Theatre Ontario's Blog: strategy

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Reframed from Acting Up Stage Company
at the Art Gallery of Ontario

The Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport has released the core elements of Ontario’s draft Culture Strategy. Feedback is invited until May 13.
Mitchell Marcus shares how Acting Up Stage Company brought three new musical theatre commissions into the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Olivia Vanderwal, a volunteer with the Hamilton Arts Council, shares three components that make up a meaningful volunteer experience.
“Building a better Mikado” – minus the yellowface, from Diep Tran on American Theatre.

Ontario’s Fringe Theatre season kicks off next week with the Windsor-Walkerville Fringe Festival, opening May 6.
Larry Cornies writes in the London Free Press about how the City of London owes a debt of gratitude to outgoing Grand Theatre Artistic Director Susan Ferley.

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

How relevant is your arts organization? Matt Lehrman has written a “self-test” for self-reflection and self-improvement on his “Audience Wanted” blog.
Five though-provoking questions about arts institutions and how they operate—written about visual arts, but equally applicable to theatre (h/t Michael Wheeler.)
From the Guelph Arts Council—How to write your artist’s bio (in 5 easy steps.)
Exploring the value of paid marketing and advertising for Toronto theatre by Matthew Edison on intermission.
For classic-producing theatre companies: ways to diversify the canon from Barbara Fuchs on HowlRound.
A video from the National Arts Centre—English Theatre: “Let Theatre Expand Your Perspective.”

The Curtain Club's production of The Drowning Girls
Photo by Snapd Richmond Hill

Congratulations to all of the award recipients and honourable mentions from the ACT-CO Festival. The three winning productions were The Drowning Girls presented by The Curtain Club from Richmond Hill (Drama), Anne of Green Gables presented by Scarborough Music Theatre (Musical), and Consider the Oyster presented by Georgetown Little Theatre (Comedy). Also recognized at the ACT-CO Festival was Theatre Ontario’s Treasurer, Mary Jane Boon, who won Best Lighting Design of a Drama for Wait until Dark at The Curtain Club.
(Meanwhile, the awards and honourable mentions from the Eastern Ontario Drama League Festival will be published soon.)
Season announcement for 16/17 from Amicus Productions in Toronto.
The Actors Fund of Canada is now "the AFC—the lifeline for Canada’s entertainment industry.”

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