Molly Thom said - Kerri, don't you think we should create space in the Alumnae Theatre's season for taking risks, giving members more of a chance to write, direct, act and dramaturge AND for the creation of new works? I said YES! But I always say yes to Molly. The first years were a trip and a half because really and truly, anything went. We encouraged people to jump off the cliff without a parachute. I remember going in with Amanda Tapping and some gals to Molly with a half a sheet of an idea for a collective collaboration with their company Random Acts and agreeing that we could and must do it. It was a hit of New Ideas. I remember a Chekhov play being performed in reverse. I remember that there was a play that was
only composed of lights and sound from the technical artists in our membership. The first readings or workshop productions of so many new plays happened there, and those plays went on to have longer runs in other theatres. I know that so many of us went on to develop work for the Fringe, other festivals, our own independently produced work and people started theatre companies that are still producing today. So many companies, artists and partnerships came out of those years of New Ideas and that continues until the present. New Ideas was a happening, a movement, and like riding the wave - you just couldn't help but be caught up in its spirit, energy, courage, commitment and passion.
We have to have space in the theatre community to try new things, to take risks and to fail. It's important that we fail as well as succeed. It's part of our journey as theatre artists. I'm proud of everything we gambled on in New Ideas. I'm proud that I was a part of its beginning and I'm glad that I got to partner with Molly Thom, someone I admire so much. I'm glad I still get to say YES to her whenever I get the chance.
Happy 20th, New Ideas. BRAVO.
- Kerri MacDonald
Kerri MacDonald has described the genesis of New Ideas eloquently, how we groused and complained and made such a noise that the Executive finally agreed to try a modest program of new work. As Kerri says, it was off the cliff without a parachute, a festival not just about new writing, but about new theatrical ideas that might come from any theatre artist: writer, director, actor, designer or technician. Process would be more important than production, and the work could be presented at any stage of its development as script-in-hand reading or finished production. A laboratory, we used to say, to develop new talent and new theatrical ideas.
New Ideas watchers can look back over 20 years of wonderful memories and an impressive list of brave experiments: The beginning of Florence Gibson's writing career with Take Care of Me, an overwritten, passionately political script developed over the course of two festivals, lovingly nurtured by Kerri MacDonald. A weird experiment by Hereward Pooley, playing the final scene of The Three Sisters four times at varying speeds, rewinding it backwards, then forwards like a film editor. Four actors scrambling through the many characters of Stephen Jeffries' audacious version of Dicken's Hard Times, directed by David Savoy. Dave Carley's brave political play, Taking Liberties, directed by Stephen Ouimette and broadcast from the Studio by CBC Radio. The first outing for Drew Carnwath's popular Johnnyville, and Mark Brownell's many tryouts, most memorable perhaps his delicious and hilarious puppet play, Satan's Biscuits. Amanda Tapping and Anne-Marie Kerr's comic free-fall, Random Acts. Shirley Barrie's funny and wise comedy about the afterlife, Revelation. Emil Sher's first play, Face in the Crowd taking full advantage of the process by changing the ending of the play each night. Corrina Hodgson's haunting play for voices, Overlap. Joan Shaw's extraordinary documentary about the murder of a Canadian poet, Finding Pat Lowther. And a clutch of young writers who went on to become award-winning novelists: Michael Redhill with his very funny play Heretics. Wayson Choy with a deft, eloquent adaptation of a Latin American short story, The Piano. And Diane Baker Mason, who turned a university assignment about four American poets into a wildly absurdist romp, Your Smile Is Like Your Mother's, the Artist Said.
Congratulations to all who have brought the Festival to this Happy 20th Anniversary. My toast for the future (and I'm sure Kerri will join me) is to wish for New Ideas the courage always to take big risks and big leaps of faith, and to stay true to its mandate as a genuine laboratory for NEW IDEAS. - Molly Thom
NEW IDEAS FESTIVAL 2008: March 5 - 22, 2008
WEEK ONE: Wed March 5 - Sat March 8: Evenings at 8pm • Saturday matinée at 2:30pm*
- FRAME by Julia Lederer • Directed by Stefany Davies
- EVEN BURNING by Melissa Major • Directed by Yevgeniya Falkovich
- WAXING LYRICAL by Brenda Somers • Directed by Pat McCarthy
- HERE TO STAY by Colleen Osborn • Directed by Sandra Henderson
(Total running time with intermission: approx. one hour and forty-five minutes)
WEEK ONE: March 8: Saturday Readings at Noon
- THE UNBORN CHILD & THE POLAR BEARS by Diana Manole • Directed by Julie Florio
- THE SECRET SELF-LOATHING OF FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE by
Florence Ballard • Directed by Valary Cook
*Warning: Adult content, foul language, good times.
For more information, including play descriptions and biographies, go to: New Ideas - Week One
WEEK TWO: Wed March 12 - Sat March 15: Evenings at 8pm • Saturday matinée at 2:30pm*
- THE BIRTH DAY by Robert LaRonde • Directed by Elisabeth Westberg
- XTRO & JULIE by Frank and Gillian • Directed by Chris Coculuzzi
- PIGEON by Jayne Collins • Directed by Amanda Mallard
- THE THIRD TOMORROW by Mat Howard • Directed by Shannon Roszell
- AND WE WILL KNOW PEACE by Darrin Suzuki • Directed by Tracy Hovey
(Total running time with intermission: approx. two hours and ten minutes)
WEEK TWO: March 15: Saturday Readings at Noon
- BEING CECIL GRAHAM by Cathy McKim • Directed by Barbara Larose
- HERE'S TALK FOR TALK by Esther Maloney • Directed by Morgan Norwich
*Warning: Semi-nude actors, foul language, good times.
For more information, including play descriptions and biographies, go to: New Ideas - Week Two
WEEK THREE: Wed March 19 to Sat March 22: Evenings at 8pm • Saturday matinée at 2:30pm*
- FAERIE INC. by Diane Vanden Hoven • Directed by Anne Harper
- NOT LIKE HER by Jayne Collins • Directed by Julia Lederer
- HE, SHE & IT by Kyle Greenwood • Directed by Ellen Green
- GODZILLA ON SUNDAYS by D.J. Sylvis • Directed by Martin Chodorek
(Total running time with intermission: approx. one hour and forty-five minutes)
WEEK THREE: March 22: Saturday Readings at Noon
- SHUTTER by Rob Kempson • Directed by Jonathan Seinen
*Warning: Smoking - gasp! - mature themes, foul language, more good times.
For more information, including play descriptions and biographies, go to: New Ideas - Week Three
NEW IDEAS FESTIVAL 2008: Artistic Producers
- Julie Florio
- Jordan Hall
- Liz McDonnell
- Alanna Stone
JULIE FLORIO
Artistic Producer, 20th Anniversary New Ideas Festival
Julie is a playwright, producer, actor, director and visual artist. The Dottie Parker Project, her adaptation of Dorothy Parker's short stories, premiered at the 2002 New Ideas Festival, and was subsequently performed at the Hamilton Fringe, the First Word Festival, on CBC Radio's Here and Now, and this spring at Queen's University in Kingston. Ubu the King, her translation and adaptation of the Alfred Jarry classic (2004 Toronto Fringe Festival) was added to the University of Guelphs CASP (Canadian Adaptation of Shakespeare Project), and enjoyed a stint this past autumn on the curriculum at U of T at Scarborough. Breathe, an adulterous tale set in smoking-banned Toronto, was violently kicked and warmly kudoed at the 2005 New Ideas Festival (pleasing her greatly). Julie's voice can be heard as the villainess 'Jackrabbit', as well as other various and sundry characters online at www.decoderringtheatre.com. While working on various writing projects, she shifts her time between Toronto, New York City, and Reykjavik, Iceland.
JORDAN HALL
Artistic Producer, 20th Anniversary New Ideas Festival
Dramaturg and playwright, Jordan recently provided dramaturgy for Ginette Mohr's Fish Face at the 2007 New Ideas Festival, Forward Theatres 2007 production of Romeo and Juliet, and Oyster Productions verbatim/documentary play Talk Thirty to Me. Recent writing credits include: Lifeboat (Toronto Fringe 2006); Reading Robertson Davies on Rangitoto, (NZ Fringe 2006); Three Moves Deep: Planning for the Future of Women's Human Rights (Video, AWID 2005); Underground (Theatre Channel 2005); City Girls* (Fight Night Productions 2005); Twenty-One Rants About Working in A Drugstore (Toronto Fringe 2004); From Grace* (McMaster Original Works 2002). Jordan has trained with such Canadian luminaries as Colleen Wagner and Allan Stratton, and with New Yorks Theatre of the Emerging American Moment. As an academic, extracts of her work have been read at Princeton and UBC. Jordan holds a B.A. from McMaster, and an M.A. from York. She is currently developing video presentations for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and adapting Forwards 2008/9 Macbeth. Jordan works at the Canadian Film Centre. (*Award Winners).
LIZ MCDONNELL
Artistic Producer, 20th Anniversary New Ideas Festival
Liz came on board with the New Ideas Festival this year as part of the reading committee, and somehow became Associate Producer - she is still unsure how it all came to be. Happy to be part of an Alumnae mainstay, Liz most recently produced Moonlight and Valentino, working with first-time director Dinah Watts, who just happens to be the current president - there is something to be said for knowing people in high places! Thanks for the opportunity to work with such wonderful people!
ALANNA STONE
Artistic Producer, 20th Anniversary New Ideas Festival
Alanna is thrilled to be apart of this year's New Ideas Festival. Previous work at the Alumnae Theatre include Assistant Director for If We Are Women and Director for As Large as Alone. A Musical Theatre performer - by trade - this is Alanna's first year acting as an Artistic Producer. Her favourite roles include Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and most recently the Host of the Dora the Explorer show at Canada's Wonderland. Many hugs go to Jordan, Julie, Liz, Mel, Ari, my family and Dave. Enjoy the Show!
TICKET INFORMATION
Dates
WEEK ONE: March 5 - 8, 2008
WEEK TWO: March 12 - 15, 2008
WEEK THREE: March 19 - 22, 2008
Times
Wednesday to Saturday: 8:00 pm
Saturday Reading: 12 Noon
Saturday Matinée: 2:30 pm
Admission Prices
Wednesday to Saturday: $12
Saturday Reading: PWYC
Saturday Matinée: $12
New Ideas Pass: $30 - Good for all 3 weeks + Readings
Reservations
Email reservations@alumnaetheatre.com
Cash Only!
Box Office does not accept credit or debit cards
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ALUMNAE THEATRE COMPANY
70 Berkeley Street
Toronto, Ontario • M5A 2W6
Phone: 416-364-4170
Email: contactus@alumnaetheatre.com
New Ideas 2008: newideas@alumnaetheatre.com
