What We Do At Theatre Ontario

Training

Information and Resources

  • Provide counselling to members from our knowledgeable staff on areas and issues facing theatre companies and individuals.
  • Provide ONstage, a listing of professional, community and educational theatre productions across the province.
  • Publish enewsletter with news and links to theatre resources.
  • Publish newsletter with feature articles, profiles and other items of interest.
  • Distribute auditions by email, and provide extensive audition, jobs, volunteer opportunities, workshop information in our office.
  • Provide and promote Non-Union Talent Files to match producers with actors, directors, stage managers or designers.
  • Maintain Theatre Ontario's website of timely information, resources, and links to other theatre sites.
  • Publish online Now What? Guide to Post-Secondary Theatre Training in Canada.
  • Act as financier, publisher and editor of The Agents Book on behalf of steering committee of AMIS - Acting & Modelling Information Service, providing comprehensive information for emerging theatre artists, and work in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Coalition to distribute information on "getting started," AMIS hotline and ethical codes of conduct.
  • Provide and sell a variety of publications offering extensive information in many areas of theatre.
  • Provide Resource Centre library in our Toronto office.
  • Organize and host Showcase, an annual two-day showcase of Ontario graduating students from post secondary conservatory training programs before an invited audience of artistic directors, freelance directors, casting and talent agents.
  • Provide School Tools on our website which offers high school students homework aids and tools that match the arts curriculum in high schools.

New Research to Help Theatres

  • Support ArtsBuild, a cultural facility research study of performing and visual arts companies' capital and building needs across the province -- coordinated by Theatre Ontario and a steering committee of seven arts service organizations.
  • To Act in Safety -- a bold initiative orchestrated by Theatre Ontario and funded by Ontario Trillium Foundation to provide health and safety and first aid training; to survey health and safety practices in theatres across Ontario; to create accessible training tools for theatres and promote a Talent Bank of health and safety consultants with a specialized knowledge of theatre who are readily available to work with theatres.
  • Analyze the changing policies and rental fees of school boards around Ontario and share information with theatre community and community arts councils.

Theatre Partnerships

  • Co-host annual Theatre Ontario Festival in partnership with regional community theatre associations and companies, and present awards celebrating outstanding productions from across the province.
  • Support ArtsBuild, a cultural facility research study of performing and visual arts companies' capital and building needs across the province -- coordinated by Theatre Ontario and a steering committee of seven arts service organizations.
  • Create and publish One-Act Play Anthologies in partnership with Playwrights Canada Press.
  • Collaborate with Playwrights Guild of Canada and Playwrights Canada Press to promote Canadian plays and playwrights in our newsletter and at theatre festivals in Ontario.
  • Provide administrative and marketing services for ASTRO (Association of Summer Theatres 'Round Ontario).
  • Promote Just the Ticket -- coordinating the promotion of summer theatre getaway packages at selected professional summer theatres in Ontario.
  • Act as financier, publisher and editor of The Agents Book on behalf of steering committee of AMIS - Acting & Modelling Information Service, providing comprehensive information for emerging theatre artists, and work in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Coalition to distribute information on "getting started," AMIS hotline and ethical codes of conduct.
  • Provide professional development workshops for elementary school teachers, in partnership with CODE, the Council of Drama and Dance in Education.
  • Represent the cultural sector and theatre on the Touring Committee of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Federation of Ontario, and promote theatre as an important player in the tourism sector in Ontario.
  • Showcase the work of intern directors through the Shaw Festival Directors Project, in partnership with the Shaw Festival and with the generous support of Sun Life Financial.

Audience Development

  • Provide ONstage, a listing of professional, community and educational theatre productions across the province.
  • Represent the cultural sector and theatre on the Touring Committee of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Federation of Ontario, and promote theatre as an important player in the tourism sector in Ontario.
  • Provide administrative and marketing services for ASTRO (Association of Summer Theatres 'Round Ontario).
  • Promote Just the Ticket -- coordinating the promotion of summer theatre getaway packages at selected professional summer theatres in Ontario.
  • Advocate for access to the arts and culture in communities across the province.

Awards & Recognition