Newsletter
Summer 2002

THEATRE IN ONTARIO: HISTORY IN THE MAKING
By John Watson

Theatre is not a permanent art—actors age, sets are dismantled, costumes are reconstructed, lighting designs are taken down, playwrights revise scripts, groups are born and evolve. New trends emerge, while everything old becomes new again.

Because theatre is so temporary, it is hard to develop a definite sense of history.  Established artists and groups loose sight of their past successes and challenges; while emerging artists struggle to understand the theatrical traditions they are emerging from.

Theatre history is a broad subject matter—the growth of theatre arts is different in Canada than in other countries, is different in Ontario than in other provinces, is different city to city and culture to culture.  Take into account the evolution of theatrical design, acting methods, playwrighting genres, community, educational and professional theatre companies—and theatre history is large enough to fill an entire set of encyclopedias.

This past year, Theatre Ontario celebrated its thirtieth anniversary.  An anniversary party, special awards (Michael Spence Awards for the Community and Educational Theatre sectors), and new projects (To Act In Safety, One Act Play Anthology, Dean Ott & Debbie Bolt Technical Theatre Award) have all been part of our year-long celebrations.

For the past thirty years, Theatre Ontario has been part of the exciting history of theatre in Ontario.  From the early days of being founded by a tireless group of volunteers; to its first employee Maggie Bassett; to its summer courses, publications, workshops; to its former rehearsal hall, cross-cultural development; to its present day—Theatre Ontario has continued to evolve along with its members.  Theatre Ontario has always been involved in the theatre community’s achievements, and has helped the community overcome adversity.

An excellent assessment of theatre in Ontario is the book Later Stages: Essays in Ontario Theatre from the First World War to the 1970s. Edited by Ann Saddlemyer and Richard Plant, this insightful collection of essays and photos highlights Ontario theatre activity, such as professional performers and companies, summer festival and theatres, amateur theatre, theatrical design, criticism and playwrights. 

Community theatre has always flourished in Ontario. The Dominion Drama Festival (DDF), which ran from 1933 to 1970, was a national showcase for the community theatre sector.  It is interesting to read about the issues the initial rules committee had to deal with.  “A particularly shocking … rule was the prohibition of curtain calls—to remind everybody that serious work was afoot!”

It was during this time of the DDF that the Central, Eastern, Quebec/Ontario and Western Ontario Drama Leagues were founded.  With the demise of the DDF, Theatre Ontario began its Festival, an annual celebration showcasing outstanding productions from each of the drama leagues.  Along with adjudications, workshops and special events, Theatre Ontario Festival is a wonderful opportunity for artistic growth and development.  The 2002 Theatre Ontario Festival was held in Sarnia this past May.  Theatre Ontario’s 2003 Festival will be co-hosted by Oshawa Little Theatre, ACT-CO and Theatre Ontario from May 14 to 18, 2003. Michael Roantree is Festival Chair.

Professional theatre in Ontario has undergone many transformations—through two world wars, the depression, the formation of governmental funding bodies, Canada’s centennial—a constant theme has been the desire of creating a “national theatre” movement.  It’s interesting to note that even in the early 1900s, there was resentment towards the dominance of American and British theatre in Ontario. 

Nowadays, Theatre Ontario hosts an annual Showcase for graduating theatre students, and provides training grants to theatre professionals, but in the past, the instruction of professional theatre artists was almost non-existent.  After the Second World War, “a flood of servicemen and women arrived home looking for careers in the theatre, but few had the necessary training.”  Several universities developed programs, which combined academic studies and theatre training.  The Hart House Theatre at the University of Toronto was one such institution.
“Left unfinished at the outbreak of [the First World] War, Hart House itself, the great benefaction of the Massey family to the University of Toronto, had been taken over as an officers’ training centre.  Down in the bowels of the building, a rifle range had been contrived with its butts set between two of the massive supporting pillars of the building.  Seeing this after the war, Alice Massey was struck by how much the pillars suggested a titanic proscenium arch, and so Hart House Theatre was born in 1919…” From these somewhat humble beginnings through almost 100 years of presenting theatre, it is interesting to remember that in 2000, Theatre Ontario, along with many theatre leaders, took an active part in preventing the university from permanently closing Hart House Theatre.

Later Stages is available to purchase from TheatreBooks, www.theatrebooks.com or 1-800-361-3414.

Theatre Ontario is proud of its rich history; and we look forward to creating future memories with you.  Many groups are also celebrating great milestones in their own histories. 
To commemorate these anniversaries, companies host wonderful parties, play reading series, displays and reunions.  Friends—old and new—come together to rejoice in the groups’ past and present activities.  But once the confetti has been cleared away, people often want a physical reminder of the theatres’ works over the years.

And so, many theatre companies are producing commemorative books.  While these books are diverse in their publication—hardcover, softcover, colour, black and white—they all celebrate the excitement of theatre and the joys of a proud history.

Scarborough Music Theatre celebrated its 40th Anniversary this past June 1 and 2.  Besides an exciting gala dinner, silent auction archival displays and general merriment, Scarborough Music Theatre published a commemorative Souvenir Book.  This celebratory publication contains photos, program covers, highlights past productions, and lists all the people ever involved with the group.  Scarborough Music Theatre’s Souvenir Book is available for $10 (plus shipping) and can be ordered by emailing smtreunion@sympatico.ca

As part of its upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations, Domino Theatre (Kingston) has produced a history of the group written by Patricia Beharriell and Ken Weston.  The Domino Affair is replete with stories and anecdotes and more than 100 black and white and colour pictures, while documenting the theatre's unique place in the cultural development of Kingston. The book can be ordered by visiting Domino Theatre’s website www.dominotheatre.com

Sault Theatre Workshop published First Act: Sault Theatre Workshop, The First Fifty Years in 1998.  Written by Robin Waples, this book was created in recognition of the successes of community theatre.  The book is available for purchase for $15 (plus shipping) by emailing hhouston@sympatico.ca

In 2001, the Gravenhurst Opera House published The Many Stages of Our Lives.  This full colour book, with images and editorials covering the top one hundred events at THE Op, is a great exploration of the development of theatre over the past century.  The book is available by calling the THE Op box office at 1-888-495-8888.

The Grand Theatre (London) released the book Let’s Go To The Grand this year.  The book also explores the 1919 mysterious disappearance of the theatre’s manager.  It is available for purchase from www.grandtheatre.com   

Shaw Festival sells a variety of publications including Shaw Festival Production Record (1962 – 1999), Niagara-on-the-Lake: Its Heritage and Its Festival, and Bernard Shaw biographies.  These can be ordered online at www.shawfest.sympatico.ca

This year, as the Stratford Festival celebrates its 50th Anniversary, some of its celebratory publications include Romancing the Bard: Stratford at Fifty, Fifty Seasons at Stratford, and First Stage: The Making of the Stratford Festival.  These can be ordered online at www.stratfordfestival.ca

If your theatre is publishing a commemorative book, please contact Theatre Ontario at 416-408-4556 or by email at news@theatreontario.org

MEMBER PROFILE
JANET IRWIN
by Katrina Baran

Ottawa-based Janet Irwin is a familiar face to many Theatre Ontario members across all sectors as a director, writer and educator.  Janet’s dedication to youth, education, opera and theatre shines throughout the body of her work.  She’s also Theatre Ontario’s new President.
Directing and creating is something that comes naturally to Janet and her family – her parents were involved with the Cornwall Operatic Society.  At Queen’s University Janet’s interest in theatre blossomed.  After graduating from Queen’s with a degree in English and Theatre, Janet received her Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto.  Her sister Kathleen is a busy designer and professor at the University of Regina.

Moving back to Cornwall after graduation, Janet found herself directing plays with the local community theatre company.  In 1976, she became a founding member of Dialogue Theatre, a creative collective that focused on social and political issues in eastern Ontario.  The company disbanded a few years later, and before long, her love of directing led her to a career as a freelance director in Ottawa.   

A Theatre Ontario Talent Bank member since 1984, Janet applied for a Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) grant to work with Jeannette Aster of Opera Lyra when she found herself needing a change in environment.  “The PTTP program takes people at a moment when they think they need a step in another direction and it really gives them wings.”  Today, Janet is the co-chair of Theatre Ontario’s PTTP committee, and is able to draw upon her specific past experience to participate in the decision-making process. 

Her work in opera opened up many possibilities in the opera and theatre communities.  Janet has since worked with Opera Lyra as an assistant director and with the opera workshop at the University of Ottawa as a staging director.  Inspired by the workshops and team she collaborated with, she intends to do a cabaret evening within the next year.

Janet’s involvement in theatre includes an interest in bringing the stories of writers in the young adult genre to life through theatre.  She has “a real connection to [Ottawa-based writer] Brian Doyle, because of geography and the importance of his work”.  Janet has collaborated with Doyle to adapt several of his works for the stage, including writing the libretto for, and directing, a youth opera based on the award-winning novel Angel Square.  This opera, performed by the Opera Lyra Ottawa Boys Choir, came about because “…they wanted their own opera.  Children played all the roles.” 

Currently Janet is adapting Doyle’s “Up To Low” into a stage play suited to pre-teens and young teenagers. She is also working with Tim Wynne Jones, adapting a couple of his short stories into plays.  Regarding her interest in these projects, Janet explains:  “This is the age where I remember being most affected by literature.”   

This summer, Janet will be busy directing Odyssey Theatre’s open-air production of Beaumarchais’ The Barber of Seville, in Ottawa, which she describes as a “clean, fast-moving” show.  “I try not to work on scripts I don’t like, it’s very unrewarding.”  Janet explains.  For her, a script that engages is one that is wonderfully written, as “…things tend to start with language.”

Janet is also a popular workshop leader and teacher in the Ottawa area.  She recently delivered a successful directing workshop to Sears Ontario Drama Festival teachers and students in Perth.  Through her work as the Outreach Coordinator at the National Arts Centre, English Theatre, she works with teachers in the schools, sets up professional workshops, and provides activities for the community beyond the regular season.

As a tireless advocate for the arts in Ottawa, Janet sits on an arts advisory committee for the city.  In 2001, she received the YMCA/YWCA Women of Distinction Award, Arts and Culture.  Janet’s community involvement has become even more prevalent since the recent amalgamation of Ottawa and the surrounding cities.  “It is very important that the arts community becomes vocal… and to make sure that artists are involved and engaged in politics and decision-making.” 

With Janet Irwin’s incredibly diverse work as a writer, producer, teacher and arts advocate, she still fits in as many directing opportunities as possible:  “My first love is directing.”