PostSecret: The Show has inspired many audience members to share their secrets. We’ve already gone through 2,000 blank postcards in the Firehall lobby which people have used to share their inner-most thoughts, fears and confessions. Here’s just a few so far.
PostSecret: The Show is on til February 7. If you want to see more audiences secrets from the Vancouver run, check out our Flickr page. You can also see messages left by audience members in our photobooth here.
As part of TJ Dawe’s solo show MEDICINE, we are excited to announce that the Firehall will be hosting a series of free talkbacks with Dr. Gabor Maté following select performances. TJ Dawe’s Medicine is the funny, at times heartbreaking and enlightening story of the playwright’s experience on an ayahuasca retreat led by Dr. Maté. >>Read more.
Shows on the following dates will include special post-show discussions with TJ Dawe & Gabor Maté:
Jan 14, 15, 17 8PM | Wed Jan 15 1PM | Tues Jan 21 8PM | Dates subject to change
ABOUT Gabor Maté
A renowned speaker, and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress and childhood development. He is the author of several books, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. A documentary about Gabor Maté’s therapeutic use of ayahuasca aired on CBC’s The Nature of Things in November 2011. drgabormate.com
This week, an explosion of performance artists from around the world will take over the Firehall and other downtown theatre venues for Vancouver’s biggest theatre festival. It’s Fringe time! There are six Fringe shows on at the Firehall from September 5 to 15 – read more about them here.
The Fringe is always a wonderfully serendipitous theatre-going experience, as all artists are selected by lottery and often you won’t have the slightest idea who many of them are (all part of the fun!). This does make it somewhat baffling negotiating the program guide and choosing what to see from the theatrical smorgasbord of 90 different shows on offer.
To help you get into intrepid Fringing mode, we asked some artists who will be performing in our season and are well versed in the ways of the Fringe what their top tips are for getting the most out of the festival and what shows they are looking forward to.
Bruce Horak, who you may recall from his brilliant show This is CANCER!, a few years back, has been selling out shows across the Canadian Fringe circuit this summer with Assassinating Thomson and will be performing the show here in October.
Top Fringing tip:
Get out and see shows! Chat with people in line and make personal connections with potential audiences. Word of mouth is essential and having a personal connection goes a long way to drawing people in to your show.
What shows am I looking forward to most at this year’s Fringe:
Tara Travis’ show “Searching for Dick”
Ryan Gladstone and Jon Paterson in “Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle Pub”
Zeb West in “Innocent When You Dream”
Fringe legend and master monologist TJ Dawe has toured Fringe festivals across North America for many years and is returning to the Firehall this season with his hit show Medicine.
Top Fringing tip:
Talk to people in whatever line-up you’re standing in. Let the word of mouth spread. When performers come to flyer you for their show, ask them questions. See how interesting or funny their responses are. If they catch your interest, give ’em a chance. See their show. Being surprised by someone whose work you don’t know is a great pleasure.
What show am I looking forward to most at this year’s Fringe:
Wolf Trek: Alone in the Woods, written and performed by Kevin Kennedy. How do I know this show’s going to be good? Because I dramaturged it. Kevin’s got a fascinating story to tell, about a three week solo hike he did in the NWT. He’s also a relative newcomer to the fringe circuit, so his work will be a surprise to a lot of people. Which, as I mentioned, is a particularly enjoyable part of fringing.
The Vancouver International Fringe Festival runs September 5-15. Check out vancouverfringe.com for full details on shows. You can also see the lineup of fantastic shows gracing the Firehall stage here.
Medicine begins its hold over performances this week, and for those who weren’t able to make it the first time, here are some clips of TJ Dawe and Dr. Gabor Mate during the talkbacks. Click here to get your tickets to Medicine!
Videos from Beam and Struts
Thanks to the terrific audience response, Medicine is a hit! We’re pleased to announce we’re holding over performances of TJ Dawe’s newest one-man show January 23 to February 2, 2013, with special appearances by Dr. Gabor Maté in talkbacks January 24, 25, 26, 30, February 1 and 2.
Come get a (second) dose of Medicine!
TJ will continue talkbacks after each show and will be joined by Dr. Gabor Maté January 24 (8pm), 25 (8pm), Jan 26 (5pm), Jan 30 (8pm), Feb 1 (8pm), and Feb 2 (5pm).
Click to by your tickets!
We have added another talkback with Dr. Gabor Maté after Tuesday, January 8th’s performance of Medicine as well as after Sunday’s 2pm matinee!
Audience response has been terrific, and Dr. Maté has agreed to join TJ for these extra post-show talkbacks.
For those of you who tried to buy tickets to Friday and Saturday’s sold out shows, here’s your chance!
Click here to buy tickets!