Workshops and Artist Talks
In keeping with our All You Can Eat theme, we have a smorgasbord of Fringe side dishes this year. These workshops and talks are for artists and audience members alike. Participate in a round-table discussion over a cold drink at the Fringe Bar, or brush up on your clowning skills!
Totem Figures with TJ Dawe
Friday, September 10 7:30 p.m.
St. Ambroise Fringe Bar at Agro Café
FREE
As an off-shoot of his acclaimed 2008 monologue Totem Figures, Fringe veteran TJ Dawe (Lucky 9) began a series of podcast interviews with various people about who or what would be on their Mt. Rushmore. Which famous people? Which non-famous people? Which institutions, or jobs, or relationships, or formative experiences or (fill in the blank)? How did these people, places, things, and experiences impact their lives? And what do they have in common? TJ will conduct a live Totem Figures interview with special guest singer/songwriter Reid Jamieson.
Planting Seeds Cultural Exchange
Monday, September 13 noon-3:00 p.m.
Playwrights Theatre Centre
FREE
Based in Hong Kong and producers of Ancient Chinese Secrets of the Tao, the All Theatre Art Association, as well as local and international theatre groups, will converge to share their experiences of touring and discuss opportunities for cultural exchange. This forum – free and open to the public – is a first step towards developing an international theatre community to co-create productions to be presented in both Vancouver and Asia. more…
Fringe on the Road
Monday, September 13 7:00 p.m.
St. Ambroise Fringe Bar at Agro Café
FREE
Many Fringers do the “Fringe circuit” and tour all summer long going from Fringe Festival to Fringe Festival across the country (and even around the world). This panel features Teaching Shakespeare’s Keir Cutler, 2009 Pick winner Gemma Wilcox, long-time Fringer Jem Rolls (One Man Riot), and DK Reinemer ( The DK and Morgan Show), a newcomer to the Fringe but not new to touring. Moderated by Fringe veteran Chris Gibbs of The Power of Ignorance and Antoine Feval. These artists will share the joys, challenges, and wacky stories of life on the road.
On Site: Creating Site-Specific Theatre
Tuesday, September 14 noon-4:00 p.m.
Meet at the Fringe Box Office, then wander around Granville Island
Cost: $50, payable to The Only Animal
Award-winning theatre artist Kendra Fanconi of Vancouver’s dare devil, site-specific theatre company, The Only Animal, leads an on site workshop in creation of site-specific performance. On Site will empower writers and performers with the framework and tools to make a site-specific theatre piece on Granville Island. Participants will choose a site and engage with it to envision a piece that could take place there, perhaps during next year’s Fringe. The workshop will culminate in a discussion of the nuts and bolts of funding and producing site-specific work. To register and for more information, contact Kendra at the Only Animal at info@theonlyanimal.com
more…
Artist Meets Industry: A Career Development Discussion
Wednesday, September 15 7:00 p.m.
St. Ambroise Fringe Bar at Agro Café
FREE
Kahlil Ashanti (creator/actor of Basic Training) and Justin Sudds (of S.L. Feldman & Associates and manager of Charles Ross’s One Man Star Wars) host this discussion on how to help Fringe artists take their careers to the next level. Using their personal experience both from within the Fringe circuit as an actor (Kahlil) and from the perspective of an industry professional (Justin), they hope to engage you in a discussion that will lead to helping artists be able to achieve their career goals.
Followed by…
Flying Start: A Program for Emerging Artists in BC
Wednesday, September 15 8:00 p.m.
St. Ambroise Fringe Bar at Agro Café
FREE
Flying Start is a partnership of Playwrights Theatre Centre and Touchstone Theatre, providing new BC professional playwrights with development resources to take their script to production readiness, and a small but fully professional production as a showcase of their work.
Join Touchstone Theatre Artistic Director Katrina Dunn to learn about the program and their upcoming call for new applications. more…
Clown Conference
Thursday, September 16 7:00 p.m.
St. Ambroise Fringe Bar at Agro Café
FREE
No, seriously – it’s a clown conference! Enjoy the Fringe’s first clown round table, moderated by Chris Gibbs (Antoine Feval) and featuring Precious Chong (Zdenka Now!), David Gaines (7(x1) Samurai), Jacqueline Russell (Raunch), and Alice Nelson (Elephant in Zulu). A discussion of clowning from the absurd to the sublime with artists who have performed everwhere from Fringe Festivals in Canada to Clowns Without Borders projects in South Africa.
All are welcome – red noses optional.
Clarity in Motion: A Lecoq-based Look at Movement with David Gaines
Friday, September 17 noon-3:00 p.m.
Playwrights Theatre Centre
Cost: $55 ($45 for Fringe artists and volunteers)
Through physical work and play we will address the issues of how to be relaxed and available on stage, how to notice potential material, and how to allow an appropriate response to be expressed through your body. The session will involve gentle physical exercise, coordination (“mind-body connection”) movements, and playful improvisation in an effort to discover together the general principles of interacting on stage. There is likely to be some silliness involved.
Registration will be limited to about 20 people. To reserve a spot, email Mr. Gaines at david@davidgainesperformance.com.
David Gaines is an actor and director who specializes in movement, mask, improvisation, commedia, and clown. He studied – and later taught – at the Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France, after which he formed The Moving Picture Mime Show. Since leaving Paris to return to the U.S., he has taught workshops and graduate school seminars at many U.S. universities and colleges, as well as acting in numerous plays. He is currently a member of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in Washington and Baltimore. David appears at the 2010 Fringe in his highly acclaimed solo show 7(x1) Samurai.
