Ok. So I’m new at this blogging stuff and I was going to introduce myself the old fashion way, with a bio of sorts and heading forward. But I think it makes more sense to discuss what’s happening right now and work my way back over a few posts and while maybe answering questions that come up.
So to start, I freshly back from performing the play
War & Therapy, by Paula J. Caplan in The Edmonton International Fringe Festival, the 2nd largest in the world. It’s been a blast. In the last week of July I was in Washington DC with the play performing in the Capital Fringe.
Now I’ll be honest I had never been part of a fringe festival prior to these and I will say thankfully my first time was as a performer not a producer…because wow…what a learning curve and the difference from one to the other is huge
(but boy did I take notes!). Also, I had never heard of the word "billeting" before; where strangers kindly put you up in their homes – do they do this in NYC? Anyway, I was so warmly welcomed into the homes of strangers in both places. Its amazing, stranger’s house strangers in support of the arts…wow.
I will say, the people in Edmonton were amazing and welcomed me in. It’s something that can be uncomfortable and awkward but I honestly felt like was spending a week with family I just don’t get to see much. I stayed with Christine, Marc and their 2 kids Adrian and Alex, as well as Marc’s sister, Veronique, who was in town for the fringe as well. Christine is a clown; and has a wonderfully clever and sweet...yet not for children, clown show,
Rocket & Seashell's: Sofa so Good and Veronique has a unique dance/theatre one woman comedy show,
Twisted Themepark II , which I so regrettably
(long story short) didn’t get to see…the shows are scheduled tight at times and I was finishing up my own and running to hers which was at one of the furthest venues and got there not 1 minute late. The doors were closed and I was out
(they are very strict about this rule)…sadness. Now in Edmonton it really is kind of awesome because most of the venues are in very close proximity making it easier to see one after another, unfortunately I just didn’t take into consideration the people wanting to chat after my show and cut t way too close. Now sadly I never got to her show as my schedule after that overlapped, but the great part is that though I didn’t see her show I know I will because truly, I now consider her a dear friend and can’t wait for an opportunity to go to Nova Scotia to see her.
If you didn’t know it, Edmonton is the land of festivals, I just missed the folk festival and as I was leaving, a blues festival was coming in. Its amazing there’s always something with the arts going on there, but on the other hand unfortunately, there is not much else to do in Edmonton…though I dare you to Google
The West Edmonton Mall; an indoor “mall” that contains a water park with a huge wave pool, bungee jump and amazingly huge slides and so on, an amusement park with numerous roller coasters
(which have the unfortunate fate of being painted the colors of cotton candy...it's disturbing), also there’s a skating rink, a miniature golf course and yes people…a pirate ship, in front of which is performed a sea lion show 4 times a day…in the middle of the mall!!!! Then of course there are the 100’s if not 1000’s of stores; the more we wondered and got lost the more overwhelmed we became by the spectacle of it all. Soo…this is why I think there being so many festivals in town helps the people stay grounded, and quite honestly sane.
In 13 days the family I stayed with saw 5-10 theatre performances, went home and discussed, them – we could all use more of this culturally – I love that this fringe truly made that accessible. The people there support and sustain this festival. For 2 weeks I lived in a house of artists and art lovers staying up too late talking shop and eating breakfast together chatting until someone says...crap! I gotta show to go to...or do. I want this is NY!
It was wonderful up there, having the rare opportunity to just submerge myself as an actor without distraction. And I saw so much theater...it was the best! I'm wasn’t producing and I could truly take it my surroundings, study the intricate world of handbilling, postering and buskers on the site. The artists there support each other, see each others shows, give each other comps and shout out personal faves at the beginning or ends of their shows in support of artists they enjoy. The DC Fringe was very different, very separated and missing the camaraderie I have found up here. What is the NYC Fringe like? How does it compare I’m curious. The main issues I found there were that some shows without prior successes or local support had trouble filling houses and most everything gets reviewed here and it matters. Artists’ are running around adding taped reviews and stars on their posters and buzzes are being created, etc...in my own experience, mostly...it really does come down to taste.
So our piece as the week had gone on began building some great buzz, unfortunately it was mostly in the last 4 days. Being our of towners creating the buzz took us a bit, but word was getting out and our crowd had been getting bigger. For me as an actor, for the first time in so long I was able to focus on that. The process of creating the character; the research to make her whole…
This has been huge!
I will add more on my experience in creating the role, the amazing opportunity I had to meet the soldier whom my character was based on, and some of the incredible shows I saw while I was up there…one of which is a Brooklynite!!!! There actually were a number of us up there; I'm gonna miss it.
Right now I’d like to start the introductions of the special peeps on my team. Firt on the list is Bonna Tek. Bonna and I met about 2 years ago now when on a whim we had both decided to do one of those fun Gorilla Theatre 24 hour type shows,
Spontaneous Combustion at Manhattan Theatre Source. She has since become someone I think is going to take NYC by storm. She amazingly versatile and talented and we are thrilled to have her on our team!
Bonna Tek is a busy bee this fall! First up is The Living Newspaper's fall project, "Google Rising," directed by Laura Savia (assistant director for Shakespeare in the Park's "The Merchant of Venice," now heading to Broadway). Laura says, "We have become obsessed with the idea of Google as a rising power in the world, as well as technology as a determining factor in our privacy and identity on a national and personal level. By connecting the dots between Google, China, social networking bullies, cloud computing, and everything in between -- I think we have the opportunity to blow our audience's mind. Furthermore, this is an exciting topic because it asks us to dramatize the effects of technology, a non-living entity, through theater, the most live, flesh-and-blood medium there is. What could be more in the spirit of the Living Newspaper?"
After that, Bonna will be tackling the role of Antonio, as well as co-producing, Leviathan Lab's inaugural production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," November 2-14 at the Arclight Theater in NYC. Leviathan Lab is a collective of more than 70 Asian-American actors, writers, and directors devoted to creating the projects they want to do. If you'd like to help this project get on its feet, please make a donation at: http://www.rockethub.com/projects/272-leviathan-lab-presents-twelfth-night.
