Hey ho, it’s a new month!  Three days old already!  And since I skipped this (not at all) vital function last month, I suppose I’d better get with it this time around, hey?  Gots to get me some writing groove going!

So, just what the Heck IS going on in these otherwise dreary summer months?  Well, here in Ottawa we’ve got a few options going, never fear.  Two smashing outdoor shows, a Company of Fools ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA and Odyssey Theatre‘s THE FAN are both ongoing, until the 20th and 21st respectively.  Odyssey perfoms exclusively at Stratchona park (with children’s puppet-show matinees on weekends, check their website), while the Fools are still touring across the land to parks near and far.  Both obviously worth a great, longing look.

Also in park territory, New Edinburgh park to be exact, Sanitas Playback Theatre will be performing STORIES OF NIGHT AND LIGHT (with some audience help, of course) on Saturday the 6th, as part of the ongoing Lumiere Festival, which is always a good fun time.

Meanwhile, over in Rideau-towne, the SUMMER FLING continues.  Ottawa Little Theatre presents THE PATRICK PEARSE MOTEL from the 16th-27th.  Arts Court sees the Crush Improv show MY SUMMER CRUSH IMPROV continue, on the 8th, 15th, and 26th.  The Ottawa Dance Directive kicks in with their SERIES DANCE 10/PROGRAMME #5 from the 25-27th.  And the much awaited FRINGE BENEFITS program kicks off with remounts of last June’s Ottawa Fringe shows PLAYING FOR ADVANTAGE from Black Sheep Theatre, and ROLLER DERBY SAVED MY SOUL, courtesy of Nancy Kenny and gang.  ADVANTAGE hits from the 18th-20th, and DERBY plays from the 11th thru 13th.  Both come highly recommended by yours truly.

Also at Arts Court starting a 4-show run on August 31st is Tototoo‘s THE FATEFUL MEETING OF LES FEMMES FATALES, by my one-time acting substitute teacher Mary Harvey!  And i feel like a right heel that I’m going to miss this one, so all of you, get out there and pack the house for me, okay?  I’d appreciate it.

And WHY am I going to miss this show, you ask (you didn’t, I know, but humour me, I’m lonely)?  Glad you asked!  It’s because I will be out of town at the end of the month, and far away in the West to attend/blog the shit out of the VICTORIA FRINGE FESTIVAL.  I’ll have more on this event when the time draws closer, but from the look of the lineup so far I’m mighty damn excited about what should be a grand festivus indeed.  Katie Hood, Gemma Wilcox, Jayson MacDonald, Rob Gee, Brent Hirose, and so very much more.  Squee!

That’s about it for this month…altho if anyone wants to catch some ACTUAL roller derby in anticipation of Nancy’s return, check out Ottawa Roller Derby vs. Kingston Derby Girls at Brewer arena this saturday at 7!  Just the thing for a hot summer nite.  But if you plan on staying home instead that nite, may I suggest tuning in to CBC at 7 to catch a broadcast episode of SWEET TARTS TAKEAWAY?  Oh yea, they’re hitting it big.  Television worth watching, kids! Peace, love and soul, Ottawa,

The Visitor (and Winston)