Sunday, November 05, 2006
the day before
i install jania's webcam
and sign up for yahoo messenger
it's the only one for me
cause i have a mac
she has a pc
the choice is not political
i not only have plane tickets
i also have a cold
it's in my nose
but keeps trying to leave
in the form of snot
i trap it in kleenexes
which is a brand, not a thing
when brands are really successful
they become the thing
rft will be fine
i made arrangements with joey
and with kevvy
joey i paid
but not kevvy yet
my dad goes away as much as me
sometimes more
we're gonna hang out today
we're a close family
thanks to my brother
and him dying
we're a close family
relatively speaking
i've been watching a hospital show
it makes me want to tell you all
to drive safely
respect your mortality
wear a seat belt
and when possible
a helmet
you are nothing without your big brain
less then nothing
because you will leave a hole
and
don't fall in love with your heart patient
he will die, in the season finale
we never knew what he did for a living
so i feel like i don't know him
jania cried, but i didn't
jania is napping
the fog blots the sky white
like a death on 6 feet under
i am warm
in my sweat clothes
but not sweating
still i deserve them
i bought them with my own money
i am lazy today
because i can be
they say courage is when you are scared
but do it anyway
lazy is when you have energy
but lie around even still
i still am
you know what i mean
but
who cares about james dean anymore
i have his rare TV appearances
on videotape
somebody thought i would like it
i will regift it
next chance i get
if i give it to you
act surprised
that was a tangent
you are a cosign
be obtuse
if you want to
there's a comfort in the air
a contentment
and blueberry muffins
today all the things i wish i was
don't matter
and i see through my own eyes
Friday, November 03, 2006
leaving town
is the busiest weekend
packing and seeing people and being nice to my girlfriend
so she misses me
instead of not
the weekend for me is busier than for some
because i have rehearsal
and a million improv shows
besides i always pack badly
forgetting something
never enough socks
i don't know when my plane is
or where my hotel is
but i am sharing a cab
to save the theatre money
the play changed a little
why not?
the actors are the same
but we changed a little
who wouldn't?
we throw a new football on the breaks
Shamus ate the old one
during Faithless
which is a different play
it toured too
to different cities
why not?
i am glad to get out of town
it is a small and sticky place
but i will miss my girlfriend
instead of not
Thursday, November 02, 2006
late
my girlfriend is sleeping
i do things quietly
in the living room
there's a show we're watching
on rented dvd
she's an episode ahead
so i get to watch
and then bed
tired
i am tired at the end
i just want to smoke pot
and watch things with my friends
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
the new thing
just assume that it is, and that i am in varying degrees of inebriation, doubt, fun, social anxiety and lower back pain.
until further notice: poetry, mostly bad.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Playwright's Notes
When I read the novel on which this play was based, I was gripped by a familiar feeling, and then a new one. A familiar mixture of emotional exhaustion and exhilaration, (which I often have after reading a work that has moved me deeply) but also something new; a feeling of potential. Not Miriam’s potential, which is much greater than mine, but a potential for me and this book to do something together, and being as young as I was, potential was almost all I had.
I have always had a soft spot for single mothers. My own mother was a single one for some time during my childhood, and my life was a mixture of rollicking amusement, crying I couldn’t understand, landlords we were afraid of for reasons unclear, the occasional boyfriend, moving a lot, strange babysitters with large children of their own, generally all the things that float through the life of a child whose parent is single and poor. I related to Miriam’s novel on a personal and political level. I wanted very much to make it into a play.
During the five years it took to bring this work to stage I grew five years older, wrote several other plays and got a bit better at it, rewrote this one many times, stopped eating meat, started again, grew and shaved various styles of facial hair, broke up with a few women who were all far too good for me, and consumed many meals in restaurants. In all that time, my affection for Miriam’s book never waned, and my affection for Miriam herself only grew.
How well or poorly to treat our poor is a political issue in our country. It is generally the feeling of the left that the poor should be given a chance to live indoors and raise their children, while people on the far right feel somewhat differently. Critics make much of abuses and fraud of the system, which surely occurs. But, I was once told by a lawyer (one who worked for Canada’s welfare system) that it was his firm opinion that we spend much more money seeking out and punishing welfare fraud then we would lose if all such efforts were halted completely. It’s an interesting thought, especially if money is the important thing. I am for the raising of funding for social programs, and the allowing of part time work to keep welfare recipients in the working world, without knocking their earned wages off their benefits. With our current federal government, I might as well be in favour of tuxedos for dragons and the assignment of pixies to CSIS, ( or something equally unrealistic, like avoiding the complete dismantling of Canadian arts funding).
Lots of teenagers get themselves into trouble. Sometimes they can get themselves out and some can not. This is the story of those who couldn’t, but who made a life or themselves anyway. It’s about community, family and taking care of each other. In these times more than ever, we need to do just that.
I thank Miriam, Brad, Beth and Caroline, Scott and Betty, Dave, Tanya, David and Kevin, and all the folks at Theatre Network, and anyone here tonight who is moved to email, write or phone their MP, and support Canada’s Cultural workers with their voice. Lately, culture’s all that makes us different from the United States.
Friday, October 06, 2006
la la la
I did this thing on CBC radio called the "In Crowd" where we get to plug stuff we think is keen around the City. I came armed with all kinds of dope stuff, so far as I think. I also plugged Bash'd and the RFT prime time shows because I am a sneaky fucker. I brought more than I could use, sadly, and did not get to plugs all the pal's stuff i wanted to. Luckily it's all so great it'll do fine on it's own.
I did this thing on CTV news. It was an in-depth report (which for CTV means a whole 3.5 minutes! that is 56.5 less than 60, which is what 60 minutes does) about the financial boom in Alberta. I was reporting on the arts. I stuck up for Edmonton, not only as a place to start out, but as a place to keep living. I gave as many plugs as I could to Mayor Mandel and dissed the provincial government as best I could. (it was easy)
Next I am doing this thing called a "Total Write-Off" which is like some kind of improv literature game show thing or something. I have no idea. They told me one of my co-guests would be the filmaker guy from American Movie, but I don't know if that panned out. Hopefully super fun.
I am told that soon my 7 minute comedy series for CBC radio will be listened to and decided upon by the higher ups. Only 9.65 months after it was made! Me and Peter Brown worked hard on it, and so did Andrea House and Mark Meer as voices extroidinaire. Fingers crossed. It would be fun to make a bunch more.
And Bash'd marches on. I like the reviews for the most part, and I hope it won't sound like too much of sour grapes or over senitivity to declare Luke Foster from Vue Magazine rather a dumb fellow. First he exclaims that bisexuality doesn't exist (I disagree) , and now he says rap isn't a worthy genre for the discussion of serious topics like gay bashing. I disagree without the use of brackets. (Sorry Fugees! No more rapping about poverty for you!) Check his latest hard hitting column to hear what TV shows he finds "nifty".
I am blogging more often now, aren't i?
Friday, September 29, 2006
so we opened Bash'd
"the flow was tight throughout, with long stretches of awesome"
So I was releived. We hoped to be successful as actors and as rappers. All I know is, I am losing weight trying to do this show. It's a sweaty enterprize and no foolin'.
It's hard to imagine anyone is reading this anymore. My own fault, posting so seldom as I do. But whatever. Perhaps it will be just a little diary for me, and you all are my parents, sneaking into my room, trying to find out if I am on drugs. (which I am)
Thursday, September 14, 2006
I know
This is then, a message in a bottle.
It is a strange time for Chris, a time of change, of letting go of things I wanted which have proved impossible, were impossible all along, though I clung to hopes in a strange way, out of habit, I guess. Certainly not out of joy.
And a time of picking up new things, changing the focus of my life to something more positive.
I will never again try to break in where I am not wanted. I will stay and cultivate the places where I am. I will live in my new apartment with my wonderful girlfriend.
I feel strangely lost, and oddly free.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
fringe drunk fun work, work, work
but listen, this is the main thing. i saw the pajamamen at their 11;45 show last night and I just could not fucking beleive how good it is. fuck. it makes a comedy artist feel inspired and small all at the same time. SO GOOD. No wonder Second City is producing these guys. They are special and how. See it, twice. I will.
Soon it will be time to build the venue agan at the iron horse. one of the things about having a byov is that in many cases you have to strike it completely and turn it back into a church, bar, sex dungeon or whatever it was before you got there. heavy lifting. it ain't all air conditioning and licenced venue. we only have to do it on weekends, but that is plenty, lemme tell you. so if you're bored at 4 or at 8;30 come on down. saturday is one of those fun days where we have set up AND strike. yay.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
"life just goes on and on, gtting harder and harder" Rolling Stones
Last night I got an idea for a play that happens entirely in a bed.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
also
Summer Loving It
I got tremendously busy again. I am now looking the footage I got to make my Rig show out of. Watching footage for shots is boring (see: Turnbuckle, our movie we made, rating=6.5/10) but at least I know how, and this is only 22 minutes long instead of 90, and I am being paid, unlike Turnbuckle, where I was paid only in exhaustion.
I am kind of into the creative challenge of it all. Creating crisis where they was little and injecting humour. These guys will talk so much shit about their boss it's hilarious. And I'll use it if they let me. I have no qualms. These cameras ain't hidden.
Also, we're heating up to the fringe. I got a venue to get going for RFT, a schedule to make, a play to direct, and not much in the way of time or budget to do it all in. Ah, the Edmonton Fringe. As fun as Edinburough was last year, this is fun too. The City wide craziness, the beer tents, he shows, the fun, the collapsing afterward, only to get up, fly to Atlanta and do it all again.
So, with a variety of thinga, I find myself super busy once again. I am liking it. Resting is for the unemployed. My life. (rating=awesome.)
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
How long has it been now?
So let's see. What have happened to me in the last month or so...
We closed the Ganza. All our friends went home and it was sad. Sentimental hugs and vows of palship abounded. Final trysts were conducted with extra intimacy and mumbled promises which for all I know, are still being kept. Bleary eyed artists got unto this plane and that, dealt with customs or had the yummy hug of a direct flight.
But did I wallow at home in post partum depression? Oh no.
I got on a plane and went to Toronto. Such a quick trip it was, so tight to the Ganza indeed, that I met Kurt and Becky in the airport and we shared a cab around.
Once there, me and Jania checked into the Castle Westin, which we paid for with airmiles instead of our flights. (ever do that? it's a great deal, cause airmiles always wants to put you on the worst flights and hotels costs just as much sometimes more. travel hints from crad!)
The next day, after some shopping (I bought a fancy new shirt) we went to the Doras. A rather glittery event, where my efforts were honored with three awards, and I was happy and proud. At teh party I smoked a giant cigar I had been saving and we watched the CN tower play hide and seek in the smog on our oh-so-miami-vice roof top patio. I got to hang out with Matt Barum (late of Edmonton, early of Second City Toronto). Good times.
Matt was kind enough to invite us to his home for brunch the next day and we were all over that. The next day I went and saw him in his second city show and me and becky did an improv set with them after. It was awesome.
On the street after we ran into Sheldon Elter, who is a pal, in town doing the Canadian Idol thing. What a star. We ran up to him screaming "SHELDON! SHELDON!" and for a minute he was sure we were the real thing. At the time he was voted off, he had the third largest internet fan club in the game. Watch out for him, famewise. He's gonna do awesome.
Then what. I came home. Chilled out a while.
Then I got this wierd gig. I am a writer on a show for OLN called "The Rig" which is like a doc series about this oil rig tht drills for oil. It pays TV, which is good, even in Canada, but very odd, as it is a reality show. So the writing done pre shooting is very hypothetical. To make matters crazier, they were without a director for a shoot, and they were so desparate, they asked me. So of I went (about two hours after my friends wedding) on a plane to grande prairie, which deserves its ironic E.
(what married you say?) Yes, my pals Brad and Caroline totally got completely married at the Rutherford house. I was not a best man, but I had jobs. I took wine places. And cheese. I can be counted on.
The rough and tumble camera crew and I drank with aplomb at the grand prairie college bar, where people were actually quite young and attractive. Our PA Krishna got so drunk we were almost asked to leave. We were asked to "corral our buddy" which was easier said than done.
We went to the actual oil rig and shot the guys goofing off. "Rig watch" they called it. These guys are funny and nice, but crass and all get out. They spoke openly about the "fat girls' they had bedded the night before, how much they had drank, experiences on mushrooms when they thought they had wet their pants. What would you do at 22 with 100K a year as your income? Bang (and I quote) "fat girl pussy" in Fox Creek Alberta? Me neither. But oddly, there are no oil rigs in Manhatten, so they can not be blamed for their location.
All in all, the trip left me tired and a bit more materialistic. TV people and rig guys drink about the same amount and make similar money. Good thing money doesn't matter. Right?
Right?
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Ganza rages on
Wave two begins today with a doubling of the Ganza ensemble. We now have Slovenia, Vancouver, more Australians, some Regina, and a little extra Seattle. The love never stops.
Also:
The Stanley Cup has come and gone, and sadly we did not win. I was there, front and centre at the old Strathcona Hotel, drinking pitchers so cheap, I thought I was in University again. The Oilers hit the ice calmly, we were all expecting a win, especially after the game 6 blowout, but it was not so. Where are we left, am I left, after such a confusing relationship with this hockey contest, to at the end be left with nothing but disappointment. We gave this contest thousands of beers, horn honks, arrests and police hours. It gave us hope. Are we the less, that we hoped and lost? Only in terms of taxes. For we are richer in spirit.
It was a tale told time and time again in Edmonton, a small place with a big heart, stepping to best in the world and holding our own. I am nothing but proud.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Ganza Opening!
The show was funny as all get out, if I do say so myself. And well I might, for the contributions of RFT were just the tip of the comedy iceburgh last night. Tonto's Nephews, our Catch 23 friends, Quicksilver from Belgium, and our BBF's Dad's Garage Theatre from Atlanta made us so proud with their high class japery.
The party raged late and loud in the Varscona lobby and backstage. Much longer backstage, as it turns out. I left near 4, charging the valient Kevin Gillese with lockup duty. It was much later again when he stumbled home. What a trouper.
The fest rages on, and this is just the first hang over of many. Come on out and see us! Infact, here is a schedule!
IMPROVAGANZA 2006 Rapid Fire Theatre’s International Improv Festival, June 14 – 24, 2005
| MAY 29 | MAY 30 | MAY 31 Email all RFT – voluntter work | May 31 Email to fans: Ganza! Workshops! | June 1 | June 2 | June 3 |
| June 4 | JUNE 5 eMAIL TO FANS: | JUNE 6 | JUNE 7 | JUNE 8 EMAIL TO FANS | JUNE 9 | JUNE 10 |
| JUNE 11 | JUNE 12 into the space projector hung lighting tweaked opening cue created floor painted curtains hung | JUNE 13 EMAIL TO FANS | JUNE 14 WED Call: INTERNATIONAL JAM - all hands on deck! Bill, Mark, Kevin, Condor Second Act – a) RFT vs Dad’s MARK, CRAD, BEL,BILL b) ALLStars vs Tonto’s LATE NIGHT – Reception a go-go in the Varscona Lobby | JUNE 15 THURS GANZA GUEST JAM – lead by BECKY JONHSTON CALL: Second Act – a) b) Iron Cobra vs RFT Kevin,Joey,Arlen, Jules - CRAD Hosts | JUNE 16 FRI CALL: Second Act – a) RFT vs b) Tonto’s vs Belinda,Condor,Mark,Jules - Crad Hosts LATE SHOW First Act – a) b) ALLStars vs RFT Crad,Mark,Arlen, Kevin - Joey Hosts Second Act - Jam show! | JUNE 17 SAT MATINEE - KIDPROV! With puppets – Tim from Second Act – CALL: Showcase - Tonto’s Nephews TO a) quicksilver vs Dad’s b) AllStars vs Iron Cobra LATE SHOW Act one –Showcase: UP – Second Act – Showcase – Dad’s Garage – Atlanta |
| SUN, JUNE 18 Morning – Women in Improv – workshop lead by Patti Stiles BBQ AT KAREN’S COUNTRY ESTATE (rides provided) Movie Night at the Varscona – for Ganza guests, RFT Playas and good friends only | MONDAY, JUNE 19 EMAIL TO FANS DARK masterclass workshop PUBLIC WORKSHOP 7 - 10 | JUNE 20, TUES CALL: a) Instant vs Narabov b) Quicksilver vs Fools Second Act – Jam Show! | JUNE 21, WED LUNCH AT CHIANTI’S CALL: Second Act – a) Iron Cobra vs b) Narabo vs | JUNE 22, THURS EMAIL TO FANS Edmonton Queen ride CALL: Teatre Narabov ( Second Act – a) Dad’s vs Instant b) | JUNE 23, FRI Gateway Rec Centre CALL: Second Act – General Fools ( LATE SHOW Second Act a) Quicksilver vs Iron Cobra b) UP Seattle vs Fools ACT THREE - CRAZY LATE JAM SHOW | JUNE 24, SAT MATINEE KIDPROV – with puppets! Tim from CALL: Instant Theatre ( Second Act: FINALS Fourth place team vs second place team – WINNER goes to FINAL LATE SHOW – Second Act: FINALS FINALISTS vs FINALISTS = WINNERS!!!!!!! |



