Till Next We Trod The Boards

Toronto based theatre director, producer & designer. www.emilydix.com

[emilydto]

The Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition (TITC)

I first had the idea for the Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition (TITC) 5 or 6 years ago. I had recently started up Bygone Theatre, and was watching what other indie groups were up to in an effort to figure out a growth strategy (aka what the hell I was doing). The first thing that became glaringly obvious was that it’s nearly impossible to grow a successful theatre business on your own. Especially in a city as expensive as Toronto.

Don’t get me wrong, theatre is first and foremost an art, but if you ignore the business side, the part that helps you find sponsors, partners and audience members, then no matter how good your art is, you’re not going to be around long enough for anyone to see it.

It’s nearly impossible to grow a successful theatre business on your own…(and) if you ignore the business side…you’re not going to be around long.

As indie artists, we are often stuck in a Catch 22 kind of hell;

You need advertising to bring in audience members, but you need audience members to make the money you need for advertising.

You need experience to get sponsors & grants, but you can’t get experience because you don’t have sponsors or grants to help you get started.

…and so it goes.

The theatre community is so small, but when it comes to companies connecting and supporting each other, suddenly there was all this distance between us.

While it’s hard to say just how many indie theatre groups there are in Toronto, I heard once that there are approximately 350 in the city. That’s huge. Yet there didn’t seem to be any kind of network set up to help those artists connect and help each other grow. The theatre community is so small, but when it comes to companies connecting and supporting each other, suddenly there was all this distance between us.

Why is that?

One of my least favourite parts of the theatre community is this strange belief some seem to have that we are somehow in competition with one another. It’s seldom if ever said out loud, but you feel it when friends with their own companies don’t bother to share your show info, when people hesitate to do a program ad swap, or one someone comes up with the great hashtag #indieunite and yet it never seems to be used by companies actually trying to support each other.

I have always wanted to change that. So, here is my official attempt.

The goal of the TITC is to provide a space for artists and companies to come together and do what we all should have been doing from the beginning; supporting each other. This can be by sharing resources like access to rehearsal space, props or costumes, or by doing labour swaps when there’s multiple companies without the funds to pay artists properly. In addition to that, each member company must agree to share, via all their social media networks, each other company’s show and audition info. If a company isn’t living up to their end of the deal, they get booted out. Only team players here.

So why make this an official thing? Why insist on the membership survey, track social media numbers and hold groups accountable? Why not just continue to share and work with those you already know?

The answer — strength in numbers.

The goal of the TITC is to provide a space for artists and companies to come together and do what we all should have been doing from the beginning; supporting each other

This is where we as indie artists can start to grow our companies as businesses. When you contact a potential sponsor, say a car dealership, chances are you are trying to convince them that supporting you will be good exposure. You tell them to think of it as a marketing investment — give us some money for our show, we give you a shout-out on our social media, all our followers see how great you are! Only, as an indie company you likely don’t have a huge following.

Currently, we have 9 Company Members at the TITC; that’s after about a week of applications being open. And to give you an idea of how much of a difference that can make for members already, note that, on average, each company has 646 Twitter followers, but combined? That number jumps to 5818. And we’re just getting started. Plus, that doesn’t include the following the TITC itself is now starting to grow…

We are stronger together.

Together, we have access to some of the best indie talent in the city. Together, we have social media numbers and followers large enough to get sponsor’s attention. Together, we can pool our funds to advertise a central hub where all the indie shows can be promoted on a large scale.

…and so it goes.

There are no membership fees required to join the TITC, all we want is your willingness and commitment to grow this community with us. It takes about 3 minutes to apply, and you can do so here. If you want to know more about what membership entails, you can find that here. And if you want to know what we have planned next, you can learn that here.

If you like the sound of the TITC, please take a moment to check out our website at www.thetitc.ca, to follow us on Instagram or Twitter, and to like us on Facebook. Share this post! Send links to your theatre friends! The more of us there are the more we can do.

#indieunite

To keep the TITC free we need some help raising funds for start-up costs. Want to help support Toronto’s indie theatre scene? Please visit our GoFundMe page and give if you can.

from The Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition (TITC)

[emilydto]

Still The Same

Something has been gnawing away at me the past week and I’ve been having a hard time articulating what exactly it is. The Toronto Fringe is on and my feeds have been flooded with emotional posts about the ups and downs of mounting a show, of the love people have felt when it’s received well, of the anger and abuse they feel when there’s an unfavourable review – the consistent thing is that everyone seems to rally around and declare their support;

“All Fringe shows deserve a 5 star review”

” This review was unfair, we need to all get out and support the show”

“I’m overwhelmed by the love and support I have received from everyone, thank you”

Looking at this you’d think we all exist in a very supportive, inclusive community.

We don’t.

I’ve written before about my shitty experiences with Theatre 20 and in particular, Brian Goldenberg, and doubtless some will read this and think I should let it go. The problem is, nothing has changed. At least, not for the perpetrators.

This year Brian has 3 shows in the Toronto Fringe Festival – a good friend of mine is acting in one of them, something this friend avoided telling me so as not to make things “awkward”. He knows the whole story. He was one of the first people I told, years ago, when this started. He doesn’t mind working with someone who knowingly discriminated against someone because of a mental illness and who thought that someone deserves to be fired if they try to assert their human rights.

This topic has come up several times in the past few days, while hanging around the tent, and I’ve been told by multiple friends that they know the story, believe me, but will not be saying anything or changing the way they interact with him because they’ve known him for a while and again, don’t want to make things “awkward”. Don’t want to cause any “trouble”. They support me, they’re just not willing to show that, or say that to anyone but me.

The same thing happened when I first wrote about this. I kept quiet for over a year, waiting until I had proof, posting the results of a legal hearing rather than sharing my own thoughts and feelings. I was right. That was proven, non-subjective. A lot of people read that blog. Quite a few sent me private messages and shared similar stories about the men in question. But no one from the community said anything out in the open. Nothing changed.

Around that time a reporter (someone who knows well and writes about the theatre) reached out to do an interview about it. I had hopes that, with this being published in something major, more would see it and maybe something would change. Delays caused it to eventually be dropped. I don’t blame him, he’s reached out a couple times to apologize, once quite recently. He said there may be something happening soon that could lead to him reviving the story – I hope so. But for now, nothing has happened. Nothing changed.

I saw Brian in the audience at a performance the other night, ironically for a show about a woman who struggles with anxiety and depression and eventually leaves her job because of it. Shows like this are celebrated because it’s “important to eliminate the stigma” around mental health, to recognize it as a serious, legitimate illness, to support those who are suffering – but here is a documented, proven case of discrimination having taken place in our own tiny community, and nothing has changed. He didn’t even bother to come to the hearing. It didn’t cost him his job, clearly hasn’t damaged his reputation. He did read the post, because he contacted the HRTO (with me cc’d) to accuse me (wrongly) of slander, so clearly he knows that this behaviour should be damaging, but his lack of recognition let alone an apology tells me he really doesn’t care.

None of this changed him, but it did change me.

I missed weeks of work leading up to the hearing, costing me money I couldn’t afford to lose, piling on to the already nearly unbearable stress I deal with from my anxiety, daily, I’m sure it damaged my reputation because whether it was justified or not, no one wants an employee who misses 3 weeks of work, and here we are, another year later, and I’m still feeling the residual effects. I question my importance to my friends, and whether there’s any point in confiding in them. I question the support of my community, and whether there’s any sincerity behind the daily posts about acceptance and inclusion. I question myself, and whether saying this will give me any peace of mind or just further isolate me. I question whether I want to be a part of a community that seems to be more interested in appearing inclusive and supportive than actually doing anything to achieve that.

It’s time for something to change.

from Still The Same

[emilydto]

Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Anywhere

Cass Van Wyck and Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster in Anywhere at the 2018 Toronto Fringe.

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing the latest by Dora-nominated playwright Michael Ross Albert (Tough Jews, The Grass is Greenest at the Houston Astrodome): the 141 Collective’s production of Anywhere. In this timely new thriller, Liz (Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster), a young business woman away at a conference, returns home to her AirBnB to find her host, Joy (Cass Van Wyck), has been waiting up for her. What starts as a cordial and relatively typical conversation quickly unravels as we learn of their drunken encounter the previous night, one that leaves the two women fighting in a dark and increasingly frightening battle for control.

The show has a stellar cast – Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster epitomizes the uptight, bland businesswoman, one whose life has become so mundane that a bus tour conference and night partying with a stranger, her single-mom AirBnB host Joy, is clearly the most thrilling thing to happen to her in months. As the night wears on drinks are poured and secrets are revealed, leading to the unnerving realization that all the patience and polite conversation is a front, and the audience meets the real Liz, one who is cutting, competitive, and fiercely cynical. As Joy, the single-mother to a terminally ill 8-year-old, Cass Van Wyck elicits both sympathy and disgust, as her lifestyle choices make us question her suitability as a parent, and her motives in revealing herself to her guest make us question her morality. The clever writing combined with the subtle acting choices of both woman leave us wondering who the real victim is in this bizarre game of cat and mouse.

While I was impressed by the acting and writing, the directing by David Lafontaine unfortunately left something to be desired. Staging was too stationary, and often I felt as though the actors had been told to move just for something to do. We lost the full potential of some well-charged moments that were oddly staged upstage, obscured by the large and, I think, unnecessary dining table. Too often the actors, as well as the majority of the set pieces, were playing in the same plane, making it so that the movement was noticeably less dynamic than the words and emotion being presented onstage. I hope this show continues to have a life after Fringe, and that some changes are made to staging to allow it to see its full potential.

Photo by Emily Dix

**SPOILER ALERT**

Aside from the unimpressive staging, the only issue I found with this play was in the last minute and a half, where the sudden change in in momentum left me confused, rather than shaken, as I think was intended. After a fight between Liz and Joy becomes physical, Liz whacks Joy over the head with a large, heavy chessboard, knocking her to the ground and leaving her seemingly, for a moment, unconscious. This is how I expected the play to end; Joy, now seriously injured if not dead, is left lying in a pool of blood on the floor, while Liz, realizing there is no turning back from the culmination of strange events in what should have been the most mundane of weeks, takes the place she held at the start of the play. I imagined Liz would sit down and wait, knowing that what led them to this place didn’t matter, because regardless of who was right and who had “won” the battle, she had been the one to call “checkmate” and end the war. She had sealed her own fate. Instead, Joy suddenly leaps from the ground, now covered in blood, and stumbles forward confused, shrieking that she can’t see. The lights dim as Liz cradles Joy’s bleeding head her in her hands, telling her not to worry because her son Ethan is “right there”. I’m not sure what we’re meant to take away here – is Joy’s confusion the result of a head injury? Of the night’s drinking? Both? Is Liz’s sudden compassion out of fear? Guilt? Is Joy dying? After an hour of well-scripted, naturally building tension I found these last few moments questioned all of the night’s events, but not in a way that left me intrigued so much as just confused.

**END OF SPOILERS**

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this production. In a digital age where we can learn intimate details about a person before even meeting them, Anywhere is a necessary examination of the difference between intimacy and knowledge, and with a knock-out cast of rising indie stars Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster and Cass Van Wyck, this is surely one to add to your “must see” list.

E.

from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Anywhere

[emilydto]

Toronto Fringe Festival Review: The Joy of Sax

What makes the Fringe Festival so fun is that you really never know what you’re going to get when you shuffle into the theatre at some odd time of day: I certainly wasn’t expecting what I saw this afternoon at The Joy of Sax, Flash in the Deadpan’s Toronto Fringe production. Described by the company as fitting into the “new genre of saxploitation comedy”, The Joy of Sax is a bizarre tale of a young man named Luke (Cam Parkes) who inherits his father’s saxophone and finds that he has a special gift – no, not a musical talent (much to my dismay, the only sounds to come out of the horn were loud, blasting screeches), but the inexplicable ability to arouse and lead to orgasm any who are within earshot of his “music”. Can’t say that it’s not original!

Unfortunately, I think “original” is the kindest adjective I can use to describe this play. From the hard-to-follow plot, to the almost complete lack of comedic timing, The Joy of Sax is not much of a joy to watch.  As the smarmy agent, Lex Stultz misses nearly every beat, turning even the clever lines into something that falls painfully flat. Likewise, Cam Parkes as Luke/Duke seems to always be just slightly behind, so that, despite being the main character, he’s really not compelling to watch. Most of the actors play multiple roles, and few are worth mentioning. Some bright spots do include Kimberley Wells’ Music Teacher, a role I wish was expanded upon, as well as Ted Powers’ Father, who, despite seeming a little out of place in the show, was quite funny.

Written, directed and produced by Tim Phillips, the play feels cluttered and confused, something that I think often happens when one person takes on many roles. There were quite a few funny jokes and clever lines scattered throughout – the Agent’s frequently misquoted expressions, such as “let’s not argue ceramics” (as opposed to “semantics”) would have likely gotten more laughs with some better delivery – but the overall plot and structure left a lot to be desired. Add to that some out-of-place and unnecessary sound effects, plus that screeching saxophone, and you end up with a  show that is a bit of a miss.

For more information on The Joy of Sax, check out their show page on the Toronto Fringe Festival website. The Fringe runs from July 4 – 15, 2018.

from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: The Joy of Sax

[emilydto]

Me Too.

“If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet,” she wrote. The movement started in response to the Harvey Weinstein scandal and its ensuing fall out.

Every girl on my Facebook changed their status to this yesterday. Another very small step towards solidarity that will ultimately not change anything. It’s frustrating. I’m going to rant now, apologies if it’s not the best written piece on here.

I’m sure most of us have more than one story, especially considering harassment is included in this, and that’s something that is often endured on a weekly, and for some, daily basis. As for assault, the numbers there are frighteningly high as well. I remember being in grade 7, and being told by our teacher that 1 in 5 of us would be assaulted in our lifetime; sitting with a group of 5 girls, this stuck with me. Now, as an adult, I’ve heard that statistic raised to 1 in 4, and I know that out of that group from so many years ago at least 2 had that fate.

So how is this status change helping? I think all of us reasonable people know that, even if we don’t know which ones, someone we are close to has been the victim of sexual harassment or assault. The problem with these simple little remarks is that they are not calling out the people who are the perpetrators, and often, when someone does, they are labeled a vindictive bitch, and find their personal lives being scrutinized by those who are sure they were somehow “asking for it”. We all know about the victims, but how about the scum that made them victims in the first place?

Admittedly, there’s a lot of reasons for someone to not want to come forward and name names. And I myself have stories I am not interested in sharing. But as one of them has already been written about twice on this blog, and is a matter of public record, I’m going to share it one more time.

In 2015 I worked for Theatre 20, and I thought I had my dream job, working there as Producer. I was wrong. I won’t bother getting into all the hell that was a part of the daily job, because it’s off topic, instead I’ll skip ahead to the sexual harassment that somehow lead to me, rather than the perpetrator, being fired.

As I mentioned in a past blog, Chris Weber (currently working as VP of Whole Life Balance Canada), a married man 11 years my senior who was a member of our Board, and so in a position of power, had on numerous times made inappropriate advances. The only one which I had real “proof” of, and so what was the main focus of that aspect of my HRTO claim, was a text message in which he stated he wanted to see me in a “shorter dress”.

Admittedly, much worse things have been said, but given the power imbalance this concerned me enough to mention it to my boss, who also happened to be the only other (full-time) employee at the company, Brian Goldenberg. Apparently he never addressed it in any way, and in the evidence for the hearing (he didn’t actually bother to attend the hearing himself), tried to say I had told him it was “no big deal” – not sure why I would’ve bothered saying anything if that was the case…

Eventually, the harassment from Weber and other members of the board got to the point where I felt I couldn’t work there under those circumstances, and I told Brian this. I asked him to deal with it, and when weeks went by with no change, I said that if he wouldn’t do something about it, I would. I offered to speak to the Board myself, and advised that if the inappropriate behaviour didn’t stop after that, I would be forced to file a Human Rights claim about it. For this, I was fired.

Again, you can read all about it in my blog, Finally, but the gist of it is, I was fired with no notice and no cause, and at the hearing won my case, with the HRTO determining that they were guilty of Sexual Harassment (Weber, specifically, though this was against the company, not an individual), and Threat of Reprisal (Brian, in this case). I was supposed to be awarded financial compensation for this, but they have ignored this judgement as well as letters from my lawyer, so here we are, years after the initial incident, and all that has changed is I no longer work there (well, in fairness, the company did fold, but for different reasons).

Why would anyone speak up? I lost my job over it. I wasn’t traumatized from the harassment so that was the worst of it, if you don’t count the years of time and money and stress trying to take this through court. I won my case, which should mean that something is done but they refuse to pay the small amount of money I was awarded, and the perpetrators continue to work in the same community (Brian had a show in the Fringe this past year), and the HRTO isn’t punitive so essentially nothing was done to either of them. And this is still a better turnout than a lot of women have. Some try a civil case and throw thousands of dollars into it. Some try criminal (where worse things have happened), and are attacked on the stand as the defence tries to paint them as some whore. I’ve heard so many terrible stories from people I know, that are not mine to share, but I can say I’m not surprised that they didn’t speak up. It rarely goes well. So I guess this #metoo is the safest way someone can say something because basically everyone can say it (isn’t that a disgusting thought?).

But you know what I’d love to see? (and I know, this totally makes me a vindictive bitch out on a “witchhunt”), instead of #metoo how about #hedid, and you name the fucker who’s put you through shit. Let’s stop quietly adding ourselves to the list of people who are treated like meat, or treated like idiots, or treated like bitches if we dare to stand up for ourselves. This is not something where the focus should be on the victims, it should be on a perpetrators. Maybe that will stop them, or at least warn the next girl to watch out. I’m so sick of seeing how many people are a part of #metoo.

/End rant.

Filed under: I <3 Tagged: #metoo, Brian Goldenberg, Chris Weber, HRTO, Human Rights, Sexual Harassment, Theatre 20, Threat of Reprisal, Toronto, Whole Life Balance from Me Too.

[emilydto]

REVIEW: The LOT’s “Dreamgirls”

There’s no denying Dreamgirls is a tough musical to pull off; large cast, flashy sets, tons of costume changes and vocal scores meant to mimic the great Diana Ross & the Supremes, make for a show that is difficult at best. The production currently playing at the Lower Ossington Theatre does an adequate job, but as I have found with all the shows I’ve seen at the LOT, it’s inconsistent, and while they have some top-notch talent, there are others that leave more than a little to be desired.

Bobby Daniels shines as Curtis Taylor Jr., the car salesman turned agent. His smooth voice is the strongest of the male cast, and for the most part, his acting was solid as well. I did question his intention in some of the more serious scenes where he came across more melodramatic than sincere, but overall I think his casting was a wise choice.

Kyle Brown stole the show as the soulful Jimmy Early. His voice wasn’t quite strong enough to hit some of the harder notes, but what he may have lacked in vocal strength he more than made up for with his electric stage presence. He had enviable dance skills, and made a thoroughly believable character, especially in his second-act solo piece; Jimmy does indeed “got soul”.

I was surprised by the casting of Krystle Chance as Effie White, since much is made of the character being grossly overweight, and yet Chance was a fit, curvy beauty in her sparkled gowns. Personally, I would have padded her out some, as it changes the story to have her being switched out of the lead role over her weight when the actress is barely any bigger than her co-stars. Still, the attitude and vocal range made her a good match, and she wowed in numbers like “One Night Only”.

Other notable mentions go to Amanda Mattar as Michelle, Effie’s replacement in the Dreams, who had a lovely voice and a really magnetic stage presence, and to Alinka Angelova as Lorrell, who really found her voice in the second act. My favourite number of the whole show? Stepping To The Bad Side, beautifully sung and choreographed; I got chills.

Overall, the directing by Saccha Dennis was simple but effective. The stage movements were slick and well choreographed to move through the rapidly changing scenes. However, it seemed as though not enough time was spent on the character work, something painfully obvious in scenes like “You Are My Dream”, where there was a total lack of chemistry.

Costuming a show of this size is quite a feat, but I would have liked to see some more authentic and better fitting costumes; the sparkling gowns were lovely, but didn’t seem to fit the actresses. Kudos to lighting designer Mikael Kangas for his beautiful work, he really effectively changed the look of each scene and moved things effortlessly from “stage lights” to “real lights”, without anything ever looking cheesy or fake; really well done. Sound designer Curtis Whittaker might want to re-check some of his levels, as I found much of the dialogue difficult to hear.

In the end, I’d recommend the show. It has its faults, but it’s a big musical with a lot of fun songs that will have you dancing in your seat. Great for a fun night out.

-E.

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Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: Dreamgirls, dreamgirls review, Joseph Patrick, LOT, The Lower Ossington Theatre, theatre review, Toronto, Toronto theatre from REVIEW: The LOT’s “Dreamgirls”

[emilydto]

Bygone Theatre’s 2017/18 Season

Super excited about our 6th season!

Bygone Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

Bygone Theatre Announces its 6th Season

TORONTO, ON (Tuesday September 26, 2017) – Now entering their sixth season, Toronto based, indie nonprofit, Bygone Theatre announces their season lineup, which includes a classic 1965 British farce, a unique night of vintage Vaudeville, and the World Premiere of a new Canadian play.

LOOT by Joe Orton Directed by Emily Dix

England, 1965; Only hours before her intended burial, the late Mrs. Leavy is removed from her coffin by her son, Hal, and his best pal, Dennis, who have together just robbed a bank and need the coffin to stash the loot. Absurdity abounds in the dark, 1965 farce that examines attitudes surrounding death, police integrity, and the Catholic church.

This timely classic will run from March 8-17th (11 performances) at the Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley St., Toronto. Casting TBA late 2017.

JOE by…

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[emilydto]

Bygone Theatre Rentals – Office Furniture

Vintage office furniture available for rent through Bygone Theatre in Toronto!

Bygone Theatre

We recently did a production of His Girl Friday, which meant acquiring a LARGE volume of vintage office furniture and supplies; here’s some of the furniture pieces we now have available to rent.

  Vintage Wood Office Chairs: see individual pictures for details Rental Price: $20.00 each/wk

Burgundy Faux Leather Executive Chair: see individual picture for details Rental Price: $30.00/wk

Small Telephone Desk: see individual picture for details Rental Price: $15.00/wk

Wood Arts & Crafts and Mid Century Modern Desks: see individual pictures for details Rental Price: $40.00 each/wk

Metal Cabinet: see individual picture for details Rental Price: $15.00/wk

The styles we have available would be suitable for someone looking for something from the 1920s-60s, or something modern day with a vintage twist. Discounts available when renting multiple pieces at once, prices listed are for a single item, before HST.

Stay tuned to see…

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[emilydto]

Bygone Theatre Rentals – Appliances

Bygone Theatre is starting to rent out props! Check out some of our appliances for rent.

Bygone Theatre

Bygone Theatre has finally gotten our  storage space sorted, which means we are ready to start renting out some of our great vintage pieces! Take a look at some of our larger items here; all prices listed are before HST. Please note that we are able to negotiate payment structures, and that discounts are available when renting multiple items at once. Email us at [email protected] with any questions, or to place an order; we require a minimum of 3 days notice for all prop rentals.

Vintage Fridge: used in Wait Until Dark, gorgeous late 50s/early 60s white fridge with dusty rose interior. Inside latch has been modified to make for easier opening. Rental Price: $75.00/wk

2. Vintage Stove: used in Wait Until Dark, charming late 1940s white stove with oven. Rental Price: $75.00/wk

3. Vintage 1950s Ringer Washer: used in Wait Until Dark, white General Electric…

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[emilydto]

Tracing Your DNA – Comparing DNA Sites

I recently got my DNA tested for genealogical purposes, and thought I’d do a little write-up on what you actually get for your money, and the difference between some sites. Keep in mind, as a girl I can’t get as detailed results, and this doesn’t compare all available tests, just what you can do on different sites through uploading results from one of them.

Note: I am not being paid to do any of this, it’s just my own experience and opinions. I do plan on taking tests through other sites, and getting other family members to take them as well, it’s just a matter of saving up! Also, there are privacy concerns that come from these, especially in certain parts of the world; I’m not getting into those. I decided it was fine for me, and you should do the same for yourself.

Ancestry

I got my test from Ancestry.ca as I already had built an extensive family tree, and knew that I could upload my Ancestry results to a lot of other sites, but not vice versa.

I got my results much quicker than the estimated 6-8 weeks (I think it was about 1 week after mailing them in that we heard back), and here is what I saw;

Ethnicity Estimate:

Given that I had done a lot of genealogical research, I wasn’t surprised by this initial breakdown. I was a little disappointed to see that I wasn’t part of any Genetic Communities yet, but they do update their results, and they keep your sample so it can be tested again, so hopefully I’ll see a change to that at some point.

  There’s a map that shows where you come from as well, which would be a bit more interesting if you were more spread out than I am. Nice visual I guess, either way.

When I went into the more detailed breakdown, I was more surprised. Not by the groups that were there, but by their order; I knew I had a lot of German ancestors, and would have expected Europe West to be higher up, same goes for Scandinavia, as I know I had some Swedish relatives. I guess that means that, while I had family living there, they weren’t necessarily ethnically from that region, which is interesting. Will have to look at some migration patterns and see if there’s likely causes for that.

I also didn’t know of any Italian/Greek ancestry, though of course that’s listed as a very small amount, and the Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal), seems very out of place to me.

Under “low confidence regions” it suggests there may be some Polynesian ancestry as well, but that seems unlikely given the research I’ve done. We’ll see if that changes as they update things.

DNA Matches – Family Members

Finally, through Ancestry, you get to see if you have any distant relatives on the site. As I am mostly interested in genealogy, this is the main thing for me, and I’ll be working my way through. A lot were obvious connections from the start, but despite having traced most lines back 6-10 generations, there are still relatives that pop up that I can’t find a connection to through surnames, so that should be fun. It hasn’t yet helped me get through any of the “brick walls” I’m hoping it will, but I’ve just started, so I’ll update if it does.

Family Tree DNA

The site familytreedna.com allows you to upload the txt. file of your DNA results from Ancestry or 23andMe and has some options available to view for free. You can upload the info for an Autosomal Transfer for free, which will give you access to Family Finder. I did find some different people on this site then on Ancestry, so if you’re really set on connecting with as many people as possible, I think it’s important to try multiple sites.

For an additional fee, you can have access to things like the Chromosome Browser, My Origins and Ancient Origins; I got access to all of those for $19.00.

You can learn about all their available tests here.

Chromosome Browser:

You need to have some what of an understanding of chromosomes for this to be of interest, and as I have very little, I haven’t played around with it much yet.

Basically, you can choose to filter through all of your matches (by things like “close relative” – of which I have none on the site, “confirmed relatives”, “close surname”, “x matches” etc.), or look go through all of them, and click on one to see what parts of your DNA you share. You’ll see it come up like this;

Hover over the coloured bit and you’ll see the detail, eg. Jane Doe matches you on chromosome 15 from position ___ to ___ for a total of ___cm. You can look at up to 5 matches at once.

I’m aware that where your DNA matches means something, but it’s not clear to the layman what that is. Again, I’ll look into this more and update.

You can choose to see this data in a table, and there it will tell you the relation to the person (I’m not using the name in this example, but it would say at the top of the following image, “Jane Doe – 3rd Cousin”, or whatever the match may be).

This is likely an easier way to do further research, and you can export and download to Excel, but I’ll still have to get back to you on what exactly this all means.

My Origins

Like with Ancestry, FTDNA gives you a breakdown of your ethnic makeup, and allows you to see it displayed on a map. I had slightly different results here than on Ancestry (the Polynesian is gone, you’ll note), but basically the same deal.

You can see your family matches on the map as well.

Ancient Origins

If you’re interested in archeology and ancient origins, this part is fun. Using DNA from dig sites around the world, they give you a rough idea of what your ancestors likely did to survive; mine were mostly farmers, which fits with my known long history of family farming, and of some surname searches that also indicated we were mostly farmers. I haven’t spent the time to look through all the specific dig sites and details yet, but I will. One thing I wish it did was to show on the map not just the ones that you are connected to, but all of them, as I see some patterns but wonder if that’s just from the areas where more research was done, as opposed to saying anything about my ancient history.

Family Finder

Finally, you can use all this to find matches on the site, and to see your connections. You can view them through this;

to search via DNA connections, or upload a family tree and see them through that.

DNA Land

This site is cool because of the philosophy behind it; you have the ability to participate in studies that could help cure diseases, find new ancestral discoveries – it’s a non-profit and, I think, a very cool concept. Upload your Ancestry DNA report and you see this:

I did this about 24 hours ago and am still waiting on my Trait Prediction Report (will add when I get it), but have access to the following;

Find Relatives

DNA Land has, I suspect, a smaller database, which is why it didn’t show me any relationship matches,

Disappointing. But the only way to improve that is for more people to join, so I’m still glad I did.

Find Relatives of Relatives

Same deal;

Ancestry Report

This, thankfully, did come with results.

  A very general breakdown first, in the form of a pie chart. The details are viewed like this;

I did find it helpful seeing what exactly was included in each category, I though this was slightly better done here than on other sites. They have a map as well, though not as pretty as on the other ones, still gets the same info across;

There’s many more sites out there, and I’ll update as I go through others, but first I want to see all these have to offer.

Hope that helps narrow down the search! Got some recommendations? Leave them in the comments.

All for now, E.

Filed under: genealogy, I <3 Tagged: 23andme, ancestry, ancient ancestors, comparing dna sites, DNA land, DNA test, family history, Family Tree DNA, find relatives, genealogy, genetic ancestry, genetics from Tracing Your DNA – Comparing DNA Sites

[emilydto]

Toronto Fringe Festival Review: 32 Short Sketches About Bees

Clear Glass Productions’s performance of 32 Short Sketches About Bees is a fast-paced mash-up of ridiculous scenes all tied together through the incredibly simple (but surprisingly diverse) theme of “bees” (or “Bea”, “B”, “be”… you get the idea). Playing now at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Check out another one of my 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival reviews via Mooney on Theatre.

Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: 2017, 32 Short Sketches About Bees, Chris Leveille, comedy, fringe festival, Mooney on Theatre, Shannon Lahaie, toronto fringe, Toronto theatre from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: 32 Short Sketches About Bees

[emilydto]

Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Caitlin & Eric Are Broken Up

“You can’t be that attractive and funny” — well, not unless you’re Caitlin Robson and Eric Miinch. Catch the comedic duo in Caitlin & Eric Are Broken Up, produced by Squeaky Wheel, and playing now at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Check out another one of my 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival reviews via Mooney on Theatre.

Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: Caitlin & Eric Are Broken Up, caitlin robson, comedy, Eric Miinch, fringe festival, Mooney on Theatre, theatre review, toronto fringe, Toronto theatre from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Caitlin & Eric Are Broken Up

[emilydto]

Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Murder In The Cottonwoods

When leaving the theatre after seeing Murder In The Cottonwoods, I had stuck in my head a line from Rocky Horror that I think perfectly summed up my experience of the show; “a mental mind-f*ck can be nice.” A bizarre tale of murder set in a town that could be 1950s middle America if it weren’t for the Seinfeld references, Murder In The Cottonwoods may be the strangest show you’ll see at this year’s Fringe Festival. If you are a fan of David Lynch, then this show is for you: it’s Twin Peaks meets Pleasantville in this surreal “romantic nightmare.” Check out another one of my 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival reviews via Mooney on Theatre.

Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: 2017, Colin Sharpe, fringe festival, Mooney on Theatre, Murder In The Cottonwoods, theatre review, toronto fringe from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Murder In The Cottonwoods

[emilydto]

Vintage Finds – Radford Family Bible

Next to antiques and theatre, my third greatest passion is likely genealogy. Over the last few years I’ve spent a lot of time researching my own family history, and knowing the joys and frustrations that come with it have made me bother to take the time to document anything I come across in my own vintage/prop hunting that may be of interest to other family history buffs.

My most recent acquisition for Bygone Theatre’s upcoming show (join us September 24th to find out what that is) was an old family bible. While the cover is falling off and the pages are foxed and worn, it still contained some interesting pieces of history, that might be useful to anyone researching a Radford family from Huntington W. VA.

I’m including here the photos I’ve taken of selected pages from the bible; if this is part of your family tree, please let me know. I don’t have any additional information but after this year’s show, I’d be happy to send it along to someone who it would have meaning for.

Note: it was obtained from an estate auction here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which likely means that a relative owned it. However, there are people out there like myself who just collect old things for fun, so I can’t be certain, but it may be a helpful link.

  Filed under: genealogy, Prop Design, vintage Tagged: antique, Family Bible, family history, genealogy, Radford Family from Vintage Finds – Radford Family Bible

[emilydto]

White Wedding (Port Albert Productions) 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival Review

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing a new site-specific piece at Artscape Youngplace; Port Albert Production’s White Wedding. The show was staged in an upper hallway of the building, which nicely fit the plot, but did make it rather difficult to see; if you’re planning on going to this show, arrive early. I was 3 rows back and missed some key moments, you’re going to want to be right up front for the best experience.

Playwright/director/producer Taylor Marie Graham’s story was strong, and the majority of the writing felt sincere, though lead character Lisa (Kayla Whelan) seemed to often be off the mark, something which may have partially had to do with the writing of her scenes. While Lisa was the main protagonist, she seemed to be the only character to not have any real growth or development, and I found her to be unfortunately unlikable. I was confused by many of her moments of “emotion”, because they were meant to pop up suddenly, uncontrollably, but that was not what I saw from the actor. Hearing shouted, “oh no! I can’t cry again” when I see no tears made it feel cheesy and took me out of the moment.

The rest of the cast was strong, and two actors stood out for me in this performance; Cass Van Wyck as Heather, and Lauren Wolanski as Michelle. As a pair of old high school friends/ ex-lovers, the pair had unquestionable chemistry. Van Wyck excelled as the brash, fun-loving Heather, trying to play it cool despite still being desperately in love with her old high school fling. As Michelle, the now-married mother of a young son, Wolanksi effortlessly flipped back and forth between being the ideal (if not a little cold and repressed) wife, and the passionate, youthful girl that still lusts for her friend. Their relationship is by far the most compelling in the play, and I was happy to see it played honestly, rather than relying on caricatures or stereotypes. Special mention goes to Dave Martin as Dave, who did not have an especially complex character to play, but who was thoroughly enjoyable to watch. He also has a beautiful singing voice and accompanied much of the show on guitar.

The Verdict: Worth a watch, but show up early to get a good seat. Rating: 4/5 Stars

Performance Times:

Sunday July 9th 6:00pm Sunday July 9th 9:00pm Thursday July 13th 9:00pm Friday July 14th 9:00pm Saturday July 15th 2:00pm Saturday July 15th 6:00pm Saturday July 15th 9:00pm

Tickets available online or at the door (while supplies last).

Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: Artscape, Cass Van Wyck, Dave Martin, fringe festival, Kayla Whelan, Lauren Wolanski, Port Albert Productions, review, Site Specific, Taylor Marie Graham, theatre review, toronto fringe, White Wedding from White Wedding (Port Albert Productions) 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival Review

[emilydto]

Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Adult Entertainment

Sex, violence and morality battle it out onstage in George F. Walker’s Adult Entertainment, produced by Triple ByPass Productions and playing now at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Check out another one of my 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival reviews via Mooney on Theatre.

Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: 2017, Adult Entertainment, Antonino Pruiti, Christopher Hayes, comedy, dark, drama, George F. Walker, Joanne Sarazen, Melanie Pyne, Tarragon Theatre, theatre review, Thom Zimerle, Toronto, toronto fringe, Toronto theatre, Triple Bypass Productions from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Adult Entertainment

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Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Fastcar Man of Action

Want to catch a show that completely encompasses the spirit of Fringe? Don’t let the prospect of a one-man show with audience participation scare you off;  Fastcar: Man of Action (produced by blind fool productions) is a delightful trip through the absurd, playing now at the Toronto Fringe Festival . Learn more via my Mooney on Theatre review.

  Filed under: Local Theatre, Reviews Tagged: absurd, Amo Gulinello, Blindfool Productions, clown, comedy, Fastcar Man of Action, Fringe 2017, fringe festival, mime, Mooney on Theatre, review, Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, Toronto Fringe Festival, Toronto theatre from Toronto Fringe Festival Review: Fastcar Man of Action