Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Upcoming opportunities from Theatre Ontario, from our members, and from other arts service organizations.

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Theatre Ontario's "Ready, Set, Show!
Foundations of Indie Producing" workshop

• Thinking of producing a show or starting a theatre company? Join us at our “Ready, Set, Show! Foundations of Indie Producing” workshop with Rachel Kennedy and Andrea Scott on October 10 in Toronto.
• Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our “Voice Over” workshop with Elley-Ray on October 13 in Toronto.
• Does your organization want to undertake an accessible, unique youth training project, led by professional theatre artists? The deadline for applications for our Youth Theatre Training Program is October 15.
• Discussion, mentorship and connections for youth, by youth—join us at “Emergence 2.0” from our Youth Advisory Committee on October 15 in Toronto.
• Does your Theatre for Young Audiences show need an audience? Join us at our “Bring Your Show to Schools” workshop with Tim Whalley of Prologue to the Performing Arts on October 15 via live webinar.
• Need help developing your long-term career goals? Join us at our “Propel Your Professional Career Forward” workshop with Vera N. Held on October 20 in Toronto.
• Are you stressed about your finances, juggling your bills and watching your debts creep larger and larger? Do your artistic projects make it even harder to stay on top of it all? Join us at our “Smart Money: Personal Finances for Artists” workshop with Natasha Mytnowych on October 22 in Toronto.
• Learn how to write a 10-minute play at our “Perfect 10” workshop with Dominik Loncar on October 24, via live webinar.
• Are you an actor struggling to let go of a character? A director working on intense material? A teacher looking for tools to support students in their performing careers? Join us at our “Post Performance Recovery” workshop with Mairin Smit on October 29 in Toronto.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Deadline for applications for the Ontario Arts Council’s Théâtre – projets francophones is today.
• Deadline for applications for Thousand Islands Playhouse’s OAC Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators is October 5.
• Deadline for applications for Alumnae Theatre’s call for directors (community theatre non-paying) is October 5.
• Deadline for registrations for Grey Wellington Theatre Guild’s SPARC Regional Hub Mini-Symposium in Harriston is October 9.
• Deadline for applications for the Ontario Arts Council’s Deaf and Disability Arts projects is October 11.
• Deadline for nominations for the WorkInCulture Bob Johnston Award is October 12.

New on The Bulletin Board

• George F. Walker’s next Acting Workshop series begins on October 22.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education and Training Studio Programs
• Youth Training Programs
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Ontario Off Stage

Stage Combat at Summer Theatre Intensive 2018

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

From Theatre Ontario

• The first week of our Summer Theatre Intensive was featured in a Stratford Beacon Herald story by Terry Bridge (including autoplay video from our Stage Combat course.)

Conversation Starters

• In her August enewsletter, Janet Sellery (of Sellery Health & Safety) writes about the hazards of workplace fatigue during strikes and load outs—and includes some worthwhile tips to deal with the next late night call.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Save the date for the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Tom Hendry Awards—the preeminent celebration of Canadian playwriting will be on October 28. 

In Case You Missed It

• ONstage Openings this week in Port Hope, Orillia, Smiths Falls, Perth, Stratford, Grand Bend, St. Jacobs, and Toronto.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including free recorded webinars, workshops, grant deadlines, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

From Theatre Ontario

Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council for the wonderful news that they are increasing their financial support to Theatre Ontario as we continue to nurture community, create opportunities to benefit the community, and strive to be agents of change.

Conversation Starters

Mary Pitt and Clive Walton in Gravenhurst Opera House's
production of Souvenir - part of Ontario Summer Theatre 2018
Photo by Larry Carroll

• Profiles from Ontario Summer Theatre (OST) 2018—Lighthouse Festival Theatre’s season, “You won’t believe who is coming to play in The County this summer!” from Festival Players of Prince Edward County, and “Hello from Krista and Dave!” at the Gravenhurst Opera House.
• Toronto was host for the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas Conference in June, and Ontario’s theatre community was well-represented among the panelists. Several sessions were live-streamed, and videos are available from HowlRound.
• Generator in Toronto is hosting their annual #UrgentExchange at the Toronto Fringe Festival on July 10. This year’s talk will be about the relationship between “precarity” in the industry and the mental health of the people in the industry.

In Case You Missed It

• Save the date for our Adjudicators Symposium professional development and networking event.
• ONstage Openings this week in Perth, Morrisburg, Gananoque, Port Perry, Port Stanley, Fergus, Grand Bend, Toronto, Millbrook, Penetanguishene, Orillia, and Peterborough.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including summer courses, grant deadlines, community theatre directing opportunities, calls for submissions, workshops, residencies, and more.

Ontario Off Stage

The 2018 Ontario Summer Theatre season is underway!
From The Shaw Festival
Stephen Fry in Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods. Heroes. Men.
Photo by David Cooper. 

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Profiling Ontario Summer Theatre (OST) 2018—“If laughter is the best medicine, you will have your measure and more” at The Foster Festival in St. Catharines; “Welcome to the Team” introducing new OST member Guild Festival Theatre in Toronto; fellow new OST member Tweed & Company in Hastings County "celebrates their 10th anniversary with a huge 2018 season"; and it’s and “The Perfect Intermission from Life!” at The Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
• The World Cup is kicking off—and Good Tickle Brain has you covered with the Shakespeare World Cup. (For the ancestors - Go King Lear! For the in-laws - Go Macbeth!)

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Season announcement for 18/19 from Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto.
• Janet Sellery of Sellery Health and Safety, a long-time Theatre Ontario member, has been appointed to the newly-launched Advisory Council for the Event Safety Alliance, a non-profit trade association of live event industry professionals committed to eliminating unsafe behaviors and conditions throughout the event industry. Congratulations Janet!

Migrations

• Christopher Deacon is the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
• Jesse Stong is the new Associate Artistic Director at Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque. 

TO Toasts

• ... to Gillian Gallow, who was awarded the 2018 Virginia and Myrtle Cooper Award in Costume Design.

In Case You Missed It

• The Theatre Ontario Board of Directors regretfully announced that Bruce Pitkin, Executive Director, will be leaving the organization at the end of June.
• Save the date for Theatre Ontario Festival 2019 in Richmond Hill.
• ONstage Openings this week in Grand Bend, Gravenhurst, and Smiths Falls.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including scholarship deadlines, intensive courses, grants, conferences, calls for submission, award nominations, and more.

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

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Insights into Lorenzo Savoini’s concept for the design of Soulpepper Theatre’s upcoming production of Orlando.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

The outdoor summer theatre season starts soon.
The 2017 4th Line Theatre (Millbrook) production of
The History of Drinking in Cavan
Robert Winslow, Shelley Simester and the cast
Photo by Wayne Eardley

• With the London Fringe wrapping up, your next Ontario Fringe Festival destination is the Ottawa Fringe, opening June 14.
• The outdoor summer theatre season will be starting soon—so it’s always a good idea to refresh yourself on what Health Canada recommends for extreme heat events and our provincial health and safety guidelines for Outdoor Venues.

TO Toasts

• ... to Patricia Vanstone, Artistic Director of The Foster Festival who was awarded the Established Artist Award at the St. Catharines Arts Awards.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program, features training projects in artistic direction, directing, writing and producing, and community-engaged theatre.
• Meet the newest members of our Talent Bank of Theatre Instructors and Adjudicators. 
• ONstage Openings this week in Cambridge, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Penetanguishene, Port Stanley, Grand Bend, Orangeville, Ottawa, Kingston, Morrisburg, and Sault Ste. Marie—and with many more shows now playing in communities across Ontario.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, including webinars, scholarships, intensives, volunteer opportunities, workshops, community events, conferences, and more. 

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Upcoming opportunities for theatre artists from Theatre Ontario, from our members, and from other arts service organizations

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

"Ask an Agent" workshop with Alicia Jeffery, part of our
"Take Control of Your Career" boot camp

• Learn some important tricks of the trade so that you can get your theatre career on track! Join us at our “Take Control of Your Career” boot camp featuring workshops on building your brand, creating epic social media visuals, contract law, and Ask an Agent, on October 21 in Toronto.
• Tell me what you ate and I’ll tell you how well you’ll perform. Join us at our “Enhance Your Stage Presence: A Nutritional Guide for Performers” workshop with Gillian Ferrier on October 24 in Toronto.
• Does your Theatre for Young Audiences show need an audience? Join us at our “Bring Your Show to Schools” pre-recorded webinar with Patty Jarvis on October 25.
• Thinking of using music in your performance or creating a musical revue? Know your music rights (and responsibilities) for theatre! Join us at our “Music Rights for Theatre” live webinar (free for members) with Jason Abdool (SOCAN) and Phil Laffin (ReSound) on October 30.
• Learn strategies that can help turn what could be a strained, forced, or distant relationship to an intense and fruitful collaboration. Join us at our “Director-Dramaturge Collaborations” workshop with Matt McGeachy on November 1.
• Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our “Voice Over” workshop with Elley-Ray on November 4 in Toronto.
• Preparing an OAC application? Get the inside scoop at our “Grant Writing Information Session” free pre-recorded webinar with Pat Bradley of the Ontario Arts Council available on November 6.
• Answers to your FAQs about the business of acting—join us at our “Launching Your Career” workshop with Rachel Kennedy and guest TBA on November 15 in Toronto.
• Learn necessary skills to produce creative works, in a one-day session!  Join us at our “Master Class for Success” creator boot camp featuring workshops on fundraising, project management tools, financial basics, and planning, on November 18 in Toronto.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Great Canadian Theatre Company’s next “The Hive @ GCTC” workshop for students is on “Lighting Design” today in Ottawa.
• Deadline to apply for Ontario Trillium Foundation “Capital Grants” program is October 25.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Submissions are now open for the Ellen Ross Stuart Award, for playwrights 21-30 with some production credits who have graduated from post-secondary training or outgrown other programs that nurture young artists. The deadline is December 15.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education and Training Studio Programs
• Youth Training Programs
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

• Seeking financial support for unique and flexible training with a chosen mentor? Apply to our Professional Theatre Training Program. The application deadline is October 2.
• Are you stressed about your finances and do your artistic projects make it even harder to stay on top of it all? Join us at our “smART Money: Personal Finances for Artists” workshop with Natasha Mytnowych on October 3 in Toronto.
• Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our “Voice Over” workshop with Elley-Ray on October 7 in Toronto.
• Preparing an OAC application? Get the inside scoop at our “Grant Writing Information Session” free pre-recorded webinar with Pat Bradley of the Ontario Arts Council available on October 9.
• Professional development and networking for adjudicators—join us at our “Adjudicators Symposium” on October 14 in Toronto.
• Seeking financial support for programs that deliver accessible training to young people (age 14 to 21) led by professional theatre artists? Apply to our Youth Theatre Training Program. The application deadline is October 16.
• Learn the do’s and don’ts of writing an engaging ten-minute play. Join us at our “Perfect 10: How to Write a 10-Minute Play” free live webinar on October 17.
• Thinking of producing a show or starting a theatre company? Join us at our “Ready Set Show!: Foundation of Indie Producing” workshop with Rachel Kennedy and guest Kevin Matthew Wong on October 18 in Toronto.
• Learn some important tricks of the trade so that you can get your theatre career on track! Join us at our “Take Control of Your Career” boot camp featuring workshops on building your brand, creating epic social media visuals, contract law, and Ask an Agent, on October 21 in Toronto.
• Tell me what you ate and I’ll tell you how well you’ll perform. Join us at our “Enhance Your Stage Presence: A Nutritional Guide for Performers” workshop with Gillian Ferrier on October 24 in Toronto.
• Does your Theatre for Young Audiences show need an audience? Join us at our “Bring Your Show to Schools” pre-recorded webinar with Patty Jarvis on October 25. 

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

Hive @ GCTC workshops
Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age is on September 27

• Shaw Festival’s “Play by Play” audience experience starts September 27.
• Great Canadian Theatre Company’s Hive @ GCTC workshop for high school and university students on “Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age” is on September 27 in Ottawa.
• The MT Space’s #SURVIVE_RESIST_CREATE conference in Kitchener begins September 28; their Youth Conference begins October 1.
• Deadline for submissions for Canada Council for the Arts’ John Hirsch Prize for new and developing theatre directors is October 2.
• Deadline to apply for Paprika Festival's youth training programs is October 3.
• Deadline to register to apply for Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Capital Grants is October 4 (for the October 25 deadline.)
• Ontario Arts Council grant deadlines for “Deaf and Disability Arts Projects”, “Jets de théâtre – projets” and “Touring Projects” is October 5.
• Deadline for directors to apply for Alumnae Theatre’s New Ideas Festival 2018 (non-paying) is October 5.
• Deadline for submissions for Soulpepper’s Ontario Arts Council Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators is October 6.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Great Canadian Theatre Company invites submissions for their Ontario Arts Council Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators Program. Funding priorities are playwrights and collectives based in, or who originate from, Ottawa and the National Capital Region, and work that “provokes examination of Canadian life and our place in the world.” The deadline is December 1.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education and Training Studio Programs
• Youth Training Programs
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Donna-Michelle St. Bernard will be teaching our "Playwriting: How to Tell an 'Important' Story" at our Summer Theatre Intensive. Donna-Michelle's important story Sound of the Beast can be seen at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto from April 13 to May 7.
• Allegra Fulton wrote in Intermission about Jon Kaplan, long-time theatre critic for NOW Magazine, and also a member and supporter of Theatre Ontario for many years.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Two more Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines for Live Performance have been published by the Ontario Ministry of Labour: Electrical and Elevating Work Platforms.
• Guelph Little Theatre—the recent hosts of the Western Ontario Drama League Festival—were profiled by the Guelph Arts Council as “a major piece of the royal city lifestyle fabric.”

TO Toasts

• ... to Ron-Cameron Lewis who has been chosen as an American Association of Community Theatre Fellow for his significant contribution to the idea and ideal of community theatre. (He is only the second Canadian to receive this distinction…and the first just happens to be our adjudicator at this year’s Theatre Ontario Festival in Ottawa.)

In Case You Missed It

• Rachel Kennedy is getting jazzed our new partnership with Off the Wall Stratford Artists Alliance at our Summer Theatre Intensive.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board featuring opportunities across the province including grant writing, Festival, launching your career, and more.
• ONstage Openings this week in Markham, Mississauga, St. Marys, Hamilton, Toronto, Orangeville, Ottawa, Kingston, and Smiths Falls.

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.

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• As the chill of winter shows up across the province, those of you whose theatre is taking you outdoors should check out the recently revised “Outdoor Venues” Safety Guideline for Live Performance in Ontario from the Ontario Ministry of Labour.
• As part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, the Ontario Arts Foundation is profiling their past award recipients—including Charlotte Dean, a former member of our Professional Theatre Training Program jury for twelve years.
• Community theatres and schools seeking help with obtaining performance rights for Canadian plays? Playwrights Guild of Canada has a handy guide for you.

Migrations

• Kristina Lemieux is the new Executive Director of Generator in Toronto.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from the Professional Theatre Training Program, featuring training in directing, set and costume design, scenography, digital media creation, and artistic direction. 
• Building community among Ontario Summer Theatre. 
• ONstage Openings this week in Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, and London. 
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board, for New Faces applications, Summer Theatre Intensive course proposals, upcoming workshops for creators, volunteer opportunities at Next Generation Showcase, play submissions, and grant opportunities.

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

Theatre Ontario’s office will be closing December 22nd and re-opening on January 3rd.  Best wishes for the holidays!

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• Dan Watson (a past recipient of our Professional Theatre Training Program grant) writes for #CdnTimes on the SpiderWebShow about making stages accessible—not just at a physical level but at a process level.
• With Come from Away about to open in Toronto on its way to Broadway, Trevor Patt (one of the original cast members from Sheridan College in Oakville) shares his experience with the production.
• A new video is out from the Ontario Arts Council on the importance of Indigenous arts protocols.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

The Franco Boni Theatre at The Theatre Centre
Photo by Dahlia Katz

• The Theatre Centre in Toronto completed its $6.2 million capital campaign, including a gift that sees their mainspace theatre named after Artistic Director Franco Boni.
• Do you work with temporary stages? Janet Sellery from Sellery Health and Safety reports on proposed changes to the Building Code by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
• Acting Up Stage Company’s One Song Glory showcase (funded by our Youth Theatre Training Program) is coming up on November 20 in Toronto.
• The Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa has launched The Hive, a new mentorship initiative for high school and university students focusing on the behind-the-scenes of theatre production.
• The Grand Theatre in London has launched their new New Play Development Program—COMPASS.
• The Ontario Nonprofit Network invites charities to support Imagine Canada’s call to action, telling the Federal Government to amend the Income Tax Act to focus on charitable purposes, not activities.

Migrations

• Brett Christopher is the new General Manager of Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque. (PDF)

TO Toasts

• ... to the winners and honourable mentions at the Eastern Ontario Drama League One-Act Play Festival in Perth, including hosts Studio Theatre Productions who won the Outstanding Production award. (Full Festival awards results will be coming soon from EODL.)
• ... to the award winners for the 2015-16 Capital Critics Circle Awards.

In Case You Missed It

• Stories from our Professional Theatre Training Program, featuring training in directing and artistic direction.
• Meet some of the past recipients of our Michael Spence Award for Contribution to Community Theatre: Arlene Watson of Ottawa, Beth McMaster of Peterborough, and Margaret Shearman of Merrickville.
• Stories from our Youth Theatre Training Program, featuring “Touching Ground: Building Up” at Jumblies Theatre.
• ONstage Openings in Markham, Oshawa, Richmond Hill, Kitchener, Goderich, Niagara Falls, Sarnia, Hamilton, Harriston, Burlington, Embro, Toronto, Kincardine, Cobourg, Barrie, Lindsay, and Ottawa.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board featuring the call for our Youth Advisory Committee, acting and producing workshops, and the call for proposals for our Summer Theatre Intensive.

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

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray

• Running away from a blank page? Learn how to get past writer’s block. Join us at our PGC Writer’s Block webinar with Marcia Johnson in partnership with Playwrights Guild of Canada on November 3 in Toronto.
• Keep your team safe and your show running smoothly—join us at our Health and Safety for Independent and Community Theatres workshop with Janet Sellery on November 5 in Toronto.
• Learn the techniques and the language to stage human sexuality in a way that is professional, dynamic and focused on storytelling at our Intimacy for the Stage weekend intensive with Tonia Sina in partnership with Burning Mountain on November 12 and 13 in Toronto.
• Build and maintain a solid career that industry professionals and audiences will trust in our Building Your Brand as an Artist workshop with Edward Power on November 14 in Toronto.
• Answers to your FAQ’s about the business of acting! Join us at our Launching Your Career workshop with Rachel Kennedy and guest Claire Armstrong, in partnership with Artscape Launchpad on November 22 in Toronto. 
• Preparing an OAC application? Get the inside scoop at our Grant Writing Information pre-recorded webinar, with Pat Bradley of the Ontario Arts Council, available on November 22.
• Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray on November 26 in Toronto.  
• What does an agent do and why should you have one? Join us at our Ask an Agent workshop with Alicia Jeffery on November 28 in Toronto.
• Members save 50% on E-learning courses from WorkInCulture. One of the six courses available is Marketing—Find and grow your audience! How do you make the leap from "Sounds like a great show" to "Two tickets, please"? This course will take you through that process, developing and enhancing your marketing skills along the way.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• The AOE Artpreneur Conference in Ottawa is on November 5.
• Theatre Orangeville’s Introduction to Stage Combat workshop for youth 11 to 17 is on November 5.

New on The Bulletin Board

• The Bentway in Toronto is looking for ideas. Got an idea for The Bentway (formerly Project: Under Gardiner)? Share how you would turn this forgotten space under Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into a place of discovery and creativity! Submission deadline is November 25.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education Programs
• Youth Training Programs

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Launching Your Career workshop at Theatre Ontario

• Running away from a blank page? Learn how to get past writer’s block. Join us at our free PGC Writer’s Block webinar with Marcia Johnson in partnership with Playwrights Guild of Canada on November 3 in Toronto.
• Keep your team safe and your show running smoothly—join us at our Health and Safety for Independent and Community Theatres workshop with Janet Sellery on November 5 in Toronto.
• Learn the techniques and the language to stage human sexuality in a way that is professional, dynamic and focused on storytelling at our Intimacy for the Stage weekend intensive with Tonia Sina in partnership with Burning Mountain on November 12 and 13 in Toronto.
• Build and maintain a solid career that industry professionals and audiences will trust in our Building Your Brand as an Artist workshop with Edward Power on November 14 in Toronto.
• Answers to your FAQ’s about the business of acting! Join us at our Launching Your Career workshop with Rachel Kennedy and guest Claire Armstrong, in partnership with Artscape Launchpad on November 22 in Toronto. 
• Preparing an OAC application? Get the inside scoop at our Grant Writing Information pre-recorded webinar, with Pat Bradley of the Ontario Arts Council, available on November 22.
• Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our Voice Over workshop with Elley-Ray on November 26 in Toronto.
• Members save 50% on E-learning courses from WorkInCulture. One of the six courses available is Marketing—Find and grow your audience! How do you make the leap from "Sounds like a great show" to "Two tickets, please"? This course will take you through that process, developing and enhancing your marketing skills along the way.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• SPARC – the Symposium for Performing Arts in Rural Communities opens October 27 in Haliburton.
• The Playwright’s Guild of Canada’s Tom Hendry Awards are October 30 in Toronto.
• Deadline to apply for Canada Council’s “New Chapter: Arts Program to Mark the 150th Anniversary of Confederation” grants is October 31.
• Deadline to apply for Ontario Arts Council’s Theatre Organizations—Summer Theatre and Compass grants is November 1.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Theatre InspiraTO is hosting a workshop on writing engaging ten-minute plays on November 26 in Toronto.
• The MT Space invites applications for their Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creators Reserve. Funding priorities include collectives and work on non-script-based physical forms. The application deadline is December 9.
• Nominations are now open for Gina’s Prize, the Gina Wilkinson Prize which recognized an experienced female theatre artist transitioning from one theatre discipline to the discipline of theatre direction.  The nomination deadline is December 15.
• The Singing Studio of Douglas Rice is hosting a “Stage Deportment, Poise and Performance Enhancement” workshop on January 15 in Toronto.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education Programs
• Youth Training Programs

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

Building Your Brand as an Artist workshop

• Taking your new play from page to stage can seem impossible. Yet new plays are produced every season. How do they do it? Join us at our Playwright’s Guide to Getting Produced workshop with David S. Craig on October 24 in Toronto.
• You’ve got the ideas, you’ve got the passion, you’ve got the drive—what you’re missing is the almighty dollar. Join us at our Crowdfunding: Essential Tips for Artists and Arts Organizations workshop with Nancy Kenny on November 2 in Toronto.
• Running away from a blank page? Learn how to get past writer’s block. Join us at our Writer’s Block webinar with Marcia Johnson in partnership with Playwrights Guild of Canada on November 3 in Toronto.
• Keep your team safe and your show running smoothly—join us at our Health and Safety for Independent and Community Theatres workshop with Janet Sellery on November 5 in Toronto.
• Learn the techniques and the language to stage human sexuality in a way that is professional, dynamic and focused on storytelling at our Intimacy for the Stage workshop with Tonia Sina in partnership with Burning Mountain on November 12 and 13 in Toronto.
• Build and maintain a solid career that industry professionals and audiences will trust in our Building Your Brand as an Artist workshop with Edward Power on November 14 in Toronto.
• Members save 50% on E-learning courses from WorkInCulture. One of the six courses available is Marketing—Find and grow your audience! How do you make the leap from "Sounds like a great show" to "Two tickets, please"? This course will take you through that process, developing and enhancing your marketing skills along the way.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts is hosting a Granting 101: The Basics workshop in partnership with the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council on October 24.
• SPARC – the Symposium for Performing Arts in Rural Communities opens October 27 in Haliburton.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Cahoots Theatre Company invites submissions for their Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creators Reserve. Their funding priorities are artists of colour, deaf artists and artists with disabilities. The application deadline is December 1.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education Programs
• Youth Training Programs

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• The Ontario Summer Theatre blogger writes about the beginning of summer theatre in Ontario.
• “10 things I look for in an actor” from Phil Willmott on The Stage.

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• This month, Playwrights Guild of Canada has launched The Canadian Play Recognition Awards—celebrating theatre seasons of Canadian-written plays.
• Check out the October Play Map of Canada to find Canadian-written plays in your community.
• Our own Rachel Kennedy was profiled in the York University Alumni Spotlight.
• The Ontario Government has released the latest Mandate letter (for September 2016) from the Premier to the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport.
• The Ontario Ministry of Labour issued an alert on collapsible plastic bulk containers after a worker sustained serious neck injuries. These bulk containers may be used in some theatres.
• The final Ontario Fringe Festival of 2016 is up next week at the Guelph Fringe Festival, opening October 13.

Migrations

• Brendan Healy is the new Artistic Director of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival.
• Our newest neighbours in Suite 350 at 401 Richmond Street West are opera.ca.

TO Toasts

• ... to the finalists for the 2016 Siminovitch Prize, recognizing the category of direction, including Ravi Jain and Ross Manson of Ontario.
• ... to the finalists for the Governor General’s Literary Awards for English drama—including our Festival 2016 Playwright-in-Person Donna-Michelle St. Bernard.

In Case You Missed It

• Thank you for your support of Theatre Ontario’s Bowl-a-thon.
• Honouring Outstanding Contribution to Community Theatre in Eastern Ontario.
• ONstage Openings this week in St. Jacobs, Toronto, and Orangeville.
• Browsing Our Bulletin Board—The deadline for our Youth Theatre Training Program, plus workshops on productions navigating the education system, grant writing, voice-over, playwrights getting produced, crowdfunding, and health and safety.

I’m off next week, but Ontario Off Stage will return on October 21.

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

• Does your ‘Theatre for Young Audiences’ show need an audience? Join us at our “Bring Your Show to Schools: Navigating the Education System” webinar with Patty Jarvis of Prologue to the Performing Arts on October 13.
• Seeking financial support for programs that deliver accessible training to young people, led by professional theatre artist? Apply for our Youth Theatre Training Program grants. The application deadline is October 17.
• Preparing an OAC application? Get the inside scoop at our free “Grant Writing Information” pre-recorded webinar with Pat Bradley of the Ontario Arts Council on October 18.
• Want to know the secrets to a successful voice acting career? Join us at our Voice-Over workshop with Elley-Ray on October 22 in Toronto.
• Taking your new play from page to stage can seem impossible. Yet new plays are produced every season. How do they do it? Join us at our Playwright’s Guide to Getting Produced workshop with David S. Craig on October 24 in Toronto.
• You’ve got the ideas, you’ve got the passion, you’ve got the drive—what you’re missing is the almighty dollar. Join us at our Crowdfunding: Essential Tips for Artists and Arts Organizations workshop with Nancy Kenny on November 2 in Toronto.
• Keep your team safe and your show running smoothly—join us at our Health and Safety for Independent and Community Theatres workshop with Janet Sellery on November 5 in Toronto.
• Members save 50% on E-learning courses from WorkInCulture. One of the six courses available is Marketing—Find and grow your audience! How do you make the leap from "Sounds like a great show" to "Two tickets, please"? This course will take you through that process, developing and enhancing your marketing skills along the way.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops.

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Deadline for applications for Paprika Festival’s 16/17 programming is October 7.
• Deadline for applications for a tenancy at Artscape Youngplace is October 7.
• Deadline for applications to direct Toronto Irish Players The Night Joe Dolan’s Car Broke Down (non-paying community theatre production) is October 8.
• Theatre 3x60 is hosting Open House Information Sessions on October 11 and 18 for their free youth theatre collective, for Durham youth 14 to 21.
• Deadline for applications to direct for Alumnae Theatre Festival’s New Ideas Festival (non-paying) is October 14.
• Deadline for proposals from producers for the Klondike Visitor Association’s entertainment contract is October 14.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Native Earth Performing Arts invites applications for their OAC Theatre Creators’ Reserve. They are particularly encouraging submissions by Indigenous artists, artists-of-colour and women, multidisciplinary artists, and should work within the seven values that govern Native Earth. The application deadline is November 28.
• Buddies in Bad Times Theatre invites applications for their OAC Theatre Creators’ Reserve. They support artists and works by voices that question sexual and cultural norms, built on the political and social principles of queer liberation. The application deadline is December 2.
• Theatre Aquarius invites applications for their OAC Theatre Creators’ Reserve. Their funding allocation priority is for Hamilton and area (Halton and Niagara) based writers/creators. The application deadline is December 5.

Check out these items, and other postings from our members.

• Grants
• Calls for Submission and Nominations
• Volunteer and Non-Paying Positions
• Community Events and Conferences
• Workshops at Ontario Theatres and Other Arts Service Organizations
• Adult Continuing Education Programs
• Youth Training Programs

Theatre Ontario individual members can also access Auditions, Job Postings and Discount Ticket Offers on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website

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.

Voice Over workshop, with Elley-Ray

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
• Voice-Over, with Elley-Ray
• Ask an Agent, with Alicia Jeffery
• Building Your Brand as an Artist, with Edward Power
• 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 Webinar, with Pat Bradley (Ontario Arts Council)
• Bring Your Show to Schools Webinar, with Patty Jarvis (Prologue)
• Playwright's Guide to Getting Produced, with David S. Craig
• Crowdfunding, with Nancy Kenny
• Health & Safety for Independent and Community Theatres, with Janet Sellery
• Sight Un-Scene: Adapted Theatre Techniques for Blind or Low Vision Actors, with Murray Powell

Browse the Theatre Ontario Creator Stream workshops Fall calendar

Ontario Off Stage

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Conversation Starters

• “Self-care is the sieve, it is the filter in which no one who is willing to hurt you will pass.” – From Catherine Hernandez, “Thinker in Residence” on the Buddies in Bad Times blog on the importance of taking your time. 

Behind the Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• We are pleased to announce that the Ontario Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2015 new regulation includes an exemption for stage productions provided the e-cigarette does not contain nicotine, and that there is no consideration for the use of the e-cigarette (i.e. product placement.) Thank you to everyone who supported this advocacy initiative.
• A tense opening night for Take Two Theatre in Timmins on November 20th: storm knocked out power, and it wasn’t restored until fifteen minutes before opening. They held the curtain briefly, and performed without a hitch to an appreciative audience.
• The Quinte West council agreed to renovations to the Old Town Hall in downtown Trenton. Building code violations had closed the second floor theatre venue used by Bay of Quinte Community Players.

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

• Theatre Ontario is seeking a volunteer to teach theatre techniques in a classroom setting with the goal of improving literacy and communication skills. The deadline is September 18.
• Launching Your Career workshop with Rebecca Ballarin and special guest Joseph Recinos – Get answers to your FAQs about the business of acting – September 21 at 3pm in Toronto.
• Reciprocal Agreements between CAEA and ACTRA with Arden R. Ryshpan (CAEA) and Indra Escobar (ACTRA) – Learn how the new agreement affects you – September 21 at 6pm in Toronto.
• Adjudicators Symposium – Professional development and networking – September 26 at 10am in Toronto.
• Unleashing Your Inner Entrepreneur workshop with Rebecca Ballarin and special guest Scott Dermody – Planning on producing a show or starting a theatre company? Start here – September 28 at 3pm in Toronto.
• Grant Writing Information Session free recorded webinar with Pat Bradley (Ontario Arts Council) – Preparing an application to the Ontario Arts Council? Get the inside scoop – September 29 at 6pm.
• Do you need financial support for professional development or a "change of direction" in your career? The next application deadline for our Professional Theatre Training Program is October 1.
• Are you seeking funding for a unique youth theatre training project?  The next application deadline for our Youth Theatre Training Program is October 15.

Check out all of our upcoming Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops. 

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

West Side Story at Curtain Call Players.
Their annual general meeting is September 20.

• Helen Donnelly’s Discover Your Clown course in Toronto starts today.
• TAPA’s workshops on Standard First Aid with CPR/AED (Sep 21 to 22) and Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED (Sep 21) both have registration deadlines of September 17.
• Curtain Call Players in Toronto invites the community to their Annual General Meeting on September 20.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Sudbury Theatre Centre launches their Adult Workshop series on September 27 with Intro to Stage Combat with Caleb Marshall.
• The Canada Council’s John Hobday Awards in Arts Management offers up to two awards of $10,000 annually to established and mid-career arts managers looking for funding to pursue professional development or mentorship opportunities.  The deadline is September 30.
• Alumnae Theatre seeks directors for the 2016 New Ideas Festival.  The deadline is October 5.
• Outside the March invites applications for Forward March from playwrights and creators interested in working to develop original, large-scale, immersive experiences.  The application deadline is October 9.

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 and job postings on our Theatre Ontario Individual Member Resources on our website.

Speak Out on Bill 45 and the Safe Use of Vapour Devices in Performing Arts

by Brandon Moore, Community Theatre and Communications Manager

Let me start with an important point: I think Bill 45, the Making Healthier Choices Act, is good law.  Regulating e-smoking (including the use of electronic cigarettes, cigars, and pipes) is necessary and in the public interest.  But I also believe it’s important that we have regulations that permit their safe use in the performing arts.

Many theatres use e-cigars, pipes and cigarettes on stage when required to represent smoking. The use of prop vapour devices is healthier and safer for artists and audiences than herbal alternatives. Essentially they are mini-smoke machines that are compliant with government regulations.  As part of our "To Act In Safety" initiative, I serve on the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Advisory Committee for Health and Safety in Live Performance, and we develop health and safety guidelines, including a guideline for the safe use of fog, smoke, and vapour in the performing arts.

Smoking on stage was a hot topic at our recent Theatre Ontario Festival in Oshawa.  Three of the plays posed interesting challenges for the theatre companies.

From the poker scene in Oshawa Little Theatre's The Odd Couple.
James Burrell, Steve Maddiss, Tom Lynch.

In Oshawa Little Theatre’s presentation of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple, the curtains opened to a haze of cigar smoke around the poker players.  It immediately conveyed place, time, relationship, and what happened before the curtain opened.  It also generated a big laugh, always a good start for a comedy.  (Updated: I wasn't able to confirm it for press time, but Oshawa Little Theatre did use e-cigars for the scene.)


In the play Agnes of God, by John Pielmeier, one character smokes compulsively—it’s a defining aspect of the character.  Gore Bay Theatre recognized that many people are sensitive to herbal cigarettes, and chose to use powder cigarettes instead.

For Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of Garson Kanin’s Born Yesterday, the company decided to drop the smoking entirely.  Without any references in the dialogue, and not communicating anything unique about the characters, it was seen as unnecessary for the production.

Three shows, three challenges, three valid decisions—all possible because the artists had choices in their approaches.  Smoking can convey information about characters and setting, and sometimes it is an essential element of the artist’s vision.  other times, it’s simply a hindrance.  That freedom to make the appropriate artistic choice, under proper regulations, is what we’re advocating.

As we strive to ensure good regulations are in place to deal with the problems of smoking, we can also ensure regulations for a safe and healthy environment for artists and audiences with the proper regulations for tools like e-cigarettes.

We have reached out to the Ministry asking them to make an exemption for the performing arts. This ask has been supported by IATSE-58, CAEA, PACT, and TAPA. The Government is interested and have specifically asked to hear comments from the industry – That’s You!

Before August 14, we are asking for your help.  Learn how you can Speak Out on Bill 45 and the Safe Use of Vapour Devices in Performing Arts

Related:

• Learn more about our To Act In Safety initiative
• Catch up on blog posts from Theatre Ontario Festival 2015 in Oshawa