Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

Nightwood’s vision: To be the gateway, propelling women to the top of their craft in Canadian Theatre. Founded in 1979 Nightwood Theatre forges creative alliances among women artists from diverse backgrounds to develop and produce innovative Canadian Theatre. We produce original Canadian plays and works from the contemporary international repertoire. We advocate for women, provide a training ground for emerging talent, and engage artists in play creation and theatre production. We make theatre that is relevant, that awakens a new perspective, and promotes empathy and a deeper connection to our humanity.

History of Organization

Nightwood Theatre is the oldest professional women’s theatre company in Canada. Founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe and Maureen White, the early work was often devised through the collective creation of its founders. In the early 80’s, this mandate grew to a more encompassing vision of support for the larger community of Canadian female theatre practitioners. In 1982, the company initiated FemCab: The Five Minute Feminist Cabaret, a celebration of International Women’s Day, bringing a broader community of women into the fold. In 1985, under the leadership of Mary Vingoe, Nightwood presented the inaugural Groundswell Festival of New Work by Women, which is now a cornerstone of play development for the company.  In 1988, Kate Lushington was named Artistic Director and during her tenure forged alliances into culturally diverse communities, which has continued as a core value of the company. In 1994, Alisa Palmer took the helm.  During her tenure, Nightwood launched Write from the Hip in 2000, a youth training program for emerging playwrights. In 2001, when Kelly Thornton began her tenure, she expanded the Groundswell Festival to include a Playwright’s Unit, and created several programs aimed at opening the doors of Nightwood to younger generations of women including our Internship and Apprenticeship program, and the Emerging Actors Program.

Accolades and Accomplishments

Nightwood plays have won Canada’s highest literary and performing arts honours, including Governor General, Chalmers, Dora and Trillium Awards. In addition to our successes on the stage, Nightwood Theatre has always had development and mentorship as a key pillar of our activities and one that provides a fundamental service to the community of young female artists pursuing careers in the arts. Kelly Thornton, Nightwood’s Artistic Director, was recognized in 2008 with a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for her contribution to the advancement of women in the artistic field through training and mentorship.

Programs

>Internships and Apprenticeships
>Write from the Hip
>Emerging Actors Program

In addition to our theatre productions Nightwood runs a youth and training component which includes Internships, Write from the Hip and the Emerging Actor Program.

Internships and Apprenticeships

Each month Nightwood receives dozens of requests for internships or apprenticeship opportunities. In 2008 we formalized our program; this included creating a number of set positions throughout the year which could be filled with skilled interns and apprentices.  The internships and apprenticeships are generally in the areas of design, directing, production and administration.

Over the past few years many of our intern/apprentices have graduated to paid positions within the organization. 

We maintain an email database of nearly 500 names that we email out to with requests for submissions.  This database has become a known entity in the community and we are often contacted by other organizations to email out their opportunities as well.

Funding and Program Partners

The RBC Foundation has been a generous supporter of Nightwood’s Youth Initiatives and Training Programs since 2008. 

Program Impact

Three success stories include: 

• Elaine Wong, the Apprentice Lighting Designer for Bear with Me in 2009 became our Youth Programs Assistant the following summer through the Canada Summer Jobs Program
• Ashley Westlake, an Apprentice Stage Manager for two of our mainstage productions and the Producing Intern in 2009 took on the mammoth task of Stage Managing our Lawyer Show this year
• Sandra Henderson who was the Apprentice Lighting Designer on our 2010 production of The List will take the reigns as the Production Manager for our new play development festival in the fall of 2011.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“Cities alive with culture attract creative people. And people in creative occupations stimulate the creative economy (one based not on the production of goods and services so much as on the creation and transfer of intellectual property). The City of Toronto’s plan to build cultural capacity – growing the creative sectors, and supporting lively cultural expression at the neighbourhood level, is based on the conviction that creativity is the basis of a strong and prosperous City.”  (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

From Sandra Henderson:

Apprenticing with Nightwood was a great experience. The  creative team was knowledgeable and open, and the caliber of the work was fantastic. Nightwood provides a unique environment for creative growth, allowing interns a creative voice. This opportunity is what you make of it - and the Nightwood team perpetually encourages you to make the most of it.

Write from the Hip

Write from the Hip, Nightwood’s emerging playwriting program, is in its 12^th year. Write from the Hip is a series of workshops, mentoring and hands-on seminars in writing skills and professional play development, specifically designed for emerging playwrights looking to develop and write a full-length play.  Each participant completes a full-length play over the course of a year. The play is then workshopped and staged in a public reading series. Participants meet bi-weekly for the first four months, and then have sessions throughout the year leading up to the final staged reading.  Past mentors have included: D’bi Young, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Judith Thompson, Claudia Dey, Morwyn Brebner, Florence Gibson, Iris Turcott, Marjorie Chan and Lisa Codrington. In the past Write From The Hip directors have included Yvette Nolan, Weyni Mengesha, Jennifer Tarver and Nina Lee Aquino. 

Funding and Program Partners

The RBC Foundation has been a generous supporter of Nightwood’s Youth Initiatives and Training Programs since 2008. 

Program Impact

Nightwood Theatre has a long history of producing socially relevant, provocative theatre. Mentorship is a key component at Nightwood Theatre and one that provides a fundamental service to the community of young female artists pursuing careers in professional theatre. Our vision is to be a gateway for women in Canadian Theatre, propelling them to the top of their craft. Nightwood Theatre embraces cultural, racial, and sexual diversity.

The Write from the Hip program is a valuable experience for emerging playwrights.  Nightwood’s creative team mentors and guides the emerging writers, providing them with tools required to write a fully developed play. 

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“Cities alive with culture attract creative people. And people in creative occupations stimulate the creative economy (one based not on the production of goods and services so much as on the creation and transfer of intellectual property). The City of Toronto’s plan to build cultural capacity – growing the creative sectors, and supporting lively cultural expression at the neighbourhood level, is based on the conviction that creativity is the basis of a strong and prosperous City.”  (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Emerging Actors Program

The Emerging Actors Program provides an opportunity for actors at the beginning of their careers to network, hone skills in play development, and work alongside established theatre professionals, while developing new works for the stage.  Emerging Actors participate in a series of workshops for plays in development. Furthermore, all participants are cast in at least one Write from the Hip reading, working alongside professional actors and directors.  The Emerging Actors Program creates a profile for Nightwood as a professional gateway to a national audience of emerging artists. 

Emerging Actor alumni include graduates and students from many theatre schools including the National Theatre School, Ryerson Theatre School, Humber College Theatre School, George Brown Theatre School, U of T’s Erindale/Sheridan Theatre Program, and the U of T’s University College Drama Program.

Funding and Program Partners

The RBC Foundation has been a generous supporter of Nightwood’s Youth Initiatives and Training Programs since 2008. 

Program Impact

Networking is vital for those working in the arts and can be particularly difficult for artists who are entering the field.  The Emerging Actors Program enables the young actors to network with each other, with the Write from the Hip writers, and with established theatre professionals, while they improve their skills and participate in the play development process. This program allows emerging actors to work in a professional environment and helps to catapult participants into a vibrant career in theatre. 

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“Cities alive with culture attract creative people. And people in creative occupations stimulate the creative economy (one based not on the production of goods and services so much as on the creation and transfer of intellectual property). The City of Toronto’s plan to build cultural capacity – growing the creative sectors, and supporting lively cultural expression at the neighbourhood level, is based on the conviction that creativity is the basis of a strong and prosperous City.”  (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)