Come to the Cabaret, Ol' Chum

Last night, I finished the first of two fundraising Cabarets with Zucchini Grotto.  This is the third Cabaret I've stage managed for this group and it's a real joy every time.  It's always wonderful to work with people this organized and professional. Now, I'm not a stage manager, but I have done it in the past (and I think every actor should experience the life of a stage manager at least once so they can understand how truly difficult it is), but what I do here is not real stage management.  I haven't sat in on rehearsals, I don't create a prompt book, and I don't touch any of the buttons in the booth.  In fact, yesterday was the first time I had some real responsibility because I had to build the cues with the lighting board operator.  Also, I'm not a technician which makes working at the NAC 4th Stage such a thrill.  If anything goes wrong, there are two technicians ready to swoop in and fix it.  Those guys own that space.  My biggest stress?  Make sure everything gets done before the techs need to take their union break.

And the music is such a treat too.  My appreciation and understanding of the musical theatre scene grows with each performance I attend.  Did you know someone actually wrote a musical about leprechauns?  Leprechauns in the Southern United Sates who helps fight segregation?  I'd link the answer here but a certain someone will probably take care of that tonight anyway.  You see, this Cabaret differs from the others in that it involves trivia questions.  The questions can be kind of hard, but a certain performer who shall remain nameless has picked up a nasty habit of letting all the answers slip out.  So much so that I actually had to shut the lights off on him so he'd stop.  (True story!)

I guess I love working with Zucchini Grotto because I find it to be such an incredibly, unbelievably easy gig.  I mean, society conditions us that work, "real" work, should never be this fun and easy, right?

Then again, maybe I'm just really good at what I do.

Why Don't You Want Me?

Dear Ottawa, Since I now pay property taxes, I figured that maybe this time you might actually listen.  I've been with you for a while now, almost ten years last time I checked, but most days you make it hard for me to love you.  Sometimes I feel like you just don't care.

Don't get me wrong, we've had some pretty good times.  I've met some incredible people thanks to you and I was always the first one to defend you when anyone said anything bad.

"Just be patient!" I would say.  "It's better than it used to be."  "Besides, if we all left, how would Ottawa ever learn and grow?"

Well, apparently, though I've sacrificed everything for you, you don't seem to need me anymore.

What?  Is that not the case?  Then what did you expect me to think when I saw THIS and THIS earlier this morning?

Really?  I thought we went over all this about four years ago.  You know, right around the time I was leaving school and decided I wanted to be a professional artist and you got all pissy and decided that you would cut every possible opportunity available to me?  So I conceded.  I loved you that much.  I got a good, normal job and did good, normal things.  I gave the arts second billing and you took the knife away.

But I get it.  You're jealous again.  I've decided that my first love is for the arts and not for you and so you want to take that away from me.

Well, good luck with that.  You may succeed in penalizing me for everything I hold dear (Let's increase bus fees too, while we're at it!).  This year, you might actually go that far and laugh in my face.  But you know what?  You're too late.  I have nothing left in me to fight for.  I won't drag out the old arguments (The Arts bring in money!  Cities floorish with the arts!), I won't waste my breath.  You've heard it before and I'm tired of saying it, so I just won't.

I will just do what I should have done a long time ago; what so many others have done before me; what I always said I would never do.  I will pack my bags and I will leave and I will find somewhere else that accepts me and loves me for who I am.  Just watch me.

So, Ottawa, what's your call?  Because I'm all in.

So Much To Do

I've been sick for the past couple of days.  It's a pretty bad cold with the sniffling and the coughing and the ewww.  I haven't been sick in over two years.  The last time?  I was leaving my job at the Magnetic North Theatre Festival to work at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.  Now?  I'm leaving my admin work at the theatre to be an artist full-time.  Throw in three different scripts I have to learn for the end of the month, a major project due for my college course, at least 3 more shows I need to see this week, a part-time job, writing a play, stage managing a cabaret, taking an acting course, at least one audition, and getting my place into some sort of order... well, I'm not surprised this is hitting me now. I need to learn to say No sometimes.

Random Sugar Crash Ramblings

I have a headache.  I think my body is wondering why we're not eating a crème caramel, 2 pieces of chocolate cake (with quite a few stabs at some additional icing), a piece of torte, a lemon square, and some chocolate syrup tonight (twice on Saturdays!)  Or maybe it's because I'm not drinking 3 coffees per day anymore... I haven't suffered the dreadful post-show crash that usually afflicts us actors when a run is over, though since I have so many things on the go, I think I just haven't let it hit me yet.  When I finally realize that I can safely go into the bathroom without a fart machine going off, I think I may break down in tears.

It's weird.  I've always said that there were so many things that I wanted to be doing with my time that I couldn't because I had a full-time job.  However, now that I actually have that time, I haven't gotten around to much of it.  True, it's only been two days since the end of the show, and it's not like I've done absolutely nothing productive.  For instance, I learned that Hot Fuzz is a wickedly awesome movie and I think I have a crush on Simon Pegg.  Damn, good writing is sexy! (I will forgive him for Run, Fatboy, Run though.  He probably has a mortgage to pay too and it's simply easier to blame David Schwimmer instead)

There's so much theatre going on in town now that I'm not even sure where to turn my head.  I'm seeing up to 7 shows over the next two weeks.  First up, Toto Too's Evening of One-Acts, followed by Catalpa at The Gladstone.  Then there's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the NAC (which looks unbelievable!) and Look Back in Anger by Third Wall.  That's just for this week.  Next week I'm checking out Fires in the Mirror by NORT and Zadie's Shoes at the GCTC.  If I have time (which is looking doubtful, though who knows) I may also check out a show at the Canadian War Museum entitled ...and stocking for the ladies.

Seriously, people who think our city isn't vibrant with culture probably haven't checked out the current Ottawa theatre scene.

Is it sad that I really want a cookie right now?

Live from Ottawa, It's Opening Night!

I walk up a red carpet to get to work.  How wicked is that? Last night, my first (of many) forays into the world of professional acting began with the opening of David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole at The Gladstone.  I am incredibly proud of this show.  We have a solid cast, an amazing director, an incredible set, and a Pulitzer Prize winning script.

Unfortunately, it's a drama and that seems to scare people away.

You see, the show is about a couple moving on with their lives after the death of their four year old son.  This is a far cry from the farce which launched the season at The Gladstone, but I'm here to tell you that it's not all death and depression.  There some incredible moments of humour (brought on mostly by yours truly) throughout that play that really lightens the mood and grounds everything even more so into reality.  Because life can be silly at times.

It is my fondest wish that everyone reading this note will take the time to check out the play.  This show will shake something inside of you and, trust me, you will come out a better person for it.

The Gladstone is currently offering a long-weekend special on admission.  All seats are $25 taxes included (as opposed to the usual $33.50 and $26.80 plus tax) for the shows taking place this Friday (tonight) and Saturday (both the matinee and evening performances).

Shows start at 8:00 pm Tuesday to Saturday, with matinees at 2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays (no show on Thanksgiving Sunday) until October 25th.

To reserve your spot, please call the box office at 613-233-4523.

I look forward to seeing you there!

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Rabbit Hole – David Lindsay-Abaire

A Gladstone Production

Directed by Janet Irwin

October 9 – October 25, 2008

Featuring (alphabetically)

Brie Barker

Michele Fansett

Jesse Griffiths

Nancy Kenny

Maureen Smith

Toxic Shock

My initial elation at working on my first professional theatre production (Rabbit Hole at The Gladstone Theatre - get your tickets now!) has slowly given way to something else entirely. I don't think I realized how much of an adjustment leaving work would be.  My body is scared and it thinks the best way to protect me is by shutting everything down so that I stay safe at home in bed.  I've been getting sick.  I wake up in the morning with a lump in my throat.  I feel stuffed up and have trouble eating.  My stomach is constantly rumbling with problems of a bathroom nature; the details of which, I am sure, most of you would prefer if they were kept to myself.  I get anxiety attacks and at times it feels like a twenty pound weight is crushing my ribcage.  My mind wanders.  I forget what I was doing the day, the hour, the minute before.  Last night, I showed up at the theatre not only carrying two very different shoes (one was a high-heeled pump, the other a ballet flat), but they were for the same foot.

My mind and body are rebelling against this new lifestyle change.

I am going into shock.

I'm sure some people are thinking (because a little part of me thinks it too) well, why not give in?  Just get sick and stay in bed for a few days until you get better.  Unfortunately, I can't do that.  I can't just take the easy way out anymore and go hide under the covers like a gopher who's afraid because his shadow is so big.  I can't rest on my laurels.  I can't live on a plateau when I know the view is even better if I just keep climbing a little higher.

(How many more mixed metaphors can I squeeze in here?  Let's see...)

I've learned from past experience that the stronger my physical, visceral resistance to something is, the greater and sweeter the reward I receive when I finally manage to overcome it.

My soul knows that I am creating the right path for myself.  Evey time I show up to rehearsal and begin to say my first few lines, suddenly, I don't feel so sick anymore.  Now if my mind and body could please catch up...

There's Nothing Going On

I am so incredibly pleased that the Ottawa Citizen took the innitiative to include an article today about the BC Scene, which is happening in April of 2009, because there is nothing else going on in the Ottawa Arts Community at the moment that is worth mentioning (and I only linked Theatre, there's plenty of visual arts, music and dance going on too).

The Who in the What Now?

I'm pleased to announce that Evolution Theatre has been nominated in the Emerging Theatre Artist category for a Golden Cherry Award! That's fantastic!  That's phenomenal!  That's... wait a second, what are the Golden Cherry Awards?

I pride myself on being an incredibly well-informed individual when it comes to the professional performing arts scene in Ottawa.  I know what's going on within every theatre company (one small exception being what's up at the NAC, but I'm crawling my way in, just you watch me!) and on every film set.  I know who's doing what (or whom as the case may be), when and where things are happening, and how to get involved.  I know so much that I half expect people to come and ask me a favour on this, the day of my daughter's wedding.  I thought my ear was so thoroughly glued to the ground that you'd have to be careful not to trip over my head.

But with these awards I'm at a lost.  I've failed.

Well, technically, I didn't fail.  My vast and intricate network of spies has failed me.

Stupid spies!  Someone's head is going to roll.  Where the heck did I put my chainsaw?!?

Though while I'm at it, would someone care to explain to me just what exactly the Golden Cherry Awards are?  Purty please?

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Ed. Note - Since I feel like I'm starting a new chapter in my life, it felt appropriate that I have a new blog to go with it. I am a professional actor

Towards the end of my shoot on a wonderful little horror movie, the director forbid me from denying that fact. Mostly because he was sick of me haranguing him for saying he was not a professional director. Don't you hate it when your good advice gets thrown back in your face?

Well, he was right.

I've had a crazy month of August. The first two weeks were taken up by said horror movie and I audited a very inspirational acting course.

The movie reminded me how much fun acting was, how much I loved being on set, and how great it is to be part of a team working passionately towards something that's bigger than yourself. Even the incredibly early morning wake-up calls (did you know there's a 4:30 in the morning now?) only reminded me that I was getting up to go do something I absolutely adore doing (and if that happened to include cutting people in half with a chain saw or sending someone off a cliff, who was I to argue?).

The course made me realize that I was being a lazy actor. If I'm honest with myself, I know that I expected lots of great parts with very little effort or preparation. I'd go into an audition and just expect talent to carry me through. I would complain about how hard I was working to get things done, but I was really wasn't working at all.

So, for an upcoming audition, I prepared like mad. I wasn't going to let old habits stand in the way of what I wanted. I was going to get this part. I read the script a few times and immediately picked a scene that struck a cord with me. I brushed off my monologue and put it on its feet. And then I did something that I never allowed myself to do in the past. I got help. Thanks to two really great friends, I got to play with both scene and monologue. They helped me discover things about the characters and make good choices. They were lifesavers.

I arrived at the audition feeling rather grounded. I was feeling happy just to be there. Adequate preparation had already taken away about 50% of my nerves to the point that when I realized there were five extra people in the room than what I had envisioned, I didn't freak out. I was actually glad for the opportunity to play in front of more people. And play I did. I didn't take my self too seriously and had fun. Yes, Nancy, acting is fun!

And then I got a callback.

Wow!

Then I took a page out of my amazing friend's handbook. I went to my resume and added the credit to the list. I was letting the universe know that I believed it could happen.

Guess what? I got the part.

I laughed uncontrollably for about two minutes when I received the news.

Nancy Kenny will be appearing in Rabbit Hole this October at the new Gladstone Theatre (Get your tickets now!)

**********************************

On Monday morning, I went and took the crazy to a whole other level. I walked into work and I gave them my notice. After about four years of floundering about in full-time jobs, I realized that if I wanted to truly be a professional actor, I had to either shit or get off the pot. Well, gosh darnit, it's time to shit!

To tell you the truth, no decision has ever felt so right before.  It was time.

I'll be at my current job until September 12, and then rehearsals start for Rabbit Hole. My contract is for six weeks until October 25th.

After that point, who knows, but I believe (and it's about damn time I did) that I can be an actor and still manage to take care of myself.

Besides, if ever I'm royally fucked, I'll just move in to my film director's basement and take his DVD collection hostage. Because I am a professional actor and he created a monster.