TO OUR MEMBERS:
Over the holidays, I received an email with a link that is worth sharing. It is from the letters section of the Ponoka News and is in reference to the Klaglahachie Fine Arts Society's production of Mary Poppins. I have quoted only a portion of it below due to space constraints, however, the entire letter is worth a read.
"Klaglahachie... has changed the lives of young actors. Shy kids have turned into outgoing, boisterous individuals. The confidence the young people gain by being on stage will be with them the rest of their lives. What a contribution Klaglahachie gives those that take part in this wonderful production!"
This is a powerful message, especially when it comes unsolicited! Theatre Alberta exists to help you, your theatre company, or your organization generate stories like this one. Use our Classifieds, submit your listings, and let us share your news with our network. Contact our office with your questions; use our Library's reference books; find resources on our website. We are here to help!
All of us at Theatre Alberta wish the entire theatre community a productive and inspirational 2016. Happy New Year!
~ Debbie
Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Theatre Alberta
“Don't be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value.”
~ Arthur Miller
WHAT'S NEW AT THEATRE ALBERTA
Gift-a-Play:
 Theatre Alberta would like to thank all of our supporters who so generously contributed to our Library's Gift-a-Play donation campaign. Our Amazon.ca Wish List has shrunk appreciably and we are very grateful. Once the books have been labeled as 2015 Gift-a-Play donations, and catalogued, they will be available to all of our members throughout Alberta.
Please note that our Wish List will remain online for the next few weeks. Books do not have to be purchased new to be donated. If you, a friend, or a family member have any of the items listed online, and you are willing to part with them, we will gladly accept them!
If your purchase of scripts or donation of gift cards totaled more than $20, you are eligible to receive a tax receipt. Please forward your receipt to theatreab@theatrealberta.com.
Artstrek 2016:
We have just received notice from Artstek Director Marie Gynane-Willis that the 2016 Instructor Team is in place! We are very proud to announce that the following theatre educators and professionals have signed on for our 20th summer at Red Deer College!
We are happy to welcome returning instructors Caitlin Gallichan-Lowe, Valmai Goggin, Simon Mallett, Ryan Sigurdson, and Linette Smith and to introduce Artstrek students to Alyson Connolly, Braden Griffiths, Jordan Mah, Jessica Nottell, and Julia Wasilewski. We also welcome back Karen Johnson-Diamond, Administrative Director, and Glenda Stirling, Curriculum Director.
Track us on Instagram for all the Artstrek news!
#artstrek2016 #intheheights
Theatre Alberta is seeking applications for Supervisors for July 2016. Supervisors (Supers) will need excellent interpersonal skills, strong leadership abilities, and experience working with youth, a remarkable work ethic, and a well-cultivated sense of fun. Applicants must have attended Artstrek as a student, been away from the program for at least one year, and be between the ages of 19 and 25 years.
To apply, send Theatre Alberta a cover letter outlining the following:
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Your qualifications
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What would make you an asset to the Super team
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Your theatre and employment resume
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Your headshot
Email all applications to artstrek@theatrealberta.com.
We thank you in advance for your interest. However, only those applicants shortlisted for the interview process will be contacted.
Application deadline: March 1, 2016.
Workshops by Request:
 Nineteen artists from across Alberta and Canada (as far away as Nova Scotia!) gathered at The Banff Centre from December 4-6 for Compelling Telling, our inaugural master class in the Rocky Mountain Series. Representing a variety of artistic practices, participants explored Mammalian Diving Reflex’s ‘social acupuncture’ method of performance creation, led by Darren O’Donnell.
The class culminated with quick, rough performance inventions, which involved citizens in the town of Banff who generously welcomed the group into their homes and businesses. Performances ranged from filling a woman’s house with Christmas carols, to throwing an anniversary party for a local market, to engaging citizens in conversations about tattooing, family, basketball, and STIs! Photos of the group’s adventures in social acupuncture can be found here.
We look forward to seeing how the participants use the tools they’ve acquired to create site-specific and social-specific performances in their own communities. Compelling Telling was initiated by Calgary’s Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre. It was our partnership with them, as well as the support of The Banff Centre, which allowed the master class to be the success it was.
We are currently accepting proposals from groups wanting to initiate master classes for the 2016/2017 season of the Rocky Mountain Series. This is your chance to attend the master class of your dreams at The Banff Centre!
For all the details regarding Workshops by Request: Rocky Mountain Series, please visit our website. If you have questions about the program or a rough idea for a class but need help shaping a proposal, contact Morgan Norwich at morgan@theatrealberta.com.
Application deadline: February 15, 2016.
HOMETOWN SERIES
 On January 10, Medicine Hat Musical Theatre hosted Hand-to-Hand Stage Combat/Physical Comedy taught by Jeffrey Olynek. Jeffrey is an actor, special skills performer, and fight director. His fight directing credits include Head over Heels (Caravan Farm Theatre), Night of the Living Dead (Workshop Theatre), The Wasp (IGNITE! 2013), and Romeo and Juliet (The Shakespeare Company touring production).
The Hometown Series brings adult education on the theatrical topic of your choice to your community! All Theatre Alberta Group Members can initiate up to three days of Hometown workshops each season. For more info on Workshops by Request: Hometown Series, click here or email Patrick Beagan, Program Coordinator, at patrick@theatrealberta.com.
Celebrating the Life and Work of Michael Green:
To honour Michael Green's impact on the Edmonton arts community, Metro Cinema and Theatre Alberta are preparing an evening of tributes and performances on Monday, February 8, at the Garneau Theatre in Edmonton. The line-up will be announced soon.
"... a loving, anarchic and passionate celebration of Michael’s life and work." - Metro Cinema
Entry by suggested donation: $25
CITT Alberta
The Alberta section of the Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology (CITT) is hosting 3 days of ETC Ion training for all skill levels. Scheduled prior to the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium's 4th Annual Backstage Access Production Expo, the workshop is offering reduced rates for CITT Alberta and Theatre Alberta members. For more information or to register, please visit their website.
Alberta Playwriting Competition
The Alberta Playwrights' Network (APN) is accepting submissions for the 2016 Alberta Playwriting Competition, presented in association with Theatre Alberta.
The longest running provincial playwriting competition with the largest cash prize of any playwriting contest in Canada is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. The competition is open to all playwrights who reside in Alberta.
2016 contest rules and a 50th Anniversary announcement are coming soon. Check APN's website updates. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2016.
THEATRE ALBERTA LIBRARY
Next Closure: February 13-15, 2016. The Drop Box will not be available.
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indicates production was written/collectively created by an Albertan artist/group
indicates production was written/collectively created by a Canadian artist/group
