Articles tagged with: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts

  • Rising Brock star makes feature film debut in pop musical ‘Juliet & Romeo’

    Image caption: Artist Max Parker, a third-year Brock student studying at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, plays Benvolio in Timothy Scott Bogart’s new pop musical ‘Juliet & Romeo’.

    Monday, May 12, 2025 | by 

    A new take on a Shakespeare classic has set the scene for Max Parker to take Hollywood by storm.

    The third-year Brock student is ready to make his mark with moviegoers in his breakthrough role playing Benvolio in Juliet & Romeo, which premieres in theatres across Canada later this month.

    The musical, from acclaimed filmmaker Timothy Scott Bogart, boasts a star-studded cast, including Rebel Wilson as Lady Capulet and Jason Isaacs as Lord Montague.

    Majoring in Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC), including courses in Dramatic Arts (DART) at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), Parker said his studio work at Brock helped him to hone his acting skills.

    “My classes helped me realize the physicality in acting to prepare me for a role like Benvolio; a character who is always worried, weary and cautious,” he said. “I would not have played the role to the best of my abilities if it hadn’t been for all my training in the arts and at Brock.”

    Driven to grow as an artist, Parker was signed by his acting agent in 2022 and thrown into a world of creating audition tapes while also studying full time at the University’s downtown arts school.

    An accomplished musician whose debut album, including a chart-climbing single, was followed by the 2024 release of the song “Rush,” Parker’s musical ascension has rocketed over the past few years.

    Currently working on a self-written and produced project, Parker also continues to work alongside award-winning Canadian and American producers such as Derek Hoffman (Arkells), John Nathaniel (OneRepublic) and Justin Gray (Mariah Carey, Avril Lavigne), who is also a music producer alongside songwriter Evan Bogart (Beyoncé) for the film’s soundtrack.

    It was a special moment when he broke the news to Associate Professor Danielle Wilson and retired Associate Professor Gyllian Raby that he had been cast in the feature film, which resulted in rescinding his role in the DART mainstage production that year.

    A dedicated, straight-A student his whole life, Parker was heartbroken to let them down.

    “They stared at me for a minute before erupting with joy and said, ‘you are going to act in a movie!’ I am forever grateful for their warmth and positivity, that vote of confidence will always stay with me,” he said.

    Parker took key lessons with him while shooting on location in Italy, harnessing meditative and body breathwork skills from Wilson’s voice and speech class, which helped him stay grounded.

    “Professor Wilson let me know she was just a phone call away, and that really shows how caring Brock is,” he said. “I felt comfortable, safe and supported to have this life-changing experience.”

    Parker also drew on his studies in STAC, devouring diverse reading materials that deepened his connection to artistic creation.

    “Truthfully, 75 per cent of the job in acting for film is waiting in your trailer. Breathwork, meditative exercises and reading allowed me to be ‘on’ when I was called to set,” he said.

    In the film, Benvolio’s character is the peacekeeper, Romeo’s right-hand man, but anxious and cautious about the famous feuding families central to the plot. Parker relied on his practice to achieve heightened moments of emotion expressed through movement and facial expressions.

    “My theatre skills gave me the foundation to make creative choices so I could channel those emotions for BenvoIio’s character,” he said.

    Parker said Brock helped show him how much one can learn from others about their experiences and create lasting friendships in the process.

    “Jason Isaacs, for example, was just looking for someone who would play tennis with him. I told him I’ve played since I was a kid and then taught tennis, and we ended up playing together off set. You learn quickly that human connection is what brings artists together,” he said.

    Parker said believing in his abilities was his key to success, adding he “had confidence knowing my Brock family was in my corner.”

    For updates on the film and behind-the-scenes moments, follow Parker on Instagram at @maxparkerofficial.

    For official news and exclusive content from Juliet & Romeo, follow the film at @julietandromeomovie.

     

     

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  • Brock’s arts impact takes centre stage

    Friday, November 22, 2024 | by April Jeffs

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

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  • Grad unites community through creative movement

    Skye Rogers (STAC ’22) has found her momentum as a creator and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

    The Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture Certificate graduate will inspire audiences as a Creative in Residence alongside creative collaborator Vik Mudge during the 2024 Ontario Culture Days Festival.

    An annual celebration of arts, culture and heritage, the Ontario Culture Days Festival includes more than 1,000 free, hands-on events in communities across the province from Friday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Oct. 13.

    A portrait image of Skye Rogers shows her sitting on a wood bench, leaning forward and smiling warmly. Yellow, outdoor light and greenery can be seen in the background.

    Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture graduate Skye Rogers (STAC ’22).

    This year, St. Catharines is a Festival Hub and will feature Rogers and Mudge, dance artists and co-founders of retrograde: dance in motion.

    The duo will work with dancers of all abilities to create community-generated choreography with their project Composing Community.

    The project includes two public creation workshops on Saturday, Sept. 21 and Sunday, Sept. 22 at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and a performance showcase on Oct. 13 at Niagara Artists Centre (NAC) in downtown St. Catharines.

    Rogers said she learned how to create cultural programming on her own — a huge strength for her as an artist — during her time at Brock.

    “Suddenly, I could create opportunities for myself and fellow artists in my community to grow in our practice and strengthen the cultural scope where we live,” Rogers said.

    With a background in performing arts, Rogers came to study at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) with an interest in art history and a desire to learn more about behind-the-scenes arts management.

    The classes Rogers took as part of the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) Certificate program still influence her work today by providing her the skills and knowledge to envision and execute innovative, creative programming.

    At MIWSFPA, Rogers also gained valuable insight in how to prepare and write grants, a skill that she said unlocked a whole new world for her. After graduation and prior to Ontario Culture Days, Rogers applied for a grant to bring her dance in community workshop series ideas to life.

    “Just like that, I was producing Dance and Movement Days for the St. Catharines community and making my dreams a reality,” Rogers said.

    A portrait image of Vik Mudge shows them in a black shirt with their head to the side against a grey background.

    Dance artist and instructor Vik Mudge.

    Recognizing the success of Rogers’ workshop series, Rogers and Mudge formed a creative collaboration to continue building an emerging creative community of people united by a curiosity to explore ideas through movement.

    “I had a sense there are more people interested in this type of work, which is how we conceived of our Culture Days community-driven workshops and performance. It’s only just the start of this quickly blossoming community of movement lovers,” Rogers said.

    Mudge, a trans non-binary dance artist, choreographer and instructor in St. Catharines, said the pair prides themselves on making dance accessible to everyone.

    “Through this project, we are bringing together a diverse group of people — from different generations, different backgrounds — to activate community spaces and diversify what it means to be a dancer while giving people the chance to perform and create,” Mudge said.

    Other Ontario Culture Days events offered by the MIWSFPA include the Walker Cultural Leader Series workshops and exhibition featuring Camille Turner and a “Dia de los Muertos” Mexican Arts and Crafts Workshop presented by the Department of Visual Arts.

    For a full listing of events and registration, please visit the Ontario Culture Days events website.

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  • Audio tour explores historic art of Mackenzie Chown Complex

    Lesley Bell (BA ’88), former Learning Commons Co-ordinator at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), has researched the history of Michael Snow’s Timed Images installation at Brock. She is pictured here with Frame Three, which now hangs in the School.

    posted on the Brock News on TUESDAY, MAY 09, 2023 | by 

    Getting lost in Mackenzie Chown Complex is a familiar experience for many Brock students, and it’s easy to miss the artistic significance of the building in the rush to get to class on time.

    A new self-guided audio tour produced by Foreword, a podcast from the Faculty of Humanities, hopes to encourage a new appreciation for a complicated space and the art it contains on the 50th anniversary of its installation.

    The audio tour guides the listener through the various locations of Michael Snow’s 1972-73 art installation Time Images and considers how the building’s unique architecture plays with the space and light.

    Snow was invited by renowned architect Raymond Moriyama to create an art installation as part of the design for Brock’s new Academic Staging Building, now called the Mackenzie Chown Complex. His installation consisted of a series of mirrors, still images and live video situated throughout the building from Pond Inlet to A Block.

    Elements of the installation can still be seen, and the audio tour has an accompanying web page featuring historic photographs, artist sketches and architectural plans collected by Lesley Bell (BA ’88), an artist and retired support staff for Brock’s Department of Visual Arts, during her research on Snow.

    Snow, who died in January, was a widely acclaimed Canadian artist. His many honours included Officer of the Order of Canada (1981), Governor General’s Award in Media Arts (2000) and an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Brock University (1974). He is also known for his Canada geese sculpture, Flight Stop (1979), that hangs in Toronto’s Eaton Centre and his piece The Audience (1989) on the exterior of the Rogers Centre.

    The Foreword podcast’s two-part final episode of series four also features an interview with Bell by host Alison Innes, Strategic Initiatives and Outreach Officer in the Faculty of Humanities. Bell became interested in Snow’s art at Brock while she was working with the Department of Visual Arts. She went on to research and produce a short documentary on Snow and his collaboration with Moriyama at Brock with Tracy Van Oosten (BA ’10) in 2021.

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    Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Uncategorised

  • Fentanyl drug crisis focus of free public film screening, naloxone training

    A free public screening of Love in the Time of Fentanyl will take place this Saturday, March 25 at Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.  

    The event is expected to run from 6 to 9 p.m. in room MWS 156, beginning with naloxone and harm reduction training from 6:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the film screening at 7 p.m. and a question-and-answer session at 8:30 p.m. 

    Directed, edited and co-produced by Colin Askey, Love in the Time of Fentanyl follows a group of misfits, artists and drug users who operate a renegade safe injection site in Vancouver’s downtown eastside fighting to save lives and keep hope alive in a neighborhood ravaged by the overdose crisis. 

    Ronnie Grigg, founder of the non-profit Zero Block Society and one of the film’s key participants, will be traveling from Vancouver to present at the screening and participate in the panel discussion question-and-answer period alongside representatives from Positive Living Niagara’s StreetWorks harm reduction program. 

    The event is presented by Brock University’s Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture; Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures; Department of Sociology; and Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, in collaboration with Positive Living Niagara and Rad Snax. 

    Love in the Time of Fentanyl had its world premiere at the 21st DOXA Documentary Film Festival, where it was featured as the Justice Forum Special Presentation and took home the Colin Low Award for Best Canadian Director. 

    WhatFree screening of Love in the Time of Fentanyl 

    When: Saturday, March 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. 

    • Doors open at 6 p.m. 
    • Naloxone and harm reduction training from 6:30 to 7 p.m. 
    • Film screening from 7 to 8:30 p.m. 
    • Panel discussion question-and-answer period and refreshments from 8:30 to 9 p.m. 

    Where: Room MWS 156 in Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, 15 Artists’ Common, St. Catharines. MWS 156 is located adjacent to the main lobby on the lower level of the School. It is accessible, with accessible washrooms nearby.  

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  • Small Walker Press publications examine colonial histories, love poems

    The Small Walker Press held a book fair in the James A. Gibson Library for the students and public to explore and learn about their publications.


    Originally published in The Brock News | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022 | by Charles Kim

    Brock’s Small Walker Press (SWP) has launched its newest publications.

    On Oct. 4, as part of its Walker Cultural Leaders Series, the SWP and Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) hosted authors, editors, artists and the public to mark the release of BENEATH A VELVET MOON: Early Love Poems and Possible Grounds: Redrawing Relations in Toronto.

    The SWP publishes collaborative work that brings together authors and artists from the Niagara region as well as the Canadian or international contexts. Fields covered include all disciplines and creative practices taught and researched at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts as well as creative writing.

    Possible Grounds: Redrawing Relations in Toronto features artists Adrian Blackwell (settler) and Bonnie Devine (Anishinaabe), who share their thoughts on and experiences of mapping the complex colonial histories of these lands, and question the region’s historical records. Blackwell and Devine also offer commentary on their works exhibited in 2018 and 2019.

    In BENEATH A VELVET MOON, Early Love Poems, Canadian artist Landon Mackenzie selects nine poems by E. Pauline Johnson Tekahionwake, and reimagines the amorous relationship between the Mohawk poet and the artist’s settler great-grandfather, Michael Mackenzie, in the 1880s. For these autofictional explorations, Mackenzie takes her title from one of Johnson’s early love poems in The White Wampum, first published in 1895 by John Lane’s Bodley Head publishing house.

    The launch event featured guest speaker Derek Knight, Associate Professor of History of Art and Visual Culture and founding co-editor of the SWP, who led a lecture exploring the text, images and connections some of the publications shared with the Niagara region.

    Following the launch, the SWP also held a book fair in the James A. Gibson Library. Many students stopped to explore the SWP collection and learn more about the press and the academic opportunities with STAC. Catherine Parayre, Editor of the SWP and STAC Professor, shared her insights on the publications and introduced many students to the details each book had to offer.

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  • Public invited to explore Brock’s downtown arts school Saturday

    Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.


    Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, AUG. 18, 2022 | by

    The Niagara community will have the chance to explore Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) this weekend while learning about the building’s past and present.

    The downtown St. Catharines facility, which houses Brock’s Departments of Dramatic Arts, Music and Visual Arts as well as the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC), will host a series of guided tours as part of Doors Open St. Catharines on Saturday, Aug. 20. Tours will take place at 10 and 11:30 a.m., and 1 and 2:30 p.m., with no registration required.

    Adapted from the historic Canada Hair Cloth Building, the MIWSFPA is a state-of-the-art learning facility that acts as a creative cultural hub for St. Catharines and surrounding areas.

    As part of this weekend’s event, STAC will have a collection of publications on display by the Small Walker Press (SWP). SWP publishes collaborative work that brings together authors and artists from the Niagara region as well as from Canadian or international contexts.

    The works explore all disciplines and creative practices taught and researched at the MIWSFPA (arts and culture, visual arts, music and dramatic arts) as well as creative writing. For more information about the SWP and publications available at Doors Open St. Catharines, please visit the STAC website.

    A full list of places participating in Doors Open St. Catharines is available on the event’s website.

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  • First Studies in Arts and Culture certificate recipient making mark in industry

    Skye Rogers, the first recipient of Brock University’s Certificate in Arts and Culture Studies, will debut her project ‘PLAYGROUNDS: a joyful happening’ on Saturday, July 16 at In the Soil Arts Festival.


    Originally published in The Brock News | WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022 | by 

    For the first recipient of Brock University’s Certificate in Arts and Culture Studies, the sky’s the limit.

    Skye Rogers, who received the first certificate from the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) this spring, has been using the knowledge she amassed at Brock to further her career.

    The one-year certificate program was a draw for the St. Catharines native, who returned to her hometown in spring 2021 upon completing her studies at Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

    “It was a perfect time to get some more learning under my belt,” Rogers says. “The STAC program really allowed me to dive deeper into my interests in art history and the flexibility that I had in my course selection allowed me to continue my more hands-on learning in dramatic and visual arts.”

    Rogers says she found her time with STAC “academically enriching.”

    “The program set me up well with more of the entrepreneurial skills needed to be an artist,” she says. “Applying my knowledge was really significant for me and getting to research my own interests for our final project was crucial.”

    With her newly acquired skills and knowledge, Rogers is now flourishing professionally.

    “I’m so excited to be involved in some artist residencies this summer, including the Nest Residency with Suitcase in Point and In the Soil Arts Festival,” she says. “I’ve been developing a project called ‘PLAYGROUND: a joyful happening’ that’s centred around rekindling childlike joy, connecting with strangers, and reclaiming city spaces through play.”

    Her new project will debut at Nest Fest on Saturday, July 16 as part of the In the Soil Festival Summer Series. Nest Fest will also include participants from Suitcase in Point’s Electric Innovations Theatre Intensive. This two-week intensive theatre program will be hosted at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines.

    Reflecting on her studies, Rogers says it’s the connections she made during her time at Brock that she cherishes most.

    “All of my in-person group projects were especially profound. Art is all about connection for me, and that element must be kept sacred,” she says. “I could chat with a classmate, or even a professor, and develop a friendship with our shared interests.”

    More information on the Certificate in Arts and Culture Studies program is available on the STAC website.

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  • Student-run podcast provides guidance, inspiration for future artists

    The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines is home to the student-run podcast, Dear Marilyn, named in honour of the late textile artist and philanthropist.

    Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2022 | by 

    What started as a passion project for two Brock University students in search of career tips has become a robust podcast series providing invaluable insight to the next generation of creators.

    Produced for students by students, the popular podcast Dear Marilyn is now in its second season of connecting the student community with professional artists, with plans to continue production on an ongoing basis.

    Created in 2021 by Dramatic Arts (DART) students Danielle Letourneau and Luca D’Amico, the podcast name honours celebrated textile artist, philanthropist and arts advocate Marilyn I. Walker. In 2008, Walker made a historic donation to Brock that led to the creation of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    Letourneau, the podcast’s producer who is now in her fourth year of study with a concentration in Drama and Education and minor in History, says that she has often felt anxiety about entering theatre as a profession.

    “I started this podcast to give students like myself a resource for practical job advice,” Letourneau said. “The arts industry is not always considered the most conventional career path, but we do it because this is what we love; the arts nurture our souls.”

    Supported by Dean Carol Merriam of the Faculty of Humanities through the Dean’s Discretionary Fund in 2021, the Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts and MIWSFPA department Chairs, the Dear Marilyn team invites local and surrounding artists from a range of artistic disciplines to share their stories.

    Co-hosts Hayley Bando, a second-year Dramatic Arts major with a concentration in Production and Design, and Chloe Racho, a third-year Music major with a minor in French Studies, are thrilled to be part of the project.

    “We are honoured to help bring these diverse perspectives about professional journeys in the arts to the Brock community,” Bando said.

    Recent podcast guests include actor, writer and producer Thet Win, voice actor Keegan Vaillancourt and singer-songwriter Glenn Marais.

    MIWSFPA faculty have been supportive since day one, with Karen Fricker, Associate Professor of Dramatic Arts, championing the podcast idea in its early stages.

    “I was happy to support Dear Marilyn initially because it’s a great idea, and a positive student-led project during the hard time of the pandemic,” she said. “I looked forward to each episode and was entertained and educated by the hosts’ sparky exchanges with guests.”

    DART Associate Professor Gyllian Raby guided the grant proposal for Dear Marilyn resulting in the expansion of the podcast to include all four departments at the downtown arts campus (Dramatic Arts, Music, Visual Arts and Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture).

    “What’s not to like about Dear Marilyn? It relates directly to our mission to create experiential, professionalized learning for students producing, hosting, editing and broadcasting,” Raby said. “And, it’s entertaining and insightful.”

    DART Associate Professor Danielle Wilson has been working with the team on the second season. Episodes are edited by Alex Sykes, a fourth-year DART student with a concentration in Production and Design.

    Available on Spotify, the next episode goes live this week. For the latest news, follow Dear Marilyn on Instagram.

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  • Brock students create sound art through experiential learning

    Published in The Brock News | MONDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2021 | by 

    A group of Brock University students have learned to engage with their sonic environments in new and unexpected ways, and are sharing their discoveries through creative sound art.

    This past spring, 72 students in Brock’s “The Culture of Noise” course had the opportunity to gain hands-on sound experience in sound production, execute their own soundwalk recording and learn how to use digital editing software.

    Their work is now being featured on the course’s web page for listeners to take in.

    Offered annually as a Spring/Summer course through the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), STAC 1P99 The Culture of Noise explores the role of noise in music, art and social spaces.

    The course delves into the history of sound studies from the influences of the Dada art movement to the groundbreaking theories of late Canadian composer, writer and influential sound theorist R. Murray Schafer.

    Taught by Ryan Bruce, MIWSFPA instructor, ethnomusicologist, jazz historian and saxophonist, the course had students conduct a soundwalk and create a finished recording that could be included in exhibitions to help build student portfolios for future opportunities.

    Bruce wanted students to really start listening and opening their ears to sound, whether it was music or noise.

    “Composers of the 20th century were very interested in this concept, starting from the early 1900s when noise was used as way to make music,” he said. “Early sound theorists turned music on its head and shed light on the value of listening and our ears.”

    Students worked in teams of three, with one recording a 25-minute soundwalk using a sound recording device; one editing the recording on Audacity (sound-editing software) to produce a final three-minute soundscape; and one reflecting on the process and writing a description to accompany the work.

    Bruce said that soundwalks “are a very interesting exercise, especially these days, as it forces us to be quiet while actively listening.”

    As a result, students learned about how sound impacts environment and gained experience with production tools to express their creative findings.

    David Vivian, Director of STAC and Associate Professor of Scenography in Dramatic Arts, reflected on the timing of this exercise in relation to the pandemic.

    “The last many months of the pandemic have given us indelible experiences that are rich material for creative exploration in sound,” he said. “This past spring’s offering of STAC 1P99 was an excellent opportunity for students from across the University to explore the possibility of sound design to make sense of these troubled times.

    “We look forward to even more provocative and revealing expressions in sound when we offer this online course in spring 2022,” Vivian said.

    To listen to the final soundscapes created by STAC 1P99 students, visit the Culture of Noise web page.

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