The dreams have started. Of course everyone dreams all the time, but I only seem to remember them when I’m involved in some big project, like a show.

Last night was a blocking dream. I wonder if other actors experience them? I have the distinct impression I’ve spent all night running through my show blocking for Shining City. I woke up fairly exhausted still.

The last couple of nights, I’ve been dreaming about death. Cheerful, I know. My death, other people’s deaths, people I know mostly, though it varies. The only constant seems to be that they or I can’t move on until they’ve accomplished something or let go of something.

Gee, I wonder what my subconscious is trying to tell me?

More links will be added as they come in.

Did you miss the interview I did with Richard Gélinas on CHUO 89.1? Well you are in luck. Here it is in full with host Mitchell Caplan on Click Here. It even includes a segment from the show. Check it out here! (It may take a while to get the link and you may have to sift through some ads, but it was the best I could do in finding a free server host for the very large file. If anyone has a better idea, I’m all ears!)

If you’d prefer to see our faces, then go visit our friends at Ottawa Tonite (a great new resource on local arts and entertainment!) and check out the rehearsal footage video created by Cheryl Gain, which also includes an interview with director John P Kelly.

(Cult)ure Magazine and the EMC News also have some great preview articles. (Apparently the print version of the EMC runs for a page and a half, has three photos and is on the cover – if anyone could get me a print copy, that’s be grand!)

As if that wasn’t enough, (Cult)ure Magazine also has a lovely review of the piece, which you can find here.

I also highly recommend you check out the glowing review the show got from Patrick Langston and the Ottawa Citizen. You may do so here.

You’ve probably noticed, if you are a regular to this site, that I haven’t been up to my usual blogging vigor this month. That’s because the majority of my month was spent in rehearsals (and public relations work) for Shining City by Conor McPherson, produced by SevenThirty Productions in Ottawa.

Well, tonight, live from the Arts Court Theatre, is opening night.

I’m incredibly proud of the work that I and the rest of the cast and crew have been doing on this production. I’m just trying to see tonight as another part of the process of creation. This will be the first time we have an audience and I find that prospect kind of scary. (You mean I have to act in front of… PEOPLE?!?) I hope that throughout the two week run you will all be able to come out and see it.

As long as I don't do this, I should be fine!

Details for the production can be found below. If you come out tonight, we will be holding a small party in the theatre lobby with food, drinks, and Irish music. Please stick around after the show to say hi and share a bevy. See you at the theatre!

Shining City by Conor McPherson
Directed by John P Kelly
Featuring Richard Gélinas, Tom Charlebois, Nancy Kenny & Garrett Quirk

Arts Court Theatre – 2 Daly Avenue – Ottawa, ON

November 17 to 28, 2009 – 8 p.m. Sat/Sun matinees – 2:30 p.m. (No show on Sunday & Monday night)

Tickets: $25 – $20 students/seniors/underemployed
Pay-What-You-Can Matinee on Sunday, November 22nd

Box Office: 613-564-7240

Keep the Halloween chills going with the perfect November play!

Set in present-day Dublin, Shining City takes place in the disheveled office of Ian, a former priest turned therapist. Ian’s latest patient, John, is in trouble. His wife has just died tragically… and he is visited more than once by her ghost. John is now terrified to return home, but Ian has his own troubles, including a new baby and a crumbling relationship.

“Literally lifted the hairs on my scalp.” – London’s Evening Standard
McPherson is “the finest dramatist of his generation…” – London’s Daily Telegraph

This is a Public Service Announcement for anyone out there who might find themselves in the position of dating an actress. May whatever deity you worship protect you.

I consider myself a strong, independent single woman. The majority of the time, I am perfectly fine with being on my own. Every once in a while, however, my over-Disneyfied childhood education rears its ugly cartoon head and, gosh darnit, I wish I was a princess… with a tiara and everything.

Opening night for a show I’m performing is one of those blatantly Cinderella moments for me. On opening, after weeks of hard work, there’s nothing I would love more than to have some pretty flowers sent to me backstage by my ‘Man of Mans’ (TM by The Adorkable Thespian). To know that the one special person in my life is out there and routing for me… well, that just sounds so heartwarming. I think most actors feel this way (though they may not want flowers, perhaps it’s chocolates or banana bread or a combination of the two).

I was with an absolutely lovely man for a very long time and, though he did give me flowers throughout our relationship, I never got any for a show. His mother sometimes got me show flowers, but it just wasn’t the same.

Of course, I could have just told him that’s what I’d like, but isn’t asking for flowers just like asking you to be nice? (And to be clear, none of my past relationships have been anything like the ones in that song, I just think it’s a nice turn of phrase.)

Then again, maybe it’s just not that obvious of a thing. So, to any future ‘Man of Mans’ (or ‘Woman of Womans, who knows?) out there who might do some stalkerish research before dating me (or any other actor), I like flowers. Purple lilacs are a personal fave, but you know, it’s really the thought that counts.

On Friday, I had the privilege of seeing a wonderful little show at the National Arts Centre called Elephant Wake. I’m not going to write a review. However, I will say that I liked it and that it hit me on more than just a cultural stand-point (being from a town divided between French and English lines will do that – though I do wonder how people who cannot speak French appreciated the show?) To me, the show was about loneliness and finding refuge in the past. Though not always perfect, it was beautiful to watch. If you’d like to read a review of the piece, I recommend Jessica Ruano’s at the Ottawa Arts Newsletter. I agree with most of what she says.

No, what really struck me with this production was where it came from. Elephant Wake was originally created as a production for the Edmonton Fringe Festival in 1995. I’ve latched on to this little tidbit of information for over three days now. This was a FRINGE SHOW! Now, almost 15 years later, it was being presented at the National Arts Centre, the Cultural Olympiad in Vancouver and even the Magnetic North Theatre Festival next June in Kitchener-Waterloo.

According to the program, it wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops for the production. When the show was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe, they were lucky to have 8 to 10 audience members a night. One day, they only had 3 people in the audience. Two people left partway through the show apologizing that they did not speak English. I know many actors who would have canceled a production after that, but Joey Tremblay kept going and performed a one man show for one person. It takes an incredible amount of dedication and integrity to keep going (and I’m sure it didn’t hurt that he started winning awards shortly after, guaranteeing a sold-out run for the rest of the festival, but still, he didn’t know that.)

I am realistic. This isn’t easy and not all shows blossom like this. But what hope this fills me with as I try and create my own work!

Elephant Wake is at the NAC Studio until November 14.

… but I sure do miss those film sets.

The last time I actually performed on a film set (and not just background work) was in August of 2008 for Death Rally.

Recently, a friend asked me to appear in a short she’d written. It’s an MIP (Member Initiated Project). This means it’s a type of co-op production for ACTRA members. I won’t get any money or union credits for the work I do, but I’ll be toning my film acting muscles and I’ll also be working with pals. Oh, and I actually get to perform in French for once! I don’t see anything wrong with that.

There’s a certain vibe on a film set that makes it different from a stage production. On sets, at least the ones I’ve worked on, I always find there’s this kind of hive mind going on. Some kind of uber sense of teamwork that comes from knowing you have a very limited and often intensely condensed time frame to work with.

Not to say stage work isn’t intense, it’s just different, often a touch more relaxed. Today at rehearsal, I wasn’t happy with the work I was doing. I was promptly told not to worry about it because we still had two weeks to work out the kinks. And it’s true, I do have some time, but if this was film? Forget it! Make it work now or forever hold your peace (or you know, pray you have a good editor).

Oh and film sets often have food. I like food.

It’s a regular blogapalooza week here at So You Want To Be An Actor (Redux). For some reason I’ve been blogging almost every day. I guess there’s just a lot going on, including the following on how you can help the Ottawa Theatre Network.

I know that this is very much a popularity contest for money. That said, with funding being so difficult to get in the first place, I don’t really like passing up any opportunity that might help support my theatre community.

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

Be a Part of Ottawa’s Renaissance: Vote Now, Vote Daily, Tell A Friend

Do you care about Ottawa professional theatre?

Do you want to help the Ottawa Theatre Network and the Great Canadian Theatre Company make a lasting contribution to Ottawa professional theatre?

Here’s you chance! It will only take a few minutes of your time. We promise.

To find out more, click here:

http://ottawatheatrenetwork.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/be-a-part-of-ottawas-renaissance-vote-now-vote-daily-tell-a-friend/

Remember, you don’t even have to live in Ottawa to vote and you can do so daily!

A direct link to our proposal itself can be found here: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf1624

In addition, Third Wall Theatre is also looking for support for their Shakespeare Ensemble Project. Since you can vote for multiple proposals, I suggest you also check them out here: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf2384

By Tegan and Sara

I won’t regret saying this,
This thing
That I’m saying.
Is it better than
Keeping my mouth shut?
That goes without saying.
Call, break it off.
Call, break my own heart.
Maybe I would have been
Something you’d be good at.
Maybe you would have been
Something I’d be good at.
But now, we’ll never know.
I won’t be sad
But in case
I’ll go there
Everyday,
To make myself feel bad;
There’s a chance
I’ll start to wonder
If this was the thing to do.
I won’t be out long
But I still think it better if
You take your time
Coming over here.
I think that’s for the best.
Call, break it off.
Call, break my own heart.
Maybe I would have been
Something you’d be good at.
Maybe you would have been
Something I’d be good at.
But now,
We’ll never know.
I won’t be sad
But in case
I’ll go there
Everyday,
To make myself feel bad.
There’s a chance
I’ll start to wonder
If this was the thing to do.
I’ll start to wonder
If this was the thing to do.

As previously mentioned, I am doing double-duty of acting and publicity for the upcoming production of Shining City by Conor McPherson for SevenThirty Productions.

After speaking with the director at a production meeting, he made it clear to me that as publicist my job is to “let people know about the show, not sell tickets.” I have to say that this is a bit of a change from my current perspective on arts marketing, which is that it’s my job to put bums in seats.

Now, a part of me would love to have this weight taken off my shoulders. I’d love to just sit back, write a press release, create a facebook event and then wash my hands of the whole thing as I focus on my lines and character development.

How many people here believe that’s what I will actually do?

*Cue tumbleweed*

The workaholic in me won’t let me do that. The control freak in me won’t let me do that. The go-getter in me won’t let me do that. The financially desperate in me won’t let me do that. The artist in me won’t let me do that. I can’t sit back and do nothing when I know there is something I can do. And do well.

So, I’m looking at group sales and program advertisement. I’m attending events and talking up the show. I’m looking at potential cross-promotion opportunities. My time line is very tight with opening night on November 17, but everything is automatic and second-nature. And I even have help. Our assistant director has also taken up the call to arms and is going far above and beyond the call of duty. He’s doing most of our design work and I think we’ll be tackling a flyer distribution this weekend.

If I don’t do this, then whose job is it?

There is also a major difference with this show from all the promo work I’ve done in the past. I am in it. Sure, I can invite people to anything I’m doing publicity for, but if I’m not directly involved in the creation and presentation of a piece, why would my non-theatre friends come and see it?

I have over 800 friends on facebook; 70% of which, I am sure, live in the Ottawa area. There is no reason I shouldn’t be able to get the majority of these people to see me in a play. Right? You’ll come see me in a play, right?

*Cue tumbleweed* ???

(Am I basically saying that if you cast me in your show I can probably get about 500 people to see it/me? … Uh, maybe. I’ll let you know how that worked out on November 29th.)

In the meantime, I’m going to go work on my lines now so that you may have sometime worth seeing.

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.