THE FALL, GCTC, Sept 5-24.

Opening Night was great! Greg Nelson's play, the world premiere which opens the whole GCTC season this year, was tight, and full of suspense, sometimes funny, very thought-provoking, and it absolutely worked, all the way through! The acting was strong, and I loved the set and the lighting too. And the direction was excellent. Character switches were so well-done. And the play was especially well-written! Yea, everyone, way to go.

It was hot in GCTC, and crowded, what’s new, knees jammed, so many people, so much enthusiasm, but deliciously cool outside after the show was over, in the dark with a full white moon. Greg was happy- his tension over. And triumphantly so!

So many people came and they all enjoyed the play. This was a play with a Canadian political setting, a thriller around the Charter of Rights, and outside after the play, Greg was surprised and delighted to meet lawyer, Mary Dawson, who had actually drafted the Charter of Rights, and had a minor criticism. Only in Ottawa!

Greg has written many award-winning plays, and three radio series for CBC, The Dudley Chronicles, and has just finished writing Afghanada, a radio series about Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, to be broadcast this month on CBC. He wrote this in collaboration with three other well-known young playwrights-- Jason Sherman, Adam Pettle, Andrew Moodie. He is also developing a new play, as part of the Tarragon Theatre Playwrights' Unit.
www.gregnelson.ca

I met Lise Anne Johnson, GCTC’s new A.D., and she is a sweetheart.

Before the show, Dave McCue and I went for dinner at Trattoria Caffe Italia - it's a good thing we made reservations! That place is crowded. Neither of us had a watch, and when we asked the time it was 7:55! Oops! Luckily, there was a crowd at the theatre, and it was still going in. Of course, and wonderfully, our seats were right in the centre of the theatre, and we squished through to them in time. Sorry, everyone who had to get up.

It was SO great to see Greg in his element, and meet his wife, Patti, who worked in theatre and is now practising law, and it was wonderful to see Dave again.

BTW, Greg’s play is a revised version of a shorter one he wrote, The File, which is available in a new play collection of two-handers, Two Hands Clapping.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL- BREAKFAST!



The breakfast was on Wednesday, Sept.6! To celebrate another school year of No Staff Meeting, No Home Room, No Bells, No Attendance Sheets, No Guidance -Announcements -Every -Two- Minutes, in fact, No Classes…

It started at 9:30.

Nicole and Ron Eady, Heather Eberts, Chris Hansen, Jalna Hunt, Sue Robertson, Rick Morgan, Dave Allan, Marilyn Matthews-Dickson, Judy Kirsh, Jim McNabb, Theresa Kelly, Ross Donaldson, Marjory Bryce, Bob Palmai were some of the people there. Everyone looks FABULOUS, so rested, happy, energetic, you might even say young!

and suddenly we noticed it was 12:15 already.

YOU and YOUR ENVIRONMENT. LIGHT AT NIGHT

Keep it dark when you sleep. Don't fall asleep with the light on, or the television on. Without total darkness your body does not make melatonin, which turns off cancer cells. Light at night is being blamed for helping create breast cancer.

During the night, the hormone, melatonin - which Dr. Blask calls " the hormone of darkness" - puts cancer cells to sleep.When women are exposed to light at night, the production of melatonin shuts down within seconds. ( Ottawa Citizen, Sept. 7, 2006)


YOUR BODY CONTAINS HIGH COUNTS of CHEMICALS.

Cancer, attention-deficit disorders, declining sperm counts- many horrible health conditions are linked to innocent everyday items. (Often not so innocent.)

Canadians carry in their bodies quantities of harmful chemicals that you can actually MEASURE.

In fact, Canadians have the SECOND-HIGHEST count of PBDEs in the world. Americans have the highest. PBDEs are flame retardants, used in mattresses and computers.

Phthalates also are DANGEROUS and are everywhere, in wall coverings, flooring, furniture, shower curtains, clothing, raincoats, shoes, toys, rainwear, some toys, shoes, etc.—as well as paint, medical equipment, pesticides, and personal care products (perfume, nail polish, hairspray).
DON'T buy plastics or vinyls with the number 3 on them, denoting phthalates.

Stain-repellent clothing, and non-stick pans are made with perfluorochemicals, which are also carried in Canadian bloodstreams. In YOURS.

DON'T wear stain-repellent clothing. Do cook with stainless steel pots, and stainless steel or cast iron frying pans. NEVER heat plastic in the microwave.

PLEASE visit www.safer-products.org. Right now, click for a fast look! It has excellent information and lists. ( The list of products containing phthalates is from that site.)
It is the web site for an environmental organization in Montreal, Clean Production Action, that evaluates products.

IKEA is a great place to buy from- so is DELL. IKEA bans many harmful substances and carcinogens. DELL bans PBDEs.
Sears, Home Depot and Walmart DO NOT.

And PLEASE tell other people.