sep 19 wake | sep 20 memorial service | jeremy tow

On Tuesday September 14th, we lost Jeremy Tow to brain cancer, which he had been fighting for almost two years. Jer had been the artistic director of Chemainus Theatre for many years, and was known to Pacific Theatre audiences for his remarkable performance in MASTER HAROLD & THE BOYS, and his direction of A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. Though distance separated us, Jer and I had a strong and unique friendship, with a shared love for God and a passion for acting that sometimes placed us in tension with a calling to serve as artistic directors of our respective companies. His wife Anita Wittenberg is also dear to Pacific Theatre: you would know her from performances in PT shows such as MOURNING DOVE or AGNES OF GOD, as well as years of work on the Chemainus Stage.

Here is a note from Jeremy and Anita's dear friend, Michelle Lieffertz.

Wednesday September 15th

... the post I didn't expect to write when this began: - O, for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention and help me know how to write...

My friends, and fellow warriors: We have fought, with all our strength, a battle on Jeremy & Anita's behalf. - Jeremy had planned to be with us for many more years, but has been invited to a much greater celebration. He passed from this life last evening.

Anita, the children and his parents are so SO grateful for the support they have received from everyone over the past 13 months, and our prayers are still needed as they transition to an altered version of their lives. A memorial service is planned for Monday, September 20th, at 2:00 pm at 10th Avenue Alliance Church in Vancouver (corner of 10th and Ontario).

More than anything, Jeremy clung firmly to his deep faith, and went peacefully into the arms of his Father. And although we weep for the loss of him this side of eternity, let your hearts be encouraged:

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will all sleep, but we will be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you." (1 Corinthians 15:51...58)

WAKE FOR JEREMY
Sunday September 19, 2010 8pm onwards
Progress Lab 1422, 1422 William Street
Common rooms

This is an informal gathering: come and have a glass of wine and a nibble with fellow artists and friends, ponder muse dream laugh grieve…a chance for the community to express their love for this remarkable actor, musician, director, writer…this soulful beautiful man.

Our aim is to also gather stories, remembrances, songs, whatever expresses your experience of Jer – in a compiled book/DVD for Emma and Sebastian to have: to know and remember the impact their father had on you and on so many people. We will have a basket to put any writing/cards/pictures in that you may want to bring. We will also have a videographer around if you want to record something in the moment. We hope to have a keyboard on hand…

Bring: your story of Jer, your own bottle of wine if you like, anyone you want to come along

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR JEREMY
Monday, September 20th, at 2:00 pm
10th Avenue Alliance Church in Vancouver
(corner of 10th and Ontario)

If desired, memorial gifts for their children's Education Fund may be directed to Anita Wittenberg. His friend Rev. Jyothi's Reddi's orphanage in India, Home for Children, was close to Jeremy's heart: as per Jeremy's wishes, a portion of memorial funds may be thus designated in the memo line on the cheque.

sep 19 | "organblaster rocks the dome | michael dirks | holy trinity

The folks who give Pacific Theatre a home have a new organist, and he'll be making glorious noise this coming Sunday...

sep 17-19 | diana squires | macbeth

Word just in from Dice Squires, who PT audiences will remember from GODSPELL this spring. "Light Of The World," anyone? In the picture below: sheep, unamused, bottom left.

Performing Shakespeare outdoors (or quasi-outdoors, a la Bard on the Beach) is quite a popular thing. And then there are those productions that reeeally sink their teeth into all that it can mean to make nature your stage. I'm tickled pink to tell you about a production of Macbeth which falls decidedly into that category. For three performances only, a coven of witches will lead the audience through a roving performance of The Scottish Play that uses a diverse array of areas within the park to enliven the many settings within the play. Picture actors standing in the ocean with their audience on the shore. Imagine supernatural creatures casting spells from a swingset. That's what this show promises, and all to fundraise for The Shakespeare Centre here in Vancouver.

Something wicked this way comes on September 17, 18, and 19 with a 6pm start time on a gradually darkening stage! The "damned spot" is, to be precise, the obliging Tatlow & Volunteer Parks in Kitsilano - where MacDonald St & West Point Grey Road meet. Admission is by donation. One of the witches looks frighteningly like myself.

See you there!

Luv, Dice

fringe @ pt | responses

on DIRT
"So incredible. Regardless of the brilliant writing and content of the piece, his performance floored me. I’ve seen his character on the street – I’ve smiled no too many times. It left me with a sense of shame, and a sense of resolve to see beyond the presumed obvious. To realize that everyone has a story."

vancouver fringe festival | your PT-friendly guide!

As you all know already, PT is playing host to four fantastic shows which we've invited onto our stage as a BYOV in the Fringe Festival this year. While these are four shows you definitely do not want to miss, there are plenty more shows that members of the PT family are involved in this year. Here's your handy-dandy guide to everything PT at this year's Fringe! (Note: all tickets through The Vancouver Fringe website or at the door, but not through the Pacific Theatre box office.)

AT PACIFIC THEATRE...

CONFESSIONS OF A PAPERBOY
by Doug Curtis, performed by Giovanni Mocibob
Gio is a new arrival in Vancouver from Rosebud, and exceptionally gifted and charismatic actor. You'll be seeing more of him on our stage - including his performance in the title role of My Name Is Asher Lev in January
A young Christopher Columbus (no, not that one) has it on good authority he should become a paper boy - God told him to. So what's so important about delivering papers?
"Overflows with a beguiling mix of wit, humour, and intelligence. It's mesmerizing." Calgary Sun
WHERE: Pacific Theatre
WHEN: F10@11pm, Sa11@1&7, Tu14@5 & 11, W15@7, Th16@9, F17@7, Sa18@3

STRETCH DOG
written and performed by Robert Olguin
Rob graduated from theatre at TWU, apprenticed with PT then grabbed an MFA at the University of Washington, one of North America's top theatre training programs. This show marks the inaugural production of Glass City Theatre, PT's company-in-residence this season: watch for their Last Days Of Judas Iscariot next spring, by Last Days Of Judas Iscariot playwright Stephen Adley Giurgis
Think of the worst commercial you've ever seen. Now think of the poor jerk who had to be in it. He didn't want to be there, but he's got a wife, a baby, a mortgage, and believe it or not, talent.
"Painfully hilarious. By turns Rob Olguin gives belly laughs and cringingly honest accounts of his version of the Human Condition." Mark Jenkins, The Actor's Studio
WHERE: Pacific Theatre
WHEN: Th9@9pm, F10@9, Sa11@5 & 11, Tu14@9, W15@11, Th16@5, F17@5, Sa18@7

MIRACLE IN RWANDA
written and performed by Leslie Lewis Sword
This show was put forward to us by PT regular Kerry Vander Griend (who directs Miracle) as "a perfect fit" for PT. It is. After performing the show internationally, Leslie has relocated to Vancouver, and we're proud to introduce her to Vancouver audiences.
Recommended, Marsha Lederman, Globe & Mail
For 91 days, Immaculee hid in a bathroom from machete-wielding killers. Twelve years later she returns the the tiny room that saved her life.
"A genuine inspiration. Sword's one-woman performance makes riveting theatre." The Village Voice
WHERE: Pacific Theatre
WHEN: Th9@5/11 , F10@4:30, W15@9, Th16@7, F17@9, Sa18@1/5/11

DIRT
by Robert Schneider, performed by Christopher Domig
Ron met Chris at an arts conference at Schloss Mittersill in Austria several years back. Since then, an MFA at Southern Methodist University (another of America's top acting programs, Craig Erickson's an alum), then "Best Actor" Award in the New York Fringe Festival for this extraordinary little show...
An illegal Iraqi immigrant sells roses on the street to people who won't meet his eye. "My name is Sad. Actually, Saddam. A first name, just like Adolf or Jesus."
Check out this terrific feature article in the Globe & Mail

WHERE: Pacific Theatre
WHEN: Th9@7, F10@7, Sa11@3/9, Tu14@7, W15@5, F17@11, Sa18@9

AND ELSEWHERE...

ESCAPE ARTISTS I
Written by Kathy Parsons (PT literary manager)
Featuring Kaitlin Williams and Joel Stephanson (PT apprentices 2009-2010: Wardrobe, I Was Meant For The Stage, Godspell)
Everyone wants to escape something and everyone uses different ways to do it. Come see a bride try to skip out of her wedding ceremony, a man day dream about the promised land while he irons and a woman with her favourite form of escape – a romance novel. As an audience member, you will also get an opportunity to put in your two cents...
"The show’s mostly comedy and we’ll be taking theatre to new heights. A fire escape."
One of "Five shows we really like out of the 600 at the Fringe" - Vancouver Province
*

WHERE: Granville Island, Corner of Johnston and Old Bridge Street
WHEN: Th9@5:30, F10@6:30, Sa11@1:30/3:30/5:30, Su12@2:30/4:30/6:30
M13@6:15, Tu15@6:15, W15@5:15, Th16@5:15, F17@5:15, Sa18@12/2/4/6, Su19@1/3/5

THE MALTESE BODKIN
Featuring Kerri Norris (You Can't Take It With You, Refuge Of Lies, Bright Particular Star)
Times were tough for hard boiled detective Birnam Wood. He never asked to be in London. Especially in 1605. When Wood's Partner is killed, he has to find the killer amongst a cast of suspects that includes Richard III, Falstaff, Iago, Mercutio and a merchant from Venice. The worlds of film noir and Shakespeare collide in this "who hath done it".
WHERE: Waterfront Theatre
WHEN: F10@6:40, Sa11@2:45, Su12@4, M13@9:35, F17@10:45, Su19@7:35

DEADLEY
Playwright, Cast: Shauna Johannesen
Shauna's not yet known to our Pacific Theatre audiences - but we bet that'll change. For now, here's a taste of her work both as writer and performer.
It's a story about about fish. About fear. About life, death, love, and spiderwebs. But mostly, it's a story about stories, and how we seek, create, and find ourselves in them.
“Deadley” weaves myth, musical ditties, and a ficus into a comic patchwork love story. Early on, Sam comes to terms with his grandfather's corpse, while Amy watches meaning flush down the toilet with her goldfish Charlie. Between zombie folk songs, the harrowing tale of a spider and fly, and the Intergalactic Bank of Karma, Sam and Amy dance a bizarre, delicate tango from loss to…somethingness.
WHERE: Firehall
WHEN: Th9@9, F10@11, Sa11@7, M13@5, T14@7, Th16@9, F17@6, Sa18@7, Su19@5

The Fringe at PT - Opening Night with Ron Reed

Gang,

The Vancouver Fringe Festival is about to open, and I've got an idea. Want to join me for opening night at PT? Thursday, September 9. We'll see three of the four one-person-shows I've hand-picked for our stage during the Fringe. Each show is about an hour, with about an hour between each to talk together in the lobby about the plays, and perhaps even be joined by the performers.

MIRACLE IN RWANDA - 5pm
The remarkable, inspiring story of a woman who survived the Rwanda genocide. PT regular Kerry Vandergriend championed this one, an internationally acclaimed piece by actress Leslie Lewis Sword, who moved to Vancouver about a year ago. The show repeats at 11pm if the 5:00 show is too early for you to catch.

DIRT - 7pm
I met Chris Domig at Schloss Mitterill in Austria about five years ago when I let an arts conference there. Since then he's earned his MFA from SMU (same program that Craig Erickson graduated from), moved to NYC and won Best Actor accolades for his performance of DIRT in the 2008 NY Fringe. Expect an extraordinary performance: I hear there are one or two other actors in New York.

STRETCH DOG - 9pm
Rob Olguin is a TWU theatre grad who apprenticed at PT before getting an MFA at U of Washington, one of North America's premiere training programs. This largely comic piece is in fact the inaugural production of his Glass City Theatre, the company-in-residence at Pacific Theatre this season. (Watch for their production next spring of Jesus Hopped The A Train by Last Days Of Judas Iscariot author Stephen Adly Giurgis.)

The one show we won't be able to see Thursday is Giovanni Mocibob's performance of CONFESSIONS OF A PAPERBOY, which opens Friday at 11pm - a guaranteed PT crowd favourite, I'm not kidding. (Unfortunately I'll be out of town Friday, which is why we're doing this Fringe Opening thing Thursday.)

All four shows continue through to the end of the Fringe, Sep 19.

Here's a link to a bit more on each of the shows. I'll follow this up with an email about other PT folks with Fringe shows - ESCAPE ARTISTS I, THE MALTSE BODKIN, and DEADLEY - but wanted to let you know about the Thursday shindig in time for you to include it in your plans.

By the way, you order tickets through The Fringe Festival, not through the PT box office. Though I'm pretty sure there'll be tickets available at the door.

See you then!

-Ron

dirt | pacific theatre fringe | globe & mail

Join me Thursday night (Sep 9) for the launch of the Fringe at Pacific Theatre - three of the four one-person-shows PT invited onto our stage for the run of the Fringe. MIRACLE IN RWANDA at 5, STRETCH DOG at 7, DIRT at 9, and then MIRACLE IN RWANDA again at 11. One-hour shows, in between we'll hang out in the lobby, talk about what we've seen, maybe meet the actors and directors. Buy your tickets at the door, or in advance from the Fringe (not the PT box office). More details on our Fringe offerings here.


Getting caught in the sad tale of Sad
Marsha Lederman, Globe and Mail

Dirt begins with a sly surprise: a first act that comes and goes before the audience realizes the theatre has even begun. It is a bit of theatricality meant to bring the audience into the show without knowing it so that the tale they are about to hear has more resonance: To make them players, even culprits, in the sad tale of Sad.

Sad is an illegal immigrant from Iraq who sells roses on the street. He is lonely. Money is scarce. His roommate has defaulted on the electricity bill. The people to whom Sad tries to sell his roses treat him with utter disdain. And their disgust has had an impact on Sad: He feels intense hatred not just for his potential customers, but for himself.

Dirt was first performed in the United States in 2003 in an academic setting, and has been performed publicly since 2007 in New York and Europe. It will have its Canadian premiere at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival on Sept. 9, and will mark its 100th performance on Sept. 11.

As much as the one-man play feels like a post-9/11 tale, it was in fact written by Austrian novelist Robert Schneider in the early 1990s, a reaction to the first Gulf War.

“It’s uncanny how relevant it is,” says the play’s star Christopher Domig, who was responsible for bringing it to the English-language stage. “When I tell people it was written almost 20 years ago, they just don’t believe me.”

Domig, 29, is an Austrian-American who grew up in Salzburg speaking English at home and German at school. Today he has no detectable accent; in English, he sounds like a native New Yorker.

He read Dirt in high school, in its original German. “What struck me is this ambivalence and this tension between loving a culture and hating it, between loving your home country and critiquing it.”

In 2003, Domig was studying theatre in the U.S. and looking for a solo project to perform for his undergraduate thesis when he remembered Dirt. “What made those memories surface was that in ’03, we were already well into the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the whole question of what is Islam, what does it mean to be Muslim, what does it mean to be a foreigner ... were hot-button topics.”

Domig found an English translation, but learned that it had never been performed. His project earned him an A.

When he moved to New York in 2006, he quickly learned how difficult it was to get work as an actor. He felt he could only thrive with a project of his own.

Dirt was the natural choice. “We’re still at war and this play’s still relevant and I really should do a proper run of it,” he thought. He sent out 65 queries to producers and artistic directors. He received one response: a polite rejection.

Discouraged, he sought out Schneider, who met with Domig and offered his blessing. “He was immediately encouraging and said I think you should do it. ... It was a bit strange because I thought this guy hasn’t seen me act. How does he know that he wants me to do the English [language] premiere of his play? I might totally screw it up.”

He didn’t. Domig staged Dirt at the 2007 New York Fringe Festival (which is semi-curated). It was a hit.

Since then, Domig has mounted the show off-Broadway, in London, Berlin and Vienna – in English. The guy who couldn’t get a decent part has received some glowing reviews and landed roles in independent films. He’s now talking to Schneider about adapting Dirt for film.

Its relevance persists. Witness Arizona’s attempt to enact an anti-immigration law. “What pains me most,” says Domig, “is that if you live in Arizona and you do not know an illegal immigrant and haven’t spent the time to get to know them ... you will probably think in a much more clichéd way about the issue. All it takes is to know one person’s story.”

Dirt is at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival Sept. 9-18

escape artists | fringe | joel stephanson, kaitlin williams, kathy parsons

Kaitlin Williams
in Kathy Parsons' play "Escape Artists I"
front page, The Courier

Reasons to Subscribe

There are plenty of reasons to subscribe to ANY arts organization that you are a fan of - here's just a few reasons why you might want to subscribe to Pacific Theatre's 2010-2011 season. Keep in mind that if you subscribe before September 7th you'll get our early bird discount! Check out our subscription order info here.

Support for us

When you subscribe to a season at Pacific Theatre, whether you get our 4-show Sampler Pass or all out with an Everything Pass, you are making a clear statement of support for the theatre in two ways.

The first is financial: with every subscription our financial picture for the year gets a little more clear. The money from you subscription goes directly to pay for things like building materials for sets and costumes - things that need to be paid for before the show opens and the rest of the ticket sales role in.

The second way you support us is a little less tangible: when you subscribe you are literally buying into our season in advance. You are showing in no uncertain terms that you find value in the work that we do and want to make sure it continues, and that, my friends, is priceless.

Benefits for you

Buying a subscription is not just an act of charitable support for the theatre! You get some great benefits as a subscriber that others only dream about. A few of these benefits include:

• The right to exchange your tickets as much as you like without paying a cent in exchange fees, so long as you give us 24 hours notice (single ticket purchasers pay $4 per ticket for an exchange)
• First grab at seats - our subscribers pick where they want to sit first
• Huge savings on your ticket purchases
• Free admission to our Stone's Throw and Apprentice Showcases

Don't miss a show

How many times have you had the best intentions to get out and see a show and then suddenly realized that it passed you by? It's easy to get busy and forget to book tickets until it's too late, and then you're left hearing about how great the show was from all your friends. When you subscribe you are pre-booked in - no risk of missing a show because it's already in your calendar!

Great programming!

Okay, this is the part where I flog all the great upcoming PT shows. You can also get a sneak peak to our season here.

THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED - September 24-October 16
When a widowed Episcopal minister hires an agnostic gay man as her scholarly assistant she may have found the missing link in an estranged relationship with her son. Produced by one2theatre.

PLAYLAND - November 4-27
New Years Eve, 1989. Two South Africans, a black security guard and a white soldier, meet at a traveling amusement park.

CHRISTMAS ON THE AIR - December 9-January 1
On-air magic and off-stage romance combine in Philomena and Percival B. Frank's annual Christmas radio show - comfy as a cup of mulled cider. Produced by Midnight Theatre Collective.

MY NAME IS ASHER LEV - January 27-February 26
A poignant coming of age story of a young Jewish prodigy is forced to decide between his love for God and his desperate need to make art.

JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN - March 10-April 2
Rikers Island. Two men sit in solitary confinement. One a serial killer, the other accused of a murder he doesn't think was a crime. An uncompromising drama about contrition and hypocrisy. Produced by Glass City Theatre

JAKE'S GIFT - April 6-16
When a crusty, down-on-his-luck WW2 veteran reluctantly visits Juno Beach, he encounters a precocious ten-year-old who challenges him to confront some long-ignored ghosts.

THE GREAT DIVORCE - May 19-June 18
A theologically dazzling journey studded with memorable characters and images of human folly and sublime hope that will forever change the way you see eternity.

Second Stage Events
CHRISTMAS PRESENCE
December 14, 19&20 at PT
December 17 on the North Shore
December 18 in the Valley

SIDE SHOW
April 29&30

MUSIC @ PT - THE CLASSICS
January 8
June 25

Vancouver Fringe Festival
September 8-18
CONFESSIONS OF A PAPERBOY by Doug Curtis
DIRT by Robert Schneider
MIRACLE IN RWANDA by Leslie Lewis Sword
STRETCH DOG by Robert Olguin
(NB: Tickets to all Fringe shows can only be purchased through the Fringe office or on their website.)

Set and Prop Pieces Needed

Our good friends at one2theatre are guest-producing the first show in our season: THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED by Keith Bunin, and they are on the hunt for set and prop pieces. So if your desk or ottoman are feeling a little under-appreciated, it may be time that you let it shine on our stage!

Here's the wish list:

-a stuffed reading chair (in a dark colour pref.)
-desk lamp (like a piano light maybe)
-floor lamp
-area rug
-large, old looking wooden table
-wooden desk
-wooden desk chair w/swivel and wheels
-couple wood chairs
-ottoman (to go with reading chair possibly)
-Bibles, Bibles, Bibles (old, new, and in any language)

-old hymnals, books of alternative services

Please email one2theatre@gmail.com if you've got anything to offer!

Aug 25-28 | HELD OVER! Robin Hood | Joel Stephanson, Julia Church, Kaitlin Williams, Kyla Ferrier

HELD OVER! AUGUST 25-28! Note that Ruth Buzzi will replace Lily Tomlin on Friday and Saturday night....

Spot Dan Rowan, Lily Tomlin and Pamela Austin in this band of merry (wo)men...


ITSAZOO Productions presents...
ROBIN HOOD — A Promenade Play

Aug 4-7, 10-14, 17-19, 25-28 @ 7:00pm
Aug 4 | Pay-What-You-Can Preview August 4
WHERE: Queen Elizabeth Park—Meet at the entrance to the Bloedel Conservatory. [MAP]

After 6 summers of critically acclaimed sold out productions (Grimm Tales, The Road to Canterbury, Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Nights’ Dream) ITSAZOO returns to the great outdoors with an irreverent modern adaptation of Robin Hood. Performed promenade-style, Robin Hood is a social/political satire inspired and influenced by everything from Bread and Puppet Theatre and Bertolt Brecht to South Park and The Colbert Report. Our story follows a group of social activists who live and work amongst the transients of a tent city located in an urban park. The need for social programs is at an all time high however the government has allocated all its resources to a commerce driven sporting event. So the activists take matters into their own hands. In this promenade play the audience literally follows the merry men as they ‘Steal from the Rich to give to the Poor’ Cast includes members of Pacific Theatre's GODSPELL: Kaitlin Williams, Joel Stephanson, Julia Church, and (replacing Julia on Friday Aug 27 and Saturday Aug 28) Kyla Ferrier.

TICKETS: $13 & $17 plus HST.
Tickets can only be purchased in person from the Bloedel Conservatory.
Bloedel Hours: 9am-8pm Monday to Friday & 10am-9pm Sat/Sun
Call 778-888-2435 or email ITSAZOO (itsazoogm@gmail.com) for more information.

aug 25-28 | danny & the deep blue sea | jason goode

Jason Goode is well known around Pacific Theatre, including appearances on our stage - maybe you saw him opposite Becky Branscom in TWIGS a year and some ago? He's a film-maker - he made POP SWITCH with Lucia Frangione and Michael Kopsa, and HITCH HIKER with Kathy Parsons and Gina Chiarelli - as well as, in the present instance, a stage director...

PT at the Fringe

This September, our familiar space at 12th and Hemlock is host to four remarkable one-person shows with a distinct Pacific Theatre flavour. Here's a sneak peek at what we're bringing to the Vancouver International Fringe Festival.

CONFESSIONS OF A PAPERBOY

by Doug Curtis, performed by Giovanni Mocibob

A young Christopher Columbus (no, not that one) has it on good authority he should become a paper boy - God told him to. So what's so important about delivering papers?

"Overflows with a beguiling mix of wit, humour, and intelligence. It's mesmerizing." -Calgary Sun

DIRT by Robert Schneider, performed by Christopher Domig

An illegal Iraqi immigrant sells roses on the street to people who won't meet his eye.

"My name is Sad. Actually, Saddam. A first name, just like Adolf or Jesus."

MIRACLE IN RWANDA

written and performed by Leslie Lewis Sword

For 91 days, Immaculee hid in a bathroom from machete-wielding killers. Twelve years later she returns the the tiny room that saved her life.

"A genuine inspiration. Sword's one-woman performance makes riveting theatre." -The Village Voice

STRETCH DOG

written and performed by Robert Olguin

Glass City Theatre

Think of the worst commercial you've ever seen. Now think of the poor jerk who had to be in it. He didn't want to be there, but he's got a wife, a baby, a mortgage, and believe it or not, talent.

"Painfully hilarious. By turns Rob Olguin gives belly laughs and cringingly honest accounts of his version of the Human Condition." -Mark Jenkins, The Actor's Studio

Season Preview: Busy World is Hushed

This season we're playing host to a swath of guest production companies from our community. Our season opens with Adam Bergquist's (former apprentice, remember him from A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS?) company one2theatre producing THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED by Keith Bunin.

Set in the library of an intellectual New York theologian, three individuals with widely differing backgrounds are searching for an answer to their own loneliness and a safe place to land. Brant is a 30-year-old gay man (Adam Bergquist) living alone and losing his father to a terminal illness. A writer by trade, Brant applies for a job with a widowed Episcopalian Priest named Hannah (Jessie Award winner Gina Chiarelli) to assist in translating an ancient gospel. When her son (Sebastian Kroon) bursts in from a game he plays with himself called “get lost” in order to test his survival skills, both Brant and Hannah begin looking for ways to entice him to stay. With intellectual fire each character brings their own opinions and biases to the floor, but finding a common ground might be near impossible. God, family, religion and sexuality are all grappled with and fought over. But there are no easy answers as everyone searches for a safe place to land and peace at the last.

September 23-October 16 at Pacific Theatre

Directed by Richard Wolfe

sep 9-19 | fringe | escape artists | kathy parsons, kaitlin williams, joel stephanson

A note from Pacific Theatre's Literary Manager (and dramaturg) Kathy Parsons on a show she's written for the Fringe Festival, starring Joel Stephanson and Kaitlin Williams, who just finished their apprenticeship at PT.

Hi!
I'm writing to let you know that I am writing and directing a play for the Vancouver Fringe this year. It opens in three weeks!
My show is called Escape Artists I.
It is a collage of several theatre pieces performed on the Fire Escape on Granville Island and I use two very good actors I met through Pacific Theatre. (Joel Stephanson, Kaitlin Williams)

An audience of 15 people at a time climb up the fire escape to view the show (the fire escape has a plexi-glass roof so we can perform even in rain - yes, it does sometimes rain in Vancouver...) The show is 30 minutes long and runs every day of the festival (Sept 9-19th.) Escape Artists I is on once every evening and 3 times on Saturdays and Sundays.

A friend, Martin Gover (another playwright) is doing Escape Artists II and our shows alternate. His play is mostly drama - mine is mostly comedy. You can go on our website and see info, photos and times and dates.

There are a gazillion plays at the Fringe so if you come you can take in more than my show!
To see any plays at the fringe you will have to buy a fringe membership which costs $5. You keep this with you and it is shown at every play you go to - the money from that supports the fringe.
The tickets for the plays are $10 Monday thru Thursday and $12 for Friday thru Sunday and the money from the shows goes to the artists putting on that particular play.
Tickets can be bought in advance (they will add $2 extra per ticket if you do this).
To buy tickets in advance you go through the Fringe.
To buy them at the show our ticket tent is on the corner of Old Bridge and Johnston St. on Granville Island and will be open one hour before the show begins.
Memberships can be bought at the door of any show.

If you don't buy tickets in advance then I recommend coming in the earlier part of the run because things often sell out nearer the end - esp. if they are popular and you might not get a seat.

The Fringe website

that's all for now - there's sure to be more info from me coming your way in the next 3 weeks.
Hope you can come!
thanks,
Kathy

Thursday Sept. 9 5:30pm
Friday Sept. 10 6:30pm

Saturday Sept. 11 1:30pm 3:30pm 5:30pm
Sunday Sept. 12 2:30pm 4:30pm 6:30pm

Monday Sept. 13 6:15pm
Tuesday Sept. 14 6:15pm
Wednesday Sept. 15 5:15pm
Thursday Sept. 16 5:15pm
Friday Sept. 17 5:15pm

Saturday Sept. 18 12:00pm 2:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm
Sunday Sept. 19 1:00pm 3:00pm 5:00pm

Escape Artists will be performed at

Location 43

aug 24 | pacifica singers audtions

Dear Friends and Colleagues;

The upcoming date for Pacifica Singers auditions is now confirmed: the evening of Tuesday, August 24, 2010. An alternate date will be scheduled for singers who cannot attend on the 24th. Many thanks to those of you who have already referred singers!

If you know of any excellent choral musicians who will be looking for a choir to sing with in the Vancouver area next season, please encourage them to contact me. I include some information below, suitable for forwarding, and would be happy to answer any further questions you may have.

All best wishes,

John
--
Dr. John William Trotter
www.johnwilliamtrotter.com
Assistant Conductor, Vancouver Chamber Choir
www.vancouverchamberchoir.com


The Pacifica Singers are a select ensemble of 16-18 voices led by award-winning conductor John William Trotter, Assistant Conductor of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. The ensemble was established in 2009 to provide a performance venue for experienced and motivated choral singers whose goal is to make music at a very high level. In providing direct exposure to the world of professional music making, it offers an experience of exceptional value for singers intending to make music their career. Current members are drawn from throughout the Lower Mainland region, with many also serving as conductors, music educators, and/or professional singers in their communities.

The Pacifica Singers will perform in four concerts with the Vancouver Chamber Choir in the course of the 2010-2011 season, in addition to one independent production. Repertoire will include masterpieces by Vivaldi, Fauré, Schubert, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and others.

Auditions will be held on the evening of Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at 1254 West 7th Avenue (Hodson Manor) in Vancouver. An alternate date will be scheduled for singers who cannot attend.

Regular Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings beginning in September, with additional dress rehearsals as required.

For more information, or to schedule an audition time, email John William Trotter at jwt@vancouverchamberchoir.com

aug 21 | timothy clayton

found wanting | betty spackman

My friend Betty Spackman has created an installation art piece that will be shown in the Okanagan this fall, and in the Lower Mainland in the new year. Earlier this year, I visited her studio in Fort Langley and took some photos. Now there's a short video piece about the work.

aug 2 | jeremy tow benefit | chemainus

On Monday, August 2nd, a group of wonderful artists have stepped forward to volunteer their time to hold a benefit for Jeremy Tow and his family at the Chemainus Theatre Festival. It will be a wonderful evening of songs and readings to raise support for Jeremy in the battle that he is now experiencing with cancer. As you know, Jeremy served as Artistic Director for the Chemainus Theatre from 1999 to 2009 before taking the role
of Artistic Director with Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops.

If you would like more information about his battle & condition a public page titled 'Prayer Vigil for Jeremy' has been set up on Facebook.

I invite you to join us on August 2nd to show your support and love for an individual that has touched & inspired so many through his theatrical talents and quite simply, through life. Please click on the reserve now button to book seats. I look forward to seeing you at this special benefit performance

Randy Huber,
Managing Director, Chemainus Theatre

Reserve Your Tickets Online

or call the Chemainus Theatre Box Office, 250-246-9820 or 1-800-565-7738

jackie faulkner | no sex please, we're british

Jackie Faulkner's an actress (and choreographer - remember the Queen number in I WAS MEANT FOR THE STAGE?) who's around PT a lot, a TWU grad. Here's her latest show!


Royal City Theatre Company
No Sex Please, We're British

White Rock's Coast Capital Playhouse, Jul 29 - Aug 1
Waterfront Theatre, Aug 3-28
Evergreen Arts Centre, Sep 21-26

Tickets & Showtimes

"No Sex, Please is a typical British farce, with a very thin plot that follows the desperate efforts of a young married couple (Jarrod Terrell and Becky Hachey) and their nerdy bank-clerk friend (Sam Gordon) to dispose of unsolicited pornography. Keeping it away from his nosey mother (Wendy Bollard), the pompous bank manager (Douglas Newell) and the visiting police inspector (Adrian Hughes) is bad enough, but when the good-time girls (Nicole Smashnuk and Jackie Faulkner) show up, the silliness slides into sheer hilarity. Alan Cedargreen portrays the hapless visiting bank inspector, Mr. Needham. This talented cast handles the physical comedy very well, and makes the most of this farce." Surrey Now

so you think you can sing?

The Pacifica Singers are a select ensemble of 16-18 voices led by award-winning conductor John William Trotter, Assistant Conductor of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. The ensemble was established in 2009 to provide a performance venue for experienced and motivated choral singers whose goal is to make music at a very high level. In providing direct exposure to the world of professional music making, it offers an experience of exceptional value for singers intending to make music their career. Current members are drawn from throughout the Lower Mainland region, with many also serving as conductors, music educators, and/or professional singers in their communities.

The Pacifica Singers will perform in four concerts with the Vancouver Chamber Choir in the course of the 2010-2011 season, in addition to one independent production. Repertoire will include masterpieces by Vivaldi, Fauré, Schubert, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and others.

Auditions will be held on selected dates in August 2010. Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings beginning in September, with additional dress rehearsals as required.

For more information, or to schedule an audition time, email John William Trotter at jwt@vancouverchamberchoir.com

zach christ, superstar

. . .

excerpted from The New Yorker, July 26, 2010

refuge of lies in outer space

David Nykl as Zelenka

in Stargate: Atlantis

Jul 23 | Karyn Guenther | Roots Among the Rocks

If you've seen a TWU show in the past couple years, you've noticed Karyn Guenther, a real presence onstage. This summer she's been on the road, from one end of Canada to the other, making theatre. Here's what she writes...

Roots Among the Rocks (the touring show I'm in this summer) is coming to Vancouver on Friday, July 23 and I would love for you all to come our show. For those of you who don't know what this project is, I will explain.

5 actors and 2 directors went out and interviewed around 70 people from all walks of life. The youngest person was 9 years old and the oldest person was 92, and everything in between. We asked them about God, faith experiences, stories from their lives and anything else they were willing to tell us.

On May 4th we met for the first time as a company and shared stories, ideas, thoughts and began our creative process. We wrote, explored, and played for a month and then we were off on the road with a show.

I am so very excited to share this work and I would be so happy to see you there.

Roots Among the Rocks
Friday, July 23 | 7:30 pm

Christ Church Cathedral
690 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 2L1
604 682-3848

Tickets: $5 for youth and $10 for adults. We think anyone age 12 and over will enjoy it.

Roots Among the Rocks seeks to share stories from the people who make up the church in Canada. Based on interviews with Christians from coast to coast, the show brings the Body of Christ home to itself, and asks the question: Who is Church? Characters tell their stories around a kitchen table, friends whisper is church pews, some choose to leave and others choose to stay. Music, poetry, dance and drama combine to explore just what it is that brings us together. Journeying through the themes of Sunday Morning, Identity Crisis, Resilience and Grace, Confession and Absolution, and Finding Home, come hear the stories and meet the characters that make up the church we call home.

Warning: Roots Among the Rocks is a show written for the whole church. In it, the cast confronts issues of identity, community, trust, and forgiveness. It does not contain: violence, swearing, nudity, smoke effects, reality TV hosts, strobe lighting, an obligatory kiss scene, or robots. It does contain: confession, dance, poetry, drug addiction, humour, cancer, biblical stories, St. Augustine, an irreverent tribute to Sunday morning worship, human sexuality, rocks, prayers, hopes, dreams and rap.

Our play does not have a linear plot. It is a series of moments, connected through prayer, music and movement. There are two major components to our show: monologues, based on interviews, and scenes, based on big questions we want to ask of the church.

jul 15-17 | The Last 5 Years| PT apprentice project

For those of you who have been following the blog or the PT season this year, you've probably gotten to know Shalyn McFaul. One of our apprentices, she worked the box office and front of house for the season, helped paint and rebuild the theatre for THE PASSION PROJECT, assistant stage-managed REFUGE OF LIES, and starred as Eileen Brennan in the just-closed GODSPELL. Well, apparently that wasn't enough work for her, because now she's producing and starring in THE LAST 5 YEARS July 15-17 with a pay-what-you-can preview July 14th.

An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The show's unconventional structure consists of Cathy, the woman, telling her story backwards while Jamie, the man, tells his story chronologically; the two characters only meet once, at their wedding in the middle of the show. JRB won Drama Desk Awards for the music and the lyrics after the Off-Broadway premiere in 2002 starring Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott.

The Last 5 Years

Starring Shalyn McFaul and Joshua McFaul

July 15-17 (preview July 14) at 8pm

Pacific Theatre

Tickets $15

Buy at 604.731.5518 - or on our website.

jul 21-25 | frank nickel | The 4H Club

PT's own Frank Nickel is a core member of Genus, and he can be seen onstage in this next crazy Genus offering...


The Apocalypse or Bust!

Vancouver, BC – Genus Theatre invites its faithful following to take a shockingly comedic trip back through the past century as it premieres its latest production, Frano Marsic’s The 4H Club, at the Neanderthal Arts festival this July. A brazenly comedic look at the follies of the newest Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the story spans the past century as the dysfunctional quartet of Death (Alex McMorran), Famine (Frano Marsic), Pestilence (Jordan Bodiguel), and War (Kelly Sheridan) barge their way through history. Desperate to rehabilitate their image and successfully bring about the end of the world, the foursome face their biggest challenge yet: each other. The pace is fast and the scope is grand, but the focus is wonderfully and pettily personal, as the 4H Club’s headstrong desires and very human weaknesses inexorably bring humanity closer to the end of the road.

In 2006 a Genus team comprised of Kristian Ayre, Jordan Bodiguel, Frano Marsic, Aidan Maxted, Frank Nickel, and Kelly Sheridan participated in Show Off – Theatre Under the Gun, a 48 theatre festival in which companies are given a prop, a line of text, an image and a sound clip that inspires the creation of a 10-15 minute piece. That process resulted in the first incarnation of this work. The production won an audience choice award and was held over at Performance Works on Granville Island. In 2009, The 4H Club was resurrected and featured in a Best of Theatre Under the Gun anniversary festival. Frano Marsic has based this evolution of The 4H Club on that original creation.

Since 2003, Genus Theatre Company has been presenting original, groundbreaking productions that have incorporated both live theatre and integrated film/media elements. The company has developed a reputation for producing carefully constructed works that are both accessible and provocative. As The 4H Club’s director Heather Doersksen relates: "Genus Theatre has always towed the line between 'dark', and 'comedy', and The 4H Club is no different. I love smart, witty writing, and I love playwrights that don't do what they're 'supposed' to do. That's what attracted me to this play. Here, we explore the inner workings of the four horsemen of the apocalypse while they try their darndest to successfully bring about the end of the world with a deadline of one hundred years. All this, while trying to deal with their own intimate relationships in a very human way. With 14 people in the cast, and different actors playing multiple roles, it's a fast paced jaunt through the last 100 years of our world. I think audiences will laugh and gasp and hold on for the ride."

The 4H Club, a 65 minute show, premieres at the Vancouver East Cultural Center (The Cultch) on the historic stage this July 21, as part of the inaugural Neanderthal Arts Festival. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the door or in advance online, or by calling the Cultch box office at 604.251.1363.

The Cultch Historic Stage – 1895 Venables Street, Vancouver

Wed July 21, 9:30
Thu July 22, 7:00
Fri July 23, 9:30
Sat July 24, 7:00
Sun July 25, 4:30

genustheatre@gmail.com | 604.338.3194

july | gallery 7 | theatre camps

Cool theatre stuff at Gallery 7 in Abbotsford this month. The first session has already begun, but if I've got it right, there are new ones starting up throughout the month. By the way, the original email included a billion links, but I'll just give you one: HERE is their website, you should be able to find what you need there...



Gallery 7 Theatre & Performing Arts Society presents
Summer Drama Blast 2010
July 5 – 23, 2010

Theatre camps for kids and teens ages 6 – 18.

Age-specific generalized camps for kids ages 6 – 13. Topic specific camps including Performance Intensive, Playwriting and Directing.

MEI School Campus
4081 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford.

Summer Drama Blast is an exciting and interactive drama program for children and youth ages 6 - 18. This camp-style program is designed with the whole person in mind and endeavours to help the young budding artist establish strong foundations for a life-long enjoyment of the arts in an environment that is supportive, affirming and encouraging.

Camps are lead by qualified, trained and experienced instructors dedicated to creating a fun and interactive learning experience where the total individual is considered and respected. The focus of Summer Drama Blast is on process rather than the final product, giving children the opportunity to explore the dramatic arts in a non-pressured and fun environment.

And of course, Summer Drama Blast is about fun, fun, fun, making it a not-to-be missed annual summer activity!

Space still available for all camps!

Age Specific Camps

· Creative Explosions - Ages 6 & 7
· Dramatic Rumblings - Ages 8 & 9
· Stage Eruptions - Ages 10 & 11
· Dynamite Playmakers - Ages 12 & 13

Teen Camps

· Performance Blast – Ages 14 – 18
· Playwright’s Circle – Ages 14 – 18
· Director’s Circle – Ages 14 - 18

TEEN CAMP HIGHLIGHTS:

Playwright’s Circle
with Vancouver playwright, Lucia Frangione
July 12 – 19, 2010
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $150/person
Explore how to write a play with award-winning and published Vancouver playwright, Lucia Frangione. This is a very unique and rare opportunity to learn how to write a play from a professional playwright. Explore how to brainstorm, pre-write, develop characters, write dialogue, prepare a script for performance and much more. As part of the camp, teens will have the hands-on opportunity to develop an original short scene to be read on the final day for family and friends.

Director’s Circle
With award-winning professional director, Angela Konrad
July 19 – 23, 2010
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $150/teen
Another rare opportunity for teens to work with a living, breathing, and experienced professional theatre director. Get into the director's chair with this unique camp on how to direct a play. Teens will explore all areas of the job from research to casting to rehearsals to working with actors and designers. Lead by a professional director, this camp will use a short play as a foundation for hands-on practical experience.

Take both camps for just $250! Call 604-504-5940 to register.

2010-2011 at PT

I can't believe how quickly the time flies. It was only a year ago I was writing my first blog post for Soul Food, introducing myself as the newest employee at Pacific Theatre - the publicist. Now I am so thrilled to be announcing our next exciting season! Throughout the summer I'll do a few posts on the individual shows and our second stage and Fringe events, but here's a quick overview of our mainstage season. Subscriptions are available - just visit our website for more info or give us a call at 604.731.5483!

THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED by Keith Bunin
September 24-October 16 (preview September 23)
a guest production by one2theatre
When a widowed Episcopal minister hires an agnostic gay man as her scholarly assistant, she may have found the missing link in an estranged relationship with her wayward son. Mixing sexual politics with spiritual contradictions, her motivations are called into question when secrets from the past begin to surface.
Directed by Richard Wolfe. Featuring Gina Chiarelli, Sebastien Kroon, and Adam Bergquist.
“Hearts and souls are tangled and torn, God is abused and praised, and the audience is left in a state of contemplation.” Theatredogs

PLAYLAND by Athol Fugard
November 5-27 (preview November 4)
New Years Eve, 1989. Two South Africans, a black security guard and a white soldier, meet at a travelling amusement park. A powerful exploration of guilt and damnation, truth and reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa.
Directed by Anthony F. Ingram. Featuring Tom Pickett and Michael Kopsa.
“Cathartic. Soul-cleansing.” British Theatre Guide

CHRISTMAS ON THE AIR by Lucia Frangione
December 10-January 1 (preview December 9)
a guest production by Midnight Theatre Collective
Journey back to the days when radio was king, as Philomena and Percival B. Frank present their annual Christmas show before a live studio audience. On-air magic and off-stage romance combine for a show as comfy as a cup of mulled cider and a plate of sugar cookies.
Directed by Ian Farthing. Featuring Damon Calderwood, Seana-Lee Wood, Lalainia Lindbjer, and Ben Elliott.
“Frangione’s merry little Christmas show overflows with the warmest sentiments of the holiday season.” Canoe.ca

MY NAME IS ASHER LEV adapted by Aaron Posner from the novel by Chaim Potok
January 28-February 26 (preview January 27)
When a young Jewish prodigy paints The Brooklyn Crucifixions, the reaction of his Orthodox community forces a terrible decision – between family and vocation, between his love for God and his desperate need to make art. Heartbreaking, triumphant.
Directed by Morris Ertman.
“A marvelous evening of theatre: intimate, sincere, magical.” Philadelphia City Paper

JESUS HOPPED THE “A” TRAIN by Stephen Adly Guirgis
March 11-April 2 (preview March 10)
a guest production by Glass City Theatre
Rikers Island. Two men sit in solitary confinement, 23 hours a day. Lucius Jenkins is a serial killer who awaits execution, Angel Cruz stands accused of a murder he doesn’t believe was a crime. Visceral, gritty, harrowing – an uncompromising drama about contradiction, contrition, and hypocrisy by the author of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.
Directed by Angela Konrad.
“Fire-breathing. A probing, intense portrait of lives behind bars, it has the courage of its intellectual restlessness.” New York Times

JAKE’S GIFT written and performed by Julia Mackey
April 6-16
Pacific Theatre presents a Juno Beach production
When a crusty, down-on-his-luck WW2 veteran reluctantly makes the trip to Juno Beach to honour his brother Chester, his encounter with a precocious ten-year-old challenges the old soldier to confront some long-ignored ghosts. The most charming, heart-warming, and laugh-out-loud-funny one-woman show you’ll ever see.
“The most theatrically pure show I have ever seen. A stunning performance.” CBC

THE GREAT DIVORCE adapted by George Drance & The Magis Theatre from the novel by C.S. Lewis
an Emerging Artist Showcase
Hell resembles nothing so much as a dreary industrial city in the north of England, its denizens free to leave whenever they like – aboard a bus bound for a heaven that’s like nothing you’ve ever imagined.
Directed by Scott D. Campbell. Featuring Philip Miguel, Evan Lendrum, Moriah Ophardt, and Bria Crouch.
“Narnia for adults! Beatific, bright-clad, incorruptible spirits are pitted against flawed, monochromatic ghosts. It’s not a fair fight.” Seattle Weekly

jul 1 - 29 | free concerts | regent college

I've been looking forward to the Regent Summer Concerts line-up, and here it is - organized by Jesus himself! Well, sort of: the series is curated this year by Tim Bratton, who played J.C. in our production of GODSPELL (which closes Saturday). All concerts in the Regent College atrium, unless weather permits it to move outside to the plaza on the north side of the school. Take in a free concert, and check out the current show in the Lookout Gallery while you're there...

Thursday July 1 – 12-1pm
Nelson Boschman Trio

Thursday July 8 – 12-1pm
Jeremy Eisenhauer & Sheree Plett

Thursday July 15 – 12-1pm
Fish & Bird

Tuesday July 20 – 12-1pm
Silk Road

Thursday July 22 – 12-1pm
Gypsalero

Thursday July 29 – 12-1pm
Murphy’s Lágh

aug 7 | chris humphreys | writing workshop

Not necessarily any particular Soul Food content here, but a fun Pacific Theatre tie-in. Chris played Henry VIII and Cromwell in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, and continues to help us out with fight coaching and such from time to time. If you're interested in writing this sort of fiction, I doubt there's anyone who'd be a better tutor!


WRITING THE ACTION ADVENTURE NOVEL:
A TWO DAY NUTS AND BOLTS WORKSHOP WITH BESTSELLING AUTHOR C.C. (CHRIS) HUMPHREYS -

August 7th and 8th 2010. 10 am - 5 pm

Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature
3696 West 8th Avenue
Vancouver BC

Join Chris Humphreys (Jack Absolute, The French Executioner, Vlad, The Fetch) for a weekend of writing the action-adventure novel.

His objective: to start you writing, keep you writing and set you on the road to finishing that novel you’ve always dreamed of.

Level: The weekend is aimed at all levels of writers - from those who want to just start writing to the author who seeks to dust off the cobwebs and explore some new techniques.

Format: Over two days, Chris will conduct four 3 hour linked workshops, tackling the essentials of action-adventure writing in a series of stages - from initial conception, through the turning of imagination into written words, all the way to pitching a publisher. There will be discussion, demonstration and exercises. (Click WORKSHOPS for more information)

Mission Statement:
“Most Creative Writing classes focus on literary fiction, short stories or the memoir. Yet most people read adventures and that’s what many aspiring writers dream of writing.
Having been one of those dreamers for years, over eleven novels I have worked out techniques to start and then keep me writing even when doubts attack. Ways to banish that destructive inner critic. Ways of forgetting about the summit and just start climbing the mountain one step at a time - till you find yourself standing at the top of a first draft going ‘Wow’!
I believe in simplifying, so that you tackle only what’s in front of you. In creating fascinating characters through action, by what they do and say, and how they react.
I can’t teach imagination. But I can teach how to get someone’s imagination down on paper.”

(Christianne’s Lyceum is a wonderful creative space of book groups and life-long learning run by one of Canada’s foremost childrens’ educators, Dr. Christianne Hayward. It is located in Vancouver’s lively Kitsalano, close to the beaches and with great cafes and restaurants within easy walking distance.)

WORKSHOP FEES: $500 + HST (12%) = $560.00.

PAYMENT: $100 deposit on booking. Balance one week before. (July 31st 2010)
Cheques payable to: Two Hats Creative Inc.

Two Hats Creative Inc.
2865 West 16th Avenue
Vancouver BC
V6K 3C5
(Canada)

Contact: cchumphreys@hotmail.co.uk