Monday 31 July 2017

ONstage Openings for the week of July 31

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages
ONstage Now Playing in Eastern Ontario
The Amorous Servant at Odyssey Theatre (Ottawa)

In Southwestern Ontario

Aug. 1, Tartuffe at Stratford Festival [in previews]
Aug. 3, The Madwoman of Chaillot at Stratford Festival [in previews]
Aug. 4, Lunenburg at The Foster Festival (St. Catharines) [with previews from Aug. 2] 
Aug. 4, Macbeth at Elora Community Theatre (Fergus)
Aug. 5, The Komagata Maru Incident at Stratford Festival [in previews]
Aug. 6, Dinner with Viola Desmond at Shadowpath Theatre Productions (Newmarket)

In Toronto

Jul. 31, Confidential Musical Theatre Project at Marion Abbott Productions
Aug. 3, The Drowsy Chaperone at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts

ONstage Now Playing in Toronto
Vimy at Soulpepper Theatre
Christine Horne, TJ Riley, Wesley French
Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

In Central Ontario

Jul. 31, Hilda's Yard at Highlands Summer Festival (Haliburton)
Aug. 4, On a First Name Basis at Peterborough Theatre Guild
Aug. 5, Raising the Barn - Kid's Style at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)
Aug. 6, Three Men in a Boat at Highlands Summer Festival (Haliburton)

In Eastern Ontario

Aug. 5, One Slight Hitch at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg) [with previews from Aug. 3]


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

Wednesday 26 July 2017

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Adult theatre training at The Shaw

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • The Shaw’s Stage Skills for adults “Stage Combat” workshop is on July 28.
  • The Shaw’s Scene Study Sunday for adults is on July 31.
  • Deadline to apply for Laidlaw Foundation Resilience 150 grants for projects and events created and/or co-created by young people that celebrate Indigenous resilience and resistance on this land is July 31.
  • Deadline to apply for Ontario Arts Council’s Theatre Projects grants is August 1.
  • Deadline to apply to direct at East Side Players’ community theatre is August 1.
Check out these items, and other postings from our members.
Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Monday 24 July 2017

ONstage Openings for the week of July 24

ONstage Now Playing on Tour
Othello from Driftwood Theatre
Christopher Darroch, Jordin Hall
Photo by Dahlia Katz
This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Southwestern Ontario

Jul. 27, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Port Dover) [with previews from Jul. 26]
Jul. 27, Five Alarm at Port Stanley Festival Theatre [with previews from Jul. 26]
Jul. 27, One for the Pot at Drayton Entertainment: Dunfield Theatre Cambridge [with previews from Jul. 26]
Jul. 30, The Breathing Hole at Stratford Festival [in previews]

In Toronto

Jul. 24, Girl Crush at The Musical Stage Company
Jul. 28, An Octoroon at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Jul. 29, Dracula at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Jul. 30, Middletown at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

ONstage Now Playing in South Central Ontario
Mary's Wedding at Theatre 3x60 (Port Perry)

In Central Ontario

Jul. 26, Raising the Barn at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)
Jul. 27, Bedtime Stories at Orillia Opera House [with previews from Jul. 26]


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

Thursday 20 July 2017

Join Us at the Adjudicators Symposium

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Our Adjudicators Symposium has been scheduled for Saturday, October 14 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Theatre Ontario office in Toronto. Registrations are now open.

As has become tradition, the Symposium will open with a discussion of “The Past Year of Adjudication.” Adjudicators who were engaged at community theatre festivals in 2016/17 are invited to share their experiences.

In the “Adjudication Techniques Roundtable”, we will discuss strategies for approaching areas of adjudication. Two suggestions have come forward already:
  • Adjudicator-Director conversations in adjudications
  • Adjudicating Intimacy
Further suggestions for topics are invited, as well.

We will also have breakout sessions to discuss “Broader Issues and Big Ideas in Adjudication.” So far, we have three conversation starters:
  • Articulating the Value of Adjudication and Why We Adjudicate
  • Connecting Adjudicators and Prospective Engagers
  • Adjudicator Membership and Involvement in Community Theatres and Productions
Again, suggestions for other topics is appreciated.

Wednesday 19 July 2017

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Theatre Ontario's Summer Theatre Intensive

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

  • We are still accepting registrations for our Summer Theatre Intensive for actors, directors, and playwrights. Spaces are available until July 21.
  • Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray on July 22 in Toronto.
Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • The Shaw Festival “Shaw Conference” for academics and Shaw experts begins on July 21.
  • The Shaw’s Stage Skills for Adults “Stage Combat” workshop is on July 28.

New on The Bulletin Board

  • Laidlaw Foundation invites submissions for their Resilience 150 grants for projects and events created and/or co-created by young people that celebrate Indigenous resilience and resistance on this land. The deadline is July 31.
  • The Stratford Festival invites submissions for the Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction from emerging and mid-stage theatre directors. The application deadline is August 8.
Check out these items, and other postings from our members.
Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 18 July 2017

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

Today we feature five stories:
The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is October 2, 2017.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program: Jessie Fraser

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

Jessie Fraser is training in digital communications and archival processes with Adam Barrett at VideoCabaret in Toronto

(June 15, 2017)

It's very dark in here. Not quite the total darkness that will envelop the opening night house but close enough. Monitors glow from inside the house as designers and technicians make the thousands of tiny adjustments needed to make the intricate details of these shows seem effortless. The company on both sides of the knee-wall becoming an increasingly well-oiled machine moving seamlessly through razor-sharp lights and dizzying costume changes, barreling like a train—

"STOP!"  
"stop" "stop" "STOP" 
"...everybody ok?" 
"Yup, couldn't find my moustache, it was caught in Madame Gauthier's wig." Reset. Start again. 

Bob Nasmith came to the first preview, watched act one from the booth. "Marvellous, just marvellous!" Bob is one of the original Videocab actors and can remember playing many of the roles on stage right now. Paul Braunstein, assistant director, was once Laurier and even onstage actors play opposite characters they once embodied themselves. Such is the legacy of this company. 

I spent much of the early stage of this rehearsal process working in the sound department helping Richard Feren wrangle the vast musical resource that is the Brent Snyder library. Digging through boxes of A-tracks and reel-to-reel video searching for an elusive overture I am face-to-face with the reality of the importance of ongoing archival practice. I am one who believes that in order to support innovation and experimentation of form and invention we must be able to reference and access the innovations and experiments of our past.

As the process continued I found myself drawn to find out more about Brad Harley, co-Artistic Director of Shadowland Theatre and designer of Videocabaret’s idiosyncratic props. Brad’s been working with the company since the early 80’s and staying focused while going through his props and set pieces in storage is a herculean act of self-control. The full list for parts one and two is a daunting two-page document, landscape-orientated, two columns, 10pt font, single spaced. Some props, like the crucified Christ on a cross or the cow, have been around for years (although, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first time Bessie has been able to be milked.) Props are modified and adapted to suit the current production while maps are constantly being adjusted as the size of the theatre changes the way we perceive the images.

What's next? Confederation Part I opens this coming Saturday and we have just begun the massive task of negotiating the company through the cue to cue for Part II. I will begin the second part of my time with Adam as we begin to explore the finer points of photo and video editing for online communications purposes. I'm excited, these are skills that I constantly find myself lacking in my own work and I have been fortunate enough to pair my time with Videocabaret with a residency at the east end bar, Farside, where I am going through the personal archives of my grandmother; a wonderful example of the larger themes that become the containers and questions supporting my professional and personal work.

Having the support of Theatre Ontario has afforded me the flexibility to do so much more than simply shadow and observe a mentor. It has given me the flexibility to invest time into both the process and history of an historic company throughout the course of an historic double bill production. As we turn the corner from rehearsal to performance and as Adam and I make the shift from archive to communication I am reminded to keep track of this experience with my own documentation, after all, what’s the point of saving it if I can’t find it later? 

Related Reading:

The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is October 2, 2017.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program: Sarah Thorpe

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

Sarah Thorpe is training in directing with Alan Dilworth at Soup Can Theatre in Toronto

(June 12, 2017) It’s been a whirlwind month a half for me as this mentorship started and evolved.
It began with Alan advising me to read The Director’s Craft by British director Katie Mitchell, particularly the chapter on how to break down acts and scenes of a script into smaller chunks and identify the core focus and event of each scene and act for the purposes of rehearsals and working with actors. We’ve been using Act 1, Scene 1 of Edward Bond’s Lear as the template for these script analysis exercises, and it’s far more detailed than any other prep work I’ve done on a script as a director. Mitchell’s exercises help you simplify the script and text—which is very helpful and necessary with a dense and complex script as Bond’s—but in a way that doesn’t let you be general and broad in your analysis. It takes time, and you have to give yourself that time and space to go through the piece and this process properly. It’s a wonderful insight into Alan’s process and how this level of detail is so necessary in creating the fully realized world of the play. Alan is very patient and supportive as a mentor. He’s always interested in my thoughts on the piece and the process we’re working on, and asks me questions to ensure that I’m formulating my own answers and ideas.

I’ve done a couple of takes on the first scene with Alan’s guidance and feedback (in addition to us discussing Mitchell’s methods) as well as begun to apply this process to the rest of the script, and what I’ve also discovered is a pace and breath to the piece overall that I never noticed in my earlier readings of it. Getting that specific allowed me to see Lear in a light I hadn’t seen it in before, giving me a much better sense of its structure and pacing, and how to approach these things when it comes time for blocking and working with the actors. 

Speaking of which, at the time of writing this report, I have begun workshopping scenes from Lear with the actors in Soup Can Theatre’s upcoming production. Doing these text analysis exercises, along with the detailed character analysis exercises described in Mitchell’s book, has started to give me a new and more solid foundation on working with actors and make discoveries about the characters and circumstances. I’m developing a new sense of confidence when it comes to working with actors on such a difficult text as Bond’s.

In my original vision for this mentorship, the ideas and topics I wanted to tackle were more broad and general. With the work we’ve done so far, I see how being more detailed, taking time, and leaving yourself enough time to get the work done yields a better foundation for the work and understanding of every aspect of the script, the characters, and the piece overall. I’ve also discovered that getting more specific has answered some of the questions I originally had about the best way to give Lear a physical life. I plan to use more of Mitchell’s methods in my own practice in the future. 

The plan for the remainder of our mentorship will be focusing on directing site-specific pieces, how the pieces we’re working on contribute to Toronto’s theatre ecology, and making a plan for how I can begin to make the move from directing in the independent community to more established companies. 

Related Reading:


The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is October 2, 2017.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program: Ali Berkok

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

Ali Berkok is training in sound design with Debashis Sinha and Verne Good at the Stratford Festival

(June 11, 2017) Halfway through my training schedule, I’ve had an inspiring and substantial look inside the world of sound design at the Stratford Festival: Verne Good’s sound design on Romeo and Juliet and Debashis Sinha’s sound design on The Changeling. Though I expected my training program to be largely about how to make a sound design, two strong lessons emerged from the training that I hadn’t anticipated: that time available in the theatre for testing is scarce, and that the relationship between sound designer and sound technician must be a strong one.

Because Stratford Festival theatres each contain several shows in overlapping rehearsal and performance schedules, time in the theatre space is at a premium and there is not a lot of time for testing and experimentation. This means the designer must be ready to pounce on the small pockets of time they do get by being utterly prepared. As well, ability to communicate clearly and directly with the director seems to be a great asset, as it is the director who can grant that precious time to, say, test the volume level of a sound cue in the space. Experience in the theatre space and the ability to imagine the results of changes to the speaker levels save time and help the sound designer to work smoothly into the rest of the production schedule (e.g. what’s the difference in sound levels when bodies are finally in the theatre?) I saw both Verne and Deb demonstrate all these amazing traits, and it has strongly impressed on me how important it is to be more-than-prepared and easy to work with.

I was also witness to the relationship between sound designer and sound technician. As both Stratford’s Festival Theatre and the Tom Patterson Theatre are IATSE union halls, sound designers are not permitted to physically program cues into the theatre system, but instead must relay files and information to the theatre sound technician. These designer/technician relationships are crucial to the running and realization of the design, and I was lucky enough to see two great examples of this in partnerships between Debashis & Michael Duncan (The Changeling) and Verne & Scott Matthews (Romeo and Juliet) during the first part of my training schedule.

It’s a great relief to know, however, that at least on my first sound design in the world, I’ll be working in smaller local theatres with just a couple of speakers as opposed to the dozens in the Stratford Festival Theatre, and likely be legally permitted to physically program the cueing software. Until I work in a major union hall, I’ll be able to keep in mind the values I was able to witness at the top of the field.

Though the nature of my mentorship has mostly stayed the same throughout the training done so far, I am being invited repeatedly by my mentors to ask questions and simply hang out to discuss the finer points of sound design (mostly wrestling with the ins and outs of content creation and digital audio workstation software). I am consistently met with rapid and accessible generosity from both Deb and Verne and they have checked in on me often since my initial run with them.

Coming up in the second week of August is the remainder of shadowing Verne Good as she completes her sound design on The Pigeon King at the Blyth Festival. One huge difference between Blyth and Stratford is that the Blyth Festival theatre is not an IATSE hall, and so the mediation of a sound design through a union sound technician is not necessary. Because of this, I expect to witness much more hands on work as Verne plans and implements the physical speaker set-up and “image” (the dimensionality of the sound design in space) without having to relay the information to the union technician first. And since Blyth is a much smaller organization, time in the theatre to test sound cues may not be at such a premium.

The first half of my proposed PTTP training schedule has been an absolute gift, and I’m looking ahead to working through the rest of the training plan as I contemplate and implement these early steps in my sound design career.

Related Reading:

The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is October 2, 2017.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program: Norah Paton

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

Norah Paton trained in production management with Kevin Waghorn at Arts Court in Ottawa

(June 7, 2017) After three months at Arts Court, my time came to an end in mid-May. The final push of my mentorship there was TACTICS, a theatre series which this year took the form of a three-week-long festival, featuring a wide variety of performances. Two main stage shows required a full hang and focus each; one of the shows found the audience sitting in the area usually used for the stage, using scaffolding as set and with audience on three sides. In addition to the two main performances, we worked with a full band for their album release, a DJ, two parties and a multi-course meal served in the kitchen-less Studio.

For TACTICS, I was tasked with running the workshop series, including four readings, one of which used live accompaniment, one work-in-progress contemporary dance and spoken word piece and one theatrical book club meeting. Each of these performances had very little rehearsal time in the space to set up any technical requirements. Working with this wide variety of groups and needs over the course of two weeks gave me a crash course of what I had learned and how capable I am. It also gave me a chance to try some simple design; performers typically did not come in with a plan. Groups instead explained what they would be doing and I made something up. From there, we worked to make any necessary adjustments.

Over the course of the last three weeks of my mentorship, I was given more and more responsibility. Working with clients to whom I was their point of contact gave me a sense of ownership over my work. It also confirmed for me that I can do this. I know that may sound a little simple—but I cannot stress enough the value of this confidence. 

At the beginning of this mentorship I had a couple metrics of success. The first was to acquire skills to find gainful employment afterwards, in a field which is more closely related to my work as an artist. The day after my mentorship was completed I was working in a theatre in the same building, doing the hang and focus for a dance show. Since then, I’ve worked in a couple of other theatres and at some concerts and live events. With the Canada 150 celebrations continuing throughout the summer, I am optimistic about my abilities to continue finding work. 

The other metric of success I had set was about acquiring new skills and knowledge to benefit my own art making. While this is a little more difficult to measure, I am pretty confident this has also been a success. This summer I’m working with an animator on a piece which may require some projection mapping. Prior to this mentorship, I wouldn’t have had any idea where to start with this kind of technology and probably would have avoided it altogether. 

When I first applied to the PTTP program, I was very unsure that my application would be approved. The location of my mentorship was not as prestigious as many of the other previous recipients I saw while perusing the Theatre Ontario blogs. I am very glad that I did persist, however, because the nature of what I learned would not have been able to be accommodated so well by a larger theatre. Working at a theatre like Arts Court also gave me more useful skills, in that I can use them immediately. Certainly there would have been advantages to learning in another theatre here like the NAC or GCTC, but I would not have been able to work as hands on as I did. Further, at the end of my mentorship I would have been left with skills relating to instruments and technology I no longer had access to. Even the connections I was able to make at Arts Court will continue to serve me. I’m not sure I can say the same about working at another space.

I am very grateful for the time spent at Arts Court and the patience of Kevin and over the last four months. I am thankful to Theatre Ontario for giving me this opportunity. I would strongly encourage anyone considering applying to the PTTP program to do so, as even the exercise of finding an appropriate mentor is a useful one in determining what you want to learn and do.

Related Reading:

The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is October 2, 2017.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program: Alessia Accurso

Our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)

Alessia Accurso will train in video and lighting design with Beth Kates at The Grand Theatre in London

(June 22, 2017)  I still can’t believe I was one of the few selected to receive this grant. A big—BIG—thank you to Theatre Ontario for making this mentorship possible. As I approach the beginning of my mentorship journey, I can’t help but feel excited and a teensy bit nervous. I will be training under Beth Kates in Video and Lighting Design for a new piece of Canadian Theatre, Silence. This play will be directed by Peter Hinton and will open January 2018 at The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario.

During these next few months, I hope to gain a thorough understanding of the many programs used to edit and manipulate images for video design. These include a large chunk of the Adobe Suite, with key programs, Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Premiere and After Effects. I am eager to finally learn and play with these programs under Beth’s guidance. My goal is to become proficient enough in video editing, so that I can properly support Beth in the creation of storyboards for the video design for Silence

I feel very excited to have this opportunity to train with Beth, as she is an incredibly talented designer. I am most looking forward to seeing her design process in its entirety- the ability to observe how she interprets a script, works with the director to create a design and then translates that design from a concept drawing to a work of art. I hope to use what I learn from Beth’s design process in future design work of my own.

In addition to the design process, I know I will also have the opportunity to witness a strong female in a leadership role, which I consider to be an invaluable experience as a fellow female theatre artist. To be given the chance to learn from one of the few established female projection designers in Canada is a complete honour. 

As I finish writing this post, my kettle is whistling, reminding me to grab my favourite cup of tea, download the first program, and start creating! I look forward to sharing what I learn over the next little while… silly Photoshop images and all!

The next application deadline for the Professional Theatre Training Program is October 2, 2017.


Theatre Ontario’s Professional Theatre Training Program is funded by the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Monday 17 July 2017

ONstage Openings for the week of July 17

ONstage Now Playing in Southwestern Ontario
The Numbers Game at Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Port Dover)
This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Eastern Ontario

Jul. 20, The Amorous Servant at Odyssey Theatre (Ottawa)
Jul. 22, Candida at Classic Theatre Festival (Perth) [with previews from Jul. 21]
Jul. 22, Leading Ladies at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) [with a preview on Jul. 21]

In South Central Ontario

Jul. 18, Mary's Wedding at Theatre 3x60 (Port Perry)

In Southwestern Ontario

Jul. 19, Million Dollar Quartet at Drayton Entertainment: Huron Country Playhouse (Grand Bend) [with a matinee preview]
Jul. 20, Lucky Stiff at Drayton Entertainment: Huron Country Playhouse (Grand Bend) [with a matinee preview]

In Toronto

Jul. 18, 80th Mainstage Revue at The Second City [in previews]
Jul. 20, Women of Musical Theatre Festival at Marion Abbott Productions

In Central Ontario

ONstage Now Playing in Central Ontario
Anne of Green Gables at VOS Theatre (Cobourg)
Jul. 17, Proof at Highlands Summer Festival (Haliburton)
Jul. 19, Swing! at Gravenhurst Opera House
Jul. 19, Land of Make Believe at Theatre By The Bay (Barrie)
Jul. 20, Jonas and Barry in the Home at Drayton Entertainment: King's Wharf Theatre (Penetanguishene) [with previews from Jul. 19]
Jul. 21, The Five Points at Theatre By The Bay (Barrie) [with previews from Jul. 19]
Jul. 23, Jake's Gift at Highlands Summer Festival (Haliburton)

ICYMI: Check out last week’s openings

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

Friday 14 July 2017

Ontario Off Stage

The Berlin Blues at Ontario Summer Theatre's Blyth Festival
James Dallas Smith, Catherine Fitch,
Nicole Joy-Fraser, Tony Munch
Photo by Terry Manzo
by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters


Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres


Migrations


In Case You Missed It

Thursday 13 July 2017

Apply to the Professional Theatre Training Program

Are you an artist seeking financial support for professional development or a "change of direction" in your career?

Submissions are now open for the October 2, 2017 deadline for our Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP).

Planning an application? Watch our FAQs video about PTTP.

The Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) offers financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor in any theatrical discipline (except performance.)


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

Wednesday 12 July 2017

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

  • We are still accepting registrations for our Summer Theatre Intensive! Spaces are available until July 21.
  • Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray on July 22 in Toronto.
Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • The Shaw Festival “Shaw Conference” for academics and Shaw experts begins on July 21.

New on The Bulletin Board

  • Alumnae Theatre invites submissions of scripts and proposals for the New Ideas Festival 2018. The submission deadline is September 5.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.
Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 11 July 2017

Congratulations to our Summer Theatre Intensive Youth Scholarship Recipient

Theatre Ontario is delighted to announce the recipient of our Summer Theatre Intensive Youth Scholarship is Cathy Huang.

Cathy will be joining us for Donna-Michelle St. Bernard’s playwriting course: How to Tell an “Important” Story.

To learn a bit about Cathy and what she hopes to get out of this experience, check out her video.


Learn more about Theatre Ontario's Summer Theatre Intensive

Monday 10 July 2017

ONstage Openings for the week of July 10

ONstage Now Playing in Southwestern Ontario
Mr. New Year's Eve: A Night with Guy Lombardo at Blyth Festival
The cast
Photo by Terry Manzo
This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

On Tour

Jul. 15, Othello at Driftwood Theatre Company [with a preview on Jul. 14]

In Central Ontario

Jul. 11, Oh, Canada, We Sing for Thee at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)
Jul. 13, Anne of Green Gables at VOS Theatre (Cobourg)
Jul. 14, The Foursome at Peterborough Theatre Guild

In Eastern Ontario

Jul. 12, Pardon Me, Prime Minister at Ottawa Little Theatre

In Northwestern Ontario

Jul. 11, Mama’s Country Record Collection at Magnus Theatre (Thunder Bay)

In Southwestern Ontario

Jul. 13, Harvest at Drayton Entertainment: Drayton Festival Theatre [with previews from Jul. 12]
Jul. 13, Middletown at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) [in previews]
Jul. 14, Old Love at The Foster Festival (St. Catharines) [with previews from Jul. 12]
Jul. 16, An Octoroon at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) [in previews]

ONstage Now Playing in Toronto
Deathtrap at Scarborough Players
Erin Jones, Clive Lacey, Peta Mary Bailey
Photo by Thomas Kowal

In Toronto

Jul. 10, Billy Bishop Goes to War at Soulpepper Theatre [currently in previews]
Jul. 11, Vimy at Soulpepper Theatre [currently in previews]
Jul. 13, King Lear at Canadian Stage [currently in previews]
Jul. 14, Twelfth Night at Canadian Stage [currently in previews]


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

Friday 7 July 2017

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Ontario Summer Theatre's Drayton Entertainment
production of Million Dollar Quartet
Gerrad Everard, Tyler Check, Matt Cage, Theodore Lebeuf
Photo by Hilary Gauld Camilleri

Conversation Starters


Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres


Migrations

  • Natasha Newby is the new Theatre Manager at Port Stanley Festival Theatre. 
  • Cate McKim is the new Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at Nightwood Theatre.

TO Toasts


In Case You Missed It

Thursday 6 July 2017

Introducing our Fall Career Stream and Creator Stream Workshops

We have an exciting line-up this Fall in our Career Stream and Creator Stream workshop series.

The Career Stream is for those who want to learn and harness the basic tools and resources needed to thrive in the profession. Workshops include:
  • Launching Your Career, with Rachel Kennedy and guests
  • Smart Money: Personal Finance Basics for Artists, with Natasha Mytnowych
  • Voice-Over Workshop, with Elley-Ray
  • Leveraging Your Network, with Margaret Lam
  • Act Bravely: Practical Strategies to Conquer Stage Fright, with Jorie Morrow
Browse the Theatre Ontario Career Stream workshops Fall calendar

The Creator Stream is for anyone looking to produce their own work or start their own theatre company. Workshops include:
  • Ready, Set, Show!: Foundations of Indie Producing, with Rachel Kennedy and guests
  • Grant Writing Information Pre-Recorded Webinar, with Pat Bradley (Ontario Arts Council)
  • Director-Dramaturge Collaborations, with Matt McGeachy
  • How to Write a 10-Minute Play, with Dominik Loncar
  • Bring Your Show to Schools Pre-Recorded Webinar, with Patty Jarvis
  • Playwright's Guide to Getting Produced, with David S. Craig
Browse the Theatre Ontario Creator Stream workshops Fall calendar

Wednesday 5 July 2017

Browsing Our Bulletin Board


Theatre Ontario's Summer Theatre Intensive

Summer Theatre Intensive

We are still accepting registrations for our Summer Theatre Intensive! Spaces are available until July 21 in the following courses:

WEEK ONE (Sunday August 6 to Friday August 11)
Plus a Summer Theatre Mini-Intensive (Sunday August 6 to Tuesday August 8)
WEEK TWO (Sunday August 13 to Friday August 18)

Workshops

  • Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray on July 22 in Toronto.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

  • Deadline to apply for Ontario Arts Council’s “Compass” grant is today.

New on The Bulletin Board

  • East Side Players is seeking a different play and a new director for the second slot in their 17/18 season. Applications are due August 1.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.
Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Tuesday 4 July 2017

ONstage Openings for the week of July 4

ONstage Now Playing in Eastern Ontario
Same Time, Next Year at Classic Theatre Festival (Perth)
Scott Clarkson, Lana Sugarman
Photo by Jean-Denis Labelle
This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Central Ontario

Jul. 4, Steel Magnolias at Port Hope Festival Theatre
Jul. 6, Bombers: Reaping the Whirlwind at 4th Line Theatre (Millbrook) [with previews from Jul. 4]
Jul. 6, Barefoot in the Park at Orillia Opera House [with previews from Jul. 5]
Jul. 8, The Dog Pound at Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon)

In Eastern Ontario

Jul. 8, Boeing Boeing at Upper Canada Playhouse (Morrisburg) [with previews from Jul. 6]
Jul. 8, Maggie and Pierre at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) [with previews from Jul. 7]

In South Central Ontario

Jul. 6, Songs from the Shower at Theatre 3x60 (Port Perry)
Jul. 8, Salt-Water Moon at Theatre 3x60 (Port Perry)
ONstage Now Playing in Central Ontario
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
at Highlands Summer Festival (Haliburton)
Laurel Denning, Dylan Isaiah Worth, Paul Constable

In Southwestern Ontario

Jul. 6, Buying the Moose at Port Stanley Festival Theatre [with previews from Jul. 5]
Jul. 6, The Numbers Game at Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Port Dover) [with previews from Jul. 5]
Jul. 7, The Berlin Blues at Blyth Festival [with previews from Jul. 5]
Jul. 7, Thoroughly Modern Millie at Drayton Entertainment: St. Jacobs Country Playhouse [with previews from Jul. 5]
Jul. 8, Dracula at Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake) [in previews]


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