Call for Submissions: Pitch Blitz!, Theatre Passe Muraille

Theatre Passe Muraille would like to invite artists of all disciplines and backgrounds to come and make a pitch to Artistic Director Andy McKim.

Releasing the bounds of a formal audition, the TPM Pitch Blitz is an opportunity for artists to introduce themselves to Theatre Passe Muraille in whatever way best represents them. The TPM Pitch Blitz gives artists five minutes to showcase themselves or present their project.

Pitch an idea, pitch a show, pitch yourself! We’re on the lookout for exciting new artists to work with and remarkable artistic projects to facilitate. Spend five minutes showcasing who you are, what you’ve done in the past, and what your ideas are for the future. This is an opportunity to talk about what it is that brings you to us, and to show us what you might want to bring to TPM.

At Theatre Passe Muraille, we’re committed to enhancing meaningful interactions between our communities, and extending the development life of projects developed both inside and outside our walls. We have a special interest in independent, emerging, collaborative, intercultural and multidisciplinary artists, and seek out all whose voices are marginalized. Our vision is of a theatre space that functions as an arts centre and a town square in one.

We welcome actors, directors, writers, musicians, technicians, administrators, dancers, producers, visual artists, and anyone who blurs the boundaries between these roles. Anything goes. Think of it like a chance to spark a meaningful relationship with Canada’s oldest theatre for new work. We do this a minimum of three times per season. The next TPM Pitch Blitz is on April 26 and 27, 2011.

Start by downloading the application form at www.passemuraille.on.ca/aboutus/artists/tpmpitchblitz

and sending it to: tpmpitchblitz(at)passemuraille.on.ca

Be bold. Be creative. Be concise.

Application forms due April 15, 2011 at 5pm.

Call for Submissions: 2011 Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition, Queen’s University

This competition, made possible by a generous bequest from Voaden’s estate, is  dedicated to his memory and honours his goals to develop a distinctively Canadian  art of the theatre; to encourage the writing of Canadian drama.

Submit your plays for an opportunity to gain feedback from real  dramaturges.

• First prize – $3000, Second prize – $2000
• A Week Long, Professionally Directed Workshop
• Culminating in a  Public Reading
• Eight Honourable Mentions receive dramaturgical responses from both final round judges.

Entries are to be submitted to (Deadline April 15, 2011):

Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition
Department of Drama
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario, Canada  K7L 3N6

All Entries Must be Postmarked
NO LATER THAN APRIL 15, 2011.
Guidelines and Entry Forms available at:
<http:/www.queensu.ca/drama>http:/www.queensu.ca/drama

Workshop: Your Health in Your Hands Managing Stress with Self-Shiatsu with Leisa Bellmore, Shiatsu Therapist, Artists’ Health Centre Foundation

Your Health in Your Hands Managing Stress with Self-Shiatsu with Leisa Bellmore, Shiatsu Therapist

Monday April 4, 2011
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Fee: $15 for TAPA members (regular price $18)
Pre-registration is required, as space is limited.

Artists’ Health Centre Foundation
250 The Esplanade, Suite 500

Shiatsu is based on the application of pressure to specific points on the body, and is used for relaxation, stress relief, injury prevention and to treat a variety of conditions. How we address stress determines the impact it will have on our bodies and minds. This workshop will help you take control of your own health and well-being, and will discuss:

• Effects of stress on your health
• Strategies for managing stress
• Self-shiatsu techniques

Leisa Bellmore has been helping people to regain and maintain their health using shiatsu therapy for nearly ten years. A firm believer in the need for each of us to take responsibility for our health and well being, she enjoys giving clients the tools they need to take an active role in their health care. Leisa joined the Artists’ Health Centre in June of 2010, but has been working with both performing and visual artists for many years. She is currently working on a book on self-care for musicians. She has been active in promoting natural health practices through her volunteer work on the board of directors and as President of the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada. She also volunteers at Toronto’s Ronald MacDonald House where she offers shiatsu to families with children coping with life-threatening medical conditions. Leisa’s background in theatre and film provides her with a first-hand understanding of the stresses and pressures of a life in the arts.

To register please contact us at:
Phone: 416.351.0239
Email: info@ahcf.ca
Fax: 416.595.0009
Or print off a registration form http://ahcf.ca/shiatsu.html to fax or send by mail.

The AHCF appreciates recognition of our cancellation policy, student rate and senior discount requirements. Thank you.

For your comfort, this is a scent-free workshop. Please refrain from wearing any perfume, cologne, aftershave or scented products. Thank you.

Workshop: Rise to New Heights Weekend Intensive, Shakespeare & Company

The world renowned SHAKESPEARE &  COMPANY Centre for Actor Training in Lenox, Massachusetts will be bringing their “Rise to New Heights” Weekend Intensive to Toronto, May 6 – 8, 2011.

Dates: May 6 – 8, 2011
Location: Tarragon Theatre Studios
30 Bridgman Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5R 1X3

Contact: Erin Ouellette, Training Assistant Shakespeare & Company
Email:  TrainingAssistant@shakespeare.org
Phone:  413-637-1199  Ext. 114
Website: www.shakespeare.org

The Toronto Weekend Intensive is the ideal introduction to Shakespeare & Company’s renowned actor training methods. It integrates voice,    movement, and monologue work as participants explore ways to unlock the emotional and intellectual content inherent in Shakespeare’s       language, revealing the direct relationship between the actor and the text.

Participants come prepared with a 15-20 line monologue, learned by heart, and work both individually and as part of a group. The workshop    begins with an introductory session on Friday evening, continues all day Saturday, and concludes with a wrap-up on Sunday afternoon. In all, twenty hours of intense focus on the actor’s personal connection to the text.

Arts Worker Discount: 2010 Patron’s Pick and Best of the Fringe!, Miles Nadal JCC

The Miles Nadal JCC and Suga Jam Entertainment present 2010 Patron’s Pick and Best of the Fringe!

A Freudian Slip of the Jung: The re-erected Musical version.  A comedic exploration of the real life relationship between Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung by Sean Fisher

Saturday April 30 at 7:30 PM
Hosted by Bruce Hunter
Starring: Moira Dunphy, Sean Fisher, David Frisch and Denise Mader
Miles Nadal JCC
750 Spadina Avenue at Bloor St.
www.mnjcc.org
Suggested PWYC at the door: $10
Artists appear courtesy of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.
For further information please contact Esther Arbeid at 416 924-6211 x606 esthera@mcjcc.org
or Sean Fisher 647 808-4558 seanfisher9@hotmail.com

Call for Submissions: Canadian Jewish Playwriting Competition, Miles Nadal JCC

Submission Deadline: June 30, 2011

The Prize is a Professional Play Reading at the MNjcc in 2012.  In addition to a $1000 for the winning playwright.  Generously sponsored by the ShaRna Foundation.

Three previous CJPC winners have been published and professionally produced: Einstein’s Gift by Vern Thiessen, Sara’s Cave by Don Molnar and Yahrzeit by Alex Poch Goldin.

More info and submission guidelines: Esther Arbeid esthera@mnjcc.org (416)924-6211 x606

Job Posting: Administrator, Diasporic Genius

This short term contract position is in support of the ongoing launch and early development of Diasporic Genius, a new Arts and Arts-Based social change not-for-profit company. As such, it will involve the development of a strategic plan for that launch, the development of written and web materials, the gathering of allies, the implementation of a short term fundraising initiative and the preparation for the production of the organization’s first public performance project. In all of these areas the successful candidate will be working in collaboration with founder/director David Buchbinder. Pending the success of initial fundraising and developmental initiatives, the position will be extended
to a full-time, long term contract.

Medium/long term: As the Administrator for Diasporic Genius, the successful candidate will be responsible for and involved in all administrative aspects of the organization including general administration, fundraising, marketing, educational outreach, production and grant-writing, all in the context of the launch and growth of a new initiative and organization. The successful candidate will work with founder/director David Buchbinder to ensure the building of the organization and its progressive operation.

Success in this position will be determined by the ability to strategize, organize, and create and administer appropriate systems and practices to match and support the development of Diasporic Genius.

Requirements:

• A degree in Arts Management or equivalent experience
• 2 years + experience with a professional performing arts organization
• Computer literate and experienced with Mac OS X, proficiency in Microsoft Suite, iWorks,
• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize, excellent written and verbal communication skills

Other Assets:

• Experience in launching an arts organization
• Experience in marketing
• Strong relationships in the worlds of the arts and arts funding
• Design, web, PR & Marketing skills and experience
• Familiarity with world music, jazz music and/or the music industry in general
• A strong desire to pursue a continuing career in arts administration
• Previous grant-writing experience

Additional Information:
Diasporic Genius is a new Arts Organization founded by Toronto-based musician, composer and producer David Buchbinder, focused on: the creation, production, presentation and touring of music-centered, multidisciplinary performance works; an integrated apprenticeship model of arts education; the development and promotion of a new, arts-based vision for the cultural transformation of the City of
Toronto.

Applicants can send their applications to:

David Buchbinder
DB Works/Diasporic Genius
943 Dundas Street West
Toronto Ontario M6J 1W4
CANADA
info@davidbuchbinder.ca

www.davidbuchbinder.ca

Current and past collaborators include ProArteDanza, Andrea Nann Dreamwalker Dance, filmmaker Bruce McDonald, musician/producer Roberto Occhipinti, Soulpepper Theatre, actor Saul Rubinek

Event: 2 Thursday Salons, Jumblies Theatre

Two Thursday Salons
Co-Hosted by Cedar Ridge Creative Centre & Gallery
225 Confederation Drive, Scarborough

April 7 Poetry by Elana Wolff & Evalyn Parry
7:00 – 9:00 PM, Evening refreshments, PWYC Admission

Elana Wolff has taught English as a Second Language at York University and at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She currently divides her time between writing, editing, and facilitating therapeutic community art. Elana’s poems have appeared in journals and anthologies in Canada, the US, and the UK and her third collection, You Speak to Me in Trees (Guernica, 2006) was awarded the 2008 F.G. Bressani Prize for Poetry. Her most recent book, Implicate Me (Guernica, 2010), is a collection of short essays on individual poems by Toronto-area poets; a new poetry collection is forthcoming this fall.

Evalyn Parry is an award-winning spoken word artist, songwriter and theatrical creator based in Toronto. From 19th century cycling heroines to 21st century sailors; from “feminine protection” to bottled water to the quest for the Northwest Passage, evalyn’s outspoken creations hold out a powerful vision of social and personal change, while her irreverent wit holds nothing sacred.  Accompanying herself on guitar, water bottle, shruti box and loop pedals, parry shoots from the hip and aims for the heart.  Fierce, funny, poignant and provocative, she has been charming audiences at storytelling, poetry, music and theatre festivals from coast to coast of North America.  Her work has been widely broadcast and anthologized; she has released three CD’s, written and produced five plays, and her latest performance project SPIN (starring The Bicycle as Muse, Musical Instrument, and Agent of Social Change) premiered at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto in 2011, and will be touring over the coming year.

April 21 Storytelling by Sharada Eswar & Sean Frey
7:00 – 9:00 PM, Evening refreshments, PWYC Admission

Sharada Eswar hosted her first Children’s Program on All India Radio when she was 11. Since then her love for words has found expression in diverse ways. A trained Indian classical musician (Carnatic School), she was part of the team representing India at the India Abroad show in Paris and New York. She was also one of the three chosen by the Centres Culturels des Lions Clubs de Paris to present Indian culture in Normandy, France. Since then, Sharada has been performing and teaching in Toronto and internationally, drawing on her South Asian ancestry and heritage. Recently she curated and hosted Kootir, South Asian Storytelling, at the Toronto Festival of Storytelling and performed at the Festival of Oral Literature. Sharada will tell part of her new piece, Aandal: Aandal is an 8th century Tamil saint and one of the twelve Alvars (saints) and the only woman Alvar of Vaishnavism.

Sean Frey is a puppeteer, designer, instillation artist and community-based theatre artist. Sean has worked with Fixtpoint and Ahuri Theatre as a designer and performer, at Spiral Garden as a mask and puppet artist, and extensively with Jumblies Theatre  (as a Metcalf Foundation intern in 2008, and from 2009 until the present, as a Lead Artist for Jumblies’ Scarborough Residency) as well as cultivating his own artistic practice and independent projects. In 2008, he was awarded a year-long internship grant with Jumblies from the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation. He was also an artist/participant in Harrel Fletcher’s collaborative art project “Born Out of Pleasure” at the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. In 2009, he worked with shadow theatre and projections artist Clea Minaker and musician Leslie Feist on “The Living Lantern” presented at Casteliers Puppet Festival. Sean’s current artistic interests lead him into exploring the intersection of performance and visual arts, including projections, film, light and shadow.

www.jumbliestheatre.org

Workshop: Music Creation & Community Arts Co-produced with Raucous Caucus, Jumblies Theatre

Cedar Ridge Creative Centre & Gallery
225 Confederation Drive, Scarborough
(Contact us for directions, & shuttle pick-up at Kennedy subway – $6 return)

April 16th from:

1:00 – 5:00 – workshops & presentations
5:00 – 7:00 – join us for dinner (reservations required) & informal listening & sharing
7:00 – 9:00 – concert showcase
Guest presenters include: Juliet Palmer, Martin van de Ven, Adam Scime, Julia Churchill, Eric Schwindt and the Parkdale Singers.
Admission: afternoon only: $20; dinner: $10; evening: $15; full program: $40
Space is limited. Advance registration is required.

Delve into music and sound art in community-engaged arts and performance – what has been done, what might be done, new ideas and collaborative approaches, how to let untrained participants into your composition process, while still ending up with an exciting musical outcome for the composer and audience. The day will include presentations, panels, discussions, audio-video samples and mini musical/sound explorations; and an evening showcase. Activities will also connect to Jumblies’ East Scarborough residency and exploration of themes, imagery and text from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

Presenters will include: Juliet Palmer, (composer and interdisciplinary artist who has composed with sewing machines and boxers), Wende Bartley (composer and sound artist – creator of live and electro-acoustical score for Jumblies Once A Shoreline in 2004), Martin van de Ven (Clarinetist, music educator, composer and Klezmer music expert), Eric Schwindt (composer, community artist, rock musician and founding director of the Parkdale Singers), Adam Scime (composition graduate student at U.ofT.’s Faculty of Music), Chris Wilson (multi-faceted musician, music creator and ethnomusicologist, who has worked over the years with several Raucous Caucus companies), Julia Churchill (singer-songwriter and Jumblies’ 2011 Metcalf Intern). Other music creators are invited to bring samples of community-engaged work to share over the dinner break (please let us know if interested).

Raucous Caucus is Jumblies, Clay&Paper, Shadowland and Puppetmongers Theatre. This is one in a series of 4 professional development gatherings funded by the OAC Arts Education Department.

For info. & Reservations please contact:
info@jumbliestheatre.org or 416 834 4460

Workshop: Theatre Creation: A Collective Creation with Linda Griffiths, Equity Showcase Theatre

The Canadian Award winning writer and actor Linda Griffiths with Theatre Creation: A Collective Creation
April 18th to June 3rd 2011

Director of the Professional Development Program of  Equity Showcase Theatre Kevin McCormick, and president of the Board of Directors David Macniven, are very pleased to welcome the talented and highly regarded Canadian writer and actor Linda Griffiths to EST to present this special and unique collective creation workshop in honor of our 50th Anniversary.

This workshop is part of Equity Showcase Theatre’s 50th Anniversary initiative called the Writers Laboratory, a new ongoing program that is now part of the EST mandate to serve artists who are writers wishing to gain in skills or actors and other artists who wish to pursue the art of writing under the guidance of some of Canada’s best writers and creators.

“Linda Griffiths is one of Canada’s originals, known not only for the quality of her work but for the sheer range of her career” – Macleans Magazine.

Apply online now, as spaces are limited.  www.equityshowcase.ca or click on this link: http://www.equityshowcase.ca/component/fabrik/details/32/305
Email any questions to zoe@equityshowcase.ca

Deadline is April 4, 2011