Praxis Theatre blogs, produces, and parties. All astonishingly well and with a sense of humour.

This past Friday I was privileged to attend the sold out opening night of Praxis Theatre's production of Stranger, a show developed in three workshops over two years. I've been waiting to tell you about it until I could link to my thoughts on the production (which were committed for posting on The Theatre Centre Blog). Fortunately, Stranger runs until February 8, so there is still plenty of time for you to see it--but I wouldn't put it off any longer. Anyway, I won't go too much into my thoughts on it here since I've already written them elsewhere. I will say, though, that I enjoyed writing about it almost as much as I enjoyed watching it.

I am also linking to J. Kelly Nestruck's review at The Globe and Mail. I disagree with his judgment of the show, but I respect his opinion and I do think he makes some valid points. I would also be curious to know, from the creators at Praxis who I imagine will see this at some point, why does Praxis keep "selecting novels by authors who were equally adept as playwright?" I imagine there is a good reason (and I like the selection), I'm just interested in the conversation. Why this play now?

But what I really wanted to write about on my blog with regards to Praxis and Stranger is the reception they held after the show. It turns out I know someone who knows someone, and I was strongly urged to come to the opening so I could make new theatre friends. Well, I'm glad I listened. Because I did make new theatre friends. And laughed, a lot. It turns out they know how to throw a pretty good party, in addition to writing that blog and you know, doing shows. So here are some highlights from my night out with Praxis:

You know the awkward feeling you get at first when you're at a party where you don't know anyone? It kind of started out like that. Because after my friend left, I really didn't know anyone. And everyone was celebrating. So I was kind of the outsider (appropriate to the theme of the show, I guess). But it didn't take too long to get over, especially when I met he of the blog, Michael Wheeler ("You must be BFG." Oh goodness...). Mr. Wheeler was very kind and made some introductions, which I very much appreciated.

The people at Praxis are smart. I miss smart people. Smart about theatre people. Don't get me wrong, my friends are smart. But it's a different kind of intelligence. And it seems like much of team Praxis has studied and/or performed all over the place. It's a very cosmopolitan (though in a non-pretentious way) bunch. I too have studied in various places. It was nice to hear about their experiences outside of Toronto and then coming back...

In one conversation, I commented on how I don't really know what the difference is between the industry (I hate calling it that, but it is) in New York and the industry here in Toronto. My source (who I will not name out of respect to her privacy) told me it could be summed up in a single sentence: In New York, everyone wants to see the new face and to put you out there, in Toronto, they don't. She told me she still has difficulty getting a general audition with a theatre company in the city after many years. And that so do many other very talented people. While I think this is, frankly, disgusting, it's also a relief in some respects. It is not just me. It is, apparently, the way the theatre world works in Toronto (note to self: change the way the theatre world works in Toronto). I don't think it's a good modus operandi for a thriving theatre community, but at least when you know where you stand, it's easier to know how to proceed.

And then I met another associate of Praxis who had me laughing so hard I had pains in my sides. She was lovely. And we discussed theatre programs for kids in Toronto; she is working on starting one. We talked about how most that exist are severely limited, to be exact. I've actually interviewed with one such program and was told I don't have enough experience (me, the summer camp counsellor with the B.F.A. in theatre). The limitations are imposed by programs looking to employ teachers with an interest in theatre and not theatre artists with an interest in teaching; there is a distinct difference. It was nice to have a conversation with a like-minded individual.

I went home smiling. Aside from seeing a good show, I met some great people. I was reassured that I am, in fact, doing the right things. And I was reminded that a career in this city in what I want to do is all about diversifying. So, I advise anyone who can to go see Stranger and to hang out with Praxis, either online or, better, in real life. They're all smart cookies and they have a lot to offer. I am grateful that they shared so generously with me. And I hope to see them again soon! You all have a standing offer from me to buy you coffee/beer/lunch for the privilege of picking your brain.