Out With the Old & In With 2013!!!

What a magical and eventful year for theatre and life!

I can't wait to see what the New Year has in store.

In 2013

I had the honour to play the role of Anne in "Goodnight Children Everywhere"

I was blessed with a friendly and talented cast in "the TWIDDLE PLAYS"

I began volunteering at the local art gallery "the Arts Project"

I started my own business

I began working with a friend on a top secret theatre project for kids

I was accepted as 1 of 7 members of the new GAB program at the Grand Theatre

I began volunteering and now sit on the board for "Artistically Speaking Out Against Bullying"

I've made some wonderful new friends through the Source, Theatre and Arbonne

I attended my cousin's wedding

I am directing for the Palace for the first time ("Swing Dance" - Feb 2013)

I've continued working as an actor for Murder for Hire Murder Mysteries

I was the maid of honour at my mum's wedding

I reconnected with a penpal in the UK from my childhood

I have planned the next Maybles' Poductions ("Six Funny Ladies" - May 2013)

Darren and I got a dog together

and I'm sure there's many more excited things I'm forgetting.

I thought I would share with you why I do theatre and why I think it is an important part of life...

~ ~

I have been involved with independent theatre across Southern Ontario and India for almost 15 years now. My discipline of theatre would be Comedy as a Director and Comedy/Drama as an actor.

I founded my own theatre company in 2009 called "Maybles' Productions, Because Funny Feels Good" because I saw there was a gap in the local theatre community - Comedy.
It wasn't just Comedies that this city was lacking but also a theatre company which truly worked together, was 'drama'-free and helped each participant to learn as much as they can and give the best performance they can. I have always been a believer in "two heads are better than one" and this is true for theatre as well.

Theatre has been an outlet for people to grow, learn and build on skills that can flow into areas of daily life. Through theatre, I have seen individuals overcome stage fright, reading and speech impediments as well as become self-assured after accomplishing something as great, wonderful and magical as a play.

To me, Theatre means an escape or break from "life", a safe space where people can explore what it means to be human and a place where individuals can be a part of something wonderful.

Through the years, I have had many inspiring Theatre experiences. I have built a drama club in an all-girls' school in India, I have worked as a director with blind actors, I have seen actors overcome with joy because they "didn't fail" and had someone who believed in them. I have seen a room brought to tears because a 12-year-old girl (who found a love for herself through drama and music) stated "she didn't want to die anymore". I would say my most inspiring life experience has BEEN theatre.

When I direct or produce theatre, I create comedies with real and believable characters because it feels good to laugh. I create a space that is supportive, all-accepting and trusting between the cast & crew.  Sometimes as an audience member, we don't want to think or rack our brains for references and we just want to sit back, relax and laugh.

When I am performing as an actor, I try to create a character that has had their own experiences and that the audience can relate to in some way. I also try to find something in each character I portray that explores a specific part of myself.

When I am teaching a workshop (Culture Days, Concordia College or Artistically Speaking Out Against Bullying), I try to inspire my students to challenge themselves and their comfort zones. It is magical to see someone, who thinks they cannot do something, work towards it then finally do it. A sense of accomplishment is one of the greatest gifts one can give to a child or adult who has self-doubt and I can do this all the time through theatre.

My general philosophy on theatre is this: Theatre is not a hobby, it is a way of life and if we can teach individuals how to be supportive and accepting of each other on a stage - maybe we can teach the world to so the same.

I will end by saying that though theatre can teach people many things - it cannot teach people passion and it is Passion that I have. I have been told that I eat, breathe and sleep theatre and that I may be on the borderline of "obsessed". Theatre can do so much ~ let me show you what I can do with theatre.

 STAY TUNED FOR AUDITIONS FOR "SIX FUNNY LADIES"!!!!!

I'm Going to Die Tonight

I know who is going to do it, I know when and where and why they're going to do it.
The only question left is whether ot not I will be able to lie still for 20 minutes or more while everyone else tries to put the pieces together and solve my murder.
That's right. Tonight, I'm going to be killed for the benefit of an audience AND that audience is actually going to pay money to watch it all go down! It's all pretty sick when you think about it - someone actually looked up the words "murder for hire" online to do one of two things:
1) Try to find someone they can hire and pay to kill someone else.
2) Hire a company known as "Murder for Hire" to hold a murder mystery dinner for a special occasion.
Thankfully, someone was not in fact looking to have me killed but rather looking for someone to pretend to kill someone else at their special event or occasion for fun.
I have been working with Murder for Hire now for nearly 4 years and in all the murder mysteries I have performed in, a woman has never been the one to be murdered. In fact, I've played the murderer more often than not. I am PUMPED to have the challenge tonight of being the one to be dragged into the room (preferably by the arms and NOT my hair), dropped on to the floor in the middle of the room for all the guests to gawk at, FACE UP with my eyes closed AND I have to lie there through dessert until the end of the performance without moving (if possible). 
In previous performances, there have been guests who went right up to "the body" to investigate gunshot wounds or see if the 'body' is still breathing or not. It amazes how many people ACTUALLY comment on the fact that the 'body' is still breathing! After all this time, people still think actors in murder mysteries ACTUALLY kill someone for the audience's entertainment.
I'm sure tonight's performance will have it's own challenges, laughs and unexpected audience involvement. I will be sure to update this blog post tomorrow to let you all know what it feels like to play dead to entertain others as well as inform you of the "interesting" things audience memebers are certain to do to me while I'm down.

There is no "Off-Stage" when you're performing in a Murder Mystery ;)

Performing in a play takes a lot of hardwork: 3-4 months of rehearsals, memorization of lines, finding your costume and creating your character.  However, with stage plays, you have the opportunity of running the same scenes over and over again until the actors are comfortable with the script and their fellow actors and the director is satisfied with their work.  Murder Mysteries are a COMPLETELY different ball game.

First, you get notice that a show has been booked approximately one month ahead of time.  The script is emailed out to you and you start learning your lines and creating your character at home and in your own time.  Depending on whether or not the actors have done the script before, there may not be a group rehearsal. There is no proper way to rehearse a Murder Mystery ahead of time because you cannot imagine, anticipate or plan for the type of audience you will have, the set up of the venue when you arrive or what topics will be discussed at your table. 

In Murder Mysteries, there is no "Off-Stage".  You arrive with the guests, you sit and eat at the table with the guests and you are not introduced as yourself until dessert.  Murder Mysteries are a great way for actors to develop and challenge their acting abilities.  An actor cannot simply take a break from being their character.  It is truly a wonderful experience to converse, argue and put guests on the spot (sometimes) as someone else.  There is only a few scenes that are scripted and the rest is completely improv'd on the spot by the actors.

There is so much opportunity for actors to play with and bring their own special touch to each character.  One actor may choose to play "the lawyer" as a sleezy character who hits on women and constantly slicks his hair back.  Another actor may take that same character and make him into a suave salesman who is always handing out his card and trying to sell his services.  Some actors may even choose to play this character as the strong silent type.  The limits are endless!

I personally do work as an actor with a local Murder Mystery company called "Murder for Hire" and we are always looking for more actors!  It is a lot of fun and all the actors are very supportive of each other.  We're like our own little family of business people, students, retirees, mothers, fathers, grandparents and children.  I would recommend that anyone involved with theatre as an actor or anyone who is serious about performing and wants to improve themselves, to consider auditioning for a Murder Mystery Troupe.  There is no better character development than having to play the same character for 1-3 hours without ever going "Off-Stage".

Check out Murder for Hire's website!!! : http://www.murderforhire.ca/