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The theme of this season is innovative partnerships
designed to bring our new works to a broader national audience.
It’s an exciting year ahead – here are some of the highlights.
Breaking News:
•
CITY OF WINE by Ned Dickens
Coming Soon to Corner Brook, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver...
Nightswimming launched the next phase of Ned Dickens' CITY OF
WINE, a seven play cycle about the city of Thebes, with a celebration
last May 7th, exactly one year prior to the first performance of
the entire cycle at Toronto's Theatre Passe Muraille in May 2009.
The seven plays will be performed by graduating students from seven
theatre schools from across Canada, and directed by some of the
country's top directors: Craig Hall, Eda Holmes, Jillian Keiley,
Tatiana Jennings, DD Kugler, Ursula Nererburg-Denzer and Sarah Stanley.
Current activities include workshops at York University,
Concordia Univeristy, and George Brown College, and a writing residency
for Ned at the National Theatre School in Montreal where he's preparing
production drafts of the plays. Grenfell College in Corner Brook
is now in rehearsal for their production of CREON, opening
November 26th.
Click on the link to the left for full details and a schedule of
all seven productions.
NOW Magazine preview
article.
City of Wine tells the epic
story of the city of Thebes and its citizens through a cycle of
seven plays. To complete the writing of the cycle,
we have partnered with theatre training institutions across Canada.
Each school has participated in the development of the plays over
a three year period. In the final year, 2008/09, seven schools are
producing one of the plays, enabling the students to perform in
a major new work and allowing Ned, Brian and Naomi to see each play
in production and also work on the entire cycle as a whole. The
schools are: Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Theatre Program (Newfoundland),
Concordia University, Humber College Theatre Performance Program,
George Brown Theatre School, York University, Studio 58 at Langara
College and Simon Fraser University. This massive project is possible
in part through substantials grants from the Canada Council and
the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation.
More
information on City of Wine –––
Or visit the City
of Wine blog
Also: visit City of Wine on Facebook for photos
from past workshops.
• BLUE
NOTE by Martin Julien and
Brian Quirt
Presented by Nightswimming and Harbourfront
Centre, with design by PLANT Architech Inc. (see photos of the installation
at PLANT),
this innovative new piece received a workshop production September
16-21, 2008. NOW Magazine review.
More information on Blue Note
• Nightswimming is currently working on a large
roster of new works, including AISHA 'N BEN by last year's
playwright-in-residence Anita Majumdar, and BLUE BOX by Carmen
Aguirre, which received a public readinng in Vancouver last June.
We're workshopping Don Druick's WILDEST DREAMS in November,
and workshopped Judith Thompson's BLANDY in October, and
Richard Sanger's WHISPERING PINES with the Great Canadian
Theatre Company in July. We supported two projects via the Ontario
Arts Council's Creators' Reserve fund: Liza Balkan's OUT THE
WINDOW , and Phil Jenkins' INQUEST, an exploration of
the story of Kimberly Rogers.
• Bombay Black nominated for
2007 Governor General’s Award!
Anosh Irani was nominated for the Governor General's
Award for The Bombay Plays - The Matka King and BOMBAY
BLACK , which were published by Playwrights Canada Press in
2007. Here's what the GG announcement said:
"At once poetic and theatrical, The Bombay Plays pulse with
grit, humour and despair. Anosh Irani makes an astonishing debut
with these two plays. His voice is fierce, funny and wholly original."
Bombay Black received its Indian premiere in
Mumbai in September. "Bombay Black
is a searing play.” – THE PIONEER, NEW DELHI. For
details, click
here
Cahoots Theatre's production of Bombay Black,
directed by Brian Quirt, was revived last season at Mississauga’s
Living Arts Centre (February 8-10, 2008) and at Vancouver’s
Arts Club Theatre as part of their subscription season (February
21 - March 15). More
information on Bombay Black
•
ROUGH HOUSE by Andy Massingham
Upcoming: Two Showcase performances at IPAY,
the International Performing Arts for Youth Conference, Cleveland,
January 22, 2009.
Last season, Rough House toured to the Vancouver East Cultural
Centre (February 26 – March 2, 2008), Toronto’s Lorraine
Kimsa Theatre for Young People (April 8-20), the Yukon Arts Centre
in Whitehorse (April 23-24), and the SuperNova Festival in Halifax
(May 2-4). More information on Rough
House
• Pure
Research - Pure Research will be on hiatus
in 2008/09. The next deadline will be in spring 2009 for research
sessions in autumn 2009.
There are few places in Canada where in-depth
theatrical research can be explored without the pressure of development
or production. Through this unique program, Nightswimming assists
artists by providing space, money and resources for pure research
into provocative theatrical questions.
Pure Research takes the annual form of two three-day
workshops. A national call for proposals is distributed each fall
and the workshops generally take place the following spring. To
date submissions from across North America have been uniformly fascinating.
Each workshop is documented and reports are posted on Nightswimming's
web site.
This season we once again conducted Pure Research program in partnership
with the University of Toronto's Graduate Centre for the Study of
Drama, from December 3-15, 2007. Workshops were conducted by Rebecca
Singh, Erica Batdorf, and Sherri Hay and Moynan King. Reports on
their research projects will be soon posted on the Pure Research
page. See PURE
RESEARCH for more information and
how to apply.
• Awards
Our work has been recognized by a number of substantial foundation
grants and awards. Nightswimming has received multi-year grants
from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the George Cedric Metcalf
Foundation.
– Bombay Black by Anosh
Irani received 4 Dora Awards including Outstanding New Play, Outstanding
Set Design, Costume Design, and Sound Design/ Composition...plus
nominations for Outstanding Production and Lighting Design.
More about Bombay
Black...
“...lovely theatre, well-designed,
nicely staged, intriguingly acted and promisingly written...a masterful
blend of eroticism and mystery.” – Toronto Star
– Rough House by Andy Massingham
received 2005 Dora Award nominations for Outstanding Production,
New Play and Direction (by Brian Quirt), and Andy Massingham won
for Outstanding Performance and Rebecca Picherack and Michelle Ramsay
won for their lighting design. More
about Rough House...
"Beckett meets Buster makes Magic...Using
just a light bulb, bowl, chair and lighting, Massingham creates
a series of funny, poignant and sometimes brilliant on-stage moments.”
– Toronto Star
– Through the Eyes
by Don Druick was nominated for the 2005 Governor General's Award,
Canada's highest literary honour. Through
the Eyes received a Dora Award
for Richard McMillan (performance), and was nominated for the work
of Brian Quirt (direction) and Paul Mathiesen (lighting).
More about Through the Eyes...
“A sensitive piece of writing alive with colour
and texture...NNNN...One of the Top Ten Productions of 2003.”
- Now Magazine
- Nightswimming's Artistic Director Brian Quirt
was nominated for a Dora Award for Outstanding Direction for Rough
House in 2005, and for
Through the Eyes in 2003. As well, Brian was presented
with the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas Prize
in Dramaturgy - The Elliott Hayes Award - at the LMDA's 2003
conference in Chicago. The award is presented annually honour exemplary
work by dramaturgs in the USA and Canada.
Elliott Hayes Award press release
Works in Development
Blue Note by
Martin Julien and Brian Quirt
presented by Nightswimming and Harbourfront Centre's Fresh Ground,
September 16-21, 2008, at Harbourfront's York Quay Gallery: 7pm.
Click here for INFO.
Design by PLANT Architect Inc., featuring Neena Bickersteth, Jay
Bowen, Christine Brubaker, Steven Gallagher, Kate Hennig, John Millard,
Jane Miller.
Blue Note is an inter-disciplinary performance piece inspired
by our long-standing interest in choirs and their dramatic and visual
potential. A character study of a vocal ensemble, Blue Note
follows seven singers as they (actually) rehearse a challenging
new piece of music. Through the music, an assortment of texts, and
reinforced by staging that reflects the realities of rehearsal rather
than performance, we slowly gain a picture of the group as well
as the individual singers, as they struggle with the fact that they
are one member short at this rehearsal. Eventually, it becomes clear
that one of the ensemble has died and they are endeavoring to keep
going despite their loss.
Nightswimming is creating Blue Note as an installation rather
than a musical or a play, and when it is presented the rehearsal
process is accessible to the public along with more formal evening
presentations. More information on BLUE
NOTE.
Visit Plant's website
for more images and information about their other projects.
Blandy
by Judith Thompson
Inspired by mask work we conducted in 2004 and 2005, Judith is now
writing the second draft of this play about an urban teenage girl
inspired by Shakespeare. A workshop in the fall of 2008 will prepare
this show for production in 2009/10.
Whispering Pines by
Richard Sanger
Three people who came together in East Berlin come to Canada, and
come apart when one is revealed as a Stasi infomer. Workshopped
by Nightswimming in November 2005, Whispering Pines received
a workshop and public reading at Alberta Theatre Projects in February
2006, followed by a Nightswimming workshop in July 2007. A subsequent
workshop in July 2008 with Ottawa's Great Canadian Theatre Company
examined a pre-production draft.
Tulip by Don Druick
Set in the madness of 17th century Holland’s crazed obsession
known as tulipomania, Tulip is a wild new play about greed,
beauty, deceit and botany. The latest of Don’s fabulous inventions
features some of his best writing ever and will received a workshop
at George Brown Theatre School in November 2004 followed by a Nightswimming
workshop and public reading in November 2006.
The Frozen Deep
by Don Druick
Don takes us to the 1857 home of Charles Dickens and the last rehearsal
of a new play by Dickens and his protegé Wilkie Collins.
While Dickens and Collins are fighting over the story (about two
arctic explorers in love with the same woman), Dickens' wife Catherine
and a motley crew of friends and family are held hostage to Dickens'
unstoppable creativity. As they furiously rewrite their script,
two dangerous love stories play themselves out - on and offstage.
A public reading, with live piano accompaniment by David Matheson,
was presented to great response at the National Arts Centre (Ottawa)
as part of the prestigious 2003 ON THE VERGE Festival.
............................................................
OAC Theatre Creators Reserve
Nightswimming is participating in the Theatre Creators Reserve
Program funded by the Ontario Arts Council. We are accepting applications
until December 1, 2008. Nightswimming is particularly pleased that
"creators working in forms other than text" are eligible
to apply and we are eager to review applications from creators working
in those fields.
If you're interested in challenging dramatic forms and bold visual
storytelling, explore our website for more information about our
theatrical interests and ideas. Please review our current and past
projects to get a sense of our work. Here are the questions we'll
be asking when we review the applications:
Does the project intersect with at least two of Nightswimming's
artistic interests?
These include: - diversity of storytelling - geographic and/or cultural
- poetic dramatic text
- dance and extreme physicality
- exploration of dramatic forms - stretching dramaturgical boundaries
- integration of music, especially vocal music
Does this application establish a new relationship for Nightswimming,
or extend an existing relationship in a new direction?
We will focus on the following:
- the clarity of the applicant's intent regarding the project
- the clarity of the process of creation
- is the project something the artist would be unable to pursue
without this funding?
If you have a project that you think would fit with Nightswimming's
mandate and interests, please send us your application by December
1st. We look forward to reading it, and will respond by December
15th, 2008.
Please keep applications to three pages; a short script sample is
sufficient as we are more interested in the nature of the ideas
you want to explore than reading your past work.
Don't forget to include the application form from the Ontario Arts
Council.
No email or fax applications please. Send or drop off applications
to:
Nightswimming
55 Mill Street
#310 Building 74
Toronto, Ontario, M5A 3C4
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NightSwimmingLessons
A series of classes with Nightswimming
senior artistic associates
Recent Classes: Body Physics
with Andy Massingham
Call 416 703 5491 for further
information.
Details
on Current Classes
............................................................
Elliott Hayes Award
Press Release
July 9, 2003
Artistic Director
Brian Quirt honoured with Elliott Hayes Award
Board President Kathy St. John is proud
to announce that Nightswimming's Artistic Director Brian Quirt was
presented with the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas
Prize in Dramaturgy - The Elliott Hayes Award - at the LMDA's
recent conference in Chicago. The award is presented annually honour
exemplary work by dramaturgs in the USA and Canada.
Brian was recognized by LMDA Vice President
Liz Engelman for his longstanding, distinctive and significant contribution
to the field of dramaturgy. In her presentation, Engelman commented:
"As the Director of his dramaturgical company
Nightswimming (a 'dramaturgical company' – that alone deserved
recognition!) whose declared mission is to be dedicated to advancing
the field of dramaturgy and play development in Canada, Brian has,
since 1994, invested purely and fully in the development of numerous
pieces of work. He has done so much for the initiation, generation
and development of new plays, performance works and dance pieces
that, in a sense, I feel as if I am presenting a lifetime achievement
award.
"Through Nightswimming, Brian has
created a system of development that evolves the notion of dramaturgy,
that expands the role of the dramaturg, and that has the potential
of being the new norm. His artist-based collaborative process
opens up not only who is in the rehearsal room, but gives artists
a chance to dream, and allows for these dreams to come true."
Nightswimming is delighted that Brian's work
has been acknowledged by his peers in the dramaturgical community
and would like to extend its congratulations to the long list
of artists commissioned by or working with Nightswimming: Julia
Sasso, Don Druick, Claudia Dey, Jason Sherman, Michael Redhill,
Jane Urquhart, Jane Miller, Ned Dickens, Richard Sanger, Anoshi
Irani, and Andy Massingham.
In addition to his work with Nightswimming,
Brian is the company dramaturg at Factory Theatre and Chair of LMDA
Canada. His recent credits include a Dora Award nomination for directing
Don Druick's THROUGH THE EYES at Factory Theatre, which is reviving
the production in May 2004; dramaturging Julia Sasso's BEAUTY, produced
by julia sasso dances at Harbourfront Centre; and directing Jason
Sherman's Governor General's Award nominee AN ACRE OF TIME at the
Tarragon Theatre. All three projects were commissioned and developed
by Nightswimming.
LMDA serves the professions of literary managers and
dramaturgs across North America and created the Elliott Hayes Award
to honour the memory of the late Stratford Festival Literary Manager
Elliott Hayes. It is awarded annually to celebrate the contribution
of dramaturgs to the conception, development and production of theatre
in the Americas. New York-based dramaturg Mallory Catlett was also
honoured for her work on The First 100 Years Project. For more information,
please visit www.lmda.org.
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Links of Interest
Literary
Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA)
Canadian
Association for Theatre Research (CATR)
Playwrights
Development Centres of Canada
Playwrights
Guild of Canada
Professional Association
of Canadian Theatres
Playwrights
Atlantic Resource Centre
Playwrights
Workshop Montreal
Julia
Sasso dances
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