Tuesday 31 December 2013

Browsing The Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario
Check out all of our upcoming courses and workshops, including a grant writing information session in Ottawa

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

The members of ACT II Studio
  • ACT II Studio is holding an Information Session on January 6, profiling their unique theatre school for older adults
  • Tarragon Theatre’s Playwriting course with Paula Wing starts on January 9
  • Deadline for applications for the 4th Line Theatre OAC Creators Reserve is January 10
Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions, job postings, and volunteer opportunities on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Browsing The Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario
Theatre Ontario's Grant Writing
Information Session with Pat Bradley
of the Ontario Arts Council
Check out all of our upcoming courses and workshops, including grant writing information sessions in London and Ottawa

New on The Bulletin Board
  • ACT II Studio is holding an Information Session on January 6, profiling their unique theatre school for older adults
  • Markham Little Theatre is holding an Introduction to Stage Management workshop on January 18
Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions, job postings, and volunteer opportunities on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Monday 23 December 2013

ONstage Openings for the weeks of December 23 and December 30

In South Central Ontario
Dec. 28, Cinderella at Burl-Oak Theatre Group (Oakville)

For more information on all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

ONstage Now Playing in St. Jacobs
Irving Berlin's White Christmas at Drayton Entertainment
Rachel Crowther, Kyle Blair, Jeff Irving, Jayme Armstrong, and the ensemble
Photo by Gary Moon


Friday 20 December 2013

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Behind The Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres
Conversation Starters
  • In a guest post on Rebecca Coleman’s blog, Jeremy Stark writes about the rise of “niche social media sites.”  Four years ago, Theatre Ontario began exploring the idea of a social media site specifically focused on networking and collaboration within Ontario theatre—but the counter-argument was that these tools just fragment conversations. Do you believe in niche social media sites?

From The Wire
In Case You Missed It
You can also receive news from Theatre Ontario every month by email.  Our archives are online and the December issue is now available.

We’ll see you back in the new year on January 10

Thursday 19 December 2013

Propose a Course for the 2014 Theatre Ontario Summer Theatre Intensive

The 2014 Summer Theatre Intensive program will be taking place from August 10-16 in a university setting.  These courses are targeted to participants between ages of 18  to 65 and specifically to community theatre practitioners, but can be of interest to emerging professionals too. The week-long intensive begins Monday morning and ends Friday at dinner, with approximately six hours of teaching per day, with students rehearsing or studying in the evenings. One evening of the week will include a trip to a theatre performance. Instructors are paid for the week's instruction and provided with meals and accommodation.

If you are interested in submitting your course proposal for the Summer Theatre Intensive, please fill out the form below.  The submission deadline is 5pm on Monday, January 20th, 2014.  Selections will be finalized by January 31st, 2014, at which time you will be required to submit a current photo for our program publication.

Submit your Theatre Ontario Summer Theatre Intensive course proposal

For more information, contact Cornelia Persich, Education Coordinator, at info@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.10.

What’s Making Me Happy: Finding Abundance

By Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

In last year’s year-in-review column, I committed to seeking out the abundance in the theatre ecosystem.  As was well-argued on 2amtheatre.com, it’s easy to slip into patterns of “black magical thinking” that frame the theatre environment negatively in order to fit challenging circumstances, usually by assuming “stupidity or evil” on the part of the public, audiences, governments, funders, and other theatre-makers.  Scarcity thinking is a destructive force—we need to be intentional in counter-programming that noisy negativity.  We need to keep listening for abundance.  We need to keep talking about abundance.

Shaw Festival's Lady Windermere's Fan
Marla McLean
Photo by David Cooper
Our stages continue to be filled with an abundance of talent and creativity.  This past year I saw compelling theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and in Orangeville, and in Toronto on stages both large and small—and I also heard about far too much compelling theatre that I wasn’t able to fit into my limited budget and a 24-hour day.

Our community of Fringe Festivals continue to grow and explore their role in the ecosystem.  The Toronto Fringe Festival held its first “Town Hall”; there are people in new leadership roles in Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto; and in 2014, we’ll see the launch of an entirely new Fringe Festival in Durham Region.  Fringe continues to provide vital infrastructure to the lucky producers who win the Fringe lotteries, and make the most of their opportunities.

Theatres are getting better at blogging.  Whether it was Buddies In Bad Times’ Gay Heritage Blog Salon related to their production of The Gay Heritage Project; Acting Up Stage Company’s Musical Notes, sharing composers’ inspiration playlists, or reflecting on various influences of Canadian musical theatre production; or Theatre Passe Muraille’s flashbacks through the theatre’s forty-five year legacy in Canadian theatre history—more and more theatre blogs are and finding their way onto my reading list.  I’m having a hard time keeping up.  Meanwhile, the trail-blazers at Praxis Theatre and 2AMTheatre seem to be blogging less frequently—because they’re busy creating.  As it should be (not to say that they aren’t missed…)  Likewise, while social media continues to get noisier, and the loudest voices with the deepest pockets try to drown out conversation, authentic connections are still being made, bringing together artists, colleagues, and audiences.

We’re making progress in significant areas of collaboration.  The Ontario Ministry of Labour published the provincial health and safety guidelines for live performance online, making these important resources far more accessible.  Canadian Actors Equity launched new policies to facilitate small-scale theatre production.  The New Play Exchange is moving towards revolutionizing how theatres and playwrights can connect with each other.

Community theatres continue to explore new play development in new and exciting ways.  Playwrights from Grassroots: Original Plays From Ontario Community Theatres—our anthology published by Playwrights Canada Press—had new plays premiere in Elmira (Michael Grant’s Shorthanded at Elmira Theatre Company), North Bay (Kristin Sheppard’s Hope Op at Gateway Theatre Guild), and Toronto (Joan Burrows’ Gloria’s Guy at Alumnae Theatre.)  Joan’s Willow Quartet was published this year by Playwrights Canada Press, and I had the pleasure of participating in the reading at their Fall launch at Buddies.  Grassroots itself was cited with an honourable mention by the Canadian Association for Theatre Research for their Patrick O’Neill Award, recognizing Dennis Johnson’s work as editor of the anthology while he was our Community Theatre Coordinator at Theatre Ontario.

Peterborough Theatre Guild's P.S. Uncle Angus
Roy Braun, Justin Boyd, Pat Maitland,
Steve Russell, Susan Gontier, Laura Kennedy
Festivals are also connecting these original works to other community theatres.  Robert Ainsworth’s The Mouse House, presented by Peterborough Theatre Guild and winner of Outstanding Production at Theatre Ontario Festival 2012, was produced this past November at both Guelph Little Theatre and The Curtain Club in Richmond Hill: the respective Western Ontario Drama League (WODL) and Association of Community Theatres—Central Ontario (ACT-CO) representatives at Festival 2012.  Neil Marr’s P.S. Uncle Angus premiered at Markham Little Theatre in 2010, won the Outstanding Production of a Drama at that year’s ACT-CO Festival, and this past year was presented in Peterborough, directed by that ACT-CO Festival adjudicator, Bea Quarrie (our adjudicator at Theatre Ontario Festival 2014 in Sarnia.)

I’m looking forward to seeing what 2014 brings.  I want to find ways to see more theatre—both in our centres of Ontario theatre, and in our “maker communities” where the “research & development” happens.  I’m looking forward to continuing to find meaningful connections.  Brilliant ideas are out there.  They’re hard to find, but all it takes is a little listening.

Where did you find abundance in 2013?

(With a tip of the hat to Travis Bedard for inspiring the post’s framing device—second year in a row)

Related Reading

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Browsing The Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board
  • Deadline to apply to the Hamilton Arts Council’s Market Value, demonstrating the labour in creating art, is today
  • Deadline for submissions for the Theatre InspiraTO’s Ten-Minute Playwriting Contest is today; for the Playwriting Academy is tomorrow (December 19)
Theatre Inspirato's 2013 Playwriting Academy
Chris Whidden and Magdalena Barys
bagged by Madeleine Jullian
dramaturged by Theatre Ontario Talent Bank member Lindsay Price
New on The Bulletin Board
  • The De Colores Festival of New Works is a playwrights unit/festival, which focuses exclusively on the development of Latin American playwrights in Canada. The yearlong unit provides the chosen playwrights with access to professional dramaturges, actors, and directors. The writers receive one-on-one developmental and dramaturgical support throughout the year for works in progress, which culminates in a public presentation of the work (as it is at the moment of the reading).  Deadline for submissions is January 30, 2014.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions, job postings, and volunteer opportunities on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 17 December 2013

How to Get the Most out of Your Mentorship

By Mairin Smit, Program Coordinator

On December 5, Theatre Ontario hosted our first “How to Get the Most out of your Mentorship” session for recent Professional Theatre Training Program grant recipients. This event is part of a new initiative to help connect current and past mentees with each other, allowing for shared learning and networking opportunities before, during, and after their mentorship programs. We understand that it can be challenging for mentees to navigate their new work environment, and sometimes the best way to work through those challenges is by connecting with people who have been through the same experience.

This session saw past grant recipients Scott Dermody and Rose Napoli, as well as past mentor Erica Kopyto, Literary Manager at Nightwood Theatre, speak to new grant recipients from the October 1, 2013 deadline about their experiences in the program. After I moderated a facilitated discussion, the group was given the opportunity to ask questions of each other freely, resulting in a lively discussion on topics ranging from what to expect on your first day, how to establish a dialogue with your mentor, and how to deal with changes to your training plan. Not only did this provide new mentees with insight into some of the successes and challenges they may face during their mentorship, but also provided past mentees with an important opportunity to reflect on their experiences and share their learning with others.

Moving forward from the success of this event, Theatre Ontario will be hosting a variety of Professional Theatre Training Program “Learning Circles” to provide more opportunities for grant recipients to connect with each other and share their experiences. We’ll keep you posted on these events as they are scheduled in the New Year. In the meantime, we want to thank Scott, Rose, and Erica for sharing their stories, and once again want to congratulate all our new grant recipients!

Read below to see how some of those who attended “How to Get the Most out of Your Mentorship” benefitted from the event:
"From the onset, Theatre Ontario has been a real supportive ASO and convener. I really appreciated the opportunity to meet fellow PTTP 2013/14 interns and to have both a facilitated and an informal conversation with current interns and mentee. I am looking forward to the opportunity to foster and deepen our collective experience and to form new connections within the theatre, dance and live arts across Ontario.”
- Coman Poon, Mentoring in Artistic Producing with Erika Hennebury at Public Recordings Performance Projects
“Meeting with past PTTP grant recipients and mentors allowed me to ask questions about the process of mentorship and to see first-hand the confidence and professional skills developed during this process. I very much enjoyed meeting the other current grant recipients; connecting with other developing professionals who are passionate about their work is invaluable.”
- Crystal Jonasson, Mentoring in Producing with Claire Calnan at the Hamilton Fringe Festival
 "The chance to assemble and hear about the work of my PTTP peers was very inspiring.  Our theatre world is so connected that I was able to draw from the experiences of other recipients and colleagues and filter that into my own work.  Self-reflection is important but collective reflection is highly motivational. Thank you Theatre Ontario"
- Rose Napoli, Mentored in Literary Management/New Play Development with Erica Kopyto at Nightwood Theatre

Find out more about the most recent PTTP recipients

Read more about Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program

Monday 16 December 2013

ONstage Openings for the week of December 16

ONstage Now Playing in Toronto
Venus In Fur at Canadian Stage
Rick Miller
Photo by David Hou
Mid-December is always a quiet time for openings.  But for the first time in the nearly four years I’ve been preparing this column, there isn’t a single show opening in Ontario this week at any of our member theatres.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for theatre-going.

For more information on all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Check out last week’s openings

Friday 13 December 2013

Thursday 12 December 2013

Join us at Theatre Ontario's Next Generation Showcase 2014

When: Sunday, January 19 and Monday, January 20, 2014

Where: Young Centre for the Performing Arts
Michael Young Theatre
50 Tank House Lane, Toronto

We warmly invite Directors, Artistic Directors, Producers, Casting Directors, Agents EIC signed or TAMAC members and other Industry Professionals to join us for our annual showcase of graduating student talent.

RSVP required by Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Please call 416.408.4556 x.10 or email: info@theatreontario.org
#TOshowcase

Schedule of Events – Approximate Times
Lunch and Refreshments Provided

Sunday, January 19, 2014
  • 9:30am - Opening Remarks
  • 9:40am - Canadore College
  • 10:45am - University of Windsor
  • 11:45am - Humber College
  • 1:05pm - University of Toronto, Mississauga/Sheridan
  • 2:05pm - National Theatre School
  • 2:45pm - York University
  • 3:25pm - Ryerson University
  • 4:40pm - George Brown College
  • 5:30pm - Networking Party – Soulpepper Theatre, host
  • 7:30pm - Panel Discussion – “The Business of Casting”

Monday, January 20, 2014
  • 10:30am - Opening Remarks
  • 10:40am - New Faces
  • 12:05pm - Centre for Indigenous Theatre
  • 12:25pm - London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art
  • 1:45pm - St Clair College
  • 2:55pm - St Lawrence College
  • 3:50pm - Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts
  • 4:45pm - Networking Party – Sheridan College, host

Read more about Theatre Ontario's Next Generation Showcase

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Browsing The Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario
Check out all of our upcoming courses and workshops

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

The deadline for nominations for the Gina Wilkinson Prize is December 15
Photo by David Cooper Photography
  • Deadline for nominations for the Gina Wilkinson Prize for female theatre artists transitioning from one theatre discipline to directing is December 15
  • Deadline for eligibility forms to apply to the Ontario Trillium Foundation's Youth Opportunities Fund "Grassroots Innovations" stream is December 12
  • The Canadian Stage Berkeley Block Party is coming up on December 13
  • Deadline to apply to the Hamilton Arts Council’s Market Value, demonstrating the labour in creating art, is December 18
  • Deadline for submissions for the Theatre InspiraTO’s Ten-Minute Playwriting Contest is December 18; for the Playwriting Academy is December 19
New on The Bulletin Board
  • The Thousand Islands Playhouse Playwrights’ Unit, now in its second year, is a year-long residency program designed to nurture promising playwrights.  The deadline for applications is January 15.
  • The Shaw Festival Education program for 2014 has been launched: an extensive variety of programs for teens and adults, with particular focus for teachers

Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions, job postings, and volunteer opportunities on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Grant Writing Information Sessions Coming to Your Community

We are thrilled to be bringing our popular, free Grant Writing Information Sessions to communities across Ontario.

Looking for tips and must-dos for preparing an application to the Ontario Arts Council?  Pat Bradley, Theatre Officer of the Ontario Arts Council, will share her perspective, information, and tips about project grants, particularly the OAC’s three theatre project programs.

Upcoming sessions include:
  • Toronto  – Monday, January 13, 2014 at 6pm in the Theatre Ontario Boardroom
  • London – Monday, January 27, 2014 at 6pm in the Jessica Tandy Rehearsal Hall at The Grand Theatre
  • Ottawa – Monday, March 24, 2014 at 6pm in the Omni Board Room at Great Canadian Theatre Company
We are also planning sessions in Barrie and Sudbury.

Grant Writing Information Session with Pat Bradley at Theatre Ontario

Monday 9 December 2013

ONstage Openings for the week of December 9

In South Central Ontario
Dec. 12, Beck Festival at Theatre Erindale (Mississauga)

In Southwestern Ontario

Dec. 11, The Sound Of Music at Theatre Aquarius (Hamilton)
Dec. 13, A Christmas Carol at London Community Players, with a preview on Dec. 12

In Toronto
Dec. 13, Venus In Fur at Canadian Stage*

ONstage Now Playing in Smiths Falls
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
at Smiths Falls Community Theatre
Check out last week’s openings

For more information on all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Theatre Ontario individual members can access discount ticket offers for shows marked with an * asterisk

Read more about our members discount tickets program

Friday 6 December 2013

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Behind The Scenes At Ontario’s Theatres
 
All The Ladies by Sasha Kleinplatz
from Buddies In Bad Times' Rhubarb Festival 2013

Conversation Starters
Migrations
TO Toasts
  • Congratulations to all of the recipients of the Capital Critics Circle Awards, including John P. Kelly (Talent Bank member and director of best professional theatre production November from Seven-Thirty Productions), Ottawa Little Theatre (Best community theatre production for Steel Magnolias), Rona Waddington (past Shaw Intern Director and winner of best director—professional for St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival’s Hamlet) and Joan Sullivan Eady (past Festival best director and winner of best director—community for OLT’s All My Sons)

Thursday 5 December 2013

Nominations Now Open for the 2014 Maggie Bassett Award

Do you know someone who has made a significant, sustained, and unselfish contribution to the development of theatre in Ontario?  Nominations are now open for Theatre Ontario's 2014 Maggie Bassett Award.

The deadline for nominations is February 28, 2014 and the award sponsored by Alumnae Theatre.

Past recipients of the award are Ken Watts, Elsie Thomson, Jean Roberts, Herbert Whittaker, Heather McCallum, Herman Voaden, Dennis Sweeting, Jack Medhurst, Jack Blacklock, Sandy Black, Patricia Beharriell, Wilf Pegg, Virginia Reh, Lib Spry, Wayne Fairhead, Richard Howard, Dusty Miller, Kay McKie, Beth McMaster, Sandra Tulloch, Jeff Burke, James Alexander, Ron Cameron-Lewis, Angela Rebeiro, Kim Renders, Yvette Nolan, Alex Mustakas, Don Fleckser, Diana Belshaw, Dave Carley, and Tom Mackan.

Read more about Theatre Ontario's Maggie Bassett Award, including full award guidelines and nomination form, on our website

Tom Mackan receiving the 2013 Maggie Bassett Award

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Browsing The Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario
The Sandra Tulloch Award for
Innovation in Arts and Culture
Check out all of our upcoming courses and workshops, including free grant writing information sessions across Ontario

Check out these items, and other postings from our members of funding opportunities, workshops, calls for submission, awards, and more—on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access auditions, job postings, and volunteer opportunities on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Celebrate GivingTuesday with Your Story of Giving to Theatre

Today is GivingTuesday, the "opening day of the giving season."  It is a day when charities, companies and individuals join together to share commitments, rally for favourite causes, and think about others.


Theatre Ontario is thrilled to be part of GivingTuesday - sharing the importance of giving to theatre in Ontario.  Thank you also to everyone who has already given to us at Theatre Ontario in 2013.  For over forty years Theatre Ontario has been fostering theatre in Ontario, nurturing theatre artists at every stage of their careers, and supporting and advocating for theatre across the province.  Donors are an important part of this vibrant theatre network - we sincerely thank you for your generosity, encouragement, and commitment.  We hope you take pride in the part you have played in creating an extensive and vital theatre network.  (It's not too late to be part of this critical work - Donate to Theatre Ontario today!)

Today's post is open - we invite you to share your stories of why you give to theatre, or why you give to Theatre Ontario.

Is it creating outstanding mentorship opportunities that has changed lives through the Theatre Ontario Professional Theatre Training Program or the Neil Munro Intern Directors Project?

Is it showcasing outstanding theatre, celebrating excellence, and bringing together passionate and dedicate theatre artists in communities across Ontario at Theatre Ontario Festival?

Is it connecting new talent and directors, agents, and casting directors at Theatre Ontario's Next Generation Showcase?

Celebrate GivingTuesday with a story of giving.

Monday 2 December 2013

ONstage Openings for the week of December 2

ONstage Opening in Toronto
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts
Photo by D. Spencer
In Toronto
Dec. 3, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts
Dec. 6, A Christmas Story at Scarborough Players
Dec. 7, Miracle On Mercer at The Second City
Dec. 8, The Company We Keep Cabaret Series at Theatre 20

In Eastern Ontario
Dec. 5, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Smiths Falls Community Theatre
Dec. 6, The Sound Of Music at National Arts Centre, English Theatre (Ottawa) with previews from Dec. 2
Dec. 7, Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. at Seaway Valley Theatre Company (Cornwall)

In Northeastern Ontario
Dec. 4, Game Show at Sault Theatre Workshop

ONstage Now Playing in Orangeville
A Snow White Christmas at Theatre Orangeville
Amy Sellors and Rebecca Poff
Photo by Pete Paterson
Check out last week’s openings

For more information on all the theatre playing across Ontario, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website