News Releases
The Elinore and Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre today announced a call for applications to participate in an all-expenses paid Master Class workshop with the inaugural 2001 Siminovitch Prize winning director, Daniel Brooks. The workshop will take place on Monday, October 25, 2004 and the deadline for applications is August 6, 2004.
The 2004 Master Class in directing was developed by the Siminovitch Prize and Theatre Ontario, with support from the Canada Council for the Arts. It is designed to celebrate one of the prime motivations behind the Siminovitch Prize: The importance of mentorship within the theatre community. The workshop will be an investigation into direction with up to ten directors from across the country selected to participate. They will be working with a play Mr. Brooks has directed in the past, which participants will be notified of upon selection.
"Ultimately, I hope to inspire the directors to set their sights and goals high for the kind of work they do and how they go about doing it. I want them to know that what they do is significant and can have a positive impact on the world we live in," said Mr. Brooks.
The Master Class will be interactive and process driven with no presentation component. The morning will include a discussion about the play selected. Mr. Brooks will talk about his experiences from the moment he decided to do the play, to opening night and beyond. He will cover why the play was chosen; the process of design and when designers became involved; casting; the rehearsal process and the audience. A special guest involved with the play will also speak to participants during the workshop. In the afternoon, the participants will consider alternate ways to approach the play.
"Directors from across the country have told me that there are really no opportunities for them to get together with their peers to share information and experiences. As the submissions for this year's Siminovitch Prize demonstrate, we have an extraordinary breadth of talented directors in Canada and we are thrilled to be able to bring some of them together in this unique forum," said Leonard McHardy, Jury Chair, 2004 Siminovitch Prize.
Applicants are expected to have had previous directing experience. To be considered, applicants must submit a résumé with a one-page cover letter highlighting their directing experience and what kind of instruction in the craft of direction they seek.
The jury to select the Master Class participants will be chaired by Janet Irwin, Past President of Theatre Ontario's Board of Directors and will include Leonard McHardy, 2004 Siminovitch Jury Chair; Jacoba Knaapen, Siminovitch Producer; and Daniel Brooks, Master Class Director.
Daniel Brooks
Director, writer, actor, and producer, Daniel Brooks is a prolific and versatile artist whose innovation and risk-taking has made him a leader within the Canadian cultural landscape. He has been recognized with accolades and awards for such productions as Here Lies Henry, The Noam Chomsky Lectures, House, Insomnia and Faust. His work has toured across the country and around the world. Recipient of the inaugural Siminovitch Prize, among the awards he has won or been nominated for are the Dora Mavor Moore Award, the Chalmers Award, The Edinburgh Fringe First Award and the Governor General's Literary Award for Drama. He co-founded the Augusta Company with Don McKellar and Tracy Wright, helped build da da kamera as an international touring company, was an Associate Artist at Buddies in Bad Times, artist in residence at the Tarragon Theatre, has an ongoing association with Soulpepper Theatre, and is currently the new Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company.
Siminovitch Prize in Theatre
The Siminovitch Prize in Theatre was introduced in 2001 and dedicated to renowned scientist Lou Siminovitch and his late wife Elinore, a playwright. Sponsored by BMO Financial Group, Canada's richest annual theatre arts award recognizes direction, playwriting and design in three-year cycles, beginning with the 2001 award to director Daniel Brooks; the 2002 award to playwright Carole Fréchette; and the 2003 award to designer Louise Campeau. Directors will be honoured in 2004. The winner receives $100,000, of which $25,000 is awarded to a protégé or organization of the winner's choice. Fifty-nine of Canada's top directors have been recognized with nominations for the 2004 Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre. This year's prize will be presented on October 26, 2004 to a director who has made a significant contribution to theatre in Canada. A short-list will be announced on September 27, 2004.
-30-