The Ghost of Bloggers Past /
(Ideally, whatever word I used there would have rhymed with "Christmas", but it's 8am and my brain hasn't started functioning yet. Guh. See?)
Well hello. Remember me? I'm Kate. I used to have a blog. I used to post things on it. Sometimes even pictures. Mostly of cats or my dumb brother. (I'm just angry with him because he stayed out West this Christmas and avoided the Hewlett Plague which hit me, my sister, my nephew, my nieces, my other sister, my dad, my step-mom, etc. etc. It was BRUTAL. No Christmas dinner for us, because we got some kind of evil 28-Days-Later-esque virus that knocked us down like dominoes. Or bowling pins. Whichever simile you prefer.)
So yes. Hello. Welcome back. (You, not me. Assuming you haven't been here for a while since there's been NOTHING TO READ.) I won't even try to fill you in on the last two months, because there is so much to report, but--
Oh what the heck. I'll do my best:
New York was DELICIOUS. (Like delightful. Like I enjoyed it. I didn't lick the ground or anything. Ew.) What a truly phenomenal city: the people, the buildings, the food, the green space, the theatre. Even the cockroaches were impressive. Gross, but almost worthy of respect due to their size. I swear I even saw little muscles on one of them. New York cockroaches clearly think that physical fitness is no laughing matter. The rats were quite impressive too. I wonder if the cockroaches ever use the rats as transportation. You know, like little hairy horses.
Okay. Foooooocus, Kate. Foooooocuuuuuus.
Yes. New York was wonderful. The play ("Humans Anonymous") was well-received and I made some new friends who I will cherish (long-distance, unfortunately) for a long time to come. After New York, I came back to Toronto to begin rehearsals for DON'T WAKE ME, the "killer" new work by UnSpun Theatre which I co-wrote with Chris Hanratty, Christopher Stanton, Mike McPhaden and Brendan Gall (yes, THAT Brendan Gall -- unless you're thinking of the one who got his life sucked out by a Wraith. Not THAT Brendan Gall. The one who plays Kaleb on SGA.) I tried to find a short-term lease here in Toronto but the shortest I could find was six months. For a commitmentphobe like myself, that is a LONG TIME, but it's a great apartment in a vibrant, fun neighbourhood and I'm having a blast so far. I have some silverfish issues (silverfissues?) but I think I've made peace with them and we are living in harmony now. Until Martha (cat number two) eats them. That throws the balance off somewhat.
FOCUS.
The show (DON'T WAKE ME) opened last night to a much larger house than we expected, so that was exciting. It is part of a brand new festival here in Toronto called the "Next Stage Theatre Festival", which showcases eight plays that began at other festivals (eg. SummerWorks, Toronto Fringe, etc.). It kicked off last night and goes until January 13th at the Factory Theatre. Come and see DON'T WAKE ME -- I am so proud of this brand new version. UnSpun Theatre is a great company and this is a really fun, strange, dark, fast-paced show. The cast includes Chris Stanton (amazing), John Cleland (remarkable) and me (commitmentphobe).
If you're interested, all the info can be found here:
http://www.nextstagefestival.com
Hope everyone reading this (and everyone not reading this) is well and happy. There is much more to report but I need a coffee. From Jet Fuel. And I'm not living in Cabbagetown anymore, so it's going to take some time getting there.
K.
posted by katehewlett at 8:00 AM
52 Comments:
Yay! You're back!
Sounds like you have been really busy, but are having a blast with it, so you are forgiven :P
Hope DON'T WAKE ME goes well, see you in London!
Welcome back!
Also, 'silverfissues' is my new favourite word.
Welcome back!
Sorry to hear about the death plague - many folks in my neck of the woods were similarly afflicted over the holidays.
A toast to success on the play. :)
As some one who is currently fighting the death plague I salute you on your will to live. :) Also...welcome back! And...silverfissues! Love it!
You're back! ::celebrates::
This is either indicative of sleep deprivation at the hands (paws?) of a cat who has discovered that her power lies in knocking everything in sight over whenever she wants attention (and proceeds to exercise said power at all hours of the night) or the fact that I need to pay better attention to the guest stars' names when watching television (specifically Atlantis) but it wasn't until you pointed it out that I even made the sounds-alike connection between the actor who plays your husband and the red shirt character from The Defiant One.
Are we going to get to see your Tim Horton's Commercial in the states?
welcome back!!
Yes, welcome back!
And alas, only if the play was being done in NYC (or Washington,DC-that be better) I'd go in a second.
I was very glad to see Humans Anonymous. Very good. Though next time I'll have to try and remember to say hi.
Happy New Year to you and the cats!
Yay for surviving the plague! Also, I just watched Dawn of the Dead the other night on Space, so you know. It didn't look like so much fun, that.
(I totally wish I had a cat that could eat stuff. Alas, I don't think the hairless guinea pig would, even if I let him loose in my apartment. Even if he's trying to live up to his namesake and be as destructive as possible)
Also? I guess I'm really lucky, because I'm in the east end of the city and I'm just on a month-to-month, I mean, they'd /prefer/ if I give them 60 days notice, but if there was any kind of emergency, I could just move out at any point really. Rents fantastic, and I have a backyard and a laundry room (shared with the upstairs people who are quite nice, even if they have a stupid breadmaker in the room above mine).
I'm going to definitely try and see the play (:
Welcome back to the blogosphere. Thought you had moved/were moving to Vancouver? What all happened with that?
Good luck with the new play!
Brendan Gall! I saw him in the Fringe Festival before I made the connection that he was in SGA, too. He was great! Hope the new play is going well and that you're feeling better.
A new entry, yay, and an extra long one at that.
Sorry about the flu/zombie virus....both my sister and father came down with some sort of lurgie for the festive period and were relegated to their own 'germ zone' for the duration, occasionally allowed out to feast on a plate of sprouts and pull a cracker....hope you still managed to enjoy things.
Good luck with the play and start preparing those 'stories' for P3.
The life of a silverfish
The favorite food of silverfish is any matter that contains starch or polysaccharides, such as dextrin in adhesives. These include glue, book bindings, paper, photos, sugar, hair, and dandruff. Silverfish can also cause damage to books, tapestries, and textiles. Silverfish will commonly graze in and around showers, baths, and sinks on the cellulose present in many shampoos, shaving foams and so on. Apart from these cases, the damage caused by silverfish is negligible and they have no direct effect on human health beyond psychological distress to those who are frightened or disgusted by their appearance. However, they also have a bite which may cause irritation but has no long term effects. Other substances that may be eaten include cotton, linen, silk and synthetic fibres, and dead insects or even its own exuvia (moulted exoskeleton). During famine, a silverfish may even attack leatherware and synthetic fabrics. In extreme cases, silverfish may live for a year without eating.
I'm so glad one of my cats also eats them ;)
EEEEE!! Your back!!!
LOL... I actually only live an hour away from Toronto so I'll be there to see the play before it ends it's run.
Your cat is super cute loads of fur that i'm sure finds it's way on to everything you wear, and/or eat!!
I've checked almost everyday for an entry so super stoaked that your back.
Have a great week, Get some sleep.
Oh did you get free coffee while shooting the commercial??
Yay! We're so glad you're back!
Sorry you were sick, and about the silverfissues; I'm glad you have a bodyguard cat to protect you from them.
Hooray for Humans Anonymous going well, and the new play looks really neat! I can't wait to hear more about it.
Welcome back!
Yeah, you're back :)
Okay, we all have 'focus' issues, but you're are awesome. 'Sliverfishues' is just AWESOME!
Ugh, I hate it when people drop with something! That's happened to me before, every 6 hours one would drop... not fun!
Have fun with more performances! And I hope your cats enjoy the little snacks :)
So sorry to hear about the nasty virus over the holiday period, and the silverfissues. This blog entry was, apart from that, very giggle worthy. I cannot believe you have been working with someone called Brendan Gall. That is just so funny :) The new play sounds brilliant. Best wishes with that, and oh wow only a few weeks until Pegasus 3!!!
Aww! I'm sorry to hear you were sick over the holidays; that's no fun. :( But I hope other things made up for it. :)
Glad also that the "play" world seems to be treating you very well, and that's a good thing. :)
Welcome back!
Good to see another post from you! I had to assume you're busy after that glimpse of what I am hoping is you in the previews for next week's new episode of Psych...
Wish I could make it to the play, hope it all goes well!
Congrats on finding a good apartment and the new play. Looking forward to meeting you in London (hey I'll actually get to experience winter weather - we don't have much of that here in Arizona).
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Hi, Kate! Nice to have you back in blog land. Sorry to hear of all the trouble over Christmas, but I hope you still had a nice time. Glad to hear New York was fun for you! No place like it, huh?
Looks like I'm on the geographically challenged side this time for your latest play. I hope you'll come back to NYC again in the future. It was such a pleasure to be able to see you at Secaucus and in Humans Anonymous. Everyone here would love to see you again, and maybe this time I'll actually be smart enough to stick around and say hi after the show! Best of luck for "Don't Wake Me."
Brian
Everyone here got the Plague too, which was not pleasant...
You guys should bring your plays to Edinburgh, they'd go down a storm!
Wow, a "Hewlett-Cascade"!
The disease was contagious... mhh, maybe the norovirus.
Whatever, it doesn't sound comfortable. ;o)
I hope all of you are healthy now.
So, also from me, WELCOME BACK..., welcome to the new year and all the best to your career and naturally private.
I hope you get my greetings and the present.
Yours,
Stefan
Welcome back to the world of blogging...Yes I think that silverfissues should be a word...Great to see you back online.Best wishes with your new play!!!
Peace
From Snowy Nova Scotia
&Warm Fuzzies too
PS .. I finally realized that getting a cat was much cheaper than a horse..Her name is Sassy and she is a rescue kitty.. yes we took your advice
Hugs!!!!
Dianne et al
Hi Kate
It's me Frances AKA Fran. Your brother avoided you over Christmas? Would you like me to have a word with that guy? Hey we younger siblings have to stick together and defend each other. Older siblings grumble grumble. I have three you want any? They are going cheap? My b/f here in Toronto had the same thing strike him....lucky for me I avoided a bit of it...just had a minor case.
Will be seeing the play Saturday will be there with my two older sisters. Front row center. Looking forward to it.
Happy Belated Birthday Happy New Year to you, and the cats.
Hugs
Fran
Oh, lovely to see you're back, and good luck with the play!
But silverfish - ugh - they make my skin crawl. Spiders? I'm fine with them - but silverfish..? *shivers*
I got told a horror story about them when I was little and it really stuck. It might mean your apartment is damp too, so be careful.
See you soon, at Pegasus 3 - yay!
I was starting to get worried. No blogging. No Twitters. It's nice to have you back.
Sorry to hear about the Christmas pestilence. I got taken out myself, if that makes you feel at all better.
Enjoy the new apartment and your silverfissues. Break a leg with your play. You deserve every success.
Happy Holidays! Sorry about the death plague, but hope your Christmas went well otherwise!
I know what it's like with the silverfish, I lived in an apartment during a summer and I'm a night owl, so I saw them all the time and I was freaked out enough by them that I placed my bed in the middle of the room so that it wasn't touching the walls so the silverfish wouldn't crawl on me...be glad you have your bodyguard kitty to eat them ;)
np upda..wait a sec.. soething new!! Yay-- she's still alive.. so glad to read you. Andrea from Germany
P.S.: I have Silverfish too... they even avoided my traps!?
Eww, we had that plague one Thanksgiving weekend a couple years ago. Luckily we had just moved into a new house with 3 bathrooms, so there was usually one available when one of the 7 visiting family members had an emergency. Usually.
It's good to have you back. Perhaps you could poke your brother (or smack him on the forehead) a couple times and get him back in blogging form as well? It's lovely that you each have a busy, well-rounded life, but those of who have no life miss your bulletins!
Good to hear from you again Kate. Glad you had a good time in New York and great to hear that DON'T WAKE ME is already doing well!
Sorry to hear you had that awful flu thing. I had it a couple of weeks before Christmas and could only take a couple of days off work - really needed about a week off. My boyfriend just got over his flu. Yep, it's a bad flu time. Glad to hear you feel better now.
Have a great 2008!
The play was awesome. Loved it. Kate you are awesome. Never knew you could sing or do accents. Right up there with David in the talent department.
My sister's and I loved it. Saw you after the Saturday show in the tent but we weren't sure if it would be cool to approach you.
Fran
nice to hear from you. sorry about "the Hewlett Plague." had my own version of that in march of 2005
I tried to catch the show in New York, but alas, I got held up in LA and had to get a direct flight home. So no pass over in new york and no Troma (independent film company) visit either :(.
Always good to start the new year with good work - sets up a standard for the WHOLE year so best of luck :).
Any chance you'll be entering something into the Toronto Fringe? I'm considering going back to visit my old foster parents around this time so it'd be great to finally see one of your shows! lol
I Believe that you are a very symptatic person, and wish you good luck in al wat youre doing. sorry for the bad englisch.
Welcome back! I know exactly how this happens that you don't post for 8-13 weeks - and time runs by so fast! I always love to read your posts - your style is just like the one of my best friends - just the english version! And by the way - you got a cute brother :-) Thank you for your Site!
Hey welcome back !!! Even if it's a little bit too late, I wish you an Happy New Year 2008 !!! Love, Success and Health ! Bonne année !
And congratulations for your success in New-York !
Today I met a former NYC cop who told me some nightmare-inducing cockroach stories. The two of you may have some mutual friends. Ick!
I think I would have rather have the Hewlett plague than my holiday. I ended up with a couple of bruised vertebrae on my very first skiing trip ever up in Quebec. Though I'm sure that everyone who saw me fall had a fantastic laugh over it.
I'm glad to see you back blogging. They're always a treat to read!
well welcome back yourself! especially, in my ignorance, as this is my first time visiting your blog leaving me fully undeserving of a welcome back.
my gosh, you are hilarious! good luck w/everything and well done w/what you've gotten done already :)
As found in the Toronto Sun on Jan. 8, 2008:
Don't Wake Me
Produced by UnSpun Theatre
Stanton returns to the stage in this collective collaboration with playwright
Ball, director Chris Hanratty, dramaturge Mike McPhaden and performers John
Cleland and Kate Hewlett. In an impressive attempt to channel the voice of
Mickey Spillane on acid, Stanton plays a drunk who wakes up one morning to find
he's been blinded, while Cleland and Hewlett play the friends who help him dream
his way back to the beginning of this particular nightmare. For those who love
watching talent stretch its wings, this is a flight to remember.
Good to have you back Kate!!!
I wish I could go and see your play, it sounds really good!! Ever thought about maybe doing theater in Europe, 'cause that would increase the chances of me actually seeing it.. :D
Looking forward to seeing you at Pegasus3! I'm sure it'll be lots of fun!!!
Sofie
(Silverfissues was brilliant btw)
Hi Kate, good to see you again! And I'm glad that you survided the Hewlett plague! :)
Looking forward to seeing you again in London! It's so great that you'll be there again, and this time there'll be no big brother teasing you about how long you stay at the party! *g*
You should consider training your hand muscles though - from what I've heard on the net people are pretty excited that you'll be at Pegasus3, so I bet you'll have lots of autographs to write! :)
Yay, you're alive!
There were Plague carriers at my family's Christmas. It made the rounds through the family.
Good luck with the play!
Great to hear from you again! :)
I just watched 2x11 of Psych and I was thrilled to see you there :D
Congratulations on the new lead role! (Gateworld) Keep us informed!
I really hope that you still get to come over for the con (you should bring your music with you if you do!) but if not, good luck with the project!
Great interview on GateWorld - Sooooo pleased about your lead role! Congratulations *shakes hand*
Of course, we'd love to see you at Pegasus 3, but a lead in a movie?! Brilliant :D
Welcome back to the land of the blog. Glad New York was great! Best of luck with the new show.
Well hello!!! Welcome back to you too! Hope you had a good Christmas after you all were better. Or did you forge on while sick and do all the Christmasy things you were able to? Poor babies. I'm sure David and Jane were very happy to miss all the sickness!! Especially with little Baz around. No sick people near the babies. Have you seen him much? David is such a daddy! Have you seen his new vid on youtube?? What a ham!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meWiVy_tK-w
Hope your new play does fabulously well. I talked to Fran on twitter and she has seen it twice. Says you are a fantastic actress and really, really nice! (I love the nice part...it would suck if you weren't...lol! Pardon my French) ;-P Being way down south in Florida means I don't get to see it :-(
Loved you in Miller's Crossing! Can't wait to see you in the Last Man (I think that's the correct one).
Kimberly
Great to have you back posting again kate :D
I hope the play went well :)
I was pleasantly surprised to see you on Psych this week. You were great!
Hope you have the chance to do more TV and film work so more people get the chance to see your work.
I want you to play ME in my life story!
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