Wakefield is Magical.

So, Wakefield, Quebec is now on my list of places to live and be a happy hippie. It is magical. Despite having only 6 people in our audience tonight (it makes up for the 80 plus we had last night) I love this place. Tonight we went on a walk and saw fireflies. It was like watching the paparazzi out in a field. I even caught one in my hand and watched him crawl out the end of my finger. Then Beth and I saw an awesomely close shooting star with a really close, colored tail. It was beautiful. The frogs were chirping down by the lake and it was silent for all else. The stars here are maybe the clearest I've ever seen in my life (and keep in mind that I grew up in the middle of nowhere.)
It is a charming community of artist-types, the landscape is beautiful, and all the writing is in French, though everyone seems to speak English.
I am in love.

Wakefield Wildlife

Today in Wakefield we witnessed some wildlife. While eating cashew rolls (a kind of food I didn't know existed but was delicious) on the porch of the Pipolinka Bakery, my new favorite place (it was a real bargain for the amazing food), we watched a skunk try desperately to get into this shed across the road. He was knocking himself over, he was trying so hard to wiggle in. Finally, he managed it! And then a cat came along...It had been watching the skunk. We watched, on the edge of our seats, while the cat slunk up to the shed, sniffed around, started nosing around the hole the skunk had gotten in...we were anticipating a grand confrontation, but some people came into the parking lot and the cat ran away.
Also, this is not in Wakefield, but yesterday, Abby and Kate and Brenda (our host) and Lisa and I went downtown in Ottawa to see the cats that live in these little houses by Parliament. There's this old man who feeds them, and there are a bunch of strays that just live there. We did see one cat, and one sleeping cat, but the two animals that spent most of the time eating were an obese groundhog and a big black squirrel. The squirrels are black here, did you know?
Wakefield is the best town ever. There is a cat at our billet named Rafiki. He is friendly but he bites sometimes. However, he bites friendily. Becca bought a pretty blue summer dress and we all ate ice cream.

Wakefield

Oh my god, I want to live here.  Wakefield is a tiny little town about half an hour outside of Ottawa, and we are smitten.  First, some information about the festival we're a part of.  It's called the Piggyback Fringe, and it's put on by a group called Theatre Wakefield, which is just a group of people who are trying to build a theatre here.  This is the first year they've done this festival, they don't charge the performers an entry fee (all the other festivals do), and they publicize the crap out of it, as evidenced by our audience of about 100 last night.  Also, we get 100 percent of the box office revenue.  Theatre Wakefield is using the festival to try an raise money for their theatre.  I just love them.  Also, we might win a canoe.

The venue we're performing at is called the Black Sheep, or rather, the Mouton Noir, as we are now in Quebec.  It's a little bar/restaurant with a tiny stage, usually used for musical acts I think.  Right across the street from the bar, and I mean right across the street, is the river.  The view is incredible, even when it's overcast or a little foggy, or raining.  It's just amazing.

Our hostess here is a perfectly lovely woman named Linda who owns an adorable little house out in the woods outside of Wakefield.  She also has a barn that she refurbished to function as a retreat for team building exercises and the like.  We're staying in the barn, which has internet access, a piano, lots of music, and lots of books on things like team building exercises.  It's also right next to a creek and  a lake in which we can swim and frolic.  Also, there are fireflies.  Seriously, I thought those were made up, but they're real.  I saw them, they're amazing.

Our performance last night, as I said, was incredibly well attended.  I actually would not have thought there were that many people living in this town, but there they all were, drinking and watching our show.  I think we all agreed that it was by far the most fun we've had so far.

What all of this adds up to is that Canada wins like 1000 points.  Seriously, this place is amazing.

We are staying here for our last performance tonight, and then tomorrow for Canada day, Canada's 4th of July, only better.  Apparently there's a boat that's going to float down the river, stop in front of Wakefield, and be the home to an all day party that is capped off by fireworks at night.  We're all pretty excited for that too.

Needless to say, morale is high and life is good.  Next time you're swinging through Canada, take the time to hang out in Wakefield for a while.  And to cap it all off, let us close with a list.

Drinks bought for members of our company: 4.  Woot.

Still the best feedback we've gotten on our show: Hey Shakespeare!

That's all for now.  More lists later.

Lisa...could you maybe...give me...a teabag?

1. Number of people who ran out into the hallway yesterday when we heard Otto say "Are you Kate?" in his real voice: probably at least four. We are the worst wingmen evER.
2. "Mall Madness" has the most complicated setup of any game I have ever played. It seriously takes about 10 minutes to assemble the board. Then it trains you to be a consumer via a big-brother style electronic dictator. The Hair Salon was out of conditioner two turns in a row.
3. This morning I very politely accidentally requested that Lisa teabag me. Lisa, I apologize from the depths of my heart. Thank you for the Chai.
4. Pilates is weird.
5. Lists also work if you end at 5 items.
p.s. And a p.s.
p.p.s. This is my first blog post! Weeeeee! Pleased ta meetcha!
- Breasty Freedom

My Canadian Education

1. exercise makes you soar... that is indeed what she said

2. going for a walk is a work out when you get lost: like it or not you're going to exercise for 2 1/2 hours.

3. Parliament is pretty. They have stone carvings of planes, electrical generators, and tractors in the middle of a neo-gothic-al building to represent the people.

4. Canadian's trust people. Me, a crazy american theatre artist, got into their government building without paying, without id, without even saying an oath to the queen... I went through a metal detector and I was in! I quickly tested the security by saying "my government museums are better than yours!" and nobody beat me with sticks. 

5. The queen is still in charge, she has a government general lady who is basically "queen II" who rules for her. This general lady is appointed and rules! Queen II then has the power to appoint an entire senate! The senators have life long terms. Queen II can choose her dentist to be an all powerful lawmaker and no one would bat an eye lash. It's awesome.

6. Senators can knit and make laws. It's true I saw too elderly ladies on the senate floor knitting while listening to bill proposals. I totally want to be a Canadian senator. I need to befriend this Queen II lady. 

7. I am pretty sure I have no concept of how this government works and that all the above is incorrect and mildly offensive. I haven't wikipedia'd it. So I apologize to all you Canadians for being confused and daft. I think your capital is pretty though!

8. Lists make better posts

9. there were 16 people in the audience last night, but they laughed like they were 30. Go Ottawa! 

10. Ten items makes a better list

Queen o' the mall

It must needs be declared that Fofo is officially "The Queen of the Mall." That's right friends, he beat us all at the horribly insipid and slightly too long board game "Mall Madness." Congratulations Fofo. Speaking on behalf of my other, slightly less masculine half (sorry Evan,) "Meghan" bows to your mighty shopping and ATM-withdrawing abilities.

A low blow

Watch your back, Kate, that's all I have to say. Just because you hear me snoring doesn't always mean I'm asleep.

That said, KITTIES! That's right, the capital of the great nation of Canada has Parliamentary Cats. That's actually a really nice name for strays that a kindly old retiree took in and feeds every day. Ottawa also has black squirrels and groundhogs. So basically, like 500 points for Ottawa. Canada wins.

I actually don't have that much more to say, and perhaps should not have started this blog entry, but I suppose I've come this far and I might as well post it. Think good thoughts, especially if they're about me. Think a lot of those.