Be Aware and Be Safe--Protect Yourself From Scam Agencies and Predators

How many times have we counseled our students and their parents about finding legitimate talent agents? Countless. Innumerable. Parents and kids likely get tired of us spouting our information. Some take the advice, others do not. 

If you understand the business (and remember, they do call it 'Show Business') you can stay safe from people like this 37 year-old Ottawa man, who has been charged with human trafficking and child luring by posing as a talent agent. 

Understanding the business is not hard. What is hard is understanding that it IS a business. Let that inform your thinking. Arm yourself by understanding how legitimate agents earn a living, and do a little fact-checking. Awareness can help you to avoid dangerous criminals, and scam artists.

There are two associations that provide oversight and help to ensure that there is a code of ethics for agents and talent managers in Canada: the  Entertainment Industry Coalition (EIC) and TAMAC (Talent Agents and Managers Association of Canada).  Membership in either of these associations is a reasonable indication of an agent's legitimacy.  There is no good reason for a legitimate agent not to belong to one or both of these groups.

Three things that you can do to protect your child from fake agents are:

1. Check the list on the ACTRA website for the area that the agent works in. ACTRA is the actor's union and keeps a list of agents who have signed the Code of Ethics and are members of the EIC.

2. Beware of agents that advertise in any way. Industry professionals understand that the people who they are dealing with are a vulnerable group - easily preyed upon. This is from the Code of Ethics:
An agent will not advertise to the general public for the purpose of soliciting clients through advertising placed in any form of printed or electronic media (newspapers, flyers, magazines, telephones, the Internet, fax, CD-ROM or mailings, etc.) 

3. If they ask for money up front or stipulate that you must use a certain photographer or coach or they, themselves, offer classes or headshots  keep your wallet in your pocket and walk away. Agents only make money when their clients make money. They work on commission. No exceptions to that rule. 

Much as we would like to believe that someone is out there just waiting to offer a shot at stardom, the likelihood of it happening is miniscule. Don't be flattered by strangers who just  find you on the internet, or in a cafe drinking latte. The Hollywood starlet stories are old and very likely not true. Being cautious is sensible in this industry.

You really do have to work for what you want.

~Anne Marie

AT LAST! GEORGETTE SINGS ETTA

AT LAST! GEORGETTE SINGS ETTA

Georgette Fry in concert

Starring local singing sensation; Georgette Fry and her twelve piece band

Featuring Shout Sister! Friday April 29^th at 7:30 pm at the Grand Theatre

Jazz, blues, soul--the legendary Etta James sang it all--and

who better to take us through her songbook than Canada's own 2013 CMA

Singer of the Year, Georgette Fry? Backed by her excellent 11 piece

band, with 50 members of the local chapters of her Shout Sister! choir

providing gospel harmonies, Fry's retrospective will be filling the

Regina Rosen Auditorium.

Like Etta James, Fry has a big voice that seamlessly glides across

musical genres. Her love of good music does not sit solely with one

particular iteration, making this retrospective a powerful work in its

own right. Georgette never needs to imitate; she brings her own solid,

sensitive self to these treasured songs and honours Etta's legacy.

Fry's excellent band are all-stars from her hometown, Kingston. Jon

Stewart (sax) arranged the music for the show. He plays on stage with

James Wannamaker (sax), Janet MacRae (trumpet), Dave Barton (guitar),

Zak Colbert (bass), Ken Hall (organ), Alain McCann (piano), Duncan Holt

(drums) and Anna Robertson (Background vocals).

Rounding out this already spectacular lineup is Shout Sister!, offering

gospel backup during the finale.

Performing in the Regina Rosen Auditorium, Grand Theatre

Watch Video of one of the songs from the show.

To purchase Tickets please 

Call:  613-530-2050

Click   http://kingstongrand.ca/event/last-georgette-sings-etta

Visit   218 Princess Street, Kingston, ON

A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

Charles and I wish you all the best of the holiday season, and we thank you for your support this year.

Watching a live performance, or enrolling in a class and performing for an audience are memories that stay with people for a lifetime. Consider giving the gift of a lifetime memory this year - take a loved one to see A Christmas Carol, the musical, or enrol a young person in our Little Stars or Stage Right acting class, or give them the experience of being in a major musical with our Musical Theatre Class.

 Tickets for A Christmas Carol include special pricing for Seniors, Students and Children. Balcony seating is at a special rate, and the Saturday matinee is priced to favour families. The show opens soon - December 17 (Thursday) and runs for four performances over three days, closing Saturday December 19. You can get tickets from the Grand Theatre box office in person (noon - 6pm), by phone 613-530-2050, or online here: http://kingstongrand.ca/node/1940

The Winter Term of our Stage Right Acting Classes begins Jan 9 (first week back to school!) on Saturdays. We offer classes for young people ranging in age from 6-17.  http://www.bottletreeinc.com/acting_classes.html

Our popular Musical Theatre course is offered in January and begins Jan 4. This year's project is SHREK the Musical JR. This is a musical theatre intensive, designed to give your child a taste of what being in a full-scale production is like. Everyone enrolled in the class takes on at least two roles (one major role and at least one minor). Training is second-to-none as we bring in top vocal coaches and choreographers, as well as excellent direction and support. http://www.bottletreeinc.com/musical_theatre_class.html

We want you to know that we are independant artists, active in the greater community, teaching performance arts, producing our own new work, and presenting community theatre shows as part of our arts practise. Every time you buy a ticket to one of Bottle Tree Productions' shows or enrol in one of our classes, you are directly supporting artists - not only us, but local musicians, actors, and directors. This is a rare feat in an industry that favours paying administrators instead of artists.  So thank you.

Best wishes of the season - and thank you again for supporting local artists!

Anne Marie & Charles

Greater Tuna - A Comedy

GREATER TUNA
"Two actors, twenty characters, and a barrell of laughs!"
by: Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, Ed Howard

Buy Tickets Now!
Starring:
Mike Bullett
Sean Roberts

Directed by:
Amie Bello

Come to the Baby Grand and set a spell with the good folks from Tuna, Texas. If you like Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe, Don Harron's Charlie Farquharson, and the good folks from HEE HAW, you will enjoy this irreverantly funny take on life in Tuna,  Texas' third-smallest town.

Join Arles Struive, and Thurston Wheelis at radio station OKKK as they discuss current events, including the top essays from The Tuna Junior High American Heritage Essay Contest, entitled "Human Rights, Why Bother?", "Living With Radiation" and "The Other Side of Bigotry".  Then, head on over to Bertha Bumiller's kitchen as Charlene, Stanely, and Jody talk about weight management, dogs,  and text book censorship over breakfast. Down to the Humane Society, Petey Fisk is trying to  save  Yippy's life, but the already over-burdened Bumiller's household can't handle another canine. Phinas Blye and Leonard Childers hit the airwaves with "This Week in Tuna". Stanley adds his two cents to the show to suggest taxing the stupid, and over at the Burras' home, Pearl has a solution to the dog overpopulation problem, but gets into trouble with her bitter pill.

And folks, that just some of Act One.

Sean Roberts and Mike Bullet are the hardest-working actors in show business as they bring you all of the characters of Tuna Texas in two acts. Quick costume and character changes make this a fun and challenging show for actors--not to mention the stage dressers who have to get these two changed in seconds flat! Come and set a spell, grab a cool beverage and enjoy the wit and wisdom of Tuna, Texas!

Performing in the Baby Grand Theatre, within the Grand Theatre.

FLEETWOOD NICKS and PRACTICALLY PETTY

FLEETWOOD NICKS and PRACTICALLY PETTY

Friday November 6 at 7:30 PM

Two exciting acts -One ticket!

Rock down memory lane with Practically Petty and Fleetwood Nicks. Using the same equipment as the Heartbreakers, Practically Petty leaves no stone unturned in recreating the original band sound. Their show has all of Petty's hits with the Heartbreakers as well as his solo work. Tom Petty toured with Stevie Nicks and their amazing Stop Draggin' My heart Around is recreated on stage live by Pratically Petty and Fleetwood Nicks. If you love Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Practically Petty is the show for you. But that's not all. Fleetwood Nicks takes the stage with the whole Stevie Nicks-Fleetwood Mac experience. Plucked from relative musical obscurity by the mega band Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks was rocketed to fame and stardom. Fleetwood Nicks has the look, feel and distinctive sound of Stevie Nicks with Fleetwood Mac plus her highly-in-demand solo shows. Fleetwood Nicks portrays Fleetwood Mac with an incredible authenticity. Backed by seasoned professionals, it is definitely a show you will not want to miss.

Practically Petty and Fleetwood Nicks exudes all the charm and mystique of both famous artists in a stunning recreation of some of the worlds most popular music. A highly entertaining night of great music! Two great shows for the price of one!

BUY TICKETS NOW!

For more information about music shows at the Grand Theatre please go to Music Shows in Kingston ON