Having My Cake

In the feast or famine world of the arts, I've now parked myself in front of the buffet table. You're already aware of my stand-in work and I've mentioned the Improv (check out my next turn at a special "Ladies Night" Tuesday Make 'em Ups with Crush Improv) and Playback stuff before. Maybe you even knew about my stint with the Cube Salon? Well, things just keep getting better and better. I am proud to finally announce three other wicked awesome gigs that have come my way. First, Evolution Theatre has commissioned a translation of a Québecois play and I will be participating in a workshop and, later on, a public reading of the piece. This is a very exciting undertaking for us as a company on so many levels and I look forward to sharing more information with you about this very soon! Second, next weekend I start rehearsals with A Company of Fools for Shakespeare's Interactive Circus. This production will be toured in schools around Ottawa and Montreal during the last week of April and the first week of May. And thirdly (though hopefully not finally), after much perspiration, I have been officially cast in a production entitled The Amorous Ambassador which will be presented at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg this June. This incredible show will also mark my first steps into the Canadian Actor's Equity Association. All I can say is that it's about damn time.

For once in my life, my performer dance card is full for the next four to five months. I'm so happy I'm practically crying. To top things off, I'm still working full-time at the GCTC. Yesterday, I had a brilliant chat with my boss about my schedule and somehow we can make it all work. As I left her office, she had a big grin on her face and said: "See. You can have your cake and eat it too."

I don't know how I'm doing it. I'm pulling 75 to 80 hour work weeks at the moment, but everything gets done, I still manage to see plays, socialize a bit with friends, feed the cat, and keep a somewhat clean home. then again, hasn't my schedule always been like that? The only difference this time around is that I'm getting paid for every minute of it. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Check out my Upcoming Appearances page for frequent updates!

Kicking It, Improv Style

Wikipedia: Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. Sounds a lot like what an actor does, doesn't it?

I've never considered myself an improviser. I did play improv games in high school, but I went to a French school and improvisation in French is very different from its English counterpart. Whereas most anglophones might associate improv with its Who's Line Is It Anyway? type of humour, for francophones the games take place in a mock hockey arena setting. There is a referee and the teams wear jerseys in various colours. The ref can even assign penalties. Two teams compete and the audience votes after every game (or match) to see which team scored a point. These usually culminate into tournaments and eliminations rounds and all other kinds of sports related analogies.

Here's a photo from la Ligue nationale d'improvisation to give you some idea of what I am talking about. If you want to know more and understand French, I encourage you to check out the link.

Although the University of Ottawa did (and does) have a French improv team, I was too intimidated to join at the time. At some point, some of my friends in the Theatre Department and a couple rats who hung around the Café Alternatif (which at the time was a hippy chic amalgamation of found furniture that lived up to its alternative name) decided to start an improv troupe. I think we called ourselves the Improv Dogs. We met every week, played some games against the team at Carleton University and even went to Montreal one time to compete. After a while though, things fell apart and we all went our separate ways.

I then didn't do any sort of improv until I took a jam class with Ken Godmere at the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama a few years ago. And I guess you could call the work I do with Sanitas Playback Theatre a type of improv, but, like I said, I never considered myself an improviser before.

After last night though, I guess I may be allowed to start calling myself that.

The local (and awesome!) Crush Improv - whom I've talked about before - have had a habit of bringing together improvisers from all over for a variety of events. First it was the very popular Improv Awareness and now it's the Tuesday Make-’em-ups with Crush Improv. I saw the very first Make-'em up in January and immediately approached Crush for an opportunity to play.

Fighting panic and nausea, I finally got my chance to play last night at the Cajun Attic in Ottawa. Most improv teams spend hours rehearsing together, learning both games and how to work with each other. The neat thing about the Make-'em ups is that you get thrown into a pit with three other people you might have never met before and told to just have fun. Easy right?

I was pretty unsteady for the first half of the show, just trying to get my bearings and desperately listen to my teammates. After intermission though, I felt slightly more comfortable, confident and took more chances, though I couldn't help but walk off stage and think of all the HI-larious stuff I should have said at the time - I swear I am ridiculously funny when no one is watching me!

I had fun and hope that this was just the first of many improv shows in which I will be taking part. Next Tuesday, do yourself the favour of having a ridiculously good time with the gang from Crush. Only $5 cover and all the improv you can stand!

Tuesday Make-’em-ups with Crush Improv - every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. - $5 cover – Cajun Attic (349 Dalhousie St.)

May Day Improv

I have the utmost respect for people who do improv. You're up there, in front of a (hopefully) large crowd of drunkards who want you to do something funny and you have nothing to fall back on. No script, no planned rehearsals. Just you, your wits, and the support of your teammates (who may or may not be the drunkards themselves) . It's a scary feeling and when/if you bomb, it can hurt. But when it is done well? Man, is the victory ever sweet. Lately, the Ottawa Improv Scene has truly been blossoming thanks to a variety of Improv Awareness events brought about by the fine folks at Crush Improv. And they're not done yet!

This coming Friday, May 1st, at 8:30 p.m., they will be hosting the first of many improv events at GoGo’s in the Byward Market (349 Dalhousie St.). Crush Improv hits the stage in what "promises to be the next great comedy venue in Ottawa" (here's hoping!) for a show scheduled to take place every second Friday. Since it's improv, it will be a different show EVERY TIME, so you better attend them all to make sure you don't miss anything! Oh and it's an all ages event. Just be sure to bring some i.d.

I look forward to seeing you at the May Day event!