Perfect weather for an Ottawa opening night - temperatures around -5, some snowflakes falling here and there. The Norwegian Embassy set up a pavilion and served free hot "grog". Some surreal little mascots showed up to hug everyone. I understand they are called "icehogs", and they surface at Winterlude time to provide much needed nurturing to stressed out cold people. Everyone at the opening was in a good mood already. Caravan alumni present - Nicola Correia - Damude (original Hanna), John Millard, Martha Ross, and daughter Lillian, Rob Clutton, and board president Nick Watkins.
The show went smoothly (despite the set having suffered at the hands of vandals the night before) and the audience was lovely.
Many nice complements were given and received.
Afterwards, all moved to the neighbouring pub for the reception, where many speeches were made: By NAC English Theatre managing director Victoria Steele, by Caravan board president Nick Watkins (a very good one too), by NAC associate artist and East/West director Jennifer Brewin, and by the head of the Royal Norwegian Embassy. Nick and the head of the Norwegian embassy then unveiled Randi Helmers painting - the one she has been working on in the NAC lobby for the past two weeks - which was fantastic, and Randi broke into spontaneous Norwegian folksong, joined by the half dozen Norwegians in the room.
One of my favourite moments of the evening: When the two teamsters, Luc and Luc, said they would come and drive for a Caravan summer show. So let's start thinking of a play for all of our great teamsters...
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
WEEK TWO
It is Sunday and we have completed a run through of the show on site, with costumes, horses and lights.
The site is the Arboretum - a large public park alongside the Rideau canal, featuring a gargantuan tobbagan hill, winding creeks, and an extraordinary collection of rare and ancient trees.
Earlier this week the set was moved out of the NAC shop and assembled in the various locations. Crews erected a great white tent for the horse barn. A generator powered trailer was installed for the cookshack/dressing room. By Friday the Royal Winnipeg Ballet had moved in to rehearsal hall B and the cast of the Snowshow had moved out of rehearsal hall A and into the -20 environs of the Arboretum.
On Saturday the horses and teamsters arrived, and we rehearsed our route in the blinding sun, passing through joggers, dog walkers, kids on toboggans. A testament to the teams and teamsters - they handle the park's many distractions very well. That afternoon we added the actors and marked through the route once more.
By Sunday afternoon, we prepared for two run-throughs of the show - one in daylight, and one in the evening with the full complement of technical support. That afternoon the park was crammed with people, and we required an army of audience patrol to move the sleighs through the winding park. Joggers in bright gear breezed right through scenes, excited dogs barked on the periphery, and sun blinded tobogganers barreled down on the six sleigh convoy - to be intercepted/tackled by stage management. The horses, teamsters, actors and crew moved through the Sunday melee with calm, and we got through without incident. By that night, the park had emptied, the stars were out, and Martin Conboy's lights were up. We ran the show again, and some of the old magic of the show began to make itself felt as we wound our way through the towering trees and crossed the little bridge to the winds and the troll scene. Afterwards, a quick note session to go over what's left to be done, what changes to be made.
Opening Night is three days away.
The site is the Arboretum - a large public park alongside the Rideau canal, featuring a gargantuan tobbagan hill, winding creeks, and an extraordinary collection of rare and ancient trees.
Earlier this week the set was moved out of the NAC shop and assembled in the various locations. Crews erected a great white tent for the horse barn. A generator powered trailer was installed for the cookshack/dressing room. By Friday the Royal Winnipeg Ballet had moved in to rehearsal hall B and the cast of the Snowshow had moved out of rehearsal hall A and into the -20 environs of the Arboretum.
On Saturday the horses and teamsters arrived, and we rehearsed our route in the blinding sun, passing through joggers, dog walkers, kids on toboggans. A testament to the teams and teamsters - they handle the park's many distractions very well. That afternoon we added the actors and marked through the route once more.
By Sunday afternoon, we prepared for two run-throughs of the show - one in daylight, and one in the evening with the full complement of technical support. That afternoon the park was crammed with people, and we required an army of audience patrol to move the sleighs through the winding park. Joggers in bright gear breezed right through scenes, excited dogs barked on the periphery, and sun blinded tobogganers barreled down on the six sleigh convoy - to be intercepted/tackled by stage management. The horses, teamsters, actors and crew moved through the Sunday melee with calm, and we got through without incident. By that night, the park had emptied, the stars were out, and Martin Conboy's lights were up. We ran the show again, and some of the old magic of the show began to make itself felt as we wound our way through the towering trees and crossed the little bridge to the winds and the troll scene. Afterwards, a quick note session to go over what's left to be done, what changes to be made.
Opening Night is three days away.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
WEEK ONE
It is Saturday afternoon here at the National Arts Centre and the cast of East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon is still in rehearsal hall A, soon to be joined by five stiltwalkers. Down the hall in rehearsal hall B, a large chorus rehearses something serious and classical. Very big art is being made here all the time.
Earlier this afternoon, the whole East/West company gathered at the Fourth Stage to hear Randi Helmers (NAC resident artist) tell her version of the famous folktale. Her partner Rob Clutton accompanied her on bass, and while she narrated, she painted the story on a large white canvas. The room was packed with parents, kids, and Norwegian Embassy delegates, all in Randi's storytelling thrall (Randi will be remembered by Caravan audiences from Cyrano of the Northwest and The Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw).
The week's highlights:
Meeting the local teamsters (French!) and teams (Percherons and Belgians!)
Snow on the first day of rehearsal.
Attending Frida K., by Gloria Montero, starring Allegra Fulton and directed by Peter Hinton.
The costume, prop and carpentry shops: wonders to behold, and the people who work in them are so skilled and generous and professional. Norman and Claude from wardrobe and Paul and Victor from props are making the show more beautiful than ever this second time round.
Walking the route in the Arboretum in 23 below. Just kidding. But it will be so beautiful.
In general dear readers, it is going very well here in Ottawa, at the National Arts Centre. Next week we start the move out onto the site, and we will have more news and more pictures of that. Stay tuned...
Earlier this afternoon, the whole East/West company gathered at the Fourth Stage to hear Randi Helmers (NAC resident artist) tell her version of the famous folktale. Her partner Rob Clutton accompanied her on bass, and while she narrated, she painted the story on a large white canvas. The room was packed with parents, kids, and Norwegian Embassy delegates, all in Randi's storytelling thrall (Randi will be remembered by Caravan audiences from Cyrano of the Northwest and The Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw).
The week's highlights:
Meeting the local teamsters (French!) and teams (Percherons and Belgians!)
Snow on the first day of rehearsal.
Attending Frida K., by Gloria Montero, starring Allegra Fulton and directed by Peter Hinton.
The costume, prop and carpentry shops: wonders to behold, and the people who work in them are so skilled and generous and professional. Norman and Claude from wardrobe and Paul and Victor from props are making the show more beautiful than ever this second time round.
Walking the route in the Arboretum in 23 below. Just kidding. But it will be so beautiful.
In general dear readers, it is going very well here in Ottawa, at the National Arts Centre. Next week we start the move out onto the site, and we will have more news and more pictures of that. Stay tuned...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
CARAVAN HEADS EAST
As Kristin Froneman of the Vernon Morning Star said "Ottawa is in for one cool treat" as Caravan's winter show East o' the Sun. West o' the Moon by Amiel Gladstone & directed by Jennifer Brewin heads to the nation's capital in February. East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon is being presented in association with Caravan by the National Arts Centre from February 2 - 18 at the Central Experimental Farm Arboretum on the banks of the Rideau Canal (bring your wetsuit 'cus it isn't frozen yet). Snow or no snow, we're sure the NAC's Snow Show will be as beautiful a presentation as that in Armstrong, "a sleigh ballet of startling beauty, charm, and humour that never misses a step" (Armstrong Advertiser).Drop back in to check out posts and photos from Ottawa by Caravan artistic director, Estelle Shook (she's also the set and sleigh route designer for the show). Along with Estelle will be a contingent of folks who worked on the Caravan production (which ran Dec. 12 - 31, 2006) including, playwright Amiel Gladstone, design assistant Erin Kennedy, stage manager Jen Swan, costume designer Marina Szijarto and composer & musical director Karin Randoja.
We're thrilled to help bring our unique form of outdoor theatre to a brand-new audience and to be doing it with the NAC is a real treat. Nearly twenty years ago sleigh ride theatre must've seemed a mad idea, but now it's going across the country - what next... Norway? France? Winnipeg?! ...just an idea.
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