BC BuzZ

Celebrate & Support Your Local Theatre!

I wanted to add this to BC BuzZ to show support to a very good friend of mine, Aaron Craven who runs Mitch & Murray Productions.  His story is not unlike many others in the business and I felt it was perfect timing (as the Jessie Award nominees were just announced yesterday) to share with the community and get the word out and support as much as you can. 

EVERYONE HAS THE MICROPHONE

Why I Produce Theatre by Aaron Craven

I love actors.

As a kid growing up in the eighties, my favorite Harrison Ford movie was not “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.  It was “Witness”, a drama about a big city cop hiding a murder witness in a rural Amish community.

The special effects and spectacle of “Raiders” didn’t captivate me nearly as much as the simple, beautifully drawn performances in “Witness”.  Long before acting became my profession, the craft held a powerful mystique for me, the audience member.  This connection between performer and audience continues to be the motivating force in my career.

I’ve worked with hundreds of actors through the years as a director, coach and fellow actor.  I’ve endeavoured to mentor and help many young actors gain a foothold in the business and I continue to be humbled by the bravery and vulnerability that actors cultivate in themselves.  Many non-actors look at the profession as a narcissistic plea for attention against overwhelming waves of rejection.  In truth, this breed of actor usually quits the profession by their thirties and the remaining few of this kind are the jaded, bitter veterans.  We actors treat them like the drunk uncle at Thanksgiving – just let him mutter his stories, he’ll tire himself out and fall asleep.

The “real” actors, the steadfast pros, are those committed to the process of storytelling. Those, who, despite all obstacles, hold a candle for the timeless act of connecting with an audience and impacting them.  That is what fuels our pursuit of the craft, and to my fellow “lifers”, you are the most charming souls I’ve come to know.

This love of craft has fueled me to create a theatre company in my hometown of Vancouver.  Like many artists, I’ve spent time in other markets for career reasons but Vancouver will always be home to me.  In the past, I’ve started some heated dialogue about the city’s arts and entertainment culture, but I’m in a different phase now, one of positive resolve.  Wallowing in cynicism about a Liberal party victory, the BC Film industry, or Vancouver’s cultural shortcomings is something I refuse to do.  I don’t want to be a drunk uncle.

Read More