Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• “Being an understudy is hard, because you have to fall in love with the work, but it's not quite yours.” Carly Street shares the perspective of the understudy in Intermission, from her recent experience being part of Old Times on Broadway.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Both Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa and The Grand Theatre in London announced their 2017/18 seasons.
• The links between community theatre and professional theatre: playwright Michael Healey returned to Brockville and the Brockville Theatre Guild for a workshop with the company of his play The Drawer Boy.

  

  ONstage in Eastern Ontario
  The Drawer Boy at Brockville Theatre Guild

• The newest stop for Ontario Fringe Theatre enthusiasts is the Fringe North International Theatre Festival in Sault Ste. Marie, opening August 10, 2017.
• The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts Stats Report Phase 4 (for 2014/15 and 2015/16) is now available online. Four million tickets were sold for theatre, dance, and opera, reflecting an increase in audience attendance of 5%.
• A group of former Ottawa Citizen arts writers have launched a new Ottawa arts blog: artsfile.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program, featuring training in digital media creation and directing, production management, lighting design, and artistic direction.
• Browsing our Bulletin Board featuring opportunities across the province including upcoming grant deadlines, voice-over workshop, stage management weekend intensive, tech training, directing at community theatre, awards, fringe deadlines, emerging artistic leader opportunities, scene-study for adults and more.
• The 2016 Youth Advisory Committee profiles Youth Theatre Festivals: this week exploring the Juventis Festival in Kingston.
• ONstage Openings this week in Oakville, Toronto, Brockville, Ottawa, and Sudbury.

I will be on the road next week at the Western Ontario Drama League Festival in Guelph and the QUONTA Festival in Timmins.  This column will return on March 24.