Much To Do with Much Ado!

Much Ado About Nothing moved into the theatre this week. I am doing Props for the show so I was in for the Production Meeting last night and to start a bit of the props pull. The Cast was treated to their walk-through to familiarize themselves with the space and then some of them had a rehearsal afterwards. I saw some fun character work happening with Assistant Director Monica Roberts and then popped in on a hilarious scene being blocked by Director Anne Marie Szucs.

My props pull was partially successful. I still have quite a few things to find, but I have leads on all of them. Walterdale has a really fun Props room with a lot of things, but sometimes it takes a bit of digging to find what you want. I have also been building at home. I have the bases made for the 16 masks and all I need to do is decorate them and attach the sticks. I can't do the latter until the choreography is set because I don't know what side to put them on. I am also building an Inkhorn and will be working on scrolls and some scabbards for swords. I will be pulling out the glue gun and sparkles so that makes me happy!

I went in this afternoon and met with the Costume Designer Ephram di Medicci and saw his designs and got some fabric scraps to match the masks to. We also sorted out the swords. We decided that we need to check with the Director about which swords to use - we have 4 sabers and 2 pairs of Rapier (both pairs are quite different). Both options require work so the sooner we know which way to go, the better. It's all about communication with everyone involved to make sure the right choice is made. It is better to talk about it first before you spend the time and money to acquire the wrong thing.

I am having fun this season. So far I am involved hands on for the first three shows. I painted on Perfect Pie, now Props for Much Ado and also Directing Rabbit Hole. I am sure there will be some place I can contribute to Threepenny. The One Acts are almost a given with the AD being involved and I am hoping to contribute to set in some way for Village of Idiots (I want to be Master Painter, but it all depends on who the Designer is). One thing I love about Walterdale is that you can certainly learn to do all jobs if you work at it! Since I feel like I know the AD job, it is great to add some other skills to my repertoire!

A Changing of the Guard...

We closed Perfect Pie this weekend. It was truly a lovely show with fine work from all involved. If you missed it - you missed a very fine show, indeed. It was a pretty smooth show with a very strong experienced team helping out first time Walterdale Director Mary Jane Kreisel. Kudos to all involved!

Now the Team for Much Ado About Nothing is moving into the space. George is already working on the set and assembling his build and painting teams. The show is almost completely blocked and the cast will be measured this week for costumes. As Props Person, I have done quite a bit of work on the masks and a bit of the running around to find other things. That will be my focus now.

In a delightful turn of events, the rehearsal schedule for Much Ado About Nothing is almost opposite to the rehearsal schedule for Rabbit Hole, so for a few weeks these two teams will actually share the space. This is a rare event because usually teams find they all want to rehearse the same nights. I know I can truly say that Rabbit Hole feels blessed to get extra time in the space to feel at home. It's nice when we can all play together.

It feels a bit strange for me to realize that I am over halfway through my term as Artistic Director. This was highlighted by the release of the advertisements for the next AD. It went out this morning. I will do my best to answer any questions that interested people have about the position. It is a unique job that I am truly enjoying (99.9 % of the time). Being a AD in a Community Theatre has different challenges than in other settings. Many of these challenges are extremely rewarding, however, if you approach it from the wrong perspective it can make things more difficult. I will say that it is a job that requires almost infinite patience since many of the people doing theatre here at Walterdale do it because they are truly passionate about it and passion can lead to emotional reactions as opposed to rational ones. Again, any questions - ask me. I will do my best to fill you in on what is involved. The advertisement can be found at the Walterdale Playhouse website and on our Fan Page on Facebook. We will also be posting at Theatre Alberta and other theatre related sites.

Closing Weekend - Don't miss the show!

Perfect Pie closes this weekend, that means there are only 3 shows left to see this fabulous production. Not only do you get to see Judith Thompson's wonderful play about enduring friendship, but you also get to see 4 lovely, talented Edmonton actresses. Tickets are available at Tix on the Square or at the box office, 1 hour prior to show start (tickets range from $12 - $16).

Preview Press Links for Perfect Pie

Check out some of the Preview Press we have been recieving. How wonderful to live in a city that supports Community Theatre and the Arts as a whole!

Edmonton Journal - What's On - October 8th, 2010
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/Perfect/3642834/story.html

Shaw Cable - Video - October 2010
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/videos/featuredvideos.htm?fvPgID=%7B1F23BB27-A0A2-4CF5-8CEB-DEC594691382%7D&fvTitle=1007PerfectPie&href3D171C4BD6BC=mms%3A%2F%2Fprdmediax1.shaw.ca%2FStart%2FShawTV%2FEdmonton%2FTodayonShawTV%2F1007PerfectPie.wmv

SEE Magazine - October 8th, 2010
http://www.seemagazine.com/article/arts/theatre-preview/old-friends-reunite-4722/

Vue Weekly - October 5th, 2010
http://www.vueweekly.com/arts/story/a_complicated_slice_of_life/

Opening Night - Happy Birthday to Me!

This season, I decided to give myself an Opening Night and share it with you all. I picked a show that I loved and that I felt showed one of the best that Canada has to offer in terms of playwrights and that I felt that Walterdale could do very, very well. I do not think you will be disappointed. Mary Jane Kreisel and her crack team of Theatre Artists on both sides of the boards have worked incredibly hard and with a phenomenal amount of dedication and passion to bring this piece to life. So, welcome to the 52nd Season at Walterdale and come share a slice of Perfect Pie tonight, or sometime during the run!

Director's Preview/Student's Night - Perfect Pie

Tonight the four lovely ladies in the cast of Perfect Pie will face their first audience - how exciting! They are certainly ready for one! Specially invited guests of the Director and Artistic Director may attend to offer their support in this stage of the process and last season we also added a Student's Night to this evening. This is a great opportunity for Students with a valid ID to see some quality theatre in our fine building for free! Just show up with your ID. Seating is subject to Availability, but we have not had to turn anyone away yet. Show starts at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.

Last Rehearsal Before They Come...

As any of you who have done a Walterdale show know, the final dress rehearsal before Director's Preview is accompanied by a big clean of the entire theatre. It's a crazy day and if things are going well with the show (no last minute issues or problems) then usually the Sunday is a day of rest before the onslaught of the 2 week run. Today is that day for Perfect Pie. Right now they are preparing to start the Dress Rehearsal, knowing this is the last chance to iron out any wrinkles before the most important part is added - the audience! From what I saw on Thursday Night, this should be a confirmation run of what they already know... they are ready!

Then they will clean and when the theatre is spotless, they will celebrate with a wee pizza party to toast the achievements of all their hard work!

About Monday, Director's Preview - last season we started Student's Night in conjunction with the Director's Preview. Any student with a valid ID is welcome to attend the show free of charge (subject to availability). We hope to see some Edmonton students out for this fabulous Judith Thompson play!

Another Perfect Moment from Perfect Pie

These are just such beautiful pictures. Thanks Douglas Stewart and the entire Perfect Pie team.

Media Call - Perfect Pie

I had the pleasure of watching the first act of Perfect Pie last night after the media call. It looks so very good. It is hard to believe that they just finished the Q2Q last night and that they have a few more runs until the see an audience on Monday night. They certainly seemed ready for a house full of people. Every detail is crisp and clean and the relationships between the two sets of friends is beautifully established. I stayed for Act One and snuck out at the break between the two acts so that I save something for my Opening Night experience. It's so clean and ready I want to wait to see the finished product!

Thank you , as always, to Douglas Stewart for his fabulous photography. You can check out the pictures here: http://gallery.radgrandpa.com/Event-Photography/Theatre/Perfect-Pie/13982217_GM9oX#1027968460_RoJmg

In a Little Over a Week...

We start the season! Well, the work started a long time ago, but next Wednesday, on October 6th, 2010 we will officially kick off the 52nd Season with the Opening of Perfect Pie. Tonight and tomorrow night, the cast and crew is working on the Q2Q, Wednesday night is media call and a tech run and then a few more runs and a couple of Previews and we are open.

Perfect Pie is a beautifully written piece by Canada's Judith Thompson. It features 4 lovely actresses who have been seen at Walterdale and other place in Edmonton over the years. They have been working hard over the past few months doing the work with each other to play characters at different times of their lives. I hear reports from Production Team members about their strength as individual actors as well as an ensemble. I am so looking forward to seeing them. The set is finished. I was fortunate enough to get to help Joan Hawkins paint it. We had a lot of help on the set, both on the build and the painting. Pierre Valois let the build team and Joan led the painting team, all working hard to bring Alli Ross' beautiful design to life.

All of this has been directed by Mary Jane Kreisel. No stranger to Walterdale, this is MJ's first time directing a Walterdale show. She wisely picked a strong Production Team to work with, and all of them are working hard to help complete her vision for the show. Truly this has been a testament to teamwork at Walterdale.

Reading and Painting...

That's what I am doing this week. I photocopied the 25 scripts received for From Cradle to Stage 2010-2011 today and assembled the packages for the 2 other jury members. I haven't really read any of them yet, so that is what I will start doing this week. One of our jury members is currently in a show, so it will be at least 2 weeks before we meet and make the first decisions (reducing the initial 25 down to 5 scripts to forward to the Dramaturgs). The script length ranged from 5 to 101 pages and they have a variety of cast sizes (as small as 1 and some that offer a variety of cast size depending on doubling). I imagine that there are also a variety of themes and stories. It will be a good week of reading for me.

I am also helping to paint the Perfect Pie set. We have had quite a few people come through with this job. We are led by the Master-Painter Joan Hawkins and it is coming along beautifully. I will be there for a few hours tomorrow afternoon!

Perfect Pie

Our first show up on deck this season is Perfect Pie, by renowned Canadian playwright Judith Thompson. For more information on Thompson you can start with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Thompson

Perfect Pie tells the story of the childhoods of Patsy and Marie and the impact it had on their later lives. It is told in flashbacks as the adult Patsy and Marie (now Francesca) meet after many years to revisit their past and the event that led to their separation. The four characters onstage are amazing opportunities for any actress and the themes of changing friendships and survival are universal that are sure to appeal to a variety of audience members.

We hope you get a chance to check this work out on our stage.

Seasons Come and Seasons Go...

We are wrapping up the 2009-2010 Season at Walterdale with a Sold Out run of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. This has been a nice season for us, with overall attendance increasing as well as a tremendous turn-out at auditions. We'd like both to continue, because strong auditions create stronger shows and stronger shows encourage audiences... it's a process.

The first show for next season (Perfect Pie) is cast, but auditions for our December show are coming up in late August (after Fringe). We are presenting Much Ado About Nothing directed by Anne Marie Szucs, with Assistant Director Monica Roberts, Stage Manager Melanie Samson, Set Designer George Millar and Costume Designer Ephram Di Medicci. Combined, these individuals have been involved in Pieces, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Antony and Cleopatra, Crimes of the Heart, Kiss Within a Kiss, The Mail Order Bride, Selection, and Beautiful Thing at Walterdale. There may be more, but that was just off the top of my head.

For audition information: http://walterdaleplayhouse.com/?page_id=57

Perfect Pie - gathering the ingredients...

After a wonderful audition session seeing 15 lovely and talented actresses called back Director M.J. Kreisel and Assistant Director Mary Ellen Perley came up with a sure to be terrific cast. I am excited to announce the following cast for Perfect Pie, which will be seen onstage at Walterdale in October 2010.

Holly Cinnamon – Marie
Michele Vance Hehir – Patsy
Nicole Lemay – Francesca
Stephanie Wigston – Younger Patsy

So we have assembled all the ingredients and soon the mixing, stirring, seasoning, and rolling out the dough will commence.

Season to Season Overlap....

This weekend From Cradle to Stage closed at Walterdale. Overall it was a very successful run with many new members contributing on and off stage to bring 3 new works to life. I was there Opening and Closing night and heard so many positive comments about the shows onstage. I think it is testament to the balance of the night that I heard all three shows mentioned as someone's favorite in one context or another. Truly there was something for everyone! I think, too, that the Production Manager, Kim, would say that this was the lowest stress One Acts in recent years. Part of that was no doubt due to scaling back the number of fully produced shows from 4 to 2, but also the committed casts and crews helped. As well, I need to mention Al Gadowsky, who stage managed the evening. I know that both Kim and I think Al was awesome and showed an phenomenal dedication to the shows. We knew that they were in good hands and that served to relieve so much stress from the two of us.

Next up is The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. We have been rehearsing for about a month but we move into the building tonight for our Walk-Through. I am having so much fun with this cast. They are fun and dedicated and again we have a nice mix of new and returning members. There is something about being in a show with someone who has never done a show before that can be really fun. If you can see the experience through their eyes it really opens your eyes to the amazingness of what we get to do!

And this weekend we held auditions for Perfect Pie, the first show of next season. We had a wonderful turn-out and Director M.J. Kreisel and Assistant Director Mary Ellen Perley will have their work cutout for them. I have advised they not think about it until Wednesday night at callbacks when 14-16 ladies will be brought back to read in different combinations for the 4 roles. I do not envy them the task ahead, but I know no matter which way they go they will have a strong cast. I, of course, have my guess as to casting so I will see how close I am after Wednesday night!

Auditions - Perfect Pie by Judith Thompson

PERFORMANCE DATES: October 6–16, 2010
AUDITION DATES: Saturday, May 29, 1:00 – 5:00 pm & Sunday, May 30, 7:00 – 10:00 pm Walterdale Playhouse (10322 83 Avenue)
DIRECTOR: Mary Jane (M. J.) Kreisel ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Mary-Ellen Perley STAGE MANAGER: Pat Eyford PRODUCTION MANAGER: Marlene Kottke

Two former close friends meet after a 30 year absence and share a day reminiscing about lost childhood memories. As they recall the early years of their friendship, an unspeakable incident re-surfaces from the past — shattering preconceptions and awakening an unalterable bond between the women. Perfect Pie is a memory play about pain, loyalty, and the choices people make to protect themselves and each other.

Judith Thompson is one of Canada’s most preeminent living playwrights. A two-time winner of the Governor General’s Award and a recipient of the Order of Canada, her works include Lion in the Streets and more recently, the critically-acclaimed Palace of the End and Such Creatures.

CHARACTERS:
Patsy: A farm wife – rural/countrified, practical, no–nonsense – 44 years of age (F)
Francesca: An actor – urbane, ironic, artistic – 45 years of age (F)
Patsy (young): Take-charge, practical, loyal, fun-loving – 8, 12, & 15 years of age (F)
Marie: Shy, victimized, artistic, sometimes fun-loving – 9, 12, & 16 years of age (F)
Due to the subject matter of the play, those auditioning must be at least 18 years of age.

Auditions will be readings only — no memorization is required; however, please familiarize yourself with the play before auditioning. Some simple personality traits are listed for each character; please keep these in mind when reading the script and auditioning. Copies of the script are available at Theatre Alberta (please call ahead) or by contacting Kent Sutherland, Walterdale Administrator at walterph@telus.net or 780-439-3058.

Rehearsals will begin mid-July, breaking for the Fringe on August 2 and resuming August 26.
Walterdale is a volunteer/member organization. We cannot engage Equity performers.
To book an audition or for further information, please email M. J. Kreisel at perfectpie10@gmail.com. Those auditioning should be prepared to submit a résumé, headshot and availability times.

Drop-ins are welcome.