An Artist on the Fringe

Hello folks,

Well, here are the confirmed dates for the upcoming remount of SMILE while you DIE:

Performance dates: Thursday May 22 @ 8pm, Friday May 23 @ 8pm, Saturday May 24 @ 8pm, and Sunday May 25 @ 3pm.

To be performed at the Ragpicker's Annex, 216 McDermot Avenue!

Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the door or in advance at Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse - 91 Albert St!

Looking forward to the show!

SMILE while you DIE chronicles the life of Eve Rae Mann, a telephone customer service representative. The relentless dehumanization of the profit-seeking corporate world brings Eve to the brink of madness in this absurdly surreal dark-comedy, providing insights into the human consequence of being a cog in the corporate machine.

Plans are in the works for a remount of SMILE while you DIE this May!

Tentative performance dates are May 1, 2, and 3 @ 8pm, and May 4 @ 3pm.
To be performed at Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse.
Admission is $10!


Stay tuned!

:)

EDIT: SEE MOST RECENT POST FOR NEW DETAILS!

I went back and looked at the photos of my masks just tonight.
Mask one looked so familiar for some reason... I couldn't place it.
As if I've seen that character recently.
And then I realized... that's one of the characters in a play I'm writing!
And so is Mask 4! Mask 4 is the main character...
And there are certainly elements of Mask 6 in the third character, too.
How interesting!

It's been a long time since I've written in this journal.
A lot has happened over the past year.
I suppose a lot has happened over the past two years, really.

I've been wanting to write about all these experiences and their impact on my views and life and ambitions, etc. But seeing that it's been a while now, it almost seems inappropriate and unnecessary. Either way, I think it would suffice to say that I've definitely learned a lot of lessons over the past couple years (more so the past year), and I can honestly say I only think it will serve to greatly and positively impact my future work.


So, what does the future store for me?
I'm not certain, to be honest.

It will probably involve a lot of playwrighting, as I have dozens of ideas floating about in my head that need to be transformed into moving, relevant, and entertaining plays and stories.

It will also most likely involve more training. I'd like to take the next step in my clown training with Sue Morrison in Toronto, through her workshop 'Joey and August'.

In addition to that, I would also like to train with NACL at some point in the not too distant future, as well.

I'm thinking of touring my SMILE while you DIE play to Calgary and perhaps Edmonton (again), as well. If I don't get into Calgary, then I'd like to take the play to either Saskatoon or to London. I'd also like to remount it in Winnipeg during May in 2008, as long as I can manage to get everything in place before then (it seems a lot of the multi-media work in my play will need to be redone).

After the remount, there are a number of future solo fringe works I plan to work on. I'd like to write two sequals to SMILE while you DIE, which further the story of Eve Rae Mann and her pursuit for happiness. I'd like to create a new clown show with Sue Morrison and tour that - I'd actually like to write a series of shows, akin to the Fringe-clown 'star' Shannon Calcutt (I apologize if I totally butchered her name). And to top it all off, there are a handful of other solo Fringe shows I'd like to write and perform, not to mention the full length and multi-cast plays that I'd also like to write.

Anyway, that being said, I should really get to bed. It's late, and I'm tired, and I have lots to do tomorrow.


In closing... watch out! I'm going to make a come back, so you better keep posted.

:D

For the show I'm doing in Montreal... here's some info about it!



The Playbox Theatre Company presents an Original Play with New Revisions premiering at the 2007 Montreal Fringe Theatre Festival!

Netherwhere : Aetherwhen


written and performed by Rachelle Fordyce

@

MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL
VENUE #3 - Geordie Theatre Space - 4001 Rue Berri Street
Admission ~ $9

Saturday, June 9th @ 18h00 - 2 for 1 Admission!

Sunday, June 10th 1@4h45 - Volunteer Apprecation Show

Tuesday, June 12th @ 20h30

Thursday, June 14th @ 18h15

Friday, June 15 @ 23h15

Saturday, June 16th @ 12h45

Sunday, June 17th @ 19h30

A sample of what critics across Canada have said about Rachelle Fordyce
(for 'S.M.I.L.E. while you D.I.E.' and 'Belle's Boudior'):

"FORDYCE DELIGHTS... ****" - NOW Toronto
"Clever and highly entertaining... ****" - Winnipeg Free Press
"Creative... Beautiful... Effective. ****" - SEE Magazine, Edmonton
"Charming and hilarious" - The Other Press, Vancouver



ABOUT THE PLAY:

“Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.” -- George Bernard Shaw

Greeted and guided by the bitterly sarcastic and immortal boatman of the underworld, a young girl mysteriously arrives in the land of the dead neither knowing who she is nor why she is there. Comedic, Mythical, Tragic, Magical… Netherwhere.

I thought I'd take a moment to announce that I am currently in Montreal!
This evening is the Fringe For All, a chance for participating companies of the Fringe Festival to showcase or advertsie their show for two minutes on stage. Apparently it is quite the event and plays to a packed house!

It kicks off at 8pm tonight, at Cafe Campus!

I just wanted to show my new user icon!

This is Aleda, the main character in 'Andromeda And Alexia's Astronomically Amazing Adventure'.

You might ask yourslef, "If Aleda is the main character, then why isn't her name in the title?"
Good question! :)
I have my reasons... but perhaps you can piece the answer together by looking at the names themselves... perhaps.

As Artistic Director of The Playbox Theatre Company, I've applied for a production grant from the Manitoba Arts Council. I figure I should find out in a week or two if the company has been awarded a grant. I know the competition is tough for Fringe productions, but I thought I'd try anyway... here's hoping!

The show will be performed this summer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Saskatoon Fringe Festival, as well as the Edmonton Fringe Festival as a Kids' Fringe production. Although it is written with children in mind, it is my hope that both young and old will delight in this fantastical tale.

I'll be keeping everyone posted!

would anyone i know consider going to this and giving me the low down?
i'd love to go, but of course i'm in a different city...

Ever considered performing at the Edinburgh Fringe?
Come by MainLine Theatre Friday, April 13 at 5pm
for drinks and conversation with
Catherine O’Shea
Member of the Edinburgh Fringe Board of Directors
for answers and advice on how to succeed at the world’s largest performing arts festival
Open to performers in all genres

Avez-vous consideré le Festival Fringe d’Édinbourg?
Venez boire un coup le vendredi 13 avril dès 17h
avec Catherine O’Shea
Membre du conseil d’administration du Fringe d’Édinbourg
Elle répondra à toutes vos questions par rapport au plus gros festival des arts de la scène au monde.
Ouvert aux artistes en tout genre

FREE / GRATUIT
April 13 avril
17h00
Théâtre MainLine Theatre
3997, St-Laurent
www.montrealfringe.ca
514.849.3378

i have recently been informed that my venue for montreal fringe 2007 will be the geordi theatre at 4001 berri street (North of St. Denis).

it is a nice little space, as i've been there before. but i am worried - the couple shows i've seen there in the past had EXTREMELY small audiences... i think part of this reason is because the venue is 10 streets away from the main fringe location at St. Laurent and Rachel... not to mention that Berri is not a very busy street - it is a residential street, unlike St. Laurent. i was really REALLY hoping to get the MainLine as a venue, as the shows I've seen there have nearly always been sold out, or very close to being sold out.

I will have to make the best of it. I'm hoping that my friends in Montreal will be able to help me out by getting a lot of local friends to come and see the play, and spread lots of word of mouth, so that my audience size won't be as tiny as the audiences I've seen in the space before. I'd really love to sell out a performance or two - and it's not a giant venue, so it's feasible, too.

Here's hoping... :D

( Here are some pictures of the masks I made in the workshop 'clown through mask'! )

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts:

Life's but a walking shadow;
a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more.
it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury -

For in that sleep of death
what dreams may come?

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil
We are such stuff As dreams are made on
and our little life Is rounded.


with

a sleep.

One of my upcoming projects is a family/kids show that I will be performing at the upcoming Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Edmonton Fringes.

I am wanting to create a magical, awe-inspiring experience for all ages, but I am also hoping to create a story and experience that really affects kids (and everyone, really) in the way they see the world and their place in it. I want audiences to come to a realisation that we have the capacity to create our own reality, and to follow your dreams; that nothing is impossible. Yet to do all this while remaining true and responsible to ourselves and all those around us.

What experiences in life, whether they be through books or movies or plays, of just life experiences, have affected you and your outlook on life; have inspired you? have made you fall in love with certain ideas and styles? I'd love to know...

As an expample, I'll share an experience of mine: when I was very young - either kindergarten age or perhaps even younger and in day care, I recall going on a field trip to the Planetarium. I thought it was so amazing and I was just awe-inspired. I fell in love and became facinated with stars and space, and that simple experience from that very early stage of my life has remained with me ever since.

I started to write this play last year, but since its initial premier was cancelled and delayed, I've taken the opportunity to completely revamp and rework it, and as such I'm essentially rewritting it - alhough it has changed a lot since it's first version, the core idea of "Andromeda and Alexia's Astronomically Amazing Adventure" is staying throughout all rewrites.

Anyway, I'd very much appreciate it if you'd share your experiences with me!

( Day 21 )
( Day 22 - Wearing Mask 5 Below Below )
( Day 23 )
( Day 24 - Wearing Mask 6 Above Above )
( Day 25 )
( Day 26 - the final soiree )

The class was amazing. Sad it's over, yet excited for what the future has in store, and it just seemed to end on such on appropriate note, both literally and metaphorically. Wow.

Que Serra Serra.

Wow. The last two weeks of the workshop just flew by, and I was pretty darned busy, failing to keep up with my daily entry. So, I will now take the time to backtrack and document in some way my exeriences for the rest of the 4th week. (Week 5 will shortly follow.)


( Day 17 )

( Day 18 - Kinetics )

( Day 19 - Wearing Mask 4 West )

( Day 20 )

Today half the class took their clown turn for "3 innocence" and "3 experience" of mask 3 East. I was in this half of the class, and had to present 3rd.

For my turn, I came out in what was my "3 innocence" - the girl who had a lot of responsibility and not much fun in her life. I had set the stage with a bunch of clothing and costumes; I saw the big mess, and took it upon myself to clean it up. I started folding some of the items, keeping eye contact with the audience the whole time (as we're taught to do so). Then I reached for a dress to fold - it caught my eye. I stood up and held it against me... I wanted to try it on, but wasn't sure how I was going to do so while on stage. One of the audience members had a blanket over herself (it was really cold in class because the heater broke down!!!), so I silently indicated to her (because we're never supposed to talk in this stage of our training) that I needed her help and the blanket. She held one end while i got someone to hold the other end, and i modestly changed behind the blanket. I tried to keep in contact with the audience while I was changing (but later learned i didn't do so enough). I put on the dress, which was sleeveless and strapless. When I was all changed, the blanket dropped and I presented myself to the audience. my bra straps were showing so I somehow took my arms out of them and tucked the straps into the dress so that my shoulders were completely bare. I was a little flirty with the audience, showing a bit of the sensual side of my "3 Experience", but generally just really happy, even passionate. I thankfully beamed at the people who had helped me by holding the blanket, grinned, and left.

All in all it was a good turn. I felt alright about it but personally felt something was lacking. Sue essentially summed up what I think I was feeling - she said it was indeed good, but now my next step was to take bigger risks, and I certainly agree with her. I could have been way more bigger (without pushing it or breaking sincerity) with the passion and flirtiness (which is more a self-confidence in and of my own body and desires) and thankfullness and joy - yet I think I held back because I was afraid of pushing it too much, making it seem forced. I'm glad we'll still have three more turns left with our three more masks, and then our final presentation, because I definitely want the time to practice.


After half of us took our turns, and after a brief break, we were onto the process of making our 5th mask. This one is referred to as "5 Below Below". I think I'll refer to it as 5BB for short. Each mask direction has a way we are meant to visualize our breathing - which I haven't been keeping track of on here. The breathing direction/visulaization for 5BB was to breath in through the top of our head and all the way through our feet down to the ground, through the crust of the earth, all the way down to the earth's core. The mask I molded ended up looking very distinct from any of the other 4 masks I've molded this far. This mask actually makes me think of a mask meant to be worn over a human face, rather than a mask that it somehow a variation of a human face (if that makes any sense). At some point I will take pictures of all my masks and post them.


Wow, it's hard to believe there's only 2 weeks left!

I haven't been keeping up in my jornaling of the workshop because I've been pretty busy all week.
But I'll try to catch up a bit here.

( Day 11 )

( Day 12 )

( Day 13 )

( Day 14 )

( Day 15 )

And that's Week 3! Ooof, that took a while to write.

Commercials on TV tell you all the time that you can change yourself. In thirty seconds, the commercial actors can get smarter, thinner, prettier, richer. But this fantasy world only sets us up for a fall. When you entered the first grade, you didn't expect to learn a second language, algebra, and history all in the first week. You began an education that took more than a decade and provided you with incredible positive change. Positive change in your life will not be finished today, but it can start today.

Hmmm. So, today half the class took a "turn" in presenting ourselves in nose, and the 2 sides, or aspects (experience/innocence - which are just labels and don't necessarily 'mean' anything) of our 1 North mask. I had to go 2nd.

First of all, I think I misunderstood what exactly it was that we were supposed to do, although considering that I think I did alright. What I realized afterwards was that we were to come up with a situation, or bring props, or something... and somehow through improvisation and interaction in this situation we would experience both sides of 1 North. What I did instead was thought of an internal scenario... I intellectualized it too much, but I believe my end result was what was being sought for, anyhow.

I came out in 'innocence', dressed in the floral and lace and white sunhat, and white dress shoes (and red nose, of course). The progression I had in mind was to come out in this little-girl innocence of being dressed like a little young lady and being happy about that, and showing the emotional progression of realizing that i would someday lose my innocence and become a woman, and 'grow up' - and mourn the loss of my girlhood. (too intellectual i think) - perhaps this would have been ok if i had brought something to "do" on stage, but I didn't. BUT, what happened was the mat our 'stage area' took place on was kind of foamy, and the heels of my shoes sunk into it. So, here was this lil girl all proud of her dress and shoes, and having difficulty walking, especially with the shoe-sinking business.

Things I learned about myself: I have a very good ability to internally connect with myself, and to connect with others (according to Sue. This pleased me a lot to hear this from her). But I have to be more careful of my eyes, as sometimes I will do this 'character-ish' eye movements that aren't as authentic. And in general, I need to look at the audience a bit more. Oh, and I have to be careful to not self-judge myself when on stage (of which I was doing a little). But other than that, I was able did well as I was able to switch from the lil girl that was happy to sincerely crying/sadness. But I'll know how to better be prepared for this exercise next time we do it.


In the latter half of the class we made our 3rd mask (aka 3 East). When I opened my eyes after molding the clay, I was quite surprised because I didn't have much of an idea of what it would look like - it was pretty awesome tho! It looks almost impish, with this huge impish grin. It's the most chaotic of my three masks thus far.

I need to get busy finishing my 2nd mask this weekend, as we're going to paint them on Monday.

Ahhh, so today was the day we wore our first mask. It will be referred to as North 1.

Before wearing the mask, we had to trace it and feel it with our hands and fingers, with our eyes closed, until we found a sound that resonated with us - this was very similar to the "Masterpiece Creator" exercise we did early in the first week, save that we were using our mask instead of a second person. We always kept this sound internalized. Once we found that sound, we were to stand up, place the mask over our stomach area, and walk - letting this sound fill our being and affect our movement. When we felt we had abondonned ourselves and our habitual movements over to the mask, only then were we able to put it on - and to "breathe" it on, at that. After placing on the mask, we were to find a suitable costume and hat from piles of old used clothing that we could rummage through.

The sound that came to me while blindly feeling my mask had three parts to it - a terribly mournful wail, and then a breathing in type of sound (as if tryiing to come to terms with some mounful event), and then a calming "shhhhhhhhh" sound. It was so powerful. I moved as if I were very old, with very small steps, and I could swear I even felt pain in my knee joints as I moved about. when i put the mask on I felt overwhelmed by this mournful wailing and sense of deep loss - I had tears streaming down my face behind the mask.

When it came to the costume, I was drawn to wearing this long piece of burlap (at least that's what i think it was made of) as a shawl, with a hat made of similar material.

At some point, we had to repeat the exercise "waving goodbye to someone you love" - except this was to be someone that the mask loved, and NOT someone from our own personal lives. The person I felt I had to say goodbye to was a very young child, that I had loved dearly, but who had passed on. I felt that this was my own child, or perhaps even my grandchild - the sorrow of this child's death is what had seemed to cause my mourning. But I was letting go and saying goodby to this child, forever. In preparation, the child and I went on a walk and looked at all the wonderful things that life has to offer - the sights of nature, grass, trees, flowers, scents, and especially the amazing sky and all the stars. Before I said goodbye to the child at the ship's dock, I bought him a piece of chocolate that we shared and ate together. And then it was time to say goodbye. I hugged this child sooooo tightly - I wonder if that's why older relatives usually squeeze their grandchildren or neices or nephews so tightly? I had wanted to give him my shawl, or something, to protect him and keep him safe (but i had nothing). I wanted him to know that he was/is loved, and will be missed, and will always be remembered.

After saying goodbye, there was almost this sense of detached, a heaviness lifted, having attained the shhhhhhh part of the sound; and a great reverence and love and appreciation for all the beauty that exists around us all - especially the stars.

~~~~~~

Later, we repeated the "return to innocence" exercise, but with the mask as the personality. It didn't have to be tied to what we experienced in the first part (as described above). I felt that as a young girl I lived in the country, on a farm, sometime in the past. I don't think I had any sisters. But I longed to be a 'pretty lady'. When it came to choosing a new costume, I was drawn to this floral dress, white sun hat, and white dress shoes with small heels, as well as tis lacey blouse i put over the floral dress. I would have liked to wear gloves and had a matching handbag, had they been available to choose from. When I put on my shoes, I had a flashback of wearing dress shoes with small heels for the first time - the way they pinch your toes, and the way your ankles wobble - how it's a learned behaviour to walk in such shoes, but that sense of excitement of dressing pretty and acting 'grown up' while not yet actually being grown up.

~~~~~

What do we take away with us after all this work? As an actor, I have new sources to draw upon. That Experience (referred to as Experience 1) of mourning will always be with me, and I should be able to draw upon that in future work. As well, it's all accumulative in terms of creating my clowns personal mythology. Same with Innocence 1.

Tomorrow, we present ourselves in clown nose, and combine these two facets (Experience and Innocence) that we learned from North 1.

When we think of attaining success, we often think of achieving a specific goal. But when we land the account (or gig, heheh), get the promotion, or get a raise, the same nagging concerns tha led us to think we desperately neeed one more achievement will undermine the value of that achievement. Feelings of success come with the whole of our efforts, our beliefs, our experiences, our lives. Success is based on the total package, not the ribbon on the package.