What’s it been, 8 hours since the last post?  Time to stop slacking, start the ‘new year’ off right!  Even if it’s only January, and there’s not a whole Hell of a lot going on just yet.  But let’s think quality over quantity, folks.  Also, let’s think THANK FUCK there’re some new shows starting up.  Shows like:

– LOST IN YONKERS at the Ottawa Little Theatre.  A show so damned high-class they refuse to let me have anything to do with it… a very good sign.  Running from the 10th thru 28th, the OLT production of Neil Simon’s classic promises to be a good time indeed.

– 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS at the NAC.  Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt have, if my brief skimming of the NAC website is accurate, been running with this show for 15 goddamn years now!  They may just be on to something.  Also playing from the 10th to 28th.

– THE LARAMIE PROJECT from the Red.Collective.  A show based on the life and death of Matthew Shepard, from an intriguing-sounding theatre gang I’m as yet unfamiliar with.  Sold!  Plays at the SAW Gallery from  the 5th-7th, and 11th-13th.

– YERMA by Sock ‘n’ Buskin.  From playwrite Federico Garcia-Lorca, this one sounds pretty damn intense.  Runs at the Kailash Mital theatre from the 25th to 28th.

– CREATION at the NAC.  Right at the end of the month comes this musical mystery play from writer PEter Anderson and director Peter Hinton.  And it’s your last chance to see Kris Joseph on an Ottawa stage afore he beats feet to Edmonton, or some other God-forsaken hellhole.  So don’t miss it!  From the 30th to Feb 20th.

– THE EMPTY SPACE SERIES from Third Wall Theatre.  Yeah, they just keep coming back, and thank goodness!  James Richardson and his band of thespians are putting on another of their staged reading fundraisers this month, this time working Henry Beissel’s WHERE SHALL THE BIRDS FLY?  It goes up on the 18th at the Glebe St.James United Church, 600 Lyon st.

– YOU FANCY YOURSELF at the GCTC…but, no.  While writing this post, I checked the GCTC website, and horror of horrors, this show has been CANCELLED due to illness.  And I LOVE one woman shows!  Goddammit!  Well, all the best to star Maja Ardel (or whoever it is that’s ill), and the GCTC Promises to announce a replacement show any day now.  May I humbly suggest ROLLER DERBY SAVED MY SOUL?  Kenny, strap on yer skates!

-and, just under the wire, Plosive‘s new translation of CYRANO DE BERGERAC previews on the 31st, for a run February 1st-18th at the Gladstone theatre.  Thanks to newlywed Chris Ralph for the reminder!

That’s about it…don’t forget to get your Improv on this month, when Crush Improv starts their second year of ‘Bout Time action at the Elmdale Tavern on the 9th (not the usual first Monday this month, due to the likelihood of hungover-ness).  Plus the regular/irregular antics of Crystal Basement, GRIMprov and Insensitivity Training.  So get on out there!   And I’ll be back in a few with that new GCTC show (sigh…I SO wanted to see that one…mope.)  Peace, love and soul, Ottawa,

The Visitor (and Winston)

* UPDATED: The new show at the GCTC has been announced, according to Patrick Langston at the Citizen, and Holy Hell, it seems to be Pierre Brault’s Fringe classic BLOOD ON THE MOON.  I couldn’t be exciteder for that, a show I NEVER thought I’d get the chance to see.  Not sure if it has the exact same time slot as YFY, I’ll wait until GCTC updates their website to be sure.  And all our love here at the Visitorium (and, hopefully, Ottawa) to Maja Ardell, who has indeed fallen ill.  Wishing for a speedy recovery, Miss. Ardell, and I still wanna see that show! 🙂  Oh, and as long as I’m here…

– BIFURCATE ME , from last years Undercurrents festival, has a couple of sneaky pay-what-you can shows the 2nd and 3rd at Academic Hall, 6:30.  Which is EXACTLY the sort of thing I wish people would, you know, tell me about.  Just like…

–A COMPANY OF FOOLS TWELFTH NIGHT FUNDRAISER at the NAC 4th Stage, on the 5th.  It was a great time last year, and I wish I could go THIS year, but apparently it is already sold out.  Sigh.  Not sure why I’m mentioning it at all, really.  Good vibes?  Although don’t trust me…call the NAC box office to be doubly sure.