Newsletter
Spring 2003

UNDER ONE ROOF
THEATRE ONTARIO MOVES TO NEW LOCATION

The Robertson Building, 215 Spadina Avenue Circa the early 1900s

Theatre is often described as a collaborative experience.  It is fitting then, that three dynamic theatre service organizations are collaborating on a shared-space that will better serve the needs of all its members and the theatre community.

In May 2003, Theatre Ontario, Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), and Toronto Theatre Alliance (TTA) will be sharing office space and other resources at 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 210, Toronto. 

“The new office space is very inviting—it is bright and airy, with a larger reception area for our members.  The building’s hardwood floors, large windows and exposed brick walls bring vibrancy to the offices.  The building is very arts-positive, and a number of other cultural and non-profit organizations are located in the building as well,” says Jane Gardner, Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.  “This location will provide ‘one-stop shopping’ for the theatre community.”

Theatre Ontario, PACT and TTA see the economic benefits, social impact and increased access opportunities that theatre artists, theatre companies and the general public will enjoy as a result of this “all under one roof” initiative.  The move will make better use of our facilities and increase the networking opportunities of the three organizations. By operating in the same physical space, this closer collaboration will improve member services, assist in advocacy and joint research projects, present more partnership opportunities relating to publications, cross cultural services, shared equipment, human resource sharing and intern training.
“All three organizations plan to merge our libraries, notice boards and display material.  Our joint Board Room will be available to all of our members,” says Jane.
“For artists at every stage of their theatrical careers, this new location will provide a central source of information about theatre activity throughout the country.  This move is a tremendous opportunity for all three of our organizations.”

215 Spadina, originally called The Robertson Building, was constructed from 1911 to 1913.  The James Robertson Company, who originally owned the building, was a manufacturer and distributor of plumbing fittings and fixtures.  The building has undergone extensive modernization development. 

This location is north of Queen Street, south of Dundas Street, at Sullivan Street.  It is easily accessible by the Spadina streetcar and meter-parking is available on Sullivan.  The building and our offices are wheelchair accessible.  

MEMBER PROFILE
Tanit Mendes
by Kenny Chan 

Tanit Mendes

Tanit Mendes is a set and costume designer with over 20 years of experience, having designed over 50 productions for companies from Carousel Players to the Shaw Festival.  She is also a full-time tenured professor at Ryerson University where she teaches a broad range of courses including Set and Costume design, Drafting and Model Building, Jewellery and Accessories, Scenic Painting and AutoCad.
Tanit has been a Theatre Ontario Talent Bank member since 1993 and will be teaching Hands On Design at Summer Adult Courses this year.
As I went through the Talent Bank files for background information on Tanit, I came across some reference letters for her application and found some wonderful things said about her as a designer.

Diana Belshaw stated, “I think the thing that always immediately hits me when I look at Tanit’s work is her extraordinary use of colour and the boldness of the visual images she creates.  What is not always immediately apparent is how actor-friendly her sets are and how versatile the stage space she constructs can be.”

In reference to Tanit as a teacher, Jean Charles Black states that “…she is not selfish with her knowledge. . . . and appears to derive a great deal of pleasure out of sharing this with others.”  And our Professional Theatre Coordinator, Vinetta Strombergs, describes Tanit as “absolutely fabulous” and “fun too!”

Such wonderful references, but is she really as good as they make her out to be?
I recently had the chance to chat with her and ask some questions about herself and her approach to set design to find out for myself from the source.

Q: Tell me a little about your background.  Where did you grow up?  What childhood experiences helped guide you to a career in theatre arts?
Tanit:  I was born in London, England.  My father was an artist and working in advertising at the time.  As a result, we traveled quite a bit due to his jobs on different continents. 
After England, we moved to South Africa.  First we lived in Johannesburg, then later to Cape Town.  When I was seven, we moved to Ibiza—a small island off the coast of Spain—no running water or indoor plumbing…it was quite the adventure!

While I was growing up in Toronto, we lived on Humewood and I started working at TWP as an usherette.  One of the first shows I saw there was Ten Lost Years directed by George Luscombe (a friend and neighbour of my parents).  The actors, the material and the whole idea of theatre entranced me.  I began to think about working in theatre then.

While I was at Oakwood Collegiate, I had a wonderful theatre arts teacher, Mr. Beattie.  By my last year of high school, I was working with him on building and painting sets… I loved working with colour and paint.  Having acted as well, I applied for York University for Acting and Production.  When I was accepted into both departments, I had to make a decision.  In conversation with Mr. Beattie, he suggested that I didn’t want to act badly enough and that I would not enjoy playing small roles and I would eventually become disenchanted with theatre.
I thought about what he said, and I decided he was right.  I’ve never regretted the choice.
One of the early shows I designed was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.  It was my first musical.  I was fairly overwhelmed by the massive scale of design for the show.  The set comprised of eight enormous columns with a circular cornice work above connecting the columns.  One night, before opening, I was alone onstage doing some final paint touch ups.  I was feeling quite relaxed as the final dress had shown us all that it was going to be a wonderful show.

I walked across the stage to get a paintbrush.  As I walked through the central point of the set, I could physically feel the power at that point in the stage.  I was amazed.  I had never physically experienced the power of space on a set before.

Q:  What do you find is your ‘style’ or ‘signature’ in your designs?
Tanit:  I think I would describe myself as a “Colour Field Designer.”  I’m fascinated by how colour changes and moves across a stage.  This has a lot to do with the fact that my father was an abstract colour field painter and I grew up surrounded by large canvasses filled with colour. Colour is something that I feel entirely comfortable with.  I think I understand it intuitively. 

Q:  Who are your mentors? What is your inspiration?
Tanit:  My father was an important influence on my work as a designer and a teacher.  We often discussed designs and paintings trying to ascertain why something worked or why it didn’t.  His ability to analyze abstract space and colour has given me the greatest insights into my own work.  He was the first person to make me aware that visual signs in art are a readable code.

Cameron Porteous, who was the head of design at the Shaw Festival was also a mentor for my growth as a designer.  He was the first person to hire me as an apprentice designer with the help of a Theatre Ontario grant.  I still remember him describing design as a process of finding metaphors for real objects – he used a green carpet as a metaphor for grass in Peter Pan. 

Q:  What is your approach to designing a show?
Tanit:  I start by reading a script.  The first reading, I try to read the whole script in one sitting.  This allows me to get the sense of the arc of the play – rhythm and cadence.  The first reading is also when I am closest to the experience that an audience will have.  I write down everything that comes to my head whether it makes sense or not, including stray images that may or may not have any relevance.

At this point, I like to start doing some visual research.  Then I’m ready to talk to the director.  I try not to go too far into the design process until I have spoken to the director.  The first time I meet with the director, I often use it to get to know them better.  What theatre do they like?  Who are the artists that they respond to?  This helps me understand their visual affinities. 
After this initial meeting I begin tackling the design.  I work with what I know and then expand to the unknowns.  I start with sketching thumbnails of ideas and explore different possibilities.  When I feel like I have something, I meet with the director to make sure I’m on the right path.  If I’m not, this meeting also helps clarify where I need to go next.

Once the director and I have an agreement about how we approach the play, I begin to build the model.  I love models.  They are the clearest tool we have as a means of explaining space.  After I ensure with the director that everything looks as they anticipate, I paint the final model.

The actual realization of the design is one of the most exciting and terrifying aspects of the design process.  When it works, you are thrilled and when it doesn’t you start madly searching for solutions.

Q:  What do you love about teaching your craft?
Tanit:  I enjoy having the chance to share my love of theatre with people who are interested in the same topic.  It is a thrilling experience to see the development and fruition of students’ ideas.

I believe my role as a teacher is to help students find their creative voices.  For many of the students, it is their first encounter with a design process.  As students work through a creative process, I’m there as a guide, to point out the signposts along the path.  There are no right or wrong answers, but different paths to chose.

Q:  What can participants expect in your course at Theatre Ontario Summer Courses?
Tanit:  We will go through the design process.  The process is both demanding and exhilarating.  Making choices and deciding on interpretation is what helps make theatre so visually stimulating.  Participants will have the chance to draft and build a model of their own.

Q:  What advice do you have to aspiring designers?
Tanit:  Keep working.  You absolutely do get better.  Accept yourself.  The essence of you is why designs look different from one another.  That is why we keep going to see Hamlet, because someone else is acting or directing or designing it!

Q:  What do you enjoy doing outside of your work?
Tanit:  My husband and I both love to travel.  We just got back from Venice Carnival.  Venice is like a magical floating set drenched in fog.  During carnival, people from all around the world, many dressed in 18th century costumes, glide over bridges and stairs while reflected in slow moving glassy mirrors of water below them.  A set and costume designer’s stage world expanded to encompass the entire city.

If you’re still not convinced of Tanit’s fabulousness, check out her course at Theatre Ontario’s Summer Courses this year!  Or, you can see Tanit’s work this summer season in Girl in the Goldfish Bowl and Private Lives at the Red Barn Theatre in Jackson’s Point.