News

• Powwow held on Campus Sept.7

  Sunday, September 09, 2012 | By Brock University

  

  Adrienne Smoke. Photo By: DK Martin

  (Source: The Brock News, Monday, August 27, 2012 | by Tiffany Mayer)

  Students, staff and Niagara residents were invited to start their school year off to the beat of a different drum.

  The Student Justice Centre hosted a powwow on Friday, Sept. 7 in Jubilee Court to celebrate the fall harvest in partnership with the Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education, Aboriginal Student Services and Brock University Students’ Union.

  The event featured inter-tribal drumming and dance demonstrations, and opportunities for audience members to participate in traditional dancing.

  “It’s a gathering to celebrate life and be thankful as well as to hang out with old friends and make new ones,” said Adrienne Smoke, a third-year drama student, who came up with the idea for the event. “Powwows are about sharing our culture to help educate people about the current native people not the ancient ones we read about in old outdated textbooks.”

  This free event also featured a barbecue, vegetarian options and samples of traditional food, such as three sisters soup, corn bread and strawberry juice. The Brock farmers market was also held during the powwow.

  Doors opened at 10 a.m. with the grand entry happening at noon. Closing ceremonies were at 3:30 p.m.

  For more information or to participate as a dancer, drummer or vendor, email the Student Justice Centre, visit them online or call 905-688-5550, ext. 6325.

  Tags: Aboriginal Student Services, Adrienne Smoke, BUSU, powwow, student justice centre, Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education, The Brock News
  Categories: Current Students, In the Media, News

• Incoming DART professor reports about the Eurovision Contest from Baku, Azerbaijan

  Friday, May 25, 2012 | By Brock University

  A spotlight is shining on Azerbaijan this May as it hosts Eurovision, the annual European song contest known for its outlandish performances, and viewed on TV by more than 100 million people. But it’s not all glitz this year. While Azerbaijan attempts to show off its strength to the world, it’s also come under scrutiny by activist groups for its unsavoury human rights record, and its crackdown on anti-government protestors and journalists leading up to the contest.

  Karen Fricker is co-founder of the Eurovision and ‘New’ Europe academic research network who is covering the contest for the Irish Times. She recently reported on what these negative reports mean for the Eurovision Contest and Azerbaijan for the program Q hosted by Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Radio. She is a lecturer in contemporary theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London and deputy London theatre critic for Variety.  You can read more about her research activities in her profile at Royal Holloway. We are delighted that she will be joining her new colleagues at the Department of Dramatic Arts at Brock University in January 2013.

  You can listen to the report here or here. (22:44)

  (with notes from http://www.cbc.ca/q/blog/2012/05/23/the-dark-side-of-eurovision/)

  Tags: CBC Radio, Eurovision, Karen Fricker
  Categories: Faculty & Instructors, In the Media, News

• Graduates of the Department of Dramatic Arts are on the boards again and this time they are playing IN THE SOIL.

  Tuesday, April 17, 2012 | By Brock University

  

  The Clockmaker by Stephen Massicotte

  April 27 @ 8:00pm and April 28 @ 2:00pm
  Sullivan Mahoney  Courthouse Theatre 101 King Street,  St Catharines

  Tickets: $10 at the door
  Festival pass: $25 through inthesoil.on.ca

  Nathan Tanner MacDonald – Director
  Geoffrey Heaney – Performer
  Dylan Mawson – Performer
  Michael Pearson – Performer
  Caitlin Popek – Performer
  Kate Hardy – Stage Manager
  Finn Archinuk – Designer

  Nathan Tanner Mac Donald – a resident of the St Catharines and recent graduate of the Department of Dramatic Arts – has brought together a company of DART students to present The Clockmaker by Stephen Massicotte.  A metaphysical rollercoaster, The Clockmaker may seem like little more than a love story set inside a murder-mystery-to-be, but it just might end up exposing the very truth of existence itself. The show will be performed April 27 @ 8:00pm and April 28 @ 2:00pm at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in downtown St Catharines.

  Nathan recently performed in the 2011 STRUTT wearable art show and this past summer he wrote and directed Circus, which played at Factory Theatre in the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival. Nathan’s company includes graduates and Geoffrey Heaney, Dylan Mawson, Michael Pearson, Caitlin Popek as Performers, current student Kate Hardy as Stage Manager and graduate Finn Archinuk as the Designer.

  In the Soil Arts Festival brings Niagara artists from a range of disciplines together to provide unique audience experiences. The festival nurtures the creation of new work, showcases talent, encourages innovation, offers learning opportunities for youth and provides intimate and uncommon platforms for audiences to experience work by contemporary performing and literary artists, musicians and media artists. In the Soil is Niagara’s homegrown arts festival and is working to make a Niagara that is self-determining and culturally distinct.

  for more information see the IN THE SOIL website.

  Break-a-leg, Nathan, Caitlin, Dylan, Finn, Geoffrey, Kate and Michael!

  Tags: Caitlin Popek, Dylan Mawson, Finn Archinuk, Geoffrey Heaney, In the Soil, Kate Hardy, Michale Pearson, Nathan Tanner MacDonald, The Clockmaker
  Categories: Alumni, Current Students, Events, News, Plays

• SHAW Summer Internship Program

  Thursday, March 29, 2012 | By Brock University

  

  Robyn Cunningham, seen in one of her Tumblr vlogs.

  Every year Brock’s emerging artists have an opportunity to intern with one of Canada’s most renowned theatre organizations, the Shaw Festival, for a six-week intensive learning experience. Early in the new year an application is offered to students who successfully complete DART 4P92 “Voice and Text of Bernard Shaw” as part of their final year of study. One deserving student is invited to polish their studies at DART by interning with professionals at the top of their game as they create productions for the Shaw Festival season.

  Graduating student Robyn Cunningham will be the Summer Intern at the Shaw Festival for 2012.  Under the guidance of Co-Artistic Director Eda Holmes, Robyn will experience an intense period of production rehearsal and development from first read through to season premieres.  Some of the shows Robyn will witness in development include The Millionairess and Present Laughter.  Robyn (seen below) will be regularly posting to her tumblr vlog across the six weeks – check in regularly and say ‘hi!’.

   

  Brock graduate Jacqueline Costa was the first DART Intern at the Shaw Festival in 2011. Jacqueline graduated with a BA (First Class Honors) in Brock University’s Theatre Stream with strong interests in both production and performance. While a student her success in theatre creative research and production was seen in the Brock main-stage performances like Charles Mee’s Big Love (2010) and Sharon Pollock’s Blood Relations (2010) and in her work as Departmental Technical Production Assistant and Research and Production Assistant to faculty.

  While at Shaw Jacqueline worked together with Lighting Design Director Kevin Lamotte and assisted with the development of his lighting designs for the 2011 performances of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Heartbreak House, where she also had the privilege of meeting directors Eda Holmes and Christopher Newton. Jacqueline attended various dress-tech rehearsals, show previews, read-throughs and clean-up calls. Jacqueline remarks that “it was interesting seeing lighting levels, lighting hangs, load in’s and changeovers for the shows on such a grand scale at the Shaw Festival.”

  During the remaining weeks, Jacqueline worked with Design Director William Schmuck, where she was able to preview other shows from the 2011 season such as Drama at Inish – A Comedy and My Fair Lady. She also witnessed the build of lighting level sets for Alan Brodie’s Admirable Crichton and Louise Guinard’s On The Rocks. In addition, Jacqueline toured to other Shaw facilities including the properties, scenic painting and carpentry shops and met with designers Sue Lepage, Charolette Dean and Christina Poddubiuk. Jacqueline comments, “in terms of being introduced to interesting members of the professional design/theatre community, this internship succeeded.”

  Working closely with the Shaw Festival, Brock’s Dramatic Arts Department aims to develop these programs, and many more, to it’s young emerging artists – offering them post-graduate opportunities to interact and network with the greater professional performing arts community.

  ---

  Also at the Shaw Festival this season are recent Department graduates working in various aspects of technical theatre production.  Anrita Petraroia (DART ’07) is back at the Festival this year, having helped out on a couple projects in Technical Direction last season. Chris Penney (DART ’08) has secured a regular season’s call in the audio department. Sadie Isaak (DART ’10) is now being trained to take over the Cobbler’s position in Production Wardrobe and will be joining the Wardrobe Running staff later in the season.

  Tags: alumni, Anrita Petraroia, Chris Penney, DART 4P92, graduating student, Jacqueline Costa, Robyn Cunningham, Sadie Isaak, Shaw Festival, summer internship
  Categories: Alumni, Current Students, News

• Wooster Group visits DART once again

  Sunday, March 25, 2012 | By Brock University

  In conjunction with York University and University of Toronto’s Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies, DART organized and moderated a panel discussion with artistic director Elizabeth LeCompte and members of the internationally renowned Wooster Group of New York City, held in the Robert Gill Theatre, University of Toronto. The Wooster Group was in Toronto for their highly anticipated production of Vieux Carré at the Harbourfront Centre World Stage 2012. watch the video below:

   

  Tags: Elizabeth LeCompte, Natalie Alvarez, video, Vieux Carré, visiting artists, Wooster Group
  Categories: News, Visiting Artists

• Spring Course opportunity in Dance Education

  Wednesday, March 21, 2012 | By Brock University

  Looking for a unique course opportunity this Spring?

  Register for PEKN 2P06, running April 30th to June 1st , Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 13:30.  Registration opens for non-PEKN majors after April 5th.

  PEKN 2P06
  Dance Education
  Introduction to dance as an art form through making, performing and appreciating dance. Emphasis on the creative process, dance skills and vocabulary through exploration of dance concepts and observational skills.
  Lectures, lab, 3 hours per week.
  Restriction: open to BPhEd, BPhEd (Honours)/BEd (Intermediate/Senior), BPhEd (Honours)/BEd (Junior/Intermediate) until date specified in Registration guide. After that date available to BKin and BSc (Kin) majors until date specified in Registration guide. Students must have a minimum of 4.0 overall credits.
  Prerequisite(s): PEKN 1P90 and 1P93 or permission of the instructor.
  Note: students will be expected to pay the cost of a ticket to a dance performance on campus. Modes of instruction/evaluation will normally include vigorous physical activity.

  The foundation of this course is Laban’s Movement Principles coupled with Valerie Preston-Dunlop.  There will not be a critique based on a live performance in the spring session.  To view videos from past sessions of the course please go to the IRC and review the collection on reserve under PEKN 2P06.

  For more information contact Janet Westbury at jwestbury@brocku.ca

  Tags: course opportunity, dance, dance education, PEKN 2P06
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, News

• DART Alumna Kate Trotter awarded Distinguished Alumni Prize for the Humanities

  Tuesday, March 20, 2012 | By Brock University

  Kate Trotter, a celebrated actress of theatre, cinema and television was presented with the “Distinguished Alumni Prize for the Humanities” on March 31, 2012 at Brock University.  Ms. Trotter graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Dramatic Literature, First-Class Standing, in 1975 and the National Theatre School of Canada in 1978.

  During the past 37 years Ms. Trotter has established an international reputation as a lead actress in film, television and stage production.  Roles in theatre have included significant work in both classics and modern pieces: she has performed in Canadian plays by Anne Chislett, Tmothy Findley,  David French, John Murell and Sharon Pollock among others as well as various Shakespeare, comic, tragic, and lyric theatre productions.  She has collaborated with Canadian luminaries such as Martha Henry, Bill Hutt, Brent Carver, Robin Phillips, Richard Monette, RH Thompson, Al  Waxman, Bill Shatner and Donald Sutherland.

  Roles in cinema include Marie Currie in Glory Enough for All, and working alongside actors such as Charles Bronson, Angelina Jolie, James Woods, the three Carradine brothers, Claire Bloom, Clive Owen, Gary Sineese, Whoopi Goldberg, Edward Woodward, Jon Voight and Sophia Loren, to name a few.

  Her numerous roles in television include Being Erica, The Murdoch Mysteries, The Jane Show and CSI.

  She has also directed for the National Film Board and for women in the director’s chair as well as for the stage.  Ms Trotter has taught Shakespeare at George Brown College, is co-founder of a program supporting kids at risk called youth and the law and for several years has been part of training programs for Canadian judges teaching communication skills in the courtroom.

  The “Distinguished Alumni Prize for the Humanities” was founded in 2002 to celebrate the achievements of Brock’s finest graduates. The award is conferred upon alumni who have made outstanding  contributions to their field of study and the larger Brock community, as both a scholar and role model.

  On March 30, 2012 from 7pm-9pm the Department of Dramatic Arts hosted a special event (studio location TBA) to introduce Ms Trotter to our current students and aspiring artists. All DART students and faculty were welcome to join the Department as we celebrate her success and raise a glass to toast this alumna of Brock Theatre.

  For more information see Ms Totter’s YouTube DEMO REEL or her entries in the Internet Movie Database and Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia (last updated 2009).

  Tags: alumni, Kate Trotter
  Categories: Alumni, News

• DART Students attend Stratford Shakespeare Academy

  Saturday, March 17, 2012 | By Brock University

  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. In 2012 fourteen students will attend the Stratford Academy.  To read more click here.

  Tags: Shakespeare, Stratford Shakespeare Academy
  Categories: Current Students, News

• Shadows of a Toymaker

  Sunday, March 11, 2012 | By Nikki Prudden

  

  A new play starts April 11 in ST 103 “Black” at Brock University. The graduating students of DART 4F56 present the outcome of their year-long exploration in collective creation.

  April 11, 2012 – 7:00pm
  April 12, 2012 – 7:00pm
  April 13, 2012 – 7:00pm

  Shadows of a Toymaker is written and created by the graduating students of the Department of Dramatic Arts, Brock University, inspired by the gothic stories of writers Edgar Allen Poe and Angela Carter.  This play explores the fictitious lives of the toymaker Mattel and his family, exposing their bizarre methods of survival as they confront the monsters lurking in the darkness within themselves and each other. Come join the madness as we search for the light!

  This is the story of a house on a hill,
  A house full of secrets sure to make your blood chill.
  Nobody knows of what’s taken place,
  In this house full of misfits all fallen from grace.
  So take a peek inside these walls,
  As the door swings open and the curtain falls.
  For they are not enough to hide,
  All of the madness that takes place inside…

  Gather round everyone and open your ears,
  I will tell you a story to quiet your fears.
  We live in a world of darkness and sorrow,
  But we have to believe in a brighter tomorrow.
  Yes, there are monsters that live on this earth,
  There were monsters before that had given them birth.
  There have always been evils to put us to test,
  But there have always been people to put them to rest…

  Tags: DART 4F56, Shadows of a Toymaker
  Categories: Events, Plays

• DART graduates premiere new work from Theatre Beyond Words

  Tuesday, February 28, 2012 | By Brock University

  

  Theatre Beyond Words

  The Resident Theatre Company of Brock University Theatre Beyond Wordswill soon premiere the 2012 Edition of Tales from the Garden.  This brand-new Potato People show includes the characters Nancy Potato and friend George Beanstock entwined in hilarious escapades with industrious giant ants, a demanding trio of baby birds, a metamorphosizing caterpillar and a flash storm.

  Theatre Beyond Words was founded in 1977 and remains a pioneer in the development of mask and visual theatre in Canada.  The Potato People is a series of 13 non-verbal mask plays for family audiences with a unique style of visual storytelling that has inspired a generation of artists in physical theatre across the country and has won the hearts of audiences around the world.

  The comedy and adventure of this Theatre Beyond Words original creation comes from the collaboration of Jacqueline Costa (DART BA ’11), Katharine Dubois (DART BA ’05, BEd ’10), Caitlin English (DART BA ’09) and Carlene Thomas (DART BA ‘09, BEd ‘10). Brianne Lidstone (DART BA ‘15) is the lighting operator.  Jacqueline Costa also designed and built the production.

  Following four performances beginning March 23, 2012 at the Sullivan-Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in St. Catharines the company tours the show throughout Ontario.

  Theatre Beyond Words will be leading a three week-long intensive Introduction to Physical Theatre during the Spring session of 2012.  For more information contact dramatic.arts@brocku.ca

  Check out the trailer and sneak peak at theatrebeyondwords.ca
  For more information contact 905 468 7582  or  tbw@cogeco.ca

  Break-a-leg Theatre Beyond Words!

  Tags: alumni, Brianne Lidstone, Caitlin English, Carlene Thomas, DART grads, Jacqueline Costa, Katharine Dubois, Tales from the Garden, The Potato People, Theatre Beyond Words
  Categories: Alumni, Current Students, News