El Numero Uno or the Pig from Lopinot is a play (for children, sort of, I guess) that I’ve been working on for the last few years, during which time it’s been through several workshops at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. LKTYP commissioned the script when Pierre Tétrault was Artistic Director, and current AD, Allen MacInnes and his crew have nurtured it since. The most recent workshop was in January when Lisa Codrington, Sham Downer, Jujube Mandiela, Billy Merasty, Karim Morgan, Karen Robinson and Rhoma Spencer gave it a workout, under the direction of ahdri zina mandiela and with dramaturg (that’s with a hard ‘g’), Stephen Colella keeping tabs, and apprentice director Joan Kivanda looking in and on. Allen MacInnis, LKTYP’s Artistic Director, visited with us from time to time. Allen has enriched the offerings at LKTYP, the current production, The Forbidden Phoenix, being a good example of the diverse fare that LKTYP now has on the boards. (See below for further info on The Forbidden Phoenix.)
So this here is a big, public thank-you to all these folks! Merçi, gracias, tanx, thank-you. I can’t say it often enough because it’s a real privilege to have something you’ve written taken through its paces in this rigorous, attentive, whole-hearted way. It’s also enormously useful. The script has evolved over time, and, what with changes from the last workshop, we may now have something with which to go forward to production. Whether we do get that far or not, I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience than I’ve had working on the play with these, as well as other actors like d’bi young and Alison Sealey-Smith. So nuff respec and big ups, all! “Irie, amen, and seen!” as Ras Onelove, one of the characters in the play, would say.
The Forbidden Phoenix
The current production at LKTYP, The Forbidden Phoenix, has its world première tonight. A musical, the play is loosely based on the experience of Chinese immigrants brought to Canada to work on the railroad in the 1800s, and explores themes of freedom, diversity, family, community and environmentalism. It fuses martial arts, acrobatics, stunning costumes, and contemporary musical theatre and cleverly weaves the comic antics of traditional Monkey King stories with the powerful tale of a father’s sacrifice to provide for his family. Check http://www.lktyp.ca/en/current/forbidden.cfm
Pamela Mordecai Reads in Calgary
I go to Calgary on 2 March at the invitation of the University of Calgary for a class visit with Aruna Srivastava’s class on 3 March and a public reading on 4 March. Details for these events forthcoming, but just wanted to give you an early heads up.
There will also be a reading of my Good Friday performance poem, de Man, at St Stephen’s Anglican Church, 1121 14th Avenue SW, Calgary. Calgary resident, Howard Gallimore will join me in the reading. Howard reads the part of Samuel and I read Naomi.
Toronto Launch of Half World by Hiromi Goto
On Friday February 13th at 7:00 p.m., Canadian author, Hiromi Goto, launches her novel, Half World, at the Toronto Women’s Bookstore at 7:00 p.m. For more n this crossover/YA novel, visit http://www.halfworld.ca/
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10 comments:
Congratulations, Pam and all the best on the readings and tings...
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Geooffrey! Are you always up here? Indefatigable, thou art and so I Hail Thee, Gaius Philpus! I see you are reading at Calabash. Wish I could come hear you. I think CSA is round that time, and also in Jamdown this year, not so? Congrats on the new collection of stories, and I wish you a publisher for the new book of poems too! 1 Love
Congrats, Pam. I'm just resurfacing after not being well for the past week.
CSA is in Jamaica this year. I've submitted a paper, and am waiting to hear if they'll accept it. Then I'll have to find out if I can get any funding... (And if I'll have a job to come back to...)
Fragano:
I've been remiss in not asking after your health. I do hope you're feeling much better. Thanks for the kind thoughts. I'd contemplated going to CSA myself, but having made no move as yet, it probably won't happen. Still, the great news is that you know you do have a job to come back to! Irie! as Numero Uno would say. Give Praises!
I'm much better, thanks Pam.
As to having a job to come back to. I hope I will. All I know is I have one for now.
FSJL: I don't understand. Are they cutting jobs on some kind of ever-twirling loop? Surely if you have a job now, you will have it in June?
Pam: Some sinting nuh fi shout inna di street.
FSJL: Beg pardon! Is indignation; is no fas me fast... The so-called 'Academy' continues to be a source of distress and disappointment to me. It's not a community of scholars and it's not a well-run firm! Indeed, I wonder just what kind of animal, vegetable or mineral it is!
Pam: It is a very heavy element (http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/administ.htm). That's all I can say.
FSJL: A heavy element indeed. Hilarious! Thanks for this! It deserves the broadest circulation! Heh-heh-heh...
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