New Headshot

Even when you work backstage in theatre you need a headshot. After using a headshot that doesn't look like me now for too many years I finally got new ones taken last weekend (in my old headshot I'm 25, blonde and don't have bangs. Check out this post and scroll down to see it).


Voila!

Love it. I couldn't be happier with it. :)


Lisa.xo

See You in a Month!

I'm still alive and well! I seem to have inadvertently taken a little blog break in the last few weeks. Work. Again. You know the story.

I'm actually tired of shopping. Seriously.  (photo source)

Just to give you a flavour of my life right now, my weeks are playing out like this:

Sunday: Two show day for Cock & Bull (I'm home before 10pm thankfully)
Monday: Shopping for TV series from 9-5 (day off from Cock & Bull)
Tuesday: Shopping 9-5. Drive to the venue. Prep & Performance for Cock & Bull 5:30 - 10:30pm. Drive home, write show report, do show laundry. Fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow (12-12:30ish).
Wednesday: Repeat of Tuesday
Thursday: Repeat
Friday: Repeat
Saturday: Morning & Day off. Performance for Cock & Bull in the evening.


My next ACTUAL day off is October 5th. And on the 6th I start prep for my next stage managing job (while working my last week shopping for the TV series). I'm already running on empty...I've discovered I'm now too old to work two jobs at the same time. This may very well be the last time I do this to myself....always gotta learn the hard way, don't I?!


So I'm officially calling it a mini blog break and I'll see you fine folks in about a month when I've recuperated.


I'm posting regularly (almost daily) on Instagram if you miss my face. I miss you guys, but I've got nothing else to give right now...


Lisa.xo

Keeping Busy with Work (as usual..)

Sorry for the radio silence folks! Work and life has kept me away from the computer for the last week or so.

These are what my days are looking like as of late:

photo snagged from my Instagram account

I've been stationed behind my prompt book calling cues as we have our dress rehearsals for Theatre by the River's production of Mike Bartlett's COCK and BULL.

And we open this Saturday!!

Plus I start another job buying costumes tomorrow for a Canadian sketch comedy series being shot in Winnipeg right now...life is gonna get a bit busier...ah!

If you live in Winnipeg, come see COCK and BULL. They are amazing shows that I am incredibly proud to be a part of.
For more info and to buy tickets go here.

Sooo...things might be staying a little quiet around these parts for the next week or two...if you miss me you can always stalk follow me on Instagram in the meantime.


Lisa.xo

My Next Show(s): COCK & BULL

Here's the official plug for my next work project:

Cock and Bull are two different plays by the same playwright. Theatre by the River is presenting them in repertory, which means the plays are being presented on alternating nights by the same cast and crew. We are, however presenting both plays in one night for four days throughout the performance run. 

I'm excited to be working with Theatre by the River. I am a founding member of the company (I'm no longer a company member) and I performed in many of their early productions. I haven't worked with them since I left the company in 2009, so this is a bit of a homecoming for me. 

Here's what Theatre by the River has to say about the plays:

Cock & Bull

Two plays by Mike Bartlett

Performed on alternating nights, in repertory

Directed by Rodrigo Beilfuss

Featuring Kevin Anderson, Derek Leenhouts, Mel Marginet and Karl Thordarson

Design by Daina Leitold | Stage Managed by Lisa Nelson

Cock

Winner of the Olivier Award

John has been in a long-term relationship with his same-sex partner, M.  When they break up, John finds himself falling in love with W, a woman he sees on his daily commute. When he goes back to his relationship with M, he has a hard time leaving his connection to W.  What does this mean? Is he gay, straight, bisexual? Who will he choose to spend his life with?  When M suggests they settle the unrest over dinner – and invites his father along for support – it’s an evening that will forever change the way you look at a love triangle.

Bull

A National (Canadian) Premiere

Three employees wait to meet their boss. After the meeting, only two will have their jobs.  In 2014 the cost of living has increased exponentially, while income has remained stagnant. The chronic under-employment faced by Millennials means this play is full of high stakes, low morals and a need to win at all costs.

Cock and Bull are two stand-alone plays, which we are performing in repertory (same cast and crew, alternating nights).  Come to one for $20 ($15 for students, industry, underemployed) and see the second for just $12 (Repertory Special!) 

Seating is limited in our venue, so if you live in Winnipeg or in the surrounding area and would like to purchase tickets click here.


Lisa.xo

Comedy of Errors

So here's the official plug for my latest work project keeping me from blogging regularly.

I'm back at The St. Norbert Ruins with Shakespeare in the Ruins presenting one of Shakespeare's funniest and silliest comedies: The Comedy of Errors.

This is what SIR has to say about the play:

Everyone is seeing double in the legendary town of Epheseus. Following the fortunes of not one, but two, sets of identical twins, Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identity is soaked in effervescent humour with a hint of the absurd. These men, separated as boys by a shipwreck, are about to have their lives and loves turned upside down. Canadian theatre superstar Ron Jenkins directs and our cast of actors are ready to entertain. And the magical ruins of the Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park are your unforgettable backdrop.

Shakespeare in the Ruins presents its shows in a promenade style - where you travel from place to place in the park, guided by the actors, to watch different scenes of the play. It's a lot of fun! If you live in and around Winnipeg I highly recommend making the trek out to the park to watch the show. Feeling intimidated by Shakespeare? Don't be. Comedy of Errors is a great show to watch if you are unfamiliar with The Bard's work - it's light-hearted and filled with physical comedy. 

I've got a soft spot for this show. I performed in it with another local company Theatre by the River in 2006. 

Me and my friend Rod (as Luciana & Antipholus of Syracuse). 

Rod also happens to be performing in SIR's version of Comedy of Errors. 

If you'd like to book tickets for SIR's production of Comedy of Errors click here.

Lisa.xo 

A Week Off

I took an unexpected week off from blogging. I was working on two shows at the same time and if you've been hanging around for a while you know it tends to take over my life.

One show is in it's performance run. I was the props and costume co-ordinator for Ivanov at Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. I also consulted on hair and makeup (the show is set in 1952! Right up my alley!).

The show received some stellar reviews this week. CBC's review from Joff Schmidt can be found here. The Winnipeg Free Press review from Kevin Prokosh can be found here.

If you live in Winnipeg you can still buy tickets for the remaining performances of the show here.

The other show I'm assistant stage managing on hasn't started rehearsals yet. I'm still in prep. I'm back at Prairie Theatre Exchange for their production of The Valley by Joan McLeod (I stage managed the Munsch tour for them last winter).

“… a close, clear-eyed look at our society – one where individual rights and freedoms are constantly clashing with the desire to protect, at home and on the streets.” – Globe and Mail

An altercation on a Vancouver SkyTrain between a police officer and a severely-depressed teenager escalates into violence – and the young man is injured. The event sends ripples out through the community, sending the two families into deeper examinations of what they hold dear, long after the injury has healed. Was it police brutality, or a cop just trying to do his job – which more and more involves being on the front lines of dealing with the mentally ill?  Ultimately, it is an exploration of how taking responsibility for our actions becomes a measure of maturity, about the painful experience of "growing up", and how that process never really stops. A timely and thought-provoking play about the power of forgiveness, written by one of Canada's most important playwrights. 

description borrowed from PTE's website. 

The play doesn't open until February 27th, but tickets are available in advance here if you're in Winnipeg and want to see this show. 

Ok. That is all. Just wanted to do some shameless self promotion and let you in on where I've been for the last week. We will resume our regularly scheduled programming shortly.. :)

Lisa.xo

The Miser of Middlegate

Here's the official plug for my latest work project. A new play by my friend Carolyn Gray:

zone41 theatre & Theatre Projects Manitoba present

The Miserof Middlegate

   Dark days have come for Winchell, our modern day miser.  He is faced with the most dynamic situation of his life: he must woo his wife back so he won’t have to pay her out in divorce court, and cure his recently engaged daughter Emily of the matrimonial urge, so he won’t have to pay for a wedding – ever!  A cheeky and irreverent romp into the lives of one entrepreneurial Winnipeg family.

  Carolyn Gray’s modern version of Molière’s classic satire is part screwball comedy and part sex farce – it’s erratic, irrational and unconventional.  Expect spit takes, slapstick, verbal sparring and a whole lot of doors!  Exploring family, love and money, The Miser of Middlegate expertly balances humour while sharply critiquing our culture obsessed with acquisition. 

We've been working long hours in the last few days incorporating the set and technical elements into this amazing play. After watching it over and over for a month straight I am still laughing! It's not to be missed! If you live in the Winnipeg area I highly recommend coming out to see this show. 

Click here to buy tickets!

Lisa.xo

Outfits: Ice Cream

The title of this post doesn't refer to my outfit so much as the occasion on which it was worn.

After slaving for 7 hours on my computer doing prep for my latest show today I made dinner for The Boy and I, then suddenly had an insatiable craving for ice cream.

It's been +40 Celsius with the humidex this week, so I suppose that craving is well warranted.

I changed out of my "work clothes" (jeans and a tee-shirt) into this. The weather won't be this hot for too much longer, so I might as well wear these lovely dresses now before it's time for tights and sweaters.

I love this dress, but am feeling that I need a black woven belt to wear with it instead of this white one -  which is looking very washed out in these photos...still getting the hang of setting my camera properly for the outdoors. Black would be so much better, but I make due with the polka dotted shoes to tie it in. You've gotta work with what you've got. I'm so hard done by, aren't I? lol!!

So, it's back to the grind this week. Emails, piles of paperwork and so much organizing and scheduling.  But it's good. :) It's like going back to school after summer holidays. I'm all jacked up to get prepped and ready for the first day of rehearsal next Monday.

50's Cotton Dress: Vintage Glory

Polka Dotted Bangle: Thrifted

White Woven Belt: Thrifted

Black and White Polka Dotted Shoes: Le Chateau

Trusty Vintage Bamboo Purse: Thrifted

Lisa.xo

SIR presents Julius Caesar

If you live in the Winnipeg area I would highly recommend coming out to Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park (aka the St Norbert Ruins) and checking out Shakespeare in the Ruins 20th anniversary presentation of Julius Caesar.

“Cry 'havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war”

-      Mark Antony

“Just watch me…”

-      Pierre Elliot Trudeau

In 1970, Quebec’s Minister of Labour, Pierre LaPorte, was murdered by the Front de Liberation du Quebec, a separatist group who wanted to end “Anglo-Saxon imperialism”. This brought about the invoking of the War Measures Act by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (the Caesar of his day), in which our government suspended civil liberties and arrested over 400 individuals suspected of having ties to the radical organization.

Set  in Canada during the time of the FLQ “Black October” Crisis, SIR's first production of Julius Caesar will illuminate the truth that Shakespeare realized over 400 years ago: that we are all capable of transgressing our moral code and of committing acts we would otherwise view as abhorrent, in the name of "liberty".

Celebrate our 20th Anniversary with us as we present a dynamic, immersive, accessible, one-of-a-kind, outdoor, promenade performance (whew!) of Shakespeare's magnificent and timeless examination of loyalty, ambition and political conspiracy amid the incomparable setting of the Ruins!

-borrowed from SIR's website

And check out our preview article in the Free Press!

For show dates and times, or to purchase tickets: click here!

See you at the Ruins!

Lisa.xo

Nope, Not Dead...

Hey! Long time no talk!

I took an unexpected blog break due to work. I've been incredibly busy since I got home from The Munsch Tour.
For those of you who may remember, last year I worked on Angels in America: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner for Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. Well I just finished working on the second part of that show: Angels in America: Perestroika. 

The cast and crew all returned to turn out the second part of this incredible duo of plays. I was the head stage manager this time around and it was a HUGE show: 9 actors - over 20 characters, 40-50 scenes - ranging from a hospital to heaven and over 2000 technical cues - 400 of which I called during the show (for example: "Standby Lighting Cue 1, Sound Cue 2, Video Cue 3....Lighting Cue 1 Go, Sound Cue 2 Go, Video Cue 3 Go ...you get the idea...).

My POV from the booth during 'Perestroika'. 

This show was so big I was working 10 hours a day during rehearsals and 12-14 hours a day during tech week. On top of that I started my next job for Shakespeare in the Ruins before the the performance run ended on Perestroika. During which I went to rehearsals from 10:00am to 5:00pm during the day, then headed to the theatre for performances at Winnipeg Jewish Theatre in the evening from 7:00pm to Midnight.

Perestroika closed last weekend and today is my first day off in a month.

Welcome to my job people...feast or famine! (the famine is approaching in July...I have no work booked in July and August)

Now that I've got that off my chest I'm hoping to get back to blogging. I missed this! I haven't even had time to read the blogs I love in my reader...

But I'm back! It's good to be back! How have you all been?!

Lisa.xo

North

Well, it's not even been a week since the cast and I journeyed out for our school tour with Prairie Theatre Exchange.

This is our cargo van which hold the set, costumes and props. We're en route to Norway House, MB here. 

It honestly feels like we've been gone for two weeks already. Our days are so jam packed with new people, new places and travelling that one day feels like three.

It's late right now, but I just wanted to stop in and say that I'm still around! Check out the link to our tour blog for all the details of our trip.

But before I go, I wanted to show you what I picked up today in Thompson at the Second Chance Thrift Store for $1!

We're on the road by 7:30am tomorrow from Thompson to Gillam, MB to perform in the afternoon! I hope the roads are good! Livin' the Dream! ;)

Lisa.xo

On the Road Again...

Tomorrow the school tour I'm working on is taking me out of town (to northern Manitoba!) for the next four weeks.

It's just past midnight (so I guess technically it's "today", but who's counting) and I'm all packed.

Here are all the earthly belongings I will be taking with me from home. I feel like there should be more considering I'll be gone for a month.

I'm really looking forward to second hand shopping in small towns I've never been to before! (Naturally..)

Lisa.xo

Lunch Prep

The two schools we're touring to today are both within 15 minutes of my house. So I decided that we would eat lunch at my house. We had a local actor host us for lunch between shows last week and it was such a treat to be able to relax in someone's home, eat the delicious food she made for us and recharge before our next show. I couldn't resist inviting the cast over today.

I love entertaining and I've thoroughly enjoyed planning and prepping for this afternoon's lunch.
Truth be told, I didn't have time to prepare opening night gifts for the cast (it's tradition to give small gifts or cards to everyone who worked on the show on opening night) and I really love this cast so it's the perfect opportunity to thank them.

I wanted lunch to feel really special, so I decided to use all my vintage coloured glasswear and ironstone to serve lunch. I prepped and arranged everything yesterday. My crockpot, bread machine and coffee maker are all set to turn on at the correct times so lunch is hot and ready to be eaten when we walk in the door. 

For lunch I'm serving:

Homemade Crockpot Chilli 

and fixin's

Sour Cream, Green Onions, Grated Cheese and Multigrain Chips

Homemade Bread and Butter

Pickles

For desert:

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grapes

And:

 Coffee 

Tea 

Iced Tea 

Bottled Water

Sounds like a lot, but we are ravenously hungry! We unload and load the van (which contains our set, costumes and props) as well as perform the high energy show (well, the actors do, I sit and run sound while they act) at each school. It really works up our appetite!

I'm excited to have my peeps over today. I'll be sure to post some photos from lunch later this week.


Lisa.xo

Stalk Me at Work

I haven't really talked much about my most recent stage managing job. I am currently stage managing the school tour at Prairie Theatre Exchange called "Magical Mystery Munsch"

This is our set

Similar to the last school tour I stage managed. We will be touring in Winnipeg for the first leg (about 3 weeks) and then we're headed out of town to northern Manitoba for another 3 weeks straight, after which we'll be in and out of town for a few days at a time until the middle of March.

The cast and I will be blogging about our experiences while we're on the road. I thought you all might like a little insight into what I do.
So here's the link so you can stalk me at work! haha!

Magical Mystery Blog

There's not much up there now - we start the tour today, but keep checking in! It will get really interesting when we head up north in February!

Lisa.xo

Yup, Still Here

Hello friends! Did you miss me? I didn't realize I'd been away for an entire month until my readers, family and friends started asking if I was:  a.deleting the blog,   b.if something happened to keep me away   or  c.lost my hands and can't type (no, i made that last one up..).

Well, actually, it's none of the above. I lost my blogging mojo on my last stressful Stage Managing job! I've been distracted by my new job and other things in life. But enough with the excuses, I was gone for a month from the blog and the world didn't end, so I'm now convinced life doesn't revolve around me (ok, mostly convinced. lol!).

Here's what you've missed in no particular order:

Work 
I'm Stage Managing for Prairie Theatre Exchange right now for their annual Christmas kids show based on the books of Canadian kids author Robert Munsch.

Tickets are still available on select shows here!

Things have been going well! I've been putting in 10-12 hour days for most of December, but the cast and crew have been just delightful to work for/with. That makes the long hours so much more bearable. We just had 3 days off for Christmas and we're back at it again today.
I't a great show for kids of all ages! I'm still laughing at it after having watched it at least 2-3 dozen times already.



Home
Hasn't been much going on...mostly because all I do there right now is sleep...

Although I don't look this good when I'm sleeping at home. lol!

Christmas
Again, it's been a little different than any other year due to my crazy work schedule. I didn't make Christmas cards or even put up the tree this year! I'd show you a picture to prove it, but it would just look like my house does the rest of the year. (If you're a new reader and you'd like to sneak a peek at our Christmas decorations you can check out these posts from the last few years.)

The Boy did get me the best present though! He surprised me with a brand new iPhone a week before Christmas! I've been wanting one for over a year now, but just couldn't afford the payment until now.

We had a really nice Christmas this year! Stay Tuned for my annual gift show and tell post soon!


Anything Else?
The Boy and I just finished babysitting K&D's dog Kona while they honemooned in Thailand.

We enjoyed having two dogs in the house so much we're seriously contemplating adding another furry member to the family in the new year!
Otherwise, things have been work, work, work...


I'll be working hard to post more regularly.. I missed you guys!


I'll be back sooner rather than later!
Lisa.xo