Ontario Off Stage

Behind The Scenes At Ontario’s Theatres

• Our Annual Meeting—featuring a Forum and Panel Discussion on Diversity, Engagement and Inclusion in Theatre—will be live-blogged on Saturday at 10:30am.  Our panels features Ravi Jain, Yvette Nolan, Soheil Parsa, and Trevor Schwellnus and is facilitated by charles c. smith, Project Lead of Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario
• The conversation about diversity is also taking place at HowlRound, where Carla Stillwell is working to redefine the conversation to move us past buzz words and into meaningful change

Conversations

• At what point does the marketing occur?  Adam Thurman reminds us when the real hard work of marketing takes place on Mission Paradox

From The Wire

• Drayton Entertainment’s newest venue, the Dunfield Theatre Cambridge, was profiled in the Globe and Mail Property Report—a 500-seat theatre that houses administration offices, production, performance space and short-stay residences for actors
• Toronto Arts Council will contribute $500,000 over the next two years to artsVest Toronto.  This matching incentive and sponsorship training program for small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations was developed by Business for the Arts. This matching incentive and sponsorship training program for small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations was developed by Business for the Arts, and will give them the skills training and tools to build relationships with the business community, to identify businesses that are a good fit with their organization, and to cultivate innovative partnerships

Migrations

• Lucy Eveleigh will become the new General Manager of the Toronto Fringe Festival

TO Toasts

• …to all of the 2013 Haroldees, honouring the independent and hard-working spirit of Toronto’s vibrant theatre community, an honour of the highest subversive order
• …to the 2013 MARTY Award winners from the Mississauga Arts Council
• …to the recipients of the Canada Council’s Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Awards, including Professional Theatre Training Program alumnae Donna-Michelle St. Bernard and Sandra Laronde.  The $15,000 annual awards recognize mid-career artists in the seven disciplines and arts practices funded by the Canada Council: writing and publishing, integrated arts, dance, media arts, theatre, visual arts and music
• ...and to the recipients of the 2013 Toronto Theatre Critics Awards

You can also receive news from Theatre Ontario every month by email.  Our archives are online and the May issue is now available.

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Congratulations to Spring 2013 Youth Theatre Training Program Recipients

We are pleased to announce the latest recipients of training grants through Theatre Ontario’s Youth Theatre Training Program (YTTP).  $22,100 was awarded in total among the following recipients:

• 4th Line Theatre (Millbrook) – TEAM Skills Workshops
• Acting Up Stage Company (Toronto) – One Song Glory
• Children’s Peace Theatre (Scarborough) – Youth CAST
• Festival Players of Prince Edward County – Youth Workshops
• Lookup Theatre (Owen Sound) – Grey-Bruce Circus Theatre
• Shadowland Theatre (Norfolk County) – Spirit Youth Workshops
• Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) – Pathways to the Playhouse   

The next application deadline for this program is October 15, 2013.

Read more about Theatre Ontario’s Youth Theatre Training Program on our website.

This programs is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Browsing The Bulletin Board

You are cordially invited to Theatre Ontario’s 2013 Annual General Meeting, followed by refreshments and the Forum and Panel Discussion on Saturday May 25th, 2013 from 10:30am to 1:00pm at Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College Street, Toronto.  charles c. smith will be moderating an engaging dialogue with four dynamic and innovative theatre panelists: Ravi Jain, Yvette Nolan, Soheil Parsa, and Trevor Schwellnus. Our panelists will share their success in nurturing inclusiveness to engage communities, foster collaboration, and develop audiences. Following the forum, there will be an opportunity to address the panelists with specific questions and issues.

Workshops from Theatre Ontario

• Under New Management: Transitioning to the New Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and Ontario’s Not-For-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, with Sarah Farrell, on May 28 at 2:00pm in Toronto – Do you know how the new not-for-profit corporation acts are going to affect your theatre company?  With new laws for both provincially-incorporated and federally-incorporated not-for-profits, theatres may find they need new letters patent, supplementary letters patent, and by-laws, and may have other significant administrative requirements to meet.
• Self-Start: The Basics of Producing, with Tim Chapman, on June 5 at 2:00pm in Toronto – If you want to do a show but have never produced professionally before, and if you want to know what questions to ask first, this session is for you!  Self-Start is a practical seminar facilitated by Tim Chapman, Professional Theatre Coordinator.
• NEW – Smart Marketing, with Cheryl Ewing, on June 15 at 9:30am in Toronto – What do people expect from their night at the theatre?  How can you help them to meet their expectations?  How do you use your existing audience to help you find a new audience?  Our instructor will answer these questions and more.  By guiding you through a review of what you are currently doing, Cheryl will help you adapt your marketing to the new reality – a world where we are increasingly crunched for time, bombarded with messages, and feeling isolated.

Check out all of our upcoming courses and workshops, including business basics, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, our summer courses, and more.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Toronto Arts Council and Tarragon Theatre are hosting a grant writing workshop for playwrights on May 29, registration deadline is May 22
• The Toronto Fringe Festival invites applications for the Next Stage Festival, open to artists who have previously participated in any CAFF member festivals, seeking to move beyond the summer production model and showcase their work to a wider audience; application deadline is May 24
• Puppetmongers Fresh Ideas in Puppetry mini-conference and festival is on May 26
• Aluna Theatre’s next free Aluna Café is on May 27 in Oakville and will explore The Orgy by Colombian playwright Enrique Buenaventura

New on The Bulletin Board

• The Toronto Fringe Festival invites applications to join the 100—a professional development, mentorship, arts immersion and networking opportunity for emerging artists; application deadline is June 6
• Nightwood Theatre in Toronto is holding an Audition Technique Masterclass with Kelly Thornton on June 11 and June 12

Check out these items, and other postings from our members of workshops, calls for submission, funding opportunities, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

ONstage Openings for the week of May 21

In Toronto
May 20, Kim's Convenience at Soulpepper Theatre
May 23, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Cats Mainstage Theatre Company
May 23, Over The River And Through The Woods at East Side Players

In Central Ontario
May 23, Dangerous Obsession at Huntsville Community Theatre Company
May 24, Scenes From A Bathhouse at Talk Is Free Theatre (Barrie) with a preview on May 23
May 24, Wingfield's Inferno at Algonquin Theatre (Huntsville)

In Eastern Ontario
May 24, Fiddler On The Roof at Suzart Productions (Ottawa)
May 24, Suds, the Rocking 60s Musical Soap Opera at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque)

In South Central Ontario
May 24, Steel Magnolias at The Curtain Club (Richmond Hill) with a preview on May 23

In Southwestern Ontario
May 22, Time Stands Still at Theatre Aquarius (Hamilton)
May 24, Arsenic And Old Lace at Theatre Sarnia
May 24, Godspell at Theatre Woodstock
May 24, Calendar Girls at Guelph Little Theatre

For more information on these shows and other theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Festival Finalé

By Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Arriving on Saturday afternoon to catch the end of Festival, you feel like you’re playing catch-up—what’s have I missed, what’s been the source of the most buzz, what’s still to come.

Saturday night featured QUONTA’s representative, Espanola Little Theatre’s production of Looking.  I first heard about Espanola Little Theatre from my friends at Blackhorse Village Players who participated with them in 1997 at Theatre Ontario Festival in Cornwall—the Espanola production of A Woman Without A Name was legendary.  I met many members of the company for the first time in 2000 when I travelled to a QUONTA Festival in North Bay, and at my first Theatre Ontario Festival as a participant with The Curtain Club, we were warmly welcomed with a gift basket from our new friends at Espanola who were performing later that week.  I’ve seen a half dozen of director Walter Maskel’s shows; his attention to detail is one of the qualities that always inspires me as a director.

Looking is a comedy by Norm Foster about four people struggling with relationships—how to start one, whether they really want one, whether they deserve one.  Foster delivers two of his trademarks: good one-liners, and authentic, relatable characters for actors to inhabit.  The company of Jason Morrow, Dario Laurenti, Kathy Carré, and Theresa Laurenti delivered a recognizable and funny portrait of a search for meaningful connection.

At Sunday morning’s adjudication, John P. Kelly and Walter Maskel discussed the subject of abstract expressionism in set design, and how it was applied to Looking.  There is indeed a joy in personal interpretation that comes from abstract work, but there is also a challenge in being too abstract so that no connection is made at all.

John P. also praised the show for its recognition of the power of movement—that of the total of what audiences take in, 60% is visual, 30% is aural, and 10% is emotional.  He also praised the ability to communicate through attention to detail from the first moment of the play—with one character sweating profusely, the other not.  Walter and the team from Espanola were effusive in their praise for the team from the host theatre, Domino Theatre.

The adjudication wrapped up and we all travelled down to the hotel ballroom for the Awards Brunch.  We enjoyed a delicious meal then settled in for the awards presentations.

First, Joe O’Brien of Ottawa was honoured with this year’s Michael Spence Award for Contribution to Community Theatre, and gave heartfelt thanks for being recognized for what he valued so much.

Then, John P was up to praise the participating companies and present his awards.  Theatre Night in Merrickville received three awards, Best Supporting Actor for Peter Crate, and Adjudicator’s Awards for the properties (including the turkey!) and the live musicians.

Theatre Ensemble received four awards: Best Actor for Jeff Bastien’s memorable performance, Adjudicator’s Awards for original music and juvenile (Stage Manager Kyla Chandler), and the Perry Short Award to set designer (Jeff Bastien again) with the grant for a training opportunity for him.

Markham Little Theatre received two awards: Best Supporting Actress to Anne-Maria Hurle, and Best Actress to Michèle Browne—her third Theatre Ontario Festival Best Actress award.

But the big winner was Espanola Little Theatre which took six awards back north—Best Director for Walter Maskel, Best Technical Achievement, Best Visual Presentation, Best Coordinated Production (chosen by Festival Stage Manager Bob Brooks), an Adjudicator’s Award for the best moment of theatre (the vocal choreography at the end of Act One), and the Elsie Award for Best Festival Production.

The full list of nominees is available on the Theatre Ontario website, as is the live-blog of the awards presentation.

The winners posed for photographs, new friends exchanged bittersweet goodbyes, and John L’Heureux of Sarnia extended a warm welcome to come to Sarnia for the next Theatre Ontario Festival.

We’ll see you May 13, 2014.