ROBBLOG #584

It's time folks. Time for another little chat with the "Big Guy". The most omnipresent
presence that I know of. It's another conversation with God Almighty.

Me: Hey God, thanks for once again opening yourself up to a down home chat.

God: Why hello Rob. Anytime. You know that- even though I also know you're a card-carrying Atheist.

Me: I'm that transparent am I?

God: I am God after all and I can see through people and things. No big whup. Although I must say seeing you portray that Nun- Sister Mary Margaret, this summer I marvel at how you can allow your undefined religiosity to show and yet remain so convincing.

Me: Undefined Religiosity? That's a line from my All for Nun show. How? What?? Did? But...

God: Yes, Rob. I was at the show right in row 6. Aisle Seat. remember the day all those Caribbean Folks packed the theatre?

Me: ...yes...

God: I was there. You even placed your hand on my shoulder.

Me: I can't believe it?

God: Oh, I'm one of your biggest fans- even though you don't believe in me.

Me: Well, thanks...I guess.

God: You're welcome...I guess. ~grins~

Me: Actually I'm flattered that you took the time to come all the way down...

God: Over. Not down Rob.

Me: Over?

God: Yes I wasn't up here in Heaven, I was over at the summer place on my private planet. So it's more over than up.

Me: Cripes. I forget that you have that little vacation planet all to yourself.

God: Not quite to myself. I have a couple of dozen Angels with me to keep the place tidy and to look after me. I'm no spring chicken these days Rob.

Me: No, I guess not. Would I be too bold to ask how many years "young" you are?

God: I'm not sure. We didn't keep great records way back then at the dawn of creation and such. My Mother...

Me: Your Mother? Not the Holy Mother Mary?

God: Oh Gawd no! I mean Gertrude Ruth Natasha- my birth Mother.

Me: Gee, I had no idea. Gertrude? Really? Was she from down here?

God: No. Down there didn't exist. No big bang before I came into the world. I was the BIG BANG.

~he laughs~

Me: Gee, I never thought about your birth being the "big bang".

God: Well, to be truthful- and I am God and truth is important to me, it wasn't just my birth alone that created the "big bag". There was a whole bunch of crazy stuff going on back then- long before Stephen Harper was a glint in his mother's eye.

Me: Or Patrick Brown...

God: Oh for St. Paul's Sake! Don't get me started on that queer fellah.

Me: Queer?

God: NO! I don't mean "queer" as in Gay, I mean "queer" as in "strange". Jesus, Mary and Joe, I keep forgetting you folks have progressed so far. Still he does show signs...

Me: Signs of what?

God: No, I better not say.

Me: Is he going to win his seat?

God: Now Rob, I can't go foretelling the future like that. Goodness knows what might happen. The planets might start to leave their orbit or some people might stop being such big assholes.

Me: Wow God- Your Extremeness! You said "assholes"!!

God: Yes. That's not a swearword here. At least to me it isn't. I just call someone what they really are and if they are one- an asshole I mean, they deserve to be called one.

Me: God, why can't you just make some people not be such assholes.

God: Well Rob, the earth would be a dull place without them. Same with the Green Party. It takes all kinds as you know. Say...how are the ticket sales going for "Earnest".

Me: You know about Earnest?

God: Yes, I picked up a brochure in the OCC lobby as I was leaving your All for Nun show. Boy, the air conditioning really keeps things cool out there- doesn't it?

Me: Yes. ~pause~ OH!. I see. Yes. Yes. It does. ~chuckle~ Tickets are going slow but we have some time.

God: Well I applaud you for soldiering on. Hey Rob, I was thinking..

Me: Yes,

God: Now an Angel- Angel David,o brought this to my attention, He suggested I encourage you to write a show using me as a character.

Me: You? Geez I dunno...

God: Hey they did it on Broadway this summer and it was a hit. I think you could write a real funny play. You'd have my blessing, Rob, to do it

Me: Really?

God: Of course.

Me: Now that gives me something to think about over the winter.

God: Oh yes Rob, about your winter this year...if you thought the last two years were bad, well...

Me: No! I don't want to know.

God: Not even a hint?

Me: Nope! Look God, I gotta be running along.

God: Yes you do. You have Earnest dialogue to learn.

Me: How did you...know?

God: I'm omnipresent. I know all and see all. Oh by the way, that package of bologna in your meat bin in the fridge?

Me: Yes?

God: Toss it. It's gone off!

Me: I will and thanks God. This was terrific!

God: Same back at you. See you next time Rob. All the best.

ROBBLOG #583

Hello Again,

I say that because it's been a couple of weeks since I blogged. However, now that our show All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza has closed, I will have some more time at least till mid-September.

All for Nun is the Theatre Orillia Show I wrote that ran for 3 successful weeks. We successfully paid cast and crew and our venue.
We did so putting mostly out-of-town bums in our seats!

This 2015 Summer Theatre Season would not have lasted a week is it weren't for the bus tours and the out-of-town folks on Sunshine Getaway tours. Now, to be fair we do pick up some locals on Thursday Matinees and Thursday nights but that is mainly due to the fact that it's 2 for 1 pricing. Friday nights at full, regular prices are a bust.
You can't give a ticket away some Fridays. Our Theatre Orillia shows are populated with professional, paid actors. They are a cut above and yet we struggle.

The middle Friday in our run was cancelled because of only 2 seats sold, whereas the day before- a Thursday, we were almost a full house for two shows. Same thing for our final Thursday. Full houses and yet Friday- our closing night, only had 7 seats sold until two days before when we gave away seats to make sure the cast had an audience.
You know how people say things happen for a reason?
That Friday night we cancelled?
Turned out it was a good decision because I lost my voice. My vocal chords started to go caput on Thursday, so Friday I had not voice. I spoke in a whisper. 5 shows a week and two shows on Thursdays can wreak havoc on one's un-mic'd voice.

On the subject of comps. They're not a bad idea but they don't pay the bills.
Yet, on a final night, what do we have to lose?
Word of mouth does nothing- since it's the last show anyway.
I will say Sister Mary Margaret took up a "free will offering" at the top of the second act and we managed to recoup some expenses.
Good on her!

Theatre Orillia/Double R Productions  have brought in close to 20 busloads of theatre guests who shop locally, dine locally, take boat cruises and see summer theatre. Our Getaway Guests stay overnight and do even more. One Matinee bus came all the way from Barry's Bay just to see our show and have lunch! Another afternoon two buses filled with members of the Caribbean Community of Toronto came to dine at the Golden Wok Buffet on Front Street, South and see our show.
They were a terrific audience to be sure.

We're not even sure many downtown merchants are aware that we bring in these people.
We are grateful for the advertising support of small businesses we receive, as well as the cash flow from our Season and Show sponsors. We couldn't do it without them.

If you missed The Affections of May and All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza, you still have time to see The Importance of Being Earnest the St Paul's Centre beginning September 29th. The St Paul Gals will be cooking a turkey dinner Thursday and Friday Nights so you can sup well and see our show. The Box Office is 705.242.8011.

We really need a ton of support for this autumn show and I sincerely hope we can count on you.

Finally, if you did see All for Nun, you should know that now you can follow Sister Mary Margaret
at her twitter account:
https://twitter.com/SisterMMargaret

ROBBOG #582

Note: I haven't written a Blog in a month! I have an excuse.
I just finished performing in a Theatre Orillia show- The Affections of May, two weeks ago.
Since then, I have spent 9 days in rehearsal for another show and now less than two weeks later the new show All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza, which I wrote, is up and running at the OCC in Orillia.
Today, I write a Message from the Artistic Director- which I am. I've had almost 800 reads on Facebook and now I present it in its entirety to you.
                                                                                  -Rob*

A Message from the Artistic Director of Theatre Orillia/Double R Productions 

I am Rob Reid Artistic Director for Theatre Orillia/Double R Productions. That sounds like an important title doesn’t it? It isn’t really. It just looks good on a business card. Besides the card, I wear many hats as Artistic Director- Actor and Playwright among them. I spent several months and countless hours writing the script for the current Theatre Orillia Production- All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza.

We have just started our second Summer Production of our inaugural three show season at the OCC- former Cinema 4, on Colborne Street, in Downtown Orillia. Our final show will be in September/October at the newly named St. Paul’s Centre at Coldwater Street and Peter Street North.

To date- with Norm Foster’s The Affections of May and the current on stage production- All For Nun- and up to and including our fall production of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” we have tried our best to be “a Part of our Community”- as our tag line says. 

We have or will be bringing up to 20 buses, countless groups and dozens of Sunshine Getaway Tours’ guests to The City or Orillia and to our Downtown, Waterfront and Restaurants. 

That’s a lot of people who will shop in Orillia’s stores, dine in our restaurants or see the sites. Being a not-for-profit theatre company we run on a bare minimum budget. We started out with zero dollars. To help us pay for our season we have received one $500 grant from the City of Orillia, money from our Season and Show Sponsors, Kickstarter supporters and advertisers but it doesn’t pay all our expenses. 

We pay our cast and crew weekly as well as our venue- the OCC. That’s a very large outlay of cash. The four of us who started this company have so far not received one cent of pay. We funnel all our funds towards paying for the shows, the OCC, costumes, rights, props and Cast & Crew.

It is a large undertaking. 

Looking at the audience numbers we bring to the OCC, I should mention that the majority of the audience members are from out-of-town. Local and area support is meagre at best. Oh, there are the hard core theatre goers who support us time and time again and we thank them every time they show up. This year Lake Country is supporting us. The Island Princess too. Our charities that we promote at each show- Green Haven, Dress for Success, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Sharing Place Food Bank all try their best to bring patrons to our shows. 

There are times we offer comp tickets to fill seats. Many theatres do. However, giving out “free” tickets does not pay our bills. We offer comps in the hope that those people seeing our show(s) will spread the word. 

Some Media types are a great help to us. The Packet and Times have been more than generous with advertising. John Swartz of the Packet is always a stalwart supporter of our company, as is Frank Matys and Orillia Today. Ross McIntyre has written terrific articles as well. UPS Orillia has been very generous as has Swisssh Radio- an Online station. We get snippets from other groups but Radio and Television media- not so much. They are tough nuts to crack. True, we don’t have hundreds or thousands to spend but what if we are successful and return for a second season and we have extra dollars for advertising? Will we hot-foot it to the media that offers no help when we need it most- during this inaugural season? 

Then, there’s our Cultural Department at City Hall. We haven’t seen nor heard from anyone there nor has a representative- to my knowledge attended our show(s). We have given some comps to those folks who work at the Orillia Opera House as the Sunshine Getaway Package includes Theatre Orillia as well as The Opera House, The Island Princess, OMAH and The Mariposa Inn.

We have seen our Mayor Steve Clarke and a couple of Councillors in our theatre. We have even invited Mayors and Councillors from Severn and Ramara. 

I can hear you saying- so what do you want?

Simple.

Support.

Local support from citizens and businesses.

Attend one of our shows.

Give us a leg up. Hang up a poster.

Recognize we are a viable theatre company and pass on the word to others.  

Imagine, our small city of 30,000+ people has two summer Theatre Companies and has had for two years! We are a Part of Our Community.

We bring tourists to Orillia including folks from Toronto, London, Cambridge, Hamilton, Huntsville, Haliburton, Burlington and more. They leave our Theatre Orillia at the OCC beaming. They love the shows, our actors, our sets, our comfortable, air-conditioned, easily accessible venue. 

Theatre Orillia has a good thing going here. Why there are those who ignore that fact is a mystery to us. Yes, we can give out comps to fill our theatre but we really need the cash. We have brought in the various charities to show you that we want to be here. We want to help other organizations as well as ourselves. 

Our Actors in our shows come from not only Orillia but further afield from the North, East and South. Everyone has an equal opportunity to audition for us. Our Actors and Crew are hard-working, professionals and give you a big, big bang for your buck.  

We do too.

Thursday’s are Two for One. Buy one adult ticket at $30, Senior $25 or Student $15 and receive the second free! There are special rates for groups of 30 or more. Details are on our website www.theatreorillia.ca or call our Box Office at 705.242.8011. Our Box Office is open at the OCC Monday thru Saturday from 11 until 2PM. 

This past Tuesday we had four, local "theatre virgins" in the audience. They had never seen a "live" stage show before.  A Sister Mary Margaret would say- "Isn't that grand?" 

If you’re Media, we’d be happy to help you by displaying logos and ensuring your “brand” is displayed before and during the show. Call us and we’ll see what we can do. 

We don’t want to flounder wondering how we can get local bums in our Theatre Orillia seats. If we do, we won’t be able to afford to do this for another year. 

Thanks and see you at the theatre!

Theatre Orillia that is… 

Best Regards,

Rob Reid

Artistic Director Theatre Orillia/ Double R Productions

 

ROBBLOG #581

Halfway through June.

Where did May go? June's on the downswing now. I saw a poster in a shop window the other day advertising Canada Day in Orillia.
Geesh. Time flies when you're busy....and I am busy.
The first show in our Theatre Orillia/Double R Productions 2015 Season is hitting the boards.
The Affections of May runs through July 3.

A professional show that went from read-thru to dress rehearsal in 11 days! Actors, Stage Crew and Director have to be on their toes. There's no time for slouching or falling behind. Sets are built. Lights are hung. Dialogue is memorized and costumes are fitted all in less than two weeks.
Yikes!!

We have a spectacular Norm Foster product- The Affections of May. Funny, heart-warming and just plain Norm Foster silliness. It's the perfect show for a summer afternoon- especially if it's raining, or a summer evening out. We suggest dinner first- then the show.

This show is at the OCC- formerly Cinema 4 in downtown Orillia, as is the next show All for Nun.

Come join us for a laugh and support our theatre company's inaugural season.
Besides Affections and All for Nun, we offer Oscar Wilde's classic 1895 comedy- The Importance of Being Earnest! That show goes up at St. Paul's Centre in September and October.

Check out our website www.theatreorillia.ca and order your tickets online. You can also call our Box Office at 705.242.8011. Our Box office at the OCC is open 11 to 2PM daily and up to including show times on show days Tuesday through Friday.

C'mon and have a laugh at the OCC with Theatre Orillia.

You'll be glad you did and we'll be glad you did because if enough of you come- we'll be able to pay our bills!!
That will make up very, very happy!

ROBBLOG #580

Cripes!

I can't believe it's been a few weeks since I blogged. I'll bet a lot of you have given up on me.
It's just that my mind has been elsewhere these past weeks and I really need to slap a post-it note on my forehead and start blogging on a more regular basis.

So, this is BLOG #580. Maybe I'll stop at #600. Of course I said that about #500 and here I am- most of the time. Usually, when I sit down here at the keyboard something comes from this brain of mine. I usually find writing a little story the easiest. I type a line and I just build the story from there- never knowing where it will take me. I should look back and see how many little tales I have written. Maybe they would fill a book.

I had full intentions a couple of years ago to self-publish a book and call it Banana Oil- something my Dad always said when he found something silly or unbelievable. I still think it's a good idea, it's just getting around to it.

That's not happening over the next two months. My company Double R Productions- in association with Theatre Orillia, is presenting a season of three "live" theatrical shows at the OCC- formerly Orillia Cinema 4. By the time you read this, rehearsals will be underway for the first show- Norm Foster's The Affections of May.

The second show opening in July, is one I wrote called- "All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza. Just read the previous Blog to find out more about the show and the "Diva-like" Star I wrote it for. That one will be tons of fun and is certainly beating Affections and The Importance of Being Earnest- our Fall show, at the box office. More than a dozen bus tours have booked in for that show alone. Sister Mary Margaret- the star, will be pleased.

I am pleased too. I do worry though.
You see, selling tickets is one thing, now I have to make sure the show is really, really good or it will all come back to haunt me.

I believe it is a funny, funny show and with the actors we've hired I can guarantee it!
Get your tickets soon. One show is already sold out- more pressure!
Box Office is 705.242.8011.

So, that my readers will take up a great deal of my time throughout June and July. Then, a small break before rehearsals start mid-September for Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. I stood next to Mr. Wilde once.
"You don't say!"- I hear you mutter surprisingly.
Yes, it's true however, Mr. Wilde may not have noticed me, since he was lying dead inside his tomb at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris at the time. Sounds good though doesn't it?

Oscar Wilde "At Rest" in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

If you live in the Orillia/Central Ontario area, come and support Theatre Orillia and our actors and crew. They've been working hard so far and I have no reason to doubt the quality of all three shows will be extremely high- and professional.

That's the name of the game in summer theatre. The show rehearses for 10 days or so, then it gets up and runs for three week. Towards the end of the first show's run- Affections of May, we start to rehearse the second show All for Nun. Some actors are in both shows, so it's a credit to their work ethic to pull off rehearsals and a running show at the same time.

Go to our website www.theatreorillia.ca to find out more.

See you at the Theatre!

ROBBLOG #579

Today an interview that was very difficult to get. Herself doesn't give many.
Herself? Why Sister Mary Margaret of the Church of Little Hope.

Me: Welcome Sister Mary Margaret and Thank You for agreeing to this interview.

Sister Mary Margaret: Well, it doesn't appear you're a George Strombolopolous or anything.

Me: Not quite.

SMM: But I'll give you a go. You've got a nice smile unless you just let a phart.

Me: Thank You and No, I didn't. That accent of yours. What am I hearing?

SMM: An accent as you said. It's a wee bit Irish and a wee bit Newfie and a bunch of whatever is floating around in my mind at the time. It's always in a state of flux- which is not too far from Ottawa to be sure.

Me: How long have you been a Nun if you don't mind me asking?

SMM: Not t'all. 44 years. Isn't that a hoot? It's a fecken long time 44 years. Countries and politicians have risen and fell in far less time. Look at Mike Duffy and believe me, there's a lot to look at- if you dare.

Me: Yes...well. 44 years is indeed a long time. Now this stage thing is relatively new for you, isn't it?

SMM: Jesus Mary and Josephine it is! One day you're a plain, simple Nun and the next you have the public clamouring for you. It's very strange. A lot like the Mormons!

Me: How did it happen?

SMM: I was helping a friend at a wee show a summer ago. I met the audience and chatted to them. Told them where they could go pee and such and they fell in love with me on the spot. Before I knew it, I had some lovely people who run bus tours and the like, ask me to do a one-Nun show. I deflected- probably should have genuflected at the time, saying no, I could never do that. Then a nice youngish-looking man- could be the fellah sitting right there across from me here, wrote a wonderful, funny show just for me- and here I am...and by the way, thank you again. You're just a lovely, lovely person.

Me: I'm blushing.

SMM: Well you should be. It's a funny script and I can hardly wait to perform it for the folks.

Me: Now you have some special friends helping you along in this show- called All for Nun.

SMM: Isn't that a lovely, lovely title. All fer Nun. It kinda has a double meaning there. At least it's not called All fer Naught. ~laughs~ Anyway, I do have some help on stage. My Sisters are going to be there with me.

Me: You mean Sisters in the Church.

SMM: Yes! Sister Murray Anne, Sister Neutrogena and Sister Benny Francis. A very talented trio. ~pause~ Oh...then there's that Father O'Mally. I can't figure out why anyone would want him in a show.

Me: No? Why not?

SMM: Well for one ting he can't sing. For two tings- he can't dance and for three tings he's not even good at confession let alone singing and dancing.

Me: Sister Mary Margaret, I should think all Priests are good at confession.

SMM: Christmas Crackers! Not Father O'Mally. He can't keep a secret which is what the whole bloody confession thing is about in the first place. He does have one redeeming quality however.

Me: What's that?

SMM: He makes a decent cup 'o tea!

Me: So in this show All Fer Nun...I mean All for Nun, there's singing and dancing?

SMM: Yes, all of what you just said and joke tellin' and silly stuff too. There's even a lovely, lovely quiz show that the audience can take part in and win some lovely, lovely prizes.

Me: That sounds like fun!

SMM: It will be. There may be some surprizes too. Look, ever since I said yes to this show, Thelma Kravitz- she's the Office manager slash Receptionist at our Church of Little Hope, Thelma wants to sing a song.

Me: Really, that sounds okay to me.

SMM: It sounds like sheit, that's what it sounds like. She can't sing a note. She sounds like steel wheels on a railway track. Shreiking and catawallerin'. It's embarrassing.

Me: What do you plan to do?

SMM: We're going to ask her to clean the confessionals to keep her out of the way while the show is going on.

Me: Now the show.

SMM: Yes, it all takes place in the supposed basement of our Church of Little Hope. It's a reasonable facsimile of course. It's really on stage at the OCC. That's what theatre is- all make believe. Kind of like Scientology- but you didn't hear that from me now.

Me: I must say it all sounds like a super fun time. It should be a great, successful show.

SMM: If it bombs we have one solace.

Me: What's that?

SMM: It'll all be your fault!

Me: Yes, well...~ahem~ thanks for this Sister Mary Margaret and we'll see you on the stage.

SMM: That you will. There's one leaving in 15 minutes! ~laugh~. I've always wanted to say that!

All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza runs at the OCC in Orillia, Ontario July 14-31, 2015
Tickets through the ONLINE Box Office www.theatreorillia.ca 
or 705.242.8011

ROBBLOG #578

Holy Smokes! Almost a month since I have sent a blog your way.

I have an excuse.
I've been busy.

Yard work.
More yard work.
Re-writing my All for Nun script before rehearsals start in a month or two.
Dealing with Artistic Director duties for Theatre Orillia- of which I am a part.
Plus, I have had days when I have been feeling a little "off".
Dizzy, actually.

I've had the Epley Maneuver- twice.
Active release treatment on my neck- twice .
At this point I am not sure what's next. I hope these brief seconds- 5 or 10, of being dizzy will just go away.
I have had this twice before and they did just that.
They vanished one morning, however, I'd still like to know from whence they came.

During my lapse in blogging, one of the best things my husband Tom and I did was go to the theatre in Toronto. We saw Robin Hood- a really terrific musical, headed for Broadway. Great for all members of the family.

Then, on her final tour- Dame Edna Everage. The Dame (Barry Humphries) played Toronto for 10 days in April. The show was terribly funny. She never stopped. Joke after joke. Whimsy after whimsy. Sitting there watching her exhibit perfect timing. My, how she held the audience in the palm of her hand. It was a learning experience.
Both Barry and the Dame love Toronto and Toronto audiences loved her.
She'll be missed when "their" retirement in Australia sets in fully.

Meanwhile, another "Dame" of sorts- Sister Mary Margaret, has been keeping me busy at the keyboard. I used to think Hank was a workaholic but Sister Mary Margaret is turned on at least 18 hours a day. She's constantly in my head with new situations and jokes and one-liners. Then she wants it put all together in a semblance of  a stage show entitled "All for Nun- A Stage Xtravaganza". Sister MM has a few other characters with her for her first time on the OCC stage- including, Father O'Mally, Sister Murray Anne and Sister Neutrogena. It's sure to be a fabulous three weeks come July at the OCC on Colborne Street, East.

Now I've got to sun. I know, it's a short blog but I will return sooner- unless Sister Mary Margaret comes calling- which undoubtedly...she will.