Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support this year's Theatre on the Edge.

We would like to offer special thangs again to our sponsors as well as Improv Everywhere.

If you saw any (or all) of the events this year, let us know your thoughts. You may email your comments to stage@saintjohntheatrecompany.com or leave us note here on the blog.

See you next year!

It's On!

Preparations for "Wingin' It! An Evening of Mayhem" are underway. Three teams of four are currently working on the scripts that will wow our audience this evening at 8 pm.

The teams, "The Colgate There's Nothing Else On Hour Players," "No Homers" and "Bull Script 2: Electric Boogaloo" are spending the day writing and rehearsing scripts that will incorporate both a line of dialogue and prop provided for them only last night at 8 pm by the audience at "An Evening of One Act Plays."

This is a must see event. The original scripts will be performed just once this evening, never to be seen or heard again.

Curtain is, as said, at 8 pm, at the Mary Oland Theatre. Tickets are only $10.

Don't miss it!

There's Still Time!

As Theatre on the Edge gears up for it's last two days, audiences are reminded that this is still time!

Festival Passes are still available. If you get your Festival Pass today, you can check out "Out on the Edge" at 6:30 pm, "An Evening of One Act Plays" at 8 pm, "Screefing the Rogue Wilds" Saturday at 2 pm, and "Wingin' It! An Evening of Mayhem" Saturday at 8 pm.

Those who have already been to check out some of the productions this week have been heard using words like "moving," "exciting," "fun,", "must see" and "wonderful." You don't want to be the one saying you missed out.

We still have room for five more participants for "Wingin' It!" Register now!

Thursday's TotE

Tonight TotE is proud to present part two of the Inprint Reading Series. Several local actors will present a polished reading of Neil Labute's "Fat Pig." Written by one of America's most provocative screenwriters and playwrights, "Fat Pig" is the story of a good-looking guy who falls in love with an obese woman, to the disapproval and mockery of his office friends. The Washington Post says it "strains the bonds of love but also our notion of how wide a net we can cast for the person of our dreams."

Come and listen, and perhaps take part in the discussion after the reading. This is a suggested donation event, and takes place at the SJTC loft on Prince William Street (4th Floor, above Mexi Cali Rosa's).

Feel like making it an evening out? After the reading, check out the second performance of "An Evening of One Act Plays" at the Mary Oland Theatre. Tickets are $10 or $30 Festival Passes are still available.

What's Happening Tonight?

Tonight will bring audiences a couple of firsts.

The first Inprint Reading Series reading will be tarting at 6:30 pm, at the SJTC loft (on the 4th floor above Mexi Cali Rosa's). A cast of five, will be reading, Edward Albee's "The Goat: or Who is Sylvia." Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5.
(Please note: The running time is approximately 2 hours))

Then, at 8 pm, the curtain rises on the first performance of "An Evening of One Act Plays" at the Mary Oland Theatre, located in the NB Museum. With three great scripts, there is something for everyone. Tickets are $10.

Festival Passes are still available. All TotE events (with the exception of the Sunday performance of "Out on the Edge") are included on the pass. It's a $50 value for only $30!

Spotlight On... Tina Fowler

Tina Fowler is one of the STJC's busiest members. Since joining the company in 2005 as part of the Guys and Dolls, costume crew in the fall of 2005, she has been a familiar face. Since then, she has been part of 17 productions, doing everything from acting to backstage work. She has acted in 8 plays (including last year's TotE performance of "Wingin' It!"), was costume head for "Proof" and "The Sunshine Boys," co-stage managed "Moonchildren" for SJTC: Second Stage last April, and also stage managed "Trout." Most recently, Tina could be found filling the role of Assistant Stage Manager for "Cabaret" which went on in May.

"She can always be counted on to lend a hand," says Lisa Flower, STJC: Second Stage planning committee member. "Even when she's in a play, she wants to know if there's anything she can do to help backstage too!"

Tina is going to be back on the stage to take part in "Out on the Edge." SJTC: Second Stage has been working in collaboration with Port City Rainbow Pride on this unique theatrical project. Stories were collected from people in our local GLBT community and transformed into a hour long production that is sure to move our audiences.

"This project is based on real people and their personal stories, and that translates to an honesty onstage that will capture and hold the emotions of both performer and audience," says Fowler. While the stories have received some dramatization, and tweaking of the dialoge, they maintain the spirit and emotion of authors and offers a challenge to the actors taking part.

Tina Fowler is no stranger to challenging roles however. Two years ago, she was cast in the TotE production "For Ever and Ever," a two woman show that questioned the meaning of life, and the existence of God. A strong performer with a genuine depth of emotion, she was a shoe in for "Out on the Edge," and she couldn't be more pleased to be involved.

"It is very much an honour to give voice to the words and thoughts of those brave people who have put their joy and pain on paper," she says. "Theatre has always been about life, and stories about life, whether to raise public awareness, to change the indivdual heart, or to merely entertain. This project will do all three."

"Out on the Edge" has been a journey for everyone involved. "I have already learned so much about personal struggle, hope and courage that I can only hope that this will change my "individual heart," Fowler says about working on the production.

"Perhaps in larger Canadian cities, the subject matter would not be considered edgy, but for Saint John audiences, this represents an opportunity to share stories and viewpoints that are not often represented in our more traditional, conservative city," adds director and developer Jay Rawding. "In this sense, it is a perfect fit for our fringe-like festival."

But Tina wants "Out on the Edge" to be more than just an entertaining evening. "I hope that this project will encourage and stengthen those families who are facing all the questions and fear associated with living with homosexuality," says Fowler. "I feel that we, as a company, are growing and exploring the artistic community around us. We have moved out in our own circle of supporters and, with this project, we are going beyond ourselves and bringing others to know the truly wonderful world of theatre."

TotE is offering three performances of "Out on the Edge" at the Mary Oland Theatre, Tuesday, August 7th, at 8 pm, Friday, August 10th, at 6:30 pm, and Sunday, August 12th, at 2 pm. Tickets are $10. Tuesday and Friday night performances are included on the Festival Pass which is $30.

Lost & Found

A pair of wide women's sunglasses were found at Elwood's after The MP3 Experiment on Sunday evening. If they belong to you, please contact the Saint John Theatre Company by phoning 634-1990 or emailing stage@saintjohntheatrecompany.com.

NOTICE: Venue Change for The Armando / The MP3 Experiment

Due to circumstances beyond our control, The Armando / The MP3 Experiment will be taking place at Elwood's on Prince William Street.

See you there!

Join The MP3 Experiment

You can now download the MP3 Experiment file!

Check out SJTC Main page to download the file! And remember, don't listen to it advance!

Back to Basics

When Theatre on the Edge was established in August 2003, it was just an evening of one act plays. Just three plays that would set the stage for what would become a full week event. "The Author's Voice" by Richard Greenberg was directed by this year's festival facilitator John Mazerolle, "Pants" by local author and photographer Dan Culberson is still called a favorite, and "The Topic was Frisbees Not UFOs" was penned by one of this year's directors Doug Fillmore.


From left to right: Andrea 'Dre' Arbour, Alex Goldrich and John Mazerolle in "The "Author's Voice", August 2003

Now considered the staple of TotE, organized are pleased to be offering "An Evening of One Act Plays" to our audiences again.

This year's line up promises to be as interesting as it is entertaining.

"Driver's Side Airbag," by Steven Schutzman, directed by Doug Fillmore features Scott Thomas. Thomas, co-host of the Rogers show "First Local" and front man of 'Improvisation Corporation,' is excited to be involved. "I think there should always be an element of risk and danger in every part you play, says Thomas.”The risk of failure does make you work very hard. DSA challenges perceptions and that can be a good thing - for actors and audiences."

"Driver's Side Airbag," is a thrilling story about a man who is taking the journey of a lifetime.

"I think this will be a good match for people looking to experience the unexpected," says Thomas. "We hope to move the show as fast as the character in the piece drives, we hope to maintain that feeling of hurtling down a dark highway with little light and no brakes. We are all waiting for the wreck."

"The Polite Bandit," by Willie Marcus is the second script in the line up. It's about, as the name says, a bandit who is polite. "Sometimes things don't go smooth," says planning committee member Lisa Flower. "In this case, it's a robbery."

While the script has been called quirky and fun, it also asks the audience to sit back and think. It challenges one to look at themselves. Do you need to change? Can you change? Do you want to?

Last, but certainly not least, we have "Impromptu," by Tad Mosel. "Impromptu" has a group of actors who are thrust on the stage to create a show without warning - in doing so, they explore the role of theatre, of actors, and larger concepts of self-awareness and self-identity," explains director Maryanne (Mare) Lewell.

"I think it's a great fit for Theatre on the Edge in the way it breaks down the fourth wall between the play and the audience," says Lewell. "I think audiences will enjoy some of the comedy - but to me it's the growing self-awareness of the characters as "actors" that is key to the show, and their subsequent acceptance or refusal of that self-awareness. Just like people."

"An Evening of One Act Plays" runs August 8 to 10 at the Mary Oland Theatre. Curtain is at 8 pm, tickets are $10. This is also included in the $30 festival pass.