It took awhile for me to come down from an absolute high because of the gig at Le Petit Campus...and what a high it was!! It was a packed house, it was a total surprise that so many people would come out to see a brand new band.  The house capacity was 300 but there were 200 that showed...and really, really showed their appreciation.  Check out the videos and pictures. Just as I thought that I could settle into theatre mode, I get a message that my songs are being played in Vancouver radio stations!  I will try to find out which songs.

So now, I will try to move back into the somewhat quiet and deep thought headspace that is theatre.  Altera Vitae’s production of BENT by Martin Sherman is now in the works. Rehearsals, scheduling, publicity, costumes, props, sets, we’re getting ready for the opening on November 5.  It seems so far away but time just melts like ice on heat.

Are you familiar with Bent?  Here is the Wikipedia link.  Take a look…it’s a good story. It’s also fitting that with this production, we will be presenting GRIS. GRIS’ mandate is to help teens accept themselves and “come out of the closet” in a safe and supportive environment, it’s a good match for our production of BENT.

I am blessed to work with 6 - yes, count them six, wonderful actors – all men (a challenging combo of experienced and not-so-experienced actors). I must admit that I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of working with new talents.  It would be easy for me to fall into a rut and use a “roster”.  Working with an actor is an intimate exercise and one eventually gets to know the actor’s inner workings.  There are habits formed when working with the same actor.  They are formed from both sides: the director and the actor, some good…some bad, but always.  I am not saying that it’s a bad thing but personally, I like the challenge of the new and unexpected.  I like to find what makes an actor tick and finally get the message and the vision I want out of him or her. But don’t get me wrong, I do like working with the talents in a roster but mixing it up with other talents is even better.

There’s also a brand new crew member!  This time around, I have Anne-Marie Pierre as my Stage Manager. I’ve wanted to work with her since the inception of Altera Vitae but our schedules never met. Now that our schedules finally worked out, I feel safe and secure. Anne-Marie is an amazing woman who can run the show with the maturity and diplomacy required to communicate efficiently and effectively.  She’s even way ahead of me in my planning and organizing.  She takes action on details that need to be – before I can even think of them that in itself, is worth a lot because it alleviates any stress or worries from details that I may not have foreseen.

A change of venue is also on the menu. This time around we will be using “Espace 4001”.  It’s a smaller capacity venue compared to Mainline Theatre (75 seats vs. 130 seats) but what I like about Espace 4001 is that the theatre is on the main floor.  No stairs to negotiate for our elder audiences, thus easier access & it’s a closer walk to a metro station.  We’ve done our last three shows at Mainline Theatre’s and somehow, I know I’ll be missing the ambiance.  It’s kind of like leaving home for the first time. I was getting comfortable at Mainline but there is a lack of venues in Montreal and theatre spaces are booked way in advance.

We are currently updating Altera Vitae’s website and soon the actors’ headshots and bios will be online along with more details on the play.  Oh! Here’s another new detail…you can now purchase your tickets online! Speaking of which, EARLY BIRD TICKETS are now on sale ~~

Tickets purchased BEFORE September 25, 2009: 17$ regular/students/seniors
Tickets purchased AFTER September 25, 2009: 20$ regular, 18$ students/seniors

If you have a group of 10 people or more, then tickets prices drop to 15$/person but that cannot be purchased online.  You’ll have to contact Altera Vitae.

Stay tuned!