Emily Pearlman has long been a fan favourite in Ottawa, with celebrated shows like COUNTRIES SHAPED LIKE STARS and LIVE FROM THE BELLY OF A WHALE from her company Mi Casa Theatre with Nick DiGaetano.  Brad Long is a smashing local actor, recently seen in DREAMS OF WHALES from New Theatre Ottawa, MACBETH from Salamander Theatre, and JULIUS CAESER from the OTtawa Shakespeare Company.  They’ve now joined forces with Kevin Orr’s Theatre 4.669 for the original Fringe production, WE GLOW.

– Tell us a little bit about WE GLOW.

Two corporate powerhouse up-and-comer’s get married as a business arrangement hoping that it will normalize them in the eyes of co-workers and friends. Along the way there’s a promotion, a well catered Halloween party, a not so well catered Christmas Party and a giant metaphor about baby crabs. You’ll just have to come to see how it stews.

– What made you two want to do a team-up like this?

We bring out the best of the worst in each other, which is fun. We have a mutual hatred of animals which is the real glue that binds. Allergy sufferers UNITE! And we both like the long process of writing aimlessly in search of a new play.

– Is skewering corporate culture something one or both of you have
just been dying to do?

Yes! Although it’s not as easy as it seems. The challenge is actually to find what we all have in common-the humanity behind the corporate mask so that people might relate. We spent alot of time thinking about what it is that constitutes that corporate mask and settled on some very fun things to play-vindictiveness, selfishness and power-walking. Then we thought alot about failure to meet expectations and how that works in the corporate world.

– How did you end up working with director Kevin Orr?

We pitched him an idea a couple years back for the Theatre 4.669 summer creation lab, which is like the Large Hadron Collider of Ottawa creation-a place where you can smash together a couple of ideas to reveal their hidden potential! He has an amazing energy and passion for making new work that is infectious.

– What’s up next for both of you after Fringe?

Emily: Is planning to celebrate International Nap Month in July then touring Countries Shaped Like Stars to Picton and Edmonton.
Brad: Is having a baby girl in July!

 

WE GLOW plays at the Ottawa Fringe Festival this year at Tabaret Hall in Room 0083 (the Senate Room).  Showtimes are:

June 21st 8pm

June 22nd 8pm

June 23rd 8pm

June 24th 8PM

June 26th 8pm

June 27th 8pm

June 28th 8pm

June 29th 8PM

June 30th 2PM

Advance tickets are available HERE at the Fringe website.  $10 at the door with a Fringe pin!