PuSh Profiles – Donna Soares

December 27, 2012

PuSh Profiles is a new series where you can get to know the names and faces of the people that make this festival so great.

That’s Donna on the right, holding a water bottle.

Tell us what you do for PuSh in one or two sentences – or a haiku.

Working with the French
Will you join us on this ride?
See connections bloom

* How long have you been involved with the PuSh Festival?

Happily, this is my 6th PuSh:

2005 – Actor in Crime and Punishment (Neworld Theatre/ Vancouver Moving Theatre)
2007 – Creator/Performer in Bioboxes: Artifacting Human Experience (Theatre Replacement)
2009 – Associate Producer for The Children’s Choice Awards (Mammalian Diving Reflex)
2011 – Casting Assistant & Assistant Stage Manager for 100% Vancouver (Theatre Replacement)
2012 – Project Co-ordinator for Eat the Street (Mammalian Diving Reflex)
2013 – Local Co-ordinator for Do You See What I Mean? (Projet in situ)

* What is (one of) your favorite memory of PuSh?

A memory that still makes me smile is of Darren O’Donnell holding a plastic bag while Edwin puked into it because he ate macaroni and cheese before getting in the van on the way to while going to a condition & Accumulated Layout during The Children’s Choice Awards.

* Which PuSh shows/ experiences have stayed with you?

I’ve seen so much great stuff at PuSh over the years. I’ve laughed, I’ve been moved, I’ve been shocked. But the moments that have stayed with me are the ones that have come about because of the work that I’ve done with PuSh: making friends with 12 year olds because of Eat the Street, watching the cast of 100% Vancouver become a mini community and hearing Max Wyman say, “This isn’t 100% Vancouver, this is 100% what we want Vancouver to be”, watching the kids burst through the Performance Works doors filled with confidence while the audience cheered them on during the awards ceremony for The Children’s Choice Awards. (see photo above)

* What are you looking forward to at this year’s festival?

Human Library, Sometimes, I Think I Can See You, Still Standing You, Winners and Losers, Hawksley Workman.

* Outside of PuSh what do you (like to) do with your time?

Sleep, drink coffee, go to yoga, eat food, drink wine, go see shows, act in shows.

* What does ‘crossing the line’ mean to you?

It means PuShing (sorry) yourself out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll like what you find there, maybe not, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is the experience.