In Conversation with: Erin Shields
What inspires you as a playwright? Where does your motivation come from? I’m inspired by what’s around me – people, stories, news, politics, art, my family. I also take great inspiration from other works of literature and art. I love to interact with other texts – usually older texts – working to figure out how [...]
How to survive a 24-hour playwriting contest
Writing a play in 24 hours sounds like an impossible task that would appeal to only a few people. Yet this year we had as many people on the waiting list as taking part in the contest itself. Why would any one do it? How do you get through the process? Is it really worth [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: David Savoy
David Savoy is beginning his third season as Artistic Director of Sudbury Theatre Centre (STC). Previously he was the AD of Showboat Festival Theatre in Port Colborne, ON, and the St. Lawrence Stage Company in Brockville, ON. He was at the Shaw Festival for three seasons, as an Intern Director, Assistant Director, and Director. He [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Trevor Copp
Trevor Copp is the Artistic Director of Tottering Biped Theatre in Burlington, ON. Now in its 3rd season, Tottering Bipeds focuses on social issues — national and international, Canadian/original, and physical theatre. It’s contemporary work in a conservative suburb and it’s growing fast. What do you look for in a script? Work that is conscious [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Bob White
Bob White has been active as a dramaturg and director in the Canadian theatre for almost forty years. Based in Calgary, he curated the Enbridge playRites Festival at Alberta Theatre Projects for 22 years. Previously, he was artistic director at Factory Theatre in Toronto and Playwrights Workshop Montreal. He is currently Consulting Director, New Plays [...]
Evan Tsitsias on Aftershock
Pat the Dog Playwright Centre speaks with playwright Evan Tsitsias about his recent production, Aftershock. Evan says: Aftershock was originally written in 2009 as part of Pat the Dog’s 24 hour Playwriting Contest with the IMPACT festival. It placed 3rd. I then worked with Lisa O’Connell on developing the script with the hopes of entering [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Douglas Beattie
Best known as director and producer of the Wingfield series of solo comedies written by Dan Needles, performed by Rod Beattie, Douglas Beattie writes here as founding and current Artistic Director of Touchmark Theatre in Guelph. What do you look for in a script? For Touchmark I look for a well-crafted dramatic action and characters [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Daryl Cloran
Daryl Cloran is the founder and Artistic Director of Theatrefront, a Toronto-based independent theatre company. His work as a director at Theatrefront has earned him numerous Dora Award nominations. Recent directing credits also include: And All For Love (National Arts Centre), Generous (Tarragon), Afterplay (Shaw Festival), The Last Five Years (CanStage and MTC), This is [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Ken Cameron
Ken Cameron is the Artistic Director of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival, a national festival showcasing exceptional new Canadian work, co-presented with the National Arts Centre. Also a playwright, Ken is the author of Harvest, My Morocco and My One And Only. All three plays will be published by Newest Press in 2010. What do [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Majdi Bou-Matar
Majdi Bou-Matar is the Artistic Director and founder of MT Space (The Multicultural Theatre Space) as well as the Artistic Director of the IMPACT, an international biennial theatre festival, hosted by the MT Space. A theatre director and performer, Bou-Matar immigrated to Canada from Lebanon in 2003 and focuses on Canadian intercultural theatre. An active [...]
Artistic Director Q&A: Dominik Loncar
Dominik Loncar is the Artistic Director of the InspiraTO Festival, Toronto’s annual ten-minute play festival held in June (now in its 5th year). He has produced 45 ten-minute plays to date, as well as, directed and written numerous ten-minute plays. This past season he directed Michael Kimball’s Say No More (2nd prize People’s Choice Award). [...]
Profile: Vern Thiessen
Vern Thiessen is one of Canada’s most produced playwrights. He has written for stage, radio and television. Thiessen received is BA from the University of Winnipeg and an MFA from the University of Alberta. He has served as Playwright in Residence at Workshop West Theatre (where he founded the Playwrights Garage program), and the Citadel [...]
