Tuesday 24 August 2010

ONstage Openings for the weeks of August 23 and August 30

The next two weeks are quiet for openings as we move from the summer to fall seasons, but this still some interesting theatre opening in Ontario.

In Southwestern Ontario:
August 31, Sweet Dreams: A Tribute To Patsy Cline at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia

In Toronto:
August 25, What The Butler Saw at Soulpepper
August 26, Doc at Soulpepper

In Central Ontario:
August 25, Sunshine Express at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon
August 25, Driving Miss Daisy at Meaford Hall

For all the theatre current playing across Ontario, or for information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit ONstage on the Theatre Ontario website.

Thursday 19 August 2010

Theatre Ontario Welcomes Jane Carnwath As Festival 2011 Adjudicator

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce that Jane Carnwath will be the adjudicator for the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival in Richmond Hill.

"I'm delighted to be adjudicating the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival," said Jane." I look forward to connecting—and reconnecting—with like-minded people to indulge our passion for theatre."

Director, writer, adjudicator—Jane has worked and taught in all aspects of the theatre. An MFA in theatre from York University, she was Professor of Acting in the Music Theatre Program at Sheridan College for ten years. For several years she was Program Director of the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto.  Her most recent directing credits include After You by Dave Carley, Homeward Bound by Elliot Hayes, and Pride And Prejudice, all for the Alumnae Theatre. She's currently directing a production of Hedda Gabler, adapted by Judith Thompson, also for the Alumnae, opening November 2010.  She works with community theatre groups as production consultant and acting instructor. She taught a directing intensive at Theatre Ontario Summer Courses for a number of years. Jane has adjudicated for WODL, EODL, QUONTA and ACT-CO, as well as the Theatre Saskatchewan Festival. In 2005 she adjudicated the Theatre Ontario Festival in Belleville.

Theatre Ontario Festival 2011 will be held in Richmond Hill from May 18 to 22, 2011.  Co-hosted by Theatre Ontario, The Curtain Club, and the Association of Community Theatres of Central Ontario, the festival will be held at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Call for Applications for the Youth Theatre Training Program

Theatre Ontario is now inviting applications for the October 15, 2010 deadline for the Youth Theatre Training Program (YTTP), funded by the Ontario Arts Council.

The YTTP provides training dollars to fund accessible theatre programs involving youth aged 14 to 21. YTTP assists Ontario organizations that wish to undertake projects providing training to youth in various theatrical skills and disciplines, lead by professional theatre artists.

Read all about the Youth Theatre Training Program on the Theatre Ontario website. After reading the YTTP guidelines, applicants are encouraged to contact Tim Chapman, Professional Theatre Coordinator (tim@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.12) regarding your application.  You can also read about the most recent mentorships (Spring 2010) funded by this program.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

August E-Newsletter Is Now Online

If you find you can't always stay on top of all of your blog updates in your RSS reader, you can also read all of our news on a monthly basis in our e-newsletter. The August issue of Theatre Ontario Presents... is now available online.

You can find the past year's back issues on the e-newsletter archive page, and sign-up to get new issues in your inbox when they are first distributed.

Monday 16 August 2010

ONstage Openings for the week of August 16

Worried that summer might be coming to an end?  There is still lots of theatre opening across the province:

In In South Central Ontario:
August 20, The Odd Couple at The Rose Theatre in Brampton

In Southwestern Ontario:
August 18, The Decorator at Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh
August 19, Freedom 85 at Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover (with previews from August 17)
August 19, The Owl And The Pussycat at Showboast Festival Theatre in Port Colborne

In Toronto:
August 18, The Selkie Wife at Fly By Night Theatre
August 19, Doc in previews at Soulpepper Theatre Company
August 19, What The Butler Saw in previews at Soulpepper Theatre Company

In Central Ontario:
August 16, Sweet Dreams: A Tribute To Patsy Cline at Theatre Collingwood

For all the theatre current playing across Ontario, or for information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit ONstage on the Theatre Ontario website.

Friday 13 August 2010

7 Days In Ontario Theatre

What's Happening?
New and Upcoming on the Bulletin Board
  • Canadian Stage (Toronto) has issued calls for both a Director for the 2011 Dream in High Park, and for the 2011 BASH! Director Development program; deadline for both is September 3
  • Clarkson Music Theatre (Mississauga) is looking for a director and a choreographer for their production of Hairspray in November 2011
  • Deadline to submit to Buddies In Bad Times (Toronto) 32nd Annual Rhubarb Festival is August 17
Check out all the current items on The Bulletin Board on the Theatre Ontario website

TO Toasts
  • Congratulations to Michael Wheeler of Praxis Theatre, one of three finalists for the Toronto Arts Foundation's RBC Emerging Artist Award; and to Mallory Gilbert, one of the finalists for the William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto's Cultural Life
  • Kudos to Tina Rasmussen of Harbourfront Centre, chosen as one of the jurors for the Total Theatre Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
  • And one more toast to Eric Coates, Artistic Director of Blyth Festival, who received the Bra D'Or from the Playwrights Guild of Canada's Women's Caucus for his work supporting and promoting Canadian women playwrights

Thursday 12 August 2010

RSVP for Theatre Ontario's Adjudicators Symposium on September 18

Theatre Ontario invites adjudicators to attend our Adjudicators Symposium on September 18 in Toronto.  This one-day professional development event will bring together adjudicators from across Ontario to network, and to discuss adjudication techniques and practices.

Read more about Theatre Ontario's Adjudicator Symposium on the Theatre Ontario website

Tuesday 10 August 2010

Offering Discount for Toronto and Hamilton Fringe Participants

As part of our partnerships with the Toronto and Hamilton Fringe Festivals, Theatre Ontario is offering participants of those Fringe Festivals a discount on Individual Memberships.  For only $40, you get a one-year Individual Membership (regularly priced at $60.)  This offer provides participants with full access to all the benefits of Individual Membership, including the auditions listing, discounts, workshops and courses, resources and counselling, eligibility in our Non-Union Talent Files, and more!

If you were involved in a Toronto or Hamilton Fringe production, or if you were a volunteer of staff member of the 2010 Toronto or Hamilton Fringe Festival, you can save $20 on a one-year membership! Offer valid until September 1st, 2010.

For more information, please contact Mandy Rumbolt, Membership Coordinator, at membership@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.16.  Download the membership form as a PDF.

Monday 9 August 2010

ONstage Openings for the week of August 9

This week's theatre opening across Ontario includes the 2010-2011 season opening at Theatre Aurora:

In Ottawa and Eastern Ontario:
August 10, Inseperable at Arts Court (Ottawa)
August 11, The Last Resort at Stirling Festival Theatre
August 12, Swimming In The Shallows at Arts Court (Ottawa)

In South Central Ontario:
August 10, Murder At The Howard Johnson's at Theatre Aurora

In Southwestern Ontario:
August 10, The Two Gentlemen Of Verona at Stratford Shakespeare Festival
August 10, See How They Run at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia
August 11, Cowgirls at Drayton Enterainment, Drayton Festival Theatre
August 11, Dance Legends at Drayton Entertainment, Huron County Playhouse (Grand Bend)
August 11, For The Pleasure Of Seeing Her Again at Stratford Shakespeare Festival
August 12, Wrong For Each Other at Port Stanley Festival Theatre, with a preview on August 11
August 12, Dangerous Liaisons at Stratford Shakespeare Festival
August 12, King Of Thieves at Stratford Shakespeare Festival
August 13, Age Of Arousal at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
August 14, Serious Money at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

In Central Ontario:
August 11, The Golden Slipper at Conjurors of County Town (Minden Hills)
August 11, Dein Perry's Tap Dogs at Drayton Entertainment, King's Wharf Theatre (Penetanguishene)
August 11, The Star Spangled Girl at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)

For all the theatre current playing across Ontario, or for information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit ONstage on the Theatre Ontario website.

Friday 6 August 2010

7 Days In Ontario Theatre

What's Happening?
  • "Why shouldn’t labour costs for theatre represent the highest portion of your production budget? Like Soylent Green, theatre is made of people." -- Kris Joseph
  • (Kris is writing about professional independent theatre, but I think that is an equally important message for community theatres: Shouldn't your volunteer costs be the highest portion of your budget?  How much do you spend on free workshops and training for your members, your social activities...on making your community theatre somewhere people want to belong?)
  • "From Slave to Roman in 35 years": If you weren't at the Doras, Philip Akin transcribed his Silver Ticket acceptance speech
New and Upcoming on the Bulletin Board
  • Buddies In Bad Times (Toronto) has issued calls for both the 32nd Rhubarb Festival (deadline August 17) and for their Young Creators Unit (deadline September 17)
  • Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival submission deadline is August 6 (today!)
  • Stratford Shakespeare Festival is running a "how to audition" workshop on August 7 (tomorrow!)
  • Applications for Factory Theatre's new Youth Summer Training Program are due by August 13
Check out all the current items on the Theatre Ontario Bulletin Board

Thursday 5 August 2010

Next "Getting Started" Actors Workshop Scheduled For September 29

Theatre Ontario's next "Getting Started" for Actors workshop has been scheduled for September 29, from 2pm to 4pm.

Getting Started sessions are for actors beginning their professional careers. In this two-hour workshop, Tim Chapman, Professional Theatre Coordinator answers the most frequently asked questions about the business of acting. Find out about:
  • The realities of showbiz
  • Pictures and resumes
  • Equity and ACTRA
  • Agents and casting directors
  • Auditioning do's and don'ts
  • Maintaining and improving your acting skills
Getting Started is a free workshop, available to members of Theatre Ontario only. For more information, including how to register, please visit the Getting Started For Actors workshops on the Theatre Ontario website.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Call for Applications for the Professional Theatre Training Program

Theatre Ontario is now inviting applications for the October 1, 2010 deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP), funded by the Ontario Arts Council.


The PTTP offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.) One can apply for professional development in his/her own discipline, or a “change of direction" in a career. To apply, applicants must have at least two years of professional experience following their formal education.

Read all about the Professional Theatre Training Program on the Theatre Ontario website.  After reading the PTTP guidelines, applicants are encouraged to contact Tim Chapman, Professional Theatre Coordinator (tim@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.12) regarding your application.

Read also about the most recent mentorships (Spring 2010) funded by this program.

Tuesday 3 August 2010

ONstage Openings

How much theatre have you seen this summer?  More opportunities opening this week across Ontario:

In Central Ontario:
August 2, The Musical Comedy Murders Of 1940 at Highlands Summer Festival in Haliburton
August 4, The Right Road To Pontypool at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook (with previews from August 2) [pictured at left, Lauren Murphy, Dov Mickelson and Peter Pasyk]
August 5, The Music Man at Port Hope Festival Theatre

August 3, Office Hours at Bancroft Village Theatre
August 4, Amelia: The Girl Who Wants To Fly at Festival Players of Prince Edward County in Picton (with a preview on August 3)
August 4, Tuesdays With Morrie at Ottawa Little Theatre
August 5, Up The River at Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananonque
August 6, Satin Dolls at Arts Courts in Ottawa
August 6, The Voice Of The Turtle at Classic Theatre Festival in Perth
August 7, There Goes The Bride at Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg (with previews from August 5)

In South Central Ontario:
August 6, You'll Get Used To It: The War Show at The Rose Theatre in Brampton

In Southwestern Ontario:
August 3, Separate Beds at Drayton Entertainment--Huron County Playhouse in Grand Bend
August 3, Dangerous Liaisons in previews at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival
August 6, The Book Of Esther at Blyth Festival (with previews from August 4)

For all the theatre current playing across Ontario, or for information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit ONstage on the Theatre Ontario website.