Rose describes herself as “passionate”, “anxious”, “feisty”, “driven” and “hard-working”. She is pretty laid back, when it comes to her career, Rose is prepared to go wherever the wind blows her – theatre, film, television…she’s up for all of them! We caught up with Rose during rehearsals earlier this week to get to know her a bit better.Meet Rose Napoli – this former teacher took a leap of faith a perused a career in acting because it felt right to her. You can catch Rose playing the role of Hermia in our upcoming spring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In this week’s video blog Young Acting Company participant Sarah Feutl gives us her take on their recent showcase cabaret, the audition process for Cloud Nine and more!

If you’re signed up to our weekly eNews, you already got a sneak peak at Michael with 5 eNews exclusive Q&A’s – if you’re not signed up yet, what are you waiting for?!

Meet Michael Antonakos – born across the globe in Athens Greece, he has made a home for himself in Vancouver. You can catch Michael playing the role of King Oberon in our upcoming spring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Michael describes himself as “charming”, “passionate”, “compassionate”, “creative” and “inspiring”. He enjoys working both on the stage and on the screen, and is no stranger to playing the role of king—he played Elvis last year. We caught up with Michael during rehearsal earlier this week to get to know him a bit better.

1. What is your ultimate goal as a performer?
To be true to the playwrights/screenwriters story and the character I am embodying.

2. Do you see yourself being more than just an actor?
I love acting and always will. I also have found my passion for many other things that fill up my life with joy: singing, dancing, writing—in fact, I just finished writing my third children’s book and am about to publish my first.

I have done some directing and love it! I plan on doing more in time.

Most of my life is dedicated to how I can live an exciting life filled with love and gratitude for every moment, and how to spread and share this with others; supporting our world in finding a mutual understanding and compassion for one another.

3. Why did you audition for the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program?
It seemed like the right thing for me, so I did it.

4. What does it mean to you to be able to perform at the Citadel?
It’s a dream come true.

5. Describe The Professional Theatre Program in your own words.
Amazing, challenging, inspiring, painful and the best thing I could ever have asked for as an actor at this point in my career.

6. Would you recommend The Professional Theatre Program to anyone?
I would recommend this program to all my acting friends. Iit is so worth it for anyone in the arts who wants to learn more about themselves, their habits and how to grow.

7. What do you hope to gain from being a participant?
More confidence in myself, my work and what I have to offer other productions

8. What have you gained from your time at Banff?
A lot of tears! Meaning lots of new found strength and knowledge within myself, the facing of my fears and bad habits, overcoming them and then turning them into past weaknesses.

9. What has the program taught you about yourself?
That I am always learning, and I always have more room for growth

10. Tell us about your character in Midsummer?
I am playing King Oberon and I am the happiest man alive!

I love this character and am so honoured to play him. I think playing the king of the forest, elves and fairies is a high reach in the imagination and so amazing to have the opportunity to play someone I truly would love to be in life.

I’ve been spending lots of time in nature reminding myself of all its quality.

11. Do you have any upcoming roles you would like to share with us?
I will be playing Ritchie Valens in The Buddy Holly Story with the Arts Club at The Stanley Theatre in Vancouver this summer.

12. What is your dream role?
Hamlet

13. What are some of your all-time favourite productions?
Sweeny Todd, Les Miserables,Jesus Christ Superstar — I know, they’re all musicals.

14. Do you have any hobbies or collections you can share with us?
I collect watches and pens, I love them both. I have an all gold Omega from the 50′s that my Grandfather left me and it’s one of my favorite possessions.

15. What do you do in your spare time?
I study quantum physics, spirituality, yoga, Tantra, and food.

For more information on the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program click here.
For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

If you’re signed up to our weekly eNews, you already got a sneak peak at Marc with 5 eNews exclusive Q&A’s – if you’re not signed up yet, what are you waiting for?!

Meet Lora Brovold – hailing to us from Toronto, she is no stranger to Edmonton as she took her BFA at the U of A. You can catch Lora playing the role of Titania in our upcoming spring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Lora describes herself as “loving”, “loyal”, “passionate”, “silly” and “hard-working”. We caught up with Lora during the first week of rehearsals at the Citadel. When she isn’t busy rehearsing for upcoming productions, Lora enjoys working with her hands – she enjoys everything from knitting and jewelry making to yard work and gardening.

1. So Lora, what’s your background, where are you from?
My father is Italian and my mother’s family is from England, but I was born and raised in Toronto before moving to Edmonton for my BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta.

2. What are some of your previous acting experiences?
Heroine (Northern Light Theatre); Mo and Jess Kill Susie (Northern Light Theatre); Fat Pig (Northern Light Theatre); The Liars (Shadow Theatre); Three Days of Rain (Shadow Theatre); Comedy of Errors (Freewill Players); My Name Is Rachel Corrie (Theatre Yes); Goodness (Downstage, Calgary); The Death of Me (Lunchbox Theatre, Calgary)…just to name a few.

3. Do you see yourself staying in the theatre world, or would you like to make the transition into film or television?
I do see myself staying in the theatre world, but I am curious about film and television, and would love to do more of it in the future.

4. Do you see yourself being more than just an actor – would you like to dabble in playwriting or directing?
I do see myself as an actor. I’ve dabbled with writing and playwriting in the past and find it to be a great creative outlet, but when I get “stuck” on plot issues, I am a horrible procrastinator. Every playwright tells me that the first draft is about finishing, so it is my goal to finish a script that I’ve had on the back burner for quite some time now.

5. Why did you audition for the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program?
It had been some years since my theatre school training days, and I knew that it was time for me to train again in an intensive way. I was beginning to feel dissatisfied with aspects of my acting work and really wanted to challenge myself more and improve in my craft. I have less experience with classical theatre than contemporary theatre, so working on Shakespearean text in A Midsummer Night’s Dream was really attractive to me.

6. Describe The Professional Theatre Program in your own words.
This program has been mind-blowing. I’ve learned more in one month than I thought was possible – from the faculty as well as from my fellow participants. I’ve learned so much, I feel like I don’t know anything anymore about theatre. It’s been a very intense and growing creative process that I hope will continue to work on me even after this year’s program wraps up…

7. Would you recommend The Professional Theatre Program to anyone?
I would definitely recommend this program to actors who want to stretch themselves creatively and professionally. It’s rare to have the opportunity to professionally dedicate yourself to your weaknesses, or areas in your craft that need some TLC; this program is a great way to really focus on those trouble spots and seek breakthroughs.

8. What do you hope to gain from being a participant?
I hope that I’ll be a more dedicated actor in my pre-rehearsal research and homework. I also hope that my work onstage will be freer and more authentic. “Performing” less and focusing on just being honest, vulnerable, clear, brave, and present on stage – these are the things that I am striving for in my work.

9. What have you gained from your time in Banff?
Oh my gosh, so much! My brain explodes when I think about it.

10. What has the program taught you about yourself?
This program has helped me see – once again – that I am a bit neurotic when it comes to the level of self-criticalness I have about my work. Freeing myself of my own inner judge is the best gift I can give myself, as an actor and as a human being. And, live in the moment Lora, not the future or the past…the moment.

11. How do you feel about playing Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Have you done any specific research to get yourself ready?
I’m super excited to be playing Titania! So far, I’ve been reading the play and looking up all the words I am not familiar with, and just really trying to understand the play and the world that Titania lives in. I’m developing a digital file folder of images – from the tiniest bugs to the teeniest plants. Really deepening my knowledge and appreciation of the natural world is what’s on my agenda right now.

12. Who is your idol in life, and why?
The women around me, in my family and in my friendships are my greatest sources of inspiration. I am lucky to have women in my family who have lived through some hard experiences and come out the other side. My Auntie Joan is an incredible lady – the epitome of grace, kindness, love and strength. To me, she is an example of what it is to be truly generous and care for others selflessly. If I grow up to be half of the woman she is, that would be a pretty amazing accomplishment.

13. What is your dream role?
I’d love to say that I have a dream role but the truth is I don’t have one in my brain at the moment…

14. What’s your guilty pleasure?
Food and television.
Ice Cream: any kind, any amount, and I love House Hunters International and Say Yes to the Dress, awful, I know!

15. Besides a good bowl of ice cream and some reality TV, do you have any hobbies or collections you would like to share with us?
As far as hobbies go, I really enjoy working with my hands. Jewelry-making, sewing, knitting, yard work and gardening (which I am horrible at but vow to get better at as time goes by) are some of the hobbies I enjoy. My favorite collection right now is the photographs that I took when I travelled to France and Spain.

For more information on the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program click here.
For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

So we’ve moved into March now, which means that we’ve started the rehearsals for our show. As Sarah mentioned a few blog posts ago, The Young Acting Company is doing Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9.

The play follows fourteen different characters through their individual struggles to attain ‘cloud 9’, the perfect bliss. The first half of the play is set in 1880, colonial Africa, and the casting of this act says a great deal about the characters; men play women, women play men and dolls play children. The second half is set in England a hundred years later; however, for the characters only 25 years have passed. In the second act the casting has been shuffled, several characters have disappeared, and some new ones have been introduced. It’s a difficult play to describe, so you’ll just have to come see the show to get the full effect!

We had our first read through last Monday, and it really is a fascinating show that is going to require and stimulate a lot of discussion. Our director, Dave Horak, has given many of the cast member’s research projects, such as the view of Victorian society on homosexuality, or the geography of the area the play is set in. I myself am only in the second act. I am currently researching a scene in which my character, Victoria, and two others perform a ritual to call up a goddess.

This past Wednesday we worked on dialects with Shannon Boyle, our vocal coach for the show. During the first half of the play, the British dialects will be very stylized and high class. In the second act, they will be a combination of RP British and Cockney. Our workshop with Doug Mertz back in December introduced us to the basics of the RP accent, which most of us remembered fairly well. It’s going to add another layer onto an already wonderfully complex show, which will be a fun challenge! I’m really looking forward to getting deeper into rehearsals and learning more about this fascinating play.

I’ve had such a good time in the Young Acting Company this past six months, and I’ve really grown close to the whole class. Thanks so much to Linda Rubin, Dawn Sadoway and Shannon Boyle for teaching us so much and making last semester so much fun!

P.S. In the rehearsal hall next to ours, the Young Musical Company is preparing Spring Awakening, which is one of my favorite musicals – as well as performing Cloud 9, I can hardly wait to see their performance in just a few months!

It has definitely been a whirlwind of a week for the Young Companies! Both the Acting and the Musical companies were hard at work putting the finishing touches on their showcases which took place Friday night in the Rice Theatre.

For their showcase, the Young Actors performed an amazing improvised movement piece as well as the monologues they worked on in our workshop with Bob Baker in January. They all did phenomenal and it was so great to see how far they’ve come with their pieces in a little over a month.

In the Musical Company, we opened our show with “Sunday” from Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. We performed several duets from relatively contemporary shows, including “Day By Day” from Godspell and then we finished off with a dance number to “Sing, Sing, Sing!” that we’ve been working on with Jackie Pooke for some time.

In addition to the above craziness, this week we met up with the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants for a meet-and-greet. We were each pared with a mentor and got to know them a little bit. On Friday they came to our showcase and on Sunday we attended theirs! It was wonderful to have them in the audience for our show and then be able to see them perform. The Professional Theatre Program’s cabaret was really great and so inspiring. All of the participants were challenging themselves and taking big risks with their songs. I’m looking forward to getting to know them all a little better!

Today also marks the shift in our program; we move out of a class setting and begin rehearsals for Spring Awakening. These last six months have been truly amazing. I’ve learned and grown so much and I am so glad I have been a part of this program! I really want to thank our wonderful teachers Stephen Delano, Jackie Pooke and Kate Ryan who have been so supportive and helpful. It has been a fantastic year and I am very excited to begin rehearsals!

Meet Marc Bondy – this Ontario native—and father of two could not happier to be a 2011/2012 Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program Participant. You can catch Mark playing the role of Duke Theseus in our April production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Marc describes himself as Loving, Sensitive, Driven, Responsible and Romantic. We caught up with Marc upon the Participants arrival at the Citadel earlier this week. Marc is truly a deep lover and a romantic at heart, and these real-life traits have come in handy as he prepares for his upcoming role of Duke Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

1. What made you decide to be an actor?
It was my need to connect deeply with people, and to communicate needs, feelings, and desires. Also, I seemed to have a gift for entertaining people from an early age.

2. What are some of your previous acting experiences?
I have done a lot of Shakespeare: Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Benvolio in Romeo & Juliette, Ferdinand in The Tempest, Orsino in Twelfth Night and Parolles in All’s Well That Ends Well, just to name a few. I have also acted at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, UK and was at the Stratford Festival for a couple of seasons. I have played Hal in Proof on two separate occasions and have done The Glass Menagerie (Gentleman Caller), Strawberries in January (Robert) and A Man for All Seasons (Roper). I’ve done a couple of short films, and have made a handful of television appearances, but mostly, I am a creature of the stage.

3. Do you see yourself staying in the theatre world, or would you like to transition into film or television?
I will never leave the theatre world as long as I am an actor. I do have a desire to do some more film and television work…but mostly as a challenge. The stage is where I am the happiest.

4. Do you see yourself being more than just an actor? – would you like to dabble in playwriting or directing? – or have you already?
I don’t think I will ever stop being an actor; however, I do have an interest in directing and I could see myself being a director in the next few years.

5. Why did you audition for the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program?
At this stage in my career, I wanted and needed to re-focus, re-commit, and re-examine myself as an artist. I wanted 30 days to immerse myself in the work from sunrise to sunset and to emerge with a renewed sense of who I am and what makes me tick. I also have wanted to work at the Citadel for the past 10 years, since meeting Bob and visiting the theatre in 2003.

6. Describe The Professional Theatre Program in your own words.
It is a rigorous, intense, and unparalleled workout of the body, mind, and heart. It requires complete focus and commitment. It is an opportunity to look at yourself, and your work as objectively as possible and to put theory, skills, and knowledge into action.

7. Describe The Professional Theatre Program in 5 words.
Rigorous. Rewarding. Wonderful. Profound. Inspiring.

8. Would you recommend The Professional Theatre Program to anyone?
Yes. I would recommend the Program to people who are already good actors; who have a strong work ethic and who want or need to learn how to connect to the work on a deeper, more meaningful level. Actors who have some skill but need some concentrated time to work on and develop those skills.

9. What do you hope to gain from being a participant?
I hope to gain a better grasp of myself and of my capabilities in the theatre. I hope to make lasting friendships and connections with my fellow artists and a deeper appreciation of what we do. Also, I hope to make a long-term connection with the Citadel Theatre and its people.

10. What has the program taught you about yourself?
Although I wear my heart on my sleeve in life…I hide it from the world in my work. This holds me back from achieving greatness. I need to let people see the cracks on stage as well as off. Protecting oneself on stage can be the enemy to a good and truthful performance.

11. What’s your day job?
I am the president and CEO of my own company – Outlook Promotions Inc. – which I founded 5 years ago in order to supplement my work as an actor. It started as me hiring my friends and fellow actors to represent and promote various products and services of some major Fortune 500 companies. I now oversee a roster of 500+ people across Canada and help actors across the country to fill in the gaps between their contracts. I also am a proud father of two beautiful girls, and although I don’t classify that as my “day job” – it nonetheless is a job that I take very seriously and that I am honoured to have.

12. Who is your idol? Why?
My theatre idol is Kenneth Branagh – with whom I have had the good fortune of speaking with on the phone some years ago. The things he was able to accomplish at such a young age and his passion for Shakespeare has been a source of great hope and inspiration for me. His book Beginnings is a must read for every up and coming actor who dreams big.

In life, though, my hero is my mom. No question. The things she has had to deal with in her life – and her unending positivity, strength, and resolve have helped to shape me into who I am. I strive to be like her every day, and it’s not an easy task.

13. What is your dream role?
Henry V. His story is fascinating to me. A kid who is hurled onto the throne at an early age who needs to instantly grow up and lead his army into France. Shakespeare’s Henry V is a leader unlike any other. And leadership is something I value. It is something I feel I posses, and I would love to bring myself to that role and see what happens. My life as an actor will remain incomplete until I play him.

I would also like to play Hotspur in Henry IV Part One and Biff in Death of A Salesman.

14. If your life story was made into a play – what would it be called, and who would you want to play you?
If my life story was made into a play?! Wow, great question. It would be called Chocolate Soldier and I would want Colin Firth to play me.

15. What do you do in your spare time?
With two small kids and a company to run, I don’t have much of it. But when I do find I have some spare time, I enjoy watching television series’ on DVD. I like to work my way through an entire series so that I’m fully invested. I also enjoy spending one-on-one time with the people I love. And I love having my arms and back tickled—I’ll take that over going to a movie 9 times out of 10.

For more information on the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program click here.
For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

Meet Ellie Heath – This spunky Edmonton gal is a 2011/2012 Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program Participant. You can catch Ellie playing the role of Peasblossom in our April production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Ellie describes herself as Loving, Passionate, Thoughtful, Sensitive and Fun. We caught up with her during her final week in Banff. In preparation for her role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ellie has been taking the time to truly appreciate nature and the magic that surrounds each and every one of us.

1. Ellie, where are you from? What type of training did you come into the Professional Theatre Program with?
I am from Edmonton but I now currently live in Vancouver. I graduated from the Theatre Arts Program at MacEwan in 2007. Since graduation, I moved to Vancouver to pursue Film and television work, and have recently completed the 6-month Acting Intensive at Vancouver Acting School.

2. So you’re a prairie girl turned east coaster. Tell us about some of your previous acting experiences?
I toured B.C. as Princess Gloriana in Alberta Opera’s the Frog Prince. I got to play a quirky 10-year-old in roller skates as Little Sally in Urinetown at MacEwan, and then a 16-year-old girl who wore her heart on her sleeve and a Russian Cosmonaut Penpal in Jill Connell’s The Shark Tumour Collection. I also went on to play everything from a soul-singing nun to a 75-year-old widow in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. Those are some of my favourite past roles.

3. What is your ultimate goal as a performer?
My goal as a performer is to be as malleable and easy to work with as possible, so I can have a long career playing many characters. I also want to breathe love into all of my work.

4. Do you see yourself being exclusively an actor?
I have dabbled in playwriting, which I’d love to explore to a greater extent. I’ve only co-written plays, so I would like to write something on my own at some point and time.

5. What does it mean to you to be able to perform at the Citadel?
It means that I have achieved one of my dreams! I saw My Fair Lady at the Citadel when I was about 10, and it filled my heart with such desire to be able to do what those actors did—to dance and sing, and be like Eliza Doolittle. I spent months singing the songs I was introduced to on the Citadel Stage. Really, to be a part of theatre like that, the kind that leaves a lasting impression on people, it’s a dream come true.

6. Why did you audition for the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program?
I grew up in Edmonton, where the Citadel sets the benchmark for great theatre. The shows I have seen there have such precision and quality—to learn from the same people that create such wonderful shows there is such a privilege. I hope to express the same kind of commitment and quality in my work as I’ve seen throughout my life on the Citadel stage.7.

7. Describe The Professional Theatre Program in 5 words.
Passionate. Focused. Empowering. Grounding. Joyous.

8. Would you recommend The Professional Theatre Program to anyone?
I would recommend the Professional Theatre Program to anyone who is willing to learn, grow, and become better. This program allows the opportunity to do so with people who are inspiring and understanding, but who will challenge you to live up to your potential.

9. What do you hope to gain from being a participant?
I hope to gain momentum in my career. This program has already taught me so much in just a few weeks; I look forward to the growth that’s sure to come. I want to go back out into the professional world with a stronger and more developed skill set, along with more confidence in myself as an artist.

10. What has the program taught you about yourself so far?
It’s taught me that I don’t give myself enough credit, or understand my own power as a person or an actor. I’ve been hiding out for a little bit, but it’s time to break out, and show the world what Ellie’s made of!

11. What is your dream role?
I have so many! I would love to play Elphaba in Wicked—like any other female musical theatre geek in her 20s. I’d love to be in the Broadway revival of Once the Musical, or a chorus member in Spring Awakening (for the astounding harmonies). I would also love to be in a Daniel McIvor play. His plays are all so fabulously written, with rich characters.

12. What is your all-time favourite production and why?
Davina Stewart’s performance in Marion Bridge at Theatre Network was an inspiration I will never let go of. When I saw Spring Awakening, my breath was literally taken away when the harmonies rang. Anytime I see Ronnie Burkett’s puppetry, I rush to tell all my friends. Theatre has such an ability to make one nostalgic in the aftermath.

13. Enough theatre talk – lets get to know the more playful side of Ellie. What’s your guilty pleasure?
What isn’t my guilty pleasure?! Cheese, sad music, US Magazine, Parks and Recreation, Chelsea Handler books…I could keep going and going.

14. What are some of your hobbies? How do you wind down?
I love to write poetry. And walk—I could walk for 10 hours straight if it was a nice sunny day.

15. We know you haven’t got much free time right now, but what do you do when you do have some spare time?
I listen to music. I write poetry or lovely anecdotes in my journal. I watch movies with my love. I eat Indian food with my love. I spend heaps of time with my love. His name is Jeff.

For more information on the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program click here.
For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

For the past couple of months, the Young Company members have been anticipating this time of year aka ‘Audition Season.’ We all knew it was coming, but for some reason we are all loosing sleep and ripping our hair out over the preparation of audition material.

Many of us are auditioning for theatre schools nationwide, and we just wrapped up auditions for our upcoming year-end productions. In just a few months you can catch the Young Acting Company in Cloud 9 and the Young Musical Company in Spring Awakening.

Now instead of losing sleep and ripping out our hair over the audition process, we are losing sleep, ripping out our hair AND refreshing our email every 10 seconds waiting for our instructors to release the cast lists!

Being a Young Musical Company member, I am really excited about our year-end production.

Spring Awakening is a beautiful musical and I don’t think they could have chosen a more appropriate show for the Young Musical Company this year. I believe the greatest challenge and the greatest strength of this play is that it is extremely honest and genuine to people our age. It has a wide variety of characters who we can all relate to. Spring Awakening reveals the stories of teenagers as they work through the dreaded transition of puberty, from childhood to adulthood. The story follows numerous characters as they discover their sexuality and the reality of relationships.

As an actor, I think one of the most exciting aspects of Spring Awakening is that we get to perform a variety of styles all within one show. In the text we are playing characters from Germany in the nineteen hundreds, while in contrast, we are singing contemporary pop songs.

I think the Young Musical Company is up for the challenge and ready to tackle this show!

In the midst of auditions we have also spent most of our class time preparing for our upcoming March showcase. The showcase is simply to show our friends and family what we have learned every Monday and Wednesday night for the past six months.

The Young Acting Company members will each perform a monologue, the Young Musical Company is singing duets, and both companies will present several group numbers.

Break legs on auditions everyone!

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

For a complete list of the 2011/2012 Professional Program Participants click here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

It’s mid-February, so the word on everybody’s lips is auditions.

Members of both companies are desperately preparing monologues, songs and even the odd movement composition in preparation for tryouts and auditions at universities, colleges and conservatories across the country.

Even those not gathering audition pieces for schools are focused on finding the best monologue for auditions within the company.

That’s right, we’ve been given our shows and now all that remains is to assign the roles and begin rehearsal. The Acting Company will be performing Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill, while the Musical Company will sing and dance their way through Spring Awakening, music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater.

Auditions take place this Monday, February 13^th. We were told to pick a monologue we thought would best reflect the character we want to play—and to be prepared to defend our choices based on our understanding of the character. This style of auditioning is a new thing for me—usually I go in with one monologue and hope for the best. I like the amount of choice this gives us, and I imagine it will result in better casting. Hopefully people will be cast in roles they really want to play.

That sounded fine and dandy…until I read the play.

Cloud Nine is different from any show I’ve ever been in. It is easy to say ‘pick the role that most interests you’, but how do you choose when the choices include: a confident lesbian teaching her five-year-old daughter (played by a man) how to shoot a toy gun, a recently liberated matriarch adapting to freedom, or a nine-year-old boy struggling with homosexuality? Churchill’s play is not the usual concoction of love-sick girls and crotchety old ladies that I’ve seen in so many plays. The power of the show lies in the fact that the issues these people struggle with, while appearing farcical and over-the-top when acted by members of the opposite gender and race, are actually relevant and relatable. The show is about people searching for a sense of order in their lives, as well as equality, love and companionship from their fellow-men.

A play of this caliber sets the bar high. I foresee challenges and roadblocks, but I also anticipate huge areas of growth, discovery and trust.

It’s time to get down to work!

Sarah

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Also in this video, take a peak at Fight Coach Jon Purvis in action.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Tom Wood interviews Justin Bott on day 10 of the program. After the excitingly terrifying first week of the program, Justin already feels like he has learned many new skills to further his theatre career.Along with Justin’s interview, enjoy a peak into Dayna Tekatch’s dance class. It looks like the participants are having a blast!

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

The participants may be busy – but they’re still finding time to have some fun.

Find out more information about the Professional Program here.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program participants take the stage in A  Midsummer Night’s Dream April 7 – 29. Click here for more information.

Find out more about the Young Companies acting program here.

Find out more about the Young Companies on the Citadel Theatre website.

I know. My mind was blown when I realized the parallel between my craft and this awesome film. Inception came up in a discussion we had last year with Kevin Kerr. He initially made the comparison between Inception and filmmaking, and pointed out how it could be interpreted as a film about making films, the process the writers, director and cinematographers go through in development, and the process we go through as an audience watching the film. We then drew parallels between Inception and the process that playwrights go through, and there are quite a few similarities.

What is Inception? In the film, it’s described as the planting of an idea in someone’s subconscious. The opposite of Inception is Extraction, which is the theft of ideas from someone’s subconscious. This is Dom Cobb’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) job; to steal ideas from the minds of corporate CEO’s to help other CEO’s get ahead…but I digress. Dom is both an Extractor and an Inceptor, meaning he can both take an idea and plant one. A playwright may not steal the thoughts of their audience, but they can certainly use the themes of their play to pant ideas in the minds of the audience, which will form the basis for the all-important post-show discussion.

To get an idea, or to plant one, the Inceptor needs to get inside the target’s mind, and the way this is done is in a dream state, and the dreams need to be airtight. Nothing should be able to get in or out until the dreamer awakes. In the film, Ariadne (Ellen Page), the Architect, designs the dreams. She creates the world of the dream in such a way that it mimics reality. In theatre, the playwright is also responsible for helping to create the ‘dream-world’ of the play. Who lives in it? What does it look like? What are the limitations of this world? What conventions exist within it?

There are other key people involved in the process of Inception, and the same applies to playwriting. Every good Inceptor needs a Point Man, and in Dom’s case, it’s Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). The Point Man collects all the necessary information about the target; it’s his job to make sure that all bases are covered and that no question is left unanswered. This is much like the job of the dramaturge, who in my opinion, deserve far more credit than they are given, because they are incredibly perceptive. A dramaturge helps the playwright answer all the dangling questions about the world of the play, the characters and the action of the plot, among others. They help the playwright understand their play inside and out.

Finally, there’s Mr. Eames (Tom Hardy), the Forger. The Forger changes his or her appearance in order to inhabit the dream and help it seem like reality. This is a very clear parallel to the actor, but because we’re talking about playwriting, I’m thinking specifically of the workshop actor. These individuals are key to helping bring the world of the play to life, especially if the playwright has never heard the text spoken out loud before. They also help the playwright glean information through questions and commentary, a bit like the Forger would on an espionage assignment.

So, what is the final product of Inception, or of a play?

An invented world, created for the purpose of providing the audience with an idea. The world is inhabited by people pretending to be other people, and they help bring the world to life.

Is your mind blown yet?

The 2012 Playwrights’ Forum will be lead by the Governor General award-winning playwright, Colleen Murphy (The December Man).  Currently, there are 12 writers participating in the forum. Throughout the two weeks, playwrights will have the opportunity to share their proposals with the participating members and to work one-on-one with Ms. Murphy on their writing.

The Playwrights Forum marks the first phase for playwrights, Bill Marchant (Vancouver), Trevor Schmidt (Edmonton), Nicole Moeller (Edmonton), Amy Lee Lavoie (Toronto), Elyne Quan (Toronto), and Jason Chinn (Edmonton). These first-phase writers will come together in this two-week intensive to begin the rigorous task of developing their newest play. Second phase writers include Beth Graham, Jon Lachlan Stewart, Cat Walsh, Collin Doyle, Andy Garland and Belinda Cornish - all local Edmonton writers and/or performers. Play Development also provides an opportunity for the Citadel Theatre’s Young Playwriting Company participants to audit all workshop activities as a tie-in to their program and a necessary bridge to further develop their craft and skills.

This forum will also provide an opportunity to share in the ongoing development of second-phase writers Beth Graham and Jon Lachlan Stewart as they open the doors on their latest workshops on December 11 and 12 with Beth’s, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble and Jon’s, Boop. The general public is invited to attend the two workshops. More information will follow shortly.