Paprika- Training Day #1!
2017 is here and that means so is the first Training Day of the 16/17 Paprika season!
On Sunday, January 15 at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, over 50 Paprika participants, staff, mentors, artists facilitators and volunteers gathered for a day of creative skill-building and networking. From 11AM-5PM participants engaged with 3 workshops and in group discussion with a professional artist.
Workshop 1: devising playspace
facilitated by: Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster
about Courtney: Courtney comes from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and is currently based in Toronto, Ontario. She performs regularly in theatre, musical theatre, tv, film and voiceover, and has also performed professionally as a vocalist and flautist. Courtney is a graduate of the Soulpepper Academy, UBC’s BFA Acting program, and of the Citadel/Banff Professional Theatre Program. She is currently a resident artist and member of the Artistic Director's Cabinet at Soulpepper Theatre Company. Courtney has ample experience with devised work and script development. She enjoys every element of theatre creation and is always eager to explore new performance possibilities and experiences. She is also an educator, and has taught with a number of community organizations, including Soulpepper's Community Programs and the Royal Conservatory of Music's Learning Through the Arts program. Courtney is a founding member of The Howland Company, and in 2014, she took on her first directorial role as co-director of The Howland Company's sold out Fringe Festival hit, “52 Pick-Up”. The production was acclaimed by critics and audiences, and was remounted for a sold out run in 2015.
Workshop 2: decolonizing our art practice
facilitated by: Joseph Recinos
about Joseph:Joseph Recinos is of Mayan ancestry born and raised on Turtle Island. He is a Dora nominated performer whose passion for the arts extends behind the scenes. Joseph's commitment to equitable and diverse practices within the arts has led him to publish articles on equity and diversity and to sit on ArtsVote Toronto, Humber Advisory Committee, and several juries. He is also a trained facilitator working with youth and communities across Ontario. He was the Director of the SummerWorks SLIP Program and Program Coordinator for AVNU. He is also a beat poet. His television credits include roles on Mayday, Dual Suspects, and The Strain. Joseph is a 2011 Humber Performance Graduate.
Workshop 3: movement creation
facilitated by: Stephanie Caldeira
about Caldeira: Caldeira is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist raised in her Latin roots of Brazillian and Peruvian culture. With her intended nature to intertwine multimedia visual arts with dynamic physical movement, Caldeira aims to academically research the relationship between contemporary – urban art and music, within her visual art productions. Caldeira has been invited to national and international urban dance events as a guest battler, performer and judge. She has worked for organizations such as the Family Channel, Ford, Luminato, Macleans, the Canadian Arts & Business Awards, the Canadian Music Awards, Gadfly and more. Caldeira has remained active throughout the years in hosting and managing integrated urban art events, including “Blurred Minds” and “Love is Hip Hop”- aiming to reframe and redefine the conventional standards of marginalized sectors of society.
Discussion: theatre producing and creation
with: Jennifer Brewin of Common Boots Theatre
about Jennifer Brewin: Jennifer Brewin specializes in the creation and development of new work, with an emphasis on large-scale, outdoor performance. She has created new plays for British Columbia’s Caravan Farm Theatre, the National Arts Centre English Theatre in collaboration with Ottawa’s Experimental Farm, Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works, and at the Canadian National Memorial in Vimy, France, to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. She is a multi-award winning artist, receiving a Jesse Richardson Award (direction), a Dora Award (direction), a Harold Award, and the Armstrong Award of Excellence (with colleague Estelle Shook) in recognition of the Caravan Farm Theatre’s outstanding contribution to its community. She was Co-Artistic Director of the Caravan Farm Theatre and associate artist at the NAC.
about Common Boots Theatre: Common Boots Theatre began from Theatre Columbus– a company created when two young actors returned from France armed with a unique way of creating theatre. As the company evolved, site-specific performances were added to the seasons in 2011, with the establishment of its annual outdoor winter theatre production. This is a processional show performed in and around Toronto’s historic Evergreen Brick Works. Through these productions, Jennifer Brewin transformed the company into the company we know now as Common Boots Theatre. Jennifer Brewin became the artistic director in 2009. After a 20-year absence, Jennifer was tasked with reinterpreting the company’s founding practices for a new generation of artists and audiences. Common Boots Theatre (formerly Theatre Columbus) has been honoured with ten Dora Mavor Moore Awards and 53 nominations; and the Chalmers Best Canadian Play Award for The Betrayal, as well as nominations for Dr. Dapertutto and The Attic, the Pearls & 3 Fine Girls.
Special thanks to Jimmy's Coffee for providing the caffeine fuel for artists and participants on Paprika Training Days.