Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• CdnTimes at Spiderwebshow and HowlRound in the United States have been exchanging letters across our border, and what the new American government means for our artists and our relationships. Canadian contributors were Yvette Nolan, Majdi Bou-Matar, and Aislinn Rose.
• Richard Ouzounian wrote for Intermission about actors making the transition into directing, profiling the experiences of Jonathan Goad, Martha Henry, Nigel Shawn Williams, and Keira Loughran.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• QUONTA, the northeastern Ontario community theatre association, has an all-Canadian-written line-up for their annual festival coming up in Timmins opening March 16: Norm Foster’s The Melville Boys presented by Take Two Theatre from Timmins, Rex Deverell’s Boiler Room Suite presented by Gore Bay Theatre from Manitoulin, and Damien Atkins’ Lucy presented by Sault Theatre Workshop from Sault Ste. Marie.
• The Hart House Theatre production of 7 Stories, opening today, marks the professional directing debut of our former Professional Theatre and Education Manager, Rebecca Ballarin.
• The Ministry of Labour has published revised safety guidelines for the live performance industry, covering raked stages and platforms in “Rakes”, and hazards of “Hand Props, Costumes and Makeup.”

In Case You Missed It

• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, featuring upcoming recorded webinars, grant deadlines, workshops, weekend intensives, Indigenous theatre residencies, rural performing arts symposium hosts, community theatre directing and more.
• ONstage Openings this week in Aurora, Cambridge, Toronto, Ottawa, and Kingston.