Performance Season

  • DART students debut new play exploring obsession

    Friday, April 03, 2026 | By

    Two actors perform on stage in blue light. The actor on the left is wearing a mask.

    Fourth-year Dramatic Arts (DART) students Jaxson Schut, (left), and Gabriela Queiros perform in Enjoy Your Stay a new play premiering at Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts on Friday, April 10.

    published Thursday, April 02, 2026 in The Brock News | by Gillian Minaker

    Fourth-year Dramatic Arts students are inviting audiences on a harrowing journey to a sinister hotel haunted by a controlling spirit — a hotel so grand guests might not want to leave.

    Enjoy Your Stay, a production by Kaleidoscope Collective, opens at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre on Friday, April 10.

    The play follows the journey of staff members trapped in a seemingly lavish hotel where the spirit of a man lives inside the walls. The spirit controls the building and all within, including a woman who has been trapped for decades.

    A performer stands on a stage under dark, blue light.

    Fourth-year DART student and performer Victoria Marshall performs in Enjoy Your Stay, a new production by Kaleidoscope Collective.

    When two new faces enter the story, Edith and Lilian, the world of the hotel begins to shift. While clumsy and shy Edith falls prey to the horrors within, Lilian uses her spiritual gift to uncover the mystery of the building and the truths hidden in the walls.

    A key theme explored is humanity’s tendency toward obsessiveness and control and how it can lead to a path of destruction.

    The play was created as part of DART 4D56 Collaborative Play Development, an upper-year Dramatic Arts (DART) course in which students collaborate as a theatre company to produce and mount a new play.

    Fourth-year DART student Victoria Marshall said the sense of community in the collective has been powerful.

    “We all know theatre is a community, and this process has been both intense and beautiful,” she said.

    From scriptwriting to stage management and acting, the student collective came together throughout the year to explore their creativity while building theatre making skills.

    The experience has helped Marshall deepen her skills as an actor while gaining a broader understanding of the many gears that make the machine of theatre turn.

    “It’s been so refreshing to try my hand in every aspect of the production. Whether helping with lights, hanging curtains or helping to install a set, I am trying new things I wouldn’t have touched before,” she said.

    A person works on a costume in a wardrobe studio.

    Fourth-year DART student Nav Brar works as Head of Wardrobe, Assistant Production Manager and as part of the lighting Crew on Enjoy Your Stay.

    Like Marshall, fourth-year DART student Stewart Shaw said learning about the design process and how a show gets made has been a valuable experience.

    Shaw has worked as Lighting Designer, Technical Director, Head of Props and Projections Designer on the play, honing technical skills including how to do projections on QLab and operating various lighting and production technologies simultaneously.

    “I’ve also learned a lot about the decisions that have to be made along the way — the paperwork, the documentation and the process of creating an idea into a prototype and how things can change along the way,” they said.

    Enjoy your Stay runs Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. Tickets can be purchased through University Tickets.

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    Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Events, Future students, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised

  • Dramatic Arts mainstage brings fantasy world to life in celebration of unique identities

    Wednesday, March 04, 2026 | By

    Fourth-year Brock University Dramatic Arts student Nav Brar (left), the puppeteer for Melifollee, and third-year student Landon Drexler, the puppeteer for Pendamire Dragonius, enter into a scene in Escape to ILKANOR: A Fantasy Play in Nine Chapters.

    published Monday, March 02, 2026 | Brock News | by 

    Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) is set to whisk audiences away to a magical land of powerful beings and fantastical creatures.

    Cast members Sandra Nampiima and Daisy Ford with puppets during a technical rehearsal.

    From dragons and elves to wizards and sorceresses, Escape to ILKANOR: A Fantasy Play in Nine Chapters invites viewers to leave the real world behind and embark on a journey of the imagination. The mainstage production opens Friday, March 6 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in downtown St. Catharines.

    Written and directed by DART Assistant Professor and playwright Mike Griffin, the play explores escapism and fantasy genre tropes through diverse characters and extraordinary creatures.

    “Our creative exploration of escapism began by asking why people want to escape through stories and where they want to escape to,” he says.

    Featuring bold theatrical components that incorporate puppets, masks and physical theatre, the fantasy unfolds in nine chapters, each featuring a host of characters who travel to different areas in the magical land of Ilkanor.

    Many of the characters reflect marginalized perspectives that are not often represented in leading roles, Griffin says. Through their magical transportation to Ilkanor, these characters are able to explore different parts of their identity.

    Cast members Curtis Honsberger, Sandra Nampiima and Ryleigh OBrien rehearsing with th puppets Trink and Somp.

    Among the play’s chapters, for instance, are tales of a neurodivergent individual who becomes a wizard in Ilkanor and a non-binary drag artist who becomes the leader of a kingdom.

    Griffin says the play is not a typical hero’s journey.

    “Instead, we are exploring representation in fantasy, touching on neurodiversity and disability, and wrestling with identity and self-care,” he says.

    More than 40 DART students in all years of the program will bring Ilkanor to life, advancing their learning by collaborating with both emerging and established theatre makers.

    “The show is truly magical, not only in the fantasy elements, but also in the collaborative work and care to build the world of Ilkanor,” fourth-year DART student and mainstage performer Nav Brar says. “I personally don’t know another show that has highlighted so many different people that don’t always get their time, in one production.”

    DART student Julia Foley, assistant designer for the play presents her mask and costume designs to the first year students in Scenography and Stagecraft.

    Third-year DART student Julia Foley, an assistant designer for the play, says the crew embraced a sustainability mindset while creating the fictional world, with the production incorporating recycled materials in the set, costume and puppet designs.

    Working with limited or thrifted materials meant having to explore and be open to new possibilities based on what is available, she says.

    Brock University’s Dramatic Arts mainstage performance of Escape to ILKANOR: A Fantasy Play in Nine Chapters opens Friday, March 6 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre.

    “The elements of transformation and rebirth are at the core of the show’s landscape, communicated not just through the set and costumes, but through the stories told by each character as they journey from the real world to Ilkanor, where they unlock their full potential,” Foley says. “We similarly saw the potential in our thrifted fabrics, books and garbage materials and transformed them into something beautiful and new.”

    Escape to Ilkanor: A Fantasy Play in Nine Chapters opens Friday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines. Performances will also take place Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m., Thursday March 12 at 11 a.m., Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.

    General admission tickets are $25 and tickets for students and seniors are $20. Visit Brock University Tickets to reserve seats.

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    Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised, Visiting Artists

  • How the arts shaped Walker Cultural Leader’s path to Indigenous roots

    Wednesday, December 03, 2025 | By

    As part of the 2025-26 Walker Cultural Leader Series presented by the Marilyn. I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, celebrated multidisciplinary artist Nicole Joy-Fraser (second from left) is in residence in the Department of Dramatic Arts (DART). Joy-Fraser plays the role of the Métis Nutcracker in DART’s mainstage production, performing alongside DART students second-year student Tejay Morley (left), fourth-year student Emma Marcy (second from right) and second-year student Sarah Lazo de la Vega Sanchez (right).

    Originally posted in the Brock News | Tuesday, December 02, 2025 | by 

    Reclaiming their First Nation identity has led multidisciplinary artist Nicole Joy-Fraser down many paths, from international theatre stages to local drum circles and, recently, to Brock.

    As one of Dramatic Arts’ (DART) Walker Cultural Leaders for 2025-26, Joy-Fraser plays the role of the Métis Nutcracker in DART’s upcoming mainstage production.

    They will join Assistant Professor and Métis Nutcracker playwright Matthew MacKenzie, a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta, for a public artist talk, “Making Métis Nutcracker,” on the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre stage on Friday, Dec. 5 at 3 p.m.

    Joy-Fraser is a proud bear clan matriarch who grew up in Mississauga with Euro-Settler, Tsa’tinée, Nehiyaw and Métis bloodlines from Horse Lake First Nation in Alberta.

    Identity is the heartbeat of Joy-Fraser’s artistic practice, which spans more than 25 years of storytelling on stage and screen with celebrated companies such as the Stratford Festival, the Shaw Festival, Mirvish, Theatre Aquarius, CBC, CBS, BBC and Telefilm.

    “The more I learn about my background, the more I am driven to keep sharing Indigenous theatre and more deeply understand my job as an artist to propel stories forward not just about identity but also reconciliation,” Joy-Fraser says.

    Nicole Joy Fraser

    Dramatic Arts Walker Cultural Leader Nicole Joy-Fraser is a proud bear clan matriarch who grew up in Mississauga with Euro-Settler, Tsa’tinée, Nehiyaw and Métis bloodlines from Horse Lake First Nation in Alberta. As a multidisciplinary artist, community theatre practitioner and cultural facilitator, Joy-Fraser continues to advocate for Indigenous ways of knowing and doing, which have greatly impacted their journey as a Sixties Scoop witness and 2Spirit Helper.

    Inspired by — as it happens — a performance of The Nutcracker they saw with their parents, Joy-Fraser spent much of their youth performing with local theatre companies. They instantly fell in love with ballet and began singing thanks to the “golden oldie” musicals on repeat in their home.

    It was in high school drama class, when handed a copy of Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing (1989) by Cree writer and performer Tomson Highway, that Joy-Fraser began asking more questions about their roots.

    After three years at performing arts college Randolph Academy, Joy-Fraser landed a dream-come-true gig as a member of the first North American cast of Mirvish Theatre’s Mamma Mia! auditioned by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus himself.

    Years of performing in many non-Indigenous roles followed for Joy-Fraser on prestigious stages across Canada and with West End Theatre in London, U.K.

    At the same time, Joy-Fraser’s drive to learn about their First Nation identity burned brighter, spurring them on in their journey to find their maternal birth family.

    After years of searching and almost giving up, Joy-Fraser finally connected to their Northern Alberta roots. An Elder at their first sweat ceremony recognized their surname as belonging to their birth mother and realized her cousin was married to Joy-Fraser’s Auntie.

    “At that time, we weren’t equipped with the language and learnings to help us carry our trauma as intergenerational survivors and Sixties Scoop witnesses,” Joy-Fraser said.

    Joy-Fraser began attending traditional healing ceremonies and connecting with Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Suddenly, they were learning their history.

    “My acting roles began resonating with my personal growth, and I knew I was bound to give back to our community by sharing my story and helping others heal through the arts,” they said.

    Performing the role of the Métis Nutcracker as DART’s Walker Culture Leader has been a meaningful experience for Joy-Fraser, moved by sharing both their extensive experience as theatre practitioner as well as First Nation customs that have been part of the production process, including smudging ceremonies and feasts.

    “The best way to learn something is to experience it, and DART students are learning about Indigenous cultures by embodying this story — by living it and reflecting on it — you couldn’t ask for a more active action of reconciliation than what Brock is doing right now with this piece.”

    As an Indigenous student and actor, second-year DART student Abbey Keays of the Upper Mohawk Turtle Clan who performs in Métis Nutcracker said she has learned so much from Joy-Fraser, who she looks to as a mentor.

    “We have had important talks about what we can do to keep our cultural stories accurate, appropriate and informative. It’s not very often you get the chance to experience Indigenous work or work with Indigenous artists as an actor who is starting out,” Keays said. “I am very grateful to have Nicole Joy-Fraser to look up to in my career.”

    For more information about the Métis Nutcracker see the Department’s Events + Programming webpage.

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    Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised, Visiting Artists

  • Métis Nutcracker: Classic winter tale reimagined in celebration of Indigenous identity

    Saturday, November 29, 2025 | By

    Brock Dramatic Arts students are preparing for the University’s upcoming mainstage production of Métis Nutcracker written by award-winning Canadian playwright and Assistant Professor Matthew MacKenzie. Third-year student Ella Martin, Assistant Head of Wardrobe (left), adjusts third-year student Molly Solomon’s (centre) handmade Maple Sugar Fairy regalia, assisted by fourth-year student Nav Brar, Wardrobe Co-ordinator.

    Originally posted in the Brock News | Friday, November 28, 2025 | by 

    When Molly Solomon brings her contemporary Fancy Shawl Dance to life in Brock University Dramatic Arts’ (DART) mainstage production, she will draw strength from her Ojibwe name, Ishkode Kwe.

    The name, translated to “Fire Woman” and “First Spark in my Heart,” was gifted to the third-year DART student by her grandmother — and she wears it proudly, just like the handcrafted regalia she dons on stage.

    Solomon plays the Maple Sugar Fairy in Brock’s upcoming production of Métis Nutcracker, which opens Friday, Dec. 5 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre. The new play was written by award-winning Canadian playwright and DART Assistant Professor Matthew MacKenzie, citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta, and is directed and choreographed by celebrated theatre artist Monica Dottor.

    Solomon says sharing her Indigenous heritage with the Brock community is a profound experience.

    “I feel so welcome when my peers and mentors are genuinely curious to learn about my Indigenous identity,” she says.

    Brimming with magic, song and dance — and sprinkled with a dash of playful audience interaction that may involve throwing snowballs at the stage — the story is inspired by MacKenzie’s family heritage.

    In Métis Nutcracker, two Ukrainian refugees named Tatiana and Vanya are forced to flee from their home in the Red Pine Forest to escape the evil Rat King. They seek safety on Turtle Island where they are taken under the protection of the Métis Nutcracker, played by DART Walker Cultural Leader and multidisciplinary artist Nicole Joy-Fraser.

    “They travel in the four directions learning about different nations and sacred medicines in the Land of Flowers, Land of Berries, Land of Snowflakes and Land of Pine Cones,” MacKenzie says of the characters’ journey in his adaptation of the classic Nutcracker tale.

    Created for young audiences, the play celebrates identity and diversity.

    “My son is Ukrainian and Métis, and I wanted to be able to speak to him about his Indigeneity while exploring concepts of colonialism in a way that he could understand,” MacKenzie says.

    For Joy-Fraser, performing the role of the Métis Nutcracker also resonates with reclaiming their own Indigenous background. Joy-Fraser is a proud bear clan matriarch who grew up in Mississauga with Euro-Settler, Tsa’tinée, Nehiyaw and Métis bloodlines from Horse Lake First Nation in Alberta.

    Paramount to the production was ensuring that youth — particularly those with an Indigenous background — had the opportunity to experience Métis Nutcracker. Support from St. Catharines theatre company Carousel Players helped to achieve this goal, with two school-day matinee performances now sold out.

    “I hope every Indigenous child sitting in the audience sees themselves and their beliefs reflected in the beauty of the show,” Joy-Fraser says. “It’s magical storytelling embedded in nature, which is so much a part of who we are.”

    Indigenous practices of cultural significance are woven throughout the play,  including set pieces, costumes and regalia featuring intricate beadwork as well as custom painted canoe paddles, created in collaboration with Indigenous theatre cohort Pemmican Collective.

    MacKenzie, who teaches Contemporary Canadian Indigenous Theatre, says learning about different Indigenous nations alongside the cast and crew has been transformative.

    “Métis Nutcracker celebrates differences,” he says. “Everyone involved at Brock has come together to honour those differences, putting the ‘action’ in truth and reconciliation.”

    As the first Indigenous DART faculty member to write an original mainstage production for the University, MacKenzie says the in-house work of Indigenizing theatre is gaining momentum.

    MacKenzie is also excited to see more Indigenous representation at the University in the future.

    “We have such a supportive environment at the MIWSFPA, a true willingness and curiosity to learn,” he says. “Our conversations are centred on this performance, but they will carry forward.”

    Additional performances of Métis Nutcracker will take place Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are $25 and tickets for students and seniors are $20. Visit Brock University Tickets to reserve seats.

    MacKenzie and Joy-Fraser will also host a public artist talk related to the production at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre on Friday, Dec. 5.

    For more information about the Métis Nutcracker see the Department’s Events + Programming webpage.

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    Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, In the Media, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised, Visiting Artists

  • Students build community, deepen cultural connections in Indigenous Plus

    Friday, November 07, 2025 | By

    Brock second-year Dramatic Arts student Abbey Keays (left), fourth-year Psychology student Rhaya Clyne and first-year Concurrent Education student Bailey Clyne are among the first cohort of students to participate in the University’s new Indigenous Plus program.

    originally published in The Brock News  | Friday, November 07, 2025 | by 

    When Brock students Abbey Keays, Bailey Clyne and Rhaya Clyne reflect on what they’ve gained from the University’s Indigenous Plus program, two words immediately come to mind: culture and community.

    “There’s so much value in building community and connecting with a group of people over academics, career and culture,” says Rhaya, a fourth-year Psychology student. “A big part of my journey over the past few years has been connecting to my culture, and the Indigenous Plus program has been a good way to integrate that within my educational journey.”

    Rhaya, her sister and first-year Concurrent Education student, Bailey, and Keays, a second-year Dramatic Arts student, are among the first cohort to participate in Indigenous Plus.

    Open to Indigenous students, the free, four-year co-curricular program focuses on cultural insights, connection and career readiness. Students participate in two to four hours of programming per week that incorporates Indigenous perspectives, cultural teachings and knowledge.

    Woman sits at a classroom desk and gives a workshop.

    Cindilee Ecker-Flagg (Nokomis Migizinz), who is of Indigenous ancestry of Anishinaabe, Maliseet and settler French/English and resides in the Niagara community, recently gave a workshop on the four sacred medicines to Indigenous Plus students.

    “Indigenous Plus offers students a supportive space to explore their culture, build and connect with community, and prepare for their future careers,” said Indigenous Plus Consultant Michelle Root.

    For the Clyne sisters, the program has allowed them to deepen their relationship through a shared interest in learning more about their background.

    While they always knew they were Indigenous, the intergenerational impacts of colonialization made it challenging to get a clear picture of their lineage. They believe their family likely originated from the Six Nations of the Grand River or another nearby reserve, and most of their teachings have been from Anishinaabe Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

    “I was never supposed to know about my culture — that was the way it was intended — and because of that I’m really trying to work towards reconnecting with it in whatever ways I can,” said Rhaya.

    Bailey added that experiencing diverse ways of knowing and learning directly from Indigenous people will allow her to provide a more holistic learning experience as a future teacher.

    “I’ve really enjoyed learning from different Knowledge Keepers and Elders; it’s beneficial to have that knowledge to go along with the Western way of learning,” she said. “I want to give future students those same learning opportunities.”

    Keays, of the Upper Mohawk Turtle Clan, was also drawn to the program to build connections with Indigenous students and deepen her ancestral knowledge.

    “Indigenous culture isn’t always taught in classrooms, so it’s like getting to know about different pieces of ourselves,” she said. “I’m also helping my mom and grandmother to learn more, so we get to go on this learning journey together.”

    The program also “opened my eyes about how to add my culture to my art,” she said, pointing to her role as a performer in the upcoming Métis Nutcracker as an example.

    Presented by Brock’s Department of Dramatic Arts, the production is written by Assistant Professor Matthew MacKenzie and directed and choreographed by theatre artist Monica Dottor.

    “I get the opportunity to speak my native Mohawk language and tell the creation story in the show, so connecting my culture to my artistic practice has already fuelled my passion for performing even more,” Keays said.

    Root is encouraged by the success of the Indigenous Plus program so far and is “thrilled to soon welcome the Fall 2026 cohort to continue the journey together.”

    Registration for the next cohort runs from Monday, Jan. 19 to Friday, May 1.

    All First Nations, Métis and Inuit students interested in learning about the program are invited to attend an information session on Monday, Nov. 10 from noon to 1 p.m. in ST 108.

    For additional information, contact [email protected], visit @indigenousplus.brocku on Instagram or join the email list for updates.

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, In the Media, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised

  • Creative collaboration sets stage for new student play

    Friday, April 04, 2025 | By

    Photograph of four actors in scene from Mementos

    Image caption: Fourth-year Dramatic Arts students and members of Peregrine Theatre Co. look for hope and amidst life’s challenges in their new play Mementos. From left are Megan Mastantuono, Simon Bell, Oliver Webb Wilkinson and Maddox Keller.

    Friday, April 04, 2025 | by 

    Aspiring theatre artists at Brock are mining the complexity of human experience in an original production premiering at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre.

    Mementos, a new play conceived and created by students in DART 4D56 Collaborative Play Development, is the result of a year-long creative exploration into the world theatre-making from the initial inspiration to final presentation.

    Through fragmented storytelling that builds a wider narrative arc, Mementos captures the beauty — and ugliness — of what it means to be human. Audiences take on an active role of “onlooker” as pieces of character’s lives, full of love, loss and uncertainty, unfold on stage.

    DART 4D56 gives students the opportunity to develop their artistic voices, showcase their work and gain knowledge from industry professionals by taking on the roles of a small theatre company. The ensemble, Peregrine Theatre Co., is comprised of seven students each contributing to the final production in creative and technical ways.

    Fourth-year student Megan Mastantuono, Mementos Associate Director and Head of Wardrobe, said working with a small company meant collaboration was key.

    “As an ensemble, we’ve done a lot of writing together to create the final play. Through writing different pieces of the production, I have discovered new things about myself. It is an emotionally charged show for all of us,” she said.

    Fourth-year student Maddox Keller, Peregrine Theatre Co.’s Head of Sound Design who also performs and leads the ensembles marketing and promotion, said his most valuable takeaway is embracing the idea that developing artistic work is never finished.

    “No matter how you slice it, your first draft will never be the complete product. Things will change, things will get cut, things won’t always work on the first try — and that’s OK. The work will continue to grow and develop because of these stumbles,” he said.

    The first iteration of Mementos was shown in November at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) under a different name: Picking Up the Pieces. The first draft of the script was created using a variety of devising experiments and exercises, challenging the cast to create material based on personal experience and interests.

    Mementos explores themes from Picking Up the Pieces, such as loss and societal commentary, refining and expanding ideas to create an immersive and impactful performance for audiences.

    Fourth-year student Oliver Webb Wilkinson — Mementos’ Costume Designer, Performer, Scripter and Graphic Designer — reflected on how working on the show has impacted the group’s artistic development.

    “Mementos is a big experiment for all of us. Through nonlinear storytelling we examine human connection, the balance of hope and existential worry, and what we carry with us from our pasts,” he said. “I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far as a company, and I can’t wait for folks to see it.”

    Mementos runs from Thursday, April 10 to Saturday, April 12 at the MIWSFPA. Tickets can be purchased through Brock University Tickets.

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    Categories: Current Students, Performance Season, Plays

  • Brock to make splash with Metamorphoses mainstage

    Monday, February 24, 2025 | By

    Photograph of rehearsal for DART mainstage production Metamorphoses

    Image caption: Brock University’s Dramatic Arts mainstage performance of Ovid’s Metamorphoses opens this Friday, Feb. 28 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre.

    Monday, February 24, 2025 | by 

    Creative minds in Brock University’s Faculty of Humanities have joined forces to bring an epic ancient Roman poem to life on stage.

    The Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) will present playwright Mary Zimmerman’s award-winning adaption of Metamorphoses — complete with a challenging stage element sure to make waves with audiences.

    The play, which includes a large pool of water central to the production, opens Friday, Feb. 28 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre stage in downtown St. Catharines.

    Though the original literary work dates back more than 2,000 years, Metamorphoses continues to capture imaginations across creative and academic disciplines. Written in Latin by Ovid, a Roman poet exiled by emperor Augustus in 8 CE, the collection of myths explores themes of transformation, beauty and struggle in the ancient world.

    “Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation shows how powerless people are empowered through Ovid’s stories, and we hope the hilarity and poignant drama will open similar transformations for audiences,” said retired DART Associate Professor Gyllian Raby, who is directing the production.

    Adam Rappold, Assistant Professor of Classics and Archaeology, teaches a course dedicated to Ovid’s Metamorphoses and worked on the mainstage as Dramaturge —  an expert in the interpretation and composition of theatrical works, often advising on the text and how it is represented on stage.

    Rappold advised on the poem’s literary devices and shared insights with the cast about storytelling and the construction of myths.

    “Contemporary artists and scholars have re-examined the rebelliousness of Ovid’s poem and rediscovered the critique of the Roman Empire, revealing the full compassionate range of the exiled Ovid’s vision,” he said.

    Raby says that theatrically, this has been the most challenging play she has tackled to date. She credits the production team at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts for rising to the occasion.

    The DART cast and production crew created a technically advanced and visually stunning stage environment, including the large pool of water famously called for by Zimmerman’s adaptation.

    DART Technical Director Gavin Fearon said throughout rehearsals, the production crew have continued to discover new aspects of the pool’s impact on every element of the show including choreography, props and lighting.

    “Students in every role are navigating challenges introduced by the water,” he said. “The costumes team in particular, needed to track wet and dry quick changes in under 30 seconds.”

    Audiences will also experience original music of composer and DART sound design Instructor Joe Lapinski (BA ’99) who has drawn inspiration from the ancient Greek philosophical idea that celestial bodies make music, known as the “music of the spheres.”

    Voice Instructor and soprano Leanne Vida in the Department of Music coached individual singers in the production, including fourth-year actor Maddox Keller, who also took on the role of Choral Conductor.

    Metamorphoses opens Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines. Performances will also take place Saturday, March 1; Friday, March 7; and Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.

    General admission tickets are $25 and tickets for students and seniors are $20. Visit Brock University Tickets to reserve seats.

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    Categories: Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, News, Performance Season, Plays

  • Dramatic Arts welcomes celebrated theatre leader for mainstage production

    Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | By

    Director Soheil Parsa works with students Simone Cinapri and Lennon Paul on stage.

    Image caption: Simone Cinapri (left), a fourth-year Concurrent Education student with teachables in Dramatic Arts (DART) and History, rehearses on stage at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre with guest Director Soheil Parsa and second-year DART student Lennon Paul (right) in preparation for DART’s mainstage production of Scorched.

    Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | by 

    Director and writer Soheil Parsa is bringing his award-winning theatre expertise and artistry to Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    Parsa, co-founder and former artistic director of Modern Times Stage Company in Toronto, is directing Scorched, a bold, innovative play written by Wajdi Mouawad, for the Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) fall mainstage production. Parsa was Dramatic Arts Walker Cultural Leader for the 2023-24 season.

    With set and costume design by DART Associate Professor and Scenographer David Vivian, the deeply political and philosophical play explores fate, retribution and the human capacity for violence and destruction.

    Scorched tells the story of Nawal, a woman who fled a country tormented by violence, and her twins, Janine and Simon, who were raised in Quebec. Following Nawal’s death, the twins must return to their mother’s war-torn country to carry out her last wishes and deliver letters to their father, believed dead, and a brother they didn’t know they had.

    Parsa said Scorched strongly resonates with the events shaping the world today.

    “In this remarkable poetic piece, Mouawad explores the darker sides of human nature, contemporary barbarism, dehumanization in the face of war, friendship, separation, love and loss,” he said.

    Fourth-year Concurrent Education student Simone Cinapri, who plays the role of Janine, said Parsa guided the cast and creative team through the challenging script with patience and wisdom.

    “Beyond developing my skills as an actor, this experience has taught me about dedication, communication and creativity, lessons I will carry with me beyond my time at Brock,” she said.

    Cinapri explored how to bring characters like Janine to life — characters Parsa described as archetypal beings representing the essence of human hope, struggle and failure — as a tribute to women who have been affected by war and sexual violence.

    “By exploring the cycle of violence experienced by immigrant families in the play, I have drawn connections to my own family who faced many barriers to live in Canada today,” she said. “I am so grateful for DART’s dedication to providing memorable learning opportunities through mainstage productions.”

    Vivian, who attended National Theatre School with Mouawad, said the DART students involved in the production have “carried the characters in the play very carefully in our hearts these past few months.”

    “Digging deep into the histories and destinies of a multi-generation family led by women of great humanity has been simultaneously a privilege and a challenging responsibility for the artists of DART,” he said.

    Scorched opens Friday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines. Performances will also take place Saturday, Nov. 2, Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3.

    General admission tickets are available for $25 and tickets for students and seniors are available for $20. Visit the DART event website to reserve tickets.

    The public is also invited to a mini symposium on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Film House (FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre) for an engaging conversation with lead creatives from the production and guest scholars from Brock’s Faculties of Humanities and Applied Health Sciences. Free registration, ticket required.

    Content Advisory: The production contains mature content and is only recommended for individuals aged 16 and up.

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Media Releases, News, Performance Season, Plays

  • DART students journey to whimsical world in original production

    Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | By

    Pictured above: Fourth-year Dramatic Arts students use lighting effects and props to create shadow puppetry portraying a fantasy world of their creation in their upcoming show Truth & Other Things: A Journey Through Alitheia.

    Fourth-year Dramatic Arts (DART) students have been hard at work creating a new play that promises to transport audiences to a magical world full of surprises.

    Truth & Other Things: A Journey Through Alitheia follows five individuals who are whisked off on a magical journey that challenges their strengths and sense of self. Bound together by fate, the wanderers are put to the ultimate test when asked to rely on someone they struggle to trust: themselves.

    Presented by Patchwork Productions (DART 4F56: Advanced Studies in Theatre Practice), the show opens on Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in downtown St. Catharines.

    Led by Instructor Mike Griffin, DART students formed a vibrant theatre collective over the course of the academic year and have been working on every aspect of staging the show, from conceptualizing the story and writing the script to composing music and choreographing movement.

    The theatre collective chose Patchwork Productions as their name to reflect the process of artistic collaboration they have undertaken as a group since September using movement, music, puppetry and dialogue.

    Fourth-year DART student and Head of Construction Genevieve Batista said that the creative process felt like piecing together pieces of a patchwork to create a cohesive final play.

    “We are telling a story together and helping each other out whenever we can; that’s what this year has been all about,” Batista said.

    “This is a unique experience for everyone involved as we are exploring different media that some of us haven’t touched before,” said Benoit St-Aubin, fourth-year DART student and Associate Director of the production.

    Griffin said this is a significant course for students in Dramatic Arts with the faculty member acting as a mentor and guide for students as they take ownership of all facets of devising and producing a play.

    “This is an invaluable, hands-on experience that prepares them well for their next steps as theatre creators,” he said.

    Truth & Other Things: A Journey Through Alitheia runs from Thursday, March 28 to Saturday, March 30 at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. Tickets can be purchased through Brock University Tickets.

    Categories: Events, News, Performance Season, Plays

  • Inaugural theatre festival showcases talents of Niagara student artists

    Tuesday, December 19, 2023 | By

    Students performing on a stage.

    Image caption: As part of the inaugural Niagara Regional STAR Festival held at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, students from Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School staged a short performance in Studio C following a morning of workshops honing their creative skills.

    Elementary and high school students from across Niagara recently gathered at Brock to take the stage and put their theatre skills to the test.

    Hosted by Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) in partnership with the Theatrical Arts Education Association, the inaugural Niagara Regional STAR Festival(School Theatrical Arts Recognition) saw more than 150 students, teachers and theatre professionals gather for a day of workshops, performances and community building on Thursday, Dec. 14.

    The festival allows young people to compete against a rubric created by theatre educators while receiving valuable feedback from professionals in the industry.

    Throughout the day, students participated in workshops led by local theatre professionals and educators exploring topics such as vocal techniques, improvisation and community building.

    A.N. Myer Secondary School student Leah Miller said that it was a fun day learning about different art forms.

    “Having the opportunity to try out new things like improv and vocal skills has been a wonderful experience,” said Miller.

    Students presented skills developed in their school drama classes and performed theatrical pieces in categories including contrasting monologues, musical theatre ensembles, solos and short plays. The categories were adjudicated by theatre experts, including Brock faculty and Dramatic Arts students.

    “The only requirement was that students bring their best efforts. No costumes, sets, lighting or makeup was required, just their best work and theatre blacks,” said Tracy Garratt, Program Leader for the Arts, School Culture and Student Engagement with the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) and Teacher at A.N. Myer Secondary School in Niagara Falls.

    Associate Professor and Scenographer David Vivian, the Brock faculty lead, said the community partnership with the STAR Festival not only offered emerging student artists the opportunity to showcase their talents and creativity, but also to receive feedback fostering creative growth in a supportive environment.

    “The faculty and senior students of the Dramatic Arts program at the MIWSFPA were thrilled with the opportunity to discover the emerging talent of the region and to share our excellent facilities with the high school community,” Vivian said.

    The event was supported by local organizations sharing a common mandate of supporting youth and their families with wellness resources, especially focusing on mental health.

    In addition to the participation of local arts organizations, representatives of the Vancouver Film School (VFS) travelled to Niagara to lead workshops on acting for the camera, strengthening ties between DART’s undergraduate programming and a professional program such as VFS.

    For more information about the event, please visit the Theatrical Arts Education Association website.

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    Categories: Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised

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