Uncategorised

• Dramatic Arts alumni and instructors shine at the 2025 Dora Awards

  Monday, July 21, 2025 | By dvivian

  

  On June 30, 2025 the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts recognized the Nominees and Recipients of the 45th Anniversary Dora Awards and DART was there!

  The annual Dora Mavor Moore awards (or Doras) celebrate excellence on Toronto stages and are the oldest and largest professional theatre, dance and opera awards program in Canada. The Dora Awards evolve constantly, adjusting and adapting to changes in the broader performing arts industry and the needs of the TAPA membership. There are currently 43 award categories across 7 distinct “divisions.”

  DART alumni took home awards for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, and DART guest artists and instructors were well represented among the many nominated and winning artists. DART students saw some of these outstanding performances when attending course related-fieldtrips during the 2024-25 academic year.

  

  Kaitlin Race, centre with colleague  Anne van Leeuwen, directed by Cass Van Wyck.

  DART alumni honoured with Dora Awards

  In the Theatre for Young Audiences Division, DART alumnus and playwright Evan Bawtinheimer was awarded Outstanding New Play for Patty Picker (One Four One Collective in association with The Assembly Theatre), directed by alumna Cass Van Wyck ( Artistic Director of One Four One Collective, Co-Artistic Director and Managing Director of Assembly Theatre) and performed by alumna Kaitlin Race with colleague Anne van Leeuwen. This new play was also nominated for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction, and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble.

  The play tells the story of Patty, a 16 year old girl who eats pizza for breakfast, loves to play chess, and has a secret. Patty’s life is turned upside-down when her secret shame becomes juicy gossip: Patty picks her nose! Patty struggles to return her life to normal, while dealing with her picky girlfriend Phoebe, problematic father Paul, and plotting revenge on that piece of crap Preston who caused the whole mess. The Canadian Play Outlet describes this as a charming coming-of-age story about bullying, tolerance, and acceptance. Subjects and themes of the play include High School, Divorce, LGBTQ Relationship, Bullying, Disability, and Mental Health. Toronto critic Paula Citron has written an enthusiastic review on ludwigvanTORONTO.com.

  Evan graduated from Brock’s DART Performance Concentration in 2014. Over the last decade he has continued to advance his craft in playwriting, attended many workshops and classes and he reads and writes almost every day. Even though he’s no longer at Brock, the learning continues!

  

  Evan with his DORA Award.

  Evan recently shared his insight that “Brock taught me not to take things at face value. DART 4F90 [a fourth year capstone course] taught me that a sign or symbol could express more than one idea. In my Dora Award-Winning play Patty Picker, our protagonist Patty picks her nose. But the nose-picking is more than that. It’s an expression of anxiety, identity, depression, joy. When it came to nose-picking, Brock taught me to dig deeper (pun intended).”

  He added that receiving this Dora Award has confirmed and validated the path he has taken over the years: “I developed Patty Picker with fellow DART alumni Cass Van Wyck and Kaitlin Race. DART professor Danielle Wilson also provided me with some much-appreciated feedback on an early draft of the play. I never would have imagined staying in touch with DART alumni over ten years later. I learned so much from them. I’m privileged that I’m on the same side as my DART friends.”

   

  

  Jasmine Case in FLEX at Crows Theatre/Obsidian Theatre. image: Elana Emer.

  In the General Theatre Division, DART alumna Jasmine Case was awarded Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble including Jewell Bowry,  Asha James, Trinity Lloyd, Shauna Thompson, and Sophia Walker for their work in FLEX  (Crow’s Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company). This production was also awarded for Outstanding Lighting Design and nominated for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Scenic / Projection Design, Outstanding Sound Design / Composition.

  

  Jasmine Case

  In July 2024 we featured Jasmine in an article about her success at the 2024 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, winning the award for Outstanding Performance by an Individual in the Theatre for Young Audience Division. Read more about this rising star on our news page. Jasmine was also recently featured on our Instagram channel

  Instructors and guest artists recognized for their theatre-making success

  DART instructors and visiting artists were well represented in the Dora nominations. From among the company of the new creation Last Landscape (Bad New Days in partnership with Common Boots Theatre) are Kari Pedersen, a performer/creator who has taught with DART for two years, and Director and performer Adam Paolozza who has taught with DART on multiple occasions. Their show Last Landscape was awarded for Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition. The new creation was also nominated for Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Lighting Design.

  Erased (Open Heart Surgery Theatre in partnership with Theatre Passe Muraille) was nominated for Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design, Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Lighting Design. The choreographer of the production, Alix Sideris taught for us in 2024-25 and playwright Coleen MacPherson has done workshops with DART.

  Last Landscape and Erased were just two of the nominated and awarded productions that DART students saw for course-related fieldtrips. Other productions we saw included:

  Mahabharata: Karma (Part 1), The Life We Inherit for Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play (Why Not Theatre presented by Canadian Stage), Miriam Fernandes awarded Outstanding Performance by an Individual and Ravi Jain awarded for Outstanding Direction, also awarded for Outstanding Sound Design/Composition; and nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, Outstanding Scenic / Projection Design, Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Lighting Design. Miriam Fernandes and Ravi Jain have both visited and presented at DART.

  Rosmersholm was nominated for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Individual and Outstanding lighting Design, There is Violence and There is Righteous Violence and There is Death or, The Born-Again Crow was nominated for Outstanding New Play, and Fat Ham was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Individual.

  Not a DART fieldtrip for the year, special acknowledgement must be given for Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White received the award for Outstanding New Musical / New Opera. The librettist for this new production, HAUI, was a guest artist for our 2021 online industry panel with remarkable BIPOC Canadian Theatre Artists.

  Congratulations to all of the alumni, instructors and guest artists honoured by the Dora Awards. DART extends its congratulations to everybody who was recognized for their excellence in theatre! They are the light that shines upon our path to becoming remarkable theatre makers and audiences.

  ---

  See the article in the Brock News, published Aug 12, 2025:
  Brock grads’ play a top ‘pick’ at prestigious theatre awards

  Tags: Cass Van Wyck, Dora Awards, Doras, Evan Bawtinheimer, FLEX, Jasmine Case, Kaitlin Race, Patty Picker, TAPA
  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Uncategorised, Visiting Artists

• Another remarkable year for our DART Intern at the Shaw Festival

  Monday, July 14, 2025 | By dvivian

  

  Vikki (centre) with some of the cast members at the end of a rehearsal for which she was asked to step in and read for the leading lady of the show, Angel, played by Virgilia Griffith.

  Dramatic Arts senior student Victoria Marshall was the DART Intern at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake for 2025. The Department has partnered with the Shaw Festival to provide internships to graduating students since 2011. Internships focus on diverse aspects of production at the Festival including performance, design, technical production, directing, arts management and education. Throughout the program, individuals will receive integrated exposure to the scope of the Shaw experience. This year the five-week paid internship began a full-time intensive schedule in early May, 2025

  

  Victoria Marshall, 2025 Shaw Festival Intern.

  Vikki shadowed Associate Artistic Director Kimberley Rampersad as she directed Blues for an Alabama Sky for the Shaw Festival’s 2025 season. During the rehearsals Vikki was called upon to read for the leading lady as well as the leading lady’s love interest on separate occasions when the actors were not available. This allowed her to stretch her acting muscles with professionals. The director invited Vikki to share her thoughts and observations with her and the cast during rehearsals. Some of the notes were shared and those suggestions were transformed and integrated into the final blocking for certain scenes and characters.

  “I became more confident in my ideas and I learned how to value my voice even more because of the director seeking input from me.”

  Vikki also sat in on a production meeting for this show where she met many new faces and also had the pleasure of being reunited with some familiar ones, like Emma Dirks who created the wigs for Blues for an Alabama Sky and taught the makeup course in the winter semester for DART this year (“which was an awesome class”) and Chris Malkowski who was the lighting designer for this show and has been the lighting designer for all of the mainstages she has done at Brock.

  She also participated in the Thursday morning ensemble classes taught by Tim Carroll (Artistic Director for the Shaw Festival) and attended by all members of the Shaw Festival. She toured the scene and set shops and worked one-on-one with actors to help them with line memorization and discussing the world of the play or their character arcs.

  “Through this internship I learned a lot about myself, the kind of artist I am, and the kind of working artist I can become in the future. I went in as an actor, but over those 6 weeks, I studied as a director and actor.”

  

  Vikki (in white) with company members in the Shaw Festival scene shop.

  From the first table read of Blues for an Alabama Sky to meticulously blocking out the whole play, Vikki witnessed the brilliant work by the incredible cast and crew of this production. “Kimberley took me under her wing and made me feel right at home both at the main Festival Theatre and in the rehearsal hall as I became a member of the Blues family. I learned so much about the individual creative process and just how different every actor is when they work in the space and take on their character arc. The company of Blues for an Alabama Sky was a beautiful synergy of diverse representation and creativity with an all-Black cast and a majority female production team which Kimberley affectionately called “team lady leadership.”

  “Working in a room full of folks like me, doing what I hope I will be doing after my time in the DART program at Brock was truly enriching. They did not shy away from including me from the jump and making me a part of the company.”

  Vikki highly recommends that future students of DART seek out the opportunity to participate in the DART Shaw Festival Internship. Graduating students and students entering 4th year are all eligible to apply. Part participants have completed their terms at Shaw in the diverse fields of Stage Management, Lighting Design, Props Building, Directing, Dramaturgy, Production and Design and Audience and Community Engagement. “This internship opened my eyes to so much and gave me unforgettable moments and lasting relationships. This has been such an enriching experience and I am looking forward to what the future holds for me. It is sad to see it come to an end, but I know that this is not the last the Shaw Festival will see of me!”

   

  Tags: DART, Dramatic Arts, intern, Kimberley Rampersad, Shaw Festival, Shaw Festival Internship, Victoria Marshall, Vikki Marshall
  Categories: Current Students, Future students, In the Media, News, Shaw Intern Blog, Uncategorised

• Brock’s arts impact takes centre stage

  Friday, November 22, 2024 | By eknight

  

  Friday, November 22, 2024 | by April Jeffs

  Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho (second from left) toured the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) along with St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe (third from left) on Thursday, Nov. 21. Visual Arts Professor and Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts Linda Carreiro (left), Provost and Vice-President Academic Arja Vainio-Mattila (second from right) and Dean of Humanities Carol Merriam (right) highlighted how Brock’s state-of-the-art facilities and world-class resources and instruction provide a strong foundation for students to pursue their career goals and make meaningful contributions to the arts by helping to grow a vibrant centre of culture in both Niagara.

   

  Tags: centre for studies in arts and culture, Department of Dramatic Arts, Department of Music, Department of Visual Arts, Linda Carreiro, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA
  

• 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.

  .

  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

• Innovative mainstage production explores brain injury through the arts

  Thursday, February 15, 2024 | By gminaker

  

  Pictured above: An upcoming performance from Brock’s Department of Dramatic Arts will explore mild traumatic brain injuries through an artistic lens, communicating symptoms of concussion through physical theatre and character mask.

  An upcoming production from Brock’s Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) is shedding light on the experiences of individuals impacted by mild traumatic brain injuries.

  The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy, written and directed by DART Instructor Mike Griffin, uses non-verbal storytelling to create a visceral and imaginative performance.

  Opening Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre, the story follows its title character as her ordinary life is transformed after experiencing a concussion, sending her on a tumultuous journey back to health.

  The production communicates the symptoms caused by brain injuries through physical theatre, movement and the use of character mask to convey the many struggles and obstacles facing those affected.

  For those who suffer with mild brain trauma, symptoms can often be invisible and therefore difficult for others to comprehend, Griffin said.

  “This production aims to stage the invisible; to heighten the symptoms, physiology and experiences of someone struggling from a concussion,” he said. “We hope this show will raise awareness of the serious impact that concussions can have on one’s life — physically, socially and emotionally.”

  Prioritizing accessibility for all audience members, the production run will include a sensory-reduced experience known as a “relaxed performance” on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. The relaxed performance is intended to welcome audience members who struggle with sensory stimulation by reducing flashing lights, loud noises and providing a quiet room where a livestream of the performance can be viewed on a screen.

  Additionally, the Saturday night performance will also be livestreamed for those who might need to watch the performance in the controlled environment of their own homes.

  Complementing the mainstage is the Molly Gallery, a response to the play by DART student and visual artist Rebecca Cowan, displayed in the second-floor hallway at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre for audience members to take in during or after the event.

  “As we created a show that staged the experience of a brain injury through heightened theatrical methods, we were aware that things like bright lights and a crowded environment were not ideal for those affected. This provides folks an opportunity to come and view artwork inspired by the production at their leisure,” Griffin said.

  To spark further conversation about the interdisciplinary nature of brain injuries, DART will host a public research colloquium, Brain Injury and the Arts, on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. The event will bring together performing artists and panellists, including faculty members from Brock’s Faculties of Applied Health Sciences and Social Sciences, as well as representatives from the Ontario Brain Injury Association and Active Life Rehab+ Concussion Management Clinic.

  The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy opens Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in 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 Thursday, Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. (student preview matinee), Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. (relaxed performance) and 7:30 p.m.

  General admission tickets are available for $20 and tickets for students and seniors are available for $16. Visit the Dramatic Arts event website to reserve tickets.

• 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