Monday 29 February 2016

ONstage Openings for the week of February 29

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Eastern Ontario

Mar. 2, They Won’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! at Algonquin College (Ottawa)
Mar. 3, Butcher at Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa), with previews from Mar. 1 
Mar. 4, A Chorus Line at Orpheus Musical Theatre Society (Ottawa) 

ONstage Opening in Manitoulin
Huff from Native Earth Performing Arts
Cliff Cardinal
Photo by Akipari

In Northeastern Ontario

Mar. 2, Frozen at Sault Theatre Workshop (Sault Ste. Marie)
Mar. 3, Blood Relations at Thorneloe University (Sudbury) 
Mar. 3, Huff from Native Earth Performing Arts (touring in Manitoulin) 
Mar. 4, The Romeo Initiative at Sudbury Theatre Centre, with preview on Mar. 3

In Northwestern Ontario

Mar. 3, Venus in Fur at Magnus Theatre (Thunder Bay), with previews from Feb. 29 

In Southwestern Ontario

Mar. 4, If I Were You at Theatre Aquarius (Hamilton), with previews from Mar. 2

In Toronto

Mar. 2, Blood Wedding at Soulpepper Theatre, in previews
Mar. 3, Goodnight Moon at Young People's Theatre, with previews from Feb. 29
Mar. 3, Jitters at Soulpepper Theatre, in previews
Mar. 3, Pyaasa at Theatre Passe Muraille, in previews
ONstage Now Playing in Cobourg
The Secret Garden at Northumberland Players
Mar. 3, The Shadow of a Gunman at Toronto Irish Players
Mar. 4, 1949 at Scarborough Players
Mar. 4, Choreographic Works at Ryerson Theatre School
Mar. 5, Gertrude and Alice at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, in previews
Mar. 5, The Just at Soulpepper Theatre, in previews


For all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website

Friday 26 February 2016

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters


Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres


Migrations


TO Toasts


In Case You Missed It

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops. 

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • Deadline for applications for the Voice Intensive in Toronto is February 28.
  • The Indie X from the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, in association with PACT and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, is running on February 28.
  • Work in Culture’s BizSmARTS webinar series begins February 29 on planning, crowdfunding, financial management, and social media.
  • Deadline for nominations for the Business for the Arts Awards is February 29.
  • Deadline for applications for Ontario Arts Council grants for Artists in the Community/Workplace, Arts Education Projects, Arts Service Projects, and Compass is March 1.
  • Deadline for applications for Canada Council grants for Project Grants to Service Organizations, Artists and Community Collaboration in Theatre, Theatre Production Projects for Established Artists, and Theatre Production Projects for Emerging Artists is March 1.

New on The Bulletin Board

  • Theatre 3x60 is offering a free 10-week creative training and performance experience for Durham youth and young adults (14 to 21.)  Applications are due on March 11.
  • Nightwood Theatre is holding a playwriting intensive “Writer’s Ink” with Maja Ardal, starting March 20 in Toronto.
  • Registrations are now open for PLAY! A Symposium at the World Festival of Children’s Theatre, running June 10 to 12 in Stratford.
Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions and job postings on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 23 February 2016

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

With our next application deadline one week away, we look back a month to two projects that were just kicking-off, and  participants looking at the training goals ahead for them.

Dan Watson is training in artistic direction with Franco Boni at The Theatre Centre


(January 15, 2016) So I’m excited. For the next six weeks I get to spend time exploring Artistic Directing under the mentorship of Franco Boni at The Theatre Centre. It feels like a rare opportunity to have time and space to learn, to reflect, to plan, and I’m super grateful to Theatre Ontario and their support through the PTTP program.

For the past 10 years I’ve been producing theatre and arts events across the province. I have no formal training in arts administration, having learned on my feet out of necessity. I actually think this is the best way to learn (at least it is for me). To learn by doing on my feet, in the grind, meeting challenges as they come. But now I feel I am at a place in my career where I need to learn from others, and build my knowledge and skills. Why? Because my resources don’t match my goals. That includes not only skills and knowledge but the number and quality of the partnerships I am building. I can’t do it on my own, and nor do I want to. I’m sure many independent producers can relate to the feeling of having the majority of the workload fall on their willing shoulders. It’s challenging, exciting and sometimes overwhelming, but we do it because we love it and we believe in the work. This professional development is a much needed time for me to take stock of what I have, to meet, learn, imagine, build and create a path forward.

So under Franco’s mentorship I will do just that. My mentorship and learning will be framed by the goal of creating a long term strategic plan for Edge of the Woods Theatre. This is an organization that I founded in my home town of Huntsville, Ontario. Since 2009, we have been actively creating and presenting theatrical work across the Muskoka/Parry Sound region including outdoor events and festivals (Nuit Blanche North, Edge of the Woods Traveling Festival), community engaged arts projects and physical theatre performances presented in traditional spaces. We have enjoyed a great deal of success, but we are now at a point in time where we need to develop more avenues of support, both financially, artistically and through partnerships, not only to sustain but to build on our work. Over the next two months I will research and learn about a number of approaches to strategic planning, resource and partnership development which will not only develop my personal skills but also benefit Edge of the Woods. My activities will include personal research as well as meetings and discussions with lots of brilliant people across Ontario all with the end goal of creating a strategic plan that will help me more effectively communicate vision and goals of Edge of the Woods Theatre, and identify and obtain the resources to achieve them.

So I’m excited. Excited to come out of this experience not only with new skills and knowledge but a path forward in my work. I’m excited about the people I get to meet and talk with, and the discussions we will have. I’m excited about traveling across Ontario, to see the places and work of such brilliant artists doing such brilliant work. And I’m excited to work with Franco, to deepen our relationship and to have such a valuable window into the imagination, knowledge and perspective of such a wonderful mentor and Artistic Director who has had such a huge impact on theatre across the country.

Let’s do this!

Jessica Lea Fleming is training in artistic producing and programming with Tanja Dixon-Warren and Margo Kane at Full Circle First Nations Performance’s Talking Stick Festival


(January 22, 2016) In a few short days I will land in Vancouver to begin my mentorship with Margo Kane (Artistic Managing Director) and Tanja Dixon-Warren (Managing Producer) of Full Circle’s Talking Stick Festival. I have been approved for an 11-week mentorship in Artistic Producing and Programming and I couldn’t be more grateful for this amazing opportunity! While I am looking forward to this adventure, I must admit that I’ve been wrestling with the sneaky voice of doubt, niggling its way into my brain: “What if I’m not cut out for the work!?” “What if we don’t get along!?” “What if I am forced to do yoga on a kayak at 5:30am each day because nobody likes drinking wine and watching movies at 1am on a Monday!?!?”

I’m sure I’m not alone in my pre-mentorship nerves, however I do feel there is some legitimacy to my anxiety-induced nail-biting in that I will be out of my element in so many respects: new job, new city, new climate, new roommate! That’s a lot of unknown variables to juggle, especially for a homebody like yours truly. 

My usual gig, working as the Weesageechak Festival Producer for Native Earth Performing Arts (NEPA), is in many ways my dream job. It should be, I kinda created it. This most recent 28th Weesageechak Festival marked the first year the festival had a dedicated staff person in the role of producer. In response to the continuous growth in programming, Ryan Cunningham (NEPA Artistic Director), Isaac Thomas (NEPA Managing Director) and I determined it might be time for someone to take the reigns. I was suited to the work, and up for the challenge, so Wees became my baby. It was an incredible experience to develop systems and procedures that ultimately meant a smoother festival and happier team, both on and off stage. That being said, there is still so much to learn and so much to improve upon. I am already eager to get going on Weesageechak 29!

It is my hope that spending time in Vancity, working on one of the biggest and boldest Indigenous Performing Arts Festivals on Turtle Island, will be as educational as it is rewarding. There are so many brilliant Indigenous artists creating right now; claiming space and voice through their work. I’m honoured to be a guest on unceded Coast Salish land, and thrilled to see what the west coast peoples have to share!

All this to say, the excitement and enthusiasm outweigh the worry… I think.

-Jessica Lea Fleming (Metis), Associate Artistic Producer and Programmer, Talking Stick Festival, Vancouver, B.C.

The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is March 1, 2016.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Monday 22 February 2016

ONstage Openings for the week of February 22

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Toronto

Feb. 22, Grey Gardens at Acting Up Stage Company (currently in previews)
Feb. 26, Boeing Boeing at Hart House Theatre
Feb. 26, Foxfinder at Bloor West Village Players

In Central Ontario

Feb. 26, The Secret Garden at Northumberland Players (Cobourg)

In Eastern Ontario

Feb. 23, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at Ottawa Little Theatre
Feb. 24, Ghost of the Tree at Bottle Tree Productions (Kingston) 
Feb. 26, BOOM at National Arts Centre—English Theatre (Ottawa), with previews from Feb. 24
Feb. 26, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. at Mississippi Mudds of Carleton Place

In Northeastern Ontario

Feb. 24, The Long Weekend at Gateway Theatre Guild (North Bay)
ONstage Opening in South Central Ontario
Pericles, Prince of Tyre at Theatre Erindale in Mississauga
Spencer Bennet, Caleb Harwood, Emily Thorne,
Victoria Dennis, Hershel Blatt, Jack Comerford
Feb. 26, Evening of Murder at Espanola Little Theatre

In South Central Ontario

Feb. 25, Sexy Laundry at Theatre Aurora
Feb. 26, Pericles, Prince of Tyre at Theatre Erindale (Mississauga), with a preview on Feb. 25
Feb. 26, Plays in Cafes at Shadowpath Theatre Productions (Richmond Hill / Markham) 


For all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website

Friday 19 February 2016

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

Toronto Represent, from #CdnCult Times on SpiderWebShow
Photo by Sarah Renton, taken at SummerWorks 2015

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres


In Case You Missed It

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

Thursday 18 February 2016

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

It’s less than two weeks until our next application deadline—and this issue features three reflections on projects as they finish.


Jasmine Chen trained in outreach with Marjorie Chan at Cahoots Theatre

(January 21, 2016)  First, I would like to express my tremendous gratitude to Theatre Ontario for making my mentorship possible. Secondly, I need to thank my tireless mentor Marjorie Chan for sharing her passion for outreach with me and treating me as if I was a co-collaborator. The past year of mentorship has grown out of trust and mutual respect. I would also be remiss if I did not thank Kate Ann Vandermeer (GM of Cahoots Theatre) for offering her support and sharing her knowledge throughout the process.

Over a year ago, Marjorie and I sat down and began planning an outreach program. We discussed the kind of workshops we wanted to offer, the types of facilitators we were looking for, who we wanted to serve and our goals for the program. There were so many considerations that had to be factored in! Once we had worked out all the nuts and bolts of the program, it came time to find our personnel. As I said in my very first report, outreach is personal. It was crucial that we found the right people to facilitate our workshops. Outreach is about empowerment, and we needed to find the kind of people who could connect with our participants and inspire them to take risks. We struck gold with our co-facilitators Gein Wong and Catherine McKinnon, who together were able to create a fun and inclusive environment that enabled our participants to share their stories proudly. Our program became a mini community and we still communicate via Facebook! The greatest satisfaction in pursuing outreach is meeting the participants and seeing them grow through the process. Back in October, a team of us met and spent several hours deliberating and finally selected our six participants. As a small program, we wanted to make sure we selected individuals who we felt could most benefit from the program. After some tough calls, we had our six. Spending time with these individuals and getting to know them was a thrill! It was incredible to be in the room, participating in the workshops that we had spent a year planning. It’s hard for me to adequately describe how fulfilling that was.

Marjorie and I are already planning the next Crossing Gibraltar. I realized after my Theatre Ontario Professional Theatre Training Program was officially over that I had only just scratched the surface when it came to learning about outreach. Outreach is so specific to the community you are serving. To really learn about it, one must be able to plan for different communities and tailor programs to their needs. By comparing experiences, my hope is to gain insight into the greater challenge of connecting and engaging with diverse communities.

Related Reading:

Mary Elizabeth Willcott trained in directing with Kelly Thornton at Nightwood Theatre

(December 28, 2015)  With the curtain now closed on a very successful workshop run of Unholy, I find myself smiling as I reflect on the amazing few months we all had putting the production together. What started for me as a nerve-racking dive into the unknown world of being an assistant director, eventually ended up being a highly fulfilling learning opportunity. I know I have everyone involved to thank for that too. Theatre Ontario, Kelly Thornton’s unbelievable patience and guidance throughout the process was key to this experience’s success. Working with Diane Flacks and the courage she displayed in allowing her work to be re-jigged and looked over and adjusted frequently was a very inspiring process to witness and be a part of. All would be for naught in the end, were it not for our amazing cast and crew. This room of people not only came in ready to play and explore but the support and respect and teamwork I saw throughout the cast reminded me why I love the theatre so much.

Of the many things I learned, the first amongst them was how important it is to have the right people if you are working on a new script. The play is like a wheel and all the people involved are spokes, and if one doesn’t fit the wheel will not turn smoothly. We were so fortunate to have such great people involved that this wasn’t an issue. Putting on a workshop production that was intended, from the start, to be more than just actors in front of some music stands, was an ambitious challenge. With three weeks to put up a full production with lights, sounds, and costumes, plus full cast rehearsals and the added challenge of a constantly changing and growing script, it simply wouldn’t have happened unless everyone was well organized and on board with putting some hard work in.

One of the best lessons I received through working with Kelly was how to manage the room. People were inquisitive and playful thanks to the tone set by Kelly’s energy and openness to suggestion. I think what impressed me the most was the fact that even though she encouraged playfulness and exploration, her poise and confidence kept everyone on track and focused on the work, so things never got out of hand. Her openness was especially helpful during the table read stage. We were encouraged to share stories from our own past that related to the play’s theme of 'should women abandon religion?' In doing so we were not only giving a vast pool of diverse experiences to draw from, but were also drawn closer, right from the get go, through sharing our experiences. It also allowed us to bring up more questions and to dive deeper into Unholy, something that helped improve the play’s development dramatically.

Finding my own voice and language in the room is important and is something I’m still continuing to develop. From day one there was an expectation from Kelly of the language we would use to help create the world we were trying to build. This really helped when it came to having the cast get on their feet and try new things, it was also helpful for me to use this language when relating information back to the cast, in response to their questions about the production.

Another skill I saw in action, and began to develop within myself as a result, is the importance of letting artists make their own choices and discoveries in their own time, and not to simply just give them the answer. I got to see this first hand from Kelly and Diane, both of whom carefully navigated the language they used, in order to let them figure out the answer in their own time. Having only ever seen it from the actor’s perspective before this, it was very eye opening.

Once the cast was up on their feet, I got to see the important relationship between writer and director. Diane and Kelly have a great dynamic, they are focused and work very hard but can lighten the room in a moment by throwing in a joke or doing some strange impression. With the heaviness of the subject matter it was great to have the comedic relief, yet another element I learned the value of. The two of them would constantly consult and ask for each other’s input. This respect and creative rapport was not only beneficial to them, but also extending into the design team.

The value of a strong work ethic is something else I picked up from Kelly. Once we got into tech week and the days leading up to the show, Kelly was constantly in meetings with her tech team. Her steadfast work ethic helped all the technical components come together beautifully. She reminded me of the importance of time management and dogged determination. What I also saw in action was the trust Kelly has in her team. She really loves seeing the different options the artist has come up with when it comes to design. Watching Kelly and Bonnie (our lighting designer) play with the lighting was a particularly great example of collaboration.

Above all, this experience has shown me that I can do this and that I have good instincts when it comes to directing. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. I know I have a long way to go before I get a real shot at directing something, but thanks to PTTP and Kelly I am now so much more confident in my own instincts and experience. The value of the lessons I have learned while working on Unholy are incalculable. This was just a taste of what it takes to succeed, but with time and the guidance of amazing women like Kelly, I know that it is just a matter of time before it will be my turn to lead and guide a room of amazingly talented people and together create something worth watching.

(Unholy Written by: Diane Flack, Directed by: Kelly Thornton. Cast: Pat Hamilton,Melee Hutton, Niki Landau, Bahareh Yaraghi, Blair Williams. Creative: Lindsay C Walker (Set and Costume Design), Richard Feren (Music and Sound Design), Bonnie Beecher (Lighting Designer), Melissa Convery (Stage Manager), Jacqueline Costa (Production Manager), Mary-Elizabeth Willcott (Assistant Director)

Related Reading:

Michela Sisti trained in directing with Ross Manson at Volcano Theatre

(January 29, 2016)  I had wanted to work with Director Ross Manson on Volcano Theatre’s production of Century Song so that I could learn more about creating interdisciplinary theatre. Over the last few months I learned things I hadn’t imagined I would learn when I first applied for my PTTP grant. I discovered how mind-blowingly incredible babies are and began to understand, a little better, the bravery of parents. I learned that excellent stage managers like Emile Aubin are like musicians who use light and projections as their instruments and who breathe with their performers on stage. I somehow found myself collaborating on creating an interactive website for Century Song – I still don’t know how that happened. (And it still excites me – check it out.)

Working on a piece of interdisciplinary theatre can at times seem like reaching your hands into a pool as enormous as life and trying to shape the water. Century Song contained so many ideas, drew on the skills of so many different artists, and had emerged out the complex experiences of Neema Bickersteth, its central performer. With all of these elements swirling about, how do you find clarity in the work?

I wasn’t present for most of Century Song’s creation process, which had started back in 2010, but I took part in the show’s final stages of development leading up its 2016 Toronto premiere. During this last stretch of rehearsals I was able to observe the company’s style of working and draw some conclusions about some of the practices that enabled them to create such a detailed, coherent and moving production.

Finding clarity in a moment of interdisciplinary performance involved multiple approaches to rehearsing. Sometimes this meant giving notes that specifically addressed what Neema was doing with her body (the was generally Kate Alton’s domain). For instance: a particular movement should come from the ribs rather than from the shoulder, or: “the body during this moment should be completely aligned and forward facing, as if you are sandwiched between two sheets of Plexiglas.” Other moments required Neema to work from an intention: you want to break out of the room (generally Ross’s domain.) Witnessing Ross and Kate’s collaboration with Neema showed me that it is absolutely possible for two practioners using completely different techniques to work together towards a shared goal. What needs to be in place in order for this to happen is an openness to each other’s methods, an absence of dogma about what is the correct way to achieve something in performance and the ability to tune into the other person’s rehearsal language. 

Sometimes it was not story or choreography but musical explorations that led to clarity in performance. For example, a few days before preview night, pianist Gregory Oh suggested that Neema play around with some alternatives to using head voice to sing the nonsense words of Aperghis’s Recitation pour voix seule. So Neema tried speaking these sounds instead ... in a baby voice! The original subtext of the Aperghis for Neema had been: I strive to juggle an ever-increasing number of tasks with excellence. Within the larger the narrative of Century Song is the struggle of the 1970s feminist who, in addition to her political activism takes on motherhood, a career, household work, maintaining her appearance, etc. With Neema’s baby voice added into the mix, the section became more of a back and forth interplay between ‘feminist superwoman’ and ‘infantilized sex object.’

Juggling an ever-increasing number of tasks with excellence could equally sum up what Neema had to do as the performer of a one woman show. In addition to music, choreography and story, Neema had to perfect timed costume changes, contend with an injury, run off to last minute interviews and snap into mommy mode when baby Nuala came to rehearsals. This meant that during rehearsal time an extremely important skill for the creative team to have was to be able to tune into Neema’s needs and also to have a sense of what she was able to actually work on at a given moment. Communication was vital. Neema would often tell us if she was feeling saturated with notes, or let us know that she wasn’t able to play an intention fully until she first sorted out what she was doing physically or musically. This practice of open, two-way feedback was illuminating: it gave everyone a shared sense of precisely what aspect of performance Neema was focusing on, which in turn encouraged further specificity in the work. It kept us constantly in touch with each other, so that we could move forward together. To me this is a much more effective way of rehearsing than the top-down models of directing I’ve been exposed to.

Setting parameters for the type of rehearing we were doing was another important way for the team to tackle the multiple challenges of interdisciplinary theatre. The Aperghis piece, which was extremely technical and executed at a fast tempo, was given special priority in every rehearsal. Neema worked on the Aperghis twice a day: once at the beginning of rehearsal – with lots of fine-tuning and reworking based on choreography notes – and then a run-through of the section at the end of the day, without notes, once Neema was absolutely exhausted in body and mind. Athletes will often train in extreme conditions – high altitudes, extreme heat – that are more challenging than their actual performance conditions. Being more than prepared can give you the confidence to elevate a performance to a whole other level. At the same time, I was intrigued to discover that one of the pieces, the Rachmaninoff Vocalise refrain that comes at the end of the show, was hardly practiced at all in rehearsal. The logic behind this choice sounds a bit mystical but is actually grounded in practicality: Century Song is like a tunnel that Neema journeys through until she emerges on the other side to dance the Rachmaninoff refrain. There is no way of practicing an end without all the comes before it. The dance has to happen in real time and it has to come out of the experience of the journey.

Banter was a huge and unexpected part of the team’s rehearsal process – possibly just as important as the work itself. When a team is trying to tackle so many diverse problems in a short space of time, banter breaks are like water breaks in an obstacle course, keeping everyone refreshed and revitalized.  These breaks also kept us clear headed. When you are banging your head against a wall over and over again, there is nothing like walking away for a moment and doing something else. Moreover, banter kept everyone on their toes. Creative work is being playful! It’s a simple idea but it hit me with the full force of a revelation one day in rehearsal. Our breaks were not breaks at all: they were a continuation of our work – quick, playful, lateral thinking – just in a different form. Lightness and a sense of humour free up everything. Seriousness is rigidity. Once I loosened up and gave myself over to the banter in the room I discovered that my ideas during rehearsal were sharper, they came faster, there were more of them, and best of all, I wasn’t attached to any of them. Finally, banter created strong bonds between the people in the room. It got us excited about being around each other and about exchanging ideas. That trust, that collective sense of possibility, was carried into the work that we did.

At the end of rehearsals the team took time to decide what the structure of the following day should be. This came mainly from asking Neema what she felt she needed to work on. I quickly discovered that the more empowered a performer is to make decisions about the creation process, the more empowered this person will be on stage. If you create conditions in which performers feel they should constantly be looking to the director for answers, this tentativeness will translate into their work on stage as well. One of the most beautiful moments of my experience of working on Century Song happened during a notes session at the end preview night. The performance had been solid. All the important marks had been hit. But something hadn’t clicked in that mysterious way things do during an electrifying performance. After a few notes, Kate and Ross said something like this to Neema, Deb and Greg: “You guys have it. You know it. You’ve done the work that you needed to do. Now just enjoy. Shine. Have fun.”

Opening night:

They. ROCKED. IT.

Related Reading

The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is March 1, 2016.

Learn more about Theatre Ontario's Professional Theatre Training Program

Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops. 

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • Deadline for applications for Ontario Arts Council’s Aboriginal Artists in Communities, Aboriginal Arts Projects, National and International Touring, and Ontario Touring is today.
  • Deadline for applications for Shakespeare in Action’s volunteer administration program in Toronto is February 19.
  • Nightwood Theatre’s masterclass “I Wanna Produce a Show! How to Bring Your Idea to Life and Break Even” with Kelly Straughan is on February 20 and 21 in Toronto.
  • Sudbury Theatre Centre’s Introduction to Playwriting—Conquering the Blank Page with Matthew Heiti is on February 21. 
  • Deadline for applications for Improv Your Acting’s Resident Project in Toronto is February 24.
  • Work in Culture’s free webinar “Inclusion in the Creative Workplace” is February 24.
  • Deadline for applications to direct at Alumnae Theatre in Toronto (non-paying opportunities) has been extended to February 24.

New on The Bulletin Board

  • Theatre Aurora invites applications from directors and musical directors for the 2016/17 season (non-paying opportunity.) The deadline is March 15.
Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Tuesday 16 February 2016

ONstage Openings for the week of February 16

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Southwestern Ontario

Feb. 18, Spelling 2-5-5 at Carousel Players (London)

ONstage Opening in Toronto
Old Man and the River at Theatre Direct

In Toronto

Feb. 17, The 37th Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Feb. 18, Betroffenheit at Canadian Stage
Feb. 18, Pshaw! Festival at ACT II Studio Theatre
Feb. 19, The Clowns at Humber Theatre
Feb. 20, Old Man and the River at Theatre Direct 

In Central Ontario

Feb. 19, Suddenly Mommy! at Theatre Orangeville, with a preview on Feb. 18
Feb. 19, Of the Fields, Lately at Peterborough Theatre Guild

In Eastern Ontario

Feb. 19, Hothouse at Theatre Kingston
Feb. 19, The Fox on the Fairway at Smiths Falls Community Theatre
Feb. 19, Into the Woods at Seaway Valley Theatre Company (Cornwall) 


For all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website

Wednesday 10 February 2016

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • Deadline for applications for Alumnae Theatre directors for the 2016/2017 season (non-paying opportunity) is February 11.
  • Deadline for applications for the National Arts Centre’s online audition coaching for students who self-identify as a member of an under-represented community and are auditioning for a post-secondary program is February 12.
  • Deadline for applications for Ontario Arts Council’s Aboriginal Artists in Communities, Aboriginal Arts Projects, National and International Touring, and Ontario Touring is February 17.
  • Deadline for applications for Shakespeare in Action’s volunteer administration program is February 19.
Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Tuesday 9 February 2016

Save the Date for our Summer Theatre Intensive

Are you an actor, director, or designer craving an opportunity to immerse yourself in your craft? Look no further—our Summer Theatre Intensive is back and will take place August 7 to 13, 2016. Additional details about location and course content coming soon!

Theatre Ontario's Summer Theatre Intensive brings together theatre people from all over the province for a week-long rigorous educational experience. For nearly forty years, our courses have earned praise from drama teachers, theatre schools, community and professional theatres, agents, and actors getting started in the business.

Monday 8 February 2016

ONstage Openings for the week of February 8

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages
ONstage Opening in Southwestern Ontario
Whole Lotto Love at Simcoe Little Theatre

In South Central Ontario

Feb. 10, Assisted Living at Markham Little Theatre
Feb. 11, Monty Python's Spamalot at Whitby Courthouse Theatre
Feb. 12, The Comedy of Errors at Theatre Erindale (Mississauga), with previews from Feb. 11
Feb. 12, Murder Inn at Georgetown Little Theatre
Feb. 13, When Love Speaks at Theatre 3x60 (Port Perry)

In Southwestern Ontario

Feb. 11, Almost, Maine at Theatre Tillsonburg
Feb. 11, Almost, Maine at Goderich Little Theatre
Feb. 11, Whole Lotto Love at Simcoe Little Theatre
Feb. 12, The Mountaintop at The Grand Theatre (London), with previews from Feb. 9
Feb. 12, Mom's the Word at Theatre Woodstock

ONstage Opening in Toronto
Huff from Native Earth Performing Arts
at the Toronto Centre for the Arts
Cliff Cardinal
Photo by Akipari 

In Toronto

Feb. 8, One Thing Leads to Another at Young People's Theatre
Feb. 9, Mistatim at Young People's Theatre
Feb. 10, Cold Blood at Canadian Stage
Feb. 10, Huff at Native Earth Performing Arts
Feb. 10, The Suicide at George Brown Theatre School
Feb. 10, University of Toronto Drama Festival at Hart House Theatre
Feb. 13, Munsch Mash at Solar Stage Children's Theatre

In Central Ontario

Feb. 10, Willow Quartet at Kincardine Theatre Guild


For all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website

Friday 5 February 2016

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters


Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

The Clean House presented by Theatre Sarnia
Megan Hadley, Henri Canino, Ashley Carlisle

Migrations


In Case You Missed It

Thursday 4 February 2016

Join us at Introduction to Adjudication

"Introduction To Adjudication" is a course for emerging and potential adjudicators. Participants will receive training in the principles of adjudication, attend performances of the 2016 Eastern Ontario Drama League Festival of community theatre, and practice adjudication presentation skills in a private setting. After the course, participants have the opportunity, at their discretion, to perform a practice adjudication at an Ontario community theatre.

The course runs April 6 to 10 in Peterborough and is led by Ron Cameron-Lewis. The registration deadline is March 3.
"I loved the mix of theory, personal experience and practical application. The course gave a clear indication of what adjudication is and whether or not it's something I want to pursue." - from one past participant
This course is made possible in part by the support of the Eastern Ontario Drama League and Peterborough Theatre Guild.

Learn more about Theatre Ontario’s Introduction to Adjudication course

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

Alumnae Theatre is seeking directors for the 2016/17 season.
Stepping Out at Alumnae runs until February 6.
Photo by Bruce Peters.
  • ArtsBuild Ontario’s Dollars to $ense Energy Conservation Workshop for arts facilities is on February 10.
  • Deadline for applications for directors for the Alumnae Theatre 2016/2017 season is February 11.
  • Deadline for applications for the National Arts Centre’s online audition coaching for students who self-identify as a member of an under-represented community and are auditioning for a post-secondary program is February 12.
Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions and job postings on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 2 February 2016

Next Generation Showcase Welcomes New Grads into the Professional Theatre Community

By Rebecca Ballarin, Professional Theatre and Education Manager

One of Theatre Ontario’s largest annual events is Next Generation Showcase; an event which I had the challenging (and rewarding!) task of organizing this year. Two days, two hundred and fifty-four emerging artists, and close to two hundred industry professionals in three different spaces within one of Artscape’s newest buildings, Daniels Spectrum—I think you would have been hard-pressed to find more energy in any other building in the city. 

Networking Party at Next Generation Showcase
Next Generation Showcase provides an opportunity for students graduating from acting programs across Ontario (as well as Montreal, Alberta, and London, UK) to audition for industry professionals including casting directors, film and theatre directors, agents, and artistic directors. Having just graduated from the University of Toronto last April myself, I know that no matter how engaged in the theatre community you try to be as a student, “being a student” often consumes most of your time. And though everyone will attest to how welcoming and supportive the theatre community is, leaving a training institution is daunting, and there is a period of adjustment that everyone goes through when they do. Theatre Ontario strives to provide services and support for emerging artists who are making this transition, and Showcase is where it all begins.  

Bright and early on Sunday, January 17th, Canadore College took to the stage in Native Earth’s Aki Studio Theatre, followed by students from Ryerson University, George Brown, York, the National Theatre School, University of Alberta, Sheridan College/University of Toronto Mississauga, Humber College, and University of Windsor. Following the day’s auditions, students were invited to attend a ‘networking party’; an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments, meet other artists from other schools, and talk to those who were in the audience for their performances. A similar event took place on Monday night, and we were joined on both nights by representatives from the SummerWorks Leadership Intensive Program, Canadian Actors Equity Association, ACTRA, The Actor’s Fund, and the Toronto Association of Acting Studios. 

Our Showcase Panelists on the actor's career
Cole Alvis (moderator), Rebecca Perry,
Ted Dykstra, Kevin Hanchard, Grace Lynn Kung
Following the Sunday night networking party, students filed back into the theatre—this time as audience members—for a panel discussion that focused on dissecting the actor’s career. Moderated by theatre creator and artistic leader Cole Alvis, panelists Ted Dykstra, Kevin Hanchard, Grace Lynn Kung, and Rebecca Perry shared their experiences working in theatre, film and television, wearing different hats within the industry, creating their own opportunities for work, and balancing their personal and artistic needs, as well as their opinions about the future of Canadian theatre, and equity and diversity in the industry. I was able to sit in on most of the discussion and what really stood out to me was how different each artist’s journey had been; if someone had been expecting to walk away from the event with a roadmap of how they should build their career, they’d have been disappointed. The panelists really emphasized the importance of being part of a community of artists while also being able to focus on yourself; your personal goals and how to get there in a way that is healthy and fulfilling for you. If you’re interested in reading more about the panel discussion, check out the blog post from one of the students in attendance (link below)! 

On Monday morning students from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts took to the stage, followed by those from the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, and those in our New Faces category (including students from Thornloe University, the University of Toronto Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies). Music theatre performance programs from St. Lawrence College, St. Clair College, the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, and Sheridan College wrapped up the day. 

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who made this event possible; our stage manager Lynette, all the volunteers who helped keep things running smoothly, our sponsors Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts and Sheridan College, our presenting partner Native Earth Performing Arts, Glenn Hall and Casting Workbook, our caterers Les Louises Fine Foods, the staff at Daniels Spectrum and the Collective of Black Artists, and, of course, the rest of the staff here at Theatre Ontario.

This year marked the 22nd year of Showcase, and I am excited to see how this event will continue to evolve in response to shifts within the industry in years to come.

Some comments from Showcase participants and attendees:

“I learned a lot about the industry professionals who come to the showcase and learned how the make contact with people they are interested in.”
“The panel was fantastic! Loved that different perspectives and career paths were represented”
“The opportunity for our students to present themselves to professionals in the industry is an unparalleled experience. To be able to do so and meet peers from other institutions is an added bonus. The networking party and the panel are such important aspects in getting a feel for the community to which these young artists aspire."

Related Reading

Monday 1 February 2016

ONstage Openings for the week of February 1

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In South Central Ontario

Feb. 4, Les Belles-Soeurs at Oshawa Little Theatre
Feb. 5, Death by Design at Theatre Burlington

ONstage Opening in Southwestern Ontario
Suburban Standoff at Elmira Theatre Company
Brandon Maxwell, Chris Grose, Tom Bolton, Jaime Doucet

In Southwestern Ontario

Feb. 5, The Catering Queen at London Community Players, with a preview on Feb. 4
Feb. 5, Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet at Guelph Little Theatre
Feb. 5, The Drawer Boy at Elora Community Theatre (Fergus)
Feb. 5, Suburban Standoff at Elmira Theatre Company

In Toronto

Feb. 4, Chelsea Hotel - the Songs of Leonard Cohen at Theatre Passe Muraille, with a preview on Feb. 3
Feb. 4, Kiss & Cry at Canadian Stage
Feb. 4, Villette at Amicus Productions
Feb. 5, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Scarborough Music Theatre, with a preview on Feb. 4
Feb. 5, You Can't Take It With You at Ryerson Theatre School
Feb. 6, The Ugly Duckling at Solar Stage Children's Theatre
Feb. 7, Thumbelina at Solar Stage Children's Theatre

ONstage Opening in Eastern Ontario
Cat's Cradle at Kanata Theatre

In Central Ontario

Feb. 4, Weekend Comedy at South Simcoe Theatre (Cookstown)

In Eastern Ontario

Feb. 2, Cat's Cradle at Kanata Theatre (Ottawa) 
Feb. 4, Later Life at Belleville Theatre Guild, with a preview on Feb. 2 
Feb. 4, The Game's Afoot at Studio Theatre Perth

In Northeastern Ontario

Feb. 4, Blind Date at Sudbury Theatre Centre


For all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website