There are days when I'm just a boring ol' mum doing the school runs, folding laundry, making lunches, wiping...um...everything. But sometimes, I end up in sort of surreal situations. Like today. Last night I was watching the 25th Anniversary of Les Miz and this morning I was face … [Read more...]
Can An Open Call Get You Into a Hit Show?
Shawna Van Omme: One to Watch You see them all the time: notices for "Open Calls". Sometimes you have to wonder: is this real or a scam? If you don't already know this, there are a lot of money making schemes out there. Any time you see something telling you a big producer or … [Read more...]
The Academy Awards: A Recap in 66 Lines…
In case you missed last night's Oscars, here's a recap from my Twitter timeline. 4:37pm from @NancyODell: Just stepped on the Oscar Red Carpet! Me: And so it begins! 6:20pm from @stylecentsmummy: Mila kunis in lavender...Me: I was distracted by the things that looked like her naughty … [Read more...]
A Canadian in New York
You may not realise it, but there are a lot of incredibly talented Canadians on Broadway. So if you're planning a trip to the Big Apple, you should check out some of our home-grown talent who just happen to be in some of the hottest shows. And one of the best places to start is with Priscilla, … [Read more...]
Moms in the Biz
A lot of women will say being a working mother is the hardest thing in their lives to balance. I agree, and I started thinking about how that applies to women in theatre. I keep forgetting that our lives aren't "normal". The kids can't watch TV without saying "oh, … [Read more...]
Barbie’s from Saskatchewan? In The Movies She is…
When you think of Barbie, Saskatchewan probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But next time you watch a Barbie movie, it will be. Why? Because my friend Cailin Stadnyk, a phenomenal actress and musical performer who hails from Regina, has been playing Barbie for 10 … [Read more...]
Backstage at the Theatre Museum of Canada Gala
Earlier this week I was photographing a Gala for the Theatre Museum of Canada. Here are a few sneak peeks at life "backstage" at the event. … [Read more...]
Can Theatre Beat a Video Game? Ask a Kid.
I was thinking it might be fun to catch up with the cast of Bosco & Jones, and it turns out Matt Bois, who was beloved by audiences for playing the affable puppet Jones, as well as earning a nod for Outstanding Performance from NOW Magazine, is here in town. He's currently on … [Read more...]
D’you hear the one about Bosco & Jones?
I just found out that Bosco & Jones, a musical I wrote with my husband Brett and our friend Scott, won an award. It won Best Independent Theatre Production in the 2010 BroadwayWorld Toronto Theatre Awards. Not too shabby for a show that debuted at the 2010 Toronto Fringe … [Read more...]
Why is Theatre important?
Long before there was Reality TV, there was Theatre. Aristophanes, Shakespeare, Shaw - they were all making social commentaries of their time: they mocked, questioned, entertained and provoked conversation. And while Jersey Shore is certainly no Hamlet, you can certainly draw … [Read more...]