Grinder's Grumblings

Yesterday I told you about the Innocents, our Hallowe'en show at the Fergus Grand Theatre. For those of you who may not be interested in the frightening prospects of a ghost story, we have another show about some people who aren't dead just quite yet. It's A Bench in the Sun, a play about three seniors living in a retirement home. There's Burt, the curmudgeonly accountant with no regard to fashion who's got a score to settle... with Harold, the dandy-ish "man-about-town" who can barely stand but still comes out of his room every morning looking to impress. In between them comes Adrienne, the former actress, very famous and instantly irresistible to both of the men. Thus a battle for her affection ensues, and alongside it the fate of their lives at the home is played out, when it is revealed that their home is about to be sold to a developer and the residents shipped off somewhere else. A Bench in the Sun is a charming, funny play that will keep audienc...

Just in time for Hallowe'en, we've got an old-fashioned ghost story for you, about a lovely young governess, Miss Giddens, who comes to a country estate in the late 1800's to see to the instruction of two precocious children. With their parents dead, their guardian uncle off in the city and quite uninterested, the children have both come under the influence of two despicable members of the household - one the former governess, the other the former butler. Both of the children have been touched by this evil they do not understand, and it makes them act out in mysterious, terrifying ways. Though both the governess and the butler are dead long before the play begins, their spirits continue to haunt the house, and possess the children. It is up to Miss Giddens to free them of this terror (for no one else will dare), and save their immortal souls. Based on The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James this play features many a good fright, and a plot that will keep you guessing until...

I know I've already posted this - but I still need some actors - get in touch with me if you are interested! In my ongoing quest for profitability, I've decided to write a play about poverty. I have inserted it into our fall season, as the December show at the Elora Centre for the Arts, rather than the royalties project we had originally penciled in there. The show is called Poverty Anonymous, and its set up just like any other "anonymous" meeting, except the people you will meet there are all guilty of the crime of poverty. Led by their wealthy, tenacious, ex-poor-person moderator June, this motley crew of losers, low-lifes, and ne'er do wells tries to put their pasts behind them, and assert once and for all the PA motto: “There is no greater force on Heaven or on Earth than the Almighty Dollar.” Join them, as they recite the Poverty Anonymous pledge before every meeting: I am broke, and that’s not ‘oke, Being a bum is very dumb, I am a jerk until I go to work,...

Yesterday I referenced Rebecca Coleman's postings on The Next Stage Blog. Today I thought I would give you the link to the first posting in the series, so you could check it out for yourself (just click on the title of this posting). It's some interesting reading, and if you're as concerned as I am about putting butts in seats (and that's paying butts, not freebies, corporate give-aways or any other cop-outs) then I think you will find it invaluable.

I've been thinking about how things are different in theatre now. It plays directly into my "Naked Theatre" concept (no, I haven't forgotten it, I'm just letting it stew around for a while until I arrive at a more succinct definition), and I'm thinking today that nowhere is the new reality more evident than in marketing. I've been reading with great interest Rebecca Coleman's blog over at The Next Stage about marketing theatre. It's some good stuff, but it's a little scary too - I'm already actually doing most of that stuff, and it's still no guarantee that the people are going to come out. Her main point, though, that you have to have something about you that makes you unique, is, I think the touchstone of the entire argument. You can argue about the semantics of your Facebook prescence all you want (I have) but it ultimately is no more than just good sense to do all the things you should do - and that's all. It's not th...

I'm pleased to announce that the Fergus Grand Theatre is in the midst of a transformation to the 21st century. After years of quiet diplomacy, the powers that be have seen fit to allow the theatre its own internet connection. (Leafs fans, you can start planning the Stanley Cup parade now - Hell HAS frozen over!) This, in turn, has paved the way for the introduction of a new, more comprehensive box office and theatre management system, one that will provide users groups like Grinder Productions with a whole host of new resources. First and foremost, the new system will allow users the freedom to pay by any method they choose - we can now process debit cards and credit cards. It also means that we can now take a payment over the phone when someone calls in to make a reservation - no more unpaid no-shows. This system is fully web-based, so patrons can browse shows and purchase tickets online from the Fergus Grand Theatre website (or through the Grinder site - we'll be linking...

In my ongoing quest for profitability, I've decided to write a play about poverty. I have inserted it into our fall season, as the December show at the Elora Centre for the Arts, rather than the royalties project we had originally penciled in there. The show is called Poverty Anonymous, and it's set up just like any other "anonymous" meeting, except the people you will meet there are all guilty of the crime of poverty. Led by their wealthy, tenacious, ex-poor-person moderator, June, this motley crew of losers, low-lifes, and ne'er do wells tries to put their pasts behind them, and assert once and for all the PA motto: “There is no greater force on Heaven or on Earth than the Almighty Dollar.” Join them, as they recite the Poverty Anonymous pledge before every meeting: The PA pledge: I am broke, and that’s not ‘oke, Being a bum is very dumb, I am a jerk until I go to work, But cash in hand will make me grand. I'm looking for some women to help me out in this ...