Creator’s Reserve

I’m working on applications to the OAC Theatre Creator’s Reserve.  I am dead set upon getting at least one but hopefully more.  I need funds to continue my journey to becoming a prolific Canadian playwright/lyricist/composer.

I feel like fraud every time it says composer since I only ‘write’ music through improvisation and with my voice.   To my inner critic, that’s not real music composition.  Sitting at a piano and plunking out some grand opera is more what music composition is.  Also, it doesn’t help that my novice song-writing attempts were met with reviews that said the songs were ‘god-awful’.  I feel like if I really wanted to pursue that aspect of my talents, I’d have to go back to school or take classes.  I would totally do this if only had the funds.  Anyway but I am more confident about my abilities as a book-writer, story-teller and I suppose lyricist.  I feel like words and plot are closer to my domain.  The music for me is meant heighten those things.

Anyway, so the way that grant works is that you apply to various theatre companies and they recommend you for the grant.  I applied to the Fringe with Nobody’s Idol and to Tarragon with Killjoy.  

For newbies to me and my work.  Nobody’s Idol is a musical parody about misfits and wannabe’s competing for fame.  Killjoy is a modern day fairy tale about Joy, an overgrown child who longs for her happily ever after.  She escapes into the world of her dolls and learns that maybe her idea of happily ever after isn’t all its cracked up to be.

The thing that I realized with Nobody’s Idol is that all the characters are really self-absorbed and don’t care about anyone else other than themselves which in theory is hilarious but I think for the next draft I gotta make them care.  And not in a self-absorbed kind of way but in like a real way.  I was told it lacked heart and I guess that’s what they meant.   I asked for quite a bit for this – 2 months living expenses and money to pay a dramaturge and musical ‘dramaturge’.  I asked for so much time because I also want to work on Nobody’s Idol: Band Edition.  The sequel but with more characters.  The unique thing about these shows in my opinion is that there are multiple endings and I’d like to challenge myself with coming up with endings for each character.

I liked my application for Tarragon with Killjoy.  I thought it was the most clear I could possibly be.

So now the next due date is for Cahoots Theatre.  I’m applying with Killjoy.  I think Cahoots would like this show because the main character, Joy, is Asian-Canadian or adopted from an Asian country by Canadian parents.  I need to do more research into which one and why.  This application is basically done.  I’m just getting my dramaturge to proof read it.  I asked for 1 months living expenses and money to pay my dramaturge.

The next one I am going to submit to is Nightwood Theatre.  I’m debating which project to submit.  I don’t they’d go for Nobody’s Idol.  It’s too much fun and lacks the depth (that I would be requesting to work on) but I don’t know. So I think they would like Killjoy a lot better.  The thing is I’ve submitted before with earlier versions of this play so I’m hesitant to submit it again.  Although this would be harsh, I wish they would tell me if they were rejecting me personally or the idea.  Although when I applied to the Write From the Hip program way back in 2010 (I think) it was kind of last minute and I did when I was really jet lagged.  So there were most likely a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes.  (I’m kind of dyslexic that’s why I don’t really care if there are grammar mistakes because a) that’s why I need an editor/dramaturge and b) I’m doing pretty alright in overcoming by supposed disability).  Of course other than this blog – that no one reads – I don’t really advertise that fact.  Mainly because I stopped believing I had a learning disability awhile ago because when I start being like ‘I can’t do stuff because I’m dyslexic’ then I feel stupid and bad and it doesn’t feel true.  Plus, after spending time in classes with other people with learning disabilities and other such disorders, I don’t think my situation is that bad and maybe I was probably misdiagnosed or maybe just have A.D.D. I’m 100% sure I have attention deficit disorder.

Where was I?  Oh yeah what to submit to Nightwood.  I have this other germ of an idea that I think they would really like.  It’s called Witch and it’s a one woman show about 2 women: a famous witch and the actress who got famous for playing the witch.   The basic premise is that we see the actress playing this horrible Rohl Dahl Witches type witch and then learning the real story of how this woman in the 1800’s got the title of witch.  It would most likely be a story about how women get labeled things.  Of course I’d have to connect the actress’ story to the witches story.  So far the actress’ story has something to do with aging or being typecast.  However there was the idea that the actress’ starts to believe she’s turning into a witch.  That still needs exploring.  The problem with this idea is that is only an idea.  And even though the grant says you can submit ‘ideas’ that’s not really true because they want to see what you’ve written so far.  Although I have written some its not good yet.  What I mean by that is that its only an idea and I’ve written ideas of what kind of monologues would be in the show but it still needs work.  Which is why I am applying so I can work on it.  Hmm?  How do I do this?  The other thing is that I really want to work on the monologues through improvisation.  As opposed to straight writing which is how I usually write.  But that would mean finding a director or dramaturge/improviser to help me and I have not found this person yet.

I guess that’s enough for this post.