Summertime in Waterloo

By Cornelia Persich, Education Coordinator

The 2011 Summer Theatre Intensive took place at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo this past August.  Nearly 60 people from all over Ontario—and as far away as Halifax, Michigan, Illinois, and Bermuda—enjoyed themselves in one of four different courses taught by top-notch professionals.

I was able to sit in on a few classes and get a glimpse of the work being done.  In the “When I’m On Stage…Who Am I?” course, I watched as partners “slashed” and “flicked” at each other while incorporating Laban techniques to broaden their character work.  I saw new directors in the “Now What Do I Do?” course learn how to block actors.  I listened in to Christopher Newton during his Directors Symposium day while he was sharing his thoughts on the whole experience of going to the theatre—why not have beautiful gardens outside the theatre so that the audience is in a more pleasant frame of mind when entering?

One particularly memorable moment for me during the week was the afternoon I spent in a park with the Shakespeare Conservatory class.  Instructor Andrew Tidmarsh had chosen an outside setting for an exercise.  The scene was a meeting between courtiers and farm folk.  The courtiers had to leave their home due to lack of food when venturing outside of their community into a new world—a world where it was okay for strangers to come up to you and touch your garments and hair and invade your personal space.  I was asked to video whatever caught my interest.   While the conversations were not in Shakespearean verse, what I found amazing was that none of the actors ever broke character; not even when some very funny exchanges took place.  They were completely committed. 

While the days were all about learning, the evenings were all about relaxing.  The week included a bus trip to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival where we saw Twelfth Night.  Thanks to Murray Tilson and Rick Kerr who brought their guitars along and played for us on several occasions.  I also thank Chandra Mulder for her enthusiasm in planning our closing party, and everyone who shared their “party pieces” that evening.

Photos courtesy of Ros Schwartz – thank you Ros!

Theatre Ontario Launches Fall Workshops

It’s nearly September, school is about to start, and Theatre Ontario’s emerging professional workshops will soon be in session.  Our first “Getting Started For Actors” workshop will be on October 5, from 2pm to 4pm; “Self-Start: The Basics Of Self-Producing” will be on October 12, from 2pm to 4:15pm.

Getting Started sessions are for actors beginning their professional careers. In this two-hour workshop, Tim Chapman, Professional Theatre Coordinator answers the most frequently asked questions about the business of acting. Find out about the realities of showbiz, pictures and resumes, Equity and ACTRA, agents and casting directors, auditioning do’s and don’ts, and maintaining and improving your acting skills.  Getting Started is a free workshop, available to members of Theatre Ontario only. For more information, including how to register, please visit Getting Started For Actors on the Theatre Ontario website.

Self-Start: If you want to do a show but have never produced professionally before, and if you want to know what questions to ask first, this session is for you!  Self-Start is a practical seminar facilitated by Tim Chapman.  This workshop is designed for individuals thinking of starting a theatre company or producing a show; and gives you the opportunity to ask questions and try out ideas, discover the questions you need to ask and answer, learn to organize your thinking and planning, work on scheduling and budget considerations, and learn about available resources and services.  It's free for Theatre Ontario members, and $30 for non-members.  For more information, including how to register, please visit Self-Start: The Basics Of Producing on the Theatre Ontario website.

Theatre Ontario Welcomes Carol Beauchamp As Executive Director

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce that Carol Beauchamp will become the new Executive Director of Theatre Ontario, effective September 19, 2011.

“I am excited to have Carol join Theatre Ontario,” said Cam Lund, Vice-President of the Board of Directors, and Chair of the Search Committee.  “She brings a great deal of experience, passion, integrity and relationship-building skills to our theatre community.  Carol’s key strengths lie in understanding goals, problems and needs and then co-creating solutions with her partners.  Her people development and mentorship abilities will be a welcome addition to this organization.”

Carol has been a passionate member of the theatre community for over 25 years.  She is currently a member of the Board of Directors at the Association of Community Theatres—Central Ontario (ACT-CO) and the Halton Hills Cultural Round Table, which is assisting the Town with developing a Cultural Master Plan and Cultural Map as part of the Town’s sustainability planning.  Professionally, she has worked in sales and marketing in the private sector, holding senior management roles, developing province-wide marketing campaigns, and leading successful teams in both print and online media.

“I would like to thank and congratulate John Goddard for the commitment and passion he has brought to Theatre Ontario in the last five years,” Carol said, “and to extend my personal best wishes to him and his wife Susan as they pursue a busy and active retirement. I am aware of the challenge I am accepting in stepping into the position he has filled so wonderfully well, and hope to be able to live up to the leadership standard he has set.”

“I am committed to sustaining a healthy and vibrant theatrical milieu as part of Ontario’s increasingly diverse cultural landscape.  Changing demographics, economic and cultural influences present huge challenges, yet I firmly believe in the extremely important role of theatre in the cultural and social map of our province. Theatre Ontario must work harder than ever before to expand and elevate the role of theatre in Ontario’s cultural mosaic.  I am thrilled to join Theatre Ontario as the new Executive Director, and I very much look forward to working with a highly knowledgeable and dedicated team as well as with a dynamic Board of Directors to move forward in implementing a well-articulated Strategic Plan.”

Theatre Ontario develops and supports theatre practitioners across the province, by providing resources, networking, training and advocacy.  We are a charitable, not-for-profit association serving community, educational and professional theatre organizations and individuals through a range of programs and services.

ONstage Openings for the week of August 29

In Toronto

Aug. 30, Dreams Really Do Come True! (and other lies) at The Second City (currently in previews)
Sep. 2, The Price at Soulpepper Theatre with previews from Aug. 29

In Eastern Ontario
Sep. 3, Heroes at Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque) with a preview on Sep. 2

For all the theatre current playing across Ontario, and information for theatres on how to add/update your listing, visit the ONstage theatre listings on the Theatre Ontario website.

2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture awarded to Judy Harquail

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture has been awarded to Judy Harquail, in recognition of her extraordinary commitment and sustained contributions to arts and culture in Ontario, and in “enthusiastic recognition of those gifts, given freely, in service of the art and artists she so ably serves.”

“I am very honoured to receive the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award and to be recognized alongside such an amazing group of former recipients,” said Judy.  “I am proud to be able to play a role in the development and strengthening of arts and culture in the province of Ontario.”

Judy has worked in arts management, marketing and facilitating for over 25 years.  She was the co-founder of For Dance And Opera, a joint sales, marketing and tour management service organization for mid-sized dance and opera companies, establishing innovative partnerships with presenters in Canada and worldwide.  Through her work with CCI—Ontario Presenters Network, she has connected and developed a strong community of arts presenters across the province.  CCI’s block bookings and Health Arts Leader programs help presenters deepen their curatorial competencies and strengthen their organizations.  She was also vital in establishing the Ontario Arts Council’s Ontario Dances program, increasing the range and diversity of dance available to Ontario communities outside Toronto.

The award, a statuette entitled “JOY”, shall be presented to Judy on September 19 in Toronto, as part of Theatre Ontario’s 40th Anniversary launch.  Colleagues and friends of Judy who are interested in attending should contact John Goddard, Executive Director at Theatre Ontario, at john@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.11.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on the Theatre Ontario website.  Nominations for the 2012 award will open on October 3, 2011.