Introducing our Winter and Spring Career Stream and Creator Stream Workshops

Career Stream and Creator Stream workshops at Theatre Ontario

We have an exciting line-up of workshops coming up 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
• Taxes for Theatre Artists, with Sam Marinucci
• Getting Cast Auditioning Masterclass, with Anna Migliarisi

Browse the Theatre Ontario Career Stream workshops 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 Webinars, with Pat Bradley of the Ontario Arts Council
• Bring Your Show to Schools Webinar, with Patty Jarvis of Prologue
• Dramaturgy for Everyone and Dramaturgy for New Plays, with Matt McGeachy

Browse the Theatre Ontario Creator Stream workshops calendar

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

Seeking course proposals for our Summer Theatre Intensive

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

• 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 December 13.
• Theatre instructors: we invite course proposals for our 2017 Summer Theatre Intensive. The submission deadline is December 14.
• We are seeking volunteers for Next Generation Showcase on January 15 and 16.

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

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Deadline to apply for Festival Players of Prince Edward County’s Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creators Reserve is December 9.
• Deadline to apply for The MT Space’s Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creators Reserve is December 9.
• Deadline for submissions from playwrights for Driftwood Theatre’s Trafalgar 24 is December 9.
• Deadline to apply for Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Grow Grants is December 14.
• Deadline for nominations for Gina’s Prize, for female artists transitioning from one theatre discipline into directing is December 15.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Alumnae Theatre is seeking volunteer stage managers for the 2017 New Ideas Festival.
• ArtsBuild Ontario’s next free webinar is on Energy Efficient Lighting for Performing Arts Facilities, on January 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

Seeking "New Faces" to Participate in Theatre Ontario's Next Generation Showcase 2017

Theatre Ontario’s 23rd annual Next Generation Showcase, presented in partnership with Soulpepper Theatre Company, will take place on January 15th and 16th at the Young Centre for Performing Arts in Toronto’s historic Distillery District.

This unique two-day event provides graduating theatre students the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of industry professionals, including casting directors, artistic directors, independent directors, producers, and agents. Many of the top theatre training programs from Ontario and beyond participate annually, and each year we also provide an opportunity for recent grads from other training programs wishing to pursue their performing careers in Ontario in our NEW FACES category.

To be eligible to apply to "New Faces", you must fulfill the following criteria:

• You are graduating or have graduated from a full-time theatre training program within the last 3 years;
• You currently reside, or plan to reside, in Ontario and are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• You presently do not have an agent;

Please note: If you have already participated in the Next Generation Showcase in the past, you are not eligible for NEW FACES participation.

If selected, you agree to upload your headshot and resume to Dropbox (via a provided link) by Wednesday, January 4th at 5pm, and to submit 50 hardcopies of your photo and resume by Wednesday, January 11th to the Theatre Ontario office by mail or in person.

There are a very limited number of New Faces placements available.  If the number of eligible applications that are received exceeds the number of slots available, Theatre Ontario reserves the right to decide who will be selected.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: Friday, December 16th at 12:00noon

COST: If selected to participate, the cost is $55.00 for Showcase Participation only, or $75.00 for Showcase plus a one-year Theatre Ontario membership ($25.00 discount on regular student price.)

To be considered, please send your headshot and theatre resume to Rachel Kennedy, Professional Theatre and Education Manager at programs@theatreontario.org

ONstage Openings for the week of December 5

ONstage Now Playing in Toronto
Black Boys at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In Toronto

Dec. 9, It's a Wonderful Life at Soulpepper Theatre, in previews

In Central Ontario

Dec. 8, The Reluctant Dragon at Peterborough Theatre Guild

In Eastern Ontario

Dec. 8, Murder by the Book at Studio Theatre Perth

In Northwestern Ontario

Dec. 8, The Jungle Book at Magnus Theatre (Thunder Bay), with previews from Dec. 5

ICYMI: Check out last week’s openings

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

Building Community in Ontario Summer Theatre

by Rachel Kennedy, Professional Theatre and Education Manager

Theatre Ontario Executive Director Bruce Pitkin and I hit the road on November 10th and headed to Bobcaygeon for this year’s Ontario Summer Theatre (OST) Annual General Meeting.

We decided to avoid the hustle and bustle of major highway traffic and opted for the scenic route instead. What a great choice! The ride from Toronto was only about two hours and treated us to incredible views of the last colours of autumn falling along rolling hillsides and small town streets. We even managed a quick stop in Lindsay for breakfast at Jane’s Kountry Kitchen (arguably the best bagel I’ve ever had) and were then on our way to Globus Theatre’s Lakeview Arts Barn (LAB) to begin day one of the festivities. We were greeted upon arrival by our hosts from the Globus team, Artistic Director Sarah Quick and Artistic Producer James Barrett along with a spread of baked goods and refreshments. After a quick round of coffee and “hello”s we took our seats at the roundtable and so began our 2016 AGM!

Sophie Andreou presents at the OST Annual General Meeting

Ontario Summer Theatre (OST - formerly ASTRO), was founded in 1985 and acts as a network of professional theatres throughout the province which are committed to cultivating and celebrating great summer theatre. The companies gather for an AGM each year to foster partnerships, develop collaborative marketing strategies, and share the successes and challenges of their summer seasons with other member theatres. This year the group decided to take this meeting and expand it to a 2-day event so that we could invite speakers to come and give presentations on topics of mutual interest to all of our members. We had Dustyn Wales start the morning off with a presentation from the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, followed by Sophie Andreou who spoke about the use of social media as a low-cost marketing and branding tool for theatre companies, and after lunch we had Sara Meurling and David Nairn discuss the different types of PACT memberships and their benefits. Each speaker was engaging and touched on a lot of tips and tricks that OST members can use to help protect and promote their shows while bringing new audiences to their communities.

Knickers at Globus Theatre in the Summer of 2016.
Photo by Sam Tweedle, Kawartha Now

After the presentations were finished we were treated to a surprise performance of selected scenes from Sarah Quick’s play Sunshine Express and when we returned to our conference space the Lakeview Arts Barn transformed once again as staff began to roll out plate after plate of delicious dinners! Needless to say, if you haven’t done dinner and a show at Globus Theatre yet, you have been missing out. Over our meals we discussed how everyone’s year went, shared a few laughs and really got the chance to get to know each other in person (a rare opportunity these days with so much digital communication)! This was truly an invaluable experience for everyone around the table as it allowed professionals from different regions to get together and create a sense of community with one another.

This feeling carried over into the next morning and our meeting was filled with lively discussion about new possibilities, fueled by the presentations and conversations from the day before. Bruce and I headed back to Toronto after the meeting adjourned and enjoyed another beautiful drive through the countryside, still talking excitedly about what was to come for the 2017 summer theatre season. 

Learn more about Ontario Summer Theatre