humor – Page 4 – Jarnsaxa Rising: Norse Myth, Energy Crisis, Revenge Drama Podcast.

Meet the artists of Jarnsaxa Rising: Shannon Troy Jones

June 14, 2015June 14, 2015 LindsayHFLeave a comment

Shannon will be playing Balder, the Norse god of peace. Unlike his previous, ebullient incarnation in a Lindsay Harris-Friel play, this archetype is much closer to Shannon’s natural personality. Balder embodies all the goodness of light and purity. It was foretold that his death would presage Ragnarok, the Norse apocalypse. As a result, his mother convinced all life forms in the Nine Worlds not to harm Balder, and she succeeded, with one exception. But, that’s another story. Considering that Balder is a god of purity, light and peace, but not justice, this makes Balder a very interesting character, beneath his brightly polished surface.

Baldur Norse God of peace — Who’s a pretty boy?

Shannon Troy Jones is very excited to working with Lindsay Harris-Friel and Theatre Pro Rata on Jarnsaxa Rising. He previously had the pleasure of performing in Lindsay’s stage play, Traveling Light for Theare Pro Rata. He’s been working as an actor, writer, and artist in the Twin Cities since 2003. Some of his favorite shows have included Mrs. Charles (Freshwater Theatre), The Birth of Venus (20% Theatre), Women’s History Month: The Historical Comedybration (with Fablulous Prizes) (Black Market Doctor), and The Good Woman of Setzuan, 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, The Spanish Tragedy, and of course Traveling Light (Theatre Pro Rata).

What made you decide that you wanted to do this project?

I have been lucky enough to work with both Lindsay and Theatre Pro Rata before. And the script is bonkers!

Who is your favorite character from Norse Mythology?

My knowledge of Norse mythology is based almost entirely on Neil Gaiman’s American Gods and Marvel Comics. I was going to say Hrimhari, whom I just learned is an Asgardian character that was invented by Marvel, so I fail. So I’m going to say Hela (or Hel), daughter of Loki and ruler of the realm of Niflheim, because she looks badass in the comic books and has been involved in some of my favorite stories!

What are you reading these days?

Scripts, scripts, scripts! Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comic books. I have also been trying to read Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow for the past year. Someday I will actually commit to tackling that beast!

What’s your favorite pre-performance ritual?

I don’t have any consistent rituals that I follow, but I really like Crazy Eights for getting energized.

What’s under your bed right now?

Wrapping paper, that one sock I can never find, and the monster that took it.

Want to know how you can be part of this project? You can help all of our artists and make our podcast available for free to everyone by contributing to our Indiegogo campaign. Join us!

Meet the artists of Jarnsaxa Rising: Leslie Vincent

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015 LindsayHFLeave a comment

Witch trials happened throughout the Western world in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries (and, some would argue, still happen today). We know a lot about persecution of women as “witches” in England and early America, but we know less about it in other countries. Jarnsaxa has shown up in various guises at different times, and met religious, corporate and personal conflict.

Leslie will be playing Widow Gregersen, an practitioner of a lot of different ideas pervasive in Old Norse and modern-day culture. Though Christianity was not unwelcome in Scandinavia, pagan ideas and processes stayed put when push came to shove. Women were often the first responders in medical situations, and they could use runes and songs along with hot water and herbs for care. Widow Gregersen knows old ways to combat the dragur, or what Christians might perceive as a witch, though she’ll stay on the good side of the Church to keep business going. However, her ability to use old magic may make her more sensitive to it.

Wetterzauber — Everybody loves a nice picnic.

Leslie is an actor, singer, and goofball originally from Washington. D.C. Representative Theatre: Park Square: The Diary of Anne Frank; Theatre in the Round: Godspell; Chameleon Theatre Circle: Blood Brothers; Black Market Doctor: Women’s History Month: The Historical Comedybration (with fabulous prizes); The National Theatre for Children: The Energized Guyz and the Conservation Caper. In her spare time, she plays the ukulele, drinks too much coffee, and binge-watches LOST.

What made you decide that you wanted to do this project?

Podcasts and science fiction are two of my favorite things!

Who’s your favorite character from Norse Mythology?

Odin. But I’m not as well-versed in Norse Mythology as I should be, and I’m betting there’s someone else out there for me.

What are you reading these days?

I just finished “Bad Feminist” by Roxanne Gay, and I’m thinking about picking up either Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild” or Steven King’s “11/22/63”

What’s your favorite pre-performance ritual?

Dancing around to Beyonce’s “7/11”

What’s under your bed right now?

All of my shoes. And probably a bunch of bobby pins.

Me too.

We know you’re not afraid of witches, and you like women with mad skills, so why not join us? Help us bring this story to everyone’s ears for free.

Meet the artists of Jarnsaxa Rising: Molly Pach

June 11, 2015June 11, 2015 LindsayHF1 Comment

Our story takes place over multiple times and places at once, so not all of our characters are Norse deities and monsters. Sometimes the most frightening creatures come from Scottsdale.

Molly Pach will be playing Mrs. Kristy Wallace, Head of Brand Management for The Corporation. She’s in charge of finding and/or predicting all threats to the Corporation’s profitability, and ensuring those threats are eliminated, with the highest degree of security and plausible deniability. This ice queen is hardly invulnerable; sometimes the best attackers have their own dirty little secrets.

None of the women in this story (except Sif, maybe) are perfect sweethearts. Flawed female characters are controversial for some people. They also respond to conflict in really interesting ways, and what’s more fun to play, or write, than a woman with a lot of power, an axe to grind, and everything to lose?

President and CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer (Reuters/Jackson)

Molly hails from Milwaukee, WI and has made the Twin Cities her home for the past 3 years. She enjoys ice cream runs to DQ with her husband, snuggles from her black lab, Birdie, and lounging in bed with period British dramas. She is a member of the Minneapolis Catholic Worker Community where she displays her kick ass organizational skills taking minutes and facilitating at monthly meetings, and setting new records for dish washing at their weekly community meals. Her most recent interest is finding the perfect recipe for fried chicken.

What made you decide that you wanted to do this project?

Carin Bratlie. I will never say no working on a project she is involved in. I find her to be a powerful inspiration for all things life related and one of the best directors I have ever worked with.

Amy Bouzaglo, the mastermind behind Amy's Baking Company of Scottsdale, Arizona. — Amy Bouzaglo, the culinary and business mastermind behind Amy’s Baking Company of Scottsdale, Arizona. (Reddit)

Who’s your favorite character from Norse Mythology?

THE KRAKEN!!!! I have an intense fear for all things that live in the sea. A giant octopus that lives at the bottom and emerges only to bring you to your watery death?! Yeah, that works for me!

What are you reading these days?

A collection of stories by Colette.

What’s your favorite pre-performance ritual?

Listening to Ke$ha while I put on my makeup. I do it with headphones so no one judges me and the fact that I am listening to Ke$ha.

What’s under your bed right now?

Floorboards. The hubby and I got rid of our last bed frame because it squeaked too much. We sleep on a mattress and box spring.

Want to know how you can be part of this project? You can help all of our artists and make our podcast available for free to everyone by contributing to our Indiegogo campaign. Join us!

Meet the artists of Jarnsaxa Rising: Ethan Bjelland

June 10, 2015June 10, 2015 LindsayHFLeave a comment

Ethan’s going to be playing Loki, a character so popular in Western folklore and culture that he needs little to no introduction. Scholars haven’t clarified exactly the relationship between the Aesir and this shape-shifting Jotun trickster deity, but the gods need him as much as they are infuriated by him. His ability to change gender, species, and size makes him able to solve as many problems as he causes. Though he’s known as the father of lies, he’s one of world culture’s favorite villains.

Ethan Bjelland, originally of Decorah, IA, is a freelance theatre artist and teacher and translator of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish. Ethan has previously worked with Theatre Pro Rata as the Preacher in Elephant’s Graveyard in 2014. Other stage credits include The Drawer Boy, The Philadelphia Story (Commonweal); The Foreigner, Crazy for You!, This Untoward Generation!, Ichabod Crane… (St. Croix Festival); CRAZYFACE (Shadow Horse); If We Were Birds (Theatre 20%); Ghost Sonata, and From Darkness (nimbus).

What made you decide that you wanted to do this project?

Well first, I was excited to work with Theatre Pro Rata again, as they were the first company I had the pleasure of acting with when I moved to the Twin Cities. So many incredible people, and some of my best friends so far in this area are so connected with TPR, that I couldn’t say no.

Second, and probably the biggest kicker–I am a huge Scandinavian Studies nerd, and I am fascinated by Åland, where the drama takes place, and hope to visit sometime

Who’s your favorite character from Norse Mythology?

As confessed, I have a dark, geeky passion for all things Nordic. When I was little, while the other kids were at Bible Camp and Band Camp, I went to Norwegian Immersion Camp. After 10 years, I still go back and work every now and then. Sometimes, all of the counselors dress up as Norse gods and goddesses and we have an entire day (sometimes three) in character. I’ve been known to play a pretty mean Loki. There’s something special about being able to troll kids in a foreign language whilst suited in motley that isn’t quite the same outside of Norwegian camp.

What are you reading these days?

I just picked up Aksel Sandemose’s classic novel and social criticism, A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks.

What’s your favorite pre-performance ritual?

Yoga/Pilates. Just a few sun-salutations and centering. There’s also a voice and enunciation bit that I like to run when I have a dialect or some tricky lines, called the Announcer’s Test.

What’s under your bed right now?

I haven’t looked in a while. It might be fun to check out soon, if not for the “Oh, that’s where that went!” -factor.

Want to know how you can be part of this project? You can help all of our artists and make our podcast available for free to everyone by contributing to our Indiegogo campaign. Join us!

Meet the artists of Jarnsaxa Rising: Amy Pirkl

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015 LindsayHFLeave a comment

Just who are these people that are lending their voices to audio drama? We think these actors are too good to hide, so we’ll be sharing them with you one at a time (don’t want to overload you too fast, darlings).

Amy Pirkl will play Sif, the Norse goddess of fertility. Sif is associated with summertime and abundance; as Thor’s wife, she provides his thunderous aspect with a fruitful outlet. The Poetic Edda is full of salacious rumors about Sif and her feelings about Loki, but she claims to be above reproach:

Welcome now, Loki, and take the crystal cup

full of ancient mead,

you should admit, that of the children of the Aesir,

that I alone am blameless.

She’s such a sweetheart. It’s really a shame that she stole Jarnsaxa’s man.

Amy Pirkl is a Company Member of Theatre Pro Rata. She is a freelance props designer, and has worked at the Guthrie, Park Square, Theatre in the Round, Nimbus, Yellow Tree, and a butt ton of others. Amy also is a member of Brain Punch Games, and a puzzle constructor/operator at Trapped Puzzle Rooms. She loves cats more than is reasonable, and her dog Badger is the best thing to ever happen on this planet. When Amy grows up, she wants to be a firefighter or Godzilla.

Amy is partly excited to be involved in this project because she wants her husband to think she’s a cool kid. He is a sound guy and a Norse Mythology buff.

Amy’s favorite character from Norse Mythology is Ratatoskr because she likes squirrels.

Amy is currently reading A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. Other books on her nightstand include: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the Tao Te Ching, the Tarot Bible, and Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book.

Amy’s favorite pre-performance ritual is drinking a goblet of mead, then smashing it so no other mortal can drink from it again.

At this very moment there is a kitten named Gir lurking under Amy’s bed, waiting for her chance to attack the other cat, Kittenvader Zim.

Want to know how you can be part of this project? You can help all of our artists and make our podcast available for free to everyone by contributing to our Indiegogo campaign. Join us!

Musical cares

May 24, 2015 LindsayHFLeave a comment

Vince is composing and recording Jarnsaxa Rising’s theme music. This process isn’t much to look at, but it sounds amazing.

More proof that I am living in the future: As I type this, pages of sheet music, that Vince has just written and recorded, are coming out of the printer. It’s like flying cars, except the destination comes directly to you.

“You kids have it so goddamn easy. Back in MY day…”

Right now we’re both at the part that doesn’t photograph well. It’s not glamorous, mostly a lot of typing, scribbling, and/or pointing and clicking. But, the script proceeds, the music is good, and in 42 days, we’ll be sitting down to rehearse with Carin and the actors.

Want to be part of it?