tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9166903986237013302024-03-06T15:01:26.092-05:00Obsidian Theatre CompanyBlack Comes In All ColorsObsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-67776501323742266182014-09-05T15:54:00.004-04:002014-09-05T15:54:37.699-04:00re:Connexion Casting Call<span style="font-size: large;"></span><strong><span style="font-size: large;">re:Connexion</span></strong> COMMUNITY and ARTS<br />
<br /><strong>Toronto/GTA Casting Call</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>Piece/Play: <strong>Unknown Territory</strong><br />Where: Toronto<br />Type: Devised Theatre<br />
<br />Auditions for Unknown Territory, Produced by re:Connexion Community and Arts and the Piece of Mine Festival.<br />
<br />Actor/co-creators needed<br />
<br />Looking for Non-Equity actors/co-creators of Caribbean ethnicities (Bajan accent is an asset but not necessary)<br />Actors must have a background or an interest in collective creation and physical theatre. A Musical (singing or instrumental) background/talent is an asset. <br />
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Unknown Territory premiers October 10th in the Piece of Mine Festival at Bathurst Theatre in Toronto.<br />Devised and Directed by: Amanda Nicholls<br />Dramaturge by: Natasha Adiyana Morris<br />
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<br /><strong>The Story:</strong><br />Unknown Territory is a Caribbean Canadian tale that unveils ones history; the facts and the hidden kinks. It is a play that follows the love story of a young Bajan couple and their migration to Canada. Now, in present time, their offspring seek to reconnect with the island roots of an unknown land...<br />
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<strong><br />Cast Breakdown:</strong><br /><br />3 Sisters: teenagers, Age throughout the play.<br />Mother/Grandmother: age 20 – a mother of 3 and works as a custodian/housekeeping in a hospital. They age throughout the play.<br />Father/Grandpa: age 23 Mechanic/Body shop. They age throughout the play.<br />Rehearsal Period: two weekend intensives September 26-28th and October 3-5th with extra rehearsals during the performance week of the festival date TBA.<br />The show will be a profit-share/Honorarium.<br />Email amanda.reconnexion@gmail.com with a headshot and resume for audition information. Please specify the part(s) you wish to audition for.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-6812732126691656122014-01-27T16:48:00.000-05:002014-01-27T16:48:58.259-05:00<br />
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Obsidian Theatre is proud to introduce our new General Manager Tania Senewiratne.</div>
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Tania Senewiratne worked for a Broadway producer in NYC for 10 years.
In that capacity she worked on over 30 theatrical productions on
Broadway, off-Broadway, on tour in North America, in London, on tour in
the UK, in Canada, in Australia and throughout East Asia. Broadway
shows include The Producers, Hairspray, Young Frankenstein, Gypsy,
Sweeney Todd, The Norman Conquests, A Little Night Music and many
more. Off-Broadway shows include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Cookin', My
Old Lady, The Fantasticks and others. International productions
include Porgy and Bess, The Kind and I, SpongeBob Squarepants,
Cinderella, I Love You, You are Perfect, Now Change and others. Tania
was involved in the creation of 54 Below - a cabaret space built in the
cellar of the iconic Studio 54 building in New York City. <br />
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Tania will be starting at Obsidian on February 3rd so if you happen to be around please drop in and say hello.</div>
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<br />Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-50738791349462637742012-11-20T15:04:00.002-05:002012-11-20T15:04:54.142-05:00<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting our blog, it is currently under contruction. for more information on how we do what we do. Please visit it us at our home at <a href="http://www.obsidiantheatre.com/">www.obsidiantheatre.com</a></span>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-59129420236129237592012-05-17T14:20:00.001-04:002012-05-23T11:42:06.931-04:00Playwrights Showcase<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An evening with Obsidian Theatre's Playwrights</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwpzYTyWtGINpLrEKXEITw2AEvM2LSgt1JQza181mwQ4lW-naE2ob_3TIL7520Ec5ihXlt9PqWmx4oFPB-1pJDXUeqNly8NByqJJiXIC8FhfVPdElBrDZfjBAMpqHWO82Xf_KIEcbxHc/s1600/meghan_swaby_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwpzYTyWtGINpLrEKXEITw2AEvM2LSgt1JQza181mwQ4lW-naE2ob_3TIL7520Ec5ihXlt9PqWmx4oFPB-1pJDXUeqNly8NByqJJiXIC8FhfVPdElBrDZfjBAMpqHWO82Xf_KIEcbxHc/s200/meghan_swaby_01.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg952IYntmj0fxfECyR7xiUmihp7KHfC31P1GVMebB2tH5BlwrhwzYIB8MojWhQ7KjED1oyoyBcCPryGXpAj248ZBdPaygOn9PHGGUnqlVconnqjLoNqC3gvbDO-6A6AsTHfpOrea8GXR0/s1600/green5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg952IYntmj0fxfECyR7xiUmihp7KHfC31P1GVMebB2tH5BlwrhwzYIB8MojWhQ7KjED1oyoyBcCPryGXpAj248ZBdPaygOn9PHGGUnqlVconnqjLoNqC3gvbDO-6A6AsTHfpOrea8GXR0/s200/green5.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2uVt70_j-cXi_GZNfq53GM9sXSuSvrP-CFXaaHQHGROjD7J2T6y_Rzv1PWxftwZc5TuttwxodIkuQ9XKNzAN5Ejon8lHK4xdOKEOThjy_jPn2Pa8SEAWPR_1fDiLOfrmcmaed6CjUqg/s1600/scott_a_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2uVt70_j-cXi_GZNfq53GM9sXSuSvrP-CFXaaHQHGROjD7J2T6y_Rzv1PWxftwZc5TuttwxodIkuQ9XKNzAN5Ejon8lHK4xdOKEOThjy_jPn2Pa8SEAWPR_1fDiLOfrmcmaed6CjUqg/s200/scott_a_01.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2011/12 Playwrights Unit Presentations</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">On June 4th, we are proud to present excerpts from works in progress from our fabulous playwrights unit members. These plays have been developed through the unit, come see them fly. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 19px;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">Calpurnia</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">by Audrey Dwyer</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Directed by Leah Simone Bowen</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Julie is writing a new screenplay of "To Kill a Mockingbird" from the perspective of Calpurnia, the Finch family maid. Is it a brilliant and necessary reclamation, or is she walking a dangerous line between history and caricature. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">Eating Pomegranates Naked</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">by Andrea Scott</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Directed by Jamie Robinson</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Truth, relationships, loss, and self-identity interact with one another in play that starts off as a dinner party that could be happening anywhere. How honest do you have to be with our partners if the truth will infect the relationship? Sometimes we are only as safe as our secrets.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">lil sara//clicking venus</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">by Meghan Swaby</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Directed by Dian Marie Bridge</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">A poetic and explosive exploration of the exploitation of Black women in history. lil sara/clicking venus is inspired by the life of the infamous ‘Hottentot Venus’, Sara Baartman, the young Khosian woman at the centre of Europe’s dark fascination with the exotic. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Monday June 4</span><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">8pm </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Dancemakers Large Studio 313</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">55 Mill Street</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Distillery District Building 74</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">This is a Pay-What-You-Can event</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Playwrights Unit Submissions</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">We are now accepting applications for our 2012-13 Playwrights Unit!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Do you write for theatre?</span><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Do you want to work in a structured, nurturing, and vibrant community of artists?</span><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Do you identify as a member of the African Diaspora?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Obsidian Theatre is looking for you.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Through monthly meetings with the group, and individual guidance to serve each writer’s needs, the playwrights unit will be an intensive, year long process. In the unit writers can delve into a creation process in a supportive and nurturing environment while challenging themselves to investigate their writing process. The unit will also have an emphasis on professional development and the business of being a playwright in Canada. The unit will run from September 2012 to Spring 2013.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">Application Due JUNE 1, 2012</span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Your application should include:</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">A 5 to 10 page writing sample</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">A 1 page Letter of Intent explaining why you write for theatre</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Your resume</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">You can send your application by email to Mel Hague at pd@obsidiantheatre.com</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Or by mail to:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Obsidian Theatre Company</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">1089 Dundas St. East</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">Toronto ON</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal;">M4M 1R9</span></span><br />
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</span></h4>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-8382712985050939372012-02-15T13:38:00.002-05:002012-02-15T13:43:51.212-05:00Black History Month and the Politics of Playwrighting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Obsidian Theatre invites you to join
us for free a panel discussion on:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;">Black History Month and the Politics
of Playwrighting <br />
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We ask the question, as a Black Artist how much responsibility do you feel
towards Black History Month? What is the importance of representing our
histories on the stage? These are questions that we ask ourselves as artists of
colour in all disciplines. All are welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Reception to follow.<br />
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Our panel will include award winning playwrights:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> George Elliot Clarke, Marcia
Johnson, Motion and Donna Michelle St. Bernard<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Monday February 27<sup>th</sup> 6pm -10pm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/buddiesinbadtimes"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none;">Buddies In
Bad Times Theatre</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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12
Alexander Street, Toronto, ON M4Y 1B4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; text-align: center;"> For more information please call 416-463-8444 or email us at</span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"> office@obsidian-theatre.com</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><u>About The Playwrights</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4w7TJdSrus4ikDs2XaQjVrgk41lOXzZ7SSOuW1UBMjbi0mgCwiTb6HfPmNdxQx6kAp9dWcpZGNbyJjXt0z5X4z0Ybl2m4w3rGmKyJL8kQmmVwBPz4upXt0Tr84LE8gOZja273zHJlDk/s1600/imgres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4w7TJdSrus4ikDs2XaQjVrgk41lOXzZ7SSOuW1UBMjbi0mgCwiTb6HfPmNdxQx6kAp9dWcpZGNbyJjXt0z5X4z0Ybl2m4w3rGmKyJL8kQmmVwBPz4upXt0Tr84LE8gOZja273zHJlDk/s320/imgres.jpg" width="266" /></a><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">George
Elliot Clarke</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">
George Elliott Clarke was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, near the Black Loyalist
community of Three Mile Plains, in 1960. A graduate of the University of
Waterloo (B.A., Hons., 1984), Dalhousie University (M.A., 1989), and Queen's
University (Ph.D., 1993), he is now the inaugural E.J. Pratt Professor of
Canadian Literature at the University of Toronto.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">
An Assistant Professor of English and Canadian Studies at Duke University,
North Carolina, 1994-1999, Clarke also served at the Seagrams Visiting Chair in
Canadian Studies at McGill University, 1998-1999, and as a Noted Scholar at the
University of British Columbia (2002) and as a Visiting Scholar at Mount
Allison University (2005). He has also worked as a researcher (Ontario
Provincial Parliament, 1982-83), editor (Imprint, University of waterloo,
1984-85, and The Rap, Halifax, NS, 1985-87) social worker (Black United Front
of Nova Scotia, 1985-86), parliamentary aide (House of Commons, 1987-91), and
newspaper columnist (The Daily News, Halifax, NS, 1988-89, and The Halifax
Herald, Halifax, NS, 1992-). He lives in Toronto, Ontario, but he also owns
land in Nova Scotia. His many honours include the Portia White Prize for
Artistic Achievement (1988), Governor-General's Award for Poetry (2001), the
National Magazine Gold Medal for Poetry (2001), the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Achievement Award (2004), and the prestigious Trudeau Fellow Prize (2005).</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUeYepv_Gcb1ON1cj6OWETFaTnvgFRvrXkI48tBOeSLzApcku62sIOFiHINxinomu4K-CI1h6Q6W_jV5xW1oWR20J-Lpa0SPmmlxXjx602J_y7Z0P7eNjl2s3bk1afl6y1R4UVHZh_rc/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUeYepv_Gcb1ON1cj6OWETFaTnvgFRvrXkI48tBOeSLzApcku62sIOFiHINxinomu4K-CI1h6Q6W_jV5xW1oWR20J-Lpa0SPmmlxXjx602J_y7Z0P7eNjl2s3bk1afl6y1R4UVHZh_rc/s320/images.jpg" width="214" /></a><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Donna
Michelle St. Bernard</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard is an activist, emcee and playwright. Her work in
various disciplines has been presented at Summerworks, Ignite Festival,
ARCfest, Canadian Music Week, NXNE and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. She
has been honoured with the Enbridge Emerging PlayRite Award, Herman Voaden
Playwriting Award, a Dora Award for outstanding new play and a playwright
residency at Obsidian Theatre, and in 2010 was named as protégé by Mallory
Gilbert Leadership Award winner, Naomi Campbell. DM is the artistic director of
New Harlem Productions.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPo3xtzyxftC1vj7ZtVSwCQZeXQPodcJIE045ln9CwhoC6oiJXuDY218kZYvujLp5cJpWG2eT4B3_Y_5GAuoYO6yn1TtTd4inWUKeD8m7X0KDRFBYMIJomAc622O6u_R3ZTqnT7sURjA/s1600/Motion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPo3xtzyxftC1vj7ZtVSwCQZeXQPodcJIE045ln9CwhoC6oiJXuDY218kZYvujLp5cJpWG2eT4B3_Y_5GAuoYO6yn1TtTd4inWUKeD8m7X0KDRFBYMIJomAc622O6u_R3ZTqnT7sURjA/s320/Motion.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Motion </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">
An award-winning emcee/poet, playwright, screenwriter & Hip Hop artist,
Motion’s fusion of word, sound and drama is a potent mix of the ancient to the
futuristic. Her lyrical agility has taken her to the stages of Manifesto
Jamaica, the Urban Music Awards, CBC Television and HBO Def Poetry Jam. Lauded
by Now Magazine as a “multi-talented, truthful artist,” Motion flipped the page
of northside lit with the release of Motion In Poetry and 40 Dayz, writing and
producing Aneemah’s Spot, which debuted at the Rock Paper Sistaz festival, and
other featured works at Obsidian and Factory theatres, Luminato, Summerworks
Festival and Young Centre for the Arts. Inspired by her work with the legendary
Fresh Arts movement, MotionLive continues developing emerging talent in
creative spaces such as Lit 4 Life, Urban Arts and the Caribbean International
Literary Festival.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7Oi3SF7VenU6Q_H0INrsz-d58S0sN7tk3tSSOLhVphz9-PO-RVKQw6EwJKQ6AhOZReI7xv03O8RO6bZ74v9D8CsFDLnzGRrEVtEe4BKw5Pwue4Jqv2K5DFDlN95AMhtKqM4lu1wRrZQ/s1600/IMG_8183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7Oi3SF7VenU6Q_H0INrsz-d58S0sN7tk3tSSOLhVphz9-PO-RVKQw6EwJKQ6AhOZReI7xv03O8RO6bZ74v9D8CsFDLnzGRrEVtEe4BKw5Pwue4Jqv2K5DFDlN95AMhtKqM4lu1wRrZQ/s320/IMG_8183.jpg" width="212" /></a><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcia
Johnson</span></b></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Marcia has been a theatre artist in Toronto for over twenty years. Plays
include Binti’s Journey, from ‘The Heaven Shop’ by Deborah Ellis (Theatre
Direct); Courting Johanna based on Alice Munro’s ‘Hateship, Friendship,
Courtship, Loveship, Marriage’ (Blyth Festival) and Late, an original piece
(Obsidian Theatre Company).The short opera My Mother’s Ring for which she wrote
the libretto was nominated for a 2009 Dora Mavor Moore Award.<br />
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Her most recent play is Linden’s Sister, published by the Elementary Teachers’
Federation of Ontario in the collection “More than a Play.” Marcia is also an
actor and teacher.<br />
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</span></div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-71851989294446971842012-01-09T11:22:00.000-05:002012-01-09T14:22:41.155-05:00On Being a Rehearsal Pianist...<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/normal arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">With two weeks to go to the opening of Obsidian’s very first
musical in association with</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"> <a href="http://actingupstage.com/productions/caroline-or-change" target="_blank">Acting Upstage</a> we asked our two *apprentices to
blog about their experience working on Caroline, or Change. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"> First up is Beau Dixon who is Assistant
Musical Director with mentor Reza Jacobs. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Beau is a composer, musician,
producer, playwright, actor and director. Two of his one act plays<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><em style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-image: initial; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-image: initial; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: initial; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;">(From Here To Africville, Once A Flame</span></em><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">) were produced at
Factory Theatre (Toronto) and he has performed at 4th Line Theatre for numerous
seasons. He is also artistic director for <a href="http://www.firebrandtheatre.com/" target="_blank">Firebrand Theatre</a> (Peterborough). Here are Beau’s thoughts on the rehearsal
process.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"</span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first couple of weeks rehearsing 'Caroline, Or Change' have
been very exciting!<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow! Although the work has
been non-stop, I have had nothing but a positive experience through the whole
process. I wasn't sure what my duties would be exactly. It turns out Reza Jacobs- the music director- would
be using <span style="font-family: inherit;">me as the rehearsal pianist, while the director -Robert McQueen-</span> focuses on
blocking and character development with the actors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am in the main rehearsal hall with Robert, while Reza
works one on one with actors in another room.
Not many people realize how stressful it is to be rehearsal pianist! You
have to be pretty 'spot on' with the tempo and overall 'groove' of the piece so
you don't throw the actors off. I have learned so much from Reza. He is patient
and sensitive, while also being meticulous and demanding with the daily
performance that he is wanting from the actors. We are coming closer and closer
to opening night. This is a big show! I know it's going to blow people's minds!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm very proud and excited to be a part of the team. Hope you guys
can make it out!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beau xo</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><em>Caroline, Or Change runs Jan 21 - Feb 12, 2012 at the Berkely Street Theatre Downstairs.</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="font-size: large;"> For tickets call 416-368-3110 or </span></em><a href="https://www.canadianstage.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=3CC9251E-E23A-4700-B8AF-F31961DE713B&sessionlanguage=" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: large;">online</span></em></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><em><strong>*<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font: normal normal normal x-small/23px Arial; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, Obsidian’s professional training program is grounded in the philosophy of training through exploration and production to enhance knowledge, share skills, increase marketability and strengthen community. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font: normal normal normal x-small/23px Arial; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">If you require more information on this program please contact:</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: small/23px Arial; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font: normal normal normal x-small/23px Arial; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="mailto:training@obsidian-theatre.com" target="_blank">Rupal Shah</a> Apprenticeship Coordinator.</span></span></strong></em></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</tbody></table>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-42393744127669486622012-01-05T15:01:00.000-05:002012-01-05T15:01:55.681-05:00The Broadway League's Demographic StatsSo this update is actually brought to you via <a href="http://www.thomascott.com/" target="_blank">Thomas Cott</a> of You've Cott Mail. I heartily recommend that you subscribe to his newsletter if you are interested in a huge range of theatrical ideas.<br />
<br />
This particular edition of Cott Mail deals with the Broadway Leagues Demographic Study of the racial breakdown of their audiences and some interesting reactions to that study.<br />
It makes for some fascinating reading and leaves some room for intensive thought.<br />
<br />
So read away and ponder.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tyler Coates,
BlackBook magazine, </span></span><a href="http://www.blackbookmag.com/art/shocker-old-white-people-love-broadway-1.43228" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shocker: Old White People Love Broadway</span></span></a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.marciasblacktheaterblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Marcia's Black Theater Blog</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.marciasblacktheaterblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-come-lynn-nottage-is-not-on.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">How come Lynn Nottage is not on Broadway?</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.apoorplayer.net/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tom Loughlin, A Poor Player blog</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">, </span></span></i></span><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.apoorplayer.net/2012/01/the-great-whiter-than-ever-way/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Is it so bad to admit that theatre is for white people?</span></span></a></span>
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</div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-79033807925410782832011-12-29T17:07:00.000-05:002011-12-29T17:44:49.218-05:00Year End - 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_q7s-DO3NWUYLzxx7ZigP784XjDDxJLG9RaWpq3q_qcpmFG_Rks4oHZ3JZkn92SwSMgmoVo9dEYhdB7dIGhQYfiN_S6Gp_bCvsBxCa8n7ffm0VARd5Cq6SsSJlQOVSMRQ8JT0ZAhqtQ/s1600/Ruined_0768+web.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_q7s-DO3NWUYLzxx7ZigP784XjDDxJLG9RaWpq3q_qcpmFG_Rks4oHZ3JZkn92SwSMgmoVo9dEYhdB7dIGhQYfiN_S6Gp_bCvsBxCa8n7ffm0VARd5Cq6SsSJlQOVSMRQ8JT0ZAhqtQ/s320/Ruined_0768+web.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
Stirling Jarvis, Yanna McIntosh. photo by Chris Gallow<br />
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<br />
This has been quite the end to 2011. <br />
<br />
Both <i>Ruined</i> and <i>Topdog Underdog</i> have been mentioned in the Top Ten Lists and you can read about that in <a href="http://www.nowtoronto.com/stage/story.cfm?content=184449" target="_blank">NOW</a>, <a href="http://www.toronto.com/article/708346--ouzounian-theatrical-cheers-and-jeers" target="_blank">Toronto Star</a>, <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/nestruck-on-theatre/the-top-11-of-2011-toronto-stratford-and-shaw/article2282334/" target="_blank">The Globe and Mail</a> and the <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/28/best-on-the-stage-for-2011" target="_blank">Toronto Sun.</a> Huge thanks to our partners: Nghtwood Theatre {Ruined} and The Shaw Festival {Topdog Underdog}. What great artistic collaborations. One could not ask for any better creators to work with.<br />
<br />
We had a very fine workshop reading of <i>Shakespeare's Nigga</i> by Joseph Jomo Pierre and NOW magazine said <a href="http://www.nowtoronto.com/stage/story.cfm?content=184367" target="_blank">this.</a><br />
<br />
It ha s also been a great year for me personally. I was able to direct two fabulous shows that are very dear to my heart and I have been publicly honoured by two organizations. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.playwrightsguild.ca/" target="_blank">The Playwrights Guild</a> of Canada's Women's Caucus awarded me the coveted <a href="http://toronto.broadwayworld.com/article/Artistic-Director-Philip-Akin-Receives-PGC-Womens-Caucus-Award-20111122" target="_blank">Bra D'or</a> .Every year, the Women's Caucus recognizes an individual for their efforts in supporting and promoting the work of Canadian women playwrights. And while I have the certificate up in my dining room as promised I was slightly disappointed that it was not in fact a real gold bra. <a href="http://onebigumbrella.blogspot.com/2009/01/umbrella-talk-with-playwright-leanna.html" target="_blank">Leanna Brodie</a>, in her ever helpful way, did say that she would bronze one of her bra's for me if I really wanted one. The jury is still out on that.<br />
<br />
And finally the Toronto Sun and John Coulbourn in particular named me <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/28/spotlight-on-philip-akin" target="_blank">The Performing Artist of the Year</a>. Shocked and surprised would not even come close to how I felt on reading the article in the paper.<br />
<br />
And it is pretty darn gratifying to see this much success both personally and for the company. But I would like to also give big props to the huge number of people who have worked with Obsidian in 2011 and worked to make each show a success. And I would be remiss if I didn't give a huge shout out to the Obsidian Founding Members who were all instrumental in making this Obsidian dream be realized.I would not have been able to succeed without this company at this time.<br />
<br />
It is often said that we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and right now I can feel how firm a foundation that truly is.<br />
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All the best for a grand 2012.<br />
<br />
Philip<br />
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Kevin Hanchard, Nigel Shawn Williams photo by Emily/Michael Cooper</div>
<br />Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-56805318432678463962011-12-05T17:39:00.001-05:002011-12-06T13:56:37.010-05:00Joe Pierre on "Shakespeare's Nigga": The Blacker the Berry, the Deeper the Bruise<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This Saturday at the Theatre Passe
Muraille Mainspace, Obsidian Theatre presents the first in our 2011/12 Season
Development Series of plays in progress. Starting us off is Joseph Jomo Pierre’s
fiery and imaginative new play <i>Shakespeare’s
Nigga</i>, an exploration into the iconic Black characters in the Bard’s work. We
wanted to talk to Joe about this play and his process so we asked Mel Hague,
our resident dramaturg and Artist Development Coordinator to talk to him. She sat
down with Joe to talk about Shakespeare, Aaron, and the “N” word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Mel Hague: Tell me, why did you start
writing <b>Shakespeare’s Nigga</b>?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joseph Jomo Pierre: This
speaks to why I been on this play for all these years. I made a pact with
Aaron. I told that dude I was going to write his story, and I'm sick enough to wanna keep my word
to a literary character. That's a bit cryptic but what happened was I got the
role of Aaron at theatre school and was excited as hell to play the
character. I asked a teacher for some advice on how to approach the character
and he told me to play him as pure evil. It
was a what the fuck moment for me, we were obviously connecting to this
character on different levels. Right there I
swore I would tell Aaron's story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: Is Shakespeare your villain or
hero?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: Creating the piece I
tried not to be limited by those terms. Those are always the sort of conclusions </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you leave for the
audience to make. For me he served as a jump off to the questions I wanted to
deal with. Those questions and how we deal with them are much richer to me than
shitting on some dead white dude.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Though I think some might see it as shitting on him a
little.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: What’s your favourite Shakespearian
quote?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: I don't know about
fave, but one that has stuck with me since writing this play is, "is black
so base a hue?" That is some heavy shit for a black man to ask. Cop
pulls you over for no reason you ask him, Is black so base a hue. "I can't
rent to you on this side of town", really, is black so base a hue. That’s
some heavy shit to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: How about using the word ‘Nigga’ in
your title?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: There was and to a
lesser degree still is an uproar over the word. Queen Oprah wrote it off, the NAACP buried it. I'm not
for burying a word, because it’s been soaked in so much pain. But what is great to me is that my relationship to the
word isn't static, I still sometimes question how I use it, how others use
it. I am prone to squirm when I'm not cool with the context it is sometimes
used in. But my character claims it and that opens the door for a discussion
about language. I'm cool with that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: Should people be afraid to say your
title? </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: You know what, that
is part of the whole discovery. I mean, that is what it is called so they can
say it, but what is telling and what is open to discovery is the ease with which they can do
so. Their level of comfort or I should say discomfort can lead to some kind of
personal reflection. Hell if I can have an audience that involved before they
even hit the seats, I think this is a show that needs to be seen. Like seen,
seen with a 4 week run and shit :P. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: What was the first Shakespeare play
you ever acted in?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: The first joint I
did was Mid Summers I got to rock out to Oberon, thinking about it now. I guess I was Shakespeare's Nigga earlier
than I thought, but at least I was the HNIC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: How have you used Shakespearian
language and poetry?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: You know the
integration of Shakespearean text was pretty natural for my style. When I do this sort of blending I always
picture it as the DJ layering samples. However
as it pertains to my writing voice in this piece it was never my goal to work
with some faux Shakespearean voice. I wasn't attempting to pass this off as Shakespeare's work. In fact the
first attempts at the piece were constructed with really modern speech patterns
the sort of things I'm known for. But that wasn't the piece, it wasn't the world that was begging to be shown. In the
end I found this hybrid language to roll
with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: Why is this play important now?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: It is important now
because it hasn't been done (I mean the play). It is important because dealing
with themes of slavery is something that people don't want to fuck with. I'm talking young
people I'm talking older black people. And I get it, I get not wanting to only
be identified by that alone. But there is
much for us to gain by not discarding history, finding new ways to discuss it.
Broadening the discussion from one we think we know to something far reaching
such as control/ power, the use and abuse of control/ power regardless of
colour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>MH: Finally, and most importantly, what
is your favourite colour?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JJP: Gotta be Black and
all its variants, red, white, yellow, blue.... Jump on my Twitter, I plan to be
on my tweet game during the workshop. @bruised_berry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Blacker the
Berry the Deeper the Bruise- Shakespeare's Nigga (JJP)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.josephjomopierre.com/" target="_blank"><i>www.josephjomopierre.com </i></a><i><u><o:p></o:p></u></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Shakespeare’s Nigga</b> will be presented at Theatre Passe Muraille
this Saturday at 2pm. Come out to see a staged reading of this wicked and
challenging work featuring the stellar cast of Joseph Pierre, John Jarvis, David
Collins, Andre Sills, and Sascha Cole directed by Philip Akin.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-17297212976844128262011-12-02T14:46:00.000-05:002011-12-05T14:40:37.681-05:00SHAKESPEARE'S NIGGA -The Development Series<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year Obsidian will launch new Canadian work throughout the season with three workshop productions. First up is Joseph Joe Pierre's Shakespeare's Nigga.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph Joe Pierre photo by Adam Rankin</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shakespeare’s Nigga by Joseph Jomo Pierre</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sat Dec 10,2011 2pm</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 Ryerson Avenue</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tickets: 416-463-8444 or office@obsidian-theatre.com</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$10 dollars per show or series pass is $25. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shakespeare’s Nigga is an exploration into the iconic black characters in the Bard’s work, subversive and poetic the play takes you on a journey beyond reality and into the mind of the Shakespeare himself.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directed By Philip Akin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starring: John Jarvis,Joseph Jomo Pierre,David Collins, Andre Sills and Sascha Cole </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dramaturg Mel Hague</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set Designer Trevor Schwellnus</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Property Master Lokki Ma</span><br />
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<br />Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-36416891528254197702011-11-21T15:07:00.001-05:002011-11-21T15:22:08.545-05:00Topdog/Underdog Previews Nov 22 &23<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Don't miss your chance to see Topdog/Underdog for only 15 dollars this week. <br />
This show will be in Toronto only until Dec 4th so don't miss out!<br />
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Where: Theatre Center 100-1087 Queen St. W<br />
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When: Tuesday Nov 22 at 7:00pm $15<br />
Wednesday Nov 23 at 7:00pm $15<br />
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Time: ALL EVENING PERFORMANCES START AT 7:00PM<br />
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Here are what the Critics had to say.........<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"There is no doubt in my mind that you are probably not going to see two more powerful performances"</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;">RICHARD OUZOUNIAN TORONTO STAR</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px;"> </span><a href="http://www.toronto.com/article/694525--review-topdog-underdog-features-two-top-performances">read it</a></div>
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JOHN LAW NIAGARA
FALLS REVIEW <a href="http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3248178">read it</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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J. KELLY NESTRUCK THE
GLOBE AND MAIL<a href="http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/topdogunderdog-shaw-scores-with-an-intriguing-edgy-drama/article2123139/?service=mobile"> read it </a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-90532380104231328902011-11-10T11:22:00.000-05:002011-11-10T11:22:59.044-05:00Black Ties - Invited Dress RehearsalObsidian launched our Black Ties networking night last year and it was a great success. With three chances to gain access to a wide variety of subjects and a chance to meet emerging and mid-level Black artists this year, we are offering a special invited dress rehearsal of Topdog/Underdog.<br />
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The play will be followed by a short Q&A with director Philip Akin. It is a great chance to learn more about what we do. Here are the details in short:<br />
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<strong>What: Black Ties- Invited Dress Rehearsal</strong><br />
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<strong>When: Sunday Nov 20th 2:00pm</strong><br />
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<strong>Where: Theatre Centre 100-1087 Queen St. West</strong><br />
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<strong>Why: Networking is great, so are Q&A's with exciting directors, and it's pay what you can!</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLWc-vxlM9ICTHjoctHYZ_IDuKNqhLJgRFtAsz-0hq5ScnCOhlyjeAmRDtA4J2ZQ0bbagccAxgf4c09KMu-AkfTkj4xHhVTeMbQCwkFnOqKo4XA-oniieDR_WuxG1PBc22W0mg2Ndh-Q/s1600/Top_Dog_0089_EC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLWc-vxlM9ICTHjoctHYZ_IDuKNqhLJgRFtAsz-0hq5ScnCOhlyjeAmRDtA4J2ZQ0bbagccAxgf4c09KMu-AkfTkj4xHhVTeMbQCwkFnOqKo4XA-oniieDR_WuxG1PBc22W0mg2Ndh-Q/s320/Top_Dog_0089_EC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-X3ktAmk77uQ9oiJbZAI2y-e1w7UO1aXRLuYRqs8HA4Xvv1RoC9X1K6sMzuXuhdP_kSx5s5eZZk168o1gApfrJ_h_NCw0SvPoILTNEAGNeA2Kigd-JLqyBt_XZZvTsp13kBZ8DaYa0Q/s1600/Top_Dog_0921_MC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-X3ktAmk77uQ9oiJbZAI2y-e1w7UO1aXRLuYRqs8HA4Xvv1RoC9X1K6sMzuXuhdP_kSx5s5eZZk168o1gApfrJ_h_NCw0SvPoILTNEAGNeA2Kigd-JLqyBt_XZZvTsp13kBZ8DaYa0Q/s320/Top_Dog_0921_MC.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-54381249567696593692011-10-26T16:42:00.000-04:002011-10-26T16:42:49.703-04:00Obsidian Theatre Welcome's our 2011/12 Playwrights Unit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Obsidian Theatre would like to welcome our new crop of exciting emerging writers to our 2011/12 Playwrights Unit: Audrey Dwyer, Andrea Scott, and Meghan Swaby. Keep an eye out for what these talented ladies will accomplish over the next season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqF9QwYLHtk1Uhf_xrMQ_aejgY_EU9AjCkOfLMyyKDaP4H0kVbhcxxFPdmy7IqWuEwDd9YB_zzpt1ELLUa98kxjYtATGm2ScvPzHItaB_P69OBs9lVvUpcFWji3NjwiZAALYeVZYFthaI/s1600/audrey+green+headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqF9QwYLHtk1Uhf_xrMQ_aejgY_EU9AjCkOfLMyyKDaP4H0kVbhcxxFPdmy7IqWuEwDd9YB_zzpt1ELLUa98kxjYtATGm2ScvPzHItaB_P69OBs9lVvUpcFWji3NjwiZAALYeVZYFthaI/s320/audrey+green+headshot.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Audrey Dwyer has been working as a theatre artist for over ten years. Recent theatre work includes Studio 180's The Overwhelming, Canadian Stage's Dream in High Park, Obsidian Theatre's Black Medea, Mirvish/MTC's Medea. Television and Film Work credits include Da Kink in My Hair, The Ron James Show, The State Within, Man of the Year and Atom Egoyan's Where The Truth Lies. Audrey was the Associate Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre, is a Dora-Nominated director for Darrah Teitel's The Apology and is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.</span></span></span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Andrea Scott was raised in London, Ontario and knew she wanted to be an actor when she saw Philip Akin in A Warm Wind in China at the Grand Theatre in 1989. She moved to Toronto in 1991 to study theatre and drama studies at the University of Toronto where she received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in 1997. Within a few years she had played parts in productions at Buddies in Bad Times (The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told), Theatre Passe Muraille (For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf), CanStage (Omnium Gatherum), Factory Theatre (who knew grannie), Manitoba Theatre for Young People (Kindness) and travelled Canada & the US in shows for Roseneath Theatre in Smokescreen and Danny, King of the Basement. Most recent productions have been The Nile in the Toronto Fringe Festival and The Remarkable Flight of Marnie McPhee with Carousel Players. Andrea is looking forward to the exciting challenges that being in the Obsidian Playwrights Unit will bring.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0cw8ppdCWfN4eqwAPnihljBbRbstb-tx929wLRTiBnTp_2uii43H3CwUzeXapPkAavD7mxbEkhRX8dnt_ERrJ5O5eQ9Z9mQPSe9iRuMc1HYnSgF0BZvh51EeL1I9ct2dyeGzQLWBf_M/s1600/meghan_swaby_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0cw8ppdCWfN4eqwAPnihljBbRbstb-tx929wLRTiBnTp_2uii43H3CwUzeXapPkAavD7mxbEkhRX8dnt_ERrJ5O5eQ9Z9mQPSe9iRuMc1HYnSgF0BZvh51EeL1I9ct2dyeGzQLWBf_M/s320/meghan_swaby_01.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Meghan is a Toronto born and raised actor/writer. She has written and performed in <i>Who the Hell is</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Eleanor? </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">at Hysteria festival (2007) and rock.paper.sistahz festival ( 2008, 2010). Meghan had a staged<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">reading of her first full length play, <i>little sara aka the clicking venus </i>at the Groundswell festival ( 2011) , after<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">developing it for a year in Nightwood Theatre's Write from the Hip program. Last year she completed the rAiz’n ensemble training program with <i>b current</i>. Meghan graduated from the University of Windsor and holds a BFA in acting. Some theatre credits include: <i>wise. woman </i>(b current), <i>Half Life </i>(BFCF/ Rose Theatre), <i>The rAiz'n Beauty Project </i>(rps 9 and Waves festival/ Luminato 2010), <i>Tough! </i>(Magnetic North 2010), <i>Radiance </i>(b current<i>), Bullet for Adolf</i> ( Hart House), <i>Tout Comme Elle</i> ( Necessary Angel/Luminato 2011) and <i>The Physical Ramifications of Attempted Global Domination</i> (Birdtown and Swanville /Summerworks 2011).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-58222773817097404912011-10-17T10:53:00.000-04:002011-10-17T10:53:02.360-04:00Sampling AlongA very nice post by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02492010718011287860">Thomas Garvey</a> at The <a href="http://hubreview.blogspot.com/">Hub Review</a> about the whole idea around <a href="http://hubreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/you-know-kids-its-time-to-make-your-own.html#comments">sampling.</a><br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3HaWxhbhH4c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-5005080702624879502011-10-17T10:46:00.001-04:002011-10-17T10:46:42.401-04:00Topdog Promo<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jVnBk4Qnjlk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-90731623413825147142011-08-14T16:09:00.000-04:002011-08-14T16:09:26.770-04:00Porgy And Bess Bust upFirst came the article about the new revision to Porgy and Bess <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/theater/porgy-and-bess-with-audra-mcdonald.html">It Ain’t Necessarily ‘Porgy’.<br />
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Then the Sondheim <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/stephen-sondheim-takes-issue-with-plan-for-revamped-porgy-and-bess/">Slag Down</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.artsjournal.com/lies/2011/08/besting-porgy-bess/">A blogger says</a>:<br />
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And a bit of a <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/diane-paulus-responds-and-more-on-the-revamped-porgy-and-bess/">Non Response</a><br />
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The comments are truly interestingObsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-56607914964602671312011-07-26T14:32:00.000-04:002011-07-26T14:32:11.078-04:00Speed of Ideas - Part 3Sunday, July 24. Still reeling from the death of Amy Winehouse and the tragedies in Somalia and Norway. It feels weird to be getting on a bike and listen to actors talk about their work at Shaw. I’m wearing my straw hat and sunglasses on a borrowed bike and total strangers are saying good morning to me. “It’s a beautiful day”, they say. It really is. I smile.<br />
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Great actors talk about working at the Shaw. They seem grateful which does my heart good. Many of them have done more plays in five seasons than I’ve done in my twenty-eight year career. If I’d heard any complaints, I just may have become violent.<br />
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Michael Billington from The Guardian (since 1971!) gave his address. What an incredible man. His talk was about the relevance of plays by Shaw to our times. The man knows his business and it is clear that he has a tremendous respect for the practitioners of theatre. I wish certain Toronto theatre writers had been in the audience. My favourite moment was when asked about gender- and colour-blind casting. His answer: “Why not?” <br />
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The directing panel. I must admit that it wasn’t my favourite. Other people loved it but since I have never had any interest in directing, it didn’t do as much for me. I must say it was a shock to hear how disparaging Morris Panych was of Shaw’s work (“boring”, “couldn’t remember reading it” “I stole Newton’s cuts from his production”). He was sitting right next to Jackie Maxwell! He must have been kidding.<br />
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And lastly, Suzan-Lori Parks! Somehow Philip got away with opening the conversation by asking her about her childhood nickname ‘Ledgebutt.’ He completely disarmed her and they spoke like old friends for the rest of their (too brief) time together. Suzan-Lori said that she learned to embrace the name that she was called and grew to “own” that butt of hers. She learned of the eighteenth century African woman who had a condition known as steatopygia, resulting in her having a very large behind. She was put on display in Picadilly Circus and in Paris until she died in 1815. A more perfect story couldn’t have presented itself to Suzan-Lori and Hottentot Venus, the play was born. <br />
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There are so many things I could write about Suzan-Lori Parks. The first person who suggested she write for theatre was James Baldwin; Canadian writer Carol Shields is the subject of one of her 365 plays; she uses an egg timer and earplugs when writing; “there is much more leeway for colour-blind casting in classic plays than in new plays…” Everything out of her mouth was an inspiration. The day before, someone had mistaken me for her. I found it amusing at the time and, after the conversation with Philip, I was downright honoured.<br />
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She signed my book and posed for a picture with me. I told her that I was writing for opera and hoped that she’d catch its debut in Chicago next year. I really hope I’ll get to see her version of Porgy and Bess which is opening soon in New York.<br />
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What I hope for the most is that she gets to see Topdog/Underdog (which she wrote in three days!) at Shaw or at its remount at the Theatre Centre in Toronto. She has a healthy habit of letting plays go and moving on to the next project. I can’t help but think how pleased she would be to rediscover this brilliant work of hers under Philip’s great direction, the superb acting of Nigel and Kevin and Camellia Koo’s smart design. <br />
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It was a great weekend. On Monday morning, I was up and writing at 7:30. Did I mention that I have a project that I’m submitting to the Shaw? They might get it sooner than expected.<br />
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Wish me luck.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9oRYQpA03mDj-rJ-3Q_S8Nz9tiA0b16M7Z1SUtaSBxMS7WSDZaf7r-BU0Qhy5Yw3h0EYJzyu1A889XKO-uttOM0d9gZKW9ul68xmAZzMVrZweG-LsSraKVjzKI5bgswTVCGNGbuLIUs/s1600/DSC01693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9oRYQpA03mDj-rJ-3Q_S8Nz9tiA0b16M7Z1SUtaSBxMS7WSDZaf7r-BU0Qhy5Yw3h0EYJzyu1A889XKO-uttOM0d9gZKW9ul68xmAZzMVrZweG-LsSraKVjzKI5bgswTVCGNGbuLIUs/s320/DSC01693.JPG" /></a></div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-75272196666529142072011-07-26T14:29:00.000-04:002011-07-26T14:29:22.746-04:00The Speed of Ideas - Part 2Saturday, July 23. I locked up the bike at the Court House Theatre and chatted with friends who had ventured to town to see Mr. Kushner including Andrea Scott (Who Knew Granny?); Robert Chafe (Tempting Providence); Aaron Willis and Julie Tepperman (Yichud); Barbara FIngerote (uber Toronto theatre fan) and Keira Loughren (New Play Development Coordinator, Stratford Festival). <br />
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Kushner was as intelligent, witty and passionate as one would expect and then some. On top of that he made his book signing a personal experience for everyone in line. Firstly, he didn’t sit at the table provided. There was no barrier between him and each person with whom he spoke. When he looked me right in my eye and told me it was nice to meet me, I believed him. I told him that what I loved about Angels in America was that he invited so many different people to be in it. He knew that what I meant was that he could have written exclusively from the Gay, Jewish, New York perspectives and that would have been fine but he included so much more. He asked me about my career and we talked about Jamaica. He said he would remember my name. It will be my goal to make sure that he doesn’t have to remember it; that it’ll just keep popping up because of my renewed zeal for writing, acting and promoting myself. He caught me so off guard that I didn’t get the chance to tell him that I was staying with the producer of the upcoming Toronto production of Caroline, or Change. Nor did I get to compliment him on his beautiful fountain pen. Philip, who appreciates and collects such things was very disappointed that I could tell him if it was a Waterman or Montblanc. Hey, I was meeting Tony Kushner. I’m lucky I didn’t pass out or say something stupid. <br />
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Lunch with Barbara FIngerote and her friend, Larry. Then ice cream and on to the Studio Theatre where Michael Healey talked about adapting On the Rocks (“I make sure to leave out the apostrophes just like Shaw did”) and John Murrell talked about his ongoing adaptation of Geneva (“I put in the apostrophes.”). Joanna Falck did a great job of keeping them on topic and fielding questions from the audience.<br />
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Later, Jackie Maxwell moderated the Reviving the Female Voice panel with Linda Griffiths, Ann-Marie MacDonald and Alisa Palmer. I was Chair of the Women’s Caucus of Playwrights Guild of Canada from 2006 – 10 so I was just the choir being preached to. But, I do give high praise to Jackie for uncovering so many lost or forgotten plays by women from Shaw’s time and commissioning current female playwrights to adapt older work such as Morwyn Brebner and the Lunch time hit The President (Molnar); Kevin Hanchard’s other play.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-82006119756246454312011-07-26T14:28:00.000-04:002011-07-26T14:28:00.579-04:00The Speed of Ideas Part 1The Speed of Ideas: Shaw Festival Takes Bold Steps to Catch up with its Namesake<br />
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By Marcia Johnson<br />
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I have just returned from an exhilarating weekend at the Shaw Festival. Those words would lead you to believe that I was referring to seeing great theatre. Well, that is true. I did see Heartbreak House and On the Rocks (both by Shaw) and I also saw Pulitzer prize winner Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Obsidian’s own Philip Akin. It was a two-hander cast with dream team Kevin Hanchard and Nigel Shawn Williams.<br />
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OK, I have to back up. The main reason for my visit was to take in The Speed of Ideas: A Theatrical Forum. The weekend event was held in celebration of Shaw Festival’s fiftieth anniversary season. The idea behind it was to celebrate the forward thinking of the festival’s namesake. George Bernard Shaw caused many a controversy in his day with plays touching on subjects that were not deemed suitable for polite society. Heartbreak House, which I had also seen in 1985 (both productions directed by Christopher Newton) is, among other things, a harsh view of England’s participation in the First World War. The comedy On the Rocks, in a new adaptation by Michael Healey is a scathing comic criticism of the British Prime Minister and his seeming ignorance and apathy toward the unemployed. Both plays were debuted uncomfortably close to the very events that inspired them.<br />
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Shaw was not afraid of ruffling feathers or pushing boundaries. But, can the same be said of the Festival that bears his name? Many would say no but there have been promising changes over the years. For many years, only plays written by Shaw or within his lifetime (1856 – 1950) were produced at the Festival. In 2000, the mandate was expanded to include plays written about that period of time, opening the door for original Canadian plays like Coronation Voyage by Michel Marc Bouchard. Most recently, the festival has invited plays that possess the spirit of “out of the box” thinking and social provocation that Shaw’s plays do. Enter Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks in the new Studio Theatre. The play, set in a rooming house, follows the complex relationship of two brothers living on the margins. We’ve come a long way since “Salute to Shaw” at the Court House Theatre in 1962.<br />
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But, I’m supposed to be talking about The Speed of Ideas. It began and ended with two Pulitzer-prize winning playwrights, Tony Kushner (Angels in America; Caroline, or Change) and Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog; Hottentot Venus). Between these two interviews were the panels: Inspired by Shaw, adapting Shaw for modern audiences; Reviving the Female Voice, the growing presence of plays by and about women at Shaw; Supermen/Superwomen, Festival ensemble members talk about acting in Shaw’s plays; a keynote address from The Guardian theatre critic, Michael Billington and Directing Shaw (which is exactly what it sounds like). <br />
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The big draw for me was the two playwrights. Angels in America is one of my favourite plays and I have been in awe of Suzan-Lori Parks ever since I found out about her writing a play a day over the course of a year (365 Days/365 Plays).<br />
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In the spirit of celebrating Shaw’s boundary-pushing ways and the inspiration that I received from hearing and meeting those two fabulous playwrights, I will now write a stream of consciousness essay to encapsulate my visit. I hope it makes sense.<br />
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July 21, catch the GO train to Burlington, switch to a GO bus and get off at St. Catharines. It is 38 degrees Celsius in Toronto. Is it supposed to be cooler here? It doesn’t feel like it. I push through the hot sticky air hop into a cab to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The luck continues because the driver, like me listens to CBC Radio and I happen to catch ALL of Paul Kennedy’s documentary on Marshall McLuhan. My favourite moment? McLuhan’s joke, Zeus says to Narcissus: “Watch yourself.”<br />
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This is my first time at the Studio Theatre which is nestled in behind the Festival Theatre. My date is Shaw Literary Manager, Joanna Falck. We are both blown away by the performance. At only the third preview, it is in excellent shape.<br />
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Philip Akin is my host for the weekend. That evening, Kevin Hanchard comes over with a box of chocolates and the two of us are treated to a wonderful home cooked meal. We catch up, laugh and gossi- ahem, talk about our work. What a great start.<br />
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Friday, July 22. Philip loans me a bicycle so that I can get around. It’s the first time I’ve been on a bike in seven years but it comes back to me eventually and Niagara-on-the-Lake is a perfect place for cycling. I see the matinee of Heartbreak House and happen to sit next to my former colleague Susan Feldman, producer of CBC Radio’s Writers and Company with Eleanor Wachtel. She had also seen the 1985 production and we both compared notes on what we remembered and liked from it. We were both impressed by this current production especially once Act Two began and the woman who had coughed all the way through Act One hadn’t returned.<br />
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Afterwards, I bought fudge and jam (it’s the law) and rode back “home”. I had the place to myself for the rest of the trip as Philip went back to Toronto and would come back in time for his interview on Sunday with Ms Parks.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-18676499859879551742011-07-22T16:50:00.000-04:002011-07-22T16:50:29.482-04:00InternsThere is an interesting article in the <a href="http://www.moneyville.ca/blog/post/1024478--toiling-for-free-that-unpaid-internship-could-be-illegal?bn=1">Moneyville</a> section of the Toronto Star. As many of you may know I am adamantly opposed to unpaid internships especially those that seem to abound in theatre. And yes, I have heard all the rationalizations but the truth is that for many interns they are doing work that is a value add for the theatre company and they deserve to have that rewarded in a tangible financial manner. Even if they are not taking a job away from someone else usually the company touts their internship opportunities to the various levels of government to argue their case for more money because of their community outreach and yet that money does not flow to the interns.<br />
Enough I say. If you can't afford it then don't do it.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-58619993006924055202011-06-07T17:34:00.001-04:002011-06-07T17:36:59.497-04:00Nomination DaySo a really huge day for us what with nominations for our 2010-2011 Season. Where to start....ok....first up the newly announced Toronto Theatre Critic's Award that gave a Best Actress Award to Yanna McIntosh for her performance of Mama Nadi in Ruined<br />
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Full Listings: <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/06/best-in-toronto-theatre-named">Toronto Sun</a>, <a href="http://www.toronto.com/article/688158--toronto-critics-name-the-middle-place-and-south-pacific-as-best-productions-of-the-season">The Star</a>. <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/nestruck-on-theatre/toronto-theatre-critics-name-inaugural-award-winners/article2049102/">The Globe and Mail</a><br />
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Dora Award Nominees:<a href="http://www.tapa.ca/doras/">Full List</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k7bTuwLw6_bNQbFI5WSejvfGSoQGHRIhd_rp96jR841zrcX9yeRxau_boKghC9w1RD7L3Amaev9MjVUqMzx9VGVMw1B1n3ijdwahAYbWpuvn34vR5joTkxBJLKTMp0rbhuvbuv65o-k/s1600/Ruined_0768+web.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k7bTuwLw6_bNQbFI5WSejvfGSoQGHRIhd_rp96jR841zrcX9yeRxau_boKghC9w1RD7L3Amaev9MjVUqMzx9VGVMw1B1n3ijdwahAYbWpuvn34vR5joTkxBJLKTMp0rbhuvbuv65o-k/s320/Ruined_0768+web.gif" /></a></div><br />
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Some bragging just cause: Yanna McIntosh - Outstanding Performance Nominee, Sterling Jarvis - Outstanding Performance Nominee, Ruined - Outstanding Production Nominee, Philip Akin - Outstanding Direction Nominee (Obsidian Theatre in association with Nightwood Theatre)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQteM0er3XkbqNBv-V5nnnomc4yNEnWFOHgjgEx-SPkGrIc3O3htVnBsQGd37EK3ghEIPosaBCWimSyXbDJQbOPuRzRH9TxzIF0zt048ZrUvCVqNXwO5NdJCYtdoYYCBxjqfEToDfVDGY/s1600/_U2U0053+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQteM0er3XkbqNBv-V5nnnomc4yNEnWFOHgjgEx-SPkGrIc3O3htVnBsQGd37EK3ghEIPosaBCWimSyXbDJQbOPuRzRH9TxzIF0zt048ZrUvCVqNXwO5NdJCYtdoYYCBxjqfEToDfVDGY/s320/_U2U0053+web.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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And in Edmonton the <a href="http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=f2b0200f-c657-4ad9-a05f-f96189b1c202&k=35443">Sterling Award</a>s: Tamara Marie Kucheran - Outstanding Costume Design - Intimate Apparel (Obsidian Theatre presented by The Citadel Theatre) <br />
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A big, big shout out to all the nominees.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-73701727478056916892011-04-06T11:45:00.001-04:002011-04-06T11:48:22.564-04:00Working with Words and Shakespeare - Andrea Scott<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">As befits any actor worth their salt I have a tidy library comprised of the usual suspects such as Ibsen, Aeschylus, Miller, Shaw and Strindberg among many others; I also have 14 of the 38 plays written by England’s national poet, William Shakespeare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in the last year if my agent called me with an audition requiring the memorization of a Shakespearean monologue my mind would race in to find an excuse to get out of it. The Bard puts the fear of God in me and I’ve felt like a lesser actor because of it. So for 2011 I made a pledge to myself to focus on mastering the fear of the iambic pentameter. To do this I refused to audition for any Shakespeare until I could walk into a room and throw down with absolute confidence. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Of course life has other plans for us and 24 hours after I touched down in Toronto after being away for 3 months my agent called me with a ‘Romeo and Juliet’ audition to be prepared for the following week. I’d already turned down one Shakespeare audition this year and knew I couldn’t do it again less than one month later so I accepted and panicked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";">Well, before you can say <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">deus ex machine</i></b> I get a special invite from Obsidian Theatre via email the next day to participate in the Stratford hosted ‘Working with Words and Shakespeare’ workshop taking place on April 1 & 2. So, maybe there is something to that book, ‘The Secret’….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Fu-Gen Asian Canadian Theatre Company, Native Earth Performing Arts, New Harlem Productions and Obsidian Theatre Company had been asked to recommend 5 actors for the workshop so walking into the Harbourfront Community Centre Dance studio on the Friday night brought me face to face with some of the best and brightest actors in Toronto. Greeted warmly by vocal and text coaches Janine Pearson and Kennedy Cathy MacKinnon as soon as the workshop started was a great start since I was intimidated by the sight of all those actors I did not know. </span></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We weren’t told anything about what were going to do exactly so in my mind I was thinking. ‘when do we get to the words? I need to fix my word problem!’ We’d been asked to bring a yoga mat, a bottle of water and dress in stretchy clothing so I knew floor work would be integral. We were asked to introduce ourselves and talk about why we were in the workshop. I was heartened to hear others say they too were intimidated by Shakespeare and one actor in particular admitted that he flat out refused Shakespeare auditions when submitted by his agent out of crippling fear. I was among friends.</span></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The next two days were about connecting to ourselves by listening to our bodies, breathing mindfully and padding around the room until we could barely hear our feet hitting the ground. Tense shoulders eventually fell, breathing slowed and rolldowns were plentiful. The ground will always reach up and support you, Janine said. Take the words and roll them around in your mouth, really say the words, breathe the words. In his time Shakespeare had a personal vocabulary of 30, 000 words and now we individuals have about 19, 000; we can’t be expected to know every single word in the Folio. </span></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Instead of memorizing we should be ‘learning by heart’ since memorizing does not include knowing the tenor of the lines. Standing in the middle of a cold room for an audition declaiming like Geilgud in Hamlet is the image and sound quite a few of us had in our mind and roundly rejected. But rejecting that image left us with a void since we didn’t know the ‘right’ way to ‘do’ Shakespeare. By helping us relax and loosen our bodies Cathy and Janine gave us one of the most important tools to ‘do’ Shakespeare right: ourselves.</span></div><div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Two hours before the end of the workshop we were handed Sonnet 60. Throughout our breathing exercises Janine had been feeding us morsels of the sonnet, a word here and a phrase there, to get us familiar with absorbing the text. On one side of the page the sonnet was written like a paragraph. The other side had it laid out as you would see it in a book of sonnets with the ‘proper’ punctuation. Truth be told, I preferred the paragraph since the breathing wasn’t imposed. Punctuation can vary depending on whether it is an Arden, a Penguin or Signet publication so just read the text and ignore the commas and semi-colons.</span></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Sometimes Shakespeare can seem like another language and I was aware that a two day workshop wouldn’t fix all of my problems. However, I did walk out of the room feeling more comfortable with myself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in</i> the language rather than with the language. The source of the problem was a disconnect from the words in my person. I am now cognizant on how to integrate the words with myself. Thank you Stratford, Janine, Cathy and Obsidian; R & J here I come.</span></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Andrea Scott</span></div><div class="Default"><br />
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</div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif";"></span>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-6370133013709429682011-02-16T16:49:00.001-05:002011-02-23T17:45:57.415-05:00Panzi Wrap to DateAt the end of every performance of Ruined Yanna McIntosh did an appeal for donations for the <a href="http://www.panzihospitalbukavu.org/">Panzi Hospital</a> in the DRC. This hospital specializes in providing treatment of the survivors of sexual violence and surgical repair for women suffering from fistulas of the urogenital tract.<br />
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A years stay at the hospital cost $450 and I am proud to say that our audiences responded with a whopping $32,524.53. That coupled with Obsidian's previous bake sales puts us at a current total of $34,446.53 which equals support of 76.5 women.<br />
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I know from the phone calls that have come in that there are also many more people who are donating to the <a href="http://www.fistulafoundation.org/">Fistula Foundation</a>, which oversees the Panzi Hospital, directly.<br />
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Now how absolutely AMAZING is that. The support from the audiences was spectacular but I also want to mention the bartenders at the venue who, a number of times, put their tips into the collection box.<br />
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The play is so, so special but this fundraising drive is truly one of the best put-a-smile-on-your face and a spring-in-your step kind of news.<br />
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We are all pretty pumped over here.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-16915462421090368452011-02-16T16:09:00.000-05:002011-02-16T16:09:57.499-05:00Ruined Wrap<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">REVIEWS</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/theatre/article/925882--theatre-review-ruined-is-in-a-word-magnificent">THE TORONTO STAR</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Theatre review: ‘Ruined’ is, in a word, magnificent </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">"this is one of the most powerful pieces of theatre you are likely to come</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">across in many months of theatergoing</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/ruined-an-earthquake-of-acting-that-will-shake-you/article1878899/">THEGLOBE AND MAIL</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ruined: An earthquake of acting that will shake you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://jam.canoe.ca/Theatre/Reviews/R/Ruined/2011/01/21/16988906.html">THE TORONTO SUN</a></span><br />
Congo war play 'Ruined' memorable </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.theatromania.ca/2011/01/ruined.html.">THEATROMANIA</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Lynn Nottage’s devastating play is a life-changing theatrical experience</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And in the end we had a truly amazing production that was a great culmination of the last 3 years. I have come to understand that I am a completionist. In other words I can't really enjoy something until it is done and wrapped up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.theatromania.ca/2011/01/ruined.html">I</a></span> think that is why when I was asked what was the best part of the closing night I replied "sitting on the stool in the restaurant" It was only then that I really was able to unwind and acknowledge what a fine piece of theatre we had created. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So big, big props to the Obsidian staff,cast, crew, design team, Canadian Stage and the folks over at Nightwood.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thank you</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Philip </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Gill Sans"; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.theatromania.ca/2011/01/ruined.html"><br />
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</span></div>Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-916690398623701330.post-72669720435310104762011-01-14T23:41:00.000-05:002011-01-14T23:41:29.318-05:00Ruined Poster Spotting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_94kEPDazX1M6wRFCLUCGsmwJf7eYgcCAcVEt69cHIAh_sxUMJNOs2DAYPISlEzTg7GdKgsADVXat9KwPNle-Oxn64jy63rPm0-d16PrRSXmhwY7barJQUtskb5Ti2bjrZwp0hVNtmoQ/s1600/ruined+subway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_94kEPDazX1M6wRFCLUCGsmwJf7eYgcCAcVEt69cHIAh_sxUMJNOs2DAYPISlEzTg7GdKgsADVXat9KwPNle-Oxn64jy63rPm0-d16PrRSXmhwY7barJQUtskb5Ti2bjrZwp0hVNtmoQ/s320/ruined+subway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Ruined Poster spotting. Send me your pics and I will put them up.Obsidian Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18390484219362634765noreply@blogger.com0