INDUSTRY SERIES 2024
Collaboration, Co-creation, and Creative Development
Welcome to the STAGES Industry Series, where people in theatre - artists, presenters, producers, funders, and supporters - come together to make things happen. Our goal is simple: connect people, encourage collaboration, and share visions for the future. We want to make theatre better by working together.
Here's what we're focusing on this year:
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Uniting Theatre Makers: We're creating a place for everyone in theatre to work together. Whether you're organizing festivals, making art, or leading in the industry, this is where you can take risks and support each other.
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Igniting Artistic Development: We're about helping the theatre community grow and innovate. Expect opportunities to learn, collaborate, and network.
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Empowering the Future of Theatre: We want to help artists excel. We're here to support your growth and impact through talks, mentorship, and various opportunities.
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Facilitating Collaboration and Partnerships: We aim to get people working together. By building a collaboration network, we can make a difference.
There are keynote talks intended to inspire, enlighten and inform. Networking sessions like Walk & Talk and Field Trip forge personal connections that deepen relationships. Our featured sessions, like Pitch Room, enable new ideas to flourish.
A key component of the Industry Series is the Producer’s Cohort. These guest producers are carefully curated and actively contribute to our gathering’s values and objectives. They will play a significant role in empowering artists and fostering connections to bolster artists’ efforts to export and expand their reach.
The Industry Series program is designed around exchange and is open to various participation levels so you can engage comfortably.
Industry Co-producers | Richie Wilcox & Dustin Harvey
SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE
FRIDAY
4:30pm - 5:45pm
Welcome Mixer
6:00pm - 6:30pm
Performance: BLACKOUT
SATURDAY
9:00am - 9:45am
Keynote: Andrew Shaver
10:00am - 12:00pm
Pitch Room
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Artist Walk + Talks
SUNDAY
9:00am - 9:15am
Rotunda Roundup!
9:15am - 9:45am
Keynote: Kate Craddock
10:00am - 3:00pm
Field Trip to Steeple Green
+ Producer's Roundtables
+ Picnic Lunch
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Festival Salon
INDUSTRY SERIES, STAGES 2023
(Photo by James Arthur MacLean)
Start the 2024 Industry Series with our Opening Night Mixer, an easygoing event that brings together theatre professionals, visiting producers, and key partners.
Kick back in a relaxed atmosphere with comfy seating, snacks, and background tunes that make meeting and talking easy. Hear brief introductions from our Producers Cohort about their work, showcasing their visions and ideas.
During the Industry Series, keep the conversations going and swap contact details.
Ensure you’re there to network, learn, and lay the groundwork for a productive 2024 Industry Series!
Enjoy an Industry Series exclusive performance of BLACKOUT by artists Shauntay Grant and Tyshawn Wright (Erasure Art Collective).
BLACKOUT is an interdisciplinary art project that recreates historical slave ads using ‘erasure’ or ‘blackout’—a form of poetry created by erasing words from an existing text to create a visual poem. The project uncovers messages in ads that appeared in local newspapers during slavery—a legal practice of buying and selling human beings that saw millions of Africans and people of African descent enslaved over hundreds of years. While Halifax was never a major slave trading port, fugitive slave advertisements appeared in local newspapers asking for the sale of “Several Negroe Slaves” (Halifax Gazette, 1752), and for the return of “a Negroe Girl named Thursday” (Nova Scotia Gazette, 1772) and “a Negro Boy Slave Named Dick” (Royal Gazette, 1790) among others. BLACKOUT reworks slaveholder’s texts to reveal new narratives honouring those who challenged one of history’s most inhumane systems, and championing their bold acts of resistance. Presenting the art of erasure poetry in non-traditional form, this presentation of BLACKOUT combines poetry with visual art and live performance.
Andrew can’t really pick a lane. He’s acted on stages across Canada and in a bunch of TV shows and films. He was the Artistic Co-Director of the NYC/Montréal ensemble SaBooge and later the Artistic Director of the Montreal/Toronto-based company SideMart Theatrical Grocery. He ran a storefront theatre space in Toronto’s East End for three years. He graduated from the Langham Directors Conservatory at the Stratford Festival and produced a concert series for five years. He’s directed small-scale immersive theatre and large-scale touring shows.
He hosts a weekly new music radio show and interview podcast called When We Wake with Andrew Shaver. In May, he released his second album as Clever Hopes. He is currently a Realization Director with Ubisoft, the video game developer.
For us, as theatre artists and producers, Andrew's journey underscores a critical lesson: embracing a range of roles and disciplines not only enhances our personal growth but also deepens our connection with an ever-changing audience. His work across different platforms—from making immersive theatre to radio broadcasting, from directing video game cinematics to songwriting and recording—demonstrates that we need not be monolithic in defining ourselves as theatre artists. By inviting us to expand our horizons and embrace our versatility, this talk challenges the traditional (perceived) boundaries of a theatre artist and encourages a dynamic conversation between the artist and the audience.
Featured Session: Pitch Room
10:00am - 12:00pm
Saturday, June 8th
The Rotunda @
Alderney Landing Theatre
Deepwater (Dan Bray)
A "surreal procedural" set in rural Nova Scotia, Deepwater follows RCMP inspector Questa Bennett as she attempts to solve a cold case involving a missing child, only to struggle to find closure in a world as cold and unfathomable as the deepest oceans.
The America Show! (Jessie Walker)
The American dream just got... wetter.
Cleaning (Guðrún Þórsdóttir)
Cleaning the streets of the world along with my inner self.
I Don't Feel Pretty / Chu pas cute (Nancy Kenny)
A bilingual, absurdist dark comedy set in the mind of an alcoholic on a bender scored by the biggest pop hits of the 90s and early 00s.
brainstorm (Riley Reign)
A dynamic song cycle exploring the inner world and cyclical nature of bipolar.
The Unfamiliar Everything (Stewart Legere)
A performance event created collaboratively by a cohort of queer artists from all across the country. A show about the generative power of loneliness, queer spirituality, and the constellation of queer family.
Pitch Room will feature six selected participants who will be able to present their projects. This year's Pitch Room is adopting a new format to enhance engagement, creativity, and connection among artists, industry professionals, and the public.
Here's How It Works:
One Room, Multiple Conversations: Inspired by a science fair, we are bringing all the participants together in one large room. Each participant will have a table to pitch from, creating an interactive environment fostering creativity, connections, and collaboration. Each pitch presentation will be allocated a total of ten minutes—five (5) minutes for the pitch itself, followed immediately by a five-minute Q&A session. The Q&A sessions will be conducted by members of our Producer Cohort, who will move around the room to review each table in a predetermined order. We aim to provide each pitch with personalized feedback and active engagement from our producers.
Multiple Opportunities to Pitch: This format allows artists to pitch their projects six times throughout the event, ensuring broader exposure and interaction. Attendees can move freely around the room, absorbing diverse ideas and stories at their own pace.
Emphasis on Creativity and Connection:
Trifolds: We’re changing our approach to pitching, moving away from PowerPoint and digital presentations and encouraging pitch artists to use analog and old-school trifold displays. This shift aims to foster creativity within constraints and promote a more human and relatable approach to sharing ideas.
After the pitches, all groups will come together for a collaborative brainstorming session, generating fresh ideas and solutions for challenges and opportunities in the evolving media landscape. Drawing upon the insights gathered from the pitches and discussions, we will work together to develop and refine a pitch for the future of theatre.
Experience Dartmouth's artistic charm like never before with Walk & Talks. Designed as a slow-speed dating-inspired networking event, you'll connect with fellow creators as you stroll through the neighbourhoods that have shaped local artists' practice and identity. Engage in inspiring conversations while enjoying the refreshing outdoors. It is an opportunity to immerse yourself in Dartmouth's vibrant art scene, forge lasting relationships with fellow artists, and explore the city's hidden gems.
Meaningful Connections in Small Groups:
These walks are organized in small groups to create an intimate atmosphere that fosters genuine connections and lively discussions. Please review the distinct experiences offered by each artist and let us know your top two preferences.
Embracing the Elements:
June in Dartmouth can be beautiful and unpredictable - dress for the weather!
Join us for this casual yet meaningful networking experience and uncover the creative pulse of Downtown Dartmouth/Punamu'kwati'jk.
Walk & Talk:
Slow Networking
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Saturday, June 8th
Meet in the Rotunda @
Alderney Landing Theatre
“It’s a walk in the park”
Join Quincy Russell for a stroll through Dartmouth’s Commons and Leighton Dillman Park where you will see beautiful flowers, gardens and trees and gain some insight from your knowledgeable guide.
Mural Tour
With the assistance of Mr. Margot Durling, take a group-led walk around downtown Dartmouth checking out a number of public art works on the buildings and hearing some insider knowledge and perspective on the intentions behind them.
Coffee & Cameras
Join Jamie Kronick for a trip to Cafe Good Luck to gain a deeper appreciation for our daily drink and explore a bit of Dartmouth to take some souvenir photos with this talented photographer.
Join us for the new addition to this year's STAGES Industry Series - the Rotunda Roundup!
This unique event offers participants a one-minute platform to pitch their creative projects to a room full of artists, producers, and theatre enthusiasts. This micro-event allows ten participants to share the essence of your project, your role, and what you need from potential collaborators.
Here's how it works: Sign-up begins at the welcome event on Friday and continues until all spots get filled. Act quickly to secure your slot!
Each pitch is strictly timed to one minute, focusing on your project's core idea, role, and needs. The aim is to ignite interest and spark instant connections, making this event a perfect opportunity for anyone looking to make a quick and impactful impression.
Whether you're hoping to attract collaborators, gather feedback, or showcase your creative idea, the Rotunda Roundup is your chance to shine in the spotlight. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to make your voice heard in the bustling atmosphere of the STAGES Festival!
Drawing on the first-hand experiences of festival director and performance practitioner Kate Craddock, Theatre and its Audiences: Reimagining the Relationship in Times of Crisis (Bloomsbury 2024), co-authored with Helen Freshwater, contends that practitioners now need to turn their attention to care, access and sustainability, arguing that the pandemic taught us that it is possible to do things differently. Part vision, part provocation, part critical interrogation, Theatre and its Audiences offers an insightful appraisal of past norms and assumptions to establish a bold argument about where we should go.
Kate Craddock is GIFT’s Founder and Festival Director: Gateshead International Festival of Theatre, UK, an annual artist-led festival celebrating contemporary theatre. Since 2005, Kate has worked across academic roles and cultural sector contexts and is regularly invited to speak as a panellist at international festivals. She received the Theatre Fellowship with the Clore Cultural Leadership Programme 2018/19.
Embark on a field trip outside the city to a unique bookstore/performance space.
Steeple Green Books is a bookstore operated by Michael Lake out of a former church in Musquodoboit Harbour. The shop features thousands of books and gifts and hosts regular events, from live music to comedy nights to play readings.
This trip blends exploration and adventure with the richness of Nova Scotia's rural landscape. We are also hosting a Producer’s Roundtable there. By joining this journey, you will connect with emerging media and performance techniques and foster a shared experience of creative discovery in an unconventional setting.
Get on the bus!
Participants will gain unique insights as members of our Producer's Cohort demo their innovative projects, highlight the role of the producer in the creative process, and serve as a springboard for discussions on the challenges and opportunities of producing in today's evolving media landscape. Each demo serves as a starting point for discussions on how these innovations align with the values and mission of contemporary theatre experiences, fostering a productive dialogue on intuition, audience interaction, and the creative potentials and challenges of these new forms.
Drawing inspiration from Kate Craddock's insightful keynote, "Theatre and its Audiences," our event emphasizes care, access, and sustainability in the theatre arts. These principles guide our exploration of how we can collectively reshape the future of theatre for practitioners, audiences, and communities alike.
The session culminates in a collaborative brainstorming session within the inspiring confines of a bookstore performance space. Drawing upon the insights and provocations of the day, participants will collectively envision and refine prototypes for the future of theatre experiences.
This session promises to be a melting pot of ideas, inspiring a shared vision for a theatre landscape that embraces change, nurtures creativity, and prioritizes care, access, and sustainability.
The Festival Salon is the finale of our Industry Series, designed as a collaborative space for participants to reflect on their experiences over the past three days. This open forum invites you to share your thoughts, insights, and observations, fostering a sense of unity as we envision a future we can co-create together. The Festival Salon highlights the value of shared experiences and reflection, allowing attendees to shape our artistic community’s future actively.
Under the guidance of STAGES Curator Kat McCormack and Industry Series Co-producers Richie Wilcox and Dustin Harvey, this conversation encourages open dialogue, genuine critique, and feedback to inform the development of future festivals and industry events.
Join us for this unique opportunity to connect with fellow attendees, exchange perspectives, and contribute to a vibrant, inclusive future for our artistic community. Together, we'll create a lasting impact that resonates beyond the event.
CREATIVE PRODUCERS COHORT
We're shining a light on the crucial role of producers in the creative ecosystem.
Moving beyond the traditional framework of buyers and presenters, we've curated a diverse array of guest producers that span disciplines and scales of production. This eclectic group is not just participating; they're integral to infusing our gathering with diverse perspectives and expertise.
Their involvement aims to empower artists by fostering meaningful connections and launching creative projects beyond local boundaries to global markets. Our Producer's Cohort will champion artist empowerment and recognize production as a critical cultural export and expansion driver.
SERIES CO-PRODUCERS
FUNDERS
FESTIVAL SPONSORS
