Summertime Blues

How appropriate that it's raining right now as I write this. It's been over a week since my last Fringe adventures in Toronto. I was just a patron, but I still felt like I belonged. Over at the New Ottawa Critics, Brie MacFarlane pretty much hits the nail on the head:

What is it about the Ottawa Fringe that feels so, for lack of a better word, magical and inclusive for ten straight days? And why are we all so dang sad when it’s over?

There's a reason many of us keep coming back year after year. I've finally come to the realization that Fringe isn't the thing I do and then go back to my real life once it's over. Fringe is my real life. The rest is just the stuff I do in-between. I try to take solace in the snippets of film I get to see from last year's tour while I finish off a few grant applications.

After almost two months of various guests coming and going, my apartment feels empty and quiet. Too quiet. I'm grateful for the flexibility I get in working from home, but it can become very isolating. I feel lonelier than I have felt in a very long time and yet it takes incredible effort to go out there and meet with people. I've forced myself to start working out with people, otherwise I just won't bother going to the gym.

I've consciously stopped drinking. It's been 10 days (only 10? feels longer) since my last sip of alcohol, which may be a new record. I don't know how long I will keep this up, but for now I'm telling myself just one more day.

I've been battling with fear, depression and learning to trust that I am on the right path. I'm meditating everyday now and walking more. Trying to enjoy my own company. I'm in transition. I know that and it's not a bad thing.

It hasn't been easy to shift gears into a slower pace. I'm learning to embrace it. The world is going to speed up soon enough anyway.

Photo Credit: caruba via Compfight cc

Nancy's MUST-SEE List at the 2015 Toronto Fringe Festival

Long before I caught up with all my old friends at the Ottawa Fringe Festival and realized that I was not done with the hanging out, I had decided I would be heading down to the Toronto Fringe for one reason in particular.

My love for clown sisters Morro and Jasp is well-documented in this blog. I own a t-shirt, a cookbook and have seen every single one of their productions - even the tiny one in a props room at the Arts Court during Subdevision in Ottawa and Morro's Sorrow, a little seen one-person bit at the Big Comedy Go-To in London - except one: Morro and Jasp do Puberty. As luck would have it, the duo got into the Toronto Fringe ahead of their Edinburgh premiere and so I am heading down this weekend to finally catch it.

But that means I have a whole weekend to see a whole bunch of other shows too! Again, please remember this is a personal list. My tastes may not be your own and, to be fair, I haven't seen any of the shows below (more on that later). So without further ado, here's what else I'm hoping to see:

The Inventor of All Things Jem Rolls was at the Ottawa Fringe this year, but I put off seeing it once I heard he was going to be in Toronto but NOT in the program. You see, his show is a very late addition to the festival so unless you're using the website or the app to get your information, you'll have no idea that it's even happening. It's difficult enough to get people to see your show without having to fight with the promotional materials. Plus Jem is a regular on the festival circuit for a reason and I hear this show is his best one yet! It opens tonight at 10:30 p.m. Go see it!

Caws & Effect Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting to see this show? I toured with these awesome ladies all last year and never got to see it because it was always sold out. Yes, I am buying a ticket in advance. And you should too. But only after I get mine.

SwordPlay: A Play of Swords Sex T-Rex's Watch Out, Wildcat! was one of my favorite shows last year. I really can't wait to see what this one is all about. Also Alec Toller is a kickass director who told his parents to let me sleep in his room in Ottawa when I was on tour and had no place to stay. Full disclosure: he was not there at the time so it wasn't awkward at all!

Peter n' Chris present: Here Lies Chris Apparently Chris dies in this one, so you better see it now before it becomes just Peter n'.

pool (no water) Not only did my previous company, Evolution Theatre, do this show in Ottawa a few years ago, this one is choreographed by Patricia Allison, the amazing lady behind my sweet sweet dance moves in Roller Derby Saved My Soul.

Let's Start A Country! I missed this one when I was at Zoofest a few years ago in Montreal and I was really sorry I did. This somewhat improvised production features Gerard Harris, Al Lafrance, the divine Holly Gauthier-Frankel, and they've traded in Shane Adamczak for Zach Zultana himself, Jeff Leard.

Lust & Marriage On my first tour in 2009, I met the wonderful Eleanor O'Brien and her caravan of super amazing women in Winnipeg where they performed Inviting Desire. She was one of the first touring performers to become my friend and we spent many a night drinking fancy cocktails in the caravan they used to live and travel in. I haven't seen her since so I'm incredibly excited for this opportunity now.

Adventures of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl Rebecca Perry, my non-doppelgänger, has gone from Confessions to Adventures in this new show about everyone's favorite musical barrista. Her first show sold out it's run last year so I wouldn't expect anything less this time around. Oh and apparently you don't have to have seen the first one to enjoy this one.

Meet Cute Another show by an awesome lady, Erin Norah Thompson's SLUT, also sold out at last year's Fringe. She's back again with this one and I definitely want to catch it if I can find the time.

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With 148 shows at this year's festival, it can be hard to chose what to see. While I haven't seen any of the shows listed above, here are some that I have and can vouch for their enjoyment.

Zach Zultana: Space Gigolo Just saw it in Ottawa and it was the funniest show I saw at the festival.

The Untitled Sam Mullins Project I also just saw this one in Ottawa and it was recently nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for Best One-Person Show.

The Orchid and the Crow Probably my favorite show in Ottawa this year and the winner of the well-deserved Best Solo Performer Award.

2 Ruby Knockers, 1 Jaded Dick: A Dirk Darrows Investigation Do you like puns? Do you like magic? Do you like film noir? Do you like to laugh? If you answered yes to any of these questions go get yourself a dose of Dirk Darrow.

Anatolia Speaks A beautiful little show I caught in Vancouver last year about an immigrant woman addressing her ESL class.

For Body and Light Presents: Coming and Going I think this is the same dance show I caught in Edmonton last year. Though I'm not a huge dance person and so I can't comment on that aspect, I did really love how they incorporated spoken word into the whole piece.

Two Girls, One Corpse An adorable little show, part rom com, part murder she wrote. Supporting my hometown girls will not leave you disappointed.

High Tea These guys sellout, win every award and collect every star there is.

Pretending Things Are a Cock This show is exactly what you think it is. I saw it at Zoofest in Montreal to a packed house. Grab a drink, bring some friends and giggle like you are five years old because everything looks like a penis now.

Thank you, Toronto!

Wow. Just wow. You were a city filled with firsts: I have never sold out a run before and in Toronto I came very close to doing just that. I have never been in the Globe and Mail before and here I got some positive comments & a giant picture of myself with my leg up on a phone booth. I have also never had international producers not only come and see the show but tell me they have an active interest in bringing the show overseas. And I was worried...

There were little hiccups of course, like having to pay for accommodations because we couldn't find a billet and needing to change locations 3 times within ten days, but those were minor quibbles. I'd much rather focus on the awesome stuff, like my brand new pair of roller skates which I will use exclusively for outdoor skating (ie marketing). And how excited I was to skate around the beer tent and up to my venue.

And now, we're back on the road. Heading to Winnipeg, with a pit stop on Manitoulin Island where the Gods of Timing have joined together to make sure that both Mump AND Smoot are in the same place at the same time in the small window we have between TO & the Peg.

But more on that in my next post. Stay tuned!

Nancy's Alternative MUST-SEE List at the 2014 Toronto Fringe

Phew! Today feels like the first bit of breathing room I've had all week. We arrived in Toronto on Wednesday and drove right up to the Tarragon Theatre as I was running about 30 minutes late for my tech rehearsal. The team and I  had left Ottawa early and stopped in Gananoque to interview Julia Mackey who was in town with her incredible and unbelievably successful Jake's Gift. Toronto traffic made us late, but it was worth it to capture an interview with that lovely lady for the documentary.

That said, I have never been happier to have a stage manager for my show in all my life. I was told a few weeks ago that the Toronto Fringe requires one and so I drafted the help of my wonderful (ex)-wife, Mikaela Dyke. #dykenny lives again! She spoke to the technicians, took charge of my frazzled nerves (I hate being late!), made set-up a breeze and my lights look pretty. I can't tell you how convenient it is to have that outside eye. Not having to be on stage and run out into the audience to see how something looks saves so much time!

The show is now open and I've seen quite a few more. Roller Derby Saved My Soul is doing unbelievably well in Toronto so my worries were unfounded. But that's a story for another post. If you're reading this, chances are you want to check out my Must-See List of shows at the Toronto Fringe.

With close to 160 shows to see at this festival, the city is definitely not lacking in the MUST-SEE list department. I've seen at least a dozen from media outlets and local bloggers alike. I've even been lucky enough to appear on a few of them. With 100% of tickets being available in advance online (though as of writing this, the ticketing site has been down since yesterday), many of these shows are selling out and/or have sold out their entire runs.

And with good reason! Rosa Laborde is a well-recognized professional in the Canadian theatre world in a super small site-specific venue. NOW Magazine cover girl, Kat Sandler, is one of my favorite theatre writers ever and Punch Up is f'n hilarious and sad at the same time thanks to some super sweet and grounded performances from her cast. Just say the name 'TJ Dawe' in Fringe circles and a show is pretty much guaranteed 5 stars and a sold-out run. jem rolls is, to quote the NOW again, a 'true Fringe gem' that consistently delivers a verbal tour-de-force. Peter n Chris have turned pantomine into it's own art form. Oh and I guess they are pretty funny too. These shows get chosen for a reason because people know you are guaranteed a solid good time.

I've heard some grumbling about this 100% of tickets available in advance policy. Like it's unfair for pass holders who can't use their pass to get tickets in advance, for instance. Personally, I love it. Mostly because I believe, with all these popular shows selling out, that folks might actually try something new. In the spirit of the Fringe, let something surprise you.

Which, after all this talk, finally brings me to my list. This is a list of shows that have either pleasantly surprised me or that I hope will do so very soon. So without further ado, in no particular order:

Concrete Kid

Met this gang at the London Fringe, but didn't have time to catch it there. So happy though that I finally got to see it here. Loved the writing, loved the story, loved the dance transitions. There's a lot to love about this show, not the least of which you get to see a group of cool young cats put on a sweet sweet show for you.

An Ode to the Dyads

O.M.G. this show! I went because a friend gave me a ticket and I couldn't agree with the Mooney on Theatre reviewer more when she said: "I have never wanted a show to be longer more than this one." In the spirit of surprise, I did what I usually do, which is not read anything about the show, including the program blurb before going in. I had no idea I was walking into a movement piece and I'm glad I didn't because movement and dance isn't usually my thing. But man oh man do I now want it to be. This show is beautiful! So much joy on stage. The movements are precise and tell an interesting story, one that I could have kept watching for another hour. I even got misty-eyed towards the end. Just see it, ok?

The Dark Fantastic

It may not be surprising that a Martin Dockery show is awesome, but this one is unlike any other show of his I've ever seen. And I've seen 5 of them. Simple story-telling enhanced by sound and light... I can't do it justice. It just kind of blew my mind.

Aiden Flynn Lost His Brother So He Makes Another

Winner of the Best English Theatre Production award at the Montreal Fringe, this is an charming story told with no dialogue. I still haven't seen it because they are touring the circuit and I can catch them elsewhere, but my anticipation for it keeps building every day.

Dr. Frightful Presents: Dead Air

From the same crew that brings you Aiden Flynn, this show is premiering in Toronto. Check it out and be able to say I saw it then before it explodes everywhere else.

Mr. & Mrs. Alexander: Sideshows and Psychics

Some folks come a very long way to take part in Fringe. These two are in all the way from New Zealand. They killed in Ottawa and you should check them out here to see why.

Watching Seana McKenna Watch Paint Dry

I honestly just love the name of this show and would see it for that reason alone.

Karenin's Anna

Fringe is often a huge success for comedies, but don't be afraid of drama! Danny Padgett and Caitlin Robson are sure to give some strong performances, so go check them out.

Silent Party Interlude

Another one I saw in London. Sweet and charming and filled with some wonderful songs, Devon Moore gave me the feels in all the right places.

And ok, for number ten, I would be remiss, if not a little biased, if I didn't ask you to check out Roller Derby Saved My Soul. If you sit close to the front, there's popcorn.

So there you have it. There's still a full week of theatre left, so go don't just stand there, SEE SOME THEATRE!

And let me know your surprise picks in the comments below.

Toronto the Good for Me?

Happy Canada Day! The Ottawa Fringe Festival closed on Sunday night with the usual fanfare (i.e. the wonderful Ross May on the bagpipes) and it was a much celebrated, yet bittersweet affair as this marked the last year of the Beer Tent in the Arts Court Courtyard. Dave Dawson gave a goodbye speech that combined the right amount of funny and nostalgia, while we toasted to what the future Son of Beer Tent might be. It was then and there that I realized I had 12 years of memories in that courtyard and it was one of the main reasons the Ottawa Fringe has always been one of my very favourites.

I am now spending one of my few days of non-Fringe activity this summer doing... Fringe related activity. It hit me this morning when I woke up that I head for Toronto tomorrow and I am incredibly nervous. Even though I lived there for almost two years, I've waited a really long time before bringing Roller Derby Saved My Soul to town. You may be asking yourself why; many of my friends there sure have. In my high school analogy of Canadian Theatre, Toronto is the cool kid whose opinion means I might get to eat at the best table in the cafeteria at lunchtime. And anytime I think about high school, I can't help but feel like the nerdy kid who doesn't quite know how to dress herself, but dammit if I can't help you with your homework.

...

I have no idea where this analogy is going except to say that Toronto theatre intimidates the fuck out of me. I am already nervous when I go to a new Fringe city because I never know if anyone is going to show up, but I am even more worried now because I have this idea that the people in Toronto who do come will all sit there with their arms crossed and judge.

All this to say, I am super stressed. My printing wasn't ready as quickly as I would have liked it to be and part of me wonders if I have completely forgotten how the show goes now that I've had a week off. I've finally found a place for us to stay for most of the festival and it's great, but I have to pay for it and it's only from the 5th to the 11th, so I still have to find room from the 2nd to the 4th. I'm literally shaking as I write this blog post, though that may also be from the coffee.

Tomorrow, the documentary team and I will be stopping by Ganonoque to interview the divine Julia Mackay about her incredibly successful Jake's Gift before I arrive in Toronto for my technical rehearsal at the Tarragon Extra Space. I will also be back with another blog post, this time my Must-See List for the Toronto Fringe.

City number 4, here I come!

With Love for Toronto Fringe

Jonathan Kos-Read via Compfight

It's a pretty big understatement to say that the weather in Toronto hasn't exactly been the greatest. Record rainfall has caused a lot of trouble all over the city and many people are still without power. On Monday and parts of Tuesday, the Toronto Fringe Festival had to cancel a bunch of performances due to a lack of power and even performers who were stranded in the flood.

For a full list of which shows were affected, I recommend checking out Sharilyn Johnson's blog here. And that's not even counting the productions whose attendance numbers were probably also impacted by the weather.

I'm going down to Toronto tonight. A combination of things involving a need for a certain prop for my show, some new merch, and 8 blissfully distraction free hours where I can work on the train, have made heading down to the city a good idea. Now, I wasn't going to tell anyone I was going. I was just going to slide in like a ninja, take my things and go. But this situation with the cancelled shows has changed my mind.

Fringe performers really epitomize what it means to be an entrepreneur. On the Fringe, you don't get to "just" be an actor. You write, you produce, you learn to market, promote, pitch & sell your show. You become a communications professional with skills in media relations, social media and networking. You become an expert at budgets, event planning, logistics & production management. You also quickly learn, if you didn't know about it before, all about design and tech. And you will somehow make all of this fit into one suitcase because you have learned to be as economical and efficient as you possibly can. Oh and you are probably one of the most creative people anyone is ever likely to meet. In any other profession, your skill set would be earning you close to a six-figure salary.

For many, mostly touring performers, but I'm sure there are a lot of locals as well, this is their summer job. It's one thing not make your money back because people don't like what you are selling, but it is another thing altogether to have that opportunity to sell taken away from you. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the Fringe, the performers who had their shows cancelled or had really low numbers don't get that show back. It's gone and with it goes their ability to make ends meat.

So, tomorrow, I'm going to do my part and go and catch at least one show, if not two, and buy a beverage at the beer tent (because the Fringe itself also lost revenue). I highly recommend you go out and do the same.

New Year - Next Stage

I was all set to write a blog post on how things went last year and what my goals are for 2013, but I've had to put that on hold for a little bit because ZOMGYOUGUYS! The Next Stage Festival starts back up today! It feels a little early in the new year, but after spending almost two weeks home for the holidays, I think some theatre is just what the doctor ordered.

Plus, I had a really amazing time there last year and I'm even better prepared this time around having just bought myself an 8 show pass. So without further ado, here's the stuff I plan on checking out and why you should too. (Please note this is solely my personal opinion based on knowing practically nothing about the shows being presented - because research is for people who hate surprises.)

PITCH BLOND

Unfortunately, I probably won't be seeing this show, but only because I had the privilege of seeing it at the Toronto Fringe Festival already, but I wanted to mention it because it's a wonderful show and Laura Anne Harris is absolutely delightful in it. I'd be curious to see what she does with it in the Antechamber, which is a very different space from the Tarragon Theatre stage I had seen it on and, at a shortened running time of 30 min, I'd love to know what she kept in. You should definitely check this show out and buy your tickets fast because the performance, as I remember it from last year, is very small and will in all likelihood sell-out. Besides, how often will you get the chance to get this up close and personal with a Hollywood legend?

THRONE OF GAMES

I love Game of Thrones SO MUCH and Throne of Games really does something to satisfy the inner fantasy geek in me. Every performance will consist of a brand spanking new improvised episode based on the series and I am still trying to figure out how I could possibly attend every single one without going back into debt. I'll be checking out the first episode tonight, but if anyone has extra tickets and would like a date, please feel free to call me.

WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN

I wanted to see this one at the Toronto Fringe last year, but it sold out, so I'm glad to have the chance to go now. I took a workshop with Martha Ross a few years ago and had an absolute blast. Really looking forward to seeing her on stage.

MEMORIAL

Planning my own memorial before I die to hear all the awesome things people will say about me? The narcissistic control freak that I am loves the premise for this show (Note to self: potential activity for 2013) and it also features my friend, the very talented Pierre Simpson.

THE PEACE MAKER

At the other end of the spectrum, I'm not usually a big fan of political theatre, but Natasha Greenblatt's name has been bounced around me a lot lately and she's got a really great director & cast backing her up, so I will be giving this one a shot.

POST EDEN

Speaking of names that get bounced around a lot: Jordan Tannahill. This guy is probably one of the hardest working indie producers in town and I can't believe I've yet to see one of his full-scale productions. Especially since I am a big fan of the use of multi-media and theatre. Thank you, Next Stage for helping me rectify that situation.

This is what I've got on the schedule so far, but it doesn't mean I won't be seeing anything else. I just haven't really heard much about the other shows yet, but I'm sure a few trips to the beer tent will change all that.  Feel free to let me know what you will be seeing and why in the comment section below. In the meantime, if you don't catch me at the tent in between shows, I'm probably at Sadie's Diner down the street indulging in some gluten-free chocolate chip pancakes.

As always, I'll be seeing you at the theatre.

What Happens Now?

 Robert S. Donovan via Compfight

Most of the major Fringe Festival lotteries have come and gone and, after applying to Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton, I find myself only accepted into Edmonton. Now, don't get me wrong, I am absolutely thrilled to be taking part in this festival, but it does put a bit of a chink in my summer touring plans for Roller Derby Saved My Soul. I'm also a little nervous about showing up in Edmonton without any kind of advance summer press or reviews.

So what happens now?

Well, while there are still a few Fringe festivals I could apply for - currently debating between Victoria and the Atlantic Fringes; Victoria because it's close to Edmonton and doesn't overlap next year, and the Atlantic Fringe because it brings me closer to home - I've now been setting my sights on festivals and organizations outside the Fringe circuit.

I've got my own list going, and a few applications already in the mail, but this is a fairly new phenomenon for me, so if you have any thoughts or ideas please feel free to share them in the comment section.

We're Going to Edmonton!

Both the Edmonton & Toronto Fringe lotteries were held last night. I didn't get in to Toronto. In fact, much like that time I applied for Edmonton in 2008, I wasn't even selected for the wait-list. With 334 applications and only 53 spots for the Ontario 60 minute slots, the odds, as they say, were ever not in my favour. But Edmonton! Oh Edmonton! How you've decided to be good to me this year! Broken Turtle Productions' Roller Derby Saved My Soul was drawn 6th for the National list.

Getting into Edmonton means that I will definitely be applying for Winnipeg & Calgary Fringes now. Even if I don't get into those other two, Edmonton, who prides itself as the oldest, biggest, baddest Fringe on the Canadian circuit is still a totally viable one-off opportunity.

I've never participated in the Edmonton Fringe before and I can't help feeling a little scared about it all (see: oldest, biggest baddest Fringe comment). I just assume that their audience are these super Fringe connoisseurs who, unlike my über-connoisseur Fringe pal The Visitorium, won't be as enamored by my little show on roller skates. In my head they all wear monocles, look like the Monopoly guy & will tut tut at my Buffy the Vampire Slayer references. ("Do Edmontonians even know what comic books are?" says the girl from the Maritimes.)

Monocle via Compfight

Of course, deep down I know this is silly talk. After all, Edmonton is home to the deliciously named E-Ville Roller Derby League, as well as the Oil City Derby Girls, so you know there will be good company.

(Sidebar - True story for those who've seen the show: back when RDSMS was just an idea in the back of my head, I attended a Roller Derby boot camp in Red Deer, AB. Met a lot of cool cats from the prairies, including a lady with a sword tattooed on her chest. I really did tell her I didn't mean to stare at her boobs and she really did say "If I didn't want people to stare, I wouldn't have gotten one there.")

Paolo Marconi via Compfight

So, all in all, I am very excited for what's in store with #RDSMS. Fingers crossed that more festivals will be coming up as well!

See You Next Year, Next Stage

Dear Toronto Fringe, Listen, we need to talk.  You know how I feel about you, right? You know how I try and love all my Fringe Festivals equally and with an open heart.  But, I've met somebody else and... I'm not really sure how to say this to you, but it's your younger sister, Next Stage.

I am so sorry and I hope we can still be friends.

Love,

Nancy

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The Next Stage Theatre Festival has come and gone (sniff) and I had a great time.  I spent closing day catching LOVESEXMONEY and Morro and Japs (because "sold out" is just a suggestion when you're me) and snuggling up in the super warm and cozy beer tent.  I enjoyed both shows a great deal and somehow ended up with an invitation to the cast party for one and an autographed poster for the other.  I'd let you guess which was which, but lets be honest here, if I got to hang out with Morro and Jasp, I'd probably end up like this:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UajEx7iU9-M]

It's better to get a signed picture. You can't disappoint a picture...

Neuroses aside though, damn Next Stage, you done good!

First of all, I applaud the location.  Factory Theatre is a great space and you managed to squeeze in comfortably spread out three venues and a beer tent all in one spot.  I love marathon fringing, but I am a lazy lazy person.  Give me the shortest distance between my wine and my theatre and I am a happy lady.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been getting a piggy-back ride up to the Antechamber while someone read the program bios to me aloud (note for next year?)  One of my issues with the TO Fringe has to do with how spread out everything is.  I got to meet way more people at Next Stage than I ever have at the Fringe because I could focus my time on new conversations instead of trying to figure out where the George Igntieff Theatre is located, how long it would take me to run there, and can I jog on a stomach filled with beer?

(for future reference: 15 Devonshire Place, 15 minutes & yes, yes I can)

Second, Next Stage was just so much easier to manage then the Fringe.  10 shows! I could see all of them if I wanted to.  And I saw about half, which isn't too bad for someone with two full-time jobs.  If I wanted to see half at Fringe, I'd have to catch over 50 productions... The ticketing staff in the super awesome and cozy heated beer tent (have I mentioned it before?) were great and got to know me on a first name basis.  Everything just felt more personable and welcoming.  Not to mention I really appreciated not being asked to "Tip the Fringe" all the damn time (Don't get me wrong, I get that the festival needs money, but if that's the case then make the buttons mandatory like so many other Fringes across the country seem to do).

Next Stage was just an all around really great little festival with some quality shows that broke box office records.  Congratulations to everyone involved and I will gladly do it all over again next year!

....

Next year?

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Dear Toronto Fringe,

Hey you!  How are you doing? Listen, I may have been a bit too hasty before. I'm sorry. And I swear this change of heart has nothing to do with the fact that your kid sister just packed up shop and left town... because really what did I expect from a 5 year old? Right? Right.

Anyway, I know I may have said some things, but I wasn't really in my right frame of mind.  I think Morro & Jasp put some gluten in that desert I ate. You know how I get when I have gluten.

So, we're good right? Because I was wondering... do you have any plans in July?

Call me!

Love,

Nancy

My Last Day at the Toronto Fringe

So I didn't blog as much as I had hoped too, but that's because I ended up being much busier than I could have possibly anticipated. I think my time in Toronto is exactly what I needed.  I saw some fabulous shows and a few duds - 16 shows in total.  I didn't get to see everything I had wanted to, obviously, but I did see a lot.  Highlights included Chris Craddock's Public Speaking, Morro and Jasp: Gone Wild!, Christel Bartelse's ONEymoon & The Shakespeare Show. I got to audit an acting class with my favorite teacher.  I spent time with friends I hadn't seen in a very long time, made some new connections, and learned all about another fringe festival happening in Canada. But best of all, I got my inspiration back.  I feel refreshed and ready to work harder than before.

Tomorrow, I'm back at the Great Canadian Theatre Company for another two weeks, I'm working for Odyssey Theatre, I've received some excellent news about Evolution Theatre, and I'm back to creating my own work.

I can't wait to see what comes up next!

My First Day at the Toronto Fringe

We finished the last matinee performance of The Amorous Ambassador (what is with ending a show on a matinee?) on Sunday and had hit the road to Toronto by 4 pm. While I was hoping to be in town with plenty of time to catch a late show, the holiday traffic on the 401 made sure that was not meant to be.  7 hours later, after many bouts of going 20 km/hr on the highway, I finally arrived at my friend's condo in TO. Ok, no Fringe for me that night.

Monday rolled around and after a delicious brunch at a place called Insomnia (OMG SO GOOD!), I found myself at the very empty Fringe Beer Tent.  Well, it was early afternoon, so I guess that makes sense.

I caught three official Fringe shows that day: The Shakespeare Show, Fruitcake & Carnegie Hall.  But the highlight of my day really came that night with a special one-off presentation of Uncalled For's Hypnogogic Logic.  You see, Uncalled For didn't get into the Toronto Fringe (like most festival's across the country entrance is through a lottery system) and, since the guys were all in town with other projects, they presented their new show at The Second City.  It was absolutely brilliant!  Keep your eyes and ears open for this one next year on the circuit, people, you'll be in for an incredible treat!

Today, I am taking another break from the Fringe.  Daily work life calls.  In addition to stuff I'm doing for the GCTC, I've picked up a marketing contract for Odyssey Theatre's upcoming production of They All Do It (expect to hear more on that particular one very soon).  Somehow, I think my Ignite the Fringe presentation (now available through Ottawa Tonite) had something to do with landing me the gig.  So a big thank you to Heather-Marie Scheerschmidt and the Ottawa Fringe for that one!

Now, however, with work done, I'm off to an acting class. But fear not, fellow #FringeTO members! I'll be back tonight for more.

Nancy's MUST SEE List at the 2010 Toronto Fringe

I'm currently in between shows in Morrisburg.  With two performances left, I'm fighting the blues by focusing on the trip I'm going on tomorrow to the Toronto Fringe Festival.  I'm itching to get my hands on a program, but until I do, here's a list of shows I would like to catch while I'm down there. In the spirit of my past Must-See lists, I probably have not seen these shows already and can't comment on them directly, but each one comes with it's own pedigree as to why I want to catch them.  I've seen enough Fringe now in the past 8 years that you can probably count on what I'm putting down here, but if that's not enough, fellow performer Alex Eddington's list has a lot of overlap with mine.

I won't be linking to each individual show description, but the whole list can be found here.

First up: The Ones I Missed in Ottawa!

Although I was able to see 15 shows at the Ottawa Fringe Festival, there wasn't enough time to see everything I wanted.  Here are some of the shows with great buzz that I'm planning to catch in Toronto.  We had two Best of Venue winners in the Duck Wife and Dale Beaner and the Turtle Boy.  There was also the absolutely stunning Lindsay Sutherland Boal's Purely Cabaret and Jonno Katz's Cactus: The Seduction.  I also heard really great things about Phone Whore, but I plan to catch her in Calgary.  If you're not going to be in any other Fringe cities, then I highly suggest you see her now.  I really want to see MAL.  Rachelle Elie's concept really interests me.  Oh and although it's not the same show, I really think it's about time I saw something by Barry Smith.  This time he's got Me, My Stuff, and I: a Multimedia Comedy.

The Ones I've Already Seen

Having been a fringe patron for so long, there's bound to be stuff that I've already seen at various other festivals.  Here's what I know is bound to be good.  Rob Gee's Fruitcake is a hit wherever he goes and I remember enjoying Raven for a Lark (though be warned it's not exactly a comedy) when I saw it in Ottawa last year.

The Ones from my Favourite Non-Fringe Festival

I met them at the Big Comedy Go-To in London (ON) last year and so I'm looking forward to Jimmy Hogg and Christel Bartelse's Wisdom: Part One & ONEymoon.  Same goes for Rob Salerno with Big in Germany (who's got the very awesome Mikeala Dyke working behind the scenes).  Morro was flying solo at the time in what I had dubbed "the bravest and funniest piece of theatre I'd seen in a long time" so I'm excited to see her again with her partner in Morro and Jasp GONE WILD.  Oh and the Go-To also first introduced me to the amazing work of the Cody Rivers duo (gosh, the Go-To is quite the festival now, isn't it?) and one of it's members wrote Poison the Well, which stars the fantastic Elison Zasko (who was one of my Fringe Crushes in Ottawa this year.  That talent! That style! That accent!)

Everything Else that Is Probably Going to Rock my World

Speaking of rocking my world, Die Roten Punke is back with Die Roten Punkte: KUNST ROCK (ART ROCK). I don't know what it's about, but I want more of this:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-003rK1vt8]

Monster Theatre has a soft spot in my heart for the Canada Show from many moons ago and I think they win the prize for longest Fringe play title ever with The Shakespeare Show: Or, how an illiterate son of a Glover became the Greatest Playwright in the World.

Can you believe with all my years doing Fringe, I have yet to see something by the "undisputed" Gods of Fringe like TJ Dawe and Keir Cutler?  It might be time for me to correct that with Lucky 9 and Teaching Shakespeare respectively.

Some of the guys from Uncalled For are involved with Dance Animal & You & Me and Me & You (this last one includes Kirsten Rasmussen who is one of the funniest improvisers I have ever seen).

Oh and remember BASH'd? Well the guy who created that, Chris Craddock, has got a new show called PUBLIC SPEAKING.  It's been getting A LOT of advance buzz in every article about the Fringe I read and I just hope it isn't sold out before I get a chance to see it.

So that's abou 20 shows in one week and doesn't include everything else I will hear about once I'm on location.  I can't guarantee I'll get to see it all - Toronto Fringe has yet to consider me a VIP like it's Ottawa counterpart has and money is tight now that my contracts are ending - but I will try my best.

What are you going to see?

Ultimatums

I've never been a big fan of ultimatums. Not in relationships, in work or in life in general. They're just so... final. As you may know, I've been working on a one woman roller derby show that I would like to tour cross-country next year on the Canadian Fringe Festival Circuit. Applications to the majority of festivals is by lottery. To make touring a tad easier on the performer, an organization called the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals holds their own lottery every fall for the chance to participate in every festival of your choosing. You may or may not get in, but if you do, your entire touring schedule is now secured for the summer, months ahead of most local lottery deadlines.

The only hick? You need to have the cash for every single festival you want to apply to upfront. In my case, a potential 7 city tour, that comes up to almost $5000. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of money lying around (and if you do have that kind of money lying around, we should talk!). If I did, I wouldn't have been emptying out my cupboards of all canned goods since I've come back from China because my bills need paying and groceries seem to be a luxury at the moment.

So, I did the only thing a starving artist can do: I called my mom.

My mom was somewhat open to the idea. After all, I did get a grant from the City of Ottawa to write this piece. I talked to her about the lottery and how if I did not get in there would be no charges on her part. I would then apply individually to the various festivals and try my luck there. And of course she would be getting her money back by the end of the summer once my tour is done. However, my mom may have misunderstood my initial request. She seemed to think all I needed for the tour was $5000. After reviewing my budget plan, which brings expenses closer to the $20,000 mark, she did what all good moms would do. She kinda freaked.

And that's when the ultimatum reared it's ugly head. I've got until March to make this work. March is approximately when you can drop out of most festivals without incurring too much of a penalty.

I'm waiting to hear if I've received some grants that I've already applied for in December and there are new deadlines for other funding opportunities as well, but I'm scared. There is so much in this that involves chance and I've never really been that lucky before. This project means so much to me, but will it sell? Audiences across Canada are fickle. If I knew what they wanted, I'd be the greatest publicist on earth. But I don't know. All I can do is go about on blind faith (with a strong dash of hard work) and pray that it all pays off. My mother does not doubt that a Fringe tour would be a wonderful, soul-fulfilling experience. She just does not want me to go into a 5-digit debt load to accomplish that.

I guess there's no use in worrying about this right now. With my lotto luck, I may not get into a single festival next summer.