Well.
I have just gone back and forth about delving into the wonderfulness that was last night at Metro Square.
I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a truck...you know that kind of tired?
I didn't (and still don't) know if I have the brain power to really capture the awesomeness of the evening.
I think I was getting tired last night and then when VJ John Bantay, from Musical Mondays at Splash in New York City played the Tony Awards version of "I am Telling You.." from 1983 (?) at the after party at Buddies and John Austin dragged me up onto the stage and we ACTED THE WHOLE thing out...well, that just pushed me over the edge...
I woke and thought, "Oh my god...my this hurts...my that hurts...how?....ah yes....Effie"....a gal has to know her limits....NONE!!! NONE, people.
When you wake up and find this picture on your coffee table, you know you've had a good night....
Huh....I guess...well, I must have been tired...as tired as Tyson, on the floor beside the shoes on the table (Haven't I ever seen Blood Brothers?....for those of you who get that...I thank you)
Last night was amazing.
When I went in for rehearsal in the early afternoon with the amazing arranger, accompanist and composer Lance Horne (who I introduced in the show last night and listed all of his credits EXCEPT that he had JUST accompanied Kristen Chenoweth in London last week in front of THE Queen...yes, "THE", not "A"....and Barrack Obama....I told him I only read what is written on my cards) I was unsure of what the day would hold...I knew it would be great...but would it rain...would people come because it had already been raining....you just never know.
I was going through Bohemian with Lance, Dale (Drummer of awesome from Stratford) and the Cellist...who's name was so gorgeous and lovely I was afraid to ask what it was again in case I still could not process it with my simple mind....when I heard the door close and there was Meow Meow...one of the most interesting and amazing artists I have ever seen...she would also be performing at the gig that night. I had written and article about her and she said she really liked it....I was a bit giggly. You know that takes a lot, people.
When I admire someone that much...that MUCH...I find it hard to hold an intelligent conversation.
Truth.
Anyhow, I went to the FANTASTIC Fashion Crimes to pick out my outfit for the night....GORGEOUS navy lace...with a red sash....all "Maria" from West Side opposite...you guys know how I love the www.fashioncrimes.com ...and just so you know they are having a FANTASTIC sale...run don't walk.
Then I went to the soundcheck.
Sky=Overcast.
But, we were not going to be negative about the fucking weather.
When the cast of "Jesus Christ Superstar" showed up, I saw friends old and new...I remembered, with GREAT excitement, that I would be seeing a lot of musical theatre people that I have not seen in a while...and I pined a bit for me musical theatre days (yes, you know how I get)...it was bittersweet...but more sweet.
They got up onto the stage and did their sound check...and I could have cried.
They were amazing.
They sounded amazing....artist after artist sang and I was so fucking excited for the night...Bruce Dow (I mean, really, what can you say about Bruce...he is just the best), Lee Siegel (fuck, what a vocalist)....the crazy Superstar Ladies Melissa O'Neil, Dominique Roy and Katrina Reynolds (belting the shit outta that shit), Josh Young....okay, people...this is one of the richest rock voices I have heard...ever...and Jonathan Winsby who filled in for the ailing Paul Nolan...and sang the crap out of Gethsemane...it was just...wow....that is all I have to say....wow.
GO SEE JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR!!!
And then the lovely people of "My Fair Lady" were up and I could not have been happier to see the lovely Deb Hay...who sang like a dream....Ben Campbell...the perfect Higgins...Jeff Irving as the delightful Freddy and the set was capped off with Neil Barclay as Doolittle...so different from the JSS set but so perfect.
GO SEE MY FAIR LADY!!!
I was just so happy that Chris Lorway, the AD of Luminato (who, sadly, is leaving after this festival) arranged this night...saw the merits of arranging this night...and just seeing these Canadian artists doing their thing in one place...magic, as my friend Mark says.
And, through the magic of Chris Lorway, I had the amazing chance to work with Lance Horne...who really is amazing artist and after I saw him playing for Allan Cumming and the aforementioned Meow Meow at the Edinburgh Festival last year, I could not wait for the chance.
The inimitable Shawn Hitchens, (Who I had the pleasure of co hosting this mega-fabu night with) Lance and myself put together a Broadway Medley...some lovely person put a tiny clip up of it on flicker...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tadeoberjon/5830976553/in/photostream/
Coolness...Shawn...good Fosse...good fucking Fosse.
The audience was so excited!!! And loving the musical theatre....MUSICAL THEATRE, BITCHES!!!
I did a bit of Bohemian...Chris tells me I can have a copy of the video they have made...sups cool....but till the here is a bit from the same person on flicker...thanks again....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tadeoberjon/5831035219/in/photostream/
Nothing like a fucking Jumbotron to make you feel fancy.
And Meow Meow...what do you say?
If you were there last night, I know you can't wait to see here again...you are struck...she is an inspiration.
Yes, she is.
As I looked out into the crowd and watched the rain coming down and everyone standing there watching her do her encore in totaly silence....again, magic.
And here she is...thanks to the trusty FLICKER person.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tadeoberjon/5831544528/in/photostream/
Last year, Chris Lorway, him told me about her.
I went home and googled the shit out of her.
Wow.
Huh.
She looks like SEXY BEAST of theatre.
I gotta see her show in Scotland, thinks I.
And I did...and I was forever changed.
Changed in the imaginings of what my limitations are...
Changed in thinking that there are rules in theatre.
Changed...
I would not have gone back to meet her if Wayne Gwillim had not made me.
I kinda waxed poetic about when I would get the chance to work with her...and a year later...here we were.
Remember all those donations I received last year so I could take my show places?
I stood offstage last night and watched Meow Meow and just coulda cried....again...from total happiness.
It is worth it, Canada...it is worth it to fund artists to go and do their work...things happen...artists meet...knowledge is passed on...connections are made. Shawn Hitchens is bringing his show to the same venue that I did my show at last year in Scotland. We will be there at the same time...he is brave and he is talented and he is gonna do the EDFRINGE!
Thanks again, TO ALL who supported me last year...I cannot thank you enough.
And, don't forget...I GO BACK THIS YEAR!!!
http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/sharron-matthews-superstar-jesus-thinks-i-m-funny
I wanna thank Scott McVittie, Mitchell Marcus, Lance Horne and Shawn Hitchens who made the night such a dream...one they were equally excited about.
And mostly, thanks to Chris Lorway for making it happen.
This town has a lot to thank you for, sir.
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