Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• The latest of edition of Graham Isador’s “What I Wish I’d Known” series in Intermission features Augusto Bitter—one of our mentors from our 2018 Youth Advisory Committee’s Emergence 2.0—and reflections on "the delicious challenge of a single performer transforming and holding an audience’s attention.”

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts celebrated their 10th birthday. We look forward to returning to the RHCPA for Theatre Ontario Festival from May 15 to 19.
• Great Canadian Theatre Company and SpiderWebShow Performance are celebrating World Theatre Day on March 27 with a livestreaming performance of Behavior by Darrah Teitel on HowlRound TV.
• The latest addition to Respectful Workplaces in the Arts from the Cultural Human Resources Council is a guide for “Reporting and Investigating Mechanisms.”

In Case You Missed It

• Introducing our new workshop for Adjudicators, “The Adjudicator’s Voice.”
• ONstage Openings this week in Oakville, Cambridge, Toronto, Cookstown, Kingston and Ottawa.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre's Long Table

• Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is hosting a Long Table in Toronto on March 4 on “Free Speech and Accountability.” The provocation for the table will be: “Within our diverse, evolving and intergenerational queer and artistic communities, how do we engage with the tension between freedom of speech and accountability, dissent and respect?”
• “So let’s stop the “talk” about more representation on our stages and in our industry and let’s just do it.” – from Akosua Amo-Adem in Intermission, in rehearsal for School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play opening in Toronto.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The line-up for the Western Ontario Drama League Festival in celebration of community theatre in southwestern Ontario has been announced.
• WODL Festival hosts Guelph Little Theatre were awarded an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant in support of upgrading their main stage and lighting system.
• Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto announced their 2019 Summer/Fall season. 

Migrations

• Marjorie Chan is leaving as Artistic Director of Cahoots Theatre in Toronto.
• Clayton Lee is the new Rhubarb Festival Director at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto.
• David Abel is the new Managing Director of the National Arts Centre—English Theatre in Ottawa.
• Franco Boni is leaving The Theatre Centre in Toronto to become Artistic and Executive Director of PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program in production management, directing, and projection design.
• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program in administration, lighting design, and artistic direction.
• ONstage Openings this week in Aurora, Toronto, Ottawa, Milford, Sault Ste. Marie, and Sudbury.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, courses, grant deadlines, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

Kim Arnold and Fran Perkins from the 2018 ELATE
Festival production of Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe

• Shocking news out of Elliot Lake where the auditorium roof collapsed at the Lester B. Pearson Theatre, prior to a dress rehearsal performance by ELATE, the local community theatre. Thankfully, there were no injuries. ELATE was last year’s debutantes at Theatre Ontario Festival as QUONTA representative from northeastern Ontario. Those of us who also remember the Algo Centre Mall collapse (which happened during an ELATE performance in one of the mall’s community spaces) know how traumatic this will be for the community.
• We were sad to hear the news of the passing of Mallory Gilbert, former General Manager of Tarragon Theatre. She was an icon in Canadian theatre, and had been honoured with many of our community’s highest accolades.

Conversation Starters

• Brad Lepp, Director of Communications for Soulpepper, wrote for PACT about how to leverage your Board of Directors for advocacy.
• The Musical Stage Company’s Syd & Shirley Banks Prize for Emerging Musical Theatre Artists is one of our province’s most interesting professional development opportunities. Michelle Bouey, one of the 2018/19 recipients, reflected on her experience.

In Case You Missed It

• ONstage Openings this week in London, Hamilton, Toronto, Port Hope, Peterborough, Perth, and Smiths Falls.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, volunteer opportunities, and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

Adam Paolazza. (Photo by Graham Isador from Intermission)

• Intermission’s latest “What I Wish I’d Known” by Graham Isador profiles Adam Paolozza—about to open Paolozzapedia at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto—sharing the advice he’d give the younger version of himself.
• Diane Ragsdale explores the value of “artistic leader discretionary funds” to support a new diverse generation of leaders.
• Scott Harman examines “consent, power, and trauma in the acting classroom” on HowlRound.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The lineup for QUONTA Festival 2019 in Sault Ste. Marie – celebrating community theatre in northeastern Ontario – has been announced on the Festival’s Facebook page.

Migrations

• Andrea Donaldson is the new Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre.
• Sara Meurling is stepping down as Executive Director of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT).

TO Toasts

• ... to long-time Theatre Ontario Talent Bank adjudicator and theatre instructor Ron Cameron-Lewis and his husband Lloyd – how their 50 years together was recognized by the Canadian government (as reported by Rachel Levy-McLaughlin in Xtra.)

In Case You Missed It

• ONstage Openings for the next two weeks in Ottawa, North Bay, Whitby, Markham, Aylmer, Tillsonburg, London, Fergus, Woodstock, Niagara, Toronto, Barrie, Midland, Orangeville, and Kincardine.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, webinars, grant deadlines, calls for submission, community events, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• In the new Intermission series “What I Wish I’d Known”, Graham Isador asks theatre artists what advice they’d give younger versions of themselves. The question is a jumping off point for larger conversations about the artist’s work. The first article featured Michael Healey and the question “If you could tell the theatre school version of yourself the success you’d go on to have in the industry how do you think they’d react?”

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Kempenfelt Community Players in Barrie announced their 19/20 season (FB post).
• Beginning in Winter 2020, The Musical Stage Company will take up residency for one production each year at the historic Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.
• The cast of Owen Sound Little Theatre’s production of Shorthanded had the opportunity to perform the national anthem before an Ontario Hockey League game between the Owen Sound Attack and the Kitchener Rangers (FB video).
• The Professional Association of Canadian Theatre shared some tips for “Resolving Employee Conflict” for theatre managers.

Migrations

• Sherrie Johnson is the new Executive Director of Crow’s Theatre in Toronto.

TO Toasts

Calithumpian Theatre Company's production of Hir by Taylor Mac
Ingrid Blekys, Zoe Bernard, Rob Deman, Deighton Thomas
Photo by Jackie Noble

• ... to the winners of the Brickenden Awards, including London Community Players and Calithumpian Theatre. The awards honour independent and community theatre in London.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from Next Generation Showcase: Andrew Pritchard of Canadore College describes his “weekend to remember.”
• ONstage Openings this week in Owen Sound, Belleville, Ottawa, Oshawa, Sarnia, Waterloo, Hamilton, London, Elmira, Burlington, and Toronto.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, courses, grant deadlines, calls for submission, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Kim Liao wrote for LitHub about how she sets “rejection goals” as writer, proposing that you should aim for “100 rejections a year.”

Soulpepper Theatre's production of Rose
Sabryn Rock, Hailey Gillis, Raquel Duffy, and Rose Ensemble
Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• With Rose opening this week at Soulpepper Theatre, Robert Cushman profiled the show’s composer / musical director / co-librettist and “prime mover” Mike Ross for Intermission’s Spotlight series.

Migrations

• Jennifer Tarver is leaving as Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre.

TO Toasts

• ... to the recipients of Ontario Arts Council Recommender Grants from Cahoots Theatre.

In Case You Missed It

• Celebrating Emerging Storytellers at our 25th Next Generation Showcase.
• Meet our Youth Advisory Committee for 2019.
• ONstage Openings this week in Toronto, Orangeville, Ottawa, Aurora, Oakville, Richmond Hill, Guelph, and London.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, calls for submission, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Bernadette Hardaker, General Manager of Theatre Orangeville, shared on the PACT blog how they made the arts an election issue in last year’s provincial and municipal elections as we look ahead to this year’s federal election.
• Videos from the livestream of the 2018 SPARC Symposium (Supporting Performing Arts in Rural Communities) held in Cobalt are now available on their YouTube channel.
• Emma Stenning (new Executive Director of Soulpepper) and Naomi Campbell (new Artistic Director of Luminato) had a conversation on HowlRound as part of the series on transitions in theatre leadership – “We Can’t Work in Isolation.”

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

Nightwood Theatre's production of Grace by Jane Doe
Rose Napoli and Michaela Washburn. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

• Jane Doe wrote for Intermission Magazine about the process of writing Grace (now on stage from Nightwood Theatre) and the experience of processing trauma.
• Orpheus Musical Theatre Society in Ottawa announced their 2019/2020 season.
• “Do you work during the wintertime?” The staff of Blyth Festival answered this question from their community.
• Submissions are now open for the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s 2019 Tom Hendry Awards.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program, featuring training projects in administration and managing direction, artistic producing, lighting design, general management, and dramaturgy.
• We’re inviting applications to our Professional Theatre Training Program and Youth Theatre Training Program for the March 1 deadline. Note that we are implementing new deadlines for these programs throughout 2019 and 2020, and have changed our applicant eligibility requirements.
• ONstage Openings this week in Toronto, Cobourg, Peterborough, Kingston, Perth, and Oshawa.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, calls for nominations, and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) is leading action to ask the Government of Ontario to reverse the cancellation of a promised $15 million disbursement to the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The OTF has been a significant supporter for strengthening Ontario’s communities—including the activities of many arts organizations. You can learn more on the ONN’s “Take Action” page.
• Jenna Warriner—who will be leading our upcoming workshops on “Social Media for Producers” (January 21) and “Social Media for Actors—Instagram and Twitter” (February 27)—wrote a guide for actors about dealing with trolls for ACTRA Toronto’s “Performers Online” site.
• As always, the “Most Popular Articles of the Year” round-up from Intermission is always an opportunity to catch-up on good conversations you may have missed.
• A fascinating story out of the U.S. via #2amt: How an Austin, Texas playwright’s final play “might have died with him, but a community joined together to ensure its survival.”

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• As part of their audience engagement for their upcoming production of Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls, the Alumnae Theatre Company has been introducing their audience to the characters who appear in the opening scene of the play. (From that link you can scroll backwards through their entire series.)

Migrations

• Susan Ferley in the new Artistic Director and Mike Forrester is the new Managing Director of the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope.
• Catriona Leger is leaving as Artistic Director of A Company of Fools in Ottawa.

In Case You Missed It

• Welcome to our Next Generation Showcase 2019 Panels.
• ONstage Openings this week in Toronto, Orangeville, and Ottawa.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

From Theatre Ontario

• The Theatre Ontario office will be closed beginning Monday, December 24, re-opening on Wednesday, January 2, 2019. We wish everyone a very happy holiday and all the best for 2019!

Conversation Starters

• With our Next Generation Showcase less than a month away, Bryn Kennedy reminds the participants—and all of us—that “one opportunity or one person will not make or break your career.”
• Generator in Toronto hosted an Urgent Exchange “#MeToo A Year Later” – the full two-hour broadcast was shared on Periscope and is available for viewing.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Sudbury Theatre Centre introduced a hearing loop system, the first theatre in Ontario with this equipment according to the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association.
• Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg announces their 2019 summer season.
• The Theatre Centre in Toronto announced their new Creative Producer Training Program, funded by the Canada Council’s Sector Innovation grant program, and focused on training in touring and building touring networks for producers.

In Case You Missed It

• ONstage Opening this week in London.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including grant deadlines, calls for submissions, community events, and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

Theatre Passe Muraille's Artistic Director search
includes community input as part of the process.

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto is inviting community input as part of their Artistic Director search.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto introduced their 2019 Emerging Creators Unit, partnering with b current performing arts.
• CTV London profiled Blyth Festival’s upcoming 2019 production about the story of St. Thomas’s Jumbo the Elephant (autoplay video).

Migrations

• Monica Esteves is the new Executive Director of Canadian Stage (PDF). 

In Case You Missed It

• Welcome to Costin Manu, our new Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.
• Welcome to RH Thomson as Theatre Ontario Festival 2019 Honorary Chair.
• Congratulations to the Fall 2018 Youth Theatre Training Program grant recipients.
• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program featuring projects in directing.
• ONstage Openings this week in Toronto, Peterborough, and Cobourg.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including calls for submission, prizes, grant deadlines, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• The federal government is permanently lifting the cap on the Endowment Incentives component of the Canadian Cultural Investment Fund. Shelley Stevenson from the Stratford Festival wrote on the PACT blog about the multi-pronged approach to advocacy in this area.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Gateway Theatre Guild in North Bay is supporting the development of arts in their community through a development bursary towards participation in the city’s ON THE EDGE Fringe Festival.
• The Musical Stage Company announced LAUNCH PAD, a new program that makes a strategic investment in Canadian musical theatre writers and collaborators, offering a 10-month residency for musical theatre composers, lyricists and book-writers to navigate a full developmental process.
• Theatre on the Ridge in Port Perry announced their 2019 summer season.
• Actor Douglas Rain, one of the pioneers of the Stratford Festival, died at 90.

TO Toasts

• ... to Sandra Houston, former Theatre Ontario Board Member, who was honoured with the 2018 Community Recognition Award for Performing Arts from the city of Sault Ste. Marie.
• ... to the award recipients and honourable mentions at the Eastern Ontario Drama League One-Act Play Festival. We’ll share the full list when it is available from EODL.

In Case You Missed It

• Deanna Galati reflects on our Youth Advisory Committee’s work in 2018, including Emergence 2.0.
• Congratulations to our Fall 2018 Professional Theatre Training Program grant recipients.
• ONstage Openings this week in London, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Toronto, Port Hope, Cookstown, Midland, Ottawa, Perth, Markham, Richmond Hill, Burlington and touring.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Closing a theatre company – Scott Artley wrote on HowlRound about “The Final Act—Sunsetting a Nonprofit Arts Organization” and the decision to shutdown.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Got Your Back Canada, the grassroots alliance of artists committed to making safe places for creation in the entertainment industry, is conducting an “Actor Training Experience Survey” for anyone who has taken actor training in Canada at any time. There is also a questionnaire for instructors. 

TO Toasts

Playwrights Guild of Canada's Tom Hendry Awards

• ... to Jordan Tannahill and Playwrights Canada Press, recipients of the 2018 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama—English.
• ... to the recipients of Playwrights Guild of Canada’s 2018 Tom Hendry Awards, including Matthew Mackenzie who was awarded the Carol Bolt Award for best work premiered in the past year, and Damien Atkins (our Theatre Ontario Festival Playwright-in-Person in 2015) who won the Stage West Comedy Award.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program – Featuring training projects in directing, artistic producing, dramaturgy, and artistic direction.
• Stories from Ontario Summer Theatre – Raeburn Ferguson finished her first week at Theatre Ontario at the Ontario Summer Theatre Annual General Meeting for professional development and strengthening connections.
• ONstage Openings this week in Oshawa, Tillsonburg, St. Marys, London, Elmira, Toronto, Ottawa, and North Bay.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, webinars, grant deadlines, playwright calls for submission, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

The Musical Stage Company's production
of Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life.
Photo by Dahlia Katz

Conversation Starters

• Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Women’s Caucus introduced the inaugural release of The SureFire List, a community-generated resource of shows by women or trans-femmes.
• As part of HowlRound’s series on “Leadership in Transition”, May Antaki spoke with Brendan Healy, the new Artistic Director of Canadian Stage.
• Designing an Immersive Musical – Nick Blais shared his experience being part of the design team for The Musical Stage Company’s production of Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Four new 2019 Ontario Summer Theatre season announcements from The Foster Festival in St. Catharines, Blyth Festival, Port Stanley Festival Theatre, and the Gravenhurst Opera House.
• The Ontario Arts Council has released “The status of women in the Canadian arts and cultural industries: Research review 2010-2018”, synthesizing existing research on the status of women in the arts in Ontario and Canada.

Migrations

• Lisa Marie DiLiberto is the new Artistic Producer of Theatre Direct in Toronto.

TO Toasts

• ... to former Board and Staff member Barry Freeman who was one of the recipients of a Nathan Cohen Award for excellence in critical writing from the Canadian Theatre Critics Association. While celebrating the accomplishment, the University of Toronto Press has made Barry's Canadian Theatre Review article available for free.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Summer Theatre Intensive: Cassel Miles was learning to love again at Learning to Love Your Monologue.
• ONstage Openings this week in Sault Ste. Marie, Aurora, Beaverton, Richmond Hill, Waterloo, Sarnia, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Sudbury.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

Raeburn Ferguson

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

From Theatre Ontario

• We regret to announce that Rachel Kennedy is leaving as Professional Theatre and Education Manager, but we are excited to welcome Raeburn Ferguson who will be joining our staff.

Conversation Starters

• Alicia Richardson—Driftwood Theatre’s Playwright in Residence—reflects on how she “kills her inner critic.”
• The Ontario Nonprofit Network has released a report “Women’s Voices—Stories about Working in Ontario’s Nonprofit Sector” based on the stories of 730 women sharing with what it was like to work in Ontario's nonprofit sector and provided recommendations for change.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Orpheus Musical Theatre’s production of The Last Five Years lost several performances due to the long power outages many in Ottawa suffered following the tornado on September 21. Thanks to the Gladstone who graciously offered their space, the production will go on three more times.

Migrations

• Weyni Mengesha is the new Artistic Director of Soulpepper in Toronto.
• Jack Brezina is stepping down as President of Highlands Summer Festival in Haliburton. 

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from Our Summer Theatre Intensive—“Plot—It Builds Character” from Jackie Mahoney.
• ONstage Openings this week in Belleville, Perth, Morrisburg, Smiths Falls, Constance Bay, Guelph, London, Cambridge, Woodstock, Toronto, and Orangeville; and next week in Ottawa, Kingston, Milford, Mississauga, Toronto, Millbrook, Cobourg, and Port Hope.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, webinars, grant deadlines, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

Mikaela Davies and Elissa Horscroft in conversation with
Keira Loughran at foldA from the Stratford Festival.
Photo by Michael Wheeler
Image from spiderwebshow.ca

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• SpiderWebShow has completes its series from the conversations at their inaugural Festival of Digital Art (foldA)—exploring possible futures for our practice.
• Respectful Workplaces in the Arts, the anti-harassment project from the Cultural Human Resources Council, has a new online home.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Western Ontario Drama League’s Pre-Festival Adjudication Schedule for the Fall and Winter has been published on their website.
• The Association of Community Theatres—Central Ontario has also announced their ACT-CO Festival adjudication schedule for 2018/19.

Migrations

• Kelly Thornton is leaving as Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre in Toronto to become Artistic Director of Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba (FB post, with a warning to hockey fans of a potentially disturbing image...)

TO Toasts

• ... to the 2018 Tom Hendry Awards Short Lists from Playwrights Guild of Canada.
• ... to the finalists for the 2018 Governor General’s Literary Award for English Drama.
• ... and to the shortlist for the Siminovitch Prize, honouring designers.

In Case You Missed It

• Meet our Youth Advisory Committee’s mentors for Emergence 2.0.
• Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program, features projects in directing, writing and producing, and artistic direction.
• ONstage Openings this week in Oshawa, Drayton, Aylmer, St. Jacobs, and Toronto.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, webinars, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

Theatre Orangeville's production of The Birds and The Bees.
They are celebrating their 25th year this season.

• The Cultural Human Resources Council has introduced the “Workplace Harassment and Violence” tool, part of their Respectful Workplaces in the Arts project.
• Theatre Orangeville is celebrating their 25th year.
• ArtsVote Toronto is hosting a Mayoral Arts Debate on Monday September 24.
• A pair of stories from Robin De Angelis of CBC News highlighting some of successes and challenges facing the Sudbury arts community, including the Sudbury Theatre Centre, in "the State of the Arts" series (Part 1 and Part 2)

In Case You Missed It

• Welcome Carolee Mason as Theatre Ontario Festival 2019 Adjudicator.
• Stories from Summer Theatre Intensive 2018: Directing, from First Reading to Opening Night by Maureen Lukie.
• ONstage Openings this week in London, Sarnia, Hamilton, Toronto, Cobourg, Ottawa, Tweed, Gananoque, and Aurora.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including professional development and networking, workshops, grant deadlines, and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

Gertrude and Alice at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto

• When Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto decided to bring Gertrude and Alice back to the stage, they decided to take advantage of “the rare and wonderful opportunity to continue the creative process, rather than simply reproduce what had been done the last time.”
• “Performing and Parenting” was a great series that ran in Intermission back in 2016—having seen more than one conversation on the topic pop-up recently on social media (stimulated by a recent article on HowlRound), I thought it would worthwhile to share it again.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Ontario Arts Council has issued new policies on alternative services for applicants with accessibility needs, including Deaf persons and persons with disabilities, people with limited internet access, and Indigenous persons who wish to submit an oral application.
• Drayton Entertainment has announced their 2019 season for their venues across the province.

Migrations

• Naomi Campbell is the new Artistic Director of Luminato in Toronto (PDF)

TO Toasts

• ... to Monica Garrido, recipient of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s Queer Emerging Artist Award for 2018.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Summer Theatre Intensive: Robin Bennett continues to find new things to learn after thirteen years of attending the summer courses.
• ONstage Openings this week in Richmond Hill, Burlington, Grand Bend, St. Jacobs, Toronto, Gravenhurst, Penetanguishene, and Ottawa.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, professional development events, job postings, grant deadlines, public readings, calls for artist residencies, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Cultural Human Resources Council provided an update of their progress in their national anti-harassment initiative “Respectful Workplaces in the Arts.”
• Mississauga is the latest Ontario community to join SpaceFinder, the matchmaking tool for artists and venue providers. SpaceFinder is already active in 7 other communities: Hamilton, Ottawa, Simcoe County, Sudbury, Toronto, Waterloo Region, and York Region.

In Case You Missed It

• We have launched our call for a new Executive Director.
• Our new Strategic Plan for 2018-2020 that was introduced at our Annual Meeting last May in London, is available for reading on our website.
• Save the date for our 25th Anniversary Next Generation Showcase this coming January.
• ONstage Openings this week in Markham, Port Dover, Toronto, Wellington, Kingston, and Morrisburg.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, networking and professional development events, grant deadlines, calls for submission, new play readings, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Kate Werneburg wrote for Intermission about “theatre in the park” and how we share public space with people who are not housed.

David Parry receiving our Michael Spence Award in 2017

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Studio Theatre Perth has named their new volunteer appreciation award in honour of David and Patricia Parry. David is a past recipient of our Michael Spence Award for Contribution to Community Theatre in the province.
• Nightwood Theatre in Toronto has unveiled their lineup of “the most exciting emerging female playwrights in the city” for their Groundswell Festival 2018.
• Ontario Culture Days is coming up on September 28, 29 and 30.  Among the theatre events registered at press time are an open rehearsal with The MT Space in Waterloo, an hour backstage before call at Burl-Oak Theatre Group in Oakville, a youth company rehearsal and tour at Georgetown Little Theatre, a live radio show at Grey Wellington Theatre Guild in Harriston.

Migrations

• Emma Stenning is the new Executive Director of Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto.

In Case You Missed It

• ONstage Opening this week in Toronto—and with many more shows now playing in communities across Ontario.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, grant deadlines, calls for submissions, pre-recorded webinars, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

Alastair Forbes and Sophia Fabiilli in the Thousand
Islands Playhouse production of The Canadian.
Photo by Randy deKleine-Stimpson

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Thousand Islands Playhouse wrapped up their series “From Page to Stage: Creating The Canadian”, first with Part 3 by set and costume designer Anna Treusch about her process for designing the show, and then in Part 4, actor Sophia Fabiilli wrote about her “Top 10 Reasons Why Farce Is Harder Than It Looks.”

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• The Stratford Festival has introduced their 2019 season.
• WorkInCulture is conducting a survey—“MakingItWork”—of Ontario’s creativity community workforce: add your voice to their research.

Migrations

• Helen Wagenaar is retiring as Administrative Director of Lighthouse Festival Theatre. Congratulations to Nicole Campbell (a member of the Ontario Summer Theatre Executive Committee) who will be taking on the role.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program, featuring training projects in directing, arts management, community-engaged theatre, and artistic direction.
• Stories from our Summer Theatre Intensive: The Art of Stage Combat by Mahlet Tesfu.
• ONstage Openings this week in Picton, Constance Bay, Gananoque, Drayton, and Port Stanley.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including workshops, free webinars, grant deadlines, and more.

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