Front Row Centre Theatre News: CanStage announces YouthPlay project

Introduction and Overview

The 2006 Festival of Ideas and Creation

From May 7^th to 13^th 2006, theatre professionals from around the world will gather for the inaugural CanStage Play Development Festival of Ideas and Creation. Focusing on innovation and connection, the festival will consist of two major components: professional development for established playwrights, and facilitating a forum for public discussion. With diverse activities throughout the week such as: The Master Classes, YouthPlay, public panels, and informal readings and cabarets, the Festival of Ideas and Creation promises to be a focal point in the celebration and exchange of ideas between pioneers, rogues and enthusiasts of contemporary theatre alike.

YouthPlay

Integral to the 2006 Festival of Ideas and Creation, CanStage is pleased to present and host YouthPlay – a play creation group and initiative focusing on the development, support and celebration of Toronto's aspiring young writers aged 15 to 19. In collaboration with two professional playwrights, Michael Miller and Paula Wing, the group will undergo an intensive weekend-long workshop where participants will partake in a variety of engaging and interactive creative writing exercises and techniques where emphasis is placed on exploring and highlighting the individual voice, experiences, and style of each participant.

Objectives of the YouthPlay project:

Ø The outreach and stewardship of young writers (not usually included or accessible to CanStage programming) to participate in professional development activities

Ø To act as a vehicle for young writers to meet and be mentored by professional playwrights in a supportive and inclusive environment

Ø To provide a forum for young writers to share their work with each other and established professional playwrights

Ø To foster and enrich the experience of creative writing in our youths and affirm their talents and experiences through the arts

Workshop Dates:

The YouthPlay workshops will take place over two consecutive weekends: April 29^th to 30^th and May 6^th to 7^th. During the week between the workshops (between May 1^st and 5^th), each participant will also arrange for one individual "dramaturgical" session with one of the project facilitators as suited to the schedule of the student and facilitator.

Throughout the 2006 Festival of Ideas and Creation, the participants will also have the choice to attend and participate in CanStage's evening panel discussions.

YouthPlay will culminate in a showcase of the young writers on May 13^th, the final day of the Festival, where all participants will be invited to read their works for an audience made up of their family, friends, teachers and professional playwrights.

YouthPlay dates at a glance*:

- Group workshops: April 29^th to 30^th and May 6^th to 7^th, inclusive

- An individual "dramaturgical" session: to be scheduled by participant and facilitator between May 1^st and 5^th, inclusive

- Opportunities to attend evening panel discussions of choice during the 2006 Festival of Ideas and Creation (May 7^th to 13^th)

- YouthPlay Presentation and Showcase: May 13^th

*Prospective participants must be available to attend during these dates - exact times to be announced.

Activities will include:

Ø Creative writing exercises to explore the style and voice of each writer

Ø Admission to evening panel discussions of Ideas Festival

Ø Presentation of works-in-progress at a special event scheduled as part of Ideas Festival

Ø Contact and mentorship with project facilitators

Ø Creation and start-up of an on-going support network for young writers

Ø One-on-one "dramaturgical" sessions with one of the project facilitators

Ø Invitation to the 2007 Festival of Ideas and Creation

About our YouthPlay facilitators:

Michael Miller

Born in Germany, raised in the U.S. and living in Canada for over twenty years, Michael Miller is a playwright who has created a diverse range of plays for audiences of all ages. Michael has been the playwright in Residence at both Factory and LKTYP. For two seasons he was the coordinator of the CrossCurrents Festival whose mission was to bring works by writers of color to the Mainstage. He has been the Artistic Director of Theatre Fountainhead, Administrator for Obsidian Theatre Company that, under his direction, produced the highly acclaimed premiere of "Adventures of A Black Girl in Search of God". He was also the Artistic Producer of Theatre Fountainhead and Administrator for LKTYP. Most recently he was the Artistic Director of "Omiala, A Festival of New Black Culture" at Harbourfront. He has extensive experience in Arts and Education where he developed a long running program for the Toronto District School Board, The Co-op Theatre Company. This program provided professional training opportunities for young people interested in pursuing theatre as a career. As the resident playwright/director at the TDSB he produced ten new original plays for young people that toured across the city to thousands of the children annually and served as a model of new and innovative approaches to arts for young people. Michael has been the recipient of numerous grants from the Canada Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Arts Council. He has sat on juries for both the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Counci l. He has won the prestigious Chalmers Award for excellence in playwriting, and been nominated for outstanding work by the Writers Guild of Great Britain. In 2004 he was selected as one of the twelve outstanding artists, and only theatre artist in Ontario, to be featured on the OAC's fortieth anniversary website. "Chicken Grease is Nasty Business" just received a public reading at CanStage and his acclaimed play "In the Freedom of Dreams, the Story of Nelson Mandela" has just been published. He is currently Vice President of the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

Paula Wing

Paula Wing is an internationally produced writer. In 2006, LKTYP in Toronto
and Edmonton's Citadel Theatre are both presenting her musical adaptation of
Margaret Mahy's picture book "The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate". As well,
CBC Radio will air "What My Arms Can Carry", her radio play adaptation of
the poetry of Gianna Patriarca, in which Paula also appears. In addition to
occasional acting gigs, she teaches writing to young people across Canada
with the Royal Conservatory's Learning Through the Arts program.

The Application Process:

Get Involved!

Prospective participants (aged 15 to 19) are invited to submit:

Ø A sample of their writing, approximately 40 lines in length – in whatever creative form they choose (e.g., poetry, prose, rap, dramatic writing, dialogue, etc…)

Ø A one-page "Creative Statement" discussing why they should be chosen for this group and how creativity takes its form in their lives. The Creative Statement is to be written in the applicant's preferred form (see above for example categories)

Ø An additional page with the applicant's contact information (e.g., name, age, school, phone number, personal interests, anything else they wish to share…)

Via letter mail to:

The Festival of Ideas and Creation – YouthPlay

c/o Patty Jarvis

The Canadian Stage Company

26 Berkeley Street

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 2W3

Via facsimile:

416-367-1768

ATTN: Patty Jarvis, Re: YouthPlay

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