(Almost) "Finished" Set

The set for T,F&M is done now. The penultimate element is done: The roof. After Kim's suggestion, I have opened it up to allow light through instead of LEDing the undersurface of the roof I had before. The flooring and the roof will be the same wood (which it is not in the model). The last missing element is the tree that will go upstage left.

Skin and Heat

TigerPaw Peppers

I have just come through my second bout of "allergic" reaction. This time the rash was my entire lower left leg. First it becomes incredibly itchy, then when I scratch it, it becomes very bumpy with little pimples that turn bright red. Thanks to going to my doctor the first time, I have a strong steroid cream with which to fight the spread of the rash.

Yesterday afternoon, I did some cooking before going to school to teach and because I have found jalapeño peppers rather unsatisfying, I decided to up my game and so I bought some TigerPaw peppers to whilst doing the preparation, I used my hands. BIG mistake. I burnt my hands. I could not bear to have them near anything warm and it lasted about five hours. It was AWFUL. I am amazed they are sold without a warning label. Holy crap.

TigerPaw peppers have between 265,000 and 328,000 Scoville Units. Jalapeños have only between 2,500 and 10,000 Scoville Units.

Mr. Skibinski

I had to teach tonight at Emily Carr from 6:30 to 9:30. At four o'clock I got an email from the school:

Today we heard about the death of John Skibinski, who passed away after a very brief illness.  John has been a familiar presence at Emily Carr for many years.  He contributed to many departments and since 2009 has been a dedicated member of Continuing Studies.  As a community, we mourn the passing of a kind and vibrant person who we were privileged to know. He was a true friend to many and his smile and positive outlook were an inspiration.  In times like these we need to support one another, and especially our colleagues in Continuing Studies.  

John was a good friend and neighbour; we often had dinners together. He was relentlessly funny and charming and he was my favourite colleague at school. He was only fifty-five and he died from complications arising from the flu. The flu!

I was numb going to school, walking terribly slowly and not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. I couldn't concentrate or remember things. Teaching was torture. I am gutted.

The New Order

Countdown

I got a new "chandelier" for my dining area.
It is Ash wood, woven into a nice shape and
is perfect for my all-blonde-wood decor.

The roof of my set design for Trudeau is now open
instead of a solid sheet (for the lighting designer).

One of my students at Emily Carr was Tracy McMenemy. She took my class to transition out of her screenwriting career so when I decided to write Uncle Gus' Monkey, she came to mind as a resource and so I approached her and yesterday I heard from her. She will give Warren and I a written response to our script next week.

The Praxis evaluation has no due date. I have written to them to ask when we will get their evaluation but no word has come back as yet. I will call today because we are getting so close to pitching to Out TV. Warren wants to do the pitch before his run in Mary Poppins resumes at the Arts Club.

All this means I can expect several things in the next few weeks: First, Rita's probate will likely arrive and that will release the funds to her beneficiaries (including me); Second, two professional evaluations of our screenplay should arrive and the pitch will be done by Warren.

Warren is coming here for dinner on Thursday and we will  have all night to talk about our project and our plans.

Regarding the sentence above. I still remember my friend Bruce telling me about a new talent in town with a fabulous voice who was debuting at the Arts Club where Bruce is musical director. It was Warren. And I remember the first time I saw and heard him and joking with Bruce afterward that he was my new boyfriend. I melted hearing him sing the songs so beautifully and the first production of the show he was doing, Jacques Brel, was my first professional show. It was very emotional for me.

After that, Warren was a marked man in my heart so I just about lost my skin when Shawn, the director of my show Knock Knock hired Warren to be in it. I was so excited I was going to meet the man and now, here we are, writing a post on the day before he comes here to my house for dinner. We've come a long way, baby.

I got a big bottle of champagne with which to toast him tomorrow night, for bringing so my joy and opportunity and fulfilment into my life. And…. during our run of Knock Knock, it was he who always rescued me when I would blank on my lines. He was my rescuer and you passionately love your rescuer.

"The Keeper" Improved

The floor will be the same wood as the roof. I used a photograph of wood on the model, so it looks weird. The grass is now outside, not in as in the first draft of this idea, the fence is more to scale and the characters give scale to the three "star" set pieces.

I really liked idea #1 (the broken frame; behind the image) and when I came up with it, I thought that was it. I had my design. And I cannot remember why I decided to do more. It may simply have been for something to do, but when I did decide to do more I decided there would be two, not one. I decided to go for the best of three.

I liked what come up for #2... l'artist's atelier idea. It felt a little forced and my friend Dwight hated it because it was too much. "Less is more," he said. And when he said it, I had idea #3 in mind: The three "star" set pieces. But I had no idea how to treat the rest of the set. But at the craft supply store, as soon as I saw the grass and then the fence, I had my idea and I got the wood for the roof.

I thought of adding a door, but rejected that idea. I like the cleanness of this model.

Monday: The Keeper

Today was about getting the supplies to bring idea #3 for the set of my play, Trudeau, the Felons and Me, to fruition. I walked the long way to get the supplies and home on yet another stunning day.

This set idea is of a house with four scenes created by three set pieces that are star-shaped and, when turned, reveal different surfaces through projection or by means of attaching printed panels.

I like this idea best of the three I have built.

So… roof + grass + fence = House, as in Presentation House
the subject of the play. The photo is a projection on a screen
that is on three similar set pieces that have 4 sides.

This side, the paisley, represents the set for the
restoration scenes with paper costumes.

This side is white but could be anything drawn from
the script. This would be the gallery set, to me, with frames.

I've put mirrors on this side, but it would be an image
of the theatre for scenes about the theatre.