BRAINIAC

Y&R's Tonya Lee Williams Receives Martin Luther King Jr. Award

2012-01-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

The World According to Tonya Lee Williams

Young and The Restless star Tonya Lee Williams heads to Montreal this week as recipient of Black Theatre Workshop's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award.

by David King

reprinted from The Charlebois Post

From her early days on TV's Polka Dot Door to producing and directing shows like Da Kink In My Hair and CBC's Gospel Jubilee, actress Tonya Lee Williams is one of Canada's few artists of colour who has successfully held down a career in Canada while keeping things real amidst the trappings of L.A.

The founder of Toronto's ReelWorld Film Festival, which provides opportunities for artists of colour to create film and television, Williams has kept the festival going strong for over a decade. Having dedicated her life to stage and screen since graduating from Ryerson in the late 1970s, she's showing us how positive focus, hard work and devotion to one's craft can truly pave the way to change.

So what's it like to receive two Emmy nominations as Dr. Olivia Barber Winters on TV's The Young and The Restless, you may ask?

"All you can hope for," says Williams, "is that the storyline is going to be good going into the show, that you get to work with so-and-so, et cetera. And then you get a call that you're nominated for an Emmy. And then up until the awards, it becomes this huge process - parties, lunches - it's great."

Williams heads to Montreal this week as recipient of yet another big honour: Black Theatre Workshop's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award. The prize honours artists' contributions to African-Canadian artistic and cultural expression and development. Oscar Peterson, Djanet Sears and George Elliot Clarke are just a few of the previous inductees. Two young artists will also be presented with awards at BTW's 26th Vision Gala, which in turn launches Black History Month.

While one might expect Williams to have overcome some major obstacles to garner awards of such distinction, she admits none of it was done consciously. Au contraire, there is an uplifting optimism to Williams' approach towards acting that has always bypassed the nay saying and frustrations of trying to make it in a white world, and it's a core value she maintains today.

"I started out carefree-go-lucky, then became driven 24/7," says Williams. "I came from a time when working was simply enough. And because I was only 16 years old or so when I started, I wasn't aware of how few roles were actually out there. Yes, I saw people grieve about the things they didn't get and become negative about it, but it never seemed valuable to me to create that mindset that stuck you in a world where everyone was against you. To me, when you get stuck there, it's almost impossible to get to where you need to be".

Like many black actors, Williams can trace her childhood acting inspirations back to legends like Sydney Poitier. But it was actress Dihann Carroll, she says, who she most fell in love with onscreen. Carroll, a stage and screen star, broke new ground in 1968 in Julia, one of the first series on American television to star a black woman in a non-stereotypical role. Eventually getting the chance to meet Carroll, it was an unforgettable day for Williams.

"I didn't meet her until I was in my 50s," says Williams, "but it was one of those amazing moments where you get to tell someone how much they impacted your life. The landscape was different when I started out, it was all about drugs and hardships. I remember watching her [Carroll] play this nurse, a single widow in a private clinic, and the whole set. At that time, women were maids sitting around rolling their eyes. She was stunning, and it made me so proud to be a black woman and see how powerful the [television] medium can be."

In Hollywood, Williams has done stints on some of TV's 'honkiest' shows like Hill Street Blues, Matlock and Falcon Crest. Why, she even played Cindy Brady's roommate in A Very Brady Christmas. For her most known role on Young and the Restless from 1990 to 2005, (returning stints since 2008), she accredits her Daytime Emmy nods to the visionary magic of Y&R and Bold and the Beautiful creator William Bell, who passed away in 2005. Bell, explains Williams, is a great example of how one person can change everything for artists of colour.

"There was one other black character in my early days on Y&R named Bill Nathan," Williams comments, "but Bill Bell decided to bring in an entire family that would eventually parallel with the Newman family. So I was part of this huge group - an aunt, a sister, myself, things just kept evolving. It wouldn't have happened with only one or two actors, and when Bill brought in that entire family from 1990 to 2005, it made a major impact on the show that has never been the same since."

Y&R gave Williams an opportunity to breathe a little easier financially, along with the chance to re-evaluate Canada's brain drain of artistry moving to the U.S. Although Williams knew she couldn't get people jobs in L.A., she did know how film festivals could be a terrific launching pad for the artists who kept asking her how they too could make it happen in the City of Angels. In the late 1990s, Williams also became more aware of L.A.'s own segregated climate when her own soirées became fantastic melting pots of houseguests.

Toronto's ReelWorld, born in 2001, developed from that reawakening of sorts, and Williams is thrilled to have godmothered some of Canada's burgeoning artists of colour ever since.

Ironically, the pragmatic Williams observes, she doubts she would pursue acting if she was just starting out today. As she explains, the 'business' of television has become all about ambition and money, something she sees too often behind the rose-coloured glasses of emerging artists."

"I try to ask artists how they are going to get from where they are standing to where they think they want to be," says Williams, "and where in the world they can make that happen, whether it's in Canada or elsewhere. It truly is about navigating your career in what is sellable. We all have a person inside us that is different when you look in the mirror, and I think it's about wearing the same pair of eyes as how other people see you.

"It's also about likeability," concludes Williams. "I see it when I audition people now. You can feel an energy when someone walks in a room and they just exude this joy, and it's those people I can't get out of my head. I'm drawn to them. When it's your job, as prepared as you can be, there's just a magical element that releases you when you are likeable and charismatic. And if they really want you, they'll really want you."

Yodell-ay-hee-HOO!

2011-06-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Just starting yodelling lessons online this past few months. There's a great online course I can tell you about and totally free. My goal is to hang out with my friend Douglas in Geneva for a day next year wearing leiderhausen and belting out a few tunes as a tribute to the Alps for ludicrous fun!

a truly GREAT read!

As I'm discovering, believe it or not this is a fantastic genre with a beautifully rich history, and more connected to pop music than most people even know. We're all listening to those notes already!

Only a few people knew about my closet yodelling until now. There are a ton of great resources I'll be sharing, but how about a yodel emergency button my colleague in Paris was just showing me to start - you'll never know when you're going to need it! Already it's on my Facebook page and people love it! From Prince and Bette Midler to Mr. Whitman, this one's for you, kids! http://www.emergencyyodel.com/

Saddling up for the night with Airbnb

2011-06-13T10:42:00.001-07:00

David King

If life is anything like in the movies, there was a day in that life when a countryman could trot up to a stranger's house on his horse, saddle up for the night, enjoy a hot meal and get some rest out in the back barn, all for less than a sixpence. Their hosts, of course (often damsels in distress) opened their doors freely to those in their community, and let me tell you, those coming and going were on a budget that had to last longer than sunrise.

Okay, so life is no movie, but in our era of now going beyond social networking, Airbnb.com is one of those companies who's bringing back those good ole' days. At first, the founders' ideas were dismissed as ridiculous. After all who would suddenly start renting out a room in their house to a short-term traveller they've never met?

Of course, anything before its time is usually met with resistance. Now rumoured to be a billion dollar venture (it's an unconfirmed rumour folks), Airbnb is a modern day "how did they do that?" outfit that's set the standard for not only connecting travellers with hosts online, but in in the live flesh. Expanding to almost 10, 000 cities around the world in only a couple of years, Airbnb is already the industry leader in creating a community that goes well and beyond couchsurfing-style accommodations, and it's unlocked the door to some of the most unique accommodations on the planet, including B&B,s, flats, rooms, and unusual rentals like boats, treehouses, castles and event venues. Where else can you rent an entire apartment in NY's Hell's Kitchen or a studio overlooking the Eiffel Tower for less than a hundred bucks?

Fact is, travellers today have a harder time meeting their dietary restrictions in restaurants, trapping themselves in stuffy hotel rooms, or not getting the full benefits of their more sophisticated tastes in unique travel excursions. With a company like Airbnb, all those needs are met - access to kitchens and cooking and more, without paying for luxury suites or apartment-hotels, and great advice from hosts without the droning, endless speech of a tour guide. There is full range of options well-suited for today's travellers, all while helping the coffers of individuals ourselves. And unlike Couchsurfing, the market caters to older folks just as much as backpackers hitting the road before they start university in the Fall.

Airbnb Crewbie-Newbies / Vayia Geromoschos

Having been a host myself at Airbnb for a year, I've connected with people from around the world and look forward to visiting them when I go abroad. Noticing Airbnb was hiring to fill its demand, I recently jumped aboard Airbnb's Aircrew, an international, customer support system for Airbnb-ers that has played a big part in Airbnb's success. It's not your typical CS role, and what's most exciting about it is the huge range of responsibilities the Aircrew tackle in one day, from live chat and direct phone support to problem-solving and shout-outs to new hosts.

Back at headquarters in San Francisco, Airbnb staff have been busy moving into a huge new office recently, and continue to import more Aircrew members and staff to keep up with the insane demand. After Ashton Kutcher recently announced his investment alongside founding partners Nathan Blecharczyk, Brian Chesky, and Joe Gebbia, things are "onwards and upwards", to coin a well-known Airbnb phrase. The multi-lingual staff have a terrific joie-de-vivre that mirrors the Airbnb community itself, and coming from all kinds of backgrounds during this transition time, it's a diversity that should make for a lot of longevity in Airbnb's future, one possibly to the extent of the rags-to-riches story that we now call Facebook.

With exceptional programs for guests and hosts such as Airbnb's Social Connections, Superhosting and Night Writing, Airbnb seems to be going the extra mile for its travellers and those accommodating them. Depending on the location, the team's international photographers visit hosts' homes regularly for free-of-charge professional photography of each listing, while less remote locations can be set up with the help of Aircrew and some simple latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. Hosts have options for cleaning fees and deposits along with their listings, and all transactions are carried out through Airbnb by holding the payment until 24 hours after the guest has checked in, creating less worry for the traveller and for the host in not having to make that awkward transaction in person.

The "Collections" listing on Airbnb for luxury travel is particularly impressive. By having options to auto list a space on Craigslist or Facebook, and to review each guest and host at the end of each stay, visitors to the site have all the information they need with one click, proving Airbnb is not only providing a cut above the rest in service, but a world-class system that's constantly being tweaked with feedback from the community itself.

With this Aircrew, who wouldn't jump on a plane today? / Jessi Whitby Wright

It's easy to be a skeptic after experiencing the dot.com bubble burst in the 90s and the descent of the U.S. economy in recent years. Wherever success lies, a skeptic and a clone looking to cash in on that success are right around the corner. As companies like Wimdu attempt to rip off Airbnb's platform for growth, Airbnb is already the little engine-that-could in the tech industry these days, through not only strong leadership and investment, but a superior community of Airbnb-ers themselves. Airbnb may not have a horse to lend out yet, but considering it's touted as the "E-bay of space", you're sure to find more than a back barn within its listings (and then some!) for a fantastic trip, all at the fraction of a hotel price.

Get along, little doggie.

Visit Airbnb.com for more details on hosting or travelling through the site.

It's Montreal Fringe Time!

2011-06-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

For the next week on CharPo, our team will be reviewing shows with on our 1-5 Charpies scale! And we're off to the races!

See a show you want to know more about? Check out the Fringe aggregrator online!

And just for you other worldwide Fringers, check out Estelle Rosen's and Gaetan Charlebois' FRINGE FOOL'S SURVIVOR GUIDE!

From Cheerleader to Cowgirl: Luminato's Rebecca Singh

2011-06-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

reprinted from today's Sunday Feature at The Charlebois Post!

by David King

It's not often that Montrealers get to explore the lives of "ex-pat", English-language Montreal artists who've left town to pursue their career elsewhere. But then, actress and producer Rebecca Singh has never truly left.

"I miss the people," says the Dawson grad of our island life. "I miss the humane pace, the french, the joie de vivre and the freedom. For me, it's important to work on new projects as well as the feeling that I'm making a difference. That's what drew me to Montreal from Edmonton - and also took me away from it."

Now Toronto-based, Singh has always been rather unique in her ability to generate new projects in her off-time as an actress. The Artistic Producer behind the Montreal All-Star Cheerleaders, her refuge in girl-power ensembles and Montreal choirs like Choeur Maha continues in Toronto these days, where she's managed to muster up an equally fun, silly choir devoted to cowgirls.

After moving to Toronto a few years ago, Singh was fortunate to get involved in various internships at companies like Canadian Stage Company and Nightswimming, the latter of which gave her the opportunity to explore her interest in another historic ensemble: the theatre chorus.

The 2011 Festival Transamèriques

2011-06-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

This week and next, I'm guest editor of the Charlebois Post for it's coverage of the Festival Transamèriques! You can log into CharPo at http://www.charpo.blogpot.com for all your FTA and Montreal Fringe reviews!

Festival TransAmériques

Yume No Shiro (photo: Klaus Lefebvre)

And We're Off!
Festival Transamériques takes on today's youth with an unpredictable blend of new hybrids in the performing arts
David King

If there was a way to describe what to expect at this year's Festival Transamériques (FTA), it would first be to expect shows about our youth - and then expect the unexpected. Although the Festival makes some pretty clear delineation between its theatre and dance offerings, there's an increasingly fine line between the two each FTA as disciplines overlap.

Until June 11, CharPo will be reviewing more than a handful of the English-language related (spoken or subtitled) international theatre highlights at this year's FTA, including the Berlin / Amsterdam work Trust (read Joel Fishbane's review here), the always exciting Vancouver company Boca del Lupo with Photog, world renowned director Richard Maxwell's Neutral Hero, the much-anticipated Gardenia (see our preview by Bugs Burnett) and the contemporary Buenes Aires adaptation of Ibsen's A Doll's House entitled El Desarrollo de La Civilizacíon Venidera, by the brilliant Argentinian director Daniel Veronese.

Feature articles this month

2011-04-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

THE BOYZ OF BIZZARRE: In this month's Outlooks, I visit with Coupe Bizzarre's JIMI IMIJ and ROBERT Peiter to chat with them about the success of the Toronto / Montreal salon and this summer's hair, um, tips... http://outlooks.ca/magazine/Entries/2011/4/26_Trail_Blazers_-_Coupe_Bizzarre.html

BACK TO BOHEMIA: Hotel hopping in the Big Apple couldn't be better than a visit to the historic Lafayette House and Maritime, Bowery and Jane Hotels, where multi-million dollar investors and local heroes Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode have been blending turn-of-the-century elegance with eclectic bohemian decor at some of the city’s oldest heritage sites: http://outlooks.ca/magazine/Entries/2011/4/26_Back_To_Bohemia_-_Retro_NYC.html

Canadian Trailblazer Dean Nelson

2011-04-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Whistler's Dean Nelson takes the homophobia out of sports. In my monthly column TRAILBLAZERS, I salut Dean for his work at the Vancouver Olympics, GayWhistler and more. Check out the article at http://outlooks.ca/magazine/Entries/2011/3/20_Canadian_Trailblazers__Dean_Nelson.html

Canada's Boot Camp for Buddha Lovers

2011-04-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

David King

A breathtaking daily view in the Appalaches

High atop a hillside deeply pampered by the Appalaches Mountains of Sutton, Quebec, a gong bell sounds before dawn. It's the start of a day that begins at 4am and ends at 9pm. Consisting solely of focused group meditation, two meals a day, a bit of rest and more meditation in your own quarters, you awaken and wind down your day in a cabin or dorm in the woods, facing only yourself and nature, all within a vegan, eco-friendly environment of prohibited substances, forbidden communication or electronics, no reading or writing, and a commitment to ten days of "Noble Silence".

If it all sounds like a day in the life of a Buddhist Monk, that's exactly the point. An intensive ten-day course in some of the world's most stunning locations, a Vipassana meditation retreat may surprisingly be what you need to re-energize and nourish the body, with far more beneficial results to overall health and energy than ten quick days in an all-inclusive beach hotel. Although location is irrelevant to the intense and immersive experience, you might also choose to tie in your meditation with your planned vacation in France, the U.S., Japan, Thailand, India, Burma and several other "Eat, Pray, Love" hotspots where centres are located around the world. It's for all ages, and guess what? It's free of charge, with a donation of as much as you can afford.

Sutton, Quebec Centre

Free you say? Is it a cult? Will they try and convert me? What's the catch?

Now catching on globally as a spiritual rehab of sorts, Vipassana (pronounced "Vy-passion-a") Centres have developed a global community of soul-seekers seeking the same communal or spiritual journey for themselves that our parents and grandparents sought in Woodstock and in San Fran communes back in the 1960s (on a natural high that respects gender, environment, and organic food, of course). This form of meditation is focused entirely on setting your mind back to its "factory default setting": breath, the law of nature, the real world around you as opposed to imagination or emotion, and complete simplicity. The meditation couldn't come at a better time, as all three of the world's foremost religions wage war against one another, contrary to their own fundamental principles of compassion, goodwill, salvation and redemption.

Before you declare "I would go crazy if I did that", think about all those times you've already said to yourself, "I need to clear to my mind", "I can't focus", "I need to get away from the city" or simply "I need to get more in touch with my inner strengths". Contrary to that, you might also feel you simply need more self-discipline, a strict routine or a better diet at the right times of day without having to join the military or spend thousands on a California spa getaway to find it.

It requires a little prep to drop off the face of the planet. Unplugging and packing my yoga clothes, I had no idea what to expect as a forty-something workaholic, except the recommendations of good friends who'd already been to the Sutton Centre twice. Changing my voicemail and my email auto-reply, leaving only an emergency contact number, I ventured east of Montreal. Once there, you'd be surprised how easy it is to drop it all (while your friends and family worry you'll become a sect member on a farm, waiting for a UFO to land).

Set up as a ten-day course which includes a one-hour, daily audio-video discourse on the theory by Vipassana leader S.N. Goenka (you soon adjust to the "1984" scare of seeing a guru on a screen); the charismatic leader has some hilarious anecdotes to share about Buddhism and Vipassana. The course is a mandatory ten days for a first visit, with your choice of duration on return, at any location around the world, at as many places as you want to go. Due to popular demand that will now require it to double its size, the Sutton location is already about to close and shift its stunning location to Montebello, north of Alexandria in Ontario, on a 600-acre property that will better accommodate participants close to Montreal, Ottawa, and Québec City.

The Centre's participants, people of all ages who travelled to Quebec from as far as the Maritimes, New York and even California, here were either in search of tangible, higher meaning or a completely focused balance of the mind in their chaotic lives. There's a big waiting list for Vipassana retreats, especially for women (booking more than three months in advance is advised). Once there, it takes a day or two to fully adjust. Men are separated from women after the first day (not always easy for couples) and re-connect on the last day, when the silence is lifted and conversation is aflutter between participants on their experiences.

Although two meals a day seems painful (there is only a small snack at the usual dinnertime), accommodations can be made for those with supplementary dietary needs. The food is vegan, organic, and completely fulfilling even if you're a carnivore (after ten days, it makes us realize how much junk we've been consuming!). The meditation becomes so inward, so focused, that after the second day there is little hunger for a third meal (I usually eat five meals a day). You also don't require as much rest or crave intoxicants after a couple of days (what a great rehab this could be for addicts with more development and time, or as a supplement to existing rehabs).

Here, the world could end and no one would know it. There is natural rhythm to the body in your walking that becomes a "zombie walk" in no time, made most apparent by the other guests scattered throughout the property between trees, one foot barely in front of the other in their introspection (you can't stare or gesture another person). Watching someone spread peanut butter on his toast in the morning, I could have sworn he was attempting to paint the Mona Lisa on his bread. A fireplace becomes more than a mesmerizing experience, and all the senses truly come to life (don't worry, it's okay to fart, burp, clear your throat, growl your stomach and all those other bodily noises we can't avoid in silence, and you won't be alone as everyone does their "self-cleaning" and self-repair).

Nepal Centre

The strangest behaviour of all, it seems, is the awareness of what you've left behind: the chaos and routine of our daily lives, and the unbelievable pressure we take not only on our bodies, but on our brains.

Speaking with guests on the last day (meditators all help with minor cleaning before the next meditators, again eco-friendly products), I heard a multitude of stories about inner journeys over the week as people shed their egos. In Sutton, silence became particularly fascinating as Quebec's "two solitudes" of language and culture give way only to a sense of shared humanity and compassion. Some guests never return, choosing simply to incorporate it into their work routines. Others have attended a few times, and one couple told me how much continuing their meditations at home has made a difference in their lives as new parents, struggling to stay focused and patient with their kids as they make ends meet. Others have tried several forms of meditation, but found nothing "clicked" or made as much sense as Vipassana's ability to give your mind a holiday by only focusing on the moment and the senses.

It's not advised one be on serious medications to attend, and the easy-to-complete, online application form requires you to inform a centre of your medications or supplements before attending. For those without transport, meditators do their best to get into the spirit of generosity by setting up car rideshares for others to get there and back. Meditators bring their own linen, workout clothes, flashlights and a small alarm if necessary - there's little else needed to pack unless you're tying it in with another journey. If you do bring your valuables or other items not permitted, they are safely held until your check out.

Everyone needs a little bit of wise old Buddha "Dhamma" (or, "truth") now and again, without having to commit their lives to converting from one's own beliefs, or jeopardizing an existing faith. By focusing less on the religion itself and simply introducing a practical method of meditation that one can incorporate into daily life, it's incredible how these centres are graciously offering a free opportunity for anyone, rich or poor, to sample the technique (the whole idea is that it must be a gift only, funded by whatever donors want to give back). True Buddhists believe this meditation will take them to their reincarnate "path of enlightenment", a complete state of happiness, before the spirit moves that happy energy into another "vessel": death welcome as happily as birth, a part of our always flowing surroundings, where everyone and everything simply comes and goes.

Although it took a little while to assure my friends and family I was not training to be a Monk afterwards, it was well worth the spiritual escape, at least to sample the technique, which should be invaluable with my other forms of physical exercise to truly connect mind, body and soul.It was frustrating not to be able to write a journal about it, or read a book, but the challenge of simply finding one's own neutrality kept me more than busy over ten days!

A link to Quebec's Dhamma Suttama Meditation Centre will connect you to Vipassana dates and application forms. For centres around the world visit Dhamma.org

Journey to the Centre of the Self

2011-03-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Starting this Tuesday, I'll embark on a Vipassana meditational retreat, based in Buddhist wisdom with a twist of Indian culture thrown in. Taking a vow of silence for 10 days, this experience allows one to explore the idea of "just being" and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when all communications get shut off for 10 days in a spiritual quest for one's own self. As I am not allowed a computer, I'll be blogging about it when I get back - for now, wish me luck!

Sprinkle On the Annie!

2011-03-13T03:35:00.000-07:00

photo: Mark Ritchie

In today's CharPo, I interview former porn star and PhD sexologist Annie Sprinkle, who opens this month's Edgy Women with partner and multi-media artist Elizabeth Stephens in Adventures of the Love Art Lab before their 7th public wedding in Ottawa!

The Charlebois Post: http://charpo.blogspot.com/2011/03/sunday-feature-annie-sprinkle.html

Celebrate World Theatre Day March 27th

2011-03-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

Once a year, we humble theatre folk stop to take a look at the effect we have on the world around us. Lest we forget the year's World Theatre Day, or WTD!

"Today’s gathering is a true reflection of the immense potential of theatre to mobilize communities and bridge the divides."...

The 2011 World Theatre Day, international message is by Jessica A. Kaahwa, and is one of peace. Wow, theatre is a great tool for maintaining it!

World Theatre Day was created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI). Visit the ITI blog page to read the international message at http://worldtheatreday.co/the-world-theatre-day-message-2011/

We all participate around the world in this event, and for my part, I'll be actually tweeting a play on Twitter! That's right, on March 27, join me and other Montreal artists as we create an impromptu play with characters hashed out as 1, 2, 3 etc. and create a mini-play! I'll be character #2 and my Twitter addy is @DAKtwitta of course! The production is being carried out by The Charlebois Post and the final script will be posted online on CharPo's site.

Meanwhile, find out more about the ITI (image above from their site) at http://www.iti-worldwide.org.

As an artist, are you marketing yourself online?

2011-03-03T22:24:00.000-08:00

Today in CharPo's "Friday 5", I explore some crucials in getting yourself online as an artist! http://charpo.blogspot.com/2011/03/friday-five-march-4-2011.html

Quick, grab your kid by the hair!

2011-03-01T22:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, after decades of boy bands and teenage packages we call "stars", it's time to point a finger at the Disney Channel our collective parents created by censoring their Tivos. Seeing Justin Bieber at the Oscars with Selena Gomez, I'm bombarded with not one but two packages we call teenage sensations, wrapped in a nice pretty bow we call the Academy Awards.

Mathematical formula: Rich + Beiber = RICH BIEBER

I could get all feverish over Justin but as a Canadian, I'll just say I'm happy he's been lucky enough to have Usher string him up like a marionnette for the world to see. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a TV show called EIGHT IS ENOUGH introduced another young Tiger Beat Magazine star to mag covers with pretty much the same hair: Adam Rich.

It's when Selena Gomez comes into the picture that I start getting a little "icky". Born in 1992, this Disney Channel star has already played it up on the arm of one of the pre-packaged Jonas Brothers, along with Twilight's "can't get no shirt satisfaction" Taylor Lauthner. A year older than Bieber, they seem the perfect match, but then, Gomez is no fool - her marketing team is Disney, not USHER!

Yes Disney, and to make it worse, the Disney Channel. The same people that pumped out Britney, Lindsay and Hannah Montana before they all dropped their vaginas on the ground for the world to see. The same channel that collectively gasped as they watched their sculpted, pure, innocent stars check into rehab or show a little leg at the MTV Awards while we all had to watch their growing pains live on screen. Either someone's mother needs to take a second at look at what they feel they're REALLY protecting us from when they prop their kids up to the channel each morning, or we need to start to start taking a closer at look at how Disney films differ from the wholesome channel itself: a repressive, unreal glimpse into that adolescent Holocaust of 1950s denial. Or in brief, the SPAM version of reality.

Happy dating Bieb! I truly hope this is a match made in Usher heaven. Mickey ears and all.

"Anglo" arts touring in Quebec: is the writing on the wall?

2011-02-27T12:18:00.000-08:00

In today's CharPost, I explore the measures in place to tour English-language performing arts throughout Quebec, as pockets of anglophone communities call upon us Montrealers to inter-connect.

http://charpo.blogspot.com/2011/02/sunday-feature-february-26-2011.html

Warming up last night in Griffintown for Nuit blanche!

2011-02-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Photos by M.J. Chang

Griffintown and Old Montreal last night were on fire with events!

Way too many drunken teenagers for me in one night, and the métro was HORRIBLE! But some really beautiful events, and was fun to stop by New Gaz and see Anna Papadakos and Winston McQuade's team perform PAPER CUTS, before catching some hot Apple Cider, Tire sur neige and the bonfire at Cabaret du Roy. Talk about people doing a drunken Quebec jig around the fire!

Photos: Griffintown's Cultural Corridor; Vieux-Montréal's Cabaret du Roy; an atlas exhibit where clothing labels are placed on their country of origin (China, you were clearly the winner!)

Yep, made in China..

Francois & Melissa Cabaret du Roy

Oscar Twitterama Sunday night!

2011-02-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

As a prelude to a Twee-atre play we're experimenting with at CharPro for World Theatre Day March 27, I'll be tweet, tweet tweeting about everything between 8pm and 11pm during Oscar night! Get your party dress on and moan, groan, whine and dine while you tweet about who SHOULD win and who SHOULDN'T host!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=166227830093385

Friday Five: How to Get Your Play Produced

2011-02-25T12:55:00.000-08:00

It's my Friday Five on The Charlebois Post!

This week, I ask Playwrights Workshop Montreal's A.D. Emma Tibaldo on her 2011 tips for getting your play produced. Happy writing!

Oscar-nominated shorts

2011-02-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

Every year, I hope the Academy and the Motion Picture Industry as a whole will get together and really compile all the Oscar-nominated shorts into one movie night out. It would give us a chance to see the shorts before the Oscars, which means a) we can truly see who our future filmmakers are and b) it supports them for their devoted work in getting a truly quality short film made. In some cities, people are starting to wake up to this, and most of this year's shorts are now available for pre-Oscar viewing whether at the cinema or via Youtube and iTunes. Have a look at this year's Oscar-nominated shorts and find a way to get to see them and support them.

C): It ups your betting pool odds at the Oscar party!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGUs9l0jcZA&feature=player_embedded

The Cost of Freedom

2011-02-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

Part 2 in my 3 part series on LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers, and how Canadians can help. Outlooks Magazine is Canada's only LGTBQ magazine from coast to coast. Subscribe today and keep our magazine alive!

http://outlooks.ca/magazine/Entries/2011/2/15_The_Cost_of_Freedom.html

New blog!

2011-02-19T20:40:00.000-08:00

Am working on a new website with my nephew. More to come, but I'll likely be connecting this blog page to it. So read on!