Western Ontario Drama League | |
- What the Prez Sez
- WODL Festival 2024 Nominations and Winners
- WODL Festival 2024
- Interested in Participating on the WODL Board of Directors?
- Community Theatre in the WODL Region
- What's on this Month in the Waterloo-Wellington Region
- What's Happening in the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk-Oxford Region
- What's Happening at Goderich Little Theatre
- Supporting Performing Arts in Rural and Remote Communities (SPARC)
- Off the Wall - Summer Courses
- Playwrights Canada Press
- Unlock Grant Funding for your Theatre - Horizon Solutions
- Playwrights Guild of Canada - Canadian Play Outlet
- Concord Theatricals New Plays
- If you are Producing Canadian Plays this Season - Check This Out
- Is your WODL Membership Information Up-to-date?
- Dates for your Diary
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By Linda Lloyd McKenzie, WODL President, president@wodl.on.ca | |
Exploring Intimacy on the Theatre Stage
In the dim glow of the stage lights, amidst the hushed anticipation of the audience, lies a world where emotions are raw, stories are told, and connections are forged. Theatre, with its power to transcend barriers and touch the depths of human experience, often delves into the realm of intimacy – both physical and emotional. But how does one navigate the delicate terrain of intimacy on stage, where vulnerability meets performance?
Enter the intimacy workshop for the theatre stage – a transformative journey where actors, directors, and creators come together to explore the nuances of human connection in a safe and supportive environment. These workshops, often facilitated by intimacy directors or coordinators, provide a space for artists to delve into the complexities of intimacy choreography, consent, and communication.
WODL was recently treated to such a workshop, facilitated by Siobhan Richardson, at our Travelling Festival/Gala weekend in London. Siobhan is an Intimacy Director, co-founder of Intimacy Directors International, and is recognized as an Intimacy Director by Tonia Sina, founder of the Intimacy For The Stage method. Siobhan is quickly building an impressive resume in this field, including several directing and teaching credits across Canada, the USA with inquiries from across Europe. Siobhan was exceptionally engaging - introducing specific techniques to help actors access their vulnerability in a dramatic context, resulting in powerful chemistry between characters without compromising personal boundaries. She demonstrated how directors should ensure the focus is on subtle and specific details in choreography, and on acting exercises to keep partners connected physically and emotionally. One of my favourite takeaways from this workshop was a discussion around "showmances". Undoubtedly we all know of couples that started out in a showmance, but when that showmance ends before the end of the show's run, it can easily unravel a production. Siobhan provided valuable insight about how our bodies react to perceived intimacy, and shared tips and tricks to help directors thwart them from developing.
What to Expect from an Intimacy Workshop
At the heart of these workshops lies the principle of consent – a cornerstone of any intimate interaction, both on and off stage. Participants learn to communicate boundaries, negotiate scenes, and establish a foundation of trust essential for the exploration of intimate moments in performance. Through exercises in improvisation, movement, and emotional vulnerability, actors learn to inhabit their characters fully while respecting the boundaries of their fellow performers.
One of the key components of intimacy workshops is the development of choreography for intimate scenes. Far from being spontaneous or improvised, these scenes are carefully crafted, rehearsed, and executed with precision. Intimacy directors work closely with actors to design movements that convey authenticity without compromising the safety or comfort of the performers. Every touch, every gesture, is orchestrated to serve the narrative and deepen the audience's connection to the story.
But intimacy on stage extends beyond physical contact – it encompasses the emotional depth and vulnerability of the characters as they navigate the complexities of human relationships. Through trust exercises, improvisation games, and scene work, actors learn to access their emotions authentically, allowing them to inhabit their characters with truth and empathy.
Beyond the practical aspects of intimacy choreography, these workshops foster a culture of respect, empathy, and collaboration within the theatre community. By prioritizing the well-being of performers and creating a space for open dialogue, intimacy workshops contribute to a safer, more inclusive theatrical landscape where artists feel empowered to explore the full range of human experience.
As the curtains rise and the audience is drawn into the world of the play, they bear witness to moments of vulnerability, tenderness, and connection – all crafted with care and intentionality through the exploration of intimacy on the theatre stage. Through workshops dedicated to this delicate art form, actors and creators continue to push boundaries, challenge norms, and redefine the way we engage with intimacy in performance.
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WODL Festival 2024 Nominations and Winners | |
Click the thumbnail below to open a printable list of the WODL Festival 2024 results: | |
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Wow! At last year’s Festival, we were all so grateful to be together again in person. This year, it felt as if there had never been an interruption in our annual Festival tradition. The extra day of workshops was well received by those who were able to attend. We appreciate that some of you were unable to attend the Friday workshops because of work or other commitments. As our Festivals become longer again (Festival 2025 is May 15-18, 2025), we’ll need to arrange for workshops earlier so that everyone has an opportunity to make arrangements to attend if possible.
Pictures of the festivities are available for you to view and download at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mXxkVuaMeIojDTE-UeHHEFcVblPDNI3h?usp=sharing
Thanks to Kathy Fahey, Tamar Malic-Burnet and Andy Wasylycia. The pictures are arranged in three folders – “Around the Festival - Andy W”, “Around the Festival - Kathy F” and “Arriving at the Gala- Tamar M”.
Thank you to all those who supported the festival in so many ways – most of them are listed below. I say “most of them” because in the wonderful tradition of WODL, many attendees stepped up to help in many ways as needed.
Thank you to our SPONSORS
Conversation & Play Reading Workshop with Kat Sandler
- Playwrights Canada Press
- Playwrights Guild of Canada - PlayConnect Program
Intimacy Workshop with Siobhan Richardson
- Fay Bonanno
- Guelph Little Theatre
- WODL
Hospitality Suite
- Anonymous
- Rob Coles & Mona Brennan-Coles
- Players Guild of Hamilton
- Michelle Spanik
Workshop Posters
- Designed by Ted McLauchlin
Thank you to those who supported the Festival in so many ways
Trevor Bonanno, Keith Burnett, Henri Canino, Deb Deckert, Sue Garner, Annie Gibson, Sarah Hodgson, Audrey Hummelen, Tamar Malic-Burnett, Shirley Marshall, Anne Mooney, Gina Paradis, Greg Ryckman, Shirley Steele, Tricia Ward, Mary Jane Walzak, Andy Wasylycia, Wendy Yoon
Thank you to Playwrights Canada Press for sponsoring Canadian Playwright Kat Sandler to share her experiences and expertise with us and for providing discounted theatre books for us to buy.
Thank you to Alexander Galant for traveling throughout the WODL region to share his experience and expertise with us during his adjudications and again during the Festival awards ceremony.
Thank you to Greg and Wendy at the Delta Hotel London Armouries for working so patiently and effectively with Renata to accommodate as many people as possible. We were very pleasantly surprised by the interest in the Festival.
Thank you to the Festival Committee for continuing to blend old and new traditions – incorporating the lessons we learned from last year’s Festival as well as the feedback from the Gala 2023 surveys:
Mona Brennan-Coles, Peter Busy, Bev Dietrich, Kathy Fahey, Tom Fahey, Laurel Gillespie, Ken Menzies, Andre Paradis, Renata Solski.
WODL Festival 2025 – May 15 - 18, 2025
In 2025, WODL plans to present a three-play in-person Festival hosted by The Bank Theatre in Leamington. Plays will be presented on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings with detailed adjudications on the next morning and an awards brunch Sunday, May 18, 2025. Travelling adjudications in 2024-2025 will provide WODL member groups with the opportunity to be adjudicated in-Festival or out-of-Festival.
It was exciting to pass the torch to Corey Robertson, chair of the WODL Festival 2025 committee. Corey and his team are well underway with their planning. Watch for more details in the coming months.
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Interested in Participating on the WODL Board of Directors? | |
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The next WODL Board (2024-2025) will be elected at the AGM in October 2024 in Leamington, Ontario. You may remember that we moved the AGM to October 2025 to coincide with the site visit for Festival 2025 and to ensure that the financial audit for 2023-2024 is completed and ready for presentation to the membership.
As the end of my time as a WODL Board member nears, I have been reflecting on how much I have gained personally and professionally – way more than I have contributed. Personally, because my theatre practice has been enriched by what I have learned about how other community theatres function and met so many talented, creative, fun people to work and play with. And yes, professionally too! Until I retired from Western University, I was an IT project manager and I continue to teach project management at Fanshawe College. Because Project Managers are seldom the “boss of anyone”, we are effectively working with volunteers on our project teams. So, learning to work in a volunteer organization like WODL has provided lots of insights that I used as a project manager and that I now share with my students.
Thank you, Laura Jean McCann for inviting me to partner with you as Area VP, Elgin, Perth, Middlesex. Laura Jean and Al travelled throughout Canada and the US so having a partner enabled Laura Jean to continue serve as Area VP.
What could I do?
You could partner with your local area VP or work with other board members. For example, Gina Paradis, as the primary administrator of the Facebook page, spreads the word about WODL activities along with Communications Chair, Tricia Ward, and Webmaster, Mary Jane Walzak.
How much time do I need to commit?
As much time as you have available to contribute.
Do I have to travel?
Only if you want to! There are lots of things that can be done remotely.
How do I find out more?
Look at the Board positions. Contact the incumbent to see what is involved and what you could do. Then contact Mona Brennan-Coles, Chair of the Nominating Committee. Mona and the nominating committee (Bev Dietrich, Sue Garner and Renata Solski) will be working on the slate of prospective board members over the summer.
When would/could I start?
You could start immediately or wait until the 2024-2025 board is elected.
Nominating Committee
· Mona Brennan-Coles, Chair
· Bev Dietrich
· Sue Garner
· Renata Solski
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Community Theatre in the WODL Region | |
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A good place to find out about what other WODL groups are doing is the WODL Facebook page, WODL | Facebook. Most of the announcements are at fairly short notice, so check in often!
If your group is putting on an event that you would like included in the July newsletter, please send the information to communications@wodl.on.ca.
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What's on this Month in the Waterloo-Wellington Region | |
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Ayr Community Theatre
Brigadoon, Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe. In celebration of Ayr’s 200th Anniversary. Show runs June 5-9, 2024 at Knox Church, Ayr.
https://www.ayrcommunitytheatre.com/
Elmira Theatre Company
Auditions for Birds and the Bees by Mark Crawford, directed by Joe Brenner are being held on June 10 from 7-9 pm at St. James Lutheran Church in Elmira.
https://elmiratheatre.com/
Guelph Little Theatre
Auditions for The President’s Under Where? Written and directed by Steve Robinson are being held June 11 & 12 at 7:00 pm at Guelph Little Theatre. Show runs Oct 24-November 3, 2024.
Read through is June 6 at 6:30 pm at the Theatre.
https://guelphlittletheatre.com/
Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre
Firebringer. A Stone Age Musical Comedy. Music and Lyrics by Meredith Stepien & Mark Swiderski, Book by Nick Lang, Matt Lang & Brian Holden. Arranged by Clark Baxtresser & Pierce Siebers. Directed by Diana Skrzydlo runs June 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 2024.
Auditions for the New Works Festival (Fourteen New Plays, Scenes and Monologues by Ten Authors) will be held June 16, 18, 19 at 44 Gaukel Street, Kitchener. Performances are August 23-25, 2024.
https://kwlt.org/
Penny and Pound Theatre
Auditions for Miss Scrooge. Music and Lyrics by Lori Robinson Distel. Book by Piper Distel, based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens will be held June 7 & 8 from 2-5 pm at Knox Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, Ont. Show dates are Nov 7-10, 2024.
https://penningandpoundtheatre.com/
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What's Happening in the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk-Oxford Region | |
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Paris Performers’ Theatre
BRANT THEATRE FESTIVAL 2024
A three day festival celebrating local theatre, playwrights and creativity.
Friday, June 21 at 7:00: One Act Play Night
Saturday, June 22 at 7:00
- Paris Playwrights + BTF 2024 Party
- Paris Wincey Mills Co
Sunday, June 23 at 7:00: Brant Theatre Showcase
- St. Paul’s United Church
- This is a pay what you like event to make it as accessible as possible for as many as possible.
Theatre Tillsonburg
At the Saturday, May 11 performance of Gloria’s Guy, Theatre Tillsonburg had the absolute pleasure of hosting Author Joan Burrows.
Congratulations to Pete Matthews and Rendall Lackenbauer who were nominated for awards at the WODL Festival, held on May 17 and 18 at the Delta Armouries Hotel in London.
Theatre Woodstock
One Act Players (OAP) presents Our Little Secret directed by Kim DiLello on Saturday, June 22 at 7:30 and Sunday, June 23 at 2:00.
Auditions, Auditions, Auditions:
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My Old Lady: Directed by Sally Johnston - June 9, 10 from 7-9 at Old St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Woodstock.
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A Snow White Christmas: Directed by Jeff Sweete - June 23, 24 from 7-9 at Old St.Paul’s Anglican Church in Woodstock.
Congratulations to WODL Festival Award winners Kristin Klein and Joycelynn Klein for Award of Merit (Cinderella and Fairy Godmother costumes) and Becky Tanton (Best Newcomer) and to nominees Emil Wijnker, Shannon Wijnker, Kassidy Davies, Stephanie MacDonald, and the magical appearance of Cinderella’s Carriage pulled by a team of dancing horses held at the WODL Festival on May 17 and 18 at the Delta Armouries Hotel in London.
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What's Happening at Goderich Little Theatre | |
By David Armour, Goderich Little Theatre | |
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Lots happening! We've just closed our mainstage season at the Livery, with Ludwig's Lend Me a Tenor; but as of June 20th we open a production of our Youth Initiative. Ordinary Magic Theatre for Young Players (Act III) will present A Midsummer Night's Dream from June 20th - 23rd. Ordinary Magic Act III is for youth ages 13 - 18. After an economic collapse, those with means have retreated into their gated community, called Athens Estates, while the remains of a great metropolis are left to crumble around it, under the riotous growth - nature is taking over. The woods are haunted. Are they faeries? Goblins? Or just feral kids, living free in the forest?
Then, in July, the second iteration of First Time for Everything, a four-day festival aimed at encouraging new directors, actors, writers etc; and this year, for the first time ever, we have a troupe of improv players participating. It runs from July 24th to the 28th.
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Supporting Performing Arts in Rural and Remote Communities (SPARC) | |
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After an overwhelmingly successful first year, the CPN (Community Presenters Network) Small Venue Pitches are back!
The Community Presenters' Network (CPN) is a collection of smaller-scale performing arts venues throughout Ontario, working in close collaboration with Ontario Presents and SPARC to bring more music, theatre, dance, and other art forms to people and places not necessarily served by larger venues. CPN members are seeking out the best artists to fit their mandates and budgets for the 2025-2026 season.
Applications are now being accepted! Apply by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/1gy9urPmDJDTSpqGA
The form will collect applications between now and June 30th, and CPN members will make the selections over the summer, and then we'll hold the pitches themselves over up to three evenings in early September (please note these sessions will be virtual and will not conflict with the Ontario Presents virtual networking/artist showcase sessions).
All performing artists are encouraged to apply, regardless of age, genre, professional experience, or any other factor. Applications are open from now until June 30th, 2024, at 11:59pm. Successful artists will be sent their invitation to pitch no later than August 1st. The pitch sessions will take place in early September. If you have any questions about the pitches, or need any help completing the application form, please contact Eric Goudie at egoudie@centrewellington.ca.
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Off the Wall - Summer Courses | |
By Michele Boniface, Chair, Off the Wall Stratford Artists Alliance, mboniface@cyg.net
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Check out these new books from Playwrights Canada Press!
Recently released:
cockroach (曱甴) by Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho)
You can call him Cockroach, or Roach for short. He’s a catnip-smoking city slicker living in the dark corners of our homes. A bard (yes, that one) longs for rest as he contends with his legacy. In their crosshairs lies a boy, caught in their collision of linguistics, longing, and lobsters (who sometimes burp). A unique exploration of survival and the dynamics of language erosion, cockroach (曱甴) is a coming-of-age play about the stories we tell ourselves to comfort, to persevere, to resist, to overcome, and to be.
I Forgive You by Scott Jones and Robert Chafe
In October 2013, Scott Jones was leaving a bar in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, when he was attacked, stabbed in the back, and left paralyzed from the waist down. In the months following his attack, Scott Jones’s story garnered international attention, not only for its brutality, but also for his uncommonly early decision to forgive his attacker. Based on the incredible true story, I Forgive You explores the complexities of forgiveness, privilege, recovery, and self-love in Scott’s own words backed by a live children’s choir.
Coming soon:
PLAY: Dramaturgies of Participation by Jenn Stephenson & Mariah Horner, illustrated by Jeff McGilton
From escape rooms to TikTok to Tim Hortons’s “Roll Up the Rim to Win” to DIY everything, participatory performance is ingrained in the very fabric of our contemporary society. Written in a series of alphabetical, standalone mini essays that activate the reader as a participant who chooses their own path, PLAY: Dramaturgies of Participation collects, describes, and analyzes live performances in which the audience become participants in the piece itself.
+ see what else is coming soon!
Did you know you can browse our plays by subjects and casting?
Want to hear more about sales and upcoming events? Sign up for our newsletter!
You can find more new releases, a blog full of interviews and excerpts, and more on playwrightscanada.com.
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Unlock Grant Funding for your Theatre - Horizon Solutions | |
By Samadhi Perera, Horizon Solutions, samadhi@horizonsolutions.net | |
Theatres across the province are tapping into grant funding every year with our help! Horizon Solutions partners with community and professional theatres, offering system design assistance and equipment quotations tailored to meet grant application requirements.
How Can We Help You?
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Detailed Planning: We'll help you create a plan with real pricing and product information, enhancing your chances of securing grants. Our support has already helped theatres across Ontario succeed.
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Quick Budget Pricing: Have a plan and just need pricing? We provide fast budget quotes to keep your project moving.
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Comprehensive Planning: Not sure where to start? We'll help you develop short-term and long-term plans tailored to your needs.
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Technology Upgrades: Considering a major upgrade like an audio system overhaul, switching to LED fixtures, or adding a new video projector? We'll guide you through the latest technologies and share examples of successful implementations in other theatres.
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Equipment Demos: Need to see a piece of equipment to know it'll be the right fit? We can arrange that too.
Our staff understand the challenges of grant applications and work with theatres every day. Whether your application is approved or not, we're here to help you develop a plan you can be confident in.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you take the next step towards completing that grant application.
info@horizonsolutions.net
519.453.3368 | 800.698.8796
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Playwrights Guild of Canada - Canadian Play Outlet | |
Concord Theatricals New Plays | |
If you are Producing Canadian Plays this Season - Check This Out | |
The Playwrights Guild of Canada publicises productions of Canadian-written plays through its website, www.playwrightsguild.ca.
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Is your WODL Membership Information Up-to-date? | |
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Are you on the board of a theatre group that belongs to WODL? If your group has:
- A new President
- New WODL delegates
- A new Treasurer
Please let our membership chair, Shirley Steele, know at membership@wodl.on.ca
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Deadline for submissions for the July newsletter. | |
Victoria Day Long Weekend, 15 - 18 May 2025 | |
WODL Festival 2025, Leamington. | |
Victoria Day Long Weekend, Sunday 18 May 2025 | |
Awards brunch, Leamington. | |
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This newsletter was prepared by:
Tricia Ward
Communications coordinator
WODL
Western Ontario Drama League | communications@wodl.on.ca | www.wodl.on.ca
Copyright © Western Ontario Drama League 2024. All Rights Reserved.
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