News

• Educational theatre festival builds community connections

  Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  Niagara high school students weren’t waiting in the wings at a recent theatre festival held at Brock; they had the spotlight.

  The second annual Niagara Regional STAR Festival (School Theatrical Arts Recognition) brought secondary school students and teachers to Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) on Dec. 12.

  Presented by the Theatrical Arts Education Association and MIWSFPA, the full-day event was organized by Brock Dramatic Arts (DART) Associate Professor and Scenographer David Vivian and Tracy Garratt, Program Leader for the Arts, School Culture and Student Engagement with the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) and a teacher at A.N. Myer Secondary School in Niagara Falls, Ont.

  The festival activities were the result of collaboration between local professional artists, educators and arts organizations, including the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and the Shaw Festival.

  Following workshops in MIWSFPA studio spaces led by professional artists, Brock alumni, regional educators and theatre designers, students presented their performances and productions in the categories of Technical Theatre and Design, Musical Theatre Acting — including monologues, duet and ensemble — and one act plays.

  Garratt says these opportunities to engage with diverse narratives and characters will help students develop empathy and critical thinking skills, fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them and inspiring change in their communities.

  “As a passionate teacher in the arts, I believe in the transformative power of theatre and the joy of participating in festivals that celebrate creativity. Theatre not only nurtures artistic voices, but also serves as a vital educational tool that helps students explore complex social issues and inequities,” she said.

  Vivian said the talent of participants was impressive, with students singing one moment and sharing their design and production skills the next.

  “We can’t wait to see what these emerging artists will bring to the major stages of the world in the future,” he said.

  The Brock and Niagara community are invited to the upcoming three-day National South STAR Festival held at MIWSFPA in May 2025. For details, visit Theatrical Arts Education Association.

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  Categories: News

• Grads in spotlight for enhancing local arts scene

  Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | By eknight

  

  Image caption: Brock graduates Deanna Jones (BA ’02), left, and Amber Lee Williams (BA ’20) are two of five alumni who were recently honoured with arts awards from the City of St. Catharines.

  Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | by Gillian Minaker

  According to Deanna Jones (BA ’02), a thriving local arts scene allows for people to connect by sharing stories and perspectives in innovative, creative and provocative ways.

  Jones was one of five Brock graduates honoured across five categories for their creative talent and community engagement during the St. Catharines Arts Awards held Nov. 3 at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (FOPAC).

  A Dramatic Arts graduate and actor, writer and director, Jones was the recipient of the 2024 Making a Difference Award. The co-founder of Suitcase in Point Multi-Arts Company is a firm believer in the power of the arts to bring about conversation, build understanding and create expressive outlets for change.

  “A dynamic arts and culture sector also provides opportunities, including paid work for artists who contribute significantly to the local economy and quality of life for people who live there,” she said.

  Jones said her experience at Brock significantly shaped who she is today, especially as the place where she connected with her future creative collaborators.

  “As students, we were provided a platform to take risks and challenge ourselves,” she said. “I continued my education through professional experience and travel in other places and cultures that added to the foundation that was laid at Brock.”

  For Visual Arts graduate Amber Lee Williams (BA ’20), winner of the 2024 Emerging Artist Award, art enriches community.

  “For me, art is about making meaningful connections. It’s a way to share my thoughts and feelings while inviting others to respond and share their own perspectives,” she said.

  Williams said her experiences at Brock, where she felt supported and encouraged by professors and the University community, gave her the confidence and drive to pursue a career in fine arts.

  In addition to her own interdisciplinary creative practice centred in photography, Williams now works with many local community organizations like Niagara Artists Centre and Willow Arts Community delivering workshops and classes exploring photo-based mediums.

  “Art brings joy and meaning to my life, even in the smallest, everyday moments. I am honoured and excited to help expand the arts community in Niagara region — and to give back to a community that has offered me so much support,” she said.

  Linda Carreiro, Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts, said Brock has been successful in providing a strong foundation for students to pursue their careers.

  “This path may take many forms, but we’re always pleased to see when people continue making meaningful contributions to the arts,” she said.

  Jessica Wilson, Culture Supervisor for the City of St. Catharines, said the city is enriched by artists, educators, and supporters whose dedication and creative expression build a vibrant cultural landscape that connects and uplifts the whole community.

  “This year’s Arts Awards recipients exemplify the profound impact the arts have on St. Catharines,” Wilson said.

  “The artistic talent in this city continues to impress me and creates a huge sense of pride in our local artistic scene,” Mayor of St. Catharines Mat Siscoe said. “Their efforts continue to grow our cultural sector and have made St. Catharines the vibrant centre of culture in the Niagara region.”

  The full list of Brock grads who received 2024 St. Catharines Arts Awards includes:

  • 2024 Emerging Artist Award — Amber Lee Williams (BA ’20)
  • 2024 Established Artist — Cole Lewis (BA ’04, MA ’08)
  • 2024 Arts in Education Award — Brenna McAllister (BA ’00, BEd ’02)
  • 2024 Making a Difference Award — Deanna Jones (BA ’02)
  • 2024 Patron of the Arts Award — Annette F. Urlocker (BA ’73)

  Tags: alumni, City of St. Catharines, communication popular culture and film, Department of Dramatic Arts, Department of Visual Arts, Education, faculty of education, faculty of social sciences, Graduate Studies, humanities, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, St. Catharines Arts Awards
  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, In the Media

• Dramatic Arts welcomes celebrated theatre leader for mainstage production

  Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | By eknight

  

  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 Gillian Minaker

  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.

  Tags: David Vivian, Dramatic Arts, humanities, Mainstage, MIWSFPA, Scorched, Simone Cinapri, Soheil Parsa
  Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Media Releases, News, Performance Season, Plays

• Groundbreaking artists bring inspiration to Niagara

  Friday, August 30, 2024 | By eknight

  

  Image caption: Award-winning multidisciplinary artist Jani Lauzon (left) and artist and scholar Camille Turner will bring their creative expertise to Brock this fall as part of the 2024-25 Walker Cultural Leader Series.

  Friday, August 30, 2024 | by Gillian Minaker

  From nurturing Indigenous-settler reconciliation through theatre creation and exposing silenced Black histories through an immersive art exhibition, Brock is bringing unique, hands-on learning experiences to the campus and wider community this fall.

  As the University kicks off its 60th anniversary celebrations, a new season of compelling cultural events, workshops and lectures launches in September as part of Brock’s 2024-25 Walker Cultural Leader (WCL) Series presented by the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

  Supported by the generosity of the late Marilyn I. Walker, the series enriches local creative and intellectual life by inviting recognized cultural leaders, top researchers, scholars, professionals and visiting artists from all disciplines to Brock’s downtown arts school.

  MIWSFPA Director and Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts Linda Carreiro said the significant impact of arts and culture at Brock, and society at large, is highlighted by the work of renowned visiting artists and scholars in this year’s lineup.

  “It’s always such a pleasure to host cultural leaders with deep knowledge and expertise who are so willing to share their talents with the local community,” Carreiro said. “Our Walker Cultural Leaders provide not only examples of artistic excellence, but this year’s series also facilitates important conversations about respectful and meaningful collaboration, inclusion, reconciliation and redress.”

  The series begins Saturday, Sept. 7 with creative workshops, led by celebrated Montréal-based visual artist Marc-Alexandre Dumoulin, exploring art making and how art is defined.

  In October, award-winning artist and scholar Camille Turner, whose work combines Afrofuturism and history, will bring her Afronautic Research Lab project to the MIWSFPA Visual Arts Gallery in an immersive exhibition. She will also provide a workshop, Afronautic Research Methodology, to students and members of the public on Saturday, Oct. 5, with advance registration required.

  Gemini award recipient Jani Lauzon, a multidisciplinary artist of Métis, French and Finnish ancestry, will take the stage at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s Film House on Wednesday, Oct. 2 for a public talk alongside Kaitlyn Riordin. The two co-authored the play 1939, which takes place in a fictional residential school in northern Ontario.

  Lauzon will continue to work with Dramatic Arts (DART) students, faculty and theatre production staff throughout the year in workshops on Indigenous productions in preparation for an upcoming DART mainstage production led by Métis DART faculty member Matthew MacKenzie.

   

  In the winter, Chicago-based composer, performer and music educator John Robert Matz will be in residency at Brock for a “sound jam” in partnership with Digital Humanities where participants will create video game prototypes using sound in innovative ways.

  Matz will also give a public lecture at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre about his experience of being invited to compose the score for the game Tchia (Awaceb2023) by members of New Caledonia, offering perspective on ethical, cross-cultural collaborations with Indigenous communities.

  Many of the WCL Series events are open to the public. Visit the MIWSFPA WCL website for more information on the visiting speakers and registration information.

  “Marilyn I. Walker’s generous gift continues to support impactful programming for our students and for the public who take part in the events,” Carreiro said.

  Tags: centre for studies in arts and culture, Department of Dramatic Arts, Department of Music, Department of Visual Arts, Dramatic Arts, humanities, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, Music, visual arts, Walker Culture Leader Series
  Categories: Events, News, Uncategorised

• Early success sets stage for DART grad’s bright future

  Thursday, July 18, 2024 | By eknight

  

  Image caption: Chiamaka Glory (left) and Jasmine Case (BA ’20) in Young People’s Theatre production of Truth by Kanika Ambrose.

  THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024 | by Gillian Minaker

  Brock graduate Jasmine Case (BA ’20) is making waves in the Canadian theatre scene by bringing stories of diversity to life for audiences, garnering the attention of national arts and culture media and earning a highly esteemed acting award in the process.

  Case was recently honoured at the 2024 annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards winning the award for Outstanding Performance by an Individual in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division for her compelling performance in Truth by Kanika Ambrose, a world premiere at Young People’s Theatre in Toronto.

  Based on the novel The Gospel Truth by Caroline Pignat and directed by Sabryn Rock, Truth follows the journey of a courageous young Black girl named Phoebe, played by Case, struggling to find freedom while living on a tobacco plantation in Virginia in 1858.

  

  Jasmine Case (BA ’20) recently received the 2024 Dora Mavor Moore Awards in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division for her performance in Truth by Kanika Ambrose.

  “The history of the United States and Canada is forever marred by the many Black and Indigenous stories erased and forgotten. Often, our stories don’t get rewritten by us; with Kanika Ambrose writing the play and Sabryn Rock directing, I knew I was in good hands,” Case said.

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  Diverse representation has only recently started to improve and, as a Black woman, Case rarely saw people like her on stage when she was growing up.

  Thinking of the kids who would be sitting in the audience learning and being fascinated by the world while feeling the emotions of her character sold Case on the role.

  “By going through this journey as Phoebe, I hoped people would walk away with a slightly deeper understanding or empathy for those who dealt with similar hardships,” she said.

  Case first discovered her love for the stage during Brock’s Dramatic Arts (DART) program  when she auditioned for her first mainstage production King Ubu at the University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts .

  “It was that production, and how I felt on stage, which made me truly fall in love with acting as a career. I had always wanted to act — I was always the kid up on any stage I could get on — but I just never thought that I would have a successful career in it, or a Dora award for that matter” Case said.

  From that point on, Case motivated herself to be the best actor she could be, harnessing the support of DART faculty, students and classmates.

  “It was Brock that showed me theatre wasn’t just a pastime or a hobby, it was actually something I could do as a career,” Case said.

  After graduation, Case was accepted into the prestigious National Theatre School (NTS) where she studied for three years before deepening her creative practice by participating in workshops with heavy-hitting theatre companies including Tarragon Theatre and Persephone Theatre.

  Since then, Case has been in several theatre productions including The Fiancée at Chemainus Festival Theatre, Truth at Young People’s Theatre and most recently the Canadian premiere of seven methods of killing kylie jenner, a Globe and Mail Critic’s Pick, by Jasmine Lee-Jones at Obsidian and Crow’s Theatre.

  As Case celebrates the significant accomplishment of receiving a Dora nomination and award — from Canada’s oldest and largest professional theatre awards celebrating excellence on the stage — she has new productions and creative works on the horizon.

  Professor David Fancy said the Department of Dramatic Arts is delighted with her success so far.

  “Jasmine’s contributions during her time in DART at Brock were marked by generosity, talent, and insight,” he said. “We can’t wait to see what comes next on Jasmine’s impressive career trajectory.”

  Tags: alumni, Alumni Insider, alumni relations, DART, Department of Dramatic Arts, Dora Awards, Dramatic Arts, humanities, Jasmine Case, MIWSFPA
  Categories: Alumni, News, Uncategorised

• Creativity abounds at inaugural voice conference

  Monday, July 15, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  A group of professional voice and speech educators recently came together at Brock to share ideas and ignite discussion about the field of voice work in the arts.

  The newly formed National Voice Association/Association Nationale De La Voix (NVA/ANV) conference took place at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts on June 8 and 9.

  With the theme of ‘Beginnings’ guiding the sessions and events, NVA/ANV welcomed organization members and non-members to attend events spanning a diverse offering of topics meant to spark inspiration among attendees.

  Following a Welcome Song shared by Strong Water Singers, sessions and workshops ranged from play readings, breath​ release work, exploring nuances of voicework and script-based theatre practices, and an opportunity to pose questions related to the future of the profession.

  At the core of the event was a shared interest to listen to the stories of voicework professionals from diverse cultures and backgrounds.  Guests attended from across the country including British Columba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Ontario, as well as many Canadians teaching in New York, Michigan, and California.

  Danielle Wilson, Dramatic Arts Associate Professor, said the reach of the organization is already apparent as attendance and interest exceeded expectations.

  “Canada is such a large country geographically, and there is a hunger for conversation and collaboration among voicework professionals in the performing Arts. We are all excited to begin our journey together as a national organization,” Wilson said.

  Tags: Danielle Wilson, DART, Dramatic Arts
  Categories: Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• Voice Work the focus of special edition Canadian Theatre Review

  Monday, May 06, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  Dramatic Arts Associate Professor Danielle Wilson’s interest in voice work began with her very first voice class when she began her theatre education. The actor quickly realized how her voice was tied to her identity, and how much power it could have.

  Through her professional practice and creative research, Wilson now aims to broaden the definition of what voice work is and highlight its profound impact on theatre practice.

  Wilson recently co-curated and co-edited a special edition of the Canadian Theatre Review (CTR) dedicated to voice work.

  The special edition investigates voice work within a broad context expanding on the notion that voice work is solely a skills-based subject for performers.

  “Many people may think that voice work is only about projecting your voice, enunciating, and performing accents. While those are fundamental elements, I wanted to look beyond the basics and explore what ‘voice work’ means in all its complexity. The work goes beyond what we sound like when we speak”, Wilson says.

  There are eleven articles in the issue which delve into the ways that voice work intersects with other areas and disciplines such as social justice, cultural and gender identity, feminist philosophy, and performance practice.

  Wilson found it fascinating, and at times challenging, to curate and edit an issue about a discipline so tied to sound and physical presence.

  As part of the issue, Wilson interviewed three prominent voice coaches at the Stratford Festival — the only theatre company in Canada with a dedicated team of voice professionals —  to illuminate what a voice coach does and help expand the common understanding of voice work.

  Another contributor, Jane MacFarlane, explores how theatre-based vocal practice can help people support their gender identity.  MacFarlane offers gender affirming voice classes through a transgender support organization in Calgary.

  Peruvian-born scholar Nae Hanashiro Ávila discusses voice work and performance through a social justice lens and how it can provide a platform for women’s voices to be heard in the public sphere.

  “At the root of voice work is self-expression by helping people embrace who they are. It’s not about developing a brand-new voice but about expanding and deepening your relationship with your voice and all that it can do”, Wilson says.

  “One of my mentors, voice teacher Richard Armstrong, said, ‘If you work on your voice, you work on yourself’. That has always resonated with me.”

  Wilson is also helping to organize and host the inaugural conference for the newly formed National Voice Association which will take place at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts from June 8-9^th.

  The CTR special edition is now available on the Canadian Theatre Review website.

  Tags: Canadian Theatre Review, Danielle Wilson, DART, Dramatic Arts
  Categories: Announcements, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• Announcing DART Open Studies and Summer Institute

  Thursday, May 02, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  The Department of Dramatic Arts is launching the summer of 2024 with a selection of learning and creative theatre-making opportunities at both the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines, at the Stratford Festival, and at theatres in Toronto and the region.  Many of the courses have online learning components.

  Following the Spring Session course, DART 1F01 Acting for Non Majors, a successful online course that began April 29, Dramatic Arts has opened registration to a selection of courses for non-Dramatic Arts students, alumni, students from other universities, and members of the public. This is an especially good opportunity for recent alumni looking to build their professional networks, graduate students looking for research-creation experience, or for other non-DART students looking to get some creative research experience in theatre and/or work on a particular project of interest.

  This includes:

  DART 3P91 Shakespeare in Performance and DART 4P51 Shakespeare: Voice and Text: two-weeks of viewing, studying, and performing Shakespeare with members of the Stratford Festival company in Stratford, Ontario. June 10-22, 2024.

  DART 3P40 Self-Producing: a two week, online intensive preparing students to produce independent projects with producer, writer, and director Matt Mackenzie. Online. June 24-July 6, 2024.

  DART 4P94 Creative and Critical Responses to Theatre: three weeks of viewing and responding to professional theatre in the GTA and Niagara region with theatre critic Karen Fricker.  Online and at the theatres. July 15-Aug 2, 2024.

  DART 3P90 Performance Research Workshop: five weeks of creative research and development workshops with professional theatre companies at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. June 7-July 26, 2024.

  DART 3F90 Performance Research Project: five weeks of staged workshop development with Hamilton’s Red Beti Theatre at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

  July 29-August 30, 2024

  Members of the public interested in registering for these courses, including roles as creative researchers in the Summer Institute program, may join us through the Open Studies program. Open studies is a good opportunity for anyone (eg. artists, producers, teachers, recent alumni, mature students) to enhance skills in a particular area, take a course for interest, or try out DART before applying to a degree program. This will be of particular interest to people interested in the self-producing and theatre criticism courses! If you are taking the course for credit, tuition is charged, but the application process is very quick and easy.  Brock University Open Studies is available to people with all educational backgrounds, is part-time study, does not require you to enroll in a full certificate or degree, and has no formal admission requirements. Folks participating in the Summer Institute as creative researchers are not obliged to enrol in a course; they can also apply to participate part -time on just one or a few projects.

  See the Open Studies and Summer Institute flyers for more information.

   

  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, News, Uncategorised

• DART students journey to whimsical world in original production

  Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  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 gminaker

  

  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.

  Tags: David Vivian, District School Board of Niagara, humanities, MIWSFPA, Niagara Regional STAR Festival, Theatrical Arts Education Association, Tracy Garratt
  Categories: Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, News, Performance Season, Plays, Uncategorised