made a mess. Two of the actors assisted (or rather took over) the clean up while the director and other actor rushed out for cappuccinos for all. Tomorrow I rest.

Le Désir

2009-07-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

DES NOCES TOUT L’ÉTÉ AU THÉÂTRE DE L’ÎLE AVEC LA COMÉDIE LE DÉSIR PRÉSENTÉE DU 8 JUILLET AU 29 AOÛT 2009
Gatineau, le 22 juin 2009. – « Je me marie? Je ne me marie pas? » Voilà les questions que se posera tout l’été le personnage de Véronique dans la comédie Le Désir, de l’auteur Michel Marc Bouchard. Cette production prendra l’affiche au Théâtre de l’Île du 8 juillet au 29 août 2009, du mercredi au samedi à 20 h et le dimanche à 15 h.

Pour donner vie aux colorés personnages, la metteure en scène Sylvie Dufour a choisi de réunir dans sa distribution Steve Arnold, Nathaly Charrette, Sasha Dominique, Claude Lavoie, Richard Léger et Chanda Legroulx.

Nous sommes la veille du grand jour, les derniers préparatifs sont en voie d’être complétés. Après la cérémonie à l’église, la réception se tiendra au chalet familial où les membres de la famille ont été conviés, question de faire plus ample connaissance. Les convives devront composer avec une représentante d’une agence matrimoniale qui est chargée de la logistique; sa présence apportera au déroulement des événements des rebondissements hilarants.

Au moment où tout le monde est sur place, voilà que Véronique, même si elle aime beaucoup son fiancé Jasmin, éprouve des doutes : il y a deux jours, alors qu’elle choisissait son gâteau de noces chez le pâtissier, elle a rencontré un homme qu’elle a trouvé beau. Il ne lui en fallait pas plus pour l’amener à hésiter : non, elle ne fera pas le grand saut!

Son entourage réagit. Chacun y va de son point de vue et de ses initiatives, touchantes et drôles à la fois, dans le but de faire évoluer la situation. En cours de route, il leur arrivera même d’être confrontés à leur propre vie amoureuse. Finalement, réussiront-ils à convaincre Véronique et Jasmin? Une visite au Théâtre de l’Île au cours de la saison estivale 2009 vous permettra de le savoir!

Pour la metteure en scène Sylvie Dufour, Le Désir est une œuvre amusante et intelligente. « Il y a dans cette pièce une essence dramatique dont la puissance est versée dans le rire et l’humour fin. L’auteur Michel Marc Bouchard a recours à différents procédés théâtraux, comme le comique de situation, la méprise du personnage, les revirements soudains. Les personnages se livrent aussi à des confidences, à des révélations. C’est ce genre de comédie qui m’intéresse », affirme-t-elle.

Les nombreux quiproquos et les répliques percutantes données du tac au tac se succèdent à vive allure, ce qui confère à la pièce un rythme fort entraînant, selon la metteure en scène. Les situations loufoques jalonnent tout le texte et procurent un joyeux divertissement.

Les billets, qui coûtent 25 $ pour les adultes, 22 $ pour les aînés et 10 $ pour les étudiants, sont en vente au Centre culturel du Vieux-Aylmer (120, rue Principale), du lundi au vendredi, de 9 h à midi et de 13 h à 20 h, et les samedis et les dimanches, de midi à 16 h; au Théâtre de l’Île (1, rue Wellington), du lundi au samedi, de midi à 20 h 30; à la billetterie de la salle Jean-Despréz (25, rue Laurier), du lundi au vendredi, de 8 h 30 à 11 h et de midi à 16 h; ainsi que le soir du spectacle, à la porte, une heure avant le début de la représentation.

Il est également possible de se procurer des billets en composant le 819 243-8000.

– 30 –
Publié par :
Service des communications
Source :
Pascale Gougeon, agente, Lieux de diffusion culturelle
Arts, culture et lettres
819 243-2345, poste 7762
gougeon.pascale@gatineau.ca

June

2009-07-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

I would have to say that I am probably as bad of a fringer as I am a bad blogger. Some people managed to go see 35 five shows, all while acting in their own, while I had a hard time going to see one.

Sure I can make excuses, like the show that I am working on is opening next week, or that I went to see an amazing concert that was seriously beyond amazing, or that I am from Aylmer and we celebrate La Saint-Jean for like a week, or that I needed to get away to the cottage to actually have a weekend off (a first since...), or that I had a surprise first reading of a play that will be mounted in November, or that I needed to have a second weekend off and head to Montreal to visit some family..., but really those are just excuses and I probably should have seen a few more shows. Next fringe? I seriously never realized how busy the month of June could be (and that's only ten days of June... June was also me rethinking my choice of working on two shows at once and having reserved to see plays as part of Magnetic North after these days of double duty, enjoying the MNTF beer tent for opening and closing night parties, assisting in community theatre information evening at theatre de l'île, holding a full weekend of auditions, prepping for four shows at various stages of development for two companies, not to mention feeling guilty that I still hadn't picked up the dry cleaning for Joe).

Needless to say, what I thought would be a relatively relaxing month turned out to be one of the busiest yet... And that I am much looking forward to escaping to the cottage for two weeks starting next Saturday (a cottage where there is no internet, no telephone and which is too off the map to allow for cellphones to work!) To July!

Cause if you don't toot your own horn who will?

2009-05-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

A press release from Vancouver's Théâtre la Seizième:

Théâtre la Seizième 5 fois nominé aux prix Jessies!

Vancouver, le 19 mai 2009. Pour diffusion immédiate. Le Théâtre la Seizième est fier d’annoncer les cinq nominations de la compagnie aux prix Jessie Richardson! Les artistes sont nominés pour leur travail sur les deux productions 2008-2009 du Théâtre la Seizième, Lentement la beauté (grand public) et Écran de fumée (public adolescent).

Les artistes du Théâtre la Seizième ont récolté cinq nominations ce soir lors de la cérémonie de nomination des 27e Prix Jessie Richardson, au New Revue Stage de l'Ile Granville Vancouver). La production grand public de la Seizième, en co-production avec L'Unithéâtre d’Edmonton, Lentement la beauté de Michel Nadeau et al., a récolté à elle seule trois nominations dans la catégorie « Petit Théâtre »! Parmi les artistes mis à l’honneur, Guido Tondino est en lice pour le prix des meilleurs éclairages (« outstanding lighting design ») Craig Holzschuh pour la meilleure mise en scène (« outstanding direction ») et le Théâtre la Seizième lui-même pour la meilleure production («outstanding production »)!

La production pour public adolescent Écran de fumée de David S.Craig, traduite en français pour la Seizième par Lisa L'H., a reçu deux nominations dans la catégorie Théâtre Jeune Public. Jon Lachlan-Stewart est ainsi nominé pour sa performance de comédien (« outstanding performance ») et Drew Facey pour le décor et les costumes de la pièce (« oustanding design » - set and costumes).

Go Théâtre la Seizième Go!

Now lets hope one of these shows are remounted at the Festival Zones Théâtrales in September so that I get a chance to check out all that outstandingness....

Google this

2009-05-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Okay so I am a bit of a cheese ball and like to google myself every now and again. And also, check out what the other people with my name are up to.

So when I google my name, I find that another me living in another dimension, has her name pop-up on TV.com... so we share a liking for the entertainment business...

Second listing confirms that this person lives/works in Hollywood...

Number 3 is a family genealogy database. 7 Lisa's pop-up, and I too am on this list, first and when you click it you can find out who my siblings, parents, etc are (who is keeping track of me on this database anyways?)

And so I read on, another me lives in Alberta.

Mid-way on p.2 of google, I take over! Yes! That's right! 8 listings in a row.

I find out another me is a dance instructor, another teacher, and another is a British airway official (wonder if I could get free flights because we share the same name? worth a try, no?)

Strangely enough, although I've never met these other women who share my name, I feel like we share a special bond and I can find common elements which each of them... like I'm in the entertainment business (like film and dance Lisa's), I like to travel (Like B.A Lisa) and I've taught (like grade 3 teacher Lisa)... this is spoooky! ;)

Revisiting June

2009-05-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

So scrap a bit of my earlier post.

I won't be seeing Nevermore or the Rideau Project because as of this morning I am involved IN one of the Rideau Projects.

Sure it's SM work and I am trying to focus more on being a dramaturg and translator, but I am sensing that the universe is pushing me towards SMing. So okay universe, I'll do it (especially since it's for Michel Ouellette's Cercles Polaires).

If you're in Toronto for the Fringe festival, make sure to check out The Circus. A play for which I've given some feedback.

From Joe's over-crammed apartment to the island.

2009-05-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

This week is a transitional week. A Guy Named Joe closed this past Sunday and I am just finishing up sorting through props and costumes from the play all while starting to work for Théâtre de l'Île as the company's resident production manager and rehearsal stage manager. And so although living in Ottawa, I'll still manage to return to the other side of the river almost daily!

Théâtre de l'Île launches its upcoming season on May 27 at 11am.

2009: a first 6 months

2009-05-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Now although I didn't get out to see as much theatre as I would have wanted so far this year, I still managed to see some pretty amazing stuff. My two favorites are Nacre C (part of Théâtre du Trillium's labo de mise en scène) and Theatre Replacement's Bioboxes (my first show at the new GCTC).

Nacre C
Buried Child
Krum
Les Monologues du vagin
Je voudrais me déposer la tête
L'Honnête homme - un one woman show
Le dragon bleu
Carmen
Bioboxes
Rage

I am looking forward to June for Magnetic North when I am seeing at least the following shows.

Nevermore
Skydive
The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan
Fear of Flight
The Rideau Project

And I am hoping that now that I have my weekends I'll be able to make an impromptu visit to Montréal to check out the FTA (May 20-June 6).

Also, on the 17-18 of June, Montréal's Patrick Watson will be performing at la Salle Jean-Despréz (across from the museum of civ)

No to

2009-04-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

realism in theatre
wasteful spending
being without vision
working 6 days a week
10 out of 12s
ridiculous quick changes
too many set changes
bad scripts
underpaying artists
over pricing tickets
not pushing boundaries
shakespeare
and all those dead white guys
not thinking it through
poor marketing

Wrapping

2009-02-21T18:27:00.001-08:00

In my opinion Christo and Jeanne-Claude's artwork, such as the "Wrapped Trees" (shown here on the right) best represents the role of theatre and of art if I may go so far. It is this wrapping or covering of the "real" that provides the viewer with sufficient distance so as to be able to look at a thing and be affected by it.

What is rapping and emceeing - taking real life situations, heartaches, and what have you, and presenting them through poetry. And that's how that art form connects with its audience.

An attempt at writing

2009-02-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

I stare blankly at this page. Too often I have started to write and stopped mid-way. Erased and restarted.

I go through periods of insane creativity. And then nothing. Stop. No revival. Nothing.

A distant ringing in my ears. Like a fading heart-beat.

...

...

...

And then...

...

...

...

Gasp. For. Air.

Pant. Pant. Pant.

Too many thoughts passing through my head my head is like a highway at rush hour with people passing by eating their cereal while driving maybe a muffin and coffee at the drive through starbucks and then off again sending e-mails on blackberries while driving on the highway one message down 753 left to answer all waiting waiting in vain for a reply people cursing and flipping the bird trying to cross at an intersection but never does the chance arise. And then what. Mush. Fumbling like on a first date. Should I. Shouldn't I. I. I. I would like to say something intelligent. Don't judge. But you will. So. So. I'll say nothing. Just smile and look stupid. Make a lousy attempt at a joke. Not funny. I could probably try tragic but it would come out all melodramatic or perhaps a little too pastoral, the simple life, shepherds and sheep grazing, a little too innocent and naive and just plain old dumb. So I'll fumble with my life as with the lable of this beer. Smile and nod and smile and smile and smile and smile. Caught on a loop. The groundhog's day of my existence.

I stare blankly at this page. Too often I have started to write and stopped mid-way. Erased and restarted.

I go through periods of insane creativity. And then nothing. Stop. No revival. Nothing.

A distant ringing in my ears. Like a fading heart-beat.

...

...

...

And then...

...

...

...

Gasp. For. Air.

Pant. Pant. Pant.

For the love of lists

2009-01-14T11:01:00.001-08:00

I have recently decided that my life is best described as a long list of lists.

things to do
groceries
books read
jobs applied to
plays seen
people i want to hang out with
projects i'll eventually do
places to see
places i've been
words to verify in dictionary
broken things in need of repair
e-mails in need of replies
books to read
habits to break
food i would like to cook (or have you cook for me?)
restaurants i would like to try
people i miss
things i'm trying hard not to forget

For a good read of a list made into a play, you should check out Jennifer Tremblay's La Liste (winner of this year's governor general's award in drama. my claim to "fame" is that i was part of the round table at the CEAD when Tremblay's membership into the organization was retained. a really remarkable play!)

2008: A Year of Theatre

2009-01-11T06:21:00.000-08:00

Frankenstein
Août, un repas à la campagne
Palace Grand
Black Rider
Banana Boys
Pink Sugar
Steel Kiss
Flocons pour Alicia
Poor Superman
How it Works
Bombay Black
Legoland
La vue d'en haut
Poster boys
No Exit
The 8th Land
Regarde-moi
Boxhead
Blood.claat
Hive2
Townsville
Slague
Oh les beaux jours!
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Au moment de sa disparition
Grincements et autres bruits
This is a Play; The Actor's Nightmare; Catastrophe
Cyrano de Bergerac

2008: A Year of Books

2009-01-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

Microserfs - Douglas Coupland
The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoyeski
L'Avalée des avalés - Réjean Ducharme
The Grass is Singing - Doris Lessing
The Shock Doctrine - Naomi Klein
L'intimité - Emma Haché
Le Bain des raines - Olivier Choinière
Les Mains d'Edwige au moment de sa naissance - Wajdi Mouawad
Louisiane Nord - François Godin
Smokescreen - David S. Craig
Having Hope at Home - David S. Craig
Willy Protagoras enfermé dans les toilettes - Wajdi Mouawad
Au bout du fil; Henri et Margaux; Culpa - Evelyne de la Chenelière
Les Bonbons qui sauvent la vie - Serge Boucher
Ma mère chien - Louise Bombardier
Le Champ - Louise Bombardier
Rêves - Wajdi Mouawad
Frères d'hiver - Michel Ouillette
Beau prince d'orange - Patrick Leroux
Le lit de mort - Yvan Bienvenue
Désordre public; Aphrodite en 04; Nicht retour, mademoiselle - Evelyne de la Chenelière
La Mer de tranquilité - Sylvain Trudel
Anil's Ghost - Michael Ondaatje
Floes et D'Alaska - Sébastien Harrisson
Rêve d'une nuit d'hôpital - Normand Chaurette
Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neill
Souliers de sable - Suzanne Lebeau
Crimes contre l'humanité - Geneviève Billette
The Dragonfly of Chicoutimi - Larry Tremblay
The Noam Chomsky Lectures - Daniel Brooks and Gullermo Verdecchia
Blackbird - David Harrower
Les Misérables, tome 1 - Victor Hugo
Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
La Bête Humaine - Émile Zola
A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah
Barney's Version -Mordecai Richler
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
No Great Mischief - Alistair Macleod
East of Eden - John Steinbeck
La Condition humaine - André Malreaux
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
La fugitive (Albertine Disparue) - Marcel Proust
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
A Complicated Kindness - Miriam Toews
Kamouraska - Anne Hébert
Guerre et paix, tome 1 - Léon Tolstoï
Cul Sec - François Archambault
Le Petit Köchel - Normand Chaurette
2000 - Joan MacLeod
Il n'y a que l'amour - Jean Marc Dalpé
Being at home with Claude - René Daniel Dubois
La Guerre et la paix, tome 2 - Léon Tolstoï
Slaughter House-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
Sons and Lovers - D. H. Lawrence

Cocooning in Ottawa

2008-10-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

Four months of back and forth between cities back and forth back and forth that's only recently come to an end. France 1-2, Toronto 3-4, Ottawa 5-6, Pemichangan 7-8, Ottawa 1-2, Pemi 3-4, Ottawa 5-6, Pemi 7-8, Ottawa 5-6, Montréal 7-8, Ottawa 1-2, Vancouver 3-4, Ottawa 5-6, Toronto 7-8, Ottawa 1-2, Toronto 3-4, Ottawa 5-6, Pemi 7-8, Ottawa, Ottawa, Ottawa, ouf. And now unpack. And now cocoon. Settle down. Settle... down. In all these months activities that I normally enjoy, such as going to see plays, working, hanging out with friends have all taken the side.

I've seen one play since back in Ottawa, Slague, histoire d'un mineur. This play, a production by Théâtre du Nouvel Ontario was translated and performed by Jean Marc Dalpé and directed by Geneviève Pineault, recently won Dalpé a fourth governor general's award. I also attempted to see Wajdi Mouawad's one man show, Seuls, but unfortunately this play was much in demand as Mouawad is a much acclaimed artist (especially since he recently announced that he would no longer do theatre after his mandate ends with the NAC's French theatre).

Ottawa Citizen: 'Elite' artists protest Conservative cuts as attack on culture

2008-09-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Article by Tony Lofaro, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Conservative party's cuts to arts funding took another hit yesterday at a town hall meeting at the University of Ottawa and afterwards at a rally on Parliament Hill. The swipes came from all sides as representatives of the political parties, as well as actors, playwrights and theatre officials criticized the federal government's lack of arts funding. But the Conservatives were not there to defend their record. No one from the party attended the meeting, even though they were invited, said Judi Pearl, whose arts group, Vote Culture, organized the event. Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar said he supports a closer examination of programming on Canadian airwaves to give more exposure to Canadian performers.

Councillor Clive Doucet, middle foreground, participated in a pro-arts funding rally on Parliament Hill after the arts and culture community held a town hall meeting at the University of Ottawa yesterday.

"We need to have more Canadian stories, but to do that you can't just pull it off the shelf. You have to invest. We have to work with our post-secondary institutions to make sure they are actually able to do that," he said.

Ottawa-Vanier Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger said his party would increase annual funding to the Canada Council of the Arts and give money to the Canadian Television Fund on a multi-annual basis rather than yearly.

"We will restore all of the cuts," said Mr. Bélanger to an enthusiastic and overflow crowd at the university's Academic Hall.

Sylvie Lemieux of the Green party and Raphael Déry of the Bloc Québécois were also at the event.

The output by the culture sector was in the billions of dollars in 2007. About one million jobs are created by the culture sector, which represents 7.1 per cent of total employment, Vote Culture said in a news release.

At a rally on Parliament Hill, several people criticized the federal government's lack of interest in arts funding, saying Canadian culture was vitally important to the welfare of the nation.
Ottawa actor Pierre Brault didn't agree with Conservative arts policies, but also took aim at other federal parties for doing little to help the arts.

"All of the parties have paid too little attention to what we are and the stories that we tell," said Mr. Brault. "Whose stories are we telling? Not mine, ours. If we are robbed by that right to do it then we lose something critical, we lose ourselves."

Ottawa Councillor Clive Doucet joined the protesters on Parliament Hill and blasted Conservative leader Stephen Harper for his recent comment that it didn't really matter if Canadian artists were sent abroad as goodwill ambassadors of the country.

"He (Mr. Harper) said it was an elite activity," said Mr. Doucet, adding he was at the rally not as a city councillor, but as a private citizen. "Artists are great ambassadors and we want them to go abroad. It's our duty as elected representatives to respect them." "Those comments were disrespectful and not worthy of someone who wishes to represent us in Parliament."

Le 24 Septembre 2008 : Assemblée publique

2008-09-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

ASSEMBLÉE PUBLIQUE

La communauté artistique affrontera les candidats aux élections fédérales le 24 septembre.

OTTAWA, le 19 septembre 2008 – La communauté artistique canadienne tiendra une assemblée publique le mercredi 24 septembre 2008, à 16h, à la Salle Académique du Département de Théâtre de lʼUniversité d'Ottawa (133, rue Séraphin-Marion). Cette importante activité réunit plusieurs conférenciers de marque ainsi que des représentants des cinq partis politiques. Les artistes et les artisans du secteur culturel, ainsi que les citoyens, auront lʼoccasion de faire entendre leur voix sur les répercussions que vont avoir les récentes compressions budgétaires dans les programmes liés aux arts, à la culture et au patrimoine. Les participants pourront aussi poser des questions aux représentants des partis politiques sur les enjeux liés aux arts et à la culture. Lʼassemblée sera suivie dʼune marche sur la Colline du Parlement.

Modérateur :
Joël Beddows, directeur artistique, Théâtre la Catapulte

Conférenciers :
Martin Faucher, Président, Conseil québécois du théâtre
Wajdi Mouawad, Directeur artistique du Théâtre français, Centre national des Arts

Panélistes :
Max Berdowski, directeur général, Réseau d'ateliers cinématographiques canadiens
Mark Chatel, cinéaste
Ann Connors Brophy, directrice générale, Magnetic North Theatre Festival
Peter Duschenes, directeur artistique, Platypus Theatre
Peter Hinton, Directeur artistique du Théâtre anglais, Centre national des Arts
Naomi Ridout, CFA, conseillère en placements, Blackmont Capital Inc.

Des artistes et des citoyens de la région dʼOttawa ont décidé de se réunir à la veille des élections afin de discuter des enjeux liés aux récentes compressions budgétaires du gouvernement fédéral dans le secteur culturel. Le groupe de travail VOTE CULTURE a été mis sur pied afin dʼencourager le débat public sur les politiques culturelles fédérales et de faire la lumière sur les
positions des partis politiques sur les enjeux actuels en la matière et leur vision quant à lʼavenir. Le groupe sera actif tout au long de la campagne électorale afin dʼassurer que soit reconnue à sa juste valeur la contribution économique et sociale des artistes et des entreprises culturelles au Canada, à la population canadienne et à lʼétranger.

Cette activité est organisée par VOTE CULTURE

http://www.voteculture.ca/

Renseignements en français : Aude Rahmani
819-210-6091 ou arahmani@theatreaction.on.ca

Renseignements en anglais : Judi Pearl
613-322-3087 ou judi@sleepingdog.ca

Une lettre à monsieur le PM de Wajdi Mouawad

2008-09-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

Monsieur le premier ministre. Nous sommes voisins. Nous travaillons chacun d'un côté de la rue. Vous êtes premier ministre au Parlement canadien, et moi, juste en face, auteur, metteur en scène et directeur artistique du Théâtre français du Centre national des arts (CNA). Je suis donc, tout comme vous, un fonctionnaire de l'État travaillant pour le gouvernement fédéral, un collègue en somme.

Je profiterai alors de cette position privilégiée pour, m'entretenant avec vous de fonctionnaire à fonctionnaire, évoquer l'annulation des programmes de subventions fédérales dans le domaine de la culture, et à laquelle votre gouvernement vient de procéder. En effet, suivant de près cette affaire, j'en suis arrivé à quelques conclusions que je me permets de vous communiquer publiquement, ce débat devenant lui-même, vous en conviendrez, d'intérêt public.

La symbolique

Premièrement, il apparaît nécessaire que vous vous entouriez de quelques conseillers qui sauront être attentifs à l'aspect symbolique des gestes de votre gouvernement. Vous le savez sans doute, mais il est bon de le rappeler, chaque geste public raconte non seulement ce qu'il est, mais aussi ce qu'il symbolise.

Par exemple: un premier ministre qui ne se déplace pas pour la cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux olympiques en Chine, arguant d'un horaire trop chargé, n'empêche nullement le fait que, sur le plan symbolique, son absence puisse signifier aussi autre chose. Elle peut signifier qu'il désire poser le Canada comme un État appuyant les revendications du Tibet. Ou encore elle s'apparente à un signe de protestation contre la manière avec laquelle les droits de l'homme sont considérés par Pékin. Si ce premier ministre s'obstine à n'évoquer qu'un calendrier chargé pour expliquer son absence, qu'il le veuille ou non, celle-ci aura une portée symbolique qui engage tout le pays. Le sens symbolique d'un geste public primera toujours sa raison technique.

Déclaration de guerre

La semaine dernière, votre gouvernement a réitéré cette manière unidimensionnelle de gouverner, cette fois-ci sur le plan intérieur, en effectuant des compressions dans des programmes de subventions destinées au milieu culturel. Un geste budgétaire, insistez-vous, mais qui provoque une onde de choc ressentie par le milieu artistique -- à tort ou à raison, cela reste à voir -- comme une expression de votre mépris à son égard. La confusion avec laquelle vos ministres ont tenté de justifier ces compressions et leur refus de rendre publics les rapports des programmes annulés n'ont fait que confirmer la portée symbolique de ce mépris. Vous venez de déclarer la guerre aux artistes.

Or, et c'est la seconde chose que je voulais, de fonctionnaire à fonctionnaire, vous dire: aucun gouvernement, en méprisant les artistes, n'a été en mesure de se relever. Aucun. Les ignorer, les soudoyer, les récupérer, les acheter, les censurer, les tuer, les envoyer dans des camps, les emprisonner, les surveiller, les détester, oui, mais les mépriser, non. Cela équivaut à briser un pacte étrange, scellé depuis longtemps, entre art et politique.

Le mépris

Art et politique s'haïssent et s'envient, s'attirent et se détestent depuis toujours, et c'est dans cette dynamique que bien des idées politiques naissent, dans cette dynamique que, parfois, des chefs-d'oeuvre voient le jour. Or, votre politique culturelle ne provoque qu'une profonde consternation. Ni haine, ni détestation, ni envie, ni attirance: rien qu'un abasourdissement devant le vide accablant qui anime cette politique.

Ce vide entre vous et les artistes, d'un point de vue symbolique, signifie que votre gouvernement, le temps qu'il durera, ne verra naître ni idée politique, ni chefs-d'oeuvre, tant vous ne semblez pas croire à la valeur de ce que vous méprisez. Le mépris est un sentiment souterrain, mélange de jalousie et de peur non assumées envers ce que l'on méprise. De tels gouvernements ont existé, mais ils n'ont pas tenu, car un gouvernement, même le plus détestable, ne peut durer qu'en ayant le courage d'affirmer ce qu'il est.

Pourquoi, au juste?

Quelles sont les raisons de ces compressions en tout point semblables à celles que vous avez opérées l'an dernier auprès de la plupart des ambassades canadiennes qui ont vu leur programme culturel diminué pour ne pas dire annulé? Vous réalisez une économie budgétaire qui équivaut à un pourcentage ridicule par sa petitesse, et les votes que ces choix pourraient vous apporter vous sont déjà acquis. Pour quelle raison alors vous acharnez-vous à attrister l'artiste le privant de quelques-uns de ces outils? Que cherchez-vous à é(at)teindre?

Votre silence et vos gestes font craindre le pire, car, finalement, on se surprend à croire que ce mépris, exprimé à travers ces compressions, soit réel et que vous n'avez que dégoût pour ces gens, ces artistes, qui passent leur temps à le perdre en dépensant l'argent du bon contribuable qui, lui, au lieu d'oeuvrer, va au labeur.

Malgré cela, je n'arrive pas à comprendre votre raisonnement. Bien des politiciens, depuis cinquante ans, mettent tout en oeuvre pour dépolitiser l'art, lui ôter sa portée symbolique. Ils tentent l'impossible pour délier ce lien qui rattache l'art à la politique. Ils réussissent presque! Or, vous, en une semaine, vous ébranlez ce travail de chloroformisation en réveillant le milieu culturel, francophone comme anglophone, d'un océan à l'autre. Même s'ils sont marginaux et négligeables sur le plan politique, il ne faut jamais sous-estimer les intellectuels, sous-estimer les artistes; sous-estimer leur capacité à vous nuire.

Un grain de sable tout puissant

Je crois, cher collègue, que vous venez de placer, vous-même, le grain de sable qui pourrait faire dérailler toute l'architecture de votre prochaine campagne électorale. La culture en effet n'est qu'un grain de sable, mais c'est justement là sa force, son front silencieux. Elle n'opère que dans le noir. C'est sa légitime puissance.

C'est plein de gens incompréhensibles, mais doués de parole. Ils ont de la voix. Ils savent écrire, peindre, danser, sculpter, chanter, et ils ne vous lâcheront pas. Démocratiquement parlant, ils veulent l'anéantissement de votre politique. Ils ne s'épuiseront pas. Comment pourront-ils?

Comprenez-les: ils n'ont pas eu de but collectif clair depuis si longtemps, depuis si longtemps pas eu de cause commune à défendre. En une semaine, en ne contrôlant pas ou mal la portée symbolique de vos gestes, vous venez de leur offrir la passion, la colère, la rage.

Dans le brouillard

La contestation qui aura lieu aujourd'hui et à laquelle ma lettre s'ajoute n'est qu'une des premières manifestations d'un mouvement que vous venez de mettre vous-même en branle: un nombre incalculable de textes, de discours, de gestes, de rassemblements, de manifestations vont désormais se faire entendre. Ils ne s'essouffleront pas.

Ceux-là seront peut-être, à l'instar de ma lettre, défaillants, mais, à l'intérieur de chaque mot, il y aura une étincelle enragée, ranimée, et c'est précisément l'addition de ces petits instants de feu qui formera le grain de sable dont vous ne pourrez pas vous débarrasser. Cela ne se calmera pas, la pression ne diminuera pas.

Monsieur le premier ministre, nous sommes voisins. Nous travaillons chacun d'un côté de la rue. Seul le Monument aux morts nous sépare et c'est juste, puisque art et politique ont toujours été le miroir l'un de l'autre, chacun sur une rive, se mirant dans l'autre, séparés par ce fleuve où la vie et la mort sont pesés à chaque instant.

Nous avons beaucoup de choses en commun, mais un artiste, contrairement à l'homme politique, n'a rien à perdre, car ce n'est pas lui qui fait les lois; et si c'est le premier ministre qui change le monde, l'artiste, lui, il le fait voir. Ne contribuez donc pas, par votre politique, à nous rendre aveugles, Monsieur le premier ministre, n'ignorez pas la rive miroir, ne nous plongez pas davantage dans le brouillard, ne nous diminuez pas.

From vancouverplays.com

2008-08-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Jerry Wasserman's Editorial: "The federal Conservatives have once again shown how much they despise Canadian arts and culture and the artists who create and perform it. Over the past few months they have boycotted the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards ceremony and attacked Canadian filmmakers with the censorship of Bill C-10, allowing the government to unilaterally cancel Telefilm grants to Canadian filmmakers AFTER filming has begun, based on unspecified ideological objections—offense to Conservative notions of morality or politics or whatever.

Now they’ve taken aim at two federal programs that promote Canadian arts and culture abroad, cancelling the $4.7 million PromArts program in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the $9 million Trade Routes program in the Department of Heritage. Their reasons? I kid you not: because past grants have gone to what “senior Conservatives” call “a general radical,” “a left-wing columnist and author,” and “a left-wing and anti-globalization think tank.” This from an article in the August 8 Vancouver Sun from Canwest News Services—hardly left-wing or radical sources! Even they can’t seem to believe the stupidity, pettiness, and ideological narrow-mindedness involved.

That article and another in the Aug. 11 Globe and Mail point out that these programs have helped send an Inuit art exhibition from the Canadian Museum of Civilization to Brazil, fund a US tour of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and a lecture in Cuba by a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada on the Canadian Charter of Rights, and have helped Hot Docs and the Canadian Independent Record Production Association market their cultural products abroad.

The government claims it’s about saving money. Bullshit. The money is pocket change in a $10 billion + surplus. It’s straight-out, right-wing Reds-under-beds politics of the Reagan-Bush variety. It’s appalling and a scandal. Time to vote these assholes out of existence. Imagine what Harper & Co would do with a majority . . . "

And so it begins or so it continues

2008-07-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day back in the Ottawa region (though I am temporarily mooching off of my mum until things are figured out) and to start off this fun-filled move back, I have found out that my dream plan has failed me and that I will not be teaching at the university. So now to face reality. I am jobless, finally out of school and living at my mum's and other relatives and in-laws and relatives of in-laws and friends of relatives of in-laws who are once removed and then added plus two until I find an apartment in wonderful downtown Ottawa. And so the aches in the belly and sweaty palms and sleepless nights begin (well scratch that last part... all that worrying and spare time reading in the sun is likely to put me to sleep in a jiffy).

Check this link out

2008-06-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.seizieme.ca/nosecoles/ecran.shtml

June

2008-06-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

A bit less than two weeks ago, June meant Magnetic North, La Seizième's season launch where a scene from the play that I am translating will be read, cirque du soleil and a chance to possibly climb Grouse for my yearly climb. Now I find myself still doing those things (Mag North was fantastic but I didn't see as many shows as I would have wanted... though did make it out for [boxhead], blood.claat, Townsville and Hive2) but adding to all of that is packing up everything J. and I own for a move back to Ottawa and there's only two weeks left before we leave Vancouver and although we knew we would be moving, it's a little sooner than expected.

CATR

2008-05-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

Recently I was asked to take part in a panel discussion that is taking part at the Canadian Association for Theatre Research Conference taking place in Vancouver at the end of the month. The panel was called Youth Theatre Across Borders which totally fits in with my own research. And I was pretty happy knowing that they thought of me for I had turned down participating in the conference in October as I still far from having finished writing my thesis.

So the thought of anything taking place past that was unforeseeable at the time. My thesis defence went really well a few months ago. So I am feeling confident. So I let it be known that I was willing to be an extra last-minute add-in for the conference. And then reality hit me, I have only two weeks before presenting and am working almost every day. But I was still willing to do it. Change one or two things from my thesis and voilà. So sign me up.

And then I find out that participating has a fee. Quite a fee. So I have to think fast. How willing am I to pay to have people listen to me. That just goes against my better judgement, shouldn't it be the other way around? I am not that desperate to have the jitters and break into a sweat in public.

Now you might be thinking that I am a bit of a coward who doesn't want to pay twenty odd dollars, but that is not it. To be a last minute added panellist (and I thought I was doing them a favour...), First I would have to register for two conferences (as one is part of the other), which adds up to 65 and 20 dollars respective, AND I would have to become a member of the association, which means another 40 dollars. Some quick math tells me that I would be spending 125$ just to present during a one and a half panel (because I don't have time to attend all the other panels and special events). Instead, I'll keep that 125 thank you very much and perhaps spend a good portion of it on going to check out plays at Magnetic North.