How to Get the Most out of Your Mentorship

By Mairin Smit, Program Coordinator

On December 5, Theatre Ontario hosted our first “How to Get the Most out of your Mentorship” session for recent Professional Theatre Training Program grant recipients. This event is part of a new initiative to help connect current and past mentees with each other, allowing for shared learning and networking opportunities before, during, and after their mentorship programs. We understand that it can be challenging for mentees to navigate their new work environment, and sometimes the best way to work through those challenges is by connecting with people who have been through the same experience.

This session saw past grant recipients Scott Dermody and Rose Napoli, as well as past mentor Erica Kopyto, Literary Manager at Nightwood Theatre, speak to new grant recipients from the October 1, 2013 deadline about their experiences in the program. After I moderated a facilitated discussion, the group was given the opportunity to ask questions of each other freely, resulting in a lively discussion on topics ranging from what to expect on your first day, how to establish a dialogue with your mentor, and how to deal with changes to your training plan. Not only did this provide new mentees with insight into some of the successes and challenges they may face during their mentorship, but also provided past mentees with an important opportunity to reflect on their experiences and share their learning with others.

Moving forward from the success of this event, Theatre Ontario will be hosting a variety of Professional Theatre Training Program “Learning Circles” to provide more opportunities for grant recipients to connect with each other and share their experiences. We’ll keep you posted on these events as they are scheduled in the New Year. In the meantime, we want to thank Scott, Rose, and Erica for sharing their stories, and once again want to congratulate all our new grant recipients!

Read below to see how some of those who attended “How to Get the Most out of Your Mentorship” benefitted from the event:

"From the onset, Theatre Ontario has been a real supportive ASO and convener. I really appreciated the opportunity to meet fellow PTTP 2013/14 interns and to have both a facilitated and an informal conversation with current interns and mentee. I am looking forward to the opportunity to foster and deepen our collective experience and to form new connections within the theatre, dance and live arts across Ontario.”

- Coman Poon, Mentoring in Artistic Producing with Erika Hennebury at Public Recordings Performance Projects

“Meeting with past PTTP grant recipients and mentors allowed me to ask questions about the process of mentorship and to see first-hand the confidence and professional skills developed during this process. I very much enjoyed meeting the other current grant recipients; connecting with other developing professionals who are passionate about their work is invaluable.”

- Crystal Jonasson, Mentoring in Producing with Claire Calnan at the Hamilton Fringe Festival

 "The chance to assemble and hear about the work of my PTTP peers was very inspiring.  Our theatre world is so connected that I was able to draw from the experiences of other recipients and colleagues and filter that into my own work.  Self-reflection is important but collective reflection is highly motivational. Thank you Theatre Ontario"

- Rose Napoli, Mentored in Literary Management/New Play Development with Erica Kopyto at Nightwood Theatre

Find out more about the most recent PTTP recipients

Read more about Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program