Summer 2007 - Theatre Alberta

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GRANT MACEWAN COLLEGE, 2006. STORY ON PAGE 8.
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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PAUL SATURLEY.
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What’s New at Theatre Alberta 3.
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Fl
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inside
news
Meet the Board
4.
Mark Bellamy on Mystery
& Madness
5.
Can Puppets Change the World?
7.
Spotlight on Technicians
8.
Drama with Incarcerated Youth
10.
Artstrek Fever
11.
Dramaworks for Amateurs & Pros
11.
Drama Camps & Classes in AB
12.
Dry Martini
14.
News from Alberta’s Drama
Festivals
15.
Theatre Alberta
is the Provincial Arts Service Organization (PASO) for theatre
in Alberta, dedicated to the growth and development
of the Alberta theatre community and all its constituencies.
Theatre Alberta News is a publication of Theatre Alberta
issued four times a year. Contribution of notices, news, and
articles about theatre are welcome, as well as high quality
(350 dpi or higher) photographs. Theatre Alberta News also
accepts signed letters to the editor but reserves the right to
refuse any material it considers inappropriate. The opinions
and views expressed are those of the writers and do not
necessarily reflect those of Theatre Alberta.
check-in
Office and library hours
Monday to Saturday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
They’re he-ere!
At long last Safe Stages has arrived at Theatre Alberta’s offices. Having the actual binders
in hand brings to fruition a major undertaking for Theatre Alberta. I would like to be able
to say that the publication has been a labour of love, but we have actually found it to be
a labour of challenges, hard lessons, and even some amount of pain! This is why we are
particularly proud of our work on Safe Stages and of the final product.
Talk of the need for such a resource began in 2003. Health and safety awareness in our
industry needed to be raised, both from an occupational/legal perspective and from an
ethical perspective. When Theatre Ontario told us about the financial resources and time
their similar To Act In Safety initiative required, we realized that we could not undertake
Safe Stages alone. So we turned to the technical theatre community for their support and
expertise—and support us they did. They advised, traveled across the province to attend
meetings, and helped to write and review the document. Tirelessly. We thank them.
Some names spring instantly to mind: Theatre Alberta’s Board of Directors; Jason Foster
from Alberta Federation of Labour; Dan Clarke, Cailín Mills and Ray Cislo from Alberta
Employment, Immigration and Industry; Janet Sellery, Health and Safety Manager at
the Stratford Festival of Canada; Scott Peters, Edmonton-based production manager and
designer; Adam Mitchell, Edmonton-based technician; Dave Leriger from McRobbie
Group (one heck of graphic design firm); Becky Halliday, Program Coordinator with
Writers Guild of Alberta; and last but by no means least Keri Ekberg, Theatre Alberta’s
Program Coordinator. The wheels would have come off the Safe Stages bus without Keri’s
commitment to seeing this project through. Her determination, thoroughness, and
attention to detail played a central role in the successful completion of this resource.
In the following months, Safe Stages will be mailed to Alberta theatre companies, postsecondary theatre programs, and high schools with large drama programs. If your company
or school would like to receive a copy, please let us know. Individuals will be able to access
the document online.
The printing of Safe Stages doesn’t signify the end of this initiative. We plan to throw a
celebratory launch later this year, and to provide ongoing workshops on occupational health
and safety topics, including how to apply Safe Stages in your community.
Holidays
Office and Library closed June 30–July 2 (Canada Day),
August 4–6 (Civic Holiday), and September 1–3 (Labour Day).
Submission deadlines and publication dates
July 20 for August 24, 2007
October 19 for November 23, 2007
January 25 for February 29, 2008
April 25 for May 30, 2008
Advertising rates
Full Page (9.5” high x 7” wide) $200.00
Half Page (4.625” high x 7” wide) $120.00
Quarter Page (2.25” high x 7” wide) $80.00
Please supply high-resolution files
(at least 350 dpi at actual size) in greyscale or black
and white. Prices include GST. Ads are booked on a
first-come, first-serve basis and space is limited. Book ad
space at least one month prior to the submission deadline.
Theatre Alberta Board of Directors
If you have questions or concerns regarding Theatre Alberta,
you are welcome to contact Theatre Alberta Board members.
Officers
PRESIDENT
Tanya Ryga ~ Red Deer [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT
Karen Towsley ~ Calgary [email protected]
TREASURER
Wendy Punter ~ Cochrane [email protected]
S E C R E TA R Y
David Owen ~ Edmonton [email protected]
Directors
Jane Heather ~ Edmonton [email protected]
Andrea Martinuk ~ Edmonton [email protected]
Harold Truckle ~ Red Deer [email protected]
Steve McHugh ~ Wetaskiwin [email protected]
Gail Hanrahan ~ Lethbridge [email protected]
Mary-Ellen Perley ~ Edmonton [email protected]
Russell Thomas ~ Fort McMurray [email protected]
Johanne Deleeuw ~ Calgary [email protected]
Staff
Marie
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gynane-Willis [email protected]
O F F I C E A D M I N I S T R AT O R
Kate Mahoney (Janice Hoover on leave)
[email protected]
P R O G R A M C O O R D I N AT O R
Keri Ekberg [email protected]
PROGRAMMER
Jill Connell [email protected]
Stay safe!
A D M I N I S T R AT O R
Julie Sinclair [email protected]
MARIE GYNANE-WILLIS.
ARTSTREK REGISTRAR
Erin McDougall [email protected]
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DRAMAWORKS REGISTRAR
Maggie McCaw [email protected]
LIBRARIANS
Solveig Anderson, Brenda Sutherland, and Chris Profiri
[email protected]
THEATRE ALBERTA’S
F I N A N C I A L A D M I N I S T R AT O R
2007 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 1:00 pm – Citadel Theatre, Shoctor Lobby
All members are invited and encouraged to
attend Theatre Alberta’s Annual General Meeting. The purpose of the AGM is to receive the
annual report, elect new board members, and
to conduct other business. Take advantage of
this opportunity to meet with other members,
2.
summer 2007
the board of directors, Executive Director, and
other Theatre Alberta staff. A catered lunch
will be provided.
Please RSVP your attendance by emailing
[email protected] or by calling
1-888-422-8160 by July 10.
Zenovia Adams
Change of address information and undeliverable copies to:
Theatre Alberta Society
3rd Floor Percy Page Centre
11759 Groat Road, Edmonton AB T5M 3K6
Phone: (780) 422-8162 Fax: (780) 422-2663
Toll Free: 1-888-422-8160 [email protected]
www.theatrealberta.com
WHAT ’S NEW AT THEATRE ALBERTA
RECORD BREAKER FOR WORKSHOPS
BY REQUEST
Workshops by Request has wrapped up for
another season, and we’re delighted to report
that a record number of Albertans in community theatre (216) participated in 24 technical and
artistic workshops led by theatre professionals.
Here are just a few of the workshops coordinated by Theatre Alberta this past season:
•
•
•
•
Special Effects in Stettler with Adam Mitchell
An Actor Prepares in Hanna with Brenda Finley
Directing in Lethbridge with Gail Hanrahan
Makeup in Morinville with Prudence Olenik
Our thanks to the dedicated community
theatre artists who planned and participated
in this season’s workshops, and to the theatre
professionals who travelled near and far to lead
workshops in all areas of the province.
THEATRE ALBERTA’S NEW IT-GIRL
Theatre Alberta’s electronic newsletter may be
new, but her elegant appearance (that HTML fashion seen on runways in Milan) and user-friendly
personality make the ladies and gentlemen of
theatre swoon. It’s suspected that TA eNews
travels the province every few weeks at lightning speed, heroically delivering timely information on theatre news, auditions, job postings, and
shows opening to over 2,000 subscribers. All in a
day’s work: www.theatrealberta.com/enews.
EMERGE 2007
Fostering Relationships
Between Alberta’s Emerging
and Professional Artists
Theatre Alberta’s 4th annual
general audition event for graduates of Alberta’s post-secondary
acting programs was arguably our
most successful Emerge yet! The
event took place on April 16 in
Calgary at One Yellow Rabbit’s Big
Secret Theatre and on April 23 in
Edmonton at the Citadel Theatre.
STUDENTS FROM THE U OF L, GRANT MACEWAN COLLEGE, AND THE U OF C
WITH DAVE OWEN (TA BOARD MEMBER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF MANUAL
TRANSMISSION THEATRE) AT THE EMERGE CALGARY WINE & CHEESE!
Sixty-two graduates of nine Alberta acting
programs auditioned at the event, performing
everything from contemporary monologues by
Albertan playwrights to Shakespeare, and from
musical theatre numbers to two-person scenes.
Sixty of the province’s artistic directors, independent directors, and film and television industry
professionals saw their work, representing fortytwo companies from across Alberta. Twenty-five
additional binders containing the graduates’
headshots and resumés were distributed to
companies/directors who could not attend.
TA CASINO IN JULY!
We’ve received the new dates and location for
our Casino. Mark your calendars for July 8 & 9,
Casino Edmonton—7055 Argyll Road! If you’ve
already submitted a volunteer application form
for our previous dates at the Palace Casino, we
hope you’ll still be able to join us in July. If you’re
new to Theatre Alberta or weren’t available for
the previous dates and would like to help out,
please contact us and we’ll be happy to set you
up! You’ll be having fun with friends, meeting
new members, and helping to ensure that Theatre Alberta receives important funding. Remember—you’ll receive credits toward membership
when you volunteer at our Casino!
TALES FROM THE STACKS
FEATURED COLLECTION
FEATURED REFERENCE RESOURCE
Theatre for Children: Fifteen Classic Plays
edited by Coleman A. Jennings (2005)
Performance Anxiety: A Workbook for
Actors, Singers, Dancers, and Anyone Else
who Performs in Public by Eric Maisel (2005)
A collection of new and classic plays for children. This anthology contains adaptations from
some of the most beloved stories in children’s
literature (such as Roald Dahl’s The Witches,
The Great Gilly Hopkins, and Dr. Seuss’ How the
Grinch Stole Christmas) as well as original plays.
Actors and musicians call it ‘stage fright’. Others may know it as ‘butterflies’. No matter what
you call it, the symptoms of performance anxiety are the same: a paralyzing sense of fear and
dread whenever you have to speak or perform
before a group. Dr. Eric Maisel, a renowned
author, psychotherapist, and creativity coach,
shows readers how to approach presentations
calmly and comfortably, without sweaty palms
and a pounding heart.
DONATIONS
Thank you so much to Monica Maddaford
for her generous donation of scripts and
reference books.
theatre alberta news
3.
MEET THE BOARD
Tanya Ryga, President of the Board
Tanya Ryga has been active in the theatre industry for 30 years as a professional actor, director, teacher, & writer,
performing on stages from Vancouver to Ottawa to New York City. Her career includes acting in film, television, & radio,
and directing for the stage. As an instructor of Theatre Studies at Red Deer College, Tanya specializes in Acting and Voice,
and when lucky, directs shows in their seasons: Guernica by Fernando Arrabal (2005), The Country Wife by William
Wycherly (2006), and The Bundle by Edward Bond (2006). She has also directed Marion Bridge and The Shape of a Girl
for Red Deer’s newest company, Ignition Theatre. Tanya is the artistic director of the award-winning anti-tobacco drama
program Butt Ugly (now in it’s 13th year of touring) and co-founder of Scripts At Work, Central Alberta’s Playwright
Series, which provides professional mentorship for emerging playwrights. Tanya’s favorite experiences have been with the
production of new and existing Canadian plays and she has, herself, co-authored fifteen new works.
What is your involvement in
Theatre Alberta?
venue followed by an ever decreasing (though
loyal!) audience base.
I have been Theatre Alberta’s President of the
Board for three years, and a member for six. I
have taught at Artstrek, and for the Workshops
by Request program, and taken classes at both
Dramaworks and Playworks Ink.
What do you consider to be the biggest
challenge for theatres and theatre artists
in Alberta?
I used to argue that theatre was a creation
and not a building. Unfortunately, the biggest
challenge for theatres and theatre artists
right now seems to be finding and keeping
space to present their work. I have seen many
struggling theatre groups who, after launching
a great opening season, hop from venue to
What inspires you in your own work?
As Steinbeck says, the human mind and the
human spirit. Learning… I must continue to
learn. Oh and food—can there be food???
What role do you feel theatre plays in
your community?
Now that Edmonton has been designated a
cultural capital for 2007, the city of Red Deer
(we who enjoyed cultural capital-dom in 2003)
might be willing to impart some sage advice.
Red Deer is a vibrant theatre city with a diverse
offering of experiences. There is a strong
community theatre which has been prospering
for almost forty years, and several professional
and semi-professional theatre groups
employing both emerging and Equity artists.
And of course, the outstanding Red Deer
College theatre program (no bias here!), which
continues to attract many theatre professionals
who come to play—and often stay! Central
Alberta audiences are able to experience a
rich range of work; for example, the world
premiere of Mieko Ouchi’s …the dada show
(R.D.C), Albee’s The Goat (TAR theatre),
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Ignition), and The
Mad Cow Cabaret (Prime Stock Theatre).
If you could hang out with any theatrical
personality—living or dead—for one
night, who would it be? What would
you do?
I’d like to share smoked salmon with
playwright Gwen Pharis Ringwood at Long
Beach, Vancouver Island.
BRINGING BACK THE OLD, RINGING IN THE NEW
Here’s where we roll out the welcome
NEW MEMBERS
mat to all our new and renewed
Individuals
Ryan Abram
Greg Allan
Joleen Ballendine
Mathew Baynes
Michael Beamish
Tatiana Cheladyn
Denny Demeria
Rob Desjardins
Armin Escher
Rick Hardy
Tricia Heiligers
Lanna Lastiwka
Twilla MacLeod
Tim Mikula
Lindsay Moffat
Martin Morrow
Prudence Olenik
members from January 1, 2007
through March 31, 2007. Don’t see
your name here? That’s probably
because you joined Theatre Alberta in
one of the other nine months, or you
bought a two-year membership and
aren’t due for renewal until next year.
Just keep your eyes peeled and you’ll
surely see your name in an upcoming
issue!
A warm and sincere thank-you
to the following for their generous
contributions to Theatre Alberta:
Mathew B. Baynes, Mitch Cheladyn,
Duane Mills, and Clyde Rigsby.
4.
summer 2007
RENEWING MEMBERS
Jason Ostrom
John Ryan
Lucas Sutton
Euan Ward
Lindsey Wilkinson
Lindsey Wilkinson
Charlie Wilson
Groups
Avalon Jr High School
Christie Lites
Esplanade Arts &
Heritage Centre
Raymond Playhouse
Society
Vic Juba Community
Theatre
Individuals
Douglas Abel
Crystal Beatty
Stacy Berg
Lynda Bird
Mary Blackstone
Elizabeth Bowering
Beverly Brilz
Michele Brown
Tangle Caron
Tracy Carroll
Michael Cheladyn
Judith Clark
Erin Crealock
Elizabeth Danyluk
James DeFelice
Johanne Deleeuw
Brian Dorscht
Diane Falck
Wendy Froberg
Jhan Groom
Kathleen Hankinson
Kevin Hendricks
Trevor Hildebrand
Roy Jackson
Beth Jenkins
David Johnston
Darren Keegstra
David Kohl
Darlene Kowalchuk
Jennifer Kynoch
Tiana Leonty
Kayla Lewis
Annette Loiselle
Shannon Macelli
Larry MacKillop
Monica Maddaford
Marlene MaertensPoole
Andrea Martinuk
Jeremy Mason
Erin McDougall
Jen McNeilly
Duane Mills
Karyn Mott
Betty Moulton
Annette Nieukerk
Ryan Novak
David Owen
Jeremy Park
Valerie Pearson
Trina Penner
Doreen Piehl
Dennis Porsnuk
McNally High School
Millwoods Christian
School
Outcast Theatre
Adventures
Pandora Players
Quest Theatre Society
Red Deer College
Theatre Society
Ross Sheppard
Composite High
Groups
School
Bassano Arts
Shadow Theatre
Council
The Shakespeare
Daysland Little
Company
Theatre Company
Strathcona Composite
Edmonton Musical
High School
Theatre
Strathcona County
Fringe Theatre
Overacting ImaginaAdventures
tions Youth Drama
Grant MacEwan
Club
College
Sturgeon Composite
Holy Redeemer
High School
Catholic Junior/
Theatre Prospero
Senior High
Tree House Youth
School
Theatre
Kompany! Dance and
Webber Academy
Musical Theatre
Arlene Purcell
Wanda Reinholdt
Sarah Sharkey
Herb Stanley
Stanley Stevenson
Faye Stollery
Lana Sugarman
Jacqui Swain
Bridget Toms
Keltie Winters
welcome back
shear success
BY JILL CONNELL.
TA PROGRAMMER
MARK BELLAMY ON MYSTERY & MADNESS
Thirty years ago, Vertigo Theatre began as an
amateur mystery theatre company based out of
Calgary’s science centre. Over the years it has
grown into the only fully professional mystery
theatre company in Canada, with a stunning
new (2003) facility in the Calgary Tower.
MARK BELLAMY We still have people after
four years who walk into the theatre and say
“Oh my god, I had no idea this was here, this
is fantastic—it’s beautiful.” Because it really
is a gorgeous facility and it was the first new
performing arts facility to be built in Calgary
since the EPCOR CENTRE, which was 15 years
ago, so it was definitely time for some more space.
We ended up building two spaces: one for us
that could house the mystery series, and one
that could house the Y Stage (TYA) series and
act as a rental venue for other smaller theatre
companies—like Ground Zero, Ghost River,
and Springboard Dance. All of that has been
tremendously successful.
When Vertigo first did Shear Madness in 1999,
they had planned on running the show for six
weeks…and it ran for six months. Eight years
later, Vertigo has already extended their run by
two weeks before the show has even previewed.
M.B. I don’t know that we can go all summer
this time… If we do I won’t get a vacation
and I’ll be very cranky. [laughs] But yeah, we’ll
certainly run it as long as we can. I mean it’s
this incredible phenomenon—people just go
crazy for it. When I became Artistic Director
a lot of the audience was asking me “Are you
going to bring Shear Madness back, are you
going to do Shear Madness again, are you going
to do Shear Madness again??” And it had been
about six years since I’d even actually been on
a stage, so I thought, sure, I’ll do it one more
time, you know, [laughs] my last farewell as
a performer.
Considering Mark is into his third (marathon)
run as the flamboyant hairdresser Tony
Whitcomb—not to mention the improvisational
nature of the show, which is always set in the
city where the production takes place—one
might suspect it becomes increasingly difficult to
separate Tony from Mark…
M.B. It’s actually harder to get Tony out
of my day-to-day life than it is to get Mark
out of the show. The first time I did it, John
Paul Fischbach—who had directed the first
production—said “Oh my god, once you’ve
released your inner hairdresser it’s really hard
to get him back inside.” [laughs] And the
lines do blur occasionally, especially when
I’m improvising and it’s more me than it is
the character… But I’m sort of given license
to do what I want, and it’s kind of my job to
be the loose cannon. So sometimes I’m bad,
sometimes I get carried away. [laughs] But
that’s half the fun of the show.
Did you have a penchant for hairdressing before
you were cast, or is that something you had to
work on?
M.B. I think I have a lot more expertise
now. I’ve gotten really good at the
shampooing and the conditioning and the
styling… [laughs] Even a bit of cutting.
What excites you about theatre these days?
M.B. Oh gosh, so much. Everything excites
me. Running a theatre is exciting. I guess the
thing that excites me the most in this theatre
is how engaged the audience becomes. I’m
always fascinated when I watch the audience
watching the work, because it’s not the kind
of theatre that you sit back and let wash over
you, like Chekhov—not that there’s anything
wrong with Chekhov, I love Chekhov—but
you know, you sit back and absorb Chekhov.
With mystery the audience is literally
leaning forward, they’re the detectives, they
become part of the process, and I love how
marvelously engaging this form of theatre is.
I enjoy celebrating that as opposed to sort of
PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN DENNIE, COURTESY OF VERTIGO THEATRE.
On April 26, the longest-running show in Calgary’s history made a much-anticipated return to the
stage as Vertigo Theatre launched their third incarnation of the hilarious hairdressing-whodunit
Shear Madness by Paul Portner. I spoke with Vertigo’s Artistic Director during the madness of
preview week—about his passions, his theatre, and of course, the run-away hit sensation that is
Shear Madness…in which he plays the starring role. Ladies and gentlemen, Calgary’s beloved loose
cannon: Mark Bellamy.
MARK BELLAMY AS TONY WHITCOMB AND SHARI WATTLING
AS BARBARA DEMARCO IN VERTIGO THEATRE’S SHEAR MADNESS.
apologizing for the work and saying “Yeah,
well it’s just a mystery,” but rather saying,
“No, no, this is really good.”
You look at television these days, which is
laden with the genre, I mean how many
CSIs and Law & Orders do we possibly
need? This is a social consciousness, we have
this fascination with puzzles and mysteries
and we like to figure things out and know
whodunit, or see the twists and the turns
that get you there. It’s a very popular form of
entertainment that is everywhere now, and it’s
great to be able to do it live on stage.
To learn more about Vertigo Theatre’s 2007/08 season of
gripping mysteries, visit www.vertigotheatre.com. And
you never know, the phenomenon that is Calgary’s Shear
Madness might still be running…
theatre alberta news
5.
6.
summer 2007
Publications Mail Agreement Number 40051164
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Theatre Alberta 11759 Groat Road, 3rd Floor, Edmonton AB T5M 3K6
?
can puppets
?
BY WENDY PASSMORE-GODFREY.
TA MEMBER
change the world
T
hroughout history, the scene has been
repeated over and over in many cultures:
a rapt audience watches a small (or large)
wooden (or cloth, leather, paper) humanlike object (or animal or some other thing)
speak (or sing, be silent, just breathe). These
people are caught up in the object’s thoughts
and feelings. They enter the object’s world
and cheer for its success (or downfall). And
what of the man (or woman or child) behind
the object as it moves to music, interacts
with its world, converses? What thoughts or
feelings is that person expressing through the
object—questions, explorations, anger, love,
outreach, exploration, teaching? Reaching
back into the process, when the object was
created (or found), what soul was sculpted
(or sewn, carved, stapled, molded, imagined)
into its shape?
PHOTOGRAPH BY LESLIE RASPORITCH.
WENDY AND PUPPETS FROM THE GREAT KAPOK
TREE DOING RAINFOREST ACTIVISM.
A puppet’s power is its inherent nature
to “become” anything it’s designed to be.
Puppets synthesize ideas. They are the essence
of a thought, concept, or character. As such
they can represent qualities such as tolerance
and peace quickly and without explanation.
They can teach without qualifications,
model without ego, and express without
consequences. They can speak for us as a proxy.
This is what makes puppetry such an
effective medium in so many therapeutic,
educational, or even propagandist settings
and what has fascinated audiences since the
shaman-caveman created a puppet from a
bone and a flickering fire’s shadow.
But can puppets change the world? Can
their power turn the tide on AIDS? Can
they save a rainforest? Can they teach the
world to read? Can they overturn a despotic
government?
Puppets working for change pop into
every nook, cranny, classroom, fireside,
community hall, street, hospital room, refugee
tent, doctor’s office, and church around the
world. We have seen the news footage of
puppets used in G8 Summit, IMF, and World
Bank protests. We may have heard of police
raiding puppet studios in Philadelphia, of the
“puppetistas” from the Battle of Seattle, we
possibly even know about the Balinese puppet
company using their traditional wayang kulit
puppetry to bring “natural balance” back
after the Bali bombings. And we have seen
change—positive change, miniscule sometimes
and slow change, change complicated by many
factors—but perhaps we can say that puppets
have had a part in it.
Mere weeks ago, WP Puppet Theatre
Society presented a conference entitled Puppet
Power 2007 – Puppets as Agents of Social
Change. The conference featured keynote
speakers, hands-on workshops, panel and
world café discussions, and even a puppet
parade—all intent on exploring, discussing,
and challenging the extent and potential of
puppet power in the world today.
The speakers related what puppets can do,
have done, and will inspire and aspire to do.
Keynote Gary Friedman spoke about his work
with a project “Puppets against AIDS”, which
began in South Africa in 1987 and toured the
world for nine years from Reunion Island to
the remote eastern Arctic. His “Puppets in
Prison” program promoted, for the incarcerated
puppeteers, an increase in self-esteem, a sense
of pride about their accomplishments, and the
perception that they had an important role to
play in their community.
Plenary Speaker Graciela Monteagudo
talked about life as an Argentine human
rights activist and community artist. She
has worked internationally with diverse
communities both on her own and
with Bread and Puppet Theater. She has
coordinated puppet and street theatre actions
in Latin America and throughout the USA.
Shadowland from Toronto shared their
philosophy to reuse cast-off material from
business and industry to give it new life as
puppets. Precipice Theatre from Banff talked
about their projects that channel the energy
of youth into theatrical works that matter and
are relevant to the world they will inherit.
Jhan Groom from Calgary suggested that
the stuff (even puppet stuff) in our everyday
lives is sacred. Learning to recognize and
appreciate this is itself an act leading to social
change.
After relating their powerful stories, these
speakers guided 100 conference participants
in their own practical and theoretical
explorations into puppetry.
Of course, a puppet static on a shelf
doesn’t have power—a person is always
required to provide the spark of spirit that
moves through the puppet to the viewers.
It may seem preposterous to suggest that
puppets can change the world—without
people a puppet is just a sock (or a piece of
wood or length of cloth). Yet to quote the oftquoted thought from Margaret Mead, “never
underestimate the power of a small group
of committed people to change the world.
In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Perhaps we can add, “never underestimate
the power of a small (or large) puppet in
the hands of a small (or large) group of
committed puppeteers…”
Wendy Passmore is founder and artistic director of W.P.
Puppet Theatre Society, established in 1991 to produce
and perform original puppet theatre and present workshops and residencies for adults and children in Canada
and internationally. This is the 5th conference on the
power of puppets beyond performance that WPTS has
organized. Wendy’s next project is the creation of a multi
media puppet work entitled “Finding my Song: By Bird.”
Puppet Power 2007 – Puppets as Agents of Social
Change took place on May 25-27, 2007 at the University of Calgary. www.wppuppet.com
theatre alberta news
7.
BY JILL CONNELL.
TA PROGRAMMER
creating theatre magic
SPOTLIGHT
ON TECHNICIANS
Around the Theatre Alberta office we might debate animatedly over an actor’s performance or the latest developments in funding
or legislation. But whether a certain IATSE loophole is beneficial to working conditions, or how neat-o we find the latest lighting
gadgetry…not so much. The recent publication of Theatre Alberta’s Safe Stages manual has certainly increased our awareness of
health & safety best practices in the world of technical theatre—a resource compiled through cooperation and communication with
Alberta’s technical theatre community. And yet, somehow the day-to-day tasks and concerns of theatre technicians (not to mention
their obsession with Peter Pan) retain an aura of mystery. The following profiles are an attempt to understand, appreciate, and
celebrate those hard-working individuals responsible for delighting our senses and so much more: theatre technicians.
SCOTT-GEORGE LAFLUER
PHOTOGRAPH BY SHEILA CLEASBY.
Assistant Head of Electrics – The Citadel Theatre, Edmonton
In this industry everyone’s
a mentor. Everyone
has some little tidbit of
WES JENKINS
knowledge that you don’t.
Production Manager – EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts, Calgary
Which is probably the best
SCOTT-GEORGE FOCUSING LIGHTS ON THE BRIDGE
OF THE SHOCTOR THEATRE FOR THE CITADEL’S
PRODUCTION OF OLIVER!.
thing about the theatre
community: if one person
summer 2007
I find it hard to divorce
is having a problem they
have about 100 people
Monday is his big day off. Every other
evening of their five-week run Scott-George they can call to get the anis in the Citadel’s Shoctor Theatre operating swer. It’s a very tight-knit
the followspot for their final mainstage
community, especially on
show of the season: Oliver!. Before the 8
the technical side of it.
PM curtain he’s conducting various preshow checks—verifying the shutter-cuts on
lamps, props with electrical elements, radio
dimmers—and by curtain he’s up in the grid running the followspot,
highlighting the Artful Dodger to the delight of 685 theatre patrons.
Scott-George got his start at the Arden Theatre in St. Albert, where
he began volunteering at the age of fourteen thanks to his Mom’s
insistence that he “keep himself busy doing something.” That was back
in 1993, and he’s been lighting the stages of Edmonton ever since.
Now wrapping up his seventh season at the Citadel, ScottGeorge works alongside Sheila Cleasby (Head of Electrics) as a
member of the full-time technical staff creating behind-the-scenes
magic in Edmonton’s most prominent A-house theatre. This usually
means a 40-hour work week during show runs and 60 to 70-hour
work weeks during tech runs (with the odd 98-hour stint—ScottGeorge’s record during last May’s tech run of Peter Pan), doing
everything from replacing burnt-out bulbs to fashioning a Tinkerbell
adorned in LEDs.
Luckily Scott-George gets some time off in the summer… which
8.
he spends “on vacation” as a venue tech at the Edmonton Fringe.
“You’re thrown into a world with two technical staff per venue and
eight shows a day back to back,” says Scott-George. “But when you’re
at the Fringe you’re on your own to a certain extent—the Technical
Director and Production Manager are there, but they’ve got 13 other
venues to worry about, so you try not to rely on them too much. So
if there are any problems you go back to the person in charge, and
that’s you. It’s a good vacation.”
myself from looking to
see how shows are done.
Every now and then you’re
lucky enough to experience
a show that’s so magical
that you don’t care how
WES RIGGING IN BEIJING FOR THE ALBERTA BALLET.
it’s done. With Cirque de
Soleil’s Love I was just in
Wes remembers being the only one
awe of the magic and
in his high school drama department who
entertainment. But it’s rare
knew how to use a tool, which placed him in in my position that you
charge of tech at Crescent Heights H.S. in
don’t look to see the Great
Calgary. From there Wes Jenkins embarked
Oz behind the curtain. My
on an impressive career, with credits such
job is to see how it’s done
as Stage Manager at the Southern Alberta
and how to make it better.
Jubilee Auditorium, Head Carpenter for
Alberta Ballet, and Technical Director
for Calgary Opera, the Banff Centre, and
Lunchbox Theatre.
Now the Production Manager at the EPCOR CENTRE for the
Performing Arts, Wes’ primary responsibility is to coordinate the shows
and people performing in their 2,021-seat world-class Jack Singer
Concert Hall. This often involves juggling several shows a day, and the
fine art of negotiating how to best use the time, space, and staff available.
And negotiate he does: “Because it’s often a show’s first time in
the building, it’s like, ‘Okay that’s your show, great. This is how we’re
going to do it here.’ And you say that in the nicest possible way,
and allow it to be their idea, but you try to lead them in the best
direction to make it happen.”
Wes also has a passion for rigging—the art of moving objects
and flying people through the air (think curtain tracks, suspension
speakers, the counter-weight and motorized rigging systems that
make Peter Pan fly). He and business partner Richard Gregson
operate Down Stage Right Industries, inspecting rigging systems
for theatre companies from the Shaw Festival in Ontario to the Arts
Club in Vancouver.
“Sometimes you go into a theatre and they absolutely follow the
rules while the next one can be just a disaster,” says Wes. “It’s all over
the map in terms of how people accept and implement safety. For us
in the world of technical theatre, it’s certainly a top priority.”
background makes me a much more versatile technician from start to
finish, even on the production side, just because of the wide scope of
things you’re exposed to in theatre. It’s not like I went into production
and left theatre behind—it’s a base of knowledge I will carry with me
forever.”
Josh sends thanks to Nico Van Der Clay, Adam Mitchell,
Gina Puntil, and Terry Reeves.
TAMMY O’HANDLEY
Technical Director – Theatre Network, Edmonton
One of the challenges is
when the director or design
team comes up with something and you think, now how
JOSH BURNETT
the hell are we going to do
Live Audio & Sound Reinforcement – FM Systems, Calgary
that? There are always these
little projects that can hurt
TAMMY IN THE CONTROL BOOTH DURING THEATRE
NETWORK’S RUN OF CLOSER AND CLOSER APART.
Most of the time the
general public has no
idea what we do. Even my
family is just starting to
understand what I do. And
sometimes that’s okay—
JOSH IN THE CONTROL ROOM AT THE SADDLEDOME.
it’s kind of neat to be the
magic behind the produc-
Josh broke into the technical theatre
tion. I remember when
scene by volunteering at the Edmonton
we did Peter Pan at Grant
Fringe, which eventually led to more Fringe
MacEwan. The very first
jobs (site crew, carpentry crew, venue
time the giant bay window
technician, assistant technical director)
opens magically and Peter
and introduced him to an entire network
Pan flies into the room, you
of people in Edmonton’s theatre industry.
could hear the kids in the
Although Josh had always been most
audience gasp all the way
interested in sound, he continued to take
from backstage. And that
whatever jobs he could get his hands on: “To
makes it all worthwhile.
be in the theatre you have to be a jack of all
trades, because you have to eat. You have
to be able to build risers, paint floors, hang
lights, everything.”
This is why Josh got into the more corporate or “production” side of
things: he wanted to be a full-time sound guy. Now into his fourth year
with FM Systems, he designs sound systems and runs events as diverse as
concerts, musicals, and corporate parties.
Josh’s current work shares many characteristics with the theatre
world—long hours, hard work, and never enough time to get everything
done. But Josh claims there’s more variety in production, which involves
travelling to different places and setting up, running a full concert, and
tearing down—all in 16 hours. Another difference: in the world of
concerts and corporate events, the money is huge (relatively speaking).
But this doesn’t mean Josh forgets his roots: “My theatre
your brain and then boom,
you figure it out. Those are
great. You can do show after
Tammy grew up on a dairy farm in
show with the same director
Rossland, BC, where she wasn’t exposed
and there’s always a new
to drama until she took part in a couple
challenge or question, and it
of high school plays. But it was the single
ends up being a lot of fun.
technical theatre course offered at the
University College of the Caribou in
Kamloops that got her hooked: “It was
more related to farming work, more of the
hands-on getting dirty work, so I enjoyed it a lot.” Eager for more
intensive training, Tammy headed to Edmonton for the University of
Alberta’s BFA in Technical Theatre.
Now finishing her fourth season as Technical Director for one of
Edmonton’s hottest local theatres, Tammy is hard-pressed to describe
a typical day. Theatre Network takes on larger crews for their four
mainstage productions, but when it comes to the shows that go up in
between, Tammy’s largely a one-woman show: “It’s hard to say what’s
coming next, because you don’t have just one job: you’re the crew. You
have to be willing to be really flexible.” Whether she’s running the
show, or just the lights, or supervising a rental, or mentoring emerging
artists during Nextfest—whatever comes up, she gets it done.
Theatre Network’s facility consists of a single main stage and a
lobby with little room to spare for offices, meaning Tammy often
builds her sets in outside shops and hauls them over to the theatre
in pieces. “It’s nice working in a small theatre, but you get put up
against walls,” says Tammy. “You don’t have enough power to do
this or the building’s too old to do that. We can be put in the same
category as the Citadel for the Sterlings, but it’s very different in
terms of the amount of money and people we have for shows.”
But at the end of the day, it’s the challenges that Tammy loves.
The reward of opening an incredible show after a week of struggles,
the immediacy of her work, and the appreciation she gets from the
team at Theatre Network, who she says are “absolutely great about
everything.”
theatre alberta news
9.
DIANE CONRAD.
TA MEMBER
POPULAR THEATRE ON THE INSIDE
drama with incarcerated youth
F
10.
summer 2007
Participation in drama helps to consolidate
a sense of self-worth and purpose, strengthen
commitments to aspirations for the future, and
aid in the reconstruction of roles and identities
as other than criminal. Taking on roles and
constructing life stories for characters—and
imagining the decisions the individuals have
made and their consequences—suggests
possibilities for things to be otherwise in the
lives of the youth.
The drama sessions at the prison are part
of the centre’s Native program. Tragically,
approximately 60% of the youth in the facility
are Native—a statistic that speaks to the
systemic racism in our society. The coordinator
of the Native program has created a welcoming
space within the prison for the youth to
connect with their culture and each other, to
dialogue, interact, create, and share alongside
caring adults.
The youth are eager and appreciative
participants, glad for the break from routine
and for opportunities to play, create, and
laugh together. I am privileged to share in
their imagination, energy, wit, and generosity.
The work we undertake flourishes despite the
constraints of the context—unpredictable
attendance, restrictions on topics and
resources, prohibited forms of expression, and
limitations to showing the work or images of
the youth beyond the prison walls since the
law strictly protects their identities.
Our dramatic creations, emergent
and youth-driven, bring together drama
(character development, role-play, storytelling,
improvisation, image theatre, and maskmaking) with popular arts forms for presenting
and documenting our work (graffiti, comic
books, digital storytelling, digital photography,
and video). The youth recently completed a
digital storytelling project based on the Cree
teaching “respect.”
Following two more years of work in the
prison, supported by my BFA in playwriting,
I intend to write a play about what I learned,
focusing on the youths’ perspectives, and the
research experience. This research is based in
my belief that drama/theatre has a contribution
to make in creating a more just world.
Dr. Diane Conrad is Assistant Professor of Drama/
Theatre Education in the Department of Secondary Education at the University of Alberta. Her research project The
Transformative Potential of Drama in the Education
of Incarcerated Youth is funded by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of Canada. She was recipient
of the 2006 SSHRC Aurora Prize, awarded each year to a
promising new scholar in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Canada. For more information visit www.alberta.
ca/~dhconrad or email [email protected].
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE EDMONTON JOURNAL.
or two years I have made weekly visits to a
youth prison in Alberta to conduct drama-based
work with inmates. After driving to the facility
on the outskirts of town, securing my personal
belongings in a locker, traversing the metal
detector, signing in, donning my ID-tag, and
buzzing through several sets of locked doors,
I walk down the long empty corridor to meet
with the youth. This procedure for accessing the
facility illustrates how the reality of the prison
setting determines what happens there. Drama
in youth prison is seen as a risky undertaking.
This work, my research program in drama
education at the University of Alberta, grows
out of concern for justice for youth. Over the
years, working with “at-risk” youth, I have
witnessed how institutions—schools at times
analogous to prisons—do injustice to youth,
putting them “at-risk.” My research asks how
participation in popular theatre might help
incarcerated youth to avoid future negative
behaviour.
Popular, applied, or community-based
theatre can be a powerful medium for
individual and social transformation, requiring
participants to analyze their conditions and
causes, and to search for possibilities for change.
Popular theatre draws on the participants’
experiences to collectively create theatre and
discuss issues through theatrical means.
Accounts of prison theatre programs
describe the benefits of drama for inmates (see
Thompson’s Prison Theatre: Perspectives and
Practices, Balfour’s Theatre in Prison: Theory and
Practice, or Geese Theatre’s The Geese Theatre
Handbook: Drama with Offenders and People
at Risk). Drama allows for self-expression—a
welcome outlet in a prison environment.
Drama allows individuals to represent, explore,
and reflect upon their thoughts and emotions.
With human behaviour as its subject
matter, through drama individuals become
more aware of the motivation behind their
actions. Interpretation of their life experiences
allows opportunities for self-knowledge.
Taking on roles develops empathy and
interpersonal sensitivity. Acting out allows
exposure to situations and viewpoints beyond
their immediate experiences. Playing the part
of the parent of a victim of crime, for example,
allows the youth to consider the impact of
their actions on others.
DIANE CONRAD WORKING WITH INCARCERATED
YOUTH IN EDMONTON.
BY ERIN MCDOUGALL.
ARTSTREK REGISTRAR
we’ve got ARTSTREK fever
I
t’s barely springtime here at the Theatre
Alberta office and we’re already buried under
applications from eager new and returning
Artstrek participants! So what’s all the fuss
about? Is it the allure of the beautiful theatre
facilities at Red Deer College, or the excitement
of bunking in the residences for a whole week
with hundreds of fellow “drama freaks”? Is
it the prospect of learning from the best of
Alberta’s theatre artists and educators, or the
lifelong friendships that emerge from being
surrounded 24/7 by people with the same
passions and interests?
It’s all this and so much more, as our
applicants’ wonderful letters scream loud and
clear: it’s that time of year again, time to register
for Artstrek, Theatre Alberta’s Residential
Summer Theatre Program for Teens!
“I like Artstrek for countless reasons: the
morning stretches, the singing, the Supers, the
excitement, the people… The day I drop my
luggage in my dorm at Artstrek will be the day
my 51 week wait will end!”
— Graeme (Jasper), three-time returning
Artstrek participant
“Artstrek should replace Disneyland as the
‘Happiest Place on Earth!’”
— Sarah (High River), three-time returning
Artstrek participant
“Everytime my drama teacher talks about
Artstrek, my excitement increases. I am extremely
excited to be part of the Artstrek family!”
— Evan (Calgary), first-time Artstrek participant
This summer’s program will explore the
Canadian classic Who Has Seen The Wind by
Lee MacDougall, based on the novel by W.O.
Mitchell. With applications continually
pouring into our mailbox, this year’s
program will be brimming full of the most
enthusiastic, hard-working, and passionate
drama students in the province. They are the
future of theatre in Alberta and the future
looks bright!
Artstrek runs July 8–14 & July 15–22 at Red Deer
College. For more information call Theatre Alberta at
1-888-422-8160 or email artstrek@theatrealberta.
com. Watch the new Artstrek 2007 promotional video at
www.theatrealberta.com/artstrek!
BY TERRY SCERBAK.
TA MEMBER
DRAMAWORKS
S
ince amateurs aren’t professionals (they
can’t be expected to reach a “professional”
level of achievement in their art), why bother
trying to improve through training and
professional development?
The question hinges on the definition of
“amateur” and “professional.” The World Book
Dictionary defines “amateur” as “a person who
does something for pleasure, not for money
or as a profession,” whereas a professional
is a person who makes “a business or trade
of something that others do for pleasure”
such as a professional musician or ballplayer.
Therefore, the difference hinges not on talent
or professionalism, but rather on whether one
makes enough money at one’s art for it to be
considered a trade or profession.
As a writer, I can aspire to become a
playwright and screenwriter who makes her
living as such without having to leave Grande
Prairie. Naturally, I would still have to venture
to Toronto, New York, and London for the
opening nights of my plays and to Sundance for
the screening of my movies (it’s a prerequisite
for a writer to live in a fantasy world, at
for amateurs & pros
least occasionally). But for others wishing to
be professional directors, actors, designers,
etcetera, it’s nearly impossible to make a living
at their art without moving elsewhere.
But where can an amateur pursue training
and professional development? Theatre
Alberta has been offering a summer theatre
workshop program for adults since 1959
and I’ve been going to Dramaworks at the
Citadel Theatre in Edmonton for years. It was
a Dramaworks playwriting workshop taught
by Edmonton playwright David Belke that
inspired me to write three plays for the drama
students at Alexander Forbes School, two
pantomimes for Grande Prairie Live Theatre,
and a full-length comedy as a fundraiser for
three local charities.
I’ve continued taking playwriting
workshops, but have also started broadening
my choices. Because plays are collaborative art
forms, becoming more knowledgeable about
other parts of the whole can only improve that
part which is my contribution. But with so
many choices at Dramaworks this year, it’s hard
to choose. There’s a beginning acting workshop
I should try, and the theatrical lighting design
and technical theatre overview workshops
also intrigue me. There are also workshops on
creating a one-person show, directing, dialects,
improv, and experimental writing, as well as
an acting masterclass, a clown workshop, and a
workshop for artistic directors.
Newcomers, with or without training
or experience, are always welcome to get
involved with productions at GPLT. The
greatest learning always takes place by doing.
But should the rest of us try to develop our
skills and learn new approaches that improve
our ability to mentor newcomers? Time,
cost, and distance are obviously factors, but
Dramaworks is a great way to learn and
have fun with other community theatre
members from around the province. I highly
recommend it.
Terry Scerbak is a playwright, screenwriter, and volunteer
member of GPLT, Grande Prairie’s community theatre.
www.gplt.ab.ca
Dramaworks runs July 5–8 & 12–15 at the Citadel
Theatre in Edmonton. For more information call
1-888-422-8160 or visit www.theatrealberta.com.
theatre alberta news
11.
a summer at play
drama camps & classes in AB
This summer there’s no shortage of opportunities to play & learn: our land of creative plenty bears the fruit
of summer camps! We’re happy to provide information on a variety of arts programs
running in Alberta this summer, from improv for kids to Shakespeare for teens to clowning for adults.
Not only do we hope to inspire some fun, but we also hope to kick-start your research:
don’t see the perfect fit for your interests, age group, or area? Call around to your local schools,
colleges, recreation centres, and theatre companies… And have a sizzling summer of drama!
EDMONTON
DRAMAWORKS
The Citadel Theatre
For ages 18 and up
July 5–8 & 12–15
$199–$249
Dramaworks is a summer theatre
workshop program for adults that has
been running in Alberta since 1959.
Each weekend includes both beginner
and advanced workshops for performers, directors, designers, technicians,
playwrights, and more!
Contact Maggie McCaw
1-888-422-8160 or (780) 422-8162
[email protected]
www.theatrealberta.com
SUMMER CAMPS AT THE FOOTE
THEATRE SCHOOL
The Citadel Theatre
For ages 6–18
July 3–Aug. 3 (five different sessions)
$230/$270 (one week);
$430/$495 (two weeks)
The Foote Theatre School offers a
range of camps for all ages in drama,
musical theatre, and film. All classes
are taught by experienced professionals
in the Citadel’s facilities.
Contact Meredith Scott or
Diana Boratynec
(780) 428-2120 or (780) 428-2113
[email protected]
www.citadeltheatre.com
CAMP SHAKESPEARE
Hawrelak Park
Classes in age groupings: 8–10, 11–13,
14–16 & 13–18
July 3–20 (five different sessions)
$135 half day; $200 full day
Participants will work with professional instructors and artists, exploring
text, characters, design, music, and
stage combat. Classes culminate in a
weekend presentation/sharing on the
main-stage for friends and family.
Contact Gilbert da Silva
(780) 425-8086
[email protected]
www.rivercityshakespeare.com
GRANT MACEWAN SUMMER
DRAMA COURSES
Various locations,
Grant MacEwan College
July 4–Aug. 17 (five different camps)
$235–$395
Grant MacEwan offers five summer
camps including “Children’s Theatre”
(ages 8-12), “Children’s Musical
Theatre Workshop” (ages 9-12),
12.
summer 2007
“Teen’s Musical Theatre Workshop”
(ages 14-18), “Gilbert and Sullivan
Vocal Workshop” (ages 13 and over),
and “Sing! Sing! Sing!” (ages 7-10).
Both beginner and advanced vocal and
theatrical workshops culminate in a
final production!
Contact Katie Cebuliak
(780) 633-3725
[email protected]
www.artsoutreach.org
NORTHERN LIGHT THEATRE &
MARALYN RYAN
Northern Light Theatre
For ages 6–8 (Playmakers) & 9–15
(Teen Camp)
Aug. 7–10 & Aug. 13–24
$99 & $325–$375
Two camps: “Playmakers”: This is a
fun program for young children who
love to act, sing, and dance. This year’s
theme is “The Wizard of Oz”, with Kate
Ryan running the show as the Mayor
of Munchkinland (a.k.a. Camp Director). “The Wizard of Oz Teen Camp”:
Maralyn Ryan is an excellent teacher
and guide for young adults, as well
as an accomplished actor and director
within the Canadian theatre scene. This
year the camp presents “The Wizard of
Oz”,where your child will develop their
skills in acting, singing, and movement.
Contact Erin Newell-Lupien
(780) 471-1586
[email protected]
www.northernlighttheatre.com
THREE L’UNITHÉÂTRE CAMPS
Le Campus St-Jean (Multi-Arts) &
La Cité Francophone (L’Uni-Cirque)
The Troubadour Camp will go anywhere in Alberta!
For francophone and immersion students in grades 1–12
Aug. 13–24, $250 (Multi-Arts)
July 30–Aug. 3, $200 (L’Uni-Cirque)
Dates & price are negotiable with the
Troubadour Camp!
Three camps: “Multi-Arts,” “L’UniCirque,” and “Troubadour Camp.” An
incredible opportunity to challenge
participants to improve and maintain
their skills in French, while developing
an artistic spirit. Theatre, circus, dance,
and each camp has a final show!
L’UniThéâtre travels all over Alberta!
Contact Isabelle Brin
(780) 469-8400
[email protected]
www.lunitheatre.ca
SPRUCE GROVE SUMMER DRAMA
PROGRAMS
Woodhaven School (475 King St.) and
315 Jespersen Ave., Spruce Grove
For ages 7–13 (various camps)
July 3–19 (various dates)
$60–$100
Five camps: “Improv” (ages 7–12): This
class will teach you everything from
story telling to how to think creatively.
“Puppet Workshop” (ages 8–11): Learn
how to put on a puppet show! Design
and build a puppet of your very own to
take home! “Rhyme, Sing, Act & Play”
(ages 5–7): Learn new rhymes and
tongue twisters, sing your favourite
movement-based songs, and play some
fun drama games! “Drama Games 1
& 2” (ages 8–10 and 11–13): Play lots
of cool movement, improv, and drama
based games.
(780) 962-8995
www.horizonstage.com
ZOCALO THEATRE ARTS SCHOOL
Convenient central locations in
Edmonton
For ages 4 to adult
Classes available in July and August
$45–$300
With classes ranging from preschool
Musical Theatre to Film & TV Acting
for those looking for their big break
into the industry, Zocalo Theatre Arts
School has something this summer
for everyone. Advanced students be
sure to ask about participating in our
Edmonton International Fringe Festival
production!
Contact Monica Maddaford
(780) 433-7861
[email protected]
www.zocalotheatre.com
CALGARY
CYPT SUMMER SAFARI DRAMA
CAMPS
Unitarian Church of Calgary,
1703–1st St. NW (July);
Temple B’Nai Tikvah,
900–47 Ave. SW (August)
For ages 4–17
July 2–Aug. 31
$100–$350, subsidies available
For 15 years CYPT has produced high
quality drama camps for ages 4 and
up. Themes this year include: “Summer
Safari” and “Rockin’ Shakespeare for
Teens”. Act, Learn, Play, Grow!
Contact Mat Mailandt
(403) 230-2664
[email protected]
www.cypt.ca
YOUTH SINGERS PRESENTS TADA!
Victoria Community Centre,
1302–6th St. SE
For ages 8–15 & 11–17
July 16–Aug. 17
(various one-week programs)
$300 per child
Monday, kids begin learning a musical
written just for them. By Friday they’re
ready to take the stage! Experience
New York’s best theatre training for
youth right here in Calgary.
Contact Suzanne Eckstadt
(403) 234-9549
[email protected]
www.youthsingers.org
QUEST THEATRE’S 12TH ANNUAL
SUMMER DRAMA CAMP
900–47th Ave. SW
For ages 6–18
July 2–Aug. 3
(1, 2, & 3-week camps available)
$195–$495
Four camps: “Journeys” (ages 6–9) is
filled with fun and creative play, movement, voice, and storytelling; “Treks”
(ages 10–12) explores the world of
drama through character work, voice,
movement, improv, and basic scene
building; “Expeditions” (ages 10–14) explores all aspects of drama with a focus
on a final presentation; “Odyssey” (ages
14–18) is structured much like professional theatre rehearsals and leads to
the performance of a chosen play.
Contact Roberta Mauer Phillips
(403) 264-8575 ext. 21
[email protected]
www.questtheatre.org
PUMPHOUSE THEATRE SUMMER
DRAMA DAY CAMPS
Pumphouse Theatre,
2140 Pumphouse Ave. SW
For ages 8–14
July 3–Aug. 24
(four two-week sessions)
$300–$325
Each day of camp is divided into miniclasses covering a variety of acting
techniques, speech, movement, playwriting, and stagecraft. An emphasis
on group work helps to develop social
and life skills.
Contact Amanda Chapman
(403) 263-0079
[email protected]
www.pumphousetheatre.ca
SUMMERACT
Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts,
205–8th Ave. SE
For ages 7–17
Various dates in July and August
$195–$445
One and two-week camps offered in
July and August for young actors seven
to 17. Courses include: “Musical Theatre,” “Radio Drama,” “Filmmaking,”
“Performative Art,” and so much more!
Contact Aviva Fleising
(403) 294-7455 ext. 1075
afl[email protected]
www.epcorcentre.org
THE DOWNRIGHT CANADIAN
THEATRE COMPANY
The Station 53 North Railway St.,
Okotoks (Camps 1 & 2); The Bonivista
Baptist Church 1507 Acadia Dr. SE,
Calgary (Camp 3)
For ages 8–15
July 23–Aug. 17 (three five-day sessions)
$160
Kids of all levels of experience will enjoy
this exploration into the fascinating
world of theatre special effects. Campers will also play drama games, do
improv, and create a work in progress to
be presented on the final day of camp.
Contact Nicole Gomez
(403) 389-3002
[email protected]
www.dctc.ca
SHAKESPEARE INTENSIVE FOR
TEENS
Mount Royal College
For ages 15–18
July 16–21 & 23–28
$300 per week
Join 2007 Shakespeare in the Park
company members Valerie Ann Pearson
and Heather Lea MacCallum for a
one-week summer intensive training
workshop. The week will be packed
with text exploration, vocal preparation, and physical training all focused
on Shakespeare’s magical works, with
a Grand Finale Showcase at MRC’s
outdoor TransCanada Amphitheatre.
Contact the Conservatory office
(403) 440-6821
www.mtroyal.ca./sitp
THE ART OF PEACE CAMP
134 Scarboro Ave. SW
For ages 9–13
July 9–13 (9am to noon)
$50 per child
Through stories, songs, drama, improv,
role play, and art we provide a chance for
kids to explore their ideas for peace with
nature, families and friends, the world!
Contact Carolyn Pogue
(403) 228-1791
[email protected]
www.carolynpogue.ca
CHINOOK STUDIO SUMMER DAY
CAMPS
3522–19th St. SW
For ages 5–14
July 3–6 & July 9–13
$121–$164
Try new instruments and meet new
friends while developing your existing
musical skills in a fun-filled setting. Activities include: Guitar, Musical Theatre,
Percussion, Karaoke and more!
Contact Carrie Kalmykov
(403) 246-8446
[email protected]
www.chinookstudio.com
SCHOOL OF DECIDEDLY JAZZ—
SUMMER DANCE CAMPS
1514–4th St. SW
For ages 5–18
Weeklong dance camps in July &
August
$110–$250
DJD summer dance camps are designed
to instill a love of dance. Students
experience various dance styles and
acquire skills in jazz, West African, tap,
and funk/hip hop, as well as elements
of ballet, modern, and yoga.
Contact Jennica Willis
(403) 228-8177
[email protected]
www.decidedlyjazz.com
WILDFLOWER ARTS CENTRE
3363 Spruce Dr. SW
For ages 5–12
July 3–Aug. 31 (four different camps)
$84–$193
Four camps: Preschool Dance/Drama
(ages 5-6): “Performing Arts Combo”
or “Dance, Rhythm and Sound,”
Arts Venture Daycamps (ages 6-12),
Preschool Drama/Art (ages 4-5): “Lions
and Tigers and Bears Am I,” and
Children’s Drama Camps (ages 6-12):
“Improvisation,” “Puppetry,” or “Physical Theatre.” Whether it’s expressing
yourself on stage, building imagination,
or doing two and three dimensional art
activities—Wildflower’s got something
for you!
Contact Kendra McAllister
(403) 249-3773
[email protected]
www.calgary.ca/arts
CREATIVE KIDS MUSEUM
TELUS World of Science
For toddlers to young teens
Children and youth $12, adults (18+)
$15, family pass $49
The Creative Kids Museum provides a
space for toddlers to young teens and
their families to have a positive artistic
experience where hands-on discovery
enhances creativity and learning. With
summer camps, art displays, performances, and workshops, there’s always
something new and interactive at the
Creative Kids Museum.
(403) 268-8300
www.creativekidsmuseum.com
STORYBOOK THEATRE DRAMA
CAMPS
Limited Availability
Community Arts Centre,
2633 Hochwald Ave. SW
For ages 6–17
July 3–Aug. 17 (various two-week camps)
Junior $325, Senior $425
Come along for the journey and
explore “Mystery and Magic” with
StoryBook Theatre’s summer Drama
Camps! Camps include: “Elves, Fairies,
Gnomes,” “Who Dunit?,” “Where the
Wild Things Are,” and “Shakespeare.”
Contact Burton Harker/David Wolanski
(403) 216-0808
[email protected]
www.storybooktheatre.org
A L B E R TA
ARTSTREK
Red Deer College
For ages 13–15 (Exploration I) and
16–18 (Exploration II)
July 8–14, July 15–22
$450–$485
Theatre Alberta presents Artstrek 2007:
a residential summer theatre program
that has been running in Alberta for
nearly 50 years. Over the course of
the week students will explore acting,
voice, movement, sound/music, creation, design, and directing. This year’s
curriculum will focus on the Canadian
classic Who Has Seen the Wind.
Contact Erin McDougall
1-888-422-8160 or (780) 422-8162
[email protected]
www.theatrealberta.com
RED DEER COLLEGE TEEN ARTS
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Red Deer College
For ages 10–18 (various camps)
July 1–Aug. 17 (various camps)
$200–$749 (depending on program)
Camps include “Teen Video Intensive,”
“MusiCamp Alberta,” “Adventures
in Summer Music,” and “Summerscapes.” Whether you’re leaning how
to produce, direct, shoot, write, act,
and edit your own short movies; taking
part in a hands-on art experience for
teens; or playing in specialized music
workshops—Red Deer College has
something for you!
Contact Joyce Howdle
(403) 342-3526
[email protected]
www.rdc.ab.ca/continuingeducation/summercamps
TREE HOUSE YOUTH THEATRE
Red Deer
For ages 11–17
July 30–Aug. 24
$300
Join us for an exciting summer of
character development, voice, and
movement clinics as Tree House Youth
Theatre of Red Deer prepares its performance of the classic musical Fiddler
on the Roof.
Contact Rhonda Brown
(403) 342-6883
[email protected]
EMPRESS THEATRE SUMMER
DRAMA CAMPS
The Empress Theatre, Fort Macleod
For ages 8–18 (regular camp) and
6–10 (junior camp)
July 16–20 or Aug. 13–17 (regular
camp), July 30–Aug. 3 (junior camp)
$75 per student
The Empress Theatre Drama Camps
teach students the fundamentals of
acting, movement, improvisation, musical theatre, and culminates in a student
created performance at the Empress
Theatre’s Vaudeville nights.
Contact Stephen Delano
1-800-540-9229 ext. 201
[email protected]
www.empresstheatre.ab.ca
CARRIAGE HOUSE THEATRE
SUMMER ACADEMY
Carriage House Theatre, Cardston
For ages 6–12
Sessions throughout the month of July
$99
A theatrical experience while building
skills in acting, movement, and voice
that stresses creativity, self-confidence,
and teamwork by being part of a real
theatre experience!
Contact Alonna Leavitt
(403) 653-1000 ext.4
[email protected]
www.thecarriagehousetheatre.com
ROSEBUD SCOUT WEEK
Rosebud School of the Arts, Rosebud
For High School graduates and adults
June by appointment, July 10–14,
August 7–11
$100
Discover Rosebud Alberta: take acting
workshops, see Rosebud Theatre’s
spectacular summer shows, work in the
dining room, soak up the scenery and
more. All meals and accommodations
included.
Contact Nathan Schmidt
(403) 677-2350, recruitment@rosebud
schoolofthearts.com
www.rosebudschoolofthearts.com
CANADIAN BADLANDS SUMMER
SCHOOL
Drumheller
For ages 14–18
June 29–July 21
$375 + Room/Board $500 = $875
Develop performance skills, physical
self-awareness, stage presence, and
auditioning skills; earn high school
credits (Performing Arts 15, 25, 35);
learn from arts professionals and
educators; and act in the Canadian
Badlands Passion Play!
Contact Terry Schlinker
(403) 821-0521
[email protected]
www.cbsummerschool.com
theatre alberta news
13.
BY CLEM MARTINI.
DRY MARTINI
who needs the playwright anyway?
J
ust when you thought it was safe to go to the theatre, someone says something bone-headed.
That happened to me the other day. Well, to be honest, it wasn’t at the theatre exactly. It was at
a talk about the theatre. Brad Fraser was delivering an address about what ails contemporary
theatre in Canada… and you know how it is when you attend these kinds of events. People wait
until after the talk is over to say things that they mean to be provocative. Sure enough, at one
point, an individual stood and asked: “Is the playwright necessary in the theatre anymore?”
So, is the playwright necessary?
I suppose the first response must be, no, of
course not. After all, what is necessary? Let’s
begin by confessing that in the great scheme
of things, we are all unnecessary. After all,
what is essential? Not playwrights. Not plays.
Not theatre. Not anything, really. A man or
woman can be dropped into the howling
wilderness and survive with nothing more
than their own naked self, a match to start a
fire, a rock implement to chip him or herself
a devilishly sharp microblade of the sort that
I’ve seen fashioned so handily on the history
channel, and a cell phone to order pizza.
What is truly essential? Nothing. Nothing is
essential. As contemporary philosopher Kerry
Livgren of the rock band Kansas put it so
eloquently in his visionary song of the same
name, “All we are is dust in the wind.”
But if we are to live in cities, and not the
howling wilderness, and if we are to have
theatre, then there may be a few things to
consider before we begin packing up the
playwrights and placing them in the attic with
all the other toys that the theatre won’t be
needing anymore now that it’s all grown up.
Here are three reasons to resist jettisoning the playwright just yet:
1
Because story represents the bedrock
of theatre and playwrights have
traditionally been the group best
prepared to generate stories. It is, after
all, what playwrights concern themselves
with, and what their temperament and
training best suit them to examine.
It’s not that stories can’t be created in
another manner. It’s just that if much
of the power and effectiveness of story
derives from specificity, unity of vision,
and clarity of a particular voice and
point of view—all these things are easier
14.
TA MEMBER
summer 2007
2
to achieve through the efforts of one
individual than through the consensus
of a committee.
Because story is complicated and people
often don’t get how it functions exactly,
or just how vital it is. As a result, story
itself has been taking a bit of a kicking
from people who ought to know better.
Some folks believe that the whole notion
of story is a gimmick, or a bunch of
artificial rules, or an arcane tradition
that one can simply do away with, the
way that those in charge of the fashion
industry simply do away with things
like bushy side burns or muttonchops
(which both, curiously, appear to be
making a bit of comeback. Now they
truly could be done away with). But,
let’s be clear about this: story is more
than a passing fancy or custom. It is a
universal need. It is something humans
come into this world equipped to receive
and deliver. It is one of the first things
children ask for and it is one of the first
things they become adept at analyzing.
In the theatre, there are other things that
will entertain. Spectacle will entertain.
Displays of skill will entertain. The
circus provides both very well. The
audience is awed by the fire eater and
the aerialists, and impressed by the
acrobats and lion tamers, without much
story ever informing any of these events.
But stories do more than entertain.
Stories equip us. Stories in small form
are utilized by humans every day to
contextualize their everyday concerns
(“Guess what happened at work today?
The foreman asked me to operate a new
machine. I told him I don’t have the
training…”). Stories in large form help
us understand the world, and society,
and the culture we struggle to shape.
Theatre is the laboratory ideally suited
to present and examine those stories.
And when the luster of spectacle fades
and has been forgotten, a good story will
still be related generations later. Nobody
recollects or retells the events of the
Roman circus, but the plays written for
the Roman theatre still hold the power
to enthrall.
3
Because there is an urgent need to
revitalize our contemporary theatre,
crack open the shell of tired convention,
and shake things up—and one of the
reasons that stories and playwrights
have come under attack in recent times
is because the world presented on our
stages sometimes seems so very small
and non-inclusive. Where are the
strong female protagonists, some ask?
Good question. Where are the stories
of the contemporary underclass—or
any class but the middle class? Another
good question. Where are the stories
representing the First Nations? The
stories of those who have immigrated
to this country? These stories have
difficulty finding their way to the stage
not because there aren’t people willing
to write them, but because there aren’t
sufficient theatres with the courage to
produce them.
This doesn’t deny the need for
playwrights—it argues the opposite.
There is a greater need for a wider variety
of plays. There is a greater need to listen
to, and make welcome playwrights from
diverse backgrounds.
So, does the theatre need the playwright
anymore? Well yes, it does, as a matter of
fact. Now more than ever.
An award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and novelist,
Clem Martini is a three time winner of the Alberta Writer’s
Guild Drama Prize (Nobody of Consequence, Illegal
Entry, and A Three Martini Lunch), a Governor General Drama Nominee for his anthology A Three Martini
Lunch, and is the current president of the Playwrights
Guild of Canada. His trilogy of novels, The Crow Chronicles, has been distributed world wide, and translated into
Dutch, German, Swedish, and Japanese. An Associate
Professor of Drama at the University of Calgary, Clem lives
in Calgary with his wife and two daughters.
NEWS FROM ALBERTA’S DRAMA FESTIVALS
ALBERTA HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA FESTIVAL
ASSOCIATION: A GATEWAY TO GOOD STUFF!
years past and see that cycle of passion for the
arts continue.
ALBERTA DRAMA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION
ORIGINAL SCRIPT FLOURISH!
Provincial Festival (aka AHSDFA) continues to
be an amazing place to learn and grow for
high school students in the world of theatre.
Students from all corners of Alberta head up
and down the QE II to get their set, costumes,
cast, and crew to the Red Deer College Arts
Centre to showcase their play for the masses.
The facility is second to none and the people
that work with our students are top notch as
well. It is extraordinary to have these students
work alongside former festival participants of
The sets have been struck, the stage has been
swept, and we have all had our final hug goodbye until next year. A big BRAVO goes out to
the zones within Alberta that continue to grow
and thrive under the constraints of budget cuts
and curricular demands.
Alberta has had a busy festival season, as six of
the nine zones across the province held regional
festivals between February and April. A grand
total of 38 plays were represented at these
festivals, 16 of which were original scripts! Four
of the original scripts won an opportunity to
be performed at the provincial festival in High
River. These excellent statistics attest to the vast
amount of theatrical talent Alberta has to offer
and ADFA is the perfect vehicle to present these
plays and performers. ADFA . . . Get Into The Act!
Next year brings a new festival and new positions in our executive. Some executive members
and I are taking a step away from our positions
to make room for new people and fresh ideas. I
would like to thank the AHSDFA members that
have made my four year stay as
president a creative and fantastic
experience.
PHOTOGRAPH BY UWE WELZ
See you all at Provincials 2008—
May 8, 9, & 10!
Trina Penner, AHSDFA President
www.provincialfestival.com
Steve McHugh, ADFA President
www.adfa.ca
The 2007 AHSDFA Provincial Festival took
place May 10–12 at the Red Deer College Arts
Centre. The 2007 ADFA Provincial Festival was
hosted by Windmill Theatre Players and took
place May 11 & 12 at the Highwood Memorial
Centre in High River. Check out our Fall 2007
Newsletter for a full report on both these exciting festivals!
CLARE FILIPOW AND ALEX BRAMM FROM STRATHCONA
HIGH SCHOOL IN LOUIS E. CATRON’S WHERE HAVE ALL
THE LIGHTNING BUGS GONE?
theatre alberta news
15.
theatre alberta
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