Touring Cassandra

2007-05-05T20:44:00.000-04:00

Cassandra Resurrected!

I am very pleased to announce, that Cassandra has been selected to be presented as part of FemFest 2007 in Winnipeg! More details to follow...

2006-10-20T18:06:00.000-04:00

The Night Before the End...

The Bad Dog performances are tomorrow afternoon and evening and I'm feeling rather odd. On the way home from work I was thinking about tomorrow night and what it's going to feel like when it's over. The tour will have concluded. I don't know what the mood will be. Will we be excited and happy thinking about what a great experience it was? Or will we be sad and nostalgic knowing that even though we've been living in "Real Life" for about month, this ending means it's really over... Probably a combination of the two. I think for me, it's moreso sad than happy. Even though I feel an immense sense of accomplishment, I don't have anything better to move on to at the moment. I mean, I could start again at stage #1 - but the thought of going through the entire process again from start to finish is exhausting... And so it's hard to move on, because I don't know quite what I'm moving on to.

I know some of my best friends are going to be there for the final performance which will make it even more special. I just want to let go of all these nerves and enjoy it. Just take it all in and tell the story.

I honestly can't believe it's tomorrow! Fingers crossed!

2006-10-19T10:56:00.000-04:00

Cassandra & Katie celebrate!

Katie and I saw each other for the first time since the fringe last week! We got together for a wonderful evening of movies and giggles and hardly talked business at all! It was so great to see her and we were shocked by each other's late fall/winter attire. And just the fact that we were wearing different clothes than the same 4 outfits we'd been sporting all summer. yay closets!

and...

TODAY IS KATIE'S BIRTHDAY!!

Sunday was our tech run for the Bad Dog show. It was only an hour long (the ones at the fringe have always been 3 hours) but we were still okay since the show is so light on tech. I am reealllly nervous about the stage though - it is TINY. The bed takes up practically the entire stage. It's even smaller than Victoria and I sometimes had trouble breathing when I was there because I felt so constricted.

But I'm keeping positive. I'm going to see some other shows there on Friday so I will get a chance to see how others use the space and what the audience's perspective is. (Because the audience also seems to be really close to the stage.) I will also take in this mysterious "change-over" which involves us high-tailing it to the basement and getting our set while the audience mingles around and watches us do it. Not fun.

The theatre has a good vibe though and the people were really nice. We have two different techs, one for our afternoon performance, and one for the evening, but they're both swell.

So, my stomach churns just a touch thinking about it - I'm getting pretty nervous. I think, what could be worse than Vancouver? but it doesn't seem to help. And the other thing that throws my stomach in knots is that that this very well might be the last performance of Cassandra. And if not for good, at least for a while. And who knows if Katie will be available next time... as they said on the hit tv series Friends, "Its' the end of an era."

2006-10-05T01:12:00.000-04:00

Inspiration Hits

Bri has an idea for a new and wonderful fringe show...

2006-10-04T19:00:00.000-04:00

Admin Update

I feel like I must have used that title before...

Anyway, just thought I'd type a quick update, as I just learned there are actually people reading the blog! "peterj" from the London Fringe emailed to say he may just be able to make it to the show in Toronto - which makes it time #4! He's totally encrouching on my parents' territory for #1 fan!

Today was a fairly eventful day. Not only did I have my first day back at my 'day job' at the travel company Butterfield & Robinson, I also mailed off 30 packages to various talent agencies across the city, inviting them to the performance. We shall see what happens. I also picked up the new freshly printed postcards, which are not only in colour, but light enough to see! That makes it a success after two horrible print runs in BC. The only Industry Images I had success with was in Ottawa. Let that be a lesson future fringers. This is also the first time a printer in Toronto hasn't lied or cheated me in some way. Hoowah!

In some ways I will miss not colouring in pink t-shirts, side by side with Katie and The Gilmore Girls. Or Mike and Katie and Sex and the City. But I digress.

Well, not really, because that pretty much covers it! The posters are also complete, just waiting to be distributed and press releases out.

Time to sit back and wait...

2006-09-29T21:34:00.000-04:00

The Very Last Performance(s) of Cassandra...
(For Now!)

We are fast approaching the very last performances of our tour...

On Saturday October 21st Cassandra is being presented as part of The Bad Dog Theatre's Short Play Festival, at 2 PM and 10 PM. (www.baddogtheatre.com)

These are the last scheduled performances for Cassandra, and depending on a number of different factors they could possibly be the last. But hopefully not!

I feel like I just got home and already I'm trying to get everything together for this last show. It's in some ways perhaps the most important show as I am inviting the few 'industry' types I know, as well as potential agents. AND all my lovely Toronto theatre school friends! So a bit of pressure. But I'm really excited about it, and I know the audiences will be supportive. And I know people will show up which is also fantastic.

So at the moment I'm in that 'administrative havoc'... postcards, letters, emails, etc.

Come join the fun!

2006-09-26T17:46:00.000-04:00

"Fringe Friends" Picture Post

The Cody Rivers Boys
Mike and Andrew

Celine ("Legoland") and I.
Photo from an oh-so-flattering angle
thanks to Andrew.

The Pancake Breakfast

featuring...

"Caught in the Act"!

... as well as a rip-roaring game of celebrity, and a dance party in the kitchen beginning with Paul Simon's "Graceland"... a moment forever etched in my memory.

And one of Katie and my favourite new friends - the sunset over English Bay... Here is a view from the beach towards the city. After discovering this wonderful place we watched the sunset here on four seperate occasions.

There are more great photos with more fun people but I still, sadly, have not resolved the issue of being able to turn photos which are taken vertically. SIGH!

2006-09-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

It's OVER!

Our final show was on the last night of the festival - a cold, rainy Sunday at 10:45 PM. Not a good time. I am so thankful to the 12 people who came out despite the distance venue, the rain and the timing. Despite the small house though, I had a really great show - I think it was possibly one of the best performances... because even though the audience was small, they were mighty and I could hear and see that they were enjoying it, which definitely fed my performance. Also the "last show" nostalgia/pressure always helps. I was happy to know that it was merely the last show of the Fringe Tour and that I still have 2 more 'kicks at the can' in Toronto. Anyway, I really enjoyed the performance and relished in the details. It was a beautiful way, in my mind, to finish off the tour.

The night before there was a Cabaret at the Fringe Club which I JUST remembered I never paid Andrew Bailey back for (grr...). Anyway, that too was a truly magical evening. Many performers at the fringe banded together for the Love is Chaos Cabaret - a loose theme stringing all the beautiful pieces of performance together. I preferred the first half, and more specifically the opening sequence involving the performers lighting one another with flashlights as one brilliant (JACOB) one-liner after another poured out. As each performance came and went, I realized more and more just how lucky I was to be in a place where art is so important and to be surrounded by so many talented, fun, and intelligent individuals. I almost think that creating something together should be part of the whole fringe experience. I know everyone is incredibly busy with the whole monetary/administrative end of things, but I really feel like some wonderful things could come of it. Regardless of whether the work ended up being good enough to say, take on a fringe tour, I think the learning process would be invaluable. Everyone in that room had a different style, specialty and passion. When I start my own fringe... ha ha. After the cabaret, the Fringe Club (finally) became the festive dance hall of which I'd dreamed... Everyone was on their feet, whether chatting with people from other companies or on the floor dancing, and no one seemed to want to quit. What a great night!

2006-09-16T15:23:00.000-04:00

A fun show!

Last night's show was a lot of fun... The audience was really engaged and giving back a LOT which was so wonderful after the very quiet houses I've been performing for lately. I had some real support in the audience as well from new fringe friends which I think really helped break the ice initially.

But mostly last night's show was a relief. As much confidence as I do have in the show, after a couple 'silent nights' you begin to wonder if anyone will ever laugh again...

So I'm very excited about tonight's show and am keeping my fingers crossed for a great house!

Also just wanted to put out a special thank you to Darren from Bolloxed who listed "Cassandra" as one of the top 4 shows to see at the festival on his blog. Thank you.

Now off to buy bus tickets and calling cards...

2006-09-15T14:49:00.000-04:00

Jacob Richmond is Brilliant...

As are Britt, Celine and Amitai. We saw Legoland again yesterday and I think I may have actually enjoyed it more the second time. The acting, the direction and the writing just all work together so beautifully.

We also saw, and very much enjoyed, The Excursionists. Lots of clever choices and great characterization. And fun. And we saw something else that we just won't talk about.

We've had a lovely couple of days off... I'm feeling really "out of" the festival because we had so much time off. People keep asking how it's going, and I have no response because... we've been sort of on hold. I feel lucky that we have 3 slots this weekend though and hope that we can get our attendance up to a level we're happy with. I'm very excited to do the show again tonight!

I'll be spending many hours beforehand flyering my little heart out, and hopefully it will make a difference. Last night we had a fast and furious (and FINAL) postcard-creating session, in which we enlisted Mike from Colossus who actually sat through episodes of Sex and the City (unfortunately there was no Gilmore Girls to be found) to help us out. What a guy. Thank you!!

2006-09-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

Monday & Tuesday

Monday night's show was a strange one. It was 10 pm on Monday, September 11, so I was really grateful to all the patrons and volunteers who attended, but due to the timeslot, there was a weird, restless, tired energy which I found challenging to work through. I feel like I eventually did win the audience over to my side - but it was more of a struggle than usual! It was a good experience for me though - due to the strange energy, I was really finding and focusing on different aspects of the show and really allowing myself to sit in the darker parts of the piece... to the point where I nearly cried a couple of times, and found myself yelling much more forcefully than usual. I hope that the performance didn't become too 'internal' as a result, but I was enjoying the exploration.

If that makes any sense...

Yesterday Katie and I saw our first bit of "real" Vancouver, or at least off Granville Island. We spent 5 hours at the Aquarium, followed by biking along the outskirts of Stanley Park. It was beautiful. And the Aquarium was SOO much fun!

We found Cassandra's soulmate there. When we were looking at the crocodiles (which were terrifying by the way) we suddenly heard this voice over our shoulder saying something like, "he approaches the glass cautiously, ready to jump in and overtake the silent beast" in a bit of an Australian accent. And then we turn around and it's this 9 or 10 year old little boy who then smiles at us, and as he strikes a fist to his chest says, "Tribute to Steve Irwin" and walks away. It was so funny.

We finished off the day with a campfire on one of UBC's beaches, with s'mores and all! It was a beautiful beautiful night and being by the water just made me so completely happy. The ocean has such a different feel from Lake Huron, but it still calms me in a way that nothing but a large body of water can do.

2006-09-11T16:22:00.000-04:00

Our "Real" First Show! (& other meanderings)

So after our disappointing opening, we had a nice house for our Saturday afternoon performance. The show felt fresh (having not performed it in a little while) and I like the layout of the space. For some reason Cassandra just works better looking up at the audience rather than down (as happens when on a raised stage instead of a blackbox).

This evening is our Volunteer Appreciation show so we hope that lots of volunteers will have the opportunity to come out!

Yesterday we did a bit more publicity... I had an interview with CJSF Radio, which I really enjoyed. It was nice to be asked some intelligent questions that had genuine interest behind them, rather than the standard fringe, "you have x number of seconds to make everyone want to see your show - GO!" You're so often fighting for attention on the fringe that it always feels like you're talking about your show when no one's really asked... So this was great. And I was even happy with my response. If I can find a link in the archives I'll post it.

Barry, from Jesus in Montana, sent me a picture he took of the event so that I could post it here which I really appreciate. So there I am. Luckily it was radio.

We also said goodbye for the last time to our friend Nathan (Katie's billet) from Victoria, and his friend Keith. We had a great, though rather unlucky, lunch and it was good to spend some time with Nathan, since he'd been so busy when we were in Victoria.

We also saw some more shows yesterday - Urban Improv, Switchback and for the second time, Colossus. I am so glad I saw Switchback. It was so very different than any of the other fringe offerings and I especially enjoyed the latter half. I haven't seen a lot of dance, but it's something I'm really interested in, so it was amazing to have the opportunity to see such an incredibly talented performer! Her face was so expressive - amazing to watch.

Oh - and I haven't mentioned yet on the blog that the night before we finally saw Legoland which was beyond even my expectations. I just loved it and will have to get back again before it's over... I want them to come back to Toronto so I can bring everyone I know. And they're all such great, fun, down to earth people which makes it all the better. This is by far my favourite play from any of the festivals we've been at yet. Make sure you line up early!

Looking forward to tonight's show...

2006-09-11T15:43:00.000-04:00

So, to reiterate, Nathan Medd is the best billet EVER.

----I have to throw that in every now and again, or else he'll stop reading the blog :P

So, I think we're just about settled here in Vancouver. Most of our admin stuff has been taken care of, advertising is going along nicely, the list of "media opportunities" seems to be getting shorter----finally time for some fun!

After our 3rd show today, of course. Which, I have to say, we're both kindof nervous about. Not only is it: 1) a Monday, 2) at 9:45 at night, 3) at the furthest venue from Granville island, but it's 4) also Sept. 11th. All of which, seem to be working against us. But, you never know----maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised :)

Here's hoping.

Anyways, as the precursor to our fun adventures and antics---I must go separate my lights from darks. Oh, the exciting life of a theatre artist.

Whatever! It's been good times up until now----and I only expect them to get better as the week progresses! 3 days off---woot!

Keep Fringing it up!

- Katie

2006-09-08T16:29:00.000-04:00

Now, Bri covering day #2... "Opening" Night?

After a great night of sleep (Katie failed to mention in the previous post that though we did "drink ourselves into oblivion" we were back at our billets and completely asleep by 10pm) we were ready for our Opening Night!

We got to the island early and postered, finding it difficult to flyer as there were not a lot of lineups to be seen - such is the opening day of fringe, generally - but we managed to run into a few other performers, also postering, and hand out a few flyers.

We were happy to see that an excerpt from our stellar review from Monday Magazine in Victoria made its way to print in its sister magazine "the Westender" here in Vancouver. That was very nice to see.

Many works at the Fringe seem to relish in highlighting a cynical or dark outlook, so it's a treat to catch Briana Brown's sweet, suitable-for-all-ages work. Playing the title character, a "bright for [her] age" nine-year-old with a considerable vocabulary, Brown's charming monologue offers up a great balance of pleasant chuckles and full-on gut-busting laughter, all the while dispensing nuggets of wisdom.

We also received what I would call a shoulder-shrug review from Colin Thomas at the Georgia Straight.

"In this self-penned solo show, Briana Brown plays a soon-to-be-10-year-old girl who’s trying to come up with self-help strategies for succeeding in life. Cassandra could be believe-in-your-dreams coy but is saved by a charismatic performance and some great lines, including: “I guess life is kind of like home schooling, but without the shame.”"

So, it is complimentary, but if I was reading it as a patron, it wouldn't make me want to see the show. However, a lot of the other reviews on the same page were absolutely scathing... so we were very happy to avoid that.

Saw a GREAT show - called Scrupulosity which was a wonderful combination of serious and funny. Such a compelling, engaging story - and very brave in the telling.

And on to the last bit of the day... the "opening". Unfortunately, there was no opening. As I was forced to repeat over the headset to headquarters, "Yes - I confirm that there were exactly zero people in the audience". And we thought opening with 7 in Victoria was bad... So we didn't have a show.

We were obviously disappointed, especially because I was really excited about the new space and ready to give a great show but we are taking it very well. We know it has nothing to do with the show, but that it was Thursday night, opening of the festival, and people haven't heard about it yet. If this had happened to us a couple festivals ago I would have been absolutely devestated. So I'm actually glad it happened here, if anywhere. It's by far the biggest festival we've done and the most amount of competition.

Our technician Mark was so sweet and encouraging, and as we traipsed down to Granville Island, we met Jane Chen and her mom Tair (from the Chinese Clown Cabaret) who we've been at a couple festivals with. It was nice to talk about it with other performers. Because other performers get it. Jane was so great, and really inspired us becuase she says that she too HATES flyering (like Katie and I) but if you think about it as a performance in itself it makes it a lot easier. So we're so thankful to her, because now we are (surprisingly) psyched and pumped and ready to write out our flyering scripts! I think it'll help if I'm in costume, and I may have even (surprisingly) convinced Katie to do the same... she is absolutely the greatest. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful people, many of whom we've met along the way. It makes things like this a lot easier to get through.

In conclusion - if you see a girl (or 2) in pigtails out there on Granville Island, handing you a flyer -- please -- be kind.

2006-09-08T16:13:00.000-04:00

Here in Vancouver!

So---our 3rd day in Vancouver....how is it already the 3rd day? How did that happen? Well, maybe it's best not to ask questions. Breathe, accept, move on...

So, here's a little bit of insight into the disappearance of our first day in Vancouver (Wednesday). It began at 5:00 in the morning-----no, not a typo, actually FIVE in the morning!!-----Where Bri and I woke up, dressed in the previous day's clothes (which tends to happen when you wake up and the sun has yet to rise and you can't find a light switch and you're going to be late, and good god----you mean I have to lug the huge prop suitcase all over AGAIN?!?!?!) and started out to greet the day!

See, the point and pain of this early morning was due to a spot on Breakfast Television----set to go on the air at 6:45am. So, with smiles glued to our faces, we tripped our way through transit to the television studio.....took a run at the free-coffee table, then got ready for magic-time.

The whole thing went really well, but unfortunately we didn't have long to bask in the satisfaction since our tech was scheduled for 9:30am. So, back on the bus we got. Our tech, Mark, is a really nice guy and everything went off without a hitch----despite the issue of the permanent "alley" audience configuration----so we finished early and moved on to our next task.

Our next crusade involved picking up our postcards and posters from the printing place-----which, might as well have been.....well, Pluto! It was a long frustrating jaunt through everchanging streets to an elusive building in the middle of nowhere. It's funny, in Vancouver---even the middle of "NoWhere" has a Starbucks across the street, which is good....because comfort food was definitely needed after this task was bitterly ticked off the list of things to do.

After that, we managed to make our way to Granville Island where we found the Fringe office and checked ourselves into the festival. And sweeet relief! A folder full of goodies that are still keeping Bri and I entertained----Tips for places to go, eat, dance, plus all the things you have to know to get around the city......and a MAP! How novel!

So, to finish up the day.....a sprint to CBC for a brief radio spot. Probably the least stressful part of our day.

But, as exhausted as we were----we still managed to find a swanky bar to spread all our junk and drink ourselves into an oblivion.

What a great 1st day!

- Katie

2006-09-05T11:53:00.000-04:00

Vrooooooooooom Vancouver!! Here we go...

2006-09-04T23:34:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos from our trip up to Ucluelet and Tofino (pre-water crisis). I can't figure out how to rotate photos, so there are still some good ones to come, but for now...

The right is our hostel - and this is our view!

In Ucluelet... --->

Woo! We're both in the shot! Out whale watching.

<-----

On our hike out to the hot springs... gorgeous, and apparently a little frustrating??

Anyway, more to come! Once I figure all this stuff about rotating out...

2006-09-03T18:35:00.000-04:00

Quick Update

Things have been extremely busy the past, well almost week, so I haven't found a lot of time for posting unfortunately.

Today is our very last show in Victoria! We are hoping to get a good crowd, but unfortunately have not done much in the way of securing that. We've been running around a lot sort of relying on our sandwich boards to do the selling. I know I have to buckle down for sure in Vancouver but I still really hate the "selling of the show" in a face to face way end of things...

Highlights of some shows:
- an eight year old named Cassandra was in attendance
- another young girl in the front row of a performance said "ya!" to one of my onstage comments and then quickly covered her mouth
- some women yesterday were near death with laughter when I spoke about omega 3 eggs and whole grain toast - they were guilty, I could tell
- me finally feeling comfortable enough onstage that when the marker flew out of my hand, I calmly walked across the stage and picked it up without really thinking. And according to Katie, it looked "natural".

It's interesting - we've sort of become the family show of the fringe. Which is nice - I'm glad that a lot of young people are getting the opportunity to see it because I think it has a lot of good things to say to people that age, but it's still so strange because younger people were never in my head at all when I was writing it. It was written for adults, so I think it's really cool the enjoyment that children can derive from it too. I think the high school girls are another age group that really "get it". I've been told a few times now I should tour it to schools... High school kids frighten me when in groups so we'll see.

Anyway - should make my way to the theatre!!

Will give greater details in the next few days.

P.S. See Pentecostal Wisconsin in your last days of the Fringe here - we met Ryan in Ottawa and his show is AWESOME.

2006-08-31T02:54:00.000-04:00

Four Stars in Monday Magazine!

Many works at the Fringe seem to relish in highlighting a cynical or dark outlook, so after a weekend of potty-mouth performances, it was a treat to catch Briana Brown's sweet suitable-for-all-ages work. Playing the title character Cassandra, a "bright for [her] age" nine-year-old with a considerable vocabulary, Brown's charming monologue offers up a great balance of pleasant chuckles and full-on gut-busting laughter, all the while dispensing nuggets of wisdom. With her optimism and fascination with the world around her, Cassandra should be embraced as a wise-beyond-her-years role model for us all. And though you often hear reviewers bitching about the opposite, this too-short work could have easily continued for another 20 minutes.

- Bill Stuart

2006-08-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

Show #2, and other adventures

Yesterday we had a review in the Times Colonist which helped to "triple our audience" from the show before! (Our first audience was a little less than 10). So it was wonderful to perform in front of a bunch of responsive people. It was a fun show, though for some reason about half way through I got really short on breath. And unfortunately Cassandra isn't really a show where I ... ever get to stop talking or even stop to take a breath. It's just go go go! But I managed to get through it I just felt like I was being really breathy and the audience could probably hear it. I'll have to take a few deep deep breaths before going out on stage tonight.

From the Times Colonist:
"Cassandra Smith needs to focus. She still hasn't accomplished any of the tasks on her "List of things to achieve for a successful, and therefore happy, life" and a milestone birthday is around the corner - next week, Cassandra, who is nine, will reach "double digits".
Cassandra's parents - her dad's a dentist and her mom is a flake - have made things even more difficult; Cassandra has just been grounded.
Cassandra is at once the most neurotic, precocious and cynical child you'll ever meet. She puffs away on Popeye cigarettes, uses language that would intimidate a high school English teacher and resigns herself to the fact that her dream of becoming a 'folk-rock genius' will never come true.
Briana Brown wrote and performs this intelligent and charming one-woman show. While the main theme of deciding between practicality and following your dreams isn't a surprising one coming from someone who specialized in writing and directing at York University, Brown's unique approach to the subject matter and fine delivery make this a likeable show."

I was happy he talked so much about the premise as I think it will give people a better idea of what it's about and what to expect that I couldn't do in my 40 word blurb in the program. I feel like there's a jab at the end, but I can't tell if it's at York, or at the show's conclusion. For our first professional review I was quite pleased! Very complimentary.

Yesterday's excitement also included:
- planning our trip to Ucluelet and Tofino - we booked our bus, our hostel, and our 'whale-watching/hot springs luxuriating' extravaganzas! We are both soooooooo excited! We have two days in a row without a show and thought this was a good way to spend it!
- buying materials to make our very own sandwich board (today's project)
- colouring more postcards (Katie hard at work to the right)
- drinking sangria on the patio of Moxie's (their drink special of the evening!)

And for the finale we went to see two more shows: the 30 cent players' The Bad (I think) and "Colossus" (the Cody Rivers Show).

Colossus was just spectacular. These guys are so very talented, and their comedy is so unique. It's so clean and punctuated. Very physical and very ... patient. I think if they have the desire, these guys can definitely go very very far... completely impressed. And they're nice guys!

Other shows on our list: Legoland, Switchback, Joe The Perfect Man, Women of Career and Tippi Seagram. Many more too!

2006-08-27T13:46:00.001-04:00

Friday - a wonderful day

With new, flashy, brightly coloured postcards in hand and a bunch of beautiful posters under our arm, Katie and I set out to poster the city! We took our welcome package's advice and decided we'd try to poster more where people actually live than just in the downtown core. This would give us a chance to see more of the city too!

We started downtown and before too long stopped for lunch - sushi! It was delicious... About eight cups of tea and a great conversation later, we were ready to continue on our mission. This led us to the James Bay area where we found some cool little coffee shops and bookstores to explore and leave posters.

We started heading towards the park (another place we wanted to explore), but noticed that on our right was a pretty stunning view - the ocean, followed by mountains. We had stumbled upon one of the most beautiful sights to be seen.

So we abandoned postering, for a moment, and starting walking along down Dallas street - a path which happens to be a "lease free" zone making for some really enjoyable canine interactions. Not to mention the delicious blackberries growing wild along the path. We sampled "a few".

After stopping for the momentous occasion of dipping our feet in the ocean, we realized we had missed our "payout" time at the Site Office and that we really hadn't done much postering at all. That did not stop us from distraction though. Heading back towards the Site Office we meandered through neighbourhoods taking pictures and eating freezies.

Not only was it totally worth it, but it all worked out in the end. We put up posters and left postcards at all the venues (now open - which they wouldn't have been if we hadn't been distracted for so long) as well as leaving some at some 'hot spots' downtown. We then had supper at "Rebar" - a really cool vegetarian place, with 'to die for' juice combinations and salads.

We finished off the evening by going to see the 30 cent player's "The Centless" which was highly entertaining (so much so that we saw another one of their shows the night after!)

It was such an amazing day!

2006-08-25T14:07:00.000-04:00

Another Opening Night

Well, my fears were founded… we had our smallest fringe audience so far last night. A few less than ten. It didn’t get me down though, as it’s to be expected. Absolutely no one knows us in Victoria, and as it’s our first fringe tour we don’t have any sort of reputation, so I am quite grateful to everyone who came and took the risk!

It was a little tough performing for so few people – they were very quiet which affected the rhythm of the piece quite a bit. But I stuck to my guns and tried my hardest to win them over. After the show was over and I was backstage I overheard some women who were up near the front talking and they sounded extremely enthusiastic about the show. Which made me very happy.

Another really, really positive thing from last night is that we had a member of the press! I hope this will become our very first professional review on the tour! And on our opening night too! If I was to choose a performance for a reviewer to come to, last night would not exactly have been it, but I will definitely take it. I'm just not sure if the 'hilarity' came across. I’m so nervous!! This will be the first review of my professional career. I will be fine and take it with a grain of salt if it’s not good, but how awesome would it be if it is good?

Today Katie and I are somehow (this is her brainchild) going to construct a sandwich board to put up at the Fringe kiosk, as well as do some more postering and flyering.

Last night Katie and I spent about 4 hours watching episodes of The Gilmore Girls (thanks to Leah’s fabulous collection) and colouring all our postcards. They were accidentally printed in black and white instead of colour and look way too somber, but the printing place can’t get new ones to us til next week, so we decided on creativity! We added some shiny gold pigtails and pink accents to 150 postcards last night. I sort of think I look like a drag queen now, but I also think they look pretty cool, so I’m torn. At least now they look a little fun, rather than like someone going to a funeral. And shiny markers definitely go with the ‘child’ theme. Just 250 left to go!! Quintessential Fringe my friends. The photo on the left gives you an idea, but because it's blurry it doesn't quite do them justice.

<-- Me with the postcards. Which show would you rather see? The sparkly exciting one? yes, that's right.

More updates soon!

2006-08-24T14:06:00.000-04:00

Fringe Eve Preview

Well, today we have our Tech from 2-5 and we open at 6:30 PM!

We just got our posters yesterday, and had a mixup with our postcards so we haven't done a lot of publicity and I am pretty worried about who is going to show up tonight.

However, last night I had the opportunity to participate in the Fringe Eve Preview where I, along with maybe 20 other companies, did a short "clip" from the show in order to entice people to come. I received a lot of positive feedback from people saying that they couldn't wait to come see the show. Which was absolutely amazing to hear since I'd been feeling so down and lost about the whole publicity thing. So I am hoping that some of them will choose tonight!

Everyone I've met here seems so genuinely -- great. Just really cool, nice, interesting people. (And apologetic that I have to live in Toronto - which is completely understandable once you've been here for less than an hour).

I really enjoyed the Preview as an audience member as well. There are SOOOO many shows I want to see now! Everywhere I go I am consistently amazed at the calibre of the work I see around me. It's so inspiring to be in this environment.

But I should really get out of here - much to do before the tech begins! Fingers crossed for tonight!

2006-08-23T14:07:00.000-04:00

We have arrived!

I apologize for the lack of postings in the past week - we were both recovering from London and running around wondering how on earth to pack for over a month of living, plus all the extra stuff to do the show. I also really enjoyed having those nice reviews posted at the top of the page (see below if you haven't read them!)

But we are now in Victoria, and I actually don't have a lot of time because Katie and I are meeting in minutes for our "Meeting" - hopefully over pancakes or french toast - organizing everything for the show in the next couple of days and also organizing everything we want to do as tourists!

After waking yesterday at 5 am, catching a plane at 9 and gaining 3 extra hours on the way here, we were very proud of ourselves that we managed to a) stay awake until 11 PM (1 AM our time - almost 24 hours since waking) and b) take in some of the city. We explored the harbour, where the Empress Hotel is, used the washroom at the Museum, and did a Ghost Walk which was a lot of fun. We also checked in, found our respective 'homes' for the duration of the festival and ate supper! We were extremely busy gals...

We also met our awesome billets - Nathan and Leah. So I just met Leah about 20 minutes ago, not yesterday, but they both seem so great. Katie and I had a big discussion yesterday about how we keep getting so lucky in the accommodation department...

Best part of the day: the plane from Vancouver to Victoria - 10 minutes! It involved walking across the pavement and up the stairs of the teeny tiny plane (or private jet as we decided). And the view was spectacular from the air. So much fun!

In conclusion, Katie and I are whirling with excitement about all the possibilities Victoria and Vancouver Island will hold for the next two weeks!

2006-08-15T17:50:00.000-04:00

London Fringe Audience Reviews
(As posted on the London Fringe website - www.londonfringe.ca)

We were more than excited about the fabulous response we received from audience members in London. Here is what they had to say!

Sunday August 6, 2006

Precocious = wonderful

"Cassandra Smith is one of those precocious nine-year-olds you can't help but admire. She's bright, opinionated, and wise beyond her years... and smart enough to realize that those aren't entirely good things. Briana and Katie, you earned that opening-night standing ovation (the first I've heard of or witnessed this year)."

- peterj (who attended 3 times! Thanks so much!)

An Absolute Delight!

"Everyone strives for success. Because success equals happiness. Doesn't it? Cassandra Smith has just a few days left to achieve three important life goals. How is she supposed to do that when she's grounded? I mean, you can't get anywhere when you're grounded, and the sooner she starts getting somewhere in life, the happier she'll be. Right? The next time you feel that your life is going nowhere and you're bogged down by too much choice, you will remember the nine-year-old girl Cassandra Smith. You'll remember how she decided that, if you want to get an A+ in life, you cannot forget to dream. Everyone should see this show: it's another one that will be remembered for years to come.
...and she sells cute little buttons (designed by Cassandra herself) at the front table..."

- Beth

Monday August 7, 2006

I am Cassandra

"Great writing, lovely actress and cool concept. This is exactly what I would have done in Cassandra's position... force myself to make the most inportant decisions of my life RIGHT NOW. This girl's wit and humor forces me to laugh. This production is extraordinary.
(By the way, I'm homeschooled. Homeschoolers rock! We are NOT, and I mean NOT, ashamed)"
- CJ’s daughter

Get Your Tickets Early

"This delightful performance sweeps you off your feet - refreshing, energetic, ever-changing. Right from the opening, this precocious almost-ten-year-old character has you on her side. She needs an A+ in life skills, and there's a plan of action! The problem is, she's grounded - again. And this performer is well-grounded: almost all the time you believe her youthful innocence, her aspirations, her disappointments. Just a few moments only did I feel the intrusion of the adult mind. I felt the gut-wrenching loss concluding the phone call could have been shared a bit more, carrying into the next scene until the natural resilience re-exerts itself. And the conclusion is a sparking rush of excitement and revelation. Yes, we believe, we dream! But can't we have fun, too? Line up early."

- Peter

Thursday, August 10, 2006

A Great Performance

"a very delightful play & fun to see I enjoyed every minute of it."

- Kingkev

Friday, August 11, 2006

Thoroughly Satisfying

"Adorable as 9-year-old Cassandra, Briana Brown gives a smart performance full of humor and irony. Everyone will identify with her in some way or another - whether in childhood memories or as an adult - as she, humorously, tries to get her life "under control." A brilliant concept, this one is a crowd pleaser, for certain."

- Quilldriver800

Sunday, August 13, 2006

an absolute must see!

"Although predominantly funny, this play had layers of sadness and thought-provoking insights. Extremely well written and performed! The empathy factor was a complete surprise!"

- ab

A Review

"Cassandra by Briana Brown is an honest, fast paced, and comical piece that will have you laughing and crying as you follow a 9 year old girl through typical 9 year old girl life questions such as finding a suitable life partner and nailing down a career choice. If you are looking for the play that will change your outlook on your niece asking for post-it notes, this is certainly an excellent choice. Rating: 4.8 candy cigarettes out of 5."

- P. Connolly (does not appear on website)

2006-08-15T17:07:00.000-04:00

The London Fringe is over...

Well, we had our last show on Sunday at 5:30 PM. It was a great house, and a good show. I just went out there and had a lot of fun. I can't believe how much stress was relieved knowing that it didn't matter what anybody in the audience said to other people afterwards because it was the last show! I am going to try not to worry about that stuff as best as I can when we're out west, because I realize it really affects my experience - and I should be enjoying every second I'm on stage! (As Cassandra would say...)

Overall the festival was a success! We had just over 200 people attend the show, which is significantly larger than our numbers in Ottawa. And we received lots of great feedback from audience members. (Which I will post shortly.)

We also, once again, had a really great time. Kathy Navackas was so great and wonderful and we just loved her, as well as Alison, and every volunteer and board member we encountered was fabulous too! Just such a warm festival... I definitely want to return in the future. And the other performers we met were really great and a lot of fun.

I believe we have one picture from the experience, which is just me in the venue, but it is something. We will post that too.

And I bought some art from the Visual Fringe - 3 small pen and inks by Anne Emberline which I plan to hang in my bedroom in Toronto. It's my first art purchase and a great memory of the whole experience.

So all in all, a worthy endeavour.

Unfortunately, there will be no basking in the afterglow... we leave for Victoria in exactly ONE WEEK! And right now I am in the phase where I don't believe it's possible to accomplish everything. But I know it will work out in the end.

2006-08-12T18:15:00.000-04:00

So basically, Katie's Fake Prom outfit, which at the time of print was not even fully assembled, is getting better media coverage than Cassandra...

I bought a copy of the National Post. I know it's a bit off topic, but it's definitely making its way into the Cassandra scrapbook.

Wishing Katie a magical, mystical, millenium-al, evening!

2006-08-12T13:02:00.000-04:00

With only hours to go until "Fake Prom".....

Check this out: http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=156d0b88-d120-461c-9b82-c29568baf3fb

XXOO

- Katie

2006-08-11T15:36:00.000-04:00

Sir Kensington Longbottom!!

Katie and I just returned from seeing Homo Sapiens Today and we LOVED it! Frank Turco is an incredible performer - some of his facial expressions just had us laughing hysterically. It is truly the most skilled performance I have seen at the fringe so far - kudos!

We were also more than impressed with our audience members - quick on the comebacks and great improvisational skills! Katie and I were both more than relieved that we weren't called upon as we wouldn't have come up with anything as clever as the other doctors in the room.

If you post the proper spelling of the word "kayak", we will give you a free ticket to Cassandra!

GO SEE Homo Sapiens Today... TODAY!! (Well, actually it's not on again until tomorrow, but you understand my enthusiasm.)

Another winner is How Sweet It is, which I'm not sure if I already mentioned but you should see it too!

2006-08-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

Touring Cassandra

Waking up in the same room as Bri---is like waking up in a Disney movie. She knows what I mean.....

I seriously feel like I'm going to open my eyes to see the place swarming with little cartoon bluebirds, flyin' about my head.

But, between the birds and the invisible kittens that seem to always be two steps behind me....it was a pretty good night's sleep. I sound like an old person saying this----but, that's like the most valuable thing EVER to me these days. Like GOLD, I tell you!

Anyways---this is going to be my last day at the Fringe before I take another road trip back to Toronto. I'll be back in time for our final show on Sunday, of course...but in the meantime, I made a promise to someone. A very important promise. And we all know how important it is to keep your promises, even when they involve you dressing silly and parading around infront of your boyfriend's friends all evening. What state of mind was I in when I agreed to something as stupid as that, you ask? Clearly, one that would allow me to be bowled over at...

Being asked to Prom.

Not Prom-Prom----Fake Prom. The fun drinkfest that occurs every year in Toronto will this year be held at Lee's Palace. And I'll be there---in all my Early 90's glory.

Maybe it's just me---but at Prom, a girl should get to be *pretty*. Not decked out in shoulder pads and a headband. It's just not fair. Thank god there's going to be booze.

Thank god.

But---hopefully it'll be fun. Hopefully, I won't trip over my heels. Hopefully, I'll never see the bottom of my glass.

Hopefully I won't be hungover for our final show on Sunday.

Here's hoping!

Everyone pray for me.

It's gonna be a rough Sunday!!

Love,

Katie

2006-08-10T21:30:00.000-04:00

Thursday @ 6 PM - 4th show...

Though the audience tonight was a little quieter to begin with than previous audiences, they eventually 'warmed up' and started laughing out loud. I had a lot of fun with everyone who's eyes I met. I could tell that people were enjoying themselves by the smiles on their faces though, even when it was a little quieter than usual. (Apart from a fellow in the first row who kept falling asleep... but I understand. Fringing takes up a lot of energy! But just as a note to other audience members: If you are feeling a little drowsy, front and centre may not be the best place to sit.)

We had another decent house, and the show went smoothly! I had much more energy tonight than the last show and was feeling the best I have so far at the London Fringe!

Afterwards at dinner, we met a Trouper who came over to tell us how much he enjoyed the show. He works at the London Free Press as a sports reporter/editor (I can't remember his name!) and takes two weeks off for the Fringe every summer! I thought that was extremely impressive and if he hasn't already won Trouper of the Day, he should!

Last night, Katie and I went to see "How Sweet it Is" and we thoroughly enjoyed it!! Liz was absolutely hilarious - her ability to morph into other people is fantastic. And the show overall just had a very clean, professional feel. I really appreciated taking the journey with her - I didn't feel as though she was trying to speak for all diabetics, but was simply sharing her story. We totally recommend it! It is now officially tied with the Black Roses as being our favourite shows of the Fringe thus far.

Tonight we're going to see Resurrection and Please Give Generously. Both very late... (yawn). I'll make sure not to sit in the front row!

2006-08-09T12:48:00.000-04:00

Touring Cassandra

So, it's Wednesday morning.....correction, afternoon. I've woken up with some interesting bed-head and a Cassandra postcard sweatily stuck to my cheek. Yes, things are going excellently on my end----as you can see.

We had our third show yesterday, which went really well----especially considering the ever-changing symptoms of Bri's cold/flu/sicky/illness. It was a bit quieter than we had expected, but that seemed to be the case all through the Fringe. (I personally think that a large majority of patrons we at home with belly-aches, as last weekend was also the revered "London Rib-Fest".) But we're pretty confident that things will start to pick up again soon :)

Today is our day off and we plan on seeing a ton of shows----or at least 2, since I don't want to dig myself into a hole of unfulfilled promises. Today is a slow starter.....(shower....so far away....just across the....living room.....of the bachelor.....appartment.....*collapse*)

Yesterday was also the first day we took "Cassandra" to the streets----in the form of chalked advertisements. Yup, we're spreadin' the word about our upcoming shows! Watch out for them!

No, Really.
I mean it.
If I see any of yous steppin' on our art work.....
There's gonna be trouble.
You'd definitely be put at the top of my list.
Maybe even Cassandra's list.

(....which probably isn't really that threatening. For all of you who've seen the show----well, you know how good she is at accomplishing the tasks on her list :P)
(But I am.)
(So, watch your step.)

Yea! Come see our show!
(I will have showered. I promise.)

- Katie

2006-08-08T10:33:00.000-04:00

Thought it was time to check in.

Unfortunately, due to my very very persistent illness I don't have much to report. I am currently writing from Toronto where I just had an audition for a production of Romeo and Juliet. It wasn't as good as it could have been, but I am still glad to have had the opportunity. And if it was fun to act like someone a little closer to my age, if only briefly.

I spent all day yesterday just trying to sleep and rest as much as possible to try to get this bug out of my system. I feel much much better and am so excited to do the show again this evening!! And I hope I will continue to feel better so that I can actually hang out at Club Fringe and meet some people! And SEE SHOWS!

I'm hoping we'll have a big-ish audience due to the segment A-Channel did on our show on Sunday night, and the flattering reviews on the London Fringe website. But I guess we'll see!!

2006-08-06T10:22:00.000-04:00

Opening Night!

Thank you to everyone who came out to last night's very late show! We were surprised and delighted at how many people made it. I wonder if my little birthday plea at the open mic convinced anyone to come over. I should have taken a survey...

My intake of massive quantities of drugs seemed to pay off last night! I was alert and having fun, but most importantly not having coughing fits or blowing my nose onstage for all to see. My mouth was getting really dry, making it frustrating to get out a lot of words, but other than that everything was great! I was pretty scared for most of yesterday wondering what was going to happen. And we received a standing ovation! I was completely taken aback... What an amazing way to start out the fringe.

I had a surprise visit last night as well! My best friend who was, up until a few days ago, in London England, conveniently had visa issues that he had to return to Canada for - just in time to surprise me for my birthday and opening night!

Yesterday I also had the pleasure of meeting Frank, or Sir Kensington Longbottom (of Homo Sapiens)... After discovering that Kinkos downtown is closed for the entire weekend, we had a fabulous adventure out to the Staples on Base Line (taking public transportation - oh my!) to photocopy our programs. I haven't seen his show yet, but he's a great guy, and from the reviews posted on londonfringe.ca so far, the show seems to be a winner with audiences. He is also performing at the Arts Project. So check it out!

Well, I should probably start focussing on getting ready! I'm feeling better this morning so I'm hoping today's 1:30 PM show will go just as well as yesterday's. Today's performance is FREE for volunteers as a thank you for all their hard work!

2006-08-04T17:10:00.000-04:00

And now a bit from Bri ...

I whole-heartedly agree with Katie that this seems like it's going to be a really fun festival. After the parade today, seeing the Performer Showcase, and a slew of posters, there are SOOO many shows I'm excited about seeing! I think the calibre is really high and London should be proud! (An hour from Bayfield, I lived here 'til I was six, and still feel the connection).

A personal drama or rather, trauma, that I'm experiencing at the moment is a hellish cough. I've coughed so much that now when I cough my head hurts from being jerked around so much. Poor Katie has to sleep in the same room as me, and though she said I didn't keep her awake it must have been very annoying last night. Although she was probably just grateful to be out of her car (read her post below). I have full confidence that I will still be recovered for opening - I have over 24 hours left! And my voice doesn't seem too affected so worse case scenario I can down some cough syrup before going onstage... Ahh, a life in theatre...

Well it seems that blogging is a recipe for sleeping because I slept while Katie wrote hers and now she's sleeping... but I need her to wake up because we need to go see some shows!

2006-08-04T15:46:00.000-04:00

Yes----we FINALLY made it to London. Well, I did at least. Bri was just fine----she's one smart cookie. Me on the other hand, well, I seem to have horribly wronged MapQuest at some point---because I've NEVER taken so many wrong turns or hit so many construction sites.

Bad Luck Day. Grrrrr.....

But, a good night's sleep later, today has been pretty good. On this fine Friday morning, at 9am, we had our tech in the space---which went really smoothly. And for that I'd like to thank the wonderful Julie, who will be our technician for the festival, and Starbucks, for being conveniently located right across the street. Anyways, after our tech we had the (dis)pleasure of participating in the customary parade...and then got to perform a little snippet of the show at the Market place.

All was pretty painless, despite the early wakeup call---so I believe that this Festival is going to be a really good experience for us. We'll get to meet a ton of new people, get to know the twists and turns of another festival, and have some free time to go shopping.

---I know it sounds shallow.....but, I don't care. I don't need to justify anything to anyone---When Katie needs sandals, she NEEDS sandals. And I think we'll all agree---techs and actors alike---a happy stage manager is a good stage manager---and that's the kind you want ;)

Anyways...If you'll excuse me, my tootsies require my attention.

- Katie

2006-08-02T18:50:00.000-04:00

More exciting news! (It just keeps coming...)

Katie and I are no longer homeless! For the past few weeks we've been trying to find accommodation in London with little success. We had a few options, but everything kept falling through. I finally decided we could no longer be polite and would have to start asking if we could inconvenience friends. My old high school buddies Jay and Veronica graciously opened up their apartment to us, but unfortunately they were going to be away til the 8th, so we had nowhere to stay until then.

But out of the blue last night, a woman I was intending to apartment swap with originally, but had backed out due to the timing, called me up to say that she was going to go on vacation instead and that we could just use her apartment while she's away! It's right near the venue and there's room for both Katie and I to sleep. We just feel so lucky and grateful it's ridiculous.

On the negative side, I have developed a severe head cold and possible ear infection, possibly due to swallowing some Guelph Lake water at Hillside last weekend... I'm trying very hard to both work and get lots of rest at the same time. It's a challenge! Luckily we have a few days until the actual performance.

But we're both heading to London tomorrow night! (And so it begins...) And luckily, we now know where it is we're heading to...

2006-08-02T18:47:00.000-04:00

Katie and I outside of our venue at the Ottawa Fringe. Our one and only photograph of the experience thus far.

Thanks so much to Jean-Claude our super-savvy volunteer front of house man for emailing us the picture!

2006-08-01T10:22:00.000-04:00

Bayfield Show a Success!

With a house of 125 warm, energetic, laughter-filled individuals, Thursday night at the Bayfield Town Hall is looking like it's going to be the most memorable performance of the entire tour! Just proves you don't have to go too far from home...

The night was just so much fun! The size and enthusiasm of the audience had a big effect on the rhythm of the piece, forcing me to really play around and find a way to make everything work. Rather than one line quickly following another as a secondary punch-line, I had to wait through the laughter and make it become something new. It was such a great experience. I just really loved that sense of play that I think is what I'm always supposed to feel on stage, but being a control-freak do not experience as often as I should.

And to see so many friends in one room, from so many different parts of my life was also overwhelming. I had to really concentrate on focusing rather than reminiscing as I made eye contact with everyone! I was completely taken aback by the support and would like to thank each and every person for attending. Especially the people I don't know who just decided to take a chance based on the story in the paper!

Behind the scenes was an entirely different, but still amusing story! The Bayfield Town Hall isn't exactly what you would call "equipped" for theatrical productions. The lighting panel for on stage and front of house are one-in-the-same and all of the lights are on dimmer switches - those ones you press in and turn - and are located BACKSTAGE. To top that off, there aren't "wings" really, but an enclosed, wooden stage, so Katie was backstage operating lights and sound, but she couldn't even see me! Not to mention that the CD player was about 6 steps and a ladder away from the lights. But Katie was amazing and operated everything smoothly. She also managed to rig up another set of lights on the ground so that I would be lit from below, as all the lights were directly overhead on the stage causing some yucky shadows. Did I mention that all this was being solved between the hours of 10 pm and 1 am the night before our show because of the AA meeting that was in the space prior to that time? Ya... But we had fun and Katie's so good at keeping calm. And I suspect she enjoyed the thrill of 'slumming' it in a so non-professional theatre...

So that is the story of Bayfield. Hopefully Katie will add some comments about her experience as well... and what it is to come into a village of 900 as an outsider. ha ha.

We leave for London on Thursday night from our two seperate destinations, as I'm still in Bayfield and Katie is back in Toronto. We're both feeling extremely pumped and excited. We just need somewhere to stay... sigh.

More updates soon!

2006-07-26T10:08:00.000-04:00

Touring Cassandra

Hello! This is Katie speaking---under Bri's account, of course (shhhh, don't tell! :P)

And well, what can I say? It seems like it's been a lifetime----which in the world of theatre is approximately 2 weeks. In fact I constantly look at emails Bri sends me, convinced that I've left them unanswered for weeks, to see that I recieved them 16 or so hours before. Golly---where does the time go?---after it has a coffee break....cigarette....cookie....

But, long story short an'all'that-----It's been too damn long.

So, what can I tell you that's new and exciting? Well, after recovering from a 10 day work splurge----teching various dance shows at York U---I've finally begun to unwind a little, sleep a little, and grow back some of the hair that I pulled out in frustration after dealing with dancers for 15 hours at a time. Lordy!

Which brings us up to....yesterday---which is when I was supposed to have arrived in Bayfield. Then crisis hits early Tuesday morning----First of all, you know you're in trouble when you can't sleep. I know for a fact that I still haven't caught up on a good 40ish hours of sleep, so this is a fairly distressing toss n' turn fest. Then round 4am, I'm struck with---what feels like---the hangover of the century! Head pounding stomach turning type stuff---and all I can think is "What the hell?" I didn't even get the pleasure of bringing this head-splitter upon myself. Not fair Body. NOT fair.

So, after hours of---sleep for an hour, see if I feel better, sleep for another hour, see if I feel better, sleep for ANOTHER hour.....It's somewhere around noon. I'm a mess. My room is a mess. Packing is a mess-----did I mention I'm a mess?----So, I admitted defeat and gave Bri a call.

Whimper, whimper.

Which brings us to today!-----Take 2! Going to Bayfield! Going to throw on some clothes and go to Bayfield! Going to throw on some clothes get in the car---probably listen to some Alanis, of all things (just found the cd---ouch!)----and Go to Bayfield!

And with that-----she dodged away from the computer to find her bathing suit!

More details to come, as the adventures in Bayfield unfold! (dun dun dah!)

- Katie

2006-07-24T15:53:00.000-04:00

Update!

The Bayfield show is on the verge of selling out! We have 120 seats (may be able to squeeze some more in) and right now we have over 90 sold/reserved! And I'm aware of a lot of other people who've told me they're coming who haven't reserved. So things are looking good!

Now I just need to deal with my nerves... this is, as I've said before, going to be the most stressful performance I do all summer. But I hope and know it will turn out all right. There's lots of support in that audience that will carry me through.

Ha ha... And my mom just came downstairs with some tarot cards saying she pulled "Success, Triumph and Acclaim".

So there we go. It's in the cards...

2006-07-20T23:44:00.000-04:00

It is exactly ONE WEEK until the Bayfield show! I'm getting very nervous but very excited at the same time. I've been getting such a good response from people I've talked to about it... I'm truly overwhelmed by the support and enthusiasm.

I have been busying myself with publicity the past few days - getting posters up in Bayfield and surrounding area, mailing out personal invites, and my first ever radio interview! That took place this afternoon in about 2 minutes (tops!) on the local station CKNX 101.7 with Bill Townsend. He was very friendly and responsive - however I found myself getting rather tongue- tied. And it all happened so quickly! I returned his call and he asked me a couple of questions and then said "okay, are you ready to go on air in about 30 seconds?" I shook for about 10 minutes after I hung up - I just find that kind of stuff really difficult still. But it was good practice and it was fun!

We also had an article published in the local paper, the Goderich Signal Star. I had no idea how many people read it! It came out yesterday, and today everyone I met knew all about the show! People I've never met before were calling to buy tickets! Which, for some of you big city folk may sound pretty obvious and unimpressive, but for an area with such a small arts community it really is crazy. Unless they're tourists - we get a lot of those - but these ticket-purchasers were not tourists.

So it was a fun day today!

I'm getting nervous about rehearsing at the moment, as I am in Bayfield, and Katie is still in Toronto with all the props. I can go through a lot on my own, just visualizing and miming, but it's always nice after a three week break to get your hands around something solid! We are having a dress rehearsal on the Tuesday evening before the show in the space so I know all will be well. I just want to make sure it's still sharp.

Pictures are always fun... what could we put a picture of today?

Hmm... some buttons! As part of our fundraising endeavours, I designed five buttons which are available for 50 cents each after each show. So far they're not selling quite as much as hotcakes, but Katie and I are determined that they're the coolest things ever. Comment if you agree. Or if you have a special relationship to, or affinity for, hotcakes.

2006-07-08T19:03:00.000-04:00

What People Are Saying!
Reviews from Off the Record, Ottawa Fringe Publication:

“Cassandra is a precocious, intelligent, and determined character who quickly won over the audience with her hilarious and often bittersweet perceptions about life. But through the laughter and witty observations, came a story that was alarmingly touching. I highly recommend this engaging piece of theatre.” – Carrie Melbrook

“Funny, touching ‘one-girl show’. Cassandra is an adult in the body of a child who is both too wise and too naive to be an adult. Readers of self-help books and parents of gifted children beware! And prepare to laugh.” – T. Rajan

“Bang on.” – Melissa Gruber

2006-07-08T18:35:00.000-04:00

Brief Update:

This is sort of a boring time to talk about, but if the point of this whole thing is to give an idea of what it is to tour a fringe show, I guess the boring must come with the exciting! f

So in the past couple of days I have made up London and Bayfield specific posters and postcards, and made up press kits for both locations, and mailed them out. Phewf.

I am also designing an ad which will be placed in the program at the Vancouver Fringe. Ads are fairly pricey, so we haven't purchased one at any of the other festivals, but because Vancouver is so huge and one can be so easily lost in the shuffle, we thought it might be worth it. I've been scouring the Toronto Fringe program (something I've been attending, though we are not performing in it), trying to find ads that I feel are "successful" and trying to figure out why. It's a balance I think between giving 'new' information not seen already in the program, and also making sure that they recognize it's the same show. Such a learning curve! Every time I turn around I'm learning something new. Something I still haven't learned, (and REALLY need to get around to) is how to save things like ads, posters, and postcards in different file formats, rather than emailing them to Rick, my lovely and 0h-so patient boyfriend, to convert them and send them back to me. Embarrassing really... And I'm the one with the blog.

I have also been on an emailing frenzy letting everyone I know who lives anywhere near either Bayfield or London all about the show.

And that's it - I can't believe it can be summed up so succinctly because I feel like I haven't stopped to breathe in about 5 days.

Oh - and having random late night text-messaging sessions with Katie trying to figure out when on earth we'll be able to make our lives intersect again before we do the next show. We actually haven't seen each other since we left the bus station after getting back from Ottawa. And we've spoken on the phone once. Sniff... it's really an email-only relationship at this point. Double sniff.

So there you have it - the less than glamourous aspect of putting on a Fringe show.

Yours respectfully,
The ... Decent Playwright, but Mighty Poor Blogger

2006-07-06T12:12:00.000-04:00

Everything has been revealed!

We just received our performance dates, times and venues for the last two festivals: Victoria and Vancouver. We'll post that information closer to the date. But that means we can book flights right now! Hot tip: there is a sale on at Air Canada right now for North American flights.

I just can't believe it's all happening. I can't even remember how it all started really, but I think it was always sort of with the safety in mind that I could apply, but still have time to get myself out of it without losing money. And then gradually it just became something that I was doing, rather than something I was thinking about doing. We were originally waitlisted at Vancouver and so I said, "alright I won't go to Victoria if I don't get into Vancouver because I can't afford the flight." But then again gradually, I decided that maybe it would be a good experience to just visit the Vancouver fringe even if I didn't get in. So the drop-out date from Victoria came and went. Then we were accepted into Vancouver a few days before we left for Ottawa. And now we have an actual venue with performance dates! It's all just been so haphazard, which is, I guess, what this industry is really all about.

But with all of these, what I hope will be wild adventures, ahead my thoughts are mostly focused upon the village of Bayfield. Home. And a home truly unlike any other. It's population is 900 and it's located on the shores of Lake Huron. This is the location of our next performance!

For one night (Thursday July 27 @ 8 PM) Cassandra will take over the historic Town Hall (see below). It was really important for me to be able to share what I'm spending my entire summer doing with everyone at home. Plus it gives me an excuse to spend a chunk of time there again this summer... This is my first summer away from home, and it's kind of rough being cramped in a city when you're not used to it. That said, I am more nervous about this performance than any other in the entire tour!

OUR VENUE: Bayfield Town Hall

Apart from being nervous though, I'm extremely excited to show Katie around the 'hood. I think she'll love it. Ahh! I can't wait! Now if I could just finish those posters...

2006-07-05T01:40:00.000-04:00

Photos!

Briana Brown, Katie Horrill, and Cassandra (Smith).

2006-07-05T01:08:00.000-04:00

Katie said...

Hey---and here we are! In the world wide web...Never thought I'd see the day...

Anyways---This is my formal "hello my name is post", so here it goes....Hello, My name is Katie. I am the Stage Manager for Cassandra. Well, really the babysitter, or "wayward companion" for those of you who've seen the show. (Anyone? Anyone?) Whatever, you try traveling with a nine year old whose razor sharp wit never ceases to amaze. After an hour you'd agree to be called almost anything if it got you some peace and quiet. Don't get me started---don't even get me started.

On a more factual note, Bri and I just got back from Ottawa and are now planning our attack on the London Fringe---or at least we will later this week. Recouperating from a 2week theatrical adventure is not as easy as it may seem. But, we're pulling through. We're real troopers, we are.

Stay tuned for more misadventures!

2006-07-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

Hello!

Welcome to my first ever blog - something I never really thought I would get myself into. But as many friends have been emailing me their summer travel blog links, I thought perhaps documenting my Fringe Festival tour of Cassandra would be a worthwhile endeavour.

The Cassandra tour consists of me (writer/actor) and my wonderful stage manager Katie Horrill, who I hope will add her own comments to this site frequently. We are starting this blog a little late, as we have just returned from our very first Fringe Festival in Ottawa, which was not only a wonderful learning experience but a great time! Perhaps we'll start by posting some stuff about Ottawa, and then continue on with preparations for the next few shows:

Bayfield ON - July 27
London ON - August 4 - 13
Victoria BC - August 24 - Sept 4
Vancouver BC - September 7 - 17
Toronto ON - October (Bad Dog Short Play Festival - dates TBA)

Until then...