| The RED Letter, Apr 2008 |
Table of Contents
1. Words from Lisa Pijuan-Nomura
What is the point of this story? Say yes out loud. Say yes to friends, co-workers and even the very small minded. You might be surprised by the reaction you receive 2. An Interview with Susan Kendal and Lucy Rupert(A big apology goes out to everyone for not getting the letter out on time to let everyone know about Susan Kendal and Lucy Ruperts’ show last week. But I did want to share their thoughts about collaboration and inspiration with everyone. Enjoy and keep an eye out for Lucy and Susan! – Lisa)
Susan Kendal: Last spring when Lucy and I talked about what we were both working on, we realized that we were both working on this theme, so it wasn't planned, it was happy coincidence. I think everyone feels flawed in some way and so it is a common theme for anyone to relate to - being imperfect. But then to discover the advantage or beauty of a perspective that is forced or found through an imperfection or flaw is inspiring and interesting and redeeming. Considering how my mother and aunt might see through their genetic colourblindness makes me think about the vision I have been afforded through genetic chance from many directions. I love that the simple chaos of being means that the way I see orange, what I associate with it, might be totally different from you, even if we both see colour in a standard way. Lucy Rupert: I encountered a story about a young man with muscular dystrophy who had an identity or avatar in Second Life as a discothèque owner. His avatar was in a wheelchair but could dance and dance and dance. It got me to thinking about how he experienced his body likely more viscerally in a virtual world than in a physical one. And that led me to consider how we all think we're flawed and that stops us from connecting. There's a constant flow of struggle for identity that has consumed me on some levels for all my life and I am sometimes very surprised at how my sense of my own flaws shifts according to situation. Or how constant the sense can be. Like my right leg is longer than my left. I always blame my right leg for the discomfort it causes. I NEVER accuse my left leg of being short! It’s such an obvious thing to say "nobody's perfect". Can you tell us what most excites you about this collaboration between each other and the team that you have assembled? Lucy Rupert: What makes me most excited about everybody involved is the spirit of collaboration and honesty. It reaches beyond creative collaboration, as some people in the team (for instance Kyle Abraham who is coming in from New York to do an already existing solo) are never in the studio with others while this show is taking shape. But there's a strong desire to connect amongst all of us. To push ourselves and try new things. And a commitment to authenticity in performance, interpretation and creation that supercedes being "clever" or "chic", if you know what I mean. I really dig that about these people. We all seem to believe in the value and impact of accessing and sharing one's true voice. What were your inspirations for these pieces? Susan Kendal: Simply another way of seeing the world that is very tangible yet mysterious. Colourblindness is something I grew up with a consciousness of since my mom and aunt see this way, but it remains fascinating to me. Particularly that for them, there is no sense of loss since they have never perceived colour in a "normal" way. Also the detailed research of Dr. Oliver Sacks and Knut Nordby deepened my interest and my knowledge. Lucy Rupert: I am really interested in exploring the intimacy of duets and in working with an artist who is already working with the same sort of approach as I've been working with. Right now the inspiration is so strong just to raise the stakes and do something different on stage than I have before. It may not be a radical external thing, but it'll be in there. What are your favourite things about Toronto? Susan Kendal: I love the variety of houses. The Distillery District charms me. I appreciate that there are more dance shows in a week than I can usually make it to, that's amazing. Lucy Rupert: I like the diversity. It has yet to permeate officially in a really meaningful way. True diversity, which Toronto has out the wazoo, goes way beyond "ethnicity". Artistic and cultural diversity are really democratic and in my head they just keep extending until there's no way you can create a label, because we are all too many things, and then we are all the same. Toronto and San Francisco seem to have this possibility. But I digress...What I like about Toronto is the streetcar.
3. Feature Dance: Dancemakers
DOUBLE BILL #1 How do we decide what to do? What limits to set? When do we come together and when do we step away? Oh, and what adds up to a party? With the collaboration of the Dancemakers Company, the psychedelic sweet jazz of The Reveries, and an environment by Trevor Schwellnus – choreographers Ame Henderson and Michael Trent create contemporary visions of what it means to be alive and to dance in the early days of the 21st century. It was a nice party. Ame Henderson’s new work reconstructs a chaotic event by sampling and covering. Sources are reinvented and replayed to find a surprising authenticity in the face of the constructed image. Michael Trent wonders about tyranny - the large and the small, the self-imposed, the political and the rest. Addressed with moving, breathing bodies, the work questions affinities, methods of control and the dynamics of making choices. Double Bill #1 pushes at convention and brings risk, innovation and serious play to the Premiere Dance Theatre. A performance event not to be missed. April 9-12 at 8pm April 12 at 3pm Premiere Dance Theatre, Tickets: Regular: $22-$38; Students/Seniors/ CADA: $20-$33 Choreographer: Michael Trent Created with and Performed by: Music performed by: The Reveries Dancemakers website: http://www.dancemakers.org Public Recordings/Ame Henderson website:http://www.publicrecordings.org 4. Feature Theatre: STOP. JUST LISTENWhy Not Theatre and The Theatre Centre present Stop. Just Listen. An evening of listening to the testimonials of Veterans from Iraq and the atrocities they witnessed and committed, marking the 5th anniversary of this war on terror. We go to the theatre to hear stories. These are stories that were told, which we were not given access to. On April 14th, 2008 at the Theatre Centre in Toronto, the "bold and brash" storytellers of Why Not Theatre are bringing these stories to the public in hopes that people will listen and think. It will be a night of theatre; a place where we come to share stories, and think about the world we live in today. In Stop. Just Listen. The actors are the real soldiers and their testimonies, through photos, audio and video. Through their stories we hope to take the opportunity to look at the timeline of events over the past 5 years and hear from the people directly involved. On March 14-16, 2008 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans gathered in Maryland to testify at Winter Soldier, an eyewitness indictment of atrocities committed by US troops during the ongoing occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War, the event was modeled after the historic 1971 Winter Soldier hearings held during the Vietnam War. Over the weekend, war veterans spoke of free-fire zones, the shootings and beatings of innocent civilians, racism at the highest levels of the military, sexual harassment and assault within the military, and the torturing of prisoners. Although Winter Soldier was held just outside the nation’s capital, it was almost entirely ignored by the American corporate media. A search on the Lexis database found that no major television network or cable news network even mentioned Winter Soldier over the weekend. As we mark the five-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, Why Not take a moment out of our busy schedules to stop, think and listen to what is going on. April 14, 2008 8:30 pm The Theatre Centre (Queen and Ossington)
5. Feature Theatre – The Further Adventures of Antoine Feval“Gibbs’ performance as the witless and self-deprecating Barnaby is near flawless. His martini-dry wit is characteristically sharp, in both script and performance, and his comic timing is beautiful.” - CBC on Antoine Feval.
Written and Performed by Chris Gibbs It is 1896 and Barnaby Gibbs has never been happier. He’s found the only way for a man of his ample limitations to do some good in the world, as sidekick to the brilliant detective Antoine Feval, whose keen intellect and uncanny knowledge of the inner workings of the criminal mind are nothing short of incredible. But Feval has a secret; until recently he was none other than the notorious cat-burglar known as The Rhyming Bandit, and has only just taken his first faltering steps on the road to redemption. The mystery of a missing workman leads the pair into a dark conspiracy, featuring the most evil man in London and his sinister Canadian henchman, and a plot that threatens our heroes’ lives, their friendship, and the safety of the entire world. In ‘The Further Adventures of Antoine Feval’, the first sequel to the hit of the 2006 Fringe, ‘Antoine Feval’, British comedian Chris Gibbs returns as his own great, great grandfather Barnaby Gibbs, bringing his quick wit, improv skills, and a charming irreverence for the ‘rules’ of theatre to an exciting new story about Victorian England’s most overlooked detective. “Gibbs’ observations on the show-in-progress add further layers of irony, making this one of the most cleverly written and performed shows I’ve ever seen at the Fringe.” - EYE WEEKLY on Antoine Feval. Fine teas will be brewed and delicate finger sandwiches shall be enjoyed. Preceding and following the performance, items of some worth will be on display and may be procured through a silent-bidding process. Monday April 28 Order tickets online at www.fringetix.ca Visa, MasterCard & AMEX are accepted.
6. Feature Comedy – The Spit at Leslie Jones(The wonderful Joanne O’Sullivan will be hosting this new night of comedic storytelling. If you are interested in performing, contact Joanne at the email below! I will be performing some of my grandfather stories on May 12! – Lisa) Toronto’s best writers, comedians, actors and storytellers join together for an intimate evening of funny tales. Come on out - have a drink - relax and listen to some fun and funny storytelling. Do you have a story to tell? It can be fiction, nonfiction, a folk tale, monologue, read, performed whatever. Test out your novel, column, and one-person show or just tell that story of that funny thing that happened on the subway. Every Monday in April & May @ 8 pm Contact Joanne O'Sullivan by email - j_osullivan@sympatico.ca - to get booked in. Leslie Jones
7. Feature Event – The Bread Cabaret – April 30The first Bread Cabaret in February was wonderful! A full house enjoyed a night of brilliant performances and everyone left happy. I am looking forward to presenting the Spring edition of the Bread Cabaret. Please check the website for a confirmed list of performers! Performers include Hosted by Lisa Pijuan-Nomura Plus 3 TINY one-minute spots for the 2x2 stages placed throughout Bread and Circus! There are 3 spots available for 3 audience members on a first come, first serve basis! Please email Lisa at lisa@girlcancreate.com if you have a 1 minute dance piece, song, monologue, or performance piece! These 3 people will not have to pay the admission to the cabaret! Join us on February 13, 2008 for a night of live performance! Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets: $10 Adults Limited seating – come early! 193 ½ Baldwin St 416-336-3399 www.breadandcircus.ca 8. Local Etsy Shops – Bliss by Heather(I love purses. And I really love colourful purses, when I saw the work of Bliss by Heather I knew that I had to share. Check out her work, it’s lovely and bright and so perfect for spring!)
BlissByHeather is a line of purses and accessories designed with the on-the-go woman in mind. Trendy and functional, these bags can transition with you throughout the day as you move from the office, to a night out on the town, or a weekend jaunt to the park with your kids.
http://blissbyheather.etsy.com
Heathers Top 5: 1) Ottawa Street in Hamilton (My fav. place to look for new fabric and notions) 2) My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (book) 3) Smoked Meat sandwiches from Druxy's in T.O (restaurant) 4) www.craftster.org (great place to find online tutorials from fellow crafters) 5) muttsywonder.etsy.com
9. Artist Trading Card Live Trading Sessions
What is an ATC? Well, think of a baseball card. Or a playing card. Only, it doesn't have your favourite ball player, it has a one of a kind work of art. Originally these cards were created so that artists who couldn't afford art would swap with their friends. It has grown to become a movement that let's many people create and exchange original art! The only rules are that it must be 2.5' by 3.5' and it must be traded. ATC Toronto wants to spread the good word of Artist Trading Cards and is hosting monthly swaps and card making sessions! These cards are for everyone, not only artists! Well, join us once a month to make and trade some cards. Or come with your own cards to trade at our monthly session. This is a great way to meet new people, find some creative time and play with crayons, paper, glue, and paint and just have time to make art! Beginner’s welcome! Please know that this is for everyone! Even if you have never done any sort of art, you are welcome! It’s fun, and addictive, and you can have a great afternoon!
Sunday April 27: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Where: Somewhere There Studios
10. Creativity Classes with GirlCanCreate(There are a few spots left for Tuesday night classes and please note that I will be running Monday Night Classes in May and June. This session will be the last session that I offer in the spring and summer. I will be teaching again in the fall. Dates to be announced!) “As a workshop leader, Lisa brings a sense of excitement and passion few can match. Her enthusiasm rubs off on the participants, now co-creators, in a world of movement and creativity carefully explored and unleashed in a safe, fun-filled experience. Lisa is both a masterful facilitator and a catalyst for stepping into the unknown. With such warmth and humour, she truly creates a joyous atmosphere in her classes and workshops.” - Beth Mairs, Director of Wild Woman Expedition
She Can Create: Creativity Classes for Women Join us for an experiential woman's creative group that meets once a week to play and create using a variety of different inspirations. Focusing on self-expression and the desire to bring more art to our lives we will use Collage, Storytelling, Movement, Doll making, Beadwork and Journaling to jumpstart our creativity and help create unique pieces of art and find ways how to continue creating after the classes are finished. Lisa will also talk about the overcoming creative blocks, taking steps to complete projects and letting the world know about your work. A sure fire inspiring workshop, register early to avoid disappointment as there is a limited amount of participants. When: Tuesdays Nights from 6:30 to 9:00 NEW! JUST ANNOUNCED! To register please email Lisa at lisa@girlcancreate.com or call 416-516-4925 About Lisa: For many years Lisa has helped other artists when times were tough. It seemed to be a natural extension of her work as an artist and curator. Lisa has studied with many great creative minds including author and creativity expert Eric Maisel, Art Therapist Jacqueline Gautier, dancer Lisa Nelson, singer Ysaye Barnwell, musician Babatunde Olatunji, storyteller Judith Black and many others! With over 15 years of working as a performance artist, writer and educator, Lisa is especially passionate about bring art, humour and creativity to lives of women, youth and children.
11. Classes, Workshops and ConferencesOne-Day Workshop - Introduction to Expressive Arts In this workshop participants, through an interdisciplinary approach involving dance, poetry, voice, theatre and painting can and explore and expand their expressive capacities in a group-learning environment. All art supplies are provided. April 19, 2008 Time: Sat, 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M Location: ISIS-Canada Studio 66 Gerrard Street East, Toronto Fee: $65 (Registration required as space is limited to 20 participants) To register, contact: dance@kathleenrea.com Classes at KOZO Studio Relief Printmaking 6 Wednesdays starting May 21 from 6 - 9 pm. Progressions in Paper 4 Wednesdays starting April 16 from 6 - 9 pm Chigiri-e Sunday May 4 from 10 - 3 pm Bind and Blab Thursday April 24, May 29 & June 26, from 6 - 9 pm Please call ahead to book a chair. All workshops held at the studio located at 257 Broadview Ave. For more information contact Akemi. e-mail: kozostudio@gmail.com tel: 416-214-1882 Solo Show Weekend Intensive with Tracey Erin Smith
Have you said: Using improvisation, writing exercises & character hot-seats, you'll discover: TRACEY ERIN SMITH is an award-winning actor/writer/instructor at Ryerson University's Act 2 Studio and Artist in Residence at Retreats throughout the U.S. She studied Solo Theatre with Ann Randolph in New York and her solo shows have won 'Best of the Toronto Fringe' and 'Audience Choice Awards' in New York's Frigid Festival, two years in a row. DATES & TIMES: FEE: $280 (includes $15 workbook) REGISTER: For more info www.theburningbush.ca Sound and Movement Improvisation When: Friday, April 25th 6:30 - 9:30pm Both Saturday and Sunday's schedule will include a one-hour lunch break Depending on participants' availability, the Friday evening session may be cancelled or negotiable. Space limited, register in advance For more information and to register: admin@humdansoundart.ca or 416-972-0295 Butoh Dance Workshop with Jocelyne Montpetit April 28 to May 1, 2008 Dovercourt 3rd Floor Studio, 805 Dovercourt Road Cost: $180 or $60/day Limited registration. $60 deposit required to reserve your place. Based on a hundred mental images that lead the performer to a greater awareness of their external and interior space, this workshop will include internalization of mental image, developed by Master Tatsumi Hijikata. This incredibly rich method of working was transmitted to Jocelyne Montpetit by Hijikata himself; a privilege that he accorded to very few foreigners. The workshops will also focus on spatial awareness exercises which lead to an awareness of movement arising from the interior. Jocelyne Montpetit's teaching is an amalgam of several techniques acquired from the great masters of mime, theatre and dance, including Étienne Decourx, Jerzy Grotowski, Min Tanaka, Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno. She has been invited to teach at several institutions of higher learning including Waseda University, in Japan, the University du Quebec a Montréal, and the National Theatre School of Mexico. Jocelyne currently teaches at the National Theatre School of Canada. This workshop is open to all levels. To register and for more information call 416-406-9924 or e-mail Discover Your Clown: Intro with Helen Donnelly This weekend workshop Discover Your Clown: Intro is a ‘first steps’ to the approach of theatrical clown. It is the starting point to uncovering what your clown is all about through the use of the world’s smallest mask-- the clown nose. What we need is a clown for our time. A clown… that celebrates our humanness, our animalness, and the times that we can touch each other in a moment of laughter. -Richard Pochinko May 23rd 6-9pm, 24th 11-5 pm, 25th 6-9pm 2008 To register, send $75 deposit to Over the last 12 years, Helen has worked as a theatrical clown with various companies including Cirque du Soleil, Circus Orange, and in festivals such as Just For Laughs. She is also a professional therapeutic clown. She has been teaching clown workshops and physical theatre in the US and Canada for over 8 years at arts centres and schools. For more information, visit www.helendonnelly.com Re-Education of the Body A Four-Day Intensive Workshop with Barbara Mahler (NYC) May 30 – June 2 Early Bird Rate: $200 – registration before April 20 TO REGISTER, please email info@publicrecordings.org and Public Recordings For additional information please call Megan at: 416-554-5112 Physical Theatre Intensive for Theatre and Dance Professional This intensive workshop is a fantastic opportunity to study with some of the most innovative teachers and creators working in the area of physical theatre today. The focus is an approach to theatre that gives the 'intelligence' of physicality a more substantial position in performance training and creation. Morning Classes Afternoon Creation Workshops Facilitators: FOR: Theatre and Dance professionals (new and experienced) with a solid foundation and keen interest in physicality in performance. Dates: June 2-6, 2008 Cost: $325 For detailed information and registration: NOTE: Registration is limited and preference will be given to participants taking the entire workshop.
12. Read this Book! With Book Lady Sarah Selecky
It seems like it would just make a simple, pleasant read. A boy's coming of age story. Of course they compare it to Catcher in the Rye - don't they compare every boy's coming of age story to Catcher in the Rye? Don't let your eyes glaze over. David Mitchell has written a complex, multi-layered story - and yes, it's also about a 13-year-old boy growing up in Britain in 1982, right in the middle of the Falklands War. Mitchell's writing is sharp and saturated with details and seductive literary references. Each tension-filled scene is loaded with meaning on so many levels, making this a very satisfying read. The themes connect under the surface - adolescence, popularity, betrayal, divorce, war - bullies are, in fact, everywhere. We're surrounded. Jason Taylor is a little bit geeky and incredibly likable. He's a protagonist who earns your trust right from the start. You ache when he's pushed into the mud during gym class. You cringe when teachers ask him to read aloud, knowing his stutter will mark him as a leper to his classmates. You cheer him when he outsmarts the bullies. But Jason is surprisingly, refreshingly diplomatic about his fate. Most of the time, he devises ways to get out of sticky situations. He learns how to make himself invisible: "Picked-on kids act invisible to reduce the chances of being noticed and picked on. Stammerers act invisible to reduce the chances of being made to say something we can't. Kids whose parents argue act invisible in case we trigger another skirmish. The Triple Invisible Boy, that's Jason Taylor." Jason is a poet, and nobody knows it: he writes under the pseudonym Eliot Bolivar.( "If you show someone something you've written," he writes, "you give them a sharpened stake, lie down in your coffin, and say, 'When you're ready.'") But this book is also 'written' by Jason - and what a voice he has! More than story and character, more than meta-textual references and layers of interpretation, Black Swan Green must be read for the pure pleasure of language. Mitchell is a marvel of words, sensory details so rich they inspire a physiological response as you read. A sampling (and keep in mind that these are the observations of a 13-year-old boy): "Beef gristle tastes like deep-sea phlegm." This is what makes me love reading. This is what drives me from page to page, chapter to chapter. Anyone can write down an anecdote. Good writers use the tools of the craft to create believable characters and a detailed fictional world. But it's only the brilliant writers, like David Mitchell, who can turn a descriptive phrase into a transcendent experience - make you reexamine your own world through another consciousness, and surprise you by making you feel this world as you read it. Sarah Selecky has been facilitating non-competitive, inspiring workshops for writers since 2001. She has studied writing with Natalie Goldberg and is currently completing her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. Her writing has been published in The Sun, Geist Magazine, Prairie Fire, The New Quarterly, and The Journey Prize Anthology.
13. Calls for EntriesClay and Paper Theatre’ Day O’ De Light After such a long, long winter it is definitely time to start dreaming of spring! Clay Paper Theatre's 6th annual Day O' De Light - a celebration of love, courtship and desire - is set to lustfully unfold at Dufferin Grove Park on the afternoon of Saturday, June 14, 2008. We are seeking sexy collaborators of all artistic disciplines to contribute works on themes of Love, Courtship and Desire, within the context and tradition of outdoor performance in public space. This includes theatre, music, dance, spectacle, poetry, installation, puppetry... we dare you to surprise us! Offerings can be large or small, new or old - but must be focused on themes of love, courtship and desire. Works of about 15 minutes in length seem to work best. We will be offering a modest honorarium to all participating individuals or groups. Deadline for Submissions: APRIL 25, 2008. Those accepted will be notified by April 30. Please submit your proposal (in whatever form you wish) to If you want to do things old school, you can mail your proposal to: Feel free to email or call if you need more information: 416-537-9105. Website: clayandpapertheatre.org
VISUALEYEZ 2008 The ninth annual Visualeyez festival of performance art taking place from July 18-28, 2008 in the downtown core of Edmonton, Alberta with the curatorial theme of Justice. Focusing upon the broad interpretation of Justice, this theme has deliberately been left wide open to the interpretation of artists and collectives. This will include such aspects as social justice, ecological, racial, economical, retributive justice, distributive justice, justice as virtue, and justice as harmony. Visualeyez happens over a period of ten days and all invited artists should be prepared to attend for the entire length of the festival. Artists experience the work of other artists; engage in discussion groups, panels and other activities that enhance the work of individual artists and the performance art community within Canada and beyond. Proposals should include: - A CV and artist statement; - A detailed description of the work you wish to present, or explore; - Support material (that can include slides, video, print or digital If you would like your materials returned to you, please also include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage. Artists shall be contacted within one month regarding the status of their proposals. Proposals can be sent by mail to: Todd Janes, Executive Director Alternatively, proposals can be emailed to visualeyez@latitude53.org and a cc to todd.janes@latitude53.org Please be courteous of image size and materials that you are sending. The deadline for Visualeyez 2008 submission is Friday, April 18, 2008.
14. Upcoming Performances of InterestApril 12 April 13 April 17 April 17 to April 20 Sat April 19 April 24 to April 26 April 25 to April 26 April 26 April 27 May 1
15. Photography by Dave Pijuan-Nomura
RED Letter Discount! Purchase one of Dave’s 8X12 photographs and receive $5 off! Until April 31st! Please send me a message through etsy to let me know that you are a RED Letter Reader so that I can apply the discount!
16. Last ThoughtThis I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.
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Imagine this: I am in my home studio. It’s a yellow room with art supplies and plants and books that are organized by the colour of the spine. (Nope, I am not kidding) My old lovely cat Weiner is sleeping on her chair as she does every day that I work from this space. Now, you should know that wiener is a little off as far as cats go, and as much as I love her, it’s always very clear that her brain is about the size of a pea, or maybe a walnut. Either way, Weiner has a small brain. This is often shown by her actions of tail chasing, meowing in corners and forlorn looks of confusion. When Weiner isn’t doing these things she just sleeps. Yesterday, I am sitting my home studio and I am happy with a piece of art that I just made. And I simply say Yes! Weiner wakes up and makes the biggest sound ever! I look at her and again I say Yes! She rises to her feet! Yes! Yes! YES! Weiner begins to run around the room as if she is getting ready to face the world. Every time I utter the positive, Weiner begins to move as if she were a young kitten again as opposed to her lovely old 15 years that she is! I am convinced that my cat knows the power of this very little word, and she is excited by all of the possibility.
In Ava/Chroma you explore human flaws. Genetic, Physical, psychological and imaginary flaws that haunt the human soul. Could you tell us how you came up with this theme and how does this interest you as an artist?
Black Swan Green