Author:sean

This post was written by HHG Theatre co-artistic director Mindy Parfitt, discussing a new project called RUN that she’s developing with Amber Funk Barton. —— Amber and I had our first week intensive, starting to uncover our new piece RUN. The focus of the week was really about sharing our practices with each other. Seeing how we will work together and what may be possible. RUN builds upon a collaboration which started during This Stays in the Room. Amber built […]

Don’t you just love when exploration leads to unexpected pleasures? During the creation and development process for DAISY, one of HHG Theatre’s works-in-development, I’ve been very fortunate to have gained ridiculous access to historical archives, documents and recordings that center around the infamous ‘Daisy Girl’ ad that was the ground-breaking centerpiece of the 1964 U.S. Presidential election. I’ve sat in the board room of the world’s most prominent advertising firm DDB and met with ad executives who helped create the […]

Just two days after a shocking attack on the nation’s capital, I’m sitting in a train station in a state of equal parts sleepiness mixed with the newly required “constant vigilance”, preparing to board a train amidst heightened security on my way to Toronto. I’m headed down to the centre of the universe to meet with Warren Kinsella, political consultant, commentator, and the self-proclaimed “Prince of Darkness” of Canadian politics. As someone with an experienced and unique perspective on political […]

For those of you in the know, HHG Theatre is developing a new play called DAISY, which is the story of the creation of the most infamous (and effective) political television commercial ever produced. The ‘Daisy’ ad was created by Tony Schwartz and staff from the historic firm of Doyle Dane Bernbach in 1964, as part of the campaign to elect President Lyndon Johnson. Some might ask: why write a play about this today? What’s the relevance? Well, as both […]

Here at HHG Theatre, we love writing grants. (WHAAAAATTTTT????!!!!!) It is not, as some might consider, akin to eating your spinach or brussel sprouts, i.e. a painful chore that you know is good for you. I’ll never forget what Vancouver dance / theatre artist said about the subject: “Grant writing is cultural activism.” As we’ve mentioned here earlier, HHG Theatre has a big announcement to make, which will describe a significant transition for our little company. Times of transition, as […]

At 9:55 pm on September 7th 1964, in between segments of Monday Night at the Movies’ screening of “David and Bathsheba”, NBC aired a 60-second paid political advertisement for President Lyndon Johnson. The ad was called “Peace, Little Girl”. But for 50 years it’s been known exclusively as “the Daisy ad”. It’s also considered the most powerful and controversial political advertisment of all time, and the subject of Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Theatre’s next political theatre project. We wanted to take […]