Just a quick note to mark this “milestone”.

Today I have just passed the 40 page mark on the play I am writing. This is a milestone, because I usually aim for approximately 80 pages for theatrical plays (sometimes a little more, but 80 is the goal). At approximately 1 minute per page, 80 pages is just enough to be considered a night at the theatre (ie: a two-act play).

I also have a title. Previously, I had a script name, but not a title for the play. Last night on the subway home from work, it came to me: Malachim Ex Machina.

Of course, I reserve the right to change the name later on, but for the moment, this title serves my purposes and sounds to me like something of a “grabber”.

That’s all for now. Back to to work I go. Till I go to work, that is.

So, in a round-about way, this post is a lesson in how to make Phil blow a gasket.

I found myself with some time to kill before work today. So, I went into an Indigo to look around. As usual, their selection of books related to theatre, plays or writing were limited (that’s usually the case, but I like to check, just in case). Finding myself disappointed, I wandered over to the biography section. Now, this happens occaisionally, though there are few biographies that I’m interested in. Its rare that I pick something up. But if I do, chances are its a biography of Shakespeare (yeah, I know. nerd). I do have several different biographies and related books already, but for some reasin (nerd), I can’t resist more of them. Granted, I have a weakness for books as it is…but books on Shakespeare…now that’s something I will almost always want to read. So…into the Biographies section I go.

I look. I look some more. There’s one book, that has a picture of Someone on the cover and in big letters “SHAKESPEARE”. So, I get in closer (it was on the bottom shelf) to take closer look. And this is what I see:

Click on the picture to see it in full size.

See the title?

“Shakespeare” by Another Name. The life of Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford, the Man who was Shakespeare.

Now, this is one of those “arguments” that always gets my back up. I could go on and on about this one, citing various scholarly works - at least at first, until my ire raises enough that I start frothing at the mouth and spouting obscenities - which I admit wouldn’t take long (last time I was clocked at only 0.0007 seconds of rational rhetorical arguement before several words beginning with “fu-” and others that end with “-unt” were uttered. I never said I was a great debator).

So, seeing this book, you can understand the few options that were open to me. I had two:

1. Fly into a rage and begin tearing this abomination of a book to pieces with my teeth.
2. Blog about it.

Clearly I very wisely chose the latter. Though it was close.

Have you heard of Final Fantasy?  No, I’m not talking about the video game, I’m talking about the Musician from Toronto.  If you haven’t heard of him, you might want to take a look.  He’s a classically trained musician, who creates pop songs using just his voice, his violin, and some looping equipment.

Here’s a video (yeah, I know.  More video) that shows him in action, covering Joanna Newsom’s “Peach, Plum, Pear”.  Watching him work is really quite facinating, as you can see him start to play a riff and then start it looping with one of the switches at his feet.

Take a gander:

[youtube]Q02ompQhtY8[/youtube]

I’ve shown this to some people, but not with everyone. This was shared with the Cast during rehearsals for Hamlet and its just to funny not to share.

I present to you: Ham-Lego. That’s right. Hamlet (abridged)…with LEGO.

[youtube]HuoeRqJ9NcQ[/youtube]

Yesterday was a very productive day.  With no rehearsal or performance, I was somewhat afraid that I’d end up sort of…lost: not really knowing what to do but really unable to actually do anything.  Fortunately, that did not happen, and I was able to get a significant bit of writing done.  The play that I am currently working on keeps busting my ass.  I go from complete writers block to having everything flow like it was being spoken directly to me by the characters.  I am actually making some real headway into getting this thing finished.

I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up though: this play is a long way from performance quality.  When this rough draft is done, its going to rough.  Its likely to be overly talky and with some questionable sections.  That’s what a “rough draft” is for though.  I tend to write like that: get it all out on paper (regardless of quality) and then go back through for the next draft to excise the crap, keep the good, and rearrange things to make the story - and characters - more coherent.

Since I am back on the old 4-midnight shift tonight, I plan to do some writing today during the day (which is something I hope to make a habit, so that I can keep sane while I work this crappy shift).

And so…to it!

We closed Hamlet last night.  The final performance was not my best go at Polonius, but it wasn’t my worst either, so I can be content with that.  Its always funny at the last performance of a play: finishing a scene and “saying goodbye” to it.  Sadly there’s never any time to luxuriate in it, and the “goodbyes” to each scene have to be pretty quick.

Over all, looking back on the production, though there were frustrating times, I am glad that I did the play.  I learned a lot (which is always important), about directing, stage craft, acting with other people, and theatre in general.

Moreover, I learned about how acting with a talented and dedicated scene partner can give so much to a both a scene and the rehearsal process itself.  My scenes in which I interacted with Adrianna as Ophelia were, to say the least, my favourites to both rehearse and perform (Granted I must admit, that with the cuts and alterations to this Hamlet, most of my Polonius scenes were with Ophelia).  I will definately miss working with her, and look very much forward to working with her again - of course…again, I must admit, that both of us are cast in Lear, so we will be working together soon…though I don’t know how much we will have together.  At this point, all I know is that she kills me in Lear, something I know that she is looking forward to (my death involves an axe…so who wouldn’t be looking forward to that?).  I myself am looking forward to a good fight, and some eye-gouging.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, now would be a good time to read the play.

Today has been a day of cleaning my much-neglected home, and doing some writing.  There have been points today where I’d caught myself standing and wondering what I should be doing, since this week (and the last couple of weeks) have consisted of almost constant Hamleting (yes, I just created a verb).  This of course is to be expected, since this is the first time since September that there hasn’t been Hamlet on my brain.   The writing I have been doing at a somewhat furious pace.  I hit a point a few days ago in the play I am currently writing, where the set up ends and the story begins in earnest.  This has prodded me to write a lot, since the hardest part is behind me (beginning).  Now, I’m driving forward trying to get the first draft done, so that I can show it to a few select people and begin the rewriting process.  I also suspect that I am writing so furiously out of a desire to replace the creative outlet that is now missing now that Hamlet is gone.

Now, back to writing.  Oh, and maybe some dinner.  If I can figure out what I want to do for dinner.

Now begins days of little sleep.  Today and Tomorrow, I directly from work and make the trek to Mississauga, where I will do (today) tech day and (tomorrow) a dress rehearsal.  I do not anticipate that either will end before 11PM.  Which means that I won’t get home until maybe 12:30.  Last night I got home just after midnight.

The thing I’m looking forward to the most?  Wednesday night.  Because I’m not going to work that day.  Which means that after the two student shows, I will be able to go home and sleep a full night!

…Its the small things, really…

If there’s one thing I really hate about the Theatre, its the money.  Or rather, the lack of money.  Now, I tend to think of this sort of thing from the point of view of a creator of Theatre, but really, this is a problem that affects all of the arts.  To be able to create art of any kind takes time, effort and talent.  That’s very true.  But making art takes money too.

Making theatre takes money.  Sometimes, I don’t think that people really get that.  When most people think of theatre, they think of big theatres like The Royal Alexandra, or the Canon Theatre, or any of those theatres that tend to show those huge big budget shows, like Wicked, or Chicago, or Spamalot, where the theatre-goers get all dressed up and go as much to be seen as to see the play.  Its sometimes seen as elitist and overly financed - or if not overly financed…then a frivolous use of government funds.  The point is, that the perception for the general public seems to be that there’s a glut of money pouring into theatre.

Naturally those of us who try to make theatre know better.  There’s more to theatre than just paying for the theatre (though that is definately one of the prohibitive expenses).  So, to run down:  You need a place to rehearse (for several weeks).  You need actors, a director and a stage manager.  You need a crew (the theatre may have a head tech, but he or she is really there to make sure you don’t break anything, so you need your own crew to run the show).  You need to advertise the show to get bums in the seats.  But chances are, your advertisements won’t be enough (how many advertisements do you ignore in a day? I know I ignore a ton), so you will need a publicist to court the media and try to generate interest in newspapers, magazines, tv and radio (an article in the paper or mention on tv or the radio will at least help to get your ads noticed) and is one of the most effective tools for generating buzz.  And of course, as mentioned previously, you need a theatre.  Assume that the smallest theatre will run at somewhere between $2000-$5000 a week.  A good publicist won’t come cheap (unless they are a good friend).  Likely your rehearsal space will cost you $1000 a week.  And that is without paying actors, director, stagemanager or crew (who in a fair world would be making at least $500 a week).

Yes, ideas are easy, but making those ideas a reality means finding money, and to do that you have a few limited options:

1. You have a lot of money and can sink a ton into a production.
2. You know some generous person who has a lot of money to sink into a production.
3. You manage to get a government grant.
4. You beg, borrow, steal and go deep into debt.

There are far more makers of theatre who end up doing the last option than there are those who are not.

Now, there are options for those who don’t have a lot of money.  The Toronto Fringe Festival or Fringe Festivals in other cities (there are many) are one option.  But even Fringing isn’t easy.  The application gets more expensive every year - but let’s face it, the cost of producing the festival goes up each year so the price of participating has to go up too.  One has to get through the lottery (the random draw that keeps things fair and makes Fringe so very unique and interesting), and if selected, your company gets to participate.  This cuts down on the cost of production, so you won’t need to be paying for the theatre.  But many of the other costs (publicity, rehearsal space, etc) still apply.  You’ll still have to raise funds somehow.  Fundraisers are difficult.  Unless you have either an amazing idea that no one can resist (and if you do, could you call me, I need an amazing fund raising idea), or you need a famous person or well known band/artist to perform (or otherwise appear).  Otherwise, you end up with a small group of your strongest supporters (who are likely family and friends) who are the ones that consistently show up at your fund raiser and give you some money.  But although their faith in you is a wonderful thing, it starts to feel like picking the pockets of your friends after a while.  So its not like you can just decide to “have a fundraiser”.

Some people dream of winning the lottery so that they can buy things: I dream of winning the lottery so that I can make the theatre I want to make.

I have ideas that I am developing, writing, and otherwise preparing.  When the time comes the only thing that will stand between me and getting these projects on their feet is money.

Is there a particular reason for this post?  Not really, just something I was thinking about on the way home: the difficulty in getting money together to do theatre. 

BUT…If there’s someone out there who has a few thousand dollars that are lying around gathering dust, and wants to help realize some theatrical dreams, they should drop me a line!

Today I am having difficulty waking up.  I’ve got that “it feels like cotton is backed around my eyes and between my skull and my brain” feeling.  This, however, will get worse before it gets better, what with the rehearsal schedule coming up.  There’s only a few days left before the show opens for schools, with public performances on Friday and Saturday next week, so its crunch time. 

I didn’t think that I would be quite this tired today, since I did think that I got enough sleep last night.

Ah well.

If you’re in the Toronto/Mississauaga area next weekend and want to see the show, its Friday and Saturday at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga.

Here’s a promo pic to send you off: