I tried to like it, I really did. Some things make it easy to want to: the choreographies are solid, the direction is more than adequate, and the original songs are rather catchy and worthy of the real deal.

There are two things that make me irk about this show: the unrealistic timeline and the trivialisation of the developmental process of a musical. In less than one season, the team managed to write and conceptualize an entire musical, cast and prepare a workshop. All of this thanks to one producer and no investors on-board until workshop rehearsals were almost completed.

I also find the debate ironic on whether or not the show needs a star in it. They attempt to sympathize with Broadway performers who, they suggest, are much more capable of delivering; implying that stars are merely used to bring in investors and to sell tickets. However, in less than 10 episodes, Nick Jonas, Bernadette Peters, and Uma Thurman made highly publicized guest appearances.

Despite its shortcomings, mainly based on issues of authenticity, Smash has managed to be just that so far. It has garnered much critical acclaim from television critics. In all fairness, I am sure that doctors cringe just as much at hospital dramas, a guilty pleasure of mine. As all clouds have a silver lining, I guess I must begrudgingly offer one. While Smash does not truly do justice to those who dedicate their blood, sweat, and tears to musical theatre, perhaps the accessibility it brings to the world of theatre will inspire a greater appreciation for the art. Let’s face it: who can argue with more support for the arts?

RICHARD ST-AUBIN, a.k.a DJ SHASH’U-

DJ & COMPOSER-

I started playing drums when I was 9 and my dad was a classical guitarist, so music was always in my family. Later on, I was introduced to making music by a friend. My curiosity grew into passion. I was 17 when I started making my own music because I had access to the tools. I went to sound-engineering school, sharpened my knowledge and now I feel that I can do anything audio-related. Now I make music for other artists, corporate clients and websites. I’m broadening my horizons not by just making music, but by doing audio creation as well.

It’s something I enjoy and that I consider I’m good at, but I keep working in this field in part because I love the positive reaction I get from people who hear my songs. You have to get that response back from people; it’s how I can relate to them. I also find it highly rewarding making people feel a certain way through music. I do it to make people happy. I create a physical, mental, and spiritual escape for them through music. That for me has no comparison.

To find out more:

http://soundcloud.com/shashu 

https://www.facebook.com/btm.shashu (you must be signed in to Facebook to view the page)

https://twitter.com/iamshashu

http://www.silencedor.com/

KIM RUSSELL-

WRITER-

Ask any artist if they chose their career or if their path was predetermined for them; and I’d wager a bet - their answer leans toward them following their destiny.  In my journey, I have faced numerous career choices and all too often I chose wrong.  I’ve been a recruiter, a real estate developer, an exporter, and a tax preparer.  I have a BA in theater and a Master in Business Administration.  In each profession I reached a moderate level of success, UNTIL, I hit a brick wall during the journey.   A familiar brick wall – one laced with boredom, resistance, a sense of nowhere else to go, sometimes failure and sometimes panic.  The brick wall that signaled a time for change!

So here I am – in my 50’s – turning to the arts for a career.  At a time when I should be rounding out my retirement nest egg, I’m beefing up my performance and writing portfolio.  At a time when I should be thinking just 15 years to go before hitting the retirement road in an RV - I’m planning the next five years around booking conferences, auditions, and playwriting competitions.

So why do I do this at this stage in my life?  I have no other choice.  The doors keep opening and the path seems solid, unfettered, and promising.  It is a risk.  But for the first time in my life I believe it is a well-calculated risk.  The arts are a-calling me – and I’m packed and ready.

Have you answered the call?

I moved to Europe for a while. I wasn’t making the big bucks, but at least I did not need a second or even a third job – unrelated to my craft – to make ends meet. Canada is plagued by many symptoms for this talent ‘brain drain’ with a cocktail of reasons and excuses that lead to nowhere. I refuse to believe that we are any less talented than our neighbours to the south or our cousins across the Atlantic.

Then I came across an interview with actor Jay Baruchel. Having shot to stardom in Hollywood, he never forgot his roots. He still lives in Montreal and continues to make films here. He recently starred in the movie The Trotsky, a hilarious and proudly Montreal film that garnered stellar reviews. He explained why he chooses to continue making films here by saying: “ I without a doubt think that this is the best country that the world has come up with so far, so why wouldn’t I want to make movies here?”

We can continue pointing fingers at where we think things have gone wrong. But the only thing that we can do to inspire any progress is to support our Canadian artists and the works of art that are still produced here. As artists, we create every day. So why not create a demand?