Year 2008 Media Releases

For Immediate Release - January 7, 2008

Theatre Ontario Announces YTTP Grant Recipients (Fall 2007)

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce the latest recipients of training grants through Theatre Ontario's Youth Theatre Training Program (YTTP), funded by the Ontario Arts Council.  $27,880 was awarded to the following recipients:

  • Jumblies Theatre, Toronto - Pigeon Creek Youth Training
  • National Arts Centre, Ottawa - March Break Theatre Creation
  • Ottawa School of Speech & Drama - Technical Production / Design Training Project
  • Solo Chicken Productions, Toronto - Theatre Performance Training
  • St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Prescott - Shakespeare Workshop Program
  • Tarragon Theatre, Toronto - Spring Training / Young Playwrights Program
  • Theatre Revolve, Toronto - The Africa Project

The next application deadline for this program is March 17, 2008.

For Immediate Release - February 1, 2008

Theatre Ontario Issues Call For Nominations For 2008-2009 Board of Directors

Theatre Ontario is pleased to issue a call for nominations to the Theatre Ontario Board of Directors for 2008-2009.  The 2008-2009 Board will be elected at Theatre Ontario's Annual General Meeting on May 17, 2008 in North Bay, Ontario.  Board members serve two-year terms for a maximum of three terms (six years.)  Nominations must be received at the Theatre Ontario office by March 17, 2008 at 5pm.

Seven board members are returning for the second year of their term.  They are: Sheena Albanese, Leslie Francombe, Lisa Gamelin, Phil Jones, Anne Mooney, Richard Poore and Margit Tauchner.  Two Board members (regional representatives of ACT-CO and WODL) shall be appointed by their respective organizations.  Six positions shall be elected for the 2008-09 Board of Directors.  Julianne Baragar, Katherine Grainger, Marcia Johnson, and John Mayberry are standing for re-election to two-year terms.  Two positions are vacant.

Theatre Ontario seeks Board Members from any part of the province, who can represent any and all sectors of theatre, and are committed to assisting Theatre Ontario to provide training, information services and resources to theatre practitioners to enhance their knowledge of their art form.  The Board also acts as an advocate for issues affecting the theatre and the arts with the provincial government and the municipalities.

Click here to download a Nomination Form.

For Immediate Release - February 1, 2008

Theatre Ontario Seeks Nominations For Maggie Bassett Award

Theatre Ontario is seeking nominations for the 2008 Maggie Bassett Award.  The award is presented annually to an individual who, over a number of years, has made a sustained and significant contribution to the development of theatre in Ontario.  For more information, please visit The Maggie Bassett Award.

For Immediate Release - February 6, 2008

Theatre Ontario Announces Summer Courses For 2008

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce the line-up of Summer Courses for 2008.  We will be offering six courses for adults (running August 10 to 17), and two courses for youth (running August 10 to 16) at Brock University in St. Catharines.

For adults, the courses are:

  • Hot Scenes - Advanced Scene Study for the practiced actor with Brenda Kamino
  • Breaking It Down And Standing It Up - Intermediate Directing with Peter Feldman
  • Make The Walls Talk - Set Design for the new and the experienced with David Vivian
  • What's Behind The Mask? - Mask Design, Building and Performing with Teo Dragonieri
  • Unpacking Acting - The Ins and Outs, the Ups and Downs of Movement and Text with Glenys McQueen-Fuentes & Terry Tweed
  • Playwriting Master Class with Allan Stratton

For youth, the courses are:

  • The Theatrical Art - Performance Skills for Teens, featuring "Clowning & Pleasure of Play" with Sonia Norris, "Playwriting" with Herbie Barnes, and "Armed Stage Combat" with Daniel Levinson
  • Sing Out Louise! - Musical Theatre Performance Techniques and Tricks with Gerald Isaac

Full course descriptions and registration forms will be available on March 1.

For Immediate Release - February 15, 2008

Theatre Ontario Welcomes New Community Theatre Coordiantor

Theatre Ontario is pleased to welcome Maureen E. Thornton, who is joining the organization as Community Theatre Coordinator.  Maureen has been actively involved in the community theatre sector for many years, serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Community Theatres-Central Ontario (ACT-CO), and directing and producing at community theatres across the Greater Toronto Area.

"We are thrilled to have Maureen joining our staff," said John Goddard, Executive Director.  "She brings a depth and breadth of experience in Ontario community theatre few others could offer to our membership.  Her unbridled enthusiasm for theatre is refreshing and infectious."

Maureen has been highly active in community theatre for over 25 years.  She has been a director, producer, and designer, and served in nearly every backstage capacity.  As a member of the ACT-CO Board, her roles included Festival Chair and Gala Chair.  She has been involved in productions at Amicus Productions, Bloor West Village Players, East Side Players, Markham Little Theatre, and Scarborough Theatre Guild.  Maureen was a member of the organizing committee for Theatre Ontario Festival 1995, and has attended many Festivals; once, she was even spotted after a performance helping strike the set in high-heels and fishnet stockings.

"This is where I have to put my complaints on the line," Maureen said.  "I have always complained about communication.  I now, hopefully, will have the opportunity to try to change and improve how we disseminate information from Theatre Ontario.  I am looking forward to working with all the friends I have made over the years, and adding to the friendship list all the wonderful people in Ontario theatre that I have not yet met."

As Community Theatre Coordinator, Maureen will be providing support to the sector through the Community Theatre Committee and overseeing the annual Theatre Ontario Festival.

For Immediate Release - March 18, 2008

Notice Of Theatre Ontario's Annual General Meeting

The 2008 Annual General Meeting will be held Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 11:30am at the Best Western North Bay Hotel and Conference Centre, 700 Lakeshore Drive, North Bay, Ontario.  The meeting is open to all members in good standing; group members may send as many representatives as they wish but are allowed only one vote.

If you are a Theatre Ontario member and are unable to attend the Annual General Meeting, you can have another person represent you by proxy.  Click here to download a proxy form.  If you are unable to download the proxy form, please contact us at 416.408.4556.  The proxy form must be signed, completed and returned to Theatre Ontario by May 1, 2008.

Report of the Nominating Committee

There are six positions becoming available on the 2008-2009 Board of Directors.  By the published deadline, we have received six nominations for election to the Board.  The nominees are:

  • Julianne Baragar
  • Katherine Grainger
  • Marcia Johnson
  • John Mayberry
  • Debra McLauchlan
  • Brian Van Norman

Representatives for ACT-CO and WODL shall be appointed by the respective organizations.

For Immediate Release - April 7, 2008

Theatre Ontario Announces Productions For Festival 2008 In North Bay

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce the productions that will be participating in Theatre Ontario Festival 2008 in North Bay.

  • On Wednesday May 14, Theatre SMC (Sault Ste. Marie), representing QUONTA, will present Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard;
  • On Thursday May 15, Peterborough Theatre Guild, representing the Eastern Ontario Drama League (EODL), will present Proof by David Auburn;
  • On Friday May 16, Kincardine Theatre Guild, representing the Western Ontario Drama League (WODL), will present I Ought To Be In Pictures by Neil Simon;
  • On Saturday May 17, Markham Little Theatre, representing the Association of Community Theatres-Central Ontario (ACT-CO), League, (WODL) will present Outlaw by Norm Foster.

These four productions were selected from regional community theatre festivals across the province.

The Theatre Ontario Festival is a celebration of community theatre from across the province. The week features performances, adjudications, workshops, play readings, awards, and the AGM of Theatre Ontario.

Theatre Ontario Festival 2008 is co-hosted by Gateway Theatre Guild (North Bay), QUONTA and Theatre Ontario. For more information on the festival, please visit Theatre Ontario Festival 2008.

For Immediate Release - April 16, 2008

Theatre Ontario Announces PTTP Grant Recipients (Spring 2008)

Theatre Ontario is pleased to announce the latest recipients of training grants through Theatre Ontario's Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP), funded by the Ontario Arts Council.  $36,680 was awarded to the following recipients:

  • Veronica Good to train in sound design with Todd Charlton at Stratford and Blyth Festivals, and Tarragon Theatre in Toronto;
  • Daniele Guevara to train in set design with Michael Levine at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, England;
  • Tessa King to train in new play development and producing with Daniel MacIvor at Necessary Angel, National Theatre School, and Playwright's Workshop, Montreal;
  • Joan Kivanda to train in artistic direction with ahdri zhina mandiela at b current in Toronto;
  • Ulla Laidlaw to train in directing with Brian Quirt at Nightswimming Theatre in Toronto;
  • Marilyn Lawrie to train in opera production management with Elizabeth Howarth and Ron Ward at Opera Lyra Ottawa;
  • Naomi Snieckus to train in directing with Bruce Pirrie at Second City in Toronto;
  • Dan Watson to train in marketing/audience development with Sheila Sky at Theatre Gargantua in Toronto.

The next application deadline for this program is October 1, 2008.