Prairie invasion at NAC: $2.8-million festival to present 80 events this spring, from Buffy Sainte-Marie to Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Steven Mazey, Ottawa Citizen
Photo: Mike Carroccetto, The Ottawa Citizen
Singers Buffy Sainte-Marie and Suzie Vinnick, violinist Erika Raum, productions from Saskatoon’s Persephone Theatre and Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers and art shows presented by the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Saskatchewan Craft Council will be among more than 80 events the National Arts Centre will present as part of the Prairie Scene Festival April 26 to May 8.
Created to celebrate performing and visual artists as well as writers, filmmakers and chefs from Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the festival will be presented in more than 30 venues across the Ottawa area. In Regina Thursday, NAC officials announced part of the lineup and said more performances will be announced in February.
The festival has a budget of $2.8 million, with 60 per cent of that coming from private fundraising, donors and ticket sales and the rest coming from the Manitoba and Saskatchewan governments and the federal government.
Full story on the Ottawa Citizen website: Prairie invasion at NAC
GCTC Presents: Hamlet (solo)
Hamlet (solo)
By William Shakespeare
Performed by Raoul Bhaneja
Directed by Robert Ross Parker
A Hope and Hell Theatre Co. Production in association with Richard Jordan Productions (UK)
Three shows only!
October 15 – 17, 2010
A special fundraiser presentation for the
Shannon Reynolds Memorial Endowment Fund
This one-man tour de force is being presented as a fundraiser for the Shannon Reynolds Memorial Endowment Fund. Originally from Ottawa, actor Raoul Bhaneja takes on 17 different roles in this emotionally intimate and powerful version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Raoul has performed Hamlet (solo) around the world, including The Banff Summer Arts Festival, The soloNOVA Festival at New York’s PS122, and The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Tickets $28.25 (incl. tax) available at www.gctc.ca and at the GCTC Box Office, by calling 613-236-5196 Hamlet (solo) By William Shakespeare
Performed by Raoul Bhaneja. Directed by Robert Ross Parker
A Hope and Hell Theatre Co. Production in association with Richard Jordan Productions (UK)
A special fundraiser presentation for the Shannon Reynolds Memorial Endowment Fund
The Shannon Reynolds Memorial Endowment Fund was established by friends and family of Shannon Reynolds, an actress and a strong supporter of Canadian theatre. At GCTC, she appeared in Les Belles Soeurs in 1997 and Bonjour, la, Bonjour in 1999, and was also a founding member of A Company of Fools. Shannon passed away in April, 2009 and the Fund was established to honour her last wish to provide support to the creation, development or production of Canadian works at GCTC that particularly emphasize female voices.
Rock the Arts puppet show coming to Carp Fair
EMC Entertainment
Photo From Rock the Arts website
Puppets will be coming to this year’s Carp Fair.
Sarah Argue and Robyn Pekarchuk will be bringing their unique theatre company, Rock the Arts, to the fairgrounds this weekend as part of the 147th edition of the fair.
The duo have performed together for nine years and traveled in the United States for three before starting their Kanata-based company.
“We’re just rocking the arts,” Argue told the EMC previously, noting the inspiration behind the company name.
Full story: Rock the Arts puppet show coming to Carp Fair
GCTC announces 2010-2011 season
Phil Ambroziak, EMC
The Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) continues to prove it’s a theatre with character.
In fact, that’s the theme of the GCTC’s 2010-2011 season, which was officially launched at the Irving Greenberg Theatre on April 12. Theatre enthusiasts filed into the building, eagerly anticipating an official announcement from GCTC artistic director Lise Ann Johnson.
Subscriptions and passes are available in packages starting at four plays up to six with early bird prices available until July 18.
Full story: GCTC announces 2010-2011 season
NAC English Theatre Artistic Director Peter Hinton named Officer of the Order of Canada
[Press Release]
The National Arts Centre (NAC) is very proud to announce that Peter Hinton was named an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General Michaëlle Jean. Mr. Hinton had worked for numerous theatre companies across the country before being appointed Artistic Director of the NAC’s English Theatre in 2005.
“I was very humbled by this announcement,” said Mr. Hinton. “This truly is a great honour, and it speaks volumes to the recognition for all the artists who work in English Theatre and the importance of the arts in Canadians’ lives.”
Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.
The award is just one highlight of an outstanding year for Peter Hinton, who recently resurrected the NAC’s English Theatre Company after a 25-year hiatus. In doing so, he brought 18 actors from every corner of Canada to Ottawa to work on two productions: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children. The NAC’s English Theatre Company will be touring to Winnipeg in February 2010.
Mr. Hinton’s career has touched audiences in several provinces; he has worked as the Associate Artistic Director at Théâtre Passe Muraille and the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto, Artistic Director of the Playwrights’ Theatre Centre in Vancouver, and Dramaturg in Residence at the Playwrights’ Workshop in Montréal.
In 2008, he was awarded the Audrey Ashley Award for outstanding contribution to Ottawa theatre by the Capital Critics Circle.
In September 2007 Mr. Hinton welcomed Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company to the NAC to co-produce the world premiere of Margaret Atwood’s stage adaptation of her novel, The Penelopiad. This collaboration marked the first partnership between the Royal Shakespeare Company and a Canadian theatre company.
Before coming to the National Arts Centre, Mr. Hinton was an Associate Artist at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival for seven seasons, directing The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare’s Universe, the Odyssey, Fanny Kemble, The Duchess of Malfi, Into the Woods, and all three parts of his own verse trilogy titled The Swanne.
Order of Canada recipients will receive their awards during a formal ceremony at Rideau Hall at a later date. The National Arts Centre applauds Peter Hinton for this much deserved honour.
Le directeur artistique du Théâtre anglais du CNA, Peter Hinton, est nommé Officier de l’Ordre du Canada
[Communiqués]
Le Centre national des Arts (CNA) est très fier d’annoncer que Peter Hinton a été nommé Officier de l’Ordre du Canada par la gouverneure générale, Michaëlle Jean. M. Hinton a travaillé avec des compagnies de théâtre d’un bout à l’autre du pays avant d’être nommé directeur artistique du Théâtre anglais du CNA en 2005.
« Cette annonce m’a profondément touché, a déclaré M. Hinton. Il s’agit effectivement d’un grand honneur, qui en dit long sur la reconnaissance que méritent tous les artistes qui travaillent au Théâtre anglais et sur l’importance que les Canadiennes et les Canadiens accordent à l’art. »
Créé en 1967 par Sa Majesté la reine Elizabeth II, l’Ordre du Canada est la plus prestigieuse distinction civile décernée au pays. Il réunit des personnes qui se sont distinguées par leurs réalisations exceptionnelles, leur dévouement envers la communauté et les services qu’elles ont rendus à la nation.
Cet honneur n’est qu’un des nombreux faits saillants qui ont marqué la dernière année, laquelle s’est avérée exceptionnelle pour Peter Hinton. Il a récemment rétabli la Compagnie de théâtre anglais du CNA après un hiatus de 25 ans. De plus, il a invité 18 comédiens de toutes les régions du pays à venir travailler à deux productions dans la capitale nationale : A Christmas Carol de Charles Dickens et Mother Courage and Her Children de Bertolt Brecht.En février 2010, la Compagnie de théâtre anglais du CNA effectuera une tournée à Winnipeg.
Au cours de sa carrière, Peter Hinton a touché des publics de plusieurs provinces, notamment en tant que directeur artistique adjoint du Theatre Passe Muraille et de la Canadian Stage Company à Toronto, directeur artistique du Playwrights’ Theatre Centre de Vancouver et dramaturge en résidence de Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal.
En 2008, M. Hinton s’est vu décerner le prix Audrey-Ashley du Cercle des critiques de la capitale nationale pour sa contribution exceptionnelle à la scène théâtrale d’Ottawa.
En septembre 2007, il a invité la Royal Shakespeare Company du Royaume-Uni à coproduire au CNA la première mondiale de The Penelopiad, adaptation scénique du roman de Margaret Atwood. Il s’agissait du premier partenariat entre la Royal Shakespeare Company et une compagnie de théâtre canadienne.
Avant de se joindre à l’équipe du Centre national des Arts, M. Hinton a été pendant sept ans un artiste associé du Festival de Stratford, où il a mis en scène les pièces The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare’s Universe, The Odyssey, Fanny Kemble, The Duchess of Malfi, Into the Woods et les trois volets de sa propre trilogie en vers, intitulée The Swanne.
Les récipiendaires de l’Ordre du Canada recevront leur récompense au cours d’une cérémonie officielle à Rideau Hall à une date ultérieure. Le Centre national des Arts félicite Peter Hinton de cet honneur grandement mérité.
“The Odyssey” at the Shenkman Nov 13
Ottawa StoryTellers brings its highly successful NAC show, Homer’s Odyssey, to the new Shenkman Arts Centre’s Black Box Theatre on Friday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.Tickets ($15) are available at the Shenkman box office, 613-580-2700.
Homer’s Odyssey is the story of the ten-year voyage of Odysseus, creator of the Trojan Horse, as he tries to reach his home after the fall of Troy. We travel with him to the land of the Cyclops and the enchanted world of the seductress Circe; then we arrive in Ithaca, as Odysseus fights a bloody battle to reclaim his kingdom and rejoin his faithful wife, Penelope.
The Odyssey, one of the world’s oldest and greatest epics, is a powerful action-packed adventure story and a wonderful and tender love story. Who could ask for anything more?
Info: www.ottawastorytellers.ca or call 613-322-8336
Last chance for early-bird discounts for Countries Shaped Like Stars and Inclement Weather!
After sold out runs at the fringe this summer, Mi Casa Theatre will be producing their shows Countries Shaped Like Stars and Inclement Weather at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre Studio in December.The original production team of Nick Di Gaetano, Emily Pearlman, Patrick Gauthier and Catriona Leger will be joined by award winning lighting designer Lynn Cox and props and costume designer Sarah Waghorn for a Mi Casa fueled evening of performance, spectacle and cookies. Secret rock star guests for opening night party! Storybike (the world’s goldest person powered narrative machine) on hand to entertain you at intermission! Awesome guaranteed!
The shows will run back to back every night at 7:30 from Dec 2-5 with a special PWYC matinee at 2:30 on the 5th.
Early bird tickets are $23 until November 2, and then $30/$20 (students).
Call the GCTC box office now at 613-236-5196 to reserve your tickets now.
