News

  • A Little Night Music

    Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
    Book by HUGH WHEELER
    Suggested by a film by Ingmar Bergman

    Director: Virginia Reh
    Scenographer: David Vivian

    Three households, three generations, twisted love triangles, upstairs/downstairs come together for “A Weekend in the Country”. Tangled romance and passion in the relentless daylight of the northern midsummer night, all in 3/4 waltz time. The musical, probably best known for the song “Send in the Clowns”, is based on Ingmar Bergman’s film Smiles of a Summer Night, which was set in turn-of-the-20th century Sweden. A fresh young approach from major collaboration between the Departments of Dramatic Arts and Music. A whirl of intoxicating music, dance and witty lyrics.

    Performance 1 (Opening): Thursday Nov. 12th, 7:30 pm
    Performance 2: Friday November 13th, 1:30 pm (group and student Matinee) ***new time/ new price!***
    Performance 3: Friday November 13th, 7:30 pm
    Performance 4: (Closing): Saturday November 14th, 7:30 pm

    Educators and Counsellors:
    A Little Night Music: A Primer is an introduction to our production, written by our Director, Virginia Reh
    Download your PDF of A Little Night Music: A Primer.

    To prepare this gem of lyric theatre the director and company of actors and singers recently took their questions right to the source. Using a video conference link-up from the famed Friars Club in Manhattan, the Canadian actor and director Len Cariou answered our students probing questions about the development of A Little Night Music for the 1973 Broadway premiere.

    Photos:

    Video:

    A Little Night Music - BrockTV screenshotClick on the screenshot to the left to watch a video about our production, including an interview with DART actors Becca Pleschke and Jordan Imray, and with the Director and DART Professor, Virgina Reh (produced by BrockTV). (NOTE: link currently broken. We are tracking down the original video.)

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: Events, Plays

  • Dr. Joe Norris appointed to the Department of Dramatic Arts at Brock University

    14-joe-norrisThe Department of Dramatic Arts welcomes Joe Norris to the Department as of July 1, 2009. Joe has had a long history of teaching in, through, and with drama both at the secondary and post-secondary levels and is eager to serve the Ontario educational theatre community. Please see the attached PDF for more information about our new colleague.

    Tags: ,
    Categories: Announcements, Faculty & Instructors, News

  • Excellence in Teaching and Research

    In February 2009 Associate Professor Gyllian Raby was awarded a very significant SSHRC Research and Creation Grant in the Fine and Performing Arts for her project Devised Theatre with Youth in Niagara Schools. Gyllian’s project draws on her RSVP research and is in collaboration with Carousel Players of St. Catharines.

    Services for Students with Disabilities awarded Associate Professor David Fancy the Making A Difference Award from the Services for Students with disABILITIES department in the Student Development Centre. The award was presented in April of 2009.

    In 2008 our part-time instructor in Drama in Education and Society – Suzanne Burchell – received this award.

    Associate Professor David Vivian was awarded the 2009 Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching (Faculty of Humanities), presented at the 2009 June Convocation.

    Part-time Instructor and recent Limited Term Appointee Helen Zdriluk was awarded the Best Practices Recognition Award, 2008 by the Brock Centre for Teaching, Learning and Educational Technologies (CTLET).

    Tags: , , , , , , ,
    Categories: Announcements, Faculty & Instructors, News

  • Niagara Centre for the Arts Receives $36 Million

    (Source: Brock University Web News)

    The city-owned Niagara Centre for the Arts will be adjacent to Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. The project is “the cornerstone of Council’s vision for a revitalized downtown,” St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan said.

    Brock University President Jack Lightstone hailed the announcement. “This is a day we have all been looking forward to for a long time,” he said, “not just because this cultural landmark will complement our Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, but because it illustrates how a whole community can benefit when people work together.”

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Announcements, News

  • New Concentrations in DART

    Beginning with the 2009/10 academic year DART students choose to pursue their studies in one of five concentrations: Applied TheatreDrama in EducationPerformanceProduction and Design, and Theatre Praxis.

    The previous streams of Dramatic Literature, Drama in Education and Society, and Theatre will be concluded over the next few years.

    Please see the Academic Calendar for more details.

    Tags: , , , , ,
    Categories: Announcements, News

  • Richard Maxwell and The New York City Players

    Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the most innovative and essential theatre artists to emerge from American experimental theatre in the past decade,” Obie-award-winning New York City playwright and director Richard Maxwell and members of the New York City Players visited Toronto and the Brock University campus for the first time April 18th and 19th, 2009.

    Students, faculty, and members of the theatre community engaged in a discussion with Richard and members of the New York City Players in an informal workshop that included a mini-retrospective of their productions to date and exercises demonstrating principles that are central to their work. The evening concluded with a site-specific show entitled Showcase that takes place in a hotel room. Showcase plumbs the thoughts of a businessman absorbed in the world of his private, hotel room as he and his shadow examine his past.

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: News, Visiting Artists

  • The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts

    Our Department is proud to be a key recipient of the generosity of our local patron, renowned Canadian fibre artist Marilyn Walker. On November 5, 2008 the university announced that she has donated $15 million to Brock’s School of Fine and Performing Arts — the largest donation the University has ever received. With gratitude our School has been renamed the The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. Please see here for more information about this ground-breaking and future-building event. Thank-you, Marilyn!

    Tags: , , ,
    Categories: Announcements, News

  • Alumni News at DART

    photo credit: jacelynholmes.com

    photo credit: jacelynholmes.com

    At the 2008 Fall Convocation, DART graduate Jacelyn Holmes received the Spirit of Brock award. The 23-year-old dramatic arts student received special recognition from the university for her academic work and contribution to life at the school. “Art is life!” she declared after receiving her award, which is given to one student who is deemed to embody the spirit of Sir Isaac Brock by inspiring other students.

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Alumni, News

  • DART Students participate in the annual General Brock Soiree

    275corr250wEvery October DART students participate in a special General Brock Soirée.  In 2008 the event was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.  This is now a not-to-be-missed regional event held in the new Guernsey Market at Brock University’s Main Campus in St. Catharines, Ontario.

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: Events

  • MEDEA

    medea_poster-_final_light_th

    click on the poster above to download your own copy. Medea Media Release: download here (PDF)

    by Euripides
    directed by Natalie Alvarez. scenography by David Vivian.

    November 13, 14, 15, 2008 @ 7:30 p.m.
    November 14, 2008 @ 11:30 a.m. 
    Student Matinee

    An ancient Greek tragedy crashes against the shores of modern life and lingers in televised ruins.

    A riveting retelling of Euripides’ Medea set in a multi-media talk-show environment, with a musical guest appearance, live cameras, and haunting visual effects.

    Backstage Workshop, Performance, and Talk-Back Package:
    Student groups can book a Medea field-trip package that begins with a pre-show workshop led by members of the Medea creative team, faculty, and students of the Department of Dramatic Art’s Drama in Education and Society Stream.
    see here for more information: Medea Field Trip package (PDF)

    Medea Teaching Module:
    A series of thematic topics followed by discussion questions and exercises that high school teachers may use in preparation for their field trip to the Department of Dramatic Art’s production of Medea.
    download here: Medea Workshop (PDF)

    Medea promo for students (PDF file)


    Media:

    Watch the slideshow for Medea featuring images from the production and narration provided by Natalie Alvarez, the Director of Medea:

     

    Listen to the Director of Medea, Natalie Alvarez, introduce you to the show:

    Tags: , , , , , ,
    Categories: Events, Plays