Moving onwards and upwards

The Decision has been made and is solidified

I had a very busy theatre year last year (2006-2007). I did some community theatre, and some semi-professional theatre. I wish at the time of doing the community theatre projects I would have known they were my last community acting so I could really enjoy them. But somehow I knew in my gut they were to be my last. I can’t learn anything acting wise from it anymore – well haven’t for a long while. Thus my decision has been made. Not that I will never do community theatre again in my lifetime, it’s just I am at the point where I want to stretch my talent and training, challenge it and learn more and have fun doing it. Once I am done with that and just want to rest on it and have fun I’ll go back – maybe.

When I did Proof by David Auburn at the Ottawa Little Theatre in 2005 I think what happened was that the training that I had had at Studio 58 in Vancouver had finally settled in after many years. Perhaps it needed a maturation period. Or maybe it is just because I am older. Regardless, I know I did excellent work and that something had changed, maybe it was the fantastic material– and it was solidified with the Best Performance Nomination and the fact that our wonderful director and the show won numerous awards (including the 2005 Capital Critics Award). I should have left it at that.

I went back the following year, feeling unfulfilled, then again the year after. It had nothing to do with the director, nor the institution, but it was me. I needed more, I needed to be challenged and do something different. Luckily I had auditioned for Vision Theatre and had pestered Sam Awwad for reading me for The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine.

Good thing I did. Things have been happening……it’s be a GREAT theatre year.

It was one of the best if not the best theatrical experiences I've had. Linda B. let us explore and play and use our training and create our characters/environment but still guided us to her solid vision. I never laughed so much, and I met some great people who now I consider good friends. And we will move on to do some interesting professional theatre projects very soon (see Vision Theatre website for more details).

And the icing on the cake – I was nominated for a Best Female Performance Nomination for the first ever Rideau Awards for playing Ernestine (a part I wanted to play for 10 years).

Then I put on Jewel by Joan MacLeod with my own theatre company- Let it Land Theatre. It was also very challenging and again realized that Maureen and I have something; a great chemistry that requires further exploration of our own ideas/creative work. And the production was great to get noticed, and finally people in the professional community seem to know my name….so I say “bring on the offers”….. I am soliciting, and emailing and yes…..god forbid…doing some schmoozing. I am just glad my name is finally getting out there. I worked many years at this, and feel I sometimes know what I am doing.

So when I was offered a role for an amateur production the other day (which I hadn't solicited), I graciously said “Thank you , but I am pursuing some other options at this point in my life”

It feels right, so there it is. I will still have doubts and feel like I don't know what I am doing. But I feel that is the challenge: to face things that scare me, and put myself out there - to grown, fail, succeed, learn, develop, change, and maybe become more and more confident. Less the "good student" I was in theatre school...hmmm maybe that is what changed in 2005.....is was shedding that person?

At any rate….any one out there have offers for paying (or prospect of paying if profit) acting parts????