The Son in My Eyes: Ken Godmere
Ken Godmere opens the chapters of his childhood for one special evening of reading, ‘righting’ and arithmetic.
Ken Godmere (actor, director, teacher, comedian, writer, and father) has recently returned from the depths of a debilitating degenerative brain disease. In fact, he is currently writing a trilogy of plays retracing his steps into, through, and eventually out of a world of mental illness. How has this man—this husband and father of two—been able to adapt and survive with his spirit and sense of humour intact? How did he learn to be positive, productive and progressive in the face of darkness and destruction?
On Tuesday June 15 in a live performance at the National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage, Ken Godmere will share the powerfully positive stories in his memoir, The Son in My Eyes; accompanied by some very close friends including Ottawa’s hardest-working musician, Matt Ouimet; one of the city’s most striking soul singer/songwriters (who cannot be named due to her upcoming concert in the Ottawa Jazz Festival); and, in his debut as Master of Ceremonies, Ken’s 15-year-old son, Andrew Godmere.
Written in 1996, The Son in My Eyes was Godmere’s key to identifying, understanding, and breaking the cycle of abuse he experienced in his childhood. “How can I be a father when I never got the chance to be a son?” This one-night-only event will be filled with hot button subjects and some very cool music. The reading: a gripping, moving, inspiring performance of The Son in My Eyes by this dynamic author and story-teller. The ‘righting’: a powerfully positive atmosphere underscored by strong soul music to affect the possibilities of healing and growth in others. The arithmetic: a tallying of 100% of the net proceeds to be donated directly to The Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa Charitable Foundation.
The Son in My Eyes is, as Ken describes it; the back-story of the man who finds light in the dark; “The Hobbit” to his trilogy of plays on surviving and thriving; and the setup to the premiere of the first of those plays, “It’s Just a Stage” at this year’s Ottawa Fringe Festival.
What: The Son in My Eyes
When: Tuesday June 15, 2010 at 7:30pm
Where: The National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage
Tickets: $20 at the NAC box office
(or through Ticket Master at 613-755-1111)
video courtesy: Jean-François Dufault, JDL Pictures
Tags: charity fundraisers in Ottawa, Ken Godmere, NAC Fourth Stage, Ottawa theatre, The Son in My Eyes
