Newsletter
Summer 2007

by Tim Chapman
Professional Theatre Coordinator

Last month I began a discussion of the importance of enough rehearsal time to the success of a show.  Now I'd like to turn to the professional theatre community.  I spoke with the Artistic Directors of three Toronto theatres who all recognize the value of more rehearsal time: Necessary Angel Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre and Tarragon Theatre.  It was not my original intention but it is interesting that these three theatres probably give their shows more rehearsal time in actual hours than any other theatres in the province, and all three theatres have been recognized for consistently producing good theatre.  I know both Shaw and Stratford have longer rehearsal periods from the first day of rehearsal to the opening but -- as they rehearse more than one show at a time -- there are actually no more and sometimes less rehearsal hours per show.  Certainly the vast majority of professional theatres in this province have three weeks of rehearsal; some have just two weeks.  Greg Wanless at Thousand Islands Playhouse says they usually schedule three-and-a-half weeks unless it is a very straightforward show when it is reduced to three weeks.

Daniel Brooks has been the Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company since 2003.  He developed and directed John Mighton's Governor General Award-winning play Half Life giving it a superb production which has played twice in Toronto and travelled to Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver.  In response to my previous piece on this subject, I received a letter from Susan Wallace, Executive Director of Canadian Actors' Equity Association.  She said it was Daniel Brooks’ keynote speech to the 2002 National Theatre Conference in Ottawa that provoked Equity to strike a Rehearsal Practices Task Force.  Daniel is committed to giving every play created by the Company the necessary time to develop.  Daniel once told me, in his perfect world, he would be content doing only research, rehearsal and preparation, never having to actually open a production.  In the real world he knows deadlines are essential.  "Sometime you give yourself too much time.  It's a balance between structure and remaining flexible."  He tries to create a day-to-day rehearsal atmosphere in which artists are not unduly concerned with arriving at a destination each day.  "I try to slow it down so both the actors and myself become less results-oriented.  Looking for constant results can sometimes blind you to a deeper creativity.  If the rehearsal period is too short, the fears of the actors take over.  It's hard to do theatre.  It is easy for (actors) to slide back into stuff that has worked before for them."

Richard Rose, Artistic Director of Tarragon Theatre, David Oiye, Artistic Director of Buddies in Bad Times, and Daniel all agree that new play workshops are not only necessary to the development of new plays but also can be a way of adding onto the rehearsal process.  The focus of the workshops remains the priorities of the playwright but, if possible, casting for the workshops can continue later when the play eventually is produced.  Richard says "this is really important for some plays in which a sense of company is integral to the success of the production, for example, No Great Mischief, a show which the actors came to rehearsals with a working language and relationship already established from the workshop."  In addition, Tarragon Theatre for years has rehearsed all of its Mainspace shows for five weeks including the preview week.  In my self-producing workshops, I continually emphasize how previews are essential.  The audience is an active partner in any performance.  Whether it is a new play or a classic, any production needs time in front of an audience prior to the opening.  Ultimately that is the final test for what is working and what is not, whether it be in the writing or the performance.

With respect to more classical theatre, I spoke with Richard Rose, who has also done a lot of work with the Stratford Festival, Patricia Hamilton, a long-time member of the company at Shaw Festival, and Albert Schultz, Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre.  Both Richard and Patricia agree that, while the total amount of rehearsal hours at Stratford and Shaw may not be more than usual, the longer periods of rehearsal (six weeks and more) allow more time to think, more time for the production to percolate and mature.  Albert reminded me that Soulpepper was founded by actors.  From the beginning one of their company principles has been to invest more in rehearsal time rather than production values.  Every production gets a minimum of six weeks of rehearsals so when they are rehearsing in repertory, that could mean a nine- or ten-week rehearsal period.  On top of that, new translations of classics get additional time.

What are some of the implications or consequences of longer rehearsal periods?  Susan Wallace says Equity is "very pleased with the launch of the new Artistic Creation Committee, a joint committee of PACT and Equity tasked with adjudicating applications to work under any of the several creation models included in the CTA, and empowered to make additional recommendations based on the needs of the project and the artists."  As Daniel Brooks says, "the demands on the artists of any particular production vary a great deal," so this is a constructive step in the right direction.  Longer rehearsal periods could possibly mean less productions.  Theatre companies still have to meet their budgets so it could also mean longer runs of successful productions; less productions does not necessarily mean less weeks for artists to be employed or less time for an audience to see theatre.  That said, funding agencies may be open to recognizing the value of new money going to extended rehearsal time rather than to new initiatives.

Try to remember some of the best shows you have seen.  I will bet that they either had at least four or five weeks of rehearsal or they were revivals.  The 2007 Dora nominations will have been announced by the time this issue is published.  For fun, I will try to research how much rehearsal time the 'best production' nominees received and let you know next issue.

Yours sincerely, Tanya Smith

Rehearsal Week One Monday–Introduction to the team ... design explanations ... schedule ... Equity rules ... table work on scenes 1-2 ...

A few years ago I wrote my first play Thank You, and at the heart of the play was an exploration of philanthropy and appreciation.  I admit after this, not only do I have a refreshed appreciation for the arduous work of writers, I found this particular thematic process quite eye-opening, and it has since had a very meaningful impact on the attitude with which I approach my career.  Naturally the process called into question the role of philanthropy and appreciation in my own life and my artistic life.  Usually overwhelmed with the exhaustion of my continuous struggle to work in theatre, I sat back for the first time and realized how fortunate I was to be an artist in this community.

Week One Wednesday– More props arrive ... table work on scene 3 ... discussion of history ... staging scene 1 ... cast and crew develop an exercise ...

Last fall I applied for and received a Professional Theatre Training Program grant from Theatre Ontario.  It is designed to provide financial support to emerging theatre artists and technicians while they pursue a largely self-designed training program with a mentor in their field.  The advantage of this particular grant is that it is as protean and fluid as the art form itself.  It recognizes the complex value of professional experience not always found in other forms of training.  It enabled me to take over five weeks off from my usual rent-loan-headshot-food-paying job so that I could witness entirely, and act as Assistant Director in, a fully professional rehearsal process with Crow's Theatre at CanStage.  Not only was the idea that I was going to be working intimately with two long-standing, successful producing companies exciting to me, I was suddenly afforded an opportunity to work closely with some of Canada's most interesting and acknowledged artists and designers.  My mentor, Director Jim Millan, has been an accomplished, influential, even controversial director and we were working on a touring premiere of wildly-successful playwright Morris Panych’s newest script What Lies Before Us; our cast members included David Storch, Matthew MacFadzean and Wayne Sujo.  Veritably a dream!

Week One Saturday–Production meeting ... scheduling ... start blocking scene 2 ...

The five-week grant period provided several involved areas of theatrical experience for me.  I was privy to producing complexities, social intricacies, and various creative applications, which I had yet encountered in school, or doing small self-produced shows. It was intense, inspiring and rewarding.  I developed relationships with numerous people in the community and was often given room to contribute.  A mentorship is generally regarded as a supportive relationship where knowledge, skills, and experience are shared; what was particularly wonderful about this experience was that I felt as if I had numerous mentors surrounding me, always ready to inform, guide and share their personal take on things.  I learned how these types of professional development programs are distinctly special as they uniquely fit the participants’ (mentor and mentoree’s) needs, personality, learning styles, expectations, and experiences. I learned genuinely that these types of programs are very, very important.

Week Two Thursday–Working through beats ... layering in physicalities ... finding moments when one character wins ... lots of play, lots of laughs ... production team paid a visit ...

Companies I’m sure would love -- but so rarely have the budget -- to fund such assistant positions.  They often rely on independent fundraising, or our various granting organizations and councils to help them.  Not long ago I made myself a list of deadlines for all of the emerging artists programs, opportunities and grants that I was able to apply for.  It is now over 25 lines long (and growing!)  It is becoming increasingly clear to me that, although I often feel eager and frustrated with my artistic struggle, I live in a country/province/community that is very willing to lend support.  People who have likely not met me are willing to donate time and funds so that I can attempt to pursue my endeavours with more ease and in a more fostering, organized atmosphere.  Sure it is competitive and often exhausting to apply for such programs, but at most we have the opportunity to do so.  I so often find myself forgetting this.  Thanks to the generosity of others, non-profit organizations, the lovely precedent set by the Massey family, councils, sponsorship, etc. we have legions of growing positions, programs, festivals and grants for emerging artists.  Thank you Theatre Ontario. Thank you to all the members, councils and individuals who contribute.  Thank you to the volunteers and employees.  Thank you…I had a wonderful five weeks.

Yours gratefully,
Tanya Smith