Ontario Off Stage

Conversations

• From Praxis Theatre, Michael Wheeler on what the success of Terminus at Off Mirvish Productions means for independent theatre in Toronto
• From Native Earth’s Hoka Heh!—exploring how you reconcile work about displacement while managing a new venue in Regent Park
• Also from Praxis, Jordan Tannahill opened a new venue and provoked some responses from many of my favourite Toronto theatre voices that may (or may not) be about “a crisis of space”—or a crisis of resources
• The Ontario Arts Council’s latest podcast is on Theatre Programs, with Nancy Kenny interviewing Pat Bradley about programs for theatre artists, collectives, and organizations
• Marketers are creators of public perception and need to take that responsibility seriously—Megan Pagado on Americans For The Arts’ Arts Blog on how arts marketing perpetuates many of the arts stereotypes we claim that we want to change

From The Wire

• The Stratford Festival announced the six directors in the 2013 Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction—and three are alumnae from our Professional Theatre Training Program: Mitchell Cushman, Andrea Donaldson, and Birgit Schreyer Duarte

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Browsing The Bulletin Board

There are still a couple of spots left in tonight’s workshop on Social Media: Live Performance and Community Engagement for your Theatre Community, with Michael Wheeler

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Application deadlines for OAC Theatre Creators’ Reserve funding at Festival Players of Prince Edward County (November 30), b current (November 30), and Great Canadian Theatre Company (December 3); this program is designed to provide funding for Ontario playwrights through a third-party recommender program
• The deadline to apply to Nueva Voz at Alameda Theatre Company is November 30; this program provides workshops for young Latinos/as roughly between the ages of 14 and 19, who may be interested in theatre but not necessarily have the experience
• For managers of not-for-profit cultural facilities, the deadline to apply to Work In Culture / ArtsBuild Ontario’s Arts Facilities Mentoring Network is November 30

Check out these items and all of our postings of workshops, calls for submission, and opportunities for recognition on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

ONstage Openings for the week of November 26

In Central Ontario
Nov. 27, Rumpledstinkskin at Peterborough Theatre Guild
Nov. 30, A Gift To Last at Theatre Orangeville, with a preview on Nov. 29
Dec. 1, Snow White And The 7 Dwarfs at Huntsville Community Theatre Company

In Eastern Ontario
Nov. 27, Mr. Pim Passes By at Ottawa Little Theatre
Nov. 30, The Number 14 at Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa) with previews from Nov. 27

In Northeastern Ontario
Nov. 30, Bunch of Munsch at Sudbury Theatre Centre

In South Central Ontario
Nov. 30, The Last Resort at Theatre Aurora

In Southwestern Ontario
Nov. 30, The Vagina Monologues at The Edge Productions (Windsor)
Nov. 30, Our Town at Theatre Woodstock

In Toronto
Nov. 27, Binti's Journey at Young People's Theatre
Nov. 27, Ryerson Dances at Ryerson Theatre School
Nov. 27, Ignorance at Canadian Stage
Nov. 27, Nine at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts
Nov. 28, The Munsch Bunch at George Brown Theatre School
Nov. 29, No Traveller Returns at Scarborough Theatre Guild
Nov. 29, The 501 - Toronto In Transit at Theatre Passe Muraille
Dec. 1, Miracle On Mercer St. at The Second City

For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to submit your listings, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Save The Date for our 2013 Summer Theatre Intensive

Our 2013 Summer Theatre Intensive has been booked for August 11 to 17, returning again to Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.  We’re looking forward to offering another exciting line-up of courses and instructors in 2013.

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback about our 2012 courses—your comments are helping us shape our plans for the coming year.  Theatre Ontario’s Summer Theatre Intensive brings together theatre people from all over the province for a week-long rigorous educational experience.  For over thirty-five years, our courses have earned praise from drama teachers, theatre schools, community and professional theatres, agents, and actors getting started in the business.

Read more about our last year’s Summer Theatre Intensive on the Theatre Ontario website

Congratulations to Fall 2012 Professional Theatre Training Program Recipients

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce the latest recipients of training grants through Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP).  $33,728 was awarded in total among the following recipients:

• John Doucet to train in set design with Ivo Valentik at the Great Canadian Theatre Company and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa
• Brittney Francis to train in directing with Jennifer Brewin at Theatre Columbus in Toronto and Ottawa
• Melissa Haddad to train in Education & Outreach with Karen Gilodo at Young Peoples Theatre and Farwah Gheewala at Soulpepper Theatre
• Kristen Kitcher to train in general management with Kathryn Westoll at the Toronto Fringe Festival
• Sarah McVie to train in directing with Marie Clements at the National Arts Centre and the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa
• Natasha Adiyana Morris to train in producing with Philip Akin at Obsidian Theatre
• Jenna Rodgers to train in artistic direction with David Yee at fu-Gen Theatre Company
• Justin Stadnyk to train in artistic producing with Arkady Spivak at Talk Is Free Theatre in Barrie
• Robin Sutherland to train in community-engaged theatre with Ruth Howard at Jumblies Theatre in Toronto, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie/Algoma

The next application deadline for this program is March 1, 2013.

We also want to extend a special thank-you to Franco Boni, our outgoing Chair of the Professional Theatre Training Program Jury.  Franco has served on the jury for over a decade with enthusiasm, keen insight, and diligence.  Thank you Franco for your service to Theatre Ontario.

Read more about the Professional Theatre Training Program on the Theatre Ontario website.

This program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Browsing The Bulletin Board

A few spaces are still available in “Social Media: Live Performance and Community Engagement for you Theatre Community” with Michael Wheeler.  Running on Tuesday, November 27 at 6:30pm, this workshop is for organizations to help identify where your social media content comes from, what voice you should use, what are the latest trends, and how it can assist rather than distract from your work.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Jumblies Theatre is holding a seminar in Toronto on The Convergence Project.  Over the past year, this research project has explored the relationship between meditation, spirituality and community arts.  It runs Thursday, November 22 at 6:30pm.

New on The Bulletin Board

• The Arts and Letters Club in Toronto is holding a student playwriting contest for secondary and post-secondary students in the Greater Toronto Area.  Submission deadline is February 28, and the prize is $1000.

Check out these items and all of our postings of workshops, calls for submission, and opportunities for recognition on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

ONstage Openings for the week of November 19

In Toronto
Nov. 19, The Second City's Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue

In Central Ontario
Nov. 22, Wingfield On Ice at Meaford Hall

In Eastern Ontario
Nov. 23, Pride And Prejudice at National Arts Centre—English Theatre (Ottawa) with previews from Nov. 21
Nov. 24, Everything I Always Loved About Christmas at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg) with previews from Nov. 22
Nov. 25, Aladdin at Mississippi Mudds of Carleton Place

In South Central Ontario
Nov. 22, Jack And The Beanstalk at Peel Panto Players (Brampton)
Nov. 22, Fiddler On The Roof at Oshawa Little Theatre
Nov. 22, The Story Of Snow White, A Pantomime at Scugog Choral Society (Port Perry)

In Southwestern Ontario
Nov. 21, Miracle On 34th Street, The Musical at The Grand Theatre (London)
Nov. 22, Sherlock's Excellent Adventure at Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre

For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to submit your listings, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Ontario Off Stage

Behind The Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Canadian Conference for the Arts is closing its doors.  Alain Pineau, National Director, blogs about what this means.
• The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) has published the “TAPA Stats Report Phase III” measuring data from the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons in Toronto theatre, opera, and dance.  Over 2.3 million tickets were sold by TAPA members during the final season of the study.  The report also highlights the growth of student audiences, and an increase in total number of subscription sales—but with a decline in subscription revenue that reflects both the benefits and consequences of providing increased flexibility to subscribers.

Conversations

• J. Kelly Nestruck writes in the Globe & Mail about collaboration between independent musicians and independent theatre, and how the trend is extending to major national cultural institutions like the Stratford Festival.

TO Toasts

• Lighting designer Robert Thomson won the final Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, and named Jason Hand and Raha Javanfar as his protégé prize recipients.
• Catherine Banks and Playwrights Canada Press won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama for It Is Solved By Walking.

You can also receive news from Theatre Ontario every month by email.  Our archives are online and the November issue is now available.

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Introduction to Adjudication returns in 2013

In response to feedback from our membership, Theatre Ontario has been working over the past three years to improve the quality of adjudication in the province.  We have been creating professional development opportunities for established adjudicators, improving the calibre of trial adjudications, and exploring methods for gathering feedback from participants and engagers.

We’ve also been training new adjudicators and providing opportunities to practice adjudication skills and to network with experienced mentors.  We are pleased to announce our third annual Introduction to Adjudication course, running Tuesday, March 12 to Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Guelph, during the Western Ontario Drama League Festival.  Under the instruction of Ron Cameron-Lewis, the course covers the principles of adjudication (including public adjudications, private/detailed adjudications, written adjudications), evaluation schemes, award selection, and more.  Participants will see shows in the Festival, and practice “public” adjudications in private with their fellow students.

Following the course, participants will also have an opportunity during Fall 2013/Spring 2014 to hone their skills at a practice adjudication at a community theatre in their region.  Over the past two years, many community theatres across the province have demonstrated their commitment to education by participating in these practice sessions, while many established adjudicators have generously given their time and shared their talent by mentoring a new generation of “graduates” from the classes of 2010 and 2011.

As one past course participant shared, “I love the mix of theory, personal experience and practical application.  The course gave a clear indication of what adjudication is, and whether or not it’s something I want to pursue.”

Read more about the Introduction to Adjudication Course or submit your application on the Theatre Ontario website

Browsing The Bulletin Board

There's still a few spaces left in our workshops coming up in the next week:

• Do You Want To Make A Difference? with Brenda Worsnop is on Friday, November 16 at 2pm–Is being a Board member of a theatre or cultural organization for you?
• The Why and How of a Successful Web Presence with Paul Snepsts is on Monday, November 19 at 6:30pm–Helping individual theatre practitioners be online; to market yourself, to show off your talents, and to brag about your accomplishments
• Professional Theatre Training Program Talk Back and Mixer with Tim Chapman and past PTTP Grant Recipients on Tuesday, November 20 at 5:15pm – Can you benefit from mentorship?  Looking to further or change your career?  Develop a new skill?  Mentoring through Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program might be for you
• Check out all of our upcoming workshop opportunities on the Theatre Ontario website

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Deadline to apply to Alameda Theatre’s 2013 De Colores Festival of New Work is November 15.  The De Colores Festival of New Works is a playwrights’ unit/festival, which focuses exclusively on the development of Latin American playwrights in Canada.

New on The Bulletin Board

• WorkInCulture and ArtsBuild Ontario are pleased to announce a third round of its mentoring network to the cultural sector.  This year’s focus will be on strengthening the business and management skills needed for arts facilities.  The Arts Facility Mentoring Network provides established leaders in Ontario’s non-profit arts community who are responsible for managing, improving and developing facilities with the unique opportunity of one-to-one learning with experienced topic experts.  Deadline to apply is November 30.

Check out these items and all of our postings of workshops, calls for submission, and opportunities for recognition on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

ONstage Openings for the week of November 12

In Southwestern Ontario
Nov. 15, Water Under The Bridge from Carousel Players at The Grand Theatre (London)
Nov. 16, Annie at Drayton Entertainment: St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, with previews from Nov. 13
Nov. 16, Hairspray at Theatre Ancaster (Hamilton)
Nov. 16, Nunsense at Elmira Theatre Company

In Toronto
Nov. 14, The Little Years at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Nov. 15, The Arsonists at Canadian Stage (currently in previews)
Nov. 15, Cinderella - a RATical retelling at Young People’s Theatre (with previews from Nov. 12)
Nov. 15, Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde at Amicus Productions
Nov. 15, Mambo Italiano at Alexander Showcase Theatre
Nov. 16, Guys And Dolls at Etobicoke Musical Productions
Nov. 16, The Drowning Girls at Alumnae Theatre Company
Nov. 16, Fare Game: Life In Toronto's Taxis at Theatre Passe Muraille

In Central Ontario
Nov. 15, A Christmas Carol at VOS Theatre (Cobourg)
Nov. 16, Real Estate at Blackhorse Village Players (Tottenham) with a preview on Nov. 14
Nov. 16, Guys And Dolls at Talk Is Free Theatre (Barrie) with a preview on Nov. 15

In South Central Ontario
Nov. 14, Mending Fences at Markham Little Theatre
Nov. 16, $38,000 For A Friendly Face at The Curtain Club (Richmond Hill) with a preview on Nov. 15
Nov. 16, Mame at Clarkson Music Theatre (Mississauga)
Nov. 16, The Glass Menagerie at Mississauga Players

For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to submit your listings, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Inviting Applications for the Theatre Ontario Talent Bank

Join our roster of skilled theatre trainers and workshop leaders by becoming a member of the Theatre Ontario Talent Bank.  We are now inviting applications for Talent Bank membership.

Theatre Ontario's Talent Bank is made up of professional theatre trainers and teachers who provide workshops, adjudications, and/or short-term consulting contracts for community organizations.

Talent Bank applicants must:

• be proficient practitioners in the categories to which they are applying
• demonstrate ability as a teacher/trainer
• have sensitivity and familiarity with the needs of the community and educational theatre sector

Read more about applying to join the Theatre Ontario Talent Bank on our website

Browsing The Bulletin Board

This month's workshops and events include board volunteerism, succession planning, websites, mentorship, getting into acting, social media, self-producing, working with agents—see all the educational possibilities available to you from Theatre Ontario in November.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Two new play readings/performances this weekend: Tarragon Theatre’s latest WorkSpace presentation (Soliciting Temptation) is on November 9th and 10th, and Brant Theatre Workshop (The Incredible Life Of Jackie Gleason) is on November 10th--both are free

Check out these items and all of our postings of workshops, calls for submission, and opportunities for recognition on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

ONstage Openings for the week of November 5

In South Central Ontario
Nov. 8, Legally Blonde, The Musical at Marquee Theatrical Productions (Newmarket / Richmond Hill)
Nov. 9, The December Man (L'homme de decembre) at Durham Shoestring Performers (Oshawa)

In Southwestern Ontario
Nov. 9, Tom Sawyer at Elora Community Theatre (Fergus)
Nov. 9, The Secret Garden at Theatre Sarnia
Nov. 9, Waiting For The Parade at London Community Players

In Toronto
Nov. 7, My Name Is Asher Lev at TEATRON Toronto Jewish Theatre
Nov. 7, Romeo And Juliet at Hart House Theatre
Nov. 7, Saturday Sunday Monday at George Brown Theatre School
Nov. 7, The Little Years at Tarragon Theatre (in previews)
Nov. 8, The Death Of Me / My Narrator at NAGs Players
Nov. 11, The Arsonists at Canadian Stage (in previews)

In Central Ontario
Nov. 9, Honk! at Kempenfelt Community Players (Barrie)

In Eastern Ontario
Nov. 7, Where Poppies Blow at Salamander Theatre (Ottawa)
Nov. 8, thirsty at National Arts Centre—English Theatre (Ottawa) with previews from Nov. 5

For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to submit your listings, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Ontario Off Stage

Behind The Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Toronto Fringe Festival is having an Open House on Wednesday, November 7 for the Creation Lab—if you’re a creator and you don’t know about this space, this is a terrific opportunity to find out more.  Affordable hubs are hard to find.
• As reported in the Toronto Star: “Nobody wants to buy North York’s Toronto Centre for the Arts or the downtown St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, but the Sony Centre might be feasible.”

Conversations

• The Stratford Shakespeare Festival announced that they were re-branding back to Stratford Festival; Howard Sherman writes about the challenges of marketing and branding Shakespeare.

Migrations

• Nancy Webster, currently Managing Director of English Theatre at the National Arts Centre is returning to Young People’s Theatre in the role of Executive Director (PDF).
• Kate Ann Vandermeer is the new General Manager of Cahoots Theatre Company.

TO Toasts

• Congratulations to all of the recipients of the inaugural Tom Hendry Awards from Playwrights Guild of Canada—with a special tip of the hat to Michael Grant, winner of the New Comedy Award, and one of the playwrights published in our anthology Grassroots: Original Plays from Ontario Community Theatres; and to Norm Foster who was awarded a lifetime membership.
• PGC was also gracious enough to allow us to present the 2012 Maggie Bassett Award at the occasion—and Dave Carley’s acceptance speech can be seen on their YouTube channel.

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator