In Flanders Fields musical set for Calgary

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/06/24/lunchbox-theatre-season.html?ref=rss#ixzz0roI0zi7E

Cheers to 35 Years!

Mark your calendars and join us at the Auburn Saloon on Thursday, June 10, 2010 for a party in honour of Lunchbox Theatre’s 35th Anniversary, Cheers to 35 Years. Doors open at 7:30 pm for a night of fun, contests, raffles and a stroll down memory lane.

As part of the celebration that evening we are looking for people to share their recollections, memories, poignant moments or funny stories from Lunchbox Theatre. Each offering should be no more than two minutes long and there are a limited number of slots so it will be on a first come, first served basis. If you have a story to share and would like to participate please contact Pamela Halstead at pamela.halstead@lunchboxtheatre.com.

Lonely singles try cheating love
By LOUIS B. HOBSON - QMI Agency

CALGARY - With a shortened version of the off-Broadway musical This Could Be Love, Lunchbox Theatre is singing a tuneful goodbye to its 34th season of one-act plays.

This amazing record makes Lunchbox the longest-running noontime theatre in the world. Yes, in the world! There’s a great deal planned to celebrate Lunchbox’s landmark 35th season in the coming months and catching This Could Be Love will get you in the spirit.

It’s a whimsical musical about the pitfalls of falling in love. Written by Canadian Brock Simpson, it’s the story of a man (David Leyshon) and a woman (Lynley Hall) who are longtime losers in love.

They meet at a bar on a night both are stood up by their respective blind dates.

They are so fed up with being stood up they decide to cheat fate and be in love instead of trying to fall in love. That means they get drunk, get married, consummate the marriage and then try to balance hormones with emotions.

Needless to say, it’s a disaster, especially given they are polar opposites.

Simpson’s tunes and lyrics owe a great deal to Stephen Sondheim but, if you’re going to pay homage to someone, you might as well choose the best.

Leyshon and Hall are both dynamic singers, but it’s not until the late entry song Helsinki that Leyshon is allowed to bust loose and boy can this man sell a song. Hall has fun with a real tongue twister called I-Made-A-Mistake.

Director Glenda Stirling keeps the action moving much like a carousel, but it’s Terry Gunvordahl’s set that’s the stunner.

The whole set is a collection of suitcases that configure to make everything from beds and desks to chairs and dressers.

According to Simpson’s play, love is all about discarding one’s baggage which is why Gunvordahl’s suitcases work so well as a metaphor.

Read more: http://jam.canoe.ca/Theatre/Reviews/T/This_Could_Be_Love/2010/04/14/13577456-qmi.html

Throughout the run of Mr. Fix It, Lunchbox Theatre was running a draw with the Fairmont Palliser hotel next door.

In Mr. Fix It, Mel, the main character, is living in the Fairmont Palliser. So we thought, what better way to highlight the Palliser than to offer a stay at their swish establishment?!

Now that the run has completed, we have done the draw, and we’d like to congratulate Mr. Donald Cranston! He will be receiving a Friday or Saturday night stay in a Fairmont Gold guestroom.

To Donald and everyone who entered the draw: thank you very much for your support and we look forward to seeing you at the theatre for The Submarine!

Lunchbox Theatre will be holding auditions for Dream Vacation, a new musical by Jonathan Monro, with director Mark Bellamy on Thursday, June 18.

About Dream Vacation:
Three advertising executives win a dream vacation to Mexico that turns into a nightmare when they discover they are all trapped in a tacky hotel room while a hurricane rages out side. Dream Vacation runs November 23 – December 23, 2009 and rehearsals begin November 9.

Character Descriptions:
Norman: 30-40, Tenor
An advertising executive with Ace Advertising from Toronto, Norman is not thrilled to win a vacation to Mexico. Single, gay and slightly cynical, Norman would rather stay in Toronto but instead winds up trapped with two colleagues in a hotel room during a hurricane. Needs an actor with good comic timing.

Judd: 30-40, Baritone
An advertising executive with Ace Advertising from Calgary, Judd is a highly confident, super macho, alpha male. Proud of his gym body and his reputation as a lady’s man, Judd will go to any lengths to make this dream vacation work. Needs an actor with a strong physique and good comic timing.

Request an Audition:
To request an audition please forward a current theatrical resume and headshot to audition@lunchboxtheatre.com or the Lunchbox Theatre Box Office by Tuesday, June 16 at 4pm.

Those selected for an audition will be contacted on Wednesday, June 17 to schedule an audition. Please prepare one song and one monologue. Piano accompaniment will be provided.

Traditionally audience we ask them to sit in the dark quietly to laugh when it’s funny cry if it’s sad and clap at the end then leave. Hopefully they talk about the play afterwards and the theatre gets good word of mouth and that sell more seats and more people come in when it’s light, sit in the dark laugh if it’s funny cry if it’s sad and clap at the end.

That’s for a performance in the workshop process you have the option of just listened to the play but you are invited to respond in a different way by giving your feedback. Traditionally even though the art the play you see in not a static image we have expected you to remember all that you have seen and syntheses this and give us feedback at the end. That one way to gather information is there another way?

What if we invited the audience to give feedback while they were experience as they were experiencing it – what would that feedback look like? Fluid feedback rather than fixed feedback. How would fluid feedback be different from the completed considered feedback? Well, first as Calgary’s only professional lunchtime theatre we are in the unique position to explore this. Most theatre is in the evening and patrons don’t have to scurry back to the office. Our shows are with in a strict 45 minute parameter. Gathering feedback actively during the reading is a perfect fit for those who can’t stay for a traditional Q & A.

And so rather than sitting in the dark our lights are  half up in the house so that people can see to write and for those who like to communicate by keyboarding rather than using pencils we can include that feedback as well.

Because that’s whey we’re all here, in service to the play and the playwright.

Previously to this day, the playwright had something that they wanted to communicate – passionately with you the audience. So they wrote a play and submitted it along with many other people and were selected for development. We at the theatre saw some possibility and so we take a risk on it. So we hire the best actors we can find and the best directors. At first we read the play, then the dramaturg asks questions from a dramatic literary pov, the director form a directorial pov and the actors from the pov of the character. The actor’s job is to ask questions as well about their  characters, ot to analyze the text or criticize but simply to ask question, “why do I say this here? ““I left on page 3 here but now I’m in the closet with the tiger” “ how strongly do I react to the death of the parrot?”r This is enormously helpful to the playwright who then responds by answering these questions in subsequent drafts of the play.

We ask now that you join us as we move the play in development, from the private to the public. When the play is produced we will invite the critics for their pov Fortunately you are off the hook to act as critic. What we need form you are your questions- questions about the play and answers to the questions that the playwright has posed.

How will it change your experience of the reading to be writing or typing during it? How will the playwright use your feedback for the next stage of the process. We don’t know.

But how exciting to see. This is an experiment. We may not have enough data to form any conclusions but we have a working hypothesis and a willingness to take a risk.

Today we are gathered for the soul purpose to serve this play Emily and Roy, for Paul Kaufman. In play development, in this moment, right now, we make history, in this fluid feedback project, this a study in motion.

Caroline Russell-King

Some Helpful Guidelines

Theatres do not normally allow cell phones or laptops to be used during a performance. By inviting their use during today’s new play reading, what we are trying is a “theatrical experiment”.

Following the guidelines below will result in the most positive experience for everyone.

Courtesy:

• Please sit toward the back of the theatre so the glow of screens and typing movement is not in the line of sight of non-Twittering/blogging audience members.
• Please turn down the brightness of your screen and cover any external sources of light on your device to avoid distracting actors on stage.
• Please try to type as quietly as possible. If your device makes a noise when typing please disable that sound – including ringers or notifications.

Focus:

• Please do not let your writing interfere with your ability to listen to the actors and follow the story.

Dramaturgical Etiquette:

• Please word your comments respectfully.
• This is a reading of a play in development. It is not a production of a finished play. Please keep this in mind when commenting.
• Phrasing comments in the form of questions to the playwright are considered useful. Please word your comments in a helpful manner.
• The playwright has provided questions in the program they would like answered by audience members. Keeping these questions in mind when providing feedback will result in the most useful comments.
• Comments may be read online by theatre companies contemplating producing a re-written version of this script as a full-fledged play.
• Comments should focus on the story and what strikes a cord with you. Please focus comments on the script and characters rather than about actors or the staging.

Petro-Canada Stage One Literary Manager Caroline Russell-King and The Boiler Room playwright Allana Harkin appeared on CBC Radio One Calgary’s The Eyeopener with Jim Brown to talk about Lunchbox allowing live blogging/tweeting during two readings of Petro-Canada Stage One.

It was a great conversation because Allana is not 100% confident the process will be useful from a dramaturgical perspective. It’s certainly a controversal issue. Listen here for their conversation. (Real Audio file)

I have to admit that when DJ first brought up the idea of having two Petro-Canada Stage One readings open to twitterers and live bloggers I was more than a bit skeptical. I had a number of concerns. Primarily, as the stage manager of Emily & Roy, one of the shows going through the experiment, my concern was for the actors. Would having a house full of people using cell phones and electronic devices be distracting to the point of hindering them from accomplishing their artistic goals?  Further to that, I failed to see the artistic merit in performing such an experiment. I perceived the project to have somewhat of a “we will because we can” mentality.

What I failed to do was to take a moment and consider what this project could accomplish. One of the primary goals of the Petro-Canada Stage One festival is to use the public readings as a tool for the playwright to gauge audience feedback throughout their piece. At the end of the reading we collect written responses from the audience members as well as having a talk back session. However, both of these response mechanisms give a sampling of the audience feedback after they have completed their journey through the story. In other words the ending of the play is clouding their view of how they felt throughout the entirety of the piece.

Giving audience members the ability to express themselves continuously throughout the story allows for an unhindered insight into how the audience member reacted to each element of the story.  Coupling the timestamps on twitter and blog posts with the page timings  that I will be taking as stage manager, will allow the playwright to look at the audience conversation and tie their responses to specific moments in the play. Hopefully, this will serve the playwright as a tool, allowing the artist to transport the audience to exactly the right place to achieve their theatrical intention.

One of the aspects that stood in my way of grasping the project was that I failed to realize that the audience would not only be expressing their views to the internet at large, but they would be doing so in such a manner that would create a conversation between the audience members themselves. Through the use of twitter’s hash tags  the audience’s response will become a dialogue. Audience members will be able to contextualize the reactions of the people around them. Imagine an entire house having a silent conversation about what they are seeing in front of them, in real time, as it happens.

Going back to my original concern for the actors, as DJ Kelly wrote:

“I’d also like to note this is Lunchbox Theatre. We allow people to bring their lunch into the theatre. The rattling of that can be far more distracting than someone in the back row typing on their BlackBerry. Actors here operate in an environment expecting a certain level of distraction during their work.”

I’m really looking forward to this experience. I think that it is also great to see the debate that it has stirred up over the role of social media in the theatre. Granted, I don’t think anyone’s intention with this project is to see people blogging through every theatre show they go to see. However, it is a demonstration of the power of a new technology. This afternoon I will be having a conversation with the actors and director and I am very interested to hear their take on it all.

___________________________
Alec McCauley
Apprentice Stage Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION:  Artistic Director

Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary, AB is looking for an Artistic Director. Please find attached a full position description.

The closing date for applications is April 13, 2009 at 4pm. Please submit a cover letter with curriculum vitae (or resume with theatrical resume) to: “Lunchbox Theatre Artistic Director Search Committee”, either via regular mail (160 115 9 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0P5) or via email to ad.search@lunchboxtheatre.com.

More information about Lunchbox Theatre and our work can be found at www.lunchboxtheatre.com.

Primary Focus:
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Artistic Director is responsible for providing the artistic and executive direction as well as the administrative direction necessary for the successful operation of Lunchbox Theatre.

Reports to:
Executive Committee, Board of Directors

Specific Accountabilities:
Responsibilities include artistic programming and audience development, Board participation, fiscal management, fund development and ambassadorship. The Artistic Director communicates and reports to the Board of Directors, and specifically, the President on a regular basis.

1)     Artistic Direction
The Artistic Director identifies a philosophical and practical artistic mandate for Board approval and produces theatre according to this philosophy. The Artistic Director is responsible for:

•    mandate:

i.    ensuring that all productions are consistent with the aims and policies of the Theatre
ii.    making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding long range artistic policy
iii.    fostering and encouraging the continued growth and development of artistic excellence within the Theatre

•    season:

i.    selecting a season of varied plays which fulfills the Theatre’s mandate
ii.    scheduling rehearsals and auditions and working with the marketing coordinator to schedule photo calls
iii.    keeping abreast of theatre trends and activities locally, nationally and internationally, searching for new scripts, contacting playwrights and agents, successfully negotiating for rights in conjunction with the General Manager.
iv.    ensuring Stage One is programmed through democratic competition and ensures the program reaches across Canada. Approximately 20 per cent of the Artistic Director’s time is dedicated to Stage One.

•    Artistic personnel management:

i.    auditioning, interviewing and hiring all technical and artistic personnel (actors, designers, directors, musicians, stage management, composers, playwrights, etc.)
ii.    orienting all artistic and non-artistic personnel regarding the Theatre’s artistic goals and objectives
iii.    providing leadership through communication and cooperation among artistic personnel and staff
iv.    ensuring that guest directors adhere to the Theatre’s mandate

2) Liaison with Board of Directors
The Artistic Director participates at Board meetings as an ex-officio member and provides a written report including an evaluation of each production (within 60 days of the production’s conclusion.) The Artistic Director is a key member of Board Committees such as Finance, Fund Development, Facilities and any other committees as required by the Board. The Artistic Director is responsible for evaluating the degree to which the long-term artistic goals and objectives are being met, in conjunction with the Board of Directors.

In partnership with the General Manager, the Artistic Director is responsible for executing the strategic plan. They will together propose strategies to strengthen strategic direction and policy no less than annually.

2) Fiscal Management
The Artistic Director is responsible for ensuring the artistic areas of the budget are strictly adhered to and proactively managed. The annual budget will be prepared in conjunction with the General Manager and the Artistic Director’s proposed season will be vetted through the Finance Committee prior to artistic commitments being made.

The Artistic Director is responsible for artistic elements of grant applications. The Artistic Director fully supports and participates with the General Manager in fundraising initiatives and provides direction and support accordingly.

3) Marketing and Ambassadorship
The Artistic Director will play a leadership role in promoting Lunchbox Theatre. S/he will build positive relationships with funding sources, sponsors, patrons, employees, performing arts groups, volunteers and other stakeholders. The Artistic Director is also responsible for:

•    conveying to the marketing coordinator the essence and theme of the productions
•    providing appropriate background materials for the marketing coordinator to prepare all necessary advertising and news releases as required by the marketing plan
•    participating in all interviews, photo sessions, meetings and adhering to time deadlines and budgets as required by the marketing plan
•    assisting the marketing coordinator in developing the artistic elements of the marketing plan for productions