Live Out Loud Theatre

Choral Workshop With Josh Carley - Nov. 30th!!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Mortlach Arts Presents...A Choral Workshop With Josh Carley! from KJ Konkin on Vimeo.

LOCATION CONFIRMED: THE WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE MORTLACH HALL @ 7:30PM ON NOV. 24TH !!

Shim Sham TV - A Success!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Sure, it was a little bit chaotic with a radiator springing a leak just minutes before, the news team showing up late and a gym filled to brim with students & community members both excited and terrified of what they were going to be asked to do...but all in all the fast paced, hour long event was a big success. Sasktel Max Channel 48 will air their story on Mortlach Arts on Novmember 24th and will be sending me a copy to put on the blog, so keep coming back for updates!

Pumpkin Love

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:51:00 +0000

Scripts, Scripts and More Scripts

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Just for those of you who might sometimes wonder what it is that I do when you don't see me out and about. Right now, it is all about scripts. I am writing TWO scripts and reading a whole bunch of other scripts and when I am not doing those two things I am emailing/skyping my fellow theatre folk across Canada about which scripts I should be reading or writing.

First off, writing is hard work. Unbelievably rewarding, but hard work. To have to come up with something-ness from nothing-ness is a creative feat that is much greater than singing, dancing or acting. At least it is for me. And then to write something that will make people laugh - or cry - and to make sure you communicate your messages with poetry and ease...intimidating stuff.

But I can procrastinate no longer. On Nov. 17th and 18th Leon and I will be performing/speaking at two different Albertan conferences and since we only have this week to rehearse, I gotta get the script finished today.

Then there is the One Acts. I am trying to find a play that truly inspires me to direct, but also has the kind of material in it that would work with the students. Plus, until I audition, I can't know how big or small of a cast I should be searching for...or if I should even be taking that into consideration. I did find one script that I liked alot - a black comedy written by a very accomplished Canadian writer - but it's too long. So, I am trying to get ahold of the author's agent to ask permission to 'adapt' the script. I've also started a script of my own, inspired by the themes and content of the play I just mentioned. I don't know. This is uncomfortably new for me...I've never directed anything before that I didn't ALREADY have a very clear vision for. This kind of creativity takes a whole new level of trust.

Scripts. Writing. And this Friday the Shim Sham workshop for the News Team from Regina. I do hope that my Mortlach folk will come out to dance because it will be such great PR for the town!! If you are around this Friday - join us! 11am at the school gym.

And If anyone has any script suggestions, by all means, contact me. Otherwise, I'll see you @ one of my workshops or at this Tuesday's Greg Cockerill concert!

November Workshops Video

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:17:00 +0000

November Workshops Video from KJ Konkin on Vimeo.

Wanna See Where the Artist In Residence Lives?

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:29:00 +0000

KJ & Leon give a video tour of their new rental house "The Manse" in Mortlach, SK!

Dancing With The Little Ones Videos!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000

I was able to capture the first and third classes on video and thought I would share them here since I am sooo proud of my class!

The first class we learned Hanna Montana's Hoedown Throwdown. The dance proved a little more difficult than I first realized, but the class did great!

Dancing With The Little Ones - Hoedown Throwdown from KJ Konkin on Vimeo.

The second class, we did Beyonce's Single Ladies dance and it looked SO GOOD, but silly me forgot her digital camera. The third was our Halloween class and so I taught the kids the Time Warp dance from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It gave them a chance to be creepy and work on the concepts of slow/fast and freeze poses. In this video I love watching the REALLY little ones keep up with the older ones.

Dancing With The Little Ones - Time Warp from KJ Konkin on Vimeo.

The class meets every Thursday @ The Mortlach Hall from 3:30-4:30 and costs $5 per class payable at the door. If you have any more questions, please email me at kjkonkin@gmail.com or call me at 306-684-9006.

Pictures & Video From Who's (Mortlach) Line Is It Anyway?

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:17:00 +0000

Leon's Improv Workshop on Tuesday night was tremendously fun. Here are some pics and a little video clip of the great group of people that came out to play...

And a little tiny video clip of Ken and Tracey playing an improv game called Expert Interview. Here Ken is being interviewed as the Expert in Bubblegum Spackle...

All in all, a huge success. We even had three out of towners join us - Ian, Tracey and Phillip! Now, I just gotta get more Mortlachians out...

Another Picture Of The Little Ones - With Attitude

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:16:00 +0000

This past Thursday, we all gathered and did some kick butt choreography to Beyonce's Single Ladies. My two gentleman were an awesome addition to the team;-) I told them to pose for a picture with lots of 'attitude' -- thus the looks on their faces. Having forgotten my digital video camera, I promised them all we would video the dance next week and then post it on the blog.

So....stay tuned!!!!!

Come Out And Meet Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Wondering who in the heck this new Artist in Residence might be? What she might be like? And who that crazy husband-looking fellow that seems to always be with her is? Well, tonight is your chance! Bring some food and let's chat at tonight's

Welcome Wagon's Meet and Greet Potluck Supper starting at 6:30pm @ The Mortlach Hall

We'd love to meet everybody. As of this weekend - at least that's what we've heard - we will have keys to our new rental house "The Manse". The moving truck is scheduled for Sunday and we hope to have access to all of our stuff AND spend Sunday night in our very own bed for the first time since August. 8th!

Working With The Youth

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:32:00 +0000

Yesterday was a big day for the Residency. We had our first Dancin' With The Little Ones dance class - see picture above (with assistant Shawna, sportin' our hip hop attitudes) - and we learned The Hoedown Throw Down from the Hannah Montana movie. For a difficult dance, these guys learned super fast. A couple of them already even knew much of the choreography! At the end of the class anybody from the group was invited to get up and show me some of their very own dance moves...which always proves to be my favorite part of the whole experience.

Dancin' With The Little Ones will continue on each Thursday @ 3:30pm in the Mortlach Hall. Fee is a $5 drop in fee. Bring your little guys age 4 - 10. If you're younger than 4 you can come, too, if you have a parent that will stay with you for the duration of the class. If you're slightly older, but wanna belong, you're invited, too!

I also had a top-secret workshop with Mrs. MacLachlan's Grade 9/10 Science class - see picture below. We related wave & particle motion to music in a very unexpected way and, I must say, the students impressed the pants off of Leon and I. I have video footage, but since it hasn't been decided yet if the students want to show off their new skills at the Christmas concert, I'm gonna hold off posting the video for now. But stay tuned...there may be a German-ish surprise coming to a stage near you.

Watch Mortlach Do The Shim Sham!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:12:00 +0000

Thanks to the small but mighty group that came out on a cold Thanksgiving Sunday to put Mortlach on the map! We lost one of our guys to the turkey before we filmed, but everyone else stuck in there and we all had tremendous fun! Make sure y'all don't miss the next workshop - IMPROV!! - on Oct. 27th from 7 -9 ...

Reminders, Updates and Some Fun Pics

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:29:00 +0000

Remember Everybody - the very first Community Workshop is this Sunday. Get your Thanksgiving on and come dance with me!!

Click here to remind yourself all about the Shim Sham Workshop...

Also, remember to check out the new Mortlach Arts Board which is situated right beside the Town Hall. Here's a pic of what it is looking like now that we are officially behind the Plexiglass...

Some updates on what I've been up to:

I've been spending lots of time at the school. I spoke to the grade 9-12s this past Monday to tell them all about the One Act Festival. This meeting was to let them know what the One Acts are all about, the commitment needed to be part of them and the fact that I would be having an call-to-interest meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13th, 2009 @ 12:15pm in the Library for anyone to was interested and serious about being part of the team. If I get enough interest and commitment at this meeting, I will sign Mortlach up to do a One Act at the Regional Drama Festival in Moose Jaw from March 25 - 27, 2010.

I will also be working with the Grade 5-6 class on a Musical Theatre number, a Physics class on making music with Boomwhackers (stayed tuned as these Physics-students-come-musicians MAY be coming to the Christmas Concert near you) and am scheduled to speak to a Communications class about a career in the professional theatre industry with some hands on participation thrown in. Keepin' busy at the school...

I was also part of a play reading at the University of Regina of a brand new work by award-winner Catherine Banks. We all read her script before hand in a private room and then she made a presentation to a larger audience.

I thought I would also throw in some fun pics of our experience at the Swap, Shop and Save Community Garage Sale. Here is my tutu being modeled by the lucky new owner...

And a hilarious pic of Leon trying on some second hand skates. He is determined to learn while we live in Mortlach! I entitled this pic "Gettin' Leon Ready For Some Small Town Livin'".

It also sounds like Paul Park's senior IP students may be taking on the project of capturing on video some the local elder's stories of Mortlach's history - something I really advocated for them to take on. I hope to help them to realize this goal and see some of Mortlach history preserved as part of my term's legacy.

See ya all on Sunday and have a fabulous Thanksgiving Weekend!!

Meeting Before The Meeting - 2010 Regional One Act Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:01:00 +0000

On Monday I met with the Grades 9 - 12 at Mortlach School to tell them all about the wonders of One Act Festival. I explained, I hope, the signifigance of both how GREAT being a part of the festival can be and how much WORK goes into competing. Then I let them know that I would be holding an initial meeting regarding the One Act Festival on:

Oct. 13th, 2009 @ 12:15 in the Library

to gauge interest. If I have enough students show up to that meeting that are ready and willing (and excited!) to go the long haul with me, then I will be signing Mortlach School up for the 2010 Regional One Act Drama Festival in Moose Jaw which will run from March 25 - 27, 2010. I am personally hoping that some really dedicated kids show up on Tuesday. I think going to the Festival could be a tremendous experience. But we'll only pursue it if that is what the students want. I'm not here to force an agenda, but to try and give Mortlach what it is they truly crave.

Dancing With The Little Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:41:00 +0000

Do you have a small child ages 4-10 who won't stop dancing around the house? Mortlach might have the thing for you...click the image below to make it bigger and read up on the details of the new Dancing With The Little Ones ongoing, casual, drop-in dance class that is starting Thursday Oct. 15th @ 3:30.

Remember, there is a $5 fee which you can pay at the door and if you have a little one that's Super Little (younger than 4 years) and would like them to dance, too, then all they need to belong is an adult to dance along with them for the duration of the class.

Ever Wanted To Be Part Of A Community Theatre Troupe?

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:36:00 +0000

Click on the poster above to get a larger size and read up on the details of the first brainstorming meeting being held in Mortlach in regards to wether or not there is enough interest and desire out there to start an official, year-round Mortlach Community Theatre Troupe. This isn't only for those who want to be ON stage, but for those that have other talents they would like to explore and share through the medium of theatre.

Hope to see you there.

Improv Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:50:00 +0000

Announcing the second workshop in our Mortlach Arts Community Workshop Series:

Who’s (Mortlach) Line Is It Anyway?

What: An improv workshop, filled with not just improv technique, but the games that make improvising so much fun!
When: Tuesday October 27th @ 7pm - 9pm
Who: All ages, any experience level
Facilitator: Leon Willey, Guest Artist Teacher (with co-facilitator Krista J. Konkin)
Fee: $5 payable at the door (all money made will be used to pay Guest Artist Teachers)

More Info: call Krista at 684-9006 or email her at kjkonkin@gmail.com

Click below for a video where you can meet your Guest Artist Teacher and find out more about the workshop!

Also...you can CLICK HERE to see some YouTube examples of the popular improv game "Props" being played by the WLIIA gang.

Shim Sham Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:11:00 +0000

The first workshop of my residency and it's gonna be a blast!! Here's a video introduction from yours truly:

Hey YouTube! We’re Doin’ The Shim Sham!

WHAT: A dance workshop where we will learn the Shim Sham - a 1920s originated jazz/line dance - and then video tape ourselves doing it in the streets of Mortlach, becoming part of a global Shim Sham community!
WHERE: The Mortlach Hall
WHEN: Sunday October 11th @ 2pm - 4pm
WHO: All ages, any experience level
FACILITATOR: Theatre Artist In Residence, Krista J. Konkin
FEE: $5 payable at the door (all money made will be used to pay future Guest Artist Teachers)

MORE INFO: call Krista at 684-9006 or email her at kjkonkin@gmail.com

Click on the YouTube video below to see how the Shim Sham is being done all over the world...

Come on Mortlach and surrounding area. let's show 'em how it's done in Saskatchewan! See ya on the Oct. 11th!!

Guitar Lessons And Garage Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:37:00 +0000

Bluenose Pickers and Keys To The Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:09:00 +0000

If Mortlach can keep attracting musicians with this kind of talent, it will start to build the kind of reputation like Forget, SK has built. Forget is known for it's Ananda Arthouse shows which bring in a different musical act every month. Regardless of how tiny a place might be, artists will talk and if a town is known for having a supportive arts community, those same artists will flock. I'm a theatre person, but I am a huge advocate for live musicians and have been tickled to have had experienced both We Could Be Cousins and the Bluenose Pickers in a matter for a few weeks. With The Deep Dark Woods shuttling into town and word of mouth spreading about, I'd love to see this tradition continue. Especially with this potluck layout - free for everyone, a great meal and as long as everyone is generous in their tips, a love offering way for the musicians to make a little dough for the night!

Last night I was also handed keys to the Hall and the Community Bulletin Board. I look forward to putting up stuff on the board right away and will add more and more as my upcoming meetings will start to solidify dates for workshops, etc. So, keep your eyes peeled to that Community Bulletin Board for all the artistic happenings...and be sure you'll see me in the Hall more and more. Yay!

Meetings, Meetings and More Meetings

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:28:00 +0000

I should have expected September to be filled with planning. Somehow, I had this vision that I would be expected to launch huge extravaganzas immediately. Luckily, I am being given the time to meet with lots of different people to talk about all the potential projects. Perhaps the extravaganzas will come later;-)

Some of the potential projects that are a brewin' (and note the word potential...not ALL these seeds will be planted and watered):

1. I've chatted with Monica Knight about her possibly coming to the school to do an entrepreneurship workshop with the kids. Since her and I have worked together in the past, she is hoping to utilize my presence in the town if the workshop comes to be.

2. MPAC a.k.a. Mortlach Performing Arts Club. This will be an extracurricular performing arts group that will meet after schools and may even be applicable for school credits. The club will meet once a week ideally and together we will learn all sorts of different performing arts - hip hop, musical theatre, tap dancing, tv/film acting, improv, scene study and maybe even a jam session with the professional musicians that seem to be flooding into town. The club will focus on whatever the kids are most eager to learn.

3. I've been approached to write and direct a broadway music revue as a fundraiser for an organization in Saskatoon. I am thinking of penning a sequel to the revue I wrote in 2003 To Broadway, With Love and delivering around Valentine's Day. If this comes to fruition, there may be a chance to remount it in Mortlach as a fundraiser there as well.

4. I am meeting with the Mortlach School on the 22nd to discuss various things. One is my involvement in the Christmas Show. Depending on the needs and wants of the faculty and students, I am most likely going to be involve on some level and in some way with helping to take the show to a whole new level. I've got some ideas that I look forward to throwing out there...we'll see what sticks.

5. I meet with the MJCC on Thursday to discuss if Mickey and Maude will come back to life in the spring of 2010. If so, I may revamp last year's script and recast my part with a different actor so that I can remain strictly in the writer/director/organizer role. We will also be pondering the financials around producing another musical next summer.

6. Chasta Ward - an old high school friend of mine - wrote to me the other day about starting up some dance lessons for the younger children. I am all over this! The only thing we are waiting to find out about before we pursue this is MPAC. If MPAC will fulfill the need for dance lessons, then we might be able to kill two birds with one stone. If not, extra dance lessons for the younger ones will be provided at the Mortlach Hall.

7. Rewrites to my Fringe-possible show Porchlight Confessions. It isn't long enough currently and yet it is a love project that I just can't seem to let go of. I am going to spend some time looking at it and if I can ever get it to be at least 45/50 minutes long then I would be curious to see if a workshop of it could be produced. Maybe even produced in Mortlach.

8. Community Workshops are the backbone of what I've already been doing with the community and what I hope to continue obviously. As a season opener, I think myself and Leon shall offer our classic improv workshop - tried and true. But my dream is to have a budget so that I can bring in guest artists/teachers to teach other types of workshops. Some examples might be Stella Salido Porter to teach a singing workshop, Josh Carley to teach a choral singing workshop, Greg Simison to teach a playwriting workshop, Leon Willey to teach an acting workshop, etc. These people (and so many other I know and would love to use) are incredibly talented and I would need to pay them. Which means either we find money from somewhere or their workshops have to be paid workshops.

9. Collaborative work with We Could Be Cousins and Deep Dark Woods. What kind of collaborative work, I do not know, but I'd love to figure something out.

10. I was thrilled to have a conversation with Chantal Devine and talk about ways I can be of service during their annual dinner theatre. I hope I can be of some help.

11. A meeting is still needed with Marilyn Knarr, but I am also hoping to be of similar service to the Mortlach Spring dinner theatre. Marilyn will still be the head honcho on that project, but I will be there to support the gang in whatever ways are wanted. As a side venture, I'd love to find out if there would be interest in giving the theatre group an official name and making the group a member of Theatre Saskatchewan.

12. The Spring School Show is also up in the air, but I know Mr. Nickel is hoping to see some collaborative work between myself and Marilyn in some way. She writes such good scripts...it would be an honor to work with her.

13. Ron Locke, Mortlach's mayor, really wants to see some theatre incorporated into the Saskatoon Berry Festival in 2010. The vision right now is to bring history to life with some strolling historical characters who can - in character - interact with the participants of the festival. My thought was that we could connect this somehow to the high school's history curriculum -- sure would make learning about local/Canadian history a lot more enjoyable for everyone!

14. I've just been asked as well to adjudicate for some musical theatre scholarships that are being given out by the Arts In Motion organization. I'm pleased, as an Artist in Residence serving Greater Mortlach Region to be able to volunteer my services to this wonderful scholarship program.

15. Talked to Linda Locke about coming in and doing some of the library readings to the little ones. Us actors love to tell stories.

16. Been dabbling with the idea of starting an Artist's Way group that I would run out of my house (once I've moved in!). The Artist's Way is a Julia Cameron book/program/curriculum that was written to help even the most uncreative of us find the Artist Within. It's twelve weeks long and group does it together, meeting once a week. I did it back in Toronto and loved it. Not sure if the people in Mortlach would embrace something like this, but it might be worth trying.

I could keep going, but this is a good beginning. And as you can see, more than enough to keep an artist busy. I look forward to all my upcoming meetings and am sure more than a few of these projects are going to be up, up and away in a very short time.

Stay tuned!

Contract Signed -- It's Official!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Last night I signed the Artist in Residence contract in front of a sold out crowd at the Mortlach Community Hall. This was after, of course, we had all chowed down on roast beef, potatoes and some infamous Saskatoon Berry Pie while watching We Could Be Cousins. The warm welcome I received was amazing and it felt great to finally make my residency official. Leon and I then sang a few tunes from Ain't We Got Fun with the beautiful Tracey Gardner accompanying us on a slightly-out-of-tune piano. Leon stood on tables, I had on awesome new teal-colored shoes, it was legendary.

Today, I am getting down to brass tacks. We Could Be Cousins has asked us to collaborate with them and so I am planning ways that might unfold. I'm also dreaming up ideas to throw out at the next school staff meeting regarding this year's Christmas Concert. I'm arranging meetings with other Artists in Residence, speaking with some ADs about swinging in for a show in Regina and contemplating penning a sequel to my To Broadway, With Love music revue for a fundraiser in the new year. I'd also like to do a first community workshop soon - probably an improv workshop as that is what the town is most used to - as a get-the-ball-rollin' kind of thing. Sounds like there will be a MPAC starting (Mortlach Performing Arts Club) as an extracurricular school activity. And, of course, I am picking the brains of all my theatre director friends for ideas on possible small hander One Acts that I could present to the high school students in regards to competing at MJ Regionals. Please, if anyone has any suggestions on any of the above, leave a comment on this post.

Mortlach related events I will be attending - Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village Museum's 2009 Threshing Bee where We Could Be Cousins will be playing this Sunday afternoon, The Bluenose Pickers at the Mortlach Hall Sunday September 20th and the Swap, Shop and Save on the 26th in Mortlach. This last one may not be terribly artistic in nature, but perhaps Leon and I can bring some artsy-ness to it in some way!

And So It Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:54:00 +0000

I have started my job. I am officially acting as the Theatre Artist in Residence in Mortlach, SK. Yesterday I met with Tim Nickel, the principal of the Mortlach School and was thrilled to see how excited everyone is about some of our proposed projects with the Youth. I will update the blog with more info on each of these as they are more fleshed out. For right now, I would like to invite everybody to the Welcome Dinner that is being held to introduce the Artist in Residency. It is this coming Wednesday night in Mortlach - Sept. 9th - and Leon and I will be singing a few favorites from Ain't We Got Fun.

Click Here For More Info...

In other AIR news, the house we were going to be moving into the weekend was sold unexpectedly, leaving us no immediate option for a place to live in Mortlach. This afternoon we are going to look at the Manse (the name for the official accommodation for a United Church Minister) that will be open as of Nov. 1st. It seems like it would be very suitable and very central, so if all goes well, we will be moving there in a couple of months. Until that time, Leon and I are living with my mother in Moose Jaw and I will make the commute into town. With this awesome weather, that doesn't seem like too big a sacrifice;-)

This contract should be challenging and fun. Of course, I have all the common fears of failure, but mostly, I have a wonderful feeling that this opportunity will be life changing. For all of us. Yup, I'm ready. Let the games begin...

AIR Announcement on Mortlach's Website

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Seems we have been put up on Mortlach's website already...big picture and write up...go and see it here....

My 800 CHAB Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Krista J. Konkin) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:28:00 +0000

Click here to listen to the bootlegged copy of my radio interview with 800 CHAB where I chatted up the final weekend of Ain't We Got Fun and talked about my new appointment as the Artist in Residence in Mortlach, SK...