Stories from the Summer Theatre Intensive: Sharpening Your Actor’s Tool Kit

by Michelle Cho

As a newbie, I was nervous about registering for “Sharpening Your Actor’s Tool Kit.” It was a course pitched to experienced actors and frankly, I had no ‘tool kit’ so nothing to sharpen. But after some back and forth with the lovely Rachel Kennedy, she convinced me that Tom Diamond was well-equipped to work with actors of varying levels. I was still a bit skeptical but when I learned it was going to be a small class, I decided to stick to my guns and just go for it. I'm so glad I did.

Tom asked his participants to come prepared to do a couple monologues. I admit, when I stood up to do mine I really had no clue what I was doing. I was shaking in my boots. I spewed out lines that I memorized. I didn’t know where to look…the wall, the audience? I never really thought about whom I was talking to.  What fourth wall?

By the end of Day 1, I learned that acting isn’t about memorizing lines. It’s about ideas, notions and investigating them. Asking questions like: Who am I? Where am I? What’s going on? What do I want? Or what’s my intention?

"Sharpening Your Actor's Tool Kit"

Over the course of the week, Tom helped the six of us explore those ideas through scene study work, improvisation, script analysis and working and re-working our monologues. Of course an honest day’s work didn’t begin without a good game of Twizzle (another great reason to take Tom’s course!)

It's now been more than a month since taking Tom’s workshop and I want to say that everything I learned in his class stuck with me, but I’d be lying. 

Do I always remember to act as though everything’s happening right now? No. Will I remember what I said that had my classmates laughing in an improv scene? Probably not. How ever did I pull off that southern accent while playing Mrs. Wire in Tennessee Williams’ The Lady of Larkspur Lotion? Dunno.

What has stuck and is something I find incredibly useful—not just in acting but in my every day life—is the ability to re-frame the idea of nervousness. Tom encouraged us to learn to embrace our ‘butterflies’, putting a positive spin on it. He calls this ‘life force’ and told us to make it work for you. Don't try to run from it or get rid of it. Use it. Become acquainted with that energy. Be its friend. That 'life force' can be so vibrant and alive.

The other day I could feel the butterflies starting to well up in my belly before an audition. I looked down at my stomach and said, “Oh, there you are” and smiled.

Related Reading

• Creating “Character”, from Linda Pagnotta
• Telling Our Important Stories, from Shelley M. Hobbs
• Learn more about the Summer Theatre Intensive

Stories from the Summer Theatre Intensive: Creating “Character”

by Linda Pagnotta

This was my very first Theatre Ontario Summer Intensive experience… and it won’t be my last. My expectations were not only met, but were exceeded. I attended “Who the Heck are YOU?! Creating ‘Character'” with Liza Balkan.

First of all, the woman was amazing. She incorporated movement, exercises, even animal noises, which I hear the classes above us (Directors and Playwrights) greatly appreciated. Thanks for allowing us to play! Liza was full of energy, and delivered a thoughtful approach to learning. She challenged me to re-think the monologue I had prepared ahead of time, and think beyond the intended plan. That particular exercise did more for me than if I had just read aloud the monologue I had been preparing for a month. I was able to incorporate some of what I learned at the course immediately. The many exercises were beneficial for exploring, discovering and identifying what is important to me as an actor.

The space at Factory 163 was great! We had a huge space on the bottom floor which consisted of four quadrants. That’s how I looked at the space. The first space was used for warm up, voice and exercises. I had brought my workout gear and yoga mat to keep up at the hotel, but didn’t need it, thanks Liza! The second space was used for sharing monologues and for character development exercises. The third space was for movement, and the fourth space was a round table for some reflection of the day. At times, all four ‘quadrants’ were used simultaneously. I also enjoyed the common areas where I sat with participants from the other courses. We discussed and learned from one another about the various perspectives and viewpoints within the industry.

The plays I attended were not what I would normally select for myself, but I am glad that I had the opportunity to see something different and expand my horizons. I also liked hearing other participants’ impressions. The lunch time guest speaker series was also beneficial because it gave us the opportunity to hear from industry professionals.

The playwright reading with Kristen Da Silva and her cast members was great! They did an excellent job reading the first act from her play, The Book Club. I wish I could have heard the rest to see how it ends. The dynamic of the actors and how they were seated really lent itself to the atmosphere of the read. I enjoyed speaking with the actors and Kristen after the reading. 

My classmates were wonderful people. I won’t name any names, because you know who you are, and how much of a positive impact you had on me. Thanks for your sharing, listening and encouragement. I wish each of you much success going forward and I hope that our paths do cross again someday. 

Linda has recently retired LKP Consulting, her training company after twenty-five years. She looks forward to pursuing her first love for acting and the theatre. Her hometown stage is the Kincardine Theatre Guild where she has been a member since 2006, both on and off stage.

Related Reading

• Telling Our Important Stories by Shelley M. Hobbs
• Learn more about the Summer Theatre Intensive

Stories from the Summer Theatre Intensive: Telling Our Important Stories

The Noble Scribes.
(Back row) Jim, Sue, Donna-Michelle
(Front row) Shelley, Jean, Cathy

by Shelley M. Hobbs

This was my first time attending a Theatre Ontario intensive. It was a retirement present from my wife, Joan.

Having spent 27 years working as a lawyer for the Public Guardian and Trustee, I retired in large part to pursue playwriting. My other identity boxes to tick would include lesbian, hearing impaired, cancer survivor, married, grandparent, pale-privileged, cis-female, child of immigrants and naturalist. I came to this program having started writing for theatre later in life, with modest success. I have co-written a musical about women’s hockey (Hipcheck: the Musical) and two dramas (A Good Death; Happy Family) all of which were produced in different years at the Toronto Fringe Festival. 

I have no formal training in theatre. Everything I’ve learned has been from going to theatre (about a hundred plays and musicals a year, mostly indie and small company works), from the development of my own work, and from talking theatre with anyone who doesn’t move quickly enough to get away. 

This intensive meant I was going to spend a week doing nothing but writing and learning about writing. I would meet other playwrights. I would meet our instructor, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, who is a professional, Dora Award-winning, former playwright-in-residence for Obsidian Theatre: a grown-up in theatre terms.

My playwright classmates came from Toronto, rural Ontario, and Montréal. The other Theatre Ontario attendees I met who were in the Advanced Director and Acting programs were from all over the province, representing community theatres of every size and ambition. Every day, I was immersed in discussions with a variety of folks about favourite plays, production politics, props and sets, and how to get stuff on stage with ever-shrinking budgets. It was oxygen for my soul.

Donna-Michelle showed such respect and support for each of us. The question of what defined an “Important Story” was treated as an organic one. She brought a library of plays to read that she considered important for different reasons. Vital questions and intriguing assignments were given. Think about your play from the point of view of those whose stories are not commonly told. Don’t assume the audience knows what you know. Try this, and if it doesn’t work, try this. 

We shared our work, either a play we were already working on or what we had written for our assignments. I heard such well-crafted words. Sometimes, we were all brought to tears. I shared a play that I’ve struggled to get done for years. Years of scribbles on the backs on envelopes and bizarrely scrawled notes to myself—“Make B do forgery herself?” “Research documentation 1934-37.” “What about hats?”

Exploring the masks from other classes at Factory 163

I brought that play to the group, and despite falling at mid-week into what writers may recognize as the “It’s Utter Crap!” nadir, working with Donna-Michelle and my fellow Noble Scribes kick-started it back to life. It’s my hope that the other Noble Scribes, indeed, everyone at the Intensives, got to feel that surge of energy that finding the right direction gives you.

Thank you, Theatre Ontario and Factory 163!

Thank you, Jim and Sue and Cathy and Jean: the Noble Scribes!

Thank you so much, Donna-Michelle!

Learn more about Theatre Ontario’s Summer Theatre Intensive

Congratulations to our Summer Theatre Intensive Youth Scholarship Recipient

Theatre Ontario is delighted to announce the recipient of our Summer Theatre Intensive Youth Scholarship is Cathy Huang.

Cathy will be joining us for Donna-Michelle St. Bernard’s playwriting course: How to Tell an “Important” Story.

To learn a bit about Cathy and what she hopes to get out of this experience, check out her video.

Learn more about Theatre Ontario's Summer Theatre Intensive

Spaces Still Available at Our Summer Theatre Intensive

Spaces are still available in our Theatre Ontario Summer Theatre Intensive courses for actors, directors, and playwrights, but registrations must be in by July 21. Treat yourself to a unique learning adventure August 6 to 11, or 13 to 18 in beautiful Stratford, Ontario.

Participants at the Summer Theatre Intensive will have the chance to see Bakkhai (week 1, August 9th) or The Changeling (week 2, August 16) at the Stratford Festival’s Tom Patterson Theatre for just $30.00 plus HST!

WEEK ONE (Sunday August 6 – Friday August 11th):

• Sharpening your Actor’s Tool Kit with Tom Diamond
• Directing for Beginners (or how do I make this play happen?) with Thom Currie

WEEK TWO (Sunday August 13 – Friday August 18th):

• Who the Heck Are YOU?! Creating “Character” with Liza Balkan
• Building your own Directing Process with Philip Akin
• How to Tell An “Important” Story with Donna-Michelle St. Bernard

Learn more about Theatre Ontario’s Summer Theatre Intensive

Related Reading

• Getting Jazzed about This Year's Summer Theatre Intensive
• Stories from Summer Theatre Intensive 2016

Live Your Passion with the Summer Theatre Intensive Youth Scholarship

Theatre Ontario's Summer Theatre Intensive

Theatre Ontario invites youth across the province to apply for a scholarship to the 2017 Summer Theatre Intensive in Stratford, Ontario!

Our Board of Directors has just announced a matching campaign aimed at sending one youth artist in Ontario to train at one of our Summer Courses FREE OF CHARGE. We will be providing the course, meals, accommodations and a travel stipend for one lucky participant between the ages of 16-26.

Learn more about Theatre Ontario’s Summer Theatre Intensive Youth Scholarship

Welcome John Lazarus and Kristen Da Silva as Playwrights-in-Person at our Summer Theatre Intensive

John Lazarus 

We are proud to announce that we will host not one but two Canadian playwrights at this year’s Theatre Ontario Summer Theatre Intensive!

As we have grown our program into a two-week residence at Factory163 in sunny Stratford, Ontario we will be bringing in one playwright per week to host a reading of their work at the Stratford Perth Museum.

John Lazarus will join us in Week One on Monday, August 7th and Kristen Da Silva will be with us for week two’s reading on Monday, August 14th.

Location: 

Kristen Da Silva

Stratford Perth Museum

4275 Huron Street, Stratford, ON N5A 6S6

Admission:

This will be a FREE EVENT open to participants of Theatre Ontario and Off The Wall’s summer courses, as well as the greater Stratford community

Learn more about Playwright-in-Person at our Summer Theatre Intensive

Playwright-in-Person is made possible through PlayConnect - a grant from the Playwrights Guild of Canada, funded by the Canada Council.

Getting Jazzed about This Year’s Summer Theatre Intensive

by Rachel Kennedy, Professional Theatre and Education Manager

I’ve been excited about this year’s intensive courses since murmurings of a new partnership started buzzing around last fall, so please accept my apologies now for the number of exclamation marks that are likely to follow in this blog post…

Theatre Ontario’s Summer Intensive is coming to Stratford!!! (You’ve been warned…)

For our 41st annual Summer Theatre Intensive, Theatre Ontario has partnered with Off the Wall Stratford Artists’ Alliance and will be offering courses out of their home-base at local arts hub, Factory163. If you are not already familiar with either of these organizations I encourage you to visit their websites (linked below) and take a look at everything they have to offer. For those in the know, you will recognize them as state-of-the-art training providers in theatrical production, nestled into a gorgeous renovated factory building that has focused their efforts on creating an environmentally friendly and sustainable centre for large-scale events and arts offices. On my first visit to Factory163 last year it became immediately clear why our executive director, Bruce Pitkin, had been intrigued by the idea of partnering with these companies.

A quick tour through the facilities at Off The Wall took us through areas like their welding shop and paint studio as well as storage spaces filled with past creations including costumes, masks, set pieces and props for various shows. Each piece had a story behind it and our hosts from Off the Wall were happy to share many of them with us, bringing the space to life and giving us a glimpse into the years of students and ideas that they have inspired. Even as we travelled upstairs to take a look at their studios and offices, costumes and props continued to decorate the hallways. From giant feathered birds to old photos of Stratford Festival alumni, this building breathes creativity into every corner. I was hooked!

This partnership between Theatre Ontario and Off The Wall allows us to create a training hub for artists working both onstage and behind the scenes, and encourages participants to connect with new people from disciplines they may not have had access to otherwise. A big part of the Summer Intensive experience in the past has been the community building and relationships that are born out of having so many creative minds in one place. This year is sure to build on that communal environment with the introduction of so many new production artists to the mix. Some courses, like Peggy Coffey’s mask performance intensive, will even be intersecting directly with counterparts in Off the Wall’s mask creation class where students in both areas will come together to see how one side’s work affects the other. This creates even more room for meaningful connections among participants!

Closing night at the 2016 Summer Theatre Intensive

All of this is not to say that we haven’t faced some challenges while planning for this year’s intensive. We have strayed from our usual offering of an all-inclusive package and opted for a course fee covering the class, lunch and dinner for each participant, thereby allowing everyone to choose their own accommodations from a handful of discounted options which we hope will better suit a range of price-points and bring more financial accessibility to our programming. In addition to this, Factory163 has been supportive of our goal to maintain communal spaces for participants and has generously offered to leave its doors open for rehearsals and group gatherings each evening. So no matter where you’re laying your head, there will be lots of time to get together with other participants each day!

As Off the Wall’s executive director Michele Boniface explained in a recent press release, quoted in the recent Stratford Beacon Herald article about the upcoming partnership, “Stratford is well-known for its important place in Canadian theatre and is increasingly recognized for the diversity of arts and artists in the community. Our students really will be working in a creative incubator.” Add to the mix our annual events like play readings and visits to local theatre companies or artist hot-spots, and I couldn’t see a better way to spend a week (or two) this August! So the only remaining question is… will I be seeing you there?!

For more information about the 2017 Summer Theatre Intensive please contact Rachel Kennedy at programs@theatreontario.org or visit our website. 

Related Links

• Learn more about Off the Wall Stratford Artists Alliance
• Learn more about Factory163
• Read the Stratford Beacon Herald article about the partnership

Join Us at our Summer Theatre Intensive

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to be introducing our new Summer Theatre Intensive, partnering with Off the Wall, Stratford Artist Alliance. Through this exciting new collaboration we will join Off The Wall in their home at Factory 163 in the heart of Stratford, Ontario.

This year we will be offering intensives over a two-week period as listed below.

WEEK ONE (Sunday August 6 – Friday August 11th):

• Sharpening your Actor’s Tool Kit with Tom Diamond
• Directing for Beginners (or how do I make this play happen?) with Thom Currie
• Freeing the Body & Imagination - An Introduction to Mask in Performance with Peggy Coffey

WEEK TWO (Sunday August 13 – Friday August 18th):

• Who the Heck Are YOU?! Creating “Character” with Liza Balkan
• Building your own Directing Process with Philip Akin
• How to Tell An “Important” Story with Donna-Michelle St. Bernard

This year we are embracing a brand new, choose-your-own-adventure approach to the Summer Theatre Intensive; pick your week, pick your course, pick your digs!

By covering each participant’s course fees, course materials, lunch and dinner only, we hope to allow more flexibility for our guests to choose their own accommodations.

Participants will enjoy catered lunches and dinners as well as other planned theatrical events throughout the week’s evenings in the hometown of North America’s largest Shakespeare Festival.

We hope to see you there!

Learn more about Theatre Ontario’s Summer Theatre Intensive

Seeking Course Proposals for Summer Theatre Intensive 2017

We are seeking proposals from theatre instructors for courses for our 2017 Summer Theatre Intensive.

Our 2017 program will be taking place in early-to-mid August, 2017. These courses are targeted to participants between ages of 18 to 65 and should be of interest to community theatre practitioners and theatre professionals alike. The week-long intensive begins Sunday evening and ends Friday with a dinner and a closing event. There will be 6 hours of teaching per day for five days from Monday to Friday. Students will be rehearsing or studying in the evenings. One evening of the week will include a trip to a theatre performance and another evening set aside for a visiting playwright. Instructors are paid for the week's instruction and provided with meals and accommodation. 

Learn more about our Summer Theatre Intensive and submit a proposal