The Touring Set for "Sweet Marie"

Smile Theatre is a registered charity that creates and presents professional musical theatre productions for older adults throughout Ontario and beyond.

The primary goal is to bring high-quality performances by outstanding theatre artists to seniors who are isolated from cultural experiences. 

Sweet Marie Hats

Sweet Marie" by Sharon Dyer and James Howard - Touring Autumn 2013

September 23, 2013 - November 16, 2013
A musical based on the life of  Marie Dressler.  Dressler was a Canadian-born actress and Depression-era film star. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930-31 for Min and Bill.


Here are some hats I designed and made for the show.......

The Grey Sofa

The grey sofa really was his "ship of dreams" ultimately headed for disaster. He had his eye on it since Christmas, visiting it at least once a week at the Habitat Shop on the high street. Courting the couch we called it.

Most Friday nights he would stop by after work and try it out. Sitting on it and posturing as if watching television or working on a laptop. He would fantasize about having friends over and impressing them with his lovely new acquisition. He imagined a bright throw blanket casually spread over the back or arms. A tartan with the right colour blue perhaps.

It was a sofa bed of good quality. The finest mattress. It was thick and solid with sturdy mechanisms.

Once while visiting the shop floor he got cheeky and pulled it out, then laid on it. He got some stern looks from the sales staff.

In May he noticed that Habitat was having a spring sale. 30% Off all Sofa beds, so in a moment of passion he indulged and bought the sofa on higher purchase even though he could never afford it.

Min and Bill

July 2013

Severe Thunderstorm warning. Its been really hot these past few days. Too hot to work, but I headed over to the library to do some research on Marie Dressler. I am working on a show about her life that opens in September. The library is air conditioned which is a great relief.

Born is Cobourg Ontario, Marie's life journey was unusual although she obtained great success in her career, winning an Oscar in her early 60's. An unlikely star, Marie had worked  in touring Vaudeville Shows, Opera Companies and ultimately Broadway. She was blacklisted for leading a revolt against greedy producers and subsequently found herself without work for ten years. Marie was a comedian, singer and actor. One of her best performances can be seen in the film "Min and Bill".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMGFuQSAeic

2013 Dora Nominations

http://praxistheatre.com/2013/06/indie-dora-2013-nominees/

Dropping Stitches

My knitting is unravelling slowly. I am dropping stitches. Memories dripping away, disappearing, disintegrating, evaporating, fading.

The cloudy brain is left with a conscious mind, floating in the "now"

Today, the moment holding no steady position in history, or is it history falling away from the present conscious mind?

I live here in the present, I live within the day, this hour, this minute, not one second after or before this very moment.

My life is a long coat made of knotted threads, some transparent and fragile, some solid as steel, there is shape and texture, quality, woven in love and despair, comedy and tragedy.

There are moth holes appearing in this fabric, this web of life.



(for Lucy Ivens)

Within Distance by Simone Jones

http://vimeo.com/66263161