| The RED Letter, Nov 2009 |
Table of Contents
1. Words from Lisa Pijuan-Nomura
It’s been a busy time for us at the studios as we are working towards 6 craft shows in the next 6 weeks, as well as doing some storytelling here and there. In a few weeks we will be launching a redo of the GirlCanCreate website to include information about all that I now do: performance, visual art, and of course, creativity coaching, which is something that I adore doing. To me, helping others create the life they dream of, is a gift. If you are looking to give a unique gift to yourself or someone special for the holidays, I am offering gift certificates for two one hour sessions along with email support. I have a limited number of spots available so if you are interested please do get in touch with me at lisa@girlcancreate.com I am proud to feature some of my favourite makers this month; the lovely Viv Moore who happens to be one of the biggest inspirations of my career. If you see one thing this month, make it out to Worcestershire Saucy. She is a superb performer with a brilliant sense of humour and this show should not be missed! Enjoy the last few days of warm, cause I think it’s going to start getting cold. I can feel it in my bones. Be cool, and lovely, and talk soon. Oh, if you haven’t already, please follow GirlCanCreate on Facebook 2. Feature Theatre: Worcestershire Saucy(Like I said, Viv is one of my most favourite people, and she is utterly captivating on stage. Check this out! – L.)
Viv's sardonic eclectic solos, whether social, political or personal commentary, include an interest in the merging of styles, of both traditional (clog, English music hall, eccentric dance) and contemporary (Butoh, combat) as well as physical characterizations. Worcestershire Saucy, via England’s patron saint, Saint George, will provide redemption for all those who have carried guilt over the 100s of years of England’s imperialist past! A veteran of the art form, Viv Moore (performing since 1979) is a dance theatre artist who has created a body of work over the past 10 years. Included in Worcestershire Saucy are selections of some of her works: Bogie Woman (1999 Paula Citron fFIDA Award), Lil (2002), Waking the Witch (2002 Bravo film), Fairy Story (2007), The Island Giants (2008). Born in England, Viv trained in ballet from the age of 4, continuing to study many dance and movement forms. As co-artistic director of Remote Control, she has performed and taught in Sweden, Australia, England and Canada, co-written several publications, presented at international conferences and has worked with community dance in London, England and in Canada. Viv is a movement coach and choreographer for plays, musicals and films, acts with Theatre Rusticle and Mackenziero and dances with Fujiwara Dance Inventions and Half Crown Clog. Viv has been nominated numerous times for a Dora award, including one for Body Geometry, 7th Angel (2002). Viv’s survival in the dance milieu is due to the eclectic nature of her curiosity, which has allowed her to endure and exist as a dance theatre artist as performer, choreographer and educator. Factory Theatre December 2-5, 8pm INFO: 416 588 9452; vivimoo@yahoo.com
3. Feature Theatre: My Room Was White
(I saw this piece on opening and was really drawn in by the dreamy quality created by the performances along with the sound and video. Joel Benson’s voice was stunningly otherworldly along with his movement. And did I mention that there is macro videography by Dave Pijuan-Nomura? So inspiring! – L.)
Parahumans present Light lattices cut through the air. Shaving my arms in all directions. Arcing laser beams laced with intelligent one of a kind non-melting snowflakes. But from where do they originate? What source? Director: Dave Wilson Dates: Price: Adults: $16; Students/Seniors/Disability/CADA: $12 Scotiabank Studio Theatre, Pia Bouman School, Info/Reservations: dcwilson@mcmaster.ca; (416) 588-9452
4. Feature Theatre: The Silicone Diaries
Created and performed by Nina Arsenault Transsexual Nina Arsenault may be perceived as “fake”, but the sixty cosmetic surgeries that transformed her from an awkward man into a 36D-26-40 bombshell are anything but. The Silicone Diaries is a full, frank and fierce exploration of the contradictions associated with the quest for beauty, balanced by an intimate and spiritual account of Arsenault’s adventures in plastic surgery. Buddies’ new Artistic Director, Brendan Healy directs Arsenault as she draws battles lines, wrestles with the conventions of patriarchy, and comes to peace with her radical queer body. Dramaturg Judith Rudakoff and Director Brendan Healy (recipient of the 2006 Ken McDougall Award for Emerging Directors, and Buddies’ new Artistic Director) sculpt this outrageous, inspirational, and often hilarious one-woman play. Healy remarked about his collaboration, “Inside Nina is a really fascinating paradox: Someone who’s worked hard to transform herself into someone who she thinks she is authentically, but who she thinks she is, is very much a media creation. The Silicone Diaries
5. Feature Festival: 4X4 Festival: An Off-Road Event of Women DirectorsWin a pair of free tickets to No Exit! The first RED Letter reader to respond with No Exit in the email title will will 2 tickets to this Nightwood Theatre Production!
This momentous event will showcase the talents of four of Canada’s top women directors in four productions running in November 2009. The shows, culled from the international repertoire of plays by women, represent some of the finest contemporary voices writing for the world stage. NO EXIT A live-cinematic interpretation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s masterpiece 2009 Winner of 2 Jessie Awards (Outstanding Production & the Critics’ Choice Innovation Award)
6. Movies and Makers: An Art and Craft show at the Fox Theatre
A diverse mix of local makers of fine, cool, funky, sassy art and craft selling their wares at the stunning Fox Theatre in the Beaches. The sale is from 10am to 4pm, followed by Faythe Levine’s Documentary, Handmade Nation at 4:30pm. Movies and Makers: An Art and Craft Show is a co-production between The Fox Theatre and GirlCanCreate that brings together all things local and handmade. The show is designed to provide both emerging and established artisans with a marketplace to sell their wares. We are looking forward to creating a unique experience in a unique space, The Fox Theatre. Admission to the craft show is free. Tickets to Handmade Nation are $6 for Fox Theatre members and Here is the Vendor List for the first Movies and Makers's Holiday Show! Nathalie-Roze and Co November 21, 2009 For vendor interviews and show goodness check out our blog here! 7. More Crafty GoodnessI will be selling more of my collages and paper goods at Portobello East which promises to be a great show! Winter Fling has some amazing artisans, so go and support local art and business! Portobello East – Fashion and Art Market
Find your style at Portobello East market, the last Sunday of the month. Meet local artists and designers and shop for one-of-a-kind fashion and art on the 3rd floor of The Burroughes Building in the heart of Queen Street West! 12pm to 6pm FREE ADMISSION for the public http://www.portobelloeast.com/
Winter Fling… A Craft Thing may be new to the city of Toronto, but we like to consider it a continuation of an innovative seasonal ‘A Craft Thing’ indie arts & craft show that began in Detroit. This past April, the first annual Spring Fling… A Craft Thing took place in Metro Detroit. Produced by Comfortably Lovely, over 20 diverse arts and craftspeople banded together for a true D.I.Y. community event, and ended up forging an exciting and much-needed alternative for Detroit’s craft scene. It was Metro Detroit’s first ever Spring indie craft show (others happily followed after Spring Fling’s success). With DJs playing friendly pop tunes throughout the day, people and families of all ages and types came, saw and shopped at Spring Fling. Even in Detroit’s unfortunate financial climate, each and every Spring Fling artist made a profit, new customers, and new friends. Oh, and everyone had a blast. Relocated to Toronto, Comfortably Lovely has teamed up with an eager group of fellow craftspeople and producers (see below) who plan on making A Craft Thing more than just a season show in its new home.
8. Read This Book! With Book Lady Sarah Selecky
This month I had arranged a week-long writing retreat for myself on Toronto Island, housesitting a beautiful home with a fireplace and a view of the lake. Then I caught the flu, and spent the whole week in bed, disappointed, nursing a terrific fever. Luckily, the owners of the house had a well-stocked bookshelf. I picked this one because of the funny title. It's an epistolary novel, and I liked the idea of reading letters - even shorter than chapters! - in-between naps. I didn't expect to like the book as much as I did. Juliet Ashton is a 33-year-old writer living in London just after the war, looking for the subject of her next book. She receives a letter from Dawsey Adams on the tiny island of Guernsey (in the English Channel, in-between London and France) who says he found her name inscribed at the front of a book by Charles Lamb - and does she happen to know where he'd find more of Lamb's books, please? This letter starts a festival of letter-writing between Juliet and Dawsey, her editor Sidney, her best friend Sophie in Scotland, and all of the other avid readers living on Guernsey. It turns out there's a story for Juliet in Guernsey, and she starts to track it down. During the war, the German army occupied the Island. The book club known as the "Guernsey Literary Society" (the potato peel pie part is explained later) was invented as a ruse, a way to keep forbidden meetings out of sight of the German officers. When the people on the Island began faking the book-reading part of this false society, they began to read for pleasure despite themselves. The book club became real, and it saved them during a brutal time. This book is an ode to reading and writing, friendship and community, and to the power that good books give you in times of unhappiness or suffering. Juliet's voice is smart, sarcastic, compassionate and funny. I read the book in almost one sitting, and I believe I owe my convalescence to Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, the co-authors * of this beautiful book. I offer it to you now, during flu season especially: read this book, drink hot ginger tea with lemon, and nap in a darkened room. Repeat as necessary. *Mary Ann Shaffer passed away before she had a chance to edit her draft of the book. Her niece Annie stepped in to finish the project. It was Mary Ann Shaffer's first novel. Write what you want to read.
9. Art Cards at Wise DaughtersArt Cards to Make and Trade
Lisa Pijuan-Nomura leads the fun. Like baseball or playing cards... only they're one-of-a-kind works of art. No art experience necessary - the only rules are that cards need to be 2.5 x 3.5 and you have to trade at least a few of the cards you make, and leave one with Wise Daughters to display! Pay-what-you-can, but please reserve. Wise Daughters Craft Gallery
10. Classes, Workshops and ConferencesClasses at Wise Daughters Craft Gallery
The Joy of Collage Meet multidiscipinary artist Lisa Pijuan-Nomura, whose charming, accessible and evocative collage exhibit, Sleeping Cats and Other Stories, has attracted positive feedback since its opening in September. Lisa will explain her creative process and share information about where she gets both her wonderful vintage materials and her inspiration. Then you'll play! The 2nd half of the evening will be a hands-on introduction to the Joy of Collage. Learn techniques you can use at home with documents, photos and other materials that have meaning for you. $35 includes collage materials and a special vintage paper pack prepared by Lisa. Pressed Flower Globe Ornament The perfect workshop for gardeners and flower lovers. Make a gorgeous ornament using pressed flowers. Gabriela will also demonstrate how you can press flowers at home in the microwave. $50 includes all materials. Stupid Sock Creatures for Kids Take sock monkeys to the next level with these cute and wacky creatures, full of personality. Learn sewing skills that will enable you to hand sew anything you want, forever. Wise Daughters Craft Gallery
Project Five Star Workshop Five skills vital to performing dance improvisation: An all day Dance Improvisation intensive facilitated by Karen Kaeja, Suzanne Liska and Kathleen Rea. Each facilitator will teach a short workshop where they will pass on awareness, sensory, presence, choice and technique skills unique to them. The project will culminate in a performance by the participants that draws on the day’s investigations. Sat Dec 12, 2009 Intermediate or advanced dance, improvisation and/or physical theatre skills. Dovercourt House Ballroom $80 early bird or $100 after Nov 25th Registration: 416 704 8096 or suzliska@yahoo.com Project Five Star Performance An improvised dance performance by participants of Project 5 Star Workshop Dec 12th, 2009 Dovercourt House Ballroom $10 at the door (or PWYC)
11. Calls for EntriesWrite from the Hip 2010 “Nightwood is a fertile breeding ground for new female talent.” - Michele Landsberg, Toronto Star Nightwood Theatre’s 11th annual emerging playwriting program, Write From the Hip is now accepting submissions from 18-29 year-old women looking for an opportunity to develop and write a play and advance their craft. Write from the Hip is a series of weekly workshops, mentoring and hands-on seminars in writing skills and professional play development specifically designed for emerging playwrights. Past mentors have included: D’bi Young, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Judith Thompson, Claudia Dey, Morwyn Brebner, Florence Gibson, Iris Turcott, Marjorie Chan and Lisa Codrington. This year each participant will complete a new short work of 20-25 minute inspired by a newspaper article. The workshop will include a pitch session with artistic director Kelly Thornton. The play is then workshopped and staged on the final night of Write from the Hip in August 2010. Write from the Hip will begin January 25th and runs mainly on Monday nights from 6:30-9:30pm. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Participants are selected through submissions and personal interviews conducted by the program coordinators and Nightwood’s artistic director. Submission Deadline: November 27th, 2009 Please email submissions with the following: - 10 pages MAX of an excerpt of one play or up to three plays, 12 point font. (can submit less than 10 pages if desired) -Fill out Application form found on www.nightwoodtheatre.net under Write from the Hip Please Do Not submit a cover letter or resume.
Snail Mail Submissions: SEND 10 page writing sample (or less) & filled out application form ONLY (no cover letter or resume) Anna Chatterton For more info please check out our website at www.nightwoodtheatre.net or contact Anna Chatterton, Director of Youth Initiatives at anna@nightwoodtheatre.net
Call for Contributions for Edited Anthology We are seeking submissions for an edited collection of Latina/o Canadian cultural work to be published in 2010 by Tightrope Books, under their new Zurita imprint and edited by Lorena M. Gajardo, a Latina and scholar of Latino/a Identity in Canada. This curated collection will present experiences and reflections of Latina/o lives and identity in Canada from the perspective of 2nd and 1.5 generation Latina/o young adults. We are looking for original and previously unpublished works in a variety of genres – poetry, prose, short stories, spoken word, monologues, biographical essays, black and white illustrative work – that address the question of what it means to grow up and be a young Latina/o in Canada. Topics may include but are not limited to the following: Being Latina/o in Canada Submission Guidelines All contributions must be a maximum of 1,500 words. Email your contribution to Lorena Gajardo at gajardolorena2@gmail.com
2010 SummerWorks Theatre Festival The application forms for the 2010 SummerWorks Theatre Festival are now online. Deadlines: Applications for both local and national series can be found at:
2010 BASH! Artist Development Program Matthew Jocelyn, Artistic & General Director of The Canadian Stage Company, is pleased to announce a call for submissions for its fourth annual BASH! Artist Development Program, which will run from January – May 2010. New this year, the program will support four directors and will focus on large-scale theatre and multi-disciplinary directorial practice. Deadline for submissions is December 1, 2009. BASH! is a program for professional theatre artists, now with an emphasis on directing, which explores strategies and approaches to contemporary performance practice, production and administration in a national and international context. The program provides directors the opportunity to examine their own work and vision with the support of other dynamic perspectives. BASH! is ideally suited for directors who have experience staging, creating and producing performance-based work, who would like to push their practice to the next level, specifically on a larger scale. BASH! artists spend five months with The Canadian Stage Company, meeting on a regular basis in think-tank sessions discussing current projects, ideas and challenges, and are often joined by guest artists and The Canadian Stage Company’s artistic, production and administrative teams, as well as artists from the broader community. A total of four directors will be selected to be part of this unique program. Participants will: Participation in this unique program is FREE; however, it requires a substantial time commitment. Participants should estimate a bi-weekly meeting plus two additional performances/meetings per month. The Program begins in January 2010 and continues to May 2010. The Ideal Candidate is: PLEASE NOTE: Choreographers exploring boundaries in dance/theatre forms, as well as designers interested in realizing large-scale productions in collaboration with stage directors, are also eligible to apply. Former BASH! artists include: Interested Applicant’s please submit: 1. a cover letter which addresses: 2. a one-page response to one of the following: 3. a cv and headshot Applications (in Hard Copy only) can be dropped off or mailed to: Deadline: 5 PM on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 Applications must be received by this date. No exceptions. For more information, please contact BASH! Program Director Natasha Mytnowych at 416-367-8243 x277 or nmytnowych@canstage.com
12. Upcoming Performances of InterestNovember 3 – November 22, 2009 November 4 to November 13 November 8 to November 15 November 12 November 14 November 16th November 19 November 20 November 20 to December 7 November 24 November 25 to December 5 November 28 December 2 to December 6 December 3 13. Photography by Dave Pijuan-Nomura
Dave specializes in macro and live event photography, but still marvels on a starry night.
14. Last ThoughtI started writing down people’s conversations as they sat around the bar. When I put them together I found some music hiding in there. |
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
