News

  • Spring Course opportunity in Dance Education

    Wednesday, March 21, 2012 | By

    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

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    Categories: Announcements, Current Students, News

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

    Tuesday, March 20, 2012 | By

    kate-trotter-alt220Kate 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).

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    Categories: Alumni, News

  • DART Students attend Stratford Shakespeare Academy

    Saturday, March 17, 2012 | By

    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.

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    Categories: Current Students, News

  • Shadows of a Toymaker

    Sunday, March 11, 2012 | By

    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…

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    Categories: Events, Plays

  • DART graduates premiere new work from Theatre Beyond Words

    Tuesday, February 28, 2012 | By

    Theatre Beyond Words

    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!

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    Categories: Alumni, Current Students, News

  • Richard Maxwell Discusses his New Production with Brock Students

    Saturday, February 18, 2012 | By

    maxwell4f90photoInternationally renowned New York City director and playwright Richard Maxwell of the New York City Players recently Skype chatted with students of DART 4F90 Critical Theory and Practice about his touring production of “Ads” and responded to questions of liveness, performer presence, and commodity culture.

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    Categories: News, Visiting Artists

  • Special Guest Fujimoto Takakyuki gives a workshop in light art at DART

    Saturday, February 11, 2012 | By

    fujimoto-420-fullOn January 26 and 27, 2012, Fujimoto Takakyuki – pioneer of stage design with LED lighting – visited the Department of Dramatic Arts to give a demonstration and creative workshop with this innovative technology.

    Fujimoto has created a unique staging method using LED light systems and installations to manipulate all colours of the spectrum. His aim is to create new “circuits” to connect directly to the audience with no less strength than the connection created by the stage performer communicating directly to the audience in a live stage experience. He is principle designer for the Japanese performance group Dumb Type. Independently his work True, created with Tsuyoshi Shirai (AbsT/BANETO) and Takao Kawaguchi (Dumb Type) has been touring since 2007. He has worked with Ryoji Ikeda on the videomusic concert series “formula”, with Hong Kong choreographer Daniel Yeung, Vietnam-French choreographer Ea Sola, Singapore’s video artist Choy Ka Fai, on the installation/concert path with the guitarist Kazuhisa Uchihashi and singer UA, and with dance company Monochrome Circus. He recently designed for Kyoto Noh Theatre’s 2011 production.

    Fujimoto was hosted in Canada by Across Oceans and artistic director Maxine Heppner, a Toronto-based organization that  produces international arts platforms in Canada and worldwide, with acclaimed performing, visual and literary artists, and develops interactions created specially for specific environments and communities. Programming includes live performance, 2-D and 3-D art exhibits, film/video screenings, public forums, advanced training and research.  Fujimoto’s recent collaboration with Across Oceans my heart is a spoon was well-received by Toronto critics and audiences.

    Fujimoto shared his creative approach in technology with approximately 15 students and professionals. A selection of videos from the workshop can be found on YouTube.

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    Categories: News, Visiting Artists

  • DART graduate receives prestigious Erasmus Mundus scholarship

    Wednesday, February 08, 2012 | By

    Kasey Dunn in Phèdre. Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) in the Sean O'Sullivan Theatre. 2011.

    Kasey Dunn in Phèdre. Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) in the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre. 2011.

    Kasey Dunn (DART 2011), has been awarded the prestigious scholarship for the 2012-2013 Erasmus Mundus M.A. in International Performance Research programme. Upon completion, Kasey will receive three M.A.s from programs of study at University of  Amsterdam, University of Warwick, and the University of Arts in Belgrade. The scholarship has a value of 36,000 euro. (CAD $47, 500)

    Kasey  was previously awarded the Brock University Leaders Award, the Brock University President’s Award, the national Canadian Millennium Excellence Award, J.F. Harding Prize in Theatre, the Jane Forrest Prize in Drama, and the Gertrude Milner Award in Drama. She completed an outstanding Fourth Year Honours Thesis project on theories of  cognition and performance, with Professors Natalie Alvarez (Dramatic Arts) and Sid Segalowitz (Psychology) as supervisors. Kasey established the Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects Young Company in St. Catharines. In 2011 Kasey performed the lead role in the DART production of Racine’s Phèdre, pictured to the right.

    Kasey is following in the footsteps of Victoria Mountain (DART 2007) as the second DART graduate to receive this prestigious scholarship.

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    Categories: Alumni, News

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

    Thursday, February 02, 2012 | By

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

    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 dramatic.arts@brocku.ca

     

     

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

    dart_2f04_composite_72

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

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    Categories: Current Students, News

  • Always loved the musical RENT!? Opening February 2nd for four performances only.

    Thursday, January 26, 2012 | By

    rent-thAlways loved the musical RENT!?  Brock Musical Theatre’s finest performers presented a fun-filled show that opened February 2nd for four performances only.

    RENT showcased the performing and producing talents of students in the Department of Dramatic Arts and the entire University community. The show was directed by Jessi Robinson with musical direction by Krystyna MacKay and choreography by Sarah Waller.  Music was performed by local band Xprime.

    Brock Musical Theatre is a university club with 19 cast members, as well as numerous production and volunteer crew members from several academic programs. BMT has been presenting music theatre to the Brock University community since 2005, showcasing such popular shows as Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, and Urinetown. Brock Musical Theatre president Karyn Lorence thanks the Brock University Student Union for their support of this production and BMT.

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    Categories: Events, Plays

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