Minor Expletives

first: Dedicated to the Revolutions is at Magnetic North June 16-19
second: Life Time Subscriptions to Small Wooden Shoe – limited number arenow on sale.
third: A workshop that Jacob and Michael Trent are leading at Dancemakers.

and Thank you to everyone who participated, helped and joined us forLife of Galileo. It was a remarkable and moving night with 32 people on stage, over 500 people in attendance and over $4,000 raised for the Actors’ Fund. Pictures (some already here) and a recording of Laura Barrett and Matt Murphy’s beautiful song will be coming soon. [Subscribe to our blog here or become a fan on Facebook here to be alerted when we do things. I try to keep emails to a minimum (so that you know I mean it) – but if you want more Small Wooden Shoe in your life, those are the best ways.]

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1. Join us in Kitchener-Waterloo from June 16-19 as we perform Dedicated to the Revolutions as part of Magnetic North Theatre Festival. We’re honored to be part of the festival and to be performing in the dense pocket of science and technology that is K-W – home to RIM and the Perimeter Institute.The show has grown through the pleasure of returning to work after time has past, so if you saw it in Toronto, we’d be curious to hear what you thought of the difference. And if you didn’t see it the first time at Buddies, this is as close to Toronto as we’re going to get for a while.
There’s a few things happening around the show and festival:

On Wednesday June 16, there is a bus that’s part of the “THE TORONTO SPECIAL”: For June 14, 15 and 16 Toronto arts practitioners can buy a one-day special for $100. It includes the bus leaving at 10 from Toronto to K-W and back late, access to the day’s Industry Series programming and tickets for two shows. All reservations must be made in advance through Gayle Diguer at GDiguer@nac-cna.ca or 1-519-772-3783.

On the Thursday June 17, after the show, as a Magnetic Encounter, there will be a short and raucus debate: Whereas: String theory is not like poetry and Whereas: The Uncertainty Principal does not apply to romantic comedy plots; BE IT RESOLVED THAT: Science and Art may no longer share metaphors. Arguing for the Opposition will be Evan Webber and CBC Radio’s Bob MacDonald (Quirks and Quarks), arguing for the Affirmative will be Jacob Zimmer and a guest from the research community of K-W. Very good times.

On Friday we do a talkback after the show and Saturday we do 2 shows – so the matinee fans can get in there. On Sunday we travel home – which won’t be so fun to watch.

2. Small Wooden Shoe is offering 20 LIFE TIME SUBSCRIPTIONS. Yes – exactly what it sounds like. You can get a ticket to any Small Wooden Shoe show, anywhere in the world any time for the rest of your life. You let us know when in the run you want to come and we give you a ticket. Happen to be in Wales at the same time as us? You can get a ticket. In twenty-two years, as we celebrate 30 years of making theatre and bringing people and ideas together with a huge show – you can get a ticket.
How much for this unlimited thing that also shows your support and belief in the work we do? $500.
Click here to buy using Paypal.
We will send you a nice card, individually numbered, that you can use for the rest of your life.
If you buy before Monday June 14 – your subscription includes Magnetic North.

3. A workshop with Jacob and Michael Trent at Dancemakers.As part of Dancemakers Emerging Dance Artists Project, I’ll be joining Michael Trent (Dancemakers Artistic Director and resident choreographer) in leading a six day workshop July 19-24. It will be for theatre and dance practitioners wherein everyone is invited to train, perform and generate. Six days of doing and talking about the intersection, conversation, overlap and difference between disciplines without relying on slashes or hyphens.
Mostly physical, occasionally heady but never boring. Strategies in composition and creation including Viewpoints, debating and other improvisation tactics as well as writing and lots of moving will be used.
Led by Trent and Zimmer and informed by the participants’ contributions, the workshop is $400 and spots can be reserved by emailing edap@dancemakers.org

Small Wooden Shoe stages a reading of Brecht’s
Life of Galileo

7pm – Sunday, May 30th – Convocation Hall

By donation to The Actors’ Fund of Canada
Tickets will be available at the door starting at 6pm
Doors open by 6:30pm

A staged reading of a great play in a great hall with a great cast and with the humblest of thanks.

35 or so of Toronto’s theatre, music and film community come together to read a new translation of Brecht’s Life of Galileo – an ever-relevant story about the complicated relationships between power, history, individuals and freedom of thought.

This night, this reading, is thanks to Tracy Wright. In more way than I can express, she is what makes it possible – what brings us together to do this crazy thing. And people who make crazy things possible are always in need of thanks. Tracy has made many crazy, beautiful things possible.

**********UPDATED******************************
Tracy Wright passed away June 22, 2010. A letter Don wrote can be read here. I miss you Tracy, and am thankful you were in my life.
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This one’s for her.

Fiona Highet will read the part of Galileo.

Joining her in this landmark event are Andrea Davis, Andrea Donaldson, Ann-Marie MacDonald, BrendanGall, Cara Gee, Caroline Gillis, Clinton Walker, Daniel MacIvor, Darren O’Donnell, David Fox, Earl Pastko, Erin Shields, Evan Webber, Frank Cox-O’Connell, Gregory Prest, Guillermo Verdecchia, Kirsten Johnson, Lyon Smith, Matt Baram, Michelle Polak, Nadia Ross, Naomi Sniekus, Ravi Jain, Richard Allen Campbell, Robin Fulford, Sky Gilbert, Tony Nappo and more. This group of collaborators spans several generations of great Toronto independent and contemporary theatre makers coming together for one night only.

Toronto musicians Laura Barrett and Matt Murphy provide the live soundtrack to this momentous event.

We thank you for your support and hope to see you on the 30th

- Jacob Zimmer

All proceeds will go to The Actors’ Fund of Canada. With over 10,000 professional members, The Actors’ Fund provides emergency financial aid to assist cultural workers in recovering from an illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship.

Made possible with the support of the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council
And the assistance of Canadian Stage’s Festival of Ideas and Creation and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

Life of Galileo
Directed by Jacob Zimmer with Brendan Healy
Translated by Birgit Schreyer Duarte with Jacob Zimmer
16mm film: Mark Loeser
Artistic Producer: Erika Hennebury
Associate Producer: Leora Morris
Stage Managed by Maria Popoff
Photograph of Tracy Wright: Guntar Kravis
Portrait of Tracy Wright: Kirsten Johnson
Lots of help: Naomi Campbell, Richard Feren, Jennifer Jimenez, Sherrie Johnson, Chris Lorway, Maureen O’Donnell, JP Robichaud, Trevor Schwellnus

This seems true. And something I’m trying to figure it out in the theatre. (Galileo, What Keeps Mankind Alive)

Beyond the excitement and buzz factor, what’s the value of doing this project so fast?

Magazines don’t have money to pay anyone anymore. A lot of people are expected to invest a lot of time to get published but then don’t get paid very much for their efforts. This was a way for us to get super-talented writers and only ask for a morning of their time. And it was a sort of question in our heads: do you have a higher probability of getting great creative work from people because we made it fun and not burdensome? There was a “let’s make it happen” attitude that I think was really appealing.

via Museum 2.0: Adventures in Participatory Journalism: An Interview with Sarah Rich about 48 Hour Magazine.

These days (or maybe in the days just passing) there is a desire for truth and/or authenticity that gets worked out in verbatim theatre (also dance) – at the same time as these claims there’s backlash when we find out someone was lying and historical accuracy seems important. David Hare has written a nice piece at the Guardian about some of these things.

What than to do with Galileo? The correspondence between historical truth (such as we know it) and Brechts’ play is spotty. The timeline is off, the relationship with his daughter is misrepresented – as is his relationship with the Catholic faith and the terms of his imprisonment.
As opposed to a bio-play, Galileo is a parable based on a historic character. It can’t let the history get in way of the intent. What the play wants is different. And I support this. The authenticity claims of verbatim ring false for me and adherence to historical facts doesn’t map on to the value of a work.

But is there any responsibility to tell the audience this?

Attending a play entitled Life of Galileo, it’s not unreasonable to imagine that what happens in the play also happened to the historical figure.
I don’t want to apologize or even imply the play is weakened by its inaccuracies (since it’s strengthened,) but there is a part of me that worries for the reputation of Virginia.

Thoughts on ways of dealing with this?