Recognizing Outstanding Contributions to Community Theatre in Eastern Ontario

Theatre Ontario is now inviting nominations for our 2013 Michael Spence Award for Contribution to Community Theatre.  This award honours an individual for his/her outstanding contribution to community theatre in his/her region over a sustained time.  It is now presented annually to an individual from the region that is hosting the Theatre Ontario Festival—which in 2013 is Eastern Ontario.

“Since 1997, we have been demonstrating our leadership in the Ontario community theatre sector by honouring outstanding leaders in their regions,” said Carol Beauchamp, Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.  “By increasing the frequency of the award, and involving the local theatres in the nominating process, we will continue to strengthen the profile of community theatre and its leaders in Ontario.”

The criteria for the award are:

• Sustained contribution to community theatre;
• Generosity of spirit, involvement, and commitment to community theatre that is legendary within his/her region, helping community theatre flourish.

Past recipients of the award are Joan McRae, Anne Wilson, Lillian Sievanen, Betty Coates, Sharon Sproule, Arlene Watson, Vince Mathewson, David Glover, Harry Houston, Hans Warmenhoven, Beth McMaster, Val Hadley, Maureen Lukie, Gabe Ferrazzo, Ken Stephen, Margaret Shearman, Lawrie Bonanno, Jo-anne Spitzer, and Walter Maskel.

The 2013 award will be presented to an individual from the Eastern Ontario community theatre region.  The Eastern Ontario community theatre region includes Northumberland County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Hastings County, Renfrew County, and all other municipalities eastward to the Quebec border.

The award was established in 1997 by Theatre Ontario on the occasion of Theatre Ontario's 25th Anniversary.  Multiple awards were presented on the quinquennial anniversaries of Theatre Ontario until 2012, when it became a single, annual award.  The award is named in honour of Michael Spence, the founding President of Theatre Ontario.  Michael was active in community theatre at Hart House Theatre, London Little Theatre, and the University Alumnae Dramatic Club (now known as Alumnae Theatre.)  He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Dominion Drama Festival, a past President of Arts Etobicoke, and continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of Theatre Ontario.

The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2013.

Read more about the Michael Spence Award for Contribution to Community Theatre, download the award guidelines, and nomination form on the Theatre Ontario website

Congratulatations to the 2013 Shaw Intern Directors

Theatre Ontario congratulates Rose Plotek of Toronto and Paul Van Dyck of Montreal who have been chosen as the Intern Directors for the 2013 Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival.

Each season, the Shaw Festival hires two Intern Directors.  They look for promising professional directors at a point in their career where an extended residency with a company like the Shaw Festival will be of benefit to their professional development.  Applicants have a good amount of professional experience but will not have had an opportunity to work on the scale of production that is characteristic of the Shaw Festival.  The Intern Directors work under the mentorship of the Directors of the Academy - the Shaw Festival’s professional development and public education wing.  Each Intern is assigned to two or three successive shows as an Assistant Director.  The “Director’s Project” is the culmination of the Intern Director’s season, and consists of a double-bill of two one-act plays directed by the two Intern Directors, chosen from the period of The Shaw’s original mandate.

Since its inception in 1988, the project has been sponsored annually by Sun Life Financial and Theatre Ontario.

Read more about Rose Plotek and Paul Van Dyck on the Theatre Ontario website

Browsing The Bulletin Board

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Deadline for the 2013 Toronto Fringe New Play contest is October 26
• Artists’ Health Alliance in Toronto is running a workshop on October 27 on Vocal Fitness for Performers—focusing on healthy voice strategies; there is a workshop discount for Theatre Ontario members
• Deadline to apply to Direct for Alumnae Theatre’s New Ideas Festival in Toronto is October 27

New on The Bulletin Board

• The next Artists’ Health Alliance workshop will be on November 3, focusing on Psychology of Performance
• Latest call for OAC Theatre Creators applications is from Tarragon Theatre—their deadline is December 14, but they encourage submissions early as they often award grants as they receive expressions of interest

Check out these items and all of our postings of workshops, calls for submission, volunteer opportunities, and opportunities for recognition on Theatre Ontario’s Bulletin Board on our website

ONstage Openings for the week of October 22

In Eastern Ontario
Oct. 23, The Hollow at Ottawa Little Theatre

In Southwestern Ontario
Oct. 26, The Rocky Horror Show at Goderich Little Theatre

In Toronto
Oct. 24, Miss Caledonia at Tarragon Theatre (currently in previews)
Oct. 24, Political Mother at Canadian Stage
Oct. 25, Dinner With Goebbels at ACT II Studio Theatre
Oct. 25, My Boy Jack at East Side Players
Oct. 25, The Rocky Horror Show at Curtain Call Players
Oct. 26, Summerfolk at Ryerson Theatre School
Oct. 26, Alligator Pie at Soulpepper Theatre
Oct. 26, Endgame at Soulpepper Theatre (in previews)

For all the theatre currently playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to submit your listings, visit Theatre Ontario’s ONstage theatre listings on our website.

Ontario Off Stage

Behind The Scenes at Ontario’s Theatres

• Canadian Actors’ Equity Council elections are underway for both the Ontario and Eastern Ontario And Outaouais regions; I’ve been told it’s a record number of candidates in Ontario, which I think speaks to a highly motivated and engaged community committed to an organization that is a vital part of our theatrical ecosystem

Conversations

• What’s the benchmark for using Twitter for customer service?  Rebecca Coleman explores some case studies of what companies have done (good and bad) that can inform theatres' use of this tool

Migrations

• Alisa Palmer is the new Artistic Director of the National Theatre School of Canada’s English Section

TO Toasts

• Congratulations to all of the nominees for the Ottawa’s Capital Critics’ Circle Awards
• Congratulations to Jeff Cummings, Production Manager at Young People’s Theatre in Toronto who received the DUX Award for Mentorship from Cultural Human Resources Canada

You can also receive news from Theatre Ontario every month by email.  (Unfortunately, due to technical problems at Constant Contact, our most current archives are not available, but you can catch up on some of our past issues.)

Assembled by Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator