Chapter the fourth: The Revolution will not be ostracized

O’Bloggert, my friend, today I am adding lovey dovey to my new hippy dipster profile.  Have no fear, I won’t be showering in patchouli or living on a commune anytime soon but in my state of bliss I would like to explore a new realm, one that you don’t need 3D glasses to get to.  I am taking about the world of “not theatre”.  You know that world that contains everything else that doesn’t happen on a stage.  As Artists, we tend to create work about that world but seem to spend very little non-research related time absorbed in it.  Like when people go to the museum to take pictures of the art but not spend much time actually enjoying it with their own eyes.  Everyone wants to record their surrounding but not immerse themselves in the experience.

My favourite thing to do as of late, whilst among my peers in some theatrical situation, is to answer the following question “So what are you working on?” with “Not a bloody thing” and watch how the person is left confused with nothing to say and so they quickly find an excuse to wander elsewhere.  Truth be told, I am usually working on something but I just find talking about somewhat tedious.  And really who cares.  We must have other things  to discuss about the millions of other things in “not theatre” world.

Didn’t someone once say something about a world and an oyster?! Or something about roses and sniffing?

Your mission for this week is to work on “not a bloody thing” but to go out and get a colouring book and colour outside the lines with the wrong crayon until the panic of “not working” subsides and you realize that “not theatre” can be really bloody fun and necessary sometimes.

Namaste

whatta-yea-know

Hello world,

Dan Daley here and this is my first kick at the bucket. I will be posting on a regular basis from here on out. Look for my post every Thursday… or not, cause you know there’s plenty of other stuff you can stare at on a Thursday night, hey I just finished watching porn so…

To begin: I will attempt to bring up specific issues related to the Canadian arts community. Even if it appears that a post is unrelated to the Canadian arts community, it still connects somehow… have faith. Can people comment on this thing? I hope so, this better not be a one-way street.

An occurrence:

This evening as I cut through Nathan Philips Square I encountered a tattered and broken man. He stumbled toward me and asked if I could give him a hand. I asked him what I could do for him. He then explains to me that he’s just been let out of the Don Jail and needs to get a bus to the Chippewas of Rama First Nations reserve and reminds me that this is where Casino Rama is, as though that might ring a bell for me, which it obviously does, I was just sad that he had to use this as a landmark. He then proceeded to show me his boxers in proof that they were Don Jail boxers, that in fact he just stepped out of jail. He was really jumpy and appeared afraid that I might tell him off or freak out. Yes I was alone with this guy in an isolated part of the square where really anything could go down, but why would this guy do anything to me? He could be lying, or he could really need some help. He then explained to me that a bus would cost him $11.00… (I’ll stop there)

What would you do? Would you have even stopped to talk?

DD

MUSICAL WORKS IN CONCERT

THE SUMMERWORKS FESTIVAL INTRODUCES ITS INAUGURAL

As part of the 2010 Music Series, SummerWorks will present two evenings showcasing new pieces by artists working with musical theatre models in a stripped-down concert format. The series will take place on Sunday, August 8th, and Monday, August 9th.

We are currently seeking applications from artists who work both in conventional and unconventional musical models. Our only requirements are that the work has both live musical and dramatic elements, and has never before been produced. Applications from diverse artistic practices are strongly encouraged to apply (i.e. theatre artists, indie musicians, dancers, video artists, etc.)

Submitted pieces should be a minimum of forty minutes in length. We’re accepting full-length works (one or two acts) or a completed first act of an unfinished work.

For an application form and submission guidelines, please download the application form from the SummerWorks website at:

http://www.summerworks.ca/2010/participants-applications.php

For further assistance, please contact us at music.theatre@summerworks.ca

Chapter the third: The Revolution doesn’t necessarily have to be immunized.

Well Mr. Weisbloggenberg, I feel like I should come clean or come out or whatever the term is for when you are about to reveal an enormous secret that may cause shock, tears and loss of control of bodily functions to all whose ears must bear this secret.

Here it is.

Due to my renowned sarcastic skills, continually honed listening skills and general tolerance for all things (and by things I mean people) crazy, I am a sounding board for all distress in the theatre community.  Yes I might be severely exaggerating on all counts but nonetheless let’s pretend I am not and then let’s further pretend that this distress came in the form of a letter addressed to me because I am the bearer of amazing advice…maybe I am still skipping down the road of exaggeration and pretending but you can’t stop me!!!!

Dear L-Zuck (would be my rapper name if I was one)

I am a theatre artist with honed skills due to expensive training with some name-drop worthy people yet I feel that because I haven’t visited some remote island in the south pacific and taught improv games to over-evolved lemurs with some c-list celebrity, no one in Toronto will take me seriously enough to see my shows or hire me to fetch them coffee.  Am I doomed?

Sincerely yours,   Blubbering over Boring Bio

Dear BoBB

You  bring up an interesting obsession we have in our wee little community and that is our love of credentials almost to the point that I forget we are artists and not investment bankers (and now look at how great trusting those credentials turned out). We love to read our playbill filled with bios so that we know to what degree we should withhold initial judgement as the lights go down. (“oh look so and so had a part on queer as folk.  I guess we should open our hearts and minds to his portrayal of Hamlet”)

I think that continued training and education is fantastic regardless of how far you have to go to get it (Barrie or the lost city of Atlantis)

Old Timey Mailbox

but I feel this should be done to give you further perspective not bragging rights.  The same goes for world travel which I think everyone should do regardless of whether it’s for a workshop or simply to have coffee in a different atmosphere.  However the training and the travel don’t necessarily broaden everyone’s horizons as some people can never escape being stuck up their own ass.

So BoBB I say let your art speak for itself and eventually people will stop scanning your bio and listen because they will realize that they are missing something…..but BoBB as I always say, make sure your art is actually worth paying attention to.

Sincerely

L to the Z (my stripper name for when I finally become one)

In the Beginning: A Jewish Playwrights Festival

In the Beginning: A Jewish Playwrights Festival

Attention: Deadline Extension

The deadline for our inaugural Festival of new Jewish work has been extended to February 19, 2010.

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Taking place from May 10-13^th 2010, at the Miles Nadal JCC in Toronto, four playwrights will have the chance to workshop their scripts with professional actors/director and receive one public staged reading. In the Beginning aims to open the door for groundbreaking Jewish voices that challenge the Jewish perspective.

Our primary goal is to further the development of pieces from In the Beginning and potentially move them forward to a full Mainstage production at the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company.

At the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company (HGJTC), we embrace and celebrate the Jewish story. Now entering our third season, we have won 1 Dora Mavor Moore Award, received 6 nominations and continue to be committed to achieving the highest level of artistic excellence. As part of our mandate to support the development of Jewish artists, the HGJTC is thrilled to launch In the Beginning, in partnership with the Miles Nadal JCC.

The Playwright

–       The playwright must be a Canadian citizen

–       The playwright must identify themselves as Jewish

–       We strongly encourage established and emerging playwrights to submit

The Play

–       The play must be a minimum of 60 minutes in length

–       The play must be in English

–       It is preferred that the play consist of Jewish content

–       Plays that have been produced in a full production are not eligible, however plays that have been previously workshoped are welcome

Submission Guidelines

–   Please submit a full script

–   Please submit a letter of intent providing a synopsis of your script, identifying yourself as an established or emerging artist and answering ‘Why you want to be part of In the Beginning’

Each submission will be read and the chosen participants will now be contacted by the end of March 2010.

All script submissions must be received by February19, 2010 by 5:00pm

Send to:

Attn: In the Beginning Script Submission

Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company

121 Parkway Forest Drive, Suite 107

Toronto, ON. M2J 5H4

If you have questions please contact us at info@hgjewishtheatre.com or visit http://www.hgjewistheatre.com

Chapter the second: The Revolution will not be Anesthetized

Hippy Dipster - Post Nap

Well Sir Bloggeroony, here we are at date number 2 and I am already suffering from that paralyzing fear that I will run out of things to say.  Not that I am ever really in danger of running out of things to say even if there are times when I should stop talking altogether.  I think perhaps trudging through this cold stoic city of urban winter has slightly frozen my mind and face making everything I say sound like sofrhwurnbly.

But maybe not.

Maybe I am just hoping that conjuring images of a frozen metropolitan tundra would be a metaphorical way to segue into my new obsession of the week; Wakefulness.  I have of late been indulging my occasional flaky side (the one that likes yoga and tempeh…my friend Claire just called me a hippy dipster) by spending some time in contemplation of new agey/spiritually philosophical  theory (although If you think about them they are actually quite ancient age concepts but I digress) and the recurring theme is that of wakefulness as in our minds, souls etc.. in layman’s terms; Stop the zombie-itis.  I was thinking about wakefulness as I sat through a few pieces of theatre this week of varying styles and varying levels of “irritating me to death” and yet I barely moved.  I couldn’t even muster the wherewithal to mime the gesture of hanging myself.   It was as if the combination of boredom, winter and too many layers of clothes was lulling me into a semi-catatonic state and I thought am I the “dream audience” or am I dreaming I am in the audience?  And if so what did I eat last night that conjured this unfortunate vision?

Maybe I should only watch theatre in the winter purely for the sake of others.  The cold seems to act like Valium.  I now understand the theory about war and hot countries.

However, maybe I want to be hot and bothered (not in the pornographic sense).  Maybe I want to feel things while I am watching a show.  Maybe I want to sweat a little.  Maybe I want to something interesting to snap me out of the winter blues.  Maybe I want more jokes.  Maybe you should want that as well.

Maybe we should just throw on some warm coats and take a stroll in the tundra and try our hands at interesting conversation instead of sacrificing ourselves to some unworthy

Tent or Large Pillow - you be the judge

theatre.  Or maybe we should just stay in the beer tent and replace our blood with hot toddies.

Enough of that morose brain fart.  Here is a hilarious game I came up with.  Type a weird phrase into YouTube and see what pops up.  I tried “Theatre is Life”

Sock puppets make everything better.

Hugging you for that extra second too long

Lindy

EVOLUTION – A new theatre festival in Vancouver.

In a very bold move, some good folks in Vancouver have begun their own festival modelled after SummerWorks.  Some very exciting things happening in Vancouver in a province determined to make art live despite the unfortunate recent decisions of its government.  Details are below!

***

A new theatre festival has been announced for Vancouver.

EVOLUTION scheduled to be launched at a high profile East Vancouver venue in July 2010.

Based on the SummerWorks model, EVOLUTION is currently seeking proposals from professional artists and companies to participate. For our inaugural year, we plan to present 6 one-act plays as part of our Mainstage Series. This Mainstage Series will be complimented by the Walking Fish Festival of emerging theatre artists (now entering its eighth year) and other arts programming.

EVOLUTION will be a curated, developmental arts festival. The Mainstage Series will provide a platform for theatre artists and companies to showcase and try out new and experimental work. Our objective is to feature primarily new Canadian work, although we welcome submissions from companies wishing to premiere new international work or re-interpretations of classics from the theatre canon, especially Canadian works. In particular, we encourage work that takes risks, is creative and has a clear artistic vision. At the same time, we will be looking for work that is accessible and engaging for our core target-demographic of 20-40 year olds.

EVOLUTION will provide successful companies with venues, technical staff, publicity and marketing, ticket sales, equitable performance scheduling and front of house management. Our goal is to provide the best possible production resources at the lowest cost, attract the largest audiences possible to the work we present and create an environment that will support artistic and professional career development.

Submission Process
For 2010, we will be presenting six productions as part of our professional series: four local and two national. This programming will be selected by a jury made up of members of the EVOLUTION committee and theatre professionals. There is no reading fee.

Local Companies
There will be an entrance fee to the Festival of $500 for companies based in Vancouver. This fee will provide access to a venue, technical support, marketing and publicity, front of house and a guarantee of 6 performances. Participating companies will keep 80% of the box office.

Deadline for submissions from local companies: 31 January 2010

National Companies
The entrance fee for national companies will be waived. We are currently seeking financial support which will cover the travel costs for the national companies to participate in the Festival. Please keep in mind that any funds we receive will be limited and productions should be scaled accordingly.

Deadline for submissions from national companies: 31 January 2010

Information on how to apply to the Festival is available here: http://www.upintheairtheatre.com/walking-fish-evolution

Chapter the First: The Revolution will not be Soliloquized

So Dr. Bloggy McBloggerstein, I guess you can consider this our first date.  I would be a bit nervous however the wine is really helping me with that. But yes, for the sake of honesty and all its policies,  this is my first ever blog post anywhere.    I mean I’ve read blogs before and know people who blog and I’ve thought a lot about blogging and can say blog without mocking (most of the time) but I’ve never actually fully blogged.  So I guess I hereby present you with my cyber-cherry.

I guess I have avoided blogging because it seems as revolutionary as updating your Facebook status these days.  And occasionally in my modest moments I have thought why would I blog?  Whom am I?  What ever would I have to say to the world of blog readers?  And then I remembered the blog credo (which I just made up now) which is; The internet is a utopian circle-jerk with room for every asshole with an opinion so viva la WordPress!!!

I am an asshole with an opinion which knows no bounds but for this here blog we will discuss theatre with everyone (artist or not, “expert” or not) because I do love it and I do love to hate it and that’s what it needs (and secretly wants) sometimes.

Nope not going to indulge here in reviews or critiques of specific shows.  I will save that for the assholes with paid newspaper columns and mostly undeserved power.  For 2010, my resolution is to incite more  no-holds barred conversations about theatre via blog or via beer tent.  I hate talking to myself.  I feel crazy enough most of the time anyway.

But seriously fuck resolutions.  If want to smoke, smoke.  If you want to eat, eat.  We need a revolution of human evolution. All beat poetry aside, we have honestly stopped evolving as a society and I blame our love of bleeping things.  Our technology has literally retarded our ability to engage in live humanity and seeing this seep into the arts community makes me cry.  Stop participating in ridiculous Facebook quizzes and stop writing plays about Facebook (okay that actually hasn’t happened yet but you see where I am going with this) and create art that hurts the brain (good) and not the soul (bad).

My children – Go make art that you don’t have to plug in!

Let the games begin….

Where will we go from here?  Only the wine knows.

Your first mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go see a play with someone who has never seen a play before…Perhaps at the Next Stage Festival?

Happy New Year

Inappropriate hugs and kisses,

Lindy