January 16, 2023 • 43 mins
This very special episode features the one and only, our sound technician, Selina Painchaud!! Come join as we discuss technical theatre, fostering within the community and of course Tiger ice cream!
In Process is available to listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Podcasts, Podbean and many other streaming platforms.
Captioned Version of In Process available on the Azimuth Theatre YouTube channel!
Guest : Selina Painchaud IG: @fancifultechnician Hosted by Andrés Moreno IG: @Andres._.FM Theme by Just Moe IG: @iamjustmoe https://m.soundcloud.com/moewaves Sound Technician : Selina Painchaud IG: @fancifultechnician Editing: Andrés Moreno Cover by: Syr Morrison IG: @syr.r.morrison
This podcast was created in and celebrates the artistic leadership present in amiskwacîwâskahikan. Azimuth Theatre acknowledges and honours that we are on Treaty 6 territory, the original home of the Indigenous nations of the Cree, Nakota-Sioux, Blackfoot, Dene-Tsuu T’ina, and Métis. We strive to incorporate the treaty values of kinship and peace into all aspects of our work. We are all treaty people.
Special thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts, Fringe Theatre, ATB Arts Barns, Azimuth Theatre and our community. Learn more about Azimuth Theatre www.azimuththeatre.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SELINA: (00:07):
Okay.
It's all you
. THEME:: Oh Imma trust the whole damn process for the record,
till we are breaking records.
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly, journeys to the sky, Azimuth
inside my grip, Always know the way now!
Beauty film my days now takeit day by day sound couldn't be
(00:27):
prouder cause y'know we alive!
Uhuh.
ANDRÉS: (00:33):
Hi everyone.
, welcome to In Process as always.
I'm your host, Andrés Moreno.
And this is a podcast by Azimuth Theaterhighlighting artists and their process.
Today I have somebody who I've knownfor a while for quite a while, and
we've crossed paths here and there, butsomebody who have actually been very
lucky to spend a lot of time with aswe build this podcast the one and only
(00:56):
the technical genius Selina Painchaud?
SELINA: (01:01):
Painchaud.
Yes.
French for hot bread.
ANDRÉS: (01:03):
I literally
SELINA: (01:04):
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (01:04):
Didn't realize that until I typed it out.
Yeah.
Yep.
So Selena Painchaud, or Hot bread.
Don't call her hot bread.
. (Laughs) Hi Selina.
SELINA: (01:14):
Hello!
ANDRÉS: (01:15):
Thank you so much for being a part of this.
SELINA: (01:17):
Oh, thank you for inviting me,
ANDRÉS: (01:19):
Oh, I'm so stoked.
Like I mentioned at the, in the intro,like I've known you for a long time.
Yeah.
And we have crossed pathsso many different times.
Mm-hmm.
, but I don't think we've ever had theluck of working on a project together.
Outside of school.
SELINA: (01:33):
No, not outside of school.
ANDRÉS: (01:34):
No.
SELINA: (01:34):
No
ANDRÉS: (01:35):
And here we are now.
Now you are, you are the Steven to my.
I don't know the people who have myfavorite murder, I don't remember
their, their names , but I rememberSteven, you know, the tech.
But thank you so much forbeing a part of this, honestly.
I just wanna start by saying,like, getting to work with you
and getting to know you again.
It's, it's so lovely, especially becauseyou have such a good like energy and
(01:56):
I, I feel like you and I shared thisthing where you've seen the whole kind
of scope of where this project has gone.
Absolutely.
And, and it makes me so happy.
So welcome, welcome.
SELINA: (02:08):
Thank you!
(Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (02:09):
I'm wondering if we can start off by just kind of telling
us how, how your kind of journeybrought you into working in the arts.
SELINA: (02:18):
Okay.
Well, I was very privileged as a kid.
My mom and dad were really,and my grandparents were.
Good about just bringing meto shows to seeing things.
ANDRÉS: (02:28):
Mm-hmm.
SELINA: (02:28):
I laugh sometimes.
My mom, while I was in the womb, went toPhantom of the Opera and I kicked and like
since then, just, it's only been theater,
, ANDRÉS:: Little fetus Selina just-
just, yeah, this is it, man.
This is my future.
Yeah.
. Yeah, so I really just started from thereand I didn't really know what I wanted
(02:49):
to be when I grew up but I joined adrama class in my high school and my high
school did not have a good drama program.
It was really small.
We had no budget.
But even then I was like,okay, this is interesting.
And then I like shopped aroundfor different universities and
I stumbled across MacEwan'stheater production program and
was like, okay, well let's try it.
You know, if I hate it,it's only two years.
(03:11):
Like it's, we'll figure it out.
And I loved it.
Uh, Within the first month I was like,yeah, okay, this is, this is it for me.
Yeah, and I've just beenlearning and growing since then.
ANDRÉS: (03:22):
So a couple of questions.
Follow up questions to that, so whenyou, when you started your whole
journey, especially in theater,did you start as a performer?
SELINA: (03:30):
No.
Well, I'm okay.
That's a lie.
(laughs)
ANDRÉS: (03:32):
Here it is (Laughs)
SELINA: (03:34):
the truth.
Yeah, no, I did one I acted a little bitin the drama class and I did a couple
bits of performance, but I realizedvery early that for me, I get very
obsessed almost, like really almosttoo much in my head when I'm acting.
And in that world.
Like even when I'm not onstage, I like think about it
(03:54):
and I'm constantly just in it.
And I realized that it was toomuch, like it wasn't healthy for me.
And I also really loved the kind ofsecret creation that happens on the
tech side that people just don't knowabout because our job is to not be seen.
So there's this really cool, like Ireally was drawn to that and yeah.
(04:17):
. ANDRÉS:: I'm somebody who, I went into the performing side of theater.
However, I think from a veryearly age, I knew that I wanted
to be more in the directing side.
Mm-hmm.
. ANDRÉS:: Because I feel like some of the technical, like magic that
y'all get to play with is so fun.
Can you tell us a little bit aboutthat secret world of technicians-
(Laughs) yeah, sure.
(04:37):
I mean, it's, it's so big andI think people forget that
like, it's its own profession.
It's its own craft, which I think hasbeen very cool, especially recently
to kind of talk about with peopleis that what we do is so important.
And but also so fulfilling , even thoughlike in conventionally there isn't
(04:58):
that same like gratification I find.
Like it's, it's kind of designedas we are facilitators to art.
We are here to just make it whatit is and help support, which I
think is kind of a beautiful thing.
ANDRÉS: (05:10):
Yeah.
It's such an interesting linebecause I remember I went to
RDC before I came to MacEwan.
SELINA: (05:15):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (05:16):
And at RDC we were taught to not like, thank the
techs at the end of the show
SELINA: (05:21):
mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (05:22):
because it's supposed to be that thing of like, if people don't
know they're there, they did their job.
SELINA: (05:28):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (05:28):
Which I find
SELINA: (05:28):
that's interesting.
Absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (05:30):
Yeah.
SELINA: (05:30):
Um, And I, I think it's interesting that you talk about that
because there are still like, it's avery mixed bag on what technicians really
want from that recognition, becauseyou're right, like there is a level of
kind of secret that we like to keep.
Like we don't wanna tell you how we didthe thing, you know, like , you just get
to come see the show and experience the,like, the quote unquote magic, right?
(05:51):
Like for us it's a technical craft,but for the audience it's magic.
And that's very cool.
But it is, yeah.
It's something where I think and wecan like go into it more later, but
there's this need, I think in, inthe arts community to acknowledge.
that there is lots of work that'sdone that, even though that doesn't
mean necessarily mean acknowledgingthem at the end of the bow, but just
(06:13):
really being conscious that the workthat is done when you are not around.
Right.
Especially if like you're a performer orlike director where you're very, like,
I would say rehearsal room focused.
There is like, there's, there'sother things going on to kind of help
and you don't really notice untilyou're in that final, like, final
building blocks before opening night.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (06:33):
and so, okay, so you went to McEwen.
SELINA: (06:35):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (06:35):
And you found out you really enjoyed it.
Was there a part of your educationthat really you, you like?
, like that was your bread and butter.
You, your jam.
You really enjoyed it.
? SELINA:: Oh, it's, it's been a, it has been a process because
I sort of let my career and howI went after school shape me.
So a lot of the things that Iwas like really into in school.
(06:57):
I found wasn't really feasibleas a career option going out.
I had always been really drawnto sound, and that is something
that I still do to this day.
That is still my, I would say ifwe were thinking departmentally
about theater, sound and audiois definitely my, my wheelhouse.
It's the thing I find the most joy in.
But I, I love, like, I love painting.
I love props.
I love that artisan side.
(07:18):
I find that for me specifically inthat ASM niche where it's very much
about the, like tracking of props andthat like backstage stage carp energy.
Also big fan . I really love it.
. Like I, I love that department.
But as I've left school.
I have found a new joy in videodesign and video, especially as that's
coming up as more and more of a commonthing, especially with the pandemic.
(07:42):
And there's just a new layerof of video and live streaming
that has come into the fold.
So that's something I have a newskill I've acquired that I have
found a real deep appreciation for.
And I through my position here atFringe Theater, I have , I've had to
learn the sides of lighting, whichhas never truly been like what I have
(08:03):
always focused on, but I have learnedlots about it and I have gained a, a
knowledge and a respect for lightingtechnicians and operators and designers.
Mm-hmm.
. Yeah.
It's great.
. ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
It's so funny cuz we go toschool to learn all the tools.
SELINA: (08:17):
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (08:18):
but then you leave and it's really all about like
how those jobs offer you theopportunity to practice them, right?
SELINA: (08:23):
Absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (08:24):
Have you had any opportunities projector mapping
? SELINA:: I have, yeah.
It, it's funny cuz my biggestexample would be with Azimuth
Theater with their show.
Yeah!
With all that binds us as a sortof a video mentor for Efy Adar.
She was the video designer onthat show and I was able to
really help her with building hershow on a program we call Q Lab.
(08:47):
Which is super incredible.
And I'm a big old nerd for it.
Um, Yeah.
And I learned I find with every singleshow I work on I learned something new.
And that's part of one of thereasons why I love doing what I do
is because I always feel like I'menhancing and growing as a technician.
And one of the one of the big things Ilearned on that show was how to actually
(09:09):
integrate Photoshop in with Q Lab to doproper masking with their video functions.
Which was very fun because all thatbinds us had this beautiful drapery
that was hung along the back and theywanted to have different breakups of
imagery on top of the fabric right behindthe fabric, but not on the rest of it.
Like, so we ended up playingwith about four or five layers of
(09:31):
projection, all with one projector.
So no, it was really cool and it was funto sink my teeth into that knowledge.
That is so cool.
SELINA: (09:39):
Yeah.
That's awesome,
. ANDRÉS:: I think since the pandemic started, Like, that's really where I
started to kind of explore like, whatis my artistry, you know, for a while
I was doing the gigs and the work.
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (09:49):
But, but getting that chance to, like Morgan Yamada calls it like
the great incubator, like to reallysit in that incubation period and go,
what do I want to do as an artist?
SELINA: (09:58):
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (09:59):
Did you kind of feel the same as through the pandemic?
SELINA: (10:02):
A little, I had the very great honor of being attached to
a building during the pandemic.
So I did a lot of, I did a lot of paintingand a lot of cleaning of the building
that we are recording this podcast in.
And it's and during that time we alsolearned a lot about live streaming
(10:23):
and how to digitally access theater.
And, I ended up having to, with my amazingproduction team here at Fringe, we were,
we all learned parts of what it meansto livestream and how to essentially
record a TV show is basically what was,basically what we did is like, we're
in theater, but we're like, how do wemake theater transfer cleanly and in a
(10:46):
useful way into a livestream platform?
And so we ended up really utilizing a lotof resources from how people have been
doing things on YouTube and how peoplehave been doing live streams there, and
how other educational facilities likeGrant MacEwan had started doing online
classes and filming within in-house there.
So we ended up gettingsome knowledge from there.
(11:08):
Just sort of like picking all ofour knowledge from a whole bunch of
incredible people and were able to doa lot of work with helping make shows
like uh, Azimuth's "All that bindsus" be a hybrid so that we could have
audience in space, but also you beingable to watch it online simultaneously.
Yeah.
So that was a big knowledge boost.
That was very cool.
ANDRÉS: (11:27):
It's cool because, all the skills you have are transferrable.
It's just a different medium, right?
Yeah, exactly.
But I, I really, if there's something,I'm really thankful that The Pandemic
has then has kind of increased theidea of accessibility for theater.
SELINA: (11:40):
Absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (11:41):
Because even speaking of "All That Binds Us", I
was in the Yukon at the time.
SELINA: (11:44):
Oh, okay.
ANDRÉS: (11:44):
And so the only way that I got to watch it was through live streaming.
SELINA: (11:48):
Right, right.
Very cool.
ANDRÉS: (11:49):
Yeah.
. Yeah, . It was the first time I was like, Hey, this is doing it.
. SELINA:: Yeah.
Yeah.
.ANDRÉS:: Okay.
So now, now we've, you've gone throughthis kind of learning process of all
the jobs that you've got that you'vebeen able to be a part of , what would
you say now is kind of your, your,what you're focusing on or what you're
(12:10):
really excited to maybe like delve into?
SELINA: (12:12):
Yeah.
I am currently the TechnicalDirector with Fringe Theater, mm-hmm.
, and that means that I am helpingfacilitate other really cool art
coming into our building in our spaces.
So I end up coming in contact with alot of very cool theater companies in
the city and very cool indie projects.
(12:32):
So I'm, I'm spoiled like . I get to,I get to be around so much cool art,
even though I don't necessarily getto be like, involved deep within the
creation process of those, I get toreally learn about what they need and
like be able to help make their dreamsa reality, which is a beautiful thing.
Hmm.
And there's a lot of reallyinteresting projects that fringe
(12:54):
is producing coming down the line.
ANDRÉS: (12:56):
I'm so thankful to be an artist for that specific reason that like
the idea that we get to always learnsomething new and continue growing
and continue learning from our peers.
SELINA: (13:07):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (13:07):
Such a wonderful thing.
Such a beautiful, beautifullike opportunity that being
an artist affords us, right?
Have you ever dabbled in design?
SELINA: (13:15):
A little.
There's I've done a lot ofhelping, like more from an
operator, facilitator standpoint.
ANDRÉS: (13:20):
Mm-hmm.
SELINA: (13:20):
but I have done a lot of assisting designers into getting
their show into a producinglevel, for like opening night.
So I, it's in the back of my brain.
I have never fully independentlydesigned a show before.
It is something I've beenthinking about though.
ANDRÉS: (13:33):
Nice.
SELINA: (13:33):
Like potentially getting my feet wet in in sound or video design, so
. ANDRÉS: (13:38):
Do you have a dream project you'd love to, like if someone was
like, okay, we're gonna let you dothis, what project would you want to do?
SELINA: (13:44):
Oh, I don't know.
I honestly would just loveto be allowed to play.
Mm-hmm.
. I think the thing that scares me themost about dipping my toes into design
is that as an operator, I have createda real idea in my head of what, like
the best like, design person wouldbe like, oh, it'd be really cool if
(14:05):
designer had this, this, and this.
So I feel like having.
A space of where I could be allowedto be like, oops, I've made a mistake.
But that's fine.
Like that instant forgivenessenergy would be very cool.
Like I wouldn't, I don't even havespecifics on what kind of show it would
be or anything, but it would be verycool to just yeah, have a beautiful
forgiving space and just being ableto learn how to design while doing it.
(14:29):
That would be, . Very cool.
But who knows?
Someday,
. ANDRÉS:: Listen, I, I like to think that the universe is always listening, so
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (14:36):
Now they know
universe,
right?
Sound design.
Yeah.
. So do you have a specifickind of theater or performance
art that you enjoy the most?
SELINA: (14:45):
Mm-hmm.
My venue my venue partner andpartner in crime, Meghan Wearne
.uh, Always laughs at me because I have a very high tolerance for basically any art.
Like there's seriously, like, I love me,some super obscure contemporary dance.
Like, like ones where it's reallyin the body and like 20 minutes
of like, almost blackout and it'sjust someone like wiggling on
(15:09):
the floor, like a worm like that.
I love it.
I love it.
I think it's incredible.
Like, just, I think it's like, for meit's, I don't know, I just No, I haven't
found a type of art that I don't likeworking so . It's hard for me to be
like, no, I love this specifically.
(15:29):
But my main skill ismixing large musicals.
So I love large musicals.
I love lots of laughs, lots of chaos,lots of getting it into my fingers.
You like, I'm gesturing rightnow and it's absolutely a podcast
. But like, yes, lots, lots offader movement in my fingers.
And I love doing that kind of art.
Yeah, I love , love tech-ing dance love.
(15:52):
, I have done music and bandsand that kind of thing.
ANDRÉS: (15:55):
So just because now I'm curious Totally.
How does that work withsound mixing a musical?
Cuz really at the end of theday, you're the one in charge
of how it sounds a little bit
SELINA: (16:04):
sort of- I mean, , it's one of the most.
It, it's the most least defined role.
But a sound designer is intheory, like they plan everything.
They're there to really, as an operatorfor a musical, your job is to push faders.
Mm-hmm.
at the end of the day.
So the sound designer helps you kind ofget to a level with your console, with
(16:26):
the, the speakers, with the, everythingthat builds up a sound system from mics
to speaker, like through the whole chain.
They help get you there.
And then you're just you'rereally, you're one with the script.
I find the most engaged I feel witha piece of art is when I am literally
moving a voice, if that makes sense.
(16:47):
Like, it's, it's not like , it's hardto explain, but there's this feeling
you get when you have people singing andyou know exactly when they breathe and
you're like, your finger is guiding thatwith the mics to kind of match them.
and every sound person will get this,but it's, yeah, it's that kind of,
you're just following them, right?
(17:07):
Yeah.
You're, you're kind of with it.
And so I find that yeah, when I, whenI live mix shows at any level, whether
it's like a one, one guy with a comedyact who's just allowed a microphone
the whole time, or it's 20 people onstage doing dance choreo with singing
you're with it, you're with the show.
And that's why I love it.
I know some technicians hatethat, and that's not their thing.
And they would rather just belike, no, I have all my lights
programmed and I'm just gonna pressthis go button for the whole show.
(17:30):
And that's also very great and very cool.
But yeah, no, it's my favorite part.
ANDRÉS: (17:34):
That's so cool.
And it's blowing my mind a littlebit because , you have those moments
where you realize those blind spotsthat you haven't noticed, and that's
definitely one of 'em, like, yeah.
You know, the idea that y'all arebreathing with us from however
long and far away the, thetech booth is, is so beautiful.
. SELINA:: It's true.
(17:54):
It's a very beautiful process and it's,it's something that is really strange
for us because we don't really get toconnect with the show in the same way as
the creative and performance team does.
We kind of see the showsvery differently for us.
, we kind of see it very um, structured.
Like I always make the joke thattechnicians take art we turn it into
(18:15):
numbers to turn it back into art . That's,that's just what we do , like more often
than not, I know a person's mic numberbefore I know their name, and that's just
because we don't, there isn't that momentof I dunno, introduction or whatever.
Like we see these shows very differently.
We see them as lighting cues andmoments and that moment when the
(18:36):
shoe drops is a really cool blackout.
And that's really big for us.
And like , those are the, forus, that's what the show means.
So yeah, there is like adifferent way that we see the
show and experience that art.
But yeah, there's still that lovethere, . It's just different.
Totally . what I'm loving here, and it's something that you've kind of
touched on a little bit, is like rightnow, the way that theater is done is very,
(18:58):
like technical side does its own thing.
performance size does its own thing,and then we come together at the end.
Mm-hmm.
and it, it all comes together.
Yeah.
And it comes together beautifully.
But like, what do you think is missingto kind of create that infrastructure for
us to work together in a full process?
SELINA: (19:13):
Yeah.
It's an excellent question and it'ssomething that I'm finding a lot of
I'll, I'll say unconventional theater
ANDRÉS: (19:19):
mm-hmm.
SELINA: (19:20):
is doing, is sort of breaking down those barriers.
Especially because in a lot ofways theater is very colonial.
There's Yeah.
It white.
(Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (19:30):
It very white,
SELINA: (19:30):
very white . And we have to work very hard to break down those walls.
Mm-hmm.
. And that comes with also tech.
Tech is very, very binary,very like structured.
And so finding ways of still producingsomething like for, that's the one trick
with tech theater specifically, is thatfor us, we are very product based and we
(19:52):
can't really change that unfortunately.
Like for us, it's all about opening night.
It's all about consistency for us, andit's, so it's finding this way of playing
with what the intention of the piece is.
So if, if your goal isn't perfectionor that colonial clean blackout,
you know, like, that's the onlyway I can kind of explain it.
But it's You can kind of break some ofthose rules and be like, you know what?
(20:15):
It's okay if it's not perfect,but we're gonna try this tonight.
Or, and so I think as long as there'sopen dialogue, that's the biggest thing
is the sooner you can be open with whatyou need and what your expectations
are for a process, and especially asit comes into the theater can, you can
kind of start breaking those molds andit can become more of a unified thing.
I talk in the performancelab I give through Azimuth.
(20:37):
I do talk a lot about like differenttips and tricks on how to, how to
break down those walls a little bit.
But it's still, we're all learning.
Like it's, it's very new conceptand some people and some productions
don't need it, nor want it.
But I think that there is room for us toreally understand the differences between
(20:58):
the two departments and that also itdoesn't have to be messy getting together.
Yeah.
Cue to Cue doesn't have to be painful.
. It doesn't!
(Laughs) there's, there'sthings we can do to kind of help
that transition a little bit.
it's a crazy process.
But yet at the end of the day, we, wedo make the art for audiences to enjoy.
So go us!
ANDRÉS: (21:17):
I keep thinking about somebody who doesn't understand, like that process,
listening to this and being like, whoa.
Right.
Because you're right.
Like QQ doesn't have to be messy, butoftentimes, like the infrastructure
isn't there to not make it messy.
SELINA: (21:31):
Right, exactly.
Yeah.
And that, that is a lot of it isthat there's I think there's a
lack of understanding, I think.
ANDRÉS: (21:36):
Mm-hmm.
,SELINA:: like, it's, it's so wonderful to hear that, you know, and recognize
like consciously that there arethings that happen that you don't see.
And I don't know if every performer knowsthat or knows even to recognize that.
And I think as we start to.
Break down those walls a little bit andbe like, yeah, no, like the prop you're
holding took a week to make you know,like, as an example, , like I think it
(22:00):
can kind of help remember that thereis humanity in every corner of theater.
Even the people who arepressing the buttons.
And like in some ways it's, thereare very different professions.
There are very, yeah.
So it's like you ki it kind ofmakes sense why there's that way.
Technicians really think.
The mind and artists think with the heart.
And so that comes with a level ofdistance with how they engage in a room.
(22:23):
Mm-hmm.
SELINA: (22:23):
And I think as long as we understand the differences and are willing
to kind of compromise on where we can kindof meet I found great success in, I've had
the privilege of working a lot of reallyincredible indigenous run and focus shows.
and that's come, we, we have found thatsmudging together has really helped.
Not every technician is into it, butI think the, just the acknowledgement
that there is a checking inthat is respectful of everyone's
(22:47):
boundaries, that is really cool.
And I, I've seen, I've seen that as a use.
Yeah.
No, there's lots of ways that wecan kind of start to, to blend
ANDRÉS: (22:55):
Thank you so much.
these insights are . Wonderful.
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The "In Process" Podcast is brought to you by the Canada Council
for the Arts and Azimuth Theaterstraversing the Azimuth multimedia branch.
It is our aim to continue to introduceand deepen the relationships between
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To keep this podcast going, go toazimuththeater.com/donate to help
with the continuation of this podcast.
ANDRÉS: (23:42):
So we've talked about, like, we've talked about your journey as
an as, as a technical theater artist.
Mm-hmm.
, and thank you for sharing all of that,by the way, because like, I've been
doing some learning sitting here andI'm like, all right, . This is great.
SELINA: (23:53):
Cool.
ANDRÉS: (23:53):
Yeah.
Right.
. But in your personal life, what are kind of the things growing
up that inspired you to do art?
SELINA: (24:02):
I went to Edmonton Opera a lot.
My, my grandfather was reallyinto opera, so he uh, would take
my sister and I and we would go.
So I, I learned a lot aboutdifferent types of art very early.
So that also really helped.
You know, we did a little bit ofsmattering of Citadel shows, you know,
like just taken, things where they cameAnd it just sort of grew and grew and
(24:24):
I think I've seen so much more theaternow that I've been in the industry.
Totally.
And no, and I don't know about thingsand I'm like wanting to, especially
my, I didn't realize I wouldhave a true joy for indie theater
mm-hmm.
until I got into the industryand then I really got it.
I was like, oh.
And it's some, it's such a nicheperformance I find from like a
(24:47):
general public standpoint thatI just wish people knew about.
I just want everyone to knowabout the cool, like, adventures
that people are going on.
Yeah.
I dunno.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (24:57):
Were you big into like movies?
SELINA: (25:00):
Yes, I was.
Yeah, I , the reason I pickedthe high school I did was cause
they had a film studies programand I was like, this is cool.
This is a cool, like, options program.
Let's do it.
Yeah, no, and I loved film.
Yeah.
And I thought that it was so cooland I and it was also part of the
reason that I got into into GrantMacEwan was cuz it was like,
(25:20):
okay, two years and we'll try it.
And like, it's funny that you said thatyou went to Red Deer College cuz honestly,
Red Deer College was the beginning ofme searching with what I wanted to do
for a career and how, and training.
Mm-hmm.
, they have such an incredibleopenness about them when they're
promoting for their school.
Mm-hmm.
that they were so open about like, it'scool if you don't pick us, but like, come
(25:42):
see a show and like, come experience it.
Like, and I went, I, my mom and I drovedown to Red Deer and we saw "Rent"
that was that when they did "Rent"
and I was like, oh man, like this is cool.
Like this is great.
And like the only reason I didn't was cuzI didn't wanna pay the rent to be honest.
like (Laughs) . I was like the costof moving when I am very spoiled
(26:05):
and live in Edmonton, which is avibrant theater community already.
Yeah.
I didn't have to worry about thetravel costs, so I was like, no,
let's pick something closer to home.
Yeah.
. No, but I meant what I was going ona tangent with it was that they also
did have a film program as well.
Like there were, or TVI think was what it was.
But so it was, it was interesting and itstarted getting my brain like clogging and
(26:25):
coiling, and then I realized that I waswilling to be like, okay, two years we'll
try theater, and then if this doesn'tquite feel right, maybe I'll try film.
And I learned that the union that isshared is shared between theater and film.
Right.
There's just a slightly different trainingand slightly different list you get on.
Right.
But they were, they shared.
So I was like, oh, that's really cool.
Hmm.
And like my world has nottaken me in the direction of
(26:46):
film, but it's there and yeah.
ANDRÉS: (26:49):
Would you ever, so you, you, it's something that
you'd still want to explore?
Hey,
SELINA: (26:52):
I, I've , I've dabbled . It's so interesting cuz it's, I'm not I
guess professional with film, but that'snot quite right because like what I do
for a living is professional theater.
Yeah.
But, and professional teching.
But we've done a lot of filmingin this facility with the with the
equipment and the way that we've hadto adapt during, during the pandemic.
(27:15):
We have had to dabble a lot more inrecording and filming, and these are
things I was not trained on and Ihave just kind of learned as I've went
along and kind of stolen and acquiredknowledge from much wiser folks
So it's, it's like maybe I would loveto, but I think that there, it would be
me being a very baby tech in that worldand so totally climbing up, but yeah,
ANDRÉS: (27:37):
With everything that you've kind of been learning, because you're right
SELINA: (27:39):
mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (27:40):
you have had to become a filmmaker in Independence
a bit, a little bit, right?
SELINA: (27:43):
Yeah.
Is there a specific part ofit that you'd love to explore?
I really like script supervising verymuch the and continuity things where it's
very, okay, the set needs to be exactlyhow it was for this scene, and like
really tracking that meticulous movement.
I, I love that part of film.
Mm-hmm.
So if I was to ever to get into aspecific department, then that kind
(28:04):
of realm, it would be like a, a P.A
ANDRÉS: (28:06):
and film wise and movie wise growing up
SELINA: (28:09):
mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (28:09):
what was like, Did you have a favorite movie that
you watched over and over?
, SELINA: (28:13):
I'm a big, Wes Anderson nerd.
Okay.
So like, I'm, I lovereally big stylized stuff.
yeah, I like, I like that like meticulousshot stuff that I find really fun.
I was really into like, just generallystudying auteurs and, and folks
that are, have a very like, honedcraft in film where they've had
more control from a producing side.
(28:33):
So it's allowed them to have way morecontrol in the filming of things.
So I've done, I've, I find like a buzzwith looking at and watching films
that are very like, oh yeah, this isso them like, yes, but I, I'm a nerd.
Like that, but yeah.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (28:49):
No, no, no.
I love that.
Like, one of my favoritedirectors is Baz Lerman.
SELINA: (28:52):
Yeah.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (28:53):
And for me, the thing is like, the amount of visual play he has
SELINA: (28:58):
absolutely.
Yes.
.ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
I, I find his movies are sostimulating in the best way possible.
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (29:04):
All right, so now we get to move on to the personal side of things.
Ooh.
I love the personal side of things.
SELINA: (29:10):
Its your favorite part!
ANDRÉS: (29:11):
It really is.
And let me start with just likea, a chill question, but like,
let's say you've had a rough week
SELINA: (29:19):
mm-hmm.
, ANDRÉS:: and you're like, you know what?
I am, I need, I needsomething to like, relax.
Yeah.
What would be, what would be your go-to,
Oh, for relaxing?
I am a big reader.
ANDRÉS: (29:29):
Hmm.
SELINA: (29:29):
I read a lot of Y.A..
. Especially because it's not as challengingmentally in the sense that it's not
really dense writing, but it's beautifulstories and beautiful content in the Y.A.
Book world has gotten really cool andreally diverse and really fun and yeah.
No, i, I will always justbe reading that would.
Yeah, that's what I do.
ANDRÉS: (29:48):
And And how do you, as somebody who really aspires to be a reader,
how do you, how do you, like holdyourself to be like, I'm gonna relax.
Let's read.
SELINA: (29:57):
I mean, my toxic trait.
No, I'm just kidding.
Is No, no.
I like to disassociate.
So like, I, I love the idea ofescaping into a different world.
ANDRÉS: (30:07):
Mm-hmm
SELINA: (30:07):
so for me it's like, oh yeah, like reading a good book, especially if
it's something that's like if I'm feelingdown, reading like a more of a fluffy
romance kind of feel like that I can kindof sink into that world to kind of wash
away whatever's bothering me in this one.
So.
That's kind of how I motivate myself.
\ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
I also am part of, of the StoryGraph app I highly recommend.
(30:28):
Okay.
It's cool.
They've got really great data.
and they've got little funpie charts on your reading.
and
. ANDRÉS:: I love that.
pass me some data
. ANDRÉS:: So , do you watch ruPaul?
I don't, no,
ANDRÉS: (30:44):
that's okay.
But you know what question,
SELINA: (30:45):
but I know what's, I know what's coming.
. ANDRÉS: (30:48):
I love how many times you've heard me do this, so you're
like, okay, I'm prepped (Laughs)
SELINA: (30:52):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (30:53):
But if you could go back even, not necessarily go back and talk
to yourself, but if, like, if therewas a piece of knowledge that you
think is so good, you want to share.
To a young artist.
SELINA: (31:03):
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (31:04):
especially somebody who wants to explore technical theater.
SELINA: (31:06):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (31:07):
What's something you'd say?
SELINA: (31:08):
It's a career.
Don't worry.
You can make money at it.
like it.
Don't listen to grandma.
You know,
. ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
Like, it's okay.
Like, I find there's so muchpushback sometimes and a fear.
It's, it's more, it, I think itcomes from a place of love often,
but there's this initial fear like,oh no, like the arts , oh, no.
(31:31):
Like, are you gonna be okay?
It's like, Yes, you are gonna be okay.
Like, there's a beautifulfostering community.
And especially , I find if you'vegot the kindness and you've, you're,
you're a good person that you,you're a fun person to be around.
I find like if you're, I don'tknow, fun is the right word.
If you're a warm soul, if there'sthis engagement with what you're
doing, I think people read thatand people wanna be around that.
(31:54):
Even if you're still learning yourcraft, there's, especially in the
tech side, if you're a great personto be around, we are willing to trade
and learn and really share knowledge.
Like this community of peopleyou can kind of call to.
And I, and I love that.
And I think that people need to knowthat we don't talk as much about
the fostering part of this career.
(32:16):
when people are so initially like, oh nocapitalism, no , no, you're gonna die.
It's like, no, no.
Like you can do it.
It's, it is work.
I will say that.
Absolutely.
Like it takes a lot of work anddedication and a lot of professional
development constantly to kind of keep up.
Yeah.
But it's absolutely a career.
Don't be afraid.
Try it.
(32:37):
Try it.
. ANDRÉS:: I love that.
And I love, I like, thank you for bringingthe fostering in, cuz you're right.
Like the community's thereand I think like, yeah.
Again, not everybody in thecommunity will want to do this,
but once you find that person who'slike, Hey, I'm down to like, yeah.
Help you out.
And I find if there's like a, an an exchange.
Yeah.
Especially if you've, you've got a skillor something that they wanna learn, but
(33:00):
they have something you wanna learn.
You, it becomes so easy to be like,yeah, like , let's do together.
Let's trade, let's learn the things.
. Totally
. ANDRÉS:: And so, With that's being said, do you ever think you'd teach?
I I sort of do.
Yeah.
Like I if this podcast is any indication?
(33:23):
No, my brain is sometimesa little frazzled.
Yeah.
The way I say words are notnecessarily super logical.
all the time.
So I wouldn't say that I would fitnecessarily in a in a structured
classroom, but I think that I thrive andexist in a realm of, I have a craft and I
have worked to acquire my knowledge and Iwant other people to have this knowledge.
(33:44):
There's this old.
way of thinking, especially onthe tech side of theater, that
it's job security if you know whatyou're doing and no one else does.
Right.
And I think especially during this timewhere we're starting to realize that
redundancy is important on all levels.
, including your operators, that youdo need to share a little bit more.
(34:05):
There needs to be anexchange in knowledge.
And I think that all techniciansare called in a way to help
each other a little bit.
And I think it's growing.
It's growing.
It's something that has, Ithink has taken some time.
But we're opening up and I think we'restarting to really be like, yeah, you
know what, I know a lot about Q Lab,but I know absolutely nothing about
(34:27):
how to run this lighting console.
Do you want a trade?
Like can we help or I mean, even inthis building with Fringe, I bring
in a lot of really new techs who justcome outta school and as much as school
can, can try to prepare you, you don'treally know until you're in it right.
And you're like getting yourfeet wet and like really master a
console for the first time solo.
That can be scary.
(34:47):
And having people that you know,you can call upon even in your
own workplaces is really cool.
And so I end up doing that a lot, is kindof helping younger and newer techs or tech
just haven't touched a board in a while.
And you need help, right.
And yeah.
So yeah.
It's so great.
ANDRÉS: (35:03):
Like, I feel like, I feel like the word mentor fits really
beautifully in your world right now.
SELINA: (35:08):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (35:09):
That's like what I'm really enjoying right now and.
Yes.
Like publicly facing, a lot of theatercompanies are offering mentorships and
all this kind of stuff, but it's kindof that thing that you're talking about
where like, I think there's a desire nowto connect to those younger generations.
SELINA: (35:25):
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (35:26):
Because we realize that they have so much to teach us as well.
Yes, absolutely.
You know?
Absolutely.
And how to see art differently andhow to see our processes differently.
SELINA: (35:34):
Oh, totally.
There is so much that I have seencome out of processes in recent years.
If we've give, if you give them the space
ANDRÉS: (35:42):
Yeah.
SELINA: (35:42):
And you are open to messing with what is traditional oh yeah.
There's so much room to just liketo really learn about how, oh,
why do we always do it this way?
Yeah.
Why do we do 10 of 12 days on cue to Q?
Do we have to?
No, we don't.
We don't friends.
ANDRÉS: (35:58):
We really don't.
SELINA: (35:59):
We don't friends.
We can sleep.
Sleep is important.
, ANDRÉS:: why do we work six days a week where we don't could do it in five.
We don't have to.
ANDRÉS: (36:05):
We don't have to.
We don't have to.
. This is us telling you
SELINA: (36:07):
guys sleep
ANDRÉS: (36:08):
free yourself, . That's it.
We fixed the whole industry.
SELINA: (36:13):
We've done it.
ANDRÉS: (36:14):
That's all.
That's all this needed to be.
SELINA: (36:16):
There it is.
My work here is done.
ANDRÉS: (36:20):
Besides what else we've talked about, is there anything else
you'd like to highlight about yourselfor any, any hobbies that you have
SELINA: (36:27):
uh, (Laughs)
not a lot.
I would say a lot of, a lotof my energy and time has.
Gone into what I love to do for a living.
Yeah.
Which is not super healthy,but it is, it's a fact of life.
Right?
Yeah.
Like I, I love what I do.
and I'm really blessed to be in a placewhere I get to be around really cool
art and help make really cool art.
And yeah.
It's, it's a beautiful thing.
(36:48):
I mean, what am I doing when I'mnot, I mean, I'm reading, I'm doing
puzzles, I'm, you know, going for walkslike , you know, vibing as a human.
I dunno, like,
ANDRÉS: (37:00):
and puzzle people are big brain people.
I can't, I can't do puzzles.
I, I've always wanted to
. SELINA: (37:04):
I find it's so funny that you say big brain people cuz I
find like my brain turns off whenI'm puzzling Like I find because.
. I don't I do struggle with anxiety, sofor me, when I'm doing puzzles, I find I
only have, I have to focus on the task.
I have to focus on looking for theblue puzzle piece that fits here
so I can kind of focus, like hyperfocus on this, which forces my brain
(37:27):
to not think about all of the otherthings That could potentially spiral.
So I, I find it verytherapeutic in a weird way.
ANDRÉS: (37:34):
I love
that , and I love that foryou because that is definitely
not, not how I see puzzles,
SELINA: (37:40):
but yeah, that's totally fair.
ANDRÉS: (37:43):
who knows?
Maybe I'll try it with thatkind of view and we'll see.
Yeah
SELINA: (37:45):
I also
find if you don't put a time limit onyourself, like, oh yeah, don't, mm-hmm.
No puzzle.
Never get done.
If you're like, it needs to getdone tonight, you're like, no, no.
It, it won't.
ANDRÉS: (37:54):
It'll
take me however long it takes.
Yeah, exactly.
, . And if you weren't doing theater.
Yeah.
Do you know, like, do you have an inklingof what you would've like explored?
Yeah.
SELINA: (38:05):
Yeah, my fallback would've been library tech.
It would've been yeah, working in abookstore or working in a library.
Yeah, that's, I know that innatelyyeah, it was my f- it was my
fallback , but I was like, nah, I'mgonna do technical theater instead.
Let's do it.
ANDRÉS: (38:21):
Oh, I just wanna say really quickly, like getting to know all of
that side of you, like . I would'venever imagined it, but it's such a
beautiful collage thank you so much.
SELINA: (38:33):
Oh, no problem.
ANDRÉS: (38:34):
Ah, . Now we're gonna do some rapid fires to kind of end it off.
SELINA: (38:37):
All right.
ANDRÉS: (38:37):
Let's try not to think too hard to use.
SELINA: (38:39):
I'll try not to do that.
ANDRÉS: (38:40):
I just know that they're fun.
SELINA: (38:42):
Okay.
. Yeah.
I will not be stressed.
.ANDRÉS:: All right.
Rapid fire.
Okay.
So favorite snack.
Oreo cookies.
ANDRÉS: (38:50):
Oreo cookies
I love Oreos
great.
SELINA: (38:51):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (38:52):
Favorite flavor of ice cream?
SELINA: (38:53):
Mint chocolate or tiger.
ANDRÉS: (38:56):
Oh, interesting.
SELINA: (38:57):
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (38:57):
Okay.
SELINA: (38:58):
Yeah, it's one, one or the other.
ANDRÉS: (38:59):
Do you like, sorry, side question.
Do you like licorice?
SELINA: (39:02):
I . I like some licorice.
All sorts, but I don't likeblack licorice on its own.
It's the, the SherbertOrange mix solves it for me.
ANDRÉS: (39:09):
All right.
SELINA: (39:09):
Anyway
yes.
ANDRÉS: (39:10):
Okay.
Do you have a favorite songthat you're listening to?
Right.
. SELINA:: Ooh, not really.
I listen to a lot of different stuff.
It's part of the, part of thejam of being a theater tech
is you acquire a lot of music.
I find, I, I listen to a lot of tropicalhouse I've been feeling down lately.
So for me, like tropical house justgets me in the mood that like, oh,
I'm floating on a beach somewhere!
(39:30):
(Laughs)
Favorite book?
Off the top of my head cuz I read alot, but off the top of my head would
be Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas.
Okay.
It's an incredible Y.A.
Trans lead like coming of age story, butlike spooky ghosts and like L.A nightlife.
Alright!
It's, it's great.
It's incredible.
(39:51):
I would really recommend you read it.
I'm gonna Cool cuzthere's, yeah, it's great.
Im gonna look into it!
It's like it because it has,it dives a lot into like
Latinx culture and stuff too.
So you'd actually really like it.
Oh, we'll talk after.
We'll talk, we'll talk after!
(Laughs)
Uh, Are you a daytimeor a night time person?
SELINA: (40:06):
I am a nighttime person.
ANDRÉS: (40:07):
Yeah.
SELINA: (40:07):
As I think most technicians are
ANDRÉS: (40:10):
actually.
That makes a lot of
sense
. SELINA: (40:11):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We like that.
Yeah.
I'd rather be 2:00 AM than ortwo in the morning than having to
do like a 10, 10 in the morning.
Kids show, you know, just
. ANDRÉS:: Get this.
When I used to tour it was 7:00 AM
Oh my God.
To get ready to go tour.
SELINA: (40:25):
No, not a fan.
No.
. I don't schedule meetings before 10, as you know.
. Well, not, not my jam.
ANDRÉS: (40:33):
Yeah.
I, and I appreciate that side of you.
Yes.
.SELINA:: I'm so glad.
Oh
favorite color.
SELINA: (40:40):
Red.
ANDRÉS: (40:41):
for those of you who can't see your hair is red.
Yes.
I would say it's red.
SELINA: (40:45):
It is fading right now.
Yeah.
but I am, I am naturally blonde.
But I yeah, I dyed my hair redat the beginning of the pandemic,
and I've been keeping it going onand off for the last two years.
But right now it's in, its, it's, it'sorange period , but it's very much, yes.
It started as red
. ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
I remember when you first did it.
Yeah.
It's bright.
ANDRÉS: (41:02):
Yeah.
It's so good.
, do you have a favorite animal?
SELINA: (41:05):
Ooh.
Not really.
I really identify with cats.
I wish I had one, but I am very allergic.
But I love cats.
I love what they're about.
We, we would've exist verywell in a house together.
but alas, I must breathe,
but Breaks the heart.
But yeah, here we are.
ANDRÉS: (41:20):
And to close it all off,
SELINA: (41:22):
okay.
. ANDRÉS: (41:25):
This was not a rapid fire, but here we go.
, what's your favorite childhood memory?
SELINA: (41:30):
Oh, man.
That's a great question.
. Hmm.
Both of both my elementary schooland my junior high school were
within walking distance of my home.
So I just right when you said it, thefirst thing that popped into my brain
was the the green belt that's like apipeline, but they've like, covered it
in grass and trees and beauty and I'vespent many many a day walking that,
(41:53):
running around with friends, climbingthose trees, and I just, yeah, that
area, I always walked it to school.
Yeah, just that area.
ANDRÉS: (42:00):
That's so lovely.
(Laughs
) . Oh, my Pal . I think I've said it like four times in this episode,
but thank you so, so much for this.
SELINA: (42:10):
Oh, thank you.
ANDRÉS: (42:10):
Like, getting to know you on this level is also such a gift.
SELINA: (42:14):
Oh, absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (42:15):
Yeah, just overall, thank you.
I don't have anything else to say.
If you would like to, do you want tolet folks know where they can find you?
SELINA: (42:23):
Sure.
My Instagram handle is@fancifultechnician.
Yeah, so you can find me on Instagram.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (42:29):
Nice.
Thanks.
Thanks everyone for listening.
I hope you enjoyed thisconversation as much as I did.
I am, I'm so stoked and invigoratedand I'll see you next time.
AD: (42:40):
Hey, pal, enjoying the conversation.
Traversing the Azimuth is a brandnew branch of Azimuth Theater
aimed at connecting artists with awider community, deepening mutual
understanding, and getting to shareeach artist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out by
going to azimuth theater.com/sponsorshipand sponsor Traversing the Azimuth, your
(43:03):
sponsorship will go straight into payingmore artists to come and share what it
means for them to be proudly in process.
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more information ontraversing the azimuth, go to
azimuththeater.com/traversing.
Woohoo.
Okay.
It's all you
. THEME:: Oh Imma trust the whole damn process for the record,
till we are breaking records.
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly, journeys to the sky, Azimuth
inside my grip, Always know the way now!
Beauty film my days now takeit day by day sound couldn't be
(00:27):
prouder cause y'know we alive!
Uhuh.
ANDRÉS: (00:33):
Hi everyone.
, welcome to In Process as always.
I'm your host, Andrés Moreno.
And this is a podcast by Azimuth Theaterhighlighting artists and their process.
Today I have somebody who I've knownfor a while for quite a while, and
we've crossed paths here and there, butsomebody who have actually been very
lucky to spend a lot of time with aswe build this podcast the one and only
(00:56):
the technical genius Selina Painchaud?
SELINA: (01:01):
Painchaud.
Yes.
French for hot bread.
ANDRÉS: (01:03):
I literally
SELINA: (01:04):
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (01:04):
Didn't realize that until I typed it out.
Yeah.
Yep.
So Selena Painchaud, or Hot bread.
Don't call her hot bread.
. (Laughs) Hi Selina.
SELINA: (01:14):
Hello!
ANDRÉS: (01:15):
Thank you so much for being a part of this.
SELINA: (01:17):
Oh, thank you for inviting me,
ANDRÉS: (01:19):
Oh, I'm so stoked.
Like I mentioned at the, in the intro,like I've known you for a long time.
Yeah.
And we have crossed pathsso many different times.
Mm-hmm.
, but I don't think we've ever had theluck of working on a project together.
Outside of school.
SELINA: (01:33):
No, not outside of school.
ANDRÉS: (01:34):
No.
SELINA: (01:34):
No
ANDRÉS: (01:35):
And here we are now.
Now you are, you are the Steven to my.
I don't know the people who have myfavorite murder, I don't remember
their, their names , but I rememberSteven, you know, the tech.
But thank you so much forbeing a part of this, honestly.
I just wanna start by saying,like, getting to work with you
and getting to know you again.
It's, it's so lovely, especially becauseyou have such a good like energy and
(01:56):
I, I feel like you and I shared thisthing where you've seen the whole kind
of scope of where this project has gone.
Absolutely.
And, and it makes me so happy.
So welcome, welcome.
SELINA: (02:08):
Thank you!
(Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (02:09):
I'm wondering if we can start off by just kind of telling
us how, how your kind of journeybrought you into working in the arts.
SELINA: (02:18):
Okay.
Well, I was very privileged as a kid.
My mom and dad were really,and my grandparents were.
Good about just bringing meto shows to seeing things.
ANDRÉS: (02:28):
Mm-hmm.
SELINA: (02:28):
I laugh sometimes.
My mom, while I was in the womb, went toPhantom of the Opera and I kicked and like
since then, just, it's only been theater,
, ANDRÉS:: Little fetus Selina just-
just, yeah, this is it, man.
This is my future.
Yeah.
. Yeah, so I really just started from thereand I didn't really know what I wanted
(02:49):
to be when I grew up but I joined adrama class in my high school and my high
school did not have a good drama program.
It was really small.
We had no budget.
But even then I was like,okay, this is interesting.
And then I like shopped aroundfor different universities and
I stumbled across MacEwan'stheater production program and
was like, okay, well let's try it.
You know, if I hate it,it's only two years.
(03:11):
Like it's, we'll figure it out.
And I loved it.
Uh, Within the first month I was like,yeah, okay, this is, this is it for me.
Yeah, and I've just beenlearning and growing since then.
ANDRÉS: (03:22):
So a couple of questions.
Follow up questions to that, so whenyou, when you started your whole
journey, especially in theater,did you start as a performer?
SELINA: (03:30):
No.
Well, I'm okay.
That's a lie.
(laughs)
ANDRÉS: (03:32):
Here it is (Laughs)
SELINA: (03:34):
the truth.
Yeah, no, I did one I acted a little bitin the drama class and I did a couple
bits of performance, but I realizedvery early that for me, I get very
obsessed almost, like really almosttoo much in my head when I'm acting.
And in that world.
Like even when I'm not onstage, I like think about it
(03:54):
and I'm constantly just in it.
And I realized that it was toomuch, like it wasn't healthy for me.
And I also really loved the kind ofsecret creation that happens on the
tech side that people just don't knowabout because our job is to not be seen.
So there's this really cool, like Ireally was drawn to that and yeah.
(04:17):
. ANDRÉS:: I'm somebody who, I went into the performing side of theater.
However, I think from a veryearly age, I knew that I wanted
to be more in the directing side.
Mm-hmm.
. ANDRÉS:: Because I feel like some of the technical, like magic that
y'all get to play with is so fun.
Can you tell us a little bit aboutthat secret world of technicians-
(Laughs) yeah, sure.
(04:37):
I mean, it's, it's so big andI think people forget that
like, it's its own profession.
It's its own craft, which I think hasbeen very cool, especially recently
to kind of talk about with peopleis that what we do is so important.
And but also so fulfilling , even thoughlike in conventionally there isn't
(04:58):
that same like gratification I find.
Like it's, it's kind of designedas we are facilitators to art.
We are here to just make it whatit is and help support, which I
think is kind of a beautiful thing.
ANDRÉS: (05:10):
Yeah.
It's such an interesting linebecause I remember I went to
RDC before I came to MacEwan.
SELINA: (05:15):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (05:16):
And at RDC we were taught to not like, thank the
techs at the end of the show
SELINA: (05:21):
mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (05:22):
because it's supposed to be that thing of like, if people don't
know they're there, they did their job.
SELINA: (05:28):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (05:28):
Which I find
SELINA: (05:28):
that's interesting.
Absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (05:30):
Yeah.
SELINA: (05:30):
Um, And I, I think it's interesting that you talk about that
because there are still like, it's avery mixed bag on what technicians really
want from that recognition, becauseyou're right, like there is a level of
kind of secret that we like to keep.
Like we don't wanna tell you how we didthe thing, you know, like , you just get
to come see the show and experience the,like, the quote unquote magic, right?
(05:51):
Like for us it's a technical craft,but for the audience it's magic.
And that's very cool.
But it is, yeah.
It's something where I think and wecan like go into it more later, but
there's this need, I think in, inthe arts community to acknowledge.
that there is lots of work that'sdone that, even though that doesn't
mean necessarily mean acknowledgingthem at the end of the bow, but just
(06:13):
really being conscious that the workthat is done when you are not around.
Right.
Especially if like you're a performer orlike director where you're very, like,
I would say rehearsal room focused.
There is like, there's, there'sother things going on to kind of help
and you don't really notice untilyou're in that final, like, final
building blocks before opening night.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (06:33):
and so, okay, so you went to McEwen.
SELINA: (06:35):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (06:35):
And you found out you really enjoyed it.
Was there a part of your educationthat really you, you like?
, like that was your bread and butter.
You, your jam.
You really enjoyed it.
? SELINA:: Oh, it's, it's been a, it has been a process because
I sort of let my career and howI went after school shape me.
So a lot of the things that Iwas like really into in school.
(06:57):
I found wasn't really feasibleas a career option going out.
I had always been really drawnto sound, and that is something
that I still do to this day.
That is still my, I would say ifwe were thinking departmentally
about theater, sound and audiois definitely my, my wheelhouse.
It's the thing I find the most joy in.
But I, I love, like, I love painting.
I love props.
I love that artisan side.
(07:18):
I find that for me specifically inthat ASM niche where it's very much
about the, like tracking of props andthat like backstage stage carp energy.
Also big fan . I really love it.
. Like I, I love that department.
But as I've left school.
I have found a new joy in videodesign and video, especially as that's
coming up as more and more of a commonthing, especially with the pandemic.
(07:42):
And there's just a new layerof of video and live streaming
that has come into the fold.
So that's something I have a newskill I've acquired that I have
found a real deep appreciation for.
And I through my position here atFringe Theater, I have , I've had to
learn the sides of lighting, whichhas never truly been like what I have
(08:03):
always focused on, but I have learnedlots about it and I have gained a, a
knowledge and a respect for lightingtechnicians and operators and designers.
Mm-hmm.
. Yeah.
It's great.
. ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
It's so funny cuz we go toschool to learn all the tools.
SELINA: (08:17):
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (08:18):
but then you leave and it's really all about like
how those jobs offer you theopportunity to practice them, right?
SELINA: (08:23):
Absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (08:24):
Have you had any opportunities projector mapping
? SELINA:: I have, yeah.
It, it's funny cuz my biggestexample would be with Azimuth
Theater with their show.
Yeah!
With all that binds us as a sortof a video mentor for Efy Adar.
She was the video designer onthat show and I was able to
really help her with building hershow on a program we call Q Lab.
(08:47):
Which is super incredible.
And I'm a big old nerd for it.
Um, Yeah.
And I learned I find with every singleshow I work on I learned something new.
And that's part of one of thereasons why I love doing what I do
is because I always feel like I'menhancing and growing as a technician.
And one of the one of the big things Ilearned on that show was how to actually
(09:09):
integrate Photoshop in with Q Lab to doproper masking with their video functions.
Which was very fun because all thatbinds us had this beautiful drapery
that was hung along the back and theywanted to have different breakups of
imagery on top of the fabric right behindthe fabric, but not on the rest of it.
Like, so we ended up playingwith about four or five layers of
(09:31):
projection, all with one projector.
So no, it was really cool and it was funto sink my teeth into that knowledge.
That is so cool.
SELINA: (09:39):
Yeah.
That's awesome,
. ANDRÉS:: I think since the pandemic started, Like, that's really where I
started to kind of explore like, whatis my artistry, you know, for a while
I was doing the gigs and the work.
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (09:49):
But, but getting that chance to, like Morgan Yamada calls it like
the great incubator, like to reallysit in that incubation period and go,
what do I want to do as an artist?
SELINA: (09:58):
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (09:59):
Did you kind of feel the same as through the pandemic?
SELINA: (10:02):
A little, I had the very great honor of being attached to
a building during the pandemic.
So I did a lot of, I did a lot of paintingand a lot of cleaning of the building
that we are recording this podcast in.
And it's and during that time we alsolearned a lot about live streaming
(10:23):
and how to digitally access theater.
And, I ended up having to, with my amazingproduction team here at Fringe, we were,
we all learned parts of what it meansto livestream and how to essentially
record a TV show is basically what was,basically what we did is like, we're
in theater, but we're like, how do wemake theater transfer cleanly and in a
(10:46):
useful way into a livestream platform?
And so we ended up really utilizing a lotof resources from how people have been
doing things on YouTube and how peoplehave been doing live streams there, and
how other educational facilities likeGrant MacEwan had started doing online
classes and filming within in-house there.
So we ended up gettingsome knowledge from there.
(11:08):
Just sort of like picking all ofour knowledge from a whole bunch of
incredible people and were able to doa lot of work with helping make shows
like uh, Azimuth's "All that bindsus" be a hybrid so that we could have
audience in space, but also you beingable to watch it online simultaneously.
Yeah.
So that was a big knowledge boost.
That was very cool.
ANDRÉS: (11:27):
It's cool because, all the skills you have are transferrable.
It's just a different medium, right?
Yeah, exactly.
But I, I really, if there's something,I'm really thankful that The Pandemic
has then has kind of increased theidea of accessibility for theater.
SELINA: (11:40):
Absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (11:41):
Because even speaking of "All That Binds Us", I
was in the Yukon at the time.
SELINA: (11:44):
Oh, okay.
ANDRÉS: (11:44):
And so the only way that I got to watch it was through live streaming.
SELINA: (11:48):
Right, right.
Very cool.
ANDRÉS: (11:49):
Yeah.
. Yeah, . It was the first time I was like, Hey, this is doing it.
. SELINA:: Yeah.
Yeah.
.ANDRÉS:: Okay.
So now, now we've, you've gone throughthis kind of learning process of all
the jobs that you've got that you'vebeen able to be a part of , what would
you say now is kind of your, your,what you're focusing on or what you're
(12:10):
really excited to maybe like delve into?
SELINA: (12:12):
Yeah.
I am currently the TechnicalDirector with Fringe Theater, mm-hmm.
, and that means that I am helpingfacilitate other really cool art
coming into our building in our spaces.
So I end up coming in contact with alot of very cool theater companies in
the city and very cool indie projects.
(12:32):
So I'm, I'm spoiled like . I get to,I get to be around so much cool art,
even though I don't necessarily getto be like, involved deep within the
creation process of those, I get toreally learn about what they need and
like be able to help make their dreamsa reality, which is a beautiful thing.
Hmm.
And there's a lot of reallyinteresting projects that fringe
(12:54):
is producing coming down the line.
ANDRÉS: (12:56):
I'm so thankful to be an artist for that specific reason that like
the idea that we get to always learnsomething new and continue growing
and continue learning from our peers.
SELINA: (13:07):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (13:07):
Such a wonderful thing.
Such a beautiful, beautifullike opportunity that being
an artist affords us, right?
Have you ever dabbled in design?
SELINA: (13:15):
A little.
There's I've done a lot ofhelping, like more from an
operator, facilitator standpoint.
ANDRÉS: (13:20):
Mm-hmm.
SELINA: (13:20):
but I have done a lot of assisting designers into getting
their show into a producinglevel, for like opening night.
So I, it's in the back of my brain.
I have never fully independentlydesigned a show before.
It is something I've beenthinking about though.
ANDRÉS: (13:33):
Nice.
SELINA: (13:33):
Like potentially getting my feet wet in in sound or video design, so
. ANDRÉS: (13:38):
Do you have a dream project you'd love to, like if someone was
like, okay, we're gonna let you dothis, what project would you want to do?
SELINA: (13:44):
Oh, I don't know.
I honestly would just loveto be allowed to play.
Mm-hmm.
. I think the thing that scares me themost about dipping my toes into design
is that as an operator, I have createda real idea in my head of what, like
the best like, design person wouldbe like, oh, it'd be really cool if
(14:05):
designer had this, this, and this.
So I feel like having.
A space of where I could be allowedto be like, oops, I've made a mistake.
But that's fine.
Like that instant forgivenessenergy would be very cool.
Like I wouldn't, I don't even havespecifics on what kind of show it would
be or anything, but it would be verycool to just yeah, have a beautiful
forgiving space and just being ableto learn how to design while doing it.
(14:29):
That would be, . Very cool.
But who knows?
Someday,
. ANDRÉS:: Listen, I, I like to think that the universe is always listening, so
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (14:36):
Now they know
universe,
right?
Sound design.
Yeah.
. So do you have a specifickind of theater or performance
art that you enjoy the most?
SELINA: (14:45):
Mm-hmm.
My venue my venue partner andpartner in crime, Meghan Wearne
.uh, Always laughs at me because I have a very high tolerance for basically any art.
Like there's seriously, like, I love me,some super obscure contemporary dance.
Like, like ones where it's reallyin the body and like 20 minutes
of like, almost blackout and it'sjust someone like wiggling on
(15:09):
the floor, like a worm like that.
I love it.
I love it.
I think it's incredible.
Like, just, I think it's like, for meit's, I don't know, I just No, I haven't
found a type of art that I don't likeworking so . It's hard for me to be
like, no, I love this specifically.
(15:29):
But my main skill ismixing large musicals.
So I love large musicals.
I love lots of laughs, lots of chaos,lots of getting it into my fingers.
You like, I'm gesturing rightnow and it's absolutely a podcast
. But like, yes, lots, lots offader movement in my fingers.
And I love doing that kind of art.
Yeah, I love , love tech-ing dance love.
(15:52):
, I have done music and bandsand that kind of thing.
ANDRÉS: (15:55):
So just because now I'm curious Totally.
How does that work withsound mixing a musical?
Cuz really at the end of theday, you're the one in charge
of how it sounds a little bit
SELINA: (16:04):
sort of- I mean, , it's one of the most.
It, it's the most least defined role.
But a sound designer is intheory, like they plan everything.
They're there to really, as an operatorfor a musical, your job is to push faders.
Mm-hmm.
at the end of the day.
So the sound designer helps you kind ofget to a level with your console, with
(16:26):
the, the speakers, with the, everythingthat builds up a sound system from mics
to speaker, like through the whole chain.
They help get you there.
And then you're just you'rereally, you're one with the script.
I find the most engaged I feel witha piece of art is when I am literally
moving a voice, if that makes sense.
(16:47):
Like, it's, it's not like , it's hardto explain, but there's this feeling
you get when you have people singing andyou know exactly when they breathe and
you're like, your finger is guiding thatwith the mics to kind of match them.
and every sound person will get this,but it's, yeah, it's that kind of,
you're just following them, right?
(17:07):
Yeah.
You're, you're kind of with it.
And so I find that yeah, when I, whenI live mix shows at any level, whether
it's like a one, one guy with a comedyact who's just allowed a microphone
the whole time, or it's 20 people onstage doing dance choreo with singing
you're with it, you're with the show.
And that's why I love it.
I know some technicians hatethat, and that's not their thing.
And they would rather just belike, no, I have all my lights
programmed and I'm just gonna pressthis go button for the whole show.
(17:30):
And that's also very great and very cool.
But yeah, no, it's my favorite part.
ANDRÉS: (17:34):
That's so cool.
And it's blowing my mind a littlebit because , you have those moments
where you realize those blind spotsthat you haven't noticed, and that's
definitely one of 'em, like, yeah.
You know, the idea that y'all arebreathing with us from however
long and far away the, thetech booth is, is so beautiful.
. SELINA:: It's true.
(17:54):
It's a very beautiful process and it's,it's something that is really strange
for us because we don't really get toconnect with the show in the same way as
the creative and performance team does.
We kind of see the showsvery differently for us.
, we kind of see it very um, structured.
Like I always make the joke thattechnicians take art we turn it into
(18:15):
numbers to turn it back into art . That's,that's just what we do , like more often
than not, I know a person's mic numberbefore I know their name, and that's just
because we don't, there isn't that momentof I dunno, introduction or whatever.
Like we see these shows very differently.
We see them as lighting cues andmoments and that moment when the
(18:36):
shoe drops is a really cool blackout.
And that's really big for us.
And like , those are the, forus, that's what the show means.
So yeah, there is like adifferent way that we see the
show and experience that art.
But yeah, there's still that lovethere, . It's just different.
Totally . what I'm loving here, and it's something that you've kind of
touched on a little bit, is like rightnow, the way that theater is done is very,
(18:58):
like technical side does its own thing.
performance size does its own thing,and then we come together at the end.
Mm-hmm.
and it, it all comes together.
Yeah.
And it comes together beautifully.
But like, what do you think is missingto kind of create that infrastructure for
us to work together in a full process?
SELINA: (19:13):
Yeah.
It's an excellent question and it'ssomething that I'm finding a lot of
I'll, I'll say unconventional theater
ANDRÉS: (19:19):
mm-hmm.
SELINA: (19:20):
is doing, is sort of breaking down those barriers.
Especially because in a lot ofways theater is very colonial.
There's Yeah.
It white.
(Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (19:30):
It very white,
SELINA: (19:30):
very white . And we have to work very hard to break down those walls.
Mm-hmm.
. And that comes with also tech.
Tech is very, very binary,very like structured.
And so finding ways of still producingsomething like for, that's the one trick
with tech theater specifically, is thatfor us, we are very product based and we
(19:52):
can't really change that unfortunately.
Like for us, it's all about opening night.
It's all about consistency for us, andit's, so it's finding this way of playing
with what the intention of the piece is.
So if, if your goal isn't perfectionor that colonial clean blackout,
you know, like, that's the onlyway I can kind of explain it.
But it's You can kind of break some ofthose rules and be like, you know what?
(20:15):
It's okay if it's not perfect,but we're gonna try this tonight.
Or, and so I think as long as there'sopen dialogue, that's the biggest thing
is the sooner you can be open with whatyou need and what your expectations
are for a process, and especially asit comes into the theater can, you can
kind of start breaking those molds andit can become more of a unified thing.
I talk in the performancelab I give through Azimuth.
(20:37):
I do talk a lot about like differenttips and tricks on how to, how to
break down those walls a little bit.
But it's still, we're all learning.
Like it's, it's very new conceptand some people and some productions
don't need it, nor want it.
But I think that there is room for us toreally understand the differences between
(20:58):
the two departments and that also itdoesn't have to be messy getting together.
Yeah.
Cue to Cue doesn't have to be painful.
. It doesn't!
(Laughs) there's, there'sthings we can do to kind of help
that transition a little bit.
it's a crazy process.
But yet at the end of the day, we, wedo make the art for audiences to enjoy.
So go us!
ANDRÉS: (21:17):
I keep thinking about somebody who doesn't understand, like that process,
listening to this and being like, whoa.
Right.
Because you're right.
Like QQ doesn't have to be messy, butoftentimes, like the infrastructure
isn't there to not make it messy.
SELINA: (21:31):
Right, exactly.
Yeah.
And that, that is a lot of it isthat there's I think there's a
lack of understanding, I think.
ANDRÉS: (21:36):
Mm-hmm.
,SELINA:: like, it's, it's so wonderful to hear that, you know, and recognize
like consciously that there arethings that happen that you don't see.
And I don't know if every performer knowsthat or knows even to recognize that.
And I think as we start to.
Break down those walls a little bit andbe like, yeah, no, like the prop you're
holding took a week to make you know,like, as an example, , like I think it
(22:00):
can kind of help remember that thereis humanity in every corner of theater.
Even the people who arepressing the buttons.
And like in some ways it's, thereare very different professions.
There are very, yeah.
So it's like you ki it kind ofmakes sense why there's that way.
Technicians really think.
The mind and artists think with the heart.
And so that comes with a level ofdistance with how they engage in a room.
(22:23):
Mm-hmm.
SELINA: (22:23):
And I think as long as we understand the differences and are willing
to kind of compromise on where we can kindof meet I found great success in, I've had
the privilege of working a lot of reallyincredible indigenous run and focus shows.
and that's come, we, we have found thatsmudging together has really helped.
Not every technician is into it, butI think the, just the acknowledgement
that there is a checking inthat is respectful of everyone's
(22:47):
boundaries, that is really cool.
And I, I've seen, I've seen that as a use.
Yeah.
No, there's lots of ways that wecan kind of start to, to blend
ANDRÉS: (22:55):
Thank you so much.
these insights are . Wonderful.
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ANDRÉS: (23:42):
So we've talked about, like, we've talked about your journey as
an as, as a technical theater artist.
Mm-hmm.
, and thank you for sharing all of that,by the way, because like, I've been
doing some learning sitting here andI'm like, all right, . This is great.
SELINA: (23:53):
Cool.
ANDRÉS: (23:53):
Yeah.
Right.
. But in your personal life, what are kind of the things growing
up that inspired you to do art?
SELINA: (24:02):
I went to Edmonton Opera a lot.
My, my grandfather was reallyinto opera, so he uh, would take
my sister and I and we would go.
So I, I learned a lot aboutdifferent types of art very early.
So that also really helped.
You know, we did a little bit ofsmattering of Citadel shows, you know,
like just taken, things where they cameAnd it just sort of grew and grew and
(24:24):
I think I've seen so much more theaternow that I've been in the industry.
Totally.
And no, and I don't know about thingsand I'm like wanting to, especially
my, I didn't realize I wouldhave a true joy for indie theater
mm-hmm.
until I got into the industryand then I really got it.
I was like, oh.
And it's some, it's such a nicheperformance I find from like a
(24:47):
general public standpoint thatI just wish people knew about.
I just want everyone to knowabout the cool, like, adventures
that people are going on.
Yeah.
I dunno.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (24:57):
Were you big into like movies?
SELINA: (25:00):
Yes, I was.
Yeah, I , the reason I pickedthe high school I did was cause
they had a film studies programand I was like, this is cool.
This is a cool, like, options program.
Let's do it.
Yeah, no, and I loved film.
Yeah.
And I thought that it was so cooland I and it was also part of the
reason that I got into into GrantMacEwan was cuz it was like,
(25:20):
okay, two years and we'll try it.
And like, it's funny that you said thatyou went to Red Deer College cuz honestly,
Red Deer College was the beginning ofme searching with what I wanted to do
for a career and how, and training.
Mm-hmm.
, they have such an incredibleopenness about them when they're
promoting for their school.
Mm-hmm.
that they were so open about like, it'scool if you don't pick us, but like, come
(25:42):
see a show and like, come experience it.
Like, and I went, I, my mom and I drovedown to Red Deer and we saw "Rent"
that was that when they did "Rent"
and I was like, oh man, like this is cool.
Like this is great.
And like the only reason I didn't was cuzI didn't wanna pay the rent to be honest.
like (Laughs) . I was like the costof moving when I am very spoiled
(26:05):
and live in Edmonton, which is avibrant theater community already.
Yeah.
I didn't have to worry about thetravel costs, so I was like, no,
let's pick something closer to home.
Yeah.
. No, but I meant what I was going ona tangent with it was that they also
did have a film program as well.
Like there were, or TVI think was what it was.
But so it was, it was interesting and itstarted getting my brain like clogging and
(26:25):
coiling, and then I realized that I waswilling to be like, okay, two years we'll
try theater, and then if this doesn'tquite feel right, maybe I'll try film.
And I learned that the union that isshared is shared between theater and film.
Right.
There's just a slightly different trainingand slightly different list you get on.
Right.
But they were, they shared.
So I was like, oh, that's really cool.
Hmm.
And like my world has nottaken me in the direction of
(26:46):
film, but it's there and yeah.
ANDRÉS: (26:49):
Would you ever, so you, you, it's something that
you'd still want to explore?
Hey,
SELINA: (26:52):
I, I've , I've dabbled . It's so interesting cuz it's, I'm not I
guess professional with film, but that'snot quite right because like what I do
for a living is professional theater.
Yeah.
But, and professional teching.
But we've done a lot of filmingin this facility with the with the
equipment and the way that we've hadto adapt during, during the pandemic.
(27:15):
We have had to dabble a lot more inrecording and filming, and these are
things I was not trained on and Ihave just kind of learned as I've went
along and kind of stolen and acquiredknowledge from much wiser folks
So it's, it's like maybe I would loveto, but I think that there, it would be
me being a very baby tech in that worldand so totally climbing up, but yeah,
ANDRÉS: (27:37):
With everything that you've kind of been learning, because you're right
SELINA: (27:39):
mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (27:40):
you have had to become a filmmaker in Independence
a bit, a little bit, right?
SELINA: (27:43):
Yeah.
Is there a specific part ofit that you'd love to explore?
I really like script supervising verymuch the and continuity things where it's
very, okay, the set needs to be exactlyhow it was for this scene, and like
really tracking that meticulous movement.
I, I love that part of film.
Mm-hmm.
So if I was to ever to get into aspecific department, then that kind
(28:04):
of realm, it would be like a, a P.A
ANDRÉS: (28:06):
and film wise and movie wise growing up
SELINA: (28:09):
mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (28:09):
what was like, Did you have a favorite movie that
you watched over and over?
, SELINA: (28:13):
I'm a big, Wes Anderson nerd.
Okay.
So like, I'm, I lovereally big stylized stuff.
yeah, I like, I like that like meticulousshot stuff that I find really fun.
I was really into like, just generallystudying auteurs and, and folks
that are, have a very like, honedcraft in film where they've had
more control from a producing side.
(28:33):
So it's allowed them to have way morecontrol in the filming of things.
So I've done, I've, I find like a buzzwith looking at and watching films
that are very like, oh yeah, this isso them like, yes, but I, I'm a nerd.
Like that, but yeah.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (28:49):
No, no, no.
I love that.
Like, one of my favoritedirectors is Baz Lerman.
SELINA: (28:52):
Yeah.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (28:53):
And for me, the thing is like, the amount of visual play he has
SELINA: (28:58):
absolutely.
Yes.
.ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
I, I find his movies are sostimulating in the best way possible.
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (29:04):
All right, so now we get to move on to the personal side of things.
Ooh.
I love the personal side of things.
SELINA: (29:10):
Its your favorite part!
ANDRÉS: (29:11):
It really is.
And let me start with just likea, a chill question, but like,
let's say you've had a rough week
SELINA: (29:19):
mm-hmm.
, ANDRÉS:: and you're like, you know what?
I am, I need, I needsomething to like, relax.
Yeah.
What would be, what would be your go-to,
Oh, for relaxing?
I am a big reader.
ANDRÉS: (29:29):
Hmm.
SELINA: (29:29):
I read a lot of Y.A..
. Especially because it's not as challengingmentally in the sense that it's not
really dense writing, but it's beautifulstories and beautiful content in the Y.A.
Book world has gotten really cool andreally diverse and really fun and yeah.
No, i, I will always justbe reading that would.
Yeah, that's what I do.
ANDRÉS: (29:48):
And And how do you, as somebody who really aspires to be a reader,
how do you, how do you, like holdyourself to be like, I'm gonna relax.
Let's read.
SELINA: (29:57):
I mean, my toxic trait.
No, I'm just kidding.
Is No, no.
I like to disassociate.
So like, I, I love the idea ofescaping into a different world.
ANDRÉS: (30:07):
Mm-hmm
SELINA: (30:07):
so for me it's like, oh yeah, like reading a good book, especially if
it's something that's like if I'm feelingdown, reading like a more of a fluffy
romance kind of feel like that I can kindof sink into that world to kind of wash
away whatever's bothering me in this one.
So.
That's kind of how I motivate myself.
\ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
I also am part of, of the StoryGraph app I highly recommend.
(30:28):
Okay.
It's cool.
They've got really great data.
and they've got little funpie charts on your reading.
and
. ANDRÉS:: I love that.
pass me some data
. ANDRÉS:: So , do you watch ruPaul?
I don't, no,
ANDRÉS: (30:44):
that's okay.
But you know what question,
SELINA: (30:45):
but I know what's, I know what's coming.
. ANDRÉS: (30:48):
I love how many times you've heard me do this, so you're
like, okay, I'm prepped (Laughs)
SELINA: (30:52):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (30:53):
But if you could go back even, not necessarily go back and talk
to yourself, but if, like, if therewas a piece of knowledge that you
think is so good, you want to share.
To a young artist.
SELINA: (31:03):
Mm-hmm.
ANDRÉS: (31:04):
especially somebody who wants to explore technical theater.
SELINA: (31:06):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (31:07):
What's something you'd say?
SELINA: (31:08):
It's a career.
Don't worry.
You can make money at it.
like it.
Don't listen to grandma.
You know,
. ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
Like, it's okay.
Like, I find there's so muchpushback sometimes and a fear.
It's, it's more, it, I think itcomes from a place of love often,
but there's this initial fear like,oh no, like the arts , oh, no.
(31:31):
Like, are you gonna be okay?
It's like, Yes, you are gonna be okay.
Like, there's a beautifulfostering community.
And especially , I find if you'vegot the kindness and you've, you're,
you're a good person that you,you're a fun person to be around.
I find like if you're, I don'tknow, fun is the right word.
If you're a warm soul, if there'sthis engagement with what you're
doing, I think people read thatand people wanna be around that.
(31:54):
Even if you're still learning yourcraft, there's, especially in the
tech side, if you're a great personto be around, we are willing to trade
and learn and really share knowledge.
Like this community of peopleyou can kind of call to.
And I, and I love that.
And I think that people need to knowthat we don't talk as much about
the fostering part of this career.
(32:16):
when people are so initially like, oh nocapitalism, no , no, you're gonna die.
It's like, no, no.
Like you can do it.
It's, it is work.
I will say that.
Absolutely.
Like it takes a lot of work anddedication and a lot of professional
development constantly to kind of keep up.
Yeah.
But it's absolutely a career.
Don't be afraid.
Try it.
(32:37):
Try it.
. ANDRÉS:: I love that.
And I love, I like, thank you for bringingthe fostering in, cuz you're right.
Like the community's thereand I think like, yeah.
Again, not everybody in thecommunity will want to do this,
but once you find that person who'slike, Hey, I'm down to like, yeah.
Help you out.
And I find if there's like a, an an exchange.
Yeah.
Especially if you've, you've got a skillor something that they wanna learn, but
(33:00):
they have something you wanna learn.
You, it becomes so easy to be like,yeah, like , let's do together.
Let's trade, let's learn the things.
. Totally
. ANDRÉS:: And so, With that's being said, do you ever think you'd teach?
I I sort of do.
Yeah.
Like I if this podcast is any indication?
(33:23):
No, my brain is sometimesa little frazzled.
Yeah.
The way I say words are notnecessarily super logical.
all the time.
So I wouldn't say that I would fitnecessarily in a in a structured
classroom, but I think that I thrive andexist in a realm of, I have a craft and I
have worked to acquire my knowledge and Iwant other people to have this knowledge.
(33:44):
There's this old.
way of thinking, especially onthe tech side of theater, that
it's job security if you know whatyou're doing and no one else does.
Right.
And I think especially during this timewhere we're starting to realize that
redundancy is important on all levels.
, including your operators, that youdo need to share a little bit more.
(34:05):
There needs to be anexchange in knowledge.
And I think that all techniciansare called in a way to help
each other a little bit.
And I think it's growing.
It's growing.
It's something that has, Ithink has taken some time.
But we're opening up and I think we'restarting to really be like, yeah, you
know what, I know a lot about Q Lab,but I know absolutely nothing about
(34:27):
how to run this lighting console.
Do you want a trade?
Like can we help or I mean, even inthis building with Fringe, I bring
in a lot of really new techs who justcome outta school and as much as school
can, can try to prepare you, you don'treally know until you're in it right.
And you're like getting yourfeet wet and like really master a
console for the first time solo.
That can be scary.
(34:47):
And having people that you know,you can call upon even in your
own workplaces is really cool.
And so I end up doing that a lot, is kindof helping younger and newer techs or tech
just haven't touched a board in a while.
And you need help, right.
And yeah.
So yeah.
It's so great.
ANDRÉS: (35:03):
Like, I feel like, I feel like the word mentor fits really
beautifully in your world right now.
SELINA: (35:08):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (35:09):
That's like what I'm really enjoying right now and.
Yes.
Like publicly facing, a lot of theatercompanies are offering mentorships and
all this kind of stuff, but it's kindof that thing that you're talking about
where like, I think there's a desire nowto connect to those younger generations.
SELINA: (35:25):
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (35:26):
Because we realize that they have so much to teach us as well.
Yes, absolutely.
You know?
Absolutely.
And how to see art differently andhow to see our processes differently.
SELINA: (35:34):
Oh, totally.
There is so much that I have seencome out of processes in recent years.
If we've give, if you give them the space
ANDRÉS: (35:42):
Yeah.
SELINA: (35:42):
And you are open to messing with what is traditional oh yeah.
There's so much room to just liketo really learn about how, oh,
why do we always do it this way?
Yeah.
Why do we do 10 of 12 days on cue to Q?
Do we have to?
No, we don't.
We don't friends.
ANDRÉS: (35:58):
We really don't.
SELINA: (35:59):
We don't friends.
We can sleep.
Sleep is important.
, ANDRÉS:: why do we work six days a week where we don't could do it in five.
We don't have to.
ANDRÉS: (36:05):
We don't have to.
We don't have to.
. This is us telling you
SELINA: (36:07):
guys sleep
ANDRÉS: (36:08):
free yourself, . That's it.
We fixed the whole industry.
SELINA: (36:13):
We've done it.
ANDRÉS: (36:14):
That's all.
That's all this needed to be.
SELINA: (36:16):
There it is.
My work here is done.
ANDRÉS: (36:20):
Besides what else we've talked about, is there anything else
you'd like to highlight about yourselfor any, any hobbies that you have
SELINA: (36:27):
uh, (Laughs)
not a lot.
I would say a lot of, a lotof my energy and time has.
Gone into what I love to do for a living.
Yeah.
Which is not super healthy,but it is, it's a fact of life.
Right?
Yeah.
Like I, I love what I do.
and I'm really blessed to be in a placewhere I get to be around really cool
art and help make really cool art.
And yeah.
It's, it's a beautiful thing.
(36:48):
I mean, what am I doing when I'mnot, I mean, I'm reading, I'm doing
puzzles, I'm, you know, going for walkslike , you know, vibing as a human.
I dunno, like,
ANDRÉS: (37:00):
and puzzle people are big brain people.
I can't, I can't do puzzles.
I, I've always wanted to
. SELINA: (37:04):
I find it's so funny that you say big brain people cuz I
find like my brain turns off whenI'm puzzling Like I find because.
. I don't I do struggle with anxiety, sofor me, when I'm doing puzzles, I find I
only have, I have to focus on the task.
I have to focus on looking for theblue puzzle piece that fits here
so I can kind of focus, like hyperfocus on this, which forces my brain
(37:27):
to not think about all of the otherthings That could potentially spiral.
So I, I find it verytherapeutic in a weird way.
ANDRÉS: (37:34):
I love
that , and I love that foryou because that is definitely
not, not how I see puzzles,
SELINA: (37:40):
but yeah, that's totally fair.
ANDRÉS: (37:43):
who knows?
Maybe I'll try it with thatkind of view and we'll see.
Yeah
SELINA: (37:45):
I also
find if you don't put a time limit onyourself, like, oh yeah, don't, mm-hmm.
No puzzle.
Never get done.
If you're like, it needs to getdone tonight, you're like, no, no.
It, it won't.
ANDRÉS: (37:54):
It'll
take me however long it takes.
Yeah, exactly.
, . And if you weren't doing theater.
Yeah.
Do you know, like, do you have an inklingof what you would've like explored?
Yeah.
SELINA: (38:05):
Yeah, my fallback would've been library tech.
It would've been yeah, working in abookstore or working in a library.
Yeah, that's, I know that innatelyyeah, it was my f- it was my
fallback , but I was like, nah, I'mgonna do technical theater instead.
Let's do it.
ANDRÉS: (38:21):
Oh, I just wanna say really quickly, like getting to know all of
that side of you, like . I would'venever imagined it, but it's such a
beautiful collage thank you so much.
SELINA: (38:33):
Oh, no problem.
ANDRÉS: (38:34):
Ah, . Now we're gonna do some rapid fires to kind of end it off.
SELINA: (38:37):
All right.
ANDRÉS: (38:37):
Let's try not to think too hard to use.
SELINA: (38:39):
I'll try not to do that.
ANDRÉS: (38:40):
I just know that they're fun.
SELINA: (38:42):
Okay.
. Yeah.
I will not be stressed.
.ANDRÉS:: All right.
Rapid fire.
Okay.
So favorite snack.
Oreo cookies.
ANDRÉS: (38:50):
Oreo cookies
I love Oreos
great.
SELINA: (38:51):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (38:52):
Favorite flavor of ice cream?
SELINA: (38:53):
Mint chocolate or tiger.
ANDRÉS: (38:56):
Oh, interesting.
SELINA: (38:57):
Yep.
ANDRÉS: (38:57):
Okay.
SELINA: (38:58):
Yeah, it's one, one or the other.
ANDRÉS: (38:59):
Do you like, sorry, side question.
Do you like licorice?
SELINA: (39:02):
I . I like some licorice.
All sorts, but I don't likeblack licorice on its own.
It's the, the SherbertOrange mix solves it for me.
ANDRÉS: (39:09):
All right.
SELINA: (39:09):
Anyway
yes.
ANDRÉS: (39:10):
Okay.
Do you have a favorite songthat you're listening to?
Right.
. SELINA:: Ooh, not really.
I listen to a lot of different stuff.
It's part of the, part of thejam of being a theater tech
is you acquire a lot of music.
I find, I, I listen to a lot of tropicalhouse I've been feeling down lately.
So for me, like tropical house justgets me in the mood that like, oh,
I'm floating on a beach somewhere!
(39:30):
(Laughs)
Favorite book?
Off the top of my head cuz I read alot, but off the top of my head would
be Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas.
Okay.
It's an incredible Y.A.
Trans lead like coming of age story, butlike spooky ghosts and like L.A nightlife.
Alright!
It's, it's great.
It's incredible.
(39:51):
I would really recommend you read it.
I'm gonna Cool cuzthere's, yeah, it's great.
Im gonna look into it!
It's like it because it has,it dives a lot into like
Latinx culture and stuff too.
So you'd actually really like it.
Oh, we'll talk after.
We'll talk, we'll talk after!
(Laughs)
Uh, Are you a daytimeor a night time person?
SELINA: (40:06):
I am a nighttime person.
ANDRÉS: (40:07):
Yeah.
SELINA: (40:07):
As I think most technicians are
ANDRÉS: (40:10):
actually.
That makes a lot of
sense
. SELINA: (40:11):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We like that.
Yeah.
I'd rather be 2:00 AM than ortwo in the morning than having to
do like a 10, 10 in the morning.
Kids show, you know, just
. ANDRÉS:: Get this.
When I used to tour it was 7:00 AM
Oh my God.
To get ready to go tour.
SELINA: (40:25):
No, not a fan.
No.
. I don't schedule meetings before 10, as you know.
. Well, not, not my jam.
ANDRÉS: (40:33):
Yeah.
I, and I appreciate that side of you.
Yes.
.SELINA:: I'm so glad.
Oh
favorite color.
SELINA: (40:40):
Red.
ANDRÉS: (40:41):
for those of you who can't see your hair is red.
Yes.
I would say it's red.
SELINA: (40:45):
It is fading right now.
Yeah.
but I am, I am naturally blonde.
But I yeah, I dyed my hair redat the beginning of the pandemic,
and I've been keeping it going onand off for the last two years.
But right now it's in, its, it's, it'sorange period , but it's very much, yes.
It started as red
. ANDRÉS:: Yeah.
I remember when you first did it.
Yeah.
It's bright.
ANDRÉS: (41:02):
Yeah.
It's so good.
, do you have a favorite animal?
SELINA: (41:05):
Ooh.
Not really.
I really identify with cats.
I wish I had one, but I am very allergic.
But I love cats.
I love what they're about.
We, we would've exist verywell in a house together.
but alas, I must breathe,
but Breaks the heart.
But yeah, here we are.
ANDRÉS: (41:20):
And to close it all off,
SELINA: (41:22):
okay.
. ANDRÉS: (41:25):
This was not a rapid fire, but here we go.
, what's your favorite childhood memory?
SELINA: (41:30):
Oh, man.
That's a great question.
. Hmm.
Both of both my elementary schooland my junior high school were
within walking distance of my home.
So I just right when you said it, thefirst thing that popped into my brain
was the the green belt that's like apipeline, but they've like, covered it
in grass and trees and beauty and I'vespent many many a day walking that,
(41:53):
running around with friends, climbingthose trees, and I just, yeah, that
area, I always walked it to school.
Yeah, just that area.
ANDRÉS: (42:00):
That's so lovely.
(Laughs
) . Oh, my Pal . I think I've said it like four times in this episode,
but thank you so, so much for this.
SELINA: (42:10):
Oh, thank you.
ANDRÉS: (42:10):
Like, getting to know you on this level is also such a gift.
SELINA: (42:14):
Oh, absolutely.
ANDRÉS: (42:15):
Yeah, just overall, thank you.
I don't have anything else to say.
If you would like to, do you want tolet folks know where they can find you?
SELINA: (42:23):
Sure.
My Instagram handle is@fancifultechnician.
Yeah, so you can find me on Instagram.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (42:29):
Nice.
Thanks.
Thanks everyone for listening.
I hope you enjoyed thisconversation as much as I did.
I am, I'm so stoked and invigoratedand I'll see you next time.
AD: (42:40):
Hey, pal, enjoying the conversation.
Traversing the Azimuth is a brandnew branch of Azimuth Theater
aimed at connecting artists with awider community, deepening mutual
understanding, and getting to shareeach artist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out by
going to azimuth theater.com/sponsorshipand sponsor Traversing the Azimuth, your
(43:03):
sponsorship will go straight into payingmore artists to come and share what it
means for them to be proudly in process.
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more information ontraversing the azimuth, go to
azimuththeater.com/traversing.
Woohoo.
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