Category: Arts News

Vox Théâtre remporte le prix annuel du CRCCF

Vox Théâtre remporte le prix annuel du CRCCF

Posté par Alvina Ruprecht, pour Pier Rodier, Marie-Thé Morin, et Joël Beddows

Ottawa, le 13 juin 2023 — Le 8 juin dernier, c’est avec beaucoup d’émotion et de reconnaissance que Pier Rodier et Marie-Thé Morin, membres fondateurs de VOX Théâtre, ont accepté le prix annuel du Centre de recherche sur les francophonies canadiennes (CRCCF) remis par la directrice Lucie Hotte dans le cadre du colloque « Traces des arts vivants au Québec et au Canada français ».
Le Prix du CRCCF reconnaît les mérites et l’excellence de chercheurs ou d’artistes exceptionnels dont les travaux portent sur le Canada français ou l’Ontario français dans les diverses disciplines du Centre. Il souligne également l’admiration et la reconnaissance de leurs pairs pour leur travail ou leur implication particulière.
Tout en mentionnant l’engagement politique de Pier Rodier et Marie-Thé Morin, notamment dans les dossiers de l’Hôpital Montfort et de La Nouvelle Scène, Joël Beddows affirme aussi dans son texte d’hommage :
«  (…) leurs spectacles sont toujours un mariage entre la réflexion politique et un ludisme affiché, ce qui explique sûrement l’importance de la pensée brechtienne comme clé à la compréhension de leurs créations.
Les artistes phares de cette compagnie ont toujours habité et investi les marges, et ont fait figure d’éclaireurs. Si l’institution théâtrale franco-ontarienne a souvent souligné les contributions et l’originalité des dramaturges masculins, elle a peu souligné les contributions des femmes dans le domaine de l’écriture. Marie-Thé Morin a servi de modèle et de source d’inspiration pour toute une génération de dramaturges. (…)

Quant à Pier Rodier, nul ne peut douter qu’il est le principal responsable de l’émergence du théâtre pour les tout-petits en Ontario français, un domaine dans lequel il s’est rapidement affirmé comme l’un des créateurs les plus importants du Canada, toutes langues confondues. En témoignent les accolades bien méritées pour les créations Mots de jeuxde Sarah Migneron (…) et Mokatek de Dave Jenniss (…). “It is impossible to talk about theatre for children under 6 in this country without talking about Vox and Pier Rodier”, m’a confié Lynda Hill, directrice artistique (du WeeFestival Toronto).
(…) la Compagnie Vox Théâtre, Pier Rodier et Marie-Thé Morin sont les preuves qu’il est possible de cheminer dans la durée sans jamais quitter l’Ontario français, sans jamais compromettre sa démarche artistique. Les Japonais attribuent le titre de “trésor national vivant” à leurs plus grands artistes et artisans de la scène. Je ne crois pas qu’il serait exagéré d’affirmer que Pier et Marie-Thé peuvent désormais porter ce même titre. »
De leur côté, Pier Rodier et Marie-Thé Morin souhaitent remercier sincèrement toutes les personnes — artistes et membres du conseil d’administration et du personnel — qui ont, au fil des ans, contribué à façonner la pertinence et l’importance de VOX Théâtre au sein du milieu théâtral franco-canadien.

– 30 –

Lucie Hotte, professeure titulaire au Département de français et directrice du Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française de l’Université d’Ottawa, Pier Rodier, cofondateur et directeur artistique et général de VOX Théâtre, Marie-Thé Morin, cofondatrice et artiste associée de Vox Théâtre, Louise Frappier, professeure agrégée, Faculté des arts, Théâtre, Université d’Ottawa
Crédit photo – Manon Doran

Ola Dada: interview with the award-winning Canadian stand-up comic

Ola Dada: interview with the award-winning Canadian stand-up comic

Ola Dada

Is stand-up comedy a form of theatre?.Some would say no, but I would beg to differ especially in the light of the work of Ola Dada,  one of the newest and most talented stand-up comedians who comes out of Fort McMurray by way of Nigeria.   I  have just seen a performance by Ola at the Absolute Comedy Club in Ottawa  where he had the audience howling with laughter and the actor was good enough to grant me this  interview the morning after his opening show.

A.R.  Your   talents are so diverse that it is difficult to define the nature of this special sort of “stand-up” but what emerges is both the way you  deconstruct ideas that appear unacceptable  and the way you  show your  great gifts as an actor. You not only speak beautifully but  you also use your whole body  on stage including your facial expressions. and even your eyes. You change your style of speech at the drop of  a hat. As well, when something strikes you as problematic  you unexpectedly  stop what you are saying   and suddenly laugh at the audience . You break the tension by changing  the tone and style of your speech with a huge smile. You are  a perfect  verbal and corporeal mimic and consequently, you are clearly an excellent actor!  It is quite amazing.  How is it that you perform this  way? Is it something you picked up naturally or was it a technique  you were taught?

O.D. Actually I speak very quickly and I can tell that if people are laughing very hard. they will not hear my response so to break the rhythm , I breathe for a second and that moment of change is as much for myself as for the audience. It comes down to creating a space  for people in the audience to reset their  reactions. Sometimes I stop completely if I have made a very funny joke.   These jokes are quite loose but when I’m on stage I could very well come up with a new line as opposed to the one I had already prepared.  That  depends very much on the audience reaction. Sometimes if it works very well I will expand on the joke or if it is not closely related to the punch line I don’t expand  anything but  just keep my lines moving.  The audience neither knows what is coming nor what is supposed to be a big laugh so I have to change the script based on their spontaneous reaction to the joke. That is how I gage my interaction with them….it is actually a little dance that we do. I know I don’t always talk about things related to the experiences of a lot of people but what I try to do is to describe the event  and then bring the audience into it.

A.R.   Do you improvise a lot on stage

O.D. All the time. I don’t have a script but I have a set list of jokes that I intend to  go through but within the jokes are set up in such a way that the “punch line” is at the end  but when I enter that joke I haven’t completely memorized the way of saying it. What I do is try to get to the next joke with as few  words as possible.  The thing is to keep the audience engaged. That makes it possible for a person to watch the show one night and then return the next night and laugh at different parts of the same joke because that content always seems to be changing.

A.R. I like the way you seem  to be speaking very seriously and suddenly you stop, change the tone;  then you  laugh, look at the audience  and say something that is ridiculous  and the audience howls. If  you connect  with the spectators is it based both on what you say or on your physical reaction and your mime? I had the impression it was based on everything given the fact that you are not just a stand up comic but you are a real actor and a very good one.  For example all that business about pigeons was so funny.

O.D.  Pigeons are scary!

A.R.  What is scary about pigeons?

O.D.  The eyes! They terrify you .  But mainly they poo on your head!  There are a lot more pigeons  in Toronto than there are in Vancouver, because people feed them in Toronto.  It was very concerning for us. Pigeons there seem to be so comfortable with human beings.  I had never seen that before, honestly. There was a regular guy  sitting on a bench talking on the phone and a pigeon sat right beside him for such a long time and the fellow wasn’t even feeding it. The pigeon  just watched him talking and I asked myself…What is happening here?

A.R. Your talent for mime was revealed at that point because when you explained how you didn’t like pigeons. You started twitching your head back and forth like a pigeon, in fact you became a pigeon.  It was absolutely fantastic. You are almost as good as Marcel Marceau!  did you study mime?

O.D. No. Its just that in terms of stand up comedy, the people (or animals) I watch have to provide a visual description in terms of how they express themselves and what they do. It is also necessary to do that to get  to the next level of  stand-up  because the people who decide feel it is important for the audience to see what you are talking  about and that way it is easier for the spectators to laugh so  I try to become  the character (whether its my mom, my father my manager, a pigeon or a horse).

A.R.  I gather audiences are different  in each of the cities  where you have performed:  Vancouver, Fort McMurray, Toronto and Ottawa. If so  what are the differences?

O.D  I found that people are more relaxed  in Vancouver and  they  laugh differently.   There I get the feeling that  they aren’t  sure they should laugh at different stuff but I do understand when people are enjoying themselves  when they smile or cover their face. Its because the culture is different in each city. In Toronto people give  big loud laughs to represent their expressive personalities. Las night in Ottawa people gave a whole body laught!.

A.R.  Chris Timms, the host of the evening, also a very professional comic delivered his speeches in a very  definite rhythm  so what he said almost sounded like poetry and your work has a lot of that quality. You maintain a rhythm even when you are interrupted by the physical or vocal reactions, sudden  spurts of loudness or swearing but the rhythm was almost hypnotic and quite extraordinary.

O.D You have a good ear because a lot of people who come to stand up don’t catch that.  The rhythm is like the timing up to the punch line. If you watch a stand-up comic you can tell where the joke is going and when the  punch-line is about to hit  and you obviously caught that yesterday.

A.R. Is there anything else you would like to say about the way you work?

O.D   Oh man! I listen a lot to my jokes. Usually I  record them and listen to them afterwards because  writing down my jokes slows down the creative process as opposed to recording them and then adding  verbally what I want to do.  I will watch the film (also recorded),  listen to the joke  change it and record it again and listen to it again. so I have the new version immediately  without rewriting it.

A.R.You do that at home after the show.

O.D. Yeah!  And sometimes watching these recordings I do realize where I should pause or what I should emphasize.  For example, the joke about going into a public  sauna naked with your friends.  When you start the show you want to get the first laughs as quickly as possible.  And when I make fun of a place it isn’t in a malicious way. For example. when I spoke of Saskatoon ….I try to find a factual issue  with which no one can disagree.  I said  Saskatoon is flat whereas Fort McMurray is cold.  A lot of times people will  say “so you hate fort McMurray?”  and I answer “no I hate the cold”…which  doesn’t upset anyone.

Actually I love stand-up comedy. It’s a very versatile kind of performance that can be represented in any shape or form. And even though I think I have learned everything about it I watch someone do something  I haven’t seen before I learn new things.

When you start with stand-up you do 5 minutes,  then a strong 5 minutes, then 1 0 minutes , then a strong 10 minutes,  then a strong 20 minutes but the leap from 20 to 45 minutes is big leap..You might even perform those 20 minutes for a couple of years before you graduate to 45.   I finally had enough contact with the audience for a  45 minute set but I did not have the rhythm nor the pacing . Also when people are sitting down listening to stand-up and laughing for 20 minutes or more, they get tired so I had to learn to slow down because if I came in and immediately  started pushing one joke after another, you can end up talking through the laughs and one has to learn to pace the jokes so as not to “step on the laughs “ as they say but you have to learn to slow down  and then speed up  and then slow down and continue changing like that so the people are given time to laugh. It all concerns ones sense of rhythm and the fact that the comic keeps  the energy in the room alive.

A.R. Your ear is very good, you have the ear of a musician orchestrating  your voice.

O.D  Yes,  because you have to listen to the type off laugh  that includes the energy and the mood  of the audience. Finally tell what was your favorite joke?

A.R. I liked  the way you portrayed your parents when they expressed their concern about your becoming a stand-up comic. They spoke english with a Nigerian accent and your father had a low gruff voice.

O.D. My dad’s voice is much deeper than mine.

A.R   But you brought yours down.  and then I also liked the performance of the friend of yours “Mista Dray”.He obviously didn’t have the same amount of experience you had  but he showed a lot of promise.

O.D.  He drove three hours from Oshawa just to be with us last night. He has worked in Toronto and in Ottawa and will soon be performing as I am.

A.R. Thank-you so much for  this interview  and   we hope you return soon to Ottawa,  perhaps performing on the larger stage of a legitimate theatre like the GCTC  or  the Gladstone.

,

Théâtre Vollard : Une compagnie théâtrale fondée par Emmanuel Genvrin à l’île de la Réunion

Théâtre Vollard : Une compagnie théâtrale fondée par Emmanuel Genvrin à l’île de la Réunion

Pour ceux qui s’intéressent à l’activité théâtrale de la France d’outre-mer, cette immense étude de trois tomes  et plus de mille cinq cent  pages* serait une excellente introduction.  Cette œuvre s’inscrit dans un rapport très personnel avec la matière puisqu’Emmanuel Genvrin fut celui qui a créa la compagnie Vollard, orienté son évolution et enrichi ses texte par sa connaissance des mythes et de la culture populaire de la région. Il faut ajouter que cette histoire est aussi celle de sa propre vie, celle de son amitié avec les artistes: comédiens, musiciens, danseurs auteurs dramatiques, poètes, historiens, linguistes, scénographes et compositeurs,

En guise d’introduction, Emmanuel renvoie à un essai  important de Maria Clara Pellegrini (Tome 1, p.17-31) où cette professeure  et historienne du théâtre donne des pistes sur le travail de la compagnie. Selon Mme Pellegrini, la Réunion n’a ni réussi à engager une réflexion critique sur la période coloniale ni constitué une identité nationale. En 1979, époque de la création de la troupe, l’île n’était pas encore affranchie de l’hégémonie de la culture française, ni du malaise qui frappait les historiens lorsqu’il s’agissait de parler de colonisation et d’esclavage . Le travail du théâtre Vollard constitua à corriger cette “aphasie historique”.

Mme Pellegrini renvoie à d’autres lieux et à d’autres auteurs, aux Antilles et en Afrique (tels Aimé Césaire en Martinique ou Léopold Sédar Senghor au Sénégal) qui se sont exprimés contre l’esclavage et les malheurs de la colonisation. Il est vrai que l’esclavage apparaissait comme un sujet de moindre importance dans l’histoire de l’océan Indien en comparaison de celle des colonies caribéennes  de la France.  Une anomalie corrigée  par Emmanuel Genvrin avec ses pièces Marie Dessembre et Etuves et L’Esclavage des Nègres explorant les rapports entre maîtres et esclaves. La question, coloniale et contemporaine, de l’émigration entre les Dom-Tom et la métropole est évoquée dans Nina Ségamour, Colandie  ou Séga Tremblad.

Pour ce qui est de l’attitude critique et provocatrice  de son fondateur, elle était mise en évidence par le fait qu’il donna le nom de Vollard à sa troupe de théâtre.  Ambroise  Vollard , né à la Réunion, fut un marchand de tableaux jouissant d’une excellente  réputation parmi les artistes de toute l’Europe et au-delà. Ce qui attirait l’attention de Genvrin fut sans doute la proximité  entre  A. Vollard et Alfred Jarry, le créateur du d’Ubu, pièce qui se distingua dans le théâtre français en tant que parodie de Macbeth de Shakespeare, tandis qu’Ambroise Vollard reprenait le personnage dans l’Almanach du XXè siècle puis dans des piécettes  en 1914-1920 en se moquant des traditions  de son pays d’origine. Genvrin reprit le personnage  dans Votez Ubu Colonial  pour exprimer son propre regard sur La Réunion et la politique insulaire.

Lors d’un séjour dans cette île, j’ai fait la connaissance de l’auteur  qui m’a offert un grand nombre de ses  livres  alors que, en conflit avec les autorités, il était menacé de fermer son théâtre.  Parmi eux, le fameux Votez Ubu Colonial en livre de poche (le Tome III, p. 8-133 analyse le livre en détail). L’ouvrage est intéressant puisqu’il résume  les œuvres créées par la troupe jusqu’en 1994, date de la création de la pièce. Il reproduit également les dessins d’un artiste local, Serge Huo-Chao-Si, – dont le style  rappelle celui de Pierre Bonnard – qui illustra l’édition des UbuVotez Ubu Colonial, de Genvrin, reproduisait aussi des partitions de musique de Jean-Luc Trulès, bien avant celles des opéras que lui même et son collègue  compositeur allaient produire quelques années plus tard.  La contribution de Trulès  s’avérait majeure parce qu’ajoutant une grande variété de formes musicales dont les sources européennes et indo-océaniques correspondaient à la philosophie artistique de son ami Genvrin. Le résultat était une vision tout à fait unique et très différent de ce qui se produisait auparavant dans la région.

Ambroise Vollard […] que Genvrin s’était permis de faire revivre à travers le  personnage d’Ubu créé par Alfred Jarry […] est le dénominateur commun.[…] Jarry donna son nom à ce fantoche en le portant à la scène en 1896. Pour certains, il s’agit d’une image prophétiquement vraie , annonciatrice de futures monstres  nés à  partir de la guerre de 1914  (Votez Ubu Colonial, p.1)

Dans le même  livre, Genvrin présente une préface rédigée par Agnés Antoir, historienne, professeure et présidente  de l’Association Théâtre Vollard. Le texte saisit l’importance de la musique du compositeur Jean-Luc Trulès qui a magnifié les productions de la compagnie et  séduit non seulement le public local mais aussi les habitants de Madagascar, de l’Ile Maurice, ou de la Métropole.

La préface et la postface étaient suivies d’un glossaire pour aider les lecteurs à  comprendre des expressions  créoles argotiques.

Voici une sélection:

Argent braguette      =    allocations familiale

Cafre                           =     noir

Dodu                           =    prison réunionnaise

Faire tantane             =     ne rien faire, fainéanter

Gros zozo                    =     riche, puissant

La dit-la fait                 =    commérage

Maîtresse  poulet      =     métropole

Jamaïque                     =    célèbre  décharge public

Madame Gaspard      =   Madagascar

Sarda                              =  libérateur d’esclaves

Zamal                              =  marijuana

Zoreil                              =  metropolitain

Cette préface résume  les premières quinze années  de la troupe et les moments les plus importants  de  son évolution.   Elles sont suivies du texte intégral et d’autres tirés des œuvres d’Alfred Jarry dans une version publiée en 1962.  Ainsi, les curieux peuvent  faire la comparaison entre les deux textes : la version de Jarry  dénonçant les exactions des dictateurs  européens, et la version de Genvrin  s’en prenant  ironiquement aux  groupes nationalistes  et  racistes opposés à la  décolonisation. (les conflit entre l’OAS et les Algériens dans les années 1960 en lutte pour leur indépendance  serait un rapprochement  à la faire).

Par ailleurs, le “Véritable  portrait de Monsieur Ubu”, dessiné probablement par Jarry lui-même, évoquait  une figue à peine humaine avec une tête pointue et un énorme ventre, à la fois ridicule et effrayant.  En revanche, l’Ubu d’Emmanuel Genvrin dessiné par Serge-Huo-Chao-Si et publié  en couverture  de Votez Ubu Colonial, est la caricature grotesque d’un homme noir, suggérant des dictateurs Africains comme Bocassa ou Idi Amin Dada. Votez ubu Colonial associe des événements actuels (la guerre de Yougoslavie, les massacres du Rwanda et les propres déboires de sa compagnie avec les autorités réunionnaises.

Dessin par Serge Huo-Chao-Si

Alfred Jarry est mort en 1907 à la veille de la première guerre mondiale; Ambroise Vollard est mort en 1939 à la veille de la seconde après avoir amassé une fortune en tant que vendeur de tableaux.  Genvrin n’a pas voulu rendre hommage au bourgeois mais à celui qui a repris  dans ses écrits le personnage d’Ubu en l’associant à l’île de La Réunion. Il imagina le premier un bouffon vulgaire, incarnation de l’oppression des habitants  de l’île.  Genvrin, avec  son  esprit rebelle, reprit le flambeau. La rencontre de ces deux personnalités fut parfaite.

Le texte de Genvrin se termine par une postface (p, 169-181) intitulée   “Ré-Ubu-yon , j’aime ton nom”  célébrant l’origine de la colonie en s’appuyant sur des faits historiques.

On célébrait  récemment à la Réunion un  “singulier anniversaire,”, celui du  bicentenaire du nom même de  l’Ile  qui de Bourbon devint La Réunion, par une décision de la Convention le 19  mars 1793”.  Le texte constate la contradiction entre les intentions officielles des fondateurs de la colonie, c’est-à-dire  réaliser l’utopie d’un idéal d’harmonie, de liberté et de fraternité universelle, et le fait que ces grands principes  étaient apparemment trahis par ceux qui tentaient de réduire Genvrin au silence en refusant sa vision critique de cette histoire.

Grace à  Emmanuel Genvrin, son théâtre est devenu une vaste laboratoire de recherche transculturelle et intellectuelle où de multiples  réseaux de significations ,  de sens et de pratiques s’entrecoupent  afin de divertir le spectateur et le faire réfléchir .  Genvrin a créé une vingtaine de pièces de théâtre et trois livrets d’opéra abordant les problématiques de l’histoire de l’île . Malgré la qualité de ses productions scéniques et publications, la troupe souffrit des décisions de l’administration française puisqu’à partir du moment où l’Ètat constata l’attitude critique de l’auteur à l’égard de la politique coloniale, il entreprit de ruiner son théâtre et traduire son directeur en justice.

La réponse de Genrin fut de sauver la mémoire de sa troupe. Le résultat est cette étude impressionnante reproduisant des pièces intégrales, des livrets d’opéra et des partitions destinées à siéger dans les bibliothèques. Il a ainsi contribué à prolonger le souvenir de cet extraordinaire phénomène théâtral.

· Emmanuel Genvrin,  Théâtre Vollard (TomeI 1981-87; Tome II 1988 – 1993; Tome III 194-2021). L’Harmattan , Paris, 2022

Barbara Gabriel Wins 2022 Major Nathan Cohen theatre Critics Award

Barbara Gabriel Wins 2022 Major Nathan Cohen theatre Critics Award

The Canadian Theatre Critics Association has announced the 2022 winners of the Nathan Cohen Awards for excellence in Critical Writing.

Nathan Cohen is widely regarded as Canada’s pre-eminent theatre critic and widely credited with playing a key role in raising professional standards for Canadian Theatre in the postwar era. This year’s awards were adjudicated by well-known Chicago Tribune theatre critic Chris Jones, who is also director of the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Critics institute. The highly regarded British – American critic and theatre journalist has also twice served on the drama committee for the Pulitzer Prize.

Gabriel’s prize was in the first category of outstanding achievement in a written or verbal review of a particular production or productions by a Canada-based writer. Her win  was for her review of “Cottagers and Indians“ by Drew Hayden Taylor,  entitled “Haunted History in Cottage Country.” It was first published by Capital Critics Circle  and then  re-published by  the international  The Theatre Times.

Chris Jones writes of her prize winning review:

“My winner is the review of  “Cottagers and Indians,” which I think really captures the commitment and the sardonic humour of the piece under review. I’ve long been fascinated by this kind of experimental lede that draws in readers and then makes a transition to a more traditional voice  so the piece can do  what reviews need to do. This difficult linkage is seamless in this piece and quite beautifully achieved. I’m with every word and I go  exactly where  the critic wants me to go.”

Under the direction of Gil Garratt,  the Blyth Festival theatre continues to break new ground in Canadian theatre by both revisiting  canonical Canadian plays (James Reaney’s trilogy “The Donnellys” will headline the ambitious 2023 season) and encouraging a rich diversity of voices, sensitive to a changing social and cultural national landscape. In keeping  with his reputation as an inventive latter-day trickster, Hayden Taylor’s play mines the dark comedy  of the never-ending Aboriginal tragedy  in Canada.  Directed by Dene director Deneh’Cho Thompson, its set design by Beth Kates and Anishinaabe  artist Moses Lunham extended the space visually in an iconographic rendering of the plays central dramatic tensions.

Gabriel has elected to donate her prize money to Water First Education and Training, a charity which supports Indigenous Communities in addressing critical water challenges.

The  winner for outstanding critical writing  outside the traditional review format is J.Kelly Nestruck for his essay, “Shaw vs Shaw: Why the theatre festival isn’t cancelling the anti-vaccer playwright,”published by the Globe and Mail. Jones praised the essay as both a fresh and worthwhile reading of Shaw, “an audacious idea, making a very serious point.”

Runner up in both categories was Martin Morrow, first for his review of Chekhov’s  “Uncle Vanya” and then for his essay ,  “Playwright Sharon Pollock brought Canadian stories to the stage and loved underdogs,”  both published by the Globe and Mail.   He shared the latter award  with Signy Lynch for her essay “Performing at Home in the Pandemic: Boca del Lupo’s PLays2Perform@ Home Collection,”published in the Canadian Theatre Review.

It was a bumper crop of submissions for the all-important third category of Outstanding Emerging Critic, which celebrates outstanding achievement  by a Canadian-based writer who has been practising theatre criticism for less than three years, either professionally, or in a training context. The award includes an internship at Intermission Magazine under the mentorship of Senior Editor Aisling Murphy.

The Award-winning adjudicator,  dance critic, Globe and Mail writer and author, Deirdre Kelly commented:

“There were many contenders for the top prize but Sophy Bouey’s review of Antoinette Nwandu’s  Pass Over – a filmed version of the original Steppenwolf Theatre Company – Production, won out for its concision, clarity, and contagious enthusiasm for its subject. Runners- up Shalon T. Weber Heffernan and Liam Donovan also  deserve recognition  for their use of descriptive language and multi-layered theme…”

In encouraging emerging theatre critics and through them, informed new audiences, the growing success of this category augurs  well for the future of Canadian theatre.

Readers and collaborators please note! CCC is now up and working!

Readers and collaborators please note! CCC is now up and working!

Robin Hood. Photo Dominiqe Gibbon   Xmas  Panto  2019  at the Gladstone

 

 

Terri Loretto 2019  –  Cast of Casablanca at the Gladstone
Given the problems caused by the pandemic and the extremely infectious nature  of Covide-19, we have been closed but  are now opening.  The  theatre is now under the direction of Robin Guy. We invite all theatres to keep sending  in their  publicity announcements so we can follow your developments . We also invite the public to follow the site of  the Theatre Times.com as well as  www.critical-stages.org  and the on line publications of all theatres  in Canada and abroad. Given the fact that the danger of infection still exists please wear your masques in the theatre. 

You may stay in touch by e-mail,   alvinaruprecht@hotmail.com

BLACK tHEATRE WORKSHOP joins the NAC English Theatre!!!!

BLACK tHEATRE WORKSHOP joins the NAC English Theatre!!!!

Young Yacou
Photo Christophe Reynaud de Lage

The Black Theatre Workshop is partnering with NAC English Theatre in an unprecedented new shared curation model for the national stage. NAC English Theatre has committed to the annual appointment of a co-curating company in residence, beginning in 2021-2022 with the invitation for a Black-mandated theatre organization to envision their mandate through a national lens.

As the inaugural Co-Curating Company in Residence, Black Theatre Workshop, the oldest Black theatre company in Canada, will have agency over half of English Theatre’s programming resources for the 2021-22 season. Black Theatre Workshop, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, will have the opportunity to envision its mandate of fostering and showcasing Black Canadian art and artists on a national scale.

 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIM: A THEATRE RESUSCITATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIM: A THEATRE RESUSCITATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIM: ATHEATRE RESUSCITATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19I

Denise Phillips.The Nation, Barbados

Independence in Barbados is not without its many activities in celebration. We are accustomed to the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts [NIFCA] with its plethora of artistic works in dance, music, visual art, drama, literary arts, film, photography, craft and cuisine held in the days leading up to the National Day November 30th. But with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting us here in Barbados and all theatres shuttered since early March 2020, our theatre community, impatient for stimulating work, was at last treated to Caribbean theatre’s roots of storytelling to revive our enthusiasm and provide that welcome release from the restrictions the pandemic has imposed.
So for two nights- November 29-30, 2020, Variations Theatre Company owned by Varia Williams, and its able producer Afi Farrell, embarked on an open-air affair, minimal lighting effects, and the backdrop of the Old St. Matthew’s Rectory to introduce and sustain our interest in tales of the past-ghost stories, obiyah, revenge, murder and mayhem-tales that might have been heard on door steps, under streetlights and under the watchful eyes of grandparents, the griots of the village.

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PLAYWRIGHT TARA BEAGAN WINS 2020 SIMINOVITCH PRIZE IN THEATRE

PLAYWRIGHT TARA BEAGAN WINS 2020 SIMINOVITCH PRIZE IN THEATRE

November 26, 2020 – OTTAWA (Canada) – Ntlaka’pamux playwright Tara Beagan has been named the 2020 laureate of the Siminovitch Prize, the largest and most prestigious theatre prize in Canada. Ms. Beagan will receive $75,000, and $25,000 will go to her selected protégée, Joelle Peters.

Ms. Beagan, who is based in Mohkinstis (Calgary), is proud to be Ntlaka’pamux and, through her late father’s side, of Irish ancestry. She is now Playwright In Residence at Prairie Theatre Exchange (Winnipeg). Seven of her 32 plays have been published, two of which received Dora Award nominations (one win). In 2020, her play Honour Beat won the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama.

“Every Indigenous theatre maker to this point has created this moment, just by doing the hard work of existing,” said Ms Beagan. “Young Indigenous makers, you are the culmination of all your ancestors. Hold strong, check in with the earth and sky and remember that so many are walking with you.”

The 2020 Siminovitch Prize Foundation jury of peers was comprised of Chair Vanessa Porteous (Calgary), Jessica Carmichael (Montreal), Julie McIsaac (Toronto/British Columbia), Olivier Sylvestre (Montreal) and Donald Woo (Toronto).

“Tara Beagan’s nominator, Michelle Thrush, aptly describes her as ‘a word lover and a carrier of stories,’’ said Jury Chair Vanessa Porteous. “Beagan herself sees theatre as ‘sacred work.’ During jury deliberations, there was palpable excitement in the room whenever Beagan’s work came up. It hits you in your heart and in your body. The jury identified in her writing a quality of being both sublime and unbearable. Beagan is carving out a place. No other writer on this territory proposes this kind of material for our consideration, material so rich in character, story, emotion, humour, violence, humanity, compassion, complexity, and righteous fury. Her vision is uncompromising, her voice is necessary, her trajectory embodies the deepest values of the Siminovitch Prize. This is quite simply excellent, searing, unforgettable theatre of the highest calibre.”

“My daughters and I are delighted to see the 2020 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre awarded to Tara Beagan,” said Dr. Lou Siminovitch, who celebrated his 100th birthday in May. “This Prize was created 20 years ago in part to honour my late wife Elinore, a pioneering playwright whose work focused on social justice and political repression. As a feminist who struggled to have her voice heard, I believe Elinore would have loved the bold and brave nature of Tara’s work and especially her brilliance in making voices that otherwise might not be heard resound across the stages of our nation.”

The Siminovitch Prize also recognizes the importance of mentorship to support emerging talent through the $25,000 Protégé Prize. Ms. Beagan has selected Joelle Peters, a Toronto-based Anishinaabe and Miami performer/playwright, as her protégée. Ms. Peters is currently part of the Animikiig Creator’s Unit at Native Earth Performing Arts, writing a full length coming-of-age play called Niish (mentored by Falen Johnson). She also co-wrote Frozen River with Michaela Washburn and Carrie Costello, which is set to premiere at Manitoba Theatre for Young People in the spring of 2021.

“It’s a good feeling when someone you look up to says ‘I see you and the work you’re doing, keep going,’” said Ms. Peters. “Being selected as Tara’s protégée is an incredible encouragement and I look forward to seeing where my life as a storyteller takes me next.”

The announcement took place during the Prize’s 20th anniversary, virtual ceremony on November 26, an event that drew together the Canadian theatre community and theatre lovers from across the country. The ceremony also celebrated each of the exceptional shortlisted playwrights, who included Carmen Aguirre (Vancouver), Martin Bellemare (Montreal), Karen Hines (Calgary/Toronto), and Annick Lefebvre (Montreal).

“We congratulate Tara Beagan on receiving the Siminovitch Prize in honour of her extraordinary body of work,” said NAC President and CEO Christopher Deacon. “We also recognize all of the other exceptional playwrights on the shortlist this year – Carmen Aguirre, Martin Bellemare, Karen Hines and Annick Lefebvre – all of whom represent the very best in excellence and innovation in Canadian theatre.”

ABOUT TARA BEAGAN

Tara Beagan is proud to be Ntlaka’pamux and, through her late father’s side, of Irish ancestry. She is cofounder/director of ARTICLE 11 with Andy Moro. Beagan served as Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts from Feb 2011 to Dec 2013. During her time, NEPA continued with traditional values for guidance, had an Elder in Residence, and named and moved into the Aki Studio. Beagan has been in residence at Cahoots Theatre, NEPA, the National Arts Centre and Berton House (Dawson City, Yukon). She is now Playwright In Residence at Prairie Theatre Exchange (Winnipeg). Seven of her 32 plays are published. Two plays have received Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations, Miss Julie: Sheh’mah and winning Outstanding New Play in 2005 for Thy Neighbour’s Wife. In 2018, Beagan was a finalist in the Alberta Playwrights’ Network competition. In 2020, Honour Beat won the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama. ARTICLE 11 has worked across Turtle Island, in Aotearoa, Australia and Scotland, and is grateful to be based in Mohkintsis (Calgary, AB)

 

ABOUT JOELLE PETERS

 

Joelle Peters is a Toronto-based Anishinaabe & Miami performer/playwright. She is from Walpole Island First Nation, Bkejwanong Territory in Southwestern Ontario and moved to Toronto to study Acting for Camera and Voice at Seneca College. Joelle loves the stage and screen and would like to continue living in both worlds. Joelle has performed across Canada at festivals and theatres such as Western Canada Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Factory Theatre, Summerworks Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille, and has toured across ON and BC. Joelle loves exploring new works and ways to engage with storytelling and is developing an interest in directing and dramaturgy. Currently, she is part of the Animikiig Creator’s Unit at Native Earth Performing Arts, writing a full length coming-of-age play called Niish (mentored by Falen Johnson). She also co-wrote Frozen River with Michaela Washburn and Carrie Costello, which is set to premiere at Manitoba Theatre for Young People in Spring 2021.

 

ABOUT THE SIMINOVITCH PRIZE

The Siminovitch Prize recognizes excellence and innovation in Canadian theatre. Over a three-year cycle, the Siminovitch Prize celebrates a professional mid-career director, playwright, or designer who is acknowledged as a leader in the theatre and whose work is transformative and influential. Past playwriting laureates include Marcus Youssef, Olivier Choinière, Joan MacLeod, Daniel MacIvor, John Mighton and Carole Fréchette. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the prize that was launched in 2000 to honour the values and achievements of the renowned scientist Dr. Lou Siminovitch and the late Elinore Siminovitch, a pioneering playwright.

The Prize also recognizes the importance of mentorship to support emerging talent: the laureate receives $75,000 and selects a protégé who receives $25,000. Furthering the tradition of mentorship within the Prize, a group of playwriting students from the Anglophone and Francophone programs of the National Theatre School of Canada participated in a workshop with the artists shortlisted for the Prize in late October.

In 2016, the Prize began a partnership with the National Arts Centre. Both the NAC’s English Theatre and French Theatre are led by Siminovitch Prize laureates – Jillian Keiley (2004) and Brigitte Haentjens (2007). In fact, since the Prize’s inception in 2001, works from all its laureates have graced the

New performance protocols for public coming to the NAC

New performance protocols for public coming to the NAC

COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre in the NAC parking garage

Starting November 19, 2020, the Ottawa Hospital will operate a Covid-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre in the NAC parking garage. The Centre will ensure our fellow Ottawa residents have access to convenient and accessible Covid-19 testing options. It will also provide shelter, comfort and warmth over the winter months to our community’s health care workers.

Rest assured that we have put in place safety protocols to ensure our employees, artists and audiences are not affected by the presence of the testing site, which mostly operates during daytime hours and is located in an isolated area of our parking garage.

For now, vehicle and pedestrian access to the NAC’s Albert Street garage entrance will be restricted during the day. We ask the public to use one of the other garage entrances.

For more information about Covid-19 testing at the NAC, visit the Ottawa Public Health Health Web site.


Reopening the NAC: What to expect when coming to a performance or event

Our team at the National Arts Centre looks forward to greeting you as soon as we get the green light from public health agencies. Here is a preview of what you can expect when coming to an NAC performance or event:

Everyone will be required to wear a face mask at all times. Social distancing of at least two metres will be in effect throughout our public spaces.

Prior to coming, you will be asked to pre-register when buying your ticket. At that time, we will share instructions about safety protocols, suggested time of arrival and directions to the entrance designated for your event. You will also be asked to provide your contact information for tracing purposes in case the public health agency needs to be in touch.

On the day of the performance or event, you will be greeted by our staff and asked screening questions such as whether you have a fever or been in recent contact with someone with COVID-19.

There will be lots of signage to inform you of distancing guidelines, as well as visual aids, such as markings on the floor along designated pathways, to safely guide you to your seat.

Because visitors will always be required to be two meters apart, you might have to wait a little longer before entering the building. There will be varying maximum occupancy limits in all the spaces, as well as other measures to prevent overcrowding. You will also notice an increased presence of NAC employees and volunteers, including members of our cleaning and security staff, who will be there to ensure your safety.

The water fountains have been disabled. In our public washrooms, every second stall and every second sink will be out of use. With respect to food services, intermission bar service is not available at this time.

Please check this page from time to time for updates.

Remembering the death of the great Colombian Santiago Garcia.

Remembering the death of the great Colombian Santiago Garcia.

SEMBRARON SUS CENIZAS EN SU ROSAL. EN MEMORIA DE SANTIAGO GARCÍA: NUEVA VERSIÓN DE LA OBRA NAYRA-LA MEMORIA

Carlos Satizábal

A seis meses de la partida silenciosa de Santiago García en el inicio de la peste del mundo en que vivimos, le rendimos homenaje al maestro y para sembrar sus cenizas en el rosal de trece rosas del patio de la casa del Teatro La Candelaria, rosal al que él, el maestro, cada día, antes de tomar el sol al lado de sus rosas, las contaba y confirmaba que eran trece, siempre trece, mágicamente trece, y entonces se sentaba a recibir el sol y su luz al lado del bello rosal mágico de trece rosas constantes.

El Teatro La Candelaria, Patricia Ariza, su directora, y Catalina García, la hija del maestro, y de Patricia, con sus hijos Simón y Santiago, invitaron a un pequeño grupo de familiares, amigas y amigos al ensayo general de Nayra-La Memoria, obra esencial del legado de Santiago García y que el grupo ha vuelto a componer bajo la dirección de Patricia, quien estuvo en la creación del montaje original al lado del maestro en la mirada poética y dramatúrgica de la dirección.

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