News

  • DART Alumna in Canopy Theatre’s Outdoor Theatre for Downtown Toronto production of LYSISTRATA

    lyspostcardBrock Alumna and DART TA, Lauren Shepherd, will be seen performing this summer in Canopy Theatre’s Outdoor Theatre for Downtown Toronto production of:

    LYSISTRATA – the sex strike by Aristophanes (Adapted by Germaine Greer and Phil Willmott)
    Known for its bawdy humour, Lysistrata tells the tale of how one woman encourages a nation of lustful ladies to deny their husbands any sexual attention until the men declare peace and put a stop to civil war.  Germaine Greer’s adaptation keeps all of the expected phalli, sexually charged hijinks and anti-war rhetoric while also exploring issues of gender politics and class bias.  Guaranteed to be the sexiest production ever seen on Philosopher’s Stage, Lysistrata comes with a ‘mature content’ warning: This is not a family show!

    Tickets can be purchased online at: www.canopytheatre.ca, or at the door. Students, Wednesday nights are PAY WHAT YOU CAN! Bring a blanket and enjoy the fun!

     

    Event Details:

    July 20 – August 6, 2011
    Wednesday – Saturday
    doors open at 7:30pm, curtain at 8pm

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    Categories: Alumni, News

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

    j-neelands_3THE 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.

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    Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Future students, News, Visiting Artists

  • Director of cSTAC and DART Professor honoured for his contribution to the City of St. Catharines

    Pictured left to right are Professor Debra Maclauchlan and Associate Professor Peter Vietgen (Faculty of Education), Associate Professor David Vivian and Assistant Professor Virginia Reh (Department of Dramatic Arts, Faculty of Humanities)

    Pictured left to right are Professor Debra Maclauchlan and Associate Professor Peter Vietgen (Faculty of Education), Associate Professor David Vivian and Assistant Professor Virginia Reh (Department of Dramatic Arts, Faculty of Humanities)

    Associate Professors Peter Vietgen (Visual Arts Education in the Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education) and David Vivian (Department of Dramatic Arts and the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Faculty of Humanities) were each presented with three Volunteer Recognition Certificates from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and the City of St. Catharines, at the 23rd Annual Volunteer Recognition Night co-sponsored by the City of St. Catharines, the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce, and the Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery.

    Professor Vietgen was nominated by the Niagara Artist’s Centre for his contribution to the Public Art Advisory Committee of the City of St. Catharines. Professor Vivian was nominated for his service over four years as Chair of the Culture Committee of the City of St. Catharines.  Both Committees of Council are actively engaged in developing new policy, advocacy, funding, recognition and opportunities in the arts and culture sector, contributing to the creation of stimulating and sustainable culturally-rich lives in the city of St. Catharines.

    Given annually, the Volunteer Recognition Awards recognize those outstanding volunteers whose unselfish and dedicated service to an organization has made a significant difference in the community. Nominations are open to youth and adult volunteers, who are presented with their awards at a banquet hosted by the Mayor and councillors in April. This year the banquet was held at the Quality Hotel Parkway Convention Centre on Tuesday, April 19, 2011.

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    Categories: Faculty & Instructors, News

  • DART on BROCK TV

    vreh-brocktv-vidProfessor 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)

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Plays

  • Visiting Artist: Nina Arsenault

    img_1127_webNina 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

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    Categories: Current Students, News, Visiting Artists

  • Dramatic Arts performance of Phèdre examines passion, politics and jealousy

    (Source: The Brock News, Monday, February 14, 2011)

    Suppressed desire and ancient power struggles collide in this week’s production of Phèdre at Brock.

    Phèdre, written by Jean Racine, will be presented by the Department of Dramatic Arts at the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre. Phèdre – translated into English by British poet Ted Hughes – mixes poetry, political intrigue and sexual jealousy.

    The play contains a principal love triangle of Phèdre, her husband Theseus and his son Hippolytus. Phèdre has a forbidden passion for her stepson that unleashes a wave of tragic consequences.

    The roles are played by Dramatic Arts undergraduate students, including Kasey Dunn, Michael Pearson, Eric Frank, Emma Bulpin, Lauren Beaton, Josh Davidson, Kedie McIntyre, and Madison Roca. The play is directed by Virginia Reh and designed by David Vivian, both Dramatic Arts faculty members.

    The myths around Theseus, Phaedra and Hippolytus have fascinated playwrights for ages, Reh said.

    “Racine’s masterpiece distils the best of his major sources, particularly Euripides’ Hippolytus,” she said. “From Euripides he borrows the fundamentally principled Phaedra, an essentially moral woman who is tormented by a forbidden passion and chooses to die rather than surrender to it. The tragedy is at once epic and domestic.“

    Performances:

    • Thursday, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m.
    • Friday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
    • Saturday, Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m.

    Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. To order, call 905-688-5550 x3257 or email boxoffice@brocku.ca

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    Categories: In the Media, News

  • A New Spring Session course – DART 1F01: Acting for Non Majors

    img_6810cr-220dart_minor_infosheetv2-flatheader-sm

    Are you interested in Acting, but not a Dramatic Arts Major?
    OR
    Are you a Primary/Junior Concurrent Education Student looking for an introductory course in Acting?
    OR
    Are you looking for an active, engaging Spring Intensive Course?

    DART 1F01: Acting for Non Majors

    Monday, May 2 – Friday, May 13, 2011
    M T W TH F  9:00h  – 16:30h  TH 141

    This course is a rigorous introduction to acting for non majors. There are no pre requisites and no restrictions.

    Contact dramatic@brocku.ca for more information, ext. 5255
    Brock University

    DEPARTMENT OF DRAMATIC ARTS

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    Categories: Announcements, News

  • 8 Day ALBA Emoting workshop

    8 Day ALBA Emoting workshop
    Dates: April 22 – 30 (with the 26th off)
    Location: TH141
    The workshop will be taught in four hour sessions daily, with one day off. The work is described as intimate, intense, and emotional. The workshop is limited to 12 participants.

    ALBA Emoting: Alba Emoting was developed by neuroscientist Dr. Susana Bloch as a safe, purely physical alternative to emotion memory for releasing, maintaining, and controlling emotional states on stage.

    Alba Emoting identifies six “basic” emotions from which all others derive. Each of the basic emotions, as well as emotional neutrality, has its own unique, identifiable set of bodily responses (“effector patterns”) which are universal to all humans. By reproducing aspects of these patterns — breathing, posture, and facial expression — an actor can experience and express genuine, organic emotion at will, without the use of memory or images.

    Instructor: Professor Nancy Loitz teaches directing at Wesleyan University in Illinois. Nancy received her MFA from the University of Minnesota. Nancy studied with Susana Bloch, and is one of the only certified instructors of ALBA emoting in North America. She has taught professional actors in Zurich, Switzerland; Milan, Italy; and in Chicago.

    Due to limited space, interested students are asked to apply for a space in the workshop by contacting Kasey Dunn, and explaining why you would like to take the workshop.

    Contact info: kd07ws@brocku.ca

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    Categories: Announcements, News

  • Marlene Moser Memorial Scholarship

    The Department of Dramatic Arts lost a cherished colleague and friend, Dr. Marlene Moser, on December 21, 2010.  In her honour we have established the Marlene Moser Memorial Scholarship. To contribute to this Scholarship please send donations to the attention of Norm Bradshaw, Faculty of Humanities, Brock University. The cheque or gift should be made out to Brock University and indicate Marlene Moser Memorial Scholarship. All donations are eligible to be matched dollar for dollar by the provincial government.

    For more information please contact Norm Bradshaw.

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    Categories: Announcements, Faculty & Instructors, News

  • DART mourns the passing of a friend and colleague.

    Marlene at the Humanities Research Institute Symposium in December, 2006

    It is with deep sadness and grief that we share with you the news of our dear colleague Marlene Moser’s passing on the evening of December 21, 2010.

    Marlene’s courageous five year battle with breast cancer developed into metastasis this past summer.  Her condition started to deteriorate rapidly Monday morning and she was admitted to the Juravinski Hospital Tuesday morning and passed away peacefully Tuesday evening surrounded by all of her family.

    Marlene has been a member of the Brock Community since 2000. During her tenure as professor, researcher, creator, Director and Chair she provided leadership and love to her colleagues and students in the Department of Dramatic Arts.  She was instrumental to the development of the Department as a site of luminous and rigorous investigation of theatre praxis.  Her mentorship of five colleagues through tenure and promotion is but one facet of her legacy to the future of our research, pedagogy, and community. Her presence in the burgeoning theatre scene of St. Catharines was only recently curtailed as she focused her creative energies to meet the challenge of cancer – the vision of her initiatives remains undiminished and in our hearts.

    Marlene fought this cancer with such strength, courage and determination. The Department greatly mourns her passing.

    for more information please see her web page

    see the Brock News article here

    Information about the visitation and an upcoming celebration on January 4th, 2011 is found in the obituary in the Hamilton Spectator.  Here are the details:

    Family and friends may gather at the BAY GARDENS FUNERAL HOME, 1010 Botanical Drive, BURLINGTON, on Tuesday, December 28th between 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A celebration of Marlene’s life (reunion) will take place on her birthday, January 4th at the Royal Botanical Gardens at 2 p.m.

    There is also an online Book of Condolence at the above webpage.

    The department will host a memorial event in the new year, with details to come. Download the PDF for the Department of Dramatic Arts’ celebration of her life here.

    In her honour we have established the Marlene Moser Memorial Scholarship. To contribute to this Scholarship please send donations to the attention of Norm Bradshaw nbradshaw@brocku.ca, Faculty of Humanities, Brock University. The cheque or gift should be made out to Brock University and indicate Marlene Moser Memorial Scholarship. All donations are eligible to be matched dollar for dollar by the provincial government.


    Photos:


    Memories:

    Name: Derrick de Kerckhove
    Location: Naples, Italy
    How did you know Marlene?: I directed Marlene’s Phd. thesis
    Your comments: Since I have been away in Europe most of the time since 2008, having lost touch with Marlene a couple of years after she passed her oral – brillantly – I had not heard this heartbreaking news. I remember her elegance, intelligence, determination and freedom of spirit. This is the kind of loss that sinks deep in a community. My best wishes for the recovery of this community.

    if you wish to submit a comment or share a memory about Marlene, please contact dramatic.arts@brocku.ca

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    Categories: Announcements, Faculty & Instructors, News