Real Thanks....

Last night I was all overwhelmed by America's Next Top Model so I really didn't get a chance to thank all of the great supporters who have sent me emails over the last few days.
Your words have been a cool balm to my musical theatre soul.....I was gonna say ass but I am trying to keep this classy.
I guess we didn't know how much of a challenge this was all gonna be when we started down the SFNW road but I relish it.....I really do....that must mean that I am a glutton .....or super motivated!
I just wanted to include some if the upliftin' things that have arrived in my email inbox......

*I work at the Mill St. Brewpub, and since your show opened, it has been a barrage of great reviews from patrons coming from the theatre, some of which have seen your show more than once. That's all, just wanted to let you know!

*...if we don't support our own theatre, nobody will.

*.....the show really moved me. Your joy at having a great response from the audience was palpable, and there was tremendous give and take. Congratulations on a wonderful labor of love.

*I can't wait to see the show again, and I know my friends can't wait to see it either.

* I just sent out 40 individual/personal emails to friends and theatre goers we know that MUST see your show. We enjoyed it yet again last night and will return again.

*.... I am aware that none of us can do our work in a bubble, so on a personal note, I am grateful that you guys have chosen to do this if nothing else than to continue to raise awareness of other small musicals

* ...you have chosen a piece with a tremendous heart and a voice that should be heard by all audiences.

*Hey Kids, Just wanted to let you all know how much I enjoyed your show last night. I can't believe you had to do another one at 10pm! You're not as young as you used to be!

The last one is my fave.......And I am not......as young...that is.
It was so nice to have a feeling of community when theatre seems to be suffering a bit.....it really did warm my cold, cold heart.
Again, I really want to say .....people really don't have to like the shows we do.....maybe just not try to ruin it , or make feel stupid, those who do.
That is just my opinion!
And we all have one....just like asses.
Some are just cuter than others!

Whew....

Firstly....let me thank all of your asses for being so supportive......... of the show and all......We had two great Saturday Night shows and great crowds....it is always more fun with a big audience.....blah,blah, blah.....thanks.
I am right back to workin' on the Party and I am very excited about that....just contacted all the peeps about what they are doing and how it all fits together....it has been quite nice to have a break.
Patrick and I went out to breakie this morn....with James.....don't want to leave him out...George was there for two minutes and realized that he would not get to eat before he had to be at LYKTP for his half hour so I have to give him subway fare and send him on his way.....which felt awful after he took such awesome care of me yesterday. (He did something very sweet for me that I just wanna save for later....but it was sweet.) It was like I hadn't seen Patrick in twenty five years.....he is older and wiser.....but looks younger and ......well wiser.
Glad that we are getting back to it, baby.
Then today....on the day off.....I watched America's Next Top Model and can't believe that Cari-Dee didn't get the old heave ho...Ho! Neckin' on the balcony with some Spanish dude she just met on camera.....slutty.....and what she said to Nigel....shocking....for those of you who don't watch it.....it is all very important and interesting.
So, that is the short of it peeps, for now.......couldn't even get my ass off the couch to see a movie and that is just tired ass.

From the DESK of Derrick Chua...

Hey Y'all,

If you wanna read my response to the Globe Review it is the next one and .......Here is what the producer Derrick Chua sent me.....

“rhythmic energy and melodic invention galore”
“the quartet of performers…are all talented individuals, with a lot to offer.”
Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star

“These are some of our finest vocalists and musical-theatre performers”
“inspirational lyrics and strong message of triumph over personal and political adversity”
Kamal Al-Solaylee, Globe and Mail

“this is sophisticated stuff”
“impressive talent”
John Coulbourn, Toronto Sun

“Thom Allison, Sharron Matthews and Tracy Michailidis are excellent interpreters”
“an interesting show if you like clever lyrics and character portraits in music
“very sophisticated theatre”
Paula Citron, Classical96.3


It’s all in how you sell the show!

Keep on keepin’ on!

Too much going on to see it this week, but will get there next week!

Derrick

Why Produce?

Hey All,

I am back and I got something to say!!!!!

If you are Tracy, Thom or Jason read no farther.....or at least wait till December 18th cause I know you don't read reviews.

So I will mumble here for a moment so you don't see any of this.........

lalalalallalalalala

humdeedumdum

poopeeedooooo

Alright my blog friends....I have never publicly responded to reviews because they are really one person's opinion of something and what other people think of me.....

IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS.....

But as a producer I have had to begin the horrifying task of reading what people think of my performances.

Ug.

There is nothing worse.

I think that performance in the theatre and on the stage are a living thing and that they change with the audience, present state of mind and new discoveries in the moment.

For myself for alot of years I found that daunting and searched for perfection every night.

BORING!

Who cares if you remember all the lyrics if your performance is cemented in ...........well....cement.

(Sharron has a moment of laughter here)

Here is the background.

J, Trace and Thom-ie and I did "Songs For A New World" 8 years ago and had a great experience. We recieved awesome reviews and the community was hugely supportive.

We did it as a co-op and rehearsed in Noreen Waibel's basement for two weeks .

We didn't make a red cent and felt great about the endevour.

Then we did 3 benifit concerts.

The response was so overwhelming that we sat down and talked about doing a real run of it.

There were dangers, of course.

People might not like it.

We didn't want to do it as we did before .....if we did it ....we were gonna try something new.

We were 8 years older, Jason had two kids and was going into casting, Tracy was doing more straight plays and TV, Thom had many successful seasons at Stratford and I was doing my Party and TV and Film more than theatre....we all had evolved and felt that the show should reflect our lives and new choices.

We decided that it was worth the risk.

We wanted a director with a fresh vision.

Tim Forte, our first director, was very supportive of our choice to go another way and we thanked him for that.

The point is.....why do something twice ?

Do it if you wanna explore something different.

We wanted to produce a commercial venture independently and we did thanks to the get-up-and-go of Jason Knight, Clyde Wagner and Tracy Michialidis.

We knew that we might suffer slings and arrows.

(Tell everyone you know that I kinda quoted Shakespeare here.)

Chris Abraham is an excellent, supportive, respectful and inspiring director.....I don't trust easily in that department.....because I know everything.....don't ya know...but I trust and trusted him.

He had us work and look into these people that we were singing about and not just create an evening of pleasant cabaret.

Instead, we all wanted an journey of people on the edge of huge choices and decisions.

That is the show that was written and we celebrate that.

I am proud as hell of the show that we have.

The thing that really got me, my friends, was reading the review in the Globe and Mail by Kamal Al-Solaylee.

You don't have to like the show.

I wish that he had but.....he clearly didn't.

Ah well.

I have chatted with Kamal in the past and he was very supportive and said that he loved musical theatre.

BUT.......here are a couple things that just made me sad.

We need good directors in musical theatre.

As musical theatre performers we want to stretch our muscles and not just sing "Ok-la-homa"( not that there is anything wrong with that) but if Chris Abraham is told that

"His foray into musical theatre is probably more of a palette cleanser--or a temporary lapse---"

we may have a problem getting him to do another music theatre piece.

Don't ya think?

In our city we used to have 5 or 6 musicals running at the same time filled with Canadians........self produced and Mirvish or Garth produced.

Now, we have road shows from the states that sit in our big theatres with one or two Canadians if you are lucky.

Anything that we try to do has been horribly shot down in the last two or three years....all culminating in the massive-media-hate fest that was of Lord of the Rings.

So, in this environment, we wanted to create work where there was none and challenge ourselves.

And this was the part that most bothered me....

"If you don't have much tolerance for live and over-amplified excess, Songs for a New World is not their shining hour but their moment of shame"

Holy shit.

"Moment of shame"????????????

I mean, really.

That just brought water to my eyes, truly.

How does one respond to that?

At the risk of sounding ......I don't know ........pissed......

I think he is a little bit overwrought himself.

Here are some of the words he uses to describe our evening.

"Unbearable."

Hmm........

"Case of collective histrionics from the four person cast.......who sing every note as if to prove their existence to an oblivious god"

Well.......

"Eardrum-puncturing and downright deafening"

Really.........

"I doubt this production will completely recover from it's endemic excesses, but here's to hoping..."

That is pretty dramatic stuff.

What does endemic mean?

-In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or introduced. However, it is also differentiated from indigenous: A species that is endemic is unique to a defined place or region.-

Well....I still kinda don't get it.

So.....here I am.......I am trying to find a source of humour to turn this into something positive.

I was saddened and shocked by alot of what he said.....and oddly enough......I expected the overwrought .....from Kamal and Richard ( Ouzounian who, in the interest of total discloser, didn't like it either but beside this review his is kinda a rave) .....it was the "Shame" part and the mention of Chris Abraham's foray that really bothered me.

Like I said you don't have to like it......but it is already hard as hell to work in or produce theatre in Canada.....and with words and expressions such as this it will only get harder.

So....my friends ...if you wanna come see us in the Distillery.....please do......we would love your support.....people do seem to really enjoy it.

It may be loud......

We may be earnest.....

But I think we rock out.........

I STILL think it was AND IS worth the risk......

It would be a shame for you not to come!

Busy, busy.....

Holy ho ho!
It has become busy as hell and I have neglected the three people who read this....how could I?
WELL...it is getting close to the first preview of our show and I am working and shopping for clothes.......for the show, not for myself....and it has just been a whirlwind.
I am really excited.
We preview on Friday and the three of you should try and make it to the previews...why? because you never know......ya know?
The space looks very cool and there are more lights than I have ever seen...it is a rock show.
Woo hoo.
The whole design is by the team who does Rick Miller's shows, Beth and Ben, and they are something else.
Other than that.....I have nothing to tell you... this is all I am doing.
I haven't seen a movie....I haven't made a phone call.....I haven't done a damned thing.
I mean it!
So, I hope all is well and .....well... there you have it!

First Week!!!

Oh what fun we had....I can't believe that we are already done our first week of rehearsal for "Songs". And it was great....I never really feel quite this happy during rehearsal...usually about this time I am filled with self doubt (which I am sure will arrive at some point...not to worry) and asking myself why I took this fucking show and then doing the grand job a beginning to save me ass.
We all know "Save Your ASS Theatre"...... where it is every actor for themselves and your better get out of the way, baby!
But we have a great director, Chris Abraham, who was just named AD of Crow Theatre......exciting.....he is just great.
And I am with my peeps...my Thom and my Trace and my J.....and, of course, Noreen our MD is kicking our vocal asses.....all of sudden we are getting quite specific where we couldn't before......it was just so fast last time and we would all stand off stage hoping that we could remember the words to our 18 page song....yup.....18 - 23 pages some of them...woo.
On Wednesday we all sat counting the pages of each of our songs....to see who won...what would we win I ask you?......superiority...Isn't it worth it???
Thom won with Steam Train....23 pages.
Jason came second with She Cries......18 pages.
I think that Surabaya is my longest at 17.
Long ass songs.
But my favourite day was Friday. We came in to do music all day and Jason told us that he and his daughter Issy were sitting around in the evening the night before and she asked him to tell her his day, she is two years old and cute as hell, and he said, " I sang with my friends all day."
And then realized that would sound awesome to a two year old.
Then he got a bit choked up.
We are such gaylords for this show.
And, yeah, getting to sit around and sing with your friends all day long.....pretty awesome.

Studio 60?

So, I am reading the Star today, Saturday, and I read a bi-line that has "Studio 60" in the title and I think, oh, me readie......then I feel a bit flabbergasted.....READ IT!

I have loved "Studio 60"...it's dialogue was a bit high handed and trite but....anything about 'inside the entertainment biz' always turns my crank....the one thing I could never reconcile was that a little blond, left wing, christian girl who puts out a album of spiritual songs is

on a late night sketch comedy show.....and now I know why.....

Aaron Sorkin and Kristen Chenoweth ( who....dripa-droppie....I had the pleasure of working with in the Music Man movie...Chenoweth, not Sorkin.....could you imagine?)...did the nasty........eewwwwwww! And the character is based on her!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

He is just so.........not......what she is.

So, I am in the Zehyrs in Collingwood during a tour of Charlie Brown earlier this year, my life is nothing if not glamourous, and Patrick and I are late night shopping and walking past the magazine section and I drop my hummus and pita when I see Kristen Chenoweth on the cover of Maxim.

MAXIM!!!!

It is just that I sat with her everyday in the make-up trailer telling little sweet stories about how she wanted to buy a special cross at Macy's and it was $1000.00 dollars but she just needed it.....which I do not judge but she was so .......spiritual? No, just proper and all.

Then there she is in a banana yellow bikini smiling like the day she won her tony, tits to the wind just waitin' for young boys to open the pages and smudge the print with their grubby fingers.

Was that too clear for any of you?

Ew.

So, in the article she talks about how she feels about being quoted on the show, or physically quoted......she sounds like she is hiding a world of mad.

How the fuck do you think she ended up with Aaron Sorkin?

Don't you think that he would see her as everything that was wrong with America?

Who knows....this Entertainment Biz is kooky........just when you think a premise is over the top ir far fetched ...........the Saturday Star tells you other wise!

Old and tired

Alright....I am 38 years old and after my third day of rehearsal I am going to bed at 9:50pm.

That is just effed!!!!

Did you check out my webstie changes?

Cool, eh?

I also just got a awesome dress from Fashion Crimes for "Songs".....gotta love the F.C. girls!!!!!!!

What about that review of Pippin?

Harsh....no wonder people aren't seeing things in Toronto...hmm.

Anyhow...did you know that my Georgie is playing Horton in the "Seussical" that opens next week at LKTYP?????

Yup....he is having a great time and I don't know if I can go and see him play so cute and not want to cry for the whole show....and tickets are totally affordable so go out and see it!

So...what is the deal with the recap episodes of "Survivor" and, my fave, "America's next Top Model"?

It sucks.

Off to sleep.

What can I hear?

Halloween....ooooohhhhh....scary.....

On my ....folks .....the guests that I just booked for December 18th.......staggering!!!

REALLY!

I will announce in a few days.

Second day of "Songs" rehearsal and I am off for a powerwalk at 7:00am.

I mean, really.

But I mostly want you guys to check out my webpage for the new stuff!

There are mp3's of the show!

There are new pictures!

And a list of the night of 100 Stars (minus 90) !

So...check it out and I will go and freeze my ass off.

Dance, Scream and Eat!!!

Wow....I have had to take time to process all that happened at the Hummingbird on Wednesday night...it was just too much to write about in the next few days after the show....WOWOW!
So YOU think you can DANCE!!!!
Hummingbird Theatre.
Filled with screaming, sugar -hopped-up, hair-straightened, skinny-jean-wearing, studio-dancing 14 year old chickies. Filled!!!!
It was sold out!
We got to our seats and we were in the 5th row baby!
RIGHT in sweating distance from Dimytry....not that he was my favourite at all. And I have to say..you all know how I want to be body accepting for everyone ...but his upper body is his bread and butter .....he pulled off his shirt and he had a couple tiny love handles hangin' over the side...and I thought....if this is your thing...you better do a couple sit ups, mister!
And Heidi!!! She was awesome...everyone picked a number that she was in as their favourite....she worked her ass of and got alot of stage time....
You guys it was like a rock show.
And my favourite part was the two 40 year old gay man who jumped to their feet after every number that Tracis was in!
It was the best birthday gift ever.....only to be topped by the good time that George had...I am so lucky!
Now I forgot to write about something in my last blog.
I went to Mitsy's Sister over in the west end.....I always feel that I have to get travelling papers when I go over there......and saw my friend Brendan in his band "The Chicken Pickers". They were awesome....they were excellent musicians and played some of my favourite tunes..... "Louisiana", I used to have a great recording of the Neville Brothers singing it and I dug it back out after hearing their rendition of it.... "O' Susanna" ...I never thought that I could enjoy that song so much...I was really toe tapping and singing along for the whole two sets. As was a real drunk guy that I wanted to heave the fuck out.....but they were so easy with it...they are a banjo, guitar, accordian, upright bass and another guitar and at some points a mandolin and they pass the instruments and the singing duties around.....it you get a chance.... get out to see them...they said the themes of their songs were love, drugs, jail and music...when can it get any better than that??? ...I think that their full name is " Cousin Jimmy's Chicken Pickers" and if I am wrong....Brendan or MF write in to this blog!
And what else?
It has been a busy week my friends....I start rehearsal tomorrow for "Songs for a New World" and am excited and nervous....I think that is the perfect place to be.
I am looking so forward to spending time with this awesome group of people....we have good chats and a seven year history with the show.....let's play and dish!
After doing your own show for a while....and I love my Patrick....it is nice to go out and have a little something social and work-ie....workie? That sounds gay....
I am also taping my first voice over tomorrow.
It is for Cialis.
Do you know what that is?
It is so fitting that after a ton of auditions this be my first one....for a pee pee medication.
All signs point towards life going interestingly from here.

So YOU Think you can Dance???

Dancin', dancin, dancin'........tonight is the night!!!!!
Travis ( and his sensitive heart and pushy-up hair), Benji ( who wants to meet a girl and settle down...?) Heidi ( who was my favourite ...and I so glad that the stylist made her not look like a meth addict), Musa ( wowie....he .....well.....I just think.....his.... he is an awesome dancer), Natalie ( they said her face was empty but I thought that she danced up a storm) are in my town tonight.
Do you know what I am talking about?
The concert of " So You Think You Can Dance?" is at the Hummingbird tonight and I got birthday tickets!!!!!!
So it will be me, George, two guys I know who are 49 year old partners ( & business men) and one has a shirt that says " I Love Travis" and about 4 million 13 year old girls.
Here is a fun fact......on the first day of ticket sales ( my friend works for the Hummingbird so I am not makin' it up as I am want to do, on occasion) they got one million calls for tickets and begged the company to do another show but they needed a day off.
Ya know what I say?
In this age of nothing selling in Toronto ......SUCK IT UP, People!
Give the audience what they WANT!
Did i just say that?
That was the inner voice that I save for quiet moments ....just me and my ....well..... inner voice...what shall I call her....why don't you three give me some suggestions?
Now, don't be mean in your suggestions.
I still get a bit upset when I happen upon someone saying something mean about me on the interweb, as George likes to call it...and it happens every so often and hits me in the gut.
So , here I am today on IMDB.com ( internet movie database ) and I am checking out my page as I just did a Self Promotion Workshop at Actra ( film and tv union) and I was on the panel and one of the other panel members, Mag Ruffman, ( who I love!!!!! ) told me it was worth it to use that resource.....oh I do go on but the punchline will be worth it....so I thought , "get to it wanna-be-tv-star!"
So, there is a discussion board place that I have nver seen before.......it says "Discuss Sharron Matthews with others"..."hmm".....I think..."who will have written on that?"
So, against my wise woman ...inner voice ......instincts I go it.
The first post is from a girl last year saying I rock.
"I ROCK!"
"Well," I am thinking, "this was a good idea...I can't believe strangers have been saying nice things about me and I didn't know."
I go to the next one.....the post person say something like " My friend told me her aunt was an actor and I thought she was lying.....then I saw her in Mean Girls"....yes you did, missy..." and I was surprised because she had gained weight!"
?
??
???
What the.....hey...that isn't nice...
That doesn't say I rock......
Then at the end of the post it says " It is nice to know someone in the business!"
Well, in the spirit of positiveness and turning the other cheek I have two words for this unknown post person...who is probably a teenage friend of one of my nieces........
SUCK IT!
I think that my niece needs some new friends and if that is the push that is needed I say so be it.
So, I am off to the Hummingbird tonight!

J the B

Hey....I thought that Junior the Barista was someone....but I think I am mistaken....I NEED to know.......are you K.G. ?
Or or you handsome-curly-haired-young-man?
Or am I totally off?
You don't have to say.....I love clues!!!!!
And now that I have a bit of time off between Songs for a New World and the Chiropractor ( my back still sucks and i have to say the 4 inch heels don't help..I was born for flats really....really) I have time for a puzzle.
And before we go any farther.......Why can't those girls speak properly on America's Next Top Model? They can't ask a simple question......of that crazy, cracky-head Janice Dickenson.....she is a piece, huh? She is one crazy byotch.
And they should have kicked off Jada? She is a manly man.....woo....not that that is bad...believe me......but wow.
That show is pure entertainment....I love it when Tyra thinks she is Dr. Phil...... one of the girls ( Amanda) was chatting with her and started to cry....Tyra said "It's okay to cry...." and not to be outdone by those young contestants she says ..." ...I cry all the time ....yesterday I cried for two hours."
WHAT??????
Why?????
Did you see your own talk show?
And I love that she said Oprah was her idol and mentor and then made a joke about her (Oprah) eating donuts....and then she apoligized to Oprah.....like she is watching.....Oh my god.....it is CRAKERTAINMENT.
AHHH!
And Grey's Anatomy.......well....that is for another day....
See what happens when I am not working on my show?
It is like I am missing part of my brain and I just pour TV into the side that is gone.....
I LOVE IT!!!!

Ohhhh tired and hair all fuzzy.....

Ohhhh I really am.
That fateful night ...just three nights ago......I just finished the show ....took off my wings and crown and hauled my ass home.
This one contained the most new material I have done so I was nervous and excited.
The crowd was mighty and thoughtful and I was so happy to have them all.....and especially have them all agree that "Skinny Jeans" are totally effed. I mean really.
I was soooo happy with my clothes and the guests were stellar!
Damien never fails to bring joy and excitement along with him and I thought that his story about Jude Law killed and "Diary of a Homecoming Queen" from his Dora Award winning show "Real Live Girl" ....which I had subsequently stole from him......was just heart wrenching....REALLY.
And Robert Cushman was very Cole Porter charming and funny and I love that he doesn't talk himself all serious-like. He laughed at the Stratford joke I made about his fall up there...that he was not pushed.....and he wasn't, peeps. He sang all 7 verses of "De-Lovely" and told the story with flair.
( I wonder if he will read that and use it as a bullet point for his new act?)
I did a salute to our sexually-not-pinned-down friend from the south " Clay Aiken".....loved that and I did a "Crazy Medley".....did you know how manys songs have that word in the title?
And SURPIRSE....Ms. Mary Pitt.....singing her ever popular rendition of "Trouble in Tahiti" and those of you would couldn't make it missed out on a true treat, my friends. She is one of the funniest ladies around.
There was so much more and so many awesome people showed up .......but i am so tired and I just got back from two days in Stratford with our friends Blythe and Mark that I have to cut it short.
But look for new updates on my website about the next two shows and I am also going to be posting some of the audio that was recorded from past shows just in case you wanna relive it or listen to it for the first time.
Talk sooooooon!

Too Long......

You would think that I was busy or something.....I was!!! But I miss my blog and my three devoted fans......

THE SHOW IS TONIGHT~!!!

And I didn't know how much I really loved Halloween until I started working on the show.....it's not like I am doing the monster mash or anything, believe me.....just love getting dressed up....and dressed up I will be, peeps.

And I am a bit fluttery in the tummy that for the first time ...except fo the closer and the opener...I am doing all new material....and Paul Butler by biggest blogger had some important business trip or some such thing....blah, blah, blah.....WHATEVER.......You will be missed.....

Tonight I will be announcing the line up for the Night of 100 Stars ( minus 90).....I am very excited because it is a very ecclectic and entertaining list of people.

I hope that you can all make it out.

P.S.......

Poor Georgie is afraid that you will think he was the one who screamed the "HOMO" insult below.....it was not him......remember .....George is straight but not narrow. (I love that line.) It was some yahoo redneck in the stands......his ( the redneck's) face was painted for the game...sigh........grown men talking about homo's when they are wearing a ton of blue and red pancake. The irony is just staggering.

My BACK!!!!

Owwie.....

Ever since dancing on the street car tracks on Dundas and Roncesvalles at 7:00am....oh ya after being up all night my back has not been the same, babies.

I went for a massage today and it was great but right after...I felt like I might puke....now I ask you...is that normal?

George said it was as he drew me a ebsom ( that might be the wrong spelling but isn't just knowing that enough?) salt bath.

ohhh.

Georgie took me to Buffalo for my Birthday on Sunday.....yes, my birthday lasts a good long time.

I wanted to go to the Anchor bar which is the birth place of the Buffalo Chicken Wing.....ah...it all makes sense. I love it there.

So, since we were gonna be there George got us tickets to the Bills - Jets home opener.

That is football for those of you who are like....what the eff is that?

Yes, I am a fan of the NFL....aren't I a
Renaissance woman. ( I went to spell check for that one) The game was good! The players are so burly. My my.

I think my Georgie would have been great out there. Maybe I can at least make him get a pair of those pants.

One thing I didn't know we still allowed in this world was for a grown man to lean over the stands into the field and call the ref....." ya fuckin' homo".

Oh my.

I was deeply offended.

That was the best he could come up with?

Loser.

Anyhow...our friends Mark and Blythe came to join us for wings. We had a great time...I am glad to know that 38 year olds are allowed to laugh like teenagers.

They got me pair of pajamas for my birthday....and George a pair too.

After the wings and then a long cab ride around the city in search of beer and chocolate....because we are nothing if not classy.......we went back to the hotel and Blythe said....lets get into our jammies and drink beer and eat chocolate.

That sounded great but we had one problem....my jammies were too big and Georgies' were too small so we thought....because we are professional entertainers....that he should wear mine and I his....tee hee....won't we be funnny. When they knocked I could hardly contain my mirth.

When I opened the door there were Mark and Blythe with pajama's to match ours.........they thought they had us damn it.....but when they saw my husband in my pink pajamas with butt clevage....

I knew we had the kicker.

Oh.....good times were had by all.

So, I feel a bit better in the back area and I am putting together the next show...woo hoo.

I am very excited.....it is going to be my first ALL New Show in a while. I am gonna pull out all the stops.

Look out baby!

Spell This!

I know....I know....

My spelling leaves a little to be desired.

The comic need to spell the last word wrong was something I fought with for a couple of minutes...but I think I did the right thing.

While Georgie read my last blog he told me that he thought that I should use spell check.

Know what I think?

Spell check is for pussies.

So, I will now try to do my best to write properly so my husband can read it.

Humph.

Okay.

Last night I went to see a show that my hubby is in called "Glory Days" at Theatre Aquarius.

That is in Hamilton for those of you who don't know.

The show was about the Stelco strike that happened in the fourties and how it affected the town.

Now, for a lover of the musical theatre I was a bit scared.

Though I know the show has some union songs in it ...I was sure that I might be bored out of my tree.

But no, my friends.

I am happy to report that it was quite a night.

Very well cast and the actors are at the top of their game.

All led by first time director Lee MacDougal.

Lee wrote "High Life"...a play that has won much acclaim and has been performed all over the world.

I saw him for the first time in a dress playing a role in "The Boyfriend" at Stratford years ago.

( May I add that he was awesome in that)

Anyway, I totally enjoyed myself and was reminded why I think my husband is one of the best actors I know.

He broke my heart as well as my mother-in-laws heart right beside me.

Enough soft stuff.

I decided to wear an awesome dress that I aquired from "Fashion Crimes" that I hadn't had a chance to try out yet.

It is a bit low cut.

Not totally inappropriate but still daring.

Whilst I made my intermission trip to the Ladies

Room a woman in a powder blue suit and ruffled top who appeared to be in her early sixties stared at my decollatage and then into my eyes and then repeated the gesture a couple more times.

I responded by circling the afore mentioned area with my "pointer" finger ( that is what I like to call it) and saying

" Never seen this before?"

And walking away before she could respond.

Eff her.

I effing hate Tyra......

It is like a car accident that I can't stop watching.....

I cannot stop myself from pressing the record button on the PVR.

America's Next Top Model goes against everything I believe to be good in this world but it is TV crack.

I taped the two hour opener ....for George, to be completely honest......and sat there and watched the whole thing.

I just love how they take it so seriously.....like it is important ....like.....university or dinner or something.

One girl...named Evita...I shit you not....left her two children at home, while her soldier husband is in Iraq to pursue this dream...." I had the American dream of the soldier, the model and the two children...." Evita proclaims...

Did I miss that dream?

Did they forget to tell the world that one?

OH YA!!!>>>>>>

And they made the girls, who's ages begin at 18, take off their clothes for their first photo shoot!~!~~!!

It was like Coco in Fame....the movie, people, not the TV show.

I just kept shaking my head and pinching George ( I cannot pinch myself as my skin is tender) to see if I was truly in La La Land.

And you guys know I love a drag queen as much as the next cabaret singer but.....

Miss J?

Pulease.

Get a life Miss J.

I love it when he starts a shot in pants and then ten seconds later he is in a skirt or better yet......he just takes off his pants and straps on 6 inch heels.

"Super Queen!

Able to shed clothes, swirl , strut down a runway and put down 10 people in the bat of a false eyelash!"

And the blond headed bitchy guy?

Whatever.

He wore a shirt last night that was rejected at some point by a twelve year old at La Senza Girl.

And then there is the cake.

Tyra friken Banks.

Her Momma musta put her in a little glass case and then let her grow up.

Her personality just screams spoiled brat.

My favourite thing....the thing that makes George laugh because it drives me insane....at the end of the show when she does her whole

" I have 10 beautiful girls in front of me....."

speech...she can't say

" America's Next Top Model"

without starting in a normal voice and then dropping down to a barely heard whisper by then end.

EVERY YIME SHE SAYS IT!

I can just hear her acting coach telling her people will think she is serious if she does that.

And, I am not done, she has a face that she puts on when she is trying to be sincere.

She squints her eyes and effects a half smile.

IT DRIVES ME INSANE!!!

I can't wait till next week.

PMS-Y but.....happy

"OHHHHH...what a night......mid september back in '06"

...

Remember that song?

"Oh.....I got a funny feelin' when she walked...in the room"

blah.....

Ya know how I love the retro tunes...

Well ...what a night it was....It was a mighty lovely group of peeps on and off the stage.

I do have the best seat in the damned house.

And I do love the Gladstone.

My guests were so diverse and I was just bowled over by their talent....Kathryn Rose sings like a bird.....and people flicked to buy her CD...which you can also get at her website

kathryrose.com

She has such an original sound and I watched the audience sit farther forward in their seats as she began her set.

The "Songs for a New World" people killed....oh ya ...disclaimer..I was in that part.....but we still killed......after "Flying Home" we got a standing ovation....I know it was a bit for Thom but we will all take the credit cause that is the kinda people we are!

And SURPRISE...............

Jennifer Stewart just lit up the stage.......

She sang from the Spelling Bee and from Footloose and from

Rocky Horror....

she just sang so purdy.....

And her sweet heart , Sammy, was my card bitch for the sing-a-long which was by far the best one sooooo far....

FOOTLOOSE....

I broke the group into three and then we all rocked out on the C section of the song.....

It is a challenge to pick something that will be fun for the audience.

But

I also love it when they sing with me on other tunes.

Like they did on "Tainted Love"

....gotta love the tainted love, baby....

For a birthday night it all felt pretty special...there were some new faces and the old faithfuls who I always am sooo happy to see...........

my Hamilton Crew...thanks.....

little Scotty Fink...he always warms my heart

...Great Grampa Randy....

Harry got a T-shirt.......

James' work buds...Graham....Kimball and Jay....Weesie and Rob...

Shout out...holllaaaaaa!

You are appreciated by all of the Sharron's Party Crew.

Yes, we do have our own crew.

And I got to sing a little Sondheim....how could that be wrong?

Now....I am just crampy .....

But happy....

I laid on the couch and read romance novels and ate cookies all date...isn't that a lovely white trash way to wind down?

Then I will go on an 8 hour bike ride tomorrow.

Then it begins again!!!

Oh ya.....for those of you who don't know....we have a line up change.. Adam Brazier had to cut out on the Oct 16th date but

we have an awesome addition....

Dora award winner for Real Live Girl and start of this season's Slings and Arrows

DAMIEN ATKINS!!!

Woo hoo.

I will be putting up the changes and the dates for Songs on my webpage ASAP!

I love doin' the show.

What a dream.

Life is good.

Judgers can eff off!

What? where?

What?
ZZZZZZZZZZZ................................
Oh my .....these all-night shoots?
It is the first time I have ever really done one ....it started at 4:00pm and ended with my last dance move being executed while the rain fell on my pink wig @ 6:15am....
in the morning......
holy crap.....
John Travolta looks amazing........really it is uncanny...
His wife Kelly Preston was there....
she is very tiny....
How do those Hollywood girls survive?
I could only think of the scene in "Jerry McGuire" where she is doin' it with Tom Cruise screaming " Never stop fucking me!"
She seemed lovely.
Allsion Janney, who is playing Mrs. Pingleton, was there last night....she is very tall.
And today ....
Jerry Stiller....as Mr. Pinky....I am very excited....the girl playing Tracy, Nikki, talked about how excited she was to work with him because " King Of Queens" is her favourite show.
Sweet.
She is 17....
Years old.
Can you take it?
The most amazing part of yesterday was the dancing.
We got to the set and about 100 people were dressed and made up and the dancers looked amazing.
We did what I have always dreamed of ....I got to dance in a movie musical....it was magic.
I felt very blessed.
I wonder if I can get any of them to the show on Monday???
Hmm.
I go back to set in 3 hours....
I am tired and excited..........

Rain Rain......

Is it winter?
Did we disturb the balance of the summer somehow?
Could this finally be the retribution for my wicked potty mouth?
Could I be more self-centred, that MY pottymouth would change the weather?
What if it did?
Would I stop swearing..........?
Probably not.
I have so much to accomplish today but I just can't seem to get my ass in gear.
Staples, library, work......
Ho hum....
Yesterday I finished on "Altar Boy Gang".
Had a great time...it is a very edgy script and I hope it turns out and the people like it. It was written by a lovely fellow named Norm Hiscock.
I know.
He spent three seasons writing on SNL and we chatted about my idol.....
Will Ferrell.
He mentioned that ...Will.....Mr. Ferrell.....I don't know what to call him.......was a easy going, not "ON", ordinary guy and that made me like him more. Will....Mr. Ferrell....that is ....not Norm....I already liked him....as a friend.....wow.....I am a mess.
I always wanted to ask Tina Fey what he ( W.F.) was like while we filmed Mean Girls but I didn't want to disturb my very effective "I-am-unimpressed-by-your-fame-but-I am-nice" aura that I like to wear around sets. It saves me many a time from making a fawning ass out of myself.
Well, my self tanner is almost dry so it is time to get out of the house.
I wear it for medicinal purposes.
Oh ya, who wrote the song " Oh What a Lonely Boy?"

Postcard

Dammit!

I have forgotten an important person for the last...... many weeks and am here to rectify it!

Andy Parks is the awesome guy who has been doing the graphics on our official postcard!

He brings his Mom to the show every month.....could that be sweeter?

Anyhow ...he has a really cool webpage so check it out!

www.andyparks.com

Other than that?

Chillin'

Getting the next show ready....

Back to set with Linda today....

It is almost my birthday.

Already two weeks away!

I am not believing the calendar as I look at it and see that the next show is only two weeks away!

Holy shit!

I got shit to do!

But let us not forget the last show!!!

What a night!

Could I use more exclamation marks?................................... !

The day was wonderful with my Hairspray rehearsal and meeting John Travolta and all.

My ass was killing me from all of the dancing, real dancing with jumps and shit.

Anyway...I got to the Gladstone in tons of time and got the guests soundchecked and all!

By the time 7:15 rolled around the lobby was so packed that we decided to open the doors so as not to have a back up.

It was our biggest crowd yet!

We were just so happy with the turn out and how it seems to get more different kinds of people from all walks of life.

There were surprises on and off stage.....during my last number I thought I heard someone say something about my nipples....can you imagine?....and so I decided to stop and ask what was going on and then I sang a whole nother song....how can you sing a ballad after someone comments on your nipples?

I ask you.

Short form the night!.........

Songologue was called " 20 Pounds" all about my wieght struggles and everyone elses struggle with my weight.

Featured the songs "Bitch", "Unpretty", "Fatso" and " Bushel and a Peck" from Guys and Dolls.

Eclectic, no?

Had some sweeties up for the game.

Fab was one of our contestants.....and was just that.. fab..he was easy on the eyes and wrote me a very nice email after the fact.

isn't that nice?

The Bittergirls were up and we tried a whole new thing....with the interview and all and finished with us singing " Enough Is Enough" .....Babs and Miz Summer would have been proud.

Thom Allison sang " I am Changing".....need I say more?

He needs to be doin' his own thing.....I have a link to his website on my links page at sharronmatthews.com

Write him and tell him so!

Then the surprise.....drum roll....

Steve Ross.....he burned up the stage with " Someone to Fall Back On" by Jason Robert Brown....then told some killer stories.....Fat Jesus.....oh my I laughed more than I talked.....I had alot of fun with my guests and again felt so lucky to have the friends that I have.......

I announced the rest of the dates this year and talked about our TShirt campaign.

You can get a "Sharron's Bitch" Tshirt for 15 bucks and all the money goes to our live CD that we are planning.

Patrick had been wearing the original around and getting comments about it so we thought ...why the frick not?

After the big show I ran home and got into bed ......got picked up by 7:50 am and was on set of the new CBC comedy " Altar Boy Gang" by 9:00am.

I felt very fancy and very blessed and .......very fancy.

Linda Kash, you will remember her from "Guffman" where she played Eugene Levy's wife, Mrs. Pearl........she is one of the leads on this show.

She and I did the Music Man movie together so I was very happy to be there with her. It always makes doing a few days on something a bit more free and fun....and I think this show is pretty funny.

I am playing a Catholic League Woman.....that is my title.....again......playing type......or no? I have decided to name myself Susan.

What the frick, eh? Not that I am method or anything....just nice to have a name......

Anyway......I felt a little fried by the time I finished yesterday but....again....I felt pretty happy.

It has been an amazing whirlwind of a couple of days.

And tomorrow I awake and begin the work again!

It is my birthday show on the 18th.....I forgot to say that.....so it will be my favourite stuff.

Wooo wooooo!

Hope we are packed to the rafters!

Summer Party had me all excited!

I am soooo excited!

I feel like it is back to school time tomorrow and it kinda is.

To make my day even more exciting I start rehearsals for Hairspray tomorrow morning....kinda wish it was another day, but ah well, I am gonna be like a little puppy on Tuesday.....all pooped out.

I have been working my ass off all week to bring you the goods......I think that we are gonna have some fun.

and my Mom is coming so it we could cap the dirty language.....oh wait.....I forgot that one of my fave words is m#^&*rf+@?#*r .... that so wrong.

Yesterday I was running my Songologue for Mary Francis Moore ...the awesome director and Bittergirl ...at the park and I became a little freaked that I will sing and do my thing anywhere....I have no shame..

What else.....wait till you see our new swag...Thom will be selling his CD's and the Bittergirls are gonna help us learn to get dumped and be awesome ....at the same time.....

Is Gravol addictive?

It is 12:50pm.
My Mom went to bed on the living room couch......don't judge me harshly....it is a great and comfy couch.....at 10:00pm and I was relegated to my bedroom like a teenager.
But I used the time to read some more of the "Bittergirl" book ...oh dear...I have been laughing out loud and you all know that I only truly do that when I watch America's Funniest....so it has gotta be good.
The show is coming up soon and I gotta say....I am excited....so much so that I haven't been able to get to sleep for the last few nights.
Yup....just like before the first day of school. It really is gonna be a fun show....new stuff.....
I went to Fashion Crimes today...fuck I love it there.
I got two AWESOME outfits.
I brought my Mom with me...she couldn't get over all of the clothes and the women who help me.....I always feel so sexy in those clothes......whew.
So....after trying to sleep .....I am just not getting sleepy....so I cracked half a Gravol.....is that so wrong.......does it make me a drug addict?
I thought that I might come here and write something down to my faithful 3 readers.
How are all three of you?
I have an audition tomorrow for a film........I am playing a woman who runs a daycare centre....wow....have they ever got me pegged wrong.....but I am an actress...sigh.
Two words before I go on.
Rock....star!
Awesome.....Dilana is going bad ...which is sad cause I really liked her...but now I am hoping that Magni will win...he reminds me of George. Watch it....it rocks!
Survivor.
Weird.
Just read that they are separating everyone into groups based on race.
Ew.
How is that gonna work out?
Am I done with it now.
Random Gravol induced thoughts.......
Why is it suddenly winter?
If you blow your nose ....do you lose weight?
When will "Lost" start again?
When will the Gravol kick in?
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

OOOPIE!

Sorry guys.....the Bittergirls website is

thebittergirls.com

that is the place you should go to....

if you don't get this go down one blog entry and it will all make sense!

Bittergirl!!!

Hey Bloggers,

I have a mission for you!!!

The Bittergirls.... Alison Lawrence, Mary Francis Moore....Annabel Griffiths cannot come as she is quite pregnant.......(check out their website bittergirls.com )

are coming to Sharron's Party on August 28th ...they know all about being dumped and are not afraid to talk about it.....they have had a hugely successful number of runs of their show, wrote a book, were on the Today show to promote it and are now developing it even more......I wanna ask them some questions but more importantly I want you to ask them some questions .....sooooo... bloggers.....go and and get their book....read their website and give me some questions to ask them!!!

We had a little meeting today and gosh am I excited to have them.......they are great....we talked about clothes forever and Patrick just looked confused.....ah Girls.......

So.......get on it!!!

Or Get down on it!

It is gonna be awesome!

Write them here or email me via my website...sharronmatthews.com!

Ta.

Fancy Pants

Well, I don't usually mentions articles.......but Paul pointed out that I had glossed over that fact in my blog yesterday....as I said to him....... I am always terrified that I will come off like an ass so I like to read it first.

Very Happy.....Rita Zekas did a great job...I really like the way she coins a phrase and we had a great time doing the interview part at the Rivoli...she is very nice and we were chatting like girlfriends. It was a great day and I am happy that Fashion Crimes got such a great spread...they are the best....

One problem....when I read and article for the first time I usually skim it......by the time I got halfway down the page I thought...."Who is Paul?"

Oh god.

Oh no.

Patrick.

I called him by his name.

She wrote it twice....and once with ME saying it in a sentence.....ah Diva...that is what I call him...the unsung hero of the Party.

He took it way better than I would have.....I hope he isn't smashing down on the inside!

Now, at the next show we will all let him know how great he is....although Thom Allison thinks we should address him as his alter ego....Paul Burtman. When I want something.... and he doesn't do it...I should say " Paul Burtman would do it."

!

?

Maybe that Is only funny to Thom and I.