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£ 8 & s & 3 S § v & B == > s C $ §N 7 C ctl & I & ByC € ° _= ‘lik( ] I ike the old Jane Siberry ng says... writers are a funny breed. Ask Derek Czajkowski. He‘s a local scribe who has experienced many writâ€" ing incarnations. In another lucrative life, Czajkowski honed his craft in Toronto‘s dogâ€"eatâ€"dog copywriting jungle. * Though he enjoys the factual lure of journalism and researching stories, Czajkowski constantly chalâ€" lenges his chosen craft and wanted more. He found copyâ€"writing confining and unimaginative, with no room for creative freedom. He needed to rid himself of that ‘keep it simple stupid‘ (KISS) mantra etched into his brain New Works Festival showcases the talents of local playwrights He quickly decided the pressureâ€"cooker ad agency dog‘s life was not for him. Moving back to his Kâ€"W home, Czajkowski turned his acid wit to a columnist‘s bent securing a regular byâ€" line in The Record and becoming a frequent conâ€" tributor to Echo Magazine. In the movie Amadeus, Emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones) accuses Mozart (Tom Hulse) of writing "too many notes." In Czajkowski‘s case, he couldn‘t find enough notes to finish his dramatic symphony. He discovered a place for his voice in penâ€" ning The Notebook, which will be featured this week in Theatre & Company‘s New Works Festival, under the direction of Henry Bakker. "The Notebook is inherâ€" ently theatrical and has an improvisational aspect to it. But at the same time, the core of the play is an interior monologue about the emoâ€" tional landscape of this parâ€" ticular character and the dialogue that he has with his ‘Anima‘ as Derek calls it, or Jungian feminine conâ€" sciousness," explains Bakker. "What excites me is that this could not work in any other medium, not teleâ€" vision dr a short story because it‘s about two charâ€" acters alive on the stage. The By Corar Anprewsâ€"Lesue For The Chronicle interaction and unpreâ€" dictability of the improvisaâ€" tional side and what that brings to it, is what makes The Notebook so exciting because it will be different every single night. The audiâ€" ence should come on the ride." The New Works Festival now in its fifth year, annualâ€" ly showcases the work of Theatre and Company‘s Writer‘s Bloc. The Notebook is one of seven plays from regional playwrights who have penned provocative backdrops â€" from burial, cremation and precious gems in Leave Taking by Charmian Christie, to the zany shoeâ€"selling biz in Gary Kirkham‘s Beth at 50. Gary Kirkham plays Beth in his own play Beth at 50, which is featured this week in Theatre & Company‘s New Works Fest. "The Notebook is about a reluctant observer on the ARTS FOCUS fringe of other people‘s lives," reveals its mysterious author. "Just imagine a writer‘s, or anyone‘s, worst nightmare â€" the total failâ€" ure of not measuring up to where you want to be, and what that does to your psyâ€" che. It makes your entire reality crumble. The Noteâ€" book is a questioning, a maelstrom of identity, conâ€" fusion, and not really knowâ€" ing where you fit in the world anymore." The nascent playwright coyty will not say what is in The Notebook, only that he carries one. When Czajkowski first created the piece, he was freelancing for a local ad agency, and was thoroughly bored with too much spare time. To conquer his ensuâ€" ing writer‘s block, he created the first rough streamâ€"ofâ€" consciousness draft of what was to become The Noteâ€" "It was like a confluence of forces," he recalls. "I thought to hell with it, I am just going to write anything that comes to mind, so it wasn‘t planned at all. I didn‘t know who the character was, or even what I was writing about. I didn‘t plan, I didn‘t edit. I just wrote and wrote and wrote." He thought about life in Europe, then when reality kicked in, decided Toronto was the obvious place to be. Czajkowski had a hard time trying to live his dream. The liberal arts degree was ‘not the doorâ€"opener universiâ€" ties made it out to be‘. Czaâ€" jkowski was looking at postâ€" grad work in journalism but instead enrolled in Humber Collage‘s adâ€"writing course, dreaming of glamour, high fashion glitz, and the fastâ€" paced world of advertising. To his naive surprise Czaâ€" jkowski found himself in the least creative and conservaâ€" tive environment possible, as a copywriter in a Toronto ad agency trying with his concise style to be a comâ€" mercialized Hemingway in the heart of the corporate world. Back in his hometown, in an effort to regain his invenâ€" tive writing consciousness, and rebuild eroding confiâ€" dence, Czajkowski took Introduction to Creative Writing at Conestoga Colâ€" lage, with Laura Nesbitt. A session in dramatic prose spurred him to write soonâ€" Czajkowski‘s an admitted introvert and shy, although others would beg to differ having seen his spontaâ€" neous flair for droll, razorâ€" sharp wit â€" a softâ€"spoken Jon Stewart or Dennis Miller. Czajkowski began to write early in life, and with his Trent University Honâ€" ours BA in English literature, had vague notions of becoming Long Tall Hemâ€" ingway. HRONICLI Continued on page 21 For 36 years the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Multicultural Festival has brought the world to the community‘s doorstep. This weekend‘s event, which marks the official beginning of summer, will feature Aboriginal Solidarity Day Celebrations as well as more than 20 different performers on the main stage. Visitors will celebrate with music and dance from Greece, Ethiopia, the Sudan, Scotland, Jamaica and more. More than 15 food vendors will share international cuisine with the community, offering tastes of India, China, Latin America, Arabia, Greece, Ethiopia. The International Market Place will feature 30 internaâ€" tional craft vendors and local artisans. New for children this year will be pottery with Majestic Mud‘s Shawna Morrissette, learning about exotic animals from Global Exotic Pets expert Rob Conrad, sharing storytime with Waterloo Mayor Lynne Woolstencroft, Kids on the Block puppet shows and more. Many of the children‘s activities are free of charge. Saturday night will feature the beauty and strength of women and dance. Starting at 7 p.m. , the mystical movements of Sudanese Dancers in their traditional vibrant costumes will grace the stage as they share their stories through dance. Followed by the body affirming belly dancing of Tsignes â€" timeâ€" less in its art, poignant in its message. The festival runs from noon until 8 p.m. on June 21 and noon until 8 p.m. on June 22 at Victoria Park‘s Clock Tower Common. Established in 1967, the festival is hosted by the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Multicultural Centre and its member groups. Member groups reâ€"distribute the proceeds from the festival to support numerous charitable programs in the community and the on: going work of the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Multicultural Centre. The Gala Opening Night on June 27 will feautre preâ€"show music from both the Blyth Festival Singers, and the Blyth Festival Orchestra. Postâ€"show, a recepâ€" tion will allow audience members to meet the cast and crew of the production. The Perilous Pirate‘s Daughter continues through Aug. 9. Call the box office toll free at 1â€"877â€"862â€"5984 to reserve tickets. Tickets can also be reserved at the Blyth Festival Web site at www.blythfestival.com Kicking off the Blyth Festival 2003 season June 21 is The Perilous Pirate‘s Daughter, a swashbuckling musical for the entire family penned by former artisâ€" tic director Anne Chislett and songwriter/playwright David Archibald. The Perilous Pirate‘s Daughter features an allâ€"star musical cast including David Archibald, Sean Dixon, Bruce Dow, Gil Garratt, Mark Harapiak, Chuck Herâ€" riott, Tara Hughes, Randy Hughson, Kelly Mcintosh, Bob Nasmith, Karen Skidmore and Lyon Smith. Audiâ€" ences will remember the talents of Dixon, Garratt and Mcintosh from last year‘s soldâ€"out hit The Outâ€" door Donnellys. Swashbuckler opens Blyth Festival‘s new season Multicultural Festival kicks of summer