The Ugly One: Moving into the theatre
The Ugly One moved into the the Jericho Arts Centre this week.
It’s the first time in about two and a half years that I have been a part of the load in. And I have missed it. There is a big difference between popping your head into the build on breaks and actualy haulling lamps up the A frame. In this case, as an equity co-op, director Richard Wolfe, myself (actor), Stage Manager Wren Handman the Stage Manager, ASM Jocelynn Mortlock, assistant director Michael Gunion shared in the duty with the house tech and designer Jerguš Opršal and a volunteer crew.
I don’t think I will ever get over the feeling of wonder I get when a space starts coming together. Weither it’s a found site or a more traditional venu, it’s the feeling is the same. Helping physicaly create a new enviroment – a new world that never existed before. Magic!
As a performer or director, particpating in the physical creating of that is infinitly rewarding. Not only is this something I helped built with my own two hands, through sweat, labor, hard work and sevral people explaining how to use a screwgun(look Mom!), it truly helps understand the playing space. I know how this light works or the potential of this level or that audience aisle simply because I put it there.
Additonaly there is something truly company building about the experience. The bonding that happens between the individuals while creating, the conversations that start up between crew, design and performers all seem to lead toward a stonger team that involved everybody. The artists from performance craft, design craft and build craft physicaly working together strengthens the ties between the creative camps and as an extention - the passion. We don’t serve different camps of the production instead we all own a piece of it together.
2011 in Review
Whew. It’s been a busy one. 2011 was for me another year of travel, exploring new art forms such as dance, opera, new dramaturgy and translation practices, meeting new artists and, in truth, another year full of artistic highlights.
Jan. to April (Toronto):
The Magic Flute and Nixon in China, Canadian Opera Company, Auditing Director
A huge thanks to conductors Johannes Debus and Pablo Heras-Casado and directors Diane Paulus and James Robinson and the rest of the C.O.C. (www.COC.ca)
Unstuck, Foundry Theatre, Dramaturg and Director
The staged reading of Unstuck by Evan Tsitsias. Featuring: Kawa Ada, Roger Bainsbridge and Alex Williams
Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, Opera Hamilton, Auditing Director
A huge thank you to Director Graham Cozzubbo, Conductor Cal Stewart Kellogg and the rest of the gang for their openness and generosity.
May to August (Vancouver…mostly)
Macbeth: nach Shakespeare, Theatre Conspiracy/ Gasheart, Production and Editorial Dramaturg
The first English language translation of Heiner Muller’s Macbeth: nach Shakespeare with Theatre Conspiracy and GasHeart. I had the privilege of working with the internationally renowned translator and theatre artist Carl Weber as he put the final touches on his text for publication. A huge thank you to Director Quinn Harris, Artistic Director Tim Carlson and, of course, Carl Weber.
http://conspiracy.ca
“Bloody brilliant.” – Kathleen Oliver, The Georgia Straight
Henry 5 by 5 Lab, MD Theatre Collective/ Firehall Arts Centre, Director
As part of the Firehall Arts Centre BC Buds Festival, Collective members performer/ choreographer Nita Bowerman and performers Lisa Oppenheim, Keith Martin Gordey, Mike Wasko and Art Kitching joined me as we workshoped and explored a 5 person cross disciplinary production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V. The lab was to explore the relationship between the Shakespeare’s spoken word, dance and movement. www.mdtheatre.wordpress.com
Director’s Lab North (Toronto):
Over 20 directors from across the country (and some from across the world!) ranging from emerging to established gathered for a 3 day intensive at Tarragon Theatre. Panels and master classes included Daniel Brooks, Judith Thompson, Nina Lee Aquino, Andrea Romaldi and Anne Cattaneo, Soheil Parsa, Michael Wheeler, Micheline Chevrier, Linda Griffiths and Richard Rose and Shared Sessions on viewpoints, heightened text, American classics, creation and multi media. Their next deadline is coming up! www.directorslabnorth.com.
Molino Rouge, Karen Flamenco Studio, Text and Stage Director
Created and choreographed Karen Michelle Pitkethly with additional text by Peter Anderson and Gerardo Avila, the story of Moulin Rouge was flipped on its head and transformed into a Spanish cuadro.
Wreckage, Created by Nita Bowerman, Contributing Director
August began under the pier by Bridges Restaurant on Granville Island joining Nita Bowerman as she created her new multi disciplinary piece for the Vancouver Fringe. The work included early development and dramaturgy conversations, dance on a four foot by four foot raft and work with a scuba diver!
General Audition Workshop
Putting the research done for the BizBooks.net on General Auditions last season and further research from attending generals around the country this season, I held the first of a ongoing series of Pay What You Can Seminars and Discussions.
Two Part Invention Workshop, by Dorothy Dittrich, Dramaturg
Sept. to December (Montreal):
Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal, Artistic Director Mentorship, Associate on Dramaturgy, Translation and New Play Development
Working with Emma Tibaldo, Lois Brown and June Park, I was able to huge strides in both my dramaturgical and production practices. I joined in as an associate on the new play and translation workshops, readings, residencies and discussions covering translation and new works from large mainstage shows to exciting new indie creations. www.playwrights.ca
Also a huge thank you to Roy Surette, Chuck Childs and the Centaur Theatre for their ongoing support. www.centaurtheatre.com
Sanctuaire Workshop, by Lucia Frangione, Dramaturg (Toronto)
Other highlights include helping connect Evan Tsitsias and Unstuck from Toronto with Vancouver’s Screaming Weenies(www.screamingweenie.com) and Montreal’s Johanna Nutter’s My Pregnant Brother (www.twowheelerproductions.com/mypregnantbrother) with The Neanderthal Festival (
http://thal.ca
), participating in Le Centre des Auteurs Dramatique’s International Translation Syposium (www.cead.qc.ca), Montreal’s Les Journees de la Culture and all the wonderful theatre seen across the country from the indie scene like The Next Stage Festival (a ballerina twelve feet away from you!!) and Theatre Smash(www.theatresmash.com/) in Toronto to the Mainstage like Equus at the Segal Centre(www.segalcentre.org/equus-2/) (Montreal) and Blackbird’s Waiting for Godot (
http://blackbirdtheatre.ca)(Vancouver
).
