Calgary Fringe 2009

get out & see some theatre at the Calgary Fringe Fest

I'll be at Drunken Fu@ker....my pal Sean Bowie's one man show...

don't miss it! Sean's one of the Citizens of the WhimsyState

VOTE!

Canadian Comedy Awards 2009 - get your votes in before July 31st!

So You Think You Can Sing...

Earlier in the spring, Calgary Opera held it's first ever So You Think You Can Sing Opera contest. At first I think they thought a lot of the contestants would be "bathroom divas" (like me) who thought they could sing - turns out the contestants could ALL sing. very well!

As the host for the contest, I pitched the idea that I'd show the audience my "audition" tape. do a little comedic send-up. And it worked because I'm no opera singer - and the audience related to me just getting up there and having fun.

To tell you the truth, I've never sung this song outside my car. ever. until this taping. I've sung it about a zillion times IN the car on the way to gigs everywhere - but this is the biggest leap of faith I've ever taken. Period. You can hear the nerves. I was over the moon. I had the time of my life. Dream come true. and all the other cliches. Can you tell it was fun!? My thanks to talented Mel Kirby at the piano and to the amazing team at the Calgary Opera. You made my year.

Here it is. From Funny Girl - (tongue firmly planted in my cheek) here's my version of "I'm the Greatest Star". (oh and Bob McFee, General Director of Calgary Opera was my Mr. Arnstein in this edited web-version) Enjoy!

Spring has SPRUNG!

Having made it through the WhimsyState's first reading festival - Letters from the WhimsyState - we've all been laying low and breathing and enjoying a successful six nights of plays in development.  Thank you to all the actors and directors and writers who made this possible - http://thewhimsystate.ca  Watch for the Citizens of the WhimsyState at the High Performance Rodeo at One Yellow Rabbit in 2010.

Now what happens next? oh yes! SPRING!

• first things first - congrats to my cousins out in Saskatchewan - their baby boy arrived Friday - glad to hear all are healthy & home....baby Brody will indeed be a very loved fellow...
• first bonfire - please note the kids were singing the Sister Act song from the Lawrence Welk show skit on Saturday Night Live around our campfire...my how things have changed....
• first 3 hour bike ride on Sunday... yowza!  back in the saddle and all that...
• first pony wall on the 45-degree-lawn-to-the-alley backyard... thanks to DH
• first dreams of having a backyard theatre spoken outloud....imagine - movies, comedy shows, spoken word, skits. magicians - unlimited potential...just need to carve out an ampitheatre and move one little tree....and we're good to go!  see here 
• first time that I'll be heading to Ontario to celebrate the Kenora Mack's 25th Wedding Anniversary!  and more Mack's from Cloverdale, Kerrobert, Spiritwood, Superb, Red Deer, Edmonton and beyond!
• first time EVER to buy four, count 'em four, tickets to the UK - look out UK Mack's we're headed your way....
• First time to see The Piper at Vertigo - musical with my pals - like Ali Lynch, Eli Holt and Val Planche singing their hearts out - Downstage Theatre/Hit&Myth Production - great great reviews...
• First time to see Matadora with my pals Alice Nelson, Cheryl Hutton & Aaron Coates - directed by Trevor Rueger...a Trepan Theatre Production - get there fast - last week is this WEEK!
• First time that I get to see my pal Sean Bowie's solo show Drunken F***er.  Catch the remount this summer at the Calgary Fringe Festival
• First time that I get to see a more serious side of a friend of mine who's a comedian - June 7 - 13 at MOTEL.  I'm heading to see Tuesdays with Morrie - Donovan Deschner's hitting the boards in this popular play and Chris Hunt directed - portion of proceeds to the ALS Society - support local theatre.
• First 2010 gig already booked for February - if you're keen to have some fun at your next corporate event - convention, Christmas Party, retirement, etc. - contact Marcia Lane at brilliantmgt@shaw.ca or leave me a message here and I'll have her get in touch.
  

The Goose Queen of Kindersley takes a tiny step..

My solo show - The Goose Queen of Kindersley - will have it's first public reading on Thursday night.  Saturday I had a daylong workshop with Blake Brooker (director) and Karen Johnson-Diamond (actor/reader) - and there's much to be done. and I couldn't be happier. On Thursday my job for this point of the process/development is to make what I have clear for the audience.  

I wrote the first draft of this show in about eight hours a year and a bit ago at ATP's 24 hours playwriting contest - in fact, both plays that I've written have had their start in the wee hours of this contest. Seems like I like the notion of walking in a room, sitting in front of a computer and downloading all the words at once - and then spend years tweaking and in the case of the Goose Queen -workshopping and re-writing and re-writing some more.  It's about fame and fear and balance. and me. 

I feel blessed to have met up with the Citizens of the WhimsyState - they've been instrumental in getting this show this far by now - they're encouraging, supportive and overall brilliant. 

I'm thrilled that The Goose Queen is part of our inaugural reading festival "Letters from the WhimsyState". Three readings left to be heard (Lunchbox Theatre, 8 pm) - Wednesday hear Jenn Roberts' It All Turns Out, Thursday is my show, and Friday come hear AJ Demer's Whimsy State or the Principality of Outer Baldonia.  

xo

Funnier than #$@! And Hotter than Hell

Funnier than #$@! And Hotter than Hell

Thursday, April 02, 2009 – 8 PM – $10
Auburn Saloon – #163 – 115 9th Ave SE

ARTISTS:
Regie Cabico (Washington DC)
Billeh Nickerson (Toronto)
evalyn parry (Toronto)
RC Weslowski (Vancouver)
Cory Mack (Calgary)
Ali Riley (Nanton)

MC: Chantal Vitalis

Is it possible to die of laughter? These readers will blow the roof off the saloon! The show-stopping Regie Cabico joins the caustic Billeh Nickerson, RC Weslowski’s clownmouthed x-ray visions, the prairie sass’n frass of Cory Mac, evalyn parry’s social observation, and the sexy twists-and-poetic-flips of the Nanton’s seminal Ali Riley. Postshow DJ Sublight spins hot danceables!

CURVILICIOUS 2009 .....oh what a night!

We had a blast last night!

Thank you Calgary for supporting Urban Curvz Theatre by coming out to

CURVILICIOUS 2009
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN CALGARY THEATRE


ARTISTS
Cory Mack, Valerie Planche, Vicki Stroich, Shawna Lori Burnett, Karen Johnson-Diamond, Onalea Gilbertson, Ellen Close, Simone Saunders, Kristi Hansen, Vanessa Sabourin, Janelle Cooper, Ksenia Thurgood, Jamie Konchak, Brieanna Blizzard, Kathryn Waters, Julie Orton and Ella Simon!

Please Note that all funds raised at Curvilicious 2009 go directly into our next production of ESSAY and THE RUSSIAN PLAY, two plays by Hannah Moscovitch, running April 29th – May 9th, 2009 in the Joyce Doolittle Theatre at the Pumphouse.

Four days of Canadian Funny!

the 10th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival
October 1 - 4, 2009
St. John, New Brunswick