I found myself grinning madly one morning as I sat at the kitchen table reading this article in the Ottawa Citizen. Peter Simpson writes about the huge leaps in Ottawa’s music, visual arts, and cuisine culture over the last decade, proud that this city is finally beginning to shake off its reputation of being boring. Finally!
The article, however, does not touch on the vast changes made in Ottawa’s theatre community. So I thought I would give a little decade sum-up of my own.
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National Arts Centre
As Canada’s capital, Ottawa is both blessed and cursed with a national mandate and reputation. Our larger museums, orchestras, and theatres are all national and hire artists from across the country, which means many of the locals get left out of the mix. Back in 2000, the National Arts Centre had been around for three decades, and the Great Canadian Theatre Company (ne 1975) had also become a staple in the community. Many of our home-grown actors/directors/writers felt the need to leave Ottawa and head out to Toronto, Montreal, and other big cities to pursue a career in the arts.
Pierre Brault in Blood on the Moon
A few dedicated individuals decided to start up theatre companies of their own to provide work for themselves and for other theatre professionals in the city. Vision Theatre was created in 2000, followed by Third Wall Theatre Company in 2001: both present masterpieces of the world stage, though Vision focuses mainly on contemporary work, and they hire locals as much as possible. Sleeping Dog Theatre (Pierre Brault’s company) got its start in the Ottawa Fringe Festival, and soon after had its first work “Blood on the Moon” presented in the National Arts Centre’s studio season; that work and subsequent others have toured extensively over the last decade.
In 2003, the NAC also played an important role in the creation of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival, a 10-day event that takes place in Ottawa every other year (and in a different Canadian city on alternating years) and presents the best of contemporary theatre in Canada. It also has a major industry aspect, with panels, tea with the artists, meet and greets, lectures, and more. The first Artistic Director was Mary Vingoe, and since 2008, Ken Cameron has taken the lead. The “Scenes” (Atlantic Scene, Alberta Scene, Quebec Scene, and BC Scene) were also created in 2003.
John P. Kelly moved from Ireland to Ottawa with the view of directing contemporary Irish works. He started up his own company SevenThirty Productions in 2004, and produced many of his early plays in pubs, bars, and clubs. This tradition of using alternative venues continued in 2006 with Chamber Theatre, a company that utilizes various historical venues in Hintonburg and invites members of the community to have a pint while watching the show.
SevenThirty Productions' Kings of the Kilburn Highroad. Alan Dean Photography.
With these new incentives, young people finishing university were deciding to stay in the city and try their hand at creating their own companies. Evolution Theatre was created in 2005 by a trio of University of Ottawa graduates, and they are still going strong.
Also in 2005 were some major changes to our larger theatres. Artistic Director Lorne Pardy left the Great Canadian Theatre Company and was replaced by Lise Ann Johnson, a well-know director and dramaturg. The company had outgrown its home at 910 Gladstone Avenue and in 2007 moved into a new building called the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre in Hintonburg that contained a mainstage theatre, as well as a studio theatre that could be used by other companies; Third Wall Theatre became the resident company of the studio. The former Gladstone venue was bought and completely refurnished by local entrepreneur Steve Martin: its resident company Gladstone Productions had its first full season in 2008 and continues to program shows year round; the venue is also used by other companies, and for one-night-only events.
The Gladstone
As 2005 continues… Marti Maraden, who had been dedicated to programming Canadian work at the National Arts Centre, stepped down as Artistic Director of the English Theatre and was replaced by Peter Hinton, who had garnered a reputation at the Stratford Festival for creating and directing work that was unusual and unexpected. He caused quite a stir with Ottawa audiences when he announced that his first season as Artistic Director would feature only Canadian plays, including one native play. Subscriptions dropped drastically, but the move was, in my opinion, totally worth it. In 2009, Hinton brought back the English Theatre Resident Acting Company, a repertory company consisting of actors from across Canada, including a handful of local actors.
In 2007, a group of local actors decided to create Les Prix Rideau Awards to celebrate the best of professional theatre in Ottawa and Gatineau. In Vancouver, we have the Jessie Richardson Awards; in Edmonton, the Sterling Awards, and in Toronto, the Dora Awards; and Ottawa needed to join the ranks. In 2010, the awards will be fully bilingual — a first in Canada.
Les Prix Rideau Awards. Photo: Andrew Alexander.
Last year, a Company of Fools (Shakespeare in the Park) and Eddie May Murder Mysteries (formerly at Marble Works, now at Scarlett’s Dinner Theatre) celebrated their twentieth and twenty-fifth anniversaries, respectively. On a related note, the Fools are holding a fundraiser with a reading of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” this evening (January 5) at the NAC 4th Stage, an intimate cabaret-style venue that was introduced in the year 2000. Odyssey Theatre, that produces plays in Strathcona Park inspired by the commedia dell’arte tradition, hit the twenty-year mark in 2006. Most impressively, the Ottawa Little Theatre, the capital’s premiere community theatre, is nearing one hundred!
Improv groups have also been popping up in the local scene: Insensitivity Training plays every Sunday at the Yuk Yuk’s on Elgin Street; Crush Improv is starting a regular gig at the Cajun Attic on Tuesdays; and Crystal Basement plays a monthly gig at the Atomic Rooster.
MiCasa Theatre: Countries Shaped Like Stars
So what’s next for Ottawa theatre? I think more companies will start creating their own, original work. The Ottawa Fringe Festival (founded in 1997) is a great start for young theatre practitioners and for new companies looking to get recognized locally (and nationally, if touring is your thing). The Ottawa Fringe has earned a reputation as one of the friendliest, more intimate festivals on the scene: it helps that all the venues are close together, in walking-distance of one another. One of the most memorable developments in last year’s Fringe was the creation of MiCasa Theatre (a.k.a. Emily Pearlman and Nick Di Gaetano) that had sold-out houses at their BYOV venue and is now touring across Canada with two successful shows. Gruppo Rubato (founded in 2002) also got its start at the Fringe and continues to work in new play development, with a production called “Airport Security” in the works for this year.
Unlike previous decades, the last ten years have proven that there are opportunities for Ottawa theatre professionals right here in the city. Of course, there is still a lot of work to be done: creating an audience base that craves new work, getting the proper recognition and ample coverage from media outlets and reviewers, and making a name for the Ottawa theatre community on the national (and eventually, world) stage.
Keep breakin’ those legs…
There is only one comment on the Ottawa Citizen article so far. I wrote my own response that is currently awaiting moderation. Here it is in full:
I would like to thank “montcler” for his most predictable comment on this article, as it inspired me to write a little “Decade in Review” of my own, all about the developments in Ottawa theatre over the past ten years.
To compare Ottawa’s arts scene with Montreal’s and Toronto’s is about as productive as… something that is really not productive at all. I could just as easily say that Toronto pales in comparison with New York City, or that Montreal will never reach the cultural sophistication of Paris or London. But then we’d never get anywhere, would we?
Yes, we should be critical of the arts and we should expect the best from our artists. But we should also be willing and eager to celebrate their achievements when great things happen in our city.
As I have continued to say – ever since I learned how to write letters to the Ottawa Citizen in grade 7 – great things come to those who look for them. And I have discovered a wealth of talent, entertainment, and stimulation from the arts in Ottawa because I have done my research. I suggest you do the same.
Your comment is live now. Well said, lady! I couldn’t agree with you more.
Great review, Jess! I just wanted to point out two things though:
The Shenkman Centre opened in Orleans and the Ottawa Theatre Network was also founded last year.
Here’s to another brilliant 10 years in Ottawa!
Thanks, Nancy. I’d appreciate it if people would continue to send me corrections / additions, as I might be able to get this printed somewhere eventually. There’s so much to cover, and I know I haven’t remembered everything!
Nice job Jess.. Thanks
Re some additions — Need to mention New Theatre of Ottawa – under Koensgen — remember Frolech’s Merz here at Cube (ps Cube is an off grid theatre space that has come on as well – over two dozen plays, dance and jazz performances. Keep on truckin
Thanks, Don. Cube Gallery has been a great space for performance. In addition to the shows you mentioned, I loved the protest gala you held there last year.
I think that the Ottawa arts scene is doing very well at the moment and I just spent the last 6 years living in London, UK. While no city of a million can be compared with larger centres, Ottawa is holding its own right now, from my point of view. I lived in Ottawa for three years at the beginning of the decade and found the theatre scene to be fairly tame. The changes that have happened over the last 6 years are fantastic. It is hard to find a week where there is no interesting theatre to go to, never mind live music, an exhibition, or a lecture. I am very pleased to be here (even if I miss some of the venues in London) and have enjoyed getting to know the artists who are making it all happen in the city!
Seriously, Megan! Going to all these events is exhausting work: what trying lives we lead…
It would be great too to make a comprehensive review of Ottawa’s theatre while considering that we have a bilingual community. So for every achievement noted for English, there is most likely a similar progress or initiative in the French community. Professional theatre in Ottawa is more vibrant than ever and what is most exciting is that Ottawa is finally coming together as one theatre community rather than being one that is divided by linguistic differences. Hopefully the coming decade with offer more collaborative efforts so that we can reach our full potential.
I think something also has to be said that although people from the recent generation have left to complete studies in other cities, they are now coming back.
Hi Lisa, Thank you for that reminder. My knowledge of the French theatre developments is not quite as strong, so I would need to do more research on that side of things were I to write a comprehensive review of Ottawa’s theatre scene. Do you have any suggestions for things that could be discussed in relation to French theatre over the last decade?
Good point about people returning to Ottawa: I have been noticing new actors stating in program bios that they are moving to Ottawa from, for example, Toronto. Some of these actors – Brad Long comes to mind – are already heavily involved in the community and have been featured in several shows.
Jessica, you are a mother-fucking godsend! This is exactly the kind of review our community needs right now.
Our shared history is our most valuable resource and the more we know and talk about it the better.
Hopefully, other folks will add details that you might have overlooked in this comments section — maybe even a personal anecdote or two.
*blush* Thank you! I had been meaning to write something like this for awhile, and the Citizen article offered that extra push. Alvina Ruprecht had written something similar in the 90s, so I figured we needed an updated version.
I think your request for personal anecdote has been answered below :) Thanks, Noel!
Great post! These stories need to be told.
We need to know our history so that we can continue developing in the future. Cliche, but true.
Nice capsule history Jessica. I’m into my third decade in this burg, and the changes in the city’s stage scene over the last decade have been breathtaking indeed. When I moved here from NYC back in the 80s an Equity actor could work at the NAC (mostly at the old Atelier, occasionally at the Studio) and GCTC and that was about it. Theatre 2000 had just closed, and the old York St Theatre would follow soon after. Mark Monahan and I ran dinner theatre out of the Penguin on Elgin St in 1989. We did some good business (“Greater Tuna” played five nights a week for 13 weeks) and it had a lot of promise but the owners turned it into a restaurant after our first season. As your article suggests, things remained pretty uneventful until about ten years ago. Odyssey Theatre and the Fools really came into their own, and with the arrival of Third Wall, Vision and the other companies that hire professional players there is rarely a time in our fair city when you can’t find a first rate production on the boards somewhere. I do have a wish list for the next ten years, and on top of the list is that more Ottawa theatre goers make a greater effort to see the wonderful shows that Upper Canada Playhouse. AD Donnie Bowes and company stage the best comedies I’ve seen since moving to the valley. He hires a lot of local talent and he packs the house night after night, but it’s been years since he’s gotten a review from the Ottawa press. Hey, they’re only an hour down Bank Street and they run practically the year round. Here’s hoping they start getting the attention they deserve.
You know, Noel, I have not been to the Upper Canada Playhouse, and I have heard a lot about them. I will make the extra effort to see them this year.
There are a lot of great events happening in rural Ottawa, as well. I love going to the Puppets Up! Festival in Almonte every August. The entire city lights up and everyone gets involved. Most of the shows are top-notch, and there are activities for children and youth and adults.
Thank you, Lisa l’Heureux, for this wonderful summary of French theatre in Ottawa over the past decade. I think once we combine our two articles, we will have created a truly comprehensive account of Ottawa’s accomplishments in theatre.
http://llheureux.blogspot.com/2010/03/for-jessica-decade-in-review.html