A. Gaboury

dossier: Russel Harder of TRIVIA CLUB

Today I’m very excited to expand the scope of my dossiers outside of the world of theatre and into a slightly different one: the world of Trivia! The range of Really-Cool-Stuff happening in this city always impresses me. That said, Russel and I met each other about a year ago at a theatre event. Surprise! He was hosting, I did a last minute reading of something that is no longer a thing. I met a lot of people that night I surround myself with frequently.

I find it fitting that this talk with Russel is happening now. My life changed drastically over the last year and, as you’re about to find out, so did Russel’s!

Alright, no more blabbering. I present dossier #6:

Who are we talking with?

Russel Harder. The self-proclaimed enfant-terrible of Toronto independent thea– oh no wait, that was one of the last dossiers on Brandon Crone. heh, My bad. I’m a Toronto-based actor and filmmaker, and a product of the Atlantic Theatre Company Acting School, the school of David Mamet’s Practical Ascetics that is housed across from the Chelsea Market in Manhattan. The specific Russel we’re talking to for this dossier, to make this as much like written proof of my multiple personalities as possible, is the host, the stand-up, the one man show, the master of ceremonies responsible for Trivia Club.

What drew you to hosting?

There’s an obvious charm of being the one in charge, the one with the microphone. I rarely thought about hosting though, other then the odd wedding of a friend where-in I was the safe pick for MC because I was a professionally trained actor and all, muhuhuh *straightens bow-tie*… More so though, it’s equal parts loving to read the questions when I played Trivial Pursuit, and the ability to approach hosting as a two-hour one-man improv. Sometimes that means saying yes, and being the straight man to an insanely clever crowd. It’s invaluable rep time in front of people. Not to mention you’re being paid to be personable, which may be something of a dream job for me. As far as influences go? The easy answer is Jeopardy and Alex Trebek, isn’t it? There’s a reason why my final round of Trivia Night bares a striking resemblance to this Merv Griffin Production. Though while Trebek has to keep straight-laced and calm, like a pro, even in the face of Sean Connery, I can be a bit more wild and have fun with the room. Then again, that’s one of the perks of working within a bar.

Why trivia?

I’m a fan of pop culture, of useless knowledge. Always have been. Even before I knew I loved being the center of attention I knew that I loved obscure things about the Titanic and dinosaurs, or strange facts like how mosquitos are more attracted to you if you’ve recently eaten bananas (and you can thank the ol’ Disney Adventures digest for that one). There’s a certain wonderful fun that’s to be found in sharing the nostalgia of your youth with others. That’s why I could never order packets from some American trivia house, why I have to build my own series of questions for every single show. I mean, inherently pop culture is short hand for a lot of people and hosting a trivia night that I also produce and promote on my own simply gives me the chance to share that experience with a large group of people. It’s intoxicating, bringing up “My Pet Monster” and having people sing along to the theme song. Then there’s the moments where you really surprise people with an answer, or it’s that piece of trivia that they KNOW they should know so when they hear the answer… heh, I’ve found I thrive off of a slightly antagonistic relationship with the crowd.

The plan for Trivia Club came from going to my friend Alex’s trivia night actually (the only one I’ve ever been to, though I plan to do that as I’ve seemed to be part/possibly influence a trivia night boom in Parkdale and Roncy), at the Sonic Cafe near Kensington. It was awesome fun, a real barebones kind of set-up for a shoebox sized bar, but after he did the night once… he decided not to do it again. I had such a fun time too, and with the fact that I am THAT guy in a group of friends who knows everything random or pop culture related, I couldn’t help but host a trivia night myself. And improve on the idea that Alex gave me. The fun of a trivia night isn’t simply asking questions, but hooking people in with the game show aspect of it. It was by complete chance that I found Cardinal Rule (5 Roncesvalles Ave, at the corner of Queen and Roncesvalles) to be the perfect venue for what I wanted to do. The fact that, after 10 months, it’s grown to being twice a month and that it’s now sponsored by Mill St Brewery, is something that I never quite expected.

What is the earliest memory you have of wanting, or needing to be a host?

I’ve always loved the interview part of hosting, so it makes sense that I’m still knee deep in questions with Trivia Club @ Cardinal Rule. I think what you’re doing with these dossiers is pretty awesome actually. As a fan of pop culture, I’d much rather make the culture popular, especially local culture. I honestly love game shows, the competition on display, but my first hosting and what will always influence me is the talk show. David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, and on and on. I found a niche, even in niche projects with friends as the documenter, the interviewer, throwing in “special features” to make it a magazine. I suppose that, when I was 11 or 12, is my earliest feeling of hosting.

Do you have a favourite memory from a past Trivia Club?

When Mill St Brewery started sponsoring Trivia Club. Ooo yeah, drink Mill St Cobble Stone Stout! (this answer brought to you by Mill Street Brewery) In all honesty this made me do some serious digging, which was quite useful with Trivia Club’s Anniversary Spectacular coming up on the 10th of April. Thanks for the reminder! I say that and I still won’t give a specific answer. I’ve mentioned being a fan of the energy that this night brings, the groans of defeat or the outright jubilant cheer of victories small and large. What has really been exciting has been the minutest victories, victories by HALF a point at the end of the night even after 50+ points have been won, that gets the Champion of the month the Golden VHS (last month was The Jungle Book).

Describe Trivia Club in three adjectives or a phrase.

Unpredictable. Inspiring. It’s not what you know, it’s what you learn along the way. That last phrase has not only become my trademark way to sign-off at the end of the night, Trivia Club’s defacto catchphrase, it’s my “Goodnight and good luck”, and an olive branch to those who don’t think they’re any good at trivia nights, but also something of a motto for my approach to this event. Now in my eleventh month with the production it’s evolved month in and month out, as I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t with a show. How to keep things exciting and new, how to work with crowds, and deal with hecklers. I know much more about production, promotion, and hell even contract negotiating then I did before. I’ve also gained a family of friends at Cardinal Rule. They truly are excellent folks, and it doesn’t hurt that the food is fantastic.

Do you have anything you want to share with us? A story? A photo? A song? A video?

A blind man’s seeing eye dog pissed on the blind man’s shoe. The blind man said, “Here Rover, I’ve got a treat for you!” The blind man’s wife said, “Honey, you can’t let that pass!” But the blind man said, “I gotta find his mouth, so I can kick ‘im in the ass.”

Okay, so that wasn’t even a good story, it was a bad joke from Prairie Home Companion. For good stories, I welcomely direct everyone to my friend Arianne Shaffer’s website. She’s incredibly entertaining and also whip smart. http://youlooklikemestorytelling.com/

Aside from hosting Trivia Club, acting, and filmmaking, I also checked a box on my bucket list by getting paid to read comics. You can read the labor of those fruits, my comic book reviews, on the Silver Snail website. http://www.silversnail.com/main/

In honor of valentine’s day, I suggest everyone watch this Trivia Club classic (I’m sure the people that regularly come to Cardinal Rule will be surprised that I linked neither Alanis Morissette or David Bowie):

And finally, I wouldn’t feel right without leaving your readers a little bit of trivia to answer. Now I usually don’t do multiple choice with Trivia Club, as it isn’t as conductive to the large crowd atmosphere but a bit of clicking the right answer wouldn’t be a turrible idea for this format! As an added bonus, real-live Trivia Club sounds will be used to give you that at-home experience.

In the film, The Princess Bride, what special effects technique was used to create the Rodents Of Unusual Size?

A) LIVE ANIMALS IN HEAVY MAKE-UP

B) ANIMATRONICS

C) LITTLE PEOPLE IN RAT SUITS

Hope everyone knocked that question out of the park, and now want to go and watch The Princess Bride again. So yes, come out to Trivia Club at Cardinal Rule. It’s the second and now also fourth (usually the last) WEDNESDAY of each month, which means for both February and March you’ll have a chance to enjoy Trivia Club on the 13th and the 27th of the month! Then in April, on the 10th, Trivia Club will be celebrating its ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! So make sure to come out for that massive celebration that will be sure to give all the awesomeness of the past twelve months of trivia some due gravitas. I look forward to seeing you at Cardinal Rule, for the prizes, the knowledge, the great food, and drinks, and friends.

Remember it’s not what you know, it’s what you learn along the way.

dossier: Natalie Frijia for WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?

The last time this year I did something truly wintery I was skating with some friends over at Christie Pits. This is where I glided into Natalie, someone I haven’t seen probably since our days in University together. I directed a show of Natalie’s in my fourth year, an experience that really helped shape how I would approach directing and general theatre-making for years after. So, while we were out on the ice, me stumbling, her stumbling more gracefully, we chatted about the upcoming WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE? festival her company Back Burner produces and curates. Seeing as how today I’m doing another truly wintery thing, having no place of work to go to because of bus cancellations and instead deciding to stay in my pyjamas and watch the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, I decided it would be fitting to share this now.

So, without any ado, on to dossier # 5:

Who are we talking with?

Natalie Frijia, one of the coordinators of the What Are You Doing Up There?! Festival with Back Burner Productions!

What drew you to this? (to theatre, to WAYDUT, to each other, to wherever you are right now?)

One day, I presented a playwriting exercise in front of an audience. I hated speaking in front of people. The result: not great. Mortifying, actually. One member of the audience told me it was the worst piece of theatre they have ever seen. Ouch. As I was walking out, contemplating my decision to be in theatre, someone ran up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. I vaguely recognized the person, having seen him around the school halls, and I knew his name, but I was also fairly sure he didn’t know me. He said, “I really liked what you did. I run a theatre company, and we’re organizing a theatre festival. We want to reach out to more emerging female playwrights. Would you be interested in bringing a show there?” Of course, I jumped at the opportunity.

And then, he filled in the details. The festival would be in the basement of his house.

Right. A festival in the basement of a house. Sure, that’s a real thing. I had images in my head of walking into a horror story, all because I was excited that someone didn’t hate my work – or, more specifically, the idea that I could have a second chance in front of an audience.

But I asked around school. This guy – Guy Doucette, in fact – people said good things about him. People said, “If Guy says he’s having a theatre festival, then he’s having a theatre festival.”

Curiosity got the better of me. I went to check it out.

And LOVED it. The mix of emerging and more established artists, the air of collaboration and constructive criticism between artists, the sheer joy of just sharing your work in front of an excited and accepting audience. It was a great space to both develop work, connect with fellow artists, and grow in a theatrical community.

In 2009, Guy asked if I’d want to help him out with some festival organizing.

Five years later, here I am, excited to keep creating opportunities for artists to put their ideas on stage, just like the festival once did for me.

Why What Are You Doing Up There? Haven’t I heard of this festival before, but with a slightly different name?

This festival has had more than a few names. We started out at the What Are You Doing DOWN There?! Festival back in 2007, in the basement of Guy’s house. After four years there, and more than a few festival nights filled with audience members making each other’s acquaintances by sitting almost directly on a stranger’s lap, we moved into the back space of the Dominion on Queen – and became the What Are You Doing Back There?! Festival. As we want the festival to keep growing, keep reaching out to emerging artists and developing our connections with artists we’ve worked with in the past, we wanted to move UP to a new space – at Siren Rock Studios. And, as fun Back Burner history connection: Andrew Cromey, one of the owners of Siren Rock Studios, was Guy’s old housemate, and used to be a part of running Back Burner Productions when it was still down there in the basement.

Back Burner has humble and quite charming origins. Tell us your favourite story from the house.

February 20th, 2010. We had twelve acts scheduled that night, plus an MC, and at 7:45pm, the basement was full.

Not just full.

PACKED.

I was squished into the “tech booth” (which, at this point, was little more than a corner of the basement, covered by a curtain, that was already being pushed in by audience members sitting up against it) with Guy, our technical, Alyksandra Ackerman, and the MC for the evening, Kristian Reimer. We debated our options. We could close the doors to incoming audience members, ask any participating artists to sit outside… Or, we could dismantle the tech booth, stack up a few rows of chairs, put some pillows on the ground, and ask people to get cozy and make friends with their neighbours.

We opted for the latter.

Our stage went from an already tiny space – maybe a 5′ or 6′ by 4′, if that, to a square, two steps across, right up against the back wall. Our opening act for that evening was musician Corrina Keeling. She walked out on stage, stepping over audience members, took a look around, sat down on the floor, and just played.

At one count, we had about 80 people in the basement. Plus Luna, the house cat, Spanky, the dog, both of whom made frequent and unannounced appearances in the acts. We may have been squished, but there was a fantastic sense of community there that night.

What is the earliest memory you have of wanting, or needing to do this?

The idea of the What Are You Doing Down/Back/Up There?! Festival is to get those projects we’re working on, off our back burners, and onto the stage. I think a lot of times, we wait for perfect moments to show our work to an audience – when the script is just right, or when the opportunity arises, and it’s hard to develop as an artist if you don’t show your work to an audience. We want to make that opportunity.

Personally though, I was drawn to the festival because it was an opportunity to do something and connect emerging and established artists NOW.

Years before I even heard of Back Burner, I schemed with a good friend about starting up an arts festival. He was a musician and filmmaker. I was a playwright and working in scenic art. We wanted to pool our resources and create a gigantic, magical arts festival… someday. After we graduated, and made a bit of money, and got a name for ourselves in the art community, etc. There was a lot of scheming, and a lot of saying “someday”.

To make a long story short, he died, and we never followed through on any of those ideas we had on the back burner. And we had some GREAT ideas.

So the earliest memory I have of wanting or needing to do a festival like this is that: you can’t wait for great opportunities to develop your work, connect with fellow artists, and get your ideas on stage, to just pop up, fully formed and fantastic. You have to make opportunities, and the more you work on them, the better they’ll become.

Which is what we hope for the festival: that every year is going to be bigger and more fantastic than the last, and that the artists who participate will grow from their experience.

In a sentence, tell us what to expect from WAYDUT.

An eclectic, eccentric and exciting mix of emerging and established artists in a celebration of the arts, where every night will bring you something very different.

Describe the event in three adjectives or phrases.

Celebration

Community

Artistic exploration

Do you have anything you want to share with us? A story? A photo? A song? A video?

I attached a photo of the really crowded night at the festival. It’s of performer, Jeff Giles (who’s in the festival this year as well), surrounded by audience members.

Check out Back Burner’s Facebook page for the WAYDUT Festival. The line-up is impressive and multi-faceted each night. It’s guaranteed to be an enjoyable time. Nicole Ratjen, a good friend of mine, will be MCing the first night as her clown Princess Penelope Pamplemousse as she searches for her wayward Prince Charming on Valentine’s Day. On Saturday, the 16th, come on out and see me in a staged reading of a new play by Michael Bedford, tentatively called [play].

Friend and writer-I-admire Peter Counter is hitting his writing stride with this whimsical yet honest blog about his coffee addiction, something many of us never look twice at. His post structures are consistent, allowing you an easy in, as he grapples with life around his morning, midday, afternoon, nighttime or anything in between brews.

Reading this always makes my day a bit happier.

Dry Beans & Ginger

The context:

It is Sunday, which as everyone knows is God’s pyjama day. And wow, what a day for him to choose. It’s beautiful outside, Toronto. So beautiful that I imagine you are reading this printed on loose leaf paper, sitting on a beach, drinking a mojito or Brava “the beer of summer,” bundled up in a winter coat, because it’s not actually that warm outside.

Due to a pact I made at last night’s belated Robbie Burns Day party, my girlfriend and I cancelled our Sunday beach plans and headed to 7 Grams, located on the edge of Yorkville, to visit our pal John. He gave us this:

The content:

size: indie large (regular sized mug)

price: a polar bear, a moose, a historically significant sail boat, and a beaver

coffee: drip coffee, with a clean spoon full of brown sugar and a little bit of half-and-half

Satan:

We should have gone to…

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dossier: Brandon Crone for TURTLENECK and SAFEWORD

Today’s dossier is exciting to me because it is the first to profile a Toronto playwright. I’ve met Brandon at a few events and his charisma and general excitement for anything theatre is awfully infectious. I have no doubt you’ll be able to get a glimpse of this below.

That said, here’s dossier #4:

Who are we talking with?

The self-proclaimed enfant-terrible of Toronto independent theatre. The title is a little premature but here’s hoping it’ll stick. You’re speaking with Brandon Crone, Artistic Director of safeword.

Turtleneck is your first play. What drew you to playwriting?

The whole thing sort of happened unexpectedly. I never thought I would be a writer. When I was studying theatre in school, I was surrounded by playwrights who were constantly working on new material and I generally concluded that in order to be a playwright, it was required that you possess a natural skill with language and that was something I would never be able to attain to. I was always very good at structure but hopelessly inarticulate. It wasn’t until I started reading Harold Pinter for the first time that I suddenly realized that I could potentially use this impediment to my advantage when crafting a play. The way he uses language as a cover or a code to illuminate the true desires of his characters made me realize that most people aren’t actually that particularly lyrical or articulate in their daily interactions with other people. It’s what’s going on underneath those commonplace phrases or jumbled sentences that’s most exciting to me and more true to life in any case. I attended a bi-monthly, play-reading group that was created by two friends of mine, Andrew Young and Shayne Monaghan called Monday Night New Works, where people could bring in new work to share and discuss with fellow writers. After that, I told them I would write something and bring it in to be read at the next session. During that month and the half, I wrote Turtleneck start to finish and it hasn’t changed much since then.

What is you earliest memory of wanting, or needing to do theatre?

Since birth I guess. I’ve been doing it for long as I can remember. When I was growing up, my Mom ran her own daycare in our basement so I was always surrounded by other kids at a young age. She would read us stories, fairy tales, nursery rhymes and when we went on to the park, she recalls me directing all the other children in visionary re-enactments of the stories. There are also very embarrassing photos of me wearing a dress when I single-handedly directed and choreographed a production of The Nutcracker with my Grade Two class in the playground and presented it to the school’s faculty and students unannounced. It’s never been something I’ve had to think about because that need has always been inside me and I’ve always pursued it. I’ve been very fortunate to know from an early age what I wanted to do in life.

Turtleneck only has 30 seats per showing. Was this a conscious choice, or just a side effect of the venue?

A little of both. The initial idea was to do a small, intimate production but choosing to have specifically 30 seats was influenced by the size and capacity of our venue. However, having rehearsed in the space while experiencing the show from the viewpoint of the audience makes me realize that it has definitely worked out in our favour. Everyone is in such close proximity to the action that it’s hard not to feel like you’re a part of the play. It really creates an encompassing effect that perfectly lends itself to the overall theme of the show.

What has been your favourite memory from writing and/or directing Turtleneck?

What I’ve enjoyed most is the conversations I’ve had upon sharing it with other people. Turtleneck is an experience. You either come out of it deeply moved, deeply offended or in a strange limbo of moral ambiguity so for me what’s most important about this project is being able to create a forum of meaningful discussion and reflection about important issues, feelings and experiences. I’ve been living in the Turtleneck bubble for the past few months now as we ready ourselves for the production and in a way I really don’t want it to end. I wish we could just keep meeting together in rehearsals to work on the material, talk about it and explore the infinite ways the text can be interpreted. But now the time is fast approaching for us to share the fine work everyone’s put into this show with our audiences. I think that’s what I’m most looking forward. How are people going to react to this crazy play?!

Describe Turtleneck in three adjectives or phrases.

Carnal – The play is very driven by sexual desire in all its different lights. But whether it be sensual, tender, rapturous, forceful, aggressive, pathetic, mournful or just plain repulsive, it all derives from our base, primal instincts.

Side-splitting – Did I mention it’s a comedy? There are certain moments in the show where I can always guarantee without fail that I will be curled up in a ball on the floor crying my eyes out with laughter.

Haunting – When all is said and done, the play just stays with you. It’s designed in a way that allows the audience to draw their own conclusions and try to piece together the rubble for themselves.

Do you have anything you’d like to share with us? A story? A picture? A video? A song?

Yes, here’s the link to our show trailer:

Turtleneck is happening from Feb 7th-17th at hub14 (14 Markham St., just West of Queen and Bathurst). Tickets are only $15. Since seating is limited, it’s best to book online ahead of time at http://www.secureaseat.com/turtleneck to ensure you’ll get a spot.

Shows are on Thurs, Fri, Sat evenings at 8pm and Sat and Sun matinees at 2pm.

It’s gonna be a fantastic production and I hope everyone will try their best to come out to experience the ride.

For more info on safeword, “Like” our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/safewordtheatre