How To Become a Diva

Easy steps to become a Diva.

The title of *How To Become a Diva* may drum up images of feather boas and histrionic tantrums, but Terri Catlin eschews these elements for a surprisingly honest one-woman autobiographical performance.

In fact, Terri appeared surprisingly professional and down to earth when she took the stage in a modest blazer, not at all the diva I had expected to arrive with a flourish.

Instead the title stems from a throwaway comment made by a close friend, a term which terrified Catlin and inspired her to look back upon the events of her life that shaped her into the so-called diva she’d become. As with any solo performance the narrative endures its energetic ups and downs, but a well crafted script offers enough clever turns of phrase and frank emotion to keep the audience engaged straight through. With all the quarter-life crises in this year’s Fringe, it was comforting to see a perspective which had endured the trials and tribulations and come out with a firm – and heartening – resolution.

_How To Become a Diva continues until July 12th as part of this year's Toronto Fringe Festival. For more information including showtimes why not sashay this "way":http://www.fringetoronto.com/fringe09/indoorBYOV_listings.html#H or you could try "here":http://www.terricatlin.com/Terri_Catlin/About_My_Show.html if you prefer._

By Ryan West