When I’m asked what it’s like playing in such a successful comedy as Harvey, my answer often is that it reminds me of the summer stock shows of my youth.

As an impressionable 13-year-old , I performed in Peterborough and Port Carling with The Straw Hat Players in a series of plays with such actors as Nancy Kerr (later to be a Shaw Festival stalwart) and young Timothy Findley.  I was thrilled by the gales of laughter that greeted our comedies.  Happy vacationers from the Muskoka or Kawartha lodges and cottages would come out after supper to enjoy these plays as their summer entertainment.  On certain days our audience reactions in Harvey remind me of that completely pure enjoyment, an absolutely free, unchecked laughter that sometimes seems to be becoming less frequent in daily life.

Recently, though, I’ve come to realize that Harvey means more to people than just an evening’s celebration.  Our usual house manager, Laura Cahill, gave me my first clue.  She told me that audiences for Harvey were the happiest and friendliest ones she ever remembered in her 15 years at The Shaw.

“And if they’re not when they come in,” she went on, “they are when they come out.”  When I questioned her, she told me more: how a patron who was impatient and rude with her on arrival, sought her out after the show to apologize.

“It’s happened to me twice,” she said.

Apparently this joyous comedy, often attended by whole families together, is also communicating its message of tolerance in a way that is not only direct, but effective!

Even before rehearsals began, Sharry Flett and I were teaching in the new pre-season intensive program in February.  This initiative, new this year, provided classes for new Shaw company members (and even some returning actors), as an introduction to (or confirmation of!) our work methods here.  Classes in movement, speech, text and “Manners of the Mandate” took place over a two-week period before the season proper got under way.  So in 2010, work at The Shaw began earlier than ever for some of us.

 Harvey, which began my acting season, started rehearsals on March 1, and we rehearsed only Mary Chase’s well-loved play until we previewed.  Normally, after two weeks we would have added another play into our rehearsal process, working half-days on each, but this new method  allowed us to concentrate on one show over a shorter period of weeks, since we were rehearsing full days.  Thus Harvey was able to begin public performances April 1, appropriately enough for a play whose main character is a six-foot- tall invisible rabbit!

For this first few weeks, family life and theatre life moved along in almost perfect synchronization, with both breakfasts and suppers taking place in family unity.  For a performing parent, the opportunity to attend evening and morning school events was welcome.  Later in the season, rehearsals for my second show, John Bull’s Other Island, took place in afternoon and evening sessions;  the acting workday shifted from roughly 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. to more like 2-10:30 p.m.  Dad’s availablility for homework help was severely curtailed ( some might say, not a moment too soon!  What happened to the maths and science I learned in the ’sixties?  Was it WRONG, or something?)

My point is, I guess, that when extra teaching assignments and new public events are added into an already busy rehearsal mix, work at The Shaw becomes more and more involving.  We are always finding new ways to improve our professional preparation, and to extend our outreach programs.  More on these subjects later. 

HOWEVER — we’ve just proved there’s still time  to BLOG!                                        Yours in theatre,  Guy Bannerman

Though I’m already convinced it’s fabulous, I’ll continue to sneak into the back of the house, at least until it opens on July 9, cause I can’t seem to get enough of it, and well, like the song says “You can’t always get what you want…but if you try some times, you just might find, you get what you need”

It’s always interesting coming back to a place you’ve known since you were a kid. So many things are strangely familiar, but everything is new too.

The first time I came to Shaw, and to Niagara-on-the-Lake, I was 13. I came from Toronto to see You Can’t Take it With You with my mom. She had designed the sets and costumes, and wanted me to see the show, so I did. The visit was brief, but I remember thinking You Can’t Take it With You was hilarious. I also remember being shocked by this pretty little town I’d never seen before, with a huge theatre and a fudge shop.   That’s what I remember.

The next year I came to Niagara-on-the-Lake again, but this time to spend my summer there. My dad had joined the company in A Foggy Day, and with both parents in Niagara-on-the-Lake, by default, my brother and I were there too. I remember we all lived in a little, green, wooden house near the river. We had fun getting spooked by the cemetery and were fascinated by the mulberry covered sidewalks. That year I volunteered in the prop shop at Shaw, helping twist-tie the leaves on the elm trees in All My Sons. For days we tied leaves on trees. Days. There were a lot of trees… and a lot of leaves. I met my friend Sarah Stevens that summer, who was also a volunteer leaf-tier. I fondly remember getting to know the lovely and funky folks in the prop shop, and going to Taylor’s a few times for sandwiches.

The next summer both Sarah and I came back to Shaw, but this time as employees!! We were ushers, with uniforms and IATSE memberships. We got to know the plays and we got to know the patrons.  I loved watching the plays and I usually loved the patrons. I really liked spending my summers in Niagara too. So I came back every summer for four years after that, until I was 19 and went off to university. Over these five years at Shaw, I got to know the company and Front of House well. I tried my hand in the box office, learned how to sell gelato with flair, and could execute a mean late call when required. It was fun, I perfected a few British accents, and I made some great friends.

Seven years later I am back, but this time looking at everything from a new perspective: in rehearsals. This year, as a Queen’s graduate student in the Artist-in-Community Education Program, I am here doing a three-week placement in directing. I am sitting in on the rehearsals for Ideal Husband and One Touch of Venus, shadowing both Jackie Maxwell and Eda Holmes as directors; observing them work with the text, the actors, the designers, the stage managers, the composers, the musicians, the choreographers, and the assistant directors. It’s been an amazing experience seeing the two shows in different stages of their development, and getting a sense of how rehearsing in a repertory company works.  Jackie and Eda have been incredibly generous in allowing me to be in on their creative process, observing them day in and day out. It’s been a truly great learning experience for me, both as a director and educator.

Being back at Shaw I am reminded how wonderful a company is. It’s been great to bump into familiar faces all over the theatre, and to meet so many new ones too. Living in Niagara-on-the-Lake again, I am also fondly reminded of the thunderstorms, the skunks, and the amazing old trees that inhabit the town.  Even though this three week period of time now feel like it has flown by.

To everyone: thank you for all of your kindness and generosity, especially to Colleen, Jackie, and Eda for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the creative process at Shaw. Have a great season guys!!

Molly

I began about a week ago for Venus starting music rehearsals to learn and fine tune the numbers in the show. The music in this piece is a blast to work on. It is exactly what you think of when you think of the golden era of Broadway musicals. Catchy tunes accompanied by witty lyrics sung by colourful characters.

Eda Holmes will be directing the show. She is no stranger to music theatre. She directed the hit Floyd Collins here at the Festival, Little Mercy’s First Murder (by our very own Paul Sportelli and Jay Turvey) at the Tarragon Theatre, and many others. I can’t wait to see what she brings to this quirky comedy.

Ryan DeSouza is our music director. This is the first time he has stepped into that role here at the Shaw. He’s been around for a number of years as a pianist and associate music director to Paul Sportelli. We are thrilled to have him lead the troops for this season!

Michael Lichtefeld is the choreographic genius behind the production. He is definitely a sought-after man in the music theatre world, and we are excited to have him here! Not only has he worked in Canada, he’s a seasoned choreographer across the US. Some of his Broadway credits include Little Women, the revival of The Sound of Music, and The Secret Garden.

This morning we started off the week with a sing-thru/read-thru of the script. I had read the script a few times before coming into the rehearsal hall, but was still pleasantly surprised at how alive the words became as we read through it. The humor is fun and campy, the music sounds beautiful in everyone’s voices, and the story is sweet and makes you smile.

After lunch we dove right into the dancing. Michael and his assistant Joe were such a pleasure to work with! They made us instantly feel comfortable. We spent the afternoon learning the “Forty Minutes for Lunch Ballet.” It may be a little deceiving to call it a ballet. There is dancing, but the number is more about telling the story than it is about doing pirouettes. The ensemble becomes a bustling NYC street at the height of rush hour, and Venus gets lost in amongst us.

All in all, I gotta say, this first week has been a joy. I really think that audiences are going to enjoy themselves when they come see the show. Get your tickets now. Previews will be here before you know it!

-Kelly Wong

As I write this entry today, it’s gently snowing outside, the office is warm and a secret valentine left a box of chocolates outside my office to share with everyone … ah the temptation of Valentine’s Day. If you haven’t been following us on Facebook (you can follow us here), we dedicated this week’s posts to Valentine’s Day:

Photo of the week is from the play One Touch of Venus.

• Our photo of the week is from One Touch of Venus, honouring Venus, the goddess of love.
• We posted our February issue of Backstage Pass (the Shaw Festival’s eNewsletter) which is filled with great content and ideas for Valentine’s Day (hint, hint!)
• Our PSA (Public Service Announcement) is now available on our YouTube channel and will give you goose bumps, just like the time your someone special said “I love you” for the first time.
• If you’re looking for something special to do this weekend (or any weekend in February), why not experience exquisite chocolate and wine pairings at some of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s best wineries with the Wineries of Ontario’s ‘Days of Wine and Chocolate’.
• This Saturday’s Film Festival movie is Amreeka – a drama centered on an immigrant single mother and her teenage son in a small Illinois town. Life’s best adventures are journeys of the heart. February 13, 3pm. Tickets are $11ea.
• And if you’re still looking for that last minute gift for the theatre lover in your life, a gift certificate or tickets to An Ideal Husband, The Women or Age of Arousal, will definitely go over well.

And to wrap up Valentine’s week at the Shaw, we have a super easy, special recipe for your someone special this weekend (or whenever you celebrate Valentine’s).

Too bad Bernard Shaw was a teetotaler … look at what he missed out on!

This sweet champagne sorbet can be served in wine or martini glasses and topped with fresh fruit for a romantic and lovely dessert.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups Champagne
• 2 tbsp corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups pureed strawberries, fresh or frozen

Preparation:

Freeze Champagne for 20 minutes. Simmer the sugar and water together in a large saucepan until sugar is dissolved and mixture thickens. Allow to cool completely. Add champagne, strawberries and corn syrup to sugar mixture, mixing well. Freeze in a plastic container, for 4-6 hours. Remove from freezer and process with blender or food processor. Refreeze until firm. Serve in martini or wine glasses and enjoy.

Have a fantastic Valentine ’s Day!

Marketing Guy

• It was about a month-and-a-half ago that we closed the curtain on a successful 2009 season and just over a month ago that our 2010 season tickets went on sale to our Members.
• We’ve redesigned our Shaw Festival website with a new, fresh look that features our 2010 season, new Shaw Festival packages and revised News Room that makes it easier for you to read our media releases.
• We’ve put the finishing touches on our direct mail campaigns so you should be receiving the new 2010 season brochure in the mail any day now. And I must say this year’s brochure looks stunning! If you’d like an early look, you can download a PDF of the Shaw Festival’s season brochure.
• By now you’ve heard about our Festival Film series that runs from Dec 5 to Feb 17. The line-up is terrific and we’re proud to hear that The Young Victoria and An Education were just nominated for Golden Globe Awards
• We’re putting together some pretty exciting content for you this year on our blogs and our Facebook Fan page, so become a fan today and stay in the know about all that is happening on stage and behind-the-scenes! www.facebook.com/shawfestival

Saving you money!

Membership does have its advantages… along with the important support you offer us, and  invitations to lots of  special events that help you get to know us better, you also have ordering privileges and discounts – Members can order their 2010 tickets online or by phone now and save 15% off their order until January 31. If you’re not a member and would like to be, call our Membership Services Office at 1-800-657-1106 ext 2556 or visit www.shawfest.com/members to see the full list of privileges of membership here.

If you’re not a member, you can begin ordering your tickets online at shawfest.com on January 9^th and by phone starting January 16^th at 1-800-511-7429 and of course, save 15% off of your order until January 31. For more Ways to Save on your tickets to the Shaw Festival, visit www.shawfest.com/waystosave.

Give the gift of great theatre in the heart of Niagara Wine country!

Gift certificates to the Shaw Festival make great gifts any time of year, especially at Christmas, and make great stocking stuffers for your parents, siblings, friends, aunts, uncles or spouses, and can be redeemed for tickets or merchandise in Bernard’s, the Shaw Festival Shop. To order your gift certificate, call the box office at 1-800-511-7429 or online at http://gb.shawfest.com/support/gift.aspx

And finally, my New Year’s resolution this year is to provide our loyal Shaw patrons with more information and access than last year.  So look for the Shaw Festival’s eNewsletter to be available in your inbox and on the blogs in the New Year and more blog posts on a regular basis.

On behalf of everyone in the marketing department at the Shaw Festival, I’d like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday and a terrific New Year. See you in 2010!

Marketing Guy.