Musings
Happy New Year!
By Megan Mooney
I just wanted to take a moment to wish all our readers a Happy New Year and to say thank you for all your support over the last year.
Mooney on Theatre continued to grow in 2011 with the goal of bringing even more coverage of theatre playing in Toronto to our readers and I wanted to thank you for following along with us, and for those of you who are new, for joining in.
Toronto Fringe’s Creation Lab Open Jam
Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Fringe’s Creation Lab Open Jam. I was admittedly a little nervous, and didn’t really know what to expect. I thought it might be a good opportunity to meet some like-minded people and learn about some work in the early development stage.
Assassins (Birdland Theatre and Talk is Free Theatre) back until February 13, 2011
By Sam Mooney
By Sam Mooney
The cast of Assassins
Assassins is back until February 13th at The Theatre Centre on Queen West. If you haven’t seen this production from Birdland Theatre and Talk is Free Theatre there’s still time. It’s been playing to sold-out houses so don;t leave it until the last minute, get your tickets and enjoy a fabulous night of theatre.
I loved it. I went because the Megan’s review of Assassins was so terrific. And then I went again because I loved it so much the first time. And loved it just as much the second time. I’d go a third time but I don’t want to hog the tickets. Fabulous cast, fabulous production.
Read the rest of this entry »
Controversy (?) swirls around Toronto's 2010 Dora Mavor Moore Awards
By Megan Mooney
By Megan Mooney
Note: Anything in italics is information I added to the article after it’s original publishing
Okay, so, I have put a question mark after the word controversy, because, really, although it might be viewed as a controversy, it really doesn’t seem like a make-or-break kind of thing, and I imagine pretty much no one outside of the theatre world knows of it’s existence.
Mostly I’m writing this as a response to the comments posted on Kelly Nestruck’s piece about all of this, but in case you haven’t been following, here’s some background…
Making the arts riskier, not broader-based – a call to arms by Michael Kaiser
By Megan Mooney
By Megan Mooney
Should Toronto theatres be producing edgier content given current economic realities?
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette has a great article by Sally Kalson about taking risks in the arts during challenging economic times.
Here’s an excerpt, a quote from Michael Kaiser (president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.) as part of his Arts in Crisis project.
“Too many groups have reacted to the economy by cutting programming and marketing, which is suicide. It cuts the size of your family. Or they do more ‘accessible’ things that are boring and less interesting to donors and audiences. What they should be doing is riskier, exciting programs, if not now then three, four or five years down the road.
“I do all my arts planning five years ahead,” he said. “It gives me time to find the money and educate audiences to want to see the work.”
Take a minute to go read the whole article at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. It’s a good read, and it’s poking my brain awake. Wondering what all that poking has resulted in? Well, let me tell you…
Theory – Staged Reading – The New Ideas Festival – Alumnae Theatre
By Sam Mooney
By Sam Mooney
Long title, isn’t it?
I saw Theory by Norman Yeung, a wonderful staged reading, on Saturday as part of The New Ideas Festival at Alumnae Theatre. I didn’t go planning to review it but it was so terrific that I decided to write about it – and about staged readings.
Theory is a beautifully written play about a film course, a professor, her students, technology, new media, and privacy. There wasn’t really a set. There were chairs for the actors and for the person who read the stage directions. Each of the actors had a script and read from it. They read as if they were performing, not as if they were reading. It really is like a radio play.
You may be asking yourself “what is a staged reading?”
The best way to be introduced to theatre – the theatre subscription series
By Megan Mooney
By Megan Mooney
I think that the best way to be introduced to theatre is through a subscription series. It sounds intimidating, I mean, that’s a big commitment, right?
But there are lots of benefits.
Sometimes at Mooney on Theatre we do a ‘2nd Opinion Review’
By Megan Mooney
by Megan Mooney
So, a lot of you have come here because of Fringe, which means you may not know the background and philosophy. And, this is actually kind of a weird time to bring it up, except that I will soon be posting a ‘2nd Opinion Review’ and I figure it might help to have some context.
One of the core tenets of Mooney on Theatre (MoT) is that everyone’s opinion is just that. Opinion. There is no authoritative source on what is good and what is bad, what is quality and what is schlock. There is only ‘what I liked’ and ‘what I didn’t like’ – which, clearly, is going to vary from person to person.
I couldn’t have said it better – audience etiquette
By Megan Mooney
By Megan Mooney
This article by Kris Joseph makes my heart sing. It says all the things I have been trying to say for ages, but in such a great clear way, with excellent examples.
Thank you to Kris Joseph (@krisjoseph)for this, and thank you to Simon Ogden (@thenextstagemag) for pointing me to the article.
So, to reiterate…
Here are some excerpts:
Tips for putting on a Fringe show from the audience perspective
By Megan Mooney
by Megan Mooney
This is a re-post of an article I wrote after the 2008 Fringe, but it seemed worth repeating, *before* Fringe this time. I’ve done some editing and additions in this version, but it is still based on the post from last year.
After going to many many many Fringe shows at the Toronto Fringe Festival I’ve noticed some challenges that seem common among Fringe productions. I thought I’d share some observations and hopefully impart some useful advice. Or, you know, annoy people. Whichever…
This isn’t going to be about how to cast, or rehearse for a space you don’t know, or anything like that. It’s going to cover length, show descriptions and promotion, all from the perspective of an audience member.