Rehearsal Photo
I've now been in Montreal for 48 hours and have been enjoying the city. The highlight, though, has been attending the two rehearsals with the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company as they prepare to present our Kill Shakespeare: Live Stage Reading this Saturday at the Montreal Comic-Con.Here is a photo of the cast during one of the rehearsals:
More photos in the next day or two...
Anthony and Andy will be at Montreal Comic-Con this weekend!
In addition to putting on our Live Stage Reading at the Montreal Comic-Con this weekend, Anthony and Andy will be at the show the entire weekend selling books and ShakesGeare, signing books and hanging out. Make sure to come and visit us!
Anthony and the Kill Shakespeare brand will be at Table 1616. Andy Belanger will be just down the aisle at Table 1602. You can access a map of the convention at this link.Anthony will also be leading his How to Create and Market Your Indie Comic workshop on Sunday afternoon (the 16th) at 1pm in Room 511C. Last year's workshop was a huge success and this one should be even better.Of course, don't forget that we will also be mounting our Live Stage Reading on Saturday night at 7:45pm!I'll see everyone at the show!
See our Live Stage Reading in Montreal this Weekend!
Fresh off the enormous success of the presentation of Kill Shakespeare: The Live Stage Reading this past weekend in Tucson, AZ, we are back at it again! This Saturday will see us present our show at the Montreal Comic-Con. This is going to be our comic-con debut and we're excited about it!We are presenting our show this Saturday (the 15th) evening at 7:45pm in Room 510AC at the Palais des Congres (1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle).It will be open to anyone that attends the Comic-Con that day and also, I believe open to anyone that would like to come. So yes, it's a free show! The convention ends at 7pm on Saturday so this is the perfect way to finish off the show that day!
We are really excited to be working with the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company on this production. They are a great company that does Shakespeare productions in various schools in Quebec and are really jumping on this show. They also put together a really cool production of Cobra: The Musical a few years ago (and a number of 'sequels') and Ace and Aaron, the two heads of the company, are raring to make this their best production yet.So spread the word - it's going to be a great show on Saturday!
Terrific Turnout in Tucson!
I have to head out to the airport shortly to fly back to Toronto but wanted to post an image from last night's performance at the Arizona Theatre Company in Tucson. The show was amazing! Standing-room only (the most the Cafe Bohemia series has ever had in its short history!), the actors did an incredible job and the crowd really loved it!I'll write more about it in the next day or two - and include more photos - but in the meantime I wanted to post this photo.Thanks, Tucson!
Catch our stage show in Tucson on Saturday!
I posted about our upcoming stage show in Tucson just over a week ago but I wanted to post a reminder. Check out the US workshop debut of our Live Stage Reading this Saturday at Cafe Bohemia, part of the Arizona Theatre Company, this Saturday evening at 8pm! Details below in the poster for the event.I am also doing a signing at Tucson's Heroes and Villains the night before - this Friday (the 7th) from 5-7pm!
Signing at Tucson's HEROES AND VILLAINS next Friday!
While Conor heads to Decatur today to take part in this weekend's Decatur Book Festival, I am prepping for what should be an amazing experience next weekend. As already posted about, I am taking part in the Arizona Theatre Company's Cafe Bohemia performance of our Kill Shakespeare: Live Stage Reading show. The details for the performance are here (and below).The day before the show I will be appearing at Tucson's #1 comic book shop (as judged by the Tucson Weekly), Heroes and Villains, to do a signing. I'm quite excited about this - I've heard great things about the store and look forward to checking it out.
I'll be at the store from 5 - 7pm next Friday (the 7th of September) so if you're in the city/neighbourhood come and check it out!And don't forget our show on Saturday the 8th at 8pm at Cafe Bohemia!
The KS Live Stage Reading plays in Tucson next month!
We are proud to announce that our Kill Shakespeare: Live Stage Reading is playing next month in Tucson, AZ. The Arizona Theatre Company on Saturday, September 8th will be putting on our show as part of their Cafe Bohemia series. The show will be at 8pm and tickets go for $5. I will be in attendance at the show and am looking forward to checking it out!
This will be our first opportunity to put on the show in the U.S. (more dates to be announced) and it will also serve as a workshop reading on our revised script. I'm interested in seeing what the reaction will be.I'm also looking to set up a signing or two at a local comic shop whilst in the city so more details will be announced.I'm also looking forward to working with the team at ATC - associate artistic director Stephen Wrentmore, marketing guru Jennifer Spencer, manger Robyn Lambert, as well as local dramturg Carrie Cole. And a BIG thanks to Toby Malone for being the first person to mention our show to ATC - Toby is the best!
Live Stage Reading at Montreal Comic-Con!
Just announced yesterday, KILL SHAKESPEARE: THE LIVE STAGE READING will be performed at this year's Montreal Comic-Con next month (Sept 14-16)!
Performed in conjunction with the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company, the show will be a re-tooled version of the show that debuted last November with Soulpepper Theatre Company and feature the visuals (illustrated by Andy Belanger) from the comic series while the actors read out the dialogue, create sound effects and music live on stage. We've been working closely with original director Derek Boyes and dramaturge Toby Malone to make some revisions to the production that will make it even better. Its two performances last year were fantastic and we're excited about putting it on for another great audience.
The official press release from the Montreal Comic-Con can be read here.
Live Stage Reading to return to Toronto in 2013!
The Shakespeare Association of America has just released their semi-annual Bulletin (June 2012) and in it they announce that at next year's annual conference/meeting, to be held in Toronto, the Kill Shakespeare: Live Stage Reading will be performed! This will be the first performance of the Live Stage Reading since its debut at the Young Centre for the Arts last November (with performances by actors from Soulpepper Theatre) and we're happy to return to the city in which everything began.We will have some additional news regarding other productions of the stage version in the coming months so look for them moving forward...
And for those in Toronto mark off Friday, March 28th in your calendar as the show may be open to the general public.
Fourth printing of Volume 1!
A piece of news that we announced two weeks ago in the midst of traveling through the UK, but haven't been able to post it here yet, is that earlier this month IDW Publishing processed a fourth printing of our Volume 1: A Sea of Troubles! This is a great accomplishment for us and another feather to put in our cap.
Thanks to everyone who has helped make this first volume a success - everyone at IDW, the retailers, the readers, the libraries, the organizations, everyone.
Blogging Shakespeare!
One of the highlights of our trip to England for two weeks this month was meeting with some of the world's top minds on Shakespeare. One such individual is Dr. Rev. Paul Edmondson, who is currently the Head of Research and Knowledge of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Dr. Edmondson is also the General Editor for Blogging Shakespeare, which is the top website devoted to Shakespeare in the world.
We sat down with Dr. Edmondson to record a short interview which went live on the site. You can listen to it by clicking on the photo of us with Dr. Edmondson below.
Vloging from Stratford-upon-Avon
Conor and I visited Stratford-upon-Avon earlier today and had some great meetings with a number of top Shakespearean scholars, movers and shakers. The rain-and-then-sunny-then-rain-again couldn't keep our spirits down as the day began with a trip to the Shakespeare Birthplace - the house that the Bard was born and raised in (and then took over and converted into a pub when he returned to Stratford as a successful playwright).Here is a brief video that I took while there... and look for a cameo from Conor (along with an educational insight)...
Heading to the U.K.!
Conor and I are in the midst of final preparation for our trip to the home country of the Bard himself, Great Britain! We fly out tomorrow to London so before we go we'd like to make official our signing dates whilst in the country!
They are:Sat, May 12 - Sun, May 13 - Bristol Comic ExpoWed, May 15 - Travelling Man ManchesterThu, May 16 - Travelling Man LeedsFri, May 17 - Forbidden Planet London MegastoreSat, May 19 - Sun, May 20 - Kapow! Comic Convention (London)For the shows in Bristol, Manchester and Leeds it will be Anthony and Conor signing, while for Forbidden Planet and Kapow! it will be all three creatives (Andy joins us for these shows!).We will, of course, be meeting with many Shakespeare scholars and actors while in the city so we're quite chuffed to spread the word overseas.Spread the word - we're bringing the Bard back to his home country!
Getting Ready to Visit England...
Conor and I are currently in the midst of finalizing our trip to England and will have details in the next day or two...We're going to attend the Bristol Comic Expo on Sat, May 12th and Sun, May 13th and then the Kapow! Comic Convention in London on Sat, May 19th and Sun, May 20th.
We have a couple of other appearances that will be finalized in the next couple of days and will post a complete listing on Monday.We're really looking forward to spreading our take on the Bard's characters! So stay tuned.
A Dubai Diary
I got earlier today from a fantastic experience at the Middle East Film and Comic-Con. I have lots of photos to add to the site but in the meantime I was able to compose a brief diary of my overall experience at the show and Heidi Macdonald at The Comics Beat published it earlier today. You can read it here.
More photos and experiences to come this week!
We guest blog on Reading With Pictures
Reading With Pictures is a fantastic site and resource for those who want to learn more about the medium of comics and especially for those who are looking to, or already to, teach comics in class.The two of us were honoured then when RWP asked us to contribute some guest blogs to the site.The first blog "Hamlet to Ham Sandwich" is up here. We hope you think it is an interesting take on why the comic medium deserves to be studied, why comics and Shakespeare are a great fit, as well as as why students of all ages respond so well to Shakespeare when he is presented in an accessible way (say, a certain graphic noel you may be familiar with?)Stay tuned as we should have more blogs up for RWP soon.Also we'd love it if you checked out the Kickstarter campaign for a fantastic new textbook that RWP is developing to help make teaching comics easier, and more rewarding than ever.(and some of the rewards for this campaign have GOT to be seen to be believed!)See you all in Dubai!
Blowing winds take us to C2E2 this weekend!
The past few weeks have been an absolute blur - and blast - which have found me in Anaheim/LA (WonderCon and meetings), Seattle (Emerald City), Boston (SAA) and, in a few days, Chicago. Which, of course, will be very promptly followed by Dubai (but more on that tomorrow...).
I'm heading to Chicago later this week to take part in C2E2, one of the largest (and fastest growing) cons in the U.S. It should be a great time - it's a city with a great theatre crowd and I know that we've sold well in Chi-town stores. I look forward to meeting with existing readers, convincing more to check us out, and hanging out in the city (it's my first time there). Amongst other things I'll be checking out the Improvised Shakespeare Company on Friday night - they are a talented troupe the improvises a Shakespeare production on the spot - should be a good time.If you're in the Chicago and surrounding area (or a surrounding state) come by and check us out! I'll be located at Booth 703 the entire weekend. Also helping me out with be the amazing Sarah Hunter as well as Christina Hall.
All the World's the SAA!
Conor and I just got back from the Shakespeare Association of America's 2012 conference, held in Boston the past three days. Despite my lack of sleep I'm still on a high from the days there. The SAA is an organization devoted to the study of Shakespeare and his plays and how they from a part of the culture.
It was a great conference for us for SO many reasons: we got to meet up with some old friends, meet up with a lot of our Facebook and Twitter followers, were fortunate to sit in on the Friday morning plenary presentation by Dr. Peter Holland (University of Notre Dame), who discussed our project in the presentation "Shakespeare, Humanity Indicators, and The Seven Deadly Sins"), discovered that two other academics profiled our project in other papers (including one, "Screw Shakespeare", that discusses the sexual and pornographic images in our series" - who knew?), sold a lot of books and t-shirts... but MOST importantly, left feeling even more energized about the potential of our series to reach larger audiences and a better appreciation of how great Shakespeare is.Thanks to everyone who chatted with us this weekend - you were all great to talk to and you each inspired us. Thanks for that!And next year we look forward to attending - especially as it's right here in Toronto!Here are some pictures from the weekend...
Shakespeare Plenary Presentation
Conor and I are currently at the Shakespeare Association of American Annual Conference in Boston and winning over a LOT of people to our series. It's been a great time and the highlight was this morning when Peter Holland (University of Notre Dame) profiled us in his plenary presentation this morning to all delegates. Here is a pic:
More information to come!
To all our Teacher friends, 'sup!
While Anthony was away in Seattle converting the masses to the joys of Bardicide, Conor was beavering away back in K.S. HQ on a new project that we've hinted at but will be announcing "for realsies" very soon.And while he was procrastinating by checking e-mail a really cool message came in.As many of you know we've got dreams that Kill Shakespeare will be picked up by school systems around the world as either a way to introduce people to the Bard's tropes and tricks or as a tool for deeper analysis of the plays.
So far we've been making steady headway (And later this week Anthony and Conor will both be in Boston for the annual meeting of the Shakespeare Association of America) but the little e-mail we got was from noted academic reviewer Chris Wilson.
Chris is the top dog behind the awesome The Graphic Classroom -- a well-read site chock full of reviews and tools for teachers looking to bring graphic novels into the classroom.
Chris gave Kill Shakespeare a REALLY solid review and called it "highly recommended" for school classrooms.
For our teacher fans we hope this is something you can use to help justify bringing K.S. to your class, and for those of you who have teacher friends this is a fantastic link to help them discover our series, but more importantly graphic novels in general.
Thanks Chris!