Artistic Endeavors: Performing Arts at Canadore

Theatre Arts students are gearing up for another season of Rep 21, Canadore’s repertory theatre company, with this year’s dynamic lineup of plays.

Rep 21 is the culmination of two years of intense training. Students rehearse selected plays in their second and final year, and prepare to perform in front of live audiences after graduation. The season runs for two weeks in North Bay in July, followed by one week in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille.

“This is excellent exposure for the students to be able to perform in an established theatre in downtown Toronto for industry professionals,” said Rod Carley, coordinator of the Theatre Arts program and artistic director of Rep 21.

This year’s line-up features well-known plays and themes sure to put the actors' training to the test. The company will be showcasing Macbeth, The Donnellys and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

“I try to choose contemporary material that is provocative, relevant and provides challenging roles for our young actors. “It is important to select scripts that showcase their skills,” said Carley.

The Theatre Arts program is a three year program condensed into two. Students, who come to the program from across the province, are trained in voice, speech, movement, acting fundamentals, modern and Canadian scene study, dance, clowning, singing, Shakespeare, musical theatre, acting for the camera, stage combat, acting for radio and animation voice-over.

Carley describes the program as acting boot camp.

“The students live and breathe the program and by not having the summers off, which is more akin to the real acting world, they don't have the chance to let their skills get rusty,” he said.

Students also take courses in playwriting and have to write their own one-person shows prior to graduation.

“We are training actors to have their own self-motivated, entrepreneurial drive to create their own work,” said Carley.

Graduates of the program have gone to work in film and television, and some have even started their own theatre companies, like 2007 graduates Jennifer Carroll and Rodney Roy who formed The Organic Theatre Collective. The company will present the premiere of Roy's new play His Imposing Visage at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto this April.

“I have grown and changed more within my time at Canadore than I feel I have in my entire life. The program has allowed me to expand my mind, body and emotional capacity further than I ever thought possible," said Carroll.

Theatre Arts students are gearing up for another season of Rep 21, Canadore’s repertory theatre company, with this year’s dynamic lineup of plays.

Rep 21 is the culmination of two years of intense training. Students rehearse selected plays in their second and final year, and prepare to perform in front of live audiences after graduation. The season runs for two weeks in North Bay in July, followed by one week in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille.

“This is excellent exposure for the students to be able to perform in an established theatre in downtown Toronto for industry professionals,” said Rod Carley, coordinator of the Theatre Arts program and artistic director of Rep 21.

This year’s line-up features well-known plays and themes sure to put the actors' training to the test. The company will be showcasing Macbeth, The Donnellys and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

“I try to choose contemporary material that is provocative, relevant and provides challenging roles for our young actors. “It is important to select scripts that showcase their skills,” said Carley.

The Theatre Arts program is a three year program condensed into two. Students, who come to the program from across the province, are trained in voice, speech, movement, acting fundamentals, modern and Canadian scene study, dance, clowning, singing, Shakespeare, musical theatre, acting for the camera, stage combat, acting for radio and animation voice-over.

Carley describes the program as acting boot camp.

“The students live and breathe the program and by not having the summers off, which is more akin to the real acting world, they don't have the chance to let their skills get rusty,” he said.

Students also take courses in playwriting and have to write their own one-person shows prior to graduation.

“We are training actors to have their own selfmotivated, entrepreneurial drive to create their own work,” said Carley.

Graduates of the program have gone to work in film and television, and some have even started their own theatre companies, like 2007 graduates Jennifer Carroll and Rodney Roy who formed The Organic Theatre Collective. The company will present the premiere of Roy's new play His Imposing Visage at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto this April.

“I have grown and changed more within my time at Canadore than I feel I have in my entire life. The program has allowed me to expand my mind, body and emotional capacity further than I ever thought possible," said Carroll.

“We are training actors to have their own selfmotivated, entrepreneurial drive to create their own work.” - Rod Carley