Monday, April 13 at 6:00pm – 10:00pm
The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen Street West, Toronto)
Yes, it’s time we launch Paprika with some flare. Like Sam Smith’s quiff, we’re whipping up an evening of music and good times. Come mingle with this year’s young artists at the 2015 home of the Paprika Festival, the Theatre Centre.
Our beautiful Festival Guidebooks land on this night, so be the first to get your hands on a copy! There will also be some theatre give-aways and special announcements.
Hosted in the Theatre Centre’s Cafe
Light Snacks + Cash Bar
Drop-in anytime after 6
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2015
The Paprika Festival Announces: The Intersection
A conference and party for the new generation of Theatre Artists comes to Toronto.
Toronto, ON – March 4, 2015 – The Paprika Festival announces The Intersection, a conference for the new generation of artists. After fourteen years of presenting theatre created by young artists, Paprika is kicking off its Festival on May 2nd at the Theatre Centre with an entirely new initiative: a day of education, professional networking, and dinner followed by a debate of the contestable statement: Talent and creative endeavour is not enough. Today, and more and more in the future, artistic professionals must focus as much on business skills and audience building as the art itself.
The Intersection is a day of debates, performances, workshops and activities for individuals newly working in the professional theatre world. It will discuss what political and artistic goals matter to the new generation, as well as the practical matters of how to make and sustain a life in the arts today. This event will be a space for young artists to voice their experiences in the professional theatre arts and critically discuss what skills or resources they need as they develop their careers as professional artists. This is a new initiative devoted to supporting the future of Toronto Performance.
“We want to start addressing the things that prevent young artists from accessing mentorship, professional opportunities, and funding. That’s a focus of the debate series. But we also want to talk about theatre itself. What’s exciting right now? What are people making that has never been made before? What kind of theatre is Toronto going to be excited about in ten years? So the workshops are both on artistic forms of performance-making, and professional tools for when you’re just starting out. Then we end the day with a party, featuring music by Birds of Bellwoods, and some exciting surprises”. – Rosamund Small
The event is curated by Paprika Artistic Programs Manager and Dora award-winning playwright Rosamund Small, with Associate Producers: Anika Johnson (co-creator of the Edinburgh Fringe musical Blood Ties), Jeff Ho (performer of SummerWorks hit Unknown Soldier), and Richard Lam (Soulpepper Academy actor, musician and sound designer). The event was conceived and created by Rosamund Small and Artistic Producer Dan Daley to expand on and continue The Paprika Festival’s tradition of training the next generation of young artists.
The day starts off with a casual meet-and-greet for young artists and some of the best professionals currently practicing in the arts. These guests include: Andrea Donaldson (Director and Assistant Artistic Director of Tarragon Theatre), Mayko Nguyen (Actress: Cracked, Rookie Blue, ReGenesis), Robert Binet (National Ballet Choreographic Associate), Anahita Dehbonehie (Associate Designer with Outside The March), Jajube Mandiela (Artistic Director of b current Theatre), and Nina Lee Aquino (Artistic Director of Factory Theatre). This will be followed by a choice of workshops in both artistic and practical skillsets. In the evening, special guests will take part in a debate series focused on the role of young artists in the city, today and in the future. This debate will feature a diverse group of artists and young professionals under 30. The evening will then transform into a late night party featuring live music by acclaimed Toronto band Birds of Bellwoods. The party will also feature interactive art events and a cash bar.
The 2015 Intersection Workshop Leaders
Simon Bloom leads The Digital Toolkit for Early Career Artists: Web Design, Social Media and More
Bloom is the co-Artistic Director of Outside the March, digital dramaturge for the SpiderWebShow, and a professional web developer.
Michael Caldwell leads Bouncing as Practice: Movement for Performance.
Caldwell is a Dora-nominated, Toronto-based choreographer and performer. He has originated roles for many of Canada’s esteemed choreographers and companies, and has performed in Europe, Asia, Australia, in the United States and across Canada
Guillermo Verdecchia leads Meditation for Artists: Finding Focus.
Verdecchia is a director, performer, and Governor General award-winning playwright.
Aaron Willis leads Creating Site-Specific Theatre.
Willis is an actor, director, educator, and co-founding artistic director of Convergence Theatre
Pat Bradley & Margo Charlton lead Effective Grant Writing.
Bradley is the Theatre, Major Organizations, and Compass officer for the Ontario Arts Council
Charlton is the Theatre officer for the Toronto Arts Council
TICKETS: Early bird prices will be available on the Paprika Festival website from March 15 – April 15 2015 at paprikafestival.com
The Paprika Festival gratefully acknowledges annual operating and project support from the Ontario Arts Council, and annual operating support from the Toronto Arts Council. This project is also made possible, in part, by the Youth Theatre Training Program of Theatre Ontario, funded by the Ontario Arts Council.
The Paprika Festival is a youth-led performing arts festival celebrating young artists as they create original performances with the support of an entire artistic community. Now in its 14th year, Paprika is year-round festival with programming featuring a diversity of productions, playwrights-in-residence, resident company, creators’ unit, youth advisory board, ongoing mentorship, monthly training days and a vibrant connection to the professional arts community. Paprika’s programming is delivered at no cost to the participants and culminates in a week long festival from May 4 – 10 2015.
Call for young artists of the Alex Park Community to join a weekly theatre ensemble
Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm
starting January 29th, 2015 at the Alexandra Park Community Centre
This is a weekly ensemble led by artist Sabryn Rock, theatre & film actor.
Learn the craft of the spoken word, build confidence to be on stage and collaborate with other young minds to create professional theatre. This group will be invited to perform at the 14th annual Paprika Festival.
No need to register, simply come out and meet other artists. Please note that this opportunity is for those who live in and around the Alexandra Park Community of Toronto. It is an opportunity for shared stories and theatre making from those who know this area well.
Have questions? Send an email to dan@paprikafestival.com
By Advisory Board member Aimee Bouchard
I have a confession to make: I’ve actually never been a part of the Paprika Festival in any way, shape or form until now. So when I found out I was accepted onto the Advisory Board, of course I was incredibly excited, but I was also really nervous… how was I supposed to, well, advise when I didn’t know how this Festival works? Luckily for me, my peers on the Advisory Board have done even more than merely catch me up to speed. I’m realizing that although our role is to support the young artists of the Festival and the work that they are working so tirelessly to create, this is also a phenomenal opportunity for all of us on the Advisory Board to gain some real-life skills, understand how a not-for-profit works, and network with some very talented and generous emerging and established theatre professionals. I also didn’t expect to feel so much comfort in being around other young artists and art administrators; turns out I’m not the only young person trying to navigate this crazy arts world! There is comfort in knowing that we’re not alone, and being able to turn to our peers in this wildly unpredictable but wonderfully exciting point in our careers. One of our last meetings ended spontaneously with all of us sharing how hard and sometimes even awkward it can be to network, and how difficult it is to prove that we’re worth our salt as young people emerging onto the Toronto theatre scene. We then started talking about the ways in which we could share these feelings with the festival participants, and also the ways in which we can help to ease the process for them. To me, this is what the Paprika Festival is all about. I am so incredibly honoured to be a part of something which is making it easier for young people who are passionate about theatre to meet each other, make their work happen, and weave themselves into the fabric of the Toronto theatre scene.
WILL YOU BE THE TRIVIA CHAMPION?
Please join us for Paprika Festival’s TRIVIA NIGHT fundraiser.
With your help, we are raising funds and celebrating the recently accepted artists the 14th annual Paprika Festival that runs May 4 – 10 at The Theatre Centre in 2015.
Please join us on Wednesday, December 3rd from 7pm-9:30pm at The Duke of York, 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto.
HOSTED BY AMY LEE AND HEATHER MARIE ANNIS OF MORRO & JASP (http://www.morroandjasp.com/)
$30 – Ticket to Paprika Festival TRIVIA NIGHT fundraiser
- Ticket payable at the link or RSVP at create@paprikafestival.com to reserve your ticket at the door (cash only).
Purchase tickets in advance to be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to any new production in Soulpepper’s 2015 season!
Optional: Add a donation to your admission
(Donations of $20 or more will receive a tax receipt)
*Must be legal drinking age to receive any alcohol. Otherwise, soft drink of your choice.
The Paprika Festival is a registered not-for-profit charity.
We hope to see you there!
With warmth,
– Dan, Ros, Michelle, Brian, & Rashida
Thank you to all those who have applied to our programs for the 2014/2015 season. Stay tuned to our blog for photos, updates and posts from this year’s artists.
Join us on Sunday September 28th, 2014, from 1pm to 3pm in the new Incubator space at the Theatre Centre (1115 Queen Street West, Toronto). Meet the other fellow artists and alumni of the festival. Learn about the opportunities at the Paprika Festival and drink great coffee.
With a special performance of Stigma by Sabah Haque, Elise LaCroix & Cole Vincent—artists of the 13th Paprika Festival.
A great discussion was had on the many facets of youth-leadership in the arts. Thank you to our wonderful guests and the good folks at the Toronto Fringe.
From L to R: Dan Daley, Artistic Producer | Lisa Karen Cox, Educator & Actor | Kate Fraser, Program Manager at ArtReach Toronto | Hannah Kaya, Theatre maker and Alumni of Paprika | Rosalyn Morrison, Vice President Community Initiatives at Toronto Community Foundation | Erin Schachter, Education & Audience Development Manager at Canadian Stage
