Tag Archives: Writing

Robert Chafe, playwright

Robert Chafe Podcast

Robert Chafe is an award winning playwright whose work has been seen across Canada, the UK, and Australia.

He was just nominated in the drama category of the 2017 The Governor General’s Literary Awards, for his adaption of Wayne Johnston’s novel, “The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, into a stage play.

Two of Chafe’s plays (“Tempting Providence” and “Butler’s Marsh”), were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for Drama. His play “Afterimage” won the award in 2010.

Robert is Artistic Director and playwright for Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland, where he frequently collaborates with NAC English Theatre Artistic Director Jillian Keiley.

In the podcast we discuss his transition from playwriting to writing a collection of short stories.

Robert shares his experience seeing his plays on stage and watching the audiences’ reaction to them.

He mentions that observing audiences has lead him to understand that “how I feel about my work actually has nothing to do with how an audience is going to experience it.”

Show Notes

Robert’s collection of short stories “Two-Man Tent” on Amazon.
Robert Chafe on Twitter.
Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland’s website.

Writer, actor: Ins Choi remastered

Ins_Card

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In our conversation we trace the roots of “Kim’s Convenience” from a short sketch to a play the New York Times’s Jesse Green reviewed favourably adding: “The actors were crying. I cried, too. This was not just the magic of the fine performances, particularly Mr. Lee’s, under the direction of Weyni Mengesha. It was also my belated recognition that the story was, in part, my own.”

“Kim’s Convenience” had its debut performance at the Bathurst St. Theatre in Toronto during the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival.

As a former Fringe Festival performer myself, the fact that “Kim’s Convenience” has gone on to such great success is inspiring, and I really hope that this interview will inspire you too.

“Kim’s Convenience” follows in the footsteps of Fringe shows including “Life After,” “Da Kink in My Hair,” “Machomer,” “The Drowsy Chaperone” and others that have gone onto great things.

We talk about the time in his life when Ins gave up a job with security, benefits and a housing allowance, everything that would have set him up for a traditional life, but it wasn’t a job in the Arts which Ins knew he needed to truly enjoy life.

We also talk about his time onstage, acting at The Stratford Festival and his time backstage where he wrote Kim’s Convenience.

If you’re a regular listener to the podcast you know I have a 10 year old son and I’m always curious about how family influences the creative voice, so Ins and I start out by talking about his Father who was a pastor and the impact that had on Ins when he was young.

Show Notes
Soulpepper
Toronto Fringe
fu-GEN Asian Canadian theatre Company
The Stratford Festival
Kim’s Convenience at CBC TV

Kim’s Convenience in New Yourk
Pershing Square Signature Center
480 W 42nd St.
Midtown West
Final performance Friday, July 14, 7:30 pm
Click here for tickets

Brooke Johnson: Trudeau Stories

Brooke Johnson, Trudeau Stories

In 1985 Brooke Johnson met Pierre Elliott Trudeau at a gala event at the National Theatre School where she was an acting student.

It had been a year and a half since he’d stepped down as Prime Minister.

Brooke is an award winning actor who, when she was in her teens, launched her career by working as a production assistant at the Shaw Festival, often driving actors to and from Toronto.

Brooke has an expansive career, but I decided to focus our chat on her solo performance “Trudeau Stories.”

When she met Trudeau at the National Theatre School of Canada they shared a dance and their cheek to cheek moment sparked a relationship that lasted years. Brooke documented the relationship with Trudeau in a journal and in 2007 created the solo performance “Trudeau Stories” for Toronto’s SummerWorks Festival.

We talk about her time with Trudeau and how she developed the solo show.

Show Notes
“Trudeau Stories” on Amazon
“Trudeau Stories” Website
National Theatre School of Canada

Upcoming Performances
April 28-30th, 2016, The Rose Theatre, Brampton
January 10 -29, 2017, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Ottawa