thespian86

Holy Moly TFPer's. I just got into George Brown College in Toronto. One of the best private acting colleges in Canada.

So here is the thing. I don't know anything about big city life. I don't know anything about anything really; for god sakes I saw my first drag queen not to long ago. I've traveled a bit, and when staying in big cities I tend not to leave my small stomping ground. Wow... I still don't know what to say. But I'm looking for advice involving A) Large Cities, and B) Toronto in general. I've been in a couple of cut throat companies/programs but nothing this exclusive. C) Not being eaten alive advice please. Wow... what a day.

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Cynthetiq

congrats

learn how to budget your money and time.
there's lots to do in the cities... and usually they cost time, money, or both

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lotsofmagnets

congrats +1. i find out in a few weeks yet :s

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The_Jazz

Wearing hamburger underwear near hungry dogs is a bad idea.

Seriously, congratulations. I have no Toronto-specific advice to offer, but having lived in rural, urban and suburban areas, I can tell you that people are pretty much the same no matter where you go. Some are great, some are assholes and some you never really get to know. Find some friends and enjoy yourself!

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Willravel

Fantastic news!

Big city advice:
- learn public transportation and the highway system
- map multiple routes to places
- go hunting for all the shops and stores you need ahead of time (grocery, gas stations, clothing, etc.) I'd also suggest price shopping, too. Sometimes things are more expensive in larger cities.
- Locate fun places where you can blow off steam (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g...Vacations.html)

Baraka_Guru

Congrats. One of the first things you'll have to do is come to one of aberkok's gigs. What better way to immerse yourself in the big city than with a night of jazz?

Oh, and here's a tip: Jump into the Queen West scene. That will learn ya fast enough.

Other than that, it all depends on what you're looking for. Toronto has a great mix of things. You can experience pretty much a little bit of everything. It will be a lot to take in at once, so just take your time.

I will post more later.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Bear Cub

I call dibs on the first autograph when you hit it big, so I can sell it on e-bay. 8x10, please.

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dlish

go out..experience the city..and most importantly, have fun!

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thespian86

Yeah, it's in the Distillery District which is perhaps one of my favorite parts of T.O. I spend most of my time between Bloor and Front when I'm there (N and S) and Parliment and Bathurst (East and West) which is pretty much "tourist's downtown". I'm always up for some jazz so that's cool. I know my way around the basic areas of the city and I have a few friends there already as well as many different peers who already have tons of work who are going to hook me up and get me some connections; I get to meet Andrew Lloyd Webber after the first week I'm there!!!! (I kind of hate his musicals but holy shit, it's andrew lloyd fucking webber; a friend of mine Caleb got his show The Boys in The Photograph which is opening in TO next year). I have already turned down an agent since I started because of different reasons so I'm looking for a solid one. Classes outside of my already extremely intensive six day a week class schedule have been booked this morning (ie private acting, voice coaching, etc).

Man... I'm so overwhelmed but it's like a dream come true.

hahahaha done.

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

Leto

Congratulations!!!! well done. George Brown. Wow. You must be in 7th heaven. They are pretty well known for their cooking programme as well. Are you going to the King Street location? That's near the distillery district.

My son just got accepted into Ryerson's Bio-medical engineering programme. That's just up the street from you. So I am basically helping him to explore his options.

The only difference being that we used to live in Cabbagetown and so are fairly familiar with the area. He currently goes to Jarvis Collegiate, so he hangs around downtown a lot.

Like earlier stated, getting involved with the Queen West West scene is a good way to pass your entertainment hours. But don't be lulled, your work load and new peer group is going to be a priority.

There's so much to do .... especially if you aren't a tourist and take the time to explore the city. For example, the best bagels are at Bagel City (don't be fooled by St Urbain's offering at the St Lawrence Market -- make the trek to Bayview and Laird). Find the best falafel, or shawarma, or sushi, brew pub... you're going to love living the life.

Where are you going to live? Where are you coming from?

thespian86

Coming from Fredericton NB. I'm not sure yet. There is a place I was just offered by a friend who just got a spot on a show in the states, way on the other side of downtown on the north end of Bathurst near Randolph Academy of The Performing Arts.

It's close to King, it's on Mills, a couple of streets south; it's literally inside of the gates of the district, red brick and cobblestones and all.

I love a good bagel, but coffee is a must. What is this "Queen West" you speak of? Artsy?

I have so many questions. I have literally been dreaming of this for years; I so desperately needed a new city to devour.

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

Leto

queen West starts at University avenue, on Queen. Technically it starts at Yonge & Queen and you move west along Queen, but the artsy area begins after University. This is an area that was fairly low rent and bohemian until Much Music moved there from Queen East. Now it is an entertainment mecca and very trendy, So much so that the new cool area is Queen West West, or West Queen West or WQW.. that is the area along Queen that is West of Spadina or even Bathurst.

Are you confused yet? Soon, the cool part of town will be in Mississauga!

here's a quicky over : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Street_West


It will make Fredericton look quaint. I spent many months working at NB Power, downtown Frederiction.... nice place.

snowy

On the coffee note: get a good travel mug that seals, if you haven't already, that you can stow in a man-bag or backpack as necessary. Scout out the coffee shops around your college that offer discounts for using your own cup.

I also really recommend getting some kind of reusable water container (I'm not afraid of BPA, so I still use a hot pink Nalgene) that can go in your backpack/man-bag.

If you're going to use public transportation a lot, find out if your college offers discounts on passes.

And yes, if you haven't got one already, you're going to want a good backpack/man-bag. I have a Timbuktu backpack complete with laptop sleeve and myriad pockets for all of my assorted student paraphernalia--pencils, iPod, cell phone, Clif bars, books, etc.

Invest in a good planner that works for you--be it a PDA or an old-fashioned wall calendar or a whiteboard calendar or a pocket planner. Whatever. I use a combo of a pocket planner and a whiteboard calendar on my wall.

Good luck!

__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

thespian86

Thanks for the information. Yeah, Freddy is a beautiful town. But small. I've passed through QWest before but didn't take much in. I'm all about the Boho feel.

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

Charlatan

First off... Congrats! I am totally jealous. I'd love to a) go back to school and b) go to theatre school.

The George Brown program, from all of read, is excellent. And I hear their new facilities in the Distillery District are first rate (they are a co-venture with the theatre group Soul Pepper and Soul Pepper does excellent work).

From Freddy Beach to The Big Smoke... just don't end up like those guys in Going Down the Road.

There are a ton of things to do in Toronto and the theatre scene is excellent (not to mention the music, arts, film, etc.). As an artist you will be in heaven. I would suggest you start reading Toronto blogs like The Torontoist and BlogTO to get a feel for some of the things that are happening around town.

As for the apartment, if your friend is living close to the Randolph Academy that is located in the Annex. The Annex is a great location. It is full of UofT students and has a laid back vibe. If you are looking for "boho" this is the place to be (though there are other places too). You are also right on the Bloor subway line and the Bathurst Street car line. You can pretty much get anywhere in the city with little effort.

Good luck!

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- Old Man Luedecke

fresnelly

Congrats! The new Young Centre for the Performing Arts that you get to take advantage of is wonderful and the Distillery Distric and King East area you're in offers alot. The connection you'll have with Soulpepper and all the other companies that present there make for a fantastic opportunity. You should be really proud of getting in.

I used to work there as a stagetech and lighting guy and a lot of my friends still do so I know it well.

As for the rest of the city, you sound like your getting the hang of it. No doubt there'll be some locals in your class that will make fine ambassadors to the city and can find the scene that's right for you. Just don't forget the island. Once past the demoralizing ferry terminal, it's a wonderful respite.

And Baraka is right. Aberkok's gigs are most excellent.

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spindles

I'm in the wrong hemisphere to give Toronto advice, but I well remember moving from a country town with a population of 300ish to Sydney (population around 4 million).

There are lots of things to see in any big city and they don't have to cost an arm and a leg. I used to spend my weekends just walking around look at 'stuff' (just wandering through the city looking at tall buildings or walking along the harbour foreshore or through the backstreets of suburb X). Money was tight and I made extensive use of public transport.

Good luck with the move.

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thespian86

The connection to Soulpepper is almost overwhelming. Plus leaving with a certificate means almost instant consideration from pretty much any school. I'm hoping this will serve as both great training and a stonecutters badge of sorts. The YCFPA is also overwhelming. It's like someone sat down a few years ago and said "Taylor is about to discover theatre, fall in love and he'll want this" and then built it. The staff is intimidating, some of my peers already have serious work under their belts... I am really proud. It completely validates my choice to follow something that seemed very unlikely coming out of high school. It's like someone gave me thumbs up to pursue what I love.

Thanks for the help and words of encouragement everyone. Like any other actor my ego is endlessly starving for it's next meal. But these tips, like the blogs, areas of interest, etc are all unbelievably helpful.

I've been memorizing the TTC lines north and south all day, buses run east and west, yes? I can't wait to live in a walking city. Everything in freddy is so distant from everything else.

Please keep going. I could read your advice all day long guys.

EDIT: Holy shit, Margaret Atwood lived in The Annex. Sold ahahaha.

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

blahblah454

Congrats man!! Thats awesome!

I would go with Cynthetiq's advice. Budgeting is pretty hard to do in a city, as well as a social environment like school.

Baraka_Guru

Oh, and in addition to those blogs, regularly check out Open Book Toronto for the literary happenings. There's an events page. Books are the underdogs classified under the "etc.," but there are many good things being published and read in this city. Many readings, launches, festivals, and conferences. There is nothing better than a night of celebrating books and beer in a nice pub. Our press just had an awesome poetry launch last week. Word on the Street every September is one of the best times to check out books. Oh, and U of T always has ridiculous book sales every year too--as in, you will be brining home a box full. Oh, and BMV in the Annex is a large two-storey used bookstore; it's to die for! Oh, and Pages on Queen West is arguably the best bookstore in the city. They're good to us small presses, anyway.

Most major streets have 24-hour service. It will be a streetcar or bus, depending on the street. (Buses run every direction; it all depends on the street.) The subway runs along Bloor, Yonge, and University but stops running around 1 or 2 a.m. Access to the TTC* is generally not a problem if you live downtown. Even after the subway stops running, there's always the Blue Night (aka "The Vomit Comet") that runs on major streets, such as Yonge.

And walking cities do rock. I walk at least 45 minutes a day even though I take the TTC to and from work. For example, I walk along Queen West between Spadina and University.

*Generally what we refer to as the TTC means the whole system: subway, buses, streetcars.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

jewels

You said it. Congrats

Big city? Be careful, stay safe. The rest, I think you just learn along the way. Kinda like going to a new school.

Enjoy!

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pig

Hey - congrats pmf. I'm practically useless on Toronto tips.

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Martian

I don't know a whole lot about Toronto. I will say that you'll probably love the mass transit - Toronto's is the best I've seen anywhere.

I also second Baraka_Guru's recommendation of going to see one of aberkok's shows some time and I'll up the ante on that by suggesting our Toronto musicians all need to get together and jam some time.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

snowy

I demand that there needs to be some kind of recording of such an event should it take place--be it pictures, video, or sound clips.

__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Leto

I walk around TO all the time. From the Annex to Distillery may take a while, but it definitely wouldn't be boring. Maybe a 40 minute hike. You can stroll vast distances protected by the elements as well. In the winter you may find this to be helpful. There are many buildings that are interconnected indoors, underground or by subway. I have managed to walk 90% of the route from Bay & Wellesley to Mt Sinai Hospital indoors just by exploring the underground hallway connections.

The entire downtown core is connected to the subterranean PATH system, complete with maps


linky:

http://www.toronto.ca/path/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(Toronto)


and will get you from the bus station, through the Eaton Centre, all the way down to the train station, and even the skydome without going outside.

e.g.: According to Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex with 27 km (16 miles) of shopping arcades. It has 371,600 sq. metres (4 million sq. ft) of retail space. In fact, the retail space connected to PATH rivals the West Edmonton Mall in size.

It may not be bohemian, but it is warm in the winter, cool in the summer crowded with activity, and there's lots of restaurants/bars in the system.

thespian86

I'm not some Artsy elitist. I'm all for any type of new experience so Path sounds wicked.

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

Martian

PATH is evil. It's an underground labyrinth, and I got lost in it for an hour the last time I tried to find my way to Union unaccompanied.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Charlatan

Back in University I did film of the PATH that is used when doing a presentation on malls for a corse called, post-modernism and art. PATH is pretty souless.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

smoore

re C:

Dress poor until you get a feel for the place. Seriously. Shabby clothing, cheap watch, no jewelry.

Walk with your head up but avoid direct eye contact. Don't look like a victim and you won't be a victim.

Unrelated but relevant: Tip well but not over the top. 20% is my baseline.

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smoore

Turtleboy

Congrats

l3ond

First of all congrats, secondly now you are at acting college use your time in the big city as a social experiment to further your acting abilities. Learning to adapt to new environments and social situations is a pre-requisite to fine acting I believe.

A wise man once told me there's a time and place for everything and thats college !

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Trouble for some.

Waste some time here.

Sion

It's an acting school, right?

Act like you belong...

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I jus' want ta thank you...falettinme...be mice elf...agin...

thespian86

Great advice, and I couldn't agree with you more. A big part of what I need to do over the next couple years is simply experience life.

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

thespian86

So I'm in town from the 20th to the 26th. First thing that comes to mind is Aberkok's jazz? other then that, any thing going on during that time period? What must i check out?

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

Leto

It's hard to say. I mean, it's difficult to narrow it down to any one event. If you take a look at one of the websites such as:

http://www.toronto.com/

You can find out what is planned. It's a pretty busy site, but if you poke through it you can find something. You may be in time for the Beaches Jazz Festival.

- Luminato starts this week, but will be over by the 20th.
- the Toronto Jazz festival will be on (not the Beaches which is bigger)
- the Big Festival is a multi location Street fair, it will be on
- Harbourfront will have the a French culture festival on the 21s (Franco Fete)
- oh yes, you will be here during Pride Week. It's big. All the usual festivities with the Dyke march & Pride Parade on the 28 & 29th.
- Dragon Boat festival on the 21st
- Ribfest starting on the 27th
- Portuguese Film Festival starting on the 26th
- Sensoria at Yonge dundas Square (near the Eaton Centre) an international French culture festival on June 20 - 22
- outdoor cinema also at Dundas square, every Tuesday night starting on the 24th (Dundas Square is surrounded by huge TV screens on all the surrounding buildings see: http://www.ydsquare.ca/ )

Dundas Square:



Another website to try is Eye magazine:

http://www.eyeweekly.com/

it is less corporate than the above site, so offers a parallax view on happenings, and is also edgier/more interesting.

Hope this helps!

coolsfguy1

I agree with Cynthetiq...be very conscientious of your budget. When your moving into a new area and trying to adjust/fit in, it can be very costly. Trust me, it's better to be bored with money in your pocket then broke with too much time on your hands. Try to find the spots the locals go to, they tend to be cheaper.

Martian

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Leto

gotta love SCTV!

Charlatan

Oddly enough, my introduction to Going Down the Road was through the SCTV spoof... The SCTV sketch made a lot more sense once I'd seen the original film though.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

thespian86

I'm actually hoping to go see the current SC show. Anyone see it, is it any good?

__________________
EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.