Thank You

Thank you to everyone who followed us through this journey and helped make Addition: An Unconventional Love Story the success it is. As for the play itself, I intend to do some revisions and I want for it to have a life of its own beyond this one run.

In the meantime, if anyone is looking for some more queer theatre in Edmonton, I will be directing a production of Beautiful Thing by Jonathan Harvey at the Walterdale Playhouse in February 2010. Auditions will be this October, so watch out for the notices to be posted.

Take care!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Logan's Run

Man, I can't believe it took me all summer to use that pun as a blog post title. Anyways...

As y'all are no doubt aware from the lack of posting on everyone's part, the show happened. Once we got into the minutiae and the day-to-day Fringe stuff of running, handbilling, touting, postering, anxiously poring over reviews, seeing other shows, working and copious amounts of drinking, there simply wasn't much time to be updating a blog that, well, a rather small percentage of our audience would be reading. So we all just kinda threw ourselves into the show instead.

And now it's all over.

For all intents and purposes, we've put the show to bed. The set's been disassembled, the costumes are scattered across several closets, the venue has turned back into a loading dock, the lines are being forgotten as we speak. We've done the post-show-wrap-up, the cast party, the card exchange, the goodbye hugs. We'll be meeting up at some point to sort out cheques, but that's just business stuff. We've put the show to bed.

I can't speak for all of us, but for me, just basing off my own experience? Best Fringe show ever. Not to denigrate stuff I've done before, but there was an energy about Addition: An Unconventional Love Story that was just so present, so casual, and so easy. It wasn't work. I mean, yeah, it was work, but it didn't really feel like work. It was a simple, lovable little show that flowed out of us and onto the stage without the messiness and insanity I've come to associate with Fringetime. Maybe I was blind to a bunch of the craziness going on in the background, but I don't think so; I really feel like this show... clicked. It's a happy notch on my resume.

But we're done. 6.5 hours of show. 15.5 stars from the four papers that reviewed us. Two onstage nosebleeds, nineteen other Fringe shows seen, eight hundred handbills, not counting the black-and-white ones. Countless hours of rehearsal, three actors, two crew, more total time spent kissing/groping/caressing boys than I have girls in recent memory. Six shows, five quiches, hundreds and hundreds of satisfied audience members, one smile still on my face. You don't need to be a professional to know that these numbers make for some good Addition. (Oh jeez I am SORRY for that pun, but seriously; someone had to make it.)

We're all going our separate ways now; we've all got different arts things we're setting our sights on, some starting almost immediately. I can't shake the feeling, though, that we'll all always have the memory of an awesome summer putting together a show that, by most scales of measurement, turned out to be pretty kickass.

And when it gets remounted for the national tour, it's gonna have a couch, right?

David Johnston
Actor (Logan)

Reviews from Edmonton Journal and See Magazine

As I'd mentioned, all was quiet on the print media front since Friday. That certainly changed today when not one, but two new reviews for the show came in. I have to say, the Edmonton Journal review was an unexpected surprise.

Addition: An Unconventional Love Story
Kathleen Bell - See Magazine

[★★★1/2 out of 5]
Can three people exist together in a loving relationship? I mean, that sentence doesn’t even sound right — we are so used to “relationship” referring solely to couples, not threesomes. But writer/director Justen Bennett delves into the subject matter with wit and open-mindedness. Unlike your traditional romance, Addition goes sex first, love later when long-term couple Ben (Robert Medeiros) and Logan (David Johnston) pick up Daren (Richard Lee) at a bar and take him home for a ménage à trois. As a result of too much chitchat outside the bedroom, the three form a bond that goes far beyond the proposed one-night stand.
However, Addition has the same fault as most conventional love stories, in that it doesn’t take its story past the point of promises and sweet kisses. I was left questioning whether a threesome could really last forever, or even for any time at all.

And now, the Journal:

Addition: An Unconventional Love Story
Iain Ilich - Edmonton Journal

[★★★★1/2 out of 5]
Sharp, witty writing and engaging actors make Addition: An Unconventional Love Story> a solid Fringe choice for those looking for a smart, sexy romantic comedy with a refreshing twist.

Ben and Logan, a cute gay couple in a long-term relationship, are searching for something new to spice up their lives now that romantic evenings of Scrabble no longer satisfy quite like they used to. Out of the blue, Logan suggests a bit of fantasy fulfilment: ask a third guy to join them for a night of passion. While initially skeptical of the whole threesome thing, Ben is won over, and they sheepishly take their manhunt to a gay club. Within short order, along comes Daren, a buff young university student they convince to go along for the ride, even though they don’t seem entirely convinced that they should be doing this. All doubt is cast aside back at their place once Daren removes his clothing, and the trio gleefully sprints to the bedroom.

That’s when the twist comes in... and it all unfolds wonderfully from there.

There are a few slightly flubbed lines here and there, but the delivery is lightning-quick and the script is great.

Needless to say, I'm very delighted with the latter.

We only have 3 shows left! Get your tickets at the Fringe box office!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

More Online Reviews

To give you all a little update, we've had two fantastic performances and we're gearing up for our third, tonight at 10:00p! If you haven't seen the show yet, come on out! We'd love to see you there!

Since I posted the review from Vue Weekly, we haven't had any new print media reviews. Hopefully something will be coming out soon and once it does we'll be letting you know!

In the meantime, I've been alerted to a few other reviews that have gone up. Here are a few from Twitter:

evanmudryk @CanadianDijon "Addition" was really funny and you and the entire cast were fantastic. Great writing too.

stormbrew #yegfringe rankings so far: 1. Lovehatekill & Addition tied, 2. Douche//Awesome, 3. Sex-Bot, 4. Bashir Lazhar

alexiskienlen Saw two really good plays last night- El Dorado and Addition an unconventional love story. #fb

There's also a local blogger who reviews shows and Addition: An Unconventional Love Story showed up on their blog with a ★★★★★ review:

Addition: An Unconventional Love Story - ★★★★★

Addition tells the story of a young gay couple who decide they want a threesome to spice up their love life. The scenario gets a little out of hand, though, as they dive down the rabbit hole of polyamory into what they hope is a stable 3 person relationship.

The really brave thing about this play, is how it diverges from most media about alternative relationship structures by being a relatively light hearted happy story. My experience with stories about this sort of thing is that they tend to be morality plays.

It’s also interesting that the play is centered around gay men, as I think the standard image of a multipartner relationship tends to involve one-man many-women. It’s in danger of falling into the trap of perpetuating notions of gay male promiscuity, but manages to avoid it through the earnest nature of the characters. They never seem to be slutty, they just seem to have fallen into a new form of monogamy by accident.

Generally, I’d be a little more down on this play for its possibly over-optimistic ending, but in this case I feel it’s justified as a balance against other shows, movies, and plays I’ve seen about this subject. It’s really nice to see a lighthearted approach to it.

Also worth noting is the comedic performances by all the actors involved. You can tell there’s a certain rawness to their performances, but again the earnestness of the actors makes the sometimes nerdy humor (two of the characters are LARPers, for example) come off really well.

If I have one complaint, it was that the venue is new and the acoustics weren’t quite worked out yet. The fridges off in the corner kept kicking in and interfering with the vocals of the performers. This seems to have been fixed in shows I’ve seen since then at this venue.

We've also had a few new reviews at the Fringe Theatre Adventures - 30 Second Reviews website and theEdmonton Journal Review Site, so hop on over to check those out! And if you've seen the show already, leave us a quick review! Every bit helps!

Now it's back to the Fringe to see some shows (finally!!) and do some handbilling for tonight's 10:00p performacne of Addition: An Unconventional Love Story. Get your tickets!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

First Print Media Review and Patrons Reviews

I'm delighted to share with you all the first print media review of Addiiton: An Unconventional Love Story. It's from Vue Weekly.

Addition: An Unconventional Love Story
Alexis Kienlen

[★★★★ out of 5]
Local playwright Justen Bennett creates a believable, funny and sweet story in this tale of a loving gay couple who decide to bring a third to their bed. This play is a complete treat. The script is snappy and the plot moves along at a rapid pace. Characters are fully rounded and have discussions that let their nerd flags [fly] as they discuss Star Trek, board games and role play. The actors seemed a bit nervous on their first night, but by the end of the run should be able to deliver a top-flight show.

I have to say I'm incredibly pleased about our first print review. If you'd like to read reviews from other patrons who have seen the show (or leave your own once you watch it), check out the following:

• Fringe Theatre Adventures - 30 Second Reviews
  
• Edmonton Journal Review Site

Here are some snippets from the Fringe patron reviews:

"Addition takes on what could be a very awkward topic and treats [it] with such human warmth that you could actually see yourself in the same situation."

"As a straight guy, going in I did not know what to expect [...] but Addition was much better than I could have envisioned. The humor is sharp and clever, the emotions real and relate-able and the story touching and clever. [...] It was one of the most enjoyable plays I've been to in a long time."

"Addition exceeded my expectations (and they were high). Justen has written a hilarious, touching and identifiable play with very real characters."

"Addition is relatable to everyone, gay or straight, monogamous or otherwise."

"Believable and thought-provoking"

"I saw the play last night, and am still grinning."

There has been a great response and we will continue to do our best and to earn even more positive reviews from patrons and media alike.

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Twitter Reviews I

Less than 12 hours later and already a few reviews are sneaking in on Twitter! Take a look at a couple more of the <140 character reviews of the show:

@mustbetuesday: saw Addition 2night &enjoyed it a lot! It was really funny&cute&nerdy. With hot shirtless men. I recommend it! #yegfringe

@VictoriaHSE: I suggest that every1 go see Addition: An Unconventional Love Story@ #edmfringe #yegfringe this weekend. Bloody Brilliant.

The next performance is tomorrow (Saturday, August 15) at 2:15p! Get your tickets!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Opening Night

Suffice to say we had an excellent opening night. There was a nice-sized crowd with tonnes of laughs throughout the show and some loud applause for the actors at the end. So, great job to Amanda, Richard, Robbie, David, Lib (sound tech), Chris (light tech), and the FoH and bar volunteers! Afterwards, I had a few people approach me directly to congratulate all of us on a fantastic show. So, yes, come out and see Addition: An Unconventional Love Story! It's already passed muster! Get you tickets through the Fringe box office!

We've already had our first review! On Twitter, user @stormbrew says: "Addition was really good. Geek humor + exploration of alternative lifestyles ftw."

There you go, folks!

And, to all of you who've seen the show tonight, first of all, thank you! Second, if you have the time and inclination, please feel free to put up a review on the Fringe review site and/or the Edmonton Journal review site. It would really help us in bringing in the audiences.

Woo! One down, five to go!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

"First" Fringe

This is a post I just wrote for the Show You Our Blog site connected with the Edmonton Fringe. Right now the post is pending review (standard procedure for all new posts), so it may not be quite up yet when you read this.

Enjoy!

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This is my first Fringe. Okay, so technically this is my third Fringe, having acted in a Fringe show in both 2005 and 2007. This is, however, the first time I have directed a Fringe show. It is also the first time I have written a Fringe show. It is the first time I have directed a show I have written in the Fringe (or anywhere). It is also the first time I've produced, designed, marketed, and all those other things, a Fringe show. That adds up to a lot of firsts. What all these firsts tend not to add up to, however, is buzz or excitement. This makes for a steep learning curve.

I'm Justen Bennett and I'm directing Addition: An Unconventional Love Story at the Edmonton Fringe. As I said, I'm swimming neck-deep in a sea of firsts and trying to doggy-paddle my way over to the sweet, promised beaches of Audienceland. Sometimes I feel as though I'm making excellent headway and the shore is coming closer than ever and other times I feel as though I can barely keep my head above water. Allow me to explain.

I am not a Belke, Hagen, Craddock, Schmidt, or Lemoine. I have no place in the Edmonton theatre consciousness with a list of known and respected past work. Addition: An Unconventional Love Story is my second play. As a director, while I've directed a few productions, only one has actually been reviewed. It was the first production of Mockingbird Close by Trevor Schmidt back in 2008 and, while praised, the only quotes I can pull are "well-explored" and "one of the most gripping one acts I've ever seen." There are no well-known actors in this production, but all are talented up-and-comers. Finally, we have not toured the show (I said it was a premiere) and have no reviews from other Fringes to buoy us on our way. All of this has meant a vigorous start from the ground-up that has taught me so much.

Right now, on the eve of the show's premiere (Thursday, August 13 @ 8:00p, for those curious), my worries aren't about the acting, writing, or directing. I know we have a solid show with a skilled cast and a script that, in previews, at least, has had audiences constantly engaged and laughing. My worry, as I'm sure all theatre artists have, is "who will see this show?" How will we stand out amongst the cacophony of posters, handbills, starred reviews, and sound-bites? With hundreds of other performances, how will potential audience members avoid missing out on a show they may enjoy? That has been the bulk of my work these past few months.

I said earlier I learnt a lot on this process, thus far. I've learnt the value of sponsorship, helping to generate interest and reach out to potential theatregoers who may otherwise get overlooked and provide an otherwise unaffordable presence through targeted advertising. I've connected with places like Gaywire and Team Edmonton to help get the word out with interviews and newsletter mentions. I've even learnt a bit about selling my own show and embracing its various themes and potential audience pulls. That has to be one of the more useful pieces of knowledge I've picked up.

Depending on who I speak with, Addition: An Unconventional Love Story is one of many things: a sex comedy; a new work; a local production; queer theatre; littered with jokes about the Jonas Brothers, Paris Hilton, and Edward Cullen; littered with jokes about Patrick Stewart, She-Ra, and Dungeons and Dragons; about polyamory; a show with partial male nudity; or a love story. I'm sure in speaking with more people I'll discover the play is many more things and all of these wrapped up in one. Being in the position of the primary advertiser for a show you've both written and directed forces you to think out of the already-multipled boxes you've used to inhabit the show to explore it in writing and rehearsals, and look at it from not only the view point of 'the audience,' but from the viewpoints of many different audiences, all of whom would walk away loving the same play, but for seemingly-infinite different reasons.

So, that is the question keeping me awake right now, after midnight, the night before my "first" Fringe show premieres. This is a question with an answer I can't create or control on my own. As playwright and director, I've created and controlled many answers to many questions along this process. I'm confident in what I've done and what we've done as a team. I'm used to control and this, this huge, incredibly important element to the production's life, "who will come?," is beyond my control and though I and my team have worked (and will continue to work) long and hard to try and get the best possible answer we can, we're not the ones who, in the end, make that decision to buy a ticket. We'll push through to handbill and shout out our name, good reviews or bad, high attendance or poor, but I will also hope, and hope hard, that my team will have the opportunity to show this work of which they're so proud to as many people as possible and that those who see it take away with them a wonderful, fantastic experience.

I'm sure this is what we all hope and I'm likely not the only one wide-awake right now, kept up by this question with an answer out of our control, "first" Fringe or fifteenth. So, to the rest of you who may be awake, I wish you sweet dreams, great reviews, and long lines at the box office.

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Premiering Tomorrow!

Addition: An Unconventional Love Story is premiering tomorrow night (!!) and it's incredibly exciting. This will mark only the second time I've ever seen a play I've written go up on a stage in front of people; actual people! It's an honour in so many ways. This is also the first time I've directed a Fringe show, so that adds to the excitement even more.

In light of the show's upcoming debut, I wrote a little note to the members of our Facebook group and thought it appropriate to share some of said note here.

---

I just want to thank you all for supporting us up to this point. It's very difficult for a new show with a cast and crew who are up-and-coming and relatively fresh on the scene to get any attention. To those of you who've been reading our blog and keeping up with what we've been doing, we really appreciate your support.

If you have the opportunity today, please try to help us out by heading over to the Facebook event page and clicking that little 'Share' button on the right-hand side of the page. Post the event to your profile and let your friends know about this play. The show premieres tomorrow and every little bit helps!

You and your friends can even come together! Remember, our venue, the Fringe Cabaret, is air-conditioned and will be serving alcohol before and after every show, so you can sit back and enjoy Addition: An Unconventional Love Story around a table with your friends, sipping a cold beer or glass of wine.

If you haven't had a chance to check out our blog recently, we've posted the last of our video interviews with the cast and crew, plus even more behind-the-scenes tidbits and info for you to enjoy!

To give you all another update, we had a great preview at Play Nightclub on Sunday with fantastic response! The audience was laughing the whole way through and more than a few people came up to us afterwards to say they couldn't wait to see the whole show. With an engaging story and tonnes of jokes about everything from the Jonas Brothers to Edward Cullen to Patrick Stewart to She-Ra to Dungeons and Dragons, everyone who spoke with us was looking forward to seeing more!

So, if you still need to purchase tickets, head on over to the Fringe Box Office (@ the TransAlta Arts Barns) or go to the Fringe Box Office website and make sure you've got your seats booked.

Take care and we look forward to seeing you at a performance!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Fundraiser and Blog Article

The fundraising at Play went really well! We made a nice amount of money on Saturday and on Sunday we had a very receptive audience. There was lots of laughter and much positive feedback about the excerpt we performed.

It's was a great show and we're looking forward to having a full audience for the full show starting Thursday! Buy your tickets early!

Also, I stumbled upon a really great blog post about polyamory that's definitely worth a read! Enjoy!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Tech Rehearsal

Today marked the final full rehearsal and our only technical rehearsal. While our rehearsal space was wonderfully large, the acoustics left much to be desired and we're ready to move on.

As for the tech rehearsal, we had only 2 hours but they were used well. It was smooth from start to finish and we finished the work we needed. Plus, our techs, Lib and Chris, seem pretty awesome.

The show is definitely ready for an audience. Buy your tickets now through the Edmonton International Fringe Festival Box Office Website!

Remember, if you want a preview, come to the official fundraiser! As a bonus, the cast of The Most Massive Woman Wins, another Fringe show, will be performing as well!

Here's the info once more:

The Official Fundraiser for Addition: An Unconventional Love Story
Hosted by Play Nightclub (10220 103 St.)

Sunday, August 9, 2009
Doors Open @ 8:00p
Performance @ 9:30p
Ticket Draw @ 9:55p
Cover: $3

Come join the cast and crew of Addition: An Unconventional Love Story for their official fundraiser event at Play Nightclub, just in time for the Fringe! Try a special Addition-themed shot, chat with the cast and crew of the show, and enter to win a pair of free tickets to one of the performances! Plus, you get the fantastic opportunity to watch an excerpt from the play itself! We'd love to see you out there and appreciate your support!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

How We're Making Out

"We have some rules... The first is no kissing."
-Ben, Addition: An Unconventional Love Story

I'll talk about this once and then not again, because it's not an issue for me outside of the five seconds way back at the beginning of the process when I wasn't sure how it was going to work out. I think every actor goes through periods of pause, just questioning their boundaries when something like this happens, and how far you're willing to go for the sake of theatre. All the time this happens, and the only time it's a big deal is when... someone decides that it should be a big deal.

So: there is kissing in the show. For whatever reason, I have not really done onstage kissing before, a couple of cheek pecks and motherly forehead kisses notwithstanding. I just never got the roles with the puckerin' up, and now I have one. (And there's a good amount! Seriously! There are some points in the script where the stage directions just become one steamy make-out after another, and... oh, dear, that description just sold ten more tickets, didn't it?) But my point is that for most actors, noting that there's kissing in a play would be like noting that there's dialogue, because ultimately it's a standard theatrical tool and that's that. Sure.

As I said, though, this isn't too much of an issue. I'm pretty sure Richard and Robbie have done smoochy-smoochy shows before, so it was just potentially me, and... well, I decided that it didn't have to be a big deal. Surprise surprise: it wasn't. I remember back at the beginning of the blocking rehearsals, Robbie and I were stepping through our motions with cheek-pecks, and Justen tactfully piped in with one of his notes that he'd like to see, "at some point— not necessarily today, but bear in mind at some point— a couple of those kisses might be in the vicinity of the mouth, perhaps?" (Translation: More tongue, boys!) Right there and then, Robbie and I took thirty seconds to make your standard intimacy agreement; agreeing that we're going to leave our outside stuff at the door, agreeing that in here we’ll go to whatever degree we need to make the show the best it can be, no embarrassment or anything… and that was that. And yeah, we both knew each other well enough at that point to know that we wanted to make the show the best it could be, and I'm sure we guessed the other wouldn't be embarrassed, but, well, this is one of those cases where it’s good just to articulate it. In any case, two minutes later we were lip-locking, and then one of us threw in the package-groping, and that's just scene one, so by the time we got to... huh, there's another five tickets right there. I should remember this marketing strategy.

But yeah, leaving your emotional baggage and hang-ups and preconceptions and whatever behind when you step into a character can be the hardest part of a process; once you get over that hurdle, then you’re in the clear and can go to levels not accessible before. I suppose for me it wasn't even an "I have to kiss boys!" thing, (which: …whatever. It's slightly stubblier, I guess? That's about it.) so much as it was just apprehension about the intimacy and the closeness we were going to have to get to. And since I’m a bit shyer in my personal life than my theatrical extravagance often lets on, and when you’re knocking on these doors with new, scary people, it can all seem a tad intimidating. (Though I suppose that can make the intimacy agreement part easier; not having a history with co-actors can make it easier to isolate the emotional stuff. Benefits either way. Also, calling our cast and crew 'scary' now would just send me into fits of helpless laughter.)

What is my point from all this? Enh, just an observation that, unlike many problems, theatrical awkwardness can be averted merely by everyone involved deciding that it isn't actually awkward. What I know is that we can all now approach the physical handling of each other in a very cavalier manner, and that's a good place to be in; light-hearted, recognizing in some minute way the potential weirdness of the situation and then shrugging it off because it's so not worth worrying about. Thus it can lead to Robbie and me having conversations about nailing the timing of unscripted entrance smooches, or how he can most expediently begin undressing me onstage, or "I feel when you grab me by my shirt-collar right here— like that— then it's a little too aggressive, so if you hoist me up by my waist like this" and yes, these all happened, and in the low-key, straightforward (no pun intended) manner that they needed to. It's like how porn stars probably operate. Thus, I am officially slightly more porn-star-y. Hey, I knew I was doing something with my life this summer.

David Johnston
Actor (Logan)

Interview with Richard Lee (Daren)

We interviewed the cast and crew of Addition: An Unconventional Love Story and asked them each four questions. Here is the final interview with Richard Lee, the actor playing Daren. Watch the end for a surprise from Richard!

Thanks for watching these videos! Keep reading the blog for more updates and we look forward to seeing you at a performance!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Gaywire Interview

If you didn't get a chance to listen to the CJSR interview live, you can stream it online at the Gaywire homepage!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Booze and Interviews

Today was the venue tour. It looks like it'll be a great space. Unfortunately they were still building it for the tour today, as they're running a little behind. The good news is that, form what the techs told us, there will be a staffed bar at our venue! So, if you come and see Addition: An Unconventional Love Story you get to enjoy an awesome play while sitting back in a an air conditioned venue with a drink in your hand!

Tune in to CJSR (88.5 FM) on your radio or listen live through their website tonight at 6:00pm MST because I'll be interviewed about Addition: An Unconventional Love Story on Gaywire, Edmonton's source of indie news and entertainment for queers and allies!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Fundraiser @ Play and Other Sponsorship Information

Here's some important information for anyone who's unsure about whether they want to see the show or not (though, really, you know you do) or anyone who wants to come out and show their support for Addition: An Unconventional Love Story. I now have the details for the fundraiser event I've been alluding to these past few months.

The Official Fundraiser for Addition: An Unconventional Love Story
Hosted by Play Nightclub (10220 103 St.)

Sunday, August 9, 2009
Doors Open @ 8:00p
Performance @ 9:30p
Ticket Draw @ 9:55p
Cover: $3

Come join the cast and crew of Addition: An Unconventional Love Story for their official fundraiser event at Play Nightclub, just in time for the Fringe! Try a special Addition-themed shot, chat with the cast and crew of the show, and enter to win a pair of free tickets to one of the performances! Plus, you get the fantastic opportunity to watch an excerpt from the play itself! We'd love to see you out there and appreciate your support!

On another sponsorship-related note, the web ad for the show is now up on the GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine website and our print ad is in their August newsletter! You can check even check out an online preview!

I also want to give a belated shout-out to Team Edmonton for including us in their recent newsletter, the Alberta Plawrights' Network for the mention in their Fringe program ad and in the upcoming newsletter, and the Walterdale Playhouse for the ad in their upcoming newsletter.

The cast and crew also want to give much, much thanks to all of you who have been spreading the word about the show on your own. Word-of-mouth is the best advertising a show can have, so we thank you greatly for all your continuing efforts!

Finally, tune in to CJSR (88.5 FM) on your radio or listen live through their website this Thursday (August 6, 2009) at 6:00pm MST because I'll be interviewed about Addition: An Unconventional Love Story on Gaywire, Edmonton's source of indie news and entertainment for queers and allies!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Interview with Justen Bennett (Director/Playwright)

We interviewed the cast and crew of Addition: An Unconventional Love Story and asked them each four questions. Here is the interview with Justen Bennett, the Director and Playwright for the production.

Keep watching for the rest of the videos to be posted in the near future!

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright

Cuts

Today was an interesting day. The show has been running over time for a while. Just today we've been able to bring it back to just barely within the 65-minute slot we have at the Fringe. Rehearsal today was really tight and I don't know how much more time we can cut off the play, taking into account we need some buffer room to account for laughter and potential mishaps.

In light of the tight run-time, I made the decision to cut some small sections at the beginning. This was especially hard because I know that in the next version, the piece itself should actually be longer (potentially two acts). The sections I'm snipping will be put back in the script after our run, but given the Fringe's very strict guidelines on adhering to one's run-time, it had to be done. I even have another small section in the back of my mind in case further cuts are required.

These have been the most difficult cuts to make because I've already spent time with edits and, while they aren't essential to the plot, they're nice character sections that help give the audience a stronger sense of Ben and Logan's relationship.

In other news, details on the fundraiser next weekend are almost fully confirmed. I just need to hear back on specific times so I can begin promoting it. Also, a quick shout-out to The Travelling Tickle Trunk, a fantastic company that has contributed to making the upcoming fundraiser just a little bit more fun. Tonight, I'm hoping to work on the sound design I've delayed too often for my liking and tomorrow I plan to post the fourth of the five cast/crew interviews.

Justen Bennett
Director/Playwright