June 2011Issue 5 What’s inside:

Ryan Craig on Our Class .............!...........Theatre Creators’ Reserve"

...........................In Development!.........................Our Class, Take 2!

..........Reaching into Classrooms!..........................Audience Corner!

...................2011/12 Sneak Peak!

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THEATRE THAT PROVOKES PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND PROMOTES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT www.studio180theatre.com

There’s a contradiction in live performance that fuels much of what we do at Studio 180. While!the intimacy of the shared experience makes each night a localized phenomenon, confined to a specific space and time, the work we do also allows us to share stories with a global perspective that reach far beyond the theatre. In this issue we explore notions of immediacy and universality as we say goodbye to one season and look forward to another year of intimate examinations of the world around us.

A Messa" from Our Core A#$tic Team

PARADE WRAP-UPThe long-anticipated Canadian premiere of Parade, co-presented with Acting Up Stage, enthralled audiences and recently garnered Dora Award nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Male Performance (by Daren A. Herbert). Congratulations to the entire team for the well deserved nods and many thanks to our audiences for embracing a piece that so boldly challenges conventional notions of musical theatre. [See comments on P4 ]

RYAN CRAIG ON OUR CLASS As our second offering of the 2010/11 season, STUDIO 180 presented the North American

premiere of OUR CLASS, by Polish playwright Tadeusz Slobozianek, in an English language version by British!playwright Ryan Craig.

The!production earned great acclaim, a!recently announced Dora nomination for its

stellar ensemble, support from the Polish government and a visit from Slobodzianek!

While we didn't have a chance to meet Ryan#Craig in person, we did chat with him during rehearsals about his role in the process and what it meant to create an “English

version” of this powerful Polish script. Based on questions that arose during post-show talkbacks, we thought you’d like to hear what#he had to say: here’s a playwright’s perspective on the dark chapter of history explored in the play, and some

insight into how Our Class made its way to the English stage.Our Class is based on events in Jedwabne, Poland, where on July 10,

1941, up to 1,600#Jews were massacred in a pogrom that was attributed to the Nazis for decades. In 2001, inspired by#a controversial television documentary, historian Jan T. Gross published Neighbours, a book that called into question

the degree of German participation and revealed that the perpetrators were in fact non-Jewish citizens of the town. The play, in turn inspired by the book, explores the events leading up to the pogrom and its lasting repercussions by following the fortunes of 10 one-time classmates (five Jewish and five Catholic) from 1925 right up until the start of this new century.

Remarkably, Craig’s adaptation represented the world premiere of the play, running at the National Theatre in London, England, from September 2009 to January 2010. In#the storm of controversy over its story, Nasza Klasa, Slobodzianek’s Polish version, waited until October 2010 for its premiere in#Warsaw. [See P2 ]

The ensemble of Parade. See more pictures in our online Gallery, at www.studio180theatre.com. Photo by John Karastamatis.

Tadeusz Slobodzianek

Ryan Craig

April 7, 2011, opening. Playwright Tadeusz Slobodzianek and Kartazyna Kurylonska, visiting from Poland, talk with Studio 180 Artistic Director and Director of Our Class Joel Greenberg. Photo by Luke Correia-Damude.

THEATRE CREATORS’ RESERVEFor our second year in a row, STUDIO!180 was a recommender for the Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC’s) Theatre Creators’ Reserve (TCR). Under the program, theatre creators apply to companies like ours – which have been chosen to make suggestions to the OAC – for funding to help create new work. Projects range from unexplored ideas to scripts that are further along in their development. The funding serves to “buy time” for artists to write and/or research. STUDIO 180 chooses from proposals that reinforce our commitment to socially relevant theatre that provokes discourse and promotes engagement. The#four projects we recommended this year take on big questions from all over the world, often from an outsider’s point of view…

The Good Work of Armando the Apostle Marie Beath Badian “I am exploring what allows us to turn a hostage taker into a hero by examining two separate crises in Manila, Philippines.”

Small Soldiers Jenn Buffett “I’m looking at the resiliency of children of war who are put in the most traumatic of situations and the liberal guilt that leads us (with, I hope, the best intentions) to help.”!

The Peace Maker Natasha Greenblatt “Through the story of one woman’s journey from Israel to Palestine, I!hope to untangle some of the contradictory emotions of a North!American Jew deep inside!the conflict.”

Redway, California Jonathan Seinen “In a time when much of our food is wrapped in plastic and better travelled than me, the goal is to get my hands dirty and bring to the theatre a discussion about our relationship with the planet, in!an effort to discover a more responsible and better connected way forward.”

[ RYAN CRAIG, from P1]

Craig was quick to point out the delicate balance between fact and truth in an historical drama: “One of the strengths of the text is that it doesn’t refer to Jedwabne by name – it#doesn’t refer to the specific village it’s talking about so it’s allowed to be more

universal than just a documentary. I#believe through fiction, through storytelling, you can#get closer to the truth and the meaning of historical events than you can by just presenting a sort of factually driven investigation into what happened.”

Craig worked from a literal translation of the original script. We asked him how, as an accomplished playwright in his

own right, he#balanced honouring the original with bringing his own theatrical voice into the piece: “Well, it’s a difficult question to answer. I#felt as though I had to be free to take liberties with the text but also try and stay faithful to the meaning – the sense of it. The truth of it… I#think the Polish

text originally was quite neutral. I#think [Slobodzianek] wanted to find a

neutral language. You know, very spare language, so that it had a sort of punchy, unflowery feel to it…

But I#think to be too spare in#English might have been too empty or weightless, so#I wanted to find a way that the rhythm would allow us to get into the emotional bit without being too florid… I#would add

things to make it sound more conversational. Even though there’s a lot of direct address in the play, I wanted it to be quite intimate so the

characters are talking to you – quite intimately to a single person, you know what I mean? So that it didn’t feel declamatory.”

The intimacy and urgency with which Our!Class’s

characters are compelled to tell their stories is central to the play’s humanity. “You’re presented with so much stuff,” says Craig, “so many facts because it covers such a long period of time and such extraordinary moments in the history of these people’s lives. It#feels like a litany of horrors sometimes but it’s much more human than that. It’s much

more#complex.” It was this complexity that drew Craig to the play after

some initial reticence. “When [the National Theatre] first suggested the play to me, when they were describing it, I thought, ‘Oh#no I can’t do

another one, another Holocaust play.’ I just really felt as though I had been writing myself into a corner. But when I read it, I realized that this was a very different piece of work… it feels more universal than just talking about the Holocaust – it feels as though this is a play

about humanity itself. It#takes what happened to those people in that village, and I think it could apply to almost any conflict. Yet it’s extremely specific about those people and that class. I think that combination of the specific#and the universal is what makes Our Class

a great piece of art.”

Jenn delivers donations to an IDP!(internally displaced persons) camp in Kenya.

Natasha at Israel’s Wall in the West Bank.

Jonathan’s aunt’s property in Northern California, where she subsists off the grid and Jonathan will research his play.

The Iwahig Penal Colony in the Philippines. This high security jail is the setting for Scene 1 of Marie Beath’s piece.

Rehearsal for Studio 180’s production of Our#Class, with Director Joel Greenberg. Photo!by Stage Manager Robert Harding.

“Superb theatre! Brilliant performances! Joel!Greenberg’s staging and the work of his entire cast are excellent!” TORONTO STAR

“The place was packed… and you!could have heard a pin drop. A!compelling, moving, soul-shaking production! Theatre at its best!”THESLOTKINLETTER.COM

“Mesmerizing! Joel Greenberg’s cast is a true ensemble.”NOW MAGAZINE

“Tremendously powerful! Heart-rending… Necessary viewing!”EYE WEEKLY

“Daring… gripping play! The acting ensemble brims with talent. Director Joel Greenberg is a storytelling wizard.”GLOBE & MAIL

“Powerful! Outstanding! Remarkable! Amazing! An!emotional evening… Theatre at its best.”MOONEYONTHEATRE.COM

Despite his concerns, Craig was drawn in by his own connection to story. “I’m#from a Jewish community in London so those are

the kind of roots I’m interested in mining, my#own roots… It was quite a personal connection. They handed me the literal translation and said, ‘Can you do this?’ and I#was about halfway through it when I

thought, ‘Yeah – this is definitely for me.’ I#just connected with the character of Menachem [played by Alex Poch-Goldin in our production], which was really

what did it for me. It#was the fact that he was such an interesting, ambiguous

character and the kind of character that I’d been struggling with in What We Did to Weinstein [which premiered in 2005 at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London]. He’s#morally complex as a character#– as a Jewish character. Not the kind of Jewish character we often see, which I’ve described as either baking bread or being killed.”

It seems fitting that Craig, a Jewish playwright, and Slobodzianek, a Roman

Catholic playwright, should combine their talents to create a drama based on tensions between those very same groups. Craig spoke at length about the collaboration. “The#first thing that happened was that I and the director [of the National Theatre’s production, Bijan Sheibani] met Tadeusz and asked him some fundamental questions, just to talk about his life and his process of writing and what he was trying to achieve…

We#literally asked him questions all day for about four days, and then I went off and did a first stab, which we then worked on with the actors… Tadeusz himself was rewriting as we were rewriting so there was a little bit of to-ing and fro-ing when he wanted to make changes and we would have to go through the process of translation and then rewriting again. It was an ongoing process. He was very much involved in our production – it#was

a constant conversation.”As to what drew STUDIO 180 to this inspired collaboration... it#is a controversial,

issue-based ensemble drama that uses direct address and is steeped in living history#– hallmarks of the plays we’ve been attracted to in the past. But its haunting, spare and poetic structure demanded a production that was both boldly theatrical and intimate

beyond anything we had done to date, challenging us to break new ground – from our approaches to storytelling and staging down to the venue’s seating plan. And, of course, the issue at the play’s heart is potent: Our Class forces us to ask difficult questions of our neighbours and ourselves. That’s something that has always interested#us.

This production was very special for us, and we thank you, our supporters and

audience, for your continued feedback and for being an integral part of the experience. !

IN DEVELOPMENTWe’ve commissioned Hannah Moscovitch to create a play for STUDIO 180. Theatre-goers have#long been impressed by Hannah’s talent. Her#plays – Essay, The Russian Play,

East of Berlin, The Children’s Republic and The Huron Bride – have been produced across the country and have won multiple Dora Awards. She has been nominated for the Governor General’s Award, the Carol Bolt Award and the international Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. We at STUDIO#180 have been so impressed with Hannah that we’ve spent years seeking a mutually exciting project.

The upcoming work is loosely inspired by the 2007 murder of Mississauga teenager Aqsa Parvez. Hannah says, “the commission explores how the tension between freedom and culture can turn violent. The story is a domestic tragedy: a headstrong, rowdy girl and her traditional father battle it out in Toronto’s West End.”

Visit our website to learn more about this developing work.

Hannah!Moscovitch

The same scene on stage – the ensemble recites “The Marshall’s Heart” by Marcin Wicha. Photo by John Karastamatis.

what critics said about STUDIO 180’s production of our class

OUR CLASS, TAKE 2 ... AN ASIDEWhen we started STUDIO#180 in 2002, it#was with the intention of reuniting some of the talents we first met in school. Our co-founders share roots at the University of Waterloo (UW) where we were drama students together, or, in#the case of Joel Greenberg, faculty. Our!Class – a play about 10#one-time classmates – happened to feature four actual former classmates. Ensemble members Jonathan Goad (Zygmunt), Mark McGrinder (Wladek), Kimwun Perehinec (Zocha) and Dylan Roberts (Heniek) have been friends for more than 15 years. It was an extraordinary pleasure to collaborate again, under the guidance of our former teacher.

What can you look forward to next year? Here’s the word on our 2011/12 season. First up in October, we present THE NORMAL HEART by Larry Kramer, in association with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. This landmark play about love, loss and AIDS in the 1980s chronicles the rise of the AIDS crisis in New York City. Then, April 2012 marks our next installment with Canadian Stage as part of the Berkeley Street Project initiative. Look forward to the Canadian premiere of the Pulitzer Prize–winning comedy CLYBOURNE PARK, by Bruce Norris. A battle over race and real estate rages across two generations in a Chicago neighbourhood in this hilariously unsettling play inspired by A Raisin in the Sun. Look for more details at www.studio180theatre.com and in our next newsletter.

reaching into classroomsOur education initiative is now in year two. With the support of the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, without which none of this would be possible, we continue to pilot workshops for Drama and Social Science students. Last year we visited Streetsville Secondary School in the Peel District School board, working with one Drama class and teacher Marsha Legault.

This April/May, STUDIO 180’s artist educators worked with two Streetsville classes: Marsha’s Grade#11 Drama and Greg Turner’s Grade#12 World Issues. Sessions were tied to Our!Class.

Greg teaches Geography, Biology and#World Issues, and using theatre approaches in class was new to Greg and to many of his students. So why did he want to try our workshop? “I#have found that although there are some really great books and movies about social issues, students are still disconnected from them, as they have a hard time putting themselves in other people’s shoes.” That’s exactly what we encourage them to do in our sessions, which aim to humanize social and political issues.

Also, Greg estimated that 90% of his students had never been to a professional production, and he looked forward to introducing them to Toronto theatre!

This year in class, we delved into some of the biggest ideas in Our Class, starting with questions of responsibility, power and identity. We challenged students to express their values, and articulate the questions this play inspired them to ask. In#each class we pursued one big question: the Drama students settled on, “Is survival more important than doing the right thing?” In World Issues, the question was, “Is it right to retaliate against hate with more hate?”

These excellent questions led to deeper exploration with amazing results... Students first created characters with a strong opinion about the question, and then improvised scenes in which this view#was challenged. These#were difficult ideas to tackle, and we were inspired by our students’ energetic and insightful work, and ability to explore and invest in points of view other than their own.

As we shape the program, we’ve had help#from a strong advisory committee of#teachers, administrators and arts educators. Many thanks to Robin Crocker, Karen Gilodo, Patty Jarvis, Rob Kempson, Marsha Legault, Alicia Roberge and Sally Spofforth for their continued guidance. And welcome to Greg Turner.

To learn more about this initiative and opportunities for participation, please write to jessica@studio180theatre.com.

Twelfth Night at UW: (back) Jonathan Goad, Dylan Roberts; (middle) Kimwun Perehinec, Penney Talbot-Shore, Mark McGrinder; (front)Joel Harris. Directed by Joel Greenberg.

We invite you to share your feedback. Please write to us at info@studio180theatre.com or on Facebook.

What people had to say about Parade:

“First rate musical theatre talent... I!wish that there were more of this challenging material in the city.” Susan J.

“Another superb production! The pre-show chat was excellent. It provided a valuable introduction and context for the show! Keep!up the terrific work!” Harold P.

“Brilliant cast, powerful play.”! Richard F.

“Beautiful, brilliantly directed and performed. Incredibly moving and!powerful. Bravo!”! Janna P.

Responses to Our Class:

“I was touched and inspired... The entire show and!everyone behind it, THUMBS!UP!” Josephine V.

“I experienced viscerally the tensions!that can exist when people come face to face with fear, hatred, oppression, privilege and power. You!handled this very challenging material with grace and respect... I!was profoundly moved.” James M. “Provocative and thought-provoking... it has often been a topic!of conversation since I attended its performance. Well!done.” Jane O.

audience corner

The!rehearsal hall at the Berkeley Street Theatre was filled!with familiar faces for STUDIO!180’s first Season Launch Party on October 27, 2010. We plan to make this an annual affair, to bring donors, company alumni and other supporters together.

Pictured above are STUDIO!180 Board Chair Rick Archbold (right) and audience member Barbara Hewett, winner of a draw prize – two tickets to a production at the Shaw Festival. PHOTO BY Nicolett Jakab.

2011/12

GETTING OUR NEWSWe’ve changed our approach to distributing news. As!a benefit, donors at the $180+ level receive a mailed issue of STUDIO 180’s biannual newsletter – like this one, our newsletters give you a chance to “go backstage” and learn more about the people and players involved with our company. A PDF version will always be available on our website for download (under News & Events), so feel free to share! Please also consider joining our e-mail list, if!you haven’t already. Our occasional bulletins will help keep you in the loop when we host special events, open shows or have tips to share (like discount offers!).

Our history – Launched in 2003 with the#Canadian premiere of#The!Laramie Project, STUDIO#180 is dedicated to introducing Toronto audiences to socially relevant theatre that provokes public discourse and promotes community engagement. Our#reputation, earned through a series of acclaimed productions, has led to exciting theatrical partnerships that help us reach#the widest possible audience.

Our commitment – We are committed to providing powerful experiences that examine ever-changing ideas about our world and invite audiences to analyze and explore with us.

Our request – If you believe that live theatre offers a unique opportunity for engagement and dialogue, then we ask for your support. To those who already give, we offer our sincere thanks.

Your donation enables Studio 180 to –• Ensure that young people are given tools for exploring the issues and themes in our productions through our education initiatives"• Continue to present relevant theatre with an impact in today’s world• Create opportunities for Canadian artists

Benefits of donation – We are grateful for any and all support. For contributions of $20+, donors receive a tax receipt, and will be acknowledged in house programs unless they have asked to remain anonymous. Donors#of $180+ are invited to special events such as readings and workshops and receive STUDIO#180’s biannual newsletter by mail.

Studio 180 Core Artistic TeamJoel Greenberg, ARTISTIC DIRECTORDerrick ChuaJessica GreenbergMark McGrinderKimwun Perehinec

General ManagerKesta Graham

Audience Development Kristina McNamee

Studio 180 Board of DirectorsRichard Archbold, CHAIRColleen BlakeRachel Busbridge, TREASURERMarcia McClungWilliam (Bill) PooleJennifer Reynolds, SECRETARYMarlene SmithAriane Stren

Please join our e-mail list at WWW.STUDIO180THEATRE.COM

or follow us on FACEBOOK or TWITTER!

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