Greetings arts enthusiasts,
I have some rather exciting news! The Ottawa Arts Newsletter has been nominated for “Best local blog/website” in the Ottawa XPress – Best of Ottawa 2009.
All the nominees are pretty awesome — but hey, if you want to vote for me, then follow this link: http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/dossier/bestof/xpress2009.aspx.Section 4 right near the bottom! Please vote before the deadline on November 11.
And without further ado, here is your artistic line-up for the month of November…
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November 3 to 7
The University of Ottawa’s Drama Guild presents “Our Country’s Good”
http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/theatre/eng/season.html
Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good is set in eighteenth-century Australia and tells the story of convicts who decide to put on a production of a Restoration drama. Directed by Arthur Milner, this Drama Guild production is designed by Martin Conboy, Roy Hansen-Robitschek, and Rick Cousins, and features students from the theatre department at the University of Ottawa.
November 3 to 14
The National Arts Centre English Theatre presents “Elephant Wake”
http://nac-cna.ca/en/theatre/0910/elephantwake/
I am really looking forward to seeing this expanded production of Elephant Wake that was originally produced as a Fringe Festival production by Catalyst Theatre (a spectacular Edmonton company that I am studying for my thesis and that recently presented Nevermore here in Ottawa). Witness writer/actor Joey Tremblay’s performance as the last man left in Ste. Vierge, a defunct Francophone town in Saskatchewan, and see up close director/designer Bretta Gerecke’s remarkable papier maché townscape. Check out the website for photos!
November 3 to 22
The Great Canadian Theatre Company presents “The Children’s Republic”
http://www.gctc.ca/plays/the-childrens-republic
Hannah Moscovitch’s long awaited new play – about a Jewish orphanage in Poland that is invaded by Nazis – premieres at the GCTC this month. Directed by Janet Irwin, this co-production with the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama features several of its students in the roles of the orphans, as well as local actors Paul Rainville, Peter Froehlich, Kate Hurman, and Sarah McVie. Heather Marie Scheerschmidt has written a great article about this show: http://bit.ly/3NOA3h
November 12 to 14
Ottawa Little Theatre and Savoy Society of Ottawa present a Double Bill!
http://ottawasavoysociety.org/
Ottawa Little Theatre presents W. S. Gilbert’s one act play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The Savoy Society then presents The Zoo, a one-act comic opera by Arthur Sullivan and Bolton Rowe. Join an incognito nobleman, an anguished pharmacist, a saucy waitress, a grumpy grocer and his captivating daughter, with a patriotic chorus of animal lovers in this opera set in the London Zoo.
November 13 and 14
AB Series presents two readings by Joe Rosenblatt
http://abseries.org/
Author of twenty books and his poems have appeared in over thirty anthologies of Canadian poetry, Joe has received major awards such as the Governor General’s Award in 1976 and the BC Book Award in 1986. Catch him in Ottawa, then in Gatineau with Ottawa poète Andree Christensen.
November 14
2nd Ottawa Timeraiser
http://www.timeraiser.ca/en/2nd-Ottawa
This event has only recently been brought to my attention, and I think it is a phenomenal idea. Timeraiser is part volunteer fair, part silent art auction and part night on the town. The big twist is rather than bidding money on artwork, you bid volunteer hours. You can sign up by visiting the website, and the event takes place at the National Gallery of Canada. The goal is to raise 5000 volunteer hours!
November 15
Jill Zmud CD Release
http://www.myspace.com/jillzmud
Ottawa torch-folk songstress Jill Zmud is releasing her debut album at the Black Sheep Inn this month. Check out her MySpace page to experience her soothing vocals and imaginative lyrics. For her release, she will be joined by fellow musicians Dave Draves, Chris Page, Safwan Javed and more.
November 16
The Wrecking Ball
http://thewreckingball.ca/
I was sorry to have missed this event last year, that busy time of arts cuts protests before the federal election. The Wrecking Ball is back at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts and Humanities, this time bringing together members of the theatre and literary communities. Don’t miss what promises to be an evening of incredible live performance!
November 17 to 28
SevenThirty Productions presents Shining City
http://www.seventhirty.ca/
Written by Connor MacPherson, Shining City takes place in the disheveled office of Ian, a former priest turned therapist. Ian’s latest patient, John, is in trouble. His wife has just died tragically… and he is visited more than once by her ghost. John is now terrified to return home, but Ian has his own troubles, including a new baby and a crumbling relationship. Directed by John P. Kelly, this production features Richard Gélinas, Tom Charlebois, Nancy Kenny, and Garrett Quirk.
November 18 to 28
Ottawa Chamber Theatre presents “The Mechanicsville Monologues”
http://www.chambertheatrehintonburg.ca/
Written by Donnie Laflamme, this production consists of a series of monologues and is performed by ten local actors and a handful of professional musicians. As the playwright describes, “The monologues are based on things I’ve seen, things I’ve done, and things I’ve heard. The pieces are inspired by people and situations experienced in ‘hood. I call them the dirtiest tales ever told and some of them truly are. No punches get pulled. No apologies.” Well, I’m intrigued!
November 19 to 28
Sock ‘N’ Buskin Theatre company presents “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”
http://www.carleton.ca/socknbuskin/mainstage.htm
If you haven’t yet seen this play, it’s a good one: two of Hamlet’s most underrated characters are given centre stage in this existentialist comedy that is reminiscent of Waiting for Godot, but with a modern Shakespearean twist. Directed by Dave Dawson, this production opens Sock ‘N’ Buskin’s 66th season in Ottawa.
November 26 and 27
Ottawa Chamber Music Society presents the Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra of Heilbronn
http://chamberfest.com/
Two wonderful concerts in one weekend! The Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra plays at the Shenkman Centre on the first night and at the Dominion-Chalmers Church on the second. These concerts are in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
November 28
Halabisky’s Uprising CD Release “State of Emergency”
http://www.myspace.com/halabiskysuprising
Antizario saxman Dave Halabisky releases his debut solo album at the Mercury Lounge! The CD release party will be hosted by spoken word artist Ritallin and will feature a live performance by Dave and his Uprising band. The album features new music by Dave and collaborations with Moka Only (Swollen Members), Amalia Townsend (Sekoya), Atherton and Sadie Hell.
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Just a bit more house-keeping…
Youth Infringement
Deadline for applications: November 27 (for directors) and December 31 (for playwrights)
http://www.youthinfringement.ca
The Ottawa Theatre Network…
…now has a blog! Visit http://ottawatheatrenetwork.wordpress.com/ to find out more about how YOU can get involved with Ottawa’s diverse theatre community.
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Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to vote in Best of Ottawa 2009!
Artistically yours,
Jessica
Friday Nov 6 and Saturday Nov 7 ONLY!
Read It Twice… It’s Real! (A Sock ‘n’ Buskin Production)
The premier of a new Canadian play by Jim Davies.
The title, Read It Twice, It’s Real!, comes from a hypothesis of the main character, a woman completing her PhD in Dream Research. You might read something and wonder if you’re still dreaming. If you read it twice, however, it’s real!
The play juxtaposes situations that are real with those that are less-than-real.
Jen has put her love-life on hold while she finishes up her extensive education. Her Jewish mother (Deborah) comes to visit and suggests (!) that it’s time for Jen to find someone. As this play is set 40 years in the future, Jen decides to order an android to fit the bill. A Jewish android. Now she must convince her mother that she has found the perfect match!
Friday Nov 6 and Sat Nov 7
8 pm curtain
complimentary admission
Ottawa, Carleton University, Architecture Building, “The Pit”
Jen – Vanessa Davies
Deborah – Deborah Barry
Maude – Laura Cooper
Sock ‘n’ Buskin Production
Directed by Emma Brooks
Stage Management by Jessica Chin
Produced by Rebecca Scholtz
Directions: this building is to the right of the main University Centre building (where you can see the bookstore). Parking Lot 2.
BY CAR – Drive into the campus from Bronson. At the bend, turn right onto Campus Ave. which bends to the left. The entrance to Parking Lot 2 is at the far end it. The entrance is on the right, just before the construction fences. You’ll then drive all the way back to the near end of the parking lot – and the Architecture Building is in front of you.
O Train – there is a stop on Campus Ave. Turn left. When you see the Parking Lot, the Architecture Building is on your right.
It’s a clever script! Hope to see you there!
NEW OTTAWA REPERTORY THEATRE’S 2009/2010 SEASON KICKS OFF WITH
TAUT POLITICAL DRAMA BY AWARD-WINNING LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT.
The Righteous Tithe, a new play written by Doug Phillips and directed by Paul Dervis will premiere this November at The New Ottawa Repertory Theatre.
David Simpson is on his way to Virginia Beach with his wife, Cyrese but their plans are derailed when the couple are stopped at the border by U.S. Immigration. What seems at first to be a random inspection rapidly becomes a harrowing ordeal. Held under the United States Patriot Act, David and Cyrese are caught in a political game, unsure if they are the threat — or being threatened.
Doug Phillips is an award-winning Ottawa playwright who has received critical acclaim throughout the region. CBC radio critic Alvina Ruprecht called Phillips’ script Naan Bread, “a very courageous piece of writing”.
Paul Dervis is an internationally reknowned playwright and director. His works include: Pokey, At Water’s Edge, The Last Disciple of Abraham and the award-winning, On Any Monday Night. The world premiere of Paul’s latest script, Mother Butterfly, is slated for February, 2010.
Righteous Tithe also features Nadine Thornhill (I Have Before Me A Remarkable Document Given To Me By A Young Lady From Rwanda, Oreo); Adam Skanks (Stud Terkel’s Race, Fires In The Mirror) and NORT co-founder Sean Tucker (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, On Any Monday Night).
The Righteous Tithe runs November 6th through November 8th and November 13th through November 15th, 2009 in The Natalie Stern Studio of The Ottawa School of Speech and Drama (290 Picton Avenue). Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students.
Please note the venue change for the 2nd Ottawa Timeraiser: the event now takes place at the National Gallery of Canada.
TOTO TOO THEATRE PRESENTS IT’S REMOUNT OF
THE SOLDIER DREAMS by DANIEL MACIVOR in PERTH ONTARIO
As part of the Eastern Ontario Drama League One Act Festival, Toto Too proudly remounts the tender and funny one act play THE SOLDIER DREAMS by Daniel MacIvor. Starring: Chris Bedford, Lawrence Evenchick, Ken Godmere, Nancy Clue, Jesse Reynolds, Lori Jean Hodge, Heather Archibald and Wayne Current. This will be performed Saturday November 14th, at 1:30pm as part of the 2nd Session of the one festival. And will be adjudicated by John Lazarus. Each series has 3 plays. At the end of the session the adjudicator will give a public adjudication to the cast and audience.
The other plays in the 2nd Session are DELIVER’D FROM NOWHERE by Tim Ginley, and WOULD YOU LIKE A CUP OF TEA? presented by the Studio Theatre Productions, Perth.
The Studio Theatre, the host of the 2009 One-Act Festival, is located in the charming heritage town of Perth at 63 Gore Street East overlooking the Tay Basin, a pretty convergence of the tributaries of the Tay River. The theatre is on the second floor of a heritage building, with 200 fixed seats, with plenty of parking.