A Remount of THE WALK!

Yes, it's true! Our Fringe show was such a success that we got invited to produce it at the Natalie Stern Studio Theatre, in Ottawa (Westboro), on the first two weekends of February 2012. A run of six shows: Feb. 3-5 and Feb. 10-12.

We have recast three roles because some cast members were sadly unavailable for the remount. Brie Barker has stepped in to play Peter. Rachel Eugster will be Sister Catherine Anne, and Lori Jean Hodge will be Stephanie. All three are seasoned actors, and our passionate director, Natalie, is excited to be working with them.

Having a few Equity actors on board will definitely challenge our budget. But we're gearing up our fundraising efforts, and opening to the bounty of the universe. We welcome your ideas and suggestions.

Our amazing graphic designer, Sergio Diaz, is back and full of enthusiasm. He did a fantastic job on our Fringe program and handbills. Sergio moved to Canada from Colombia only a few months ago with his young family. He's working hard on his English, but he's bursting with marketing ideas and is such a delight to work with.

Great things are coming. Stay tuned!

An important documentary film-maker

In her blog, film-maker Mimi Chakarova describes the toll that a decade of research about global sex trafficking has taken on her. Her honesty is gut-wrenching.

http://blog.usaid.gov/2011/08/the-price-of-sex-an-investigation-of-sex-trafficking/

Gearing up for the Ottawa Fringe Festival - June 16 -26, 2011

Wow, there is so much excitement in the air about our upcoming production at the Fringe. Our choreographer, Sonia Awad, has been working out amazing moves for the actors, and we have a new drummer, Mike Berrigan.. Our posters and handbills are maganificent. All our printing was done PRO BONO, thanks to the wonderful Fred Schubert. There is passion and generosity everywhere! We're on Facebook, and people can answer and share the invitation to attend directly:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=217928228231872

Check out our website!

Moon Dog Theatre, which will be producing The Walk, in association with PACT-Ottawa, now has a website: www.moondogtheatre.com. Kudos to our Web Meister, the inimitable Jerry Golland!

Please visit the new site to see our performance schedule for the Ottawa Fringe Festival, June 16-26, as well as images for the show.

You can also find out more about PACT-Ottawa (Persons Against the Crirme of Trafficking in humans) on their website: www.pact-ottawa.org/

Kids with no childhood

'Juju oaths' ensnare trafficking victims mind, body and soul – The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery - CNN.com Blogs

This will give you a bird's eye view of global sex trafficking. A major character named CELESTINE in The Walk has lived exactly this experience. 'Juju oaths' ensnare trafficking victims mind, body and soul – The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery - CNN.com Blogs

Gold and child sex slaves

One of the characters in "The Walk," is Panadda, a petite 15-year-old Thai girl, who tells a john about her life as a sex slave. She is child-like and sweet, despite the daily indignity and horror she faces. Teri Loretto, who plays the neurotic writer in the play, told me she "still chokes up" at Panadda's story. I choke up too. I think of myself at 15 or 12, Panadda's age when she was sold by her parents to a brothel. Robbed of her childhood and hope for a future. "To have a daughter is like have toilet in your front yard," she tells her client.

That is the reality for many children around the world whose value is measured in monetary terms. Kids become peripheral victims to blind greed. One reporter in South America throws light on the child sex trade and its relation to gold mining in Peru. Here is the link to his blog:

http://settysoutham.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/perus-gold-is-font-of-child-sex-slavery-telegraph-says/