Sign Our Yearbook: Shotgun Wedding @Toronto Fringe

For once, I don’t really have anything to write.  (I’m a little speechless, so I’m asking YOU.)

My friends: Richie, Jeff, Belinda, Mickey, Tony and Arlene.

 If you loved Shotgun Wedding: The Musical, please tell us on this blog.  If you didn’t get to see it, tell us you want another chance!  

We want to hear from you!

Shotgun Wedding: The Musical — July 6-17, at the Toronto Fringe.

FOR TICKETS
Phone: 416 966 1062
Online: www.fringetoronto.com
In Person: At the Door starting at 7PM on
performance nights. Cash Only.
No Latecomers. No Exceptions. Arrive On Time!

You’re all invited to celebrate Veronica Mendoza’s (Belinda Corpuz) 18th debutante birthday party!  Edsel (Mickey Rodriguez) pursues his long time best friend Veronica, a Mississauga Filipino beauty queen, who shares a secret with her Scarborough boyfriend Jerome (Tony Ofori). The boys, JP and Noel (Richie Guzman and Jeff Yung) have been practising their two-step under the direction of choreographer Kate (Arlene Paculan) in this diverse coming of age story with a twist of 90s flare.

Written by spoken word poet Leonard Cervantes of FLIP TV (OMNI 2) and original music composed by Kierscey Rand, formerly the keyboardist for Down with Webster, and currently guitar player and background vocalist for Toronto artist K’Naan. Dora Nominated playwright Catherine Hernandez (Singkil, Future Folk & Eating with Lola) is at the helm making her directorial debut .  Jodinand Aguillon of Kensington Market’s Pretty Freedom rounds out the creative team with the set & costume designs.

Shotgun Wedding was originally created through Carlos Bulosan Theatre’s Play Creation Unit and later went onto further development through fu-GEN Theatre Company’s Playwrights’ Kitchen.

Guests are welcome to wear their favourite clothes from the 1990s to celebrate the chaos that will ensue.

Girls dig up your darkest lipstick. Guys shine up your pointiest dress shoes.

This is our debut.

Arsenio Hall: Best Late Night Host EVER?

Why Arsenio isn't on late night TV anymore: Things That Make You Go Hmmm..

Not sure what kind of “world” you’re stepping into when you come to see ‘Shotgun Wedding’ at The Fringe?  If you are lucky enough to have old Arsenio Hall episodes on VHS (or beta!), you could watch those to get an idea.

In 1993, Arsenio Hall *ruled* late night.  He may not have been officially the ratings leader but for our generation, our worlds revolved around who was on Arsenio last night and who was coming on the next episode. LET’S GET BUSY!

#3 Flex (Time To Have Sex) – Mad Cobra (Shotgun Wedding’s 1993 TOP TEN Countdown)

LAAAAAWWWD… GYAL FLEX

Dark school gym corners. Red-lit basements. Rented church halls. You remember them. These were the places were teenagers became adults. Well, at least did adult things. Sort of.

In 1993 Mississauga, there was one place in particular where there were no parents, no chaperones and no teachers imposing 1ft restraining orders around our gyrating teenage hips — STREETSVILLE CHURCH.

Shotgun Wedding: The Transformation

I really gotta give it up to the cast for being good sports.

Yo, T-Boz ! Is ya being a boss, Chilli what's up wit' dat sauce?

Going back to the world of ‘Shotgun Wedding’ — the early 1990s — is no easy commitment.  It means donning very unique clothing, having very interesting hairstyles and going very aggressive with the lipstick shade.  And I’m being polite with the description.  

Where Are They Now?: Keith Sweat (& Candy Grams)

I remember getting a really weird note from a girl when I was in Grade 12.

Ever write a love letter? Ever get one?

For me, the year was  1991.  Of course, this was before Facebook or email existed, even before any of us had cell phones or even pagers with voicemail.  Back in Grade 12, there was only one effective way to send someone a message was to write them a note.  So, you either wrote it on paper and had a friend pass it to them, or shove it in their locker or leave it in a textbook.

Or… you sent them a CANDY GRAM.  

Shotgun Wedding’s Original Music by Kierscey Rand

(SCROLL DOWN for Show and Ticket Information!)

courtesy http://www.kierscey.com

By now you already know that Shotgun Wedding is a Musical and that features many of your favourite songs from the 90s. You may not know that Shotgun Wedding: The Musical features original music also. That music is by Kierscey Rand. And its about time you met him.

#5 Follow Me – Aly-Us (Shotgun Wedding’s 1993 TOP TEN Countdown)

(SCROLL DOWN for Showtimes and Ticket Info!)

I’m hoping… to see a day.

Don’t lie. You KNOW the moves to this one. Even if you want to act like you don’t, your feet give you away. This is part of your heritage and this blood is coarsing through your veins. Try as you may — you end up doing THE ELECTRIC SLIDE when the DJ plays ‘Follow Me’ by Aly-Us.

You could be at a 18th birthday Debut, a semi-formal, a prom or a (shotgun) wedding but regardless the venue, the moves are the same. Four steps to the right, four steps to the left, four steps back and then rock back two times and dip two times… aaaaand repeat. Throw in some spins and a few floor kicks and you’re looking MINT. In 1993, if you didn’t know The Electric Slide you probably didn’t get invited to the party.

Director’s Blog #1: Why Len Chose Me

Hi folks!

If you didn’t know, the Director of Shotgun Wedding: The Musical is Catherine Hernandez.  I’m still finding the special words to tell you about Catherine from *MY* point of view but in the meantime, she’s taken a few moments out of her super-busy schedule to write *YOU* a note.  

– Len

Director Catherine is the pretty lady wearing violet down in the far right!

by Catherine Hernandez – Director, Shotgun Wedding

There are reasons why Len chose me to be the director for Shotgun Wedding: The Musical.  The main reason is because I am old.

Shotgun People: Renna Reddie

There are some incredible people behind Shotgun Wedding:The Musical — this is just one of them.

You’ve been keeping up with my musings on the 1990s — music, nostalgia, memories that make up the world you’ll be stepping into when you come and see the show at The Fringe (July 6-17). I think its about time I told you about some of the people who are making this happen. First off: Renna Reddie, Shotgun Wedding’s Producer.

That's Renna in the glasses -- she's playing a 90s teacher!