Janna’s Blog

I know, I know, I know. It’s been a while. How are we friends?

I haven’t blogged because I didn’t really feel like I had much to say there for a while. I’ve done a few things since closing TSOM and had a blast, so what better to share than some good memories.

We left off with Costa Rica (which I still think about a lot) and eye surgery. Lets move onto some jobs. I can’t remember if I talked about doing The Decameron workshop. Well I did. And it was beautiful. The Decameron was based on a novel that explores a group of Italians during the plague and what they do to enjoy life when they are so close to death. It gets told through a series of stories. Very funny stories. And mostly sexual. Good times.

There were a few of us from TSOM that were in it which I think helped make the transition of leaving that show easier. We had two concert style performances of the show, then done and done. Now we’re waiting to hear if anyone who has money wants to give them some to create a real production of it. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? In any case, thank you to those who came to see it, we really appreciated the support.

Then there was Woodstock Day at the Skydome. Singing the anthems. So fun! Woodstonians can cheer like the mad herd of dairy lovers that we are!

Next came a show in Barrie, and again it was a concert performance of a Canadian musical called Colours in the Storm. I felt very connected with this one because I remember doing a project on Tom Thomson in high school and have loved his work since. Based on Tom Thomson the Canadian painter, the show explores his few years in Algonquin and ultimately what may have happened in regards to his mysterious death.

The cast was awesome, and starred two of Canada’s top leading musical men Adam Brazier and Evan Buliung. I was nervous and excited to work with them and we all had way too much fun. Not nerve wracking at all, but incredibly nice and stupidly talented. Everyone was. I was also working with a fellow Sound of Music family member Jeffrey Huard, who was our music god and conductor. The two performances were put on by Talk is Free Theatre up in Barrie, which is a great company that produces shows that are exciting, unique and relevant rather than your basic money grabbing hits. Check out their site and if you are in the Barrie area, drop in. And again, they’re probably looking for anyone who would like to finance a real production of the show…

Next comes the elaborately fun Pirates of Penzance which just finished last week. Oh man, that show is crazy! Gilbert and Sullivan are comic geniuses. Though I have to say the storyline is weird and at parts hard to follow but the comedy and modern references make up. Ours did anyway! I was performing with the Woodstock Choralaires and various big names from the Woodstock area and some out of town professionals. The Choralaires were such a joy to work with and really knew their stuff!

I don’t have much operatic training at all so this show was a bit of a challenge vocally for me. The only way I could sound decent was to, in my head, imitate an opera singer. Funny how that works. Good thing the show had to be over the top too. That helped. They even rented some costume pieces from Stratford and I had the coolest bonnet ever! It was its own star.

Also between those shows I was working on a website for a vocal group I am a part of called Good Company. The group stemmed from the bunch of us that performed at the St. Lucia benefit concerts in Oakville for the last two years. Most of us were in TSOM and our strength is that we have all at some point been in all the mega musicals that have hit Toronto over the years. If anyone you know is looking for entertainment for a special event, check out the site and give us a shout. We can be anywhere from 6-12 performers and can base our sets on what music you’d like to hear.

So that’s pretty much where I’m at right now. Working on some things for the summer and I’ll post something as soon as things are a go. Still hoping to get an art show going but I need to paint to start that. I think I have painters block right now. I got to do the paintings we used for Thomson’s boards in the Colours… and I thought that would get me inspired again but sadly not yet. It’ll come.

Oh! And next week I’ll be singing back up vocals for a wonderfully talented singer/songwriter Sara Kamin! She’s performing at Hugh’s Room downtown this Tuesday the 25th. If you’re in the city and want to hear some great local music, come visit! Go listen to her stuff on myspace or just buy a cd. Her songs tell captivating stories, her music flows like water, and her voice sounds like butter. I met her through my college roommate and another fantastic singer/songwriter Trevor Campbell. He just had a cd release party and his new album is great. Cute song called More Bridges that I can’t get out of my head. Go check him out too. And while you’re at it check out The Rising Hedons and Ben Kunder. (I recently created a playlist a they’re all in my brain right now)

Movies: How To Train Your Dragon - um…probably one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time. It was spectacular. It was touching, gorgeous, thrilling, wild, the music was perfect, voices were genius, and the dragon was pretty much my cat. I think they were secretly studying Smeagol to get ideas for him. You don’t need kids to go see it. Just go. I am an avid Pixar fan, but this better take an award for better animated movie.

Lost. Fan? I love it. I love it more the more it doesn’t make sense. I love how things couldn’t possibly be explained to our satisfaction at this point. Or can they? Will we be satisfied after the finale? Wouldn’t that be amazing? I’ve never been this devoted to a show. I even stopped watching 24 after dubbing it the best television show I’d ever watched. But Lost…is a drug.

Until next time…