Celebrity Encounters, Part 1

Yeah, here's another post with absolutely nothing to do with theatre, sound design, and only a little to do with music.  But I love reading stories about people meeting celebrities, especially if it was unexpected.

I've met lots of celebrities, but usually at concerts, and meet-and-greets.  In other words, when I left the house, I expected I was going to meet a celebrity, and probably had my camera and something for them to sign for me.

I met Randy Bachman that way about 12 years back.  He had just written his book "Takin' Care of Business" and was doing a bookstore tour to promote it.  I selected a couple of Guess Who albums, a BTO album, and one of his solo albums for him to sign, and I bought a copy of his book.  I didn't have a camera with me, as this was before cell phones (for me anyway) or a digital camera that fit in my pocket.  He came off a little bit grouchy during the signing, but he had his guitar and spoke and sang for about an hour, telling stories and singing tidbits of songs.  And this was before he toured doing the same thing, and got the CBC show "Vinyl Tap".

I met Adam West (yes, Batman!) at the opening of a mall somewhere in the west end of Toronto, or Mississauga back in the mid 70's.  I, unfortunately, don't remember a lot of details but my younger brother Dave was a big fan of the Batman series in reruns, and I had been a big fan when it originally ran in the 60's.  I still didn't drive but we somehow talked Dad and the family into driving all the way to this new mall to meet Adam West.  I stupidly didn't get an autograph, and didn't even own a camera at the time, but I met him and shook his hand.  He admired my brother's t-shirt, which I had painted, in the days before you could easily buy superhero shirts in any Walmart.  He even said that next time he needed a new outfit, he'd give me a call.  He was in full Batman costume and I was shocked at how it limited his vision and hearing.  Not very good for a crime-fighter, I wouldn't think.  

My best story is about William Shatner.  In the mid-seventies Mr Shatner was doing commercials for Loblaws ("More than the price is right but by gosh...") and he was, apparently, doing an appearance at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.  I say apparently because I had no idea.  I was at the Exhibition with my two sisters who had gone into the Loblaws display to pose with a cardboard cutout of the Bay City Rollers.  While they were doing that I looked around and noticed Shatner standing there, watching my sisters as well.  I went over to talk with him, mostly about Twilight Zone, as I wasn't much of a Star Trek fan at the time.  He seemed quite happy to have someone to talk to, and reminisced about how much fun Twilight Zone episodes had been to make.  When my sisters were finished Shatner asked me if I wanted an autographed photo and I said, sure.  He signed it "Hi Mike, William Shatner".  I still have it, somewhere in the house...

I met Emilie-Claire Barlow (look her up on YouTube if you've never heard of her) a couple of times, once just before a meet-and-greet at Toronto City Hall during the 2012 Toronto Jazz Festival.  I guess I kind of stalked her--I had heard that she would be interviewed by Jazz FM, which was broadcasting live from Nathan Phillips Square, so my daughter and I went and hung around.  When the interview was finished I asked if she would pose for a picture with me, and she was happy to.  After, my daughter and I borrowed *ahem* a Toronto Star with an article about her in it, and we found her again and got her to sign it.  I had to work that night so I couldn't wait until the actual meet-and-greet, but she was very sweet about it.  Two months later we drove to Picton to see her in concert and we met her again after the show.  I showed her the photo of us in Nathan Phillips Square, and she signed it for me.  She didn't really remember me, but she remembered my daughter, the photographer of two pictures of Emilie and me.

More to come in part two, whenever I feel like writing it...

Michael

Fiddler On the Roof

Well, my sound design was nominated, once again, for best sound in Theatre Ontario's THEA awards last night.  I often call myself the Susan Lucci of Sound Design, as I've been nominated quite a few times, and I've never actually won.  Oh well, some day, and in the meantime, it's nice to be nominated.  I never actually go to the awards, as I'm always working on Saturday nights.

The nomination was for Oshawa Little Theatre's production of Fiddler On the Roof.  It was a pretty easy one for me, as shows go.  As it is a musical, there was a live orchestra so I didn't have to worry about music, just sound effects.  Here's the list:

1.  A Rooster crowing, to start the show

2.  Ambient farm sounds.  Lots of chickens and cows.  A few horses and sheep.  This sound is meant to loop.  Of course, start a little louder, then gradually lower volume until it's there, but not obtrusive.

3.  Crickets.  Meant to loop.  Play softly--it gets pretty annoying after a while, in my experience.

4.  Owl.  I'm not sure if this is a specific cue, or just meant to be played once or twice in the night scene.

5.  1905 Street Sounds.  Meant to loop.  A busy street, before cars and airplanes.

6.  Shattering glass.  MS (director) wanted about 30 seconds worth.  Here's 15, and I think it's plenty.  If he really wants 30, play it twice.

7.  1905 Street Sounds.  Again.

8.  Wind.  Meant to loop.  During "Land I Love"

9.  Ambient Farm Sounds. Again.

10.  Wind.  Again.

These are the directions I sent to the person operating the sound for the shows.  I, of course, am busy at my paid theatre job so I rarely get a chance to work for any other theatres.

Anyway, no real stories here.  Everything came from the Internet, or sound effects CDs.  I had to make the "farm sounds" by layering individual sounds from those sources.  The trick is to make it long, three to five minutes so it can loop without being an obvious loop, and don't lay it on too thick.  Farms aren't generally noisy places, so remember that.  Lots of silences in between the animal sounds.  And, because it is Fiddler On the Roof, no pigs in the mix.

The street sounds were similar.  Horses, buggies, people chatting, dogs barking.  Just make sure there are no modern sounds, airplanes, cars, cell phones, etc.

The cricket sound is one I got from a sound effects CD years ago.  I've used the same one in a dozen shows, as it is perfect.  It is a very clear sound of one cricket.  I usually double it, a few seconds apart, once in the left speaker and once in the right speaker.  Apparently the adjudicator loved it, and made a comment during the adjudication about how good it was.  And never play it too loud or the realism is gone.

Fiddler On the Roof wasn't the only show I designed sound for this past year, but it's the only one I got nominated for.  I wasn't even particularly proud of my work for this show, as it was so easy.  But you never know what an adjudicator is going to think.  Over the years I've had adjudicators praise me, and criticize me, and it means nothing when it comes to the ACTCO awards.  I think the key is to get them to notice you, good or bad, then you have a shot.

I design sound for six shows a year at the dinner theatre but, as we are all paid, we are not Community Theatre and not eligible.  Too bad.  I do some pretty good stuff here, but only the audiences get to appreciate it.

Michael