Summertime in Waterloo

By Cornelia Persich, Education Coordinator

The 2011 Summer Theatre Intensive took place at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo this past August.  Nearly 60 people from all over Ontario—and as far away as Halifax, Michigan, Illinois, and Bermuda—enjoyed themselves in one of four different courses taught by top-notch professionals.

I was able to sit in on a few classes and get a glimpse of the work being done.  In the “When I’m On Stage…Who Am I?” course, I watched as partners “slashed” and “flicked” at each other while incorporating Laban techniques to broaden their character work.  I saw new directors in the “Now What Do I Do?” course learn how to block actors.  I listened in to Christopher Newton during his Directors Symposium day while he was sharing his thoughts on the whole experience of going to the theatre—why not have beautiful gardens outside the theatre so that the audience is in a more pleasant frame of mind when entering?

One particularly memorable moment for me during the week was the afternoon I spent in a park with the Shakespeare Conservatory class.  Instructor Andrew Tidmarsh had chosen an outside setting for an exercise.  The scene was a meeting between courtiers and farm folk.  The courtiers had to leave their home due to lack of food when venturing outside of their community into a new world—a world where it was okay for strangers to come up to you and touch your garments and hair and invade your personal space.  I was asked to video whatever caught my interest.   While the conversations were not in Shakespearean verse, what I found amazing was that none of the actors ever broke character; not even when some very funny exchanges took place.  They were completely committed. 

While the days were all about learning, the evenings were all about relaxing.  The week included a bus trip to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival where we saw Twelfth Night.  Thanks to Murray Tilson and Rick Kerr who brought their guitars along and played for us on several occasions.  I also thank Chandra Mulder for her enthusiasm in planning our closing party, and everyone who shared their “party pieces” that evening.

Photos courtesy of Ros Schwartz – thank you Ros!

Theatre Ontario Launches Fall Workshops

It’s nearly September, school is about to start, and Theatre Ontario’s emerging professional workshops will soon be in session.  Our first “Getting Started For Actors” workshop will be on October 5, from 2pm to 4pm; “Self-Start: The Basics Of Self-Producing” will be on October 12, from 2pm to 4:15pm.

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, and 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 Getting Started For Actors on the Theatre Ontario website.

Self-Start: If you want to do a show but have never produced professionally before, and if you want to know what questions to ask first, this session is for you!  Self-Start is a practical seminar facilitated by Tim Chapman.  This workshop is designed for individuals thinking of starting a theatre company or producing a show; and gives you the opportunity to ask questions and try out ideas, discover the questions you need to ask and answer, learn to organize your thinking and planning, work on scheduling and budget considerations, and learn about available resources and services.  It's free for Theatre Ontario members, and $30 for non-members.  For more information, including how to register, please visit Self-Start: The Basics Of Producing on the Theatre Ontario website.

Theatre Ontario Welcomes Carol Beauchamp As Executive Director

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce that Carol Beauchamp will become the new Executive Director of Theatre Ontario, effective September 19, 2011.

“I am excited to have Carol join Theatre Ontario,” said Cam Lund, Vice-President of the Board of Directors, and Chair of the Search Committee.  “She brings a great deal of experience, passion, integrity and relationship-building skills to our theatre community.  Carol’s key strengths lie in understanding goals, problems and needs and then co-creating solutions with her partners.  Her people development and mentorship abilities will be a welcome addition to this organization.”

Carol has been a passionate member of the theatre community for over 25 years.  She is currently a member of the Board of Directors at the Association of Community Theatres—Central Ontario (ACT-CO) and the Halton Hills Cultural Round Table, which is assisting the Town with developing a Cultural Master Plan and Cultural Map as part of the Town’s sustainability planning.  Professionally, she has worked in sales and marketing in the private sector, holding senior management roles, developing province-wide marketing campaigns, and leading successful teams in both print and online media.

“I would like to thank and congratulate John Goddard for the commitment and passion he has brought to Theatre Ontario in the last five years,” Carol said, “and to extend my personal best wishes to him and his wife Susan as they pursue a busy and active retirement. I am aware of the challenge I am accepting in stepping into the position he has filled so wonderfully well, and hope to be able to live up to the leadership standard he has set.”

“I am committed to sustaining a healthy and vibrant theatrical milieu as part of Ontario’s increasingly diverse cultural landscape.  Changing demographics, economic and cultural influences present huge challenges, yet I firmly believe in the extremely important role of theatre in the cultural and social map of our province. Theatre Ontario must work harder than ever before to expand and elevate the role of theatre in Ontario’s cultural mosaic.  I am thrilled to join Theatre Ontario as the new Executive Director, and I very much look forward to working with a highly knowledgeable and dedicated team as well as with a dynamic Board of Directors to move forward in implementing a well-articulated Strategic Plan.”

Theatre Ontario develops and supports theatre practitioners across the province, by providing resources, networking, training and advocacy.  We are a charitable, not-for-profit association serving community, educational and professional theatre organizations and individuals through a range of programs and services.

ONstage Openings for the week of August 29

In Toronto

Aug. 30, Dreams Really Do Come True! (and other lies) at The Second City (currently in previews)
Sep. 2, The Price at Soulpepper Theatre with previews from Aug. 29

In Eastern Ontario
Sep. 3, Heroes at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) with a preview on Sep. 2

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

2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture awarded to Judy Harquail

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture has been awarded to Judy Harquail, in recognition of her extraordinary commitment and sustained contributions to arts and culture in Ontario, and in “enthusiastic recognition of those gifts, given freely, in service of the art and artists she so ably serves.”

“I am very honoured to receive the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award and to be recognized alongside such an amazing group of former recipients,” said Judy.  “I am proud to be able to play a role in the development and strengthening of arts and culture in the province of Ontario.”

Judy has worked in arts management, marketing and facilitating for over 25 years.  She was the co-founder of For Dance And Opera, a joint sales, marketing and tour management service organization for mid-sized dance and opera companies, establishing innovative partnerships with presenters in Canada and worldwide.  Through her work with CCI—Ontario Presenters Network, she has connected and developed a strong community of arts presenters across the province.  CCI’s block bookings and Health Arts Leader programs help presenters deepen their curatorial competencies and strengthen their organizations.  She was also vital in establishing the Ontario Arts Council’s Ontario Dances program, increasing the range and diversity of dance available to Ontario communities outside Toronto.

The award, a statuette entitled “JOY”, shall be presented to Judy on September 19 in Toronto, as part of Theatre Ontario’s 40th Anniversary launch.  Colleagues and friends of Judy who are interested in attending should contact John Goddard, Executive Director at Theatre Ontario, at john@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.11.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on the Theatre Ontario website.  Nominations for the 2012 award will open on October 3, 2011.

ONstage Openings for the week of August 22

In Southwestern Ontario
Aug. 23, The Melville Boys at Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Port Dover)
Aug. 26, When The Rain Stops Falling at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) currently in previews

In Central Ontario
Aug. 24, The Men Commandments at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)

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

7 Days In Ontario Theatre

Highlights From The Bulletin Board

• Upcoming workshops at the Blyth Festival: Adult Acting with Gil Garratt on August 24, and Writing In The Village with Paul Ciufo on September 1
• One of our members, Brian Gordon Sinclair, is “reduced (his) travelling shows to a ‘have suitcase, will perform’ level” and is making his technical equipment (rear projection screen, spotlights, and sound system) available for free to any Theatre Ontario member willing to travel to Alliston to pick it up

Check out all the latest postings of workshops, classified ads, recognition opportunities and more from Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board

Remember, you can also receive our news every month by email in Theatre Ontario Presents....  Our archives are online and the August issue is now available.

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Call for Applications for the Youth Theatre Training Program

Theatre Ontario is now inviting applications for the October 17, 2011 deadline for the Youth Theatre Training Program (YTTP), funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

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 2011) funded by this program.

65 Applications Received for the 2012 Directors Project at the Shaw Festival

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce that we received 65 applications for the 2012 Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival.  Applications came in from Canadians in six provinces, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“The Neil Munro Directors Project at the Shaw Festival continues to be an extremely competitive director training opportunity, consistently receiving a large number of applications from across Canada,” said Tim Chapman, Professional Theatre Coordinator.

Each year, the Shaw Festival hires two Intern Directors for a period of about six months. They look for promising professional directors near the beginning of their careers.  The Intern Directors work under the mentorship of the Directors of the Academy, which is the Shaw Festival's professional development and public education wing. Each intern is assigned to two or three successive shows as an Assistant Director.  For the most part, being an Assistant Director involves observing the senior directors at work in rehearsal, doing research as required, acting as a sounding board as required. (Getting them coffee is not required.) The Interns also assist the company in educating audiences about theatre in general and the Shaw's productions and programmes in particular.

Since its inception in 1988, the project has been sponsored annually by Sun Life Financial and Theatre Ontario.  Read more about the Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival on the Theatre Ontario website

ONstage Openings for the week of August 15

In Eastern Ontario
Aug. 16, The Patrick Pearse Motel at Ottawa Little Theatre

In South Central Ontario
Aug. 19, Cabaret at The Rose Theatre (Brampton)

In Southwestern Ontario
Aug. 16, Heat Wave at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia
Aug. 17, Blue Suede Shoes: Memories Of The King at Drayton Entertainment: Huron County Playhouse (Grand Bend) with a matinee preview on Aug. 17
Aug. 17, Bedtime Stories at Port Stanley Festival Theatre
Aug. 18, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Drayton Entertainment: Drayton Festival Theatre with previews from Aug. 17
Aug. 18, Mending Fences at Showboat Festival Theatre (Port Colborne)
Aug. 21, Guys And Dolls at Drayton Entertainment: Huron County Playhouse (Grand Bend) with previews from Aug. 17

In Toronto
Aug. 16, Exit The King at Soulpepper Theatre (currently in previews)
Aug. 18, White Biting Dog at Soulpepper Theatre (currently in previews)

In Central Ontario
Aug. 18, Fair Play at Theatre Collingwood
Aug. 19, Who's Under Where? At Drayton Entertainment: King's Wharf Theatre (Penetanguishene) with previews from Aug. 17

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

7 Days In Ontario Theatre

From The Wire

• A 60th Anniversary reminiscence at Belleville Theatre Guild—featuring a few of our long-time supporters

Highlights From The Bulletin Board

• Deadline is Monday for the Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction at Stratford
• Three workshops in Toronto next week at Bloor West Village Players: stage management, lighting operator, sound operator

Check out all the latest postings of workshops, classified ads, recognition opportunities and more from Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

ONstage Openings for the week of August 8

In Central Ontario
Aug. 10, Till It Hurts at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)
Aug. 11, Hairspray at Port Hope Festival Theatre

In South Central Ontario
Aug. 9, The Cemetery Club at Theatre Aurora

In Southwestern Ontario
Aug. 10, Hosanna at Stratford Shakespeare Festival with previews underway
Aug. 11, The Homecoming at Stratford Shakespeare Festival with previews underway
Aug. 11, When The Rain Stops Falling at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) in previews
Aug. 12, The Misanthrope at Stratford Shakespeare Festival with previews underway

In Toronto
Aug. 13, White Biting Dog at Soulpepper Theatre in previews

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

7 Days In Ontario Theatre

From The Wire

• The Indie Caucus from the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts is presenting a panel for indie producers looking to develop new works and navigating your way to the appropriate Equity agreement; Arden Ryshpan (CAEA), Franco Boni (Theatre Centre), Gideon Arthurs (Toronto Fringe) on a panel moderated by Richard Lee so you know they’re bringing the smart: August 11 at noon at The Lower Ossington Theatre
• ACT II Studio in Toronto has scheduled an information day on September 9 at 10:30am—learn about the courses and activities offered by this unique theatre school for older adults
• Following recent announcements for Southwestern Ontario, funding initiatives announced by the Minister of Heritage in the Greater Toronto Area

Check out all the latest postings of workshops, classified ads, recognition opportunities and more from Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Call for Applications for the Professional Theatre Training Program

Theatre Ontario is now inviting applications for the October 3, 2011 deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP), funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

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 2011) funded by this program.

Recognizing Excellence in the Class of 2011

Theatre Ontario is pleased to congratulate some of the “Class of 2011” secondary school students recognized with our Certificate of Excellence.

Robbie Grant, of North Toronto Collegiate Institute in Toronto, “offering outstanding leadership in our extra-curricular program; a student director for the Sears Festival, an actor in our annual event On Stage Tonight, and helps to coordinate our lunch hour theatre.”

Austin Newdick, of Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill, “our head technician…with no past experience he has come in for training evenings and weekends and has become so knowledgeable, so quickly that he has been in charge of all school drama, music and special events…organizes and trains other students…”

Laura Oliva, of Thornlea Secondary School in Thornhill, “a huge force in the Thornlea Drama Department, acting in over half a dozen plays, directing others, and a positive influence on younger actors…”

Brock Wilson, of M.M. Robinson High School in Burlington, “a dedicated and generous performer, a key part of the school’s improv team for two years…he plans on studying theatre at university next year…”

Theatre Ontario’s Certificates of Excellence are awarded to an individual who has shown diligence, excellence of participation, and/or outstanding commitment to the drama / theatre community at his or her school.  The person receiving the certificate may have worked as a performer, technician, organizer of the drama club, or may simply have been of great support and encouragement to others, during or after school hours.  It may be given out at special events such as a Commencement, Recognition Assembly, or Annual Awards Assembly.

The Certificate of Excellence was established in 1986.  Students are nominated by their high school or teacher for the certificate.  For more information, please visit the Theatre Ontario website.

ONstage Openings for the week of August 2

In Toronto
Aug. 6, Exit The King at Soulpepper Theatre in previews

In Central Ontario
Aug. 2, Educating Rita at Highlands Summer Festival (Haliburton)
Aug. 4, The Cavan Blazers at 4th Line Theatre (Millbrook) with previews from Aug. 2

In Eastern Ontario
Aug. 2, Storm Warning at Bancroft Village Playhouse
Aug. 3, The Ballad Of Weedy Peetstraw at Festival Players of Prince Edward County (Picton)
Aug. 4, Clue, The Musical at Suzart Productions (Ottawa)
Aug. 6, Not Now, Darling at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg) with previews from Aug. 4
Aug. 6, Billy Bishop Goes To War at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) with a preview on Aug. 5
Aug. 6, The Fourposter at Classic Theatre Festival (Perth) with previews from Aug. 5

In South Central Ontario
Aug. 5, The Drawer Boy at The Rose Theatre (Brampton)

In Southwestern Ontario
Aug. 3, Intimate Evening at Starbright Summer Festival (Sarnia)
Aug. 5, Early August at Blyth Festival with previews from Aug. 3
Aug. 5, Cabaret at Starbright Summer Festival (Sarnia)
Aug. 5, Maria Severa at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) with previews underway
Aug. 6, Simply Grand at Starbright Summer Festival (Sarnia)
Aug. 6, Topdog/Underdog at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) with previews underway

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