Martha Ross is the creative architect behind a riotously fun and supportive workshop called “What’s the Big Idea?”, which will bring your blocked idea into a place of playful freedom. You will discover a creativity that you had no idea you possessed. And you will discover what to do next. You will remember why you had the idea in the first place.

“What’s the Big Idea?” is happening at Playwrights Theatre Centre in Vancouver on November 7th and November 8th and on November 14th and November 15th in Victoria at the Victoria College of Art. We spoke to Martha Ross in advance of the workshop to find out more about her and what the big idea is behind “What’s the Big Idea?”.

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Can you start by telling us a little bit about you?

I grew up in Burnaby and like a lot of people in the early ’70s, if you lived in Burnaby you went to SFU and if you lived in Vancouver, you went to UBC. SFU was tremendously exciting at that time. I did a lot of modern dance and then in my last year, I did drama. But although I loved this new experience of theatre, I was a really bad ‘method’ actor. I assumed this meant that I should get out of theatre entirely.

After I went to Toronto to visit a friend, I quite by chance ended up taking a Clown Workshop offered by a Jacques Lecoq grad, Dean Gilmour. He convinced me that I suited the Lecoq school so I saved up my money working in a fish plant and went off to the Lecoq school in Paris for two years. It changed my life. After leaving Paris, I began Theatre Columbus in Toronto with another Lecoq grad, Leah Cherniak. Over a 30 year period, we created countless pieces of theatre that were primarily all ‘serious comedies’.

Our company is now run by Jennifer Brewin, who has renamed the company Common Boots Theatre. I now teach in universities and in private studios across Canada. Teaching has become a passion for me, but I still miss BC like crazy. Every time I fly into Vancouver over the Fraser River, I cry.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

What can you tell us about “What’s the Big Idea?” and what participants can expect?

I was proposing a project for a Canadian Stage Festival that was called “Ideas and Creation” and so I did research on the word root for “Inspire”. I knew that it had to do with breath and spirit, but further research showed me that the word ‘spire’ goes back to Old Norse and Sanskrit and is connected to the words ‘whistle’ and ‘passing wind’. This got my mind racing and before I knew it, my Big Ideas Workshop was born.

Why I keep offering it is that number one, it is so much fun, and number two, time and time again I hear people say to me “I have this idea for this new theatre piece but I just can’t seem to get writing”.

Or “I am writing a new play but I seem to be stuck on page 30.”

A lot of people get stuck on page 30. Why is that? I can only imagine it’s because we get stubborn with our ideas or worse, precious with them! Or we try to copy “good play writing” techniques; we try to emulate other writers. Which is fine for a while, but ultimately you have to bring your self to the page and the stage.

So this workshop is designed to shake you up, stretch your imagination muscle and bring you back to you. Even if Pinter had wanted to, he couldn’t have written like Ibsen. He maybe found Ibsen inspiring but in the end, Pinter could only write like Pinter. The workshop does other things as well – like I help you find out more about the characters, the conflict, the style, the perfect design elements, etc. I can’t say too much or it ruins the surprise of the workshop. In a nutshell I get you on your feet and you play with your idea and then you’re inspired to get back to writing.

What’s the biggest misconception about writing for theatre?

The biggest misconception about writing for theatre is that there is one good method. It took us forever to realize that plays don’t need monologues for example. Sure, maybe we need beginnings, middles and ends, but one writer’s arc is going to be very different than another writers.

In your opinion, what is the current state of the Canadian theatre community and how can it be improved?

The alternative scene across Canada is alive and well and contributing enormously to all levels of theatre. How can it be improved? I’m not sure. I’m very positive that it is improving. We challenge the discipline more than we did 30-40 years ago. Having said that though, we have to keep making our theatre vibrant. That can mean any number of things. We have to let it keep changing. And we have to keep looking for virtuosity. Virtuosity can be achieved in performing, staging, writing but also just in the ability to astound. If you are a clown, be a brilliant clown. If you do minimalist theatre, then do it like no one else has done before.

What have been a few of your career highlights?

A career highlight was when Theatre Columbus managed The Poor Alex Theatre in Toronto with Theatre Smith-Gilmour and Crow’s Theatre. The theatre was a 100-seat venue complete with rats and pipes that banged and audiences that hooted and cheered. It was a special time in Toronto. And some of our best plays came from that time: The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine; Paranoia; Dr. Dapertutto; Cooking with Columbus, etc.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about writing for theatre?

Best advice for writing for theatre: I wish I could find the exact quote. Harold Pinter said something like ‘get your characters started and then get out of the way’. But the idea is that if you allow your characters to really talk, and then talk some more, you are going to be surprised. Allow yourself to be surprised.

And of course Jacques Lecoq. Everything that Jacques Lecoq taught was brilliant and I can’t sum it up here. But basically he talked a lot about force, dynamic, rhythm and space. I always tell my students to allow your characters to suddenly move across the whole expanse of the stage and to leave, for example.

What plays and playwrights have been influential to you in your career so far?

Henrik Ibsen, Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter. But my writing has absolutely no resemblance to them. But I do love how Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter ride the fine line between comedy and drama. I thrive on the connection between those two territories. And I love how Henrik Ibsen makes us gasp.

Where can we find out more about you?

Common Boots Theatre has a new website.

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Our thanks to Martha Ross for speaking with us! To register in “What’s the Big Idea?” or to get more information, please e-mail Martha Ross at marthaross.ross@gmail.com. Costs for her workshops are $200 in Vancouver and $190 in Victoria.

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The post The Biz Interview: Martha Ross appeared first on Biz Books.

A graduate in acting and producing from Langara’s Film Arts program, Esther Cohen works with some of Vancouver’s brightest stars as part of the Carrier Talent family.

We spoke to Esther Cohen about her journey into the talent agency realm and some of the dynamics that go into the actor and talent agent relationship.

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Why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about you and what you’re up to these days?

I’m Vancouver born, and I grew up in a very artistic family. I’m trained in music, theatre, dance, the whole lot. These days, I’m spending my time riding my bike on the sea wall; in ballet classes; playing guitar and singing in Rock & Roll bands; competing in karaoke competitions; watching live music; painting abstracts on canvas; learning how to cook; doing photography; picking and eating berries; and watching a lot of sunsets. Aside from all that, I am a Talent Agent at Carrier Talent Management. Do I have to talk about work?! Work consumes 90% of my life, though as you can see, I make time for plenty of other interests.

What is a typical day like for you as an agent?

I arrive at the office, tea in hand. I open the blinds to sunshine pouring in through my windows and spilling all over my desk. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Just wait.

Then I turn on my computer, where I am promptly bombarded with a hundred or so emails from clients, casting directors, breakdown notifications, actor submissions, etc. I spend the day responding to said emails, and the hundreds more that come in throughout the day. I answer phone calls, from all of the above mentioned. I submit my clients on breakdowns, and make my pushes to get them auditions. I phone & email out said auditions.

Then my associate and I have a pow-wow, where we discuss whatever the heck we want… work, or non-work related. Let’s call these ‘therapy sessions’. And I drink some more tea. I update my client resumes & sort through their new headshots. And I take meetings with new potential clients. But my day doesn’t end there.

After work, I’m usually out scouting talent at showcases, or at theatre shows. Or I’m out meeting industry folks (Directors, Producers, Actors and such) at events like Tuesday Night Live, Celluloid Social Club, Cold Reading Series, Raindance Vancouver, and going to Canadian film premieres hosted by the First Weekend Club. It’s all non-stop really. But I love it. It’s fun.

For actors who are seeking representation, what are the three most important things that they should look for in an agent?

Someone who they can trust enough to communicate openly and honestly with.

Someone who can share their vision & be on the same page with in regards to their career.

Someone who is excited about working with them… enough that they take the time to go out and see all their shows!! (I go to see all my clients whenever they’re performing anywhere!).

What do you look for in a potential client?

I look for all sorts of things.

I look at every submission that comes in. I’ll look at their resume to see what sort of credits and training they have. For me, someone who is continuously training in acting classes is my favorite. Because I know they are working hard, investing in themselves, and they’re constantly learning and improving their craft.

Other things I take in to consideration is what type of ‘look’ they have, and can I ‘sell’ them? And do they conflict with any of my current clients on my roster?

I’ll also take on people that have special skills. I’ve got a magician. As well as several musicians, who I’ve managed to get some really exciting roles on some major productions. This year I’ve gotten a couple musicians working with George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Crowe.

What’s the most rewarding thing about being an agent?

Helping actors achieve their dreams. When I was training as an actor, I remember thinking “If only someone would just give me a chance, I know I could do it!” It can be tough for some people to find an agent who believes in them. But I might see something special in someone that nobody else sees, or that nobody else is willing to take a chance on. And now I am that person who is giving these people those chances. It feels good. I get just as excited as they do when they book a movie or TV show. It’s team work. It’s a win for both of us.

What’s the biggest misconception about being an agent?

That we’re all old stuffed shirts. Well, maybe some of them actually are – I don’t know! But it’s funny, when people ask me what I do, and I tell them I’m a Talent Agent, I always get the funniest reactions.

People are like “Really?! But you look so young, and you seem so cool! I always thought agents were like stuffy office people!”

Whenever I meet with new potential clients they always tell me I’m so down-to-earth and easy to talk to. And I am! I’m just a regular person like everybody else. I like going out and doing fun things. Just because I’m an agent, doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to have fun too!! But I work my ass off at everything I do. Including work.

What made you decide to get involved with the agency side of the entertainment industry?

Oh man, I get asked this question all the time.

Long story short, I was working part time in an agent’s office as an assistant, because I figured, as an actor (I had just graduated from theatre & film school), it’d be beneficial to learn what goes on behind the scenes with agents & casting directors etc.

So I did that for a year, at which point the company I was working for at that time (a different one than the one I’m with now), asked me if I’d be interested in working full time as an agent with my own roster. By then, I had seen enough behind the scenes to know how tough it can really be to make a living as an actor. And I’m not talking about having to work hard –I’m ok with working hard. I’m just talking about the nature of the industry. It can be done, but the industry is different now than it was 20 years ago. I was seeing people who had been at it for 15 years still struggling to make a steady living at it.

So at that point I decided to take the other route and become an agent. I have no regrets. I love my job. Ask me for the long version of the story when you see me in person. It’s much more interesting! Hahaha.

In your opinion, what is the current state of the Canadian Film & Television Industry? And where do you see it going in the future?

Well, we’ve got some pretty big productions in town right now. A lot of Hollywood A-listers are bringing their projects here. It’s pretty wild. That said, I wish we didn’t lose so many roles to U.S. actors. There’s plenty of great talent in this city.

As for the future, I hope I only see it grow. I feel like everything in this biz is somewhat unpredictable. It’s like gambling, really. But that’s what makes it exciting, I think. It’s always changing. But yes, I hope our industry here in Canada continues to grow. We have such a hard-working, passionate community of people in this industry. We have a lot to offer.

What books have been influential to you in your career thus far?

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It’s about resistance, and breaking through those blocks that a lot of artists and creative people face.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is another good one. It’s more of a workbook.

And then, all the plays I’ve read… there have been hundreds! Shakespeare, Neil Simon, Samuel Beckett. I love reading plays and scripts.

I’ve also done a lot of reading from Deepak Chopra & Eckhart Tolle, which helps with finding balance, calm, and peace, (amongst so many other things) which is so important, especially amongst the craziness that this industry can bring.

Where can people find out more about you?

Carrier Talent. Twitter. IMDB. Facebook. Instagram. MySpace.

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Our thanks to Esther Cohen for speaking with us!

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Recommended Reading

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Waiting for Godot
Samuel Beckett

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The Odd Couple
Neil Simon

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Hamlet (Illustrated)
William Shakespeare

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The post The Biz Interview: Esther Cohen appeared first on Biz Books.

What inspired you to take on this production?

Richard Wolfe: I was invited to participate by Club PuSh co-curator Tim Carlson because of my admiration for musicians in general, my interest in theatre and music hybrids, and my admiration of Rick Maddocks as an extraordinary songwriter. I’ve always felt this project demonstrated a fresh and bold vision on his part.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

Can you briefly walk us through your creative process for this production, from the early stages all the way to opening?

Rick Maddocks: I wrote the songs before we got together as an ensemble, a process that took months of research of the Gnostic gospels, working their imagery and ideas into song structures. The vocalists’ individual styles prompted some lyrics to change or get switched from one singer to another. The ensemble members made subtle suggestions about the structure of songs, plus our movements onstage. I was more ruthless; some songs were thrown out or cut in half, a prelude or two was added.

In terms of lyrics and staging, I wanted to explore the power of absence and what an audience might project onto that absence. There’s no mention of Jesus or Lord or Saviour or Christ in The Meal, and neither does such a character appear, not to our eyes anyway. There are no crosses or Christian paraphernalia onstage either, though there are healthy amounts of bread and wine.

At the same time, The Meal has drawn some controversial images and ideas from these “heretical” texts that were banned for centuries. So it might be an equal-opportunity offender—it could ruffle the feathers of believers and atheists alike.

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

Richard Wolfe: I’m re-reading Hans-Thies Lehmann’s Postdramatic Theatre at the moment.

Rick Maddocks: In hindsight, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot has been a subconscious touchstone in relation to The Meal. The “lost gospels” of Thomas, Mary Mary and Judas were primary sources.

Other authors that have been influential are Juan Rulfo (Pedro Paramo) and Jose Saramago (Blindness), plus the films of Robert Bresson and Luis Bunuel.

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

Richard Wolfe: Theatricalizing this series of songs was a collaboration with Rick of course, who wrote the piece in a thematically unified way and with a very clear vision. A great deal of the flavour of our show was also brought by our lighting designer Jeff Harrison. As is so often the case, time and money played a factor in how far we could go. There’s a Luis Buñuel side of things that Rick was always interested in exploring, which is the surrealism connected to primitivism, visions and the elasticity of time and place. We had notions of including abstract video, and I had ideas of dance as well, but this would have taken a lot of rehearsal and a couple of other creative partners to achieve. Also, there’s only one actor in this project, the others are musicians from a variety of Indie bands. There are four vocalists and a three musicians playing instruments in this production, along with a choir that’s flexible in its numbers. It’s something like an Indie “super-group”, so in many ways this is a pretty unique hybrid and we’re discovering it as we go along.

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

Richard Wolfe: Although I can’t announce the title of the play quite yet, I can say that Pi Theatre will be producing the Canadian premiere of an extraordinarily mind-bending play next February.

Rick Maddocks: I am currently at work on a long work of fiction that may end being a novel. It features an alternate history of Canada’s Pacific Coast.

The Meal runs from April 11th, 2012 to April 14th, 2012 at Pacific Theatre. Please visit PacificTheatre.org for tickets and performance times.

The post The Biz Interview: Richard Wolfe and Rick Maddocks of “The Meal” appeared first on Biz Books.