- Deadline to apply for Canadian Stage’s BASH! Director Development Program is November 4
- Application deadline for the Toronto Fringe Festival Lottery is November 7
- As part of their ArtAttack! Fundraiser, Buddies In Bad Times Theatre is auctioning off the “Indie Producers Package” online; the package includes a one-night rental of Tallulah’s Cabaret, 20 hours of creation space at the Toronto Fringe’s Creation Lab, advertising buys, photo shoots, graphic design, and public relations package - bidding closes November 10
- Our suite-mates at Playwrights Guild of Canada offers a 20% discount on books for teachers and schools; plays can be ordered online or by email orders@playwrightsguild.ca
Monday, 31 October 2011
Browsing The Bulletin Board
Highlights From The Bulletin Board
ONstage Openings for the week of October 31
In Northeastern Ontario
Nov. 3, Waiting For Godot at Sudbury Theatre Centre
In South Central Ontario
Nov. 4, The Weightlifter Rhapsody (staged reading) at Theatre Starts (Aurora)
Nov. 5, Beamused (staged reading) at Theatre Starts (Aurora)
In Southwestern Ontario
Nov. 3, Never Too Late at Theatre Tillsonburg
In Toronto
Nov. 1, Orpheus and Eurydice at Canadian Stage
Nov. 3, Hairspray at Curtain Call Players
Nov. 3, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Scarborough Music Theatre
Nov. 3, Shining City at Toronto Irish Players
Nov. 4, the sankofa trilogy at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Nov. 5, The Rez Sisters at Factory Theatre in previews
In Central Ontario
Nov. 3, Wingfield Unbound at Meaford Hall
Nov. 4, Doubt at Northumberland Players (Cobourg)
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Nov. 3, Waiting For Godot at Sudbury Theatre Centre
In South Central Ontario
Nov. 4, The Weightlifter Rhapsody (staged reading) at Theatre Starts (Aurora)
Nov. 5, Beamused (staged reading) at Theatre Starts (Aurora)
In Southwestern Ontario
Nov. 3, Never Too Late at Theatre Tillsonburg
In Toronto
Nov. 1, Orpheus and Eurydice at Canadian Stage
Nov. 3, Hairspray at Curtain Call Players
Nov. 3, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Scarborough Music Theatre
Nov. 3, Shining City at Toronto Irish Players
Nov. 4, the sankofa trilogy at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Nov. 5, The Rez Sisters at Factory Theatre in previews
In Central Ontario
Nov. 3, Wingfield Unbound at Meaford Hall
Nov. 4, Doubt at Northumberland Players (Cobourg)
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Friday, 28 October 2011
7 Days In Ontario Theatre
(Consider this a special 7+7+7+7 edition…)
Conversations
Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator
Conversations
- October 25 was Arts Day on Parliament Hill and Shannon Litzenberger was there
- A “Theatre and the Internet” roundtable, focusing on theatre criticism, was held at the University of Toronto on October 27; the Twitter feed has been captured here
- Brampton’s Lester B. Pearson theatre was closed by the Ministry of Labour due to health and safety issues related to rigging
- The Bank Theatre in Leamington is starting to take shape, under the leadership of the Sun Parlour Players
- The City of North Bay is investing $275,000 in the Capitol Theatre
- The new Ontario Tourism and Culture Critics were announced: the Conservatives appointed Ted Chudleigh (Halton), the NDP appointed Paul Miller (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek)
- For artists taking their work to Britain, “cumbersome and unevenly interpreted immigration rules” are proving challenging
- Peter Caldwell is the new Director and CEO of the Ontario Arts Council; he was our Coordinator of Training Programs in 1977 to 1980
- The Toronto Arts Foundation presented its 2011 awards—congratulations to all of the recipients, but with a special nod to Jane Marsland, a past recipient of our Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture
- Equity presented its 2011 Honours Awards; among those recognized was Sandy Winsby who received the Larry McCance Award for service to the Association
- The shortlist for the Siminovitch Prize was announced: Robert Chafe, Jasmine Dube, Greg MacArthur, Joan MacLeod, Mansel Robinson and Larry Tremblay; the prize is presented on November 7
Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Second Spring
by Carol Beauchamp, Executive Director
Spring is viewed as the season of renewal, but in the world of theatre, terrific new seasons of exciting shows are beginning around the province! The variety of theatrical productions that we can enjoy and participate in continues to amaze me. The wonderful world of theatre pushes artistic and social boundaries, entertaining us, reflecting our collective psyche, preserving our history, supporting both the cultural and economic sustainability of our communities, and creating unique and magical moments in time that and are both memorable and inspiring to our audiences and talented artists alike.
“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower”, Albert Camus
Spring is viewed as the season of renewal, but in the world of theatre, terrific new seasons of exciting shows are beginning around the province! The variety of theatrical productions that we can enjoy and participate in continues to amaze me. The wonderful world of theatre pushes artistic and social boundaries, entertaining us, reflecting our collective psyche, preserving our history, supporting both the cultural and economic sustainability of our communities, and creating unique and magical moments in time that and are both memorable and inspiring to our audiences and talented artists alike.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Remembering Ed Procunier: The Man, The Mission
by Paul Eck
Ed Procunier was such an integral part in the life of the arts it is difficult to find a slot into which his incredible contribution could possibly fit: artist, teacher, adjudicator, director, mentor, advocate, force—a caring and erudite man of the arts at all times.
When Ed was the President of Theatre Ontario and I was the Board Chair, we both lived in London, Ontario and so became known as “the men from London.” Those were great years with great conversations on the trips back and forth, and Ed taught me a lot! Those trips frequently included stops at galleries or home studios where paintings were exchanged/bought/sold; my visual arts education was gained first-hand. The trips finished at Ed’s home, finding a place for the new acquisition in a home already floor-to-ceiling in every room with brilliant Canadian art—an incredible experience!
My introduction to Ed’s writing was appearing in a play, Two Sides of Darkness at the London Little Theatre, a play in which I began to appreciate Ed’s linguistic appeal, his use of the English language, his understanding of history, and his very real concern about the stage and the acuteness of character development with language need. He had me hooked.
When Ed became one of the founders of London Community Players, I was fortunate to be able to direct world premieres of several of his plays—an unforgettable experience! The opportunity to work directly with a demanding playwright, the importance of language and punctuation, the understanding of character and the development of trust between playwright and director was mentorship in its highest form. Ed’s dramatic stories had a reality, always based on true experiences and friends he knew (and always protecting the source.)
Ed Procunier had many accomplishments in his lifetime and we are all the richer for the time he spent with us, and the catalogue of fascinating plays he has given us to continue to explore.
Ed—we salute your memory and your many contributions to the arts in Canada.
Edwin Robert Procunier died at Victoria Hospital, London on Monday, September 26, 2011, just five days before his 84th birthday. A Memorial Celebration will be held Saturday, November 19, 2:00pm, at The Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas Street E, London, where “Procunier Hall“ will be dedicated in Ed's honour. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to London Community Players, 710 Dundas Street E, London ON N5W 2Z4, to purchase seats, lighting and sound equipment through the Procunier Hall Enhancement Fund.
Ed Procunier was such an integral part in the life of the arts it is difficult to find a slot into which his incredible contribution could possibly fit: artist, teacher, adjudicator, director, mentor, advocate, force—a caring and erudite man of the arts at all times.
My introduction to Ed’s writing was appearing in a play, Two Sides of Darkness at the London Little Theatre, a play in which I began to appreciate Ed’s linguistic appeal, his use of the English language, his understanding of history, and his very real concern about the stage and the acuteness of character development with language need. He had me hooked.
When Ed became one of the founders of London Community Players, I was fortunate to be able to direct world premieres of several of his plays—an unforgettable experience! The opportunity to work directly with a demanding playwright, the importance of language and punctuation, the understanding of character and the development of trust between playwright and director was mentorship in its highest form. Ed’s dramatic stories had a reality, always based on true experiences and friends he knew (and always protecting the source.)
Ed Procunier had many accomplishments in his lifetime and we are all the richer for the time he spent with us, and the catalogue of fascinating plays he has given us to continue to explore.
Ed—we salute your memory and your many contributions to the arts in Canada.
Edwin Robert Procunier died at Victoria Hospital, London on Monday, September 26, 2011, just five days before his 84th birthday. A Memorial Celebration will be held Saturday, November 19, 2:00pm, at The Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas Street E, London, where “Procunier Hall“ will be dedicated in Ed's honour. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to London Community Players, 710 Dundas Street E, London ON N5W 2Z4, to purchase seats, lighting and sound equipment through the Procunier Hall Enhancement Fund.
Monday, 24 October 2011
ONstage Openings for the week of October 24
In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 28, Whispering Pines at Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa) with previews from Oct. 25
In Southwestern Ontario
Oct. 27, Pearl Gidley at Lost & Found Theatre (Kitchener)
In Toronto
Oct. 26, Weesageechak Begins To Dance XXIV Festival at Native Earth Performing Arts
Oct. 27, Lettice And Lovage at East Side Players
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Oct. 28, Whispering Pines at Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa) with previews from Oct. 25
In Southwestern Ontario
Oct. 27, Pearl Gidley at Lost & Found Theatre (Kitchener)
In Toronto
Oct. 26, Weesageechak Begins To Dance XXIV Festival at Native Earth Performing Arts
Oct. 27, Lettice And Lovage at East Side Players
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Theatre Ontario Schedules Next Emerging Professional Workshops
Our next emerging professional workshops have been scheduled: sign-up now for “Getting Started For Actors” on November 23 at 2pm, or “Self-Start: The Basics Of Self-Producing” on November 30 at 2pm.
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.
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.
Monday, 17 October 2011
ONstage Openings for the week of October 17
In Toronto
Oct.19, Name In Vain (Decalogue Two) at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Oct. 19, The Gentleman Caller at Hart House Theatre
Oct. 20, Deathtrap at The NAGs Players
Oct. 22, the sankofa trilogy at Tarragon Theatre in previews
In Central Ontario
Oct. 21, A Month Of Sundays at Northumberland Players (Cobourg)
Oct. 22, Lucien: Labour Lost at Algonquin Theatre (Huntsville)
In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 19, A Little Piece Of Heaven at Rural Root Theatre Company (Ottawa)
Oct. 21, Macbeth at Mississippi Mudds of Carleton Place
In South Central Ontario
Oct. 20, Rumors at Peel Panto Players (Brampton)
In Southwestern Ontario
Oct. 18, To Master The Art at The Grand Theatre (London)
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Oct.19, Name In Vain (Decalogue Two) at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Oct. 19, The Gentleman Caller at Hart House Theatre
Oct. 20, Deathtrap at The NAGs Players
Oct. 22, the sankofa trilogy at Tarragon Theatre in previews
In Central Ontario
Oct. 21, A Month Of Sundays at Northumberland Players (Cobourg)
Oct. 22, Lucien: Labour Lost at Algonquin Theatre (Huntsville)
In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 19, A Little Piece Of Heaven at Rural Root Theatre Company (Ottawa)
Oct. 21, Macbeth at Mississippi Mudds of Carleton Place
In South Central Ontario
Oct. 20, Rumors at Peel Panto Players (Brampton)
In Southwestern Ontario
Oct. 18, To Master The Art at The Grand Theatre (London)
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Things I have learned in this job...
Soon I will be stepping down from the job of Community Theatre Coordinator. It’s been an eventful three years, and very educational for me. I have met the most dedicated and hard-working people of my life while I have traveled around the province as cheerleader-in-chief for the non-professional theatre sector. I told a colleague that I was planning to exit with an article about what I have learned in this job, and he suggested it was likely to be a very short article. Good joke. Here is what I think I have learned…
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
ONstage Openings for the week of October 11
In Southwestern Ontario
Oct. 13, Blood Brothers at Drayton Entertainment: St. Jacobs Country Playhouse with previews from Oct. 12
Oct. 14, Frozen Dreams at Guelph Little Theatre
In Toronto
Oct. 10, I Send You This Cadmium Red at Canadian Stage
Oct. 13, HARDSELL at Factory Theatre
Oct. 14, Ghosts at Soulpepper Theatre with previews from Oct. 10
Oct. 16, The Normal Heart at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre with previews from Oct. 14
In Central Ontario
Oct. 14, The Melville Boys at Theatre Orangeville with a preview on Oct. 13
In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 12, Lucien’s Labour Lost at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg)
Oct. 13, Jitters at Belleville Theatre Guild
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Oct. 13, Blood Brothers at Drayton Entertainment: St. Jacobs Country Playhouse with previews from Oct. 12
Oct. 14, Frozen Dreams at Guelph Little Theatre
In Toronto
Oct. 10, I Send You This Cadmium Red at Canadian Stage
Oct. 13, HARDSELL at Factory Theatre
Oct. 14, Ghosts at Soulpepper Theatre with previews from Oct. 10
Oct. 16, The Normal Heart at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre with previews from Oct. 14
In Central Ontario
Oct. 14, The Melville Boys at Theatre Orangeville with a preview on Oct. 13
In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 12, Lucien’s Labour Lost at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg)
Oct. 13, Jitters at Belleville Theatre Guild
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Theatre Ontario Congratulates 2012 Shaw Intern Directors
Theatre Ontario congratulates Krista Jackson of Winnipeg and Michael Wheeler of Toronto who have been chosen as the Intern Directors for the 2012 Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival.
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. Applicants should have a fair bit of professional experience, but probably not in a company as large as the Shaw Festival. 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. The “Directors Project” is the culmination of the Intern Directors’ season, and consists of a double-bill of two one-acts directed by the two Intern Directors.
Krista Jackson has been working in Canadian theatre for the past two decades and last season co-directed The Seafarer with Gina Wilkinson at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s (RMTC). Krista is co-founder and artistic director of zone41 (www.zone41.ca): a new theatre with a mandate to re-vision classics in Winnipeg. The company’s inaugural production of Bruce McManus’ adaptation of Three Sisters will be presented in partnership with Theatre Projects Manitoba this fall. Krista will then direct Village Wooing for zone41 in RMTC’s 2012 Master Playwrights Festival which will celebrate the work of G.B. Shaw. The show will run in conjunction with Eric Lesage’s 20 panel exhibit of a deconstructed 1956 Webster’s English Dictionary at RAW: Gallery of Architecture and Design. She is also currently collaborating with playwright Carolyn Gray on a Molière adaptation for next season. “In a telegram to Moscow Arts Theatre in 1899, Chekhov wrote ‘We shall work mindfully, cheerfully, tirelessly, unanimously.’ I will try to do just that as an intern director at the Shaw Festival for the 2012 season. I look forward to a summer devoted to investigating and learning with the Shaw’s dynamic company of artists.”
Michael Wheeler has directed ten original productions as Artistic Director of Praxis Theatre. He is currently directing Jesus Chrysler by Tara Beagan presented at Theatre Passe Muraille and is Co-Curator of the Freefall Festival at The Theatre Centre. Michael has trained as a director at the Tarragon Theatre, as an artistic producer with Volcano Theatre and is editor of praxistheatre.com. Assistant director credits include Tear The Curtain at The Cultural Olympiad and Peggy Pickit Sees The Face of God as part of Luminato and Canadian Stage. He is the recent recipient of two separate Royal Bank of Canada Artist Awards: the 2011 SummerWorks Arts Professional Award and was a Finalist for the 2010 Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award. Michael is a member of The Wrecking Ball holds an MFA from the Moscow Art Theatre. “As Artistic Director of a theatre company with a sociopolitical mandate, spending a season at a festival founded on the works of one of theatre’s great social justice advocates is a tremendous opportunity. There is much to learn from the incredible artists that comprise The Shaw Festival and the exceptional resources available to directors there.”
Since its inception in 1988, the project has been sponsored annually by Sun Life Financial. Visit the Theatre Ontario website for more information about the Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival.
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. Applicants should have a fair bit of professional experience, but probably not in a company as large as the Shaw Festival. 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. The “Directors Project” is the culmination of the Intern Directors’ season, and consists of a double-bill of two one-acts directed by the two Intern Directors.
Since its inception in 1988, the project has been sponsored annually by Sun Life Financial. Visit the Theatre Ontario website for more information about the Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Seeking Nominations for the 2012 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture
Theatre Ontario is now inviting nominations for the 2012 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.
The award is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose initiative, activism, leadership, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives. While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.
Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones & Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, and Judy Harquail.
The nomination deadline is November 30, 2011. The jury for the 2012 award is Peter Honeywell (Chair), Winston Morgan and Jini Stolk (as past recipients of the award) and Gerry Smith and David Caron (as representatives of the arts and culture sector at-large.)
Full award criteria, history, and nomination guidelines can be found on the Theatre Ontario website.
Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones & Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, and Judy Harquail.
The nomination deadline is November 30, 2011. The jury for the 2012 award is Peter Honeywell (Chair), Winston Morgan and Jini Stolk (as past recipients of the award) and Gerry Smith and David Caron (as representatives of the arts and culture sector at-large.)
Full award criteria, history, and nomination guidelines can be found on the Theatre Ontario website.
Monday, 3 October 2011
ONstage Openings for the week of October 3
In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 8, Ned Durango at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) with a preview on Oct. 7
In Toronto
Oct.4, Name In Vain (Decalogue Two) at Tarragon Theatre in previews
Oct. 6, Blithe Spirit at Scarborough Theatre Guild
Oct. 6, Those Who Can't Do... at Theatre Passe Muraille
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
Oct. 8, Ned Durango at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) with a preview on Oct. 7
In Toronto
Oct.4, Name In Vain (Decalogue Two) at Tarragon Theatre in previews
Oct. 6, Blithe Spirit at Scarborough Theatre Guild
Oct. 6, Those Who Can't Do... at Theatre Passe Muraille
For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.
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