Articles tagged with: DART

  • Youth theatre festival shines spotlight on Canada’s brightest emerging talent

    Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | By

    Photo of high school students participating in Wardrobe workshop.

    Image caption: High school students from Ontario and New Brunswick made puppets in a workshop led by Dramatic Arts instructor and local designer for theatre Alexa Fraser as part of the 2025 National STAR Festival hosted at the MIWSFPA.

    Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | by 

    Teens learn tricks of theatre trade from industry pros

    Secondary school theatre students and creative professionals from across the country recently gathered for a dynamic celebration of creativity and excellence in youth theatre.

    Hosted by Brock’s Department of Dramatic Arts (DART), the 2025 National STAR (School Theatrical Arts Recognition) Festival welcomed 200 students to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) from May 8 to 10 for a packed schedule of workshops and opportunities to showcase their talents through friendly competition.

    David Vivian, DART Associate Professor and Scenographer, said engaging workshops led by acclaimed industry professionals and post-secondary educators provided a powerful platform for students to shine.

    “From musical theatre to playwriting and technical production participants gained valuable insight from influential theatre artists,” he said. The festival is unique for its focus on story telling and performance without design elements such as sets and costumes.

    Vivian co-organized the festival with lead Tracy Garratt, Program Leader for the Arts with the District School Board of Niagara and a teacher at A.N. Myer Secondary School in Niagara Falls.

    Photo of carpentry expert Ed Harris giving demonstration to students at STAR Fest

    Dramatic Arts graduate James McCoy (BA ’14), left, Head Technician at the Roselawn Theatre and DART Head of Scenic Construction and Instructor Ed Harris demonstrated stagecraft skills to students of Laura Secord Secondary School, A.N. Myer Secondary School and Waterloo Oxford District Secondary School during the Technical Theatre Olympics Challenge.

    Garratt, a champion of STAR Festival programming in Niagara, said opportunities to engage with diverse narratives and characters help students develop empathy and critical thinking skills, fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them and inspiring change in their communities.

    “As a passionate teacher in the arts, I believe in the transformative power of theatre and the joy of participating in festivals that celebrate creativity,” she said. “Theatre not only nurtures artistic voices but also serves as a vital educational tool that helps students explore complex social issues and inequities.”

    DART Chair Jennifer Roberts-Smith’s delivered a keynote welcome and remarked that now — more than ever — the world needs theatre made by diverse new voices.

    “Dramatic Arts at Brock is fortunate to have our University’s support in making an equitable and inclusive space for all voices to grow,” she said. “We were delighted to welcome the new perspectives of this year’s STAR Festival participants to our beautiful facilities at the Marilyn I. Walker School.”

    Adjudicators of the event represented a diverse cast of theatre professionals in the region, including current and past Shaw Festival ensemble members.

    Vivian said DART’s close relationship with the Shaw Festival’s performing, production and administrative teams is an important component of learning for the Brock community.

    “The DART Shaw Festival Internship has been a life-changing experience for our senior and graduating students,” he said.

    DART graduates also returned to lend their expertise to the next generation, including theatre artist James McCoy (BA ’14), Head Technician at the Roselawn Theatre with Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Colborne.

    McCoy shared his skills and career experience in the STARfest Technical Theatre Olympics, a program of learning and fun competitive collaboration in stagecraft. Students learned news skills and put them to the test in a program adapted for the festival by McCoy, Vivian, and Head of Stage Construction for Dramatic Arts, Ed Harris.

    The opportunity to meet colleague theatre artists from across the country was at the foundation of the community-building event.  Emmett Carter, a student from A.N. Myer Secondary School emphasized that the opportunity to learn and create with new friends, and then witness their performances and presentations was the highpoint of their experience.

    “Meeting people from across Canada was cool. …. Being all here, together at the festival, allows me to see what people are doing across the country and gives me the opportunity to learn what is important to kids from other provinces,” he said.

    Photo of students performing onstage at STAR Fest.

    Students from DSBN Academy in St. Catharines performed an original new play “Dogs Smell Blood” written by student Alaster Nikolic (front). The students polished the play in two sessions with renowned Canadian playwright John Lazarus and Canadian actor, screenwriter and sound designer Sean Meldrum. The play was selected in the national competition for the STAR Short Play program and will be published by TRW Plays (New York).

    Matt Niddrie, a student from A.N. Myer Secondary School, highlighted the joy of experiencing the final moments of the festival.

    “We were all cheering each other on and celebrating each other and our respective accomplishments. This festival builds community. The workshops bring us all together; we all share the same ideals. The festival is a great time for us to be together supporting each other’s passion for theatre arts,” he said.

    During the festival, a DART Creative Citizenship Scholarship award was launched by the department, with the inaugural award presented to a Saint Paul Catholic High School student.

    “Whether these emerging young artists pursue studies in music theatre, dramatic arts, teacher education or other subjects such as the pre-med sciences, nursing, maths and business, I am very enthusiastic about their developing capacity to drive original and meaningful change,” Vivian said.

    The third Niagara Regional STAR Festival is planned for December 2025 at the MIWSFPA.

    Watch the video report below by YourTV Niagara featuring an interview with the lead organizer, Tracy Garratt. (4:13)

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    Categories: Alumni, Future students, News, Visiting Artists

  • DART Invitationals provide a unique audition process at Brock

    Friday, March 28, 2025 | By

    Image caption: Participants of Brock University’s Dramatic Arts March Invitational create and explore a piece of theatre together.

    Thursday, March 20, 2025 | by 

    High school students across Canada are preparing for Brock University’s upcoming DART Invitationals.

    DART, an acronym that refers to the Dramatic Arts program at Brock University, recently held their first annual invitational of the year on March 1. Students who received a conditional offer of admission to the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Dramatic Arts or Bachelor of Arts (Honours)/Dramatic Arts Concurrent Education programs were invited to attend the invitational, held at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine & Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), as a part of their admissions process.

    Unlike other, more traditional auditions, students who attended the invitational participated in a series of workshops that allowed them to develop introductory skills in performance, creation, design and production. The day gave students an opportunity to use what they learned to work together and create a piece of theatre with their peers.

    In preparation for the second invitational on May 3, The Brock Press spoke to DART student Adia Buckle — who participated in the process in May 2024 — about her experience being a part of the event.

    Buckle said while she got nervous driving herself from her hometown of Hamilton, she was “so excited to create.”

    The day started with a series of activities that allowed Buckle and her fellow classmates to get comfortable in the space they would be working in. The attendees, having been asked to read Sophocles’ play Antigone, all came with an essay they had prepared about the work. Their reading and writing helped guide them, inspiring many of the pieces they worked on throughout the day.

    This work was facilitated by upper-year student volunteers, professors and other Brock staff, allowing students like Buckle the opportunity to meet some of their future DART peers. David Vivian, a professor in the Dramatic Arts department at Brock, said he thinks professors and the current students are the heart of the DART invitational experience.

    “The Chair of the Department, Jennifer Roberts Smith, and the Invitational team of faculty and students, begin the day with presentations to the applicants and their parents and guardians about the program […] and then about the ideas that circulate in and inform our understanding of the play that we have asked our applicants to come prepared to investigate and explore during the day [of the invitational],” said Vivian.

    By allowing students to work with their prospective instructors, Vivian believes DART places all their applicants on a path to success for when they arrive in September. The process also allows students to get acquainted with the campus.

    “I had an opportunity to meet some of my future classmates,” said Buckle, an experience that gave her and her peers something to talk about when classes started in the fall. “Even figuring out where the bathrooms were prior to the first week of school was a comfort to me in those first days of university where everything was a little scary.”

    But most meaningful to Buckle was the experience she had working with her group to create a piece of theatre. “The moment where all of us were excitedly brainstorming, our passion at an all-time high,” said Buckle, “that is my favourite part of theatre creation.”

    While Buckle has spent much of her life working in the theatre world, she said the adrenaline of that moment is what draws her back to the work time after time. Getting to work alongside fellow artists and creatives helped cement her choice to pursue studies in dramatic arts at Brock University.

    Creating this feeling is the goal for Vivian and the other event organizers, as Vivian said participants often report that the experience helped them make sure they were making the right choice.

    “[Students] often remark that our methods and the context of learning at the MIWSFPA are different than what they’ve experienced when applying for other programs,” said Vivian, “and that by participating in the Invitational, they’ve discovered something that is unique and attractive to them.”

    Vivian, much like the students who attend the invitational, has found that his favourite part of the process is getting to learn about applicants’ dreams and hopes for the future, as well as what matters most in their lives.

    “Our applicants never fail to impress us with the depth and breadth of their passion for making theatre,” said Vivian, “whether by teaching theatre to youth in their future careers as teachers, as theatre artists, content generators, scholars and researchers, [or] as entrepreneurs and community leaders who want to make change in our world.”

    The work that Vivian and his colleagues are doing is important and timely, shaping young artistic minds to ensure the future of dramatic arts is in exceptionally good hands.

    Read the article directly here: https://brockpress.com/dart-invitationals-provide-a-unique-audition-process-at-brock/

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future students, News

  • Brock to make splash with Metamorphoses mainstage

    Monday, February 24, 2025 | By

    Photograph of rehearsal for DART mainstage production Metamorphoses

    Image caption: Brock University’s Dramatic Arts mainstage performance of Ovid’s Metamorphoses opens this Friday, Feb. 28 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre.

    Monday, February 24, 2025 | by 

    Creative minds in Brock University’s Faculty of Humanities have joined forces to bring an epic ancient Roman poem to life on stage.

    The Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) will present playwright Mary Zimmerman’s award-winning adaption of Metamorphoses — complete with a challenging stage element sure to make waves with audiences.

    The play, which includes a large pool of water central to the production, opens Friday, Feb. 28 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre stage in downtown St. Catharines.

    Though the original literary work dates back more than 2,000 years, Metamorphoses continues to capture imaginations across creative and academic disciplines. Written in Latin by Ovid, a Roman poet exiled by emperor Augustus in 8 CE, the collection of myths explores themes of transformation, beauty and struggle in the ancient world.

    “Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation shows how powerless people are empowered through Ovid’s stories, and we hope the hilarity and poignant drama will open similar transformations for audiences,” said retired DART Associate Professor Gyllian Raby, who is directing the production.

    Adam Rappold, Assistant Professor of Classics and Archaeology, teaches a course dedicated to Ovid’s Metamorphoses and worked on the mainstage as Dramaturge —  an expert in the interpretation and composition of theatrical works, often advising on the text and how it is represented on stage.

    Rappold advised on the poem’s literary devices and shared insights with the cast about storytelling and the construction of myths.

    “Contemporary artists and scholars have re-examined the rebelliousness of Ovid’s poem and rediscovered the critique of the Roman Empire, revealing the full compassionate range of the exiled Ovid’s vision,” he said.

    Raby says that theatrically, this has been the most challenging play she has tackled to date. She credits the production team at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts for rising to the occasion.

    The DART cast and production crew created a technically advanced and visually stunning stage environment, including the large pool of water famously called for by Zimmerman’s adaptation.

    DART Technical Director Gavin Fearon said throughout rehearsals, the production crew have continued to discover new aspects of the pool’s impact on every element of the show including choreography, props and lighting.

    “Students in every role are navigating challenges introduced by the water,” he said. “The costumes team in particular, needed to track wet and dry quick changes in under 30 seconds.”

    Audiences will also experience original music of composer and DART sound design Instructor Joe Lapinski (BA ’99) who has drawn inspiration from the ancient Greek philosophical idea that celestial bodies make music, known as the “music of the spheres.”

    Voice Instructor and soprano Leanne Vida in the Department of Music coached individual singers in the production, including fourth-year actor Maddox Keller, who also took on the role of Choral Conductor.

    Metamorphoses opens Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines. Performances will also take place Saturday, March 1; Friday, March 7; and Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.

    General admission tickets are $25 and tickets for students and seniors are $20. Visit Brock University Tickets to reserve seats.

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    Categories: Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, News, Performance Season, Plays

  • Educational theatre festival builds community connections

    Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | By

    A group of people wearing masks stand in a studio.

    Niagara high school students weren’t waiting in the wings at a recent theatre festival held at Brock; they had the spotlight.

    The second annual Niagara Regional STAR Festival (School Theatrical Arts Recognition) brought secondary school students and teachers to Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) on Dec. 12.

    Presented by the Theatrical Arts Education Association and MIWSFPA, the full-day event was organized by Brock Dramatic Arts (DART) Associate Professor and Scenographer David Vivian and Tracy Garratt, Program Leader for the Arts, School Culture and Student Engagement with the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) and a teacher at A.N. Myer Secondary School in Niagara Falls, Ont.

    The festival activities were the result of collaboration between local professional artists, educators and arts organizations, including the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and the Shaw Festival.

    Following workshops in MIWSFPA studio spaces led by professional artists, Brock alumni, regional educators and theatre designers, students presented their performances and productions in the categories of Technical Theatre and Design, Musical Theatre Acting — including monologues, duet and ensemble — and one act plays.

    Garratt says these opportunities to engage with diverse narratives and characters will help students develop empathy and critical thinking skills, fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them and inspiring change in their communities.

    “As a passionate teacher in the arts, I believe in the transformative power of theatre and the joy of participating in festivals that celebrate creativity. Theatre not only nurtures artistic voices, but also serves as a vital educational tool that helps students explore complex social issues and inequities,” she said.

    Vivian said the talent of participants was impressive, with students singing one moment and sharing their design and production skills the next.

    “We can’t wait to see what these emerging artists will bring to the major stages of the world in the future,” he said.

    The Brock and Niagara community are invited to the upcoming three-day National South STAR Festival held at MIWSFPA in May 2025. For details, visit Theatrical Arts Education Association.

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    Categories: News

  • Early success sets stage for DART grad’s bright future

    Thursday, July 18, 2024 | By

    Jasmine Case embraces cast member Chiamaka Glory on the set of Truth. The stage is set in muted colours of blue and purple.

    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 

    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.

    Headshot of Jasmine Case

    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.”

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    Categories: Alumni, News, Uncategorised

  • Creativity abounds at inaugural voice conference

    Monday, July 15, 2024 | By

    A large group of people stand together, some sitting and some standing, in the lobby of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University.

    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.

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    Categories: Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

  • Voice Work the focus of special edition Canadian Theatre Review

    Monday, May 06, 2024 | By

    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 8-9th.

    The CTR special edition is now available on the Canadian Theatre Review website.

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    Categories: Announcements, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

  • Brock co-led team awarded $2.5M for project giving minoritized voices centre stage in transforming theatre education

    Monday, September 04, 2023 | By

    Pictured above: The cast of Brock’s 2022 Mainstage production ‘Red Bike’ by Caridad Svich, directed by Mike Griffin. Mainstage productions will be among the focus of Brock Dramatic Arts faculty, including Griffin, as they develop more inclusive approaches to teaching theatre as part of the new partnership project, Staging Better Futures/ Mettre en scène de meilleurs avenirs (SBF/MSMA).

    Red Bike, production principale (Mainstage) de l’Université Brock en 2022, écrite par Caridad Svich, mise en scène par Mike Griffin au Marilyn I. Walker Theatre. 

    MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2023

    Deneh’Cho Thompson, a displaced and dispossessed member of the Pehdzeh ki Nation, became an academic because he wanted others to have a better experience with theatre education than he did.

    Responding to experiences such as Thompson’s, a Brock University co-led research project is putting the spotlight on minoritized voices.

    Staging Better Futures/Mettre en scène de meilleurs avenirs (SBF/MSMA) is the first national, cross-sectoral partnership approach to decolonizing, anti-racist, equitable, diverse and inclusive systemic change ever undertaken in post-secondary theatre education in Canada.

    On Tuesday, Aug. 29, it was announced the project has been awarded a $2.5-million Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grant. Contributions from partner organizations bring the project budget to more than $5.5 million, with Brock making the largest partner organization contribution of $1.57 million in cash and in-kind contributions over seven years.

    The funding announcement — made by Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and Mark Holland, Minister of Health — included more than $960 million supporting more than 4,700 researchers and research projects across Canada.

    Jennifer Roberts-Smith, Professor and Chair of Dramatic Arts (DART) at Brock, is co-leader of SBF/MSMA along with Nicole Nolette, University of Waterloo Associate Professor of French Studies and Canada Research Chair in Minority Studies. They observed that while Canadian universities and colleges have been working on local equity initiatives, there is no platform yet for sharing valuable information on providing an equitable and welcoming environment for minoritized theatre students and educators.

    Thompson dropped out of high school and college and took more than 10 years to finish his undergraduate degree because of the systemic racism he experienced. He is now a member of the governance committee on the project.

    Even while he was a student, as interest increased in Indigenous theatre, Thompson found people, including faculty and mentors, looked to him to provide Indigenous expertise.

    But “I was alone,” he said of his time studying in Vancouver. “I didn’t have supports in the university or in my program. I didn’t have anyone I could look up to.” Thompson has since become an Assistant Professor and co-ordinator of the wîcêhtowin Theatre Program at the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Drama.

    SBF/MSMA’s key areas of focus are racialization; Indigeneity; gender diversity; disability; and linguistic minoritization. The project’s guiding principle is that it centres the voices of students and educators with lived experiences of exclusion, such as Thompson.

    Brock DART students Hayley King and Benoit St-Aubin echo Thompson’s calls for greater representation of faculty from historically under-represented backgrounds in theatre departments.

    “In attempts to sympathize with and accurately represent the experience of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) students onstage, non-BIPOC individuals fall prone to tokenism and misrepresentation,” said King, who is of biracial Black and South Asian descent. “Having someone in the department with the same lived experiences as these students can serve as a voice for them when injustices are committed.”

    For St-Aubin, who is from the Niagara region and whose first language is French, it’s also important to decolonize curriculum and repertoire.

    “Historically, Canadian theatre has subscribed to Eurocentric ideologies, which has skewed the education we receive,” they said. “By introducing non-Western, non-European theatre practices to students, our department can shape us into well-rounded theatre practitioners and academics.”

    Roberts-Smith said there needs to be a transition “from small-scale solutions within our own institutions to thinking collaboratively about how we do post-secondary theatre education more equitably across Canada.”

    In the course of preparing the grant, the project leaders developed a wide network of collaborators with lived experience of systemic inequity and expertise in combating it. The fully bilingual project now involves more than 90 participants across Canada, with representation from colleges, universities, theatre companies, arts services organizations, a student caucus and a freelance artist-educator consultancy. There are seven Brock faculty members involved in the project, mostly from Dramatic Arts.

    “Receiving this prestigious, highly competitive award is an outstanding achievement,” said Brock University Vice-President, Research Tim Kenyon.

    “The research team’s success demonstrates the need for systemic practices and structures in dramatic arts education to be transformed so that knowledge and expertise from minoritized artist-educators form a core part of the education,” he said.

    The Partnership Grant covers a period of seven years.

    Partnership Grants are the largest that SSHRC offers, supporting formal partnerships between academic researchers, businesses and other partners that will advance knowledge and understanding on critical issues of intellectual, social, economic and cultural significance.

    In addition to the Partnership Grants, SSHRC announced Tuesday that seven Brock researchers were awarded a total $965,636 in Insight Grants, which support research judged worthy of funding by fellow researchers and/or other experts. The University also received more than $4.8 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for a variety of projects.

    Une équipe codirigée par l’Université Brock reçoit 2,5 millions de dollars pour un projet visant à placer les personnes minorisées au cœur de la transformation de l’enseignement du théâtre

    Deneh’Cho Thompson, membre déplacé et dépossédé de la Nation Pehdzeh ki, est devenu universitaire afin que d’autres vivent une meilleure expérience de l’enseignement du théâtre que la sienne.

    En réponse à des vécus comme celui de Thompson, le projet de recherche, mené conjointement par l’Université Brock, souhaite mettre en lumière les voix des personnes minorisées.

    Staging Better Futures/Mettre en scène de meilleurs avenirs (SBF/MSMA) se veut le premier projet partenarial national et intersectoriel visant un changement systémique à des fins de décolonisation, d’antiracisme, d’équité, de diversité et d’inclusion dans l’enseignement postsecondaire du théâtre au Canada.

    Le mardi 29 août, l’octroi d’une subvention de partenariat de 2,5 millions de dollars du Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines (CRSH) pour ce projet a été annoncé. Les contributions des organismes partenaires portent son budget à plus de 5,5 millions de dollars. La contribution de l’Université Brock est la plus importante, soit 1,57 million de dollars en espèces et en nature sur une période de sept ans.

    L’annonce officiellement a été faite aujourd’hui par Randy Boissonnault, ministre de l’Emploi, du Développement de la main-d’œuvre et des Langues officielles, au nom du ministre de l’Innovation, des Sciences et de l’Industrie, François-Philippe Champagne, et du ministre de la Santé, Mark Holland. Ce financement fait partie d’une enveloppe dépassant les 960 millions de dollars pour soutenir plus de 4 700 projets et équipes de recherche à travers le pays.

    Jennifer Roberts-Smith, professeure et directrice du Département d’art dramatique (DART) de l’Université Brock, codirige SBF/MSMA avec Nicole Nolette, professeure agrégée en Études françaises à l’Université de Waterloo et titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en études des minorités. Toutes deux ont remarqué les efforts des universités et des collèges canadiens pour mettre en œuvre des initiatives locales en matière d’équité. Cependant, aucune plateforme ne permet de partager des informations précieuses sur la création d’un environnement équitable et accueillant pour le corps étudiant et les pédagogues en théâtre issu·e·s de minorités.

    Thompson a abandonné ses études secondaires et supérieures et a mis plus de dix ans à obtenir son diplôme de premier cycle en raison du racisme systémique. Aujourd’hui, il est membre du comité de gouvernance du projet.

    Ce dernier était aux études à l’époque de l’engouement grandissant pour le théâtre autochtone. M. Thompson a alors constaté que certaines personnes, y compris des professeur·e·s et des mentor·e·s, se tournaient vers lui pour son expertise à titre de personne autochtone.

    Mais « j’étais seul, » dit-il à propos de son séjour à Vancouver. « Je ne recevais pas de soutien de mon université ou de mon programme. Je n’avais personne vers qui me tourner. » Depuis, M. Thompson est devenu professeur adjoint et coordinateur du programme de théâtre wîcêhtowin au Département d’art dramatique de l’Université de Saskatchewan.

    Les principaux domaines d’intérêt de SBF/MSMA concernent la racisation, l’autochtonie, la diversité des genres, le handicap et la minorisation linguistique. Le projet a pour principe directeur de faire entendre les voix d’étudiant·e·s et de pédagogues ayant vécu l’exclusion, comme M. Thompson.

    Hayley King et Benoit St-Aubin, étudiant·e·s à l’Université Brock, font écho aux appels de Thompson en faveur d’une plus grande représentation de professeur·e·s issu·e·s de milieux historiquement sous-représentés dans les départements de théâtre.

    « En essayant de sympathiser avec les personnes noir·e·s, autochtones et de couleur (PANDC) et de représenter fidèlement leur expérience sur scène, les personnes non-PANDC sont sujettes à une représentation symbolique et erronée, » a déclaré King, d’origine biraciale noire et sud-asiatique. « Le fait d’avoir au sein du département quelqu’un avec les mêmes expériences que ces étudiant·e·s leur assurent d’être entendu·e·s lorsque des injustices sont commises. »

    Pour St-Aubin, qui est originaire de la région de Niagara et dont la langue maternelle est le français, la décolonisation du programme d’études et du répertoire s’avère tout aussi importante.

    « Historiquement, le théâtre canadien a souscrit à des idéologies eurocentriques, ce qui a faussé notre éducation, » a-t-iel déclaré. « En présentant aux étudiant·e·s des pratiques théâtrales non occidentales et non européennes, notre département peut former des praticien·ne·s du théâtre et des universitaires bien équilibré·e·s.

    Selon Mme Roberts-Smith, il faut passer « de solutions à petite échelle au sein de nos propres institutions à une réflexion commune sur la manière de dispenser l’enseignement postsecondaire du théâtre de manière plus équitable dans l’ensemble du Canada. »

    Au cours de la préparation de la subvention, les responsables du projet ont développé un vaste réseau de collaborateur·trice·s avec une expérience vécue de l’iniquité systémique et une expertise dans la lutte contre celle-ci. Le projet entièrement bilingue compte aujourd’hui plus de 90 participant·e·s à travers le Canada, dont des collèges, des universités, des compagnies de théâtre, des organismes professionnels, un caucus d’étudiant·e·s et un groupe d’artistes pédagogues indépendant·e·s. Sept membres du personnel de l’Université Brock participent au projet, notamment dans le domaine de l’art dramatique.

    « Recevoir ce prix prestigieux et hautement compétitif est une réussite exceptionnelle, » a déclaré Tim Kenyon, vice-président chargé de la recherche à l’Université Brock.

    « Le succès de l’équipe de recherche démontre la nécessité de transformer les pratiques et les structures systémiques de l’enseignement de l’art dramatique afin que les connaissances et l’expertise des artistes pédagogues minorisé·e·s fassent partie intégrante de l’enseignement, » a-t-il déclaré.

    La subvention de partenariat couvre une période de sept ans.

    Les subventions de partenariat, les plus importantes offertes par le CRSH, favorisent la collaboration entre les chercheur·euse·s universitaires, les entreprises et d’autres partenaires afin d’approfondir les connaissances sur d’importantes questions d’ordre intellectuel, social, économique et culturel.

    De plus, le CRSH a annoncé ce mardi l’octroi d’un total de 965 636 $ en subventions Savoir à sept chercheur·euse·s de l’Université Brock, pour soutenir des projets proposés par des pair·e·s et/ou d’autres expert·e·s. L’Université a également obtenu plus de 4,8 millions de dollars du Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada pour financer divers projets.

     

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  • New summer workshop puts students at centre of creative process

    Tuesday, July 18, 2023 | By

    Image caption: Dramatic Arts (DART) Research Assistants Geneviève Batista (left) and Ezri Fenton participated in the DART Summer Institute of Performance Research workshop session ‘Anthr-Apology.’

    Brock arts students have been honing their creative skills and working alongside professional theatre artists through a new summer workshop series presented by the Department of Dramatic Arts (DART).

    The inaugural DART Summer Institute of Performance Research ran from May 29 to July 7 at the University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    Conceptualized by DART Chair and Professor Jennifer Roberts-Smith, the workshop allowed students to be at the centre of the creative process as professional theatre-makers, artists and DART faculty explored performance ideas, working scripts and scenic possibilities for future work.

    Roberts-Smith said DART’s Summer Institute was founded to expand opportunities for what the department calls ‘vertically-integrated’ experiential learning.

    “It’s ‘vertical’ because members of the DART community at all career stages are learning together,” she said. “Collaborative research means we’re asking questions that none of us — not even the most seasoned professionals and faculty — know how to answer.”

    Roberts-Smith said the model sees students’ perspectives and contributions as just as important as workshop leaders.

    Anthr-Apology, a session led by DART Professor David Fancy and DART Scenographer and Associate Professor David Vivian, explored the creative possibilities of a new performance collective, with the first stage of presentation slated for 2024, building on creative research undertaken on the fall DART Mainstage production AnthropoScene.

    Fancy and Vivian are motivated by exploring the ways in which theatre and performance as art forms can be truly responsive to the climate crisis.

    “The project is based on the idea that the world needs a truth and reconciliation commission for all humans and their relationship with one another, as well as their individual and collective relationships with the planet,” Fancy said.

    Vivian said the workshop also generated opportunities for participating graduate- and senior-level MIWSFPA students “to bridge their undergraduate studies to the next level of scholarship and professional opportunities.”

    In another session, Packing a Punch, students worked directly with theatre artist Trevor Copp, Artistic Director and Founder of Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT). Students participated in the creative process of developing TBT’s new multimedia live-action play, Mr. Punch, adapted from a lesser-known Neil Gaiman graphic novel.

    “It was a brilliant week. In the end, what we really found was momentum and artistic excitement about this piece and its possibilities,” Copp said.

    Evalyn Parry, DART’s 2022-23 Walker Cultural Leader and award-winning queer performance-maker, theatrical innovator and artistic leader, led a workshop engaging with choral performance and text from their master’s research-creation thesis, “An Unsettled Account,” reflecting on queer arts leadership, decolonial futures and systems change.

    “Together with my longtime collaborator Karin Randoja (music director for the workshop), rich discoveries were made about how the choral arrangements — both sung and spoken — work on the page and translate into the bodies and voices of singers and actors,” Parry said.

    DART Instructor Mike Griffin, Faculty of Humanities’ 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, workshopped ideas for his DART winter mainstage production, The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy. An original new work written and directed by Griffin, the play explores brain injury and related mental health issues.

    “This has been a great laboratory experience for the development of Molly. The show is primarily movement-based and so we have had a productive week of getting up on our feet and physically working through and testing ideas. A highlight was seeing how deeply connected to the work the students became after such a short period of time. It really speaks to the value of this kind of intensive work,” Griffin said.

    “A set of very strong projects with exciting futures emerged from the inaugural Summer Institute,” Roberts-Smith said. “DART students brought fresh and wise perspectives essential to the success of each project.”

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  • Teaching award recipient inspires students to find creative voices

    Wednesday, July 05, 2023 | By

    Image caption: Faculty of Humanities’ 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award Mike Griffin addressed graduates during Brock’s 113th Convocation on Friday, June 16.

    FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2023 | by

    Mike Griffin finds one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is watching his Brock Dramatic Arts (DART) students’ confidence soar on the stage and behind the scenes.

    The DART Lecturer received the Faculty of Humanities’ 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award in recognition of his efforts to help Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts students discover their creative voices.

    Griffin understands first-hand the importance of student-centred learning.

    “In my journey teaching university thus far, I have realized that teaching is not just about imparting knowledge, it is about connecting with students through collaborative relationships and theatrical exploration. I approach my teaching style from a mentorship perspective, centring the voices of students,” said Griffin.

    He encourages students to come at their work as artists, prompting them with questions meant to spur creative growth and develop their creative practice.

    Taking the time to get to know students’ personal interests is integral to the theatre educator and director’s pedagogy. Building on that foundation, Griffin gives students agency within the teaching and learning relationship by offers choice in content and assessment.

    Themes related to Universal Design for Learning, which considers all students as individuals coming from different perspectives, are central to Griffin’s ongoing research. This philosophy is a foundational part of the experiential learning that DART offers.

    Constantly reflecting on his own teaching practice, Griffin aims to make his classroom more inclusive and equitable. Through developing lessons and assignments that can be accessed by all students, including those with physical restrictions, he is driven to meet the diverse needs of the student community and create a comfortable environment where creativity can blossom.

    Griffin is currently working on the creation of an original new play for DART’s 2024 winter Mainstage performance. Entitled The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy, the character mask and physical theatre play explores mild traumatic brain injury and related mental health issues. Inspired and informed by his personal experience, Griffin is employing expressionistic techniques to “make an invisible injury visible.”

    In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-restriction social landscape, Griffin is driven by the need for human connection, underscoring the significance of humanities and the arts.

    “It is our job in humanities to reflect on life and share our stories and perspectives,” he said. “Study dramatic arts not just for your love of theatre, but for your love and interest in humanity.”

    Jennifer Roberts-Smith, Professor and Chair of Dramatic Arts, said Griffin’s commitment and effectiveness as an educator extends to colleagues as well as students.

    “He inspires other instructors to explore and improve our pedagogy across the dramatic arts curriculum,” she said. “This well-deserved award recognizes the contribution Mike has made to generations of DART students and to the department as a whole.”

     

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