A few months ago, I came up with the idea of creating an art show that showcased artists who worked in comic, sci-fi, fantasy, animation and other alternative genres. As someone who works  as a professional performer and artist, I saw that these particular artists were often stuck inside a certain niche audience, and were unable to expand their audience. Moreover, these artists struggled for funding from government (grants) to further their work. So what I decided to do, is to let them showcase their work in an more artistic setting.

I cannot deny that the day before the show, I was ready to vomit from nervousness. After some TV, newspapers and so on, I was so terrified that no one would show. What would I explain to my artists? I promised them exposure, and sales… As someone who once ran a grassroots theatre company in Toronto, I know the competition for audience members, and the damage from small numbers.

There was no better time to prove me wrong. The community responded in a huge way, not only by attending, but by their tremendous support that they showed the artists and the positive feedback that I have received for the show. I was completely blown away by the huge crowds that moved through the small black box studio over the weekend. I had artists come up to hug me because of how well they were doing, which touched me in such a meaningful way. For some, this was their first art show, and nothing makes me happier than to see them successful.

Hilariously enough, my table was absolute bare bones. With the difficulty running an entire art show on my own, I completely forgot about making product for my own table. Most of the work featured on my table were up to 6 years old…it was rather sad. But I did not care. I have no regrets for the “sacrifice” I made. In fact, I don’t think I made any sacrifices at all. The show was not about me. It was about the group of amazing talent that I found in the region of Kitchener-Waterloo, and even beyond.

On that note, The G33K Art Show 2011 comes to an end. THANK YOU to everyone who made this show possible. This is what makes all my work worth it. This is what makes me proud to be an artist. This is what makes me proud to be an artist of Kitchener-Waterloo. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

LIST OF ARTISTS

• Blessed Town Oriental Artimill
• The Bead Boutique
• Cheshire Grynne
• Dino Damage
• Fiona Walley
• Ice Phoenix Art
• Jacques of Trades
• Joyous Creations
• Kitty Kat Cakes
• Maple Rose Magic and Pineapple Funk
• Painting Hippos
• Platypus Press
• Sikotik Comics

MUSICIANS

• Cecile Monique
• Debs and Errol
• Gerima Harvey
• Janice Lee
• Ladano-White Duo

Related articles

• Fantasy artists showcased at Kaufman studio (The Record)

CALL FOR ENTRY – THE G33K ART SHOW (artists, musicians and volunteers)

ARTISTS

Are you a comic book, science fiction or fantasy artist/illustrator?
Do you create extremely unique artisan work?
The G33K Art Show wants you! Be part of the first arts show and sale in KW where all our special work is gathered into one great venue.

Approximate cost for 3-4 days of vending space: $40-90 (dependent on size of space)
Please visit WWW.JACQUES-TRADES.COM to download an application form.

MUSICIANS

The G33K Art Show is looking for musicians to help liven up the showcase and sale! While some geeky/nerdy tunes that we know and love would be awesome, we are just happy to showcase local talent.

Musicians may also be able to make some busker coinage with hats/boxes. If they wish to sell merchandise, please see the application for more details.

Applications are downloadable at www.jacques-trades.com

VOLUNTEERS

Do you love fantasy, sci-fi and comics? Being alternative and unique? Or do you just want to try something new?

Help us out!

The G33K Art Show is looking for 20-30 volunteers to take the showcase and sale out of this world!

Tasks include: putting up posters, pre, during and post show help. More details available on www.jacques-trades.com (Please be patient, we are in progress in the volunteer application forms)

WHAT IS THE G33K ART SHOW?

A gathering place for sequential artists (aka comic artists/writers), steampunk, fantasy, science fiction, gothic and other alternative craftsmen to showcase their work all in once place!

All in time for Christmas!

Oftentimes, these particular styles of work fall under the radar of what we deem Art. Even the independent comic scene struggles to make it in the mainstream industries such as Marvel and DC. My mission in creating this event is for these artists to be given the spotlight in one easy to find venue, and give everyone a chance to share and network.

Date and Times:

Friday December 16 – 3pm-9pm
Saturday December 17 – 11am-7pm
Sunday December 18 – 11am-6pm

Location:

Kaufman Arts Studio, Kitchener

If you have more questions and/or are interested in being a part of this inaugural event, please email Miroki Tong at miroki.tong@gmail.com

Poster of Coffeehouse Theatre's "The Underpants"

As an emerging artist who once put everything I had into making a grassroots theatre company work, I was delighted to be part of the the audience for Coffeehouse Theatre‘s inaugural Toronto production of “The Underpants”. It is a humourous play adapted by Steve Martin from the original “Die Hose” by Carl Sternheim. The play follows the maelstrom of events that occurs in the household of a woman after her underpants unexpectedly fall down during the King’s parade.  What at way for Coffeehouse to start in Toronto! Founded by Evan Harkai in Montreal, he did the courageous act of packing up his project and moving it to Toronto in order to explore the arts scene. It is an extremely bold move when one has existing networks and support.

I think the phenomena of “breaking out” is always on the mind of emerging artists and collectives. We either seek to strengthen our ties with our own communities, and improve the local arts (eg. MT Space), or we are eager to leave to take on the world. It is an extremely important and usually risky choice that defines out artistic futures. Evan has the vision of “national” theatre company, refusing to restrict himself to the various places he’s traveled within Canada to experience and create art. I stand for that. Canada is the only country, as far I know, to have provincially divided stands at World Trade Shows. While local pride is important, it looks embarrassing in the face of other countries. Evan’s broad idea may appear too large for a small company, but all plants have to start somewhere, and he offers unification of theatre presentation in a nation.

Coffeehouse Theatre‘s mission is as follows:

Coffeehouse Theatre aims to continue to work with emerging theatre artists both on stage and off, engaging new audiences with contemporary works that not only entertain, but inspire creativity and an enthusiasm for the arts.

Created by emerging artists for the inclusion of emerging artists, I think these companies are vital for the opportunities of young professionals to begin in the industry. It is a known fact that entering the professional industry after education is an extremely difficult task. Collectives of emerging artists and theatre companies are the perfect way to work in a safer environment and showcase their talent on a professional level . Given first hand experience at how skeptical I find arts funding to be towards these companies, I certainly believe that taking the risk to support them is absolutely essential.

Evan also has a strong concept for the choices of his work. He wants to address socio-political issues normally not touched by the general public. By doing so in a gentler, comedic way, he hopes to “entertain, impact and most of all inspire audiences in a positive, creative and hopeful way.”

There is often a vitality that I see with projects that involve emerging actors, and “The Underpants” by Coffeehouse is no different. There is more at stake, more fear, more raw energy, more nerves, more excitement that I find very beautiful. I certainly felt like the actors were playing, and there’s a great energy in that. Diamonds in the rough are the prettiest when placed in the perfect setting.

Obviously, things need to be ironed out. The venue posed some small logistical issues such as the single bathroom being located behind the wings, and program lacking details about the play itself and the playwright. Criticism shouldn’t really be made, however. It’s not as easy at it looks to prepare a production with low staff numbers. Stage manager Ada Tsang spoke about the tight budget and timeline, and how hard everyone worked to get everything done with extended hours and hard sweat.  Evan should be very proud of his team.

Congratulations to Coffeehouse Theatre for your first production, and I wish it all the best in its run.

“The Underpants” continues to run on September 22, 23 and 24 at 8pm | September 24 at 2pm in Red Sandcastle Theatre (922 Queen Street East). Box Office 416 845 9411. Adults $18 | Students $15

When I first started my career as an actor, I had two very specific goals in mind:

1. Become a very successful voice actor.

2. Become a successful film actor.

And then I proceeded to be sucked into the fantastic world of theatre and all that it had to offer during my university years. As a professional actor, I have performed in theatre for the past 5 years. I have explored a diverse range of theatre that would make many envious, and have had the honour of connecting with some of Canada’s best in the industry.

Now, I am starting over again, back at the bottom. Perhaps the bottom is not the best to describe it, since I don’t believe there is ever a “bottom” opportunity. I merely feel at the bottom because it isn’t easy anymore. I know very little about breaking into the film industry, and I think that it’s also partially because the industry is more walled in than that of the theatre industry. In my opinion at least. Perhaps I just haven’t knocked on the right door.

I think the more pressing issue (as with most artists) is the financial one. While I had been doing almost all exclusively paid theatre work, my current work in film is all non-paid. Do not get me wrong. I love the projects, but it certainly takes a toll on my living.

Regardless, I shall remain optimistic. Agent packages are being sent out, and I actively seek work everyday. I believe that to succeed in this industry is 90% hard work, and 10% talent. I was the gawky, awkward engineer turned actor that no one really thought would make it. I made it in theatre. Now, I shall make it in film and voiceover.

Thanks for reading my plethora of run on sentences and musings.

But I figured being caught in a tornado merits a bit of attention.

Perhaps to some people, living with tornadoes is old hat. But only recently in Southern Ontario that we seem to have witnessed a growing number of these buggers. Yesterday, my best friend and I were venturing through the St. Jacob’s Farmers’ Market, when we saw the sky go black. We figured that it would be best to go back to the car instead of checking out the next building. This turned out to be a silly mistake since it started raining. Hiding under a vendor’s tent (in my defense I did buy his corn) seemed to be the logical option until what we thought was a flash shower passed, except that it didn’t stop. It got harder.

Suddenly, torrents of water was everywhere, and the wind picked up substantially. We found ourselves aiding vendors hold down their tents as boxes, fruit and other random things blew down the road. Then the rain started blowing sideways, and it hurt. I remember looking around and crying out, “Holy crap! Is that hail?!” and then bracing myself as the wind went wild. As one tent blew away, we were told to abandon our efforts and take shelter in the trailer. For a few moments, all we saw was grey. It was pretty frightful, watching everything get taken apart by wind and heavy rain, but my adrenaline was jack high. In fact, I even whipped out my cell phone to record the event. I felt a bit sheepish while doing that, considering it’s the very thing we always yell at characters in movies when they do it in the middle of a disaster: “You idiot! Why are you taking photos of the giant monster alien that is about to eat you?!”

Clearly, I am that foolish movie character.

When I discovered that an F3 tornado had ripped through Heidelberg (near St. Jacob’s), my perspective did change a bit. I was pretty lucky to be on the edge, and not on the middle of it. The other part of me was also thinking, “So, another thing to cross off my list of things to experience while being alive: be outside during a tornado.”

I am a risk taker. I am adventurous and want to experience everything. It is this mindset that keeps me working in the unstable career as an artist, keeps me traveling and hiking the world, and gives me great stories to tell from adventures gone awry. But I am becoming aware that my boundaries are becoming smaller, and that I am doing scarier things as I survive more adventures. It’s only going to be a matter of time before I lose the fight. Can you imagine what would happen if I tried to chase down a tornado at full blast? It’s pretty wrong when you get cut deeply by a shard of glass (this happened very recently, and I have never been cut by glass before) and the firs thing I thought was, “Huh! Now I can say I’ve been cut by glass!” Sometimes, it’s better to reassess the frailty of our lives, and recognize that we are not invincible, no matter how many mountains we conquer. That way, we will certainly live long enough and stay healthy enough to continue witnessing all the amazing things that life has to offer.

And the Farmer’s Market? No one was hurt as far as I know. Farmers sadly lost produce and tents were damaged. Signs held up by concrete were blown over, and the beloved “Welcome to St. Jacob’s Market” was flattened.

Additional Notes: Today (September 5, 2011), it has been confirmed by weather experts that the event was not a tornado but more like a huge storm with winds up to 100km. There were 5 reported injuries to people. Many of us are still calling it a mini tornado however, since the symptoms of the weather were very similar, and it wreaked a huge amount of damage. Many hydro lines were downed and roofs taken off barns. I have attached a few links to news reports for additional details.

Related articles

• 570 News – Wild weather in the region
• CP 24 Toronto’s Breaking News – 5 injured near Waterloo during summer storm

The Flybus is more or less the only way from the airport to Reykjavik. They come in frequent intervals for a period after planes land, but if you miss those rounds, it may be a long wait until the next one. It costs about 1950 ISK or $17 CAD. Flybus also offers in between trips to Blue Lagoon for people wanting to go there right after landing or just before boarding a flight. It’s also a good pamper spot on stopover journeys.

The airport is a great place to stock up on all the information pamphlets you need, and will prepare you for later if you’re going all around Iceland. A small tourist desk will also give you a few travel tips. One thing I learned is how much my Frommer’s guide beefs up small cities. I had originally intended to go and check out Keflavik before catching the Flybus into the capital, but as I spoke to people around me, learned that Keflavik is essentially just an airport city…and that the sites listed in my book are literally squeezed out to make the place sound more interesting. Now, I will never know the exact truth since I didn’t end up going into Keflavik, being a rather expensive taxi ride out, but I’d like to think I don’t regret it much.

I got my first taste of Icelandic scenery on the ride to Reykjavik.

Snow. And rock.

I remember panicking slightly at the sight of the snow, thinking that I perhaps underestimated the spring weather. As it turned out, the snow was the last of the season, and was there mostly because in the midst of barren lava fields, there wasn’t much activity that would disturb or melt it.

Upon arriving at the BSI terminal, I felt like I had to reassess my opinion that all Icelanders are extremely friendly people (as said in my guidebooks, online and wherever else). The bus driver snubbed me when I tried to ask him a question, and drove off without any further instruction of where I was supposed to go. Feeling a little put out, standing outside the bus terminal with a heavy rucksack, disoriented, I meandered indoors and proceeded to prod every worker there on where the heck I was and where was I supposed to go.

If you are not dropped off at a hotel by the FlyBus (extra cost), then the next stop you should take – and the one I took – is to ask for directions to the main Tourist Information Centre. After having directions drawn out on a Reykjavik map, I walked there. It’s only 15 minutes, and while seemingly daunting upon entering a new city, it’s straightforward and saves money on transport. The main Tourist Information Office is on Adalstraeti 2 (Tel. +354-590-1510), and looks like a charming, beige, box-like farmhouse structure which is reminiscent of Danish architecture as far as I know. There are a number of other centres around the city but I liked this one the best, and used it as a base of all my information needs.

Main Tourist Info Centre (right)

It was at the information centre where I contacted Katla, my first couchsurfing host on this journey. After a short rest, I took another walk toward the west of the city where her apartment lay. Katla was a warm and generous host with a darling toddler son. I didn’t get a chance to speak with her much since she was on her way out, but she was kind enough to give me run of her place. I think I was pretty spoiled by her since I was allowed to use her internet, given keys, everything that was needed to make me feel right at home. Because it was Monday, many museums were sadly closed, but it was for the best… When I sorted out the contents of my rucksack a bit, I was dismayed to discover I had forgotten my waterproof pants. So I ended up spending the afternoon searching for a pair, because like I said in my previous post, absolutely necessary if hiking Iceland.

In a nutshell, I ended up visiting the edges of Reykjavik Harbour where the outlets lay, looking for a pair of pants. While I did manage to stock up a bit of food, no rain gear. Let me a take a moment to say that fruits and vegetables are really expensive! Furthermore, not very fresh…most of that is due to the reliance on imported produce, although with the growth of geothermal greenhouses on the rise, I’m excited to say that Iceland should soon have an increase in local produce.

In the end, I had to go back to city central and visit the larger brand stores. You can find these stores on Bankastraeti or Laugavegur (the shopping street). Two of Iceland’s largest outdoor gear stores are:

1. 66^o  North - Super expensive! It was nearly $500 for a pair of pants! This is the uber brand name of outdoor gear. I’m sure their things are great…but as a backpacker, I certainly had no money for that luxury. (www.66north.com)
2. Cintamani – I didn’t visit this one, but I’ve seen enough people wear it to know that it’s another top brand. What I have heard is that it’s the upstart competitor of 66 North. (www.cintamani.is)

The one I visited after a mad dash out of 66 North was ICE Wear (www.norwear.com), right across the street. Feeling a little rush as the stores were about to close, I settled to purchase the still expensive but more reasonable $200 pants that they had. For what it’s worth, they were pretty geared up with many interesting and useful accessories such as hooks to attach to boot laces, which sealed up the cuff around the boot. In addition, their guarantee extends internationally. What drew me to make the purchase was the fascinating salesperson, Cyprian, a documentary film maker from Kenya. Iceland has been a rest stop for him while he was finalizing papers to gain entrance to Somalia for his next film. He has taken this time to even learn some Icelandic, what a guy.

(At this point…I realized that WordPress failed to save my last draft…and now I’m behind on my writing. I really dislike rewriting things, so forgive me that the following details may seem more bluntly written)

Reykjavik City Centre

I had a bit of social time once I finished shopping, and met with Sven, a guy from Belgium doing a journalism piece on the one year anniversary of the 2010 eruption. A very fascinating traveler – he actually hitchhiked to London from Belgium, and then flew from there! I was very impressed by his ambitiousness of traveling cheap. It’s not the most epic that I’ve heard to date, but certainly impressive nonetheless. One great story I heard is about a girl who hitchhiked around Europe, and would work to make enough money to continue traveling. When she was up north, while working at a dock, she met a boat sailing to the US, and she ended up going to the States with them. Amazing.

Going for coffee, I started to understand just how small this country is. Over this trip, there are many coincidental meetings and encounters that will illustrate the population size. Let me elaborate. A month before my trip, I was in communication with a girl who told me of her roommate whom worked at a cafe. While at the cafe, Sven asked around to see if there was a couch he could surf on for the night. Upon asking the waitress, she goes and tells me about how her colleague’s roommate does couchsurfing. Putting together the pieces, I realized it was the same girl! What a coincidence.

There are strangely many Canadians in Reykjavik right now. When I stopped at the hostel where Sven was staying, I met a guy from Guelph working at the hostel, and a few travelers from Ottawa and Toronto. I also met these four German girls who did a four month world journey as a graduation celebration. It seemed to be an incredible deal that they got on their flights- European Airlines certainly do better deals than Air Canada.

When I parted with Sven a couple hours later, I didn’t think I would see him again so soon. The walk back to Katla’s place was a very quiet one. With a third of Iceland’s population in Reykjavik, there is still only about 120 000 people. The city was very silent in the evening, and I was pretty amazed by how few people I saw walking about, even in the city centre. Back at Katla’s place, she shared her couchsurfing experiences with me, and also told me about some of the other hosts of the city. One of them had offered to host me, but I was not keen to accept based on her references, and Katla backed them up. I won’t spread names, but this woman has reputedly the most dirty place, allows loads of people to come and go as they please, and guests’ things have been stolen. Moreover, she has once put guests up with her ex husband, because she didn’t have space! Did I mention that he was not exactly willing either? Dear oh dear…

Sven, in the meantime, had submitted a request to Katla without my knowing (since she hadn’t responded yet), and she agreed to host him, having traveled to Belgium before. Again, small country…same faces.

So that night, it was a little party of three that night of exhausted travelers and a gracious host.

A moment of Tout Comme Elle

As of last night, Tuesday June 14, 2011, Necessary Angel Theatre Company was proud to open the show of Tout Comme Elle. The days leading up to this fatal moment was unreal to me. My brain was in a thousand fragments, and I ranged from excitement, to dreading going to the theatre. I made all these stories of how I was viewed in the eyes of the cast members, and let insecurities get the better of me. I had no idea what to make of myself, and I’m certain that if I had it my way, I would have been doing shots before the show.

Then the show started, and BAM, my brain ricocheted into one fine point. It was as if all the rolling coins finally reached the centre of the funnel and packaged themselves tight and neat. The following events were 75 minutes of solid presence, and if the past week was anything like I described, I thank my lucky stars for my survival instincts.

Today? I’m a giant vegetable in front of the telly until another night. I don’t know what to expect…but hey, it’s going to end well right?

Related articles

• Haentjens turns sure hand to anglophone Elle (cbc.ca)

Tout Comme Elle Poster

Coming into this, I knew I would performing alongside with some of Ontario, and even Canada’s, most amazing female actors. But I never knew just how baffled I would be when I would meet them face to face, the entire horde of them. I didn’t know whether to cry or puke.

Even now, almost four weeks later, I’m still battling the urges to place them on a pedestal of stardom. I don’t believe that it is a healthy mental environment for me as a colleague, and I don’t think it’s a positive way to build relationships. I consciously make myself aware that these powerful women are my colleagues, and as an ensemble cast we all share the same process. Tout Comme Elle is not a show of divas and stars. It is a piece where its strength relies on the unity of the performers, and the connection of energy between every woman. The collective breath of 50 is what creates the entity of mother and daughter.

I am deeply grateful for the nurturing care that some of the women have shown towards me, and I am astounded and deeply touched for their awareness of the most subtle indications that something may be wrong. The cynic in me never expected a room full of this much women would ever make it through without some nasty fights. But I certainly overlooked the tenderness that a woman also has for others. I have seen some of the best in this production.

I had been hoping to write more about this journey, but it’s likely going to be only a couple more posts at most. We had our dress rehearsal last night and preview is tomorrow. It’s been such a busy time…but a fulfilling time.

Tout Comme Elle runs with Luminato Festival from Monday June 13-June 18th, 8pm. Matinee June 18th at 2pm. Please go to the website for more information and ticket purchases. I hope to see you there!

For those who have been subjected to my oral stories of Iceland, and perhaps yearning to hear a bit more, it’s coming! But from my experience, going to Iceland requires patience and planning (unless you are full of awesome). I’m a last minute person, and despite my best efforts, I had a few kinks that led to panicked troubleshooting even before stepping on the plane. So allow me to impart a bit of what I learned. I will not bore you with the basics, but I will give you some foundations to work on.

My fundamental belief is that if you are planning to venture anywhere outside Reykjavik, arm yourself with a copy of Frommer’s Guide or Lonely Planet (look for the latest publication). A third known guidebook is Rough Guide, but I have heard from some Icelanders that it’s currently rather inaccurate (feel free to say otherwise!).  I have found inaccuracies in the other books as well, but both books were widely used by fellow adventurers. Decide for yourself which one you prefer based on research and reviews. My book was Frommer’s.

Secondly, prep your clothing. These attires will be keeping you cozy for the next days/weeks/months, so you will not want to mess this up. Iceland is a beautiful country, but a tough country with unpredictable weather. A large part of that weather is windy, heavy rain. If you are planning to do outdoor activities, you absolutely have to be waterproofed. Head to toes. I have braved rains of Northern Ireland whilst living there, but Iceland during the off season can beat you about with its brutal winds. Forgetting the weather, anyone wanting a close look at a waterfall will certainly want waterproofing.I met so many tourists in my travels whom were inadequately dressed on this trip and they regretted it. Trust me, super wet jeans with a knife cut of wind is not pleasant to watch on a poor woman.

Without sounding too naggy, waterproof yourself. Head to toe. If you forget your goods or discover this information after arriving, I will be listing some stores in my next post which gives an overview of Reykjavik.

I think the worst insult, is that despite being a stickler for detail, I still overlook something and pay the price. This was the moment when the man-skills part of me failed, and that was in the art of shoe shining.

I was so proud of myself when I waxed my shoes, not the night before, but a whole 2 days before leaving for Iceland. My boots have miraculously survived harsh weather without a drop of wax on them for many years. While they are tough hiking boots, and took care of my feet, not even the best boots can keep all water out. So with some time to spare, I decided to fully waterproof them for this trip. I got down and dirty, scooping liberally amounts of wax and rubbing it vigorously into the crevices and seams of my boots. I followed (to my belief) all the instructions listed in the tin’s lid, proud of my first effort, and left the wax to cure on the boots for its required minimum of 24 hours. Imagine how proud I felt when I knew I would leave the wax for not just 24 but 48 glorious hours!

Fast forward a couple days when I am trudging through the airport. I am staring at my boots skeptically because the wax did not seem to have absorbed into the leather like I thought. In fact, everything it touched left a horrible and irremovable residue behind. This is not pleasant when its victims were prized items like my brand new shoulder bag and socks. I’m thinking, “Am I going to have to be this paranoid of not touching my boots to anything on this trip?!”

Now, I am beginning to doubt my waterproofing job. I start attacking my smartphone with vigour, hoping to find some online information. I discover, with some difficulty due to cruddy phone, my overlooked step in the waxing process. I was supposed to buff the excess wax off the buggers. Worst of all, I couldn’t even ignore the error because (even ignoring the residue), too much excess wax on boots will pick up dirt and debris. Feeling really frustrated, and with my boarding time nearing, I dash madly around the airport with my bags, looking for a shoe shiner. Customer service people were happy to show me where they were (all on opposite corners of the airport of course), but failed to tell me how none of them were open.

Huffing and puffing, I finally resolved to buff the wax off myself. With no cloth handy, and not willing to sacrifice any clothing, I spent the next wondrous hour in the bathroom, toiling over my boots with paper towel. It was a horrendous process with a lot of paper ripping, wasting, sweat and being stared at by people. Meanwhile, I was grunting with huge effort, working as fast as I could before my plane boarded. I literally finished in the nick of time.

Don’t be caught in my silly situation. I’m certain most people know how to wax and waterproof boots, but as I clearly demonstrated, not everyone does. And instructions on tins are deceiving…

I know Luminato isn’t cheap and I have no idea if there will be discounts outside of the regular $55-90 range, but I sincerely hope so considering that the majority of my supporting audience will be hard pressed to part with that much cash, even to support an ol’ friend like moi.

But theatre (and other arts events) are far more accessible than you think, and I’m surprised I haven’t written anything on this until now. Perhaps it’s because I never considered myself as “part of the local scene” in Toronto, or maybe because I always felt that there are others more versed in the scene than I am. However, I have realized, “Well…even if someone else knows better, I might as well share what I know.” As I sat on the streetcar tonight, after seeing the Theatre Centre’s presentation of Suddenly Mommy for free, I decided to try and impart a bit of this knowledge.

There a lot to see for free in Toronto!

The one and only…VOLUNTEER

Not only is volunteering giving back to your community, good karma amongst other things, it’s often the best way to see shows for free. As an artist, I have also discovered that volunteering is a fabulous way to establish networks and get a free pass backstage which audience members ache for.

Being a volunteer is not that hard of a job. The front of house staff usually manage most of the logistics and paperwork. My tasks have often been tearing tickets, handing out programs, directing patrons to their seats or the bathroom, and picking up stray programs after the show. Sometimes I have been gifted with the important task of preventing people from walking onstage, but I usually offer to do that coveted job versus being told to do so. No one wants to be the bad cop…for some reason I enjoy it.

As someone who has worked on both ends, I know that volunteers are the absolute backbone to events. We really appreciate their work and want to make sure they enjoy their experience. When I was logistics manager of IMPACT09 International Theatre Festival, we had over 200 volunteers ranging from highschool students to elderly theatre buffs, and the festival could not have happened without them. I am not joking at all.

Take the jump. Volunteer. For most shows, you only need to be there an extra hour more than if you were paying the money for a ticket. In that hour, you may make some new friends, learn something new, or get a tasty tidbit.

Some of the organizations I volunteer(ed) with in Toronto and nearby are Buddies in Bad Times, The Theatre Centre, Hamilton Food and Wine Festival, The MT Space, KW Little Theatre, Open Ears Festival and more. I have seen free shows, received free food and wine tastings, listened to free concerts and more. Usually, you will find the contact information for volunteering on their website. The opportunities are endless.

Keep track of the calendar

The great thing about Toronto is the endless number of museums, galleries, concerts and events that are happening 365 days of the year. If you just look, even the most prestigious of them (like the ROM) have days where you can access for free. Yes, most of them are on the off hours of the week, but wouldn’t a pit stop to look at art or ancient artifacts the perfect antidote to your stressed workday? I believe it’s the perfect way to wind down before journeying home.

There are a few resources to find these gems. For me, the best is to pick up a free copy of NOW magazine from a newspaper dispenser (available all around Toronto) and check out their various calendars of events. Not only does it tell you the free access times, it often also tells you what is on exhibit. Be sure to also check our their performance calendar to see what venues are hosting free music performances for some nightlife.

Here are a few tickles for those who want some instant gratification:

• General admission to the ROM is free on Wednesdays from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
• Art Gallery of Ontario:FREE Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8:30 pm (Permanent Collection only. Excludes surcharged exhibitions.)FREE for Ontario teachers with valid ID from the Ontario College of Teachers (Permanent Collection only. Excludes surcharged exhibitions.)FREE AFTER 3 for Ontario high school students with valid student ID, Tuesday to Friday after 3 pm (Permanent Collection only. Excludes surcharged exhibitions.)
• In the summer, Harbourfront Centre puts on a series of free music concerts in the Toronto music garden on Thursdays 7pm and Sunday 3pm.

Fancies tickled? Get searching for more!

Join a program

I’m not too familiar with other arts organizations outside of theatre, but I know a number of theatre companies that have programs for people within a certain age group (usually between 19-30). I don’t know about you, but I have certainly felt the most pinched in my wallet during this period of life (which I’m still in) with university and just starting a career. Most of these programs are free, all you have to do is sign up! While the program may not entitle you to a free show, there are still opportunities for huge discounts (ie. $12 instead of $80 for a ticket!)

These programs usually exist with larger companies, such as CanStage and Stratford.

CanStage offers a great program called C-Stage for people under 30. It’s free to sign up and allows the member (and another friend) to buy tickets for $12.50. Of course, there are also a variety of other discounts available. Check them out.

Stratford Festival also offers a number of ways to save. My favourite two are the PlayOn program for ages 16-29, or following them on Twitter for chances at free tickets. In fact, I believe that even just signing up for a program gets you onto their mailing list, where you will receive many promotional emails to see plays at $5 dollars or sometimes even less!

A great new membership that has made its way into the community is House Seats. In fact, when I first read about this program, I thought it was a scam because it simply sounded too good to be true. In a nutshell, for a reasonable yearly membership of around $90, you have the opportunity to see as many shows as you want for free. House Seats takes unused free tickets typically set aside for people like friends and family of cast, and instead gives them to an eager public. The only catches are that sometimes the notices are last minute, and you are charged for the ticket if you don’t show up (which in my opinion is fair considering someone else could have used that free ticket).

As a member of this program, I highly recommend it. A shameless plug- if you sign up because of me, please list me (Miroki Tong) as your reference. They have a great referral program and I would be grateful if you  supported me for my little bit of advice. Of course, when you have a membership you can give references and reap rewards too!

There is so much that the artistic community has to offer to everyone. As an artist, one of the greatest reasons why I create is to share with you. I would do it for free if I could afford it. Please remember, the reason why there is a charge for artistic events is because like being an engineer, lawyer or doctor, being an artist is a career too. I think we deserve to live a financially stable life practicing our craft. That doesn’t mean that we are inaccessible.

As I have shown, seeing a show or checking out an exhibit does not have to be expensive at all. So come and delve into the world, and see what you will find.

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