Standing Room Only at the Quebec Drama Federation Launch
Aiden Flynn Lost His Brother So He Makes Another
Montreal’s weather did nothing to stop theatre fanatics from attending the first QDF launch of 2015 at the MAI (Montréal arts interculturels). The house was full, leaving many to stand along the walls eagerly awaiting what Montreal’s theatre scene has to offer in the upcoming months. The 16th launch opened with an introduction from hosts, QDF staff members, Cassandra Togneri, Stephanie McKenna, and executive director Deborah Forde.
The evening took off with a preview from Lakeshore Players, McGill Classics Plays, and Lifelong Productions. Collective Productions presented a short piece based on their show, but not quite an excerpt from The Bad Guys, earning solid laughs.
In addition, QDF has recently launched a blog in order to continue fueling the theatre community’s dialogue. Guest artists will be invited to contribute and engage in their own conversations. Michaela Di Cesare presented a hilarious video about what it means to be an “emerging artist” and the top 10 list of new year’s resolutions to making it in the arts.
Paul Aflalo of No More Radio sat with Amy Blackmore to talk Bouge d’ici. Montreal’s dance fest gives up-and-coming artists an opportunity to show their work in a relaxed setting, helping to encourage audiences to just show up and hopefully walk away with a better understanding of what they like about dance.
WISTA presented the song “Me” from their upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast.
Centaur Theatre showed a brief video interview with the cast of this season’s next show ‘Terminus’. Tickets will be available for $15.00 until the end of the Wildside Festival, or January 17th, so do not miss that deal. From Centaur’s Wildside Festival, UK’s Rachel Mars presented four minutes from her solo show ‘The Way You Tell Them’, which opened January 9th. Her comedy is so intricately woven with reality that she can take you anywhere — jokes, serious stuff, de-committing. Kat Sandler’s Delicacy arrived in Montreal the same day, opens January 13th, and is sure to be a laugh. Be sure to also check out: Aiden Flynn Lost his Brother So He Makes Another, Johnny Legdick, and many many others.
Laurent Pitre presented an excerpt from a piece he wrote for last year’s Annual Mainline Gala for Student Theatre, creating anticipation for what’s to come this February.
Persephone Productions presented a song from Paul Van Dyck’s The Nisei & The Narnauks, which will be at the MAI from February 5th – 22nd and was described as Canada’s Best kept secret.
Another interview to look forward to hearing on the No More Radio podcast is The Medea Effect’s Jennifer Morehouse, who had everyone’s attention upon entering the room. This remount of The Medea Effect tells of how we may learn to listen to each other and not fall in love and addresses themes of loss and abandonment.
The night closed with Theatre Esperance’s The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter and performed by Howard Rosenstein which opens at Mainline’s Mini Main February 26th.
The evening consisted of 20 acts, so pick up your QDF calendar and start penciling.
For all interviews, please visit http://www.nomoreradio.com, where they will soon be available.
