NEWS & EVENTS

SPRING FESTIVAL 2010

ABORIGINAL PLAYWRIGHTS CIRCLE

PLAYWRIGHTS COLONY

SPC NATIONAL EXCHANGE

PROGRAM

PLAYWORKS NEWSLETTERS

SPC Memberships Due

SPC memberships are due on August 1 of each calendar year.

Send your cheque to SPC at:
P.O. Box 3092
Saskatoon, SK S7K 3S9

Playwright members: $25
Associate members: $15

Spring Festival 2010 participantsSpring Festival 2010 participants announced!

A History of Breathing by Daniel Macdonald
Gordon Winter by Kenneth Williams
Gaudeamus by Margo Regan
Really Crude Morally Bankrupt Artistically Devoid But Not Pornographic Crappy Play by Jarrett Rusnak
Balance of Power by B.D. Miller
A Place in the Shade by R. A. McLean

For more information: SPRING FESTIVAL 2010

The Spring Festival of New Plays will take place May 16-22, 2010 at the University of Regina, Riddell Centre

All staged readings are open to the public.

Colleen Murphy is Festival Dramaturg for Spring Festival 2010

Colleen Murphy was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec and grew up in Northern Ontario. Her play The December Man (L’homme de décembre) won the 2007 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, the 2008 Canadian Authors Association/Carol Bolt Award for Drama and the 2006 Enbridge playrites Award. Other plays include Beating Heart Cadaver (nominated for a 1999 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, and a Chalmers Award for Best New Play), The Piper, Down in Adoration Falling and All Other Destinations are Cancelled. She won awards in the CBC Literary Competition for the radio dramas Fire-Engine Red and Pumpkin Eaters. In 2008 Colleen was short-listed for the Siminovitch Prize in Theatre. Currently she is Playwright-in-Residence for Tapestry New Opera Works in Toronto where she is finishing the libretto for a five act opera for Edmonton born composer Aaron Gervais, titled The Enslavement and Liberation of Oksana G. Colleen is writing a large work for the National Arts Centre English Theatre and in 2008, she won a commission from the Banff 75th Anniversary Playwriting Competition for her play on war. Colleen is also an award winning filmmaker and her distinct films have played in festivals around the world. They include Putty Worm (93), The Feeler (95), Shoemaker (96), Desire (00), War Holes (02), Girl with Dog (05) and Out In The Cold (08).

Aboriginal Playwrights Circle Reading

The SPC Aboriginal Playwriting program provides support and mentorship to emerging Aboriginal writers in both the north and the south of the province.

This year's 2nd Aboriginal Playwrights Circle featured excerpts from the newest works of participants. Readings took place at the Refinery on Sunday, March 21, 2010.

Aboriginal playwrights from Saskatoon and Regina that premiered portions of their new works:

Fragile by Jennifer Bishop

The Beaten Path by Simantha Whitecalf

Prairie Song by Pauline Whitehead.

SPC National Exchange Program

SPC member JENNIFER WYNNE WEBBER has been chosen to attend the SPC National Exchange Program (PARC) Playwrights Colony in Sackville, New Brunswick.

As part of Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre's National Exchange initiative, one SPC member will have the opportunity to attend the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre’s (PARC) annual Playwrights Colony in Sackville,New Brunswick from May 16-30, 2010.

PARC’s Colony provides playwrights from across the Atlantic region with an opportunity to get away from daily distractions and to focus on developing a new script with the support of actors and dramaturgical input.

The dramaturgs at this years Colony are Linda Moore, Kim McCaw and PARC ’s Artistic Director, Jenny Munday. The first week of the Colony is for writers to work exclusively with dramaturgs on their plays in focused environment. During the second week, a company of actors will be available to provide readings and feedback. On June 8th, Live Bait Theatre will host an evening of public readings by both Colony participants and other local writers. The Colony will be hosted on the Mount Allison University campus in a lovely heritage home, which will serve as residence for both playwrights and dramaturgs over the two weeks.

All travel accommodation and dramaturgical costs will be provided.

Submissions can be completed drafts or pitches for projects yet to be written. Projects should have a maximum of 4-5 characters. This opportunity is for text-based work only. Sorry no musicals or performer creations this time round.

Please send a draft and/or treatment and writing sample (15pgs), a biography and a one-page statement reviewing the reasons why you would like to attend the PARC Colony. Make sure tell us how this opportunity will assist you with the development of your play.

SPC ’s dramaturgical committee will provide PARC with a short list of candidates and PARC will make the final decision.

Please send your digital submissions by e-mail:

Deadline March 15, 2010 4PM

Send all submissions to:
sk.playwrights@sasktel.net