Holmes’ parking mate

Actress gets the good spots with compact Yaris

My Drive by Heather Buchan

Published: December 08, 2009 9:04 p.m.

Last modified: December 08, 2009 9:11 p.m.

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Jessica Holmes recently battled the H1N1 virus, but thankfully got over it just in time for her performance as the good fairy of Sherwood Forest in the holiday run of Ross Petty’s latest show, Robin Hood: the EnvironMental Family Musical, at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre.

“I had to miss a couple of rehearsals, which put a little kink into things,” says the 36-year-old comedian and actress. “But (the musical) is just the most exciting thing I’ve ever done. I’m having the time of my life.”

Best known for her work with the Royal Canadian Air Farce, Holmes’ life has shifted into high gear in the past couple of years. Not only is she doing more and more theatre, but she’s also in the midst of writing a book. “It’s due to my publisher at the end of January. It’s definitely crunch time,” she says.

Oh yes, and Holmes and her husband, actor Scott Yaphe are raising two young kids, a three-year-old girl and a one-year-old boy. “My life is completely full,” she says during a brief rehearsal break.

Because of her increasingly frenetic life, the Ottawa-native, whose first love is stand-up comedy, needs a reliable and compact car to scoot herself and her family around Toronto. So this year she bought a 2009 Toyota Yaris. “I chose it because I’m a bad parker and it’s the shortest car I’ve ever seen,” she explains. “But it’s a tall car, so it still feels like there’s a lot of space. Honestly, I get all the good parking spots!”

Although she says she’s not concerned with luxury vehicles — “I just want to get from point A to point B” — she does reveal how in high school, she coveted a forest green Jaguar. “I told my high-school boyfriend that if he wanted to make me the happiest woman in the world when we grew up, he would buy it for me,” she says, then adds. Well, they grew up, but the relationship didn’t last. “So if my husband is reading this, he should buy it for me,” she says with a laugh.

Robin Hood: The EnvironMental Family Musical runs until Jan. 3.

– Heather Buchan is a Toronto-based journalist who has worked at Homemakers, Canadian Living, Canadian House & Home and, most recently, Hello! Canada, where she cut her teeth in the world of celebrities.

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