Fringe Festivals

I am a huge fan of Fringe Festivals. I love the opportunity as an audience member to experience a bunch of different types of theatre from all over the world in a short time span and only a few blocks from the next show.

As a performer it’s a great experience as well. Well, it can be. It can also be really frustrating. You never know what it’s going to be like. You might get great reviews, but small audiences. You might get crappy reviews but still have great houses. Some Fringe Festivvals avidly promote the festival within the city. Others can’t be bothered to even send a poster over to the miriad of hotels a block away to bring in tourists.

I didn’t get a spot in the Toronto Fringe Festival this year (it’s a lottery done by picking companies out of a hat). That’s disappointing. I had a great time with “The List” last year at the Toronto Fringe and I know “The Frank Diary of Anne” would have been really well received in Toronto. I am however doing the London (Ontario) Fringe. It’s close by so won’t cost a bundle to get to and hopefully there will be some press I can collect for future mountings of the show.

I’m debating applying to the Hamilton Fringe Festival. One the one hand it is also close in proximity, but I think that might mean locals would actually travel to Toronto for a Fringe. Last year they had 28 companies and returned just over $31,000 to the performers. That’s just over $1000 per show. With a festival fee of $570 plus actual costs for the show, that doesn’t leave much of a chance at a profit.

Has anyone done the Hamilton Fringe and have any experiences to share?

Selling Art Collection

My mother, besides being a fantastic artist herself, had an enormous collection of art from all over the world. Some of it I’m keeping. Some of it, despite being amazing, is just not my taste, so I will be selling it.

I have an ETSY Store that I’ll be selling her artwork in (I haven’t posted anything yet–I want to figure out how much shipping for masks will be), and I’m starting to sell the art she collected from other artists on my EBAY (starting with the little knicky knacky type).

On the ebay auction now there is a wood carved bride and groom statue from Nova Scotia folk artist Stanley Rector (his work tends to sell in the 3 figure amount).

Other items are a cloth bag from Argentina and a metal plaque from 1918 from the Winnipeg Public Library. More items will be posted each week.

 

The Script is Out There

After months and months of editing and waffling, the script for The List (written by myself, Amy Symington, Jennifer Kenneally, and Sara Beck) is now available for purchase from a publisher. Yay! It makes us feel a little more legitimate (even if it is sort of self-published).

If you’re interested in getting your own copy of the audience-acclaimed 4 woman show based on interviews with a range of women about what they wanted in a partner (and in supporting starving artists–I think it works out to about a dollar profit) you can order the script here: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/969028

Plant Salad

I wanted to order this fantstic set of salad tongs (one for me and one as a gift for a kitchen-oriented friend), unfortunately it seems that the company doesn’t ship to Canada (that whole “you need a proper zip code” thing).

 

The Internet is More Interesting Than the Real World

What did I do before the internet? No, seriously, I can’t remember how I spent the time that I now so easily vanishes while I’m refreshing my facebook and twitter newsfeeds.

My first introduction to the internet was ICQ. My friend Christian (who was into all things geek–a whole different world for me) intorduced me to it and I spent an entire night online flirting with random people. Yep, the internet has always been a social place for me. That whole research part of it? Well, it’s good for quick answers (like looking up the word I’ve lost when trying to describe something by trying to come up with a synonym and then scanning the page for words that start with the letter I know the word starts with), but I still did (and apparently am now again doing) scour my essay research from books.

I was once a very social and outgoing person ITRW (In The Real World), but that has faded. Fortunately, I’ve got the internet. I’ve “met” people I would never have known and re-connected with past people all over the world. Is that really actually socializing? Sure. I’m sure it would fill my Sim social meter if I had one.

So I’ve begun to find other uses for the internet. I know, I’m way behind on this one. Shopping, online… so much fun. One day I’d love to be able to purchase fantastic vintage finds, but I’m one of those people that conventional measurements don’t work as a guideline for how clothes will fit me. I’m working on it.

But there are some great sites out there to drool over style related things.

I just found one this morning, Smokeye, cool mix of fashion, style and photography.

And so begins a new category for this blog: THINGS I WANT. I debated starting a new blog for it devoted to other era-esque stuff, but really, who needs more than one blog when there’s no clear focus for the first one?

How to be Happy

I’m bored. And unmotivated. And sick, I should add that I’ve been trapped inside for days with a cold. Although that probably hasn’t changed much in terms of my state of mind the last few days.

Point is what I’m about to confess is not normal behaviour for me.

I just sat down with my laptop and typed into Google Search “What should I do with my life”. Weird huh? And it responded with answers.

One of those was My50. It’s a site for people to post their life goals, things that they want to strive for and accomplish. Some are easy (“watch a sunset”), some cliche (“Visit Paris”), and some kind of odd (“fit loft insulation”—what does that even mean?, “protest against something I care about”—sounds counter productive).

You can search lists by age, gender, country, key words…. It’s interesting on a number of levels. Merely seeing how similar lists can be (no matter what age and location) is kind of comforting that generally we all want the same thing. Of course the differences are what really make the lists interesting.

What struck me most, probably because my state of mind for most of this year, was that number 50 for a LOT of people was “be happy”.

How? I mean, items on the list like “get cheaper car insurance” and “see a roller derby game” are easily quantifiable and the route to how to get that check mark next to them seems pretty self-explanatory. But how do you “be happy”? You can act happy. I’m positive that’s not the same thing. “Figure out what makes me happy”. That seems like a goal you can actually take action on.

But that’s not what’s on these lists. My mom told me to live my life and be happy. Seriously, those were pretty much her last words to me. I’m still trying to figure out how to do that.

Everyone wants to be happy, and I guess enough people really aren’t if they need to put it on a list. I know it would be on my list, but I don’t yet know how to achieve a check mark by it, what I need to accomplish to complete that goal, or if you ever can check it off. Unless you’re looking for a one time moment. But then that isn’t “being happy”, that’s experiencing a moment of passing happiness. Different.

If anybody out there has that simple answer that everyone seems to be looking for, please share. Maybe it’s completing all the other things on your list. Maybe it’s when you no longer need a list. Or maybe it’s not something we can “be”. Perhaps it’s something we’re just supposed to spend our lives striving for and it’s the act of really LIVING life that gets us closer to it. But how do we do that?

I’m pretty sure that requires a list.

Casting Call

I’m expanding into niche markets and looking to build a bit of a portfolio with that in mind. I’m looking for Burlesque Performers and Roller Derby Girls who would like to do TF (time for photos) for their own portfolios/promotional photos. I’d like to photograph performers who have their own developed characters. You can do your own hair and makeup or arrange a MUA or Hair Stylist for the shoot.

This is an opportunity to get FREE photos of your character for your own promotional use (with the only stipulation that I am credited as the photographer). Some photos may be used on my website for promotion of my photography, and I will gladly place a link to your webpage (or team/troupe) if you’d like.

Please send me a message if you’re interested with information about your character and the look you want to present.

Speakeasys

When Cat and I were in San Francisco we went to a very cool club (and I’m not really the club type). It was called Bourbon and Branch and it was inspired by the speakeasys of prohibition. There was an unmarked door with a secret password, and a bar behind a hidden door that looked like a book shelf. I would have taken photos but that wasn’t allowed–neither were the use of cell phones or pretty much anything that didn’t exist back then.

LOVED IT.

The Speakeasy (like burlesque and roller derbies) has enjoyed a revival of late. There are apparently clubs with similar set ups all over the continent. Although I hesitate to say I don’t think there’s one in Toronto. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I have the idea (don’t steal it) of writing a tour guide type travel book about them, giving me the excuse to do a road trip around North America visiting speakeasys. I think it’d be fantastic.

The Roosevelt Room is opening next month. It’s a 1920s inspired supper club with art deco interior, waitresses as flappers, jazz music… Completely my sort of place. I assume the dress code referred to is pretty upscale, and the minimum age is 25.

Can anyone suggest any great vintage shops I might find an appropriate dress? I’m thinking girls night out.

Guys Who Can’t Dance

I’ve been watching Glee and for the most part I love it, but I got to say there’s been something bothering me from the beginning. The young male lead (the high school quarter back) can not dance. He tries, he does the steps… but it just looks awkward. Painfully awkward. But I couldn’t pin point exactly what he does wrong.

Until today. I watched a bit of Battle of the Blades and the first hockey player who skated… He was trying to groove, but it just looked bad. Awkward. Because of his hips. He moved them like little kids dancing, where the hips sway side to side locked to the rest of the body.

How do adult men do that? I don’t get it. Especially how a musical theatre performer can do it. Meh.

Fantastic Theatre Post

Travis Bedard has posted a great list of info anyone (newly graduated or even years out of school) pursuing a career in the arts should know called 10 Things I Wish I’d Been Told in College.

My favorite:

There’s no time limit.
Unless you want to be a Broadway ingénue. You haven’t failed if you haven’t done “X” by 25 or 30. You “fail” if you stop. You rarely stop something you are still in love with. If you stopped because you don’t want to do it anymore? You didn’t fail – you changed. You don’t owe theatre anything.