Current Students

• Looking for a unique Spring/Summer course? sign-up for Introduction to Physical Theatre

  Thursday, February 02, 2012 | By Brock University

  

  Theatre Beyond Words – object-based theatre and full-body mask

  Looking for a unique Spring/Summer course? sign-up for a three week-long intensive Introduction to Physical Theatre taught by the resident theatre company of Brock University, Theatre Beyond Words, during the Spring session of 2012.

  DART 2F04: Physical Theatre – Education through Collective Creation
  Students will explore a wide range of physical theatre styles (mask, mime, pantomime, graphics, theatrical clown, and commedia dell’arte) by recreating a series of scenes from professional repertoire using masks, puppets, costumes and sets from international touring theatre ensemble and Brock Resident Theatre Company, Theatre Beyond Words. This is a 3-week intensive, full-credit course, running 6 hours per day, 5 days per week. There will be a final performance for invited friends, family and staff at the end of the 3 three weeks. As this is a practicum course, attendance at all classes is mandatory.

  More information about this full-credit course may be found here. Enrollment is limited to 20 students. Don’t delay!
  Applicants without previous theatre training at Brock University may enrol with permission of the instructor.

  for more information contact [email protected]

   

   

  Here are some examples of the masks and object-based theatre used by Theatre Beyond Words:

  

  And here’s a trailer for their current show on tour, created and performed by Brock students:

  Tags: course opportunity, DART 2F04, masks, physical theatre, Tales from the Garden, The Potato People, Theatre Beyond Words
  Categories: Current Students, News

• DART student honoured in the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society: CIBC creates an award for student leadership

  Friday, January 13, 2012 | By Brock University

  

  President Jack Lightstone with Brian Glenney, general manager, Imperial Service and Small Business, CIBC (right) and Aurora Di Fruscia, Financial Planning Consultant, CIBC Private Wealth Management, Niagara, and member of the Brock University Board of Trustees (left) with members of the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society.

  CIBC has partnered with Brock to make an investment in the Campaign for a Bold New Brock that will help to support aspiring student leaders.
  The $375,000 gift to the University will create the CIBC Leaders Award for incoming Brock students who have achieved exceptional academic success and demonstrated outstanding leadership and community involvement.
  “This gift will help us achieve our goal of fostering the meaningful transformation of students, their communities and society at large,” President Jack Lightstone said.
  Recipients of this new award will also become members of the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society, which was launched in 2009. The society is a group of remarkable students recognized for a combination of high academic achievement and for personal leadership capabilities.
  DART second year student Colin Glavac (pictured, below) is a member of the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society. While at Brock, students like Colin continue to achieve academic success and develop their leadership abilities both inside and outside of the classroom.
  They are involved in numerous community initiatives such as raising funds for Brock’s Shinerama campaign to help fight cystic fibrosis, staging a Seniors’ Valentine’s Day Prom at the West Park Health Centre long-term care home in St. Catharines, and co-ordinating a charity ball hockey tournament for the Alzheimer Society Niagara Foundation.
  As an endowment, the funds provided by CIBC will support this award in perpetuity. The first presentation of the CIBC Leaders Award is expected to take place in the 2012-2013 academic year.

  Seen to the right of President Jack Lightstone is second year Department of Dramatic Arts student Colin Glavac.

  Tags: Bold New Brock, Brock Leaders Citizenship Society, CIBC, CIBC Leaders Award, Colin Glavac, Jack Lightstone
  Categories: Current Students, News

• COMMOTION AT THE COURTHOUSE: a three-year Partnership with Niagara Region Schools

  Thursday, November 24, 2011 | By Brock University

  Over the past three years, the COMMOTION partnership between six Niagara Region high schools, Carousel Players, the Department of Dramatic Arts of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University, and TALK Niagara (Teams of Adults Listening to Kids) has given 80 students an opportunity to create and perform six new plays.

  Each group of high school students creates a play at their school through a 12-week drama program and presents it at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre. Brock University Professor Gyllian Raby and Carousel’s Artistic Director Pablo Felices Luna lead the project with the support of Bonnie Prentice from TALK Niagara, an umbrella group of 15 community organizations dedicated to youth concerns.

  This month, 22 students from Governor Simcoe Secondary School and Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School are playing with different modes of creativity known as RSVP to build their characters, scenes and stories into two new plays. Blythe Barker, Jacqueline Costa, Caitlin English and Trevor Rotenberg, facilitators trained through Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts, have been working with students an estimated 240 hours at their schools since September 2011.

  Free performances of the plays written and performed by these students will be held at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in St. Catharines on Thursday, December 8, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; Friday, December 9, at 9:30 a.m.; and Saturday, December 10, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Reservations are required.  For the free tickets, call Carousel Players at 905.682.8326 x 26.

  “Now in the third year of COMMOTION, Pablo and I find it more invigorating than ever,” states Gyllian Raby. “Creating a show for this semi-professional production places enormous demands on these high school seniors, yet time after time they show themselves not only equal to the task but able to surprise everyone with their insights about, for example, the social pressures of the internet, abuses of authority, and balancing individual identity with relationships.”

  Co-leader Felices Luna adds, “COMMOTION takes the excellent work done by Niagara’s drama teachers to a new level outside the classroom. We’ve worked with 58 students from E.L.Crossley Secondary School, Eastdale Secondary School, Laura Secord Secondary School and St. Catharines Collegiate. We thank drama teachers Jennifer Benson, Tracy Garratt, Karen Hancock, Rassika Malhotra, Brenna McAllister and Tracy Thorpe for welcoming us into their schools, for actively fostering creativity in their students and for their passionate commitment to drama at their school. There are many other schools and teachers we hope to work with in the future.”

  The COMMOTION project is made possible by SSHRC: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Department of Dramatic Arts of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University, Carousel Players, TALK Niagara and approval from the District School Board of Niagara.

  For tickets contact: Jane Gardner, 905-682-8326 x23 or [email protected]

  Tags: Blythe Barker, Caitlin English, Carousel Players, Commotion, courthouse theatre, Governor Simcoe Secondary School, Gyllian Raby, Jacqueline Costa, Pablo Felices Luna, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, TALK Niagara, Trevor Rotenberg
  Categories: Alumni, Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, News

• Guest Visit by Cheryl Lalonde of Toronto Dance Theatre

  Sunday, November 06, 2011 | By Brock University

  Published on November 06 2011

  Students in second year Stagecraft and third year Stage Management recently had the opportunity to hear Cheryl Lalonde, the production/stage manager of TDT, speak about the her career experiences and creative challenges in the mileu of Canadian contemporary dance.

  Lalonde began her career in the arts with Act IV Theatre at Adelaide Court. After two years backstage at Toronto Workshop Productions, her design debut was for the premiere production of Tomson Highway’s The Rez Sisters under mentor and director Larry Lewis. Splitting her time between design and stage management has allowed her to travel the world as well as collaborate with many companies, including: Desrosiers Dance Theatre, Danny Grossman Dance Company, Fujiwara Dance Inventions, Eclectic Theatre, Alberta Ballet, Dreamwalker Dance Company, Theatre Smith Gilmour, and Kaeja d’Dance. Ms. Lalonde has served on the faculty of Theatre Arts at The Banff Centre for eight summers, and recently participated in a panel of Canadian Stage Managers to establish a DACUM occupational analysis for Stage Management. 2011 marks Cheryl’s eleventh season with TDT.

  Later that evening Christopher House, Artistic Director for TDT, invited the public for in an informal discussion of The Visual Art of Dance at the Niagara Artists Centre. DART first year students had previously attended a special workshop on movement lead by instructors of the TDT School and will also attend the presentation of Severe Clear in late November at the David S. Howes Theatre of the Brock Centre for the Arts. Lighting Design for Severe Clear is conceived by DART alumnus, Roelof Peter Snippe.

  Tags: Centre for the Arts, Cheryl Lalonde, Christopher House, dance, David S. Howes Theatre, NAC, Niagara Artists Centre, Roelof Peter Snippe, Toronto Dance Theatre, visiting artists
  Categories: Current Students, News, Visiting Artists

• DART students attend Stratford Shakespeare Academy

  Wednesday, September 28, 2011 | By Brock University

  

  Stratford Shakespeare Academy.
  DART Students Josh Davidson and Emma Bulpin engage in valued ‘Art Talk’ between classes!

  Every summer students of the Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) attend the annual Stratford Shakespeare Academy for a three week intensive two-course experience. The courses present an opportunity to study Shakespeare through the lenses of both performance and structured analytical criticism with some of Ontario’s leading university professors and Stratford professional coaches. During the typical 7.5 hour day students observe and enquire of the talent of working actors, trainers and directors while experiencing first-hand the programming of one of Canada’s most triumphant theatre Festivals.

  Josh Davidson, a fourth year performing arts student at DART, describes this opportunity as “…an experience unlike any other. During my traditional school experience, I never had the opportunity to embody Shakespeare, or any stylized theatrical form, quite like this course offered. My fellow students and I are always asked to focus on a multiplicity of various forms, in relationship to different classes during the school year. The Stratford Shakespeare Academy offers you the opportunity to study Shakespeare, and only Shakespeare, for a three week period. The benefit of this intensive class structure was invaluable.”

  The course encouraged students to formulate opinions and discussions in response to the four Shakespearean plays presented during the 2011 Stratford season. Davidson says “having the ability to witness professional Shakespeare productions, while in the midst of studying Shakespeare, was helpful and inspirational.” Acting students train to develop a personal artistic palette, molded and shaped with specific skill sets, knowledge and vocabulary. He continues, “Observing Shakespearean acting professionals “live” allowed me to reflect upon what my artistic palette already consists of and helped identify the areas needing more time and improvement.”

  Complementing the coursework is the opportunity for theatre students from the sponsoring universities – Guelph, Windsor, Queens and Waterloo – to meet and share their learning experiences. Josh asserts “the other side of this adventure was found in the social environment. We were able to share experiences, class work, opinions, and beliefs with other students who have been trained in different forms, theories and techniques from our own. This made for some great art-talk! I brought what Brock had to offer, and they brought what their own school offered. This intermingling between schools sparked new friendships, new artistic discoveries and made the course experience very rewarding as a student and actor.”

  Josh concluded, “I would encourage any high-school student with performance interests to attend Brock University for these types of remarkable course experiences. The benefit of this intensive class structure is invaluable… I don’t think anyone could walk away from this experience without finding something to enrich their studies, while also helping to form the work they create in the future.”

  In September these fourth year students return to DART, fresh with the legacy of these formative course experiences.  Working together with their newly tuned artistic palettes, they will create provocative and innovative theatrical performance for the Brock community.

  Students interested in more information about the Stratford Shakespeare Academy should contact the Department at [email protected]

  Tags: course opportunity, Emma Bulpin, Josh Davidson, Shakespeare, Stratford, Stratford Festival, Stratford Shakespeare Academy
  Categories: Alumni, Current Students, News

• Theory and Practice of Drama in Education with JONOTHAN NEELANDS Six-day intensive course

  Friday, May 06, 2011 | By Brock University

  THE DEPARTMENT OF DRAMATIC ARTS
  DART 3V90: Theory and Practice of Drama in Education with JONOTHAN NEELANDS
  Six-day intensive course: Monday, July 25 – Saturday, July 30, 2011

  Through a combination of workshops, demonstrations, reflections, and lectures, this course examines models for the planning and teaching of process drama. It will provide the opportunity for students to examine the community effects of drama and its role in our personal and social development. This half-credit course will be intensely practical and relevant to teaching the full age range of children through to adults. The learning experiences will be supported by readings and other materials developed for sustainable learning.

  Jonothan Neelands is an internationally renowned drama-in-education professor who has written extensively about the use of drama as a learning medium. He has worked with teachers of all age groups, assisting them in understanding how they may employ process drama techniques in teaching a variety of subjects. He is the National Teaching Fellow, Chair of Drama and Theatre Education and Director of Teaching and Learning in the Institute of Education at the University of Warwick and an associate of the CAPITAL Centre for creativity and performance in teaching and learning, a joint initiative between the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the University of Warwick. This project aims to improve the quality of Shakespeare teaching at all ages through an ensemble and rehearsal room pedagogic approach.

  A part of the Department of Dramatic Arts Visiting International Professor program, we are pleased to offer students the opportunity to study with someone of Dr. Neelands’ caliber.

  Tags: course opportunity, drama in education, Jonothan Neelands, visiting artists, visiting educators
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Future students, News, Visiting Artists

• DART on BROCK TV

  Tuesday, March 01, 2011 | By Brock University

  Professor Virginia Reh speaks about life in theatre and the production of Phèdre that was performed by students of DART in the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre in February of 2011. Video interview from the series University People by BROCK TV. (click image to play)

  Tags: Brock TV, Phèdre, university people, Virginia Reh
  Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Plays

• Visiting Artist: Nina Arsenault

  Sunday, February 20, 2011 | By Brock University

  Nina Arsenault recently visited us for an artist’s talk, part of Dramatic Arts 3P96 Studies in Praxis II: Queer Theories and Performance Practices.

  Arsenault is a “transsexual cyborg” theatre and performance artist whose one-woman show, The Silicone Diaries, has had sold-out runs in Toronto and Montreal, and will be touring the country this coming Spring.  Ms. Arsenault gave a short talk about her process followed by an interview with Praxis course director, Paul Halferty.

  www.ninaarsenault.com

  Tags: DART 3P96, Nina Arsenault, The Silicone Diaries, visiting artists
  Categories: Current Students, News, Visiting Artists

• Internationally renowned drama-in-education educator visits Niagara

  Friday, October 29, 2010 | By Brock University

  The Department of Dramatic Arts, Brock University will host Dr. Jonothan Neelands, a world leader in Drama in Education on Monday, Nov. 1, 2010.

  Neelands will provide an invitational workshop to local Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB) and the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) secondary teachers between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., held at Denis Morris Secondary School, 40 Glen Morris Dr., St. Catharines.

  Later that day, between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., he will give an open two-hour workshop at Brock University held at the Schmon Tower Room ST103. This is a free workshop with a few openings remaining. Interested registrants can contact Joe Norris directly.

  Neelands will conclude his visit to the Niagara region with a one-hour workshop with a Drama in Education class for the Department of Dramatic Arts.

  Joe Norris states, “This is a remarkable opportunity for all those wishing to teach/learn through experiential and role play models of instruction that incorporate multiple intelligences and the use of the imagination.”

  Dr. Jonothan Neelands is a National Teaching Fellow, Chair of Drama and Theatre Education and Director of Teaching and Learning at the University of Warwick. He is an experienced trainer and workshop leader with a national and international reputation for delivering high quality professional training and development opportunities. He is an associate of the CAPITAL Centre for creativity and performance in teaching and learning, which is a joint initiative between the University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

  Neelands plans to return to Brock University next summer to teach a six-day course for the Department of Dramatic Arts about learning through process drama.

  Tags: drama in education, Jonothan Neelands, visiting artists, visiting educators
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, News, Visiting Artists

• Dramatic Arts at CODE in 2010

  Monday, October 25, 2010 | By Brock University

  For the first time in CODE’s 40-year history DART students presented a workshop as part of Celebrate Drama and Dance.

  Twenty-four DART students volunteered at CODE. DART faculty Ken Garrett, Glenys McQueen-Fuentes, and Helen Zdriluk were workshop presenters. DART hosted a pre-conference wine and cheese for the CODE executive and conference committee.  Six of the Friday night Carnival entertainment events were presented by Brock students and DART was part of the trade fair on Saturday.

  Looking forward to seeing you there!

  KICK OFF CODE!!!!

  Join us for a wine and cheese drop-in to meet, greet, build bridges, strengthen connections, explore possible initiatives, and enjoy, as we celebrate 40 years of CODE!
  Who’s hosting? Brock’s undergraduate Drama in Education/Applied Theatre Concentrations (Department of Dramatic Arts)!
  When? Thursday, October 28th
  What time? 8:00–10:00 pm
  Where? Queen’s Landing Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake, in Suzanne Burchell’s room (watch for info near Front Desk).

  Tags: Celebrate Drama and Dance, CODE
  Categories: Current Students, News