Over the past couple of months, as I rehearsed two shows for the Fringe,  performed regularly at Eddie May Murder Mystery, and helped  revamp Exposure  Gallery’s marketing strategy, I’m a little red-faced to admit that I  didn’t find the time to get out and enjoy much of the arts that Ottawa  has to offer.

On the one hand, as an artist, I know I am worse off when I don’t engage  with the work of other artists. On the other hand, as the new editor  and producer of the Ottawa Arts Newsletter, it feels a tad hypocritical  of me to trumpet the arts and not also make a greater effort to enjoy  all the arts Ottawa has to offer.

After all, we’re all busy in our own way — whatever our work may be —  and the temptation to cocoon into our own projects is strong. The  vitality of the Ottawa arts scene depends on our willingness to burst  out of those cocoons and enjoy each other’s work and company. We ask our  audiences to do it. We should too! Being an artist is no excuse!

On the plus side, my busy schedule creates a boon for readers of the  Ottawa Arts Newsletter! Because I can’t possibly attend all the events  to which I am now being invited, I can pass those invitations along to  you!

So, I want to experiment with some ticket giveaways! If the response is  favorable, I will make giveaways a regular feature of the Newsletter.

More importantly, in the four years since Jessica first started this  newsletter, the Ottawa Arts scene has grown and is more vital than ever.  I’m going to need your help to track and trumpet everything that is  happening in our great city!

Keep an eye out for your chance to help grow the Ottawa arts scene!

Sterling

p.s. If you are looking for a comprehensive, straight-up, “just the  facts ma’am” what’s-on guide, click here for  Mike’s mighty and always growing events guide at Unfolding Magazine.

FREE TICKETS!

Co-created with Michele Decottignes, Artistic Director of Stage Left  Productions, this one man show features Alan Shain, a disabled actor /  comedian.

Marc has cerebral palsy. Linda has a sock fetish. Marc swears by white  tube socks. Linda is turned on by elaborate and colourful socks! Can the  love between Marc and Linda survive their war over socks?

I’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to the first person who emails  me the name of one other person who helped develop this production.

Click here to visit Alan’s site and learn the answer.

Commissioned by the St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Trouble On  Dibble Street by John Lazarus is a new adaption of The Merry  Wives of Windsor. It is directed by Craig Walker and designed by  Andrea Robertson.  After the performance, you can also attend the 2010  Season Gala at the Prescott Town Hall and get to know the cast, crew,  and company!

I have a pair of tickets to give away to this great night of theatre.  The first person to tell me via email where and when Lazarus sets his  new adaptation gets the tickets.

Click here to learn the answer.

Blood Brothers & Another Home Invasion
Thousand Islands Playhouse
185 South Street
Gananoque, ON

I’ve got tickets to give away for the two shows now playing at The  Thousand Islands Playhouse.

Blood Brothers, by Willy Russell, is a musical about fraternal  twins separated at birth who end up on opposite ends of the social  spectrum. Both fall for the same girl, with tragic circumstances. It  runs until July 31st.

Another Home Invasion, by Joan MacLeod, is a new one-woman show  about the struggle to age with dignity. It stars Terry Tweed and runs  until July 17th.

Each show plays at a different theatre. Pick the show you want to see  and tell me via email the theatre where it is playing. The first person  to do this for each show gets a pair of tickets (but the same person  won’t get both sets of tickets — greedy pants!).

Click here to find the answer.

OTHER EVENTS!

A Company of Fools Torchlight Shakespeare.

The Downtown Rideau B.I.A is launching a new theatre festival this  summer, featuring 6 locally produced shows with 80 performances in 6  venues,

Click here for the shows and schedules.

Free Lunchtime Performing Arts Series.
On Thursdays, in July and August, Ottawa performers are being featured  at different wading pool parks throughout the city. The themed events  will feature a variety of arts activities for children from 11 a.m. to 4  p.m., including an artistic performance from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. There  will even be a BBQ lunch on site (11:30 – 1 PM)

Check out the City of  Ottawa site for dates, locations, and artists.

Have a great July! More changes are in store for the Newsletter, when I  get back from the Winnipeg Fringe.