In this interview, we talked to Lori Watt about The Mo7el.

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Can you start by telling us about you and your film?

Happily! Style Dayne and I have been creative partners on a number of projects.  We met at a Larry Moss workshop years ago and have been fast friends ever since.

Style originally came up with the idea for The Mo7el about 5 years ago, which we submitted to Crazy 8s and were shortlisted to pitch in person but didn’t make the final cut on that one. We are thrilled that we have another opportunity to get this film made.

The Storyline: When Kyle inherits an old family motel he’s faced with a choice. To keep it or sell it. After a problematic and chaotic start to this new venture he decides to sell. In doing so, residents of the motel start uprising and casing problems for Kyle. Each one brings a new set of problems and challenges to Kyle, and each of those are represented by one of the 7 deadly sins.

Some influences for this psychological thriller are Wes Anderson, The Shining, and Steam Punk Glam – which we are planning to dress our 7 deadly sins characters in.

Who else is involved in this project?

We have the lovely and talented Brittney Wilson as one of our producers.  She brings a lot of skill and ability to this role and we’re thrilled to have her on board.  We also have a DOP from Toronto attached but will be announcing who that is on April 4th – so your readers will just have to check our Storyhive page for updates.  There are a couple of others that will be announced as well over the voting period. Stay tuned!

What would making this film mean to you?

It would be wonderful to get this film made. Style is currently writing the feature based on this short and getting this made would be excellent opportunity for us to get some exposure and buzz around the feature as well.

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Recommended Reading Producing for Profit Click a cover for more details Directors Tell the Story The Cheerful Subversive's Guide
to Independent Filmmaking

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What film-related books or authors have been influential in your career so far?

Favourite authors are Anne Rice, Stephen King, Andrew Davidson, Julia Cameron, and Paolo Coelho. I really love Making the Magic Happen: The Art and Craft of Film Directing by Peter Marshall. The Producer’s Workbook put out by Women in Film also has many useful tools for independent film producers.

Where can we find out more about your film?

You can find us on Facebook @themo7el

Instagram @themo7el

Pinterest @themo7el

IMDB:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt8155720/

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Thanks to Lori Watt for speaking with us!

For more information about this project and the other Storyhive digital short entries, please visit Storyhive.com

The post 2018 Storyhive Spotlight: The Mo7el appeared first on Biz Books.

As the lead in the upcoming Vancouver production of Heathers: The Musical – the first time in Canada – she’s helping to bring life to a staple of 1980s pop culture in a whole new way. We caught up with Christine Quintana to get the goods on how the themes of Heathers can resonate on stage.

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What is your involvement with Heathers: The Musical and how did that get started?

Our director David C. Jones approached me a few months ago to ask me if I was interested in playing Veronica in the musical version of Heathers. It was a lightning-quick meeting we both fit in between other meetings – so quick that I left thinking, did that just happen? But I’m so glad it did because here I am. Now I’m seeing my dang face on posters around town. Things happen fast sometimes!

What drew you to be a part of this production?

I have a terrible confession to make – I hadn’t actually seen Heathers. Not the movie, or the musical. But I knew about its cult classic status and I’d heard wonderful things about the musical.  After I  did a bit of research, I knew I wanted to be involved. It’s rare that you get a cast stacked with female leads, but that’s Heathers – Heather MacNamara, Heather Duke, Heather Chandler, Martha and Veronica all have incredible, meaty, rich material. The boys get to be the eye candy and comedic relief!

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Can you share some of your creative process in preparing for the role – from the initial planning all the way to opening night? 

I only watched the movie once – just to see the style and the iconic moments. I think with a show like this it’s important to nod to the origins, but the scenes and even plot points are different and I didn’t want to start getting attached to choices from the movie that no longer suit the musical.

Our rehearsal process has been very part-time over the last few months. I’m used to working in the traditional Equity process where you come together for two weeks, three at most and bang out the whole show working full-time. I’ve really enjoyed having a lot of time to let the material sink in, focus on one thing at a time. Without the pressure of having to turn out the shape of the show immediately because you head into tech in a week, there’s time to get to know the material well.

Right now, I’m focused on the guts of the show – going into those deep dark teenage feelings and mining the emotional truth of it. Once we get into runs, it’ll be time to fine tune the technical aspects of comedy – staying inside the show for the personal arc, but standing just outside enough to make those precise choices of timing and gesture that make the show as funny as it can be.

The preview performances will be essential to nailing down the rhythms of the show once we have an audience in the house responding – or not responding, as is sometimes the case – and making sure the audience doesn’t miss a beat. I can tell already that it’s going to be totally jarring to be in a moment that is a five alarm high stakes devastating situation for Veronica, and the audience might be laughing their asses off. But it’s only funny if it’s real for us – the comedy lies in the dichotomy between truthful moments and absurd situations in Heathers. Come opening night though, it’s time to put the script and my notes away and play for real.

What should audiences expect from this show?

Fierce singing, fierce dancing, and the sting of teenage angst that might hit a bit too close to home. Heathers: The Musical is hilarious and has killer music, but I think the real surprise for audiences will be the incredible cast. There are a lot of new faces on stage and I think people will be really blown away.

What are the three most important ingredients for a successful stage production?

I’m going to use the Heathers as my inspiration for this question:

Heather Chandler: Leadership.

It takes a lot of people to make this thing happen – we’ve got producer Lori Watt, director David C. Jones, stage manager Michael Brooks, musical director Steven Greenfield, choreographer Ken Overbey, and also lots more help even within the cast, like our dance captain Daren Dhyengco and music captain Steffanie Davis. Everyone has a unique job and important perspective to add to the production.

Heather Duke: Confidence.

I think in the performing arts, particularly in the theatre, we suffer from low self-confidence. Sometimes in Vancouver we feel like all the action is happening somewhere else or that theatre as an art form is somehow ‘less than’. We need to fight that, always – to believe that we’re worthy of audiences and that we’ve got something important to offer. We need to value our work and believe in its worth to our community.

Heather MacNamara: Vulnerability.

These two go hand in hand – it requires confidence to be vulnerable and vulnerability to be confident. Just the act of getting on stage or offering your art to the world requires tremendous vulnerability. In our working process we need to be open and generous with our scene partners and collaborators – that’s when the work gets good. It’s a lifelong practice to be comfortable with making yourself vulnerable, but it’s an essential ingredient for worthwhile art.

Are there any books or authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

I find this is a love-it-or-hate-it read, but I love True and False by David Mamet. I certainly don’t agree with the entire thing, but he nails some pithy, tweet-sized philosophies about how to approach work as an actor. Sometimes we can get so bogged down in our fears and distractions about the ‘industry’ – I gagged a bit just saying the word – and then also about our process that we lose the ability or focus to just get the f**k to work, as David Mamet would say it. There’s some great food for thought in there about putting your ego and fragility aside and just doing your damn job.

What is the most important lesson you have learned so far in your career?

Very little will come to you on its own – you’re responsible for your destiny as an artist. Whether that’s a large-scale thing like producing your own work or creating opportunities for yourself to perform, or as simple as being clear on what you want from a rehearsal day and setting yourself up to achieve that objective, it’s up to you. And hey, you can learn something from the Heathers on this one – that takes leadership, confidence, and vulnerability. But it’s worth it – the hardest thing in this business, especially as an actor, is feeling like you have no agency over yourself or your work. Taking charge is the only way to feel like you’re moving forward.

What other projects do you have coming up and where can people find out more about you online?

I’m the co-Artistic Producer of an indie theatre company called Delinquent Theatre which has a show coming up in the spring called Never The Last. We’ll share all the details on our website and Facebook page.  I also write essays and other things on my personal website.

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Our thanks to Christine Quintana for speaking with us!

Heathers: The Musical runs January 6th to 17th, 2016 at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC. For tickets, call the Cultch box office at 604-251-1363 or order online.

The post The Biz Interview: Christine Quintana appeared first on Biz Books.

His newest project as a theatre director is Heathers: The Musical, an ambitious and musically-charged re-telling of the 1989 cult movie favourite, brought to Canada for the first time by …Gently with a Chainsaw Artists’ Collective.

We spoke to David C. Jones to find out more about Heathers: The Musical.

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What is your involvement with Heathers: The Musical and how did that get started?

Lori Watt acquired the rights for the first production in Canada and approached me to play the Father of JD and Ram. She mentioned she was still looking to confirm a director and I said I wanted to do it. For awhile I was going to act and direct but the scope of the show dictated that I should step out. That and I thought it would be wicked funny to see Nelson Wong in the role.

What drew you to be a part of this production?

This is based on one of my favourite movies. It’s darkly funny and spoke to me. I also had not directed a musical in a while.

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Can you share some of your creative process as a director – from the initial planning all the way to opening night?

I always start with the given circumstances – what is in the words written.

She says is “September 1^st 1989”. That means school started on a Friday.

She sings “Get out of those tighty whiteys”. That means she can see his underwear.

Then I look at what is implied by the text. Then I work with designers to get a look and feel for the show. Then I play with raising the stakes – how can I make it more dangerous? More sexy? Then character arcs for everyone. How to make them deeper and bigger. Then once we’ve got the grit and the heart, I look at making it funnier. I also bring in other outside eyes near the end of rehearsals to help me catch what I missed.

I have on my workbook “Hereunto Unseen Wonder”. I always challenge myself to not do the expected or repeat what has already been done.

What should audiences expect from this show?

It’s a shocking, funny show. If you don’t know the movie, you will be delightfully surprised. If you do know the movie, you will also be surprised because it is different – and not just because they didn’t sing in the film. The biggest thing though that they can expect is a brilliant sexy cast singing a wicked rock and roll score.

What are the three most important ingredients for a successful stage production?

Casting is everything. Trust is everything. Collaboration is everything. Oh and one more – verification is everything.

Are there any books or authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

I love to read books on acting (re-reading Konstantin Stanislavski currently) as well as human behaviour (currently The Power of the Enneagram).

What is the most important lesson you have learned so far in your career?

I should have kept my mouth shut.

Also, just keep trying new things. I love scaring myself by taking new risks and new expressions.

What other projects do you have coming up and where can people find out more about you online?

I am working on so many things. I am always working as a corporate performer and creative coach. I am writing a new one man show called The Mystery of the Princess Competition after taking a night class with TJ Dawe and I signed with Lucas Talent a year ago and I am loving auditioning. I am the villain in the new show called The Switch which will start airing in January. Looking forward to that.

Website: DavidCJones.ca

Twitter: @iamdavidcjones

Instagram: @iamdavidcjones

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For more of David C. Jones, here’s a video of the man himself discussing Heathers: The Musical in more detail!

Our thanks to David C. Jones for speaking with us!

Heathers: The Musical runs January 6th to 17th, 2016 at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC. For tickets, call the Cultch box office at 604-251-1363 or order online.

The post The Biz Interview: David C. Jones appeared first on Biz Books.

Production Details

Heathers: The Musical is the darkly delicious story of Veronica Sawyer (Christine Quintana), a brainy, teenage misfist who never dreamed of getting in with the most popular and cruel clique at high school. But she did. She never dreamed of dating the dark and mysterious new kid at her school. But she did. And she certainly never dreamt of killing anyone. But she kind of did.

…Gently with a Chainsaw Artists’ Collective brings this outrageous musical based on the 1988 cult film which was written by Daniel Waters, and starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, to Canada. Adapted by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, Heathers: The Musical is a shockingly funny, heartfelt, homicidal show directed by David C. Jones. Equal parts social commentary and psycho thriller, Heathers: The Musical is guilt-free mayhem. Director David C. Jones has assembled a diverse cast of established talent and fresh new voices from Vancouver’s performing arts community.

Jessie Richardson Award winning actress Christine Quintana plays Veronica Sawyer, our misfit heroine who gets in with the wrong crowd, with recent Studio 58 graduate Kamyar Pazandeh as the brooding JD. The trio of terrorizing Heathers is Synthia Yusuf, Devon Busswood and Nhi Do. Playing against type – Colin Sheen and Hal Wesley Rogers play the brutish and dumb football bullies, while Steffanie Davis plays one of their victims. The adults are played by producer Lori Watt, Ken Overbey and Nelson Wong. Rounding out the cast of high school students and cliques are Quinn Cartwright, Daren Dyhengco, Vivian Full, Brent Hirose, Matt Montgomery, and Deanna Rayne.

David C. Jones directs this rompy musical comedy with Liz McLaughlin Assistant Directing. Sarah Mabberley recreates the high school scene of 1989 along with Sacha Picard’s 80’s inspired looks from Main Street’s F as in Frank Vintage clothing store and props by Quinn Cartwright. Gabriel Carter’s fight direction blends the humour and the homicidal urges of the actors with Ken Overbey’s choreography and lighting design by Michael Methot. Under Steven Greenfield’s musical direction, a live onstage band brings this musical to life with Sound Design by Kyra Soko. Stage Manager is Michael Brooks.

Heathers: The Musical runs January 6th to 17th, 2016 at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC. 

• Previews: January 6th & 7th, at 7:30 pm ($15)

• Opening Night: January 8th, at 7:30pm ($30)

• Matinees performances are at 2:00 pm January 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th ($25)

• Evening performances are at 7:30 pm January 8th to 9th ($30), 12th to 16th ($40)

For tickets, call the Cultch box office at 604-251-1363 or order online

Enter to see the Saturday, January 9th Evening Performance

Please send an e-mail to info@bizbooks.net and please include this information:

• Your Name

• Your E-mail Address

• Your Phone Number

• “Heathers: The Musical Contest” in the subject line

Contest closes on Monday, December 21st, 2015. Winners will be selected at random and will be contacted by e-mail.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
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The post Heathers: The Musical Contest appeared first on Biz Books.

Tell us a little bit about The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show.

You mean my ‘magnum opus’? Haha! My show is a collection of characters and stories that I’ve been developing over the past few years. It was born out of me wanting to perform material as an actor that I felt really jazzed about. I am a longtime Cold Reading Series participant and one year Lori Triolo dared me to join in on the “Actor’s Challenge” – where actors write their own stuff and have it read at the event. Terrified, I took her advice. Much to my surprise it was quite well received, and from there the show slowly started developing a life.

What can audiences expect from The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show that will make for a unique stage experience?

I’d say that audiences can expect first and foremost to be entertained and to laugh. Also perhaps to be inspired, moved and turned on in a new way. I don’t mean that in a naughty way, but in an “ideas” kind of way. A lot of the ideas in the show seem to resonate with people. I imagine it makes for a unique stage experience because it’s written by an actor – not a professional playwright – so maybe that’s a different sort of thing right out of the gate. Also it’s not structured as a traditional “play” but really as a fun wild romp of a live “show”.

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Can you briefly walk us through your creative process of this incarnation of the show – from the early stages all the way to opening night?

That’s a funny story. Basically my co-producer and co-star Lori Watt (who had seen the show in LA) called me up one day and said “hey I have a friend starting a Fringe Festival on the island and how would you feel about doing your show there in June?”

I said yes and we got together to read the monologues, deciding it would be fun to do it just the two of us. We thought originally that we would self-direct (which is hilarious in retrospect) and so began rehearsing at Lori’s place. After a bit we thought: maybe a director friend could look at this just to give another p.o.v., so we contacted Linda Darlow, who agreed to “take a peek”. From there it kind of snowballed into the Zone Festival with Jay Brazeau adjudicating, which was a very fun and encouraging experience. That was actually the moment I thought we were onto something with this new version. The audience feedback was clear.

Now, since joining forces with Alison Araya – who has really amped it up with what she’s bringing to the table – it really feels like it’s up and running with a clear vision and in a great place as a production. The creative process in a nutshell I suppose has been aligning with like-minded people who love this wacky material and are really bringing themselves to it and are showing up in a big way. Oh and HAVING FUN. I should have said that at the beginning. The creative process has mainly been about having fun with this.

The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show has played in a few different cities now. How has it evolved over time and where do you see it changing in the future?

It has evolved a lot. What a journey! Primarily I’d say the show is now finding it’s correct rhythm, and has become a lot funnier. I credit Linda Darlow for this immensely with her direction. Somehow she has elevated it to a wonderfully absurd yet honest and hard-hitting place, if that’s possible to imagine. The earlier iteration in LA was treated a lot more seriously. That’s the interesting thing about creative collaborations: so many possibilities to explore. Also there are a few new pieces in this show that weren’t in LA, and I’ve dropped a couple of old pieces. That’s the beauty of having titled it a “series” – it can always evolve and change as I write new bits. Probably that’s how it will continue to go in future.

What has been the biggest highlight for you with The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show so far?

Two things: #1: Debuting my show in L.A. at the Stella Adler Theatre. That blew my mind and was one of those ‘pinch me’ moments. Huge gratitude to the L.A. Women’s Theater Project for hooking that up. I read Stella Alder’s book on acting back when I was training and her words resonated with me more strongly than most teachers. She is one of the greats – and an original. I never thought I’d be in her theater with my original work. I still get goose bumps thinking of walking around her hallways and hanging out in her speakeasy. I’m pretty sure I could feel her presence in there. I think that’s what they call “walking on your dream”.

#2 biggest highlight has been working with Linda Darlow and the ladies of WaWaYa Productions. It’s simply a joy.

What were the biggest challenges for you in developing this production and how did you deal with them?

The challenges have really only been #1: getting out of my own way and just getting out there with my work, taking the risk, and #2: aligning with the right people to collaborate with. How I dealt with that is by #1: saying yes when there was interest in my show and basically throwing caution to the wind, despite my fear or doubts, and #2: trial and error, and getting clearer on my own vision over time. I sometimes joke that I’ve been work-shopping this show in public, and now it’s finally hitting its stride after all the live experiments.

What advice do you have for other performers who want to develop or act in their own show?

DO IT! Stop thinking about it and actually do it! If you are remotely inspired and have some ideas: write them down, try them out, read them aloud to people, get up on a stage and give it a whirl! I was so scared when I first started with this material and now I can honestly say it is one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences of my life.

The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show is very adult-oriented and draws from your own life. What was the process like of writing from your own experiences? How close does the final version match up with the original life experiences that they were drawn from?

I love how you say “very adult-oriented” – sounds so racy and dangerous! The process of writing from my own experiences is very liberating and empowering. I say in the synopsis that the characters are coming to terms with their lives, but secretly I think I am. There’s something about owning things out loud in front of people. Making them “characters” and putting them on a stage gives the freedom to poke fun at myself and to be creative about how I tell the stories. Hopefully I’m offering a somewhat universal take on the themes I’m exploring, and that the characterizations allow for that detachment that can then resonate more deeply somehow. I like to leave it up to the audience to guess how closely the final version matches up to reality. A girl’s gotta have some privacy. Things are certainly embellished and altered for dramatic (and comedic) effect.

What are the advantages of writing roles for yourself and acting in something that you’ve written? Are there any challenges?

The advantage is that I already know the characters because I wrote them. I already feel a sense of freedom and confidence because it’s from me. It feels natural right out of the gate to speak the words. There’s not that same searching and discovery process that comes from taking on a role written by someone else. There is still discovery, it just starts from a totally different place. The challenge has mainly been in marrying the p.o.v. of my director about the characters with my own, and allowing space in my writer brain for that much needed director p.o.v. Also it’s sometimes hard to separate my writing and acting brains, when they are both going on at once. But that’s a challenge I am thoroughly enjoying.

What were your reasons for getting involved with acting and writing to begin with?

Reasons? Ha! I’m not sure reason had anything to do with it! I have been making things up and getting people to watch me since the age of four. It’s just something I’ve always done. That’s from the acting side of things anyway. I guess there is a reason I got more involved as a writer these past years, and that’s because I wasn’t feeling entirely satisfied as an actor. I love performing but I only ever sometimes felt like the material was rocking my world. I needed more, and writing has certainly filled that hole.

Again I go back to what Lori Triolo preaches at the CRS: “…if you’re not satisfied with the work you’re getting, create your own!”

Ba-da-boom.

Who are the performers, writers, or directors that have been influential to you?

Along with those already mentioned… Eve Ensler, Meryl Streep (it’s not cliché, she’s a genius!), Robin Williams, Sandra Bernhard, Sacha Baron Cohen, Stephen Colbert, Marilyn Monroe, Ani DiFranco, Bob Marley and ummm, Madonna. To bring a local flavor I’m gonna go with Kate Twa, Andrew McIlroy, Lynne Stopkewich, Rob Stewart, Kris Elgstrand, Dylan Akio Smith, and Tony Pantages.

Are there any books or specific authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

Oh goodness there are so many! Off the top of my head, in acting school my favorite reads from a training point of view were Stella Adler and Uta Hagen. Also Michael Caine’s Acting in Film. Tina Fey’s Bossypants is SUCH a great read. I read a lot of non-fiction, quantum physics and healing stuff. At the moment I’m going between Joanna Macy’s Active Hope: How To Face The Mess We’re In Without Going Crazy, and Russell Brand’s My Booky Wook. Also I hear Linda Darlow has a new book coming out. That’s gonna be a must-have for every actor.

What can you share about any future projects that are in development?

I’m playing with ideas on how to translate some of this existing work into short film format. On the live performance front I’ve recently developed some 5 minute comedy sets that I’ve been performing at local comedy venues. I plan to elaborate on this, and am slowly but surely developing new material for an hour long show.

The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show is now on at Studio 1398 (Playwrights Theatre) Granville Island. For tickets, please visit: Oblivion.BrownPaperTickets.com

The post The Biz Interview: Justine Warrington of The Oblivion Series: A (Not So) Girlie Show appeared first on Biz Books.