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 "Director-Dramaturge
Collaborations" workshop with Matt McGeachy

• 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 5 in Toronto.
• Preparing an Ontario Arts Council application? Get the inside scoop at our free Grant Writing Information recorded webinar with Pat Bradley, available on November 5.
• Get answers to your FAQs about the business of acting. Join us at our “Launching Your Career” workshop with Raeburn Ferguson and guest Carly Chamberlain on November 7 in Toronto.
• Learn about the background and impetus behind the Intimacy for the Stage initiative at our free “What is Intimacy for the Stage?” recorded webinar with Siobhan Richardson, available on November 9.
• Does your ‘Theatre for Young Audiences’ show need an audience? Join us at our “Bring Your Show to Schools” webinar with Tim Whalley of Prologue to Performing Arts on November 13.
• 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 for Directors” workshop with Siobhan Richardson of Intimacy Directors International on November 24 in Toronto.
• What does an agent do and why should you have one? Join us at our “Ask an Agent” workshop with Michael L. Jackson on November 26 in Toronto.
• Are stress and anxiety sabotaging your career?  Join us at our “Act Bravely: Practical Strategies to Conquer Performance Anxiety” workshop with Jorie Morrow on November 28 in Toronto.

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

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

• Deadline for applications for the 2019 International Amateur Theatre Festival, being held in Saint John, New Brunswick, is today.
• Deadline for applications for Ontario Arts Council’s Compass grants and Theatre Organization: Operating grants (summer theatres only) is November 1, and for Chalmers Professional Development Projects grants is November 8.
• Studio PAVAS’s Bollywood Dance workshop with Indiana Mehta is on November 2.
• Deadline for applications for Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Transform Grants is November 7.

New on The Bulletin Board

• Odyssey Theatre invites applications for their Ontario Arts Council Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators, with a focus on disciplines related to physical theatre, including mask, Commedia dell’Arte, bouffon, clown, puppetry and dance-theatre.
• Ottawa Little Theatre invites submissions for their 78th National One-Act Playwriting competition.

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

A Fantastic First Week with Theatre Ontario Spent Getting Excited for Ontario Summer Theatre

by Raeburn Ferguson, Professional Theatre and Education Manager

The week of October 15th was not only my first week in my new position with Theatre Ontario, but I also had the pleasure of travelling to Port Dover for the Ontario Summer Theatre AGM. I had never been to Port Dover before and I quickly learned I had been missing out! After a drive through a little rain, that turned to hail, and then to that dreaded white stuff we dare not speak the name of, I found myself looking at a beautiful lake and lighthouse, just steps from my hotel. I can just imagine how beautiful this drive would be in the summer months and have since made plans to make that very road trip—how can you say no to beach and theatre?

Once checked into the hotel overlooking the lake, I headed to meet up with the OST members. Walking through the town I felt very at home, it was reminiscent of the town I grew up in full of little shops, cute restaurants, a stunning theatre and only a few stores selling Friday the 13th memorabilia. I learned that every Friday the 13th, motorcycle enthusiasts meet up in Port Dover to celebrate and connect (but that is a story for another blog.) After only a few minutes of sitting down with members of OST, I could quickly tell there was something special going on here. It seemed as though it was simply a gathering of old friends meeting up for a drink and talking like no time had passed. Nicole Campbell, who was representing our hosts Lighthouse Festival Theatre, had brought us to a warm, cozy restaurant on the main street and filled us in on the great two-day program that lay ahead. After some laughs and snacks we headed to get some rest for the packed first day. 

Bernard Gauthier talks strategic
planning with Ontario Summer Theatre

Thursday morning we gathered in the new and beautiful rehearsal space that Lighthouse recently built just steps up the road from the theatre. With warm coffee and delicious pastries from Urban Patisserie, a local bakery, we settled in for a talk about Board Development led by Richard Davis. His expertise and hands on experience on many different boards led to a collaborative two-hour discussion on how to engage and increase Board involvement. After a little leg stretch and some lunch, we had two back-to-back sessions—the first with Bernard Gauthier who spoke to us about strategic planning; and then we were lucky enough to have a call with the Canada Council for the Arts, who gave us information on the various funding opportunities that were out there for OST as a whole and for the individual companies as well.

Heads full of knowledge but bellies hungry, we were treated to a dinner of local perch and celery bread—which can best be described as a Caesar in bread form, so in short it’s amazing and a perfect side to the fresh perch! Sitting around the large wooden round table it felt as though again I had known these individuals for years. We also had the pleasure of being joined by playwright Rose Napoli and her associates for dinner before heading to the beautiful Lighthouse Festival Theatre for a play reading in their long bar (funded by Playwrights Guild of Canada's Play Connect program.) We were able to see the theatre and the newly-renovated seats (which were very comfortable, I might add) before we got seated with wine and cheese for the reading. Rose treated us to three different excerpts from her plays showing off her vast diversity in writing. 

Our third day was dedicated to the AGM where we discussed how great the professional development had been, how important it is to everyone that this two-day event happens as it keeps all the companies connected, and how helpful it is to have discussion about issues or achievements each company is having. After some great discussion and general housekeeping the meeting adjourned with a rejuvenated spring in our step to take on the next year ahead promoting summer theatre across Ontario.

I could not have asked for a better introduction into my new position as Professional Theatre and Education Manager here with Theatre Ontario, seeing the passion and dedication from these leaders in the Ontario theatre scene was inspiring and got me very excited to jump feet first into this new role and to continue to support the OST team for the next season. I thank all the participating theatres for making my first AGM and not to mention my first few days on the job so welcoming. Port Dover will definitely be a place to return to and I hope to visit each of these wonderful theatres to take in their programing!

Until then, we brave the winter months to prepare for those warm summer days of road trips to the stages of our wonderful province.

Learn more about Ontario Summer Theatre

ONstage Openings for the week of October 29

ONstage Now Playing in Toronto
Now You See Her from Nightwood Theatre
at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Amy Nostbakken, Norah Sadava, Lisa Karen Cox,
Raha Javanfar, Maggie Huculak, Cheyenne Scott
Photo by Dahlia Katz

This week’s openings on Ontario’s stages

In South Central Ontario

Nov. 2, The Long Road at Durham Shoestring Performers (Oshawa)

In Southwestern Ontario

Nov. 1, A Midsummer Night's Dream at Theatre Tillsonburg
Nov. 1, The Game’s Afoot, or Holmes for the Holidays at St. Marys Community Players
Nov. 2, The Memory of Water at London Community Players [with previews from Nov. 1]
Nov. 2, Murder Most Fouled Up at Elmira Theatre Company

In Toronto

Oct. 30, Dance of Torn Papers at Nowadays Theatre
Nov. 1, Escaped Alone at Soulpepper Theatre [currently in previews]
Nov. 1, The Coarse Acting Show 2 at The NAGs Players
Nov. 2, Oklahoma! at Scarborough Music Theatre [with a preview on Nov. 1]
Nov. 2, Anybody for Murder at The Village Players, Bloor West Village

ONstage Now Playing in Northeastern Ontario
ROAD at Thorneloe Theatre Arts (Sudbury)

In Eastern Ontario

Nov. 1, The Last Five Years at Orpheus Musical Theatre Society (Ottawa)

In Northeastern Ontario

Oct. 31, Arsenic and Old Lace at Gateway Theatre Guild (North Bay)

ICYMI: Check out last week’s openings

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

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.

Browsing Our Bulletin Board

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

Coming Up from Theatre Ontario

• 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.
• 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 5 in Toronto.
• Preparing an Ontario Arts Council application? Get the inside scoop at our free Grant Writing Information recorded webinar with Pat Bradley, available on November 5.
• Get answers to your FAQs about the business of acting. Join us at our “Launching Your Career” workshop with Raeburn Ferguson and guest Carly Chamberlain on November 7 in Toronto.
• Learn about the background and impetus behind the Intimacy for the Stage initiative at our free “What is Intimacy for the Stage?” recorded webinar with Siobhan Richardson, available on November 9.
• Does your ‘Theatre for Young Audiences’ show need an audience? Join us at our “Bring Your Show to Schools” webinar with Tim Whalley of Prologue to Performing Arts on November 13.
• 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 for Directors” workshop with Siobhan Richardson of Intimacy Directors International on November 24 in Toronto.

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

Upcoming on The Bulletin Board

Jumblies Theatre's Artsfare Essentials workshop

• Jumblies Theatre’s Artsfare Essentials workshop begins October 28 in Toronto.
• Deadline for applications for the 2019 International Amateur Theatre Festival, being held in Saint John, New Brunswick, is October 31.
• Deadline for applications for Ontario Arts Council’s Compass grants and Theatre Organization: Operating grants (summer theatres only) is November 1.

New on The Bulletin Board

• East Side Players is seeking a volunteer stage manager for their community theatre production of Time Stands Still.

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