All Stages Magazine Audience Theatre in Alberta | Fall 2014 Engagement Cultivating Lasting Connections
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THIS ISSUE: ALL STAGES MAGAZINE AUDIENCE THEATRE IN ALBERTA | FALL 2014 ENGAGEMENT CULTIVATING LASTING CONNECTIONS Fred Zbryski, Lora Brovold, and Liana Shannon in Dear Mr. Keith by Rob Maclean and Melissa Mullen, commissioned by the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, part of Theatre Yes's The National Elevator Project, Edmonton 2014. www.theatrealberta.com Photo Credit: Dave DeGagné. contents [4] [9] [14] PRODUCE TO IN PRAISE OF THEATRE TO THINE OWN PROMOTE IN SMALL ROOMS SELFIE BE TRUE The ongoing dialogue between Verb Heather Inglis on the recent national The Shakespeare Company's approach to Theatre and its 'subscribers.' elevation of Theatre Yes. 'lean and mean' classical theatre. [1] Check in [3] Community Profile [4] Produce to Promote [7] Love's Labour's Lost? [8] Sides [10] Early Stages [12] Foils [14] To Thine Own Selfie Be True [15] Q2Q [16] Opinion Want to subscribe to All Stages? Become a member of Theatre Alberta at theatrealberta.com/membership and receive all three issues of our publication, plus access to our library, professional development programs, and production resources! Publications Mail Agreement Number 40051164 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Theatre Alberta Centre Page Percy 3rd Floor, 11759 Groat Road Edmonton, AB T5M 3K6 Theatre Alberta is a Provincial Arts Service Organization and registered Canadian charity committed to encouraging the growth of theatre in Alberta. All Stages Magazine is a publication of Theatre Alberta issued three times a year. The opinions and Checkin views expressed in All Stages Magazine are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Theatre Alberta. Subscribe to All Stages Magazine by becoming a member of With fall and the return of the theatre season Theatre Alberta at theatrealberta.com/membership. Read past issues and view exclusive online content at we thought it fitting to open some dialogue on theatrealberta.com/all-stages. engaging patrons, and welcoming theatregoers. All Stages Magazine EDITOR We were interested in what brings people Frazer Andrews – [email protected] into our theatres, how companies in Alberta DESIGN Perpetual Notion Design Inc. – [email protected] are growing an audience, and the resulting Advertising relationships and connections. What draws Ads are booked at the discretion of Theatre Alberta. For details on advertising rates and dimensions, please visit someone into a theatre and more importantly what brings theatrealberta.com/all-stages. Contact Aaron Talbot at him or her back? [email protected] for more information or to book an ad. Ad Submission Deadlines October 15 for Winter 2014 edition What we found were innovate ways Alberta theatre artists are working to January 15 for Spring 2015 edition communicate about and through their work in our increasingly on-demand and July 15 for Fall 2015 edition Next Issue online age. This issue of All Stages teems with thoughts on engagement, marketing Winter 2014 - Technology Letters and idea submissions for articles or online content are welcome. know how, and inspired ideas on making connections. In Early Stages Quest Theatre Alberta Library Hours Theatre’s Marcy Lannan spoke with artists about how residency programs inspire Mondays 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and educate students to become patrons and artists. For our fall edition of Foils 10:00 am to 3:00 pm John Hudson, of Shadow Theatre and The Varscona Theatre Alliance, and Heather Theatre Alberta Office and Library Closures August 30 – September 1 (Labour Day) Inglis, of Theatre Yes, give us the ‘ins and outs’ of engaging audiences both October 11 – 13 (Thanksgiving) November 11 (Remembrance Day) in and out of traditional theatre venues, respectively. In Community Profile, Theatre Alberta Board of Directors our interview with Alan Roberts, of the Keyano Theatre and Arts Centre, gives If you have questions or comments regarding Theatre Alberta, we invite you to contact Theatre Alberta Board Members at us a glimpse at the unique way theatre is involving professional artists and [email protected]. community members in our province’s most rapidly growing region. Marketing PRESIDENT Jeremy Mason ~ Lethbridge expert, Marlis Weber, gives us some savvy pointers on effective engagment with VICE PRESIDENT Love’s Labour’s Lost: Attracting Your Audience in the Age of Netflix. In To Thine Lynda Adams ~ Red Deer TREASURER Own Selfe be True The Shakespeare Company Artistic Director, Haysam Kadri, Claude Giroux ~ Fort McMurray tells how ‘lean and mean’ classical theatre has taken hold of Calgary audiences. SECRETARY Kristen Finlay ~ Edmonton Our technical editor Scott Peters spoke to Sui-Fan Wong of Red Deer College DIRECTORS about students, technicians, and audiences for Q2Q. Co-artistic Director, Col Sean Anderson ~ Calgary Michelle Brandenburg ~ Calgary Cseke, elaborates on Verb Theatre’s efforts to maintain ongoing dialogues Stacy Fysh ~ Edmonton Ryan Godfrey ~ Edmonton with the community in Produce to Promote. And in Sides, excerpts from the Kevin Rothery ~ Calgary Nathan Schmidt ~ Rosebud Alberta Playwrights’ Network 2014 Alberta Playwrighting Competition are Elizabeth Wilkie ~ Edmonton featured: Grand Prize Winner Helmet’s Big Day by James Wade and Discovery Theatre Alberta Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Prize Winner Before the Night Takes Us by Ryan Reese. And finally,Bradley Keri Mitchell – [email protected] Moss explains why Audience Engagement Starts With Artist Engagement in our OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Morgan Norwich – [email protected] Opinion/Editorial feature. PROGRAMMER Frazer Andrews – [email protected] Within these pages, ‘solutions’—to questions of engagement—are far less COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING COORDINATOR likely than ideas. Foregrounded in this issue are the interconnections of Aaron Talbot – [email protected] ARTSTREK DIRECTOR organizations and the communities they co-exist in—relationships that are Marie Gynane-Willis – [email protected] as varied as the mandates they support. A basis of healthy engagement is LIBRARIANS Solveig Anderson and Becca Barrington – [email protected] understanding the nature of audience connections, which might be arrived FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR at with questions: ‘who,’ ‘what,’ and ‘why.’ Zenovia Adams Change of address information and undeliverable copies to: Theatre Alberta Society By endeavoring to embrace this kind of acumen, the ‘how’ will come later, 3rd Floor Percy Page Centre with inspired ideas as unique as the theatre it is intending to support. 11759 Groat Road, Edmonton AB T5M 3K6 Phone: 780-422-8162 Fax: 780-422-2663 Toll Free: 1-888-422-8160 Theatre season… Engage! Email: [email protected] Web: www.theatrealberta.com Charitable Registration Number 10669 3039 RR0001 FRAZER ANDREWS EDITOR ENGAGE WITH US WE HAVE A PROGRAM FOR YOU Foote Theatre School The Maclab Student’s Club Providing year-round classes for all ages and A unique glimpse into the world of professional experience levels; teaching physical, technical and theatre for junior and senior high school students. creative skills in both acting and musical theatre. Members enjoy: Our classes provide: • A light supper. • An excellent instructor-to-student ratio • A pre-show presentation with theatre • Instruction from experienced theatre professionals. professionals and educators • A Q&A session with the cast and crew • A structured and progressive curriculum following the performance. • Potential audition opportunities. Student Matinees Young Companies We consider special matinees for school groups An advanced training and mentorship program to be an important and essential part of our for aspiring artists between the ages of 16-21 programming. This season, the following who are serious about pursuing post-secondary productions will have Student Matinees: education and a career in theatre. • Kim’s Convenience There are four companies: • One Man, Two Guvnors • Acting • A Christmas Carol • Musical Theatre • Playing With Fire • Playwriting • Vigilante • Theatre Production • Arcadia • Avenue Q CITADEL THEATRE 780.425.1820 citadeltheatre.com R O B B I N S Academy Alan Roberts. Photo Credit: Brian Gould Photography Inc. Alan Roberts Fort McMurray has a remarkable theatre scene, and I have loved being immersed in helping it grow, from assisting the City’s former Director, Keyano Theatre and Arts Centre, theatre group for youth—Hudson’s Play Company—to assisting Fort McMurray. local schools optimize their theatre spaces, to supporting the All Stages was pleased to catch up with Alan Roberts and chat about his various groups who use Keyano venues. background, his involvement with theatre in the Wood Buffalo region, and the uniqueness of the Keyano Theatre Company—that mounts full-scale theatrical Keyano has a unique operating model with professional, productions with an ensemble made up of passionate community members and community, and institutional (college) involvement. What's professionals alike. involved in this? Can you tell us a bit about your background and training? Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre has a mandate to produce and I attended the two-year Theatre Production program at Grant present a wide variety of diverse forms of live theatre and MacEwan Community College, now MacEwan University, in 1983–84. entertainment, as well as provide culturally rich opportunities After college I did freelance gigs when I could get them: setting for our community. We operate what we call