Celsius Youth Theatre has a website!

Hey everybody, just thought I'd let you know that Celsius Youth Theatre has a website! This is the theatre company that I founded with two of my friends. The website is very much under construction, but we're excited to have it!

Here is the link:

http://celsiusyouththeatre.org/

-Dan

Art etc...

I've been thinking a lot about art recently. I'm going to be directing a one act play this spring, and I've really been thinking about how I can make it different, how I can make it really touch people and be more than just a play, how it can become a piece of art.

I've become pretty obsessed with Cirque Du Soleil recently, for many reasons. Firstly, because its amazing, secondly, they're Canadian (okay, thats not a reason), but especially because what they do is so beautiful. They are not just a circus. They really tell stories and create beauty. Obviously, my small theatre company does not have the budget, nor the acrobats to create anything like what they do, nor do we want to. But I really do want to create art that is beautiful, and can touch people.

So thats my current project/dilemma: How can I make a small unassuming play really mean something, touch people and be artistic...

Planets, people and problems

Perhaps you saw this new story that came out a short while back. I've always found science and astronomy very cool and so I find the discovery and photographing of these new planets rather interesting.

However, I also have a problem with it.

These planets are 130 light years away. Why should we care? Sure, its interesting, but we can't even take care of our own planet, so why the heck are we spending billions of dollars investigating other new planets hundreds of light years away that we are never going to reach? We should get our priorities right and fix our own planet before trying to find more.

Just my rant for the day...

Concert Update!

Okay, so I went to the concert today. And I saw the Britten Violin Concerto live. And it was mind-blowing awesome. Almost the best concert I have ever seen. The work itself is incredible, so amazingly beautiful and just great. But this performance was better than I ever could have expected. The soloist, Livia Sohn was so good. Every note that she played was perfect and crystal-clear. Even when she got into the very high register of the violin, the notes were pure and clean. And the cadenza! It was amazing. Her phrasing was just amazing and then she would let the notes hang in the air for a few moments. It was just exquisite. I was soo thankful that I was able to see it.

Benjamin Britten Violin Concerto

Okay, I just have to post this because I am practically exploding with excitement and I had to tell SOMEONE.

I'm going to see the Britten Violin Concerto live with the orchestra tomorrow with Livia Sohn as the soloist. I'm sooo excited. It will be amazing. Its my favorite violin concerto and it is just breathtaking, IMHO.


I just had to tell you. :)

Be assured that I will be posting an update tomorrow about how it was.

Remembrance Day

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

What I've been listening to lately

I've recently discovered some violin concertos that I am currently infatuated with.

1. Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto.
This concerto is sooo good. Very haunting, and super beautiful. I'm actually seeing a performance of it live in a week or two. I'm super excited.

2. Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
I would learn violin just to be able to play this piece! The opening theme introduced by the violin is one of the best ever IMHO.

3. Brahms Violin Concerto
This concerto is perfection, do you hear? Listen to it today, do not delay. It is like candy to my ears.

I find it just unbelieveable how much incredible music there is out there.

Oh yeah, and if you have a piece of classical that you think I should hear, let me know! I always love hearing new music!

Wow.

I was just involved in a truly epic theatre production. It was a youth production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. We did the entire play, adapted very slightly to make a 2 hr production. We had a really fabulous cast of 13 youth and 1 adult. Josh of Running With Scissors was also in it. We got really good reviews so it was very exciting. Hands down, the funnest theatre production I've ever been in. I'll post more about it later.

What do YOU think?

Hello everyone,

Now, as you may have noticed, this blog has been hibernating for a rather long time. Obviously, I would like to post some more on this blog, but the truth is, I'm not always sure what to post about. So my question for you, dear readers, is...What would YOU like to read more about on this blog? Post a comment and let me know! Thanks! :)

Fog Machines

Okay, I have a wee bit (okay, a big bit) of an obsession with theatrical fog. You know, dry ice, fog machines etc. Well, last October, I bought a fog machine. This one, in fact. The problem was, I couldn't get my hands on any of the fog fluid that is necessary for fog. Well, because of some good friends of ours, I finally got some hands on some! And I am thrilled to say that the machine works excellently! I have uploaded a video of it in action. Any way, I am very happy with it and it will get put to very good use!

Cool video

I just had to post this because its just so great. This guy, Matt Harding has made a few videos with him doing a funny dance all around the world. You can read more about it here.

Here is the 2008 video. Go on, try and watch it without smiling. I dare you.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Photos

Took some photos of some flowers this morning. I think they turned out okay.

The Shakespeare festival: PART II

A little while ago, Raine asked me what I do at the Shakespeare festival. Well, a lot of things! Often I volunteer, but sometimes I just go to watch. When I volunteer, I usually work usher or concession. For usher, I take tickets and hand out programs. When I work concession, I do tasks like making popcorn, making change, getting popcorn and licorice for people etc. Its fun. The festival runs for about a month and I wish I could go for every performance!

How NOT to rob a property.

Here are some tips on how to be a very pathetic thief.

1. Try right after a rain, when the ground is soft, so that you'll leave lots of obvious footprints.
2. As you jump over the fence, talk in loud voices, and bang on the side of the house so that the owners will hear and yell at you.
3. Go on the property at around 11:00 pm when most people are still awake, so they can stop you.
4. Put your cell phone somewhere that it can fall out, so that the owners of the house can find it and call the numbers in your address book.

Yep, this is really happened. Last night, we heard loud voices and scraping and Kathleen saw some feet running past her window. And they left their cell phone for us. How nice.

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I thought this was interesting and quite accurate too.